Chapter 1018: Unresolvable Paradox?

You’ve got to me kidding me!

Li Yao was dumbfounded by his own luck, which seemed to always go wrong at the critical moment. Why was the stabilization system that was functioning normally suddenly faulty? And what was the abrupt wave of energy all about?

The four cooling towers were rotating faster and faster, and they were uttering louder noises. The temperature inside the stabilization room had increased by more than ten degrees. Many tubes of cooling liquid were colliding in cracking noises, as if a minor earthquake was breaking out right above their head.

All the rune arrays carved on the dome were glowing and fading. They were emanating dazzling brilliance one moment, only to turn completely dark the next, absorbing all the rays of light in the room!

“The No. 1 rune array group is overloading!”

“The No. 3 rune array group is overloading!”

“The No. 4 rune array group is overloading and on the verge of crash!”

All the workers were sweating hard. They moved agilely among the rune array groups. The specialists of the Feather Clan all opened their wings and flew to the dome, urgently repairing the rune arrays that were about to go out of control while holding back of the scorching steam.

The stabilization system was running very abnormally right now!

Li Yao grabbed Wu Dawei, Jin Zhenyi’s disciple, and gnashed his teeth. “What’s happening?”

Wu Dawei’s face was a little bit pale, too. Shuddering, he replied, “Were—weren’t we informed yesterday that the final extreme test would be conducted today?”

Li Yao was slightly dazed. Then he realized what was going on.

For a large magical equipment system such as the Eye of Blood Demon, countless extreme tests were mandatory after any modifications.

Since the tidal force triggered by the three satellites when they were aligned varied, nobody could estimate precisely how strong it would be and how many warriors the tidal force would be able to teleport to the Heaven’s Origin Sector.

Therefore, all kinds of extreme states had to be simulated during the tests on the entire system in order to determine the maximum capacity and weight.

Since it was ‘extreme state’, it was certainly a great examination on the stabilization system, which was equal to a ‘live-fire drill’.

However, even though it was an extreme test, the scene was still a bit out of control. What was all the shaking about?

Li Yao glanced over the dome of the stabilization room. Then, attracted by an inconspicuous rune array in the corner, he frowned. “What’s with the ‘Three Moons Array’? Its resonation frequency seems to have been improved by 15%, doesn’t it?”

Every specialist of rune arrays had their own style. Jin Zhenyi was one of the conservative ones. The rune array that was adjusted to a relatively radical state, mixed among so many conservative rune arrays, was as out-of-place as a crystal train in a painting of nature in the eyes of an expert such as Li Yao.

Wu Dawei replied nervously, “It was—it was Director Li. After you were sent to the hospital due to mental derangement in the morning, Director Li took over everything according to the rules. Considering that the extreme test would be conducted at noon, he performed minor adjustments on the stabilization system.”

“Is that so?”

Li Yao narrowed his eyes. He hurried to run to the main biochemical brain and connected two synthesized nerves to his temples.

Shua! Shua! Shua! Shua!

Data and information immediately poured down like a storm in his eyes.

Li Yao was frowning harder and harder. He glanced at Deputy Director Li Zhengzhi, who was standing far away.

The fat owl grinned at him with utmost delight.

Li Yao immediately realized what Li Zhengzhi was up to.

Jin Zhenyi and Li Zhengzhi were both specialists of stabilization rune arrays in the Blood Demon Sector. They were on par with each other when they taught at the Thousand Feathers Institute, too. In the academic world, they were at loggerheads with one another and in a very bad relationship.

Then, when they were summoned to the Eye of Blood Demon, Jin Zhenyi’s stabilization plan was adopted as the primary plan, and Jin Zhenyi was appointed as the director of the stabilization room, while Li Zhengzhi was merely the deputy directory and a substitute for him.

Naturally, Li Zhengzhi was not very happy about it.

As it happened, right before the final extreme test before the final activation of the Eye of Blood Demon, which would influence a lot of procedures, Jin Zhenyi was mentally deranged and sent into hospital!

Was it not the greatest opportunity for Li Zhengzhi?

According to the rules, when the director was absent, the deputy director would supervise everything. Naturally, Li Zhengzhi was authorized to perform minor adjustments on the stabilization system. Also, Li Zhengzhi knew how long the treatment of mental derangement would take. He was clear that, when Jin Zhenyi was back to work, the extreme test would have already begun!

Therefore, judging from Li Yao’s observation, the guy had played tricks on a few inconspicuous, yet critical, parts.

He had adjusted the frequency and the circulation pattern of the key rune arrays to a relatively radical state.

If the entire system had been adjusted to radically, it might be all good.

However, if most of the parts were designed conservatively and only a few parts were set to a radical state, there would be discordance when the system was running under high pressure, which would further affect the stability of the Eye of Blood Eye.

Li Zhengzhi was a master, too. The tricks he made escaped everyone’s attention. Others might even have felt that the stability of the system had been improved after his adjustments.

Only the experts in the level of Li Yao could see through it instantly!

Something had indeed gone wrong at the last moment!

