Cao Yansheng's reprimand didn't spread to the public, perhaps because he wanted to preserve the reputation of the laboratory. However, some changes were slowly starting to appear.
Most of the researchers weren't very sensitive to these changes. They only realized from Qi Yuan's thesis after thesis, as well as the demotion of Xiao Yu and Tang Hong that Qi Yuan had obtained the final victory in this competition.
Many people sighed because of this. Tang Hong and Xiao Yu represented Feng Qian. If Qi Yuan could win this competition, it meant that Feng Qian had suffered at the hands of a newcomer like Qi Yuan.
In the Biological and Mechanical Research Laboratory, Feng Qian, who was a fourth-level researcher, was almost at the top of the food chain. In addition to the laboratory's special status, they hadn't seen Feng Qian suffer at the hands of anyone for a long time.
Although there were some people who were skeptical about Qi Yuan's ability to complete a fourth-level research project, Feng Qian's silence made many people choose to believe in Qi Yuan. If Qi Yuan's thesis had a problem, it definitely wouldn't have been published in "Hope." Feng Qian would definitely not let go of this opportunity to suppress him.
Without Feng Qian's suppression, Qi Yuan's rise could be predicted. The four theses published in "Hope" allowed Qi Yuan to walk the path that most second-level researchers had walked for many years.
After his rise to fame, Qi Yuan's originally quiet laboratory received a rare visitor.
Le Huaizhou, who had a head of short silver hair, invited a few researchers and became the first batch of visitors.
"Congratulations on successfully breaking Feng Qian's blockade!" Le Huaizhou said with a smile.
"Thank you!" Qi Yuan smiled slightly.
Qi Yuan was a little surprised by Le Huaizhou's visit, but he didn't dislike it.
It wasn't just because he was Cao Yansheng's student, but also because of Le Huaizhou's kind reminder.
Before this, under Feng Qian's pressure, almost all the researchers had chosen to remain silent. Only Le Huaizhou had dared to approach him.
"After my teacher met you, he called all of us over and lectured us last night. He told us to follow your example and learn from you!"
Le Huaizhou shrugged helplessly as he spoke.
The others also laughed. The reason why they had come with Le Huaizhou was mainly because they all had the same identity – Cao Yansheng's students.
Although Cao Yansheng was indifferent to fame and fortune and had no intention of becoming the chief disciple, he had nurtured many students.
Among the few Type 4 experts in the Biological and Mechanical Research Laboratory, two of them had worked in his laboratory before, including Tan Qiu.
Not only researchers from the Black Steel Shelter, but researchers from other shelters had also studied in his laboratory.
Cao Yansheng's reputation in other shelters was no less than Mo Lin's.
Qi Yuan could vaguely guess the purpose of Le Huaizhou and the others' visit. Aside from visiting his laboratory, they were probably here to announce that Cao Yansheng had noticed him and wanted others to put away their unnecessary thoughts.
Among the people, other than Le Huaizhou, there were three Level 3 researchers and a few Level 2 researchers. What they all had in common was that they had independently published papers on Hope. Moreover, they were all quite young. Among the new generation of researchers, they could be considered the real powerhouses!
The few of them chatted for a while. After familiarizing themselves with the situation, Le Huaizhou finally revealed his purpose for coming.
"The chief has gathered four Level 4 researchers and ten Level 3 researchers. They are preparing to start a big project. Do you know about this?" Le Huaizhou asked.
"I know." Qi Yuan nodded.
"Member Cao also said that he had reserved a spot for me. When I become a Level 4 aptitude user, I can go find him and join the project."
Reserved a spot?
Le Huaizhou heard this and instantly felt uncomfortable.
As Cao Yansheng's students, they had indeed learned a lot of knowledge. However, Cao Yansheng rarely used his power and position to provide them with special treatment.
Just like this research project. Among his students, there were a few Level 3 researchers who wanted to join the project team. However, they were all rejected by Cao Yansheng because the research direction was not compatible.
"I applied to join the project team and was rejected by the teacher. In the end, the teacher was willing to reserve a spot for you!" Le Huaizhou said sourly.
"Now I even suspect that you are the teacher's illegitimate child!"
"I also wish that I was Member Cao's illegitimate child. Unfortunately, Member Cao did not give me the chance!" Qi Yuan said with a smile.
