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

Chapter 560 Tranquilizing Essence and the Heavenly Tower
Dylan looked at the tenant who had been hit in the back of the head with an axe. Judging from the force, the axe was not very powerful, but the point of attack was very precise. It hit the core of the bio-awareness network, shattering it and killing him instantly.

Before the modder is fully transformed into a flesh-and-blood monster, the white tentacles offer limited protection for the core of the biological consciousness network, making them the monster's most vulnerable part.

However, not everyone knows this kind of information, nor can everyone make the cut.

These three outsiders were able to make it all the way to Jacques, which seems to be more than just good luck.

As the tenant died, the white tentacle piercing his right hand softened. He pulled the tentacle out, stood up against the wall, and said to Wu Chang:
"You cut very accurately."

Wu Chang answered naturally:
"My lab's research topic is studying biological recognition networks, so it's hard to be wrong."

He walked behind the flesh-and-blood monster, pulled out the fire axe he had stuck in the back of its head, and said:
“I’ve never seen anything like this before, Mr. Dylan. Could you explain what happened?”

A hint of apprehension crept into Dylan's eyes. If Wu Chang had never seen a flesh-and-blood monster before, then when the other man swung that axe just now, was he thinking of cutting down a monster or a person?
Regardless of the current appearance of the flesh-and-blood monster in the room, just a few minutes ago she was still human, and her head still had a human appearance. Wu Chang swung his axe, and not only did he not gag or show any fear on his face, but he didn't even have any extra expression on his face. He was as calm as if he were chopping a piece of wood.

Even he, a former professional soldier, was not this calm when he killed for the first time. It is said that people who study medicine and biology are prone to becoming abnormal, and he has witnessed it this time.

If it were anyone else asking, he could easily dismiss it with a casual "don't ask," but facing Wu Chang wielding a fire axe, he dared not show the slightest disrespect and replied:

"It's a mutation of flesh and blood. Ever since that violent burst of white light a few days ago, the bio-consciousness of the cyborgs in the city has become unstable and is easily out of control due to external stimuli."

"Once the bio-recognition network goes out of control, it will seize control of the body, actively manipulate it, and merge itself with the instruments or machines it frequently used in its previous life, becoming a special kind of flesh and blood monster."

Dylan skillfully bandaged himself with one hand, then pointed to the window with the curtains drawn and said:
"The tenant living in this room is a 43-year-old woman. She is a long-time resident here, and her bio-network was already on the verge of collapse before Jacques City went out of control."

"Today, for some reason, she looked out the window on her own initiative. Influenced by a fleshy monster that was lurking nearby, her biological consciousness network completely collapsed, and she became a monster."

Upon hearing Dylan's description, Wu Chang suddenly felt a little guilty. Could it be that because he used his Heart Flame to burn the monster outside the house, the monster screamed and attracted the attention of the neighbors, which caused her biological network to collapse?

Even though the monster outside is burning with heartfire, can it still attack targets that see her?

Wu Chang shifted his gaze from the window and began to examine the room's layout.

Guided by inspiration, he noticed a small, thumb-sized device installed in the corner of the room, with a flashing red light above it.

The raven told him that it was a special energy detector that could detect whether the bio-consciousness of the inhabitants of a house was out of control and had turned into a flesh-and-blood monster.

Their check-in was so sudden that the equipment hadn't been installed in their room yet, but such testing equipment should be standard equipment in the rooms of long-term guests who have been staying for a while.

He raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his eyes. Judging from the memories Sean inherited, the loss of control over the biological network was not common knowledge in the dungeon dimension. Even Sean, a graduate student with a relevant major, had never heard of related symptoms before.

It is possible to determine whether a target organism's identification network is out of control through some method, without visual inspection. This requires not only strong professional skills but also a large number of sample tests, and it is by no means something that can be created hastily.

Only eight days have passed since the Light of Collapse, so it is clear that the instrument Dylan used was manufactured before the Light of Collapse occurred.

Its existence indicates that the city of Jacques had long ago discovered the consequences of the uncontrolled bio-network and had been conducting research in this direction.

