The thick smoke from the crashed reconnaissance aircraft had not yet dispersed, and the cold wind on the defense platform still carried the acrid smell of burnt metal. Liam stood at the edge, the blue light at his fingertips fading, and the glow at his temples returning to a steady pulse. The two high-frequency blue energy pulses he had unleashed moments earlier had drained nearly half of his energy reserves. His neural symbiosis stability plummeted back to 70%, and his brain activation level dipped slightly from 16.8% to 16.5%.
A dull ache in his lower back flared up again, and a faint dizziness washed over his mind—a neural backlash from energy exhaustion. His physical body had not yet fully adapted to his current level of brain development, causing chaotic energy conduction.
[Host, energy intensity has dropped to 18 units, below the safety threshold. Neural symbiosis stability: 70%. Brain activation level: 16.5%. Mild neural backlash detected. Current physical muscle endurance and neural tolerance can only support 16%-17% brain activation. Excessive energy consumption will lead to a continuous decline in development.
It is recommended to return to the medical laboratory immediately to replenish energy and repair neural pathways via neurorepair agents, preventing a regression in brain development.] The AI's voice carried a hint of concern, and a recovery plan combining "pharmaceutical supplementation + neural adaptation training" quickly materialized in Liam's mind.
Liam leaned against the platform's guardrail, slowly steadying himself. He pressed his fingertips to his temples to alleviate the dizziness, but the resolve in his eyes remained unshaken. He could clearly feel the surging energy in his brain colliding aimlessly due to insufficient physical capacity, and the blue light at his temples flickered erratically—a clear sign of disconnect between brain development and physical adaptation.
Glancing down at the black smoke rising from the crash site, he still heard the cold mental intimidation of the Reaper Civilization echoing in his ears. He knew this brief victory was merely the calm before the storm; greater dangers were likely already brewing in the shadows. "Received. Returning to the medical laboratory immediately." He replied to the AI in a low voice, slowing his steps but never pausing. As he descended the stairs, he deliberately regulated the flow of energy to avoid secondary damage to his neural pathways.
The chaos in the corridors had subsided. Soldiers who had scrambled to deploy defenses earlier were now evacuating in an orderly manner, though each face bore a solemn expression. They might not have known the enemy was the extraterrestrial Reapers, but the bizarre black aircraft and the energy fluctuations impervious to conventional weapons had filled them with an unprecedented sense of oppression.
When some soldiers saw Liam approaching, awe flickered in their eyes, and they instinctively stepped aside to make way—after all, everyone had witnessed the two blue lightning-like energy pulses moments earlier. Liam paid no mind to their stares. His only goal now was to return to the medical laboratory: to stabilize his brain activation level with pharmaceutical supplements, repair his neural pathways, and check on Elena's data transfer progress. But as he rounded the corner on the third floor, all the lights ahead suddenly went out, leaving only emergency lights casting a faint red glow that bathed the corridor in an eerie, oppressive hue. The steady hum of instruments vanished instantly, and even the air seemed to stand still.
[Warning! Abnormal energy signals detected nearby. All electronic devices have been forcibly shut down, suspected of external interference! Simultaneously, multiple unfamiliar energy fluctuations are rapidly approaching the host—belonging to human armed forces carrying heavy pulse weapons. Current brain activation level: 16.4%. Neural symbiosis stability: 68%. Physical reaction speed has decreased by 15% due to neural backlash. High risk of direct confrontation!] The AI's warning blared urgently, laced with unprecedented anxiety.
[Energy signals to the medical laboratory are blocked; contact with Dr. Elena cannot be established. Suspected deliberate jamming! External support channels interrupted—unable to access neurorepair agents, risking further decline in brain development.]
Liam's heart sank instantly. The first name that flashed through his mind was Director Hale. No one else had the authority to mobilize the Pentagon's internal armed forces, let alone cut off his connection with Elena at this critical juncture. Clearly, Hale had been watching everything secretly, seizing the perfect moment when Liam was energy-depleted and his brain development was misaligned with his physical capabilities to strike. "Mr. Liam, we meet again."
A cold, arrogant voice echoed from the darkness. With the approach of heavy footsteps, a tall figure emerged in the red glow of the emergency lights—none other than Director Hale. Dressed in a crisp black uniform, he wore a smirk of triumph, flanked by over a dozen fully armed soldiers. The heavy pulse guns in their hands were aimed directly at Liam, their muzzles glowing with an icy blue light—apparently modified to damage neural pathways, capable of sending brain activation plummeting below 12%.
Liam struggled to hold his ground, instinctively gathering the last of his blue energy at his fingertips. The glow at his temples flickered weakly, failing to form an effective defense. He could feel his slowed reaction speed—a fatal flaw caused by the mismatch between his brain's development and his body's limits.
