Chapter 1 Li Ang led a somewhat bewildered Wang Congshan out of the operating room and unexpectedly saw that Laura behind the cashier counter was gone, replaced by Mule wearing a white horse mask.

"What are you doing here?"

Li Ang smiled.

Mule stood up and said with a smile, "I came to the game plaza to discuss some business and help my sister fill in for a shift so she could go shopping. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all."

Li Ang waved his hand casually.

The shops in the game plaza had a relatively simple self-checkout system, so even without a cashier, customers could complete payments themselves.

The main function of the cashier was to record customer appointment requests, help contact the shop owner, and make the shop seem more popular. There wasn't much surplus labor to squeeze out.

Besides, Laura got in through nepotism.

"Oh, right, let me introduce you. This is my friend, and she'll probably join the Han Ya Guild soon."

Li Ang introduced Wang Congshan to Mule, and they shook hands amicably, adding each other as friends during the handshake.

'[Cong Que]?'

Mule noticed Wang Congshan's player nickname, remaining calm on the surface while his mind raced.

As an information merchant, Mule knew more information than most lone wolves or even some organizations, and he had some understanding of the specific reasons for the Yinzhou mutation.

'She's Li Risheng's friend in the real world.'

Mule smiled kindly at Wang Congshan, maintaining a composed demeanor. "I'm also a member of the Han Ya Guild. I usually work as an information merchant and broker.

If you have any intelligence or information needs, you can tell me.

My fees are very fair."

"Okay, okay."

Wang Congshan nodded. She had heard Li Ang mention Mule before, so she wasn't surprised that there were other people in the Han Ya Guild.

"By the way,"

Mule turned to look at Li Ang, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Are you free now? I have something I want to discuss with you."

"Hmm? Is there something you can't say in the friend link?"

Li Ang raised an eyebrow, casually snapping his fingers to create a soundproof barrier around them.

The game plaza granted the owners of each shop some special abilities,

such as creating soundproof areas in the shop, setting boundaries that customers couldn't cross, and so on.

After setting up the barrier, customers outside could no longer see what was happening inside.

"Just say what you need to say,"

Li Ang nodded to Mule, not intending to hide anything from Wang Congshan.

"It's like this,"

Mule hesitated for a moment, cleared his throat, and said, "I'm very interested in the Ark Project that Miss Liu is currently preparing.

I contacted her yesterday and expressed my desire to join.

I don't know if you agree."

"Hmm?"

Li Ang asked, "This is a project led by Liu Wudai, right? There's no need to get my approval."

"Uh, it's still necessary."

Mule smiled wryly and said, "If it's just a small-scale operation, the Liu family's reputation can certainly handle some organizations in East Asia.

However, if you want to expand the scale and influence of the Ark Project, you'll inevitably have to deal with the Global Supernatural Alliance and official organizations in various regions.

What influences their attitude towards the Ark Project is more your existence.

So, for both personal and logical reasons, any important decision must first be consulted with you."

"Is that so?"

Li Ang nodded. "Okay, I agree to let you join."

His personal relationship with Mule had always been good. Mule understood the stakes, knew when to advance and retreat, and had a sense of propriety. He was a good friend.

"Okay."

Mule breathed a sigh of relief and informed Liu Wudai of the news through the friend link.

After notifying her, Mule still hesitated slightly.

Seeing this, Li Ang casually asked, "Is there anything else?"

"Ahem, it's like this."

Mule cleared his throat and said, "Miss Liu is preparing the Ark Project, and naturally she doesn't simply want to do charity.

Instead, she wants to operate the Ark Project in the future as an independent, absolutely neutral maritime base like Switzerland, free from interference.

Whoever controls the players controls the future.

If the Ark Project can be completed as planned and gather a large number of free-floating players,

then the Ark can also become a faction with a voice.

I decided to join the Ark Project after considering this."

Li Ang nodded upon hearing this. He had vaguely sensed before that Mule, like him, seemed to have some unspeakable secrets that he couldn't reveal.

And the difficulties he faced seemed even greater than his own.

From Mule's perspective,

seeking the protection of a faction was definitely not as stable as actively participating in the construction of one.

"I'm not just joining myself, but I will also invest the intelligence network, connections, and resources that I've accumulated over the years into the Ark Project."

Mule rubbed his hands together and said, "I suggest that Miss Liu expand the business scope of the Ark Project,

and expand its operations to Europe, America, South America, Africa, and other places, providing shelter for those supernatural beings who have not committed serious crimes but are unfairly treated, persecuted, and wanted.

