A Confrontation Between Teacher and Student / Hesitation and Doubt

"... Ifrit, I have to go out for a bit. You stay here quietly. If you're bored, read the new picture book I bought for you."

"Okay, I'll stay here and wait patiently for Silence to come back."

Hearing this, Ifrit was somewhat surprised, but still obediently nodded her little head.

"Yes, I'll come back to be with you soon."

Looking at the well-behaved Ifrit in front of him, Silence couldn't help but reach out and pat her little head.

After leaving Ifrit's room, Silence went straight to the office of her teacher, Ahrens, the head of the Structural Department, without any hesitation.

Time was of the essence; she simply couldn't delay any longer. She wanted to know the truth, and at the same time, she wanted to postpone Ifrit's "treatment"...

Even if she couldn't do it, she hoped to get in touch with Ifrit, so that it would be easier for her to do some things.

"Knock knock--"

"Please come in."

Hearing the knocking at the door, Ahrens, who was engrossed in processing documents, said...

As soon as he finished speaking, the person outside opened the door and came in.

"Oh, it's Silence. Is there something you need?"

Ahrens looked up at the person who had come in, and only after recognizing it as one of his students did he put down his pen, adjust his glasses, and ask.

"Teacher, I'd like to talk to you."

Looking at the person sitting at the desk in front of him, Silence's expression was extremely serious. Before Ahrens could react, she quickly bowed to him and said loudly, "Teacher, I'm sorry!"

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Ahrens slowly opened his eyes wide, clearly puzzled by the current situation.

At this moment, Silence still hadn't finished speaking; she continued with a sincere expression:

"After calming down and thinking about it these past few days, I realized that my sympathy for the patients' suffering did indeed cloud my judgment, and I even talked back to you, teacher!"

"I even leaked the experimental process to outsiders... My teacher has been incredibly kind to me, and I've let him down."

"I am truly ashamed of this, please forgive me, teacher!"

"..."

Upon hearing Silence's apology, Ahrens was slightly taken aback at first, then stood up, walked to her side, patted her on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Yes, that's great, Silence."

"I'm so glad you understand my good intentions! Of course I should forgive you!"

"Thank you, teacher!"

"Very good..."

Hearing this, Ahrens smiled and nodded, then, as if remembering something, changed the subject and said, "By the way, Silence, start resuming Ifrit's treatment tomorrow. Remember to prepare."

"As for your privileges, I will restore them to you before this treatment begins."

"!"

Even though Silence was mentally prepared, she couldn't help but be startled by these words.

Although she knew her teacher needed to "treat" Ifrit again as soon as possible, she didn't expect the timeframe to be so tight, starting tomorrow.

However, Silence quickly suppressed her surprise, nodded to Ahrens, and said seriously, "In that case, I will go back and prepare properly."

Then, just as Silence turned to leave, she suddenly seemed to remember something and turned back to look at Ahrens.

"Oh, right! Teacher..."

P. S.: I've stayed up all night again without realizing it. I suddenly got stuck while writing, so goodnight everyone.

Chapter 119 Teacher-Student Confrontation

"By the way, teacher, since we're having treatment tomorrow, the new injection machine and other equipment data need to be adjusted. If you're busy, you can give me your employee ID card, and I'll operate it for you..."

"Oh!"

Upon hearing this, Ahrens reached up to adjust his glasses, his eyes narrowing slightly as he smiled and said, "Look at me, I'd completely forgotten about that!"

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Silence!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ahrens took off his name tag from around his neck and handed it to Silence in front of him.

"Um."

After successfully obtaining the work badge of the head of the Structural Department, Ahrens, and leaving the office, Silence's smile vanished instantly, and he strode quickly toward the Structural Department's database with a serious expression.

However, in her anxiety and tension, Silence didn't notice that shortly after she left, the door to the head of the Structural Department's office opened again...

"Beep--"

Silence quickly arrived at the database, took out Ahrens' work badge, scanned it, successfully opened the door, and then entered.

Once inside, she rushed to the computer where the Structural Department data was stored and began searching for information related to the [Diablo Project].

"Click-clack..."

As the rapid clatter of keyboard keys continued, the information Silence wanted to see quickly appeared before her eyes...

However, the more carefully she looked at the document, the paler her face became, the more alarmed she grew, and cold sweat slowly appeared on her forehead.

"[Diablo Project]... codename [Ifrit]?!"

"How could this be... Why...?"

"What... what are all these things?!"

Although Silence had been somewhat prepared before seeing the treatment because of the [Serpent Lord], she was still incredulous and unable to accept the detailed experimental plan when she faced it head-on.

"Pat-pat-pat..."

"!!!"

Just as Silence was staring at the experimental plan in shock and anger, she suddenly heard light footsteps behind her, which startled her again, and she quickly turned around.

"Silence, did you see everything?"

"Teacher?"

