Chapter 1288: Newcomers Join, New Project Launches

"For the Assistant Researchers under Researcher Li Si, I will take whoever is willing to come. As for the other researchers, if anyone wants to come to us, I will give you ten spots."

In any case, this is the Projection Plane, and Xia Duo does not care about offending people, as long as it is not too outrageous.

Generally, the standard configuration for a Level 1 Researcher is three Assistant Researchers. If you have one more, someone else will have one less. Xia Duo is not yet clear on where the upper limit of tolerance lies, but he assumes that taking a dozen or so should not be a problem.

……

That evening, Luo Zi went overnight to contact the Assistant Researchers who wanted to jump ship. The next day, when Xia Duo walked out of the Xiu Xi Shi, there were three new people in the Laboratory besides Luo Zi.

"My lord, let me introduce—"

Without waiting for Xia Duo to ask, Luo Zi stepped forward and explained first, "These three are Hake, Jie La Er, and Mai Di. Hake and Jie La Er were previously with Researcher Li Si, while Mai Di was with Researcher Dai Er. Upon hearing the news, they are also willing to join our Laboratory."

That is what Luo Zi said, but the attitude of Hake and the other two was not very certain. Instead, they asked the question they cared about most right in front of Xia Duo:

"Researcher Maikade, we have been Assistant Researchers for a long time. To be honest, we have already accumulated quite a few Level 1 Projects, enough for our promotion. If you can truly do as Luo Zi said and not hold us back on project evaluations, then we are all willing to join the Laboratory."

To this, Xia Duo gave a definite answer again and said:

"I know that no matter how I guarantee it, I cannot make you absolutely believe me, but do you have any other choices? What you need to do now is take the first step of trust. I believe time will prove everything."

Hake and the other two exchanged glances, and only then did they nod slowly, but Hake also clearly mentioned one point, "We can still afford to waste the time of a few projects, but the anger of three Arcanists, I think Researcher Maikade surely would not want to test."

"The three of you, please rest assured. Joining my Laboratory, you will definitely not regret it!"

"That's good, we'll join!"

After speaking, the three left first. Not long after, Xia Duo received a message from the Research Institute Management Center regarding Hake and the other two applying for Maikade Laboratory. Xia Duo naturally replied with consent without any hesitation.

……

After confirming he had three helpers, Xia Duo decisively had Luo Zi take the project proposal he had organized, "Localization Transformation and Mass Production Design of a Special Psychic Amulet," to the Management Center to apply for project initiation.

It is, of course, possible to assign tasks to Assistant Researchers without initiating a project, but then one would not receive support from the Research Institute. Any consumption incurred during the research would have to be paid for by Xia Duo himself.

Furthermore, Hake and the other two had just joined the Laboratory. If he immediately assigned them private work outside the project, making them work for free, they would likely regret it immediately and jump ship again.

Trust is cultivated step by step. Xia Duo does not mind taking the lead in showing sincerity and making certain concessions in this process, thereby breaking the zero-sum game and achieving a win-win for all parties.

This is also somewhat similar to the feeling of "small profits but quick turnover" and "luxury goods." Whose profit is higher? That is really not certain!

A high profit margin does not equal high total profit!

The short-term benefits of a win-win might not be as good as hogging everything, but in the long run, it has more development potential and can bring more benefits.

As for Xia Duo now, he is doing a business with no capital investment. He does not care at all how much profit others can make from it; he only cares about whether his requirements can be completed most efficiently in the shortest time!

For this, even if he had to give up all the profits, it would be no problem. Anyway, the things in this Projection Plane—once he returns to the Main Plane, everything except Knowledge will be nothing but a void.

……

Applying for project initiation at the Research Institute is not difficult, especially when a newcomer is just starting out. As long as it meets the minimum Level 1 standard, it will not be rejected at all.

The follow-up is different. The higher-ups will make judgments based on the completion of the Laboratory's previous projects. If previous projects have failed one after another, the result can be imagined; being rejected should become the norm.

To reverse this, one would likely have to put in several times more effort than other researchers.

Soon, Luo Zi returned to the Laboratory with the project initiation notice and Hake and the other two. Xia Duo glanced at the project initiation notice; like the project Luo Zi brought himself, there were no additional requirements.

This is entirely a benefit for newcomers. Generally, after passing the novice period, even if the projects applied for by researchers are initiated, the higher-ups will attach some requirements.

For example, for Spell development projects, there will be requirements for spellcasting difficulty; for Magic Item manufacturing projects, there will be requirements for craftsmanship precision and material quantity, and sometimes there will be requirements for mass production design.

Xia Duo's two projects now have no additional requirements, which means that these two projects are completely provided with resources by the higher-ups for him to use—even if he wastes them.

"Hake, if you have any projects, you can show them to me first. As long as they meet the initiation standards, I will not stop you."

"Those are not urgent. Let's do this special psychic amulet project first!" Hake refused very naturally.

To this, Xia Duo did not care at all. Refusing is just right. If you want to know my sincerity, then hurry up and complete the Demon-Slaying Amulet project!

You'll know when the time comes!

……

Now that the Laboratory has entered the right track, Hake and the other two quickly entered their state, while Xia Duo used studying the Arcane Fire Secret Scroll as an excuse, but was actually organizing and analyzing the echo feedback data of the Mithril Mine in his consciousness.

When tired from work, he would also look at the new content in the 【Sword of Ruling】 as a diversion.

Although the Sword of Ruling is sealed, the Wisdom Gem on it is relatively independent and does not affect Xia Duo's use.

Yilisier Mianwang has filled in a lot of information over more than a thousand years, and even the original information in the Wisdom Gem is different from what Xia Duo learned before in 【Projection Plane: Cormanthor Birth】.

The High Mages who initially injected knowledge and experience into the 【Sword of Ruling】 for these two Projection Planes were not exactly the same.

This made Xia Duo even more delighted. Now, not only can he obtain information related to Yilisier Mianwang, but he can also gain the lifelong knowledge and experience of several more High Mages.

It was truly worth the risk of escaping the Projection Plane and failing this trip to summon the Sword of Ruling!

……

When eating dinner that evening, Luo Zi came to report again, "My lord, I contacted many Assistant Researchers during the day. They were all very interested in our Laboratory, but later more and more people contacted me, and I am a bit worried—"

"Worried about what? Worried that the Laboratory cannot hold those people?" Xia Duo asked back.

"No."

A flash of anxiety crossed Luo Zi's eyes, "My lord, I am worried that doing this will provoke public anger, and the higher-ups might also intervene."

"No, the higher-ups will not intervene, at least not yet."

Xia Duo said very firmly.