Wang Jingyang, a spiritual energy user of Six Rings, regarded as a "Saint" by the world, had just gulped down half a glass of draft beer and let out a satisfied sigh.
He picked up a small piece of sausage from the tray on the table, dipped it in some fragrant chili powder, and was about to savor it when he realized there was an extra person at the booth.
"You're here, come sit down, quickly! Little Yu Lian, let me tell you, the dark beer at this place is really good! It's especially Bavarian! And the sausages here are really good too, especially Munich!"
Yu Lian felt that Uncle Wang probably hadn't had authentic Bavarian dark beer, and dipping Munich sausages in chili powder must have been a mistake, but he didn't intend to expose him.
Now, Wang Jingyang was no longer wearing that Internal Guard general's uniform that didn't quite suit him.
He was dressed very casually, no different from any seasoned corporate drone going through a mid-life crisis.
However, considering the several large beer mugs still on his table and the carefree, foolish grin still plastered on his face, he looked more like an idle, seasoned unemployed person.
Yu Lian felt that this state might suit him better.
It was not yet noon, so there were naturally few people in the hotel.
However, Yu Lian still scanned his surroundings to confirm the current situation.
"The owner of this place is my friend," Wang Jingyang said with a smile, "We can talk freely, no one will eavesdrop.
After all, I'm a Saint of Six Rings, wouldn't I notice if someone was eavesdropping?"
Yu Lian narrowed his eyes, truly not understanding who had given him such courage.
Wang Jingyang also reacted, his face flushed, and said, "Mind control doesn't count as hostility.
Mind... mind control, the work of a manipulator behind the scenes, and it was even relayed through slug worms, how could I have thought of that?
And robots, robots aren't living beings, so how can they have hostility?"
Yes, Wang Jingyang's hostility perception field spread throughout the entire ship, and no hostile intent from any living being could escape his perception.
Even an expert like Brigadier General Morey could only suppress his true intentions and emotions deep within his sea of consciousness, not daring to even stir a hint of hostile thought, let alone make a move.
Therefore, to bypass Wang Jingyang's hostility perception, Morey's method was quite extreme.
He had others mind-control him, and when he acted, he completely relinquished control of his body, allowing the mind-controller's will to dominate his body.
In this way, his body was no longer controlled by his own will, but merely a tool, and naturally, there was no hostility that could be perceived.
It must be said that Brigadier General Morey, who was now utterly annihilated, was truly ruthless.
Once one released their soul like that, allowing another's will to enter their body, it was truly possible to completely become a puppet.
For General Schwartz, he could go to such lengths; one didn't know whether to sigh in regret or be horrified.
"A forbidden love!" Wang Jingyang exclaimed with emotion.
"Indeed, that's why love-struck individuals are not very trustworthy."
Wang Jingyang always felt that Yu Lian was mocking him, but he had no evidence.
At this moment, Yu Lian added, "Actually, even without resorting to such extreme methods, there are several ways to avoid the judgment of hostility perception.
For example, it is said that Virtual Spirit Temple has such spirit-controlling techniques, where they can fight fiercely and lethally while still smiling sweetly."
Of course, this spirit-controlling technique, known as "Void Will," was one of Virtual Spirit Temple's most top-tier secret arts and was not taught externally.
"If I really encounter an expert who can use Void Will, I'll just consider myself unlucky."
"There are actually simpler methods.
For example, finding another person who is mind-controlled to carry a bomb over... Yes, the hostility perception field can certainly detect malicious intent, and mind control is one of them.
But there are also many ways to avoid this kind of monitoring.
For example, the enemy previously used parasitic protozoa as a relay for mind control... Didn't you fall for it?"
"Hmm... I thought it was because Morey had been too tired recently and hadn't had time to properly groom himself, and had lice in his hair and beard or something."
"Yes, the life fluctuations of parasitic protozoa are similar to mites, so they are indeed easily overlooked."
Yu Lian shrugged and continued, "However, they can choose not to mind-control, but just brainwash!
Anyway, after brainwashing, they just withdraw their mental derivatives, so there's no hostility."
Wang Jingyang listened, breaking out in a sweat, really wanting to ask the other party why he was so skilled, but when it came to his lips, it became: "Li-Little Yu Lian, why didn't you remind me?"
"How was I supposed to know you'd be using this method to oversee things?
Who exactly gave you the courage to believe that the hostility perception field would be foolproof?"
"This... Morey told me all of this!"
Oh, so it's back to square one?
Of course, Yu Lian couldn't really blame Uncle Wang.
In terms of security, to achieve (relatively) foolproof security in the mystical arts, in addition to the hostility perception field, one would also need to at least activate a mental purification field, microscopic energy detection, and so on.
But if that were the case, it wouldn't be just one or two high-level spiritual energy users needed.
Compared to that, it would be better to put more effort into scientific methods.
At least Yu Lian's experience in his previous life had proven this point.
