The emergency energy released by Elena intertwined with Liam's blue-black halo, forming an energy shield that forcefully blocked Hale's fatal blow. The shock wave generated by the beam hitting the shield swept across the entire secret room, dust falling rustlingly, the hum of the emergency medical instrument becoming weaker and weaker, and the communication terminal falling into complete silence. Liam trembled all over, the remaining energy in his body was consumed again, his neural symbiosis stability plummeted to 59%, and his brain activation level dropped from 16.3% to 16.1%. More blood oozed from the corner of his mouth, and he stumbled back half a step, but he still stood firmly in front of Elena, the blue-black halo at his fingertips almost extinguished—his brain development had approached the physical tolerance threshold of 17%, and every energy burst aggravated the dual load on his nerves and muscles.
Elena supported herself on the ground and slowly sat up, her face still as pale as paper. The short release of emergency energy made her exhausted, the blue light at her fingertips flickered and disappeared, and her breathing became more rapid. But her eyes were extremely firm, her gaze quickly swept around the secret room, and finally fell on the black chip in Liam's hand, her voice hoarse but clear: "Liam, Marcus said... the core weakness of the chip... is hidden in the hidden interface of the Connection Core... and the complete data he left... we must get the Connection Core. Its energy may help you stabilize brain development without exceeding physical limits."
[Host, Dr. Elena's remaining emergency energy is 3 units, which can only maintain short-term wakefulness. If energy is not supplemented in time, the damage to the neural pathways will worsen. Current brain activation level: 16.1%. Neural symbiosis stability: 59%. The risk of muscle fiber tearing in the physical body has increased. Forcibly breaking through 17% activation will cause irreversible neural necrosis. In addition, the energy fluctuation of the Reapers' support troops has reached its peak, expected to arrive above the underground safe area in 18 minutes. The energy signal of the symbiont transformation device fragments it carries is clear, suspected to be able to quickly assemble a simple transformation weapon, posing a fatal threat to the host and Dr. Elena!] The AI's warning sounded urgently, and at the same time, the sound of dense footsteps and gun loading from the soldiers came from the entrance of the secret room, and Hale's pursuers were preparing to launch a new round of attack.
Standing at the entrance of the secret room, Director Hale looked at Liam standing in front of Elena, then at Elena who slowly sat up, his anger became more intense, but there was a trace of fear in his eyes—he could feel that although Liam's energy fluctuation was weak, it carried a condensed sense of oppression, especially the blue light at his temples, indicating that his brain development had approached a critical node. "It seems that Marcus' emergency energy source has given you a glimmer of hope to linger on." Hale sneered, raised his hand to signal the soldiers to pause the attack, "But it's useless. Lord Reaper's support troops will arrive soon. Your fragile body, which can't withstand 17% development, will eventually collapse under energy impact. At that time, the chip and the Connection Core will be mine."
"Hale, you colluded with the Reapers and betrayed humanity. Even if you can get their power, you will eventually become their pawn, just like Marcus, completely abandoned." Liam struggled to support his body, his voice hoarse but piercingly cold. He tightly held the black chip in his hand, and the black light of the chip resonated weakly with the blue light at his temples again. A trace of weak energy gushed out of the chip, slowly supplementing the energy consumed in his body. His neural symbiosis stability barely recovered to 60%, and his brain activation level stabilized at 16.2%—he deliberately suppressed the development progress to avoid touching the physical tolerance limit.
"Pawn?" Hale sneered, his eyes becoming more crazy, "As long as I can control the Earth, as long as I can have the power beyond everything, even if I am a pawn, I will admit it! As for you, you will die here today, become a sacrifice for the deal between me and Lord Reaper, and become a stepping stone on my way to the top!" He waved his hand, "Do it! No need to capture them alive, kill them directly, take the chip, data storage device and Elena's body back. Lord Reaper wants the chip and data, and your life or death is irrelevant!"
The soldiers immediately pulled the trigger, and countless blue pulse beams roared towards them, so dense that there was almost no dead angle, instantly covering Liam and Elena. A hint of determination flashed in Liam's eyes. He subconsciously protected Elena behind him, and at the same time took the initiative to guide the black light in the chip to deeply fuse with the blue light in his body, deliberately controlling the energy output intensity to prevent his brain activation from breaking through 17%. Even if the pain of neural backlash intensified again, he would do his best to block this round of attack.
