Hero? I've Long Stopped Being One

In famous scientist Dr. Qin's research institute in H City, Ouyang Rui was wearing a brain sensing device on his head.

"Doctor, you can't read his memories?" A majestic middle aged man asked an old man in a white lab coat.

"I'm sorry, sir, his brain and memories are completely scrambled and cannot be read at all. There is no hope of recovery; this is a special case of mental damage. His body is still alive, but I can hardly find any normal brain waves in his brain." Dr. Qin replied to the middle-aged man in front of him. He couldn't help but wipe his sweat as he spoke, well aware that this person was a family member of one of the strongest families in Area C.

"Please explain briefly." The Ouyang family head ordered.

"In short, his body is all there, but his soul is gone." Dr. Qin summarized.

"Is that the same as a vegetative state?" Ouyang asked, frowning.

"Not at all; people in a vegetative state can still be saved. But this man's soul is gone. It can't be reversed." Dr. Qin said: "Ever since the existence of the soul was confirmed ten years back, a new truth has been discovered. That is, even if a person has a completely healthy body and had no psychological problems, once their soul disappears, they will never wake up again. Soul disappearance is now classified as a terminal illness by the World Medical Association."

"Thank you, Doctor. I understand what to do." The Ouyang family head said to Dr. Qin.

Having said this, he pulled out a pistol and directly shot Ouyang Rui in the head.

Dr. Qin stared at him: "You didn't have to kill him. Although it is a terminal illnes, the world has changed. Maybe there was someone out there who could have saved him?"

"Dr. Qin, you are an expert in brain development. If you can't cure him, I am afraid no one can." Ouyang squinted: "Besides, we do not need this kind of person in our Ouyang family. We couldn't even use this trash for small matters."

"..."

"If it isn't brother Ouyang? Long time no see." A middle-aged man entered the institute just then, with another, arrogant-looking, middle-aged man following behind him.

"If it isn't brother Dong!" the middle-aged Ouyang recognized the speaker: "It's been a long time."

"Oh? Isn't that Ouyang Rui? What happend?!" asked the Dong family head, noticing the state of Ouyang Rui.

"Shouldn't you be asking your Dong Xue'er this?" asked the Ouyang family head.

"About that..." The Dong leader smiled a bit: "Let's discuss that later. Rest assured, I'll clear up the matter and salvage our families' relationship. Our plan is in its most crucial period - we can't let this get between us."

"If the plan weren't in such a critical period, do you think I'd still be here talking to you like this?" Ouyang's family head said, as he left the building. "I will be waiting for your explanation. As for the body, someone will be along to take care of it."

"Absolutely." said Dong.

Looking at the Ouyang family head walking out the door, the Dong family head's eyes flashed with a strange light.

"Well then, Dr. Qin, let's discuss our plan." the Dong family head turned to Dr. Qin. "I hope we can advance the completion schedule even more."

"This...you know, the men in my institute..." Dr. Qin twitched. "I've already said that they are progressing as fast as they can."

"Don't worry, Dr. Qin. I understand that you're nervous, so I've especially brought you a helper, a technical consultant from the Dong family." The Dong family head looked to the middle-aged man next to him. "Here. Let me introduce him - this is our technical consultant Dr. Mousley, who will help you speed things up with the project."

"But I don't understand..." Dr. Qin said.

"You don't need to understand anything; you can take your time to catch up. You know this is an experiment that can change the future of humanity if it succeeds." After a pause, Mr. Dong added: "You will lead the world into a new era, as the greatest scientist of them all."

"But..."

"There is no but." Mr. Dong said: "The two of you will finish the project together."

After thinking about it, Dr. Qin could only agree helplessly: "Okay."

"Great, I hope to see good things from your collaboration." Dong Jiazhu said with a smile. "Oh, and I hope we can keep the news about this increase in pace just between the three of us. Assuming you want to survive long enough to compete the project."

"...Rest assured, I won't give you any problems." Dr. Qin broke out into a cold sweat.

"I have great hopes for you. I drove down here personally from City B just for your project. You'd better not let me down." Dong Jiazhu told Dr. Qin.

Watching the head of the Dong family leave, Dr. Qin looked at Dr. Mousley, who was still scrutinizing the research lab, and couldn't help but say: "What cooperation?! Obviously, you are stealing my research results and monitoring my movements. Damn, really, after they get my research results, who knows what will happen?"

---

Lin Wan arrived at Dr. Qin's lab that day at her usual time.

Unlike the past, after she arrived, she witnessed the following conversation.

