Digimon: I really didn't want to be the Digimon Emperor!

He suddenly remembered something and looked sharply at Cheng Yuan: "Wait, about the X antibody earlier... was that also something Qilin told you about?"

Cheng Yuan nodded without hesitation: "Yes."

Zhao Lu, standing to the side, felt a slight stirring in her heart. She remembered clearly that when Cheng Yuan first mentioned the X antibody, he said, "Teacher Xu told me." Now it seemed that Cheng Yuan had said that to protect the secret identity of "Qilin." A hint of understanding appeared in her eyes as she looked at Cheng Yuan.

"Qilin... just how much digital technology does he actually possess?" Xu Xin murmured, feeling that the mysterious figure was becoming increasingly unfathomable.

“Alright, the first two things are about the ‘techniques’ of Digimon evolution.” Cheng Yuan changed the subject, his expression becoming even more serious. “The third thing is about the ‘Tao’ of the essence of a Beast Tamer’s power—Digital Spirit!”

"Digital spirit?" Even Zhou Mo couldn't help but ask this time, as it touched on her core area of ​​expertise.

“That’s right.” Cheng Yuan raised his right hand, palm up.

Strands of deep, pure, and seemingly light-devouring dark energy gathered and condensed in his palm, eventually transforming into a strange flower bud with dark red lines flowing along the edges of its petals—the Flower of Darkness!

It floated silently, emanating a pure, unsettling, and mesmerizing ripple of shadow.

"This is my Dark Digital Spirit, currently in its 'flowering period,' which I call the Dark Flower."

Cheng Yuan explained, “Digital Spirit is a manifestation of the spiritual power originating from the deepest part of the will of a tamer or a powerful Digimon. It sprouts like a seed, goes through the process of ‘blooming,’ and bears the ‘fruit’ of the spirit.”

"A tamer's Digimon energy, through a specific medium—such as the Arc Machine—can be infused into a partner Digimon, significantly increasing its stats in a short period of time, and even... enabling it to evolve beyond its current level! Just like my Dark Flower, its stats at the Champion level are enough to support a Dark-type Digimon's growth phase, temporarily allowing it to evolve to the Champion level!"

Xu Xin looked at the eerie dark flower in Cheng Yuan's hand, but instead of the shock Cheng Yuan had expected, he showed a knowing look of "I knew it." He slowly raised his left hand, palm up as well.

Om-!

A dark energy, far more profound, restrained, and condensed like a black hole than Cheng Yuan's Dark Flower, surged in his palm! This energy did not take the form of a flower, but instead condensed directly into a fruit the size of a longan, as black as ink, with dark golden mysterious patterns flowing on its surface—a fruit!

Inside the fruit, it seemed as if an endless dark vortex was flowing and collapsing, emanating a powerful pressure belonging to the complete form!

[Dark Digital Spirit: Fruiting Period]!

"!!!" Cheng Yuan was truly stunned this time, his eyes wide open. "Dark Fruit?! Teacher Xu, you..."

Xu Xin looked at the dark fruit in his palm, his eyes filled with complex emotions, a mixture of pride and a barely perceptible heaviness: "Well, I've been lucky to get this far, but I never discovered its use. It turns out it can be used in conjunction with the Digivice."

"So...with it...theoretically, in conjunction with the Arc Light Machine, I can allow DarkGreymon to briefly...reach the realm of Ultimate level."

Xu Xin, who is only one or two years older than Cheng Yuan, has already gained the qualification to touch the complete form! This talent and strength are terrifying! No wonder he can become the elite team leader of the pioneering group!

Suppressing his shock, Cheng Yuan sincerely praised, "Awesome, Lao Xu!"

The little dog was also shocked.

Gear Beast: "666"

Zhou Mo and Zhao Lu, on the other hand, were completely unaware of the implications.

However, Xu Xin sighed and said, "But... DarkGreymon..."