[Host, it is recommended to use the resonance between the chip and the data storage device to trigger the hidden program left by Marcus, which may temporarily interfere with the pulse gun signals of the soldiers, buy you time to escape, and try to locate the position of the Connection Core! Current physical condition can only support activation below 16.5%, do not force improvement!] The AI's voice sounded timely, and a simple resonance guidance method was quickly presented in Liam's mind.
Liam did not hesitate at all. He held the black chip tightly in one hand and picked up the small data storage device in the other, pressing the two gently together. In an instant, the black light of the chip intertwined with the faint white light of the data storage device, forming a faint two-color halo. The two resonated strongly, making a faint hum, and the electronic signals in the secret room were instantly disrupted. The pulse guns in the soldiers' hands suddenly malfunctioned, making a "sizzling" sound and unable to fire beams normally. Some soldiers' pulse guns even short-circuited directly, emitting black smoke.
"Now is the time!" Elena shouted weakly. She struggled to support her body, and her fingertips tapped quickly on the screen of the emergency medical instrument, trying to use the residual signal of the emergency medical instrument to locate the position of the Connection Core. "Liam, the Connection Core... should be in the hidden compartment of the underground safe area. Marcus said there is a hidden secret door there, which can only be opened with the energy of the chip. Its energy output is controllable and won't let you exceed physical limits!"
Liam nodded. He could clearly feel that the resonance between the chip and the data storage device not only interfered with the signal of the pulse gun, but also faintly echoed with an energy source in the distance. The fluctuation of that energy source was very similar to that of the Connection Core—obviously, Elena was right, the Connection Core was nearby.
He supported Elena and stumbled towards the depths of the secret room. Behind him, Hale was frantically patting the communicator on his wrist, trying to contact the Reapers' support troops, while shouting at the soldiers to put down their faulty pulse guns, pick up melee weapons, and chase after them quickly. "Stop them! Don't let them find the Connection Core! Whoever can kill them, I will give them supreme power!" Hale's roar echoed in the secret room, full of madness and unwillingness.
Liam and Elena dared not stop, running forward with all their strength. The passage deep in the secret room was narrow and dim, covered with gravel under their feet, and every step was extremely difficult. Elena's breathing became more and more rapid, her emergency energy was about to be exhausted, her eyes began to blur, and she almost fell several times, relying entirely on Liam's firm support. Due to the continuous physical pressure, Liam's brain activation fluctuated around 16.2%, with his neural symbiosis stability maintaining at 61%. The muscle soreness in his back became more intense, reminding him that he was approaching the physical tolerance limit. "Liam... I can't hold on... the secret door of the Connection Core... is at the corner ahead to the left... use the energy of the chip... to open it..." Elena said weakly, her voice getting smaller and smaller, and her body began to tremble slightly.
[Dr. Elena's emergency energy has dropped to 1 unit, her vital signs are starting to fluctuate, and the damage to the neural pathways is worsening. If energy is not supplemented in time, she will fall into a coma again, and may even suffer permanent neural damage! Current host brain activation level: 16.3%. Neural symbiosis stability: 61%. Minor muscle fiber tears have been detected in the physical body. The energy of the Connection Core can repair the damage, but the absorption dose must be strictly controlled to avoid activation exceeding 17%!] The AI's warning sounded with a hint of worry, and at the same time, the resonance between the chip and the Connection Core became stronger and stronger, and the positioning signal became clearer and clearer.
Liam's heart tightened. He quickened his pace, supported Elena to the corner, and sure enough, a cold metal wall appeared in front of him. The surface of the wall was smooth, without any gaps, obviously the hidden secret door Marcus had mentioned. He pressed the black chip against the metal wall, and at the same time guided the remaining energy in his body to inject into the chip precisely—he deliberately controlled the energy output to ensure that his brain activation would not cross the critical threshold. In an instant, the black light of the chip surged, resonating strongly with the hidden patterns on the wall surface. The wall made a "sizzling" sound, slowly moved to one side, revealing a narrow compartment entrance. Inside the compartment, a soft blue light flickered slowly—that was the Connection Core!
"Great... we found it..." Elena smiled weakly, her eyes went dark, she fell into a coma again, and her body fell softly into Liam's arms.
"Elena!" Liam shouted in a low voice, anger and anxiety intertwined in his heart. He carefully placed Elena at the entrance of the compartment, then turned to look at Hale and the soldiers who were chasing them—they had already caught up, holding melee weapons, and staring frantically at the Connection Core in the compartment and the chip in Liam's hand.
