A New World, an immersive game experience

Chapter 493 - Seeking Answers

In the miracle headquarter's ANW department, Joren was hurriedly trying his best to figure out what was happening as Eldrian was being surrounded by ice. (Just before Eldrian was kicked out of his soul and found the room frozen.)

Joren had already called Constantin and Gengxin for consultation while he pulled up Eldrian's physical readings and tried to make sense of things.

"Any leads on what that ice was or how he summoned it?" Joren asked as he watched Eldrain trying to keep himself alive. Clearly, indicating that this was not intentional. When the ice escaped as the door collapsed, it was also clear that Eldrian seemed to have no control of it.

This made it different than the case where he summoned fire and killed the ghouls and devil prince. Back then, he had only targeted the enemies, saving his allies. Similarly though, in both cases, his body was not exempt from damage.

"Nothing, it just appeared. His mana didn't change, nor did anything else." One of those tasked with monitoring things answered. This quickly lead to a discussion as others weighed in, of course, at this moment everyone was focused on Eldrian.

"Wait! That isn't true, look at his brain activity just before the ice appeared. It was twice, no, maybe even three times normal."

"Isn't that just?"

"I already accounted for the increased activity players gain from the stat boost. That is normally only ten or so percent of an increase. Nowhere close to doubling brain activity."

"What about his other readings before the ice appeared?" Joren asked as they watched Vivian and Cephaphyr managing to contain the cold. However, the damage it did to the house was astounding.

The arrays did nothing to contain it, almost like they didn't even recognize the threat. The ice simply passed through them and destroyed them in the process.

"Let me see the readings," Gengxin said as he rushed into the room. Calling up the data on one of the larger monitors, one of the monitor crew wanted to offer their opinion but Gengxin quickly cut them off.

"No, let me come to my own conclusion first." Turning to Joren, Gengxin then asked, "How is he doing, stable?"

"All signs indicate that he is, breathing, heart rate, everything is within normal levels now."

"Good," Nodding, Gengxin then turned to the one who wanted to give their opinion, "Come on, call up all his data. Game too, his avatar's physical readings too. Not just the stats!"

After a few seconds, the game data was compared to the real Eldrian's. Of course, there was only one brain activity, but there were two heart rates, two hormone levels, two of everything else.

Normally, the real data was far below that of the avatar. After all, the entire method of entering the game was to trick the brain into believing the avatar was the real body. Thus, adrenaline should only be released in the avatar during a fight (as an example), and not the real body.

"What do you see?" Joren asked after a minute had passed, Gengxin should have some general opinion by that time.

"This, this right here is similar to when he summoned those flames and killed the high Tiered enemies with them. However, if we look at the parts of his brain that were active. It seems to be his subconscious in both cases."

"That isn't- Are you telling me he might have no idea how this happened?"

"Exactly. Can you please extend the data to when he started meditating?"

Nodding, the person in control of this quickly did so.

"Remember when we tried figuring out the difference in his meditation method to others?"

"Of course, back then things had been quite scary for us."

Gengxin nodded in agreement, "His meditation only lasted two hours?"

"Yes, before that he was addressing those he was considering hiring." The one responsible for monitoring Eldrian today replied. Unlike everyone else, Eldrian always had someone watching everything he did.

"Here, this first two to five minutes seemed to be normal meditation. Similar to how we saw in that meeting. However, after that, his brain becomes far more active, and specifically his subconscious."

"That... Gengxin, my office?"

"Indeed," Nodding, the two-headed in, and Constantin arrived just as they were closing the door.

"What's going on?" Constantin asked.

"Eldrian, he seems to be pulling his subconscious into the game."

"What do you mean? We all still have our subconscious in the game. It isn't like we lose it." Constantin asked, he had never quite understood how the subconscious wasn't allowed in the game. How it was kept away, or even how that would be possible.

"Yes, you still have it. Normally it is just very inactive. It is partly also why people's inhibitions are slightly weaker in the game compared to real life." Gengxin replied, causing a controversial subject to be highlighted for the first time.

"Isn't that just because they know there are no consequences?" Joren asked, this having been his working theory.

There were plenty of players who dived into acts that weren't exactly morally right. Until now, few players had actually taken on the role of murderers.

However, there were more cases of rape than Miracle would like to admit, and plenty of brothers visiting. Even by married men, and in fact, women too. Women were actually far more active in the game compared to the real world, and Joren had assumed that was to do with the fact that they need not worry about unexpected pregnancies.

These, of course, weren't the only areas where this lack of inhibitions were seen, however, it was certainly the clearest. The other was the lack of fear for death, charging into danger, throwing oneself into the worst situations on the planet without a second thought.

"That is certainly also important, however, the medical team has been speculating that people should still be far more self-aware of danger than they seem to be. Even knowing it is a game, you shouldn't be able to accept being hurt, mutilated, and even killed as easily as players have."

"Do you have any proof behind this?" Joren asked, not because he doubted Gengxin, but because he was actually starting to also believe this.

"Not much, but looking at the actions of the first game testers. They were all far more aware of the danger, far more cautious. Of course, we found that they had been correct to be so. Similarly, the next batch of game testers was also far more warry, even knowing the extra safety measures."

"They all knew of the danger, when I signed up there was also the accepted fact that I might end up crippled or dead in certain situations. Players don't have this weighing on their minds." Constantin added.

"Indeed, that is why I can't really say it is proof. However, back then, game testers entered the game by having their entire consciousness, and subconscious, transported into their avatar. Now, we normally trick the subconscious and only allow the consciousness to enter."

"Ah, I see what you are getting at. Just because it isn't inside doesn't mean it is absent, the subconscious is still part of the players." Constantin said with a confused look. It still didn't make sense, but he believed he understood.

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