"However, this gives me an idea." Tao Ge calmed down, interlocking his fingers as he stared at the computer screen and said, "We’ve tested the G09’s mimetic sequence countless times. There’s no doubt that after so many years of screening and optimization, the G09’s mimetic sequence should be extremely stable... so there’s only one possibility for its malfunction..."
Tao Ge looked up and glanced at his assistant, Lee: "It was stimulated by external factors, and such stimulus most likely came from number 116."
"But Mr. Tao, you just said that even if number 116 wanted to contaminate G09’s mimetic sequence, it would have happened after G09 went out of control..." Lee exclaimed, "Surely the footage couldn’t be wrong..."
"External stimuli requiring mimetic contamination, to put it another way, some mimetic contamination doesn’t even necessarily require physical contact." Tao Ge shook his head slowly, "I think the problem most likely lies with number 116."
"So what?" A third voice suddenly interjected, and the burly Meng Yunfeng pushed open the laboratory door and walked in quickly, "Have you done all this research just to use this excuse to pacify the board?"
"If number 116 is willing to cooperate in my experiment, I will definitely find the issue..." Tao Ge immediately said.
"Why should he cooperate with you for an experiment? The G09’s single malfunction almost killed him; he’s not a free hunter without connections, he’s a registered hunter of the Kuaiji Mysterious Creature Research Institute, and if you go up the chain, his direct superior is the Dubhe Tower. We almost killed someone under Dubhe Tower, and you plan to tell the City Defense Army and Dubhe Tower that there’s nothing wrong with the G09, but the problem is with the person who was almost killed?"
Meng Yunfeng got more agitated as he spoke, "Tao Ge, have all these colorful reagents muddled your brain? Do you even know why we formed this hunter group? At this crucial moment, saying such a thing is akin to slapping Dubhe Tower in the face. Let me tell you honestly, even if the entire G09 project is scrapped, even if the Group loses billions, the board will never allow you to investigate number 116!"
"It’s not an investigation..." Tao Ge stressed his words, "We just need his cooperation to run a few simple tests; I can guarantee with my personal pledge that there will be no risk to his life!"
"Your personal pledge? You don’t think your word means more than someone’s life, right?" Meng Yunfeng sneered, "Also, you ask him to cooperate just to pin the malfunction of G09 on him? Do you think he’s a fool, or do you think the board is foolish?"
"I’m not saying the responsibility for G09’s malfunction lies with number 116! Mr. Meng, you don’t do research, so you may not understand. The mimetic sequences of mysterious creatures aren’t that clear-cut— the G09’s sequence is stable, and number 116’s sequence is also stable, but when these two interact, they might produce a ’special chemical reaction’, causing G09 to go completely out of control. I believe the researchers at Dubhe Tower will accept this argument because it’s common in experiments. We just need to figure out why the reaction occurs between the two, and we can ensure the safety of G09 and continue production..." Tao Ge explained fervently — truth be told, he wished for someone other than Meng Yunfeng. Faced with someone like Meng Yunfeng, who seemed to have muscles clogging his brain, Tao Ge often felt the helplessness of "a scholar meeting a soldier and being unable to reason."
"The people at Dubhe Tower will accept this explanation? Ha, I think they’ll only see it as us shirking responsibility." Meng Yunfeng coldly fixed his gaze on Tao Ge.
"No, you misunderstand the people at Dubhe Tower, they’re a bunch of research fanatics, they don’t care about saving face, they’re only interested in experimental data. As long as we can present sufficiently credible data, we won’t even need to continue researching; they themselves would pursue a series of even crazier tests on number 116." Faced with Meng Yunfeng’s skepticism, Tao Ge had to speed up his speech, "We just need to..."
"Enough!" Meng Yunfeng interrupted Tao Ge, "Those research fanatics might be interested in your so-called data, but before those fanatics get wind of this news, it will first reach the high-ups of the City Defense Army and Dubhe Tower’s management. Do you think they won’t care about their dignity?"
"This is purely academic research, and if Dubhe Tower still considers itself an academic institution, they shouldn’t..."
"If you know Dubhe Tower so well, why didn’t you get in but came to this remote, cold place to work under someone?" Meng Yunfeng retorted sarcastically, "Tao Ge, let me be honest with you, you might as well forget it, even if Dubhe Tower and the City Defense Army are willing to believe you, the board will veto your proposal—do you know how much effort the board has expended over the years just to establish a connection with Dubhe Tower? G09 is just one of the many research projects of the Bai Group, it’s not even the core industry of the Bai Group. Do you think they would take the risk of losing years of efforts just to save this project?"
"The board members..." Tao Ge was stunned, suddenly realizing that Meng Yunfeng was right.
No matter how compelling the evidence he presented, no matter how many were willing to believe him, he would first have to pass the hurdle of the Bai Group’s Board of Directors.