The holographic projection of the serum turned around, leaning slightly forward to observe.

Her hands remained in the pockets of her hoodie, calm to the point of indifference, entirely consistent with the impression from Silver Port in the past.

[You're getting along well with this Sianweistan, but your current physical condition can't utilize all its features; the nerve damage is too severe to withstand higher-intensity time stops...]

"Damn it, I went through hell just to see you, not for an online consultation, nor do I need you giving me a critical condition notice!"

John was somewhat annoyed.

The serum seemed not to hear his questioning.

[Iris congestion and slight light sensitivity disorder, the issue is right there. This Sianweistan is like putting a space engine into a car. Logically, you should have been burnt to a crisp by now, but it seems there's a high-precision balancing device in your body helping you calibrate the equipment in real-time.]

"Is this related to my issue?"

[Of course, John. From my perspective, this is far more important than the questions you're asking. If you don't even understand your own body, is there any point in pursuing the so-called truth?]

"..."

John couldn't point a gun at a hologram.

The serum had a complete advantage in information and the situation; if she didn't want to answer, she could even directly cut off the data connection, and John wouldn't be able to do anything.

The interior of the supercar was dim and oppressive, and the holographic projection's light illuminated Gino and Sisal Rope's faces.

They controlled even their breathing, seemingly reverent of the serum.

"You've got to be here for more than just the fun of it, right? Don't waste time; you said you'd investigate the truth after leaving Silver Port, so let's exchange some information."

John pursed his lips, took a deep breath, and the ferocity in his eyes gradually faded away.

He rephrased his words, recalling what the serum had just said, adopting a tone suitable for negotiation.

"In exchange, I can cooperate with you to figure out what's actually inside my body."

[Good, John, you've regained your sanity.]

The serum finally changed from an observer's stance to equal conversation, and for the first time, the holographic projection met John's gaze.

[Information exchange requires a sufficiently rational mind, and earlier, your mind was filled with self-destruction. Even if what I said was valuable, it would only be like throwing garbage into a burning barrel.]

The serum took out the prosthetic limb from her pocket.

Her mechanical arm was very old, of an unknown model, unidentifiable by scanning which company produced it.

Various photo-attached text intelligence appeared on the car window glass.

[During the Tiebang Logistics transport incident, I couldn't get external information. The version I am sending you now is what I have reconstructed through investigation over this period.]

The serum gently tilted her head, looking at Gino sitting in the passenger seat.

[In gratitude for saving Gino, I can help you sort out the connections between us.]

John's cybernetic eye focused as he combined the serum's story, as if watching a story happen in Eden City during the same time frame, but from another perspective.

The beginning of things traces back to Pacific Connor's research.

Before becoming a super hacker and compiler of the Pandora Algorithm, she was the independent project leader at the Messiah Bionics Research Center in Europe.

[Data transfer detected 33/77, file scan complete...]

[Transfer of "Causes and Solid-State Carrier Treatment Experiments of Cyber-Psychosis MS2064-11-T" 41/77]

Despite the high degree of technological advancement today, major companies have not actually figured out the full cause of cyber-psychosis.

The currently most accepted explanation is the excessive prosthetic body load leading to mental disorders.

Some research also suggests that cyber-psychosis is related to mental stress and sudden severe stimuli suffered by the patient.

But no matter the cause, companies continue to pour massive resources into this field, hoping to solve this ultimate challenge of the Cyber Era.

Pacifica Connor attempted to create a carrier.

It is akin to an external device capable of sharing the brain pressure and excessive neural impulses of cyber-psychosis patients, thereby slowing or even negating the symptoms of loss of control, allowing them to return to normal life.

Until 2070, the European Community experienced the infamous STU terror incident.

The Messiah Company exploded with scandals the following year, with a complete overhaul of its top management, and all research, including the "special carrier," was shelved.

Due to clashes of ideology and experimental accidents.

Pacifica Connor left Messiah, relocated from Europe to Eden City, and under the codename "Serum," became a solitary super hacker in cyberspace.

During that time, she formed the Wanderer Alliance.

She recruited genius hackers including Gino, Tinfoil, Baseball Bat, and Sisal Rope, helping them resolve countless troubles; several famous cyber crises also established her formidable reputation in cyberspace.

The serum never hid her interest or research efforts in cyber-psychosis.

This drew the attention of companies.

Plato and Gaia Cells reached a collaboration in Eden City, jointly researching memory access and neuro-stimulation, viewing the serum's research as crucial, and thus they extended an invitation to her.

The negotiation process is unclear, but the serum declined.

However, the companies didn't give up and instead used unorthodox "business tactics."

Bismarck Ritter, director of Plato's office, used the power of the cybersecurity department to physically box the serum offline with a regional lockdown, having company soldiers abduct and confine her in a laboratory.

The serum's disappearance led to her real identity being exposed.

In reality, she appeared impoverished, living in rented tin-roofed shanties, anonymously supporting churches and community welfare organizations regularly, and occasionally participating in online mutual aid forums.

The most notable thing:

The serum lived with victims of cyber-psychosis.

A photo appeared in front of everyone.

John had seen it at Baseball Bat's place before.

The serum standing in front of a shanty with three ghouls.

They were the serum's research samples in Eden City, having initially shed their cyber-psychosis symptoms through treatment, looking no different from normal people. After the serum's disappearance, these former ghouls have been searching for her in their own ways.

The serum enlarged the photo.

The image focused on a man with a scar at the corner of his lips.

[His name is Zao, quite intelligent. Unfamiliar with this face, right? Then look at this one.]

The serum moved Zao's photo to the side, opened another window, and played the scene of Mr. Vito's arms deal—it was the same version Oulos had shown John.

The frame froze at the moment when the buyer and seller shook hands.

The negotiator seller wore a nanofiber suit, with slicked-back brown hair, a gaunt face, and cold eyes.

John observed closely and noticed the slit at the corner of the mouth.

"Zao joined the Vacuum Tube [VT]?"

[That's right.]

The serum's expression showed a hint of puzzlement.

[I don't know who recruited him.]

The investigation revealed:

Zao's method of rescuing the serum was to find organizations for help, perhaps due to the uniqueness of the cyber-psychosis cure case, which caught the note of the Vacuum Tube and recruited, furthed modifierto a Basic Physique.

[The Tiebang Logistics transport incident was orchestrated by Zao. John, your current body is actually the container for my biological transfer crafted by Zao.]

"WTF!?"

John's emotions flared.

He even felt chills down his spine, his fingers curling unconsciously.

"This is terrifying, what the hell does biological transfer mean?"

[In a literal sense, the Vacuum Tube [VT] can transfer people like pouring water from different bodies. I don't know how they do it, perhaps you should ask Zao himself.]

"Isn't he working with you?"

[But I can't contact him now; the Vacuum Tube is formidable, leaving no traces.]

"So, my current miserable state is all your damn fault!"

John squinted, anger and horror swirling in his chest.

The serum calmly shook her head.

[But Zao was clearly deceived; when he did all this, I was confined in Plato Laboratory, totally unaware of the outside world.]

Zao believed he was rescuing the serum.

Yet it was John who woke up in the cooperative hospital.

Who deceived Zao?

Did the Vacuum Tube know?

What happened in the interim?

...

John leaned on the driver's seat with a furrowed brow.

The revelation of a part of the truth brought no comfort of clarity, only more questions, and yet he found himself tied to every matter, yet ignorant of them all.

His fractured mind throbbed faintly with pain.

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