The moment Gao Xinjian saw Chen Chuan, his gaze rested deeply on him for a brief second before he smiled. "Section Chief Chen appears to be a very punctual man. I am Gao Xinjian."
Chen Chuan gave a polite nod. "Mr. Gao, it is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for the invitation."
He could sense that beyond the security detachment stationed outside, there were no powerful martial artists anywhere in the vicinity. Nor was there any sign of that Dongxuan View martial artist who supposedly came from the Progenitor Company; only the two individuals stood before him.
Gao Xinjian made a welcoming gesture toward the table beside them. "Section Chief Chen, please have a seat."
Chen Chuan nodded. Together with Gao Xinjian, he stepped over to the table, and they took their seats across from one another.
The dark-haired woman stepped forward, lifting an exquisite porcelain flask and slowly pouring a milky-white beverage into an antique-style goblet.
At the bottom of the goblet lay a layer of clear, transparent liquid. The moment the two fluids mingled, the mixture turned into something as pure and crystalline as jade snow, rich and glossy as balm—a delight to the eye.
Gao Xinjian said with a smile, "This is suet-jade nectar, something rarely seen nowadays. It was a favorite of Emperor Ming in years past. Every single drop had to wait upon the right moment of heaven, gathered from the caipeng leaves at the exact instant day and night crossed within the Confluence, without the slightest error.
"A caipeng tree takes over a century to grow, and harvesting from a hundred trees yields merely a single bottle like this. In the old era, such trees were extraordinarily hard to find, and their cultivating conditions were severe. Before drinking, it had to be blended with dan water prepared by a Mystic. Back then, Emperor Ming had to drink a cup of this every day before practicing mysticism—an enormous undertaking that consumed vast resources.
"Now, however, there is a plantation in a Confluence within Haimeizhou. Using modern cultivation techniques, there are already over thirty myriad caipeng trees growing there. The yield of dew from each tree is more than a hundred times what was recorded in the old days. Even using traditional manual harvesting methods, it takes only five to ten minutes today.
"And after selecting only the finest among the best, their quality..." He looked toward Chen Chuan. "...is only higher than in the past."
Chen Chuan knew of Emperor Ming; he was the penultimate emperor of the former dynasty. That emperor had paid little mind to governance, nor had he cared for cultivation like the other monarchs before him; instead, he had indulged in pleasure and devoted himself to studying gourmet delicacies and fine drinks.
What caught Chen Chuan's attention at this moment, however, was that the suet-jade nectar was exceptionally heavy. Yet in this woman's hands, the bottle poured out a thread fine as a line of snow, perfectly uniform from start to finish. She maintained a graceful posture throughout, which required remarkably stable arm strength and force control.
She gave him a peculiar impression—resembling a doll, yet also resembling a living human.
Gao Xinjian smiled and said, "Her name is Gao Yueying. She represents the highest achievement of our Progenitor Company's technology: a doll virtually indistinguishable from a real human.
"From head to toe, she is composed entirely of artificially cultured mutated tissue, completely free of any human materials. She possesses combat power comparable to that of a martial artist, boasts extraordinary learning capacity and growth potential, and can merge with an active conscious entity to unleash even greater strength."
Chen Chuan had some understanding of these matters. For a doll to reach the third limit, the technical requirements were exceptionally demanding. Crucially, at a similar cost, one could easily construct an active conscious entity instead.
To reach the level of a martial artist was even more difficult than building an active conscious entity of equivalent caliber. After all, when integrating technology, an active conscious entity did not need to concern itself overmuch with bodily proportions or fixed appearances, and its efficiency in absorbing high-energy nutrients was vastly superior.
Of course, dolls possessed irreplaceable advantages of their own. Because their appearance and behavior simulated life so closely, they often achieved superior emotional interaction and rapport. And if one possessed genuine growth potential...
He asked, "Your company is already capable of achieving this?"
Gao Xinjian looked at him and said slowly, "Yueying was actually the product of a chance occurrence. Because the manufacturing costs and technological complexities are so extraordinarily steep, she is virtually impossible to replicate without a major technological breakthrough.
"My original intention was actually to dispose of her, to prevent the company from sinking unnecessary investments into this path. In the end, using human biological material remains cheaper, more cost-effective, offers greater potential for growth, and is far more readily accepted by others."
He let out a sigh of sentiment. "Yet over the past decade or so, watching her slowly grow from an infant into who she is today... She is like a child to me. That earlier mindset faded away, and I found myself willing to accept her."
By then, Gao Yueying had finished pouring both goblets and served them to the two men.
Chen Chuan took his cup. A moment ago, he had clearly felt the heft of the nectar, yet upon melding with the dan water below, it had turned light as a feather, practically weightless.
A delicate, gossamer wisp of white mist hovered above the rim of the cup. The mutated tissue inside his body stirred with sudden longing, indicating that this concoction was beneficial to him.
Gao Xinjian smiled, raised his cup, and made a welcoming gesture. "Section Chief Chen, please."
