Swallowing the Stars: Starting with the Battle of Geniuses

Chapter 101 XX is about to accelerate.

Hunzhen knew better than anyone that there wasn't anything seriously wrong with the application he submitted.

He and Xingluo belong to two project groups. The short, fat, toad-headed youth in front of him has a close relationship with a researcher in the project group that studies and purifies the Demon Fruit.

Xingluo held a high position, and with Xingluo's backing, his own status naturally rose accordingly.

Even in the ninth level of this abyss, most people are people you can't afford to mess with.

But nine out of ten researchers have extraordinary backgrounds.

Take the people in this project team, for example. There are more than twenty researchers, divided into three levels: A, B, and C. They are both collaborators and competitors.

The research level is basically equivalent to the background level.

Even the C-level researchers with the worst backgrounds have the support of Abyss nobles.

Xingluo is considered a top-level A-grade researcher, but due to his special status, he doesn't actually have much power to draw upon.

Unlike other researchers who are backed by abyssal nobles, they wield real power in the ninth level of the abyss.

In other words, they dare not directly target Xingluo himself, but they do not need to be too careful about targeting Xingluo's assistants.

Xingluo had mentioned to Hunzhen early on that this was why he found it difficult to find a trustworthy assistant who could withstand pressure.

Of course, if they really wanted to use dirty tricks and kill people, let alone whether they could do it, the employees in these research institutes are not known for their combat abilities, so they would basically not consider that aspect.

However, picking at materials and nitpicking, which doesn't cause actual damage but is disgusting and hinders the progress of Xingluo's research, is in some ways more troublesome.

The short, fat, toad-headed youth was convinced that Hunzhen's level was insufficient, and the quickest solution was for Hunzhen to summon Xingluo to make a decision as a researcher.

Hunzhen agreed to Xingluo's request and would clear away all the troublesome matters for him.

If Xingluo has to step in to solve even such trivial matters, the research progress will naturally be delayed again and again.

Honjin was preparing to participate in the Grand Martial Arts Festival, so naturally he couldn't waste time here.

"This material isn't good enough?"

Hunzhen slowly bent down, picked up the documents from the ground, and asked in a deep voice.

The icy gaze made Toad Head feel a little uneasy, but he still snorted coldly and said forcefully, "Can't you understand human language? Someone from your small workshop is just spouting nonsense! Rewrite it!"

Hunzhen stared at the toad's head, remaining silent for a long time.

"it is good."

The toad-headed man was so uneasy watching that he suddenly seemed to melt away like an iceberg, revealing a bright smile and turning away without any pretense.

Inside the office, the other employees looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Is this... chickening out?"

Some people seemed to have realized something.

"Le, I thought he was so impressive, but he's backed down so easily. With such a spineless assistant, it seems this new A-level researcher isn't as capable as we thought."

Some people shook their heads and laughed.

The following day, the materials application review department.

Hunzhen arrived with a brand-new application document.

Looking left and right, I couldn't see the toad-headed figure.

A man with a long face glanced at him, stepped forward, and said, "That guy took the day off today, so I'm in charge of his to-do list."

Hunzhen was taken aback for a moment, then smiled slightly and handed over the documents: "Then I'll have to trouble you."

The horse-faced man sneered inwardly; he was one of the men who had secretly mocked Hunzhen yesterday.

Unlike Toad Head, he wasn't as aggressive, but he only glanced at it pretentiously before frowning and sighing, "This... isn't up to par. This, this, and this don't meet the standards..."

As reviewers in the materials application department, their status is not as high as that of most researchers, but they are very successful because of their ability to reject materials. Naturally, they look down on these researchers' assistants.

Each auditor is assigned to a different faction based on their background as a member of the Abyss Nobles.

Xingluo was undoubtedly rejected by all the Abyss Noble factions.

Hunzhen naturally noticed this as well, and after a conversation, he left again with a smile.

laugh--.

"Does this kid really think we'll approve him if he comes a few more times?"

One of the auditors nearby couldn't help but laugh.

The horse-faced man shrugged helplessly and said, "Who knows? Hopefully he'll be sensible and not come every day to add to our workload."

So, the next day.

There was an extra person on leave at the workstation.

Even the slowest of the other auditors noticed something was wrong.

A few people who were on good terms with Toad Head and Horse Face became even more gloomy after inquiring about the situation via communication.

On this day, Hunzhen came as usual.

"Feed".

Before Hunzhen could ask, a dark-faced man greeted him.

He looked at Hunzhen, who was still smiling, and said with a gloomy expression, "Boy, don't think your methods will work. No one will tolerate your insolence. No one dares to touch the big shot behind you, but touching you is very easy."

Hunzhen maintained his smile: "Sir, I don't understand what you mean."

