Chapter 305: 311. Chapter 311: Rebirth through Fire

311. Chapter 311: Rebirth through Fire

"Deal settled?"

Lin Ke came next door to Asangde. Konte's General Manager office.

Just as he entered, he was greeted with a question.

"The deal's settled; go ahead and do it according to your plan."

Lin Ke replied, "There can be small factions within the association; that's unavoidable, but we can't let cliques become too serious, affecting your work."

"Thank you for your support, Lin Ke."

Asangde. Konte sincerely said, "Otherwise, my work would be hard to get started."

This is no mere pleasantry.

Even though Asangde. Konte is a third-level wizard and has Lin Ke's endorsement, he holds the position of General Manager.

However, the Benevolent Brother Group and the Social Anxiety Group are both veterans of the "Free to Do Anything" faction.

Even compared to being loyal to "Free to Do Anything," they are more loyal to Lin Ke personally.

If they are determined to contend for power with Asangde. Konte, as an outsider, Asangde. Konte won't be helpless, but handling it will still be quite tricky.

Now, Lin Ke will have enough influence over all ordinary members of "Free to Do Anything," as well as the future ten-year development of the "Fairy" potion, to entrust Asangde. Konte with overseeing it—deciding who can receive the injection and who can enhance their wizard aptitude—thus giving Asangde. Konte greater power and room to cultivate his base.

This is a very clear signal.

"Don't thank me. Use people without suspicion, don't suspect those you use. Since I chose you as the General Manager of 'Free to Do Anything,' I will of course give you full support."

Lin Ke waved his hand, clearly stating his position.

"Hmm."

Asangde nodded slightly, poured Lin Ke a cup of pu-erh aged citrus peel at the perfect cool temperature, and said, "Have some tea."

After drinking several cups of tea, Asangde casually brought up, saying, "Vice President Di'aomande sent a memo a few days ago, saying they're preparing to hold a joint social event between headquarters and branches. What do you think?"

Lin Ke set down his teacup and said seriously, "Handle these matters with Mo Li and Shanduola; I won't interfere."

After a pause, Lin Ke asked, "Think it over yourself; if you feel you need to concurrently hold the position of Vice President, you can bring it up at the Decision Committee. Is that okay?"

"Sure."

That's exactly what Asangde wanted to hear from Lin Ke.

Having this intention isn't because he's greedy for power.

Rather, he wants to get things done, which requires sufficient authority.

How could a branch general manager concurrently serving as vice president possibly restrain the headquarters general manager?

So, does Lin Ke know this?

Of course he does.

Lin Ke didn't, when appointing Shanduola as Vice President, also promote Asangde by a level on the side—that wouldn't be careless.

He did this for a reason.

Now that Asangde himself has proposed it, it's just right to give him the position he deserves in one go.

"Nothing else, then I'll head back to the Academy Main Campus."

Lin Ke declined Asangde's gesture to pour another cup of tea.

"That's all."

Asangde didn't press further.

The matter is settled, decided; there's no need to waste time.

After greeting Christina, the Benevolent Brother Group, the Social Anxiety Group, and the Third Echelon Backbone, Lin Ke left the Wizard World Mainland and returned to the Academy Main Campus.

During this time, running back and forth, busy as ever, although he didn't neglect his coursework, he did indeed overlook alchemy and potion-making.

Moreover, it's been a long time since he's done research and experiments with Mo Li.

Even Mo Li's progress in the Beastmaster Wizard field hasn't been timely followed up on or cared about.

That's not good.

Lin Ke drove straight to his own laboratory.

"Long time no see."

The elevator doors opened, and Lin Ke ran into Shanduola, whom he hadn't seen in a long while.

Today, beside Shanduola was not Lan Ni. Tai Le, but Tifuni. Klongna.

"Good afternoon, Shanduola, Tifuni."

Lin Ke greeted each of them in turn.

"Do you have time? If so, let's talk."

Shanduola stepped out of the elevator and asked.

"Now?"

Lin Ke frowned and countered.

"We can schedule another time."

Shanduola smiled, implying, "If you're not in a hurry, neither am I."

"Then let's set another time."

Lin Ke accordingly settled on it.

"Alright, I'll contact you when the time comes."

Upon hearing that, Shanduola led Tifuni, brushed past Lin Ke, and walked out of the building.

As Tifuni passed by Lin Ke, she gave him a meaningful glance.

Lin Ke observed this, lost in thought.

I imagine what Shanduola wanted to tell him is probably related to the mission to seize the Saint's inheritance.

