The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 389 Pollution from Chaos

The corruption from the void spread silently in the shadows beneath the tower.

When Luo Yan received the message from Miller and returned to the virtual laboratory on the second floor of the Collin Tower, he immediately noticed the abnormality.

A dazzling light shone in the center of the laboratory, and the previously weak 178th virtual realm became brighter than ever before!
More than a dozen teaching assistants, who should have been working in their respective positions, were gathered around the huge virtual lens, excitedly whispering to each other.

"Incredible..."

Has this ever happened before?

"I bet you haven't! At least I've never seen it before! That so many divine messengers could exist simultaneously in a single illusory realm!"

"The number of perspectives is still expanding! Our virtual realm passage is almost overflowing!"

"Perhaps we should merge some of them..."

But what should we do?

"I don't know... but His Highness Colin might have a solution."

To be honest, Prince Colin didn't have any good ideas either, and at this moment, he was just as surprised as they were.

Looking at that dazzling illusory realm, Luo Yan raised his eyebrows slightly.

He remembered that before he left, the virtual lens was only about a meter long, but now it had expanded into a huge window with a diameter of more than five meters!

Moreover, this window actually accommodates so many different perspectives!
Countless different perspectives pieced together to form a vast scroll, with the boiling flames of war spreading along the cold mirror surface, engulfing the world constructed of steel forests.

The towering flames dyed the gray sky blood red, and flashes of explosions rose and fell. Countless agile figures moved through the ruins, launching a desperate charge towards those once invincible "towers".

This is……

what's the situation?
Luo Yan wasn't surprised by the changes in the Grey World, after all, he was the one who orchestrated them all. However, he hadn't expected that these changes wouldn't just be limited to the world behind the Void Realm, but would also alter the shape of the Void Realm passage itself.

"tutor!"

Miller was the first among the researchers present to recover from the shock of the scene and notice the arrival of his mentor.

His face was a mixture of surprise and elation, as if he had witnessed a miracle.

Luo Yan watched as he quickened his pace and walked up to him, speaking excitedly.

"Mentor! We did it! Everything went exactly as you predicted!"

"Don't rush, tell me slowly, tell me what happened," Luo Yan said gently, calming his agitated emotions.

Miller nodded excitedly and quickly, then took a deep breath to calm himself down from his excitement.

Then, he quickly recounted everything that had just happened to his respected mentor.

From the moment the researchers on duty discovered that the materialists had shot their chosen messenger, to their sudden realization that time had advanced more than twenty years behind the illusory realm…

"...We lost Jon, but every Grey became Jon! Their spirit, their soul, seemed to have completely merged into one at the moment of Jon's death!"

"This is incredible! We are certain that they are all independent individuals, yet their mental frequencies are remarkably similar! We can clearly observe that each soul behind the virtual realm is emitting different ripples, but these ripples can resonate with each other!!"

Luo Yan stroked his chin with interest.

Is this situation rare?

“Of course!” Miller nodded hastily, his longing gaze once again fixed on the virtual lens not far away. “Do you know what this means? Each of them can communicate with each other and share knowledge and information, just like we and Jon do!”

After listening to Miller's report, Luo Yan's interest gradually turned into surprise and genuine curiosity.

His plan was undoubtedly a success.

Moreover, the results were even more amazing than expected.

He anticipated that Jon's death would be the fuse that ignited everything, but he never expected that this explosion would give birth to the "ascension" of a species.
He couldn't think of a better word than "ascension" to describe the incredible changes that were affecting an entire population.

Meanwhile, the Grey "Psionicists" in the virtual realm, through continuous exploration and comprehension of their own powers, quickly began to demonstrate "bug-level" combat capabilities in the war.

The materialists of the Greys still rely on walkie-talkies to communicate, but the psionicists are already able to exchange information regardless of communication barriers.

The spiritual resonance brought them a huge tactical and strategic advantage.

Even though the Grey Federation's firearms were far more powerful than the still-developing psionic abilities of these psionicists, it was difficult for even the most powerful weapons to eliminate an omnipresent adversary.

and--

These psychics from the "Cosmic Spirits" cult do not reject the use of firearms.

They are very familiar with the Federation's methods, so they will deliberately detonate an electromagnetic pulse to create an area of ​​electronic paralysis, and then rush into the location where the Federation's regular troops are stationed to carry out a precise surgical strike on the main target.