Cheng Yuan, speaking from experience, said, "I know your concerns. The Dark Digital Spirit is a pure, orderly force of shadow, completely different from those chaotic and corrupted dark viruses. As long as your will is strong enough and you control it properly, there's absolutely no need to worry about it going out of control and turning into a monster like ZombieGreymon. In case... I mean, in case something really goes wrong, just use Shake it down and force it to regress!"

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Xu Xin's eyes. Cheng Yuan's words undoubtedly gave him a shot of adrenaline.

He put away the Dark Fruit and looked at Cheng Yuan: "Tell me about what happened behind the Death Digital Space. After the rift... what exactly happened? And what is the Underworld...?"

Cheng Yuan had already prepared his story and immediately began to embellish it: "After being sucked into the rift, I fell into a hellish place called the 'Underworld Region,' filled with death data and ferocious virus-infested Digimon. It was simply uninhabitable! Just when I thought I was going to die there, hey! Guess what?"

"I actually got in touch with Boss Qilin! It turns out he was also active in that area! If it weren't for his help and directions, I wouldn't have been able to find my way back at all!"

He vividly described the horrors of the underworld and the mysterious power of the Qilin (mostly self-aggrandizement, of course), and concluded solemnly: "Most importantly, in a scavenger community called the 'Rough Rock Belt,' we met a respectable Dr. Zhao. Despite the dire circumstances, he persisted in his research and achieved a major breakthrough in the technology of the Digivice!"

"Before Qilin left, he entrusted us with his life's work—a chip containing the upgrade technology plan for the Tyrannosaurus Rex machine—and asked us to bring it back to the real world and hand it over to the National Digital Research Institute! His greatest wish was that this technology would not fall into the hands of evil people, but would be used to benefit all beast tamers!"

Cheng Yuan cleverly attributed all the credit and the origin of the achievement to the alias "Qilin".

He knew that before he truly grew into a towering tree, capable of ignoring all covetousness, a mysterious, powerful, and unfathomable "backstage" was far more likely to provide him with safety and room for development than exposing himself.

Xu Xin exclaimed with utmost respect: "Dr. Zhao... truly admirable! Rest assured, that chip carries the highest level of encryption from the National Digital Research Institute; only they can crack it. I personally arranged for it to be sent to the Imperial Research Institute in the capital through the most secure channels. The feedback from there is that they are working tirelessly to crack it, and it's said that the contents inside... are astonishing! If successful, the power system of beast tamers may be reshaped!"

Chapter 156 Qilin Group

Xu Xin looked at Cheng Yuan with affirmation. Dr. Zhao's actions are a great achievement for generations to come.

"Furthermore, the Beast Tamer Guild has already launched the Heroes' 'Return Home' Plan. The guild has already arranged for archaeological experts and a pioneering team to go to the ruins in the Sacred Ruins digital space that you provided! We must bring the heroes back!"

"Behind the dimensional portal of the ruins lies a dead volcano, and there may be an incredibly powerful entity behind it. Be careful. I have compiled a report for you regarding the specific details of the Underworld region."

"Thank you for your hard work. On behalf of the pioneering team, I thank you," Xu Xin said.

"It is our duty to return home to our heroes," Cheng Yuan said.

A brief silence fell over the laboratory.

Zhao Lu and Zhou Mo were already somewhat numb from the series of bombshell news.

X-antibodies, armor evolution, digital spirit, the threshold to complete form, secrets of the underworld, technological breakthroughs that could change the landscape... There's too much information to digest in time.

Cheng Yuan took a deep breath and revealed his true plan: "Qilin is willing to hand over the knowledge system of Digital Spirit and Dr. Zhao's chip technology to the country free of charge, to be promoted by the association and research institute, benefiting all beast tamers." This was a matter of righteousness, and also the foundation for cultivating good relations with the association's higher-ups.

He abruptly changed the subject, his eyes sharpening with a business-like glint: "However, regarding X-antibody and armor evolution technology... this is a business 'Qilin' entrusted to me for. I propose that the few of us here, along with the Pengcheng Evolution Research Institute, jointly establish a company! This company will handle the patents, research and development, raw material collection, product transformation, and commercialization of these two technologies!"

