Go to the Black Market or save the chief, of course, Ye Bai chooses to save the chief.
After all, the chief chose to enter the battle at the national border for the honor of Imperial University, to prevent a beast tide outbreak and save vast territories from being invaded by exotic beasts.
"Everyone, please leave, or else you’ll delay my treatment of the chief."
Ye Bai raised an eyebrow, speaking earnestly to everyone.
Most of the students lowered their heads, while a few rolled their eyes.
Pretending to be what? You think you can treat the chief?
These people had inquired a lot about Ye Bai’s background, but due to the confidentiality, most only knew he was a prospective freshman at Imperial University.
"No, we want to stay here and watch the chief being treated."
These people said assertively.
"According to Imperial University’s regulations, unauthorized entry into a laboratory conducting experiments warrants a demerit record."
"Retain for observation for a year."
"If any of you wish to stay for observation, I have no problem with it."
After hearing Ye Bai’s implied meaning, everyone paused for a moment. For origınal chapters go to novel⦿fire.net
"Why fear, the law doesn’t punish the masses."
Someone shouted suddenly.
"What are you all shouting here for? Everyone on this floor can hear the commotion you’re making."
Zhang Lingxue and Su Qingxian came out from an adjacent laboratory.
"Principal Su, Professor Zhang."
Upon seeing Zhang Lingxue and Su Qingxian, these people lowered their heads like mice meeting cats.
"Go back. Ye Bai is a genius breeder; I can vouch for him. Please trust him."
Su Qingxian said gently; she was usually not pretentious, so she was very popular among the students.
With Su Qingxian’s assurance, the students left the scene one after another.
"Ye Bai, what happened?"
Su Qingxian then asked Ye Bai.
She and Zhang Lingxue had come to Ye Bai’s laboratory.
Ye Bai pointed at the chief covered with tentacles and said, "This guy is infected with a very special parasitic spore."
"These parasitic spores, when mature, will merge with the human body."
"Those parasitized by the spores also become controlled by them, turning into walking corpses."
"The principle is somewhat similar to Cordyceps."
Su Qingxian’s face suddenly became very grim as if she remembered something.
"Ye Bai, let me ask you one question."
"Can you treat this disease?"
"The chief of Imperial University holds significant importance. He cannot die."
"Even turning into a living dead is unacceptable."
Su Qingxian knew that Ye Bai had apprenticed under Master Jiang.
Master Jiang is a renowned national physician. Even if Ye Bai can’t solve the chief’s problem, isn’t there still Master Jiang?
Su Qingxian was greatly relieved.
"Ye Bai, I have a project of the Five Elements Butterfly I want to entrust to you."
"I hope you can replicate the evolution of the Five Elements Butterfly."
"This holds significant influence on our Flame Country’s research endeavors."
"It has comprehensive strategic value."
Ye Bai shook his head, "Master, it’s not that I don’t want to agree, but the Five Elements Butterfly’s evolution depends on opportunity."
"Moreover, the Five Elements Butterfly can only successfully evolve in the Five Elements Butterfly Secret Realm."
"However, if you want the Thousand-Change Silkworm to evolve into the guardian of the Five Elements Butterfly, like the Heavy Water Butterfly or Li Fire Butterfly, I believe there still might be a chance."
Su Qingxian pondered and felt this was also a research direction.
The guardians of the Five Elements Butterfly are at least Tier Five exotic beasts.
Although not as formidable as the Five Elements Butterfly, they are still a good choice.
"That’s possible, but what’s this you mention about the Thousand-Change Silkworm?"
Su Qingxian seemed to hit a blind spot.
"The Hundred-Change Silkworm can evolve into the Thousand-Change Silkworm, and the Thousand-Change Silkworm can evolve into the Ten Thousand Changes Silkworm."
"I initially contracted a Thousand-Change Silkworm."
"Finally, due to a fortunate coincidence, it evolved into a Ten Thousand Changes Silkworm."
"The difference between the Hundred-Change and Thousand-Change Silkworms is a pure white jade-like mark on the forehead."
Su Qingxian examined carefully and acknowledged Ye Bai’s explanation.
"How fortunate is Xiaoxue to have you as a disciple."
"People say Xiaoxue is the foremost researcher of the Hundred-Change Silkworm, but I find it somewhat exaggerated."
"Ye Bai, your research talent is not inferior to Xiaoxue’s, and you even have an advantage."
"With your Unforgettable talent, if used well, nothing in the world will be unknown to you."
"Alright, I have matters to handle with Xiaoxue."
"Once you return, continue your research."
Su Qingxian seemed already aware that Ye Bai was going to the Western Research Institute.
"Okay, Master, I won’t disturb you then."
After seeing his mentor and grandmaster out the door, Ye Bai sighed deeply.
"The spore’s activity hasn’t been fully activated yet. We need to wait until this form is fully activated so that we can better eliminate the spores from his body."
"Otherwise, every time I perform surgery, this guy will grow new tentacles, and by the end, both the tentacles and the person will be gone."
