Chapter 87: I Want to Avenge Number Ten!

Chapter 87: I Want to Avenge No. 10!

As time passed second by second, Gu Jinsheng's eyes grew increasingly vacant, losing all clarity—dull, numb, like a soulless puppet.

This mental state was all too familiar to every psychic present; they knew exactly what it signified.

Commander-in-Chief Gu had been successfully subjected to Mind Control. Wang Dazhi could now freely sift through his memories, implant mental suggestions, or even force him to kill—or do anything at all!

"Has Commander-in-Chief Gu been mind-controlled?" asked Meng Changan, a student from the research institute, observing Gu's mental state as he turned to his mentor, Shi Jun.

Shi Jun's eyes were filled with regret and worry, his tone laced with the disappointment of dashed expectations. "Yes. This is the telltale signs of psychic subjugation."

Meng Changan sighed. "The base has been spreading rumors that Commander-in-Chief Gu is the most formidable psychic in the capital base—no, the entire world. I thought he was something extraordinary.

But just now, Ji An invaded his mind so effortlessly. I even made excuses for Commander-in-Chief Gu, assuming it was because of his special feelings for Ji An, that he allowed it willingly.

Clearly that wasn't the case. Commander-in-Chief Gu simply couldn’t resist Ji An’s psychic assault. It had nothing to do with personal feelings!"

Shi Jun nodded. "That must be it. And earlier, when Researcher Ji withdrew from Commander-in-Chief Gu’s mind, his face went eerily blank. I suspect he saw something that upset him.

A man as deep and calculating as Commander-in-Chief Gu, who harbors such feelings for Researcher Ji—he’d normally be bending over backwards to indulge him. There’s no way he’d willingly let Researcher Ji see the ugliest recesses of his psyche.

But Researcher Ji’s expression proves he saw something. That can only mean Researcher Ji truly succeeded in invading Commander-in-Chief Gu’s mind, freely accessing his memories and stumbling upon something unpleasant."

Meng Changan shook his head. "Psychics can override higher-level psychics. Wang Dazhi and Commander-in-Chief Gu are of the same superpower level, so it’s perfectly normal for him to be mind-controlled. We overestimated Commander Gu's mental defenses!"

"That’s not true!" Little Stone glared at Meng Changan, his chubby cheeks puffing out in anger. "Commander-in-Chief Gu is the strongest! He’d never allow anyone except Ji An to invade his mind!"

Little Rose nodded in agreement, though her displeasure was subtler. "And there’s no way Commander-in-Chief Gu has anything in his mind he’d be afraid of Ji An seeing. Ji An and Commander-in-Chief Gu are the brightest lights in this apocalypse!"

Shi Jun scoffed, unwilling to argue with children. But Meng Changan, young and hot-headed, retorted, "You two must’ve just awakened your psychic superpowers, right? Commander-in-Chief Gu’s current state is the textbook example of someone under Mind Control. Pay attention and memorize it.

If you ever see someone in this mental state, report it to an adult immediately. That’s what a mind-controlled person looks like!"

Little Stone and Little Rose had just covered Mind Control in training and knew that Gu Jinsheng’s current state matched the symptoms. But they refused to believe that someone as formidable as Commander-in-Chief Gu—a veritable war deity—could be so easily controlled by some rogue psychic.

Frustrated and unable to counter the logic, the two children worked themselves to tears.

Meng Changan rolled his eyes. "If you don’t believe me, ask Professor Na Boyu. You’ll trust his word, won’t you? Acting like I’m bullying kids.

I won’t deny Commander-in-Chief Gu’s combat prowess, but psychic strength and fighting ability are two entirely different things. Just because someone’s strong in battle doesn’t mean their mind is resilient."

Little Stone wiped his tears and turned to Na Boyu pleadingly. "Professor Na, he’s wrong, isn’t he? Commander-in-Chief Gu couldn’t have been psychically invaded, right?"

Na Boyu’s expression was grave. His thoughts ran deeper, focused on the bigger picture. "Based on his state, the psychic invasion was successful."

Before Han Yaokun arrived, Na Boyu had been the head of the research institute. His words carried authority—effectively delivering the final verdict!

A ripple of whispers spread through the training base.

"The base built up Commander Gu as some mythical figure. I thought he was unbeatable, but turns out he’s just... ordinary."

"Seeing is believing, hearing is deceiving. Gu Jinsheng really let me down."

