Chapter 211: Intense Affection
“Countless efforts, yet the final success or failure is decided by others—how is that not a great irony.”
“The success before one’s eyes is bestowed by others, not the result of effort. Can such success be considered success?”
“Perhaps for those who already reap the benefits, this is success.”
After leaving the hotel, Zhou Ming walked slowly along a street with sparse traffic, facing the cold northern wind, immersed in the information the Scorpion-Lion had told him.
All the changes on Blue Star at present were merely incidental transformations brought about by powerful beings from another world in their attempt to obtain the World’s Heart.
If there were no World’s Heart, Blue Star could be said to be a barren and desolate land, with nothing worth coveting.
Perhaps only those powerful beings who walked the paths of soul and death would cast their gaze upon Blue Star, simply because it possessed hundreds of millions of intelligent lifeforms.
Just as Zhou Ming inadvertently walked onto a bustling street, a gigantic display screen was pushing an advertisement.
“Energy Pulse Communication Technology has already established base stations in Qinghui Base?”
Looking up, the display screen lavished praise upon the technology with all kinds of wording, heralding that every isolated base would finally be truly connected.
Citizens across the various alliance bases would have the opportunity, just like before the Doomsday Era, to understand the differences between regions through Energy Pulse Communication Technology.
“Her technology has already begun to be promoted. I wonder how she’s doing now.”
When Lei Yuan’s figure surfaced in Zhou Ming’s mind, he suddenly smiled knowingly.
“Since the fate of Blue Star can no longer be changed, then I’ll dominate my own destiny.”
Only at this moment did Zhou Ming realize that he was not some lofty moral saint. What did Blue Star’s future fate have to do with him?
In essence, he did not belong to Blue Star at all—just like the foreign races, he came from another world.
Even his current body, its genes and bloodline, had already undergone drastic changes.
Perhaps only those he cared about were truly worth protecting.
Looking at the number marked with Lei Yuan’s name in his contact list, Zhou Ming pressed the call button.
“Hello, the number you have dialed is not within the service area.”
Hearing the prompt from the phone, Zhou Ming’s brows immediately furrowed.
Qinghui Base had already established the base stations required for Energy Pulse Communication Technology. It was impossible that Dawn Base, where the Alliance Headquarters was located, had not yet done so.
Just as Zhou Ming was pondering whether something had happened to Lei Yuan, sound suddenly came from the phone again.
“Brother Zhou, I was pulled by my teacher to participate in an absolutely confidential scientific research project, so I won’t be able to contact you for the time being. Please don’t worry about me.”
“Also, I’ve mailed you a set of materials. They should be what you need. Please remember to pick them up at the Qinghui Base Post Office in time.”
“Miss you~”
When the final voice carrying a hint of shyness ended, the message was immediately disconnected.
The phone then prompted that the message time was Alliance Calendar Year Six Hundred Eighty, August Fifteenth.
“So quickly she’s already touching the Alliance Academy of Sciences’ confidential research?”
“She really shines wherever she goes.”
When Zhou Ming heard the last three words Lei Yuan said, the gloom that had formed in his heart due to the Scorpion-Lion’s revelations instantly dissipated completely.
“I wonder what this girl has mailed me?”
Upon learning that Lei Yuan had sent him materials, Zhou Ming’s curiosity was immediately stirred.
Without hesitation, Zhou Ming flagged down a passing taxi and headed straight for the Qinghui Base Post Office.
Given the environment the Alliance was currently facing, there were no longer any privately contracted courier companies between bases. Only the Alliance itself could undertake postal services.
After arriving at the post office, Zhou Ming explained his purpose. To his surprise, the method Lei Yuan used to send the package was of the highest security level, requiring identity verification before Zhou Ming could receive it.
Hearing the requirement raised by the post office staff, Zhou Ming became even more curious about the contents Lei Yuan had mailed.
Fingerprint verification succeeded, and only then did Zhou Ming smoothly obtain the item Lei Yuan had sent—a small suitcase, and it was encrypted.
Lei Yuan did not test Zhou Ming with the password to open the case. After Zhou Ming received her message, his phone automatically received a text message. This had been preset.
It was the date when Zhou Ming and Lei Yuan had met at Qinghui Base.
Zhou Ming found a café and, inside a quiet private room, opened the suitcase Lei Yuan had sent.
A thick stack of materials appeared before Zhou Ming’s eyes.
“Research on the Uniqueness of Spiritual Seeds”
“The Relationship Between Spiritual Power and the Soul”
“How to Induce Benign Variations in Bloodlines”
“The Connection Between Bloodlines and the Soul”
“The Evolution of Collective Consciousness”
Inside the suitcase, there were a total of five sets of materials. Every page was densely packed with tiny black text printed on both sides.
As Zhou Ming flipped past the last set of materials, a note suddenly appeared beneath it.
“Brother Zhou, I’m still quite useful, right? You wouldn’t have the heart to abandon me, would you?”
Behind the graceful handwriting, Lei Yuan had also drawn a cute smiling face.
(●'?'●)
“This girl… she didn’t steal the Academy of Sciences’ research, did she?”
Looking at the materials before him, which were clearly printed by a photocopier, Zhou Ming could not figure out how the other party had managed it.
“Teacher?”
Thinking of Lei Yuan’s message, Zhou Ming vaguely guessed that Lei Yuan might have been taken in as a student by some big-name researcher at the Academy of Sciences.
After all, Lei Yuan’s mentor at Qinghui Scientific Research University, Liu Qingyu, did not yet have the qualifications to enter the Academy of Sciences. It was obvious that Lei Yuan had recognized a new teacher within the Academy.
“That Academy bigshot probably doesn’t even know that the student he just accepted turned around and secretly stole the Academy’s research results.”
“But from this perspective, Lei Yuan is clearly valued within the Alliance Academy of Sciences. Could it be that this girl has other research achievements as well?”
Zhou Ming shook his head. Regarding research on energy crystals, during his casual chats with Lei Yuan, Zhou Ming had faintly discovered that she possessed her own unique insights.
Perhaps even Zhou Ming’s research achievements in bloodline genes fell far short of hers. After all, he relied more on half-beastman research materials to obtain a large amount of knowledge.
It could be said that Lei Yuan herself was a scientific research giant, while Zhou Ming merely stood on the shoulders of the giants who researched the half-beastman system.
“I hope nothing happens to her because of me.”
Looking at these extremely precious materials before him, Zhou Ming unexpectedly felt a trace of worry.
This was rare for him—to worry for someone else.
However, since she was participating in confidential research, there probably hadn’t been any accident yet.
After pondering for quite some time, Zhou Ming put these materials back into his spatial ring, left the café, and bought a miniature safe.
The Evergreen Fruit he had obtained from Qi Kaiyuan was placed into a jade box and then put into the safe. The outside was wrapped in cardboard and sealed tightly with tape, after which he once again came to the post office.
This time, using the address from which Lei Yuan had sent the materials, he mailed a third-tier spiritual item—the Evergreen Fruit—as a token of thanks.
Aside from delaying aging and nourishing the body, the Evergreen Fruit also had beautifying and skin-enhancing effects for women.
He had no use for this spiritual item anyway, so it could serve as a return gift for Lei Yuan.
The mailing method was set to the highest security level.
After completing the mailing procedures, Zhou Ming also sent Lei Yuan a text message.
Only after finishing all this did he leave Qinghui Base.