Laudenor immediately stepped forward to support Qin Siyang.
"Mr. Qin... you... you are really... amazing..."
Qin Siyang smiled faintly, already too exhausted to respond.
He simply gazed at the Vine Core floating in the air.
And the Vine Core seemed to have established some kind of spiritual connection with him, slowly flying toward him and landing right in front of him.
"Collect..."
"I know! I'll keep it safe! I'll send you back right away!"
Laudenor tossed a few pieces of divine remains out of his backpack, barely making room for the Vine Core.
Then, under everyone's watchful eyes, he hoisted Qin Siyang onto his back and headed for the parking lot.
Qin Siyang noticed how effortlessly Laudenor carried him and walked briskly, realizing that he was likely a Sequence ability user as well.
"Thanks..."
"It's no trouble, no trouble at all!"
Laudenor supported Qin Siyang with one hand while pulling out his phone with the other, dialing a number.
"Professor Florence, it's me. I have something to tell you."
"Mr. Qin just... obtained a Vine Core."
"It was picked up...", Qin Siyang weakly groaned from Laudenor's back.
"Oh, right, right, right! Mr. Qin picked up a Vine Core!! Yes, yes, yes, I'm carrying him back now."
"Uh, well... Mr. Qin has already established a contract with the Vine Core... Yes..."
Qin Siyang couldn't hear what Florence was saying, but he could easily guess—Florence was surely instructing Laudenor to bring the Vine Core to the lab immediately so he could establish a contract himself.
Florence hadn't documented the method of contracting with the Vine Core in his research, which was undoubtedly an attempt to monopolize the knowledge.
Unfortunately for him, Qin Siyang had other sources of information.
Qin Siyang silently expressed his gratitude, 'Old Li, thanks a lot. If I make some extra earnings this time, I'll share some Sequence potion with you.'
After getting into the car, Laudenor buckled Qin Siyang's seatbelt and immediately drove back to Nanrong University.
Qin Siyang, too exhausted to stay awake, fell into a deep sleep...
———
Qin Siyang had no idea how long he had slept.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying in the guesthouse of Nanrong University.
A dense circle of people had gathered around his bed.
"Mr. Qin, you're awake! You've been unconscious for an entire day—really worried us."
As soon as he opened his eyes, he was met with a warm, friendly smile from a blond young man.
"Oh, Professor Florence."
Qin Siyang tried to sit up, only to feel a sharp pain in his left hand.
Looking down, he saw that his hand had been bandaged.
"Mr. Qin, just lie down and rest. While you were unconscious, we had a professor from Nanrong Hospital perform surgery to reattach your finger. It should heal in a few days."
'A few days?'
Qin Siyang thought about it. Given his body's recovery ability, he'd probably be able to remove the bandages by tomorrow.
"How much was the medical bill?"
"Come on, no need to talk like that. We are partners—we're friends. You had the surgery at our university; how could I possibly charge you for something so small?"
Florence's overly polite tone made Qin Siyang feel uneasy.
"Professor Florence, I think it's better to settle our accounts clearly. I don't want any misunderstandings later that could cause trouble."
"No trouble, no trouble at all!"
At this moment, a long-haired elder with silver curls and thick-lensed glasses spoke up beside Florence, "Mr. Qin, don't worry. You got injured while gathering materials for Florence's lab, so the cost can be covered by his research funding. You don't need to pay anything yourself."
Qin Siyang nodded, "Then I'm relieved. And you are?"
"Mr. Qin, this is my mentor, Professor Harrison."
Qin Siyang looked at Harrison and gave a polite nod, "I've heard a lot about you."
"Mr. Qin, you're too kind. I've heard that you and Professor Li Tianming are quite close?"
"Yes, that's right."
"That's wonderful. Back in the day, Professor Li and I were very close as well. Our bond was as solid as gold. Even though he's been away from the Safe Zone for a year, I've never stopped thinking about him..."
Florence coughed awkwardly and corrected him, "Ahem, Professor Harrison, Professor Li left the Safe Zone two years ago..."
"Oh? Did he? Sigh, it seems my longing for an old friend has clouded my sense of time."
Facing Qin Siyang's skeptical gaze, Harrison showed no sign of embarrassment and continued, "Professor Li and I were like the moon and the stars—true companions. You and Florence, on the other hand, are like the mountains and rivers, deeply connected..."
"Professor Harrison, let's pause here."
Qin Siyang couldn't endure his rambling any longer and directly cut him off.
"Let's be straightforward. I assume you want me to provide the Vine Core for your research, correct?"
Seeing this, Harrison dropped the pretense and nodded at Qin Siyang, "That's right. I assume you'll support us?"
Qin Siyang smiled slightly and shook his head, "Sorry, I haven't decided yet."
"This..."
"Professor Harrison, you should know that I came to Zone 7 to help you solve a little problem, right?"
Harrison glanced at Florence, who kept his head down.
"I know."
"I've already solved the problem for you, haven't I?"
"As of now, it seems that way."
"And I also brought some divine remains for Professor Florence's research, didn't I?"
"That's right."
"I don't think I've done anything to put either you or Professor Florence in a difficult position."
"That's true."
"Then please allow me to refuse to provide the Vine Core for your research."
"This... but why?"
Qin Siyang smiled, "I'm just a high school student. In four months, I'll take the special admissions exam, and I haven't even decided which university to attend yet."
"I don't want other schools to get the wrong idea by getting too close to you."
Harrison chuckled, "That's not a problem! Nanrong University will certainly offer conditions that will satisfy Mr. Qin. You could even join my lab directly and start researching Sequences and gods from your freshman year. You must know, many students dream of such an opportunity."
Qin Siyang shook his head, "Joining your lab is impossible."
"Mr. Qin doesn't trust me? You can ask Professor Li—I've always treated my students with great care, like an old ox protecting its calves. According to your Huaguo saying, I have a reputation for fiercely defending my students."
As he finished, Harrison glanced at Florence again.
Qin Siyang nodded in acknowledgment.
The fact that Florence, despite his mediocre research papers, had managed to become an associate professor under Harrison's mentorship spoke volumes—Harrison truly looked after his own.
"Professor Harrison, don't get me wrong. I simply enjoy my freedom and don't like having a mentor over my head."
"Mr. Qin truly thinks this way?"
Florence explained, "Professor Harrison, when I was in State 14, I saw Professor Li and Mr. Qin interacting as equals. Even Professor Li didn't have the authority to make Mr. Qin bow his head."
Hearing this, Harrison's gaze toward Qin Siyang became more scrutinizing.
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