"Let’s be fair. Superpower levels and psychic strength aren’t directly linked. Lower-level superpowered individuals can control those a level above them. Wang Dazhi and Gu Jinsheng are peers—it’s normal for him to reverse-control him."

"Regardless, I’m disappointed in Gu Jinsheng! This just proves you can’t trust the base’s higher-ups. Once you reach a certain level of influence, manipulating public opinion to inflate your reputation is child’s play."

"Yeah, us regular people shouldn't idolize these powerful figures."

Gu Jinsheng's fame was overwhelming, which led many people to develop excessively high expectations of him. And once Gu Jinsheng failed to meet those lofty standards, they would inevitably feel disappointed in him—even if they or those around them weren’t even fit to tie his shoelaces.

The personnel of the command center had fought alongside Gu Jinsheng countless times amidst the zombie horde, been saved by him on numerous occasions, and witnessed his bravery firsthand. In their hearts, Gu Jinsheng was their god of war. Even if he had truly been subjected to Mind Control, they couldn’t bear to hear anyone speak of him like this. Fuming, they rolled up their sleeves, itching for a fight.

Fortunately, Kong Zhongcheng was there to stop them. "We trust our leader," he said. "Don’t count him out yet!"

At first, Wang Dazhi had focused every ounce of his energy on invading Gu Jinsheng’s mind. But once the Mind Control took hold, he realized Gu Jinsheng wasn’t as difficult to invade as he’d imagined. He let his guard down, and in that moment of distraction, he overheard the surrounding discussions.

Hearing Kong Zhongcheng’s bullheaded denial, a flash of disdain crossed Wang Dazhi’s eyes. He wanted to demoralize the command center, to show them how their hero had been dethroned. He also wanted everyone present to know that Gu Jinsheng, the so-called god of war of the Capital Base, wasn’t all that. So he issued a command: "Gu Jinsheng, from this moment on, I am your master. You will obey my orders. Understood?"

The crowd fell dead silent, holding their breath.

Gu Jinsheng remained in that dazed state, like a hollow shell—so much so that he didn’t even speak.

When Wang Dazhi received no response, he doubled down on his Mind Control, yet still got no answer. Around him, whispers spread, doubting whether his Mind Control had failed. But Wang Dazhi knew it hadn’t—he could feel it.

Desperate to prove himself, Wang Dazhi commanded directly, "Gu Jinsheng, lift your left leg!"

Under his order, Gu Jinsheng slowly raised his left leg.

Even the hopeful now erupted in shock, a chorus of dismay filling the air. Even some of Gu Jinsheng’s staunchest supporters in the command center began to waver.

"Gu Jinsheng, blink your right eye!" Wang Dazhi’s eyes gleamed with triumph—clearly, the earlier silence was just a hiccup.

Gu Jinsheng slowly blinked his right eye again.

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder, while Kong Zhongcheng and the command center personnel looked like they’d tasted something sour.

Meng Changan glanced at Little Rose and Little Stone, sighing. "You kids don’t get it yet. Some matters can’t be judged by feelings—you have to look at the facts. The facts will tell you that even the strongest have weaknesses. No one is invincible, not even your precious war god. At the end of the day, he’s just a mortal like the rest of us, not some divine being."

Little Stone bit his lip, tears flowing freely. "Commander-in-Chief Gu would never be controlled by that ugly freak! Just wait—he’ll break free!"

"In denial," Meng Changan concluded.

Na Boyu turned to Wang Dazhi. "Wang Dazhi, stop this immediately. The Commander-in-Chief’s memories are not for your eyes—they contain the base’s top secrets!"

This concern had already crossed the mind of Kong Zhongcheng, whose political radar as the Capital Base’s Deputy Commander was more sensitive. The reason he hadn’t ordered Wang Dazhi to stop outright was because he still held onto a sliver of hope for Gu Jinsheng. If he demanded Wang Dazhi cease now, it would be tantamount to admitting that Wang Dazhi had successfully taken control—a hit to both Gu Jinsheng’s rep and the Base’s clout.

Seeing no one act on his words, Na Boyu grew frantic and called out to Researcher Ji, "Researcher Ji, intervene now! The Commander-in-Chief’s memories must not be freely perused by an outsider!"

Wang Dazhi, of course, heard this. In truth, he had already dipped into some of Gu Jinsheng’s memories. But as the Commander-in-Chief of the base, Gu Jinsheng’s recollections were a tangled mess. So far, Wang Dazhi had only glimpsed surface-level fragments.

