Chapter 25

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Chapter 25: Cognition Filter

There was a wide variety of infrastructure in the Babel Tower, including various research facilities such as the Mutation Technology Research Lab, Bloodline Mutation Research Lab, Remodeling Technology Research Lab, Soul Origin Research Lab, Special Affairs Research Lab, and others.

Bai Yan tapped on the screen and spent 100 points to create a new facility.

Mutation Technology Research Lab (Primary)

Shortly after, a new icon of a small house appeared on the third floor of the Babel Tower.

The Mutation Technology Research Lab was responsible for researching monsters’ superpowers. For instance, the Gravity of Darkness, whom Nightsaber had defeated, would be sent here for research.

The research might yield new technologies that the operators could utilize.

Bai Yan recalled that the Gravity of Darkness could produce a regenerative type of superpower in the primary research lab. However, the research lab couldn’t be activated yet because it lacked the necessary logistics staff. These staff members were mostly transformed from cultists, criminals, and other miscreants. Bai Yan remained uncertain about how the transformation process worked.

During each mission, core operators had a certain chance of bringing back “logistics staff.”

“I hope they can capture some logistics staff. I need at least three support staff to activate the Mutation Technology Research Lab.”

The bus approached slowly. Bai Yan pocketed his phone and boarded at the end of the line. He settled into a window seat, listening to music through his headphones.

After some time, Bai Yan arrived at the bustling upper-middle-class area near the city center. The crowd grew denser. He stepped off the bus and observed the umbrella-wielding people around him.

“It’s up here.” Today was Alan’s birthday, and Bai Yan had come for the party. Alan had many friends, and numerous classmates would be attending. Bai Yan suspected Alan wouldn’t mind if he skipped, but Alan had specifically called him last night, insisting he attend!

“Ah, damn. I’m busy saving the world right now…” Bai Yan pondered Alan’s situation.

Most likely, Alan was a Night Watchman from the DHA, responsible for maintaining order within the city. Nevertheless, he remained Bai Yan’s friend.

The DHA would never tolerate the Babel Tower’s existence.

In fact, Babel Tower frequently interacted with the DHA in the game. They were either enemies or allies, depending on choices made and operations conducted.

In Bai Yan’s mind, he wanted to unite all organizations and righteous forces to face the impending crisis of world destruction. To achieve the perfect ending, he needed to gain these groups’ favor.

“The DHA is under pressure now. They must be searching for Babel Tower members. As the organization’s leader, I’ll definitely be imprisoned, or worse.”

‘At least I can trust Alan.’

“It’s here.” He’d reached the entrance to a luxurious neighborhood. After speaking with the security guard and making a phone call, he entered.

Alan resided in a two-story villa with exquisite decorations that ordinary people couldn’t afford. Bai Yan remembered Alan coming from a middle-class family in his youth, but now he could afford such a house. Was it truly because of his identity?

“Which girlfriend of his will show up today?” The thought suddenly crossed Bai Yan’s mind.

He arrived at the villa’s front door with his umbrella and found Alan, wearing gaudy purple, already standing in the doorway, smiling and waiting.

“Hey, you made it. I thought you wouldn’t come.”

Bai Yan chuckled and approached. “You’re my only friend, bro. How could I refuse?”

Alan looked enlightened. “So, if you make a new friend, you’ll immediately discard me, right?”

“Yeah, how did you guess? Seems you’ve gotten smarter.”

They chatted and laughed as they entered the villa. The birthday party was already underway.

Many of Alan’s college friends were eating and drinking. He joined in with a smile, appearing to enjoy himself. However, Bai Yan knew his friend’s little trick.

He secretly replaced the wine in his glass with water without anyone noticing. Alan had proudly told Bai Yan that he would never drink in his life.

Bai Yan, being unsociable, stayed alone in a corner eating snacks. However, he suddenly noticed a strange middle-aged man who seemed out of place. With his gray suit, gray hair, and dejected face, he appeared to be in his forties.

He wandered through the crowd with a glass of iced spirit in his left hand and a large silver pistol in his right.

