Chapter 511: Unexpected Profit II (1/2)
Chapter 511: Unexpected Profit II
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Kui looked at Ye Chong with an unreadable expression, ”Well, looks like you know your stuff!”
He continued, ”We got interested in biological research about a century ago, and made great discoveries.” He sounded modest, but Ye Chong could see that he was filled with pride.
”I've always been interested in biology since I was young. I believe that life is the world's greatest mystery, and the pinnacle of all secrets.” Kui looked nostalgic as he recalled, ”That's why I've been involved in the field since I was very young. In the end, I ended up in research just as I wanted. You can't imagine how much better we are in biology compared to other people. We have a lot to catch up in spatial science and mechanics when compared to the Three Aristocratic Families, but even all three of them combined will not be a match for us in biology.”
Kui sounded proud just then, and a little arrogant.
Ye Chong said nothing. He did not doubt Kui's claim. The Three Aristocratic Families were not known for their strengths in biology. Ye Chong knew little about biology, but he was familiar with one field that was intimately related to biology, and that was alchemy. Lunatic Guan's extraordinary alchemy skills still continued to amaze Ye Chong. He still could not figure out the Guan Family's auto-analytics mechanism that Lunatic Guan came up with.
Nevertheless, he did not approve of Kui's declaration that biology was the world's greatest mystery. The way he saw it, every field of knowledge had its own intricacies, and it would be meaningless to compare between them. Kui's view was too biased.
”Have you studied biology before?” Kui asked.
”No, but I've learned alchemy for a while.”
”Alchemy?” Kui grew excited, ”Not bad, not bad, alchemy is a branch of biology.”
He lowered his head in thought, mumbling to himself, ”Perhaps, giving it to him will be a wise choice.”
Ye Chong did not catch his expression. He was still talking to Shang.
”Ye, this guy is definitely not some average Research Consortium engineer,” Shang warned Ye Chong, sounding certain of himself.
”Why do you say that?” Ye Chong asked. He did not see anything particularly outstanding about Kui, apart from his easy going demeanor.
”Humph, there are too many signs of suspicion! How would a normal engineer know so many secrets?” Shang noted disapprovingly, then laughed, ”But Ye, don't worry about it for now, he's not looking to mess with you yet.”
Kui seemed to reach a decision then. He looked up at Ye Chong and said, ”Come with me.”
Kui walked out of the memory chip room and entered another corridor. The corridor went downwards. A travellator moved them along the corridor.
Kui turned back to Ye Chong and said, ”Better keep that. You can't fly in here. If the system detects any flying objects, security will automatically retaliate.”
”He's right,” Shang whispered to Ye.
Ye Chong obeyed and withdrew Shang.
Ye Chong and Kui stood on the travellator as it brought them further down along the sloping corridor. On both sides of the travellator were exhibits separated from them by glass. All kinds of weird flora were within these glass chambers. Ye Chong recognized some of them, but not for most of them.
Kui had his head lowered, fully absorbed in whatever he had in mind.
Ye Chong watched the plants passed by in a daze. There were many real life specimens here that he had never seen before, which he recognized only through Lunatic Guan's chip. This was a learning experience for him.
Alchemy was something quite different of all the skills that Ye Chong had picked up. He had not spent much time in it, but instead had relied on Lunatic Guan's auto-analytics mechanism to overcome most of the obstacles he came across. However, he realized that alchemy was a very useful skill, and had always appreciated the opportunity to learn more when it presented itself.
”How many do you recognize?” Kui asked from behind him.
”115,” Ye Chong answered without delay. He was always sensitive to numbers, a habit he picked up from Mu.
”115?” Kui sounded surprised. ”You know that many?”
Ye Chong replied, ”Yes, but I've only seen 52 of them in real life. The other 63 are from a memory chip my teacher gave to me.”
”Who's your teacher?” Kui looked agitated.
”Her name is Guan Ling.” Ye Chong was surprised that he remembered her name at all. The silhouette of the woman with a wine glass in her hand, leaning lazily against the door frame as her eyes gazed outwards, lost in thought, came to his mind unbidden.
”A beauty, lost at a young age,” Shang sighed.
”Guan Ling?” Kui looked like he was trying to recall something, and then it came to him. He looked even more surprised as he said, ”Guan Ling … You mean Guan Ling of May's Night Ridge on Guang Hua?”
Now it was Ye Chong's turn to be surprised. ”You know her?”
Kui did not answer him. He was studying Ye Chong closer, not quite believing it, ”You are Guan Ling's student? You truly are Guan Ling' student?”
Ye Chong nodded,”If you mean Guan Ling of May's Night Ridge on Guang Hua, then that's right.”
”Wonderful! Wonderful! Haha!” Kui was almost jumping with joy, ”Haha, and I was worried you might not have the basics! So you're Guan Ling's student! The Heavens smile upon me, now all my work will not go to waste! Haha!”
Ye Chong could not understand Kui's excitement, and repeated his question, ”You know her?”
It took another three minutes before Kui finally calmed down. ”I've been to the free space zone when I was younger. That's where I first heard of Guan Ling. She was very famous in the alchemy circle in the free space zone, it's a pity I've never met her in person. I've studied a few of her products. She is truly an amazing alchemist. I was worried that you might not have the basics, but there's nothing to worry about now.”
Basics? Did he mean basics in biology? Ye Chong was confused.
”Shang, do you think he'll just give it to me?” Ye Chong asked Shang in his mind.
”Who knows? Sigh, it's not a photo album anyway. People nowadays are losing their creativity, look at the lousy gifts they come up with …” Shang mumbled in complaint.
Ye Chong realized that he was asking the wrong person.
He asked Kui directly, ”What are you offering me?”
Kui paused a bit before laughing, ”You're blunt, but I like that!” He then smiled teasingly, ”You'll know when you see it.”
The travellator moved them forward at an even pace. Ye Chong estimated that they had covered about five kilometers.
Kui was beginning to look pale. His chest was no longer bleeding, but the skeleton within was exposed. The flesh around his wound was beginning to turn gray.
Kui saw the look Ye Chong was giving him and smiled easily, ”Don't worry. The product's reliable, there won't be any accidents. We still have two hours, plenty of time.”
Ye Chong was silent. Underneath Kui's easy demeanor was so much regret and dissatisfaction.