Saving Unpermitted

Chapter 77: Reverberation

Y City.

Yi Ning finally got his wish and met with Tang Heyu. Behind him was the Tang family, which made things much easier compared to Zhu Yanchen’s situation.

However, Tang Heyu himself didn’t seem very willing.

Seeing this young junior with high status and influence, Tang Heyu didn’t bother to clean himself up. He wore a dirty robe with traces of vomit in the corners. His gray hair was disheveled, emitting a strong odor. His nails hadn’t been trimmed in who knew how long, with black dirt accumulating in the crevices.

With a table between them, Yi Ning sat upright while Tang Heyu slouched in his chair, creating an extremely awkward atmosphere.

“What do you want, kid? I’m busy as hell. I don’t, hic, don’t have time to deal with you dogs fighting each other.” Tang Heyu was the first to speak, followed by a foul-smelling belch.

Yi Ning had seen a photo of Tang Heyu when he was young in the archives. The young man in the photo was elegant, vigorous, and completely different from the beggar-like old man in front of him.

“I didn’t come here for a power struggle. Recently, there has been a synthetic human rebellion. Have you heard about it?”

“My family talks about it all the time. Even the dogs in the backyard know. Is that all? I have things to do.”

Yi Ning didn’t mind Tang Heyu’s bad temper. “I want to ask about synthetic humans.”

“Ask me? Are all the researchers from the Tang family dead?” the old man muttered.

“Mr. Tang, you have extensive experience in the field of erosion prevention. The research we are currently conducting is dictated by the Zhu family, rather than being independent. I believe you know more than our generation.”

“The Zhu family, huh? Just because of that statement, I’ll let you ask a question.” Tang Heyu sneered, finally turning his drunken eyes towards Yi Ning. “Kid, what exactly do you want to ask?”

Yi Ning opened the briefcase beside him, took out a storage device, and projected the screen onto the center of the table.

“Zhu Yanchen’s thesis,” Yi Ning said in a solemn tone. “The Tang family researchers couldn’t fully interpret it.”

When Tang Heyu looked at the screen, his cloudy eyes cleared for a moment. But when Yi Ning looked closer, the old man’s gaze became unfocused again.

“I thought you were going to, hic, ask something else. Instead of asking this dim-witted old man, why don’t you ask the Zhu boy directly? Even if you two fight for the leadership position, it wouldn’t… escalate into an endless feud, right?”

After speaking, Tang Heyu pounded his belly twice and made a couple of burping sounds. Seeing the old man staring at the storage device, Yi Ning sighed and pushed the device a bit closer.

Tang Heyu had been abandoned by the Tang family. This old man either locked himself in his house and drank or slipped out of the Tang family mansion to get drunk. It was inevitable that he would be out of touch with firsthand information.

“I can’t ask him anymore. The real Zhu Yanchen is already dead, and the current one is a substitute brought by Zhu Sheng.”

The old man’s movement froze for a moment. “Dead?”

“Yes, I have my own set of speculations.”

Yi Ning didn’t hide anything from Tang Heyu. Combining the conclusions of the researchers, he detailed his conjecture about “Zhu Yanchen researching the Erosion Swamp since the age of fourteen or fifteen.” In the end, fearing that Tang Heyu might not be well-informed, he showed him the recent circulating “Ruins of X City” footage.

“…In short, I don’t think he would die in vain. I’m familiar with Zhu Yanchen’s methods. These theses and footage are most likely intentionally arranged by him. The reason he personally investigated is likely that he had been researching the Erosion Swamp for too long and was already seriously ill, so he decided to risk his life.”

Tang Heyu remained silent.

His intoxicated expression had long vanished. After a few minutes of silence, he slammed the teacup on the table to the ground.

“I only remember that he’s that old bastard Zhu Sheng’s son.” When Tang Heyu looked at Yi Ning again, his gaze became sharp. “…I almost forgot. He’s also Xia Jing’s son. I was wrong after all. That child followed Xia Jing.”

