Necessary Sacrifices Have to Be Made by Someone, Right?

"How is it not necessary?" The old woman frowned. "Tell me yourself—how many suitors have you turned down over the years? I could tell long ago that you never planned to find a man in this lifetime."

"But this isn't just your personal matter. It's a matter of the entire Federation! The chances of you and him producing SSS-class offspring are more than ten times higher than those of ordinary female professionals!"

A faint blush spread across Shen Zhiyi's cold, almost austere face, lending her an indescribable charm.

If the other trainees saw this scene,

they would probably cry that the sky was falling.

The president of Darkstar Institute, known as the "Dark Iron Maiden," actually had such a shy, delicate side?

Shen Zhiyi bit her lip and lowered her voice. "Teacher, I am the president of Darkstar Institute. My duty is to protect him and train him, not..."

"There's no conflict!"

The old woman waved a hand. "You protect him during the day, and at night you... Ahem."

Realizing that a group of grown men was still present, she stopped herself in time, but her meaning had already been made perfectly clear.

Jiang Chuan's scalp went numb.

He felt that if he did not speak up now, these mad old scholars might really pin him down and breed him on the spot today.

"Everyone."

He raised his hand, his voice not loud but clear enough. "Please allow me to say this: I refuse!"

Everyone turned to look at him.

The old woman frowned. "Jiang Chuan, you're still young. You may not understand the significance of this."

"I understand."

Jiang Chuan calmly cut her off. "I understood every word you said. Bloodline inheritance, racial continuation, the Federation's future—I understand all of it."

He paused and looked around.

"But I don't agree."

The atmosphere stiffened.

Han Sinan opened his mouth as if to say something, but Jiang Chuan raised a hand to stop him.

"I'm not the kind of person who can sacrifice everything for the greater good."

Jiang Chuan's voice was quiet, yet every word landed heavily. "My bloodline is mine to decide. I will not become anyone's stud, nor will I let my children be treated as tools from the moment they are born."

He looked at the old woman, his tone softening slightly. "Elder Jiang, I understand your good intentions, and I respect your academic standing, but there is no room for discussion on this matter."

The old woman stared at him for a long time before finally sighing. "Young people... are still too young."

"However."

Jiang Chuan changed direction. "I can provide blood, hair, skin tissue, and even..."

He hesitated. "I can cooperate in providing some more in-depth research materials as well. But the condition is that all research must have my consent, and I must have the right to know about and use all results."

Han Sinan's eyes lit up instantly. "You're willing to provide... that?"

"Mm."

Jiang Chuan's expression did not change. "But it can only be used for scientific research. It cannot be used for any form of... bloodline continuation."

He put it very vaguely, yet even someone as accustomed to storms as Shen Zhiyi had her ears turn red.

The old woman fell silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed. "Fine. I've lived eighty-seven years, and what I admire most are young people with minds of their own. If you're unwilling, no one can force you. But remember this: your body doesn't belong to you alone. It is the wealth of the entire human race."

She paused. "Of course, that's a rather selfish thing to say. But you'll understand someday."

Jiang Chuan did not argue. He merely nodded.

Qin Tianheng broke the awkward atmosphere at the right moment. "Then it's settled. Jiang Chuan will cooperate in providing research samples. All research must be based on the premise that it does not harm his body, and the results will be shared. As for the... the plan Elder Jiang mentioned, it will be put aside for now and not discussed."

The old woman snorted but said nothing more.

Han Sinan rubbed his hands excitedly, pulled a silver-white metal case from his robes, and opened it to reveal a neat row of test tubes and blood-drawing needles.

"Student Jiang Chuan, shall we begin now?"

Looking at that row of test tubes, Jiang Chuan suddenly felt he had agreed a little too readily.

Shen Zhiyi walked to his side and said quietly, "You can change your mind."

"No need."

Jiang Chuan rolled up his sleeve. "It's just a little blood. Go ahead."

He paused, glanced at Shen Zhiyi's still-flushed profile, and inexplicably added, "If President Shen is interested, I can cooperate with you too."

Shen Zhiyi's face instantly darkened. Jiang Chuan felt a chilling killing intent rise beside him and hurriedly changed his tune. "Just kidding! I was kidding! President Shen is in the prime of her beauty, breathtakingly gorgeous. She's far beyond my reach!"

Han Sinan had already inserted the specialized blood-drawing needle into Jiang Chuan's vein. Dark red blood flowed through the transparent tube and into the test tube.

He stared at that tube of blood with the reverence of a pilgrim.

"A miracle... It truly is a miracle..."

he muttered.

Jiang Chuan turned his head away, too lazy to look at these fanatical scholars. Instead, he began seriously considering a question.

These people all thought he had become so powerful because of his SSS-class talent.

But that was not the case at all.

Would their research on him mislead future scholars into thinking every SSS-class talent should possess this level of strength, causing misunderstandings?

...Even if it did,

that would probably be a very long time from now.

Jiang Chuan cooperated in collecting samples of blood, hair, and skin tissue, but the group of old scholars still showed no intention of leaving. Jiang Yinglan, in particular, stared at him expectantly.

Jiang Chuan looked at her wrinkled old face.

His expression turned troubled.

He said, "Vice President Jiang, some things cannot be forced, or they will only backfire. I believe you understand that."

Jiang Yinglan immediately agreed. "You're right. If a man is under too much stress, the quality of the essence he secretes will decline as well, which would not be conducive to our research."

Before Jiang Chuan could breathe a sigh of relief, he heard her urge, "I'll give you half an hour. Go relax quickly!"

Jiang Chuan's face darkened.

He felt he had to be tougher, or these old folks would only push their luck further. "We'll talk when I'm in the mood. The other samples are enough for you to study first!"

"Th-then... all right."

Jiang Yinglan was unwilling, but she also knew she could not pressure Jiang Chuan too hard. She turned to instruct Shen Zhiyi, "Zhiyi, I leave this matter entirely in your hands!"

"Me...?"

Shen Zhiyi did not understand at first. What did she need to take charge of when it came to collecting Jiang Chuan's research samples?

Jiang Yinglan vaguely said, "In short, if he produces a sample, you must send it over immediately. Don't delay and compromise the sample's viability!"

Afraid Shen Zhiyi would resist, she added at the end, "This is for humanity's future. After all, someone has to make some necessary sacrifices."

Now Shen Zhiyi understood.

Under what circumstances could she collect Jiang Chuan's... sample immediately?

But with Jiang Yinglan invoking the greater good of humanity to pressure her,

she could not refuse.

After a moment of silence, Shen Zhiyi took a deep breath and said, "I understand, Teacher."