Lin Qi had the authority to switch L-level Researcher assistants.
But making these M-level Researchers work for nothing for so long, while he indulged in his own "shamelessly asking questions," did seem a little excessive.
He checked the time. There were still a full two hours until the end of the workday.
That seemed like enough time to complete an M-level project experiment.
Based on what he knew now, Lin Qi estimated that completing an M-level drug research project wouldn't be difficult.
M-level drugs didn't involve any Extraordinary Items or Extraordinary Materials. Most were simply different combinations of drug molecules.
The most common kind, in particular, was M-level human-enhancement drugs.
From Lin Qi's current perspective, they seemed to involve nothing more than endless trial and error through exhaustive testing.
The materials used were mostly biological consumables and various drugs that had been used by humans for over a century.
"Psychic Vision seems like it could come in handy." Lin Qi reached that conclusion almost instinctively.
He lifted his head and looked around. The M-level Researchers nearby all shuddered.
Here it comes!
It's happening again!
After a long while, when Lin Qi still hadn't asked anything, the researchers all turned to look at him.
"I've requested a batch of materials. I'll try to finish the project and settle the accounts today."
Lin Qi felt a strange confidence. Two hours would be all he needed to finish a mere M-level drug project.
"Huh?"
The M-level Researchers were a little bewildered.
This A-level cross-disciplinary big shot had clearly only started learning pharmacy less than ten hours ago.
And in such a short time, he was already making such a bold claim?
It was a flagrant disrespect for pharmacy.
They were resentful, but didn't dare show it. They even had to flatter him.
"As expected of an A-level big shot."
"An A-level big shot's ability to learn isn't something we can compare to."
The flattery went on and on, but Lin Qi knew few of them meant it.
They were just sucking up to their superiors, a bunch of bootlickers.
An hour later, Laboratory 1339 was running like clockwork.
The centrifuges, mixers, and spectrometers were all operating.
Adjusting an M-level drug required the strict monitoring of various instruments.
But Lin Qi's gaze was fixed on the drug itself.
"Although M-level drugs don't use any materials with extraordinary properties, and the materials themselves don't contain even a trace of Spiritual Energy Particles..."
"Once the materials are mixed and processed, though, they acquire the ability to attract Spiritual Energy Particles."
"The drug is undergoing an extraordinary transformation. An Extraordinary Item? No, just an item with extraordinary properties."
Lin Qi had never taken any drugs. His First Rank physical fitness came entirely from digesting the Crimson Crystal.
This was the first time he had observed the process of making a drug.
The ability to attract Spiritual Energy Particles seemed to be the key to drug preparation.
That was why Lin Qi didn't even need monitoring equipment to judge how the drug was changing.
He could precisely determine how each added ingredient affected the drug's state.
As a result, the M-level Researchers couldn't make sense of what Lin Qi was doing or understand the purpose of his various preparation steps.
"Why add antibiotics? I don't get it."
"He even added fungi."
"Based on the spectrometer results, this drug should be ruined, but after he added the fungi, it worked again..."
They couldn't understand it. They simply couldn't.
Yet under Lin Qi's direction, exhaustive testing of a hundred batches of materials had produced two finished drugs with different formulas.
Based on their ability to attract Spiritual Energy Particles, Lin Qi was sure that both drugs were M-level.
But he didn't fully understand what they did. Comparing the formulas with Si Li's Basic Pharmacy, he figured the drugs were probably related to human enhancement.
"So... it's done?"
"The entire process has been recorded, so it can be replicated for mass production. The instruments confirm that these are M-level drugs."
"Now all that's left is human application testing to analyze their specific effects."
The ten M-level Researchers looked at Lin Qi with complicated expressions.
Was this what an A-level big shot was like?
He was simply terrifying.
"You can handle the human application tests. These should count as two M-level research achievements, so you'll be able to claim the corresponding bonuses."
M-level drug research might seem easy, but the company's rewards were generous, almost as high as those for L-level projects.
Human-enhancement drugs were among the best-selling types of drugs.
All Extraordinary Professions involving physical enhancement—and even ordinary people who wanted to improve their physical fitness—needed M-level enhancement drugs.
Every drug caused resistance, and resistance could even develop between different drugs.
Demand for a wide range of M-level drugs had never let up.
"Thank you, big shot!"
"As expected of an A-level big shot. Your talent for pharmacy is definitely greater than your talent for mechanics and cybernetic design."
The M-level Researchers started praising him again.
This time, they meant it. They weren't just being a bunch of bootlickers.
Lin Qi nodded and checked the time. There were only ten minutes left until the end of the workday.
He was ready to put his top-tier employee talent to use: slacking off.
[Xiao Ai reminder: You have received an email from the "Highest-Level Secure Mailbox."]
An email?
Had Guangleng sent another one?
Was there another last-minute meeting at midnight?
It was March 5, Saturday—not the usual Monday meeting day.
They'd already held three meetings this week, far more than usual.
He opened the email and checked its contents.
Lin Qi's expression turned a little strange when he saw the message.
[Arthur wants you to check the Quantum-Locked Text Communicator.]
There was only one line. Through the email, Lin Qi could almost picture Guangleng's helpless expression.
The Quantum-Locked Text Communicator—the wristband he'd obtained that morning—was currently resting in the weapons compartment of his Exoskeleton.
There were too many surveillance devices inside Liu Heavy Industries' subsidiary, and Lin Qi hadn't had time to retrieve it yet.
There were still ten minutes until the end of the workday. No need to hurry.
That was what Lin Qi thought.
In a sewer in the Edge Zone of Greenland City.
A woman less than 1.6 meters tall, with cybernetic implants covering forty percent of her body and an Exoskeleton covering the rest, was muttering to herself.
Her voice was crisp and high-pitched, like she was putting on a cutesy act.
"Reply to my messages?"
"At least reply to my messages!"
"I hid in that scrap cybernetics recycling station for so long, then exposed myself to get this damn wristband. Those damn gangsters chased me all the way into the sewers."
"I've been waiting since a little after nine this morning. Why hasn't Wizard replied?"
"Reply to my messages! Reply to my messages!"
"Ahhh!"
Arthur was about to lose it.
The idea had been Wizard's, but she was the one who'd taken the risk.
And now Wizard had vanished off the face of the earth.
The email Guangleng had replied with clearly said that Wizard had successfully obtained the Quantum-Locked Text Communicator.
Arthur was getting desperate waiting, but she still hadn't received a single word in reply.
Ten minutes later, on the first floor of Liu Heavy Industries' subsidiary.
Lin Qi saw a familiar face again.
"What a coincidence."
"It sure is."
Before you continue