"Liam, hand over the chip and the Connection Core, and I can spare your life!" Hale stood at the entrance of the passage, staring greedily at the Connection Core in the compartment, his tone with a hint of temptation, "As long as you hand them over, I can help you break through the 17% physical limit, transform your body, allow you to carry higher brain development, and even let you cooperate with Lord Reaper with me, control the Earth, and have the power beyond everything!"
Liam ignored Hale's temptation. He slowly stood up, stared coldly at Hale and the soldiers, and held the black chip tightly in his hand. The black light of the chip echoed strongly with the blue light of the Connection Core in the compartment. A stronger energy resonance erupted between the two. The gentle energy of the Connection Core slowly poured into his body through the chip, prioritizing the repair of damaged muscle fibers and neural pathways. His brain activation level steadily increased to 16.5% during the repair, with his neural symbiosis stability rising to 65%, and the pain of neural backlash also eased a lot—the energy output of the Connection Core was precisely controllable, which not only strengthened the stability of brain development, but also did not exceed the physical tolerance limit.
[Host! The energy of the Connection Core is accurately repairing physical damage and converting into symbiotic energy, accelerating the speed of symbiosis advancement! Current brain activation level: 16.5%. Energy intensity increased to 12 units. Neural symbiosis stability: 65%! Strictly control the absorption rate. It is expected to complete the initial symbiosis advancement within 10 minutes, unlocking the primary energy absorption ability. At that time, the activation level can be stabilized at 16.8%, still within the physical safety threshold, and the energy intensity will increase to more than 25 units!] The AI's voice sounded with a hint of surprise, and at the same time, a strong vibration came from a distance, the ground began to tremble violently, and slight cracks appeared on the walls of the secret room—the Reapers' support troops had arrived at the Pentagon and were quickly approaching the underground safe area!
Hale also felt the vibration of the ground. He knew that the Reapers' support troops had arrived, and he had no time to waste. He roared, picked up a melee weapon himself, and rushed towards Liam first. The soldiers behind him also swarmed up, waving their weapons and pouncing on Liam.
A hint of determination flashed in Liam's eyes. He continued to guide the energy of the Connection Core, repairing physical damage while gathering energy. His brain activation level stabilized at 16.6%, and more and more powerful energy pulses gathered at his fingertips—he wanted to exert the maximum combat effectiveness of his current brain development without exceeding the physical limit. He wanted to protect Elena, get the complete data in the Connection Core, crack the core weakness of the Reapers, complete the symbiosis advancement before the Reapers arrived, completely defeat Hale, and fight for a glimmer of hope for himself, Elena, and human civilization.
Just as Hale's weapon was about to hit Liam, Liam suddenly raised his hand and released an energy pulse intertwined with blue and black halos, straight at Hale. This energy pulse was stronger and more condensed than any previous one, and faster. It hit Hale's chest instantly. Hale let out a shrill scream, his body was knocked flying by the powerful energy impact, hitting the wall hard, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and the weapon in his hand also fell to the ground, unable to move anymore.
Seeing this, the soldiers behind them showed a trace of fear, their steps paused subconsciously, and no one dared to step forward easily—they did not expect that Liam could burst out such powerful combat effectiveness without exceeding the physical limit. The precise energy control and rapid reaction speed were the embodiment of the perfect adaptation between high brain development and physical body.
Liam slowly turned around, stared coldly at the soldiers in front of him, the blue-black halo at his fingertips was still dazzling, his brain activation level stabilized at 16.7%, and his neural symbiosis stability was 68%. The signs of symbiosis advancement were becoming more and more obvious. "Get out." He only said one word, his voice was not loud, but it carried a strong deterrent force, making all the soldiers tremble and retreat one after another.
Looking at Hale who was lying on the ground, and Liam who was powerful in front of them, and feeling the increasingly intense vibration of the ground, the soldiers were filled with fear. They knew that if they stayed here, they would only die. So they all put down their weapons, turned around and fled the secret room in embarrassment, never daring to look back.
Liam did not chase. What he cared most about at the moment was Elena's safety and the complete data in the Connection Core. He quickly walked to Elena's side, carefully picked her up, walked into the hidden compartment, then pressed the button at the entrance of the compartment. The metal wall slowly closed, completely isolating the external vibration and noise from the outside.
Inside the compartment, the Connection Core emitted a soft blue light, floating in the center of the compartment, covered with complex patterns, resonating strongly with the black chip in his hand. Liam carefully placed Elena on the ground in the corner of the compartment, then walked to the Connection Core, connecting both the black chip and the small data storage device to the hidden interface of the Connection Core at the same time.
