"How does this high-grade potion enhance efficacy while also increasing duration?"
"That's simple! The adrenaline gene potion has two main ingredients: dragon blood flower extract and spirit sand. By improving these two and harmonizing their properties, it works!"
"Why use fluid ice?"
"Because fluid ice is a natural spirit particle inhibitor that effectively reduces spirit particle activity. It's composed purely of water molecules and won't cause adverse reactions with other drug components."
"How are the improved potion concentrations precisely determined?"
"That's simple! The adrenaline potion is just a low-grade brew with weak effects; even the side effects are tolerable. I take it myself to clearly sense the properties—much more accurate than human trials, and faster to refine!"
...
Inside the R&D department, a crowd of researchers gathered around Feng Lin, who sat in the center, earnestly and patiently answering everyone's questions, drawing waves of admiration.
"Well said!"
"No wonder he's the genius geneticist personally recruited by Director Franko!"
"His thinking is far beyond ordinary people!"
...
Everyone wore expressions of respect.
For a moment, the vast R&D department felt like Feng Lin's personal lecture hall, with all the researchers becoming his fans.
An intangible influence spread out, silent and unnoticed.
Feng Lin had defused the group's hostility, and by seemingly answering their questions without reservation, he rapidly warmed up relations, deepening the impression in everyone's minds that he was a good person—one not easily changed.
He did all this to break down their psychological defenses, then apply mental hypnosis.
As he continued, Feng Lin grew more adept at mental hypnosis, no longer sticking to a single method but applying it flexibly.
If before, the relationship between Feng Lin and the group was hostile, it gradually turned cold, then unfamiliar, familiar, warm... until finally, it became respect and admiration.
Feng Lin had become the center of attention in the R&D department, highly conspicuous.
"What are you all doing? Get back to research! If you slack off, don't expect this month's bonus—I'll even dock your wages!" A discordant voice rang out as a man with a grim face approached.
Who else could it be but the research team leader, Aike?
The group shot Feng Lin a "good luck" look and scattered like birds, hastily retreating.
"Feng Lin, you're here to work in R&D. If you want to chat, you can leave and go home. There are plenty of idle people on the Star Web willing to waste time with you!" Aike scolded without mercy.
Feng Lin's expression remained calm, and he replied with a composed smile, "I've already finished my previous task. Wasn't I just waiting for you, Team Leader, to assign the next one?"
Aike felt a surge of anger. So, you're idle, and it's my fault now?
He was about to retort sarcastically when he suddenly met a pair of deep, dark eyes.
That gaze was like a bottomless black hole, devouring light and swallowing his consciousness.
An inexplicable ripple spread out, formless and intangible, like a gentle breeze brushing a mountain or moonlight shining on a great river.
The fury in Aike's heart was instantly doused, as if cold spring water had been poured over his head, completely extinguishing it.
His face stiffened, filled with confusion, unable to muster anger, making him look utterly ridiculous.
Huh? What's wrong with me?
As a team leader, why should I be so harsh with a subordinate?
Sure, this newcomer had no tact, questioning human trials right off the bat and annoying me, but he's been fairly obedient since.
I should be magnanimous and not keep butting heads with a rookie—it's beneath my dignity.
...
Aike's thoughts rapidly shifted, his anger fading, though his tone remained cold.
"Feng Lin, you have talent. Improving the adrenaline potion has greatly accelerated our research project. But you need to know your place—don't go around questioning everything and neglecting your duties. Here's your next task: improve the life potion to reduce the pain of taking it!"
The others witnessing this were stunned.
When had the strict, unforgiving team leader ever been so kind to anyone? Was this the same skinflint? Had this kid pulled some trick?...
Their minds churned with uncertainty.
A formless ripple spread out.
Their doubts vanished, replaced by a wave of shame.
Feng Lin had just shared his potion improvement experience without holding back—how could we groundlessly suspect him without evidence?
That's just unfair!
They then thought that Feng Lin's earlier performance must have completely won over Team Leader Aike, softening his attitude and leading to a much easier task assignment.
Even Feng Lin hadn't expected the hypnosis to work so well.
