Chapter 107: The Mouse Tries to Chain the Cat
A processor chip is a corpse?
At this moment, Harvey suddenly took off his prison uniform. The blood from his whipped back had stuck to his clothes, and when he took it off you could hear a crisp swish sound. The countless barely healed wounds were ripped open again, and blood flowed from the finger-width gashes, trickling down his dark back, making it look suddenly like countless eyes were crying.
Actually, Im quite surprised you guys know about the processor, Harvey said as he used a towel to wipe his body. This isnt the kind of knowledge taught in foster homes. Most people in prison dont even know whats controlling their chips, just like ants cant see the people above them.
What imprisons us isnt the prison, but the chips. Shattered Lake is just a room in the Blood Moon Kingdom.
Igor leaned against the wall with his arms crossed: I consider myself quite well-informed, often mingling among high society. I even made contingency plans in case I was ever locked up in Shattered Lake, which is why I deliberately tried to uncover the operating mechanisms of Shattered Lake Prison, and was lucky enough to learn of the processors existence Youre just a janitor, how do you know such hidden information?
With just the right mix of arrogance and suspicion, Igor tried to subtly trigger Harveys emotions with his resonance spirit technique. If Harvey really knew some secret, he would surely eagerly boast about the information and its source.
However, Harvey just glanced at Igor in the mirror and calmly asked: Youve all been to the hospital before, right? Did you notice that there are no private hospitals in the Blood Moon Kingdom, only research institute affiliated hospitals and maternity hospitals?
Isnt that pretty normal? Igor felt confused: Even if there were private hospitals, I wouldnt go. The affiliated hospitals have low fees, good reputations, guarantees, and many doctors. Private hospitals have no room to survive.
Generally speaking, doctors can be any race human, reptilian, elven, beastmen, even cannibals Harvey said. But there is one department in the hospital that only has members of one race no other races are allowed to join that department.
Langna glanced at the bloody lashes on Harveys back: Since its related to the research institute, then the race youre talking about must be the Sacred Bloodline But which department are you referring to?
The morgue.
Harvey vigorously scrubbed his wounds with the towel, though his face was twisted in pain, he still spoke calmly: If I told you the research institute exists solely to keep the morgue firmly in their hands, so they set up affiliated hospitals and banned the issuance of private medical licenses, would you believe me?
Of course Ashe listened in complete confusion they opened a whole hospital just for one department? Bought a whole crab just to dip it in vinegar?
But Igor seemed to have passed an insight check, and asked: I remember your most serious crime was illegal handling of corpses. And the Sacred Bloodline Research Institute wants to tightly control the source of corpses Could corpses be a very precious resource for the Sacred Bloodline?
Corpses are not only a resource for them, but also a taboo. Harvey smiled slightly. Just now you were shocked that the chip processor is a corpse, but what if I told you all the Sacred Bloodline are corpses too?
Ashe thought back to that arrogant white-haired hunter Gerard, and couldnt associate him with a corpse at all. Although he was terrible at poker, he was clearly a smart guy whose mind worked quickly, just a tiny bit less so than Ashe.
Corpsesyes, that makes sense!
Igor had a sudden realization: I also wondered why the Sacred Bloodline has such long lifespans and dont age, even long-lived races like elves grow old. I used to think it was some miracle effect, but if theyre corpses, then of course their appearance would be frozen at the moment of their death!
Come to think of it, Ive seen the Sacred Bloodline before, and indeed didnt hear a heartbeat from them, Ronat said, stroking his chin. Langna, youre a Moonshadow, you should know more, right?
He turned his head, but saw that Langnas expression was very strange, or rather expressionless. He didnt speak or move his eyes, just stared straight ahead like a motionless wax figure.
If he is a Moonshadow, he cannot respond in any way to this topic, Harvey said. The Blood and Moon made a pact when transforming their races to keep each others secrets.
Ashe asked: So youre saying the processor controlling all the death row inmates chips is a member of the Sacred Bloodline!?
Dont jump ahead, I havent gotten to that part yet, Harvey said. The Sacred Bloodline has always been hiding the secret that they are corpses, while also controlling all sources of corpses, in order to prevent anyone from researching corpses and learning necromancy the necromancy school is currently the only school of magic that can control corpses!
In other words, necromancers are the natural enemies of the Sacred Bloodline. Although I cant easily manipulate the Sacred Bloodline like I can control corpses, if I were to face off against a Sacred Bloodline sorcerer of equal level, unless they were also highly skilled in necromancy, I am confident I could make it so they cant even summon their spirit, leaving them stunned and confused until their soul is extinguished and their body turned into a real corpse!
Igor raised his eyebrows, skeptical of Harveys claims.