But we can't persuade other organizations to concede and agree with our strength alone,

so I wanted to ask for your opinion."

After Mule's explanation, Li Ang finally understood the situation facing the Ark Project.

The Ark Project was conceived, executed, and put into practice by Liu Wudai.

Initially, she planned to use several cruise ships from the Liu family's Longqing Shipping Group to cruise the world's oceans,

specifically providing shelter for players who were inherently innocent but whose identities were sensitive, making them unsuitable to stay in sovereign territories.

However, as the plan progressed and the research deepened,

the situation gradually became complicated.

In addition to players, there was another equally large group in the world: the Enhanced.

Enhanced were not players. To be precise, Enhanced were the sacrifices made by various organizations in an attempt to replicate transendence.

European Heavy Industries Group, Prometheus Laboratory Company, and other institutions

had conducted large-scale pharmaceutical experiments in order to understand the essence of transcendent power as soon as possible.

They recruited homeless beggars, bankrupts, or those suffering from diseases and at the end of their ropes from society,

injected them with genetic agents, and observed the effects.

During this process, some died, some were exempt from the effects of the genetic agents,

and some gained special transcendent powers from the agents. Although they could not be compared to players, they already had the shadow of Enhanced in literary works.

The major organizations were quite satisfied with this and naturally continued to recruit volunteers and promote pharmaceutical experiments non-stop.

To some extent,

these organizations achieved considerable success.

They produced relatively stable genetic agents that could be used as power seeds to mass-produce transcendent beings comparable to low-level players.

Quantitative change led to qualitative change.

Among tens of thousands of experimental subjects, there would always be one or two more outstanding individuals, Enhanced comparable to mid-level or even high-level players.

In order to control these hard-won experimental subjects,

the major organizations would impose various shackles and constraints on them, using coercion and inducement, and appeasement.

However, forbidden experiments were, after all, forbidden.

Since the activation of the Suicide Game,

European Heavy Industries Group, Prometheus Laboratory Company, and other institutions had been constantly exposed to news of experimental subjects escaping, conscientious members defecting and publishing experimental data, and the like.

Experimental subjects who were dissatisfied with the status quo repeatedly fled and defected on a large scale,

and even recruited troops to form groups and openly confront the organizations.

The result was naturally being hunted down and wanted by the major organizations.

Although Enhanced were strong, they were only artificial transendent beings after all.

The companies knew their detailed information and could dispatch more powerful Enhanced, or even real players, to carry out strangulation and capture.

"The personal talents of these Enhanced are actually no less than those of players,"

Mule introduced, "If they get player qualifications, or are selected by the system,

their speed of improvement is no slower than that of players.

And their situation is indeed quite miserable.

Miss Liu and I have discussed that if we can recruit them, we can greatly enhance the security forces of the Ark Project.

And they should also very much hope that someone can provide shelter for them and their families.

The only problem is that this may cause the hostility of other organizations.

For organizations, player qualifications are the most important.

High-level players can get courtesy and preferential treatment,

and although low-level players will be exploited to some extent, they can at least get relatively fair treatment.

And Enhanced without player qualifications will be considered the company's private property, requiring absolute loyalty and obedience, and not allowing escape and rebellion."

Listening to Mule's account, Li Ang also remembered that he had seen many news reports about this before.

For example, the Southeast Asian research base of GEN-SYS Biotechnology Company was attacked by escaped experimental subjects, and Enhanced wars were staged on the streets;

The mental hospital invested and built by Prometheus Laboratory Company was confirmed to be involved in human transformation experiments, and so on.

"Hmm... So you want me to come forward?"

Li Ang thought for a moment and asked, "Will other organizations still give me this face?

Letting domestic players escape is one thing,

but letting Enhanced leave is another.

Players have more means after all, and it's not easy to catch them,

but Enhanced are the company's valuable property, and the company has invested costs."

"They will."

Mule breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and said, "The battle in Yinzhou will probably be the ceiling of the killing game's combat performance for a long time to come.

Even if you don't come forward, just express your position privately through the Special Affairs Bureau,

those organizations won't dare to obstruct or oppose it.

We will grasp the scale so that the contradictions don't intensify."

"In that case, then go ahead and do it. I will talk to the Special Affairs Bureau and let them tell other organizations."

Li Ang nodded. This kind of thing was completely effortless for him now.

Moreover, recruiting some more reliable Enhanced could also make Liu Wudai's cruise ship safer and have a place to stay.

Li Ang looked at the relaxed Mule and smiled, "But I also have conditions."