He had indeed taken the head of the Empire's Chancellor at a scene where several spiritual energy users were Present; however, when preparing to assassinate a certain Navy Minister of the Alliance, he was helpless against the opponent's defensive measures, which were densely packed with various advanced surveillance facilities, with a guard every three steps and a post every ten steps, forcing him to adopt the hooded assassin's stealth method.
"My teacher said that I rely too much on extraordinary abilities, but I've always lacked imagination... Indeed, my cultivation is still insufficient!" Wang Jingyang shook his head.
You do indeed have the flaw of lacking imagination, but actually, that's not too big of a problem.
If we put it in the context of a wuxia worldview, you're the kind of righteous master who cultivates orthodox profound arts, with no weaknesses, but also finding it difficult to kill monsters beyond your level.
Currently, you're still susceptible to some unorthodox tricks, but once you truly achieve great mastery of your profound arts, you'll truly be invincible.
At least in later generations, both your combat achievements and teaching results were sufficient to establish your historical position.
"My teacher said that my choice to enter officialdom at this time was actually too hasty.
There's a high chance I'll suffer a great loss!" He scratched his head with a silly grin, "Oh dear, he was right again."
Yu Lian pondered for a moment, then whispered, "So, you've already decided to resign?"
"I am the Commander of the Azure Guard, and also the chief security officer for this celebration!
With something like this happening, and my deputy even becoming a terrorist and a traitor, even if the Central Government wanted to keep me, how could I have the face to stay?
I've already submitted my resignation and retirement applications, and Grand Marshal Alwyn has already approved them," Wang Jingyang said.
Seeing Yu Lian's expression wasn't very good, he smiled again, "Actually, resigning is good.
I'm just a spiritual energy user, and most of my life has been spent on the cultivation of mysticism.
I'm not well-versed in social conventions, nor do I have any knowledge of leadership and management.
So, little Yu Lian, Uncle has decided to go to university afterward to properly understand the true Universe!
My teacher also highly approves of me, and even said that this is true worldly cultivation."
"..."
"Uh, don't look at me like this, I'm actually only a high school graduate!
Wahahaha!"
What's there to be proud of?
"However, I'm still not too sure what to study."
"Two directions: law and mathematics.
The former aligns with your path and will allow you to understand society.
The latter will truly help you understand imagination," Yu Lian said casually.
Uncle Wang paused slightly, pondered for a moment, then nodded as if enlightened: "I will consider it carefully."
You're actually considering it!
Yu Lian suddenly felt a little guilty and quickly changed the subject: "Then what about the Commonwealth Guard afterward?"
"Don't worry, since our spiritual energy user unit has been established, it will definitely proceed according to the original planned schedule.
The new Commander will take office next week."
"Who is it?"
"It seems to be a Major General Azisa Malowen, apparently quite famous in the scientific community..."
"Isn't she an archaeologist?"
"Yes! Do you know her?"
The changes in the timeline were simply too mischievous.
Yu Lian couldn't really be sure if this appointment was right or wrong; he just felt strange, so strange that he didn't know what expression he should make.
Anyway, it shouldn't be a particularly bad appointment, at least.
"Alright, let's talk about business," Wang Jingyang said, pulling out a transparent, specially made test tube.
Inside, a primordial worm was soaking.
"I've already had my junior martial brother Grant examine it, and this thing is indeed a type of parasitic primordial worm, but it's not any kind we currently know of.
Junior martial brother Grant was very surprised too!"
The "Junior martial brother Grant" Uncle Wang referred to was named Sonny Grant, and he was also a spiritual energy user master of Six Rings, as well as a highly capable alchemy master and expert in mystical studies.
Yu Lian actually missed that mystical studies tech-geek old man.
The modification of his Atomic Light Spear in his previous life was completed with the help of that short-tempered but warm-hearted old man.
Of course, he should still just be a short-tempered middle-aged angry youth now.
All in all, he was a trustworthy senior.
"Through spiritual communication, I examined it and indeed found some issues... Yu Lian, this thing actually possesses memory.
It's not an ordinary space slug."
Yu Lian wasn't surprised at all, but he still put on a surprised expression to match the occasion.
The space slug worm, scientifically named "parasitic primordial worm," did indeed resemble a smaller slug, which is how it got its name.
Over three hundred years ago, this was a creature that caused considerable controversy and even led a trend in certain evolutionary concepts for a long time.
Archaeologists from the Commonwealth once unearthed a well-preserved biological laboratory from an ancient Enlightener Ruins and performed cell extraction and cultivation from the remnants in the culture facilities.
The organism they obtained was the space slug worm.
These are small animals much like slugs; their bodies are actually very fragile, and any mischievous child could easily burn them for fun.
Their lifespan is also very short; even in a constant temperature, sterile culture room, they can only survive for less than 24 hours.
However, no one truly regarded them as mere mollusks.
Since it was something extracted from Enlightener Ruins, even if it were a paramecium, it would surely be a paramecium full of demonic energy.