Every school of magic practitioners will boast that their school is the most powerful. Just like Igor firmly believed mentalism to be the strongest school, Harvey hyping up necromancy so much definitely contained some exaggeration.
This kind of because our school is so powerful we were suppressed claim could be heard from almost every obscure school of magic.
Langna had a similar attitude. As an exiled Moonshadow, he definitely knew more but was bound by his oath not to reveal anything.
Ronat and Ashe both had Wow youre so powerful, I want to follow you looks on their faces. Ashe excitedly clenched his fist and said: Great, then when we break out, if Hunter Captain Gerard catches up to us, well leave him to you Harvey!
Harveys expression stiffened. Although were natural enemies, its not to the point where I can fight three wings by myself
Nicely done Igor glanced at Ashe, thinking no wonder he could fraud a fraudster, he had knocked Harveys position down with several words. Under the guise of admiration, his words were full of sly verbal traps was this the leader of a cults skill?
Harvey changed the subject: However, while I cant contend with a true three wings Saint from the Sacred Bloodline, if my opponent is in a special dormant state, that would be a different story. For example the remains of a Sacred Bloodline sorcerer being used as a chip processor!
What Harvey described next reminded Ashe of a term: biotechnology!
Because of the nature of magic, the technology of this worlds mages was very advanced. Things like the chips on the backs of peoples necks were derived from mage technology. At most, the chips were peoples mobile devices, sending and receiving information, watching videos, listening to music, functioning as a locator there were no problems using them that way. But wanting to control peoples behavior through the chip would surely exceed the chips capabilities.
Those capability limits that were insufficient to meet demands were naturally filled by miracles. But those who could cast miracles could only be mages, and only needed to be mages.
Even if the mage was dead, as long as certain conditions were met, they could still be made to cast miracles.
The so-called chip processors were actually corpses of Sacred Bloodline mages whose souls had departed for the virtual world. The Sacred Bloodline mages used necromancy, alchemy, electromagnetism and other miracles to reuse these corpses, eventually turning them into terminal processors that could automatically receive and transmit chip signals!
Not only was this environmentally friendly and energy saving, it was also imaginative, forcibly breaking through theoretical limits to let death row inmates prematurely experience technology that might not be invented for another hundred years.
But Ashe was puzzled by one thing: If only mage corpses are needed, theres no need for them to specifically be Sacred Bloodline, right?
This is my conjecture, Harvey said. Although the current Sacred Bloodline are corpses, their souls have not departed for the virtual world, and their bodies have endured. This leads easily to one conclusion their souls remain inside their bodies, and most likely within their blood.
Even if most of the soul has dissipated from the corpse, there are probably still tiny fragments remaining in the blood and flesh.
Igor understood as soon as he heard: Resurrection?
Harvey nodded. For the Sacred Bloodline, a corpse does not represent complete dead. Becoming a processor is probably an important step in some resurrection ritual, and not all Sacred Bloodline mages become processors this might even be a privilege reserved for high-ranking mages.
By the way, I specifically tested that when I open the chips light screen and do complex operations like watching videos or playing veil games, my soul energy shows obvious depletion, but quickly recovers, even mages can barely detect it. As for why it consumes that bit of soul energy, it can be explained as the chips power source, but can also be explained as the corpses nutrition.
Listening to this made Ashe feel uncomfortable all over, and he subconsciously scratched the back of his neck. It was like everyone had a tube there, connected at the other end to a withered, decaying corpse that absorbed nutrients from the living every second.
Ugh, gross! Ronat shuddered and suddenly rushed to the bathroom stall to vomit into the toilet he was actually nauseated enough to throw up!
Harvey put down the towel and turned to lean against the sink, facing them: So, are you willing to accept me joining you?
At this point, even Igor couldnt find fault. Archibald, welcome to the team.
Hold on, let me verify something first, Harvey said. You have a way to remove the chips, right? Without removing the chips, this so-called prison break is just a bad joke.
Igor nodded. We do.
Good, then the plan at least has a chance of success. But before I join you, you must first sign a contract and promise me one thing -
Necromancer, Igors voice turned cold. I admit youve provided some interesting information, but thats all it is, interesting. So far, I dont see how you can contribute anything to the prison break.
While lightly patting Ronats back to make him vomit more comfortably, Langna said: You said you can control the corpses used as chip processors. Does that mean you can directly change our chip permissions?
Harvey shook his head: No, inmate permissions can only be changed using the Criminal Registry. Unless we can erase our records from the Criminal Registry, theres no way to reduce the chip restrictions.
What use are you then? Igors expression grew more and more unhappy.
While I cant reduce our restrictions, I can increase others restrictions. Opening shackles is hard, but adding shackles to others is easy.
Harvey made a light slicing motion across his neck: The guards chips are also under the processors jurisdiction.
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