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

Chapter 572 You guys really hurt me

Although Jason and his companions received some supplies as a reward after leaving Mason's office, they were also granted an hour's rest privilege inside the Sky Tower.

But the anger in Jason and Xuan Yu's eyes did not subside; on the contrary, it grew even stronger.

Mason is treating them like livestock. He sits in his office, issuing orders and expressing his needs, without considering the difficulty of the task or their lives.

Operating at night when the flesh-and-blood monsters are active is already very risky; forcing them to disperse is practically suicide.

In terms of education, Mason's education was among the best in the entire Federation.

He was able to complete his studies without using money and even joined the development of the Lullaby Protocol, so there was no problem with his intelligence or ability.

Logically speaking, he knew that Jason and his group possessed power and should be taken seriously. He also knew that to gain the upper hand over the military and the Conservative Party in Jacques City, he needed their support.

But deep in his mind was a simple belief that people are not equal.

People like Sean, who are well-educated, have remarkable academic achievements, and can lead science and civilization forward, are truly valuable and worthy of his respect.

Conversely, mercenaries like Jason, no matter how skilled they are at killing or how strong they are, are just a group of worthless tools in his eyes, living only for money.

He wasn't deliberately targeting Jason and his group; rather, he believed that all lower-ranking and lower-level personnel, including Jason, and the military were worthless expendable resources whose sole purpose was to obey their orders.

This cognitive inequality makes it impossible for Mason to see Jason and others as equals; he can't even pretend to be one.

Therefore, he can give Jason and others supplies, money, or other promises, but he cannot give them equality.

This mentality is more deadly than deliberate humiliation.

If Mason only humiliates them, they can prove themselves through their strength, making the other party wary and restrain themselves.

In Mason's eyes, they were merely tools. No matter how strong they were, they were still powerful tools. His attitude towards them would not change; instead, he would assign them even more dangerous tasks.

If things continue like this, they will only have two choices.

Either they leave, or Mason leaves.

Letting them go is absolutely out of the question.

They highly valued the capabilities of the Democratic Party, having easily completed the first main mission and explored the Central Research Institute without taking any damage. This had already given them a taste of success, and they would never leave.

Not to mention that once they leave the Civil Rights Party, all the rewards and contributions they have earned will be wiped out, and they may also be hunted down by Civil Rights Party players.

Leaving the Civil Rights Party and joining which camp is also a difficult question.

Last night, they were not only staking out Professor Eugene, but also making contact with other factions.

The small city of Jacques has many factions, but few are truly capable of being supported.

Besides the military casting a wide net, there's also Lullaby (a conservative faction) based in the north of the city, preparing to reclaim the main tower of the North District Sky Tower, and Jacques City refugees who are ineligible to enter Jacques University and can only band together for warmth.

Besides these camps, there are reportedly some more secretive ones, but overall, only the Civil Rights Party camp seems to have the most potential, so they won't leave easily.

If they won't leave, then we'll have to find a way to get Mason to leave.

In the past, they really had no way to deal with it.

As players, they do not have the authority to issue quests or take over on their own.

The top leaders of the Civil Rights Party are all people like Mason. Getting rid of Mason and replacing him with someone else will not only not improve the situation, but will also make them more wary of them.

Moreover, if the matter is exposed, they will be directly regarded as opposing camps and automatically leave the Civil Rights Party.

But things are different now; Sean's appearance has given them an opportunity.

As an ordinary person who had just graduated, Sean treated the players equally, even sensing their extraordinary power and feeling a sense of awe towards them.

The perfect completion of the task of collecting experimental data earned Sean Mason's favor, and he quickly rose to become a decision-maker.

To them, Sean was the perfect puppet. If they could get rid of Mason and put Sean in charge, their lives would be much better.

The only problem now is how to convince Sean to take this position.

The two returned to the team, and without embellishing the story, simply stating Mason's attitude verbatim immediately provoked dissatisfaction among the players.

When the topic of putting Sean in charge was brought up again, the players responded enthusiastically and agreed to do it.

Seeing that they had the support of the crowd, Jason and Xianyu exchanged a glance and decided to go and sound them out.