"These are really old facilities. It's very impressive you can do anything with them." Dr. Mousley commented to Dr. Qin. "Maybe country bumpkins can't handle technical updates."

"They're still usable; at least I can complete my research with these old things." Dr. Qin replied sarcastically. "Unlike some people, who can't produce results even with a wide variety of high-end instruments. And they said you were a senior researcher!"

"What are you saying?" Mousley retorted. "I am the most talented scientist at the World Science Institute. Unlike you, who've been working at a third-rate university and only received a doctorate at the age of 40, I have a postdoctoral degree at only 25. You should be embarrassed to be compared with me."

"Well, I've won the Nobel Prize." Dr. Qin said.

"I have been a technical consultant at the World Academy of Sciences!" said Dr. Mousley.

"Well, I've won the Nobel Prize." Dr. Qin said.

"Screw you! I get a paper published in the World Science Journal every year," said Dr. Mousley.

"I have won the Nobel Prize." Dr. Qin said.

"I am a world authority in dozens of technical fields!"

"I have won the Nobel Prize." Dr. Qin repeated.

"Do you dare to keep speaking?!"

"Well, I have won the Nobel Prize twice!" said Dr. Qin.

"Do you want to fight?" Mousley was enraged, but he had to admit that although he had achieved a great position in the academic field, a Nobel Prize winner was a godlike existence.

"Bring it! Who's afraid of you? Let me tell you, when I was young, I won against two city-level fighting champions." Dr. Qin said fearlessly.

"What are you doing?" Lin Wan really couldn't take it anymore. She stalked in and yanked apart the two doctors, who looked like they were about to go at it.

"Little one, your timing is perfect! Help me teach this fart face a lesson!" Dr. Qin saw Lin Wan's entrance as an opportunity. "Look, this is Xiao Wan, my student. She's a master of masters at fighting. If you want to hit me, you'll have to go through her first."

"Doctor! I'm here as your assistant, not your bodyguard." Lin Wan said, looking at Dr. Qin helplessly.

"Come on, this guy is young and strong, and I'm old and weak. Don't overestimate me. That guy will hurt this old man." Dr. Qin said from behind Lin Wan. "Don't you look up to me? I've helped you in peacetime, so isn't it time to help protect this old man?"

"..." Lin Wan was speechless at the old man. "I, too, know you can't beat him. Why are you picking this kind of fight?"

"I just don't like the look of this kid, even if I lose out physically. " Dr. Qin said.

"Are you a kid?" Lin Wan asked helplessly. Saying this, she walked over to Dr. Mousley, who was standing to the side, watching them.

"Hey, make him give me some face." Dr. Qin yelled from the side.

"I'm really sorry. Dr. Qin has the temperament of a little kid." Lin Wan said to Dr. Mousley. "Please ignore him."

"Hey! Who's your boss here? Don't apologize to him! Didn't I tell you to cuss him out?" Dr. Qin shouted from behind her.

"Pfft." Dr. Mousley snorted.

"See how full of shit he is? Make him apologize for being so shameless." Dr. Qin called from behind.

"Just shut up already!" Lin Wan shouted at him.

"..." Dr. Qin shut up.

"You got passed over by the World Academy of Sciences because of this attitude." Turning away from Dr. Qin, Lin Wan looked back to Dr. Mousley and asked. "Are you Dr. Mousley?"

"Ah? Do you recognize me?" Dr. Mousley looked slightly relieved.

"Of course I do. You get papers published every month in scientific journals. I've read all of them." Lin Wan was admiring.

"Oh? You've read my thesis?" Dr. Mousley asked.

"Of course! Your papers are really great." Lin Wan said: "I really admire your grasp of scientific theory. To be honest, I was really surprised to see you here today."

"Haha, this little girl can appreciate what's in front of her. Unlike some stubborn old man I could mention," Mousley said smugly.

"Not at all, you are just very famous in the scientific community." Lin Wan said.

"Of course." Mousley laughed and said: "You're pretty great, kid. After this project is finished, maybe you'd be interested in helping with my research work."

"I'll consider it." Lin Wan said. "Big men like you don't have much contact with Dr. Qin. He doesn't like people from the World Academy of Sciences, so he's always like this."

"Right, what are you doing here?" Lin Wan asked curiously.

"I came to help with this experiment," said Mousley.

"Eh?"

Mousley glanced at Dr. Qin and said: "That is to say, I'm just an assistant. I won't be trying anything like stealing research results."

"Whatever, it won't make much difference." Dr. Qin mumbled.

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