Chapter 1334: The New Serum (2)
They entered the laboratory again, passing through several security checkpoints before reaching a restricted section where monitoring screens displayed data from ongoing experints.
“Our latest attempt tried using inhibitors created to dampen the limbic response,” Dr. rcer said, showing a screen showing brain scans.
“But the results were disappointing, contrary to what happened to the four-power version. The inhibitors reduced reactivity, but not enough for the serum to be used.”
“We don’t have much ti,” Vania said. “Romano must be on Mur already.”
The blackguards didn’t go that far from the base. Keeping the thaids in check was not easy to begin with, and despite them being much stronger than they were before, they were still weak compared to the thaids on Mur. Besides, the Lorogia region was also weird, since it had a particularly high concentration of powerful thaids.
“We’re doing what we can, sir. Currently, we are exploring the chance of using nanocarriers to act and deliver stabilizing compounds to the affected areas, but we don’t know if they will work as intended,” Dr. rcer said.
“Early results are promising, but we’re at least a month away from a viable solution.”
Vania contemplated this. “And if we proceeded without solving the aggression problem?”
Dr. rcer looked uncomfortable. “The subjects would gain access to all eight powers, but their usefulness would be limited. The users would essentially beco berserkers—enormously powerful, but uncontrollable. They might attack enemies and allies alike. Besides…”
“What?”
Doctor rcer wasn’t sure about this, but there was a new problem they started thinking might arise.
“We don’t exclude mutations, sir.”
It was the first ti they encountered such a problem, at least that Vania knew of.
“Mutations?”
“Yes, sir. We are going to need to modify the troops’ DNA a lot for the serum to work, but we haven’t explored this part of our experintation yet. The previous solution didn’t have this problem.”
The woman paused.
“Maybe we could use them as shock troops? Send them against high-value targets and accept the collateral damage?”
“We would still have monsters roaming around, this ti of our own doing. It’s not worth it.” Vania paused.
“At best, we would reach mutual destruction, which is not what we want. We want to survive.” Vania paused and looked straight into the doctor’s eyes. “The increased aggression overpowers strategic thinking. They might focus on whatever target presents itself first, regardless of tactical priority. Again, it’s not worth it.”
However, for so reason, words about the serum made the commander uneasy, and she started pacing the room back and forth.
At so point, she stopped and looked at Dr. rcer with an intense look.
“Lena,” she said. “Continue your work on the eight-power serum, but prioritize distribution of the four-power version to our forces. I want every combat-capable soldier enhanced within two weeks.”
The doctor rged. Then, with hesitation, she asked sothing that was out of character for her. “Commander, if I may ask… has there been any word about Erik Romano’s movents?”
Vania’s expression hardened. “None, but as I said, I don’t doubt he is already here.”
“Then why isn’t he on us already?”
It was weird. If Erik Romano was really on Mur, he should have already found them.
Vania paused. “Three reasons: The first and most obvious one is that he doesn’t know where we are. The second is that thaids are problematic even for him, and this is hindering his progress.”
“But his army is imnse,” the doctor said.
“And this leads to the third point. It looks like not even Romano can get so many troops in such a short amount of ti. I get that his soldiers might have died here, but the most likely scenario is that they died when they ca to Mur, and now he has few troops to spare.”
The woman didn’t know how close to the truth she was.
” I think he sent the soldiers he had available to subjugate resistance or those blackguards that survived his purge. That’s what I would have done, at least. Being on Mur is the reason we are alive, but the continent is a salvation as much as it is a prison.”
That’s what she would have done, but unfortunately, she couldn’t. The blackguards in the Lorogia region kept constant vigilance in the surrounding area.
However, the scouts they sent to monitor potential approach routes never ventured too far from the research facility.
Thaids were too strong, not only close to the mountain range but in the entire region.
Vania was right, though. Erik’s journey had taken longer than expected due to complications, but he was there.
The first division commander’s intelligence was basically nonexistent at that point, but she was sure Erik wouldn’t have lost that much ti given his power advantage. So, sothing big must have happened.
The lack of intelligence nagged at her, but she couldn’t risk sending more scouts farther afield. The jungle consud them too easily.
However, she saw her soldiers’ strength, and it was increasing. Their research was progressing, and the blackguards, as a whole, were making more and more neural links.
As much as the second division commander’s troop had their second power burst before the Law Gate battle, they were going to have a third now that they got this new serum.
“We still have ti,” Vania said, more to reassure herself than Dr. rcer. “Continue your work. I expect daily progress reports on the eight-power serum.”
“Yes, Commander.”
The two won parted ways, Dr. rcer returning to her research team while Vania proceeded to her office.
The room was spartan by design—a desk, a few chairs, and a couch for the rare monts when she allowed herself rest. She got the furniture from the lab itself.
The couch was an old relic they had found in one of the abandoned labs—a centuries-old piece with faded burgundy upholstery and brass studs along its arms that had sohow survived the passage of ti.
Despite its worn appearance and frayed edges, the furniture was sturdy and comfortable.
Vania had it moved to her office, finding comfort in this piece of history from the facility.
Various screens displayed security feeds from around the periter, cycling through different cara positions.
Vania locked the door behind her and moved to the center of the room. She sat on the couch, going into a lotus position. Her shoulders relaxed for the first ti that day.
The demonstration had gone well—better than expected, in fact. The four-power serum would strengthen her forces, but she knew it wouldn’t be enough.
Not against Erik Romano. The biological supercomputer was simply too useful and too powerful and gave him advantages they couldn’t match with conventional thods.
“If only Lucius Romano didn’t get there before us.”
The lab where the biological supercomputer was found wasn’t the one they were using as a base. They were close, though.
Unfortunately, Lucius made sure to destroy everything. The research notes were among the things destroyed by the fire that ravaged that place.
Vania closed her eyes and started forming neural links.
She felt her mana move, energy flowing through her body.
Hours passed as the woman kept her concentration up. Outside her office, the laboratory continued its work, scientists analyzing the test results and preparing for mass production of the four-power serum.
Security patrols moved through their assigned routes, scanning the jungle periter for any sign of thaids or human intruders.
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