Chapter 1251: Great Teacher’s Bottom Line And Second Riddle Translator: Lordbluefire |
The assistants chosen to enter the laboratory were all geniuses picked from one in ten thousand. Therefore, they had very high standards and would not easily admire someone. However, right now, they were completely convinced by Sun Mo.
“I feel that he must be a famous person in the Nine Provinces too!”
The team leader analyzed.
As the laboratory was located on an isolated island, everyone inside would be cut off from the rest of the world.
Their rule was that any great teacher who joined would have to complete at least one full experiment cycle, which lasted about ten years.
Hence, these assistants came to this isolated island before Sun Mo became famous, and that was why they were not familiar with him.
However, after this event, they started to secretly inquire about Sun Mo’s background.
Two days after the experiment, there was a routine analysis meeting.
In the past, Sun Mo didn’t have the right to participate in the meeting, but this time around, Huang Tian had given him an exception.
“The transmission rate of souls isn’t up to standard again. Is it because the energy isn’t good?”
“The energy we use is the refined essence of spirit diamonds. It’s good enough.”
“I think it’s a problem with the compression speed. When the soul is extracted from the body, the compression speed is too slow, causing a portion of the soul to leak.”
Everyone was discussing the reason why the experiment had failed, but no one could confirm the reason!
Huang Tian sat at the main seat and quietly sized up the team members. The entire team was only responsible for repairing and maintaining the machines, so they did not need to be proficient in experiments. Therefore, the team leader had his head lowered and his eyes were closed to take a nap. On the other hand, Sun Mo had been paying attention to everyone’s discussion and would occasionally take notes.
“Dark Night, what are your thoughts on this?”
As Huang Tian asked this, everyone stopped talking and looked at Sun Mo.
Dark Night was Sun Mo’s code name.
Actually, Huang Tian wanted to call Sun Mo, Black Doggy, but the latter rejected the idea.
“I think the problem is on the equipment and spirit runes. The force fields they form are unable to completely confine the soul!”
Sun Mo analyzed.
The experiment was about the transmission of souls. The current bottleneck was that every time the soul transfer occurred, a portion of it would be lost.
“The smithing of equipment is too difficult, but the spirit runes on them can be improved.”
Sun Mo suggested.
“Do you know what you’re talking about?”
An old man wearing a wusheng[1] Peking opera mask lashed out. “Those spirit runes were designed by Bai Wenzhang. Since you know of spirit runes, you must have heard of his name before!”
The old man’s meaning was very simple. As a small fry, you were not qualified to evaluate the spirit runes designed by Bai Wenzhang. This was because Bai Wenzhang stood at the very top of the Nine Provinces’ spirit runes domain.
“Everyone makes mistakes, including Bai Wenzhang.”
Sun Mo rebutted. “Moreover, these spirit runes were created 15 years ago and can no longer keep up with the times. If you show them to Bai Wenzhang now, even he will scoff at you.”
Everyone was shocked. Who was this person? How dare he speak such bold words and judge Bai Wenzhang like this?
Although the old man was rebutted, he did not retaliate any further. That was because Sun Mo had exposed the age of those spirit runes. Just this judgment ability alone was quite amazing.
“Can you perfect those spirit runes?”
Huang Tian asked.
“Teacher!”
Many people were shocked by his words and quickly tried to dissuade him.
Every experiment required a tremendous amount of money and effort. Moreover, the most troublesome part was that there’d be a life-threatening danger. If Sun Mo was allowed to rashly change the spirit runes on the equipment, the failure rate might surge drastically.
“Yes!”
Everyone could almost see the confident smile on Sun Mo’s face through his mask.
“You really dare to brag!”
The old man wearing the wusheng mask curled his lips.
“I guarantee that he can do it!”
Huang Tian’s words immediately made the old man feel awkward.
“There’s no need to doubt it. His standard in spirit runes is on par with Bai Wenzhang!”
Hu Xingjiang chimed in.
In the past few months, he had sent people back to the Nine Provinces to collect Sun Mo’s detailed resume. His glorious achievements were simply dazzling.
In the next three months, Sun Mo spent all his time perfecting those spirit runes.
Then, the experiments started again, and the result was unexpectedly successful.
Although the soul’s transference rate still wasn’t high enough, it was 20% higher than before, and this fact boosted everyone’s morale.
At another analysis meeting, Hu Xingjiang raised a suggestion.
“The last three experiments have gone very smoothly. The basic goals have been achieved, so I think we can start the Heaven Awakening Plan!”
Those who had the right to make decisions raised their hands, and the call was made.
Huang Tian started assigning tasks.
“Dark Night, from today onward, you will be the deputy leader for the equipment team!”
Huang Tian instructed.
Next up, it was time to decide on the candidates for the experimental subjects.
