69novels Page 18
Page 18
A dense storm of bullets, almost forming a continuous sheet, poured out! In just a few seconds, a fully loaded magazine was emptied—three attacking enemies were almost instantly torn to pieces, one of them still clutching a knife, his severed arm limply brushing against the corner of her clothes.
Chapter 50 Mind Synchronization
Due to the limitations of her personal weapon, Remian's strength lay in the sheer speed of her movements. She danced on the edge of a blade, weaving through spells—movements unlike anything a sniper should possess, but rather those of a seasoned warrior. At this distance, her sniper rifle was the most terrifying execution tool! Each bullet fired was accompanied by the horrific sight of an enemy's breastplate and torso being ripped apart and torn away!
Fiameta… Fiameta wasn’t Sarkaz. She couldn’t feel the raging tide engulfing her companions. She could only desperately fend off the enemies before her, staring in horror at her teammates who had fallen into a berserk state, letting out an incredulous cry: “Are you all insane?! Andorn! Mostima! Remian! Wake up!”
As the last royal soldier fell in the hail of bullets, only heavy breathing and the crackling of the campfire remained in the camp.
The overwhelming frenzy of killing receded as quickly as the tide.
The halo's radiance subsided, the wings of light returned to their original form, and the madness in his eyes faded.
Several Sarkaz stood there, as if they had just woken up from a terrible nightmare, looking blankly at the mess and blood around them, feeling the sudden, chilling power and violence that had been drained from their bodies.
The camp fell into a deathly silence, with only the campfire crackling softly. All eyes, filled with a bewildered sense of waking from a dream, a barely perceptible lingering fear, and a hint of curiosity, slowly focused on Kane.
Kane himself, however, seemed even more confused than the others. A new prompt was clearly appearing in his field of vision:
[Mind Synchronization] is now enabled.
GA-ST-1: Andorn - 7%.
HE-ST-1: Remian - 4%.
CB-ST-1: Mostima - 5%.
The code name at the front was clearly the number assigned to each Sarkaz by "Heaven's Pivot." And the percentage after that… Kane was almost certain it was directly related to his earlier empathy. He didn't know what would happen when that number reached 100%, but his intuition told him it was no small matter.
He knew even better that, because of his recent infection, the usually calm and collected Remian and Mostima had entered a state of frenzied madness, abandoning reason and fighting for their lives. Their fighting prowess was astonishing, but at the cost of putting their own lives in danger.
"Well done?" Kane praised them. After all, he had barely exerted any effort in the battle just now. The Sarkaz squad wiped out the enemy in a crushing manner, especially Mostima. The instantaneous power of the assault rifle, without considering the ammunition reserve, was truly terrifying.
“Mr. Azazel,” Mostima took a deep breath, trying to maintain a polite smile, but his eyes held a hint of wariness and lingering fear.
"After this... could you please try to tone it down a bit? While your help has certainly allowed us to... perform exceptionally well, frankly, we haven't reached the point where we need to risk our lives. If we proceed steadily and take our time, we'll defeat the enemy just the same." Her wording was extremely tactful, yet clearly conveyed her core message: Don't let them descend into that desperate, reckless state again! A single misstep could mean certain death!
Even without Kane's intervention, their squad's firepower and coordination would have made it only a matter of time before they picked off the enemy one by one in that battle. Although the Sarkaz Royal Court's army is composed of elites, this particular force is clearly not up to the task. After all, the truly capable ones have already gone to Londinium to take charge.
"I'll try my best." Kane's answer was ambiguous, but his gaze thoughtfully swept over the three percentage numbers in his field of vision. Combining the situation just now, he basically deduced the mechanism of [Thought Synchronization]: it could "infect" the connected Sakorta with his own emotions and will through empathy, and significantly amplify them; it even had an effect comparable to stimulants—Remian was currently experiencing muscle soreness and couldn't imagine that she could do those movements.
