The three commanders boarded the aircraft one by one. Only then did the Academy of Sciences personnel tear their gaze away from the few roughhousing students below, close the hatch, and lead the group away.
The team leaders remained silent throughout the journey.
None of them had any idea what the Academy wanted with them for three days. Better not to dwell on it for now!
What remained to be considered was whether the nine people left behind at the camp would manage to avoid doing anything too extreme while they were gone.
He Siyu actually felt reasonably at ease with her own team members left to their own devices—except for the one variable that was Qilin...
Hiranuma Yusho, recalling how Wu Fangyu usually defended and admired Wang Tianwei, couldn't shake a sense of dread. He didn't want to return three days later only to find a new "Qilin Squad" waiting for him.
Huang Yan could clearly feel the gazes of the other two commanders drifting toward him from time to time, and he knew full well why.
But based on his experience, this wasn't the time to rush into rebuttals—after all, no one knew just how far things might develop over the next three days...
After half an hour of full-speed travel, the aircraft slowed to a halt at the main entrance of the Federal Academy of Sciences.
From here on, everyone had to disembark for a thorough scan and decontamination before proceeding on foot.
After seeing the specifications of the scanners and decontamination equipment at the main gate, Huang Yan internally raised the importance of their participation in this "psychic power research" by several notches.
Further in, they were subjected to a scan and decontamination every time they entered a new area. The scale of this operation made even He Siyu and Hiranuma Yusho grow serious.
From a distance, they spotted several staff members in isolation suits, who immediately took a detour upon seeing them approach.
The accompanying academician explained that these personnel were responsible for close-range observation and study of Zerg samples. Though they had undergone decontamination before leaving, they generally avoided crossing paths with others, just in case.
The three students felt a pang of unease upon hearing this.
"Alright, our other staff members will take you the rest of the way from here. Just follow them."
"Thank you very much."
"Please enter through here."
The staff led the three to the tenth floor and pushed open a frosted glass door.
Inside, the area was filled with an array of high-end detection instruments. Elizabeth had just stepped down from one of them.
On the other side, an academician monitoring the data exclaimed in surprise at the screen:
"The sharpness of the mental blade is exceptionally high! At this rate, Paige, you'll surpass your father before long, won't you?"
"Thank you for the compliment."
Elizabeth responded with a polite smile. Through the glass reflection, she spotted the three standing dumbfounded at the doorway and quickly walked over.
"What took you so long?"
"We just arrived—went through a few rounds of scanning and decontamination... What's all this about?"
He Siyu looked in confusion at the dense array of precision instruments and staff.
Weren't they here for the psychic research project targeting the Zerg? Was this setup meant to study the Zerg—or to study them?
"They said they'd test our psychic and physical conditions first, and then someone would come by later to explain things.
There was already a group of active-duty soldiers who finished their tests before you arrived..."
Elizabeth spilled everything she knew in one breath.
She had been a bit nervous on her own earlier, but now that everyone was here, she felt much more relaxed.
Such thorough testing?
Huang Yan frowned as his eyes swept over one of the high-precision psychic detection instruments.
With equipment like that around, his double S-rank psychic power might no longer stay hidden...
Just as he was hesitating, a figure in a white lab coat emerged from behind the very instrument he'd been staring at.
"Huang Yan."
"...Uncle Tao?!"
Huang Yan hadn't expected to run into his psychic physician here.
Tao De smiled and nodded to the other three students.
"Hello, everyone."
"Hello!" "Hello."
"You all know each other?"
Elizabeth's eyes darted between them curiously. This man had just used Huang Yan's full name.
"Yes, I'm Huang Yan's family doctor."
"..."
The three exchanged speechless looks at Huang Yan.
As expected of the heir of Taihe—he could even hire a Federal Academy of Sciences academician as his family doctor?
Huang Yan didn't rush to refute. He was more eager to know what exactly was going on.
"In that case, Huang Yan, come with me over here first.
Elizabeth, continue with the remaining examinations. He Siyu and Hiranuma Yusho, you two start from that end..."
"Alright."
"Thank you."
Tao De led Huang Yan into a glass-partitioned cubicle with only a single instrument inside.
As he adjusted the device, he made small talk.
"I got word from Wang Tianwei and Jian Jingyu—that's why I didn't go to the camp; I knew you'd be coming.
But this matter is strictly confidential until you're admitted. When you get back, remember to explain things to the others."
"...Alright. But Uncle Tao, what are you doing here?"
After adjusting the frequency to a suitable range, Tao De lifted his chin, gesturing for Huang Yan to lie down.
"I told you before, but you might not remember. The director here is a senior of mine—she's helped me a lot in the past. Recently, she asked me to come and lend a hand..."
Huang Yan nodded.
"I see."
Tao De smiled.
"Have you talked to your dad lately? He really does care about you. He sent me a message yesterday; I said I'd reply today."
"...We had a video call a couple of days ago."
Huang Yan awkwardly removed his coat and lay down on the instrument.
Tao De pressed a button, and a helmet-like apparatus descended from above to cover Huang Yan's head.
Then, a laser swept from top to bottom and left to right.
Huang Yan closed his eyes calmly—he'd been through this scan countless times since childhood and knew it inside out.
And with Uncle Tao here, he had nothing to worry about.
Once the scan was done, as they waited for the results, Huang Yan finally couldn't hold back.
"Uncle Tao, do you know what the Academy's angle is this time?
Before the finals have even started, they're rushing us to join this new project about the Zerg and psychic powers. Feels a bit too hasty, doesn't it?"
"Well, about that..."
Tao De hesitated for a long moment.
"Huang Yan, I signed a confidentiality agreement with Taihe, promising to keep your double S-rank psychic power under wraps.
But what I'm about to tell you is very important, and I hope you'll listen carefully before making a choice."
Tao De kept worrying that his wording or tone might put pressure on Huang Yan, so he added one sentence after another.
"Of course, you're still young. There's no need to feel burdened.
Just do what you think is right. Whatever happens, we adults will bear the weight for you..."
Huang Yan was thoroughly confused.
"Uncle Tao, just tell me straight. What's going on?"
"Well, regarding the Zerg, the Federation is currently..."
