Wizard: Unlimited Profession Slots Chapter 1195 - 487: Retreating in the Face of Danger (Part 3)

The most terrifying thing is that Cedric’s body has begun to show obvious signs of mutation.

Silver scales, similar to those of the Vital People, have appeared on his arm, and insect-like joint structures are growing at the ends of his fingers.

"We’ve succeeded! We’ve finally succeeded!"

He shouted frantically in that twisted voice:

"The boundary between humans and Vital People is disappearing! We are about to evolve into a more perfect existence!"

The second vision was even more terrifying:

The entire Crystal Tower was polluted by some invisible infection source.

Wizards wandered the corridors like zombies, their eyes vacant, yet their faces bore eerie, satisfied smiles.

These infected wizards seemed to be engaged in some sort of collective ritual.

In the center of the Array, Cassandra floated quietly.

But gone was her usual majesty and wisdom, replaced instead by a hollow calm.

Around her body were dense silver threads, enveloping her like a spider’s web.

In the final vision, Ron saw himself—but it was no longer truly him.

His consciousness was occupied by some alien presence, mechanically performing some ritualistic task.

His hands skillfully manipulated complex rune devices, yet there was no trace of personal will in his eyes.

Behind him, countless similarly controlled figures were performing the same actions.

In this twisted future, the concept of individual had completely disappeared.

Everyone had been merged into a vast Consciousness Network.

When the divination ended, the symbols on the Paradox Dice slowly faded, returning to the appearance of an ordinary six-sided die.

But Ron could feel the deepening of the dice’s blood-red patterns, as if they had absorbed some energy from that terrifying future.

He slowly put away the divination tools, his decision already formed in his mind.

These visions might just be one of many possibilities, but the Paradox Dice had never given him a wrong warning.

No matter how successful the cognitive virus project was technically, its potential risks had already far exceeded the acceptable range.

.........

Early the next morning, the highest floor of the Crystal Tower was bathed in the morning sunlight.

Ron went directly to Cassandra’s office and made a request that surprised everyone.

"I wish to temporarily withdraw from this project."

He said calmly in front of the huge oak desk, his tone devoid of any emotional fluctuation:

"Professor Yutel has some urgent research tasks that need my attention.

Moreover, I feel there might be some... risks in the current technical direction that I cannot yet specify."

Cassandra was reviewing a battle report from the front lines and didn’t even look up when she heard this.

She merely placed the document lightly on the desk and showed a "I expected as much" expression.

"Your intuition is always very accurate."

She put down the document and looked directly at Ron with her purple eyes:

"In fact, I have been closely monitoring Cedric’s research progress. His methods are indeed worryingly radical."

She stood up and walked to the giant floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the entire Central Lands:

"Yesterday’s internal report indicated that the Magic Power consumption of the Seventh Floor laboratory had exceeded the budget by 200%. Moreover, the Vital captives used for testing exhibited some... unexpected physiological changes."

Cassandra’s voice became more solemn:

"Cedric explained these changes as ’anticipated adaptive responses,’ but my medical advisors gave a completely different evaluation."

"However..."

She turned around, showing the complex emotions of a leader facing a difficult choice:

"We really don’t have many options. The situation of the Expeditionary Army is more dire than you might think.

Elizabeth’s encrypted communication yesterday indicated that the Vital People have begun systematically targeting our supply lines."

"If we can’t find a breakthrough soon, the Conquest Faction—no, the entire Wizard Civilization might face an unprecedented crisis.

The failure of the Fourth Quadrant would trigger a chain reaction.

Other quadrant civilizations would realize we are not invincible."

Ron listened quietly, understanding the immense pressure Cassandra faced.

As the leader of the Conquest Faction, she must choose the least bad option among many poor choices.

And in the current situation, Cedric’s radical plan is indeed the most promising choice for reversing the tide of war in the short term.

"I understand your difficulty, Tower Master."

Ron said sincerely:

"But precisely because of this, we need to retain some... alternative plans.

If the main technical route encounters problems, we at least have other possibilities to try."

"Moreover, my research at the Abyssal Observation Station may also provide us with some unexpected technical breakthroughs."

Cassandra nodded, evidently understanding the deeper meaning in his words.

"I will always keep your position open for you."

She returned to the desk and picked up the battle report again:

"You are always welcome back to the project; perhaps, by then, we will need your prudent plan even more."

"Well, I wish you success with the project, Tower Master."

Ron saluted and took his leave:

"I will continue my research work at the Abyssal Observation Station; if you need anything, feel free to contact me."

"I believe you will achieve significant results there."

Cassandra’s tone returned to formality:

"Professor Yutel holds you in high regard, and the research environment at the Abyssal Observation Station is indeed more suitable for certain... experiments that require special conditions."

As Ron left the office, he felt both a concern for unknown dangers and a relief for having made a wise choice.

The warning from the Paradox Dice made him realize that some paths that seem full of hope may actually lead to the Abyss.

And true wisdom often lies in knowing when to advance and when to retreat.

......

Afternoon sunlight filtered through the stained glass of the Crystal Tower, casting vibrant shadows in the corridor.

Ron walked slowly through these familiar halls, already planning his research agenda upon returning to the Abyssal Observation Station.

Behind him, in the Seventh Floor laboratory, Cedric was excitedly showcasing the latest research findings to his team members.

The silver cognitive virus samples flowed slowly in custom containers, as beautiful and dangerous as liquid metal.

"In three weeks, we’ll be able to conduct the final field test."

Cedric’s voice was filled with the excitement of realizing a grand ideal:

"By then, the entire face of the war will be completely rewritten. We will witness the turning point in history."

But he didn’t notice that deep in the laboratory, the Vital captives used for testing were undergoing unprecedented changes.

Their silver skin began to ripple strangely, and the metallic liquid flowing from their eyes formed complex geometric patterns at the bottom of the tanks.

Even more unsettling, these patterns seemed to possess some autonomy, slowly but steadily growing in a specific direction.

Like some primordial and powerful consciousness, quietly infiltrating the human world through these seemingly harmless test samples.