Gamers Are Fierce-Chapter 557 - 555 Unearthing Secrets
Memory Transmission...
The virtual projections looked at each other, and someone asked gravely, "Scholar Zhu, the memories you transmitted wouldn’t include classified information above Level Three, would they?"
"No."
A somewhat helpless and bitter smile appeared on Scholar Zhu’s face. "I know this act almost violates all security protocols, but under those circumstances, it was almost the only thing to do," he said.
Xing Hechou remained silent.
Scholar Zhu, a member of the Heterodox Academy, was, to some extent, also a semi-researcher and had a very high security clearance within the organization, with access to most Level 3 classified information and even some Level 4 secrets.
(Organization secrets were divided into six levels in total. Level 0 was public information, accessible to logistics, clerical, and cleaning staff, as well as external contractors. Level 1 was semi-confidential, Level 2 restricted, Level 3 classified, Level 4 Apex Secrets, and only the highest-level management could access Level 5 information.)
Frontline officers like Wei Linglan and Chu Yin had access to Level 2 information and could occasionally receive Level 3 secrets. Xing Hechou himself had clearance to Level 3 secrets. As the head of the Hoshan Road Base, Jien Rushuang, being senior management and a researcher, had access to some Level 4 secrets.
Inside the Special Affairs Bureau, there were different protocols for handling members with different security clearances. Members with lower clearance levels had to sign confidentiality agreements with Meme effects, which physiologically provoked a reaction (such as intense queasiness, vomiting, or fainting) if they intentionally and consciously leaked secrets, triggering alarms at the monitoring center. Higher-level personnel also signed stricter confidentiality agreements. They were protected and monitored around the clock, and their brains underwent modifications that prevented them from leaking information to the outside world, nor could they be co-opted by enemy forces using methods like "invading memories," "hacking into dreams," or "communing with the dead" to acquire secrets.
As far as Xing Hechou knew, with Meme effects becoming increasingly prioritized, the organization had even begun to further limit access to secrets by senior personnel, to prevent a day where Memes might lose control and wipe out most of the senior staff. Just like with this King of Shengnan incident.
The virtual projections discussed this in low voices. Xing Hechou and Jien Rushuang sat down, listening to the higher-ups’ discussion, feeling somewhat apprehensive.
In this incident, the leakage of intelligence wasn’t what was frightening; it was the King of Shengnan, the special entity that had obtained Scholar Zhu’s memories, that caused concern. From the intelligence already gathered, the King of Shengnan was an unprecedentedly powerful human subconscious collective that could construct completely realistic dream realms through the spread of Memes. After being brought back to the real world by Scholar Zhu, It had managed to go from a non-corporeal state to a corporeal form, subsequently gaining abilities to distort and affect reality.
According to the Special Affairs Bureau’s rough categorization of anomalous entities, the King of Shengnan’s abilities might be similar to those of Psychics—whose powers stemmed from the mind and could interfere with the real world solely through personal will. The most advanced Psychics could even generate something akin to an AT Force Field, completely negating any physical interference from the real world.
(Considering the King of Shengnan originated from deceased infants with extremely strong subconscious emotions, It being a natural-born Psychic wouldn’t be surprising.)
For the time being, Scholar Zhu’s act of bringing the King of Shengnan back to reality was still considered positive. The King of Shengnan, as a synthetic deity, had immense research value, but further observation, research, and evaluation were necessary.
The discussion about Scholar Zhu finally ended, and an elderly virtual projection said solemnly, "We will assess this."
"Yes."
Scholar Zhu let out a slight sigh of relief inside his protective suit. "For safety, I will later apply for the highest security level of individual isolation," he said, "until the assessment department confirms it’s safe."
***
"Brother Xing and his team must be insanely busy right now, considering this matter involves a manufactured deity. I guess just going through the assessment process could take a few months."
Li Ang moved the mouse, closed the forum webpage, and stretched in his chair without any sense of urgency as a major event participant.
The smaller the ability, the smaller the responsibility. It’s all on you, Special Affairs Bureau. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
"So what’s next?"
Miss Chai did a twirl in midair, somehow producing two cosplay costumes: one of Soul Locking Warden Thresh, and the other of the Lich King Arthas, both of which had been worn by characters in the script mission. She held up two ferocious-looking paper costumes, her face flushed as she softly asked, "Shall we eat first? Take a shower? Or should I go to an online store and buy some yellow paper for cosplay?"
"Buy it yourself."
Li Ang tossed his phone to Miss Chai carelessly, asking, "You used to be in such a rush to eat, drink, and have fun after leaving mission worlds. Why the change this time?"
"Because this script mission was so long," Miss Chai rolled her eyes. "And at the final key moment, I didn’t even make an appearance, despite having designed the perfect farewell line for Wu Yaozi."
"We’ll talk about it next time, next time."
Li Ang nudged the chair with the tip of his foot, letting it spin out of the bedroom. He took out the Alchemist’s Magic Box and fetched the Pet Breeding Box from the Alchemy Workshop, organizing the loot from the mission inside.
The mission for the King of Shengnan was unlike any before, with no time limit and no fixed rewards or penalties for failure; it was all about earning rewards by resolving anomalies.
After entering the dream, Li Ang first resolved two anomalies, brought down the House of Integrity, then met up with Liu Wu Dai, Wanli Fengdao, and the others, and killed a number of urban legend horror monsters in the Rainstorm Forest. He entered the city of strange tales in the Japan Islands, resolved the incident at the Fushen Pingyuan Residence, teleported to the world of strange tales, masqueraded as Xi Menzi the Taoist, and wiped out a host of bandits, thieves, and White Lotus Sect Members.
The rewards he gained, when totaled, far exceeded his original expectations.
"The Experience Point reward was 2,100, Game Currency increased by 4,700..." Li Ang stood on the grass of the Automated Pet Box, murmuring to himself.
Before entering the Shengnan King’s Dream, Li Ang’s level was Lv13 with an Experience Bar at 753/1,300. Afterwards, he leveled up twice to Lv15, with an Experience Bar at 153/1,500. Game Currency went from 6,816 to 11,516.
Without realizing it, I’ve actually become a ten-thousandaire. Li Ang clicked his tongue, looking at the abundant numbers in the player’s personal information panel, quite impressed.
At the same time, the words "Title: Flesh Cutter" in front of "Li Rising’s" nickname began to slowly change.
[Title: Mystery Delver]
[Release Mode: Passive]
[Special Effect: When gazing upon a being, one secret they do not wish to be known by the outside world is displayed in your field of vision. Refreshes with a new secret every 10 minutes. Secrets do not repeat. Ineffective against non-sapient lifeforms. Can be turned off or on at will; cooldown time continues to count down even when turned off.]
[Cost: None]
[Note: Secrets are your prisoners. Once you release them, you become their prisoner.]