"What conditions?"

"I can help stabilize the gene sequences of the Enhanced who accept shelter.

To prevent side effects after stopping taking gene agents."

Li Ang said, "At the same time, they must also undergo mandatory physical examinations every once in a while

and donate some blood to me for medical research.

Finally, I will use mental abilities for testing to prevent unscrupulous spies and spies from trying to infiltrate."

The Zerg Hive had never stopped collecting new gene sequences,

and these rebellious Enhanced would be a pretty good source.

"No problem."

Mule nodded upon hearing this. "This is also what should be done.

Compared to players, artificial Enhanced are still too unstable after all.

More testing can also reduce the probability of sudden loss of control.

I believe they and their families can agree to this."

Obtaining Li Ang's personal promise

was crucial for Mule, Liu Wudai, and the Ark Project.

Favor was favor, and business was business.

To maintain a friendly relationship in the long term, it was always necessary to have mutual benefit and balance the input and output.

After discussing the details, Mule's emotions were obviously much more relaxed.

Li Ang casually dispelled the soundproof barrier, and the two casually chatted for a few words, agreeing that they could team up for the next scenario mission.

After waiting for a while, Laura came back from shopping, and Mule and she took care of the store together.

Li Ang and Wang Congshan logged out of the game plaza and returned to the real world.

"How do I feel?"

Wang Congshan smacked her lips. "Everyone else, including your friends, has a bit of a strange attitude towards you."

"You mean, overly cautious, right?"

Li Ang waved his hand helplessly. "I don't want it to be like this either.

But that war did change a lot of things.

The stronger the strength and the higher the position,

the greater the change in interpersonal relationships."

Whether it was the real world or the killing game, he had very few friends.

Of course, it would be best if friendships didn't change.

At this time, the various facilities and equipment of the experimental center had been debugged. Bai Hao and Zhu Xuemin and others also came over to say hello—the Heterogeneous Society also sent several representatives to observe the epic equipment binding site.

Li Ang released spiritual energy and put several layers of spiritual energy shields to protect Wang Congshan's body and mind.

After making all the preparations,

Wang Congshan took a deep breath somewhat nervously under the watchful eyes of everyone, walked onto the circular platform, and took out [Remnant Spark of the Planeswalker].

Detailed descriptions of the props flashed before her eyes, and the system's cold mechanical voice sounded in her ears.

[Found Item: Remnant Spark of the Planeswalker]

[Bind?]

Wang Congshan's consciousness clicked to confirm,

Only to hear a long "buzzing" sound, the lightning-like sparks vibrated violently, suspended and floated up from her palm, shot out without warning, and merged into her heart.

Wang Congshan took a few steps back subconsciously, and bizarre scenes flashed in her eyes.

The hundred-armed giant supporting the mountains;

A giant mechanical golem bathing in tens of thousands of tons of seawater, slowly climbing ashore;

A ferocious dragon beast entrenched in the depths of a crypt filled with gold coins;

A hooded mage exuding vast energy fluctuations, moving mountains and filling seas like a god;

Hundreds and thousands of images flashed quickly before her eyes,

Wang Congshan only felt that her consciousness was sometimes drowsy and sometimes stinging,

Sometimes she felt unprecedented peace and serenity,

Sometimes trapped in a desperate collapse where she couldn't see any hope.

In a daze,

She seemed to see some kind of huge, nightmare-like, overwhelming shadow that devoured everything,

But the brain's self-protection mechanism forced her to forget these pictures.

It was like ten thousand years had passed, and it was like only a second had passed.

Wang Congshan blinked her eyes and regained consciousness,

A large number of instruments around the circular platform were activated one after another,

Or refract medical beams to repair the body,

Or emit stable and rational energy fluctuations.

"Is this...a successful fusion?"

Wang Congshan looked at Li Ang who flashed up and raised her arm hesitantly.

In her palm, strands of silk-like faint light were emitted,

All the light gathered together spontaneously and slowly condensed into the shape of a rectangular card.

The card was about the size of a palm.

The pattern on the back was based on dark green, with a brown ellipse in the middle. In the center of the ellipse, there were five light spots floating in white, blue, black, red, and green.

And the front of the card was flawless, as if it had some kind of attraction, absorbing and twisting the various rays emitted by the surrounding instruments.

"This is, a physical card?"

Li Ang frowned slightly as he looked at Wang Congshan holding the corner of the card.

Being able to convert energy into physical matter,

It seemed that the Planeswalker's abilities were much more magical than he imagined.