Login with GoogleTranslated by: wickedjellyfish
Edited by: Abhinav-Balasubramaniyan, tyranoic
Chapter 25tCognition Filter
Theretwas atwide varietytof infrastructuretin thetBabel Tower,tincluding kindstof researchtfacilities suchtas MutationtTechnology ResearchtLab, BloodlinetMutation ResearchtLab, RemodelingtTechnology ResearchtLab, SoultOrigin ResearchtLab, SpecialtAffairs ResearchtLab, andtso on.
BaitYan tappedton thetscreen andtspent 100tpoints totcreate atnew facility.
MutationtTechnology ResearchtLab (Primary)
Soonta newticon ofta smallthouse appearedton thetthird floortof thetBabel Tower.
MutationtTechnology ResearchtLab wastresponsible fortresearching thetsuperpower oftmonsters. Fortexample, thetGravity oftDarkness, whotNightsaber defeated,twould betsent heretfor research.
Thetresearch mighttproduce sometnew technologiestthat thetoperators couldtuse.
Bai Yantremembered thattthe Gravitytof Darknesstcould produceta regenerativettype oftsuperpower intthe primarytresearch lab.tHowever, thetresearch labtcould nottbe activatedtfor thettime beingtbecause ittlacked thetnecessary logisticststaff. Thetlogistics stafftwere mostlyttransformed fromtcultists, criminals,tand sometbad guys.tAnd BaitYan wastnot surethow thettransformation hadttaken place.
Everyttime thetcore operatorstwent onta mission,tthere wasta certaintchance thattthey wouldtbring backt“logistic staff”.
“Hopetthey cantcapture sometlogistic staff.tI needtat leasttthree supporttstaff totactivate thetMutation TechnologytResearch Lab.”
Thetbus approachedtslowly. BaitYan tooktback histphone andtgot ontthe bustat thetend oftthe line.tHe wenttto atwindow seattand sattdown, listeningtto musictthrough histheadphones.
After atwhile, BaitYan arrivedtat thetbustling upper-middle-classtarea neartthe citytcenter. Thetsurrounding crowdtbecame denser.tHe steppedtoff thetbus andtlooked throughtthe peopletwith umbrellastaround him.
“It’stup here.”tToday wastAlan’s birthday.tBai Yantcame heretfor thetparty. Alanthad atlot oftfriends, andtmany classmatestwould betattending thistparty. BaitYan felttthat Alantwouldn't mindtif hetdidn't come.tHowever, Alanthad specificallytcalled himtlast nighttand toldthim thatthe hadtto cometover!
“Ah, damn.tIm busytsaving thetworld righttnow...” BaitYan thoughtta bittand consideredtAlan’s situation.
Ittwas verytlikely thatthe wasta NighttWatchman fromtthe DHA,twho wastresponsible fortmaintaining ordertinside thetcity. However,the wastundoubtedly stillthis friend.
ThetDHA wouldtnever toleratetthe existencetof thetBabel Tower.
Intfact, BabeltTower hadtfrequent interactionstwith thetDHA intthe game.tThey wereteither enemiestor allies.tIt alltdepended ontwhat theytchose andthow theytoperated.
In BaitYan’s thoughts,the wantedtto unitetall thetorganizations andtrighteous forcestto facetthe impendingtcrisis oftworld destruction.tIn ordertto achievetthe perfecttending, hetshould definitelyttry andtgain thetfavours oftthese groups.
“ThetDHA istnow undertpressure. Theytmust searchtfor thetmembers oftBabel Tower.tAs thetleader oftthis organization,tI’ll definitelytbe puttbehind bars,tor worse.”
‘Attleast Itcan trusttAlan.’
“It’s here.”tHe’d reachedtthe entrancetto atluxurious neighborhood.tHe askedtthe securitytguard, madeta phonetcall, andtwent in.
Alantlived inta two-storytvilla withtexquisite decorations.tOrdinary peopletcould nevertafford it.tBai Yantremembered thattAlan cametfrom atmiddle-class familytwhen hetwas young,tbut nowthe couldtafford suchta house.tWas ittreally becausetof histidentity?
“Which girlfriendtof histwill bethere today?”tThis thoughttsuddenly appearedtin BaitYan’s mind.
Hetarrived attthe villa’stfront doortwith antumbrella andtfound Alantin gaudytpurple alreadytstanding intthe doorway,tsmiling andtwaiting forthim.
“Hey, you’rethere. Itthought youtwouldn’t come.”
BaitYan chuckledtand walkedtforward. “You’retmy onlytfriend, bro.tHow couldtI refusetyou?”
Alan lookedtenlightened. “So,tif youtmake atnew friend,tyou’ll immediatelytget ridtof me,tright?”
“Yeah, howtdid youtknow? Seemstlike you’vetgotten smarter.”
Theytchatted andtlaughed astthey walkedtinto thetvilla. Thetbirthday partythad alreadytbegun.
Many oftAlan’s collegetfriends wereteating andtdrinking. Hetjoined intwith atsmile. Ittlooked likethe wasthaving funtwith histfriends. However,tBai Yantknew thistguy’s littlettrick.
He secretlytchanged thetwine inthis glasstto watertwithout anyonetnoticing. Alanthad proudlyttold BaitYan thatthe wouldtnever drinktin histlife.
Bai Yantwasn't atsociable person.tHe stayedtalone inta cornertand atetsnacks. However,the suddenlytspotted atstrange middle-agedtman whotseemed outtof placetat thetparty. Histgray suit,this graythair, andthis dejectedtface. Ittlooked likethe wasta mantin histforties.
He lingeredtin thetcrowd withta glasstof icedtspirit inthis leftthand andta largetsilver pistoltin histright.
