Quadruple split.

Chapter 2659 Interlude - More
Gahrez sat there somewhat bewildered, his mind unable to process what was happening.

In his mind, he had only been working hard to complete the tasks and projects assigned by his mentor. As for terms like "Tower of Sin," this was the first time Gajeres had ever heard of them.

However, he quickly realized what was going on and immediately deduced that he had completed the data verification in the lab the day before yesterday at noon, and that the project he had compiled into his 'homework' as soon as the [Innocent Realm] server opened that evening was the [Tower of Immersion] that the two of them had mentioned.

In Gahrez's mind, it should be a special device that can operate in the form of 'broadcast'. The core problem with this device was that the nature of its central core was too unstable, which led to a high probability that its own form of existence would be seriously deviated during the broadcasting process, and eventually it would self-collapse at an unbelievable speed. The task assigned by Merlin was to find a way to make the special device operate stably for more than 24 hours in a simulated environment.

To give a simple example, imagine a powerful flamethrower. While its destructive power is considerable, its side effect is that the flamethrower itself will melt under high temperature within seconds of the user pulling the trigger. Merlin's task for Gajeres is to ensure that this flamethrower can function properly for at least a minute.

This task was undeniably difficult, especially considering that Merlin hadn't revealed the detailed specifications of the device to Gajres, only providing him with basic information such as its general structure and corresponding conditions. This suggests that the old man probably didn't have any expectations of him in the first place.

Of course, this is not because Merlin does not value Gajres. In fact, as the old man's most reliable ox or horse so far, the latter can be said to be very favored. As for the parameters whose specific data were not disclosed to Gajres, it was not out of malicious concealment or secrecy, but because Merlin believed that if he could not handle it, Gajres would probably not be able to handle it either. Therefore, it would be pointless to let him spend too much time on this topic, so it was better to simply set a higher threshold.

In other words, Merlin's original plan was to let Gajres get a basic understanding of the project and then give up, but he also had this thought in mind that he could think about it in his spare time, and then when he had time later, he would take him along to tackle the project related to the "Tower of Sin".

However, Gajres's work this time far exceeded Merlin's expectations. Although he still failed to provide any standard solutions, and often only had a simple idea, these things that seemed to be just to get his assignments barely passable actually became the piece of the puzzle that could revitalize the entire project.

Or rather, although Gahrez thought he was only offering a tiny, insignificant optimization idea on top of his mentor’s brilliant concept, this idea was almost immediately transformed by Merlin into the key to overcoming the most difficult part, making the whole design clear.

Is it because Gajrez is exceptionally talented?

The answer is probably no. Although Gajres is indeed a top student in the conventional sense, and with proper training, he might even have the opportunity to become a contestant in various specialized competitions, this does not mean that he can become a scientist.

Merlin's true skill level, even among scientists, is absolutely monstrous and unfair.

So how did Gajrez manage to do it?
The answer is just as Merlin just said: although Gajres is not a genius, he is better at solving problems in a more human way than Merlin.

Although this statement may seem a bit sarcastic, it is an honest assessment without any exaggeration, and even an acknowledgment of Gahrez's way of thinking.

Whether one is a genius or an ordinary person, being able to exceed the scope of Merlin's assignment and achieve the key steps that even Merlin himself could not overcome is an achievement that surpasses countless accolades.

This is the main reason why Gahrez, who is not stupid and has quick reflexes, was somewhat stunned at this moment. He really did not expect that he could actually help his mentor complete a project in a meaningful way, and even play a decisive role in it.

"Don't be happy too early."

Merlin glanced at Gajres, who hadn't yet started grinning foolishly, with a precognitive look, and said calmly, "While mortals' ideas can occasionally shine, I remember someone once said that those who truly excel in scientific research rely on 1% talent and 99% effort. I think that's true, but... the premise is multiplication."

Jiawen leaned forward slightly and asked with interest, "What does multiplication mean?"

"Multiplication means that if 60 is a passing grade, then most people's talent is between 0.2 and 0.5."

Merlin chuckled and explained casually, "For example, a person who is both smart and hardworking might have a final score of 0.5 talent multiplied by 90 effort, which is 45 points."

Upon hearing this, Jiawen immediately clicked her tongue and exclaimed, "That's too tragic!"

"No, you must remember that I just said 'someone who can stand out in the field of scientific research.' In fact, someone who scores 45 points is already a pillar of the scientific research community."

Merlin shook his head and casually asked Gavin, "Let's take mathematics as an example. What do you think mathematics is?"

Jiawen paused for a moment, then answered with considerable pride: "Mathematics belongs to the formal sciences. It is a universal means for humans to rigorously describe and deduce the abstract structure and patterns of things. It can be applied to any problem in the real world. All mathematical objects are essentially defined by humans."

Merlin nodded: "You memorized them while looking at those online terms?"

Jiawen smiled and said, "Mm!"

Merlin: "That's pure nonsense."

Jiawen: "..."

"Gahrez".

Merlin then turned to Gahrez and asked, "Tell me, what is mathematics in your opinion?"

Gajres, who was suddenly called out, was also taken aback, and then hesitated and said: "A calm sea, and I am a small boat that is being explored deeper and deeper by the protection of countless sages. After experiencing countless hardships, I realized that there was a great terror hidden in the port town when I set sail, and that the reason and common sense that have always protected me are actually part of a kind of madness."

"It's very romantic."

Yin Tian smiled and gave Gajres an approving look: "Very interesting."

Merlin frowned and asked, "Are you interested in Cthulhu?"

"Uh……"

Gahrez chuckled awkwardly and whispered, "I've read some books on the subject."