"It’s getting late. Let’s head to the Underground Black Market first."
"Paper Puppet, help me."
Ye Bai spoke to the air.
A paperman emerged from Ye Bai’s clothing, expanded in midair, and finally took the form of the Paper Puppet.
The Paper Puppet’s voice was very soft.
At this moment, Ye Bai could feel that the Paper Puppet was like a person of flesh and blood.
"Paper Puppet, I need you to make a paper clone for me."
"This paper clone needs to stay here and keep an eye on the person’s condition for me."
"While you and I enter the Underground Black Market to search for information."
The entire Underground Black Market is very large, so if Ye Bai wants to find information, he’ll have to turn the whole market upside down, which is no different from looking for a needle in a haystack.
However, Ye Bai has a system that will tell him everything.
Ye Bai followed the Paper Puppet out of there, leaving only a paper figure in the lab playing on a phone.
Yet this paperman did not realize that the chief’s body started emitting green powder.
The tentacles on his body also grew thicker and sturdier.
Several Iron Armor Ant eggs were placed on the table, left behind in Ye Bai’s haste.
The moment the green powder touched the eggs, a pale green glow emerged from them.
The glow disappeared in an instant, but on the surface, the eggs seemed to return to tranquility.
In fact, these eggs had been parasitized by spores.
These spores would invade the Iron Armor Ants’ brains and turn them into their puppets.
Underground Black Market.
Ye Bai arrived at the Underground Black Market again.
However, this time, he didn’t enter the Lucky Inn.
The little paperman at the Lucky Inn was quite furious when he left abruptly last time.
Ye Bai figured he was probably blacklisted by the inn.
This time, since he arrived earlier, he could stroll around the stalls.
The vendors at the Underground Black Market sat quietly at their stalls, not advertising.
Many people were holding books, examining them carefully under the dim green lights.
Through the Eye of Insight, Ye Bai saw many gray mists swirling around the stalls.
At that moment, Ye Bai saw a vendor whose stall only featured a single stone.
On it was written: one stone, 100,000 Flame Country Coins, fixed price.
"Whoa, is this stone gambling?"
"Is it the stone gambling where you’re either a fortune made with one cut or bust?"
But from the gray mist emanating from this stone, it was at least a Tier Five treasure.
Ye Bai bought the stone from the stall.
Then the vendor took another stone out from underneath himself.
This operation left Ye Bai speechless.
However, just when Ye Bai was about to leave, he discovered that the new stone from the vendor had a shard of glass with patterns.
The patterns on this glass were very similar to a mirror Ye Bai had obtained.
Ye Bai hesitated for a moment, then decided to purchase the stone again.
Only after the vendor displayed a third stone did Ye Bai leave the place.
As soon as midnight passed, the intelligence surfaced.
[1. The Western Research Institute’s data is located at the Tianzi Pawn Shop in the Underground Black Market, up for a dead pawn. If interested, you can redeem it from the Tianzi Pawn Shop, though they’re infamous for being money-grubbers.]
[2. After the spores parasitize the insect eggs, they’ll devour the insect eggs’ brains to control their thoughts.]
[3. The Thick Earth Pearl appeared in a bamboo forest in Yanxi Province, nurturing a Purple Jade Bamboo Heart there, which has the effect of cleansing the Divine Soul.]
[4. Three months later, in Yanxi Province, a Spatial Secret Realm will appear. Spatial turbulence is occurring inside, and the Exotic Beasts within are attacking each other as if they’ve gone mad.]
[5. The Cold Ice Glaze Dragon’s hatchling was captured and held in an Imperial Capital sewer. Three days after the Glazed Dragon Pillar discovers the Cold Ice Glaze Dragon’s hatchling missing, it’s already too late; the hatchling went mad.]
Phew, this time the intelligence is about the whereabouts of the data.
But what does the second piece of intelligence want to indicate?
To use the Elf as an example, is the mushroom controlling the Paras its true body?
The real Paras’s consciousness was eroded during its evolution.
Likewise, once the larval eggs are parasitized by spores, they will become puppets for their whole lives.
However, this is actually a good research direction; once I return to the lab, I can verify it myself.
The pawnshop is tucked away in a corner of a bustling street in the Underground Black Market, and its facade isn’t very striking.
Above the door, the words "Tianzi Pawn Shop" are engraved in five golden, shining characters, exuding an aura of calm opulence.
Inside the shop, the decor is meticulous. Red wooden counters are neatly arranged, displaying a variety of items, from antique paintings to gold and silver jewelry, from precious silks to rare and exotic treasures, all exuding a luster settled by time.
The pawnshop owner wore a long, blue robe, with a faint smile on his face. His eyes were sharp and profound, as if he could see through one’s soul.
Under the dim lights, the crisp sound of copper coins clinking was pleasant to the ears, standing in stark contrast to the bustling street outside. Customers either carefully examined an item or whispered negotiations with the owner, and the air was filled with the tension of transactions.