Looking at the shocked expressions on the faces of the three people in front of him, he explained, "The technology is in our hands, but we need powerful channels to collect the raw materials (X antibody fragments, digital spirit crystals), the process needs the support of top research institutes, and the market needs the endorsement and guidance of the association."

"Only by integrating our respective advantages and resources and forming a synergy can we truly transform these two technologies, which are capable of changing the landscape, into industries that benefit the country and its people! Of course, the premise is that we must first strengthen ourselves before we have the ability to help more people."

Having tasted the sweetness of commercialization, he knows that without money, nothing can be accomplished.

His and Yun Yao's music company, thanks to their digital hits, has become a cash cow. He wants to use X-antibodies and digital armor to breed an even bigger 'cash cow'!

He didn't choose to cooperate with an existing business tycoon like Uncle Yunyao because he didn't want to put all his eggs in one basket. He preferred to build a core team that he could completely control.

“Cheng Yuan…you…” Xu Xin looked at the young man in front of her, whose eyes were shining and who was talking eloquently about planning a huge business empire, and felt both familiar and unfamiliar.

Kirin's move was essentially using its digital spirit knowledge and Dr. Zhao's Tyrannosaurus Rex technology to trade with the association for control of the X-antibody and digital armor industries.

The key point is that the association cannot refuse.

This vision, boldness, and... how to divide the pie—truly the work of Qilin!

Moreover, thanks to Cheng Yuan, an acquaintance, who acted as a go-between, it was as if they were directly given immeasurable wealth and status in the future!

Zhou Mo's heart raced even faster.

If the Pengcheng Institute of Evolution can deeply integrate these two technologies and become a core R&D base, its status will soar to new heights! It will leap from a local institution to one of the top in the country! The resulting preferential treatment in association resources, research funding, and influence... it's unimaginable! This overwhelming wealth, just like that, falls into our laps?

Zhao Lu was completely stunned, her face turned pale, and she was at a loss for what to do.

Qilin (mysterious bigwig), Cheng Yuan (founder/coordinator), Xu Xin (association channels/raw materials), Zhou Mo (core R&D member)...

And me? An ordinary high school student, with a Gear Beast X that's a bit special?

What could she do in this potentially enormous business empire? Serve tea and water? A huge pie was thrown down, but she felt it was too hot to handle, unworthy of its weight.

Cheng Yuan had already given her so much—the evolution of her father's Guardian Beast into Andromon, the evolution of Gearmon X…

Cheng Yuan noticed Zhao Lu's fear and inferiority complex. He walked up to her and said in a gentle yet firm voice, "Zhao Lu."

"Huh? Yes!" Zhao Lu exclaimed, looking like a startled rabbit.

"Didn't you say before that you didn't want to be a sheriff and inherit your father's mantle? What major did you choose?" Cheng Yuan asked.

Zhao Lu shook her head blankly; the future seemed blurry before her eyes.

Cheng Yuan smiled, a smile that was both encouraging and a little mischievous: "What do you think of business management? I see how shrewd you are when you're managing people, maybe it's really suited for you. In the future, our 'company' needs a trustworthy person as its CEO, right?"

"Woof!" The little dog lying by the testing table couldn't hold back any longer. It covered its eyes with its paws and muttered, "Cheng Yuan, that's enough! Don't mislead people here... Zhao Lu, don't believe him!"

Why would you send a girl who could become a top mechanical engineering tamer to study business administration? The little dog thought Cheng Yuan's thought process was simply bizarre.

Zhao Lu was both amused and exasperated by Cheng Yuan's sudden "career planning," but the immense fear and inferiority she felt were inexplicably calmed down by Cheng Yuan's words, "a trustworthy person," and his seemingly casual arrangement.

Xu Xin took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. His eyes regained their usual calm and sharpness, but a raging fire burned deep within: "Cheng Yuan, Qilin and your ideas... have a very broad scope! This is of great importance, involving too many interests and levels. I need time to digest it properly, and I also need to find a few absolutely trustworthy friends in the business and legal fields to come up with a detailed and feasible plan. We can't rush it."