"Originally, you should have only had to wait three days at most, but now everyone's looking grumpy. I reckon your document might not even get approved in a month."

The dark-faced man patted Hunzhen on the shoulder and said, "This is a research institution, not the kind of underground workshop you used to work in. You don't have the power to overturn things, yet you try to do it. Do you know what kind of ending people like you usually get?"

He leaned close to Hunzhen's ear, lowered his voice, and said, "When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked."

After saying that, he casually returned to his workstation to process the documents.

Hunzhen glanced at the dark-faced man's back, then turned and walked in another direction.

Most of the auditors here already recognized Hunzhen's face and had guesses about what happened to the two of them yesterday and the day before. The new auditor who was approached by Hunzhen and was in charge of his project team had an uncertain expression.

Looking at the smiling Hunzhen, he glanced through the documents and said with a forced smile, "You're missing some materials here; you need to get them approved by another department first..."

Who doesn't know this kind of workplace rhetoric that involves going around in circles, shifting blame, and assigning responsibility?

"Hey bro, can you do me a favor? We're colleagues, we see each other all the time. I even saw you in the cafeteria yesterday."

"this……"

Looking at Hunzhen's forced smile, the auditor knew perfectly well that he was a cunning and malicious person who liked to use underhanded tactics.

Toad Head and Horse Face were probably both crippled by this guy and forced to take leave.

This kind of person will probably be purged by the higher-ups soon, but before that happens... he'll still have to suffer!

Is it worth suffering for a job that is leisurely, has good benefits, and high social status?

The auditor hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded, gritting his teeth, and said, "Well... leave the documents here for now, I'll process them for you as soon as I finish what I have to do!"

Hunzhenque shook his head: "No, please handle mine first. It's just a matter of stamping and entering the data, isn't it?"

Who knows, the document might end up in the shredder a little while later?

Hunzhen, of course, insisted that he enter the data into the machine in person and confirm its success before he would stop.

"Heh, so your name is Hunzhen, right?"

"Those who know you are just a little assistant, but those who don't might think you're the head of the review department!?"

A cold laugh rang out, and Hunzhen looked in the direction of the sound, only to see a young man with a human face and black-rimmed glasses.

The junior auditor looked at the bespectacled youth and, as if seeing a savior, stammered, "Minister...Minister..."

The minister glanced coldly at the junior auditor, too lazy to reprimand him in front of outsiders, and turned his attention to Hunzhen.

Hunzhen simply shook the documents and said, "Minister, are you coming here personally to help me process these documents?"

Snapped.

The minister slammed the document down, stood on tiptoe, and looked down at him, saying, "Hunzhen, you are suspected of assaulting a colleague. I will have the law enforcement department accompany you."

pat pat pat.

Two people walked in from outside the door. They were dressed like security guards and were clearly different from the people in the office.

One of the enforcement officers, fully cooperating with the head of the review department, said sternly, "Hun Zhen, the notice has been issued. You are suspected of assaulting a colleague. Come with us!"

"Suspected?"

"Where's the evidence?"

Hunzhen turned around and his smile faded.

The law enforcement officer remained unfazed and said, "The evidence will be clear when you arrive at our law enforcement department."

As he spoke, he reached out and grabbed at Hunzhen.

"That means there isn't any left."

Hunzhen responded, his body moving like an eel, easily avoiding the grab, and in the blink of an eye appeared in front of the gate.

Another law enforcement officer, his face grim, roared, "Hunzhen, are you going to arrest me?"

Hunzhen said calmly, "The institute's terms and conditions are very clear. Unless it involves suspected leakage of research secrets, you don't have the authority to forcibly arrest people."

Having said that, he prepared to leave.

The latest novel is first published here!

The minister said coldly, "Hunzhen, do you know—"

A sinister smile curled at the corner of his lips. Just then, Hunzhen turned and glanced at him, immediately shrinking back: "I haven't left this office for a month?"

Hunzhen looked at the minister with a puzzled expression, as if he couldn't understand why the man in front of him could say such a thing with such a smug look on his face.

He paused for a couple of seconds before nodding and saying, "Oh."

So the next morning, as soon as the members of the audit department arrived at work, they found the department head in the office, his limbs dislocated and unconscious.

Flesh and Blood Technology is not good at surveillance technology; at least... it can't catch a truly real shadow.

When the auditors saw this, and recalled Hunzhen's genuine smile, they were all terrified.

This guy dared to take action directly in the research institute's review office without triggering an alarm. His ruthlessness and methods terrified them.

On the fourth day, the documents submitted by Hunzhen were entered and approved immediately.

"Kid, you've crossed the line. Stray dogs should be kept on a leash and not bite people indiscriminately."

