The copy has 0 error tolerance, and the last words on the ground are all wrong for me.

Chapter 557 Biological Network Dissolution Syndrome

The food truck owner was initially just angry, but hearing those two words completely broke him down.

Having his prized craftsmanship so humiliated, it was impossible for him not to remember Wu Chang. He stared intently at Wu Chang, the flames in his eyes trying to burn away Wu Chang's reflection in his pupils, unaware that he had already taken the bait.

Wu Chang sensed that the other party cared about him, so he immediately activated the Mind Traveler to enter the food truck owner's mental world.

He was going to find out the deepest secret in the food truck owner's heart, to find out why the man was able to become a modifier, and how he came to be in Jacques City.

The aroma from the stew pot, along with the steam, billowed out. Through the layer of steam, Wu Chang's consciousness had already attached itself to the food truck owner.

In the world of the mind, the food truck owner is just 19 years old and is huddled in the back kitchen of his restaurant, stewing meat sauce. As soon as he lifts the lid, the aroma wafts out with the steam, filling the entire kitchen with the fragrance of meat.

The grandfather, standing to the side, sniffed the aroma, a satisfied look on his face, and said:
“Javier, I have nothing more to teach you. You are more talented than anyone else in the family. You are already skilled enough to stand on your own.”

Although Javier knew his skills were exceptional, he was still overjoyed to receive his grandfather's approval.

He took a deep breath, looked at his grandfather with a determined gaze, and said:
"I want to open a store in the Metropolis."

Grandfather was somewhat surprised and asked:

Why the Metropolis?

Havel replied with a look of ambition in his eyes:
"Because it is said that the most discerning diners in the world gather there, and only by establishing oneself in the metropolis can one prove that one truly possesses talent."

Grandfather hesitated. He knew the state of the metropolis and how fierce the competition was.

His family's secret meat sauce is the pride he has upheld all his life. It is unique in a small city, but even he is not confident about making it in a metropolis.

"Just because of a pot of meat sauce?"

Although young, Javier's eyes were full of confidence.

"To perfect one thing is better than to be mediocre at everything. I believe in the family's meat sauce."

Grandfather paused for a moment, then smiled and said:

"Then do it."

Javier came to the Metropolis and chose an inconspicuous little shop to open his own store.

Having just arrived in the metropolis, as a rootless out-of-towner, he naturally wouldn't target the upper class.

He needed reach and a good reputation, so he targeted the lower and middle classes, focusing on high-calorie, easy-to-prepare, and widely accepted fast food items like hot dogs and hamburgers.

As his grandfather said, Havel possessed a divine gift: he had an unparalleled mastery of scent.

The meat sauce he makes has a special aroma that whets people's appetites, making them stop and enter the shop as soon as they smell it.

Even diners who have just finished eating next door will come in and buy a portion to take away as soon as they smell his meat sauce, even if they are full.

He didn't need exaggerated gimmicks or prime locations; he quickly built up his business solely on his irresistible aroma.

Its reputation spread by word of mouth, which quickly attracted food bloggers to visit the store, and it subsequently became a popular online store.

His abilities were more than enough to handle this massive influx of attention. He was interviewed by various media outlets and filmed programs with various internet celebrities. He used this to accumulate wealth and fame, and opened his own burger shop in a prime location in the metropolis.

To experience the legendary mysterious fragrance, many celebrities personally came to the store, and photos of him with various stars covered an entire wall.

Originally, this was supposed to be an inspirational story of a small-town culinary genius realizing his talent, conquering the metropolis with his family's culinary skills, and reaching the pinnacle of his life.

The turning point came from a press conference.

The civilian application of biometric network technology.

Bio-recognition technology allows users to directly control devices through their consciousness, enabling them to surpass physical limits and achieve a level of precision previously unimaginable, almost perfectly demonstrating the effects desired by the user.

Biometrics technology has won almost every academic award in the world and has official endorsement, so it quickly spread.

