death of hope

Chapter 965 "Psionic Storm" (41) Lofty Ambitions

"Holy crap, this kid...did he finish the mission?!"

The researchers were initially amazed, then began to whisper among themselves in small groups:

"Wow, he survived that? That guy's got a tough life."

"Just lucky. Zero was probably sleeping too deeply, which greatly reduced his psionic energy."

"Yeah, he won't be so lucky next time! Next time, that kid's brains will pop out of his head like popcorn!"

A female researcher couldn't stand it anymore and tapped her finger on the table, saying, "Hey, hey, hey, why are you cursing someone to die? Aren't you stupid?"

Isn't it great that he got this job? Our stalled research can resume! Besides, in the professor's eyes, this kid is more important than you or me!

"Uh... indeed, our project team has no shortage of experts and professors, but we lack a capable lab assistant, an anti-psychic talent."

The psionicists' expressions instantly changed: "Let's hope this guy lives a little longer!"

"Hey, hey, hey, stop talking, show some manners, ladies and gentlemen~" Project leader Ryan Elson clapped the first claps, cleared his throat, and brought his mouth close to the microphone:

"Congratulations on passing the test, Mr. Li Ang. You are truly an outstanding talent. We will be colleagues from now on, so please take good care of us."

·
Li Ang should reply with a polite "thank you" or something similar.
Born into nobility, he cared far more about social etiquette than ordinary people. Moreover, this was just the most basic courtesy in dealing with people; anyone with a modicum of manners should have responded.

However, because he was so focused, Li Ang was oblivious to everything, standing there blankly in the middle of the room.
(This...this...)
His eyes were wide open, like saucers, staring intently at Zero.

The fear of narrowly escaping death had vanished, replaced by a feeling of unease never before experienced:
(This is...too much...)
"Haha, this kid's eyes are glued to him, he's totally captivated!"

Dr. Lane did not blame Li Ang for his rudeness, because he himself had the same reaction when he was first called to the research institute by his teacher and observed Zero up close for the first time.

At this moment, Joseph was already busy beside Leon, the old man typing commands on the keyboard, checking the dense data on the monitor, and glancing at it before saying:
"It's so beautiful, isn't it?"

These words struck a chord with Li Ang, who shuddered as if electrocuted, realizing his lapse in composure, and with a flushed face, averted his gaze from Zero.
"I'm sorry, Chief... I was lost in thought just now..."

"If you're a grown man and you see number zero, and you don't lose focus, you should see an ENT doctor to check if there's anything wrong with you."

Joseph, usually a rather serious old scholar, was now in a great mood and started joking around, his fingers typing on the keyboard without slowing down at all:

"In my opinion, no vulgar words are enough to describe the beauty of Zero, just as mortals cannot be compared with gods."

Zero's existence revolutionized the entire academic world; his powerful psychic energy was unmatched even by the Queen of the Enchantress Clan, who considered herself a demigod.

We should maintain reverence for the unknown and mysterious. There is no more precious experimental subject than her, and no mortal should harbor any improper thoughts about her.

At this point, Joseph's smile gradually disappeared, and his tone became stern and harsh:
"I have a duty to protect this treasure of psionics; therefore, I forbid my students, and any researcher, from having any overly intimate contact with Zero, including you, of course."

If I see you doing anything inappropriate, not even a little groping, no matter how capable you are, you'll be fired immediately, pack your things and get out…”

·
Joseph rambled on, some of his words sounding incoherent, like the ravings of a madman.
Li Ang remained patient. He knew that there was only a fine line between a top genius and a madman, and it was inevitable that the old man, as a leading figure in the field of psionics, would sometimes act strangely.

Li Ang's attention returned to Zero, his heart pounding, memories of his home planet Iks echoing in his mind;

Those who are wealthy and prominent always manage to marry top models and movie stars. Over generations, their physical genes become increasingly perfect. By the time of Li Ang's generation, the prestigious Ikes Academy was filled with spoiled handsome men and beautiful women.

