The Chosen Ones from the crowd often turn into killing maniacs, frequently causing severe incidents; those from Heart Core are crafty old foxes, deceitful and deeply scheming; the Chosen Ones from Mirror are full of lies, loving to swindle; those from Ether enjoy prying into people's private lives, willing to risk their lives for gossip and spectacles; the Chosen Ones from entropy have explosive tempers, ready to blow up at a moment's notice; and the ones from Embers are all technical fanatics, completely deranged, and it only takes a bit of carelessness for them to come up with disturbing stuff like "Oh dear brother, let's hug"...

As opposed to those on the Path of Superior, Chosen Ones from different sects do not lack opposition and conflict among each other, and they are also rife with these kinds of stereotypes and prejudices. Actually, most of the time...

They are correct!

Unfortunately, it's not prejudice but fact.

Although there are always exceptions in a large forest, most of the time, Chosen Ones also complement their affiliated Superior.

"Just like you—"

Ye Chun's finger pointed at the bewildered Ji Jue, "Aren't you the same?"

"Eh? I'm not that crazy about technology to such an extent!"

"What do you think? Having followed your aunt at Tianmen University for so many years, I've seen those who studied with hooks on their heads and awls on their seats to take exams, and those who worked hard to produce results, but you are the first one who takes pleasure in being such a study hound. Sometimes I find you annoying, wishing you would just cram to death and get lost, but if I don't take you out to eat, you'd starve to death in the lab."

"It's life that compels me to do this, right?" Ji Jue categorically replied: "If I were like those young masters, without a care in the world for food and drinks, why would I work so hard? I had no choice!"

"You already have a choice, Ji Jue."

Ye Chun looked at him, meaning unclear, only heaving a deep sigh, "You are already a Chosen One, and even self-awakened, aren't there plenty of simple and easy opportunities more profitable than being an Alchemist?

Why haven't you considered looking for other jobs?"

Ji Jue, speechless in response.

Although he could say he feared starting anew, he got used to staying with Professor Ye, and he trusted the professor, but he couldn't deny that... even if it was hard to stay in the research group and keeping up with progress was troublesome, he enjoyed every bit of it.

The blessing granted by Embers has never fallen short.

Compared to dominating others, doing as you please according to your whims, or committing arson and murder, what he loved more was this kind of life.

If he were to make a fortune with his abilities and live an idle life without a cause, he would feel guilty about wasting time and life.

He wanted to live a life of more value, and even if he couldn't become a scholar leading an industrial transformation or a once-in-a-generation Grandmaster Alchemist, wasn't it also good to use his work to change the lives of more people?

After a moment of stunned realization, he calmly accepted this fact.

Well, good.

A mad scientist, or no, not even a scientist anymore, then what? A magic nut? As long as I'm still human, that's fine.

Snap.

Crisp footsteps came from the stairs.

"Are you done talking?"

Professor Ye walked downstairs with a box that seemed to be covered in dust.

"Ah, almost done, the rest can be learned from reading."

Ye Chun sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose: "I finally understand why you said that even if I become a Chosen One, I will regret it sooner or later."

"Those who overthink will always be hesitant; those with too many choices will fall into a dilemma of decision-making. It's not your problem; you are just not cut out for it.

Forcing yourself is not a good thing."

Professor Ye gestured to Ji Jue alone, "Come with me."

Ji Jue stood up and followed, but Ye Chun remained seated on the sofa, continuing to munch on chips, casually waving her hand, engrossed in the variety show.

It was as if restraining herself, not looking back.

"Don't worry about her, she's different from you. What you find sweet, the research and exploration, she finds utterly dull and boring. You're not the same."

Walking ahead, Professor Ye seemed to guess what he was thinking, and without turning back, said, "You'd better worry about yourself, Ji Jue."

"Ah?"

Ji Jue's attention was pulled back, growing tense.

The basement was unexpectedly spacious, nothing like Ji Jue had imagined with its gloomy candlelight, goat skulls, bizarre specimens on display, and complex magical arrays on the floor.

In fact... it was a complete workshop!

Ninety percent of the things inside were exactly like the equipment provided by the school for project research groups, even far surpassing in specification... Just the sight of that Huan Yu Heavy Industry-produced Dragon Gate machining center in the corner made Ji Jue's eyes pop.

A model never seen before, yet it bore the Huan Yu Heavy Industry logo, as if it were custom-made.

The nine-meter-long apparatus towered over Ji Jue, a focal point even in a factory setting, now playing a supporting role in this space.

At the far end of the basement, the most conspicuous thing was the over-two-meter-tall door of the Melting Furnace, radiating waves of heat from afar, as if it was still operating, ceaselessly day and night.

And right in the center, on the workbench, was a steel creation like the carcass of a giant—a Power Armor in its early shape!

Unpainted, with no markings, and seemingly unfinished, complex cables were exposed amidst the machinery in its chest and abdomen.

Even within the military, it should have been under strict guard, a dangerous weapon that, without orders from the military department, would never be deployed on the battlefield; yet it was so casually displayed before Ji Jue.

He couldn't help but swallow hard.

This is bad, I know too much, they won't silence me, will they?

This absurd thought flashed through his mind. Professor Ye, walking ahead, seemed to sense something but didn't even bother to glance back at him:

"The Hai Province military's confidentiality agreement for development contracts, are you interested?"

"Uh, no, not at all!"

Ji Jue shook his head frantically, yet catching sight of the exposed harmonic reducers at the joints of the armor and the vaguely familiar Fuel Element power furnace between its chest and abdomen, he finally began to realize how his paper on the new applications of planetary gear systems was related to something so perilous.

No, the work of everyone in the Tianmen research group was probably just laying the groundwork for what was now on the workbench.

"Come here," said Professor Ye. "Put your hand on it."

On another table, an old briefcase was open, revealing a finely crafted item resting on a velvet pad, resembling the Crystal Ball one might expect in a fantasy novel.

Wait...

Ji Jue rubbed his eyes, looking once, twice, and then again.

Was that really a Crystal Ball?

Good news, the extraordinary has come alive!

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