But continuing his intrusion was no longer feasible—these people wouldn’t allow him to root around freely through Gu Jinsheng’s mind.

Yet Wang Dazhi couldn’t bring himself to withdraw so easily. This was a golden opportunity to undermine Gu Jinsheng’s prestige, and he refused to let it slip away.

Moreover, if Gu Jinsheng were to blurt out something incriminating under Mind Control—even involuntarily—it could shake his position as Commander-in-Chief.

At this thought, Wang Dazhi’s eyes turned predatory.

His voice rang out again: "Gu Jinsheng, tell me—who developed the nutrient serum? Was it Ji An?"

A collective gasp went up as nearly everyone burst into discussion.

Na Boyu urged desperately, "Researcher Ji, we can’t delay any longer! If the Commander-in-Chief reveals base secrets, even unintentionally, he’ll be held accountable!"

Kong Zhongcheng’s eyes turned icy as he glared at Wang Dazhi. "Wang Dazhi, you’re asking questions you have no right to ask."

Wang Dazhi didn't care at all. "Deputy Commander Kong Zhongcheng, I can flip through Commander-in-Chief Gu Jinsheng's memories as I please. You're too late to object now. Besides, I've already seen them—asking is just going through the motions."

This was a lie. Wang Dazhi had searched through Gu Jinsheng's protracted memories for a long time without finding any content related to the nutritional serum. Unwilling to give up, he resorted to asking directly.

Wang Dazhi said, "Gu Jinsheng, tell everyone the answer. After all, I've already seen it."

"Yes..." Gu Jinsheng's sluggish, faltering voice rang out again.

Kong Zhongcheng's face turned stormy, as if it could drip with fury. "Wang Dazhi, I've already warned you. If you continue pressing, I have the authority to arrest you..."

Before Kong Zhongcheng could finish his threat, Wang Dazhi's eyes reflected a golden, sparking Thunder Dragon with crimson eyes.

The Thunder Dragon, baring its jaws dripping with energy, viciously charged deep into Wang Dazhi's mindscape like a marauder pillaging a town. Once inside, it wreaked havoc—crackling orbs of lightning flying everywhere, scorching Wang Dazhi's psychic realm, while fireballs rained down, setting his consciousness aflame.

The Thunder Dragon rampaged through Wang Dazhi's mindscape, smashing it to pieces.

"Ah!" Wang Dazhi was sent flying backward, though no one had physically touched him.

At the same time, everyone present felt a tsunami of mental force.

Gu Jinsheng's eyes were clear, showing no trace of Mind Control. He stepped forward until he stood before Wang Dazhi. "Wang Dazhi—or should I call you Kobashi Ichiro? From R Base. A clone."

Wang Dazhi jerked his head up, revealing his face, which made the onlookers gasp in horror—blood gushed from all seven of his orifices.

"Commander-in-Chief Gu, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I admit I asked about classified base information, but there was no ill intent. I just admire the creator of the nutritional serum so much—I wanted to know if it was really Researcher Ji, as the rumors say."

Wang Dazhi, his eyes still bleeding, continued, "I succeeded in invading your mind, and perhaps that undermined your authority in front of everyone. But you can’t slander me and frame me because of it."

Gu Jinsheng replied coldly, "Then let me show you someone."

He dialed a video call, which was quickly answered by a man in his fifties with salt-and-pepper hair, meticulously combed but slicked back with too much pomade. He had a pencil mustache and spoke Chinese with an odd accent, clearly not from China but from R Country.

"Commander-in-Chief Kobashi of R Base, let me show you someone." Gu Jinsheng stepped aside, revealing Wang Dazhi’s face marred by hemorrhaging.

Kobashi Ichiro’s eyes flashed with recognition before he composed himself. "Commander-in-Chief Gu, what’s the meaning of showing me this bleeding man? Are you threatening me? Do you intend to incite international conflict?"

Gu Jinsheng said, "Don’t you recognize this face, Commander Kobashi? If you were thirty years younger, wouldn’t you look just like this?"

Kobashi Ichiro retorted, "What are you implying? Even if I happen to resemble this visitor, is that a crime?"