On this day, as Hunzhen was walking towards the staff dormitory after get off work, he noticed that the surroundings were quiet, and a dark figure blocked his way.

Hunzhen narrowed his eyes slightly.

The futuristic surveillance device is a mobile eyeball connected by long, worm-like tubes.

Compared to the surveillance technology of his previous life, its advantage lies in its flexibility and the ability to proactively collect information on suspicious individuals and issue early warnings, somewhat like an intelligent upgrade of facial recognition technology from his previous life.

The downside is that the monitoring range is not wide enough to achieve comprehensive monitoring without blind spots.

Even the research institutions on this ninth floor are not completely covered by the monitored creations.

In the past three days, he has made his move three times, each time by distorting some of the laws of space through extremely profound spatial perception, thereby actively creating blind spots in the eyes of the eye before making his move.

The person in front of them used a special treasure to completely conceal their posture and aura, and dared to make a move even though they were under surveillance.

By borrowing cultivation resources from Xingluo on the spaceship to "cultivate," Hunzhen has now raised the level of his surface life form to the ninth level of the cosmic level.

As long as the person in front of him is at the cosmic level, Hunzhen can easily deal with him while maintaining his disguise.

However, if it is a Domain Lord level... or even a high-level Domain Lord, then it is very difficult to hide one's strength.

call--.

A black light flashed, and the newcomer immediately made his move.

At the same time, it also revealed its life level aura—it was at the ninth level of the cosmic realm.

laugh--.

A flash of white light appeared, and a black scaly arm was severed and fell to the ground.

"Why can you—"

—You could kill me in one move!?

The newcomer's terrified voice didn't even have time to finish a sentence.

However, Hunzhen glimpsed the other party's thoughts from the shocked and fearful look in his eyes before he died.

"Your understanding of the laws is too weak."

Hunzhen gave a casual comment, his eyes seemingly flashing with countless blades of light.

The next second, the shadowy figure was sliced ​​into countless pieces.

Hunzhen had already deduced from the aura emanating from the other party that this person was the dark-faced man who had warned him.

"When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked?"

Hunzhen curled his lips into a smile, ignoring the bits of flesh scattered on the ground, and walked straight towards the dormitory.

Even if such an attacker doesn't destroy the evidence, the research institute can't force the blame onto him.

This kind of underhanded tactic of deliberately harming a colleague is clearly a taboo.

The risk is high; unless the simulator is given prolonged prompting, it will not perform the action.

But Hunzhen didn't care about this risk.

After entering the Abyss of Purgatory, there were only two things he truly cared about.

First, intelligence.

Second, identity.

Needless to say, he had a basic understanding of the intelligence and the key issues.

As for his identity, he originally planned to spend a long time fully integrating into the life of the Abyss natives, climbing up from the bottom to create a flawless identity resume.

However, with Xingluo as their backing, this problem can be solved.

Once the two major pain points were no longer pain points, Hunzhen was free from most of its worries.

His actions, which can be described as "unscrupulous" and "disregard for authority," are also thanks to the "intelligence" he obtained in the first point.

The abyssal nobles are used to being arrogant, and unless provoked, they disdain to take action against inferior races.

As long as the conflict is confined to lower races, it will generally not attract the attention of the Abyss Nobles.

Among the lower races, those at the Domain Lord level are already powerful figures, even in the ninth level of the Abyss, they are top elites and leaders of various small forces.

The proportion of domain lords in the population has only increased from one in a million or one in ten million to one in ten thousand. The number has increased a thousandfold, but they are still rare.

Without the orders of the Abyss Nobles, it would be impossible to get someone of that caliber to deign to make a move against a researcher's assistant at the level of a cosmic-level life form without just a few words.

Moreover, even if they were to provoke them, Hunzhen could reveal a small portion of his strength and directly counterattack.

Now that he has Xingluo's backing, he has the qualifications and confidence to do so.

Besides that, there's another, less important reason...

He had been living a life of ease and tranquility for far too long during his journey to the abyss.

Even the simulated records were mostly mundane daily cultivation routines, with far less text and information density than when they first entered the Swallowed Star world.

Just like reading a novel, you definitely want to see all sorts of changes and the protagonist overcoming various difficulties, rather than just constantly cultivating, cultivating, and cultivating, with everything going smoothly.

To some extent, people always crave excitement and change, but on the other hand, they don't want such changes, which could bring terrible consequences, to happen to them.

In short, all this talk boils down to this: people love a good show.

Hunzhen has this ability: to experience the excitement and excitement while avoiding the risks.

Once the basic intelligence has been gathered, deeper intelligence can no longer be obtained by simply "playing it safe".

In addition, his identity was basically whitewashed by Xingluo.

It's time to accelerate the journey to the Abyss.

(End of this chapter)