Chapter 223

Chapter 223

Sensing the unexpected meaning in her daughter’s words, Unica quickly pressed, "Sweetheart, what did you see?"

Human bodies, flattened into two dimensions, appeared as pale and flat as paper-cut figures. Beneath their clothing, scattered points of light flickered. Some individuals seemed warm, yet the light sources within them were cold and stark white; others appeared unapproachable, yet a vibrant, fiery red burned in their hearts.

Amidst all this, the colors within Eve’s body stood out distinctly from everyone else’s. Inside her were two clusters of blue, not entirely identical—one as deep as the night sky, the other as bright and pure as sapphire. From the very beginning, any superficial disguise was meaningless. Now, the bifurcated blue was encircled by a flowing, golden substance resembling chains. A newly introduced gray dared only to hover cautiously outside before clinging to the gold, corroding less than a third of its thickness before being completely consumed.

Such ever-changing scenes were too difficult for a young child to articulate precisely. Lin Ling had only stared for a short while before her eyes grew too sore to bear, forcing her to look away and refocus on the toy ball in her hands.

Unaware of what was happening outside the door, Eve sat quietly for a moment, her spiritual power gradually sinking into her consciousness. The potion proved somewhat useful, stirring up tumult like roaring mountains and tidal waves in her spiritual world, but it was only superficial. The depths where her Spiritual State lay dormant remained as calm as stagnant water.

"Good stuff," she withdrew her spiritual power and said helplessly, "but not very useful for me."

"What exactly is wrong with your Spiritual State?" Zhao Ru asked, full of disbelief. "I’m starting to suspect you might have other issues with your Spiritual State and came here to cause trouble."

This was the first time she had encountered such a peculiar situation. If the first awakening potion had no effect, it might have been due to the potion itself. But recalling the ingredients in this new potion, Zhao Ru couldn’t help but frown with a hint of physical revulsion.

How could anyone not react to Zerg venom?

"What’s the difference? The fact remains that I can’t summon my Spiritual State," Eve stood up, preparing to leave. "If there’s no effect, do I still need other researchers following me around?"

"Let Xie Wen accompany you. Return to me in half an hour, just in case."

How cautious and responsible, Eve thought. She mused for a moment and then asked, "Can I take some potions with me when I leave?"

"Of course not. These were developed exclusively by the institute. How could we let you take them home? Even institute staff must go through layers of approval and be supervised by colleagues to take approved documents and experimental materials home."

Zhao Ru’s expression shifted instantly upon hearing this, her gaze changing from one of an inscrutable alchemist to that of a scheming one. The rules were as immovable as a mountain, so Eve had no choice but to drop the matter.

Regardless of how much effort Louis had put in behind the scenes, the institute’s development of this new potion was indeed significant.

Given the danger of Zerg venom, it was remarkable that these seemingly ordinary researchers could withstand its threat, controlling its activity to a delicate level before incorporating it into the potion. Turning something hazardous into a beneficial substance that could stimulate secondary talent development—if this technology could be widely promoted, it would undoubtedly be a major breakthrough.

Unlike alchemical potions, the institute’s potions omitted many harsh environments constructed by Alchemical Ciphers during production. Due to the lack of these "refinements," the effects of the institute’s potions were inferior to those of alchemical potions—otherwise, they wouldn’t have been suppressed by the Alchemist Association for so many years. However, this simplification had its own advantage: the new potions could be mass-produced.

As for the potion’s ineffectiveness on Eve’s Spiritual State, there was no reason to blame them.

The one who targeted Eve was Agnes, representing the pinnacle of alchemist prowess. Even Long Quan, a fellow Senior Alchemist, couldn’t completely resolve Eve’s issue, let alone the institute, which focused on widespread application.

Although the new potion, said to have a chance of stimulating secondary Spiritual State development but actually containing Zerg venom, had piqued Eve’s interest, the approach might not be wrong. The lack of success was likely due to what Gu Zhaoxi had mentioned earlier: Agnes had used Royal Zerg venom against Eve, while the Zerg selected by the institute for the potion were of a lower grade than the Royal Zerg, rendering it ineffective.

News of the earlier injections had already spread throughout the third floor of the institute, so quite a few researchers had gathered at the door out of curiosity. But Eve never expected to see the First Princess as soon as she opened the door.

Unica held Ling Ling with one hand and politely extended the other to Eve, smiling. "Seeing is believing. Hello, Miss Lu."

"Hello, Your Highness."

Though Eve had a faint feeling that in this context, the proverb "seeing is believing" might not be complimentary—after all, no one would have expected the recent standout from the Imperial University, who had excelled in the Five-School League, to be unable to summon her Spiritual State. She paused briefly but still exchanged a friendly handshake with Unica, slowly scanning the surrounding researchers before her gaze settled on the First Princess, subtly expressing her desire to talk.

The First Princess understood immediately. She waved her hand, signaling the others to return to their posts, and said with a smile, "There’s no need to call me ‘Your Highness’ outside the palace, especially here at the institute. Just call me Director. By the way, the tea lounge isn’t far from here. Would you like to join me?"

Eve nodded. "It would be my honor."

The tea lounge was behind a narrow door at the end of the corridor, its window facing the Imperial Arts and Sciences near the institute, with excellent sunlight. This time, Unica didn’t hand Ling Ling to someone else but brought her along, placing her on the sofa. She retrieved dried exotic plant leaves from the cupboard, brewed tea using the leaves, and without turning around, asked Eve, "You asked me to send the other researchers away. Is there something you wanted to discuss privately?"