"Isn’t he your clone?" Gu Jinsheng dropped the pretense. "Just now, this clone tried to invade my mind, but I counterattacked. Inside his mind, I saw some very interesting scenes—like his birth and that of his companions. They all know they’re clones. They know who their original is. It’s unavoidable—many of them share the same face."

"They live together in barracks-style octuple bunks, confined to their dorms. Only the well-behaved are allowed a walk on the drill grounds."

As Gu Jinsheng spoke, sweat beaded on Kobashi Ichiro’s forehead.

"This clone, who calls himself Wang Dazhi, had a friend who looked exactly like him. Coincidentally, that friend awakened the same superpower as you, Commander Kobashi. And even more coincidentally, on the day his power reached your level, he disappeared."

"Wang Dazhi asked the staff managing them. They told him his friend had been released into normal society for good behavior. If they wanted to go out into the real world, they had to demonstrate obedience and patriotism, and remain loyal to their original."

"Wang Dazhi didn’t doubt it. Many clones around him would vanish suddenly one day. He believed they had earned their freedom. He envied them and resolved to behave well so he could leave too."

Finally, fortune favors the persistent, and one day Wang Dazhi was released and assigned a secret mission, to get close to Ji An, seduce him, become his intimate partner, and then obtain the core technology of the spatial storage device. He was also tasked with uncovering the developers of the nutrient solution and the healing pod, and acquiring their techniques."

Kobashi Ichiro was now sweating profusely, his face dripping with guilt even to those unaware of the truth.

Gu Jinsheng said to Wang Dazhi, "You thought your friends had returned to normal society or were out on secret missions like you. Let me tell you, they didn’t. Look at Kobashi Ichiro’s right pinky finger."

Kobashi Ichiro’s right pinky twitched involuntarily, curling inward reflexively, but Wang Dazhi still saw it. His previously composed expression suddenly twisted in disbelief as he stared at Kobashi Ichiro. "Your right pinky... it was chopped off in battle. How is it regrown?"

Being a clone, Wang Dazhi didn’t know much at first, but before leaving the dormitory, someone had briefed him. Later, after arriving at the Jing City Base, he learned more—such as why R Country and M Country were so desperate to obtain the core technology of the healing pod, and why the pod had shocked the world. It could heal severed limbs, something even *healing-type* superpowerers couldn’t accomplish.

Kobashi Ichiro’s right finger had clearly been severed, yet it was now restored—but not by the healing pod. Wang Dazhi recalled the rampant rumors in the Jing City Base about R Country and M Country creating clones, harvesting their limbs for transplantation, or absorbing their Superpowered Crystal Cores to enhance their own superpowers. His face paled.

Wang Dazhi was a clone, but he wasn’t stupid. He glared at Kobashi Ichiro. "Commander, show me *Kobashi No. 10*. If I see him, I’ll believe you. I’ll detonate my own crystal core immediately to preserve all the memories in my mind."

Where could Kobashi Ichiro possibly find *Kobashi No. 10* for him?

*Kobashi No. 10* had been hard to produce—a clone who awakened the same superpower as him. After waiting so long for *No. 10’s* superpower to reach the same level, Kobashi Ichiro hadn’t hesitated to replace his own severed pinky finger.

With his right finger gone, *Kobashi No. 10* was useless to him. Waste not, want not, Kobashi Ichiro had extracted *No. 10’s* Superpowered Crystal Core to enhance his own abilities.

Now, *Kobashi No. 10’s* corpse had long rotted away. Where could Kobashi Ichiro possibly produce him? As for the lie about "returning to society if they behaved well," it was just a trick to keep the clones obedient.

How could Kobashi Ichiro dare release these clones into normal society? The base’s residents would riot if they found out.

But at this moment, Kobashi Ichiro couldn’t admit the truth. He gave a subtle signal to a staff member beside him, who then left.

Soon, a man identical to Wang Dazhi and bearing some resemblance to Kobashi Ichiro was brought in. The man greeted warmly, "*No. 11*, hello! Long time no see!"

Wang Dazhi—*No. 11*—squeezed his eyes shut, tears and blood mixing as they streamed down. "You’re not him! He never called me '*No. 11*.' In private, he always called me Kobashi, and I called him the same. We were genetically identical, the same face. He said I was him, and he was me—we were the same person."

Wang Dazhi opened his blood-streaked eyes. "So after replacing his right pinky, you still weren’t satisfied? You had to rip out the Superpowered Crystal Core from his brain, milking him dry? All that talk about 'we are you, you are us' was just brainwashing, wasn’t it? Just to keep us obedient in our cells, causing no trouble for you?"

