The hovercar drove out of the residential area, gradually entering the core district of the main planet.
Jiang Lijin leaned back in her seat, watching the scenery outside the window rapidly recede. She had to admit, this world was far more advanced than her original one. Not a speck of dust could be seen on the roads, the buildings were well-spaced and orderly, and the sky was filled with a crisscrossing, organized network of flight paths. Various hovercars shuttled back and forth along them, along with small aircraft, forming a three-dimensional transportation web.
However, the whole world looked cold and lacked vibrant colors. Although there were occasionally small flowerbeds adding a touch of green, they were pitifully few.
The further they went into the central area, the more the architectural style outside the window changed. The shapes of the buildings became increasingly bizarre; some looked like giant crystal balls, some like interlocking rings, and there were even cubes that appeared to be suspended in mid-air.
Jiang Lijin stared in wide-eyed amazement.
A few minutes later, a magnificent building came into view.
Jiang Lijin knew without a doubt that this must be the Academy of Sciences. Its appearance was truly unique—an irregular shape that was hard to describe, yet the overall look was incredibly harmonious, as if it were naturally formed and completely uncarved. Most importantly, the surface of the building was covered with a flowing membrane of light, seemingly wandering around the structure with a mind of its own.
This was more breathtaking than any building she had seen along the way.
[The Academy of Sciences.] Xiao Yi's voice echoed in her mind. [The highest scientific research institution on the main planet. The top technology of the entire interstellar region is gathered here.]
Chiron slowed the hovercar down and drove toward the building. As they approached, Jiang Lijin finally noticed an inconspicuous entrance at the bottom, which looked like a garage. Without pausing, the hovercar drove straight in.
The entrance was pitch black, but the moment they entered, all the lights turned on. Bright but gentle lights illuminated the entire space, revealing a spacious underground parking lot. What was even more amazing was that a green band of light appeared on the ground, extending from the entrance and leading all the way forward until it finally pointed to a parking spot.
Looking at the green light, Jiang Lijin blurted out, "That's quite thoughtful."
Chiron didn't say anything, merely following the green light's guidance and steadily parking the car in the spot.
As soon as the car stopped, a mechanical voice sounded, gentle and respectful: "Welcome, Academician Chiron."
Jiang Lijin raised an eyebrow and looked at Chiron.
"Academician?" Her tone carried a hint of teasing. "So Lord Chiron is doing quite well in the Academy of Sciences."
Chiron secured the car, his tone remaining flat. "Just a titular position."
A titular position gets this kind of treatment? An exclusive parking spot, a private channel, and a personalized welcome message? Jiang Lijin muttered in her heart, but couldn't be bothered to ask further. Even if she did, the answer would probably be "it's nothing." Seeing Chiron push the door open and step out, she followed suit.
Chiron led Jiang Lijin toward the elevator. When they reached it, Chiron reached out and pressed an indentation on the wall. The elevator doors slid open silently, revealing a spacious cabin surrounded by the same silver-white metallic material.
Just as Jiang Lijin stepped into the elevator, Xiao Yi's voice sounded in her mind, but it sounded a bit stuck and intermittent: [Host, from here... should be... shielded, later... you... be careful—]
Before it could finish, the voice disappeared.
Jiang Lijin tried calling out "Xiao Yi" in her mind.
Dead silence. Although she had expected this, Jiang Lijin couldn't help but feel a little nervous now that it actually happened.
"Ms. Jiang."
Chiron's voice pulled her back to reality. She snapped out of her daze and found Chiron looking at her, his eyes carrying a rare hint of concern.
"What's wrong?"
Jiang Lijin gathered her thoughts and forced a smile at him. "Nothing."
Chiron didn't speak, just looked at her. After a few seconds, he spoke again, his voice softer than before: "Nervous?"
Jiang Lijin paused for a moment and didn't answer.
Chiron continued, "Don't be nervous. It's just a test. The Academy of Sciences won't make things difficult for you."