At first, Javier didn't care. In his view, he was just a cook, not one of those engineers or a special vehicle driver. What he needed was a feel for things, not precise operation.

But he soon discovered that famous chefs in the metropolis had all undergone modifications and acquired biological networks.

In a modern kitchen aided by biometrics, they can achieve the precision of an industrial assembly line, monitor the kitchen's status in real time, and keep everything in an orderly manner.

They also made great strides in innovation. By combining bio-networks with special analytical instruments, they deciphered the secret of the unique aroma in Javier's meat sauce and applied that technology to various dishes.

The once unique Havel has become just another face in the crowd due to the devastating impact of technology.

He tried to innovate, but relying solely on vague human senses, his progress was extremely slow, leaving him far behind his former competitors.

With the attitude of "if you can't beat them, join them," he used almost all his savings to undergo bio-network modification surgery and renovated the entire kitchen.

The surgery had remarkable results. The bio-network not only connected him to machines but also expanded his mental perception, allowing him to understand more clearly what he wanted.

The fleeting inspirations of the past, so hard to grasp, now stand obediently before him, waiting for him to choose them.

The connection between the bio-network and machinery grants him absolute precision, allowing his inspiration and creativity to be almost perfectly replicated from his mind into reality.

Only after becoming the alter ego did he truly accept the gift bestowed upon him by the gods.

As a reformer, he returns to the culinary scene of the metropolis with a brand-new menu, determined to rise again from where he fell.

The core of his restaurant is still meat sauce, but this time, even if he reveals the ingredients and techniques, other chefs will not be able to replicate or analyze the meat sauce he made.

His meat sauce possesses a certain magic; if his previous meat sauce merely whetted people's appetites, now his meat sauce can make customers be completely consumed by their hunger.

He used this as an opportunity to rename his restaurant "Appetite".

Once people taste his hamburgers and hot dogs, they become obsessed, and many heavy customers weighing five or six hundred pounds have even died in his shop due to excessive excitement and overeating.

The fact that customers ate themselves to death because the food was so delicious did not affect the restaurant's business; on the contrary, it attracted diners from all over the world.

Havel answered the question his grandfather had once asked him with his actions.

Just a pot of meat sauce?

Yes, he conquered the metropolis and diners around the world with just one pot of perfectly made meat sauce, and it frequently appears at the top of various "must-visit restaurants" lists.

So, what's the cost?
When Havel became a modifier, the BioNetwork had just been deployed to the civilian sector. Although it had undergone many tests, experimental data from various parties proved that the technology was mature and safe enough.

However, to absolve themselves of responsibility, a line of inconspicuous small print was written in the corner of the advertisement on the giant screen in Metropolitan Plaza.

"Absolute safety is the design goal of this modification surgery."

After the modification surgery was completed, the doctor in charge of the surgery reminded Havel that the daily use of the bio-network should not exceed six hours.

Javier listened and followed the doctor's orders. For a period of time immediately after the modification, he even used the machine for only two hours a day, making the meat sauce by hand and then stopping to rest.

Even so, six months later, he began to increase the time he spent using the biometric network.

The reason is simple: he cannot tolerate mediocrity.

When he activates his biological network, he becomes a unique genius. His inspiration is almost inexhaustible, and his perception of the world and tastes becomes faster and more precise. His entire world is under his control.

But as soon as the biological awareness network was shut down, he was instantly reduced to his original form. His brain became dull and his senses became blurry and slow. The contrast between before and after made him extremely painful.

Each time he uses the biometrics network, it takes him half a day to get out of his depression and recover.

He felt that living his normal life was a waste of his life, and under this mindset, he gradually became unable to tolerate it.

First, I increased the usage time from two hours to three hours, then from three hours to five hours, and finally, thinking that it was the doctor's recommended usage time anyway, I further extended it to eight hours.

Since it's already been used for eight hours, using it for another ten minutes shouldn't be a problem, right? Advertisements for bio-network modification surgery always emphasize absolute safety, so adding another hour shouldn't be an issue either.

