Chapter 260: Virus Truth·Memory Interference Wave

Zhao Jianguo flipped the mirror over and back, rubbing his fingertip against the few scratches on the back. The light was still on, the tabletop reflecting a faint glow. He didn't get up or call anyone, just connected the terminal to the analyzer and plugged in a data line.

The screen flickered, bringing up the login interface. He entered his password and swiped his fingerprint again. The system prompt requested auxiliary verification. He recalled what Chen Jianguo had just said, lowered his head to glance at the scratch on the mirror's back, and pressed his finger onto it.

With a beep, the channel opened.

A folder popped up automatically, titled "Trace File – Unauthorized Access Prohibited". He opened the most recent entry; the timestamp showed early yesterday morning, the night the triplets celebrated their birthday. The video thumbnail showed three little heads gathered around a cake, the image so clear it seemed impossible for home equipment to capture.

He was about to play it when someone suddenly appeared at the doorway.

Chen Jianguo stood there, holding a glass tube containing a purple crystal. He didn't knock or greet, walked straight over, and inserted the tube into the analyzer's interface slot.

"Have you seen this before?" he asked.

Zhao Jianguo shook his head.

"It first appeared in 2035." Chen Jianguo pressed the activation key. "Nominally it's a medical project to treat war aftereffects. Actually, it's a memory-editing tool."

The analyzer hummed, and a ring-shaped projection rose from its top. The display rewound from 2035 like a tape playback. A pale purple signal line crawled forward along the timeline, passing through years of data streams, finally stopping three months ago—precisely when the triplets began frequently uttering strange words.

"This isn't a virus." Chen Jianguo pointed at the projection. "It's a program. It doesn't spread through air or infect via blood. It travels via consciousness pathways, activated by a specific frequency."

Zhao Jianguo stared at the line. "So the kids' words… aren't precognition?"

"They're implanted." Chen Jianguo said in a flat tone. "What they hear as 'the future' is actually memory fragments pre-loaded by someone. Whenever the trigger condition is met, a segment is released."

The projection switched to a brain model, with three light points corresponding to the triplets' positions. A purple signal entered from underground conduits, passed through the old wiring network, and finally connected to the Siheyuan's electricity meter box. After that, it reached the room's radio, light bulbs, even children's toys.

"These devices can all serve as carriers." Chen Jianguo said. "As long as they emit a specific band, they can awaken the code within the target's consciousness."

Zhao Jianguo suddenly thought of something. "You said they were programmed… what about 'Grandpa taught us to draw'?"

"Not a dream." Chen Jianguo nodded. "Some consciousness is remotely linking to them. It could be a test, or training."

"Who did it?"

"I'm not sure." Chen Jianguo looked at the screen. "But I know they're using the same system—codename 'Memory Interference Wave'. Its purpose isn't to make people go mad or create chaos, but to replace real experiences. What you think you thought up is actually arranged by someone else."

The room fell silent all at once.

Zhao Jianguo stared at the cable path in the projection, recalling events from the past few days. Zhao Xing drew a quantum crystal diagram, Zhao Chen spoke of the Bird's Nest structure, Zhao Yang completed the Fuwa names—none of these were offhand remarks, but the result of some command being executed.

"What should I do?" he asked.

"There's only one thing you can do." Chen Jianguo said. "Distinguish what's real from what's fake. Their abilities themselves are fine; the issue is the source. If you can't confirm whether a memory belongs to them, you're essentially handing your fate over to someone else."

Zhao Jianguo fell silent for a moment. "Is there a way to block this signal?"

"Yes." Chen Jianguo pulled out a card‑sized metal sheet from his pocket. "It's a shield prototype, still in testing. For now you can only rely on observation. Pay attention to when they speak and any emotional shifts. If it's a natural memory, the tone flows; if triggered by the program, there will be a brief pause, like a glitch."

He had just finished speaking when the projection suddenly jittered. A red warning popped up on the main screen:

【Second wave of energy fluctuation detected!】

The frequency value flashed by, identical to the data from the last birthday banquet.