In an instant, the blue light of the Connection Core surged, intertwining with the black light of the chip and the white light of the data storage device, forming a dazzling three-color halo. The electronic screen in the compartment lit up instantly, and dense codes and complete data quickly appeared on the screen—there were complete records of Hale's deal with the Reapers, the core weakness of the Reaper biochip, the complete drawings of the symbiont transformation device, and the last image left by Marcus.
Marcus in the image was more haggard than before, with more scars on his body, and his eyes were full of remorse and guilt: "Liam, if you can see this image, it means you have found the Connection Core and defeated Hale's pursuers. The core weakness of the Reapers is on their biochips. As long as you use high-frequency blue energy to accurately hit the core interface of the biochip, you can completely destroy their energy source and make them lose their combat effectiveness. In the Connection Core, there are also the drawings of the counter-weapon I developed. Its energy output will not exceed the human physical limit, and it can assist the high-development brain to exert combat power. In addition, the emergency energy source in Elena's body can only maintain short-term wakefulness. The energy of the Connection Core can repair her neural pathways and awaken her consciousness. You must protect her well, make good use of this data, and protect the future of humanity. I'm sorry, this is all I can do."
The image ended, and the codes and data on the screen began to reorganize automatically, forming a complete countermeasure plan and weakness analysis report. Looking at the data on the screen, Liam's eyes flashed a glimmer of light—he finally found the key to cracking the Reapers' conspiracy and a way to enhance combat effectiveness within a safe range.
At that moment, the blue light of the Connection Core suddenly became more dazzling, and a warm energy gushed out of the Connection Core, flowing into Elena's body through the chip. Elena's face gradually regained a trace of blood, her breathing became stable, and the damage to her neural pathways was being repaired rapidly. At the same time, a gentle energy also poured into Liam's body. His brain activation level steadily increased to 16.8%, his neural symbiosis stability broke through 70%, the physical muscle soreness disappeared completely, and the primary energy absorption ability was successfully unlocked—this was the ultimate effect of symbiosis advancement, where brain development and physical adaptation reached a perfect balance, always within the safe threshold.
[Host, Dr. Elena's neural pathways are being repaired rapidly, her vital signs are gradually stabilizing, and she is expected to wake up in 5 minutes. The host has completed the initial symbiosis advancement, with brain activation level 16.8% (within physical safety threshold), energy intensity 26 units, and neural symbiosis stability 70%. The primary energy absorption ability has been unlocked! This ability can accurately absorb external energy without actively improving brain development, only enhancing the efficiency of existing energy use. It is detected that the Reapers' support troops have arrived at the entrance of the underground safe area and are trying their best to destroy the metal wall of the compartment. It is expected that the compartment will be broken in 8 minutes. The host needs to prepare for the battle within 8 minutes!] The AI's warning sounded again, with a hint of urgency. At the same time, the metal wall of the compartment began to tremble slightly. Obviously, the Reapers' support troops had found here.
Liam nodded, holding the black chip tightly in his hand, feeling the stable and powerful energy in his body—16.8% brain activation not only exerted the precise control and perception brought by high development, but also did not exceed the physical tolerance limit. Coupled with the primary energy absorption ability, it was enough to deal with the upcoming battle. He knew that in 8 minutes, he would face a more difficult life-or-death duel—the opponent was the powerful Reapers' support troops, an alien civilization with the power to destroy the world. And he, with the help of the Connection Core, had achieved a perfect balance between brain development and physical adaptation, and was ready to meet the ultimate duel.
The blue light of the Connection Core was still dazzling, and the black light of the chip was still soft. The resonance between the two became stronger and stronger. The energy in Liam's body was stable and abundant, his neural symbiosis stability continued to improve, and the effect of symbiosis advancement was better than expected. Outside the compartment, the vibration of the metal wall became more and more intense. The Reapers' roars came faintly through the wall, cold and weird, full of the breath of killing and destruction.
A bigger storm had already arrived, and Liam, under the energy nourishment of the Connection Core, had achieved perfect symbiosis between brain development and physical body, unlocked new abilities, and was ready to meet the ultimate duel with the Reapers. His eyes were firm and resolute, and there was only one belief in his heart—to survive, to protect everything worth protecting, to exert the maximum potential of brain development without exceeding the physical limit, and never flinch even if he had to pay the price of his life.