Jiang Baimian could be considered well-informed and experienced, yet at this moment, a chill still shot straight from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, almost causing her to shiver.
She forcibly steadied her mind, took the document on the renovation of the Second Research Area from Shang Jianyao's hand, overlapped it with the data she had previously browsed, turned around, and handed it to Du Heng, who had walked closer, saying with a smile:
"I'm looking at these documents on the table. They're all leftovers from the Old World and have been preserved relatively well."
Du Heng, wearing a long black robe, took the documents and flipped through them casually, chuckling:
"These are all trivial matters, of no value. No wonder they were left in this room."
"Yes, yes." Shang Jianyao agreed.
If Jiang Baimian hadn't warned him through the communication system embedded in the military exoskeleton, he might have brought up that document, flipped to the signature, and proudly told Du Heng that there was someone here with the same name as him, and that he was suspected to be the mysterious Dean of the Eighth Research Institute.
Du Heng only flipped through the first page of each document before shaking his head and saying:
"There's nothing to see here."
He then returned the documents to Jiang Baimian.
Jiang Baimian began to fabricate:
"They still have some value. They can help us understand the operating model of the Eighth Research Institute before the Old World was destroyed, which may hide many secrets."
Du Heng, as he usually appeared, stroked the beard on his lips nonchalantly:
"Then you can study them carefully."
Anyway, he wouldn't waste his time on it.
Aren't you an antiquities scholar? These are all ancient documents... Jiang Baimian thought to herself, both relieved and slightly annoyed.
They separated again to search other parts of the office.
Seeing Du Heng distance himself from the two of them, Jiang Baimian slightly relaxed her tense nerves and pondered the matter just now:
"This office belonged to the original Dean of the Eighth Research Institute, and he signed his name as Du Heng...
"That is, either the mysterious Dean of the Eighth Research Institute is indeed Du Heng, or he, like Elder Qin Ke of Year-End City, encountered something and began to call himself Du Heng, thus becoming a taboo of the Eighth Research Institute, forbidden to be mentioned by the 'New World' powerhouses.
"Uh, this, combined with the special state of Qin Professor's partial memory, which makes people ignore it, and the fact that Teacher Du Heng possesses the same ability, corroborates each other...
"It's completely understandable that Teacher Du Heng appeared in the academic lecture at the Holm Reproductive Medical Center...
"As the Dean of the Eighth Research Institute and the actual controller of Northern Company, it's normal for him to attend a lecture jointly organized by his own organization and other research structures in a private capacity... Well, the Eighth Research Institute is a secret organization, and Teacher Du Heng may not even have an overt position at Northern Company, so he didn't use any title..."
The more Jiang Baimian thought about it, the more she felt that this Du Heng was indeed that Du Heng, and as for which situation it was, she currently leaned towards the former.
This was because the academic lecture at the Holm Reproductive Medical Center was held before the Old World was destroyed.
At that time, "Du Heng" was already called Du Heng.
And the Dean of the Eighth Research Institute must have had various special characteristics. Perhaps he had been besieged and killed by "Vice Dean," "Professor Li," and others, losing his physical body but not completely dying. After that, awakened individuals from the depths of the "Mind Corridor" on the Ashlands would occasionally go mad and start calling themselves Du Heng.
Stop, don't get fed the infection, don't start imagining a grand drama... After thinking it over, Jiang Baimian decided that after exploring the depths of the Eighth Research Institute and determining what that important thing was, she would find an opportunity to probe Du Heng's views.
Thinking of this, she again used the communication system embedded in the military exoskeleton to say to Shang Jianyao:
"I'll create an opportunity for you later. You directly enter the 'Mind Corridor' and repeat the solution you memorized in the dream of '205' room, to see if it's still a conference room after passing through the conference room.
"If it's not, continue exploring to see if there are any gains.
"Well, one reason is to guard against Teacher Du Heng suddenly regaining his memory and becoming unrecognizable, and the second reason is that we're going to the depths of the Eighth Research Institute next. Who knows what we'll encounter? It's good to improve even a little bit."
Shang Jianyao had no objections, just curious:
"How to create the opportunity?"
"That's simple." Jiang Baimian smiled. "Often, telling the truth is the best way to solve problems."
She walked straight to Du Heng, who had once again come to the bookshelf, and said with a smile:
"Teacher Du Heng, I plan to find a place to rest for half an hour later before continuing to move forward."
