The Vanished Gladiolus Grass
Zhang Xuezhou may look down on Jin Shixue's ranking strength, after all, there are quite a few experts in the Fifth Sequence of the committee.
However, Zhang Xuezhou would not deny Jin's historical abilities and qualifications.
The old and young clans are not major Lineage in Western Capital City and do not have control over advanced genetic technology. It is extremely difficult for them to obtain high-end medical care and high-grade blood products. The probability of a Fifth Sequence individual appearing in this group is very low.
To stand out from this group signifies that Jin Shixue possesses exceptional talent.
Zhang Xuezhou was unwilling to personally train people, even Ning Que, whom he had previously valued highly.
But this time Zhang Xuezhou didn't refuse to the end. His position was no longer as awkward as before, and the resources he possessed were not so scarce that not a drop could be squeezed out. Moreover, Jin Shixue did not need to be trained from scratch.
The other party's request might be merely to lend a hand, not for him to take full responsibility.
Zhang Xuezhou gave Jin Shixue a chance, indicating that once the other party was completely reassured, they could go to the B13 Research Institute in North Rehe for negotiations.
"The Zuo Household members appear at night, but they mysteriously disappear during the day. Would you like to come to the Zuo Household and check on them?"
The communicator received a message from Ren Anran. After finishing his observation of the Dongshan Imperial Mausoleum, Zhang Xuezhou quickly drove the medical vehicle towards Western Capital City.
"Brother, did you find Zuo Jin in Dongshan?"
Ren Wuyang then sent a message inquiring about Zhang Xuezhou.
Clearly, even with many people appearing at the Zuo Household that night, Ren Wuyang did not spot Zuo Jin.
"Zuo Jin... Ba'er Gu..."
Just as Zhang Xuezhou was about to reply to Ren Wuyang, he suddenly remembered Zuo Luo's curses before he disappeared, so he deleted the reply and quickly dialed a number again.
"Sister Zhou!"
The contact number displayed was Zhou Yueyan. After she answered the phone 30 seconds later, Zhang Xuezhou greeted her warmly.
"They called just one day after we got back? No, no, no, the production rate of beast extracts couldn't be that fast. We've only just taken samples of the beast's fur, skin, blood, and muscle fibers for testing. What follows is very complicated; it requires very tedious calculations to determine the method of segmentation and extraction!"
Zhang Xuezhou simply greeted her, and Zhou Yueyan immediately launched into a long speech, clearly extremely busy.
"I'd like to ask about the purple gladiolus?"
Taking advantage of the pause in Zhou Yueyan's speech, Zhang Xuezhou quickly revealed the true purpose of his call.
"Gladiolus, isn't that at the High-tech Agricultural Products Center? Do you want to use that for research?" Zhou Yueyan asked.
"I just wanted to ask if the gladiolus is still stored there?" Zhang Xuezhou said again.
"They're definitely still there," Zhou Yueyan said. "There are already very few people who know about this, and two-thirds of them were killed by Zhang Qiaoen. The remaining third either lost interest in touching it, stayed home in seclusion to cultivate, or ran away to Qin Meng like you. No one has dealt with those sword orchids at all!"
Are you absolutely sure?
"It has to be true... wait a minute!"
Zhou Yueyan reacted quickly, snapping out of her daze even while studying the ferocious beast.
The ferocious beast is important, but the purple gladiolus is equally important.
These are two different kinds of creatures, yet both are dangerous, involving many aspects that have not yet been fully understood.
Zhou Yueyan didn't know why Zhang Xuezhou suddenly inquired about this matter after returning to Qinmeng, but the other party's repeated questioning meant that things were not normal.
She did not hang up on Zhang Xuezhou, but quickly conducted a verification.
Everything stored in any research institute is registered and will not disappear into thin air. Even if someone has the necessary permits to retrieve it, there will still be relevant records.
"My records show that Zuo Jin entered and exited the High-tech Agricultural Products Center three times this month, each time checking on gladiolus, but there's no record of him taking any gladiolus!"
After verifying the relevant information, Zhou Yueyan quickly replied and confirmed with Zhang Xuezhou whether they needed to check on the gladiolus so that she could arrange the necessary procedures for passage in advance.
"Could you please check if those gladiolus plants are still in the research institute?" Zhang Xuezhou said.
"You suspect Zuo Jin took the gladiolus?" Zhou Yueyan asked suspiciously. "He needs to be inspected when he goes in and out over there; it's difficult for him to carry away items that haven't been approved!"
The items in the High-tech Agricultural Products Research Center are not cabbages. Even if one is eligible to take the corresponding items, registration is required, which may reduce the calculated share and thus diminish other benefits.
Overall, the major Lineage in Western Capital City wield extremely high authority, but have maintained an excellent balance for decades, with few individuals able to arbitrarily demand anything.
The purple gladiolus signifies an extremely high level. Let alone Zuo Jin three plants, even taking just one would deplete the Zuo Household's share from that year.
Zhou Yueyan didn't think Zuo Jin was likely to have taken the gladiolus, but she still took the extra precautions to confirm it.
"Old Wu... what? Gone? All three plants are gone?"
When the results of the investigation came, Zhou Yueyan felt completely devastated.
"How is that possible? Only a few people can go in Zuo Jin didn't take the gladiolus in the record either. You filled it out yourself. Shouldn't you have confirmed it after Zuo Jin? It was there intact just two days ago. How come it's gone today?"
Zhou Yueyan couldn't help but ask loudly, and even though she didn't communicate directly with Zhang Xuezhou, Zhang Xuezhou could hear her voice on the other end of the communicator.
By the end, Zhou Yueyan's tone clearly carried a hint of surprise and doubt.
One was Zuo Jin, who hadn't taken the purple gladiolus with him, and the other was Zhang Xuezhou, who had just returned from the Qinmeng Ruins area.
The former checked the purple gladiolus three times during this period, which was obviously abnormal, and the disappearance of the purple gladiolus was very likely related to Zuo Jin. However, Zhou Yueyan did not know how Zuo Jin took the purple gladiolus.
Zhang Xuezhou, the latter, noticed the matter the day after returning to Western Capital City, perhaps out of concern for the sword orchid, or perhaps because he had discovered something.
"Zuo Jin, yes, find Zuo Jin!"
Zhou Yueyan snapped Zuo Jin her daze and quickly dialed Zuo Jin's number again.
Upon hearing the busy tone of the communication line, Zhou Yueyan's expression changed, and she quickly dialed several other communication numbers.
"It's one thing for Zuo Jin to not answer my calls, but it's impossible for Professors Zhang Huan, Yu Ye, and Jin Guangming not to answer my calls!"
The Zhang Huan and others mentioned by Zhou Yueyan are top experts at the Zuo Household Research Institute and important figures in the scientific research circle, who maintain an extremely good relationship with Zhou Yueyan.
Zhou Yueyan frowned as she heard a series of busy signals.
Leaving Zuo Jin, the fact that researchers were often too busy with their work to carry communication devices, and that multiple people were in the same situation, gave Zhou Yueyan a sense of foreboding.
"I can hear a car starting on your communicator. Are you on your way to the Zuo Household's house? I'll have Rihui come over and help you right now!"
Zhou Yueyan reacted very quickly. In just a short time, she sent Zhou Rihui, who was just joining in the fun in the lab, out to assist her, specifically in investigating the connection between the purple gladiolus and Zuo Jin.