He stared at the shattered pieces of the teacup as the steam slowly dissipated. Then he wiped his eyes with his sleeve before raising his head.

“Kid, you got some backbone since you can speak like this for your opponent. But since Chenchen is gone and you brought his thesis here, what else do you want to ask?”

…Indeed, Tang Heyu was hiding something. He wasn’t the useless drunkard that the outside world portrayed him as.

“I don’t want to deceive you. I admire Zhu Yanchen’s perseverance, but I can’t empathize with synthetic humans.”

Yi Ning sat up even straighter.

“Given the current situation, although we have let them down, I cannot sit idly by while my compatriots die tragically. Zhu Sheng will undoubtedly sacrifice the settlements to ensure the safety of Y City. I want to save those people. Zhu Yanchen must have come up with countermeasures after studying the Erosion Swamp for so long. You are an expert in erosion prevention, and if there is a plan hidden in there, you will surely be able to see it.”

“I can’t access the command center’s system right now. Previously, I looked at his thesis based on occasional discussions with acquaintances.”

Tang Heyu scanned between the screens.

“I can probably see his train of thought. He’s proving that the player system has more disadvantages than benefits, providing sufficient reasons to suspend this system. It’s not an easy task, and at least he couldn’t have done it alone… What you’re looking for is probably not here.”

Yi Ning clenched his fist.

“But with the footage from X City, if Zhu Sheng is willing to investigate, he can find the problem. The person you should be looking for is not me—it’s Zhu Sheng.” Tang Heyu summarized leisurely.

“Even if he’s willing to accept the notion that ‘the player system has issues’ and suspend the production of new synthetic humans, it would still fulfill Zhu Yanchen’s wish, not mine.” Yi Ning’s voice was somewhat hoarse. “I can’t persuade Zhu Sheng, and I know myself that abandoning the settlements is the most rational course of action—I understand it logically, but I can’t accept it.”

“The great enemy is at hand, and you still want to save everyone?” Tang Heyu burst into loud laughter that was hoarse and unpleasant. “What a retribution, indeed. Do you know that you are just like the old Zhu Sheng back then—fucking identical.”

Yi Ning was stunned on the spot, not expecting to receive such an evaluation.

“To put it bluntly, I don’t have many years left to live. Isn’t the evidence from X City clear enough? These mutated Erosion Swamps were created by humans themselves. If humans are to perish like this, it’s just retribution.”

“But most people are innocent—”

“Tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes.” Tang Heyu counted on his fingers. “Which natural disaster considers the victims? Tell me. Forget it, if you want to dream, go ahead… If you really want to protect the settlements, why not find some talented individuals from there and pave your own way?”

He gave Yi Ning a meaningful look. “The things the young people from the settlements come up with might actually be useful. Let’s end it here for today; I have my own matters to attend to.”

The old man stretched lazily. “I still have a bird repellent device to ponder over.”

Yi Ning gritted his teeth and bowed his head to bid farewell to Tang Heyu. It was clear that the old man intended to see him off, and there would be no results by staying any longer. Considering Tang Heyu’s hint, it seemed that he should pay more attention to the people in the settlements… but with so many settlements, how could he find said talented individuals?

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Just as Yi Ning was about to close the door, a thin and withered hand reached out, grasping the door frame. “I can’t access the command center’s system right now. I’ll give you a list, help me get the items on it.”

Yi Ning: “… ” This old man really had no manners. It was already so late, and he still wanted to study bird repellent devices.

“The FR-0923 file from Section C of the archives.” The old man lowered his voice and spoke solemnly. “Before bringing it to me, take a look at it yourself.”

Command Center.

Yi Ning was feeling restless. After leaving the Tang’s residence, he went straight to the archives.

Section C was the area where old files were stored. After rummaging for a while, Yi Ning pulled out a dusty box. The contents inside didn’t look like scientific research materials, no matter how he looked at them. If he remembered correctly, the documents on this shelf hadn’t even been entered into the system.