He very likely wants to leak some insider information to Lin Ke.

However, it's indeed not urgent, so he just didn't say it right away.

With various thoughts on his mind, Lin Ke walked into the elevator and then arrived at his own laboratory.

He greeted Mo Li, who was seriously conducting a biological experiment, to indicate his arrival, and Lin Ke dove straight into the potion lab he hadn't entered in a while.

Today, while implanting the Shadow Annihilation set into Kelisidina, Lin Ke discovered a loophole in the Construct system.

Previously, in the Fairy World, implanting Barbarian Strike, and later Barbarian Bulwark and Barbarian Wilderness, all used monster pelts as a transfer medium, so there was no demand.

But, like implanting Shadow Annihilation into Kelisidina, which involves drawing and puncturing directly on the skin, requires another kind of carrier.

Lin Ke today temporarily used a brand-new Empowerment potion as the base, carrying out a personalized formulation.

This is merely a stopgap measure.

If the scale isn't large, then it's not really a problem.

For a project as large as the Paluo Sage Legion's Construct undertaking, standardization must be carried out.

Therefore, this time Lin Ke aims to develop a new potion to serve as an implantation carrier.

Its function is similar to tattoo pigment.

Most of the day passed while he was deeply engaged in research.

Even though both were focused on their own experiments and didn't speak a word, that familiar feeling made Mo Li feel very at ease.

Companionship is just like that.

One doesn't need to say much.

Knowing the other person is nearby, each doing their own thing, is also very comfortable and peaceful.

As evening approached, the two stopped their operations, cleaned off the experimental traces from their bodies, and walked out of the laboratory side by side.

"Let's go for a walk."

Stepping out of the elevator and coming downstairs, Mo Li suddenly made a suggestion.

She suddenly felt a bit nostalgic for the days when, after turning over a new leaf, she followed Lin Ke everywhere every day.

Back then, there were no transportation vehicles; no matter where they went on campus, they relied solely on their two legs.

Among the trees, in the sunset, in the morning light, their shadows stretched to different lengths at different times.

Only one thing remained unchanged.

That their two shadows stayed that close to each other.

Looking back now, it actually feels as if that time was wonderfully beautiful.

Mo Li really wants to experience it again, to relive that feeling.

"That's fine."

Lin Ke agreed. The two walked side by side, with Mo Li deliberately standing to Lin Ke's left, stepping out toward the villa that was actually quite far away.

With their backs to the setting western sun, their shadows lengthened slightly.

The light angle was slanted, causing the shadows to overlap somewhat, as if the two were embracing.

"How wonderful!"

As they walked, Mo Li let out a sigh of emotion.

Lin Ke's mouth curled into a smile, and he did not reject Mo Li's action of slipping her right hand into his left palm.

Just like that, the two walked for nearly an hour before returning to the villa.

"I'm very happy today, Lin Ke."

After a few quick steps, Mo Li stood on the villa's front steps, looking down at Lin Ke with a radiant smile, saying, "That you thought to come keep me company, that you're willing to walk back with me, makes me very happy. Thank you, Lin Ke."

Saying that, Mo Li jumped up and flung herself into Lin Ke's arms.

With a "mua," she left a lip print on Lin Ke's face, then slipped down and hopped back into the villa.

So happy that she didn't even prepare dinner.

Anyway, even if she skipped one meal, or even ten, she wouldn't starve to death as a second-rank wizard.

Lin Ke actually didn't particularly understand the change in Mo Li's mood.

But he was pleased to see such a change and gladly accepted it.

Entering the villa, he refused the smart butler's dinner arrangement, went straight up to the second floor, and came to the study.

Not long after sitting down, Lin Ke, who was drafting the standardized operating procedure for directly implanting Constructs onto wizards' bodies, received a notice from the academy.

The verdict came down that the sniper assault on the Otherworld Pioneers of Shadow City, in the mission to seize the Saint School's inheritance, had failed.

Lin Ke opened it and was quite surprised.

The academy actually didn't deduct Lin Ke's credits, nor give a negative evaluation; instead, it gave him a fairly substantial reward.

Even after carefully reading the notice, Lin Ke couldn't find the reason for the reward.

"There's still such a good thing?"

He muttered, but his heart wasn't actually pleased about it.

When things are abnormal, there must be something fishy.

The academy's handling of this is both a good thing and a bad thing for Lin Ke and the other wizards who participated in this mission.

The good part is that there was no loss, and his record wasn't spent.

The bad part is that it easily makes him a target of public criticism.