Actually, Luo Yan didn't understand what the burst of light was at first either.

But as drones plummeted from the sky like dumplings being dropped into a pot, and the regular federal troops fought haphazardly like headless flies in the maze-like alleyways, he quickly realized—

That's EMP!

The transmigrator's insight unexpectedly came in handy; if he were a native of the continent of Os, he certainly wouldn't understand such a rare thing.

As for Miller and the other teaching assistants, they could only guess. They interpreted the light as a special kind of magic capable of destroying the runes on the "metal golem."

In terms of the outcome, this understanding is not wrong.

Watching the Grey Army achieve victory after victory, a strong sense of curiosity flashed in Luo Yan's eyes. Especially when he thought of his own players, who seemed to possess similar abilities.

They are able to exchange in-game information by communicating offline, and recently this tactic seems to have been quite well-developed by them.

They would even agree on when to go online and when to go offline, using a timer to ensure smooth communication.

Miller.

Seeing the teaching assistants looking at him expectantly, Luo Yan finally spoke.

His voice was as calm as ever, yet it carried an undeniable authority and charisma that commanded the respect of everyone present.

"From now on, we need to make some adjustments to our work focus."

"I need you to carefully observe the Greys' mental network and figure out what it is."

"And how to use the insights we gain from the virtual realm for our own purposes."

Miller's expression was more solemn than ever before, no less so than that of the demon generals under Luo Yan's command, and he bowed respectfully.

"Yes, Master!"

Luo Yan nodded and turned to step into the shadows of the stairwell.

"Notify me if there is any new intelligence."

……

The war behind the No. 178 virtual realm continues. The battle between cybernetic soldiers and psionicists has only just escalated from a small-scale conflict into a full-scale war, and further developments remain to be seen.

However, it is certain that the lifespan of the Grey Federation has come to an end within its foreseeable timeframe.

From the moment Jon died.

Or rather, from the moment he met the new god Colin.

The sparks of hope have finally ignited a prairie fire; the once unshakeable towers are crumbling, one after another…

Just as the Greys' tower began to collapse, the Great Sage's Tower finally received Prince Colin's second "bombshell".

That was the latest paper published in the Wise Man's Journal, and its contents shocked all the eagerly awaiting scholars.

No one expected that the virtual resources that had been depleted in the hands of Mentor Merck would actually be saved!
In the past fifty years of Xuebang's research on virtual realms, there has never been a precedent where a virtual realm channel that has weakened to this extent could actually be stabilized again!

The general consensus among sages regarding channels that are about to break down is to do everything possible to squeeze out the last bit of remaining value from them.

However, Prince Colin's research now offers professors struggling with the unsustainable development of virtual resources a completely new and infinitely possible approach!

"This is simply a miracle!"

In the apprentice canteen, a bespectacled mage couldn't help but excitedly shout out, sharing his latest discovery from the Sage's Gazette with the other mages who were also paying attention to the forefront of academic research, which attracted envious glances from a group of prospective students.

Although few apprentices have access to virtual resources, this does not prevent them from being proud of the breakthroughs in virtual technology.

And I have a deep admiration for those senior students who can understand academic papers.

Barrett silently made up his mind, vowing that one day he would reach the edge of the Void Realm, just like his seniors!

He took a big bite of the bread in his hand and chewed it vigorously.

His roommates have stopped talking to him lately, and he has no other friends. Studying hard is the only thing he can do right now...

Inside the dining hall, people were discussing it everywhere; it seemed as if Prince Colin's name had been permanently etched into the hall.

Kuhls walked through the chattering crowd with mixed feelings.

Since his falling out with Ilana, he has rarely mentioned Prince Colin's name, but the prospective students still occasionally recall that the respected Mr. Kurs was the "first" senior to boast about Prince Colin's extraordinary qualities.

Being well-informed often implies a powerful background, but in Xuebang, a black box even darker than the Holy City, people can only satisfy their curiosity about the top of the tower by guessing and rumors passed down by word of mouth.

Kuers actually took advantage of this to satisfy his vanity, deliberately creating a persona of himself as someone with "all-powerful connections" among his apprentices.

Especially since they didn't know what happened at the library that day, and their impression of him was still based on the time when he and Ilana had a good relationship.