Spending too much time in this environment inevitably leads to aesthetic fatigue; even close-up photos of big stars on magazine covers can seem unremarkable.
Unlike those spoiled brats, Li Ang devoted all his energy to studying and training, not daring to waste a single second. He used his youth to improve himself and was completely immersed in the sense of responsibility to restore his family's glory.
All the noble ladies who pursued him were ignored, to the point that people began to question his sexual orientation. In countless dreams, Li Ang envisioned his future...
Like the wise and valiant knight ancestors in the family history, who managed their territory to become prosperous and wealthy, and then sacrificed themselves in a glorious battle, their people reforged their broken swords, restored their statues, and compiled their biographies for generations to come to worship and commemorate them—only in this way can one's achievements be considered immortal.
For the ambitious men of the Vilnius family, loyalty, diligence, bloodshed as glory, and becoming a paragon of chivalry were the perfect life models. With such grand ambitions, sentimental love seemed out of place and vulgar.

Today, a fateful encounter has stirred something within Leon Vilnius.
(Zero...she's simply...)

It turns out that there are other things in this world besides glory that are worth pursuing...
·
Joseph was unaware of the turmoil in the young man's heart. He only saw the young man staring blankly at the bed frame and grinning foolishly, so he said to himself:
“I noticed it the day Zero was captured and brought here. She was surrounded by a holy aura. Did you notice it?”

“No…” Li Ang shook his head.

Joseph reached out and adjusted his glasses, his respectful expression like that of a devout believer visiting a shrine.

"Unlike any known spectrum, rays, energy flow, or magnetic field..."

This halo is emitted by powerful and abundant spiritual energy; I would call it the purest and truest, divine aura…”

Li Ang couldn't understand a word the old man was rambling on about; he simply nodded and bowed mechanically in respect.

"Uh... I don't quite understand, but it seems pretty impressive..."

"I didn't expect you to understand anyway, just focus on doing your job well."

Joseph pushed aside the keyboard, skillfully rolled up his size zero sleeve, tied a rubber band around his slender arm, and injected a vial of pale blue liquid into a vein beneath his fair skin:

"Interference stance, intracranial inhibitors, and injections of medication..."

These safety measures are all designed to prevent a psionic burst from occurring at Zero, which is something that a mortal body cannot withstand and is even more terrifying than a nuclear power plant overload explosion.

Your responsibility as the chief assistant is to maintain the proper functioning of these devices, keep Zero stable, prevent unforeseen circumstances, and assist my students in carrying out this research project.

"no problem!"

Li Ang stood ramrod straight, his heels snapping as he gave an Iksian naval salute:
"I will do my best, Director!"

"Effort? That's not enough!"

Joseph shook his head:

"You must fully utilize your talents and strengths to ensure everything goes perfectly!"

"Understood, Director! I can do it!"

"That's more like it~ You need to understand the implications. If any safety measure goes wrong, it can lead to a major accident with casualties."

Not only quality, but also efficiency! Diego's death has slowed down our research progress; you must do better than him!
I'm old and have a malignant tumor. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy will cause irreversible damage to my brain. I can't afford to delay any longer. Before I get dementia, I need to hurry up and do my research to explore the ultimate mysteries of psionic science!

Kid, you should be able to tell that I'm not like those profit-driven executives at head office.

Those guys only have stocks, short-term profits, luxury yachts, and gold toilets on their minds; they're vulgar and mediocre.
Their names will not be remembered by the world, and history books will not dedicate a page to describing some fat, nouveau riche businessman. But I am different; I am a man determined to win the Nobel Prize in Psionics!

Zero...she's my last chance...

Imagine the explosive growth of psionic technology, the Terra Federation's unparalleled industrial capacity and population density, and the addition of psionic technology to address its shortcomings—what immense war potential would be unleashed! The galaxy would belong to humanity!
My name will appear in history books, alongside great thinkers like Obinstein and Newton!
And you will help me.
"Achieve this great feat!"