The others smiled knowingly. As Cao Yansheng's students, they were very clear about Cao Yansheng's lifestyle.
Their teacher only had eyes for research. Anything that might affect his research would be kept at a respectful distance. Therefore, he did not waste time on fighting for the chief position, nor did he get married and have children. This caused many of his students to follow suit and choose to remain single.
Cao Yansheng's private life was extremely simple. He had never touched a woman and was still single, let alone having an illegitimate child.
"Regarding the chief's big project, did Member Cao tell you anything about it?" Le Huaizhou asked.
"No." Qi Yuan shook his head.
Although Tan Qiu had provided him with protection and help to a certain extent, he was not willing to enter her laboratory. This also caused the relationship between the two of them to not be that close. From a certain perspective, the relationship between the two of them was more like a business transaction.
"I have heard some things." Le Huaizhou said mysteriously.
"I heard that the chief is preparing to create a Heaven Enlightening Grade mechanical equipment!"
Hearing this, Qi Yuan looked at Le Huaizhou in surprise. It wasn't that he doubted the authenticity of this news, but rather that he was shocked by Chief Mo Lin's generosity.
Ability users from Level 1 to Level 3 were also known as low-level ability users. In the battle sequence, they were also known as cannon fodder. They could only undertake some simple clearing missions in the grey areas.
From the moment they stepped into Level 4, ability users' strength began to take a leap. They began to have the strength to expand their territory in the blue areas.
Ability users from Level 4 to Level 6 were known as mid-level ability users. Because of the existence of the Glory Trial, they were also known as Glory ability users.
The mechanical equipment used by Glory ability users was also known as Glory mechanical equipment. Glory mechanical equipment had always been the main force of mechanical equipment. Almost all Level 3 and Level 4 researchers researching mechanical equipment were researching Glory mechanical equipment. Only Level 1 and Level 2 researchers would put their energy into low-level mechanical equipment.
The Heaven Enlightening Grade, which was above the Glory Grade, was the true high-level ability user. The corresponding mechanical equipment was the Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment!
In every shelter, ability users who could reach this step were extremely rare. They represented the foundation of the shelter.
For Heaven Enlightening ability users, every bit of strength meant a different height.
As for the mechanical equipment that could improve Heaven Enlightening ability users, it was far from being able to keep up with the footsteps of Heaven Enlightening ability users.
Whether it was the Armory of Doomsday, the Gate of Truth, the Flesh Alliance, the God's Society, or even the Doomsday Holy Court, none of them were able to create a true Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment.
On the entire Planet Aquamarine, everyone recognized that there was only one organization that could create Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment, and that was the Mech Imperial Court.
However, the leaders of the Mech Imperial Court were a group of crazy mechanics. In their eyes, flesh and blood life forms were just inferior carbon-based monkeys. Only steel machines were the true future. Therefore, they would rather pour all their resources and technology into the bottomless pit of high-level mechanics than to create Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment for ability users.
Needless to say, Qi Yuan also knew that the Armory of Doomsday must have invested a lot of manpower and resources into researching Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment. However, after so many years, they still didn't get the results they wanted. This was enough to prove how difficult it was to create Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment.
Although Level 4 researchers represented the strongest research power of the Biological and Mechanical Research Laboratory, Qi Yuan didn't believe that they could be stronger than the research power of the headquarters.
Four Level 4 researchers and ten top Level 3 researchers were involved in this seemingly endless project. Not only did it consume a lot of materials, but it also consumed the researchers' time and energy.
Molin's retirement was imminent. He definitely wouldn't start such a project out of blind impulse. He must have his reasons for doing so.
Could it be that he really had the confidence to create a Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment before he retired?
"When I heard the news, I was also shocked," Le Huaizhou said slowly.
"Although Heaven Enlightening Ability users are very powerful, there are too few who can reach this step. Glory Ability users are the backbone of the human race's strength in the New World. Moreover, the Glory Mechanical Equipment technology is far from mature, and the number is far from saturation. Therefore, I think that the Glory Mechanical Equipment is the project that we need to work hard on."
A Level 3 researcher with a pair of mechanical arms nodded and said, "I've done some calculations.
