Story Reader / Main Story / 23 Wintry Shackles / Story
Self-modification is destined to be a painful path. To change humanity itself means that all the social structures, ethics and morals built upon the biological foundation of humans will be reshuffled.
It will take a long time for humanity to ease the pains that emerge from the transition between old and new orders.
I'm so disappointed in you...
Godwin stares at a newly-joined research assistant in a temporary prison modified from an underground warehouse. He sounds incredibly calm.
...
Why did you attempt to leak the information? Did the Science Council send you here? Or was it Kowloong? Akdilek? How much did they offer you?
Nobody sent us here or made any offer. It's just that... We couldn't take it any longer.
Professor, let's stop. Those experiments should not continue.
I told you on the first day you arrived. Unlike other projects, we were trying to embrace a new evolution.
Don't let the shackles of the old time hold you back.
You threw those people directly into the experiments...
Biologically, they were no different from the clone test subjects obtained through Project Cthylla.
But we were unable to get any more variety in the cloned samples. A technology that can only be applied to selected individuals is useless.
The assistant remains silent. Godwin lets out a sigh.
The curiosity of humans has already begun to compromise with their physical conditions.
Back in Newton's time, a human could master all the available scientific knowledge with sufficient perseverance and talent.
These days, just learning the basics of a minor field of science would consume a person's entire life.
How much innovation can they make after wasting away their mind's golden time?
It's highly likely in the future that a person can't even finish learning a sub-field throughout their life.
By that time, it will be too late for mankind to change.
No need to lament for these people of the old days. Their greatest contribution to the new era will be to become its foundation.
But sir, aren't we also from the "old days"?
No. We are the trailblazers.
Pioneering in a new era always comes with blood and sacrifice. You either become a trailblazer, or end up a stepping stone.
That's a duty that nobody can escape.
I hope you can understand. You are my best student.
If that's the case, who will be able to tell us what we doing is right?
Only those who have reached the end deserve a second chance, to talk about right or wrong.
But they will never have a second chance.
Professor, there is no future in your eyes. I only see a devil.
As Lucia and Alpha go deeper into the institute, they see bullet marks, dented and shattered screens, as well as overturned desks and chairs everywhere...
All of them are revealing the intensity of the conflict that took place earlier. However...
Why are there no bodies?
If there is any blood stain left, they could have at least traced it. But all the evidence seems to have been cleaned away by the diligent cleaning robots.
The cleaning robots wouldn't be able to carry the bodies. Someone else might be here.
Alpha recalls the voice that told her about the shuttle.
(Could it be her?)
Alpha has never ruled out the possibility that this is a trap. She suddenly sees someone out of the corner of her eye.
Phew!
Her dagger cuts through the air, creating a small whirlwind that sends all the paper flying.
A black humanoid was impaled on the wall. The paper slowly falls to the ground, revealing its real look.
It's a test subject from the cultivation tank!
Well, this must be their assembled product. What a horrible taste.
We will probably see a lot of enemies like this in the next area.
Even if they can still move, they are but mindless counterfeits that are neither Constructs nor humans.
Spare no mercy. Don't be fooled by that brain on them.
You don't need to remind me.
