Stark licked his somewhat dry lips and had to take another sip of ice water. Only after calming himself down a little did he ask, "You have an idea?"
"Altering people's souls sounds too evil, but if we phrase it differently, wouldn't it become a human medical technology and lifespan enhancement project?"
"You're not going to start another Immortality Factor project, are you?! You damned liar!"
"This time, it can be considered an Immortality Factor project with an actual industrial version," Schiller said. "It will have real results, not empty promises."
Then Schiller told Stark about the magical herb cultivation project Strange had launched at Kamar-Taj, and Stark kept shaking his head as he listened.
"It'd be a miracle if they succeeded. No controlled variables, no control groups, no precise data monitoring, not even diversified planting conducted simultaneously to exhaust the possibilities—how could they possibly succeed?"
"That's what I thought too, so I told Strange that bringing you in wouldn't just provide advice on commercial operations. You could also bring some scientific thinking."
"Some? A lot!"
"You could even say all of it." Schiller followed Stark's lead and flattered him. "If you don't go, they'll probably spend several years conducting natural research on natural farmland, seeing if they can naturally grow some results."
"I'll teach them what scientific research really is. Oh, no—scientific magical research. Science has to come first."
At that point, Stark suddenly realized something. After thinking for a moment, he looked at Schiller and said, "So you want to create a magical herb that supposedly strengthens the body and extends life, but actually alters people's souls and gives everyone magical talent?"
"That's too far off." Schiller shook his head. "A world where everyone can use magic would be like a country with absolutely no gun control. Public