Rhine Lab Headquarters, top floor.
Inside the spacious conference room, transparent glass walls let in the midday sunlight, which, after brightness adjustment, provided just the right amount of illumination, brightening the room considerably.
From here, one could take in the entirety of the Rhine Lab Science and Technology Park, and clearly see the factories and research buildings of other companies within the entire Takela Valley Technology Park.
The buildings constructed on top of the mobile city were so close to the sky that it seemed one could easily pluck the clouds with their hand.
No matter who stood here, looking at the vast world, he would feel as if he could control everything, with all things in the world at his fingertips.
That was merely an illusion; only science and rationality could truly allow humans to understand themselves.
Around the large, oval redwood conference table, ten soft office chairs were arranged.
On each chair sat a person dressed in a Rhine Lab uniform, either smiling or with a serious expression.
They were all department heads of Rhine Lab, of various races, different backgrounds, and some even from different countries in the past. Each of them oversaw hundreds of Genius Researchers.
The Engineering Department, the Defense Department, the Energy Department... From each major department of Rhine Lab, countless patented products were produced that other companies found difficult to replicate.
Some were advanced engineering machinery, greatly accelerating Columbia's pace of exploration into unknown dangers.
Others were Spirit Pills that cured illnesses and saved lives. The oripathy blocker recently developed in recent years, though only able to slightly alleviate the pain and spread of oripathy, had nonetheless attracted a frantic scramble from wealthy individuals with oripathy patients in their families.
As for the weapons created by Rhine Lab... they had already taken an unknown number of enemy lives. The continuous victories in the Bolivar war were inseparable from the presence of Rhine Lab's special weapons.
Frankly speaking, the fewer than ten people present were all more influential figures in determining the nation's direction than members of the Columbia Senate.
The reason there were ten positions but fewer than ten people was because the chair with the word 'STRU'—representing the Structure Department—was empty.
The Director of the Structure Department, Originium Arts scholar, life scientist, and mystic, Director Parvis, died in Sargon, turning into a pile of ashes in that distant southern country.
At this moment, the woman sitting at the head of the conference table suddenly cleared her throat and began to speak.
"Alright, since everyone is here, we shall begin the meeting—Muelsyse / Muir Sais, this is the first time you've been so late, and your face seems a bit red? Are you feeling alright?"
She was a tall, young-looking woman with long black hair, always wearing a calm and serene smile, exceptionally approachable.
She wore a simple uniform, and on her head were two goat horns, broken off at the base, leaving only two 'stumps' hidden among her black hair.
Evidently, she was a Caprini, a race common in Leithanien, but also not uncommon in Columbia.
Her bright black eyes turned to Muelsyse / Muir Sais, who had just taken her seat, and the woman raised an eyebrow, a little curious.
It was known that although Muelsyse / Muir Sais had a lively personality, she was in fact extremely meticulous, and on the few occasions she attended meetings, she always arrived very early.
But today, Muelsyse / Muir Sais had arrived at the conference room precisely at the scheduled time.
Muelsyse / Muir Sais, who had been a bit nervous and whose gaze had been somewhat unfocused, snapped back to attention and flashed a bright smile at the woman.
Muelsyse / Muir Sais dared to be playful in front of Saria, but this woman still commanded her exceptional respect.
"Director, this is unavoidable, isn't it? Who told Director Saria's new boy to be so passionate and unrestrained? Not only did he get intimate with Saria, but he also got overly horny and didn't hesitate to make a move on me—I'm just a delicate girl, so I could only let him have his way. How should I put it, he's truly a robust man~~"
With a pitiful expression, Muelsyse / Muir Sais winked at the Vouivre / Wyvern woman sitting at the second seat of the conference table.
"Muelsyse / Muir Sais, if you continue to tell such boring lies and slander the upright Researcher Goki, I don't mind exposing more of your falsehoods."
Narrowing her eyes, Saria didn't even bother to debate this trivial matter with Muelsyse / Muir Sais—at least in her opinion, Goki was indeed an upright good person.
After Goki revealed that the other party was skilled at creating Clones, Saria could easily distinguish Muelsyse / Muir Sais's authenticity—evidently, this one in front of her was still a Clone.
"Haha... Saria, you finally noticed? Your abilities are sufficient to discern this; it's just that you never thought in that direction before."
The woman at the head of the table smiled slightly, looking at Saria beside her, her black eyes filled with a hint of curiosity. Muelsyse / Muir Sais's Spell had never been able to deceive her from the start.