The Civil Rights Party at Jacques University, along with Mason, has seven main decision-makers, each managing a different area.

Sean arrived the latest and had the weakest foundation, yet he still had twenty powerful mercenaries under his command. Mason assigned him to the quarantine zone to oversee the unstable modified individuals.

The two first arrived at the quarantine area under Sean's jurisdiction, but they couldn't find Sean himself at the quarantine area management office. They only saw a few players under Sean's supervision.

Jason approached a warrior dressed in full leather armor, wielding two long swords. The warrior's name was Shuangyue, and he had some connection with Jason. Back outside the Central Research Institute, it was Shuangyue who had brought him into the Civil Rights Party camp.

Unexpectedly, the other party ended up staying under Sean's command, while they were directly controlled by Mason.

When they arrived, Shuangyue was leisurely practicing her swordplay, which surprised the two of them.

Unlike other dungeons, the Sleepless Night dungeon will suppress players' physical condition to that of an ordinary person. Activities like sword practice consume both physical and mental energy, making it an unwise choice.

"Shuangyue, where are your people?"

Upon seeing Jason, Shuangyue sheathed her twin swords and said:
"We're going on a mission soon, and everyone's resting. I just woke up and feel full of energy, so I'm taking this opportunity to warm up my skills so I don't run out of time when facing the flesh monster."

Jason and Xianyu twitched their lips. Having just woken up, they were full of energy. They knew without asking that Shuangyue must be sleeping in the Sky Tower lounge.

"Didn't you take any action last night?"

Shuangyue didn't think too much and answered directly:

“No, our part is mainly trace investigation and tracking. Mr. Sean said it's not safe at night and it's not good for observing traces, so he told us to wait until daytime when the light is strong and it's safe to act.”

"Why are you all in such a sorry state? Did you encounter an attack by a flesh-and-blood monster?"

Jason and Xianyu were starting to lose their composure, and their gazes toward Shuangyue became complicated.

We were the ones who came first, whether it was joining the Civil Rights Party or working under Sean, so how come all the good things ended up going to the newcomers, the Twin Moons?

He shook his head slightly and recounted the task Mason had assigned them the previous night.

Hearing about their plight, Shuangyue's eyes showed sympathy, which only hurt the two of them more.

Jason exhaled a breath of stale air and said:
“We found some traces last night, but we’re not sure if they’re related to Professor Eugene, whom we’re looking for. We need to inform Mr. Sean of this. Do you know where he is?”

Shuangyue pointed to the quarantine area and said:
“Mr. Sean is in the quarantine zone. I heard he came in with a group of modified individuals. They got along well, so as soon as he had some free time, he went to visit his friends inside.”

“Garon and Dynamite are with Mr. Sean. If you see them, you can find Mr. Sean.”

Jason nodded, and was just about to leave with Xianyu when Shuangyue suddenly said:
"This morning, one of the modified individuals had a health problem and caused quite a commotion, begging for calming agents."

"During the argument, the language became quite heated and escalated to a level of threat. Mason's SWAT team shot him in the chest, nearly killing him on the spot. This greatly displeased the lady next to Mr. Sean, and the two almost came to blows."

"If you start from this point, you might find something useful."

Jason turned to look at Shuangyue and said:
"Thanks."

The quarantine zone is a residential area enclosed by iron fences, adjacent to the residential area of ​​the Jacques Special Police and the Calais Canton Guard.

Armed guards patrol the quarantine zone around the clock, making it resemble a small prison built within a school.

All those who are transformed and enter Jacques University are sent to the quarantine zone, with only two exceptions.

First, being selected as an experimental subject would allow entry into the Sky Tower; second, it would prove that one's biological network is healthy and of sufficient value to gain the appreciation of several decision-makers.

Upon entering the quarantine area, the change in environment is immediately noticeable.

While the internal management of Jacques University is strict, it's only strict; the isolation zone is completely prison-like. Two modified individuals live in a single cell, which is equipped with cameras, offering no privacy whatsoever. Their meal and activity times are regulated, and they must go out to search for supplies unless their physical condition deteriorates to a certain level.