Later, after a considerable period of research, the Commonwealth's scientific researchers finally determined that these slug worms could only survive for a long time by attaching themselves to the brainstem or spine of large mammals and sharing their nutrients.
Mammals that acquired space slug parasitism would experience a certain degree of enhancement in nerve response speed, metabolic efficiency, and cell activity.
These activated cells even included brain cells.
As for side effects, it was said to reduce the animal's hormone secretion.
However, in this day and age, even games are more fun than women, so a little less of such low-level pleasures is fine.
Additionally, some strong individuals among the slugs could even become a medium for spiritual energy storage and transfer.
For a spiritual energy user, it would be equivalent to having an extra mana bar and spell slots stored within their body.
All benefits and no harm!
Although that was said, this was still about another animal parasitizing a vital part of a sentient being's body.
Putting aside ethical issues, who could guarantee that this thing was truly harmless?
Because of this, the Commonwealth, and even the All-Galaxy, engaged in a considerable range of extensive discussions.
Those in favor believed it was the source of sentient evolution; as long as symbiosis was achieved with these small slugs, catching up to the Enlightener predecessors and unraveling the Universe's truth would be just one step away.
The opponents, however, believed this must be a conspiracy of Abyssal Space demons!
Although they didn't know what Abyssal Space demons were or what the conspiracy entailed, they simply opposed it.
And in this process, a small number of slugs finally circulated out of the laboratory and were even regarded as a type of weapon in the underworld.
The underworld, well, there are all sorts of oddities.
There are plenty of people who control poisonous insects and fierce beasts, and there are also oddities who hide venom glands and acid tanks in their stomachs; compared to that, what's so bad about planting a worm on one's back?
The Commonwealth's laboratories had even begun human trials.
Of course, the test subjects were not humans but various alien races seeking Commonwealth citizenship.
Although the Empire was a step behind, they also began preparations.
After all, they never lacked second-class races within their borders.
If not for a sudden epidemic, this slug worm might have become a social trend that spread throughout the Universe.
In short, the epidemic known as the slug worm flu broke out almost simultaneously across the All-Galaxy.
For ordinary people, it was just a common flu, but for individuals parasitized by slug worms, it was a fatal terminal illness.
Within just one year, the death toll exceeded 2 million.
Uh, if you count the slug worms in their heads, then double that number.
After that, research into space slug worms in various countries entered a semi-stagnant phase, with only occasional small-scale experiments on ordinary animals.
The conclusion was disappointing: slug worms could not turn gorillas into talking gorillas.
However, in the public's and current mainstream biological understanding, although space slug worms possess various miraculous functions, individuals are still just fragile mollusks.
And mollusks cannot store memories.
"If today's discovery gets out, the Commonwealth's existing research will be completely overturned.
It's truly incredible," Wang Jingyang exclaimed.
Because those born in the Commonwealth laboratory were, in the final analysis, merely unnatural clones.
They failed to restore the brains of these small slugs!
Yu Lian thought.
"However, the information I observed was very chaotic, with unknown languages, very turbid images, and spiritual energy fluctuations close to being out of control, making it impossible to fully analyze a complete set of clues.
The only clearer pieces of information are these two..."
He said, sending over two images.
One was a sinister figure, with only the eyes clearly visible—a pair of deep green, extremely profound eyes.
The other was a stone structure in the midst of towering mountains, large in scale but classical in style, clearly a product from before the industrial age.
"This is the architectural style of the Luminans.
However, this building doesn't exist in the database, which is very strange," Wang Jingyang said.
"The ancient intelligent core you previously seized has also been identified.
It was Frank... it was seized by Brigadier General Morey in South America from a group of Luminan and Wanling Sect terrorists.
Therefore, the higher-ups have basically determined the mastermind behind this incident."
"I understand," Yu Lian said, picking up the test tube and smiling, "You haven't reported the existence of this thing yet, have you?"
Wang Jingyang showed a simple, honest smile: "In the underworld, space slug worms are theoretically a type of weapon, so since you seized it, it's naturally your spoils of war.
Currently, only I, Grant, and the teacher know of its existence."
Uncle Wang was indeed an honest person, but anyone who thinks an honest person won't lie is truly foolish.
"This is a discovery that could overturn existing research on space slug worms; if it's reported just like this, the credit will surely be snatched by those above.
Little Yu Lian, you want to conduct some complete research yourself and then publish it, don't you?"
Uh, what else is there to research?
The Past, Present, and Future of these unlucky worms have all been thoroughly exposed by the "Goddess of Wisdom" in the future Commonwealth.
"I knew that a child with such extraordinary talent as you would always have many ideals!
A powerful spiritual energy user, an excellent Commander, a far-sighted strategist, and now adding a genius scholar, it's nothing major."
...Uh, this sounds like the protagonist of a system novel!
"However, Little Yu Lian, you must pay attention to safety.
Also, don't even think about implanting it yourself!
Even if you don't consider the slug worm flu, Qiluo and Old Yu cannot be without an heir!
Do you understand?
You are still young!
Never give up on your Future!"