Chapter 38: The Elite Forum (Part I)

First, I need to gather information about the targets.

Song Shi opened the official website of the Palos Institute of Mental and Psychological Sciences and navigated to the personnel directory. A row of clear headshots appeared on the screen. For Song Shi, two names stood out immediately.

Vidani Sarah, a doctoral candidate in medicine. She completed her undergraduate and master’s degrees at the Emerald Pharmaceuticals Talent Incubation Center (Palos Branch) and had traveled to headquarters for quarterly advanced studies. Since graduating, she has worked in neurological medicine and research, frequently attending international academic conferences in the field.

Kenge Tris, a doctoral supervisor and Director of the Palos Institute of Mental and Psychological Sciences. He has published over a dozen papers as the lead author in journals such as *Neurology* and the *Twelve Hour Medical Journal*, and has led or participated in numerous medium-to-large-scale research projects.

"Vidani."

Staring at her photo, a strange, burning sensation welled up in Song Shi’s chest. No, not "strange." Song Shi understood that this was the effect of his Vow, "Blood-Spattered Fire." It was urging him to complete his revenge, to immolate his target as a sacrifice upon the Path.

Had he not forcibly escaped the experiment five days ago, he would have been reduced to a cyber-psychotic by now—a "test subject" on an operating table. Once he had no further research value, he would have been processed for humanitarian disposal: organ extraction, biodegradation, specimen preparation, chemical dissolution tanks, or an incinerator—there was always a method that would suit.

Therefore, as the lead researcher, Vidani was a target he had to take vengeance upon.

But...

"Why does Kenge stir a stronger impulse in me than Vidani?"

Song Shi felt a flicker of surprise, but then he began to understand. "A doctoral student and her supervisor... Kenge is Vidani’s mentor?" He tapped his fingers on the desk, pondering. "In that case, Vidani leading the project... yes, that makes sense. Kenge is the institute director; a project like a 'Cyber-Psychosis Inhibitor' would certainly require his review and approval before he assigned his student to head it."

"But as a medical researcher of this caliber, especially one from Emerald Pharmaceuticals, doesn't he understand the incurable nature of cyber-psychosis? Especially an inhibitor specifically designed for the late stages?"

"Is he just scamming project funding, muddying the waters?" Song Shi narrowed his eyes, sensing something amiss.

Although techniques like "cybernetic implantation" and "cosmetic surgery" allow individuals to alter their appearance at will, age rarely fluctuates significantly—not everyone is obsessed with looking youthful. Kenge’s photo showed someone in his early fifties at most, which, considering Emerald Pharmaceuticals' life-extension technology, placed him in the prime of his research career. Given his resume and ambition, he would never be content with merely milking funds.

He was a corporate man. To utilize every available resource, trample everything beneath him, discard everything disposable, and climb toward the peak of the corporation with teeth bared and blood on his lips—that is what a true, elite corporate operative does. And based on his resume, Kenge was undoubtedly an elite.

"Interesting. Is there a conspiracy? Or is there something hidden behind the experiments?" Song Shi muttered to himself. He stared at Kenge’s photo and slowly revealed a smile. "So... you are the one pulling the strings."

Song Shi pressed his right index and middle fingers against his chest, feeling the burning sensation of "Blood-Spattered Fire." "Wait a little longer. Just a little longer. I promise it won’t be long."

*Complete revenge before the nineteenth sunrise, offering a target of sufficient weight to the Path, or suffer the punishment of fire burning the five viscera.*

That was the content of the Vow. As the institute director and the person who approved the entire "Cyber-Psychosis Inhibitor" project, Kenge was undoubtedly a target of the highest caliber.

"It’s the fifth day; there’s no immediate rush. I can wait a few more days—though going now wouldn't be impossible."

He had spent almost all his funds on equipment, and his three Psionic Arts were already inscribed. Under these circumstances, waiting a few more days wouldn't drastically increase his strength. Therefore, these next few days would be primarily for intelligence gathering: Kenge’s residential address, his regular travel routes, and his personal security detail—all of which were crucial.

With that thought, Song Shi closed the institute’s website and opened a new URL. After passing through three layers of disguise and redirection programs, the URL finally stopped shifting. Before him appeared a website with a crude, last-century aesthetic. At the top, in large black letters, hung the title: "Palos Industry Elite Talent Exchange Forum."

This was a local anonymous forum Song Shi had discovered a few days ago. Hiring contracts, arms deals, illicit goods, organ and human trafficking—things that lurk in the undercurrents of the surface web, far from the lives of ordinary people yet closer than they think. Most people referred to these as part of the "Dark Web." This anonymous forum existed within that space, and it was somewhat troublesome for the average person to access.

Of course, while the "Dark Web" is often treated with mystique in urban legends, its essence is simply a network hidden from conventional search methods. Not to mention other things, the mere "City of a Thousand Stars" within the "Abyss" beyond the "Domain Firewall" far surpassed the Dark Web in both style and technology. However, while the "City of a Thousand Stars" was powerful, it wasn't convenient for 24-hour use, making the "Dark Web" a more common platform.

The "Palos Industry Elite Talent Exchange Forum" was a mixed bag of a local anonymous community. Mercenaries, bounty hunters, government employees, corporate security experts, gang members—some posted jobs or looked for help, others waited to set sting operations, and some just chatted to kill time or shared information about the situation in Palos. The news about "Amicaba" a few days ago had come from here.

Song Shi intended to start here to gather intelligence. Without computing power enhancement components, specialized software, custom hacking cybernetics, or network equipment, it was difficult for an individual to sweep the web with mere keystrokes to find the information they desired.

More importantly, although Song Shi possessed many strange things like "Universal Cybernetic Unlock Programs" due to his past-life connections with top-tier hackers, he was ultimately not an expert in network technology, especially in the most formal application of "collecting and analyzing information through the web."

Compared to hacking to cause others' cybernetics to short-circuit, overload, or burn—he truly preferred using his own flames to reduce everything to ash.

Song Shi clicked into the forum.

"Let’s see..."