His energy intensity had dropped to 18 units, the dizziness from neural backlash growing more intense, and the dull ache in his back worsening. Every movement felt like needles piercing his nerves, yet his gaze remained sharp, locked firmly on Hale.
"Hale, you're behind this." Liam's voice carried a trace of exhaustion but unwavering resolve. "You cut the energy signals and mobilized armed forces to seize the chip, take control of the Connection Core, and steal my brain symbiosis technology—all while I'm vulnerable, aren't you?" Hale clapped slowly, his smirk twisting into something more menacing.
"As expected of someone who's awakened neural symbiosis—sharp as ever. That's right, I've been watching you closely: from your breakthrough past 15% brain activation, to your fusion with Ethan's neural talents and activation of the Connection Core, to your reckless destruction of the Reaper drone. Your brain develops at an astonishing rate, but your body can't keep up. This 'half-baked' state makes you the perfect target."
He took a step forward, his greedy gaze fixed on Liam's temples—the faint blue glow there was, to him, a living blueprint for brain development. "The Reapers' threat? Humanity's future? None of that matters to me. What I want is the Connection Core technology, your high-frequency blue energy that counters the Reapers, and the fruits of your 16%+ brain activation. With your neural mapping, combined with Marcus's abandoned modification device, I can force my own brain activation beyond 20%—and mass-produce this power.
As for the Reapers, once I'm strong enough, they'll be nothing but stepping stones to my dominance."
[Warning! Abnormal energy fluctuations detected in the soldiers' pulse guns, containing neural inhibitory compounds. A direct hit will instantly block neural pathways, dropping brain activation below 12%, reducing neural symbiosis stability to under 50%, and potentially causing permanent neural damage.
Host's current energy and physical limits make direct confrontation impossible. It is recommended to seek cover immediately, buy time using environmental obstacles, and passively repair neural pathways with residual energy to boost reaction speed by 0.3%-0.5%!] The AI's warning persisted. [Additionally, faint energy fluctuations detected from the medical laboratory—suspected Dr. Elena attempting to break through the energy jam. If you can hold out for 5 minutes, external support may breach the stalemate!]
A spark of hope ignited in Liam's chest. Elena was still fighting to break through the jam—that was his only lifeline. But the situation was desperate: surrounded by over a dozen armed soldiers, energy-depleted, and trapped in the mismatch between brain and body, with Hale watching hungrily, offering no reprieve. He forced himself to steady his breathing, following the AI's instructions to guide the last of his energy through his neural pathways, hoping to eke out a tiny boost in activation—even 0.1% would mean faster reflexes.
"It seems you've been colluding with Marcus all along—even greedier than he was." Liam straightened his posture, suppressing the discomfort in his body. The remaining blue energy trembled at his fingertips as his brain activation inched up to 16.6% with passive repair, and his neural symbiosis stability rose slightly to 69%. "
Marcus tried to force brain activation with a modification device, only to become a puppet when his body couldn't adapt. You, however, want to profit from the Reapers' conspiracy—you're even more despicable, even more pitiful."
"Despicable? Pitiful?" Hale scoffed, his eyes turning as cold as ice. "Survival of the fittest is the law of this world. Marcus was foolish—he didn't understand that brain development requires both physical adaptation and external technology. But I know how to exploit opportunity. Do you think destroying one drone makes you invincible? How naive. The Reaper fleet will arrive soon, and Earth will fall to them eventually. I'm just paving my way in advance—and your brain is the perfect stepping stone."
He raised his hand, issuing an order to the soldiers behind him: "Move out. Don't kill him—I want him alive. Extract his neural mapping, symbiosis core data, and the chip—intact. With his brain development sample, I'll break the 20% barrier!"
"Yes, Director!" The soldiers roared in unison, their pulse guns charging as the blue glow intensified. Just as they were about to pull the triggers, a faint but steady blue energy pulse suddenly shot from the other end of the corridor, accurately hitting the pulse gun of the lead soldier. "Zap!" The weapon short-circuited instantly, belching black smoke. All eyes snapped to the corridor's far end. In the red emergency light, Elena leaned against the wall, her face pale, a portable terminal in her hand glowing weakly. Clearly, she had strained every ounce of strength to break through part of the energy jam, buying Liam a fleeting chance. Liam could see the blood at the corner of her mouth—forcing energy had damaged her neural pathways. His heart clenched, and his brain activation briefly spiked to 16.7% with the surge of emotion, worsening the neural backlash.
"Elena!" Liam's heart raced, longing to rush to her side, but two soldiers' pulse guns pinned him in place. He could feel the energy in his brain growing more chaotic with his emotional upheaval, and his muscles twitching faintly—a sign that the rift between brain development and physical adaptation was widening. If he didn't stabilize soon, his activation level would drop further. Hale's expression darkened, a flash of murderous intent in his eyes. "It seems I underestimated you, Dr. Elena. But it's useless—neither of you will leave here alive.