It was because of these instruments in the room that Dylan was able to arrive at the scene in time the moment the flesh-and-blood monster next door turned into a monster.

No wonder he was able to protect all the survivors in the building all by himself.

Wu Chang looked at Dylan, realizing that the existence of the Flesh and Blood Monster Detector was not simple, and that Dylan possessing it was equally remarkable.

Wu Chang didn't reveal that he had discovered Dylan's secret. Instead, he pretended not to notice the detector in the room and pointed to the rifle that Dylan's right hand was fused with, asking:

"Have you been using this method to keep this place safe?"

Dylan started rummaging through the room, seemingly searching for something. He said:

"When ordinary people are affected and transformed into flesh and blood monsters, they will go through a short transformation period. This is when they are most vulnerable and most easily killed. As long as they are eliminated in time, the safety of others can be protected."

Unfortunately, this method can no longer be sustained.

Wu Changming asked the question knowingly:
"why?"

Dylan said without turning his head:
"Of course it's because I can no longer do it. Since the mutation, Jacques City has been in chaos. With resources scarce, I have to expend a lot of energy and physical strength every day in order to stay conscious."

"If it weren't for you today, I and all the survivors in the building would have died at the hands of the flesh monster."

"People should recognize their own powerlessness. Although I don't want to admit it, the fact is that continuing to force ourselves will only lead to the deaths of the people here and me."

At this point, Dylan rummaged through the suitcase under the original guest's bed and found what he needed.

It was a bottle of unlabeled pills, white in color. He had seen Dylan take similar pills when he first entered the building.

Dylan unscrewed the medicine bottle and saw that there was still half a bottle left. He breathed a sigh of relief, took out a pill and swallowed it. A few seconds later, he felt a little better, and his right hand, which had been pinned to the wall and had limited movement, became more agile.

It was as if a single pill had directly replenished Dylan's energy and stamina; such an effect could never be achieved by strong painkillers or illicit drugs.

Based on what he saw in Havel's inner world, he spoke in the tone of someone in the know:

"Is this the legendary drug that repairs the biological consciousness network?"

Dylan carefully put the medicine bottle away and said calmly:
"You know quite a bit."

Wu Chang said:

"Of course, after I got my master's degree from Hover, I didn't go to Metropolitan. Instead, I took the initiative to come to Calais because I heard rumors that there was an advanced study being conducted here to repair the bio-network."

Upon hearing this, Dylan's face lit up with realization. The Sean in front of him looked like a bookworm, a model student, but he hadn't expected him to be a graduate of Hover, and from what he said, he was currently working in Calais.

The University of Hover has been at the forefront of research in the field of biometrics. Although each patient involved in the treatment is required to sign a confidentiality agreement to prevent the disclosure of information, the doctors are not bound by such agreements.

Being a student at Huffer University, it's reasonable to hear some of these rumors.

From Sean's answer, it's clear he's been searching for the "rumors" about Jacques City. He's just been rescued by Sean, and the city is in chaos with no one supervising them. Considering the huge favor he owes, he said:

"You guessed right, this drug is called Ning Shen Su, and it's a treatment for 'Biorecognition Network Dissolution Syndrome.' It's still under development and can only provide temporary relief; it cannot truly reverse or repair the damage to the biorecognition network."

"Before the mutation, we could receive a bottle of tranquilizer every two weeks. It could help us relieve pain and get rid of our dependence on the bio-network. After the mutation, it can temporarily put our bio-network into hibernation, allowing us to get a good night's sleep."

Dylan didn't say something. After the Light of Collapse occurred, they were unable to replenish their tranquilizers. That's why he didn't have time to mourn for the lodger and instead searched through the lodger's luggage, trying to find the tranquilizers that hadn't been finished.

Wu Chang said:

"Could I have one so I can study its composition? Maybe I can replicate it."

Dylan hesitated for a moment, but still took out a piece and handed it to Wu Chang.