"Why?" Du Heng asked with a smile.
Jiang Baimian sincerely explained:
"We're about to enter the depths of the Eighth Research Institute. I'm thinking that Shang Jianyao has already mastered the solution to that academic discussion in the dream, so why not take the opportunity to complete this matter and see if we can gain anything in the dream.
"The depths of the Eighth Research Institute hide important secrets and are likely fraught with danger. I don't want to miss the opportunity to improve my strength before exploring."
This was the absolute truth, with no falsehood, only not mentioning that the other object of precaution was the person in front of her.
Du Heng nodded and joked:
"I understand. It's never too late to learn."
He then asked:
"Why not just rest here?"
Isn't it because I'm afraid you'll be bored and start looking at the documents in the room? Jiang Baimian had a reason ready:
"This is the office of the Dean of the Eighth Research Institute. He's very mysterious, and matters involving him are taboo topics. I'm afraid something unexpected will happen if we stay here for too long."
"What's there to be afraid of with me here?" Du Heng didn't care at all.
You're the one I'm afraid of... Jiang Baimian didn't give Shang Jianyao a chance to speak:
"Just seeking peace of mind."
Du Heng was neither for nor against it:
"Alright."
After searching the office, they continued forward. Before long, a closed silver-white double metal door appeared before them.
"Let's rest here for a while," Jiang Baimian said immediately.
"Okay." Du Heng found a place against the wall and sat down cross-legged.
He held a book from the Dean's office to pass the time.
Jiang Baimian secretly glanced at the book and, with the help of the military exoskeleton's auxiliary functions, accurately captured the title:
*San Xuan Jian Zhu*
Ancient philosophy of the Ashlands... Jiang Baimian withdrew her gaze and took on the responsibility of guarding.
Shang Jianyao sat down cross-legged like Du Heng, pinched the temples on both sides of his head, and entered the "Mind Corridor."
Outside the "205" room, he spent a little time rehearsing to ensure that he could completely repeat the solution provided by Jiang Baimian.
Afraid of forgetting, as soon as he entered the room and saw the figures appear on the chairs, he opened his mouth and rattled off the "report."
After he finished speaking, after a brief silence, the people burst into enthusiastic applause.
"A very outstanding idea."
"Very innovative."
"..."
Amidst such praise, the brown door of the conference room creaked open.
Seeing this, Shang Jianyao, without caring about anything else, immediately walked out.
Outside was no longer a conference room, but a dimly lit corridor with no rooms on either side.
"There's progress!" Shang Jianyao exclaimed happily.
At least he didn't have to listen to academic exchanges anymore!
The next second, he opened his arms and muttered to himself:
"I have a sense of familiarity of returning home...
"It's right ahead!"
He then rubbed his chin:
"Is this the feeling of approaching the 'New World' gate?
"My 'New World' gate is right in front?
"I searched far and wide, but it came without any effort?
"Isn't this too sudden and coincidental?"
Shang Jianyao didn't delay and walked forward step by step along the dim corridor.
Although the layout here was significantly different from the underground building of "Pangu Biology," he still walked faster and faster, as if he could close his eyes and return to his doorstep.
After an unknown amount of time, Shang Jianyao stopped.
At the end of the corridor appeared a double door.
It was deep black, both heavy and ethereal, two completely different and contradictory qualities gathered in one.
…………
"I found the 'New World' gate, it's inside 'Dawn's' dream." After returning to reality, Shang Jianyao used the communication system embedded in the military exoskeleton to tell Jiang Baimian what he had encountered.
Jiang Baimian was first surprised, then felt that it was only natural.
The "205" room had been moved to Shang Jianyao's eyes for a long time, so it was not surprising that it hid the gate to the "New World."
Jiang Baimian even suspected that even if Shang Jianyao didn't choose "205" and risked getting "Heartless Disease" by entering "503," he would still find his own "New World" gate.
Alas... She sighed silently and deeply, then said to Shang Jianyao:
"Don't rush. After arriving at the depths of the Eighth Research Institute, decide whether to push open that gate based on the situation."
"Okay." Shang Jianyao did not object.
He knew very well that if he entered the "New World" now, he could only be carried to explore the depths of the Eighth Research Institute afterward.
ps: There will be another chapter tonight