Of course, this does not mean that if you are in poor physical condition, you do not need to go out to search for supplies. Modified individuals whose physical condition is so bad that they cannot move will either be abandoned if they are lucky, or simply disappear if they are unlucky.

In short, both of them could feel a significant sense of oppression as soon as they entered the quarantine area.

Gunpowder, who serves as Sean's bodyguard, is a gunner who always carries an exaggeratedly large automatic grenade launcher on his back, with a huge drum magazine forty centimeters in diameter hanging below the gun, making him highly recognizable.

From a distance, Xianyu spotted the two bodyguards. As she approached, she found Sean talking to a thin, middle-aged man.

They waved to the two bodyguards and then leaned closer to hear what they were saying.

Ever since Wu Chang learned that Auriel and Dylan were not members of the self-rescue team, but came from another faction, he became very curious about Dylan's background.

He checked the personnel list of the Central Institute and found that Dylan used the alias Sandos at the Central Institute and was the director of the institute's security department, the third-in-command of the security department.

A security chief and an eighth-level supervisor—these are not low-ranking positions in the Central Research Institute.

If they were military personnel, their successful removal of eight floors' worth of data would be a major achievement. Even if they didn't immediately evacuate him, they wouldn't have left him to his fate like this.

Moreover, apart from him, no one should know what he and Auriel did. If he directly revealed his identity as the security chief, even within the Civil Rights Party camp, he would be much more comfortable than he is now.

Dylan's identity doesn't make sense in either camp. Could he actually be an agent of another country, specifically there to steal biometric network technology?

Unfortunately, Wu Chang's current identity is Sean, and on the surface he is an ordinary person. Otherwise, he could easily pull off a ruthless move to deepen Dylan's impression of him, and he could directly enter the other's mental world and uncover the other's secrets.

However, the limitations imposed on the Mind Traveler do not affect his gameplay.

Using the modified human who was nearly killed during the day as a starting point, he found Dylan and inquired about the physical condition of Dylan and the other survivors.

Dylan forced a look of concern and said:

"Without the pressure from the flesh monster, my body can still hold on for now. However, two of the survivors who came in with us have developed health problems. Do you have any way to help them?"

“If this continues, I’m worried they’ll end up like that person just now…”

Wu Chang raised an eyebrow. Dylan seemed to be deliberately drawing his attention to the modified man who had been shot, trying to provoke his displeasure.

He pretended not to understand and said:
“Mr. Mason, who manages Jacques University, is very easy to talk to. I helped him go to the central government and did something for him, and he appointed me as a decision-maker.”

“Tell me their names, and maybe I can think of a solution.”

Upon hearing the name Mason, Dylan's face showed displeasure. He scoffed dismissively and said softly:

"He's just being easy to talk to scholars like you."

Wu Chang asked:
“Mr. Dylan, you were injured in the battle with the flesh monster. If necessary, I can take you out.”

Dylan shook his head and said:
"It's okay, I'm doing fine here. If you have the capacity, please help others."

Wu Chang patted Dylan's arm and said:
"I will. If you need anything, please send someone to contact me anytime."

While giving him instructions, he used the "Calamity" ability on Dylan.

You're feeling fine and don't need my help, right? Don't worry, you'll need it soon.

Although Dylan's identity is mysterious, his strength is not as mysterious as his identity. Due to the absolute difference in power, he directly triggered the "Calamity" Grand Slam.

With his abilities to "spread plague," "bring disaster," and "cast evil spirits," along with special states and the cursed space, he could provide Dylan with a complete service if he wanted.

He wasn't trying to kill Dylan, so he only used "Plague" and "Exorcism" on Dylan, and he held back a lot of his strength.

"Plague" attacks the body, and "evil spirit" attacks the spirit. Before long, Dylan will be dependent on him.

When the time comes, Dylan should take the initiative to tell everyone what he is obsessed with or who he wants to see. Even if he has none of these desires, Dylan should offer more help. Once Dylan is moved and his inner world is opened up, he will be able to find the answers on his own.

Anyway, with Eileen watching over him, at most he'll just suffer a bit, nothing serious will happen.