In two years, Havel went from using the bio-network for two hours a day to having it active all the time, except for four hours of sleep each day.

Fifteen years passed in this way. During those fifteen years, he became a legend on the restaurant street and successfully entered high society.

He bought a mansion and brought his entire family to the metropolis.

At the peak of his career, he drank heavily at a charity gala. Under the influence of alcohol, he experienced violent convulsions as if electrocuted and collapsed on the spot.

When he woke up, the doctor told him two pieces of news with a solemn expression.

One is bad news, and the other is bad news.

Because of his exceptional talent, his bio-awareness network functioned more effectively than that of ordinary people, but it also experienced a greater burden during use. Furthermore, his indulgence in highly stimulating activities like alcohol and sex damaged his bio-awareness network.

This means that the effectiveness of his use of the biometric network will be reduced, and the usage time will be shortened.

This condition is rare and is officially called "bionet lysis," an irreversible form of damage. If not treated promptly, the bionet will further collapse, causing extremely serious consequences.

The second piece of bad news was that when his bio-recognition network was damaged, it burned out his sense of smell and taste.

The medical team is designing a treatment plan, but they cannot guarantee that Javier will recover completely.

Upon hearing these two pieces of news, Havel felt as if the sky had fallen.

His sense of smell and taste were special gifts bestowed upon him by the gods. It was through these abilities that he was able to control people's appetites and achieve his current success.

Without them, he would no longer be the devil who controlled appetites, but an ordinary fast food restaurant owner.

He couldn't accept this outcome. In an effort to restore his sense of smell and taste, he spent almost everything he had, even selling his mansion in the Metropolitan Area.

The loss of his sense of smell and taste caused him mental anguish, but he soon discovered that the physical pain caused by the damage to his bio-network was even more agonizing than the mental pain.

His brain, nerves, and muscles have atrophied to varying degrees due to his long-term reliance on bio-networks to perceive and process various information.

When the effect of the bio-awareness network weakens or even shuts down, the resulting physical incoordination makes it difficult for him to control himself, and he can't even walk in a straight line smoothly.

During the day, he has difficulty controlling his body, and at night, due to the damage to his mind and brain, he has difficulty falling asleep and has to rely on drugs and illicit substances to temporarily escape the pain.

As for his career, without the assistance of the biological knowledge network, he was in worse shape than an ordinary person and couldn't even cook a decent dish.

Fortunately, he has lost his sense of smell and taste, so he can eat his own terrible cooking without any problem.

The double blow to his physical and mental health caused Havel's business to plummet. In order to repay loans and pay medical bills, he sold his shop in a prime location in the metropolis to someone else, and his family who had come to the metropolis returned to their previous small town.

Just when Havel was in despair, the doctor in charge of his treatment, seeing that he was no longer able to continue treatment, gave him a suggestion.

Doctors say that in Jacques, Calais, a technology for treating and rebuilding the bio-network is being researched, and the technology is being developed by the renowned Professor Eugene, the father of the bio-network.

Anyone willing to sign a volunteer agreement can personally test the technology, and the treatment process is completely free.

As far as he knows, many patients suffering from "bionet lysis" have gone to Jacques to seek a cure. The treatment is very effective. Although the bionet cannot be repaired in a short period of time, it can help patients temporarily relieve their pain and stabilize their condition.

Given that Javier is a VIP at the hospital and has paid huge sums for treatment over a long period, and since the hospital happened to have a trial slot available, they asked Javier if he wanted it.

Havel had originally prepared to end his life, but upon hearing that there was still a chance, he temporarily put his mind to it.

He was unwilling to accept that everything he had built with his own hands had collapsed, nor was he willing to give up his ultimate pursuit of food.

Before the onset of "bionet lysis syndrome", he had already touched the threshold of the ultimate taste. If he were given another year, he would definitely be able to complete the perfect meat sauce in his mind.