Chen Chuan lifted his cup in return and took a sip. A refreshing chill seeped into his body, and in an instant, his mind felt remarkably lucid and clear.
This drink actually nourished the mutated tissue in the brain and enhanced mental clarity—a remarkably rare property.
Gao Xinjian set down his cup and said, "Section Chief Chen is young and accomplished. I once had a son and a daughter; had they survived, they would be only two or three years older than you."
Chen Chuan had reviewed the dossiers and knew some details about the Gao family's previous generations, but he knew little about the subsequent generation. The Gao family had kept their secrets exceptionally well.
Hearing Gao Xinjian's words, he asked, "They are no longer with us?"
Gao Xinjian's expression turned complicated. "Our Gao family carries a rare hereditary illness. Some children do not survive to adulthood. Sadly, they were among them."
Chen Chuan glanced at him. "I am sorry to hear that, Mr. Gao."
Gao Xinjian smiled faintly. "It is nothing. This is the fate of our Gao family."
A glint of fervor surfaced in his eyes. "Perhaps it is a curse, but it is also a spur. Survival has always been our primary driving force, compelling us forward.
"Our family has always dedicated itself to resolving this issue. It was for the sake of survival that the Progenitor Company came into being.
"This also granted us a much sharper sense of external crisis than others, which was why we withdrew from the Eastern Continent early on and came here.
"Yet even after arriving on the soil of Yingzhou, looking around, none of the people before our eyes were our own kind. Seeing what became of the First People, any Eastern Continent native would feel an innate unease. That, too, forced us to strive to expand our boundaries of survival, to make ourselves more secure.
"Just like the Great Impact now—it is precisely the arrival of that world on the opposite side that compels this world to keep advancing out of necessity, not because the people standing upon the stage wish it so. In truth, if it were possible, all of them—myself included—would probably wish for the world to remain perpetually unchanging for myriad generations."
Chen Chuan did not dispute this. Most things and most people were forced into becoming strong, rather than choosing to do so out of desire. The pressure of survival always came first, and the same held true for those who practiced martial arts.
Yet for him, beyond survival, what mattered even more was relishing the process of growing stronger step by step.
The joy and wonder born of personal growth was his true driving force.
Gao Xinjian continued, "By origin, my Gao family hails from Jibei Dao. After the former dynasty fell, our family bided its time for a period, and later crossed the vast ocean to carve out a new realm here.
"Over these past several centuries, many from the Eastern Continent have arrived here to live and multiply. Here in Haimeizhou, one-third of the population is of Eastern Continent descent.
"In any place, a person cannot accomplish anything alone. People must band together; they need collective strength. Yet beyond that, we have also been seeking further possibilities.
"Over the years, Progenitor has consistently striven to offer humanity a possibility. Doll technology is one such path, effectively compensating for deficiencies in security combat strength, which has drawn increasing attention to it.
"For instance, the Federation has long coveted our technology."
Chen Chuan said, "If I recall correctly, the Progenitor Company is a member of the Consortium. Is that not safe enough?"
Gao Xinjian said slowly, "The Consortium does possess considerable might, but that power cannot be casually unleashed. It rests upon a balance. When the pressures of survival grow ever heavier and power must urgently concentrate inward, that balance may be shattered—and that could lead to an entirely new situation.
"Once the Great Impact arrives, no one can guarantee what will transpire. Only nations and organizations of sufficient scale stand a chance of surviving. For that reason, the Progenitor Company must weigh multiple options.
"'Those who are not of our kind are bound to be of a different mind.'
"I agree deeply with that saying, and I believe the people of the Federation view us in the same light. Thus, we must secure alternative avenues."
He looked intently at Chen Chuan and said solemnly, "Great Shun's Skyline has shown us a broader future. Our investment in Jibei Dao was merely the first step; moving forward, we will gradually transfer portions of our industry to Great Shun.
"In inviting Section Chief Chen here today, we sincerely hope you can grant us a measure of support. This would be immensely beneficial to both Great Shun and the Progenitor Company."
Chen Chuan looked at him. "If your company is willing to invest in the Eastern Continent, we naturally welcome it. However, I have one question: even if your company returns to Great Shun, will you truly find peace of mind?"
Gao Xinjian smiled. "Every decision carries risks and must be weighed against the prevailing times. At least in the present era, Great Shun is worthy of us making this choice.
"More than two centuries ago, the ancestors of the Gao family departed the Eastern Continent and secured a season of prosperity. More than two centuries later, we intend to return to the Eastern Continent..."
At this point, his gaze fixed steadily on Chen Chuan. "I hope my decision proves correct."
Chen Chuan nodded. "I believe I understand your meaning, Mr. Gao."
Gao Xinjian gave a slight smile and gestured. Behind him, Gao Yueying clapped her hands. From both flanks, flexible ropeways lowered, and banquet hall servers stepped forward across them in impeccable ceremonial posture, carrying platters covered with cloches.
Chapter 1188