Zhou Mo nodded vigorously, her eyes behind the glasses sparkling with excitement and determination: "The research institute will fully cooperate! I will immediately organize a highly capable team to conduct top-priority research on the stabilization and extraction of the X antibody, compatibility testing, and the process optimization and mass production feasibility study of the armor evolution chip! Gear Beast," she looked at her little assistant, "your 'hobby' of programming algorithm research can be put on hold for now; there are more important tasks ahead!"

The Gear Beast calmly nodded: "Cheng Yuan, 666."

Cheng Yuan nodded in satisfaction, his gaze sweeping over the three people and two beasts with their various expressions before finally settling on Xu Xin: "Teacher Xu, what do you think should be the name of our company that we're about to establish?"

Xu Xin looked at the ambitious gleam in Cheng Yuan's eyes, a glint of "Qilin" in his eyes, and then thought of that mysterious and powerful figure. After a moment of contemplation, a knowing and meaningful smile appeared on his lips:

"Since it's the technology of the Qilin, then the Qilin's path is..."

"So, this company will be called—"

"Kirin Group".

"agree!"

"I second that!"

"Old Xu really understands me!"

Penguin Group's entertainment and aquatic Digimon industry chain, and Yushu Group's mechanical Digimon industry chain backed by the military, have formed a two-horse race.

In the future, the Qilin Group will rely on the two pillars of X-antibody and armored body to aim for the third pole! A prototype of the "Five-Person Alliance"—a group built around the mysterious beast tamer "Qilin" and encompassing top beast tamers, genius researchers, potential stars, and future giants—is quietly born in this technologically advanced laboratory.

The grand blueprint of the Qilin Group is taking shape in the laboratory, while the specific implementation is taken over by Xu Xin and Zhou Mo, two "socialites".

Cheng Yuan, the mastermind and biggest beneficiary behind the scenes, has temporarily returned to being an ordinary high school student about to face the college entrance examination.

The next day was the day that would determine the fate of countless people. Cheng Yuan, unusually, did not stay up late to study the system or tinker with the arc laser machine. He washed up and went to bed early to prepare to conserve his energy.

"Mom, I'm home." As I pushed open the door, the familiar and warm light and the aroma of food wafted towards me.

"You're back?!" Cheng's mother rushed over immediately, but her gaze bypassed her son and landed precisely on the little dog at his feet.

She knelt down with a pained expression, carefully picking up the fluffy little creature. She examined every inch of its fur meticulously, muttering to herself, "Oh my little darling, you've gotten so thin! And your fur isn't as shiny as it used to be... Cheng Yuan! Did you train it too hard outside? You've exhausted our Dilomon to the point of regression! Look at it, look at it! This poor thing!"

The little dog was held in Cheng's mother's arms, nuzzling her cheek affectionately and making a comfortable "woof" sound, its big blue eyes full of affection.

Cheng Yuan felt a warmth in his heart when he saw his mother's distressed expression, but he also felt a little amused and exasperated. He could only nod in agreement, "Yes, yes, Mom, I'll be more careful next time and make sure the little dog isn't too tired."

"Hmph, that's more like it!" Cheng's mother was finally satisfied, and carried the little dog to the kitchen. "Come and eat, Mom has made some nourishing soup for you and the little dog!"

Cheng Yuan followed with a smile, his gaze habitually sweeping over the living room sofa—the "throne" that the Ancient Music Beast loved to perch on.

"Pfft..." Cheng Yuan couldn't help but burst out laughing.

In the center of the sofa, the once small and exquisite Gu Le Beast, only the size of a basketball, had now swelled to more than one size larger!

The originally fluffy and soft white fur appeared exceptionally full due to its "plumpness," and its round body almost filled the recessed areas of the sofa, making it look like an oversized white fur ball.

It was holding a bag of potato chips in its little paws, happily crunching away, its round belly rising and falling with its breath.