"Thanks, Team Leader!" He agreed immediately, taking the task Aike assigned, leaving no room for backtracking.
Aike felt something was off, but the words were out, and he couldn't take them back.
"Then do a good job!" He tossed out the line and hurriedly turned away.
Feng Lin secretly wiped cold sweat from his brow, his vision darkening.
This mental hypnosis is no joke.
Compared to subtly influencing others with intangible waves, Aike had come in aggressively, and Feng Lin, unwilling to drag things out, had forcibly brainwashed him with hypnosis, draining his mental energy far faster than usual.
His mental energy was quickly depleted, leaving him utterly exhausted.
Moreover, he couldn't overuse forced hypnosis today, or it would backfire, making others notice something off and ruining everything.
Fortunately, the initial success was achieved.
Feng Lin then stopped, retracting all his mental energy into his body, refraining from any further tricks.
Once a mindset is formed, it won't change without a special incident.
Feng Lin wasn't worried about them reverting.
Admittedly, the once-hostile research environment had improved significantly.
Feng Lin no longer felt like he was walking on eggshells.
Due to the excessive mental energy expenditure, Feng Lin was listless all day.
But luckily, this task had no time limit. After a dazed day, he returned to his room, collapsed onto the bed, and slept soundly.
The next day, with his energy restored, he began working on improving the life potion.
Feng Lin knew his next move was to produce standout results—only then could he become a core member of the research project and access the true secrets of Giant Pharmaceutical.
This task wasn't difficult. It was just about improving the life potion to reduce its pain.
Feng Lin was very familiar with the life potion's properties, having consumed so many of them.
Especially the first time—the potion's powerful effects rapidly transformed his body, and the excruciating pain of breaking down and rebuilding was still fresh in his memory.
It wasn't the potion's own irritation.
Life potion was essentially a low-grade brew—how irritating could it be?
The pain came from the body's transformation itself.
The better the effect, the greater the change, and the more intense the pain.
Pain itself signified better efficacy.
There was originally no need for improvement—if you can't endure a little pain, how can you cultivate?
Which interstellar cultivator hadn't succeeded through hardship?
But now, the team leader wanted to reduce the pain the life potion caused.
Feng Lin didn't think this was about lowering efficacy.
Watching the test subjects' pained, twisted expressions, he pondered. Was reducing pain meant to prevent them from dying from the agony, making the potion usable for ordinary people?
An idea struck him: add an anesthetic component.
If someone fell asleep, their perception of pain would weaken, like with an anesthetic.
The concept was simple, but execution was tough.
Feng Lin used Giant Pharmaceutical's internal optical brain system to calculate herbs that could add anesthetic effects to the life potion.
The optical brain quickly suggested three ingredients: snake grass, whale dragon oil, and intoxicating fruit juice.
But the optical brain could only calculate based on input data; real results required hands-on testing.
Feng Lin began experimenting, using his previously discovered gene micro-manipulation technique to add each ingredient, mix them, and test the effects.
Eventually, he derived a new life potion formula: adding 100 milliliters of whale dragon oil, which induced hallucinogenic and anesthetic effects, putting the user to sleep and numbing the pain.
The life potion's original potency remained unchanged.
Since he'd completed the task, there was no need to refine it further.
A perfect-quality life potion was still just a life potion—no longer of much use to Feng Lin.
After submitting the improved life potion, Aike was astonished, and the clinical trial results left him thoroughly satisfied.
The test subject lay asleep like a dead fish, motionless, but their vitality surged rapidly.
The results perfectly met the requirements.
Aike now saw Feng Lin in a very favorable light. Despite the initial friction, Feng Lin's talent was exceptional, greatly advancing the project's progress.
Maybe it was time to let him access the core secrets of the research project!
Under Feng Lin's subtle mental hypnosis, all of Aike's animosity vanished, and he began to see Feng Lin as a key asset, chatting and laughing with him.
If before their relationship was pure hostility and disgust, now it was entirely friendly.
The R&D staff looked on as if they'd seen a ghost—when had these two become so close?
They didn't notice the deep, dark gleam in Feng Lin's eyes, like a bottomless pit devouring souls.
Brainwashing successful!