Chapter 127 - 124: Science or Theology?

Chapter 127: Chapter 124: Science or Theology?

Zhu Chuanwu stared at Jiang Chaosheng in disbelief.

’Steward Xia... called him "Sir"?’

’Who in the world is this guy?!’

No wonder Xu Wei’s eyes lingered on him so intensely. So that was why!

Zhu Chuanwu snuck a glance at Xu Wei.

Strange. Why did she also look like she’d seen a ghost?

Xia Li said,

"Sir, if I had known you were coming, I would have come to greet you much earlier.

Why... why did you come without having one of my subordinates inform me?"

Jiang Chaosheng’s expression was gentle.

"I came to show my support."

Jiang Chaosheng rummaged in his pocket, took out a small box, and handed it to Xia Li.

"Congratulations."

Looking as if she’d received an unexpected honor, Xia Li hurriedly accepted the gift.

"Please, come in!"

Xia Li quickly led the way for Jiang Chaosheng.

This gesture made everyone’s jaws drop.

It was the first time the Female President of World Dream had ever shown such a demure, daughter-like attitude in public.

This demeanor wasn’t the bashfulness a woman might show a lover, but rather... the reverence a daughter shows her father or teacher.

This grand World Dream celebration suddenly seemed like a little girl’s birthday party.

The teacher had made a special appearance at the party, and the birthday girl, as the host, was cheerfully welcoming him, walking proudly toward the center of the gathering.

Zhu Chuanwu still hadn’t had a chance to say a single word to Xia Li.

He quickly racked his brain, wondering if he had offended Jiang Chaosheng earlier.

After thinking it over and over, Zhu Chuanwu thought to himself,

’I don’t think so, right? I was the one who brought him in!

I even asked if he needed help with any introductions!

I must have come off as very friendly!’

Zhu Chuanwu said to Xu Wei with a fawning tone,

"Hey, Xu Wei, what was that gentleman’s name again?"

Not all rich dandies were the brainless fools from the movies who only knew how to bully commoners.

They were just a bit more arrogant and domineering in their actions, but when they encountered a "Golden Cup," they knew how to suck up and were quite skilled at flattery.

...

「South Sea Exhibition Center, conference room.」

Xia Li picked up a cup of hot tea and placed it on the small table next to Jiang Chaosheng.

"I remember this is the tea you drank last time. I’ve kept it in stock just for you."

Jiang Chaosheng paused for a moment.

’Last time?’

He had only met Xia Li once—the time he turned her into a Vampire.

The tea he drank then was just something he had randomly grabbed from Antique Shop Zero.

Anything from Antique Shop Zero was definitely good tea, but he had long since forgotten what he’d had that day.

Jiang Chaosheng lifted the teacup and said,

"How thoughtful of you."

With a hint of joy in her eyes, Xia Li said,

"Liu Weiqian is on his way."

Xia Li walked to the side and handed a file to Jiang Chaosheng.

Jiang Chaosheng glanced at it.

It was Liu Weiqian’s file, which included information about his career and his family.

As for his career, Jiang Chaosheng didn’t understand many of the technical terms, but reading between the lines, it all boiled down to one word:

’Incredible!’

At ninety-four years old, Liu Weiqian could absolutely be considered a national treasure of the Xia Kingdom.

The relevant departments would do their best to green-light any of his research projects.

As for his family.

Liu Weiqian had a huge family.

Two sons, one daughter, four grandsons, six great-grandsons, and one great-granddaughter.

Another great-grandchild was also about to be born.

And that wasn’t even counting the collateral branches.

Liu Weiqian was definitely the patriarch of a great clan.

A towering mountain that had supported generations of the Liu Family.

It was just a pity that his time was almost up.

"KNOCK. KNOCK, KNOCK."

A knock sounded at the door.

The door was pushed open.

An elegant woman in an evening gown walked in, pushing a wheelchair.

If anyone had seen this, their jaw would have hit the floor!

Because this elegant woman was one of the eight shareholders of the World Dream Group.

The kind of person who could make the South Sea Development Zone tremble with just a stomp of her foot!

And she was personally pushing the wheelchair for an old man at death’s door?!

The old man in the wheelchair had a full head of white hair and was emaciated.

His sunken eyes were cloudy, holding the indifference of one who has seen through all worldly fame and fortune.

Xia Li leaned over slightly and whispered in Jiang Chaosheng’s ear,

"Sir, Liu Weiqian is here."

Seeing this, Liu Weiqian narrowed his eyes slightly.

’Xia Li, the president of World Dream, is quite a figure.’

