As a new member assigned to the research group, he needed to find a delicate balance between the two factions.
He must neither be constrained by the traditions of the conservatives nor swept up by the fervor of the radicals.
To put it bluntly... For him, the fighting power derived from his own research outcomes is far more reliable and stable than those who rely on desperation and mutations.
In the following days, through interactions with other researchers, Ron gradually gained a deeper understanding of the true horrors of Abyssal erosion.
"You must understand, Abyssal erosion is not an ordinary disease like a cold,"
Wayne, a senior researcher in the laboratory, explained to Ron.
This fifty-something scholar’s left side of the face had completely hardened; only his right side of the lips moved while speaking:
"It is a fundamental form of existence change, once started, it cannot be truly reversed."
Wayne showcased a series of shocking research data:
"Firstly, the irreversibility. Traditional healing magic, Purification Potions, or even High Tier life remodeling techniques, can only alleviate Abyssal erosion, not eradicate it."
He pointed at a microscopic image:
"Erosion changes the basic structure of organisms at the cellular level, replacing normal sequences with a certain ’Abyssal code’. Once implanted, this code replicates and spreads like a virus, until it completely rewrites the host’s biological essence."
"Even more frightening is its infectious nature." Wayne flipped to another page of data:
"Long-term contact with severely eroded individuals, even without direct bodily fluid exchange, can lead to contamination spread. The ’aura’ emitted by eroded individuals, exhaled gases, and even objects they have touched can become sources of infection."
He gave a bitter smile and pointed to his petrified half of the face:
"This ’souvenir’ of mine was left after a handshake with a severely eroded individual three years ago. At the time, we both wore protective gloves, but it still couldn’t be completely avoided."
Then, Wayne introduced the elusive characteristics of erosion:
"Initial symptoms are extremely subtle, often mistaken for fatigue, stress, or other common issues.
A slight change in skin color, mild alterations in sleep patterns, minor fluctuations in appetite; these seemingly normal phenomena may actually be signals of the onset of erosion."
He took out a detailed symptom progression chart:
"By the time obvious symptoms appear, erosion has usually progressed for several weeks or even months. At that point, seeking control requires extremely painful and dangerous treatment methods."
"The most despairing part is the accumulative nature." Wayne’s voice became heavier:
"Even minimal contact leaves ’erosion seeds’ within the body. The cumulative effect of multiple minimal contacts is often more dangerous than a single moderate contact."
He presented a statistical graph:
"Long-term employees at observation stations, even if they strictly adhere to protective regulations, experience a 2-3% increase in erosion annually. Employees who have worked for over ten years, rarely manage to stay below the safety line."
Faced with such a terrifying threat, observation stations naturally have established an extremely stringent response system.
"Regular detection is our first line of defense,"
The medical department’s Wizard Lynn introduced.
She appeared to be in her thirties, but her right eye had been replaced by a crystal, flickering with blue light:
"The mandatory weekly testing includes no exceptions. The tests comprise blood analysis, spirit status evaluation, magic power wave examination among over a dozen projects."
The scenes in the testing room left a profound impression on Ron.
Dozens of precise instruments operated simultaneously, scanning each subject comprehensively.
The process, though painless, was extremely uncomfortable.
The feeling of being completely exposed, with no place to hide, instinctively made people want to flee.
"Once test results exceed norms, isolation protocols are immediately initiated," Lynn continued explaining:
"Mildly exceeding individuals face restricted movement, only able to work and live in designated areas. Moderately exceeding individuals must undergo enhanced treatment, completely prohibited from interacting with others during this period. Severely exceeding individuals..."
She paused, showing a trace of reluctance in her eyes:
"Severely exceeding individuals are sent to the ’Deep Treatment Zone’. Treatment methods there include high-intensity magic power impact, spirit reconstruction, and even partial memory removal. The cure rate is approximately 30%."
"And the uncured 70%?" Ron inquired.
Lynn didn’t directly answer, only pointing outside at a region enclosed by high walls:
"The observation station’s ’Special Containment Zone’. There reside entities that... are no longer human. They still retain some rationality and memory, but their bodies and spirits have undergone irreversible changes."
"The rotational system is another vital measure," Lynn continued to introduce:
"Exploration team members must mandatory take leave every three months, leaving the observation station to receive treatment at the ’Purification Sanatorium’. Even research group members need to rotate every six months."
Ron learned that although this rotational system effectively reduces erosion risks, it also incurs significant manpower costs.
The observation station needs to maintain double staffing to ensure continuity in work.
"The grading isolation system is particularly stringent to a harsh extent," Lynn introduced the internal structure of the observation station:
"According to erosion degree, the entire observation station is divided into various safety zones. Zero-degree zones only permit completely clean new employees entry. First-degree zones correspond to mildly eroded individuals, second-degree zones to moderately eroded, and so on."
"Personnel interaction between different levels is strictly limited, even the air circulation system is independently separated. Although this design effectively controls contamination spread, it also leads to internal rank fixation and psychological barriers."
Finally, Lynn, almost in a whisper, conveyed to Ron a chilling fact:
"There’s also the final disposition system. When someone’s erosion degree surpasses the critical value, and treatment proves ineffectual, the observation station initiates the ’Mercy Termination’ protocol."
Her hands trembled slightly:
"This isn’t a punishment, but protection for them and others. Highly eroded individuals might lose control at any moment, becoming even more dangerous than Abyssal creatures."
"Mercy termination?" Ron repeated the euphemistic phrase.
"A rapid and painless death method," Lynn explained:
"The sentenced will peacefully pass away in their sleep, without any suffering. This is the final kindness the observation station can offer them."