After saying goodbye to Dylan, Wu Chang turned around and saw Jason and Xianyu. When Jason and Xianyu showed him the portable space, he knew their little scheme and that they would come looking for him sooner or later, but he was not sure how long it would take.

So he started making plans now. He intended that if the two of them didn't come to him in three days, he would take the initiative to approach them, using the excuse that he couldn't stand the treatment the modified people were receiving.

I didn't expect them to be so impatient; they couldn't resist coming over after only one night apart.

I don't know whether to praise their decisiveness or lament that the previous generation of players couldn't endure hardship.

He looked at the two of them in surprise and asked:
"What brings you here? Is something wrong with Mr. Mason?"

Jason repeated what he and Shuangyue had said, claiming that there was important intelligence that needed to be reported in a more private place.

Wu Chang, without suspecting anything, immediately took the two back to his office.

Once the door closed, Jason spoke directly:
"Mr. Sean, what do you think of the current atmosphere within the Jacques Citizens' Party?"

Wu Chang hesitated for a moment, then said:
“The situation at Jacques University is alright, but they are too harsh on those who have undergone modifications, to the point of discrimination.”

String Whisper secretly activates the bard's buff skill, "Crisis Perception," which amplifies the perception of allies.

In combat, it can enhance the perception of danger, allowing one to anticipate ambushes and enemy attack intentions through killing intent. Outside of combat, it can amplify the inspiration of allies, making one's intuition sharper and enabling one to make more favorable judgments.

Strings said:

"In my view, this discrimination against modifiers comes not only from the potential threat posed by modifiers, but also from Mr. Mason himself."

“Mr. Sean, you should also know which modifiers are allowed to leave the quarantine zone.”

"In my view, the root of the problems at Jacques University, and even the whole city of Jacques, lies in Mr. Mason's or the Civil Rights Party's contempt for ordinary people."

"They don't care about the life or death of individuals, nor do they care about the future; they only care about their own interests. Professor Eugene may have seen through their true colors, which is why he preferred to collect materials and conduct research on his own rather than contact the Civil Rights Party."

Wu Chang's expression changed. He glanced nervously towards the door and said anxiously:
"We can't speculate about these things. Maybe Professor Eugene doesn't know we're looking for him. After all, Jacques City is full of flesh-and-blood monsters, and communications have been cut off..."

His voice grew softer and softer, clearly indicating that he couldn't convince himself.

Instead of exposing Wu Chang's lie, Xianyu changed the subject and said:

"The technology to treat bionet lysis, once invented, will be no less significant than the bionet technology itself. Mr. Mason was right; once successful, his name will definitely appear in history books and textbooks."

"But under the leadership of the Civil Rights Party led by Mason, can this technology really succeed? Even if we bring Professor Eugene back, will he really cooperate with our research? If we force him, won't it cause a second Collapse of Light?"

Wu Chang's face turned extremely pale. He looked at Xianyu and said in a dry voice:

"What do you want to say?"

The stringed voice said firmly:
"I believe that in order to complete this technology that benefits mankind, we must stand on the side of humanity and start with a compassionate mindset. Mason and the Civil Rights Party, who are high and mighty, clearly do not have this quality."

“If Mr. Sean, you take over Jacques University, you will not only be able to break the blockade and prevent today’s tragedy from happening again, but your transformation may also attract Professor Eugene’s attention and prompt him to contact us to work together to complete this technology.”

"At that time, you will not only be able to participate in the front line of research and become an indispensable figure when it comes to bio-network technology, but you will also be able to truly use this technology to help those in need and benefit the world."

Wu Chang seemed to be swayed by the words, seeing himself in a state of success and fame, and his gaze became somewhat unfocused.

But when it came time to make a decision, he hesitated.

"But……"

Jason stepped forward at this moment. He pushed open the office door and saw all of Wu Chang's players standing outside the office.

"Mr. Sean taking over the Jacques Citizens' Party is what we all want. You don't need to worry about those SWAT teams and state guards. You know our strength. Once we take action, they won't have time to react."

"By then, the die is cast, and they will have no choice."

Wu Chang looked at everyone helplessly, and finally, under their gazes, he sighed and said:
"You've really put me in a terrible situation."

(End of this chapter)