Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 389 Obtains Two Top-Tier Research Projects
The data management office of White Dragon Magic Gem University.

The head of the management office was an old first-ring wizard. He was sitting in his seat without moving, but when he looked up and saw that it was Alicia, he immediately stood up and greeted her with great enthusiasm, pushing aside a first-class wizard apprentice who had come to greet her.

The old wizard's attitude towards Locke became extremely ingratiating. He handed Locke a prepared document and said, "Mr. Augustine, this is a list of all the projects at our White Dragon Magic University that were stopped halfway through. Please take a look."

Locke looked at the document and quickly read it through. The document was very detailed, and it even included the budget requests and budget verification reports for these projects, so that it could be seen why these projects were terminated.

Locke spent a long time choosing, and the old wizard chief dared not urge him.

After all, Alicia was right there beside her, waiting quietly.

Locke pointed to a project, looked up at Alicia and said, "Alicia, this top-tier potion-making project was stopped halfway through because the goal was too far-fetched. It was impossible to research the first stage. However, we have the funding, equipment and personnel. Moreover, their research direction is related to and has a data foundation for my goal of upgrading the Holy Spring Dew potion."

"So, I want this project team."

Alicia walked over, glanced at it, and nodded, saying, "Indeed, the family investment and association subsidies for this top-tier research project have combined to nearly 500,000 magic stones."

"In the end, nothing was produced."

"Hmm, I see. So it's about researching and developing a potion to resurrect the dead using lichen-like magical plants. How could something so absurd be listed as a top-tier research project?"

As a potion master, Alicia knew perfectly well just how ridiculous the research target in front of her was.

None of the potions used in the entire first stage can truly resurrect the dead.

That's not something that can be researched and developed in the first stage.

Alicia glanced at the document and saw the original project application for this project. Her expression turned extremely grim.

Not to mention that this application is incoherent and seems to have been cobbled together by the applicant from a few random first-class wizard apprentices who just looked through some materials.

The fact that this application contains so many typos shows just how perfunctory the person who wrote it was.

It's laughable that this application managed to secure a top-tier research project from the Plutarch family and a research grant from a branch of the association.

Alicia looked at the applicant's name and was speechless. "The applicant is my uncle Eric Plutarch. He's not even a potion master, just a blood essence master."

"He didn't have a single article or project related to potions, but even so, his potions project secured a first-ring grant from the Six Towers Association."

Alicia sighed softly and said to Locke, "Perhaps I've been away for too long and only just returned, only now discovering the many wonders of the Six Towers. Perhaps it's because I'm seeing things through the lens of my childhood memories."

"It may not be that good here, but it may not be that bad either."

“Locke, this project is yours. Anyway, Uncle Eric has already made a lot of money and assets from this project, so I think he probably doesn’t care about it anymore and is eager to get rid of it.”

The White Wizarding Association has a committee that specifically reviews the completion status of projects that have successfully applied for funding.

Although the relevant committees within this association are likely composed of family wizards, there is still a possibility that people from the White Wizard Association headquarters might conduct surprise checks.

This is a probability problem.

Therefore, a project that has already been exploited is like a hot potato, so Eric Plutarch probably wants to get rid of it if he can.

Locke nodded and said, "I've looked at the data related to this project. Some of the data doesn't seem like pure fabrication. I estimate that there are some wizards actually doing real work on this project. They have indeed conducted some research, and the seven types of nectar in the Holy Spring Dew potion are all nectar from lichen-type magical plants." "However, I can decide the general direction myself. I just need equipment, funding, capable personnel, and some preliminary but complex data. So this project is perfect for me."

Alicia nodded. "Locke, giving you this project is actually doing me a huge favor. I really don't know how to thank you. You're helping me optimize our family's projects and businesses."

"You are such a reliable person."

Alicia looked at Locke with a hazy, ambiguous emotion in her eyes.

She initially approached Locke out of curiosity, then to exchange potion-making knowledge and improve together, and now she's drawn to him because of the reliable aura he exudes, which makes her restless heart unable to resist its attraction.

Alicia said softly to Locke, "Locke, is there anything else you want to do? As the acting head of the family, I can make decisions for you."

Locke nodded. He knew that this was a rare opportunity. He only had 120,000 magic stones in his savings, and he definitely didn't have enough money to develop any larger projects.

The opportunity to develop large-scale projects by relying on prominent families in this region is quite rare and uncommon.

You should seize the opportunity to enhance your resume.

The 120,000 magic stones I had were only able to be sent by Senior Sister Irina through a family bank run by a fairy race in the Six Towers Land and the Southeast Corner Region.

Actually, it can't really be called "sent over," because sending items requires a lot of resources. It's possible that half of the 120,000 magic stones would have already been used up by the time they were delivered.

But if it's just about transmitting information, then that's a different story.

For example, using a cracked version of the Gray Fog Slate allows you to send messages between two locations almost for free.

Therefore, a cunning fairy race opened a bank in both places and used this mechanism to transmit information, allowing any wizard to exchange for corresponding magic crystal cards at the banks in both places, while taking a 0.5% handling fee.

You only need to pay some handling fees to transfer the money you earn in both places, which is quite worthwhile.

Locke pointed to the project application and said, "Besides that, I also want this project. I think this top-tier project on the research of gem succulents actually has a pretty good chance of success. But it's obvious that the wizard who wrote this application and the wizard who is doing this project are definitely not the same person. So, such a promising project has almost stagnated because it hasn't been discovered for many years."

"That's such a pity."

"By organizing the data and finding the usable parts, we might be able to experiment with the gem-like succulent that stores light particles and explodes, as mentioned in the application."

Locke values ​​this project not only because of its potential for success, but also because he genuinely needs a consumable first-level magical plant like the Crystal Palm Fire Lotus as a strategic reserve. It can also be sold to the public and may even win some high-value competition awards in the future.

Using the current foundation of this project, you can completely improve the performance of the magical plants you synthesize, which is much more convenient than simply synthesizing them yourself.

Alicia said, "However, of these two research institutes, only the potion-making project is located in the White Dragon Tower, while the gem research is at the Louis Mine..."

Alicia hesitated for a moment, "According to the rules, you outside potion masters are not allowed to leave the White Dragon Tower at will, otherwise there is a possibility of leaking the current situation of Grand Wizard Sura. But Locke, you are an exception. You are one of us, so you don't have to abide by this rule."

“Go wherever you want.” Alicia handed Locke a white dragon-shaped ring. “This magic ring is a first-ring magical artifact. It replicates some basic permissions of my emblem in the White Dragon Tower. With it, you can move freely inside the White Dragon Tower and mobilize resources and manpower within the sphere of influence of my Plutarch family.”

"You don't need to worry about being suppressed by the White Dragon Tower. I have the highest level of authority in the White Dragon Tower besides my grandfather, so the authority I'm giving you is theoretically on the same level as the badge authority held by my uncle and my mother. In this way, they will not be able to mobilize the power of the White Dragon Tower's energy core—the Elemental Well—to suppress you."

(End of this chapter)