"Yeah, those things are pretty interesting, but that's about it."

Merlin nodded and said calmly, "I remember not long after I created my account, I also heard whispers that were probably from a Kreece creature. However, after I discussed the twin prime conjecture and the proof of 1+1 with it for a few days, it left."

Cloudy Day: "Uh...does 1+1 even need proof?"

"needs."

Gahrez nodded and thoughtfully explained, "Proving 1+1 is the final step in Goldbach's conjecture."

Although they didn't know exactly what Goldbach's Conjecture was, Yin Tian and Jia Wen had indeed heard of the term before: "..." "So, in your opinion, sir, what is mathematics?"

After a long while, Jiawen finally broke the somewhat subtle silence.

"Ordinary people watch from the bottom of the mountain as wise men climb the cliff, while the meaning of these wise men's lives is merely to leave a new rock nail on the cliff..."

Merlin took a sip of his soda and said casually, "So that some monster favored by the god of mathematics in the future can save an afternoon tea."

After a longer silence, Gavin gave a subtle, bitter smile: "Isn't this a bit too cruel?"

"That depends on your perspective."

Merlin leaned back lazily in his chair and said calmly, "Take Mo for example. He may be a bit stronger than you, but in academia, he still can't pose any threat to me because I'm too low-key. However, that doesn't stop me from objectively serving him in the Realm of Innocence, does it?"

Jiawen nodded slightly and chuckled, "It seems we should get back to the main topic."

“Gahres has solved the self-destruction problem of the [Tower of Sin]. With my improvements, his relatively rudimentary model has been put into practice on paper.”

Merlin crossed his arms, his tone calm and collected: "Right now, Osiris is in my workshop building the first production line. If all goes well, the first mass-produced [Tower of Sin] will be packaged into components and sent to the front lines within three days."

"Um……"

Jiawen nodded slightly and asked, "So, what are the differences between our current mass-produced [Immersion Tower] and the one in the plan you showed the boss before?"

"If the battery life is reduced by half, the cost will increase by three times accordingly."

Merlin glanced at Gahrez and explained, "This kid also doesn't have a solution to the pollution, but he proposed a cheaper, lower-end 'component replacement' approach. If you treat essential components as disposable consumables and recklessly overload the charging system, even the latest [Sin Core] won't be able to immediately destroy the broadcasting system. In this way—"

"The power won't be affected, right?"

Having figured this out, Gavin narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath: "So the question now is, should we allow something like the [Tower of Sin] to appear on the front lines, right?"

Merlin nodded slightly and said seriously, "That's right. Since you've seen the project overview, you should understand the consequences of using the [Tower of Sin]. Even someone like me, who isn't very sensitive to current affairs, knows that if this thing isn't handled properly, it will make us the target of everyone's criticism."

"This thing cannot be used on the front lines of battle."

Jiawen pinched her brow and shook her head slightly, saying, "Li Fo said that Tianzhu Mountain has been closely monitoring the situation in the southwest. Although Sha Wen's side has not been suspected for the time being, if the [Tower of Sin] appears on the front line, it will definitely be noticed. At that time... I'm worried that we will face the same fate as the Sun Dynasty back then."

Merlin nodded calmly: "I understand."

"But don't worry, the [Tower of Sin] will definitely come in handy."

Gavin gave a reassuring smile and said in a light tone, "In fact, according to our original timeline, the [Tower of Sin] could have been fully deployed... after the fall of the Griffin Dynasty."

Merlin nodded noncommittally and said, "Alright, let's make three units first."

Jiawen: "Huh? But now..."

“These things are not suitable for the front lines right now, of course I know that.”

Merlin raised his hand to interrupt Gavin, and said calmly, "But if it's in the back, there shouldn't be any problem, right?"

Jiawen frowned slightly and repeated softly, "Behind?"

“That’s right. Although I’ve been working on the application of [Sin] and have created devices like the [Chaotic Construct] and the [Immersion Tower], I’ve encountered a significant bottleneck in biology, which is where I’m more proficient.”

Merlin crossed his legs with some effort, stroking his beard as he said seriously, "It won't have any impact in the short term, since both Arthur and Osiris have lost their physical bodies. But I can sense that Mo is not satisfied with our current overall strength, and the miracle of the Black Edge Chapter is difficult to replicate due to the limited number of suitable candidates."

Having already vaguely guessed what Merlin was planning, Gavin pursed her lips and said softly, "So you mean, mass production..."

“I don’t know what I can create, but if I want to further develop the value of [sin], I need more test subjects.”

Merlin lowered his eyes and stroked his staff, which had somehow become an epic-quality weapon, and said softly, "Living test subject."

"!"

Upon hearing this, Yin Tian's eyes widened immediately. However, as Bai Fujin's personal secretary for many years, she completed the transformation from shock to calm in less than two seconds.

Gavin and Gahrez didn't even change their expressions, as if Merlin hadn't just said "living test subject" but rather that they planned to have a delicious chicken wing rice bowl for dinner.

“The nobles of Griffin are fond of keeping assassins, and many of their subjects, with their deep-rooted outdated ideas, are willing to give their lives for their noble lords and fight to the bitter end against the enemy.”

Merlin slowly and deliberately played with his staff, whose power had become unfathomable, and said, "Our forces are limited. Even if we can advance unstoppably, we can't spare too many men to guard against those defeated soldiers who could cause trouble at any time. In that case..."

"I see, I understand what you mean."

"so what?"

"The budget and materials for the three [Baptism Towers] will be raised as soon as possible."

"very good."

Chapter 2650: The End