Hogwarts: From Selling White Peppers to Becoming a God

Chapter 185 Open your eyes, Comrade!

To protect the researchers' creativity, Murphy planted "magical contracts" in their minds that would not affect their free will. As long as they abided by the rules within the contracts, they were completely free to think.

Therefore, the researchers were able to retain their unique beliefs, values, and personalities.

It's possible for this agent Valery to remain loyal to the country while adhering to the rules. However, he cannot be loyal to the country within the framework of the contractual rules.

Murphy pulled up a stool and sat down opposite him.

"Let's talk," Murphy said, waving his hand to release the gag from the other man's mouth. "Valerian Lermontov, what exactly are you loyal to?"

"Kill me, I won't say anything," Valery said, his head bowed.

"Even if you know I've read your memories, and everything you know is already in my mind, you've actually betrayed your own country?"

Valery frowned in pain. "I didn't. It wasn't something I could decide."

"That's right, loyalty can be a very subjective concept. So, what exactly is the object of your loyalty?"

Valery didn't speak, but Murphy nodded. "I see, faith. I'm somewhat moved, brother."

"Don't read minds, you devil! Is it fun to read other people's minds at will?! You voyeur! Disgusting!" Valery seemed to be enraged.

“You’re not really angry,” Murphy continued, maintaining his ability to read the other person’s mind. “It’s hard for people to fake their emotions, even if you’re a master at it. But under a high level of Legilimency, all your thoughts are as obvious as fish swimming on the surface of water. Hiding and pretending make no sense to me. Let’s be more open; it’ll be easier for both of us.”

However, as soon as he finished speaking, he read a thought in the other person's mind, and he suddenly reached out and grabbed Valery's chin.

"Suicide is also impossible."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Valery was on the verge of collapse. Tears streamed down his face, and his heart was filled with despair. At that moment, all he wanted was to die.

He is a true believer.

Murphy sensed the burning conviction in his heart, like steel forged through countless trials, a true awakening born from repeated doubts and verifications. Though it seemed somewhat tarnished, its brilliance remained undiminished.

However, the enemy he faced was too powerful.

Faced with magic, he couldn't even keep the secrets in his heart.

This uncontrollable humiliation and despair made him want to die immediately.

Even now, his loyalty remains undiminished; he simply cannot control his exploitation, but he still holds his own soul in his hands.

"But that's just an illusion," Murphy said. "In the face of magic, free will is nothing but a fantasy."

"You must have heard about the world-destroying power of the plague bacillus you stole, but you probably don't know why."

"Because it's a terrible thing that can infect people's minds and turn them into puppets controlled by germs."

Valery raised his head in alarm.

As a soldier, he was not afraid of death, because physical death is not true death; through the power of his faith, he still possessed a noble and free soul.

But what if magic can even alter his beliefs?

"You work in the potion research group, so you must know that many potions, such as love potions, have the ability to change people's minds. Of course, most of them are temporary, and the effects are mostly fake. But I can tell you with certainty that spells that can truly alter the mind do exist."

"The confidentiality agreement I signed upon joining the company?" Valery asked.

Murphy shrugged. "The secrets here cannot be revealed to the outside world for the time being."

Valery fell silent. Whatever, it was no longer something he could control.

He had done his best. If the other side wanted to turn him into a devil who opposed his own country, then he could only hope that his former comrades would aim their guns at his head.

"Don't despair, we may not be enemies," Murphy said.

Valery clearly didn't believe him and only saw Murphy as an adversary trying to turn him against him.

"You've been here for quite a while, so you should know what I want. Do you think this research might be unique to any one country?"

"This is a place where magic is being studied, bro."

"This is a field almost as vast as science has ever been. It's not an industry, not chips, not rockets, not atomic bombs; it's basic science! It's theoretical physics, it's chemistry, it's astronomy, it's anthropology, biology... How could one country possibly monopolize it? This is a treasure that belongs to all of humanity."

"But you're monopolizing it," Valery said, sharply pointing out the flaw in Murphy's statement.

"And I don't want to monopolize it," Murphy said. "I created this lab and made all the research results public to all the staff in the lab because I don't want to monopolize it."

"Then why don't you let me go and let me take those results back?"

"Take it back, but to whom?"

"Of course, it's the Soviet Union."

"And who is Su Guo? I imagine you're not taking those technologies back to get a promotion or a raise for some high-ranking official, or just to secure a future for yourself, are you?"

"What do you mean?!" Valery glared at him.

"First, answer me, who is the State of Su?"

"Of course, it's the people of the Soviet Union!"

"Then let me ask you another question: will the people of the Soviet Union ultimately obtain these technologies? Can the person who took the technology from you, and the organization to which that person belongs, still represent the people of the Soviet Union?"

"You!" Valery roared in fury, "You truly are a lackey of the Western will! You try to shake my faith!"

"No, Comrade, you know your faith has not wavered. What angers you is simply my attempt to separate your pure faith from the government that you see as the embodiment of faith."

"But I don't have that idea either. Even if your country is now deeply mired in problems, even if that government is outdated and incompetent, even if that political party is no longer what it used to be, I don't want you to completely separate them."

"Your country is a great country, but it is very large, the government is very large, and the political parties are very large, with countless people, you know, not all of them are as loyal as you."

"What I want you to distinguish is yourself from those disguised enemies."

"You should see clearly that what you are loyal to is always your own beliefs, your people, your country, your government, and your party, not some corrupt maggots who still sit in positions of power."

"They have long since become your enemies, enemies of the political party, enemies of the motherland, and enemies of the people."

"You should be more discerning in identifying who are true warriors with conviction, and who are merely shameless thieves disguised as comrades!"

"Open your eyes, Comrade!"

Don't get involved in any political discussions, everyone. This has been reviewed and revised twice already... Anyway, it's just a wild idea, just take it with a grain of salt...

(End of this chapter)