"...Goki, he's that new Researcher you recruited, isn't he? For you to call him upright, I can't even imagine what kind of person he is—how about I meet him sometime?"
"Director, I'll introduce him when there's a chance—let's get to business first."
Saria looked at the lightly smiling woman in front of her and sighed helplessly.
The woman affectionately called 'Director' by these department heads was the highest leader of Rhine Lab.
The Director.
In a research company, this position was roughly equivalent to a chairman, but not entirely the same.
More than stocks and capital, she relied on her powerful personal charisma, unparalleled combat ability, and knowledge and foresight that surpassed everyone else's, bringing these unruly Geniuses together.
She was wise, powerful, full of leadership, and her vision surpassed all the department heads.
The Director and Saria had also been friends for many years, and the two women would chat in each other's offices during rare moments of leisure.
"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. Alas, whether it's a boy or a girl, I truly hope someone can shake your resolve a little—Alright, everyone, let's start the meeting."
Having teased her old friend, the Director gently clapped her hands, and an invisible pressure swept through the entire conference room. The Director's smiling face turned cold, and all the department heads immediately became fully alert.
"So, to start with the conclusion—Director Parvis is dead. It's a sad event, but his death was not without value."
The Director's expression returned to indifference, signifying her transformation into that ruthless leader.
"Before his death, Parvis's research team collected enough data for the Ifrit Project—the legend of the God of Burning Wind is not false. In ancient southern Sargon, within the Land of Burning Wind, there indeed existed methods to infuse flames into the human body, creating Ifrit warriors."
Saying this, the Director tossed a stack of papers onto the table, and the department heads immediately and consciously distributed copies to everyone.
"This is Researcher Silence's summary of Parvis's research. The research team explored the temples in the Acahuala region of Sargon and discovered this ancient Originium Arts—"
Her full legs, encased in light-colored uniform trousers, crossed at the table. The Director casually snapped her fingers.
Soon, several small openings appeared on the conference table in front and on the ceiling, and translucent holographic images instantly covered the attendees'sight.
Within the holographic image, a flaming humanoid figure, burning with fierce flames, was frantically attacking the camera operator.
But in the next second, a serrated long blade, burning with fierce flames, cut into the head of the flaming living corpse without any obstruction, shattering it.
"Woah—"
Muelsyse / Muir Sais's eyes widened, and like the other department heads present, she looked with surprise and curiosity at the existence that was similar to humans, yet not human.
"This is a recording taken by Parvis's team in the ruins. Previously, it was only known to the Defense Department and the Structure Department. Even after a thousand years, these corpses still maintain certain vital signs—through special Originium Arts, the totipotency of human cells can be greatly stimulated, allowing for the direct release of Originium Arts without relying on a staff, and potentially even having implications for medicine."
Looking at these bizarre existences never before seen in human civilization, the Director's face did not show the same excitement as Parvis, but rather an exceptional indifference.
"Based on Parvis's findings, I have approved the continued advancement of the Ifrit Project. If the project succeeds, we may indeed be able to create warriors whose health will not be affected by oripathy, but will instead grow stronger—Ifrit is currently undergoing experiments, Saria, remember to go there after the meeting."
Saria, however, pushed her chair back and stood up, making as if to leave.
"Director! I have already said that Parvis's experiments have no safety whatsoever. I agree to your experimental treatment of Ifrit, but Parvis's research has clearly crossed the line—those contents will only lead to catastrophic consequences! We need more animal testing, not direct human testing!"
Her orange eyes were filled with urgency and tension, and Saria's Dragon tail behind her swayed twice from side to side, preparing to immediately return and organize the experiment.
But in the next second, her hand was gently taken by the Director. No matter how much Saria exerted her Vouivre / Wyvern strength, she couldn't move too far.
"I know your principles, Saria, but you need to see what comes next—Parvis conducted an unauthorized human experiment on the Sargon border, but this thing is definitely not the result of a human experiment."
The Director's expression remained indifferent, and then she snapped her fingers again.
"Believe me, if it weren't for Him, I wouldn't be so eager to start the experiment, Saria, we can't wait any longer."
Soon, the scene on the holographic image suddenly changed, turning into a burning Rainforest.
"Wh—"
"This is unscientific!"
"What is this?"
"Woah, woah, woah, is this a humanoid machine? How does such a fragile structure maintain its standing? Are there more images, Director?"
Including Saria, everyone was shocked by the sight before them.
It was a... burning giant, no, a colossal god!
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