The footsteps of the two echoed clearly in the empty space.
Dr. Chu Feng walked ahead, his steps steady and powerful, each one exuding an undeniable, commanding presence.
Zhou Zhiwen followed cautiously behind, head lowered, his heart filled with anxiety, as if heading toward an unknown and terrifying place of judgment.
They arrived at a quiet office.
Dr. Chu Feng pushed open the door and entered first.
The office was simply and elegantly arranged: a large solid wood desk stood firmly in the center, several filing cabinets lined the walls neatly, and a few lush green plants added a touch of vibrant life to the room.
Dr. Chu Feng sat down calmly in the chair behind the desk, raised his hand to point at the chair opposite, and gestured for Zhou Zhiwen to sit.
Zhou Zhiwen slowly sat down, leaning slightly forward, his hands tightly clasped together, his knuckles turning white from the strain.
Dr. Chu Feng leaned back in his chair, his gaze sharp as a torch, fixed directly on Zhou Zhiwen, and spoke slowly:
"Tell me, where exactly did you get this energy cube?"
Zhou Zhiwen's heart tightened sharply. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Doctor, I bought it on the black market."
Dr. Chu Feng let out a cold laugh: "The black market? Do you think I’d believe that? Something this precious appearing on the black market—does that seem reasonable to you?"
Zhou Zhiwen bit his lip and insisted, "Doctor, I’m really not lying to you."
Dr. Chu Feng was silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the office.
"You need to understand, this matter is no small thing. Life energy appearing in an energy cube is an unprecedented discovery. If you don’t tell the truth, the consequences are far beyond what you can bear."
Dr. Chu Feng’s voice was low and stern, carrying an invisible, immense pressure.
Zhou Zhiwen kept his head down, not daring to meet Dr. Chu Feng’s eyes, beads of sweat continuously rolling down his forehead, one after another.
Dr. Chu Feng stopped pacing, sat back down in his chair, and said:
"I’ll give you one more chance. Think it over carefully."
Earlier, Wen Qi and Zhou Zhiwen had discussed this. Originally, Wen Qi planned for Zhou Zhiwen to tell Dr. Chu Feng about his situation as soon as they met, so that he could catch Dr. Chu Feng’s attention and they could get in touch smoothly.
But after hearing this, Zhou Zhiwen thought it wasn’t a good idea.
Sometimes, things that come too easily can breed suspicion.
After all, someone of Dr. Chu Feng’s caliber had long been targeted by various dark organizations trying to kidnap him, so he was extremely cautious in his daily dealings.
Therefore, it was best not to reveal everything outright, or it would make his intentions too obvious.
Wen Qi had to admit Zhou Zhiwen was right. Zhou Zhiwen’s life experience was richer, and this time it was a big help.
So at this moment, facing Dr. Chu Feng’s questioning, Zhou Zhiwen didn’t directly tell the truth. Instead, he first used the black market excuse to bluff, showing that he seemed to want to hide something.
By now, Dr. Chu Feng clearly no longer believed Zhou Zhiwen’s claim that the energy cube came from the black market.
Zhou Zhiwen felt the timing was right, so after hesitating for a while, he spoke.
"Dr. Chu Feng, I know those excuses just now couldn’t fool you, but I still can’t tell you—that person is my friend.
These energy cubes were given to me by him to train my Pokémon.
I originally thought they were just intermediate energy cubes, even if perfect quality, but I never expected my Pokémon’s strength to increase so quickly after using them.
I was worried he might have added something harmful to the cubes, so I came to get them tested. But I didn’t expect my friend to be so good to me.
He was willing to give me such precious life energy to use, so I definitely can’t betray him. I hope you can understand, Doctor."
After hearing Zhou Zhiwen’s explanation, Dr. Chu Feng fell silent.
What Zhou Zhiwen said did make some sense. Betraying a friend goes against moral principles, and he couldn’t argue with that.
However, Dr. Chu Feng was deeply curious about the person who could create energy cubes containing life energy.
His brow furrowed slightly, his eyes narrowed, and he mulled over Zhou Zhiwen’s words in his mind.
The atmosphere in the office grew heavy again, as if time had frozen. Dr. Chu Feng sat in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the desk in a rhythmic "thump, thump," which sounded especially clear in the quiet room.
Zhou Zhiwen nervously awaited Dr. Chu Feng’s response, occasionally sneaking glances at him, his eyes filled with anxiety and anticipation, trying to catch a clue from his expression.
After a long while, Dr. Chu Feng finally broke the silence. He took a deep breath and said slowly:
"Zhou Zhiwen, I understand your situation. Friendship and trust between friends are indeed crucial."
Zhou Zhiwen breathed a slight sigh of relief, but his heart hadn’t fully settled yet.
Dr. Chu Feng continued:
"However, such talent is truly rare. When you go back, ask your friend for me if he’s willing to get in touch with me. The decision is up to your friend; you just need to convey my message."
Zhou Zhiwen quickly nodded in agreement:
"Alright, Doctor, I’ll definitely ask when I get back."
Dr. Chu Feng’s expression turned serious as he went on:
"Also, you must tell your friend that from now on, these energy cubes must never be given away casually. If the life energy within them is discovered by someone with ill intentions, he will be in extreme danger."
Zhou Zhiwen said solemnly:
"Doctor, I understand. I’ll relay your words to him exactly."
Dr. Chu Feng stood up, walked slowly to the window, gazed at the view outside, and said thoughtfully:
"Finally, tell your friend that I’m very eager to have a conversation with him. Perhaps we can explore and collaborate more deeply in this area."
Zhou Zhiwen said, "Doctor, I’ll remember that."
Dr. Chu Feng turned around, looked at Zhou Zhiwen, and said:
"Then you can go back now. Remember, handle this matter with the utmost caution."
Zhou Zhiwen nodded again and said:
"Doctor, rest assured, I know what’s at stake and how serious this is."
After that, Zhou Zhiwen left the office.
Dr. Chu Feng watched his retreating figure, his thoughts still tangled like a mess of threads, unsettled.
He knew well that this mysterious person capable of creating special energy cubes might bring an unprecedented breakthrough to his research.
But he also understood that he must fully respect the other party’s wishes and never force anything.
Dr. Chu Feng sat back down in his chair, crossed his hands over his chest, and sank into deeper contemplation.
He eagerly hoped Zhou Zhiwen would bring good news, while also carefully planning in his mind how to proceed with collaboration if the other party agreed to connect.