He barely hesitated before signing a treatment agreement with the doctor.

The treatment agreement was simple: the patient voluntarily entered Jacques City for treatment, and during the treatment period, the patient would not have to bear any costs. He would also receive a monthly subsidy from the federal government. The amount was not large, but it was enough for him to live a decent life in Jacques City.

The agreement contains only two restrictions on patients:

First, patients have an obligation to maintain confidentiality until the treatment is successful, and must not disclose the details of the treatment or its existence to the outside world.

Second, patients must not leave Jacques before completing their treatment, and even if they are granted permission, they must not leave the Canton of Calais.

To monitor their movements, the lab implants a location system into their biometrics to ensure they don't leave Calais.

Compared to free treatment and federal subsidies, the restrictions in the agreement are practically nonexistent; it's practically charity.

He glanced at the end of the agreement, and coincidentally, one of the funders of this experiment was the organizer of the charity dinner he attended on the day he fell ill.

Wu Chang wanted to see why Havel became a cyborg and why he appeared in Jacques City. With Havel signing his name on the agreement, the scene in the mental world came to an end.

Wu Chang used the technique of condensing emptiness into reality to solidify his body within Havel's mental world. He went to the doctor's desk and picked up the treatment agreement.

He examined the terms of the agreement, recalling Havel's experience.

No wonder such a small city as Jacques can attract so many transmuters.

If the modifiers of Jacques City were not all locals, but came from all over the Federation and even the world, seeking treatment for "BioNet Dissolution Syndrome," then everything would make sense.

This technological research project, spearheaded by Professor Eugene, with direct federal funding and spanning the entire state of Calais, was clearly not something that could be accomplished by a single department. Rather, it was a collaborative effort involving various federal departments and a large number of top billionaires.

This reminded him of the "Lullaby Protocol" that Kruger mentioned. As a colonel, Kruger had to rely on wiretapping to find out the name of the plan, and both things revolved around Professor Eugene.

The answer is obvious: the so-called "Lullaby Agreement" must be related to the technological research in Jacques, and the two may even be the same thing.

The plan is run by forces at the very top of the Federation, who select the participants.

All the test subjects they selected, like Havel, were once from high society, influential in their respective fields, but their lives were ruined by "bioreceptor necrosis".

These people first drained Havel and others of their last bit of wealth through medical institutions, and then offered them treatment agreements to participate in research when they were desperate.

Not only can they gain wealth, but they can also completely control these patients.

Recalling Havel's past, Wu Chang's intuition told him that although sending Havel to Jacques City was the work of the organizers behind the scenes, the "Biorecognition Network Dissolution Syndrome" that broke out in Havel was not their doing.

Wu Chang experiences Havel's past from a first-person perspective, and can feel the difference between the opening and closing of the biological consciousness network. Its existence itself is a contraband with deadly addictive properties.

Leaving aside the low-end, purely chemically synthesized thrills, nothing is more captivating than becoming a genius and achieving great success.

For modders, the bio-network is like a cheat code, allowing them to unleash powers that are not their own.

There's only one or countless times when it comes to using a dog-like device, not to mention that biological identification networks, besides psychological dependence, also have physiological dependence.

Both Havel and pilot Baker are completely different when activating and deactivating the bio-recognition network.

Once the bionet is used, triggering "bionet lysis syndrome" is only a matter of time.

Therefore, from the very beginning, the biometric network technology has had flaws. Professor Eugene may have been conducting research in Jacques in an attempt to repair the biometric network in order to fix these flaws.

It is precisely because of the unique nature of this research on biological networks that researchers sent to the Calais branch receive higher salaries than those in the metropolitan area.

As the intelligence was sorted out, everything that happened in Jacques gradually came together.

Once the events that occurred in Jacques were established, new questions arose.

Did Professor Eugene get any results from this study?

Is the light of collapse that triggered chaos in Calais related to the findings of the study?

(End of this chapter)