Bai Yan quickly noticed something odd. Everyone present ignored this man. The middle-aged man staggered about, holding the pistol and pointing it at a girl’s head. He nudged her gently while mimicking shooting sounds.

Bai Yan swallowed silently.

The girl remained oblivious to what was happening. The man staggered to another person and repeated his actions.

When the middle-aged man reached Bai Yan and pressed the gun gently against his chest, he spoke in a muffled voice.

“Bang.”

Bai Yan ignored him and quietly listened to his classmates sing. Those who dared to sing in public were either skilled or exceptionally brave.

Alan suddenly approached and pushed Lin Bian, the middle-aged man, into a corner.

“Are you insane? I shouldn’t have brought you here.”

Lin Bian took a sip and swayed, “You think I’m too old to keep up with you young people, right?”

Speaking quietly with a dark expression, Alan said, “I wanted you to come here to relax, not frighten my classmates with a civilization-level relic. Besides, how did you bring this without authorization?”

Lin Bian laughed and replied, “The cognitive filter is already active. It wouldn’t matter even if I ran around naked… If someone actually sees me, now that would be interesting.”

Alan thought about the mysterious Babel Tower. They had activated a high-level cognitive filter. The video contained many clear clues, yet they couldn’t identify the people involved.

Some claimed to have witnessed crime hunter Mu Ling, but they couldn’t pinpoint her location. It resembled a case involving cultists, where the bookstore owner clearly sold books related to superpowers, but ordinary people saw them as normal books.

Of course, the cognitive filter wasn’t omnipotent. It was merely a form of psychological suggestion and illusion. If Mu Ling appeared before them and attacked, the cognitive filter would lose its effect.

Lin Bian seemed to read Alan’s thoughts and continued, “I believe that little girl with psychic powers must be significant. She can’t be exposed carelessly. Otherwise, Babel Tower wouldn’t have replaced her with a pixelated figure in the video.”

“Alan, why are you facing the wall?”

Someone interrupted their conversation. Alan quickly turned and departed.

Lin Bian shrugged and staggered to the corner, standing beside Bai Yan while drinking.

Bai Yan stood calmly eating, his expression unchanged.

‘Why can I see and hear him?’

When he had encountered the Child of the Star previously, Bai Yan remained unaffected. He suspected his body and mind might differ from ordinary people’s.

He wanted to distance himself from this armed middle-aged man but dared not move.

Lin Bian suddenly snatched a snack from his plate.

“Huh? Where’d my food go?” Damn you, Bai Yan thought, memorizing the man’s face. The silver pistol looked familiar, possibly having appeared in Babel Tower.

The party grew very lively. Though the villa had become messy, Alan was prepared to call in specialists for cleaning. It posed no significant problem.

Night fell. All classmates lay drunk, scattered across the floor, sofa, and table.

Alan and Bai Yan stood on the second-floor balcony. Neither had drunk much as they gazed calmly at the night sky. Bai Yan repeatedly fought the urge to check his auto-play profits on his phone.

Alan’s voice suddenly broke the silence. “You’ve changed, Bai Yan.”

Bai Yan appeared slightly stunned. “Oh?” he responded.

Alan continued, “I actually admired you thirteen years ago. You were mature and disciplined, unlike the others. You were like my elder.”

Bai Yan smiled.

‘Well, you were just a kid then.’

They had met thirteen years ago. Bai Yan, who began as an orphan, had shamelessly frequented Alan’s house. Alan was touched to have made his first friend.

Bai Yan smiled, “Perhaps this is the so-called ‘work hard when young, lie flat when old.’ I don’t want to work hard anymore.”

Alan muttered, “That’s cheeky.”

Bai Yan considered for a moment before continuing, “You’ve changed considerably too. Thirteen years ago, you barely spoke. Your parents even worried you might be autistic.”

“Hahaha, I was indeed very timid then. I was always bullied at school.” Alan laughed.

“Bai Yan.” Alan paused momentarily. Then he asked, “What’s your opinion of the Babel Tower?”

Bai Yan didn’t answer directly. Instead, he wanted to ask the middle-aged man standing beside him, still holding his silver pistol.

“My opinion…”