Without neurorepair agents or the Connection Core's energy supply, Liam's brain activation won't hold above 15% for long. Soon, he'll be nothing but a broken 'failure'." He issued another order. Two soldiers wheeled around to aim at Elena, their pulse guns fully charged, while the rest kept Liam locked down, denying any chance of cooperation. In this desperate moment, the AI's warning blared in Liam's mind—and the black chip in his hand suddenly trembled violently, emanating an eerie black glow that resonated intensely with the blue light at his temples.
[Host! The chip has triggered a strong resonance with your neural symbiont, activating hidden secondary energy reserves! It can temporarily strengthen neural pathways, suppress neural backlash, stabilize brain activation at 16.8%, and boost energy conduction efficiency by 10%! While your body can't support higher development, the chip's external empowerment will temporarily bypass physical limits.
It is recommended to launch a close-range high-frequency pulse counterattack immediately to break the encirclement!] Liam didn't hesitate. Gripping the trembling black chip tightly, he channeled the last of his blue energy to his fingertips. With the chip's resonant power, he forced down the dizziness of neural backlash.
In an instant, the blue light at his temples flared—his brain activation stabilized at 16.8%, and his energy intensity temporarily surged to 22 units. The chip's external empowerment had bridged the gap between brain and body, allowing him to unleash the full combat potential of his current development. The blue energy at his fingertips intertwined with the chip's black glow, forming a bizarre yet formidable energy pulse.
"Now!" Hale sensed the danger, shouting sharply. But it was too late. Liam raised his hand abruptly, firing the energy pulse—intertwined with black and blue light—at the two soldiers in front of him. "Zap!" A shrill crackle of electricity filled the air. The pulse guns in the soldiers' hands shattered instantly, and the powerful energy blast sent them flying into the wall, unconscious. For Liam, however, the forced energy output came at a cost: his neural symbiosis stability plummeted to 65%, his brain activation dipped to 16.6%, and a trickle of blood escaped the corner of his mouth—his neural tolerance had reached its breaking point.
Seizing the soldiers' momentary chaos, Liam stumbled toward Elena. Hale roared in fury: "Fools! Shoot him! Without the chip or meds, he won't last long!" The remaining soldiers scrambled to reaim, pulling triggers at the fleeing Liam.
Blue pulse beams screamed through the air, but Liam relied on the precise neural control from his 16.6% brain activation and the enhanced physical agility from his primary neural self-healing ability to narrowly dodge the attacks. Though his body was exhausted, his brain's environmental awareness and attack trajectory prediction—hallmarks of advanced brain development—far surpassed that of ordinary humans.
The beams struck the walls, blasting jagged craters and sending shards of debris flying, casting the corridor in an even more eerie light. At that moment, Elena summoned her last ounce of strength, hurling her portable terminal toward Hale. The device exploded instantly, sending a powerful shockwave that sent Hale and his soldiers reeling. The energy jam flickered, revealing a brief 30-second window. [Warning! Energy jam breach detected.
Duration: 30 seconds. Dr. Elena's energy is depleted; neural pathway damage worsening! Host's current brain activation: 16.5%. Neural symbiosis stability: 63%. Minor muscle fiber tears detected. If evacuation is delayed, brain activation may drop below 16%! It is recommended to evacuate with Dr. Elena immediately to the underground safe zone for emergency medical equipment and energy replenishment!] Panic surged in Liam's chest as he unleashed his last reserves of energy, rushing to Elena's side and catching her as she collapsed.
Her face was as pale as paper, her breathing faint, but her eyes remained resolute. She clutched Liam's hand tightly, pressing a small data storage device into his palm: "The chip… all shallow data… is here… Hale… is secretly developing a physical modification device… to force brain-body adaptation… he's colluding with the Reapers…" Before she could finish, Elena's eyes fluttered shut, and she lost consciousness. "Elena!" Liam whispered, anger and anxiety churning in his chest. The blue light at his temples flared wildly, his neural symbiosis stability plummeting to 60%, and his brain activation dropping to 16.2%.
A violent neural backlash blurred his vision, and he could barely stand. The agony of his body and the chaos of his brain's energy compounded, making every step a torment. "Get them!" Hale recovered from the shockwave, his face contorted with rage. He grabbed a pulse gun himself, pulling the trigger at Liam's retreating back. The blue beam raced toward him—inevitable. In that split second, the black chip in Liam's hand erupted with a blinding black glow, enveloping him and Elena in a solid energy barrier.
"Crack!" The pulse beam struck the barrier, sending violent tremors through it, but it held firm. The chip's glow dimmed significantly—its secondary energy exhausted, and the external empowerment faded. Liam's energy intensity plummeted back to 15 units, his brain activation stabilizing at 16%, and his neural symbiosis stability at 58%.