"Yes, there is something, and it’s not suitable for other researchers to hear."

Eve casually closed the tea lounge door to prevent any preoccupied researchers from accidentally interrupting their conversation. She then sat on the sofa, while Ling Ling, who had been playing with her ball, set it aside and stared at Eve with wide eyes. Unica raised an intrigued "Oh?" and placed a cup of tea in front of Eve before pouring herself a glass of water. She had expected Eve to ask why the institute was interested in her, but after a moment’s thought, Eve instead asked, "What are your thoughts on Alchemy?"

"..." Unica’s lips curved slightly. "Are you trying to promote Alchemy to the head of the institute on its own turf?"

"On the contrary, I even believe the institute’s role is more significant than that of alchemists—if you continue on your current path instead of becoming a privilege for the elite like the Alchemist Association."

"Aren’t you curious why I’m skipping the reason for your recruitment and diving straight into this awkward topic?"

Eve spoke unhurriedly. With her silver mask on, Unica couldn’t see the girl’s expression clearly but could discern a well-cultivated posture from her straight-backed sitting position—something that couldn’t be trained in less than half a year at military school.

"However, even from the league, it’s clear that I’m not the type with strong group loyalty. In truth, whether it’s the glory of classical Alchemy as an alchemist or the interests of the Imperial Institute after joining, none of it holds meaning for me. I simply wish for all matters to be resolved in the most reasonable and straightforward manner."

The red-haired director of the institute didn’t question Eve’s motives. Based on Unica’s understanding of alchemists, they were a group beyond conventional comprehension, their only concern likely being their own rank advancement.

If helping the institute could indeed solve a problem "Lu Qing" was considering, it wasn’t impossible for her to offer goodwill, even if it meant betraying her own group—alchemists were, after all, a group without principles, skilled in betrayal.

"Please state your intentions plainly."

Unica’s expression grew serious as she looked at Eve.

"Alchemists are no longer suited for this society. The only reason no one has openly opposed their resources and social status is that no major issues have arisen. With their monopolized knowledge, no one wants to cross them," Eve said. "In fact, their rise began with the last Zerg war. Well... come to think of it, that’s also when the royal family truly consolidated its power."

Unica nodded. "Yes, the Zerg war was a catastrophe for the entire universe. After the war, resources were redistributed."

The empire, which had originally occupied only a remote star sector, rose under the leadership of the Dawn Empress, seizing the three largest star sectors in the known universe. The steadfastly loyal subjects who followed the empress were generously rewarded, leading to the origins and power distribution of the four great families. Among them, alchemists gained legal recognition in the empire after the war, with the Alchemist Association established to regulate ranks and advancements, overseen by the Oliver Family.

Rumors had long circulated that the reason the Dawn Empress, once an inconspicuous girl in the royal family, grew into the empire’s revitalizing ruler who stirred the turbulent times was due to the secret assistance of the mysterious master from the divine realm.

"Then, do you think the current alchemists can fulfill their original roles in the upcoming new Zerg war?"

Eve’s sudden question caught Unica off guard.

Without even considering numbers or capabilities, merely from her interactions with those arrogant, selfish alchemists as a member of high society, Unica knew the answer.

"Impossible," she forced a smile. "They’ve long abandoned the ascetic virtues of the past. How can they talk about fulfilling duties?"

They merely relied on centuries of knowledge erosion, making the empire’s development dependent on them. Even a child who could barely speak knew that the wealthiest group in the empire was neither the powerful nobility nor the interstellar conglomerates, but the seemingly aloof and reclusive alchemists.

That was why she hoped the institute could replace the alchemists—the sooner, the better, and the more thorough, the better.

"I’ve heard some rumors about you before," Eve suddenly changed the subject while Unica was emotionally charged. "They say you pursued research precisely because of your weak spiritual power, which prevented you from piloting mechs or participating in any interstellar combat, leading you to devote your remaining energy to scientific endeavors."

"Oh? My poor health is no secret. Why bring this up now?"

"Have you considered that your weak spiritual power might not be due to your physical condition?" Eve pointed to Lin Ling sitting nearby, whose fiery red hair and emerald eyes mirrored her mother’s. "Your husband’s spiritual power is rank A. According to general genetic theory, if your health is poor and your genetic rank low, Miss Ling Ling’s traits should follow her father’s. Yet, her characteristics align with yours. When she grows up, she will likely awaken the royal family’s Spiritual State."

" ...I’d prefer if she took after her father," Unica gave a slight bitter smile, hiding behind her cup. "I don’t want her dragged into royal conflicts. Compared to Anthony’s and my childhood, Ling Ling is still too clumsy. But the royal family’s hereditary power is strong."

Moreover, her daughter shared the same troublesome innate defect as her...

Eve said abruptly, "What if I have a way to temporarily spare Miss Lin Ling from future royal conflicts?"

Unica’s beautiful green eyes widened. "What method?"

Eve didn’t explain the basis for her judgment of alchemical talent to Unica, nor was it foolproof. Across the vast cosmos, millions of lives born with flaws were born daily, yet only a handful could become alchemists. Even with considerable certainty, Eve dared not guarantee Ling Ling’s future achievements in Alchemy to the First Princess.

"Alchemists hold a special status, with strict internal rules. The master-disciple relationship is often valued more than worldly kinship. If Miss Ling Ling becomes an alchemist, her claim to the throne would be heavily questioned, right?" she said calmly. "If you’re determined to keep her out of the imperial family's affairs and unafraid of the initial public opinion storms that come with Alchemy—I might consider taking Ling Ling as my apprentice."