Chapter Thirty-Eight: A Startled Bentley

Bentley’s reaction was lightning-fast. He bowed deeply, his body arching forward. Though the special coating covering his face masked his expression, his voice was filled with absolute reverence. "Your subject pays respects to the Saint!"

Within the Imperial Institute of Science, his identity was not that of the Commander of the Twelfth Legion, but that of the Dean. Thus, he performed the bow of a civil official.

Clara, the Vice Dean who followed closely behind, mirrored his movements with fluid precision. Her voice remained calm and waveless. "Your subject pays respects to the Saint."

"Rise."

Bai Yujing waved his hand nonchalantly, a hint of playful amusement in his tone. "I heard that you have housed the six Demon-men captured by the Twelfth Legion here, in the Imperial Institute of Science?"

Bentley’s heart sank, as if clutched by a cold, invisible hand. His first instinct was that the Saint had grown suspicious, suspecting that he might use these Demon-men for the strictly prohibited human experimentation.

The guess was far too accurate. He had indeed entertained such thoughts. Fortunately, he had restrained that mad impulse. As for his discussions regarding research methodologies with Nangong's avatar, he was not worried that Nangong Lin would act as an informant. In some sense, an avatar reflects the temperament of the original. Based on his understanding of Nangong Lin, that, too, was a soul with an endless thirst for knowledge. Such a clever man would never report him simply because of a passing thought.

"Replying to the Saint," Bentley’s voice did not falter, "I believe that by housing the Demon-men within the Institute and equipping the facility with the highest level of isolation and surveillance, we can minimize the risk of the Demon-seed contamination leaking, thereby ensuring the safety of the Empire's citizens."

He secretly felt relieved that the special black-and-white coating on his face made it impossible for anyone to scrutinize his micro-expressions.

Bai Yujing nodded and said, "I have come today to discuss this very matter with you. The essence of the Demon-men is no longer human. To thoroughly understand their properties and find a way to counter them, I grant you permission to use those irredeemable Demon-men for necessary experimental research."

He paused, then added, "Of course, this is limited only to those Demon-men who have committed heinous crimes. For those who still retain their humanity, we must continue to seek ways to save them."

Bentley’s pupils dilated instantly, a flash of ecstasy nearly shattering the composure maintained by his facial coating. "Your subject shall spare no effort and will not fail the Saint’s trust!"

He had never dreamed that the Saint would proactively grant him the research permit he craved so desperately. Having such a reaction only showed how little he truly understood Bai Yujing. Bai Yujing’s aversion to human experimentation had never changed. However, in his eyes, these Demon-men—creatures that could be hacked into pulp only to instantly reform, surviving solely by siphoning the life force of others—had long since transcended the category of "human" and were more akin to dangerous biological entities. He was only willing to preserve the dignity and rights of "humanity" for those Demon-men who still possessed a shred of human nature.

"I trust in your ability."

Bai Yujing turned to the next topic. "Now, regarding the research on Espers and the techniques of immortal cultivation, what progress have you made?"

Bentley’s spirits lifted, and he was just about to begin his report when Tucker rushed out from around the corner.

The moment he saw Bai Yujing standing by the elevator, he froze as if struck by a paralysis spell. Recalling the earth-shattering remarks the Dean and Clara had made in the laboratory just moments ago, Tucker’s breathing became as ragged and labored as a broken bellows.

What should he do? Go forward and greet him? But if he concealed those treasonous words, wouldn't he become an accomplice? Run away? That would be an even greater crime. The Dean... surely he was just talking nonsense and didn't mean it, right?

Tucker’s brain sank into a chaotic vortex; the immense moral dilemma and terror nearly tore him apart.

Bai Yujing noticed the researcher standing frozen in the middle of the corridor, his face as pale as paper, and glanced at him with curiosity. That gaze carried no pressure, yet in the eyes of the guilt-stricken Tucker, it felt as heavy as the entire firmament.

"Uh... ah... uh..."