He brushed away the dust on the box and carefully took out the storage device and documents inside. After completing the borrowing procedure, Yi Ning brought them back to his own office and used a large screen to view the contents of the storage device.

<Records of Synthetic Human Mind Modifications>. The name Tang Heyu appeared in the column for the document organizer.

…What use did he have for looking at this? Just the long list of document names made his head spin.

However, as soon as the first video appeared, Yi Ning instantly abandoned his doubts.

The first section belonged to Xu Kan.

Yi Ning had heard this name before. Xu Kan was quite famous, considered one of the rare powerful individuals in the history of synthetic humans. Yi Ning was still young when Xu Kan retired, so even when he climbed to a high position, he never specifically looked into this person’s background.

Now he finally understood what had happened.

In the video, a young and beautiful girl was playing the piano. She played in remote settlements, in the depths of city streets, and in strongholds near the erosion zone. As long as she had a piano, even if it was damaged and out of tune, she could play clear and melodious tunes.

The girl was called Orphan Ai Jing, an important “NPC” recruited by the command center. She was adopted by the Xia family when she was fifteen years old and was renamed Xia Jing. She started appearing on the public stage and became extremely popular.

Like many other “entertainment stars” from the Xia family, Xia Jing often went on tours to player-rested towns, adding a touch of brightness to the gloomy world of <Erosion>.

Then she met Xu Kan.

When they first met, Xu Kan was eighteen years old, and Xia Jing was around twenty. No one knew what happened between them. By the time Xia’s family realized it, their music star seemed to have developed feelings for that handsome synthetic human.

Feelings that shouldn’t exist.

She composed music for him, and the two of them danced in empty rooms at the base. No one knew what Xu Kan was thinking. To him, she should have been just a pile of data. But he still watched over her and smiled brightly by her side.

Naturally, the Xia family couldn’t turn a blind eye to their adopted daughter getting involved with a synthetic human. It was a scandal at that time. Finally, after an accident, they took action.

Although they called it an accident, it was actually quite simple. Xia Jing, whether due to her intelligence or information she obtained elsewhere, informed Xu Kan about the truth of the player system, directly triggering a shock to his brain.

The Xia family dealt with the situation thoroughly—they specially arranged an NPC on the “other side” for Xu Kan; a woman NPC who bore a resemblance of about fifty to sixty percent to Xia Jing. The Xia family spared no expense, hiring someone to write a script based on Xia Jing’s personality and then finding another pianist to meticulously portray the girl who claimed to be the controller of Xia Jing within <Erosion>.

In the virtual city on the “other side”, Xu Kan quickly started a relationship with that fictional girl and soon got engaged. Xu Kan was busy with combat, so he had little private time, so it wasn’t difficult to deceive him.

As for the real Xia Jing, her performing career had come to an end. The Xia family made the decision to marry her off to Zhu Sheng, who was widowed and living alone. To prevent Xu Kan from suspecting anything, the wedding and the bride weren’t publicized to the player’s side. If someone mentioned it later, they would only say, “A member of the Xia family.”

On Xu Kan’s side, the Xia family had already prepared a deceptive explanation—they claimed that it was against regulations for players to be involved with NPCs, and since the two had established a romantic relationship, it was natural for “Xia Jing” to resign. Xu Kan didn’t inquire further about Xia Jing’s disappearance in <Erosion>.

The two of them disappeared from each other’s lives just as simply as dew drying up.

The matter was settled, but the aftermath remained. Xu Kan was deeply attached to the shadow of “Xia Jing”, and the Xia family had to arrange for him to marry the NPC. To enhance the authenticity and make the “other side” more real, they went all out and designed a daughter for Xu Kan.

A puppet-like wife, a puppet-like daughter.

Fortunately, as the captain of the Blackbirds, Xu Kan was busy and unable to be with his wife and daughter. He was destined not to retire, so the possibility of a leak was slim.

