Chapter 278: You’re Really Crazy

Yang Yu rattled off the research report on the new nutrient liquid to Gong Tianhua. Shen Lu, who was using a Possession Card, heard every word with perfect clarity.

The more she listened, the more alarmed Shen Lu became.

’What the hell is this new nutrient liquid? It doesn’t sound like a good thing at all.’

’If it were a good thing, why would it require serum from mutant beasts?’

’And they even mentioned test subjects.’

"Most of the test subjects who consumed the experimental product have already undergone beastification. To further optimize the nutrient liquid, we need a sample subject we can observe from the moment they ingest the product until their beastification is complete."

"Also, we lack samples from Superpower Users."

Gong Tianhua said, "Alright, I understand. I’ll arrange for all of that. You may continue your work."

Gong Tianhua left the laboratory.

"Director Gong," his assistant, Liao Guang, hurriedly approached him. "Mr. Gao is back."

"Gao Weineng said just yesterday that he’d be at the Shanghai survival base until the end of the year. Why is he back all of a sudden?"

"I don’t know, Director Gong. He already knows about our secret activities. He’s on his way to the institute right now."

Shen Lu’s eyes widened. ’Secret activities?’

’What have they been doing secretly?’

She felt like she was on the verge of uncovering the truth.

Shen Lu glanced at her hidden mission’s progress bar. In just half an hour, it had already jumped to 80%!

Gong Tianhua scowled and cursed under his breath.

"That old bastard, couldn’t he have come back a few days later?! Does he have to come back right now and ruin my grand plans?!"

In just a few more days, his research would have reached a milestone.

Mumbling curses, Gong Tianhua hurried toward his office.

But Gao Weineng was too fast. Just as he reached his office door, a stern-faced Gao Weineng called out to him.

"Professor Gong, please come to my office."

Gao Weineng disliked addressing people by their official titles. He called the more senior members of the institute "Professor," and the younger ones by their names, or simply "Xiao Wang" or "Xiao Li."

"Of course, Mr. Gao."

Though Gong Tianhua was panicking internally, his expression was as calm as a summer’s day. He followed Gao Weineng with a composed look.

Back in Gong Tianhua’s office, Fu Cheng heard their footsteps fade away and his tense nerves relaxed slightly. Noticing that Qi Zhixian was showing signs of waking up, he expressionlessly chopped the back of his neck, knocking him out again.

Fu Cheng adjusted Shen Lu’s position, letting her lean back against his chest with her head resting on his shoulder. It made it easier for him to hold her.

"Shen Lu, what in the world are you up to?"

He poked her soft cheek. "How did I let myself get roped into this nonsense with you?"

...

Gong Tianhua and Gao Weineng entered the office one after the other. Both of their assistants remained outside the door, leaving the two of them alone inside.

Gao Weineng was a man in his sixties with salt-and-pepper hair and a piercing gaze that seemed capable of seeing into the very depths of one’s heart.

"Mr. Gao, has there been an urgent directive from the higher-ups?" Gong Tianhua asked with a smile.

"You have the nerve to ask?!" Gao Weineng slammed his hand on the desk, a terrifying rage erupting from his slender frame. "Gong Tianhua, you have some gall! To exploit the trust of the government and the people, abuse your authority, and act with such impunity!"

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"You won’t admit it?! Stubbornness won’t help you. If I’m laying it all out like this, it means I have concrete evidence." Gao Weineng sneered. "Last year, you submitted a proposal to me to research the transformation agent, and I rejected it. While I was away in Shanghai, you took complete control, issuing private directives to the researchers and ordering them to conduct this unauthorized research for you. Gong Tianhua, do you want to become an enemy of all humankind?!"

Seeing that Gao Weineng had pushed things this far, Gong Tianhua couldn’t be bothered to argue anymore.

"An enemy? Evolution is the trend, an inevitable outcome! You’re stuck in your old ways, so why can’t I take a gamble?" Gong Tianhua said bluntly. "Gao Weineng, you’re old. You’ve long lost the drive of your youth. You have no ideals. You’re not worthy of the director’s seat."

"And what is this so-called ’drive’ of yours? Human experimentation is forbidden! Our institute is an official government entity, not like those underground labs full of madmen. Not only are you conducting human trials, but you’re also disguising those forbidden agents as expired nutrient liquid and distributing them to the residents of the Lower City District."

"Hundreds of thousands, even millions of innocent people have become your test subjects. They drink those agents, and if they’re unlucky, they drop dead on the spot. If they’re lucky enough to survive, they’re just captured and brought back to the institute."

"As long as you cut off the information channels leading up, no one would ever know what you’re doing."

"A truly perfect plan. Gong Tianhua, you shouldn’t be in research. You should be a politician, putting all these schemes and plots of yours to use. Your accomplishments might be even greater than they are now!"

Gao Weineng’s torrent of sharp, sarcastic insults was like a verbal assault, tearing away Gong Tianhua’s carefully constructed facade and trampling it on the ground.

Everyone who entered the research institute wanted to achieve something great in the field of science. Gao Weineng’s words completely negated Gong Tianhua’s abilities, which was something Gong Tianhua found utterly unacceptable.

"That’s just your opinion," Gong Tianhua said coldly. "Mutation can be controlled. If I can completely master beneficial mutation, do you know what that would mean?"

"It means creating gods! I could engineer the most powerful Superpower Users in the world. Like the Dog Hero from the movies, they could wipe out every last mutant beast on the planet. Then, we humans wouldn’t have to cower in survival bases anymore. We could make our homes anywhere."

"And not just that. I could continue my research to improve the soil, the plants, even the water sources. Once I succeed, we could return to the days before this new era. We could live in an idyllic world, eat fresh and delicious food, and drink clean, sweet water. Wouldn’t that be a million times better than what we have now?!"

Gao Weineng looked at Gong Tianhua as if he were a madman. "You’re truly insane."

"I’m not the one who’s insane. You’re just too afraid to dream, too afraid to act," Gong Tianhua said, his gaze cool. "The research on the transformation agent is already more than halfway complete. I can’t possibly stop now. Besides, this isn’t something I’m doing alone. You didn’t really think I could pull all this off by myself, did you?"

Gao Weineng’s pupils contracted sharply. "There are people in the government involved? Who?"

"You don’t need to know." Gong Tianhua turned around. "You’re old. You should just retire from your position and go live out your golden years with your daughter in Shanghai. If you stay at the institute, you’ll just be wasting away, incapable of accomplishing anything more."

"You—!"

With a cold laugh, Gong Tianhua opened the door and left.

Shen Lu could only follow Gong Tianhua’s perspective. Once he left, she could no longer see Gao Weineng’s expression, but she guessed that Grandpa Gao must have been angry enough to have a heart attack.

Having seen this, Shen Lu connected all the pieces of information she had gathered and finally understood the truth about the "expired" nutrient liquid.

She glanced at her progress bar and saw the number flip from 99 to 100.