Chapter 277 : Could It Be
Chapter 277 - Could It Be?
Sitting in the reception room of the base's research institute, Ye Sheng looked somewhat bewildered.
Across from her on the sofa sat the amiable and kind-hearted core researcher of the institute, Dr. Na Nali, a middle-aged man with a weathered appearance but strikingly bright emerald-green eyes, who was now eagerly pouring tea for them.
Ye Sheng tilted her head to glance at Gu Luoyu sitting beside her, suddenly feeling confused. Why had they gone from being at each other's throats at the base gate to this?
Rewinding time to an hour and a half earlier, just as Ye Sheng was on guard against the people from the base's research institute, the other side had unexpectedly proposed peace talks. Their attitude wasn’t forceful at all, even hinting at a mix of wariness and flattery.
Naturally, Ye Sheng’s first reaction was to refuse. But to her surprise, Gu Luoyu nodded in agreement.
And so, the next thing they knew, they were following the institute’s personnel into the base, eventually arriving at the research institute... Ye Sheng had once worked a “short-term job” here to earn base points, so the place wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to her.
But it was precisely because of that short-term job, working on the transformation potion research, that she had witnessed the entire escape process of the institute’s test subjects firsthand. She had even gotten involved, becoming an “accomplice.”
For a moment, her thoughts drifted too far. Ye Sheng shook her head and quickly snapped back to reality. Though she didn’t understand why Gu Luoyu had agreed to come here, she wasn’t about to make a scene. Instead, she decided to wait and see how things unfolded.
Just as Ye Sheng was lost in these thoughts, Dr. Na Nali, sitting across from her, chuckled and said, “Erensu, I truly never imagined that in my lifetime, I would get to see your true form. It’s absolutely incredible.”
To Ye Sheng, Dr. Na Nali was just a stranger she’d met once.
But for Gu Luoyu, it was different. After all, the two had maintained a cooperative relationship for five long years. Dr. Na Nali had been leading the research on Erensu, investigating the abnormal traits that set her apart from other Espers.
Despite years of research, they still hadn’t found a definitive answer. Progress had been stagnant, as if frozen. Yet, their long-standing “friendship” wasn’t fake.
At the very least, Erensu wouldn’t harm a research doctor like him...
However, while Dr. Na Nali was sighing with emotion, Gu Luoyu merely lifted her eyelids coldly, entirely unmoved. But Dr. Na Nali seemed accustomed to Erensu’s indifference and didn’t feel the slightest bit awkward, continuing to chatter away.
“The institute’s research on the mental state of Espers has never stopped. Now that you’ve returned, it’s truly wonderful! I believe our research will make groundbreaking progress. Soon, all the Espers in the base will, ”
“Stop. Dr. Na Nali, even after all this time, you still haven’t shaken off your habit of rambling... Save the useless persuasion. I’m not some kind of saint willing to sacrifice myself for other Espers, so spare me the nonsense.”
Gu Luoyu glanced at Ye Sheng, who was puffing out her cheeks in boredom, and immediately knew she didn’t want to stay here any longer. Without letting Dr. Na Nali continue, she cut the conversation short with a single sentence.
Those two sentences alone made Ye Sheng cringe on Dr. Na Nali’s behalf.
But when she looked at Dr. Na Nali, he still wore the same cheerful expression, not a hint of change on his face. His ability to endure like this left Ye Sheng deeply impressed. No wonder he was a doctor!
However, Dr. Na Nali ultimately didn’t veer off into other topics. Instead, as Gu Luoyu had demanded, he got straight to the point:
“In that case, I won’t beat around the bush. Erensu... no, I should call you Gu Luoyu now, would you be willing to continue being a research subject for the institute? We can offer generous compensation!”
Dr. Na Nali spoke a great deal in one breath, finally pausing, but only for a moment before pressing on, determined to persuade her at all costs:
“As long as it’s not something like destroying the base, any wish of yours, the institute will do its utmost to fulfill it. We definitely won’t let you suffer any losses.”
“...”
Ye Sheng blinked. She didn’t quite understand... Why had Dr. Na Nali suddenly turned his attention to her mid-speech?
Those green eyes were brimming with expectation, as though he wasn’t waiting for Gu Luoyu’s reply, but hers.
(ㅍ_ㅍ)
Especially when he said the word “wish,” he suddenly emphasized it, as if deliberately hinting at something...
Could it be?
At this thought, Ye Sheng instinctively looked at Gu Luoyu. When their eyes met, she saw Gu Luoyu raise an eyebrow slightly, her crimson eyes carrying a “that’s exactly it” expression. Ye Sheng was instantly exasperated.
This damn institute!!!
Since they couldn’t persuade Gu Luoyu, they were now targeting her, her partner. Did they really think a few measly favors would make her agree on Gu Luoyu’s behalf?
Did she, Ye Sheng, look like someone with such short-sighted greed???
It was infuriating. Ye Sheng even felt like hitting Dr. Na Nali with an air blast, blasting off the few remaining strands of hair on his head and turning him into a complete bald man!
“If you agree, Gu Luoyu, forget about the base’s other subsidies, the institute has prepared a grand gift for you... Ownership rights to five mineral veins, all transferred under your name, to be reclaimed only upon your death. Additionally, we’ll provide you with a residence in the core district...”
The anger clogging Ye Sheng’s chest slowly dissipated as Dr. Na Nali spoke, leaving her stunned once again.
What?
Had she heard that right?!
Five mineral veins!!!
The current Ye Sheng wasn’t the same as when she first arrived in this wasteland world. She knew full well how significant mineral vein ownership was, it was practically on par with being a coal tycoon or oil magnate in a peaceful world!
Forget the hefty points earned from recent mining... Back when Gu Luoyu’s body hadn’t fully recovered, Ye Sheng had joined a team to explore unclaimed mineral veins in the wilderness, both to earn base points and search for energy stones. The gains had been enormous!
And officially recognized mineral vein ownership by the base meant she could mine openly.
No one else would get a cut, they wouldn’t even have the right to.
This wasn’t just some small favor, it was a “gift” with the impact of a bombshell. The research institute was truly going all out to win Gu Luoyu over!
As Ye Sheng silently pondered the five mineral veins, Gu Luoyu remained unfazed by the tempting offer. But she also didn’t want to waste any more time, so she abruptly asked,
“Has the list of participants for the base’s upcoming collaboration with the Black Spring Freemasonry to explore the ocean been finalized yet?”