If we do this a few more times... pushing this progress bar to 100%... what will happen? Will they be completely "synchronized" with me? The mysteries of consciousness and the soul are always the most profound and unpredictable. Kane cannot find the answer at present. In the future, when the first 100% synchronized Sarkaz appears, he will know the full picture of this function.
The smoke of battle had not yet cleared, and rest was a luxury. The members of the Andorn squad acted swiftly, skillfully erasing any trace of the camp, before driving their land vehicles away from the dangerous area.
To further test the functional boundaries of [Mind Synchronization], Kane changed his previous aloofness and took the initiative to chat with the team members.
Andorn was naturally the most enthusiastic responder. He eagerly inquired about the secrets of Kane's transformation, attempting to find the key to realizing his ideals. Kane, in turn, skillfully deflected the question back to the Lateran Church:
"The answer lies in Lateran, in His Holiness the Pope. Just as you trekked from Iberia to Lateran and only then truly saw the vast chasm between doctrine and reality, so too will the so-called Law. Others' descriptions cannot compare to your own witnessing." Kane could not directly explain to Andorn the truth that the "Law" was a supercomputer. This mind-blowing fact had to be revealed to the "Saints" by the highest authority in Lateran—the Pope himself—at the appropriate time.
The Lateran popes throughout history have all experienced this, and they know very well how to resolve the conflict between faith and reality, so that every saint can accept the truth; and while bearing the truth, to find a way out for Lateran.
“Remember, Andorn, simply making everyone a Sarkaz is just the most basic step. The real goal is for everyone to identify as a Sarkaz—to identify with that connection built on empathy, that transcends blood ties, that can truly bridge the gap between people.” Kane’s voice carried an almost seductive guiding force.
He then casually used interpersonal relationships as an example: "Blood relatives are not necessarily intimate, and those who are not related by blood can be like brothers and sisters. The deeper goal of Lateran's doctrine may be just that—to try to eliminate racial differences and bring all believers together based on their agreement with the law."
Kane was ostensibly speaking to Andorn, but his real target was Remian, who was sitting silently in the back seat.
He precisely struck at her core—as an adopted child, her adoptive parents gave her unconditional love, even their biological daughter's name, "Remuel," was an echo of "Remuel." This profound affection had nothing to do with blood ties; it stemmed purely from the accumulated companionship and care.
The effect is immediate.
Kane caught a glimpse of Remian's slightly trembling eyelashes and her fingers unconsciously clenching and unclenching. At the same time, the notification in his field of vision quietly updated:
【HE-ST-1: Remiu's - 5%】
The synchronization rate has increased.
It seems I'll need to make a trip to Laterano sometime in the future. Perhaps Paradise Point will bring me some unexpected surprises.
Chapter 51 Returning to the Civilized World
"Colombia's unity and inclusiveness welcome anyone with a dream; welcome to Trimont."
On a giant holographic billboard by the roadside, a smiling announcer enthusiastically introduces this pearl of Colombia. The scene shifts to show Trimont's towering skyscrapers, bustling suspended roads, and dazzling neon signs—everything exudes vibrant energy, perfectly matching her description of "thriving."
Kane stood out from the hurried passersby in the outer ring road. Occasionally, someone would glance at him—a travel-worn, somewhat dazed young man from Rupert? Perhaps a down-on-his-luck gangster who had just fled Syracuse. Nobody bothered.
After hitching a ride with the Lateran squad from the cursed land of Kazdel, Cairne officially parted ways with the Sarkaz upon reaching the border of Syracuse. Andorn tried desperately to persuade him to stay, but Cairne was determined to leave, so they could only return with this intelligence.
Mostima felt incredibly frustrated. How was she supposed to write this report?!
Kane plunged back into the embrace of the "civilized world" in the city of Syracuse. A hot bath washed away the dust and blood of the wilderness, and new clothes covered the traces of the past.