So, in the mouths of some idiots, the story inexplicably became—Ilana became Prince Colin's teaching assistant through the introduction of senior student Kurs.

Later, it was simplified to him recommending Ilana to His Highness the Prince.

A few months ago, Kurs would probably have given a knowing smile and said something like, "Keep it low-key." But now, hearing those words only makes him blush, filled with anger and shame.

It's like giving away your beloved goddess.

But it happens—

He couldn't stand up and refute it.

After all, those rumors only circulate privately. Taking them too seriously will not only damage your "well-informed" persona, but also make people think you're being unreasonable.

Enduring the admiring gazes that he both loved and hated, he walked to his own little circle and sat down.

Just as the plate of bread flew to his face, the clear voices of several unfamiliar apprentices talking at the next table drifted over.

"My God, did you guys see today's 'Sage's Gazette'? Instructor Colin is simply a god! He really brought back the 178th Void Realm!"

"Although I couldn't understand a single word of the theories about 'mental networks' and 'soul resonance' in the paper..."

"Nonsense! If you could understand it, would you still be sitting here?"

"Sigh, I wish I had chosen his class back then."

"That stingy guy in our dorm, who always tries to eat alone, didn't even say a word. I can forgive him for everything else, but he even has to take advantage of this!"

"I heard that His Highness even personally instructs the prospective students in their studies, and he's so approachable! Compared to him, some of our teaching assistants in the tower are much more arrogant!"

"Yes... I've heard that too. He's a really nice guy! You get credits for assignments you hand in, whether you attend his class or not. He's much easier to get along with than that stubborn Hector!"

"Shh! Don't let Hector's apprentice hear you!"

The apprentice sitting next to Kuls gently nudged his arm, looking at his respected senior with obvious admiration.

“You guessed it all along, didn’t you, Mr. Coulson?”

Kuers' expression stiffened slightly, but he still coughed and said.

“Of course… I’ve already said that His Highness Colin is a true scholar who pursues the truth, so this is not difficult for him. Hmm… I guessed it from the beginning.”

The gazes surrounding him grew increasingly admiring, as if he were Prince Colin's spokesperson.

Kurs suddenly felt a little relieved. It seemed that he had just been mistaken before. Ilana had not spread the story of him speaking ill of Prince Colin.

Finn, who was sitting not far away, glanced at his senior with a mixture of sympathy and incomprehension in his eyes.

How did this guy become like this...?

……

Unlike the noisy apprentice canteen, the atmosphere in a seminar room located on the middle floor of the tower was much more serious.

Like the apprentices' canteen, this place was also filled with an irrepressible atmosphere of excitement.

A dozen or so tutors and professors with formal teaching positions at Xuebang were sitting around a long table, having a heated academic discussion about the results shown in Colin's paper.

"The results are certainly encouraging, but I believe we cannot ignore the inherent characteristics of the Greys as a species..."

An elderly professor with a slightly high hairline and a serious expression pushed up his monocle and stated his opinion in a calm tone.

"...The mental evolution they exhibited after being trapped in a desperate situation is something we have never observed in any other virtual realm. The difference between our mental state and theirs may be even greater than the difference between us and goblins. I have good reason to suspect that this success is likely an unrepeatable, species-specific case."

"I beg to differ."

Another, younger platinum-level professor immediately countered, his voice equally powerful with reason, but with something different in it.

"Your Excellency, you seem to have forgotten the fundamental premise for establishing the illusory passage—spiritual resonance. The very fact that we can exchange information with them using the power of the illusory realm proves that we share a fundamental similarity in our mental structures. If they were completely different beings from us, we would never have been able to contact them in the first place. The reason why Instructor Colin's strategy succeeded is precisely because we are 'similar' enough that our influence could stir up waves in their hearts!"

The heated debate continued, but the eyes of each scholar shone with wisdom and a thirst for knowledge, like candles being lit.

It was Colin's paper that ignited the candle in their eyes.

Although they often discuss academic issues like this, their opinions rarely differ as much as they do today.

The research methods for the virtual realm have been settled over the past fifty years. Rather than being explorers, they are more like miners hired by sages.

Just then, the door to the seminar room was suddenly pushed open, and Professor Arist Thorne walked in slowly.

He wore a gentle smile, yet his innate aura of authority instantly silenced the entire room.

