BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM-Chapter 910: Strategic meeting (3)

"So, are you saying that humans can get more than 54 neural links?" Mikey asked.

"I don't know that, but at least, with my technique, you can get to 54 sooner. That's the only certainty I have. My technique was made to allow me to train multiple brain crystal powers at the same time. I seldomly used it to only improve one brain crystal power, but when I did, the speed was swift. Maybe we will be able to push through the 54 neural links limit and reach something humans never did."

"When do we start, then?" Benedict asked with enthusiasm. He loved the feeling of pushing himself to the limit, and training allowed him to feel just that.

"He said when the new types of clones hatch. Damn, Ben, are you even listening?" Gwen was pissed.

But not everyone was so eager or fully believed what Erik said.

"You seem sure about this, yet it might be possible this won't happen," Becker said.

"I learned from seeing you that this biological supercomputer can do a lot of things. Yet I doubt it can do something that humans tried to do for centuries and failed."

"You will change your mind once you try Erik's technique," June said.

The clone couldn't use it since he didn't have a brain crystal, but from Erik's memories, he knew how strong it was.

Of course, June didn't know how the modified version of it was, but the old one was already powerful enough to let him say those words with confidence.

Erik understood Becker's skepticism. After all, pushing past perceived limits went against conventional wisdom. Still, conventional wisdom had its limits too, especially considering the biological supercomputer often shattered common sense.

Before three years ago, having multiple brain crystal powers was considered impossible, but now even the Blackguards could do this. Three years ago, people only theorized about brain crystal weapons, but now they are real.

"I know it seems impossible," Erik said in a calm tone. "Not long ago, even the idea of having multiple brain crystal powers looked like utter madness, and here I am. Besides, I think I'm not the only one who is going to have this ability for long."

"What do you mean?" Surprisingly, it was Mira who asked that question.

"Do you remember that time the Fierce Lioness' daughter came to Testrovsc's Rest?"

"I do. How could I forget that girl buzzing around you 24/7?" Mira said not without a look of annoyance. Amber looked at her and understood why she was pissed.

"Well, we got a private quest from the guild. They asked us to find someone. That person was a scientist, whom I learned worked for the blackguards but tried to flee. He was trying to make people have more brain-crystal powers. Somehow he achieved it."

"How can you be so sure about that?"

"I read the documents back then," Erik said. "He was very close back then, but for a while, all of this was suspended. For some time, I feared they would succeed, and Shade basically confirmed it."

It was Becker's turn to raise questions now.

"Shade? He was real?"

"Yes, very much. Are you aware that I destroyed the Crystal Cross Gang?" That surprised all but Noah, June, Becker, and Caiden.

"I do," Becker said.

"It looks like you got in contact with your men, then."

"I did."

"Well, their boss was a guy called Howell. He had some information about Shade since he worked for him. Shade was the link between the Crystal Cross Gang and the Blackguards. He was the lord of the underworld, and not just here in Frant, but even in Etrium, well, to be honest, from around the continent. But that is the weird part. Despite all that power, he was just a proxy for the blackguards. I found him in Nokisi Point, with hundreds of other gang leaders from the continent, which I killed."

Erik watched Becker, wondering what thoughts were going through his head. Becker had always been harder to read than most. Now the red-haired man's eyes narrowed slightly as he took in Erik's words. Out of respect, he wasn't reading his thoughts.

"Shade was real then," Becker said. "I had my suspicions about his existence despite only hearing rumors, and of course I got no proof. It always seemed absurd that one man could control so much of the underworld without ties to someone more powerful."

He paused for a moment, his fingers tapping absently on the table as he thought. "So, he was working for the Blackguards all along, just as I thought. A puppet and a puppet master at the same time, with the Blackguards manipulating strings from the shadows. But why go to such lengths for them? What did shade stand to gain?"

No one answered, for no one knew the answer to that question. Erik had never learned the details of Shade's past or his true motivations. In his death, Shade was as much an enigma as when he walked into the living world. There was only one thing Erik knew with certainty. "Shade was from Frant, the brother of a very good private investigator I knew. I read in a journal from 47 years ago that he was thought to be dead. He was beaten up by bullies, and the police did nothing. Somehow, he didn't die. Maybe it was then that he decided to become a criminal."

Becker sighed, shaking his head slowly. He wasn't Frant's general back then, but he could easily imagine how awful things must have been back then, based on how bad they were when

he was in power.

To Becker, all of this meant the Blackguards had their clutches on Frant even back then and that he must have been a thorn in their side.

"Well, it does not matter now. Shade is gone, by your hand, I suppose. One less player on the board makes the game easier to understand, if nothing else, and I bet the Blackguards lost a huge chunk of power."

He straightened, his eyes finding Erik's once more. "My thanks for confirming what I could only guess at before now and for having killed those fuckers I couldn't find for years."

"Don't worry about that. Regardless, as I said, he confirmed the Blackguards used the scientist's technology. They are making an army. I don't know exactly what they want to do with it—maybe just to kill me, since I have what they want."

Becker, at that point, had a serious look.

The man's eyes narrowed as Erik said that. For years, they had searched for answers about what the Blackguards wanted, losing talented men in the process, and now he was finally close to learning what their enemies were desperately searching for. Lucius likely found that out and told Erik, and based on what the younger man just said, there could be very few things they wanted. One came to Becker's mind faster than any other.

"They want the Biological Supercomputer," Becker said.

"They do." Erik's fingers tapped a rapid rhythm on the table.

"So all this time, it was that which drew their interest. Did Lucius tell you this?"

"Yes. He was also the one who gave me the biological supercomputer to begin with." Lucius never said what he found out to the others, not even to Becker, knowing that he could

put his son in danger.

Lucius came from the Mur continent only to be captured, so it was easy to guess he feared about his son's life since he knew little about his current state.

Even if he was told a lot of things by the others, it was still true that he could not trust them because all of this involved his son.

A flash of frustration crossed Becker's face, there and gone in an instant. He hoped Lucius might have told him about those things in person, but he could see why he had decided not to

do it.

Though it was pretty obvious given how powerful the biological supercomputer was.

Then Erik said something else. "That, and the papers describing its creation. Having the biological supercomputer itself would be good, but the best thing would be to learn how to craft it, right? That's why they are on Mur."

Erik met Becker's gaze. "It seems the Blackguards have had their sights set on that technology

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for a long

time."

Becker nodded slowly. So much had changed since his days leading Frant's armies, and now their long-standing foe had found a new purpose. "But who made it? And for what purpose?"

"From what I understand, the research was conducted by a company called Silver Line Corporation. But beyond that, I do not know more of its origins."

With a last thoughtful hum, Becker rose from his seat. "Well, this gives us more to work with,

at least. I'll have my men dig into this Silver Line. Might be they left some tracks after all this

time."

He clasped Erik's shoulder. "My thanks, as always, for the new insights. I'll do what you wish to do. For years, I tried to find and do all those things, failing. Yet, you got so far in only three years. I'll trust your judgment."