"Genius Society #85. Yichen."
The lab's air seemed to freeze.
Jing Yuan stood still.
Even though he'd suspected it, hearing the confirmation spoken so lightly still hit like a cosmic impact.
All the rumors—countless, unbelievable tales about the Genius Society—surged into his mind.
No wonder.
No wonder Bruce-1 could be gifted like a trinket. No wonder this lab existed unnoticed. No wonder he spoke of reversing congenital disabilities like pruning a plant.
He wasn't a madman.
He was a true Genius—someone who could do what he said.
"I see…"
Jing Yuan finally spoke.
"So it is… a Genius in our midst. Then I, Jing Yuan… truly failed to recognize Mount Tai."
Yichen laughed easily. To him, "Genius Society #85" and "shop owner of Yichen Will Handle It" were no different—both were just labels for convenience.
What mattered was the work in front of him.
"General Jing Yuan, titles are empty decoration. Let's continue discussing what we just talked about."
He pulled the conversation back to the point with effortless simplicity.
"Those children—and many others like them on Luofu—have waited long enough."
"To ensure treatment reaches more people, faster, I will fully disclose the technical details and the production flow for the necessary biological agents."
"The Xianzhou has deep foundations in biotechnologies. Once you have the method, you can produce it yourselves. That will let you cover everyone who needs help far more efficiently."
As he spoke, his fingers flicked rapidly across a nearby virtual screen. Complex streams of data and molecular structures poured past like a waterfall.
He tilted his head, falling into a short, thoughtful murmur—calculating tradeoffs aloud.
"Hmm… in terms of compatibility, baseline primate templates are broadly similar. The key is bypassing the Abundance-derived specificity barrier…
"Luofu won't be a problem. But what about other civilizations out in the universe?
"They might not have Xianzhou-style rejection, but they'll have their own constraints…"
His mind jumped quickly. He tapped his chin.
"Maybe… I should just open-source the entire database to the cosmos?
"Set an open-source license—allow any civilization to use and improve it, provided it remains non-militarized…"
Then he immediately considered another angle, brow tightening.
"Though… many primate-branch civilizations already rely on mature cybernetic prosthetics. They're crude, but functional. Would they see this as unnecessary? To推广 it, I might need extra explanation and demonstrations…"
Jing Yuan stood beside him, listening as Yichen casually planned to hand over a gift that could alter the fate of billions—first for Luofu, then potentially for the entire galaxy.
For the first time in a long time, the general felt faintly dazed.
He'd come today simply to see the mysterious shop owner, learn about Bruce-1, and confirm there was no threat.
How had it escalated, within minutes, into strategizing a galaxy-scale medical revolution with a Genius?
The leap was absurd.
Even with Jing Yuan's steady temperament, the volume of information demanded time to digest.
Yichen, however, seemed completely unaware of the general's inner turbulence. He stayed immersed in thought.
After a moment, as if remembering a crucial link, he turned and looked at Jing Yuan.
"General, do you have contact info for someone high up in the Interastral Peace Corporation?"
"Someone who can actually make decisions—someone with influence, access to resources… preferably someone who's at least mildly interested in healthcare or public welfare."
"…."
Jing Yuan felt his thinking stall again.
The topic had just jumped to the IPC—again.
He stared at Yichen's perfectly matter-of-fact expression, as if he were asking for the phone number of a shopkeeper down the street.
"…IPC contact information?"
"Yeah," Yichen nodded.
"Look—if we want this to be promoted across the universe, relying only on Luofu might not be enough. The procedures and channels will be a headache."
"The IPC's network runs through every star system, right? If they participate—handle logistics, publicity, and local coordination—efficiency will skyrocket."
"I can license them some non-core portions of the tech, or let them manufacture the biological agents at cost, as long as they commit to prioritizing supply for those who need it and don't jack up prices maliciously."
He paused, then added:
"Besides… the Aeon of Preservation, Qlipoth, should theoretically support projects that help civilizations survive and develop."
"If we partner with them, we might even drive costs lower and help more people."
Jing Yuan: "…"
Luofu had dealt with the IPC for years. High-level contacts existed, naturally.
But Yichen's attitude made it clear he had no idea what weight the label "#85" carried in IPC corridors.
Jing Yuan recalled stories about other Society members.
Herta (#83)—the IPC practically bent the universe to fund her demands, budgets astronomical.
Screwllum (#76)—when the IPC's hardliners once decided to purge inorganic life, the moment Screwllum entered the Society, the plan was instantly scrapped and replaced with painstaking overtures of goodwill.
Jing Yuan chose his words carefully and explained this—emphasizing that a Genius Society member's identity itself functioned as a top-tier pass in IPC systems, granting unimaginable priority.
Yichen listened. He fell silent for a moment, but showed no arrogance—no intention to exploit the status.
Still warm and direct, he nodded.
"I see… understood."
"Then I'll have to trouble you, General, to introduce me. If the Seat of Divine Foresight is involved, the process will be more formal."
"You are far too modest," Jing Yuan replied solemnly, collecting himself.
"To introduce you would be my honor. This matter is of great importance—I will arrange it as quickly as possible to ensure you can meet the appropriate IPC representatives smoothly."