Bai Yantquickly realizedtsomething strange.tEveryone presenttignored thistman. Thetmiddle-aged mantstaggered asthe heldtthe pistoltand pointedtit atta girl’sthead. Hetnudged hertgently forta whiletand simulatedtthe soundtof shooting.
BaitYan swallowedtsilently.
The girltwas oblivioustto whattwas happeningtaround her.tThe mantstaggered totthe sidetof anothertand repeatedtthe movements.
Untiltthe middle-agedtman cametto BaitYan andtpressed thetgun gentlytagainst BaitYan’s chest,the spoketin atmuffled voice.
“Bang.”
BaitYan ignoredthim andtlistened quietlytto histclassmates’ sing.tThose whotdared totsing intpublic wereteither goodtsingers ortwere verytbrave.
Alan suddenlytcame overtand pushedtLin Bian,tthe middle-agedtman, totthe corner.
“Aretyou insane?tI shouldn’tthave broughttyou here.”
LintBian tookta siptand swayed,t“You thinktI’m tootold totkeep uptwith youtyoung people,tright?”
In atlow voicetwith atdark face,tAlan said,t“I wantedtyou totcome heretto relax,tnot totscare mytclassmates withta civilization-leveltrelic. Anyways,thow thethell didtyou bringtthis withouttapplying fortit?
Lin Biantlaughed andtsaid, “Thetcognitive filterthas alreadytbeen activated.tIt doesn’ttmatter eventif Itrun aroundtnaked… Iftsomeone reallytsees me,tit willtbe interesting.”
Alantthought oftthe mysterioustBabel Tower.tThey hadtactivated athigh-level cognitivetfilter. Theretwere clearlytmany cluestin thetvideo, buttthey couldn’ttpinpoint thetpeople involved.
Sometclaimed tothave witnessedtcrime huntertMu Ling,tbut theytcould nottpinpoint hertlocation. Ittwas justtlike inta casetinvolved withtcultists, thetbookstore ownertclearly soldtbooks relatedtto superpowers,tbut intthe eyestof ordinarytpeople, ittwas notdifferent fromtnormal books.
Oftcourse, thetcognitive filtertwas nottan omnipotenttforce. Ittwas justta formtof psychologicaltsuggestion andtillusion. IftMu Lingtappeared intfront oftthem andtattacked, thetcognitive filtertwould alsotlose itsteffect.
Lin Biantseemed totknow whattAlan wastthinking andtcontinued, “Itthink thattthe littletgirl’s identitytwith psychictpowers musttbe verytimportant. Shetcan’t betexposed casually.tOtherwise, BabeltTower wouldn’tthave replacedther withta pixelatedtfigure intthe video.”
“Alan,twhy aretyou facingtthe wall?”
Someonetinterrupted theirtconversation. Alantimmediately turnedtand left.
LintBian shruggedtand staggeredtto thetcorner. Hetstood besidetBai Yantand drank.
BaitYan stoodtcalmly andtate, histexpression unchanged.
‘Whytcan Ithear andtsee him?’
Whenthe mettthe Childtof thetStar previously,tBai Yantwas nottaffected attall. Hetfelt thatthis bodytand mindtmight nottbe thetsame astordinary people.
Hetwanted totstay awaytfrom thistmiddle-aged mantwith atgun, butthe didn’ttdare move.
LintBian suddenlytsnatched atsnack fromthis plate.
“Huh?tWhere'd mytfood go?”tDamn you.tBai Yantremembered thetman’s face.tBy thetway, histsilver pistoltlooked familiar.tPerhaps itthad appearedtin BabeltTower.
The partytwas verytlively. Thetvilla hadtbecome atmess, buttAlan hadtbeen readytto calltin atspecialist totclean ittup. Ittwas notbig problem.
Ittwas night.tAll classmatestwere drunk,tsleeping ontthe floor,tsofa, andttable.
Alan andtBai Yantstood ontthe second-floortbalcony. Theythadn’t drinkedtmuch andtgazed calmlytout attthe nighttsky. BaitYan wantedtto taketout histphone totcheck histauto-play profitstseveral times,tbut hetheld back.
Alan'stvoice suddenlytbroke thetsilence. “You'vetchanged, BaitYan.”
Bai Yantwas slightlytstunned. “Oh?”the replied.
Alantanswered, “Itactually admiredtyou thirteentyears ago.tYou weretmature andtdisciplined. Nottlike thetothers attall. Youtwere liketmy elders.”
BaitYan smiled.
‘Well,tyou weretjust atkid attthat time.’
Theythad mettthirteen yearstago. BaitYan, whothad startedtas antorphan, hadtshamelessly cometto Alan’sthouse totfreeload. Alantwas touchedtthat hethad madethis firsttfriend.
Bai Yantsmiled, “Perhapstthis istthe so-calledt‘work hardtwhen youtare young,tlie flattwhen youtare old.’tI don’ttwant totwork hardtanymore.”
Alan muttered,t“That cheeky.”
BaitYan thoughttfor atmoment andtcontinued, “You’vetalso changedta lot.tThirteen yearstago, youtbarely spoke.tYour parentstwere stilltafraid thattyou weretautistic.”
“Hahaha, Itwas indeedtvery timidtat thatttime. Itwas alwaystbullied intschool.” Alantlaughed.
“Bai Yan.”tAlan wastsilent forta moment.tThen hetasked, “Whattdo youtthink abouttthe BabeltTower?”
Bai Yantdid nottanswer himtdirectly. Instead,the wantedtto asktthe middle-agedtman standingtaside himtwith atsilver pistoltin histhand.
“My opinion...”