"Item name: Ning Shen Su"

Item Type: Special

"Item Description: When the modder takes the Tranquilizer, the aging bio-network can more effectively receive the bio-coordination field emitted by the Sky Tower, stabilize the modder's emotions, and alleviate the identity dissociation disorder caused by the modder's dependence on the bio-network."

Players who consume the tranquilizer will gain six hours of safe sleep.

"Note: The root cause of bionet lysis is not only the damage to the bionet, but also how to reconcile the different identities brought about by the ordinary and the extraordinary."

The description of the tranquilizer suggests that it's more of a psychological treatment than a cure for biological networks. Furthermore, it's not used alone but works in conjunction with an entity called the Sky Tower. Mentioning the Sky Tower, Wu Chang suddenly recalled fragments of Sean's memories.

Sean's job in Calais was quite relaxed, consisting of only three main tasks: collecting data on individuals with physical abnormalities, traveling to designated modification hospitals to guide the use of modification equipment, and maintaining a tall tower.

Every city in Calais has the same tower, but only the heads of the local laboratories know its purpose; they have no authority to access information about it.

Looking back now, the tower they maintained might have been the Sky Tower that worked in conjunction with the calming agent.

Having confirmed enough information, Wu Chang returned the pills to Dylan, saying:

“It’s different from any medicine I’m familiar with. I can’t figure out its true ingredients, and with the current conditions, I can’t study it either. I’ll leave it with you for now; you might find it useful.”

Dylan took back the pills, and when he heard that Wu Chang was unable to replicate the calming agent, he was not disappointed, but instead showed a relieved expression.

"If you really see something, then I should start to doubt your identity."

Wu Chang asked:

"You just said that you are no longer able to protect this place in your current state, so what are your plans afterward?"

Dylan said:

“I’m going to get a good night’s rest. While I can still handle a gun, I’ll take the people here to Jacques University a little to the west and see if we can get the survivors there to take them in.”

“That’s the largest survivors’ settlement in the city, but it’s mostly home to ordinary people. Modified people there are not only hated, but also strictly guarded, which is why we didn’t go there before.”

“You are not cyborgs, and you are all skilled in technology. You are the kind of people they welcome most, so there is no need to worry about it.”

"We're ready to leave at dawn, would you like to come along?"

Wu Chang had always kept his true identity as an ordinary person, intending to integrate into the survivor camp and obtain information from another perspective. Upon seeing Dylan's invitation, he immediately accepted.

Once outside the room, Dylan told everyone in the building about the situation and that they were preparing to leave.

The survivors in the building had long anticipated this day, and their reactions were all very calm. Most of them chose to leave with Dylan, but a few felt they were about to lose control and didn't want to be treated like monsters at Jacques University. They preferred to die alone in this small building.

Dylan couldn't say anything about their choice, but the next morning he left them three days' worth of food and drinking water, along with the keys to all the rooms in the building, and wished them good luck.

Having gathered all their belongings, the group boarded a bus and headed towards Jacques University.

The city of Jacques is much more peaceful during the day than at night. With the silence of the flesh monsters, a few survivors can be seen on the streets.

They gathered in small groups, searching for food, drinking water, medicine, and gasoline. Most of the resentment on the streets of Jacques was left behind by these people.

Walking on the streets during the day is relatively safe, but searching for supplies requires entering indoor buildings. Every adventure is a gamble with life. If they encounter something like the supermarket monster, they will disappear silently.

Although it's safer during the day, a bus fully loaded with resources is still too conspicuous, which makes them a target for people quickly.

Three groups of people followed them in succession, the largest of whom was the local Yacco gang, the Motorbike Gang.

They had men, guns, contraband, and heavy firepower that was hard to find on the market. After the appearance of the Light of Collapse, the Motorbike Gang became one of the largest organizations.

Three motorcycle gang members followed the bus, intending to cut off their belongings and take some money. Dylan used his bio-network to fire a warning shot at them, which scared the three gang members away.

They then sped off, arriving at Jacques University before the motorcycle gang's reinforcements arrived.

Entering the grounds of Jacques University meant they were temporarily safe.

