Chapter 405: Headquarters Evacuation Plan, Star Brain Syndrome

He had long anticipated that the Void forces would use various means to obstruct their work, but he had not expected them to directly control high-ranking government officials to strike at them. This undoubtedly made the situation more complex—they not only had to fight against the Void Invasion but also face their own country's security department.

Half an hour later, all the high-level members of the Five Elements City Guardian Network gathered in the headquarters conference room. Zhou Zhuo projected the leaked document onto the large screen, and everyone could clearly see the bright red seal stamped on the document.

"The document classifies us as an 'illegal organization that uses superstitious ideas to spread social panic and intends to undermine social stability,'" Zhou Zhuo explained. "The operation is codenamed 'Net Cleaning,' and it expects to mobilize thousands of special police officers while simultaneously raiding our seventeen strongholds across the country."

There was silence in the conference room; everyone understood what this meant.

Xiao Yuan was the first to speak: "We must immediately evacuate non-core members, especially those whose identities are completely exposed. We can activate the safe houses scattered throughout the city to reduce the risk of being captured in a group."

Xu Feng proposed a more radical plan: "Perhaps we should do the opposite and proactively expose some of the evidence, letting the public know the truth about the 'Star Brain' devices. Once public opinion creates pressure, the government might re-evaluate the situation."

"A risky move," Elder Wu Qian shook his head. "Making this evidence public might trigger large-scale social panic, providing them with an even more sufficient reason to suppress us instead."

The debate lasted for nearly an hour, with the pros and cons of various plans weighed repeatedly. In the end, Lin Xuan made the decision.

"We will adopt a two-pronged strategy," his voice was calm and firm. "On one hand, Xu Feng will lead the technical team to organize all evidence regarding the truth of the 'Star Brain,' create a detailed report, and secretly contact several high-ranking officials who have not yet been influenced by the Void, including Marshal Long and Elder Yang."

He turned to Xiao Yuan: "On the other hand, immediately initiate the headquarters evacuation plan; non-core members will disperse to various safe houses. At the same time, strengthen the headquarters' Defense Array and prepare for the worst."

Once the plan was finalized, everyone immediately took action. The headquarters of the Five Elements City Guardian Network soon became sparsely populated, with only the most core members remaining to hold their ground. Lin Xuan and Xu Feng personally organized the evidence and produced a detailed report, exposing the truth behind Star Technology and the "Star Brain" devices.

Just as they were busy dealing with the threat of government raids, Yage was having a secret meeting with Yang Zhiyuan in a hidden room at the Xingchen Keji Zongbu.

"The plan must be moved up," Yage's voice was unquestionable. "Move the start time of the 'Global Synchronization Project' to the eve of the Summer Solstice Day."

Yang Zhiyuan looked troubled: "Moving it up will lower the success rate. According to our calculations, moving it up by 12 hours means the Void Energy concentration will drop by 15%, and the stability of the rifts cannot be guaranteed."

A flash of impatient purple light crossed Yage's eyes: "Lin Xuan and his people are more troublesome than I expected. They have not only interfered with the functions of some 'Star Brain' devices but are also deploying some kind of large-scale Defense Array. We don't have time to wait."

"But—" Yang Zhiyuan still wanted to argue.

"No buts," Yage interrupted him coldly. "Users are already showing signs of Void characteristics early, and the media is starting to pay attention to these 'abnormal events.' If we don't act as soon as possible, the plan we have painstakingly laid out for years may fall short."

Yang Zhiyuan dared not object further and could only nod in agreement: "I will adjust the plan immediately; at 23:00 on the eve of the Summer Solstice Day, the global synchronization will be activated."

Yage nodded with satisfaction, his figure gradually becoming blurry, and finally disappeared into the air, leaving only one sentence: "Remember, what the price of failure is."

Yang Zhiyuan stood alone in the secret room, his expression uncertain. He walked to the window and looked down at the city below. In the sea of light formed by countless lamps, fifteen million people were living in total ignorance, completely unaware of the fate they would face in two days.

Meanwhile, in a shopping mall in the eastern part of the city, a sudden violent incident was unfolding. A middle-aged man suddenly went berserk in the crowd, his eyes turning an eerie black-purple, black patterns emerging under his skin, and he began to attack the people around him frantically.

"He's crazy! Call security!" The crowd screamed and fled in all directions.

Several security guards tried to subdue the man but were easily thrown aside. Even more shocking was that the man's fingers could release black-purple energy, shattering the mall's glass display cabinets.

The security cameras recorded the entire process, including the scene where the police finally took the man down with three shots. When the medical staff arrived at the scene, they found that the man was wearing a "Star Brain" device on his temple, and it had already fused abnormally tightly with his skin.

Such incidents were not isolated cases. In the past 24 hours, seventeen similar cases had been reported globally, involving eight countries. The media began to call this phenomenon "Star Brain Syndrome," causing widespread concern and panic.

Lin Xuan had just received these news reports, his expression grave. "The Void Pollution has already begun to manifest early, faster than we expected," he said to Xiao Yuan. "Those users who have used it the longest and have had the most contact with Void Energy have already begun to undergo Zhuanghua."

Xiao Yuan checked the global incident distribution map: "If it develops at this rate, before the Summer Solstice Day, there may be hundreds or even thousands of people undergoing similar Zhuanghua."

Lin Xuan pondered for a moment: "This actually gives us an opportunity. These public incidents will attract official attention, and perhaps it will allow them to re-evaluate the safety of the 'Star Brain' devices."

He suddenly made a decision: "I am going to see someone; it may be our last hope."

Xiao Yuan immediately understood what he meant: "You are going to see Lin Jiangjun? This is too risky; although he was once a supporter of the Five Elements Academy, he has been retired for many years and his influence is limited."

"But he still maintains extensive connections in the military, and more importantly, he is one of the few high-level officials who understands the truth about the Void threat," Lin Xuan said firmly. "If anyone can help us at a critical moment, it is him."

That night, Lin Xuan drove alone to a hidden residence on the outskirts of the city. The area was surrounded by dense forest, and the air was filled with the fragrance of grass and trees, forming a sharp contrast with the tense atmosphere of the city.

In front of the residence, two soldiers in plain clothes vigilantly stopped Lin Xuan. After a strict identity verification, they allowed Lin Xuan to enter.

In the spacious living room, an elderly man with a straight posture was sitting by the window reading a book. Although he was over seventy years old, his gaze was still as sharp as an eagle's, and his every move still exuded the unique majesty of a soldier.

"Lin Xuan," the old man put down his book and stood up to welcome him. "Ten years no see, you've grown a beard and also look a bit more weathered."

Lin Xuan bowed respectfully: "Lin Jiangjun, please forgive my late-night visit; it is a matter of great importance."