Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 434 Research Group Meeting

One month later, in a conference room 10km from the White Dragon Tower.

Locke manipulated the projection screen of the Illusion School with his fingers and said to the three first-ring wizards and forty-five wizard apprentices, "After two weeks of hard work, we have finally completed the project application."

"Currently, all you need to do is send the materials and project application form to the Yunze Cup competition committee."

Barbara the Witch, Tacitus the Witch, and Montgomery the Witch all wore smiles.

A month ago, Wizard Montgomery suggested that the problem of the Chain Vine storing magic pressure could be solved by using a special parasitic plant called the Rusty Bead Flower, which grows on parasitic magical plants.

The original chain vines, while able to parasitize a permanent defensive field, could only obtain magic power from the field temporarily. The [Rust Bead Flower], however, can solve the problem of storing magic pressure.

Even so, it is still far from the tactical magical plant that they envisioned as a large-scale, permanent defensive force field connecting multiple wizards. But at least this step has been taken, proving that their research group can continue this project.

Montgomery smiled and said, "I will personally deliver the project application to the Hurricane Eye Array Magic Gate of the White Wizard Association today."

"Thanks to Lord Locke, if he hadn't provided so much high-quality preliminary experimental data, we wouldn't have been able to write a project proposal that far surpasses the level expected of wizards in our Six Towers Land within a month."

A project proposal should not only describe the research topic and funding plan, but also provide preliminary experiments to prove that the entire project plan is not just empty talk or grandiose claims.

Locke, however, had preliminary experimental data.

Those data were all produced by Sophia and her team in the Star Sea using the Star Sea Scholars' laboratory.

Of course, within this month, Locke had already applied to the Plutarch family for a special research project laboratory located in the White Dragon Tower, and spent half a month there doing some basic data.

Locke told Montgomery, "This is also thanks to everyone. After all, the preliminary experimental data in the project proposal were all produced by the entire research group working overtime."

"Needless to say, that project application far exceeds the expected level of the Six Towers Land. We are currently located in the Six Towers Land, and our level represents the upper limit of the Six Towers Land's level."

Locke's words excited the three first-ring wizards in the conference room.

These days, they've heard enough of the talk about the Six Towers, that their entire research group is just a tool for making money.

Almost everyone believed that this research group was merely a tool for Alicia to collect her slush fund.

Now it seems that their research group finally has the opportunity to stop such foolish remarks.

The wizard Tacitus said to Montgomery, "Wizard Montgomery, you must be very careful when you submit your project proposals."

"It's always good to be cautious. There are too many people in the Land of Six Towers who don't want us to achieve anything."

Montgomery nodded. "Of course."

The witch Barbara asked Locke, "So what do we do next? Should we wait for the match result?"

Locke shook his head. "No need to wait for the competition results, move on to the next step immediately and try to create this magical plant."

"This project application has no reason to pass the first round of the competition. So we need to focus all our efforts on preparing for the second round."

"I need you to use the three major cultivation methods and the magic resonance cultivation method to cultivate as many vine subspecies as possible. Then we will build a 'sword tomb' in the laboratory. I will use the finite element cultivation method to gather all the magical vines and assemble that finished product."

Locke said, "I will help you in this process."

Faced with the pressure to produce results, the three first-ring wizards all wore solemn expressions, unlike the joy they felt when they had just written an excellent project proposal.

Project proposals, in essence, are just about planning and envisioning the future. Since it's about envisioning the future, there's plenty of room for imagination, and you don't actually have to make it happen, so everyone is relatively relaxed at this stage.

But Locke wanted them to actually create the magical plant described in the project application—a plant so perfect it was unbelievable, and so complex it far surpassed all the research in the Six Towers—and to do so within the year required for the competition.

Immediately, a heavy mountain weighed on the hearts of the three first-ring wizards.

Are they worthy?

Even the most confident Montgomery was somewhat nervous at this moment. "Lord Locke, should we prepare Plan B? We can work on both plans simultaneously. If we can't figure out this project, we can switch to Plan B."