This enriched the player ecosystem on the “other side”, and Zhu Sheng tacitly approved of the Xia family’s actions. With Xu Kan’s death, the “other side” would only be left with a harmonious NPC family of three, making other players envious.

Thus, the matter was perfectly resolved. Although it didn’t affect the public, it had a significant impact on the upper echelons. Since then, Zhu Sheng specifically added a research topic to allow the modification of individual synthetic human memories, preventing the emergence of a second Xu Kan.

As the recorder, Tang Heyu’s dissatisfaction was evident on the paper.

[Human hearts are not child’s play.] Tang Heyu evaluated it this way. [This matter is wrong.]

The true event that caused the rift between Tang Heyu and Zhu Sheng occurred sixteen years ago.

…The second part of the record belonged to Zhu Yanchen.

There wasn’t much information about Zhu Yanchen. The entire incident occurred on the “other side”, and intelligence was limited. It was merely the termination of a friendship, but people were more concerned about the unexpected gift of artificial thoughts that could be implanted into a living person’s body.

This meant that the player system could be further improved, and people no longer needed to worry about cultivating synthetic humans with extreme or weak personalities. By erasing their original consciousness and implanting a well-planned personality, they didn’t even need to spend many years training soldiers, and the production cycle could be significantly shortened.

Zhu Sheng found Tang Heyu and invited him to lead a team to conduct this research, but Tang Heyu harshly rejected the offer. Tang Heyu even recorded their argument.

[Wasn’t I clear enough?] Tang Heyu, who was in his prime, roared. [The matter of the player system must be handled with utmost caution!]

[You’ve expended a lot of manpower and resources on research, and then what? Did you find any evidence?] Zhu Sheng’s expression was unpleasant.

[Do you really think this damn system is reasonable?] Tang Heyu’s face turned pale. [It’s not like I’m deliberately trying to give you trouble, A’Sheng. I found Zhu Rong’s manuscript at home, and you’ve seen it. It clearly states that this system should only be used as an emergency measure—]

[I have indeed seen it, and it mainly focuses on the treatment of synthetic humans. I placed it in the Zhu Rong Memorial Hall, where researchers come and go, and so far, no one has raised any questions. If even the founder, Zhu Rong, couldn’t provide the proof, do you really think you can decipher it?]

[…]

[Heyu, I won’t change my mind just because the founder said “how it should be”. What I want is evidence.]

[By the time evidence appears, it will be too late for you over there—]

[Do you want me to stop it? If I reveal such anomalies, not only your family but the Xia family will immediately turn against me. I will be ousted from this position, and a new leader will take the stage to restart the player system. By then, you won’t even have funding for basic research.]

[Then find a solution!]

[Why? Without synthetic humans purifying the surroundings, the people will never be able to live in peace. The mortality rate will rise again. The purifiers have been improved to the point where they can’t be improved any further, and the results are quite impressive. Instead of blindly stopping the system, it’s better to take advantage of this precious time for further development—after societal progress, there will undoubtedly be safer solutions. We still haven’t solved our most fundamental social problems, and the death rate in the settlements is still…]

[You can’t save everyone.]

[But I want to give it a try. Until we resolve our own predicament, we will always have to compromise on the synthetic human issue.]

[…You are too greedy.]

[Pot calling the kettle black.]

[It seems I’m really not suitable for this path. Let’s leave it at that. A’Sheng, I’m done. I understand your reasoning, but I just can’t bear to watch it anymore.]

[Heyu, don’t be stubborn. You have to shoulder your responsibility—]

[Fuck responsibility! If I could truly shoulder my responsibility, I should be immersed in the erosion and study it thoroughly.] Tang Heyu responded coldly. [But the lesions from the erosion are too painful, so I can’t do it… Since I am a coward, let me be weak till the end.]

A knock on the door sounded. Yi Ning quickly closed the screen. “Who is it?”

“It’s Luo Duan.” The person’s voice carried a smile. “Marshal Yi Ning, I have something I want to discuss with you.”