What’s his goal?

Li Yao immediately thought it through. It’s too obvious. Li Zhengzhi is trying to sabotage the No. 1 stabilization plan so that his No. 2 stabilization plan will be adopted!

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If the No. 2 stabilization plan under his lead is adopted in today’s extreme test and successfully passes it, since there is only one day to go, the system will never switch back to the No. 1 plan again.

Then, when the Eye of Blood Demon is really activated, Li Zhengzhi will be the leader of the stabilization room. Or even better, in the future, he will be the well-acknowledged best master in the field of stabilization rune arrays!

Figuring everything out, Li Yao was both stunned and amused.

He had not expected that his thorough scheme would be disrupted by the office politics of two scholars.

Speaking of which, it was his own fault, too.

If he had not planned to swap Jin Zhenyi, Jin Zhenyi would not have been mentally deranged, and Li Zhengzhi would not have had the chance to play tricks at all.

However, if he had not pretended to the Jin Zhenyi, how could he have snuck into the place?

It was an irresolvable paradox. Since the moment he chose Jin Zhenyi as his target, the outcome was already destined.

Should I simply let the owl get it his way?

Li Yao was not the real Jin Zhenyi. He could not care less whose plan was adopted and who was the leader. After all, even if the No. 2 stabilization plan was adopted, he would still be staying in the room and blowing everything up one day later.

However—

No!

According to the intensity of vibration, fifteen cooling tubes will be broken in three minutes. The ‘Blood Rain Liquid’ in the No. 9 cooling tube and the ‘Smoke Net Water’ in the No. 14 cooling tube will immediately volatilize when exposed in the air. After they are mixed, they will turn into venomous gas that is slightly corrosive for the central nerves!

I’ve roughly read Li Zhengzhi’s plan just now. Even if it is adopted, those cooling tubes will still be breaking apart!

Although the venomous gas is not fatal, it will slightly paralyze the central nerves!

At that time, a large batch of doctors will certainly come here and perform thorough physical examinations on everybody, especially their brains!

Li Yao’s wings were fake. His brain was entirely different from Jin Zhenyi’s, too. There was no way that he could pass a thorough physical examination.

I am going to be killed because of the damn owl!

Li Yao glared at Li Zhengzhi, almost planning to slap the bald guy into a meat pie.

Not knowing that he had caused a great disaster, Li Zhengzhi stepped forward and smiled. “Director Jin, the No. 1 stabilization plan seems unable to sustain any longer. Should we switch to the No. 2 plan now?”

His eyes bloodshot, Li Yao tightened his lat muscles and raised almost a hundred feathers, declaring, “Wait a second!”

Within the breath, he had deduced countless scenarios in his brain. Should there be tremendous venomous gas spreading in the room, he would not have an excuse to shun a thorough physical examination at all!

The only solution was to carry on the No. 1 plan and stop the cooling tubes from breaking!

“Keep the No. 1 and No. 3 rune array groups running at 110% intensity!

“Turn off the No. 4 rune array group. Cool it down with ‘Heaven Scorching Water’ and ‘Soft Fragrant Liquid’. Restart it after fifteen seconds. Then, keep it running at 60% intensity. It will survive!

“Switch the No. 9, No. 10, No. 11, and No. 12 rune array groups over and stabilize the core unit!”

Li Yao waved his wings hard and issued commands.

Wu Dawei hesitated. “But the No. 9 to No. 12 rune array groups are designed to stabilize and cool down the control center…”

“Don’t bother about it!” Li Yao shouted. “Even if the control center is not cooled down for now, the temperature there will only go up by dozens of degrees at best. Those inside the control center are all experts. It’s not a problem for them! Before the facilities and biochemical brains inside the control center are burnt, we will have finished the repairs and switched back!

“Chop! Chop! Chop!”

Li Yao took part in the repairs himself, too. Not only was he issuing a series of orders, he also personally replaced quite a few burningly hot rune arrays!

Five minutes… Ten minutes…

The cooling liquids did not break!

Fifteen minutes… Twenty minutes…

The roars gradually died down, and the quakes were slowly no more, as if a drove of horses that had run off the road were reined back again. The No. 1 stabilization plan survived the extreme test and did not crash.

“Hu!”

Li Yao took a long breath in relief and fell into the chair.

“The extreme test is over!” Wu Dawei exclaimed. “This time, the maximum capacity of the Eye of Blood Demon has been increased by 5%, and our stabilization unit did not crash. We were not forced to try the backup plan, either. The leadership are very satisfied with our performance. Master, you are truly marvelous!”

Li Yao smiled. How could the system have crashed when he was supervising it?

Everything was all good now. The last obstacle had been resolved perfectly. There should not be challenges or unexpected trouble anymore, should there?

Wu Dawei continued receiving messages from the control center. Suddenly, he beamed with joy and shouted, “Master, since our performance in the extreme test was too excellent, even the commander-in-chief has noticed us!

“Right now, the commander-in-chief is waiting to meet you in the control center!”

“…” Li Yao.