Kobashi Ichiro waved it off. "Of course not! *Kobashi No. 10’s* case was an accident. I can explain later, but don’t believe Gu Jinsheng’s words now. You know the Jing City Base is our enemy."

Gu Jinsheng said coldly, "So Mr. Kobashi finally speaks his mind. Since you consider our base your enemy, the nutrient deal is unnecessary. Starting next month, we will cut off all shipments to your base."

"Gu Jinsheng, you wouldn’t dare!" Kobashi Ichiro leapt to his feet, panicked.

R Base was coastal, situated on an island. The ocean was polluted, and nearly all seafood had mutated, becoming inedible. R Country itself lacked abundant resources, leaving its people starving.

For a time, even tainted mutant seafood had been consumed—there was no choice. Starvation was the alternative. Only later, when the Jing City Base sought clean plants and animals, did R Country gain access to the nutrient packs by providing such specimens.

Without this, with R Country broke, even if their entire island sank, they couldn’t afford the nutrient packs.

Kobashi Ichiro could already imagine the brass would skin him alive, and what the base residents would do to him, if he lost access to the nutrient packs.

He spat desperately, "Gu Jinsheng, if you cut off R Base’s nutrient supply and leave us no way to survive, I swear I’ll make you pay!"

Gu Jinsheng gave a cold smirk and cut the feed.

At this moment, everyone present understood that Wang Dazhi was from the R Base, a clone, and his purpose in coming to the Capital City Base was to get close to Ji An and obtain the core technology of the base's three major inventions.

As for Gu Jinsheng, he might never have been mind-hacked by Wang Dazhi at all—in fact, it was possible he had psychically infiltrated Wang Dazhi instead.

But wasn't Mind Control the unique ability exclusive to Psychic Superpowered individuals? How did Gu Jinsheng manage it?

What everyone wanted to ask was also what Wang Dazhi wanted to know.

Wang Dazhi asked, "Gu Jinsheng, did I successfully Mind Control you?"

"No," Gu Jinsheng replied. "What you saw was what I let you see."

"How did you do it?"

"Fabricating illusions. Just as humans can lie with words, memories can deceive too. From the start, you entered my false memories."

"How did you manage to psychically infiltrate me instead? That should be an ability unique to us Psychic Superpowered individuals?" Wang Dazhi pressed.

"Mind Control and mental suggestion are indeed unique to Psychic Superpowered individuals—I don’t possess those. But I have mental strength. Everyone has mental strength and a mental realm. Since mental strength exists, there are strong and weak variations. Coincidentally, mine is strong—strong enough not only to resist your mental invasion but also to counter-invade your mental realm. However, that’s all I can do. I can’t perform Mind Control or mental suggestion."

Gu Jinsheng spoke casually, as if it were nothing extraordinary, but everyone knew just how difficult that was.

For a non-psychic to have mental strength surpassing that of a Psychic Superpowered individual—how was that possible?

The superpowered individuals who had just been dismissing Gu Jinsheng now felt their cheeks burn with humiliation.

The God of War stays undefeated.

Little Stone puffed his chest out proudly. "I told you Commander Gu is the strongest!"

Little Rose chimed in, "Yes."

Kong Zhongcheng beamed with pride. "Boss, you really scared me. Divine Ji, did you see through it from the start? Is that why you didn’t intervene?"

Ji An replied, "I just felt his state didn’t seem like someone under Mind Control. Those controlled obey every command, but when Wang Dazhi issued orders as a master, he didn’t respond. That felt off to me."

Gu Jinsheng took Wang Dazhi away, while the other trainees were dismissed to return to training tomorrow.

Truth be told, Wang Dazhi’s appearance made many superhumans realize the importance of resisting mental invasion. At the same time, Gu Jinsheng’s counter-invasion gave non-psychics hope—through diligent training, they too could resist mental invasion and even counter-invade in return.

On the way to escorting Wang Dazhi, he cooperated fully, making no attempt to escape and answering every question.

However, as a clone who had spent his entire life in a cramped dorm no bigger than a closet, his knowledge about the R Base was limited. Even if he spilled every detail, it was next to useless to Gu Jinsheng.

Suddenly, Wang Dazhi said, "Is there any way you can secretly send me back to the R Base? I want to avenge Subject Ten!"