BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

Chapter 1211: Fragments of Truth (2)



"So, if you still are searching the Lorogia region for the labs, it means you didn't find the documents?" He asked, leaning forward to study the prisoner's face. His tone was calm but firm, making it clear he expected an answer.

The blackguard did his best to suppress his surprise, but he couldn't. Only a few knew what exactly the blackguards were searching for, and he wasn't among them. Yet Erik talked as if he was sure about that.

The first division's task was to scour the Mur continent in search of an unknown object. The blackguards on Mannard didn't know what the First Division was searching for, but they knew it was in the Lorogia region since they knew that the First Division was focusing their research there.

Yet the man in front of him spoke with such certainty that it made the prisoner think this outsider knew even more than he, a blackguard, did.

Yet he started thinking about the situation. It made sense; Erik Romano was the son of Lucius Romano, and while not everyone knew what he did in the Lorogia Region, whatever he did or learned was bound to be known by his son, the man standing in front of him.

A lab made a lot of sense now that the prisoner thought about it, especially considering the many research projects their colleagues did, and that gave all of them the ability to wield multiple brain crystals.

The order to capture Lucius Romano and the words his son just said confirmed that Lucius succeeded where his colleagues had failed. He found whatever they were searching for, and Erik Romano was here to stop them.

"I'm not going to talk," he said. Though he kept a poker face, Erik knew what was going on in the prisoner's mind. He knew nothing, but he wasn't the only one.@@novelbin@@

In truth, none of the prisoners he had interrogated revealed anything substantial. Most of them didn't know what was happening on the Mur continent, even less where the blackguards were. They knew, more or less, what happened in the past, but after Erik's appearance,

information regarding Mur was kept a secret, even from them.

What they knew was quite related to the past: the locations and layouts of their previous military bases across the continent, the patrol routes their units followed, and detailed reports about the creatures inhabiting different regions-information shared by their fellow soldiers stationed there.

They were also well aware that Lucius Romano had found something of great importance during his stay on the Mur continent, which was now in Erik's possession. They knew that was likely the cause of Erik's great power, but didn't know what it was in detail. Only the other division commanders, some select few members, and the Vindicators had more information. Still, the question alone had caused thoughts to surface in the man's mind.

Erik almost laughed when he read the man's mind, because he had information the others didn't, something that no official channels talked about.

One of his friends on Mur told him that after Lucius stole whatever he stole, the blackguards found some information that rekindled their hope.

The man's friend told him that there was an underground base in which they found some leads but couldn't say anything more, and he now understood the reason.

A lot of time passed, and given what the prisoner knew about the Lorogia Region and what his friend told him about the base, knowing the protocol, the prisoner was sure they were currently using the facility as their base.

There was nothing certain about it, but he was confident about his reasoning.

"I won't tell you anything," the man said. "You're wasting your time."

Erik leaned forward.

His eyes lit up as he thought about the information. The man's unguarded thoughts had revealed far more than his words ever would.

Erik remained motionless for several seconds, battling the urge to laugh and organizing each new piece of information in his mind.

"The underground facility. Tell me about it."

The man's eyes widened in shock, his face draining of color as he realized he had confirmed something he was supposed to keep secret. His fingers gripped the edge of his chair, betraying his anxiety.

"How did you-" He caught himself, but it was too late.

"So there really is a hidden facility," Erik said, his voice dropping to a whisper. His eyes locked onto the prisoner's, a cold smile playing across his face. "I need you to tell me exactly where this underground base is."

"I don't know," the man said, and this time he was telling the truth. However, something far scarier than Erik knowing about the facility took most of his mind. The conversation was too weird, and Erik acted as if he was reading his mind.

<It can't really be like this, right? Mind-reading powers are unheard of...>

Yet that was exactly the truth. The blackguard didn't know if he could resist him, if he could avoid giving him information, but he still tried and started making mana circulate through his body. This way, he might be able to resist the foreign mana he knew would enter his body. That was how brain crystal powers worked after all, and all the blackguards were trained to resist other's attacks. Otherwise, they wouldn't survive a single battle.

Yet, the man didn't know how much mana Erik had and how useless his attempt was going to be.

As for Erik, instead, he was thinking about what he found on Maynard Island. The blackguards made sure to delete all information about their operations on Mur. What remained was just information about the continent itself, although Erik didn't know why they didn't delete that,

too.

Since Erik had studied the geography of Mur from the data he got from Maynard, he had a vague idea of where this place might have been in the Lorogia region.

The most likely spots were near the major geological formations in Lorogia - the mountain ranges, deep valleys, and areas with stable bedrock.

[This makes sense,] the biological supercomputer said. [Your father said the blackguards took the mountains to reach the Lorogia region, instead of the coast, meaning that they were searching for something there. The mountain routes would have given them access to geological formations that might hide underground structures. The geological data from the documents we got on Maynard Island were pretty clear about that. There are extensive cave systems throughout the Lorogia mountain range. Perfect for hiding a research facility. And remember what your father mentioned about the original expedition-they specifically targeted the mountain passes.]

<I'm not sure,> Erik said. <They might have gone through that route because the mountains hid them from flying Thaids. An army marching along the coast would stand out against the shoreline, making them easy targets. Besides, those same documents you are referring to show ancient ruins scattered across the region. The blackguards could have been targeting

them. >

[True, but consider the resources required to establish and maintain mountain supply lines. The cost and effort must have outweighed the tactical advantages of a coastal route. They chose the harder path for a reason. Besides, while flying, thaids stay away from there; assuming there are wyverns, the situation wouldn't be better.]

<Flying thaids are basically as strong as wyverns on Mur, with the difference that there are many more. Besides, you're assuming they had a choice. The coastal regions might have been too dangerous. We've seen how powerful the thaids are around here- the ones on Mur could

be even worse.>

They both paused, considering the possibilities. Erik let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples out of frustration. The biological supercomputer's own sigh just echoed in Erik's mind. [Look, I know everything is possible, but think about it,] the system said. [The underground facility's location is the key. Natural caverns would have reduced construction costs and time while providing ready-made defensive positions to every single Silver Line Corporation lab. They were not trying to make a new phone; they were creating something that affected life on the planet at all levels. They knew that if such creatures fled; they were bound to create problems. Cave systems would help defend from the monsters, hide their labs, and trap the creatures if they escaped. This means the structures must be around the mountain range. Given what the blackguards are doing, it is clear they went to the mountain range because they were searching the caves. ]

<All right then,> Erik said. <The pre-thaid maps might show settlements or installations that were abandoned during the initial invasions. Make research and cross-reference them with the information we got from Maynard Island.>

After the last interrogation, Erik ordered the prisoners' executions. These blackguards had served their purpose, revealing what little they knew about Mur. It wasn't much, but it gave him a starting point-the Lorogia region, and most importantly, a target, the underground base. He wasn't going to let them live, but he gave them a merciful death.