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When the world turns chaotic, it’s only natural for thieves to swarm like flies.

It’s as if the essence of “Dissolve in a Turmoil” perfectly encapsulates this situation. With the pure mingling with the corrupt, the empty blending with the full, how can one hope to find truth amidst such discord?

Yet, humans are truly pitiful creatures, lacking the penetrating gaze to see through the murky waters. This is the limitation of humanity; even if one reaches out, catching a fish is no easy feat. How lamentable it is to be devoid of skill! If one plunges into a chaotic place, what difference is there between the muddied brackish water and the fish within it that cannot be discerned?

Thus, humans must devise strategies that tap into wisdom.

Like a fisherman casting his net into the muddied waters.

Or picking up fish with a poison tree or stunning them with a battery for easy capture.

Or perhaps…

Creating chaos to drive away obstacles that hinder one’s stride.

That is why the first place he moved his feet towards was the research institute, which was utterly enmeshed in chaos—having taken two heavy blows, it was struggling to regain its wits.

Park Jinseong had activated the Worm series, throwing the organization itself into turmoil, while agents sent by zealots leaked and pilfered data, plunging the group into a second wave of pandemonium.

It was a research institute of the Machine Cult.

To be precise, it was the research facility of a company affiliated with the Machine Cult.

It was a place researching Artificial Neural Networks.

As for why he came here…

It was akin to drawing an inference from a branch without leaves, expecting flowers to bloom—intuition requires no grand comprehension or reasoning.

There wasn’t any grand reason.

However, if I had to pinpoint a few, there were indeed some.

First, the fact that it’s a research institute named ‘Artificial Neural Network Research Institute’ affiliated with the Machine Cult was suspicious, and it was a place Park Jinseong hadn’t visited prior to his return. Moreover, among the data pilfered by the zealots, there were ominously titled projects such as ‘Artificial Neural Network Research Using Synthetic Biology Connectome’ and ‘Methods of Applying Artificial Neurons Using Cultured Neurons’, ‘Building a Biocomputing System Using the Bioelectricity of Synthetic Organisms’—dangerous and grim themes upon just a cursory glance.

But the biggest reason? Well…

That would be because this place didn’t seem dangerous, and was rather lacking in robustness.

Just as one might overlook what swims in murky water, so too could one fail to notice a creature passing by, be it monster or fry.

This was why Park Jinseong visited.

As evidence, look.

He slipped into the very heart of the research institute so effortlessly.

“Ha ha. The situation is so chaotic that minor details have gone unnoticed.”

Park Jinseong’s current form was that of a child.

But the composition of that body wasn’t of ordinary cells—it was of pests.

Naturally, he could destroy his body to convert it into that of an insect, and it wasn’t hard to send just a part of those pests inside without using all of them.

He dismantled his own body, inserting arthropods through the sewer and vent, and stealthily lodged them within the crevices of people or cargo to infiltrate the institute. He then maneuvered the bugs to sabotage the pest prevention system, and after that, he seamlessly merged his disassembled body into the chaos to easily slip into the institute.

It wasn’t a difficult task.

It was a familiar routine he had performed many times in the past.

Park Jinseong had visited quite a number of research institutes.

Whether by request during his mercenary days, to resolve hidden grievances, or to seek out the divine objects or magics he desired.

As he accumulated experiences visiting institutes, Park Jinseong came to a natural realization.

“It’s strange. Despite being a research institute where controlling variables and valuing cleanliness should be paramount, surprisingly few pay heed to such matters.”

Even among researchers, those obsessed with principle are few; rather, there are more who loathe or subtly neglect such rules. And when it comes to matters related to ‘cleanliness’ or ‘slight danger’… the ratio of those disregarding them skyrockets.

Perhaps it’s a malady born from familiarity, a kind of complacency.

So taken for granted, it may well be treated lightly, or one might not feel the impact of consequences as they come, nor see them as especially threatening even if they do.

It’s not an incomprehensible concept.

If a spider or two creeps in due to careless pest control, would anyone really fret? Would anyone stir up a ruckus about not doing laundry for days or washing one’s body?

If one were overly concerned with insects, they’d be deemed a coward terrified of bugs; if one made a fuss over being slightly unkempt, they’d be labeled a cleanliness freak.

Even researchers and scientists cannot significantly deviate from human behaviors that lead to such circumstances.

Park Jinseong utilized that gap adeptly.

Taking advantage of the people’s carelessness.

Exploiting the blind spots in their defenses.

This might be more akin to being a parasite than a fierce beast… as he was once dubbed a ‘Parasite Master,’ reflecting behavior more like that of a parasite than anything else.

A slight neglect, gaps in sense.

Like a parasite that enters by penetrating all the weaknesses for their own gain.

But what can be done?

It’s the natural order, and humans are beings that mimic nature, aren’t they?

Thus, one side gaining exclusively embodies the ecology of parasitism. Park Jinseong too follows this principle.

Just like right now.

“Hmm. Let’s see. An experiment commenced to proliferate human cells for cultivating artificial meat didn’t yield good results. The artificial meat cultivation technology is still underdeveloped, making it difficult to secure a sufficient neural network…”

Park Jinseong began to secretly peruse the data within the heart of the research institute.

To ensure security, it was printed on analog paper, of course—research findings scribbled on physical sheets.

“To conduct artificial neural network research via human meat cultivation, either refining the artificial meat culture research or exploring from a different perspective would be necessary… Oh? There’s an approach via AI. But it was rejected as the ongoing major research could not spare computational resources…”

“Hmm. Various approaches have been attempted.”

Park Jinseong nodded as he read through the papers.

“I see there is also research using HeLa cells. They tried to form a neural network using cancer cells? But that too failed… Hmm. It seems they have redirected towards mutations… Attempting to find suitable subjects in collaboration with a hospital affiliated with the Machine Cult…?”

He encountered terms he didn’t know or topics that were hard to grasp, yet he gleaned the gist of it.

This institute was studying themes around biocomputing, and further, they were striving to merge biocomputing technology with that of artificial neural networks to create what they termed a ‘Carbon-Silicon Hybrid Computer.’ This could be viewed as a sort of hybrid birthed from the ideas of using the human brain as a computer, discussed during World War II, and the pursuit of AI studies.

However, one could argue that it skirts along ethically delicate lines. Although they use human material, it’s merely research involving human cells; they cultivate human meat but aren’t cooking it to eat or making clones.

As noted in the report, it can be explained as mere collection, “Picking up cut hair or nails and soaking them in culture medium for growth.”

Of course, while they might be collecting genetic data indiscriminately along with a hospital for securing ‘suitable subjects’ with orders to spare no means to secure specimens, that clearly crosses the line… But even so, I’d say it’s not dramatically different from other places.

Are there not a few facilities in America conducting experiments on humans?

Compared to other places… it’s nothing particularly special.

Park Jinseong thought this to himself as he continued to flip through the papers.

And then…

“Oh.”

He stumbled upon some very interesting content.

“…The cult recognizes the necessity to secure various AIs, and among them, Anael possesses potential to develop into a strong AI, marking it as a high-value target. For this reason, it is of utmost importance to acquire Anael…”

Anael, the intelligent AI.

“…The owner of Anael, Lucas Metathronius Goldsmith, has a compulsive disorder related to safety, so if handled with proper consideration in that regard, I believe the utilization rights of Anael or sharing of Anael’s data could be arranged…”

And thus, it was information concerning Lucas Metathronius Goldsmith.

 

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