Because of the presence of the halo and wings, Kane considered whether he should conceal his Lupo characteristics and maintain his Sarkaz persona, since a Lupo with a halo would be big news.
But as Kane continued to try and research, his strong will finally extinguished the symbolic halo above his head, and the invisible network of "empathy" was also completely severed.
He seemed to have deliberately unplugged the internet cable, completely detached from the "law." For Kane, empathy was more of a burden than a convenience. He was grateful for the privilege of having this "switch."
An international commercial convoy brought him back to Colombia. From then on, the cold-blooded and tyrannical Sarkaz mercenary "Cain" disappeared completely, replaced by an ordinary young man named Kane Mordred who returned from Syracuse.
Stepping back onto the land of Tremont, Kane felt a sense of disorientation, as if he had been transported to another world. The vast differences of the Terra world were no longer presented to him through cold, descriptive words, but rather through the most direct and intense sensory impact.
The chasm between Kazdel and Tremont is far more than just “heaven” and “hell”—it is an absolute dividing line between civilization and barbarism, order and chaos, life and death.
“But Hell isn’t entirely empty; it always has some unique treasures, right, Mon3tr?” Kane muttered to himself, looking at his bulging backpack. Mon3tr was naturally inside. Unfortunately, He was very dissatisfied with Kane’s actions—a stark contrast to His complete subservience to Kal’tsit; He expressed His resistance through silence.
Of course, its current construct form lacks communication capabilities. But Kane is not impatient; once their lives are intertwined, Mon3tr will naturally yield.
Returning to his familiar cottage on Henry Avenue, Kane retrieved the key from his hideout and, after two months, finally stepped back into his "territory."
None of the prepared measures were triggered, so it seems that the Colombian authorities did not send anyone to investigate.
It seems Mark is really keeping to the rules—since he promised Kane to distance himself, he actually doesn't interfere in any of Kane's affairs.
He switched off the power, and the room lights came on again after a long absence. Kane plugged his personal terminal, which was out of power, into the charger on the table, and while waiting for the battery to be restored, he turned it on and started browsing unanswered messages.
Christen occasionally shares glimpses of her life, ranging from the latest astronomical observation equipment to a niche art exhibition—it seems this young lady truly cherishes this friendship. In one of her comments, she mentioned planning to invite Kane out, but then changed her mind for fear of affecting Kane.
Muirsey, on the contrary, was quite quiet. Her message said that she planned to share the interesting things with Kane when she met him, and asked him to message her after he returned to Tremont.
She only started to get anxious in the last few days because Kane had agreed to film a movie with her—it was the final project for their elective course! Kane said there would be two weeks to film, but now there's only a week left before school starts, and he hasn't made a move!
"I've already returned to Tremont. Do you have time tomorrow?" Kane decided to first soothe the elf lady's immediate predicament.
Almost instantly! Muirsey's messages bombarded in like a machine gun:
[One week! Only one week until school starts! Have you really thought about filming the movie?! There's simply not enough time!]
[But seeing how long you've been gone, it seems you've really found your family? Congratulations.]
Upon seeing this, Kane was somewhat dazed; he had almost forgotten his excuse—to go to Syracuse to find his relatives. And you could say relatives... Kane did indeed meet them, but the process... well, you could only say they became fast friends.
But the genuine joy and envy in Muirsey's words were palpable. Having also grown up in an orphanage, her own pure longing for family allowed her to empathize with Kane—which is why she sincerely congratulated Kane on regaining his family.
"Meet at Central Street at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning to discuss filming details." Muirsey immediately set the time.
Faced with the director's persistent pressure, Kane naturally agreed.
Saria's style was always to keep to herself and not waste words. Throughout the entire holiday, she sent Kane only one message, which was a photo—a gleaming gold medal, a sturdy trophy, and a certificate with an official seal, all neatly arranged on a dark velvet cloth.
Congratulations to the winner!
Kane offered his congratulations.
Besides these three friends, someone else actually messaged Kane—it was Cherlinina.