Zhao Jianguo immediately went toward the triplets' room. The door was shut, and there was no movement inside.

"They're still asleep." Chen Jianguo stared at the analyzer. "But this wave is aimed at them. Someone is checking whether the device is operating normally."

"Can we trace it backward?"

"No." Chen Jianguo shook his head. "The signal has undergone multiple hops, its source hidden deep. All we know now is that it originates inside the city, and the operator is familiar with this system's procedures."

The projection updated again, showing a simulated underground network of the entire district. Purple dots spread from the central area, creeping along the old lines. One branch pointed straight at the Siheyuan's location.

Zhao Jianguo noticed a detail. "Does this line… follow the 1950s old power grid?"

"Exactly." Chen Jianguo said. "The older the line, the easier it is to exploit. No encryption, no monitoring—like an unguarded back door."

"So they deliberately target such places?"

"Not just here." Chen Jianguo pointed at several other blinking points. "At least seven districts across the city are simultaneously receiving the same frequency. What we're seeing might be a large‑scale synchronized test."

The warning box kept flashing, the system advising to immediately cut all non‑essential electrical connections. Zhao Jianguo got up to unplug devices, first turning off the TV and radio, then removing the transformer from the lamp base.

After doing that, he turned and asked: "Will they be affected? Right now?"

"Not necessarily." Chen Jianguo glanced at the data stream. "Some people will be activated, some won't. It depends on whether they have a receiving module inside. The triplets' case is special; they are actively adaptive, responding far faster than ordinary people."

"What does actively adaptive mean?"

"It means their brains are innately able to accept this kind of signal." Chen Jianguo said. "They aren't modified; they simply possess this structure by nature. That's why they can learn complex knowledge at such a young age and even draw futuristic tech diagrams. Their talent itself is a loophole."

Zhao Jianguo sat back in the chair, propping his forehead with his hand.

"So you're saying, the smarter they are, the more dangerous they become?"

"Exactly." Chen Jianguo looked at him. "Because their abilities are strong, they're easier to exploit. An ordinary child who doesn't understand quantum mechanics naturally wouldn't be affected by related programs. But they can comprehend it, so they can also be guided."

A muffled thunder rumbled outside, and the rain began again.

Zhao Jianguo looked up at the window; a water streak slid down the glass. He suddenly recalled something, opened the terminal log, and scrolled to last night's entry. Before the system popped up the "historical event forecast" alert, a weak data packet had arrived first—time difference under two seconds, almost imperceptible.

He magnified that segment and found its content was a string of code, its format identical to the interference wave recognized by the analyzer.

"What is this?" he asked, pointing at the screen.

Chen Jianguo leaned in for a look. "A feedback signal." He said. "It shows they received a response. The moment the triplets spoke the keyword, the other side knew the program had succeeded."

"So… they were waiting for this phrase?"

"Not just waiting." Chen Jianguo lowered his voice slightly. "They deliberately designed this scene. The birthday banquet, the candles, the whole family present—higher emotion makes deeper memory. Triggering the program at such a moment yields the best effect."

Zhao Jianguo sprang to his feet.

"Then tell me, why did Zhao Yang finally look at me and say 'Dad, don't cry'? That isn't program content, is it? He said it because he saw I was upset."

Chen Jianguo didn't answer right away.

After a few seconds, he spoke softly: "Perhaps there are some things they still can't control."

The edge of the projection suddenly flickered.

A blurry human figure stood outside the virtual map, face indistinct but the corners of its mouth clearly turned up. It spoke no word, only lifted a hand and made a light slash in the air.

Immediately afterward, the entire system emitted a sharp alarm.

【Core database breached】

Some cached files have been marked.

Please execute the clear command immediately.

Zhao Jianguo quickly operated the Terminal, trying to lock onto the intrusion source. But the other party's actions were too fast; they withdrew within a few seconds, leaving only a line of text floating on the interface:

The game has just begun.