’Even I have to take this woman, who is about my granddaughter’s age, seriously.’

’Yet she’s being so respectful to that young man sitting in the chair!’

Liu Weiqian began to observe the young man carefully.

He didn’t have the flamboyance of a young upstart, nor the staid maturity of a young hero.

All he had was a casual air that seemed to disregard worldly conventions.

Liu Weiqian couldn’t help but speculate about Jiang Chaosheng’s identity.

But no matter how he wracked his brain, he couldn’t recall such a figure in the Xia Kingdom.

Xia Li looked at Liu Weiqian and said with a warm smile,

"Elder Liu, it’s been a long time."

Liu Weiqian stopped his thoughts, a reminiscent look appearing in his old eyes.

"The last time... was ten years ago, when your father brought you to visit me.

You had just returned to the Xia Kingdom from Meiqi Country back then, full of vigor."

Liu Weiqian looked at Xia Li.

"You said you have a way to extend my life? You’re not just pulling an old man’s leg, are you?"

Xia Li let out a soft laugh.

"How would I dare deceive Elder Liu?"

Xia Li had invited Liu Weiqian to the celebration a long time ago.

Originally, Liu Weiqian hadn’t wanted to grant her the courtesy.

But later, when Xia Li said she could extend his life, he agreed to come.

Xia Li did have a way to extend Liu Weiqian’s life.

It was just a matter of expending some of her own blood essence to turn Liu Weiqian into a Vampire.

’But now... Sir wants this man, so everything must be up to Sir.’

Liu Weiqian straightened his back.

"I heard you were gravely ill earlier this year, yet now you stand before me, full of life.

This old man is rather curious. What method did you use?

Has World Dream’s medical research already far surpassed my own?"

Just as Xia Li was about to introduce Jiang Chaosheng...

Jiang Chaosheng looked at Liu Weiqian first and spoke with a smile.

"Compared to extending your life, Mr. Liu seems more interested in the method of extending it."

Xia Li froze, looking at Liu Weiqian in astonishment.

’He was willing to come to the South Sea to see me not because he wanted to extend his life, but because he was curious about how it could be done?!’

Liu Weiqian chuckled.

"This gentleman sees things quite clearly.

This old man is ninety-four this year.

For the first seventy years, I proposed one idea after another, conquered one subject after another, and lived quite contentedly.

In my seventy-first year, I proposed the theory of ’Bacterial Controllable Leadership’.

Unfortunately, in the twenty-four years since, I’ve made no progress academically. It’s all become quite dull.

Even if I live another ten years, heheh, it would be a life lived in vain.

When President Xia said she could extend my life, it did indeed pique my curiosity.

To be able to see something entirely new before I die would be a decent parting gift."

Xia Li looked at Liu Weiqian, her beautiful eyes filled with admiration.

’To learn the truth in the morning and die in the evening without regret.’ Scholars with this kind of attitude toward academic research, placing it above life and death, were truly rare.

She had originally planned to use the promise of a longer life to lure Liu Weiqian into her service.

Now it seemed that was just her own wishful thinking.

Jiang Chaosheng asked,

"If you can’t find the answer in ten years, then take twenty. If not in twenty, then thirty.

If Mr. Liu could live longer, you would eventually conquer the subject of ’Bacterial Controllable Leadership’."

Liu Weiqian shook his head with a bitter smile.

"You think too highly of me. I once thought too highly of myself as well.

To completely control bacteria and viruses... this is not something achievable by human effort.

Even if you gave me a hundred years, I think it would still be a pipe dream."

As Liu Weiqian spoke, a look of yearning appeared in his cloudy old eyes.

"Do you know what the result would be if one could completely lead bacteria and viruses?"

Without waiting for Jiang Chaosheng to ask, he began to answer his own question.

"Take cancer cells, for example.

The infinite proliferation of cancer cells is uncontrolled and selfish.

They frantically plunder nutrients and destroy organ structures, ultimately leading to the host’s death.

But if I could completely control and lead cancer cells, I could take their essence and discard their dross!

I could then use cancer cells to avoid aging by activating telomerase to maintain telomere length.

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg."

A sharp glint burst from Liu Weiqian’s eyes.

"In other words, to completely control bacteria and viruses is to completely control life and death!"

The pupils of both Xia Li and the elegant woman in the evening gown behind Liu Weiqian contracted in shock!

What Liu Weiqian was describing was no longer science; it was practically theology!

This old man’s ambition was astonishing!

"I can help you achieve your dream."

Sitting in his chair, Jiang Chaosheng took a sip of tea and said this lightly.