Kane had Cellinina's contact information, but their previous interactions were more like those between a client and a service provider. Cellinina would ask about the time and place, and Kane would reply that she was responsible for transporting illicit goods for him.
The message Cellina sent was that she wanted to leave Colombia.
The message wasn't long ago; it was sent just yesterday... It seems she must have encountered some kind of misfortune recently.
Do you need me to introduce you to the car teams leaving Colombia? I did a lot of research beforehand.
Kane respects Cherlinina's choice; she is a steady thinker and can take responsibility for her choices.
However, interpersonal interactions could be put aside for the moment. Kane placed the Mon3tr construct on the table, along with the Doctor's gift.
He took out a brand-new terminal that had never been connected to any network, turned it on to check its status, and then solemnly inserted the storage unit into the interface.
The doctor provided a lot of materials, but due to time constraints, he only made the most basic annotations and didn't even have time to organize a table of contents.
Kane's gaze bypassed the profound life science theories and coordinate information, locking directly onto the core target—the Ama series. Now that Mon3tr was under his control, the next step was naturally how to perfectly transplant this "twin circulation system" into his own body.
As Kane read through the documents bit by bit, his gaze finally settled on a massive blueprint of the equipment structure.
The core prerequisite for the Ama series of twin circulatory system transplant surgeries is the complete reconstruction of multiple structures within the subject's body, ensuring the stability of vital signs and physiological functions throughout the procedure. Under current technological conditions, the only platform capable of meeting these requirements is the physiological repair device. Using this platform, the fusion of the twin system with the subject can be achieved.
The doctor's conclusion must be correct; Kane trusted his professional expertise. So he then began searching for information about this "physiological repair device."
He eventually found information about the "physiological repair device," but Kane was not unfamiliar with its massive structure and appearance; it had already appeared on Terra—the "sarcophagus."
"So, to merge Mon3tr with me, it must be done in the sarcophagus?"
This condition is not surprising, but rather extremely reasonable—the doctor who was seriously injured also relied on it for treatment and to maintain his life; the level of technology it contains is high enough to support such a sophisticated transplant surgery.
However, of all the sarcophagi Kane knew, the one with the clearest location and the most "hot potato" was undoubtedly the one deep within Chernobog, a border city of the Ursus Empire. It occupied a pivotal position in Terra's future history—the amnesiac Doctor would awaken from within and lead Rhodes Island on a journey to change Terra's destiny.
With the Tower of Babel having just suffered a devastating blow, Kal'tsit has most likely secretly placed the Doctor into the sarcophagus for hibernation and treatment. If Kane wants to force his way into Chernobog to activate the sarcophagus, he would need to overcome Ursus's blockade and deal with the Doctor still inside. Forcibly interrupting the treatment? This plan is unlikely to be feasible.
Besides the one in Ursus... there's another one...
Kane's gaze unconsciously fell upon his feet—beneath this land called Columbia. The ruins of a grand yet failed pre-civilization project—the "Preserver Project"—were buried deep within. There, it wasn't just a solitary sarcophagus, but tens of thousands! The humans preserved within were top experts in their respective fields, the last embers of civilization, frozen in the river of time, awaiting a "day of revival" that would never come.
Now, an unplanned upheaval has occurred on the land of Terra, with a new race born from Originium taking center stage. These "sparks" of a former civilization are more like forgotten grave goods.
Kane knew little about the Preservator Project, and couldn't predict whether it would continue. His goal was simple and direct: to find this lost land, borrow one of its sarcophagi, and complete his own transformation.
Mark, that guy seems to be a byproduct of the Preservator Project, so he must know where the sarcophagus is... but the problem is, how can I get him to send me there?
In Kane's memory, Mark referred to the Preservator as "Father." Would this "son" allow an outsider to "visit" his sleeping father?
