Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Unexpectedly Clean
Professor Zhang chuckled. "Major Han, you’re so young and promising. I’ll be counting on you to keep Wanwan safe. She’s the most important person right now."
Before Chi Wan could even shake her head, Han Ming said sternly, "Professor Zhang, my duty is to protect all three of you. To us, every researcher is equally precious."
Professor Zhang paused for a moment, then smiled. "The future belongs to the young, after all."
But Chi Wan replied, "But the young still have to stand on the shoulders of their predecessors."
After a pause, she said with a grin, "Besides, Professor Zhang, being in your seventies is the perfect age for..."
"...the perfect age for hard work, right?" Professor Zhang said with a look of resignation. "Even a capitalist wouldn’t exploit an old man as you do."
Chi Wan simply smiled without saying a word.
She knew what Professor Zhang was worried about. An aging body, constant illness, anxiety, and the pressure of time—all of these relentlessly tormented the old man before her, a man who cared for nothing but this land.
He had no wife and no children, and he had always been a solitary person. Even his illness was only discovered because of Zhou Huaijin’s attentiveness.
Chi Wan finally understood why Professor Zhang had been so anxious and impatient for the past two years.
’Because he really doesn’t have much time left.’
If Chi Wan hadn’t provided those devices that could significantly shorten the experimental process, Professor Zhang would have likely worked himself into a complete breakdown from the mounting anxiety.
Although the body’s aging process was irreversible, and Healing system superpowers could only mend external wounds, not cure degenerative diseases that arose from within the body.
But at least the capsules containing stored Healing Ability could make the old man feel a little better, ease his pain, and let him get a good night’s sleep.
Hearing Chi Wan’s words, Han Ming subconsciously glanced at her.
What surprised him was that even though the young woman’s face was smiling, her eyes held a deep sadness.
Before coming to pick them up, Han Ming had already reviewed the internal files on all three individuals. Professor Zhang needed no introduction, and Zhou Huaijin, as his star pupil, had a straightforward and clear record.
Only Chi Wan... despite carrying such a huge secret and having gone through so much turmoil, she herself was unexpectedly... clean.
’Not quite what I imagined.’
Meanwhile, Zhou Huaijin also glanced at Chi Wan before speaking to Professor Zhang. "Teacher, Wanwan is right. You still have to lead me in our work. Don’t you still want to research that ’new type of wheat’ she showed you before?"
Zhou Huaijin was referring to the wheat Chi Wan had brought back from Li Xingye’s base.
Strangely enough, whether it was vegetables or grains planted in the space, no matter the variety, they always yielded a better harvest.
But when brought into Chi Wan’s world, even when transplanted along with the soil from the space, the effect wasn’t nearly as good. A better harvest could only be achieved when catalyzed by Li Xingye’s own superpower; even using his superpower stored in a Crystal Core Device couldn’t replicate the same result.
In fact, even the plants at Li Xingye’s base had a more superior yield.
Duan Qianyu had previously speculated that it might be because the post-apocalyptic environment itself was different; otherwise, so many mutated plants wouldn’t have appeared.
In contrast, the environment in Chi Wan’s world was already very suitable for growth, so the advantages of the space’s soil couldn’t be fully realized.
After countless experiments, everyone gradually came to accept this explanation. After all, compared to the post-apocalyptic world, Chi Wan’s world perhaps didn’t have such an urgent need.
Professor Zhang, however, was very interested in the grain-producing plants from Li Xingye’s base, always feeling that they might be able to be developed into new, improved varieties.
So, hearing his student say this, Professor Zhang’s touch of melancholy quickly dissipated. He chuckled and said, "You two... just keep working this old man to the bone."
Han Ming sat to the side, quietly listening to their conversation, his gaze landing on Chi Wan from time to time, as if trying to see through her and understand why she held so many secrets.
The car soon drove into a restricted area.
After getting out of the car, Han Ming led the three of them through several encrypted doors and into the laboratory.
He stopped before the final door and said softly, "Professor Zhang, if you and your student could please wait out here for a moment, I’ll take Miss Chi in first."
Professor Zhang nodded in understanding.
This was standard procedure. It wasn’t a matter of distrusting him; it was simply that the stakes were too high, and everything had to be handled with the utmost rigor.
And although he had vouched for Chi Wan’s claims, they still required further verification.
So, he said to Chi Wan, "Wanwan, don’t be nervous, okay? Huaijin and I will be waiting for you out here."
Chi Wan, however, looked quite relaxed. After all, she was someone who had experienced interdimensional travel, witnessed zombie hordes, and seen superpowers clash. Her composure was rock-solid.
Following Han Ming into the innermost laboratory, Chi Wan realized that they seemed to have made specific modifications based on the information she had provided.
The lab was huge and divided into several areas. Besides the plant-related testing area she had revealed first, there were also mannequins, blast-proof containers, and various activation devices.
Not far from these areas was a one-way glass wall; Chi Wan couldn’t see what was on the other side.
Chi Wan could understand this level of caution.
’After all, I’m holding unknown, lethal weapons. If I really had malicious intent, it would be incredibly easy to succeed at close range, and that would be a tremendous loss for the country.’
Seeing that Chi Wan was in position, a gentle voice came through the built-in intercom. It sounded like a kind elderly woman. "Hello, Chi Wan. Please forgive us for using this method to verify your claims, but this matter is of great importance.
"After Zhang Ruifeng reported the devices you showed him, we conducted a small investigation into your background. I’d like to ask you a question: Was it this power from another world that you used to protect yourself from Liu Dali and the others back then?"
’I can’t believe they even found out about that,’ Chi Wan thought. ’I guess I wasn’t careful enough back then.’
’But then again,’ she mused, ’this just proves how seriously the higher-ups are taking this.’
So, she nodded openly and said, "Yes. It’s just that the passage had only just opened at the time, and I was full of uncertainty and fear about the other world. It wasn’t until later that I discovered that while their things could come through, people and zombies couldn’t. Only then did I feel a little more at ease."
The voice paused for a moment, seemingly conferring with others. When it spoke again, it was soft. "Then let’s begin. Please proceed to the experimental area ahead and demonstrate the devices from the other world. It would be even better if you could explain their respective functions. If you need anything, Major Han Ming will assist you."
This was simple enough for Chi Wan.
In front of everyone, she pulled several Crystal Core Devices out of thin air and began to display them one by one.
