Dongfang Zhi's beautiful eyes widened as she watched Shang Yin's pupils gradually change from dark brown to silvery white.
Even more heart-stirring was the fact that...
Shang Yin's graying hair turned flawless jet-black in the blink of an eye!
Dongfang Zhi's cheeks flushed with excitement, her delicate fists clenched tight.
Major Merit! Major achievements! Major news!
The Latent Qualified from the Crimson Moon Incident truly possessed something unusual as well!
White hair turning black was no small matter. Her first thought was the phrase "rejuvenation"...
Of course, Shang Yin was not old.
He had gone gray while still young. Now, he had merely returned to the appearance a young man ought to have had.
Still, people were bound to make that association!
What exactly should they call him?
Silver-Eyed?
It seemed like an appropriate title.
More than half a month ago, Dongfang Zhi had submitted a related paper. She would certainly get a share of the credit from this incident.
However, another question arose.
Why had the Latent Qualified undergone such a change?
Emotional fluctuations, or some other factor?
A fine research subject—enough to spawn at least fifty projects!
"Ah!"
Shang Yin suddenly let out a miserable cry.
Dongfang Zhi followed the sound and saw him clutching his arm.
Not far away, Jiang Xinyue held a syringe containing over a dozen milliliters of blood, grinning like a mad girl.
She hugged the tube of blood to herself, eyes and ears alert in every direction, as wary as a food-protective feline.
Blood from a Silver-Eyed with immense research value—acquired!
"The world stage? The lead role?"
Yan Anqing mulled over Shang Yin's assessment. After a long silence, he finally said in a faint tone, "The world dances in my hands. An occasional guest appearance is fine, but the leading role is better left to someone else."
The words carried two meanings.
Everyone present had vivid imaginations, yet even if they racked their brains, they could not connect Yan Anqing with the recent mutations occurring across the world.
"Senior is right!"
After hiding away the first sample of Silver-Eyed blood, Jiang Xinyue instantly transformed into an excellent hype woman.
"We study mutations, see through appearances to uncover their essence, discover truth, and welcome the new era! We are directors and screenwriters! Why should we fight over the lead role?"
A faint gleam flickered in her beautiful eyes. Her gaze landed on Yan Anqing, and her expression switched seamlessly as reverence filled her voice. "That is the resolve a scientific researcher should have!"
Yan Anqing smiled faintly, appearing calm and composed.
Naturally, he was the culprit behind the changes in Shang Yin.
Whether it was the change in height or brown eyes turning silver, he had merely made modifications at the appropriate moment.
Shang Yin did not seem to take Jiang Xinyue's bandit-like behavior to heart. Once he had adjusted to the pain, he appeared ready to say something more to Yan Anqing.
At that moment, a group of Internal Investigation Department personnel in protective isolation suits arrived uninvited and interrupted him.
"Dr. Shang, Doctor Jiang, Dr. Dongfang, Mr. Yan."
"Please come with us and cooperate with the investigation."
The Internal Investigation Department personnel were exceptionally polite.
After all, everyone worked in the same base and saw each other regularly. Even through isolation suits, they could identify one another by voice.
Under such circumstances, any slightly excessive behavior would earn someone resentment.
The Internal Investigation Department did work that invited resentment. They had long grown used to it.
However, the four people before them were all figures of immense influence. None of them could be offended.
"Of course. It is our duty to cooperate."
Yan Anqing was the first to state his position.
Five hours later.
The four of them had filled in one another's omissions and completely reconstructed the details before and after Shang Yin's transformation.
"...In the end, the mutation occurred when Shang Yin said to Yan Anqing, 'The world is focused on you.'"
"12:05:37. My memory cannot be wrong."
Jiang Xinyue delivered the concluding statement.
The person from the Internal Investigation Department responsible for investigating the First Silver-Eyed incident was a middle-aged man with a square face named Qian Wusuan.
After writing down the final punctuation mark in his notebook, Qian Wusuan raised his head and stiffly curled his lips, which counted as a smile.