“Yang Shizhan has become a saint. He won’t be an experimental subject anymore, right?”
The old man sighed.
“Of course. Even if he’s willing to do it, would you dare to?”
Hu Xingjiang glared at the elder.
In the Nine Provinces, saints were not just a title. They represented true strength and the highest realm one could reach as a great teacher. These people were far more valuable alive than dead.
“Looks like we can only use the Mad Secondary Saint then!”
The old man proposed.
He was talking about the crazy guy who was always spouting nonsense because his brain was damaged.
“There’s something wrong with his soul. It will interfere with the accuracy of the experiments!”
Huang Tian rejected it.
For a moment, everyone was silent.
“Damn it, it’s all Sun Mo’s fault. Why did he have to treat Yang Shizhan and let him become a saint? Now we don’t even have an experimental subject anymore.”
The old man was furious and slapped the table.
“The rest of you can leave now!”
Huang Tian said, “The core members of the experiment group, stay behind!”
This wasn’t because Huang Tian wanted to keep it a secret, but rather because the use of humans in experiments involved ethical issues. Therefore, in order to not let the other assistants feel a sense of guilt, Huang Tian took the initiative to shoulder this matter.
Although this was a little self-deceiving, to the great teachers who did not want to join the Dark Dawn, there was finally an excuse to forgive themselves.
(I don’t know, so it’s none of my business.)
Three days later, everything was ready and the experiment started.
After Sun Mo finished the pre-experiment inspection and maintenance work, he led a small group and started to patrol the area. This would allow them to resolve any issues at the point of discovery.
“I don’t want to be an experimental subject anymore! Let me go, I’m begging you!”
A crying voice reached Sun Mo’s ears. He stopped and listened carefully.
“Stop being so noisy! You agreed to it yourself!” The assistant scolded, “It’s too late to regret now.”
“But I don’t want to die!”
The man cried like a pitiful wretch in despair.
“The chance of dying is not high. At most, you will become an idiot!”
The assistant consoled him.
The crying voice suddenly stopped. Sun Mo was stunned for a moment then understood that the assistant must have covered the experimental subject’s mouth. He did not hesitate and immediately followed the direction the voices came from.
“Wait!” A team member pulled Sun Mo back. “Where are you going?”
“To save him!” Sun Mo said very simply.
“What’s there to save?”
The team member frowned. “The experimental subjects that Teacher Huang uses are all criminals. And you’ve heard it too, the other party has agreed to it.”
“But that person regrets it now.”
It only took Sun Mo a few minutes to find the room where the experimental subject was located.
The unlucky guy was lying on a mobile hospital bed, wearing only a pair of linen shorts with his hands and his feet secured by a belt.
“This is not a place you guys can enter. Get out!”
The assistant scolded.
“His emotions have violent fluctuations right now, and it will affect the success rate of the experiment!”
Sun Mo reminded the assistant.
“This isn’t something for me to worry about. You can go tell Teacher Huang about this!”
The assistant pushed Sun Mo hard to get him to leave.
“I beg of you, let me go. I admit I’ve cowered! I’m regretting it!
Zhang Qingmin had a piece of cloth stuffed in his mouth and he spoke with a muffled voice. He was crying so hard that his face was covered in snot and tears.
Sun Mo knew this person. He had been brought in because he had conducted experiments on forbidden arts.
“I remember you saying that forbidden arts are necessities for the improvement of the world. The lives of those experimental subjects are not great, but they can die in a great way.”
Sun Mo chuckled. “You now have a chance to put your theory into practice.”
“Don’t mock me anymore. Can’t I admit my mistake?”
Zhang Qingmin was really afraid.
Hu Xingjiang had come to look for him and asked him to be an experimental subject. The former had promised him a lot of benefits, including saint-tier cultivation arts, top-notch secret treasures, and opportunities to seek guidance from a saint.
Zhang Qingmin wanted these benefits, so he agreed. He felt that he had nothing to fear, but when the time came, he realized that he wasn’t as strong and resilient as he had expected.
Only when death was really close at hand would people understand how terrifying it was.
“As long as I survive, I will apologize and compensate the families of the experimental subjects who died because of me. I will go to their graves and kowtow to them.”
Zhang Qingmin cried like a 17-year-old child, his sadness flowing like a river.
Sun Mo sighed and went to look for Huang Tian.
“Is something the matter?”
The old man wearing the wusheng mask was very dissatisfied. Everyone was making the final preparations before the experiment and must not be disturbed. If it wasn’t for Sun Mo’s talent, he would have kicked this guy out long ago.
“Zhang Qingmin has gone back on his word. Given his current mental state, he’s not suitable to be an experimental subject.”
Sun Mo reported.
“It’ll be fine. We can just inject a sedative!” The old man urged impatiently, “Hurry up and get out!”