Indistinct, drowning-like gurgles emanated from Tucker’s throat. His eyes rolled back, and his body slumped like a puppet with severed strings, crashing heavily onto the cold metal floor.

Thud!

With a muffled sound, he passed out completely.

"?"

Bai Yujing was slightly stunned.

When Bentley saw Tucker’s state, he felt a bucket of ice water poured over him from head to toe. It was over! This Tucker! He had research talent, but his emotional intelligence in dealing with people... it was negative beyond measure!

Thump.

Bentley did not hesitate; his knees slammed into the floor, his forehead pressed against the cold ground. "Saint, please calm your anger! Your subject... I spoke too quickly in the laboratory earlier and made some reckless jokes. Researcher Tucker is a straightforward person with a simple mind. He didn't understand the joke and was startled, and then seeing you so suddenly, the mental strain was too much, which is why he fainted. I am guilty of a capital offense! Please, Saint, forgive me!"

Clara knelt down immediately, her forehead also touching the ground, her movements as precise as a copy. She remembered her father’s warning and kept her mouth tightly shut, saying nothing.

Lucia’s brows furrowed tightly, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. "Dean Bentley, what kind of ‘joke’ could scare a grown man into fainting?"

Bai Yujing remained silent.

The air seemed to solidify into lead, pressing heavily upon Bentley. Kneeling on the ground, he could clearly hear his heart drumming wildly against his ribs, every beat making his eardrums ache. His limbs were icy, and his blood seemed to have ceased its flow. The shadow of death had never loomed so clearly over him.

He feared death. To die meant he could no longer conduct experiments or explore the boundaries of knowledge. He wished he could slap himself twice: *You and your loose tongue!*

Time felt as though it had been stretched a thousandfold, each second as long as a century. Just as the stifling silence reached its peak, Bai Yujing’s hand gently rested on his shoulder.

"!!!"

Bentley shuddered, nearly collapsing on the spot, held up only by the last shred of his willpower.

"A few harmless jokes; there is no need to be so nervous." Bai Yujing’s voice carried a strange sense of tolerance. "However, Bentley, remember: in this world, not everyone can understand your ‘jokes’."

"Yes! Yes! I shall carve the Saint’s teachings into my heart and never forget them!"

Bentley felt as if he had been granted a reprieve. Only then did he realize that his white lab coat was already soaked through with cold sweat, clinging to his skin in a chilly layer. He finally understood the terrifying pressure Tucker had just endured.

Bai Yujing lifted him from the ground with one hand and casually brushed some non-existent dust from his shoulder. "Now, continue with what you were saying before you were interrupted."

"Yes... yes."

Bentley quickly gathered his wits, took a deep breath, and tried to steady his voice. "Based on the immortal cultivation texts provided by Nangong Lin, combined with the physiological feedback from the three Espers who have successfully channeled energy into their bodies, we used the 'Tiangong' system to conduct large-scale simulations. The preliminary conclusion is that for those at the Control Realm and below, the risks of attempting cultivation are relatively manageable. Once they step into the Transcendent Realm..."

He spoke faster, "As the source-matter circuits in the body expand, they inevitably conflict with the meridian pathways required for the cultivation techniques. At best, this causes chaotic source energy and the total loss of cultivation; at worst, it leads to the collapse of the source-matter circuits, endangering life itself."

Bentley paused, then added, "Of course, these are merely the results of 'Tiangong' based on existing models; actual individual differences and higher-level scenarios still require empirical observation. Our core proposed solution is that instead of forcing the two to remain separate, we should attempt to modify the techniques so that the mana flows directly within the source-matter circuits. This requires solving several key problems, such as how the source-matter circuits can absorb spiritual energy, how to convert source energy into mana, and furthermore..."

He immediately entered a state of self-forgetfulness, beginning to expound at length on various esoteric terminologies, technical hurdles, and potential paths to a solution.

Bai Yujing listened attentively.

Finally, Bentley’s report came to an end. He looked at the Saint with anticipation and a hint of imperceptible anxiety.

Bai Yujing thought for a moment, then nodded. "Very well, proceed according to your plan."