It's all a matter of odds. Both outcomes are examples of successful outcomes. But who can guarantee which outcome Shaoyi would fall under?

"Moreover," he leaned in close to Lin Shuqing, his eyes sharp, "I despise these mutants. They're not humans but mere tools in someone's hand. Professor Lin, cherish what you have and don't stray from the path."

Lin Shuqing recoiled, his heartbeat quickening, "But the research institute and even the top tiers of the government are showing interest. Who wouldn't want a strong and obedient force?"

"He Yuan would never allow it. There might be some with ulterior motives in the institute, but as long as there's no consensus, they can only work in the shadows. Anyone who brings this project into the light will answer to me!"

"Ahem," Geng Qinglu pulled Lin Shuqing away, smiling, "Everyone has their perspective. There's a school of thought now that suggests humans should learn from wild animals to adapt to nature. Why do mutated beasts evolve faster than humans? It's because their environment forces them to become stronger."

"The idea that by stripping everyone of sanctuary's protection and letting only the fittest survive would further human civilization has always existed. You've suppressed it before, but now some are resurrecting this notion."

"Isn't the primary distinction between humans and wild beasts the fact that humans use tools to protect themselves?"

Geng Qinglu extended his right hand to Zhou You, "Mr. Zhou, if one day humans lose the protection of the sanctuary, would they become like mutated beasts?"

"Why do humans compare themselves to wild beasts? Are they dissatisfied with their current life, or do they lack faith in the future? If the entirety of humanity has to compete with beasts for territory to survive, are we still human?"

Zhou You shook his head, "We appreciate your kindness, but I won't let Shao Qi be the subject of such an experiment."

Lin Shuqing sighed, "Alright, it was merely my fanciful thinking. Wanting to personally test if my theories could become reality was presumptuous of me."

Before leaving, Lin Shuqing left a vial, "This is cellular fluid extracted from the blue beetle. It's the only one of its kind and is very effective in cellular repair with no side effects. Please use it with confidence."

"Thank you," said Shao Qi as he saw them out. Closing the door behind them, he exhaled deeply.

Zhou You smiled at him, "Regretting it, are we?"

"I wouldn’t say regret, but the temptation is strong, especially given my current condition." Shao Qi gripped hard; once he could easily crush a stone with his grip, but now he couldn't even pierce a fragile glass bottle.

"As long as you don't regret it." Zhou You placed his palm on Shao Qi's abdomen, trying to sense the energy within, but felt nothing in return.

Shao Qi held his hand and gently embraced him, "I'm not in a rush. Even if I can't recover, I can start training from scratch. Achieving mastery in physical skills isn't too shabby either."

Zhou You led him to the training room, which aside from their bedroom, was the place they spent the most time in at home.

Most of the time, it was Shao Qi meditating, while Zhou You read various manuscripts, some of which he repaired.

Before meditating, Shao Qi took out the medicine Lin Shuqing had given him, took the recommended dose, and recited some mantras he had memorized.

Zhou You sat beside him, watching for a while, pondering if he could maintain his core beliefs if he faced such adversities.

His phone beeped with a message: "Everything is arranged. We can act anytime."

After obtaining a list from Master Xuan, he adjusted the positions of the Xuan Sect disciples within the military. Most were mid-ranked, spread across various bases, low-key and unnoticeable.

Zhao Jinghao was the officer in charge of escorting the competitors to Dawn City. He also had a transfer order to report to the Central Army once his escort mission was completed.

"These people play the same games day in and day out. Is it even interesting?" Zhao Jinghao sighed after checking the news, sensing the changing tide of public opinion.

It's confirmed that Shao Qi lost all his martial skills and would require extensive recovery. Although his resignation was declined, he knew that if public opinion shifted, resigning would be inevitable.

He stared at his phone's screensaver—a photo of a stunning woman in a military uniform, grinning wildly at the camera, whip in hand, a mix of cool and fierce.

He muttered to himself, "Who could've imagined such a sudden farewell? What a pity."

The convoy didn't find a suitable rest stop that night and continued traveling. The Jiangnan Base was far from Dawn City, so they were always on the move, cautiously dealing with dangers along the way.

"Captain Zhao, about a kilometer ahead, there's a nocturnal mutated leopard— a high-level mutant beast!" An alarmed shout came from the leading vehicle.

They numbered three hundred. There were more soldiers escorting than those being escorted. In theory, they shouldn’t fear a mutated leopard. However, average soldiers find it hard to remain calm upon seeing an advanced mutant beast.

The martial arts culture of the Jiangnan base has been refined, but it still lacks real-world experience. Otherwise, they would've known that startling an advanced mutant beast while it's eating is perilous.

"Masters and above, gather around! The rest, stay alert and guard the area." Zhao Jinghao led the elites out of the vehicle. The lowest-ranked among the selected competitors from their base was an elementary martial arts master. Together, handling the leopard shouldn't be difficult.

However, there were exceptions. A few rookies stood too close and were flung away by the furious leopard's tail. Furthermore, they landed behind the beast, making a rescue operation challenging.

"What do we do now?"

"Damn it! I knew it! These greenhorns have zero field experience. No matter how skilled, they're useless. They know nothing and only drag us down!" Zhao Jinghao exclaimed loudly.