[Chip energy temporarily activated. Barrier duration: 10 seconds! Host, an emergency escape passage at the end of the corridor leads to the underground safe zone, where emergency neurorepair agents and basic medical equipment can stabilize brain activation at 16%.
The passage is guarded by two soldiers—break through quickly!] The AI's voice sounded urgent. Liam didn't hesitate. Lifting the unconscious Elena in his arms, he raced toward the escape passage with his last strength. Hale screamed in fury: "Chase them! Tear the Pentagon apart if you have to! His brain data and the chip must not fall into anyone else's hands!" Soldiers swarmed after them, their pulse beams exploding against walls and floors, filling the air with debris. The sharp crack of gunfire and distant echoes of the Reaper drone's crash merged into a desperate, solemn dirge. Liam stumbled forward, Elena in his arms, his energy completely depleted.
The neural backlash threatened to overwhelm him, and his brain activation hovered at 15.9%—teetering on the edge of dropping below the critical 16% threshold, which would erase his hard-earned progress. Blood dripped from his lips onto Elena's pale cheek, but his resolve never wavered. He had to hold onto his current brain activation, find the repair agents—not just for himself, but for Elena, and for humanity's last hope against the Reapers.
At the end of the corridor, the emergency escape passage's green indicator light flickered. Two armed soldiers stood guard at the entrance, pulling triggers as Liam approached. Liam's eyes flashed with grim determination. He intertwined the last of his blue energy with the chip's fading black glow, forcing his brain activation back to 16% and his neural symbiosis stability to 60%. With a final, desperate energy pulse, he aimed at the soldiers' wrists.
The pulse was weak, but it carried unyielding resolve, hitting its mark. The soldiers' pulse guns clattered to the ground. Seizing the opening, he kicked the two soldiers aside and rushed into the escape passage with Elena. Behind him, Hale's shouts and the soldiers' footsteps grew closer, the iron door of the passage shaking under their blows, threatening to breach at any moment. Liam slammed the door's closing button, and the heavy iron gate rumbled down, temporarily blocking Hale's pursuers. Leaning against the door, he gasped for breath, his energy completely exhausted. His neural symbiosis stability stabilized at 60%, and his brain activation held at 15.8%—just shy of the critical 16% mark.
Dizziness washed over him, and he nearly collapsed alongside Elena. [Host, pursuers temporarily evaded. The iron gate can withstand 5 minutes of attack. Current brain activation: 15.8%. Neural symbiosis stability: 60%. Physical muscle tears and neural pathway damage detected. Emergency neurorepair agents and basic medical equipment in the underground safe zone can stabilize brain activation at 16% and boost neural symbiosis stability to 65%, preventing further regression!
Additionally, stronger energy fluctuations from the Reaper Civilization detected in the distance—their support fleet is approaching the Pentagon, expected to arrive in 30 minutes. Initial repairs must be completed before their arrival!] The AI's warning sounded, heavier than ever. Liam slowly steadied himself, looking down at the unconscious Elena and the black chip in his hand. He knew this dual hunt was only just beginning.
Hale's conspiracy remained uncovered, his greed for brain development and physical modification more pressing than the Reapers' threat. The Reaper fleet drew near, and Earth faced unprecedented peril. As for Liam himself, his brain development teetered on the edge of regression, his body lay wounded, Elena remained unconscious, and the chip's energy was depleted.
To hold onto his progress—let alone break through further—he needed to find repair resources immediately. The escape passage's dim lights cast long shadows, and his footsteps echoed with overwhelming tension and danger. Liam took a deep breath, forcing his battered body forward, Elena in his arms, toward the underground safe zone.
He could feel the untapped potential within his brain, trapped by his fragile body and lack of external resources. It reinforced his resolve: to truly master neural symbiosis, he needed to advance brain activation, strengthen physical adaptation, and seize control of external empowerment technology—all three were indispensable. His figure looked thin yet unyielding in the dim light, a faint flame burning in the darkness.
Even with thorns and uncertainty ahead, he would not falter. The next 30 minutes would be the hardest of his life: he had to heal Elena, stabilize his brain activation with emergency meds, repair his physical wounds, and fend off Hale's pursuit and the incoming Reaper fleet. But he would not back down. On his shoulders lay Elena's hope, the future of human civilization, and the determination to break through his brain's limits and seize his own destiny.
The entrance to the underground safe zone drew near, but a growing sense of unease settled in Liam's chest. He could feel Hale's presence closing in, and the Reaper Civilization's energy fluctuations growing stronger. A greater storm was brewing, one that would soon drag him into an even deeper abyss. Clutching the chip tightly, he marched toward the unknown life-or-death confrontation, silently vowing: I must hold onto 16% activation. It's my only leverage.