However, upon seeing the kind face of the newcomer, Silence was so frightened that she leaned against the table behind her, her expression a mixture of anger and fear.

"It's alright, Silence, go ahead and see."

Unlike Silence, who looked somewhat disheveled due to his turbulent emotions, Ahrens appeared completely calm, simply smiling and "kindly" gazing at the student before him.

"These materials were originally meant for you."

"..."

Seeing her teacher like this, Silence could no longer hold back and angrily questioned him, "Teacher, what are all these things?"

"The Diablo Project... What exactly is this experiment all about?!"

"I'm sorry, due to confidentiality requirements, a lot of information couldn't be explained in advance, which resulted in you not fully understanding the significance of the experiment."

Faced with the angry Silence, Ahrens laughed even more heartily, then calmly explained, "I hope you can understand my difficulties."

"Understand what? Understand that you conducted illegal human experiments?!" The calmer Ahrens remained, the angrier Silence became.

"So your goal isn't to cure Ifrit, nor do you intend to prevent her Originium Arts from spiraling out of control..."

"You... you were anticipating, anticipating the moment she would become a killing weapon!"

"Silence..."

Only then did the smile on Ahrens' face fade, replaced by a look of helplessness.

"When you took on this project, didn't you realize it was a human experiment?"

"!"

Ahrens, the teacher, uttered a single sentence that startled Silence, who was in the midst of a fit of rage.

"What... I don't understand... why?"

At this point, Silence seemed to remember something and quickly brought up an old matter. "Didn't you oppose the experiment Joyce underwent before?!"

"Joyce?"

Faced with his student's question again, Ahrens paused slightly, then, after recalling the matter, said, "Oh, of course."

"Joyce was an outstanding researcher; her intelligence and life should have been dedicated to more valuable work. It's a terrible loss for her to be harmed because of an experiment."

At this point, Ahrens paused slightly, closed his eyes, and continued with a hint of heartache, "For experiments like that, if we were to recruit from the public, there would be an endless supply of desperate volunteers."

"!"

Silence never imagined that the reason her teacher opposed her friend's participation in the experiment wasn't out of concern for safety, but simply because... because of its value!?

This realization left Silence's mind in a state of chaos, even causing a brief period of tinnitus.

Finally, the unwillingness in his heart compelled Silence to speak again, "Didn't Ifrit's life have any value?"

"She's a human life too!!"

"Ifrit's life is certainly valuable. She was one of the very few precious experimental subjects who could withstand the Flame Demon Fragment, and her sacrifices and contributions to the experiment will be recorded in history."

No matter how many times Silence asked or refuted, Ahrens always answered with the same calm and unhurried attitude.

Upon receiving this answer, Silence's anger intensified; she nearly ground her teeth to powder.

"Are you crazy?!"

"Illegal human experimentation... is inhumane! It's a taboo recognized by the academic community! How could you do such a thing?!"

"Sigh... I don't understand, Silence."

After waiting for his students to finish questioning and venting, Ahrens took off his glasses, gently wiped them, and then said calmly, "I really don't understand."

"Scientific progress always comes with sacrifices; how could you forget that?"

"Progress gained at the cost of human lives... that's not science! That's a crime!" Silence immediately retorted after Ahrens's words.

She simply couldn't agree with these views of her teacher.

However, regardless of whether Silence agrees, Ahrens continues to assert. "Sometimes it is the life of the experimental subject that drives scientific progress, and sometimes it is the scientist himself."

"And the strongest driving force for technological progress is often war, and countless children like Ifrit have died in war."

"Many of the technologies we use today were born from countless sacrifices. To point to those sacrifices as inhumane while simultaneously enjoying these technologies is hypocritical, Silence."

At this point, Ahrens looked directly at Silence and his tone gradually became somber.

Chapter 120 Wavering and Doubt

"..."

After hearing his teacher's words, Silence fell silent, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead once again.

She knew in her heart that it wasn't like that, not like what her teacher said, but for a moment she didn't know how to refute it...

During the brief silence from Silence, Ahrens spoke again, "Ifrit, we've saved her life. I've even put you in charge of her daily needs. She can not only enjoy a life of comfort and ease, but also contribute to such a great experiment."

"How lucky she was compared to the children who died of Originium infection in the wilderness."

"No... that's not right!"

Silence, her mind in turmoil, began to argue again, but unlike her previous organized and targeted rebuttals, her thoughts were in disarray, and she could only keep saying no.

However, Ahrens's devilish words did not stop.

"This child has given everything for science, and yet you are criticizing science itself."

No! No...

Just as Silence was becoming extremely emotionally unstable after what she was being said, Ahrens suddenly walked up to her, patted her on the shoulder, and said, "Calm down, Silence. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment."

"Rationality is the guiding principle of all Rhine Lab colleagues, and it's also the reason you're so outstanding. You personally implanted the Flame Demon Fragment into Ifrit; the Diablo Project's progress to this point is largely due to your efforts." — Ju