"I am very pleased to see your high level of enthusiasm for academia."

Alister looked around at everyone and said in an approving tone, "I suppose this is the very foundation upon which our school is able to lead the magical research across the entire continent... Please forgive my uninvited visit; I was drawn here by that light of wisdom."

Although his condescending tone could easily make people feel uncomfortable, the scholars present all acknowledged Professor Arist's authority, so they did not feel anything was wrong. On the contrary, they were surprised by his suddenly impeccable manners.

This person is the number one below the Sage.

Although his own strength is still quite different from that of the thirteen sages, everyone believes that it is only a matter of time before he becomes the fourteenth sage and has his own school of thought.

Seeing the scholars looking at each other in bewilderment, he changed his tone, which, while still gentle, carried an air of unquestionable instruction.

"However, I also hope that everyone will not forget the resolution that the Sage Council just made not long ago. While we are enthusiastically exploring, we should also maintain the prudence of scholars and not rashly adopt radical research strategies, so as not to repeat the mistakes of the first Void Realm No. 178."

Whispers spread across the long table, then coalesced into hesitant yet clear statements.

“Professor Alistair is right…we should indeed be cautious.” “I agree.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, their initial fervor extinguished by this perfectly timed dose of cold water.

They had no idea why this reclusive professor would suddenly appear at a seminar of this caliber, but he was right; the great sage's words still resonated in their ears.

They really should be more careful.

Everyone was waiting for Professor Alistair to leave.

However, to everyone's surprise, this uninvited gentleman did not, as usual, finish his pleasantries and turn to leave.

Contrary to his usual behavior, he naturally found an empty seat at the long table and joined the academic seminar, which was not commensurate with his status.

"Excuse my bluntness," he said to the radical professor, "I have some preliminary thoughts on the universality of the 'spiritual resonance' you mentioned, which I might like to discuss with you..."

The professor paused for a moment, then looked flattered and acted like a student in front of Professor Alistair.

If Professor Hector were here, things probably wouldn't be much better.

Although they were high and mighty gods in the eyes of the apprentices, they were still far inferior to the "great sage's favorite disciple".

It's not just about strength.

It also reflects academic prestige.

Surrounded by this atmosphere of humility, Arist began to speak, offering "guidance" to each of these scholars whose academic standing was far below his own.

His insights were incisive and his logic impeccable, yet they made everyone present feel a strange sense of restraint and pressure.

The originally lively and free discussion atmosphere instantly turned into a rigid report meeting, and even the most insightful mentors chose to remain silent.

Only stones can spark when they strike each other; stones and eggs will only produce yolks. Since speaking was pointless, they chose to remain silent.

When the bizarre seminar finally came to an end, all the instructors and professors felt as if they had been granted a pardon and fled the scene almost without stopping.

It's like get out of class is over.

As he looked at the empty room and the scholars scurrying away like rats, Alistair's expression gradually turned cold.

He knew those people were afraid of him and was pleased with their humility, but he still felt a slight dissatisfaction with their "compliant resistance".

This is the biggest difference between the smart people in the Academy and the smart people in the Empire; whether they agree or disagree, they will say "Yes, Professor".

Then some people will actually listen and deliberately mess things up, while others will secretly do the opposite and pretend to be stupid after being discovered.

It's no wonder these rats can't possibly understand the Void Realm!

Alister turned to look at the full-length mirror in the corner. The ominous gray mist in the mirror still lingered beside his reflection, as if it were his own innate shadow.

"What a waste of time. Why should I share my knowledge with a bunch of guys who don't even know where the door is? My men are a hundred times better than these things."

He waved his index finger, guiding the teapot to pour himself a cup of black tea. Even the sound of the tea flowing into the cup couldn't mask the impatience in his voice.

His "divine essence" chuckled softly and reassured him in a gentle voice: "Calm down, this is just an act. You might as well learn from your opponent, he patiently starts from the smallest things... When have you ever seen him complain? Even with the humblest adventurers, he can patiently become their friend."

Alistair scoffed.

"Why should I do such a boring thing like him?"

The voice from the depths of the sky patiently said, "Of course, it's for accumulating 'influence'."

Before Alistair could speak, it continued.