"I've done a calculation. Counting only the 21 Shelters of Doomsday Munitions, there are 272 types of Mechanical Armaments below the Glory level that have been released. As for the Glory level Mechanical Armaments, even including the Gate of Truth, there are only 36 types. Among them, 17 types have been completely eliminated. There are only 19 types of Glory Mechanical Armaments in active service."
"Among the ability users who have broken through the Glory level, only 13% have a compatibility with the Glory Mechanical Equipment of more than 90%. Only 37% have a compatibility with more than 80%. Among them, 20% don't even have a compatibility with more than 50%."
"People will lie, but data won't. These data are enough to prove that we've just started on the path of the Glory Mechanical Equipment. Now that we've touched the Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment, it's completely beyond our grasp."
Another Level 3 researcher with a somewhat thin figure sighed.
"I also don't agree with the Chief and the others to devote a lot of time and energy to researching the Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment at this time, but I can understand their choice."
"I heard that Doomsday Munitions has been at a disadvantage in the battle with the Mechanical Palace, mainly because their high-level combat power has been suppressed, so Doomsday Munitions wants to use the Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment to increase the combat power of their Heaven Enlightening ability users."
Qi Yuan frowned slightly.
"If Doomsday Munitions really wants to research the Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment, why don't they set up a project in the headquarters and just rely on the Black Steel Shelter's laboratory? The research strength is still too weak."
"I've heard some news about that," a bald Level 3 researcher said, a little hesitant.
"It's not just our laboratory. The laboratories of the other Shelters also seem to have set up a project team for the Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment."
"You mean, this project is still under the control of Doomsday Munitions Headquarters, and each Shelter is only responsible for a part of it?"
Qi Yuan quickly grasped the key point. For so many Shelters to launch the same project at the same time, it must be an order from Doomsday Munitions Headquarters.
And with so many laboratories launching this project at the same time, there must be a division of labor and cooperation between them.
"That should be the case." The researcher nodded.
"But I still think it's a bit strange." Le Huaizhou said.
"The more powerful the Mechanical Equipment, the more it needs to be designed and built as a whole. With so many laboratories launching projects separately, how can they guarantee that their designs will be compatible?
Unless … "
Le Huaizhou didn't directly say his guess because he thought it was a bit unbelievable.
Another Level 3 researcher followed his guess and said, "Unless they already have a complete design idea, and each laboratory only needs to design according to the established idea."
Qi Yuan raised his eyebrows.
"It's completely possible. If they didn't have a high degree of confidence, the headquarters wouldn't have issued such a strange order, and the Chief and the others wouldn't have accompanied the headquarters to do this."
"Heaven Enlightening!"
Someone sighed. Heaven Enlightening was already the pinnacle of human strength. If Doomsday Munitions could really create the Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment, in the battle against the Mechanical Palace, even if they couldn't turn the tables, at least they wouldn't continue to be at a disadvantage.
"The Heaven Enlightening Mechanical Equipment is too far away from us, but the Glory Mechanical Equipment is right beside us." Le Huaizhou said faintly.
Qi Yuan glanced at him and vaguely guessed his thoughts.
After realizing that he couldn't join the Chief's Heaven Enlightening project team, Le Huaizhou probably wanted to make a breakthrough in the Glory Mechanical Equipment. With the current situation of Doomsday Munitions, the research on the Glory Mechanical Equipment could also produce a large number of academic points.
So, he wants me to join him and research the Glory Mechanical Equipment together?
Just as Qi Yuan was thinking, Le Huaizhou took the opportunity to explain his intentions.
"Qi Yuan, your first paper opened a new door for the research of the Mechanical Equipment. Many people were inspired by it and threw themselves into the research of the next generation of the Glory Mechanical Equipment. We would like to invite you to join us in developing a new Glory Mechanical Equipment!"
Qi Yuan looked around and noticed that everyone's eyes were on him. After pondering for a moment, he slowly said, "I'm only at Level 3. Researching the Glory Mechanical Equipment might be a bit difficult."
"You're too humble." Le Huaizhou said.
"How can your research strength be measured simply by your ability rank?!"
"You're the only one who didn't go out. Right now, there are people lining up outside, wanting you to help them activate energy weapons!"
Qi Yuan was slightly taken aback. He had not expected that the matter of him helping Fu Qingqing activate her energy weapon would have such a huge impact.