Possibilities are like two sides of a coin: perhaps the other party will readily agree, take Kane directly to that secret place, and then the two will have a pleasant conversation. The preserver will generously lend Kane the sarcophagus, and even personally perform the surgery on Kane to allow him to complete the evolution.
It's also possible that the moment Kane mentions the "Preserver Project," Mark will suddenly launch an attack, willing to eliminate this knowledgeable being at all costs, even if it means mutual destruction!
However, the sarcophagus is a hurdle that Kane must overcome; the target has already been set.
Without further hesitation, he began to focus on absorbing this "treasure" from the doctor. He meticulously transcribed all the information and relic coordinates from the data into his own database. After confirming that all data backups were correct, Kane acted decisively.
laugh--!
A faint arc of electricity flashed, and the Originium circuit inside the brand-new terminal inserted into the data storage unit, along with the storage unit itself, was instantly burned out! The complete physical destruction ensured that no technical means could recover the data.
Having done all this, Kane's gaze fell back on the silent Mon3tr construct on the table, and he lightly flicked its cold surface with his fingertip.
It seems they'll have to maintain this situation for a while.
That night, Kane received a message on his terminal from Cellina; she wanted to meet with Kane.
Kane, lying in bed, raised an eyebrow and glanced at the time displayed on his terminal: 0:33. Meeting someone at this hour meant either they were planning to enjoy Colombia's vibrant nightlife, or they had something shady to discuss.
The former was clearly not in line with Cellina's style. Kane raised an eyebrow; it seemed this delivery lady had encountered a tricky problem that forced her to seek his help.
Considering that the two had known each other for a while, Kane didn't mind lending a hand, though he also wanted to receive something in return.
He immediately got out of bed and went out to meet Cellina at the place they had arranged.
The agreed-upon location was on a noisy and chaotic main street in the outer ring area. This place was synonymous with "glitz and glamour": neon signs flickered, deafening electronic music leaked from the cracks of open bar doors, street performers' screams mingled with the roar of modified vehicles, and all sorts of "rebellious spirits" seeking thrills or indulging in debauchery converged here.
If this were the Kane of the past, with his slightly scholarly air, he might seem somewhat out of place. But now, having just returned from that hellish place of Kazdel, he simply stood casually on a street corner, and the lingering murderous aura emanating from him caused the noisy, rebellious youths around him to instinctively retreat, creating a small "vacuum zone" around him. He himself might not have realized it, but the blood on his hands had already become a new mark on him.
“You’ve changed a lot.” Upon meeting him, Cellinina keenly noticed the change in Kane’s demeanor. Assassins trained by the Texas family possessed a beast-like instinct for killing intent. The Kane of the past, though his hands were stained with blood, seemed more like marks left from some accidental experience. But now… Cellinina felt a chill; this aura was like that of a black glove meticulously raised by a powerful family, immersed in years of slaughter.
Chapter 52 Wolf Lord
“I went to Syracuse for further studies, so I should at least learn some of the local customs,” Kane said casually, his gaze falling on Cellina’s slightly tired face.
"And you? What trouble have you run into?"
The two sat down in a corner of the noisy bar. Cellina's drinks arrived quickly. After a few gulps of the cold liquid, she began to recount her experiences of the past two months:
Her family's henchmen caught up with her, first staging a carefully staged "car accident"—the other party, disguised as an ordinary driver, maliciously rammed her transport truck at high speed. Thanks to her superb driving skills, she narrowly escaped, while the other party damaged two of their land vehicles.
Then, a seemingly infatuated man fell in love with her at first sight. His fervent pursuit and dashing, romantic manner were enough to bewitch the naive young girl. But Cellina was no ordinary woman; she quickly sensed malice. With the "friendly assistance" of Polk's two sons, the truth soon came to light: a washed-up gigolo, hired to set traps using "emotions."
Someone paid him a hefty sum; the initial requirement was to pursue Cellina. As for the follow-up plans? The employer hadn't given any instructions yet.
Without a doubt, it was once again the work of the family.