Chapter 506: Rei Ayanami
Synthesizing all factors—the extremely high technological value, the backdrop of a potential global crisis, and the excessive risks and uncertainties of direct military seizure—Ryo made a preliminary decision.
Making official contact with NERV Headquarters directly in the capacity of a "dimensional explorer" might lead to inefficient communication or even trigger unnecessary vigilance due to a lack of a credible entry point and shared context.
A more direct and potentially more efficient preliminary plan formed in his mind.
He realized that rather than attempting to establish dialogue with an entire massive and secretive organization, it would be better to start with its core operational units.
The teenage pilot named Shinji Ikari, as the direct controller of EVA Unit-01, was himself extremely valuable first-hand research material regarding his physical and mental state, his method of connection with the mecha, and his daily data.
By contacting Shinji Ikari, he could more intuitively collect real-time data concerning pilot synchronization ratios, psychological load, and interactions with the biological components of the EVA; this was far more precise than remote observation.
Furthermore, this boy was clearly a direct conduit to NERV.
Conducting subsequent contact with NERV members (such as Misato Katsuragi) through him would be more persuasive than appearing out of thin air, and it would provide a natural transition for potential formal technological exchange later.
He decided to set his primary objective for the next phase: find an appropriate opportunity to conduct a direct, low-level contact with Shinji Ikari.
The purpose of this contact was very clear: observe the pilot himself, assess his value as an information source, and use this as a springboard to establish preliminary contact with NERV's operational level.
He needed to understand the grassroots reaction patterns of this organization and their degree of acceptance toward an identity like an "external technical expert."
As for longer-term plans, such as deeply parsing the principles of the A.T. Field or acquiring Angel samples, those would need to be planned after gaining a deeper understanding of NERV and evaluating its potential for cooperation.
High-risk operations like capturing an Angel or an EVA were currently off the table; those required far more adequate preparation and power support.
Ryo began analyzing Shinji Ikari's daily activity patterns after leaving NERV Headquarters, searching for a natural, non-confrontational scenario for contact.
He needed to choose a time when NERV surveillance was relatively weak and brief communication was possible.
He realized he was transitioning from a purely background observer to a researcher preparing to step onto the stage, initiating formal contact through interaction with a key individual.
After the Fourth Angel was annihilated, its massive body rapidly disintegrated, leaving behind a shocking red lake composed of highly concentrated LCL fluid on the outskirts of the city.
Under the premise of ensuring his cloaked state remained undetected by any surveillance equipment, Ryo cautiously approached the area.
He utilized a miniaturized sampling device he carried to extract a sufficient volume of LCL fluid samples from the lake's edge and sealed them for preservation.
However, the results of the preliminary rapid on-site analysis were disappointing.
Although these fluids contained anomalous energy signatures, any biological genetic information that might have existed within them had completely disintegrated. No intact genetic sequences or cellular structures could be identified.
This severely reduced its research value as an Angel biological sample; it was more like a highly active energy carrier or information medium than an ideal biological tissue sample.
He sealed the samples, reserving them for more in-depth analysis later.
Subsequently, his attention turned to the NERV pilot.
According to the monitored information, after experiencing his first battle, Shinji Ikari was arranged to transfer to a municipal middle school in Tokyo-3, seemingly in an attempt to return him to some semblance of a "normal" school life.
Ryo accordingly shifted his observation point to the vicinity of the school.
On the surface, this school was no different from any ordinary middle school; students went about their regular classes and activities.
But Ryo acutely perceived that numerous plainclothes agents were deployed inside and outside the campus. Disguised as school staff, parents, or pedestrians, they continuously and covertly monitored Shinji Ikari's every move.
The entire environment presented a security posture that was relaxed on the outside but tight on the inside.
Ryo was in no rush to make physical contact with Shinji Ikari.
He maintained a safe distance, utilizing the ultra-long-range, high-precision sensors equipped on his Terminator armor to continuously collect the teenage pilot's behavioral patterns, physiological parameters (via non-invasive vital sign scanning), and extremely faint emotional fluctuation data in non-combat states.
This daily information was an important supplement to combat data for understanding the correlation between the pilot's physical and mental state and the EVA synchronization ratio.
It was during this continuous observation that he noticed another special existence: Rei Ayanami.
This girl with short blue hair and red eyes also wore the school uniform, but her behavioral patterns, facial expressions, and even the baseline of her vital signs exhibited subtle differences from ordinary people. Furthermore, there seemed to be some form of passive, indifferent interaction between her and Shinji Ikari.
The simultaneous presence of two pilots provided richer comparative research samples.
In order to obtain more fundamental biological data, Ryo decided to attempt collecting DNA samples from both individuals. This was not a difficult task; utilizing a bit of psychic power, skill, and some precision equipment, he successfully acquired trace amounts of biological tissues, including shed hair and imperceptible skin flakes, from locations the two had passed through.
He conducted rapid gene-sequencing and comparative analysis on these samples.
Shinji Ikari's genetic sequence showed he was a normal human male, although there lay hidden within his genes a certain incompletely expressed special marker that might correlate with EVA piloting compatibility.
The results of Rei Ayanami's genetic analysis, however, brought an unexpected and major discovery.
Her genome was not the product of natural reproduction; its sequence displayed clear hallmarks of artificial editing and cloning technology.
More critically, through deep sequence comparison, Ryo confirmed that the genetic source providing her clone template shared an extremely high similarity with Shinji Ikari, strongly suggesting the template originated from a direct blood relative of Shinji Ikari.
Yet, this was not all.
Stably integrated within Rei Ayanami's genetic sequence was an extremely unique segment that did not belong to the known human gene pool.
This gene segment exhibited powerful biological activity and a certain indescribable trait at the "essence" level. It shared a degree of resonance with the Angel core gene fragments he had previously recorded, but it was far more ancient and far closer to the source.
Based on the concepts within the memory information shared by the main body, this gene segment most likely originated from "Lilith"—one of the origins of life (Lilin, or humanity) on this planet.
This discovery instantly elevated Rei Ayanami's research value to an entirely new height.
She was not merely an EVA pilot, but a living clone composite fusing the genes of a human and an unknown higher lifeform (Lilith).
She herself was a masterpiece of bioengineering, more cutting-edge and mysterious than NERV's current conventional EVA technology.
Ryo immediately adjusted his priorities.
Routine observation of Shinji Ikari would continue, but the biological essence of Rei Ayanami, her special connection with Unit-00, and the potential abilities granted by the "Lilith" genes within her body became his current direction of greatest interest and highest research potential.
He needed to understand this special individual more deeply; this might be one of the key keys to unlocking EVA technology, and even the deeper secrets of this world.
(End of Chapter)