“What do you mean by that?” Huang Tian asked.
“Change to someone else!” Sun Mo said very simply.
“Who should we change to? You?”
The old man spat out angrily. “Do you think that just anyone can be an experimental subject? Zhang Qingmin is regretting it? Your conscience is unsettled? Let me tell you, it’s useless!”
“The reason I didn’t stop you guys previously was because those experimental subjects were willing to do it for various reasons. However, Zhang Qingmin has regretted it.”
Sun Mo looked at Huang Tian. “Zhang Qingmin and I don’t get along. Teacher Hu knows this. The reason I’m speaking up for him now is purely because I feel that as great teachers, we should maintain our basic conscience and morality. We can’t give up on the fundamentals of being human just for the sake of results.”
“You are teaching us how to do things?” The old man was furious. “Get out!”
Boom!
Profound Words erupted. The golden halo radiated out with an irresistible force.
However, it was useless against Sun Mo.
“I’ve always felt that the greatest difference between humans and wild beasts is not that they are more intelligent, but that they are kinder!”
Sun Mo sighed and said, “Didn’t you guys say that the reason you’re putting in so much effort to complete the experiment is so that you can make this world better? For the future of humanity? Doesn’t Zhang Qingmin count as a member of humanity?”
“So we will remember his sacrifice!”
The old man persisted.
“Then why is he the one being sacrificed and not you?”
Sun Mo asked.
The old man wanted to continue, but Huang Tian stopped him.
“Dark Night, I agree with what you’re saying. As great teachers who teach and nurture people, we should set an example for others. If we don’t cherish lives, what right do we have to ask our students to cherish the lives of others?”
Huang Tian turned around and instructed his assistants. “Activate the backup plan!”
“Teacher!”
Everyone wanted to persuade him. They felt dissatisfied that after depleting so much money and time, they ended up going with a backup plan. It wasn’t worth it at all. Moreover, the failure rate was higher.
Huang Tian raised his hand and interrupted everyone.
“Dark Night, I understand your persistence. I hope that in the future when you have the right to decide the fate of humanity, you will remember the kindness you’ve shown today.”
Huang Tian closed his eyes. “You can leave now. You’ve been kicked out of the team.”
Sun Mo bowed to Huang Tian and left the office.
“Teacher, you’re too indulgent toward him.”
The old man was furious.
“Everyone, do you know what you’re lacking?”
Huang Tian’s tone was cold. “It’s respect for life. You’ve already regarded the experimental subjects as consumables and not living people.”
Zhang Qingmin was sent back to his prison cell.
Having survived an ordeal, he was lying on the stone bed, still in shock and trembling. His prison uniform had long since been drenched in sweat.
When Sun Mo stood in front of the cell, he felt a mixture of emotions.
Was it worth it to give up the opportunity to participate in the experiments for such a person?
“Teacher Sun?”
When Zhang Qingmin saw Sun Mo, he scrambled over and said, “I was wrong. I was an asshole for saying that it was an honor for the experimental subjects to sacrifice themselves for science that day!”
After saying that, Zhang Qingmin raised his hand and slapped himself.
Pa pa pa!
He used a lot of force and slapped hard, leaving a strong handprint. It was clear that he really regretted it.
“Then what do you intend to do?”
Sun Mo remained unmoved.
“After I’ve completed my sentence and am released, I’ll build a private school in their hometown and teach their children to read and write to atone for my mistakes.”
Zhang Qingmin rambled on.
When he came back to his senses, he realized that Sun Mo had left.
“Of all time, why did he come now? Could it be that he was the one who had saved me?”
Zhang Qingmin guessed.
However, at this moment, a comprehension exploded in his mind like a thunderclap. His body also lit up with a golden glow.
Swoosh!
A golden halo scattered out.
It was Turn Over A New Leaf!
As Zhang Qingmin had recognized his mistakes and sincerely repented, wanting to make amendments, he comprehended this great teacher halo.
“Teacher Sun, Zhang Qingmin has comprehended a new halo!”
Hu Xingjiang found Sun Mo. “At least, the person you helped isn’t heartless.”
“Teacher Hu, stop making fun of me.”
Sun Mo smiled bitterly. “I don’t know if I did the right thing either!”
“Who can make the clear distinction between what’s right and what’s not? It’s good as long as you have a clear conscience!”
Hu Xingjiang patted Sun Mo’s shoulder. “Oh right, do you want to go and solve the Prison of Desolation’s second riddle for a change of mood?”
“Alright!”
Sun Mo was feeling bored anyway.
After being busy for more than a year, he was not used to suddenly having nothing to do.
He should complete the mission earlier and return to Jinling to teach his students!
[1] The wusheng is a martial character for roles involving combat.