Zhou Zhiwen arrived at the research institute again. The moment he swiped his pass at the main gate, Dr. Chu Feng’s computer immediately sent out a notification, letting Dr. Chu Feng know that Zhou Zhiwen had arrived.
At that time, Dr. Chu Feng was fully immersed in a critical experiment.
The entire lab was filled with a tense and focused atmosphere. Various instruments emitted faint hums, and data on the screens kept flickering and changing. The researchers’ eyes were locked onto the data, their hands never pausing in their operations, with fine beads of sweat forming on their foreheads.
However, at this most crucial moment, Dr. Chu Feng suddenly stopped what he was doing.
This abrupt change left everyone in the lab stunned. It was unprecedented—Dr. Chu Feng had never paused during such an important and intense experiment before.
Among the crowd, Zhao Zheng’s eyes lit up. His gaze, previously weary from prolonged focus, suddenly sharpened with renewed energy.
He thought to himself:
“That person is here again. Looks like something big is about to happen.”
Beside him, Xiao Wu let out an involuntary sigh, his expression tinged with resignation, as if to say:
“Sigh, Dr. Chu is going to get distracted by this again.”
Xiao Wu knew all too well why Dr. Chu was acting this way.
Dr. Chu spoke calmly, telling everyone to take a break, saying he had urgent matters to attend to and that the experiment would resume tomorrow. With that, he hurriedly left.
Instantly, the room erupted into lively discussion.
“This is unbelievable! Dr. Chu never interrupts an experiment at a critical moment. What’s going on today?” a young researcher asked, his face full of confusion and brows furrowed.
“I think it must have something to do with that message he just got. Maybe it’s something really important,” another researcher speculated, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.
“Could it be a new breakthrough direction? Or some insurmountable problem?” an older researcher mused, stroking his chin with a thoughtful frown.
Everyone chimed in, their guesses and ideas intertwining, filling the lab with an atmosphere of curiosity and doubt.
Zhao Zheng watched Dr. Chu’s retreating figure, his mind churning like a storm. A fierce internal struggle raged within him. He desperately wanted to follow immediately and uncover the truth.
But he also knew that everyone was still in the lab. If he rashly left now and something went wrong later, he would undoubtedly become the prime suspect.
“What should I do? This is a golden opportunity. If I miss it, I might never get another chance to know the truth. But if I follow now, the risk of being caught is too high.”
It felt like two little people were arguing fiercely inside Zhao Zheng’s head.
One little person urged impatiently: “Don’t hesitate! Such a good chance—it’d be a shame to waste it!”
The other little person warned rationally: “Calm down. Don’t lose the big picture for the small. If you’re caught, your future is ruined.”
The inner turmoil tormented Zhao Zheng unbearably. His hands clenched into tight fists, palms slick with sweat, and large beads of perspiration dotted his forehead.
In the end, overwhelming curiosity triumphed over reason. Zhao Zheng could no longer hold back.
He put on a pained expression, furrowed his brows, bent over, and said to those around him: “Ah, my stomach suddenly hurts badly. I’m feeling really unwell. I need to go see a doctor.”
Without waiting for anyone’s response, he hurriedly left.
Although Xiao Wu found Zhao Zheng’s behavior a bit odd, everyone’s attention was still on Dr. Chu’s sudden departure, so he didn’t think much of it.
Soon, Zhou Zhiwen and Dr. Chu Feng met at the institute’s entrance.
But this time, they didn’t head to the office. Zhou Zhiwen, looking slightly tense with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, immediately told Dr. Chu: “Dr. Chu, my friend asked me to bring you out to meet him.”
Hearing that they needed to go outside for the meeting, Dr. Chu Feng’s brows furrowed slightly, and doubt crept into his mind.
He knew well that the other party didn’t want to show up at the institute, likely due to some concerns. But going out like this undoubtedly carried some risk.
Yet, considering the potential enormous gains and breakthroughs, he felt it was worth the gamble.
After all, his years of training and experience weren’t for nothing. His abilities were nothing to scoff at. As long as he didn’t encounter a top-tier Champion-level trainer, he was confident enough to handle any situation.
So, taking a deep breath, he said readily: “Alright, let’s go.”
Zhou Zhiwen’s heart was also in turmoil. As he led the way, he silently prayed that this meeting would go smoothly. His steps were a bit hurried, and he kept glancing back to see if Dr. Chu Feng was following.
Dr. Chu Feng, meanwhile, followed Zhou Zhiwen while constantly calculating in his mind: who was this mysterious person he had never met, and what skills and background did they possess?
Zhao Zheng rushed over but was still too late, only catching a glimpse of Zhou Zhiwen and Dr. Chu Feng’s fading figures.
He stomped his foot in frustration, nearly breaking his shoe, but there was nothing he could do. He could only watch helplessly as they left the institute. At this point, Zhao Zheng didn’t dare to follow any further.
After all, it was work hours. If he followed right after Dr. Chu left, it would be too conspicuous, and he’d definitely be suspected later.
Filled with regret and disappointment, Zhao Zheng berated himself harshly: “It’s all my fault for being too slow. Such a great opportunity, and I missed it. Who knows when the next one will come?”
He stood there, staring intently at the two retreating figures, unwilling to leave until they vanished completely from sight. Only then did he turn back, dejected.
The two soon arrived at the agreed-upon location—a quiet grove of trees, shaded by greenery, with birds chirping cheerfully in the branches and colorful flowers emitting a captivating fragrance.
The moment Dr. Chu Feng saw Wen Qi, his expectations instantly turned into deep suspicion.
The person who had created the energy cubes imbued with life energy was this young man?
It was beyond his imagination.
If not for a glimmer of hope, Dr. Chu Feng would have turned around and left on the spot.
In his understanding, someone this young being able to make high-level energy cubes was already an incredibly rare genius. But cubes containing such mysterious and powerful life energy? That was nearly impossible.
Dr. Chu Feng’s eyes were filled with doubt and caution. He kept guessing inwardly: “Is this an elaborate scam? Or is there some huge, unknown conspiracy behind it?”
His gaze swept over Wen Qi, trying to find clues in his appearance and demeanor.
Wen Qi keenly noticed Dr. Chu Feng’s skeptical expression. He smiled faintly and said calmly, “No need to doubt. I made them. Since we’ve decided to meet, there’s no point in deceiving you.”
With that, he gently raised his hands, channeling the power within him, and used the life-energy-infused power of the Everstone.
A soft, mysterious green light rose from his palms. Wherever the light touched, the surrounding plants seemed to grow more vibrant, and the air itself felt fresher and full of vitality.
Seeing this, Dr. Chu Feng’s doubts eased slightly. He realized the other party was a special ability user, but he remained highly vigilant. He said, “Young man, don’t talk nonsense. This isn’t a game. Having life energy appear in energy cubes isn’t something just anyone can do. You need to give me solid proof.”
Wen Qi smiled and replied calmly, “Dr. Chu, you can test it yourself. I’ll make an energy cube right here. Once it’s done, you can take it for analysis. If it doesn’t contain life energy, I’ll accept whatever you decide.”
Dr. Chu Feng was silent for a moment, weighing whether to trust this young man.
In the end, he decided to set aside his preconceptions for now and see if Wen Qi could actually produce it.