Although Jacques University rejects modified individuals, many still flock to it for survival. The university also houses many important figures from Jacques City. Unless the world explodes in an hour, gang members would never dare to offend them.

The methods of the big shots are far beyond what these low-level gang members can use.

As Wu Chang approached Jacques University, the first thing he noticed was the towering tower on campus. The tower looked the same as the one Sean remembered maintaining, only enlarged to the same scale.

As Dylan said, upon learning that the survivors in their vehicle were all modified individuals, the guards who received them instantly changed their expressions, disdainfully telling them to go to the inspection channel to confirm the status of the bio-network before allowing them to enter.

When they heard that Wu Chang and the other two were not modified individuals and were researchers engaged in biological network research before the collapse of the light, they immediately put on enthusiastic faces again. The guard captain even personally led them into the university to meet the person in charge of the survivor settlement.

On the way to meet the person in charge, the guard introduced the survivor stronghold to Wu Chang.

The stronghold is under military-style management. Personnel can only move within a designated area. Every survivor must strictly abide by the rules and make full contributions. If they fail to do so, the supplies they are allocated will be reduced, or they may even be expelled from the stronghold.

All survivors undergo daily physical examinations, and those whose mental or physical condition reaches a dangerous level are placed in an observation zone to ensure they do not affect the safety of the base.

The guards led Wu Chang to the medical school of Jacques University, where he saw one of the leaders of the survivors' stronghold in the office building.

The person in charge was named Mason, thirty-five years old. Both his aura and his attire were typical of old-money style. Moreover, unlike the other survivors, Mason did not have obvious dark circles under his eyes, which made him stand out.

After chatting for a while, Wu Chang discovered that Mason was also a graduate of Hover University. Thanks to their alumni status, the two quickly became acquainted.

Mason learned that Wu Chang and his two companions had previously worked at research institutes in other cities, and that they had come here to find out the truth because they had heard that Calais State was conducting cutting-edge research on bio-network technology. He asked Wu Chang a few questions about bio-networks, and Wu Chang answered them fluently, which made him even more friendly.

He immediately invited Wu, Chang, and the other two to accompany him to visit the huge tower built in the backyard of the medical school.

Wu Chang noticed that after Mason left the office, he was followed by two bodyguards, one in the light and one in the shadows. Judging from their auras, both of them were players and possessed the power of origin.

The fact that they were able to connect with the largest survivor faction in the instance so quickly and even become their bodyguard shows that there are capable individuals among the other players who entered the instance.

Mason led Wu Chang to the tower and said:

"Sean, this tower should look familiar to you."

Wu Chang nodded and said:
“There is a similar tower behind the laboratory where we work, but the management authority of the tower is in the hands of the supervisor, and we can only maintain it from the outside.”

Mason said with a smile:

"These towers are called Sky Towers. They can emit a bio-coordination field to soothe the bio-recognition network. The Sky Tower of Jacques University is one of the three main towers."

“You have already spent a night in Jacques City and know that the city is surrounded by a strange biofield. Falling asleep will be dangerous, but as long as you sleep inside this Sky Tower, you will not be affected.”

Mason led Wu Chang and the other two into the Sky Tower, which contained a large laboratory. Two bodyguards, who were players, were left outside the laboratory. Mason then led Wu Chang and the other two into the central monitoring area of ​​the laboratory.

Through the screens in the monitoring area, Wu Chang could see that there were more than a dozen laboratories set up inside the tower, and these laboratories were conducting research on the biological network in different directions.

These studies were all things Sean had never seen before, and the targets of the research were not only modified individuals, but also completely mutated flesh monsters.

Mason smiled and said in a proud tone:
"Well, Sean, this kind of research is something you can't learn in school."

"I've seen your talent. Would you like to join us and work together to complete this great research?"

Wu Chang took a deep breath, showing his excitement, and asked:
"Is it research on how to repair the biometric network?"

Mason scoffed, shook his head slightly, and said:

"Repairing: Why repair broken tools? Our research is about how to make broken tools continue to work, ignoring malfunctions."

(End of this chapter)