"You did well."
As he spoke, Qian Wusuan's gaze focused on Yan Anqing.
Compared with the three scientific maniacs—Shang Yin, Jiang Xinyue, and Dongfang Zhi—he preferred researchers like Yan Anqing, who possessed a strong sense of responsibility.
"It's getting late. Go eat."
Qian Wusuan began seeing them out.
The testimonies of those involved were merely supplementary.
Yan Anqing and the others could rest now, but his work was only just beginning.
At the cafeteria serving counter.
"One serving of multigrain porridge, three fried dough sticks, two bowls of oil-splashed noodles, two boiled eggs, and half a carrot. Thank you."
Yan Anqing spoke gently as he ordered a dinner loaded with an explosive amount of carbohydrates.
The cafeteria auntie froze.
Big eaters were not uncommon, but she had not seen such a polite young man in a long time.
Unable to help herself, she took another look at him.
"Wait!"
The auntie recognized him. "You're Dr. Yan, aren't you? The discoverer of the Fuxi Cell? My daughter absolutely admires you!"
Yan Anqing did not actually hold a doctorate. He merely smiled and did not dwell on the issue. "The Fuxi Cell was already there. I only happened to encounter it."
The auntie looked at him with something like a mother-in-law's fondness for a future son-in-law. The more she looked, the more pleasing he seemed.
A modest gentleman, as gentle as jade...
"Little Yan, lately some people have been having a bout of red-eyed sickness, saying you were merely lucky enough to stumble across it."
As she served his food, the auntie continued, "Listen to your auntie. Wasn't Hawking, who wrote A Brief History of Time, the same? And Albert Einstein, who wrote the Theory of Relativity? Luck is a kind of ability too!"
"Being humble and cautious is a good thing, but young people need some vigor too!"
"You achieved something, so you're impressive! You're amazing!"
"Show some of that 'none but me for the task' and 'who else but me' spirit. Be a little more forceful! A little more proud! Then no one will dare gossip behind your back."
Yan Anqing nodded slightly, wearing an expression that said, "I'm listening carefully."
As expected of China's official secret department.
Even a cafeteria auntie could make perfectly reasoned arguments while chatting.
After cooperating with the Internal Investigation Department's work, Yan Anqing was alone once more. He quietly took his tray and found a place to eat in peace.
Earlier, Shang Yin had decided that becoming Silver-Eyed should grant him higher authority, so he had gone to apply for research access to the Fuxi Cell.
The Fuxi Cell had an extremely bizarre life form and was extraordinarily difficult to replicate or clone. It could only grow at an exceedingly slow rate when inside laboratory mice.
Fortunately, staining the Fuxi Cell did not suppress its activity. With barely sufficient artificial assistance, its proliferation rate could be increased.
Researchers from every department were now eagerly waiting for their applications to be approved.
There were too many monks and too little porridge. Shang Yin had never had a chance to touch it before.
Dongfang Zhi, meanwhile, was trying to profit from this Silver-Eyed Incident and reach out through her network. In her fervent state, she had no desire to eat at all.
His roommate Jiang Xinyue had obtained firsthand research material. How could she possibly be in the mood for a meal? She had run straight back to the laboratory to conduct research.
Now, Yan Anqing ate alone, keeping a low profile.
He ate in silence.
After he finished, before he could even put down his tray, the cleaning staff came over and cleared the messy tabletop for him.
"Thank you for your hard work."
With that, Yan Anqing unhurriedly walked toward Mojuke.
At seat 025 in the cafeteria, Ma Ran stared blankly in the direction Yan Anqing had left. His golden eyes blinked, and his expression was full of emotion.
Since ancient times, how many people had become arrogant once they found success?
Yet Yan Anqing had risen to fame at a young age, but he could still maintain a peaceful mindset, treat others with courtesy, and display not the slightest trace of wild arrogance.
"Perhaps... this is what a true big shot is like."
Brilliant golden radiance swirled in Ma Ran's eyes.
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