"You should have realized it long ago, right? Whether it's Source Power or other extraordinary powers, their essence is actually a power called 'belief.' Of course, in the land ruled by the Os Empire, this is a sensitive topic that is not convenient to discuss openly. So you slippery people pretended to be ignorant and invented hundreds of forms of power to indirectly study this topic without mentioning the word 'faith,' such as Source Power... Am I right?"

Alistair narrowed his eyes slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his deep gaze. Then, a playful smile suddenly appeared on his lips.

"Hehe, you found out. Should I give you an award?"

His divinity whispered in a gentle voice.

"There's no need for an award; it's not difficult, after all, I am you. And... the one who brought me to your side was once just as young as you."

young.

Ha ha.

Alistair smiled faintly, inwardly unconvinced.

Isn't this a clear statement?
But it didn't matter; he guessed something the moment he saw it. After all, he had studied the Void Realm for over twenty years; how could he not know what kind of culprit was hiding behind this thing?

It's nothing more than mutual exploitation.

At least, the benefits it offered were good, even more generous than what the great sage had given him.

Being able to obtain power that is closer to the extraordinary origin than source power without relying on the virtual realm... made him feel that his long-standing bottleneck was not far away.

Even as it tries to convince itself that it shouldn't care too much about supernatural power, its divine status is a being that transcends all supernatural beings.

“It’s really unpleasant to have someone who understands me so well living in my head… So, what’s next?” Alistair’s voice regained its composure; he had decided to hear what this “self” had to say.

The cloud of gray mist seemed very satisfied with his cooperative attitude, and rolled around even more happily.

"First, you need to create a 'persona' with the potential to be mythologized, and then let it become deeply ingrained in the minds of more people, just like we did just now."

"You don't actually think those scholars like me, do you?" Alistair scoffed.

The deity spoke in a cheerful voice.

"You don't need them to like you. Fear is also a kind of faith, and isn't that what the demons in hell are exploiting?"

Alistair narrowed his eyes slightly and suddenly spoke.

"I have a question."

The distorted gray mist, like his most loyal servant, obediently bowed in the mirror.

"What's the problem, my master?"

Ignoring the humble posture, Alistair stared sharply at the gray fog in the mirror and spoke slowly, deliberately, with a hint of jealousy in his voice.

"You said the first person you found wasn't me. I'm curious who it was?"

The deity chuckled softly and countered, "Does that matter?"

"If you feel uncomfortable, you don't have to answer." Alistair's tone was very calm, as if he were just asking casually.

"It's not inconvenient at all, and even if I don't tell you, you can guess the answer, right?"

Alistair's gaze seemed to pierce through the dim mirror, revealing the young figure in another tower.

At the same time, a shadow fell over that face.

"Colin?"

“Correct,” the god replied softly, as if to spare his feelings.

Just a short time ago, it was the one that reacted the most to this name, and it even required Alistair to suppress its hostility.

Alistair paused for a moment, then continued.

"Then why did you give up?"

“I didn’t want to either, but…” The voice carried a rare hint of regret, as if sighing, “A soul can only possess one divine essence, just as a soul can only possess one personality. It’s a pity that the promising fellow has already been beaten to it.”

These words were like a bolt of lightning, instantly cleaving through all the fog in Alistair's mind.

He fell into deep thought, and the scholarly rigor and composure on his face were gradually replaced by a knowing smile.

“I see… No wonder he always does these unnecessary things. He was accumulating faith power. I underestimated him.”

But there was nothing they could do. Who would have thought that a prince of an empire would raise the banner of usurping divine power?
Although a few magicians of the Source School have roughly grasped the secret that Source Power is the power of faith, this does not mean that they can collect this power from people's faith.

Most of the time, they still need to use the name of Saint Sis to complete this process, and only the gods can gather people's scattered faith.

The same applies to the nobles.

The pursuit of fame and fortune and the desire to attract attention are innate instincts for them, and this is also one of the paths to "sanctification" left to them by their ancestors.

They can't become legends on their own, but they can in the name of Saint Sith.

Colin's performance undoubtedly exemplified this. The holy light emanating from him was no less than that of the devout priests, and even the nobles of the Holy City acknowledged his glory. No one felt that he was undermining Saint Sith; they only praised him for inheriting the glory of his predecessors.

Arist had no doubt that no one would believe him if he told them; instead, they would think he was the heretic, the madman.

However, the voice from the unseen realm expressed its approval of Alistair's understanding.

