Chapter 174
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Chapter 174: Mission Failed
Bai Yan’s phone screen displayed the scene in the laboratory, still rendered in its familiar pixel art style.
The trembling “test subject” cowered in the corner of the massive container, while in the center, a sizable slimy creature with a deep blue shell and a red core stirred.
Fusion Slime, under Bai Yan’s control, tapped the container, but no matter how hard it hit, there was no chance of it breaking. The container was built to endure, and even a hundred strikes wouldn’t cause a crack.
Professor Bai Lan was well aware of Fusion Slime’s attack capabilities. The container she had prepared in advance was of extremely high quality, able to withstand any force Fusion Slime could muster.
To be honest, Bai Yan found this “new operator import task” incredibly challenging.
Escape? No escape… can you?
Even if the container did break, Fusion Slime with its “Potential Crown” strength was no match for Professor Bai Lan.
As one of the fifty highest-ranking members, she had the authority to unleash “Crown-level spells,” purchased from the “Nine Trees System” by using points. With various protective measures in place in the lab, Fusion Slime had no chance of escaping.
During the first playthrough, Bai Yan would sometimes encounter Fusion Slime early on, and the import task would stall there, impossible to complete.
In fact, completing the import mission wasn’t strictly necessary. Even if it failed, the selected Core Operator could still enter the Babel Tower.
“Actually, there are solutions,” Bai Yan thought. “If I use the ‘A Moment of Strong Luck Like a Deity’ card, there might be a chance it could escape.”
Undoubtedly, the card could create miracles.
Bai Yan weighed the pros and cons of using that powerful Tactical Card.
Typically, the rewards for completing the import mission weren’t too shabby. For example, getting a reward of “Deep Blue World” level would be profitable. However, rewards could come in stages, and they might not be as potent as the “A Moment of Strong Luck Like a Deity” card.
“If I weren’t in the task mode, I could use my ‘summoning’ ability to bring it to Babel Tower, then send it to other cities via the ‘Heart of Babel Tower’ at the Operator Center.”
Bai Yan murmured to himself, “But under the current task mode state, I can’t use those functions…”
In the non-imported task mode, Fusion Slime wouldn’t have to worry about how to leave the Nine Trees Foundation headquarters. As long as it passed through Babel Tower for transit, it could leave easily.
So, should he try using the “A Moment of Strong Luck Like a Deity” to complete the import task?
The biggest issue was that even with the card, miraculous things might happen, but it wouldn’t guarantee Fusion Slime’s escape. The direction of luck was uncertain.
After using the card, Fusion Slime might end up eating the unlucky subject and then retrieve a Civilization-level Relic from his body…
That, too, would be a stroke of luck.
But the real question was whether this Civilization-level Relic could help Fusion Slime escape.
“Well, let’s give it a try. It doesn’t matter, as long as we don’t ‘save’ it.”
With the possibility of regretting it later, Bai Yan decided to give it a shot.
The slime banged against the glass casing, but it didn’t even crack. Bai Yan selected the Tactical Card “A Moment of Strong Luck Like a Deity” and used it.
The card depicted “a resolute man slowly walking forward, with meteors, volcanic eruptions, and arrows all unable to harm him.”
As lucky as a deity.
A “heart” mark appeared above Fusion Slime’s head, indicating its luck had been greatly enhanced.
After a moment, the laboratory on the phone suddenly lit up with red lights, and the pixelated “Professor Bai Lan” exclaimed, “Stop the experiment immediately, there’s an enemy invasion…”
Bai Yan silently watched as the plot continued to unfold. Suddenly, the image on the screen shook violently, followed by a deafening crash—the entire laboratory collapsed!
“What’s going on?” Professor Bai Lan asked in shock, her face filled with horror. She couldn’t comprehend how the Nine Trees Foundation headquarters in Tree City could be under attack!
Bai Yan couldn’t help but exclaim in disbelief. Such was the charm of “luck.” Although the development was absurd, it was undeniable that it had truly happened.
As expected, after the laboratory collapsed, the sturdy container shattered, and the deep blue Fusion Slime easily escaped under Bai Yan’s control.
In the pixelated scene, a fire raged outside the laboratory. An intense battle had clearly taken place, and even the sky seemed to be changing colors. The phone screen shook violently every few seconds.
But none of that concerned Fusion Slime. It only had to move a little further to complete its import mission.
Inside the collapsed building, Fusion Slime found the body of a familiar person: Professor Bai Lan’s cloned assistant, “Huang.”
Her body, half buried under the rubble, was devoid of life. The pixel art style obscured her exact expression, but her eyes were clearly open.
The incident had happened suddenly, and Professor Bai Lan had no time to save her.
Fusion Slime let out a mournful cry, deeply puzzled and unable to accept Huang’s death. This was the first time it had witnessed the passing of someone familiar.
It was now aware of how fragile the human body truly was.
Bai Yan, however, felt no sympathy. Their values were worlds apart.
Whether it was Professor Bai Lan, her assistant Huang, or most of the sages, none of them thought they had done anything excessive or wrong.
But to Bai Yan, some of their actions could be described as “inhuman.”
The next game prompt appeared.
“Mission completed. Babel Tower Legendary Point +50.”
“Succeeded in collecting the remains of the Sage Clone ‘Huang.’ Resources can now be invested in developing new special technology.”
“Task reward obtained: Mystical Power: Immortality.”
Oh, this is actually…
Bai Yan paused, momentarily stunned, before quickly coming to a resolute decision.
“Do you want to save?”
“Do you want to start over?”
Is immortality a completely useless extraordinary power? Not exactly. Many Relics consume life, so immortality allows almost unlimited use of these Relics.
Oh, by the way, there’s a difference between “Mystical Power: Immortality” and the gods’ “Immortality.” After using it, it grants ten thousand years of life and maintains youth, but it’s not truly eternal.
Even two or three “Immortalities” couldn’t compare to “A Moment of Strong Luck Like a Deity” in Bai Yan’s eyes.
Bai Yan decisively said, “I’m sorry, Brother Slime, you should stay here in prison for a while longer. Anyway, your dear Professor Bai Lan won’t mistreat you.”
He clicked “Restart” for the first time.
The mission failed, but the Tactical Card was preserved.
——
This was the first time Fusion Slime had ever heard a voice emanating from its very core.
It conducted a fundamental analysis.
It was a cold voice, or maybe it was simply callous?
Caught in contemplation and indecision, Fusion Slime pondered.
[You have been chosen by fate, Fusion Slime.]
“Gulu?”
What does that mean?
Fusion Slime could not understand.
After a while, it realized it couldn’t move at all. Whether it wanted to extend its tentacles or roll, it just couldn’t!
No matter how hard it struggled, it couldn’t break free from this eerie state, leaving Fusion Slime utterly shocked.
“Gulugulu?”
Nothing else happened at first, and soon it found it could move again.
Then, the cruel, merciless voice sounded once more.
[[I am the Savior.]]
[Everything is for saving the past and the future, for this world that is about to collapse and be destroyed.]
[Fusion Slime.]
[From today onwards, you are a member of Babel Tower.]
“Gulu gulu gulu?”
Fusion Slime was utterly baffled.
What is the Savior? What is Babel Tower?
And what exactly is Fusion Slime?
Could it be referring to me? My race does seem to be slime, and I possess nuclear fusion power… but I was given the name R21.
It couldn’t comprehend the sudden influx of information.
It only felt vaguely curious and excited, eager to uncover more.
I want it!