Hearing his tone, which sounded like he was coaxing a child, Jiang Lijin almost laughed, but she swallowed it back and simply nodded.
Chiron looked at her and suddenly added, "I will be there for your entire test today."
His tone was calm, betraying no emotion. But hearing these words, Jiang Lijin felt somewhat strange.
The elevator began to ascend. Jiang Lijin took a deep breath and suppressed all her chaotic thoughts.
The elevator arrived at some unknown floor; Jiang Lijin hadn't paid attention before the doors opened. Outside was a very, very long corridor. The silver-white walls gleamed with a cold light, and the floor beneath her feet was made of an unknown material that made absolutely no sound when stepped on.
As Jiang Lijin followed behind Chiron, the area ahead suddenly opened up into a large hall.
There were many people. Along the way just now, the corridors had been so quiet that not a sound could be heard, and not a single soul was in sight. She had thought the Academy of Sciences was just this deserted, but she hadn't expected the atmosphere to change so drastically here. At least twenty or thirty people were bustling about in this area.
Some wore white lab coats, some wore dark gray uniforms, and a few were dressed in casual clothes like Chiron. They were all in a hurry, walking briskly. They either held data pads or carried documents, or whispered into the optical computers on their wrists. No one was chatting, and no one was walking slowly. It was as if everyone had a clear destination, walking fast and steady.
As she was observing, a young male in a white lab coat walked past her. When he passed by Chiron, he paused his steps and gave a slight nod. "Academician Chiron."
His tone was respectful but brief. After speaking, he quickly walked away, not even glancing at Jiang Lijin standing next to Chiron.
Another person passed by, similarly stopping to nod and offer a brief greeting. Every person who walked past stopped to greet Chiron, but no one said an extra word, no one made small talk, and no one even looked at her out of curiosity.
Chiron gave a slight nod to everyone who greeted him, but his footsteps didn't pause for a moment as he continued forward. Jiang Lijin followed closely behind. She didn't dare fall behind; if she were alone, she would definitely get lost in this place. And getting lost here probably wasn't something that could be solved just by "asking for directions." She might even be arrested as a suspicious person.
Crossing the hall, there was another corridor. This one was narrower than the last, and the walls had many signs she couldn't understand. Chiron walked up to a door and pressed his hand against the sensor area next to it. A blue light flashed and scanned his palm.
"Identity confirmed. Academician Chiron, welcome."
The door slid open silently. Jiang Lijin followed him in, only to find yet another corridor behind the door. This time, Chiron stood in front of a scanner, his light gray eyes looking into the lens.
"Iris confirmed."
It was another corridor.
Jiang Lijin felt as though she had entered some kind of infinite loop, with endless corridors to walk down and endless doors to open. She knew the Academy of Sciences would have security measures, but she had not expected them to be this tight. The whole setup made it feel less like she was here for a mental power examination and more like she was infiltrating a top-secret national base.
She could not help but speak up, "Chiron."
Chiron did not break his stride, turning his head slightly to look at her. "What is it?"
"Are we going to see the Main Brain?" she asked, her brow furrowed.
Chiron gave a soft chuckle. "No."
"Then where are we going?"
Chiron's tone grew a little gentler, perhaps because he was worried Jiang Lijin might be nervous. "We are going to a place very close to the Main Brain. The testing equipment has to be near it in order to capture the most precise data on your mental power fluctuations."
Jiang Lijin fell silent. They had to go through this many doors just to get near the Main Brain? If they were actually going to see it, would they not be walking for a whole day without ever reaching the inside?
She asked no further questions, silently following Chiron forward. After passing through an uncountable number of doors, whatever trace of nervousness she originally felt had completely vanished. She was getting a bit numb to it all.
Finally, Chiron stopped in front of a door.
This door was different from the others. There was no sensor pad, no scanner, nothing at all. It was just an ordinary silver-white metal door. It did not even have a sign on it. It was completely bare, making it impossible for anyone to tell what this place was actually meant for.