Hearing Cheng Yuan's laughter, it slowly turned its head, its ruby-like eyes blinking innocently, with potato chip crumbs still stuck to the corner of its mouth.

"Ancient... Ancient Music Beast?" Cheng Yuan could hardly believe it. "You... you've eaten yourself into an Ancient Music Pig?"

"Gurgle?" Gu Le Beast tilted its head, seemingly unaware of anything amiss, and even let out a small, satisfied burp. Ever since ending its life as a stray and being taken in by Cheng Yuan's family, under Cheng's mother's doting policies of "being able to eat is a blessing" and "the little cutie should eat more," it has successfully undergone "pig-like" evolution.

When Cheng's mother brought out the soup, she couldn't help but laugh when she saw Gu Le's appearance: "Oh dear, little Gu Le has been eating well lately! So cute!" She put down the soup bowl and couldn't resist rubbing Gu Le's round belly.

Cheng Yuan smiled and shook his head, but a slight thought flickered in his heart. He sat down next to the Ancient Music Beast, watching it carefree as it munched on potato chips, and a vague idea flashed through his mind.

He recalled carefully: whether it was Cheng Yi and his group in the Time-Space Mystery Realm or Guan Yan in the Yellow Springs region, as long as their eyes left him, they would separate him from his "Qilin" identity and Cheng Yuan himself; otherwise, his Qilin identity would have been exposed long ago.

As for the Ancient Music Beast, apart from Cheng Yuan's family, everyone else's memory of it becomes blurry as soon as they look away from it, as if it's veiled by a thin gauze.

This peculiar effect of "cognitive deception" is remarkably similar to the cognitive disconnect between the Qilin identity and Cheng Yuan.

"Could it be... that this cognitive blocking protection mechanism originates from the Ancient Music Beast?" Cheng Yuan looked at the heartless "Ancient Music Pig" in front of him, his heart filled with turmoil.

"As the legendary 'Light of Evolution,' does it represent some kind of supreme rule in the digital world? This power of rule has subtly influenced the perceptions of those around me, becoming the best cover for my 'Qilin' identity?"

This discovery put Cheng Yuan at ease. The existence of the Ancient Music Beast was simply the best protective umbrella bestowed upon him by heaven! Otherwise, given the commotion he had caused recently, his "Qilin" persona would have been completely exposed long ago.

The day of the college entrance examination passed smoothly amidst the countless students writing furiously and the eager anticipation of their parents. Cheng Yuanji had a solid foundation and the broadened horizons brought by practical experience, so he felt that the answering process went relatively smoothly.

The bell signaling the end of the college entrance examination was like a clarion call for liberation. While most candidates were still frantically checking answers and planning their graduation trips, Cheng Yuan's focus had already shifted to the newly established Qilin Group.

In the days that followed, he became a regular at the Pengcheng Institute of Evolution.

Every day, Zhao Lu and I would spend time in Zhou Mo's lab with our dogs, Gearmon, and the now-recovered Gearmon X, discussing in depth with Zhou Mo and Gearmon the optimization of the X antibody stabilization extraction process and the mass production plan for the armor evolution chip.

Choosing a location for the company is of paramount importance.

After several discussions with Xu Xin and Zhou Mo, Cheng Yuan finally set his sights on Pengcheng University Town.

“University Town is one of the eight administrative districts of Pengcheng. It has a large population base and a concentration of highly qualified talents. It is close to Pengcheng Beast Tamer University, which makes it convenient for us to carry out industry-university-research cooperation with the school.” Cheng Yuan pointed to the electronic map for analysis.

“Moreover, the location is convenient, which will make it easy to recruit people or attract partners from other regions in the future. Most importantly,” he smiled, “it’s close to both my home and school, so it’s easy for me, as a ‘student shareholder,’ to travel between the two places.”

Xu Xin had no objection to this, and Zhou Mo was even more pleased to see it happen. The research institute was located on the edge of the university town, making the collaboration seamless.