Ruan Chen chuckled, casually rolling up her sleeves. A thin gold thread shimmered on her slender wrist, making her skin appear as white as snow.
She remained calm as she looked at Nan Jing. "Director Nan, what did I say last time? You weren't telling me the truth."
Nan Jing lowered her head and rubbed her nose somewhat awkwardly, explaining, "I was mainly afraid of scaring you."
Ruan Chen naturally wouldn't say that what she encountered was far more bizarre than any higher-level civilization—the dreams that had haunted her for years had always followed another timeline of her life.
Besides this, Ruan Chen had another worry in her heart.
Previously, when she was at Fu Jian's house and her mind was pulled into another timeline, she followed 26-year-old Ruan Chen to the basement of the Little White Building, where she entered No. 1 High School. She was supposed to have a chance to meet Ruan Chen from the tragic world in the laboratory at No. 1 High School, but now the competition is over and she is about to enter university, so she will no longer have the opportunity to go to the laboratory building.
If this event doesn't happen again, will this timeline still exist? Will Ruan Chen from the tragic world still enter the basement and come to No. 1 Middle School?
If Ruan Chen's timeline in Les Misérables remains unchanged, and she still arrives at the laboratory, then who does she meet?
"Ruan Chen?" Nan Jing called out several times, "What are you thinking about?"
"I think... the universe is so vast, it's only natural that it would give rise to more advanced civilizations. I just don't know if they live in the Triad Galaxy or some other galaxy." Ruan Chen spoke absentmindedly, "Is there only one civilization in the universe that is superior to us, or are there more?"
"The most crucial question is, why do they eliminate geniuses among humanity? Have we threatened them? Is the technological screen a manifestation of the universe's self-awareness, or the work of these civilizations?"
Ruan Chen's voice echoed in the room. As soon as she entered, she noticed that the room was made entirely of metal, completely blocking all signals. Judging from the decor, it was quite old. It seemed that this was a place specially set up by the Martial Arts Research Institute to block "their" surveillance.
Fu Jianzhi walked over, placed several cups of hot tea in front of them, and then took over Ruan Chen's question.
He replied, "That's not the case. Although human technological progress in recent years has been slow, it hasn't been without progress. At the very least, we can be sure that their advantage over us is only in their different life forms. Virtual signals can serve as the carriers of their lives."
At this point, Fu Jianzhi snorted, his dark eyes filled with disgust and contempt. "We don't yet know how they came to Blue Star, but since their arrival, they've clung to human civilization like parasites. Stealing from human civilization isn't enough for them; they also stifle human geniuses, attempting to halt the development of human civilization in this way..."
He suddenly fell silent.
The other three stared intently at him with strange looks.
"Jane...aren't you getting a little too emotional?"
Fu Jianzhi was simply recalling something that had happened on another timeline.
“I just hate vampires,” he muttered.
Ruan Chen assumed he was thinking of Fu Chengyu, so she changed the subject, "Was human civilization the first civilization they parasitized?"
"I doubt it. Based on human history, we have long since deduced their course of action. It doesn't seem like they're doing this for the first time; they're too skilled at it."
Ruan Chen rested her chin on her hand, pondered for a moment, and finally lowered her eyes, "Then let's enroll, Instructor Duan. I really can't wait to meet them."
She added in her mind that she couldn't wait to get back the blood debt owed to Feng Yuankai.
She said this to Duan Jingfu, and both Duan Jingfu and Fu Jianzhi breathed a sigh of relief. This meant that Ruan Chen's decision had not changed, and she had still chosen Jinghua University of Technology.
Nan Jing couldn't sit still any longer. "Let's discuss it some more."
Ruan Chen did not answer.
"A scholarship? I can give you the highest-level scholarship in the entire college!"
Ruan Chen didn't speak, but Duan Jingfu laughed out loud, "Nan Jing, aren't you underestimating our Ruan Chen?"
Money doesn't really mean much to Ruan Chen right now.
Nan Jing then offered a new deal: "Ruan Chen, as long as you join the First Academy, I can promise you that you will be the next director of the research institute. Duan Jingfu can't promise you that; the Martial Arts Research Institute already has its own candidates."
His gaze then fell upon Fu Jianzhi, and he spoke to Fu Jianzhi next, "You should also know what choice is best for Ruan Chen, right?"
To be honest, Nan Jing's promise really touched Fu Jianzhi.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, given his abilities, Zhanlu's approval, Duan Jingfu's support, and the Fu family's hidden strength accumulated over a thousand years, he will become the next director of the Martial Arts Research Institute.
So where should Ruan Chen, who should be so dazzling, find her future?
But Fu Jianzhi still stubbornly looked at Ruan Chen with a wronged and pleading look in his eyes, clearly reminding Ruan Chen not to forget the promise they made to each other.
Seeing that these three people were all difficult to deal with, Nan Jing played his trump card, "Ruan Chen, not all of the Ten Famous Swordsmen are in the Martial Arts Research Institute—Cheng Ying and Xuan Yuan are in our First Academy. You should know that pilots and the Ten Famous Swordsmen are mutually exclusive, and I am Xuan Yuan's pilot—join the First Academy, and I will help you gain Xuan Yuan's approval."
Ruan Chen was truly tempted now.
She doesn't care about money or status, but she has a fervent pursuit of ability.
In this world, whatever you want to do or desire, you need the ability.
She wanted revenge for Feng Yuankai, she wanted to get back the stolen patent certificate, she wanted to know what the other timeline that had been entangled with her all these years was, she needed to find Su Ze... Ultimately, she needed power.
Before Ruan Chen could speak, Duan Jingfu said first: "If you can do it, it's not impossible, but Ruan Chen cannot be under your tutelage."
Nan Jing was truly furious this time. "Then what do you want?"
Duan Jingfu uttered four words: "Joint training".
"Ruan Chen's academic record is with Jinghua University of Technology, but we have formulated her training plan according to the dual-mentor system. In the first semester of each academic year, she will be with Jinghua University of Technology, and in the second semester, she will be with your First Military Academy. The learning content will be determined jointly by both parties."
Duan Jingfu's plan was quite clever. Jinghua University of Technology excels in the research and development of weapons in the direction of mental power, and is more adept at integrating mental power and weapons; while the First Military Academy excels in the superb control and application of mental power, focusing on honing mental power itself.
Nan Jing hesitated for a moment. Although he was not so willing, it was indeed the best choice. Duan Jingfu had already made a concession.
"make a deal."
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