This information is transparent and public.

All the wizards of the academy can look it up.

How would other wizards think, upon learning that Lin Ke and his team's mission failed yet they weren't punished but instead received a reward?

If the academy gave a specific reason, there would be no problem.

But since it didn't give one, it would spark discussion and targeting.

It's not scarcity that worries us, but inequality.

After briefly considering the possibility, Lin Ke set aside his thoughts and did not speculate further.

Things being as they are, what will come will come; thinking more won't help.

Let's leave it at that.

Crossing out that notice, Lin Ke continued writing the unfinished standard operating procedure.

Once the procedure was finished, Lin Ke left the study and went to the bedroom.

Using the Brain Seal Technique as a medium, he entered a mysterious, profound state and, in the process, conducted a deep meditation.

After this period of self-adjustment and optimization, the Great Universe Meditation Method has become vastly different from Lin Ke's self-created version.

Lin Ke never stopped this process; in fact, he was investigating some things.

The progress in this area is not very ideal.

There have been many unexpected gains, the meditation method being just one of them.

The most important thing is that Lin Ke discovered he could first simulate in the sea of consciousness micro-world, weigh the pros and cons, then decide on the development strategy and evolutionary direction of the real "small world".

Thus, the sea of consciousness micro-world serves as a virtual simulator for the real "small world".

It allows infinite trial and error to find the optimal development strategy and evolutionary direction for the real "small world".

Those responsible for conducting the simulation are Furanduo and Konailiya.

A few days ago, during Lin Ke's mission, Furanduo had to bear the heavy responsibility of reconnaissance and reverse summoning.

Konailiya thus became the main force of the simulation.

Now, Lin Ke intends to check Konailiya's results.

Perhaps because of her identity as a fire elemental spirit, all of Konailiya's simulations lean toward the fire attribute.

Not volcanic eruptions causing species extinction;

or meteorites striking, igniting heavenly fires, causing species extinction.

After reviewing the simulation records, Lin Ke was rather speechless.

Indeed, the real "small world"'s biological evolution, from the moment the fourth evolution failed to be completed from the start, has taken a wrong turn.

Even if the fourth evolution is completed, it only corrects part of it.

Moreover, a large proportion of organic life rushes wildly toward a Lovecraftian direction.

But it also gets destroyed at the drop of a hat, right?

This destructive urge is no surprise for a fire elemental spirit.

"Master, how is Konailiya's performance?"

Furanduo's stifled laughter echoed in Lin Ke's heart.

"Master, how is Konailiya's performance?"

Konailiya's voice, hoping for praise, followed closely after.

"Not bad."

Lin Ke didn't want to dampen Konailiya's enthusiasm, nor tell a lie, so he employed his past-life ethnic traits and struck a compromise.

"Hehehe..."

Furanduo laughed happily.

"Hahaha..."

Konailiya also let out a clear, bell-like laugh of joy.

Ignoring the big and small laughs, Lin Ke was about to exit the sea of consciousness to sleep and rest.

Suddenly, he noticed a very inconspicuous detail in one of the simulation records.

"What is this?"

Lin Ke immediately halted his train of thought, called up that simulation record, and magnified the detail.

This is Konailiya's third simulation.

She set up a virtually apocalyptic scenario in which all active volcanoes in the small world erupted simultaneously.

Lava overflowed, flames filled the sky, burning everything.

Thick, gloomy volcanic ash blocked out all sunlight.

All organic life faced its darkest hour, a catastrophe of extinction.

Countless species, whether normal or Lovecraftian-inclined, fell in droves and went extinct.

After the brief but extremely cruel lava apocalypse came the onset of an ice age.

After enduring the long ice age, the species that struggled to survive and those newly nurtured by natural evolution finally ushered in a flourishing period of bright growth.

The small detail Lin Ke had previously overlooked lay in the transition between the ice age and the bright era.

A primate naturally reborn appeared briefly, then died out just as quickly.

This discovery left Lin Ke greatly shocked.

Even in the simulation, that primate failed to adapt to the mutating climate, perishing in the darkness before the light, unable to continue reproducing.

But this is a primate, a primate possessing a certain degree of intelligence!

If handled properly, whether this primate can evolve into humans or not, it has the potential to become a servant soldier.

After Lin Ke advances to sage, he can save one expense.

He might even broaden his sources of wealth.

The Paro sages are promoting the sale or rental of elf servant soldier units implanted with the "Barbarian" series modules, which can resonate and amplify to unleash astonishing collective combat power.

Making money, no problem!