"Congratulations on discovering the truth."

Alistair's gaze gradually sharpened.

"Whose divine status does he possess come from?"

“I don’t know,” God’s voice carried a hint of detached laziness. “Perhaps it’s an old ‘friend’ of my father.”

“An old friend?” Alistair frowned.

The deity was surprisingly frank, speaking directly and frankly.

"Hmm, I guess it's Novell. It really likes scholars who delve into the mysticism, detectives who explore the truth behind the fog... and all those who are obsessed with uncovering the truth."

"chaos."

Alistair's voice carried a hint of apprehension that even he himself was unaware of.

Although he had long suspected this possibility, it was only his guess and was far less shocking than hearing it with his own ears.

As a professor at Xuebang, he naturally understands chaos and is well aware of which type of chaos scholars are most susceptible to.

However, unlike those wood rats that are terrified at the mere mention of pollution, he doesn't frantically scurry around like a headless fly.

Pollution is just a term.

All forces that Saint Sis did not want his servants to come into contact with could be condemned as defilement.

This also includes power from demons.

The demons of Hell seem to be having a good time, fighting the Empire to a standstill, and they haven't managed to destroy themselves.

Chaos, of course, can also be utilized.

The people who possess these powers simply don't tell others.

The deity smiled and said, "That is indeed what you call us."

"It is," Alistair said in a hoarse voice.

“I actually guessed it, but... I thought you were from Norville.”

Seemingly having heard an amusing joke, the god smiled.

"Haha... Why? Is it because my form is 'mist'? Actually, I can transform into other shapes, anyway, only you can see me."

As they spoke, the swirling gray mist dissipated, shifting shape in the air. At times it resembled a sharp sword symbolizing slaughter, and at other times a crown representing power.
Finally, it turned into a wisp of smoke again, coiling around the ring on his finger that symbolized the power of the Thorne Society, as docile as a harmless sparrow.

"I'm just a little disappointed that in the eyes of Chaos, I'm not a scholar." Alistair smiled faintly, his hoarse voice showing no sign of regret.

"Regret? Scholar? Are you talking about yourself? Or about those professors from earlier?" The arrogant deity joked, without a hint of arrogance.

Alister looked at his hands in the mirror and asked the other question that concerned him most in a cold tone.

"Then, who is your father? If it's not Novel, then I suppose it's neither the Claw of Eternal Hunger nor the Flame of Destruction."

“Didn’t I already tell you?” the voice whispered intimately, like a lover’s whisper, “I am the pride in your heart.”

"As for my father, it is Lord Avano—the crown that rests on the heads of all the arrogant in this universe."

"Only He is qualified to place the eternal crown on the head of the true king!"

Alistair chuckled.

"Then how can I be considered to have donned the crown? To become a sage?"

"That's not important; those are just titles for mortals."

His divine essence chuckled softly, twisting its gray form as it drifted back into his shadow from his withered fingertips.

“One day, you will not need to see me in a mirror, but will be able to see me everywhere... and then you will become a god on earth.”

"From then on, your opponents will no longer dare to kill you easily, because you will be more terrifying in death than in life. You will gain eternity from death and become an indelible mark in the hearts of a group of people, just like what is happening in the 178th virtual realm."

The distorted gray mist disappeared from the mirror, leaving only a meaningful sentence.

"Don't let your rivals get ahead; the future world will be more prosperous and crowded than the tower beneath your feet."

As he watched the gray fog disappear, Alistair fell into deep thought, seemingly having already made up his mind about what to do next.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Great Sage's Tower, a young apprentice nervously handed a notebook to Luo Yan.

The notebook was filled with equations.

Luo Yan's gaze swept quickly across the pages until he saw the last line.

The surprise in his eyes gradually turned into delight, like he had just drawn an SSR card.

Euler-Lagrange equations!

"tutor……"

Ilana's lips moved, seemingly ashamed of the "immature idea" she was about to utter.

That was a project that even James Wally, the mentor, hadn't completed. That mentor might even be a Silver or Gold-level powerhouse.

And he himself was merely an apprentice who had just learned magic.

but--

The expectation in Prince Colin's eyes gave her the courage to speak up, allowing her to share her joy with him without reservation.

"Do you remember the 'path optimization equation' I mentioned to you before?"

"I might... have really found it."

(End of this chapter)