Montgomery gave a wry smile. "I'm not actually that confident in us." "People thrive when they move, but trees die when they're moved; we need to think about the worst-case scenario in advance."

Four first-ring wizards were discussing something upstairs, while the wizarding apprentices below were completely bewildered. They were not formal wizards and had extremely limited knowledge, so they had no idea what was going on.

All they knew was that Locke and the others told them to do whatever they wanted. It was a great project, a great opportunity, and their lives here were a million times better than before, so naturally they didn't want to leave the research group.

Locke gave Montgomery a strange look. "No need. It might seem like we have two plans at the same time, allowing us to switch from Plan A to Plan B, but it's actually just a distraction. We already have too few people and too few resources."

Locke took out a subspecies from the Astral Ring. It was a level 8 crafted item that he had created using a crafting cube, but unfortunately, it still didn't meet the requirements for completing the project.

The chain vine parasitized by the [Rusty Bead Flower] fell to the ground automatically, forming concentric circles that entangled Locke and protected him.

"This is the first subspecies of Chain Vine that I have cultivated. It is a first-ring magic plant. As a single magic plant, it may be not bad, but unfortunately it is not enough to meet the requirements of a tactical magic plant."

Locke explained, "Next, we need to cultivate more Chain Vine subspecies and finally complete it using the finite element method."

Locke's approach might have been risky for other wizards, as research is rarely fruitful, and whether or not it will yield results is uncertain.

Moreover, this approach may not be correct or efficient.

However, the problem is that the synthetic cube and the finite element method are naturally compatible. You can first use the synthetic method to synthesize a large number of subspecies, and then use the finite element method to cultivate the adult.

This process requires a large amount of data, so Locke needs to use three first-ring wizard collaborators and forty-five wizard apprentices.

Those students can do a lot of simple work involving repetitive breeding.

The three wizards and themselves were constantly revising their approach during the cultivation process, searching for the magical plant most likely to acquire the characteristics they desired.

Montgomery and the others were all startled.

Barbara the Witch exclaimed in surprise. "Boss Locke? In just one month, including the time it took us to write the project proposal, you've already cultivated a subspecies? That's too fast!"

As the witch Barbara tried to approach Locke, the magical chains seemed to sense something, raised their heads, and dangerously followed her movements.

"Hmm? This magical plant can defend itself? That's really interesting. Boss, you're a genius. It's just a pity that this magical plant can't utilize a permanent defensive force field."

The witch Barbara used a universal bloodline spell, drawing upon multiple bloodlines within her. Then, with a flick of her finger, a blood flame ignited on the surface of the chain vine, causing the subspecies of vine to rapidly weaken and wither.

Barbara the witch snapped her fingers, the blood flames vanished, and the chain vines quickly absorbed energy from the air, regenerating themselves and becoming lively again.

"The completion rate is so high? This is a mature first-ring magic plant."

"It has a very high defensive capability. When my magical energy collides with it, although it is unmanned and unable to resist, it has never been completely subdued by my magic. Wow~ A magical plant with such a high degree of completion in just one month? This could be the subject of a separate article."

Barbara the Witch quickly realized, "As expected of the boss, I have confidence now."

Montgomery, a breeding genius, now showed genuine admiration.

Although he hadn't seen how brilliant Locke's ideas were when discussing breeding with him, he quickly realized how powerful Locke's ability to turn ideas into results was when he saw the Chain Vine subspecies that Locke had cultivated on his own.

"I'm impressed. The boss is the strangest genius I've ever met; his thinking is stepwise."

"But with the boss around, I am confident that I can complete this project."

Montgomery said, "I have rarely admired a wizard, but now I am completely convinced by Boss Locke."

Tacitus suppressed his surprise and smiled. "As expected of Lord Locke. When we cultivate subspecies using the finite element method, we don't necessarily need to make them first-ring magical plants; apprentice-level magical plants will suffice."

Let's start today.

Because Locke demonstrated his abilities, the entire research group became highly motivated.

The students also smiled more, feeling that the wizard mentors in the research group were very reliable.

(End of this chapter)