Chapter 200 Winning them over? Something's not right.

He adjusted his collar, put on a gentle smile once more, and walked toward an independent lab bench at the very end of the Research Center.

At the lab bench, a woman was buried in a pile of complex instruments and beakers.

She wore an oversized white lab coat, her hair messily pinned back with a pen, and thick black-rimmed glasses almost covered half her face, making it hard to see her true appearance.

Her whole being radiated a focus that warned strangers to stay away.

"Professor Qin."

Zheng Siyuan walked to her side and deliberately lowered his voice.

The woman addressed as Professor Qin didn't even look up, her movements with the instruments only pausing for a brief moment.

"Lu Jiaming just left, and now you're here." Her voice was a bit raspy, devoid of emotion. "Is something the matter?"

"What did he say to you?" Zheng Siyuan asked tentatively.

"What else could it be? Nothing more than the production progress of those weapons and things regarding Jinghai University."

Professor Qin's tone was as flat as if she were talking about the weather. "I'm not interested in your games of power and profit. I just want to do my research in peace."

"You know I'm not like them." Zheng Siyuan leaned in closer, his voice dropping even lower. "As long as you're willing to help me, once I take that position, I'll definitely give you the best treatment. The entire Research Center will be under your command!"

Professor Qin finally stopped what she was doing.

She looked up and glanced at Zheng Siyuan through her thick lenses.

It was a very ordinary face of a middle-aged woman, with a few freckles, completely unremarkable.

"If it weren't because you saved me once back then, do you think you'd still be standing here talking to me like this?"

Professor Qin's voice remained flat, but it made the smile on Zheng Siyuan's face stiffen.

"I've already reported your little schemes to Lu Jiaming."

A bead of cold sweat broke out on Zheng Siyuan's temple. He gave a dry laugh. "You... you must be joking."

"I'm the type who doesn't like owing favors, and even less do I want to get involved in trouble." Professor Qin lowered her head again, fiddling with her instruments. "So, put away your schemes and stop bothering me."

Being rejected to his face, Zheng Siyuan's expression turned a bit ugly.

He took a deep breath, seemingly having made a certain decision.

"Professor Qin, don't be so quick to refuse. Do you think I'd dare entertain this thought if I wasn't sure?"

"Lu Jiaming is indeed strong, but aside from him, I'm absolutely certain I can take out the other high-level members one-on-one!"

"Moreover, I have the most important trump card in my hand. As soon as Lu Jiaming dies, I can temporarily seal off the entire building and prevent any Outside Players from entering! The only thing I'm missing is an opportunity to take down Lu Jiaming!"

"Once he's dead, the entire building will be ours for the taking!"

Professor Qin's movements paused once more.

She seemed to be weighing the credibility of Zheng Siyuan's words, but after a moment, she still shook her head.

"Even if everything you said is true, even if you really manage to succeed by some fluke and replace Lu Jiaming, then what?"

She looked up, her gaze behind the lenses seemingly able to see through one's heart.

"You think you can rest easy then?"

"Don't forget, there's also that leader from Jinghai University nearby, who is as strong as a monster. Do you think you can deal with him?"

"It's better to maintain the status quo and stay put. If the day comes when he attacks, when the sky falls, Lu Jiaming, being the tall one, will naturally be there to hold it up."

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Zheng Siyuan's heart.

His expression shifted repeatedly, and he gritted his teeth. "Don't I know that?! But what I'm more worried about is if that old fox Lu Jiaming can't win after provoking Jinghai University, he'll turn around and throw me out as a scapegoat!"

"When that time comes, he'll offer you up, offer up the Research Center, and might even secure a good position under Su Ze! And I'll be the one taking the fall to appease the anger!"

"But if I seal off the building, at least we'll have time to develop. We might not necessarily be inferior to Su Ze in the future!"

Hearing this, Professor Qin raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying a hint of amusement.

"Then why don't you just go and defect to that Su Ze directly?"

"..."

Zheng Siyuan was instantly speechless.

Defect to Su Ze?

How could he possibly be willing!

He had planned meticulously and hidden his strength for so long for the sake of one day sitting in the top position of the Global Financial Center! If he went to be Su Ze's subordinate now, what would be the point of all his previous endurance and plotting?

Moreover...

That woman, Li Xinran, was likely already Su Ze's plaything by now.

Though he didn't have any real feelings for her and only lusted after her body and the pleasure of conquering her pride, she was still his nominal fiancée!

Running to defect to Su Ze now would be equivalent to admitting in front of everyone that he was wearing a bright green hat!

He didn't want to lose face like that.

Even though he would still prioritize his life if it really came down to it.

Seeing Zheng Siyuan's expression as if he had swallowed a fly, Professor Qin suddenly put down the test tube in her hand.

She took off her glasses, wiped them casually with the corner of her lab coat, and then put them back on.

"It's not impossible to ask me to help you."

She suddenly spoke. Her voice wasn't loud, but it made Zheng Siyuan snap his head up, his eyes full of disbelief.

"However, I have one condition."

"Tell me! I'll agree to any condition!" Zheng Siyuan's voice trembled with excitement.

The corners of Professor Qin's mouth curled into a mysterious arc.

"It's very simple."

"You help me; I want to defect and join Su Ze."

Boom!

Zheng Siyuan felt his head buzzing, and his whole being went numb.

He stared blankly at the woman in front of him, wondering if he had misheard.

"You... what did you say?"

How was this possible?

This woman had always been indifferent to the world, only wanting to do scientific research!

And with her abilities, no matter who was the boss, a top scientific researcher like her was destined to be a guest of honor and would definitely be highly valued!

Why would she want to leave? And to defect to a completely unfamiliar power?

It didn't make sense!

Zheng Siyuan stared at her intently, trying to see something in her face.

At that moment, a deep blue stream of data silently flickered across the lenses of the Gold-rimmed Glasses on his nose.

He instinctively concentrated.

In the next second, a line of text that overturned all his knowledge clearly appeared on the lenses.

[Target: Shi Yetang]

[Base Combat Power: ???]

!!!

The color drained from Zheng Siyuan's face in an instant!

His pupils suddenly constricted into dangerous pinpoints, and a chill rushed from the soles of his feet straight to the crown of his head!

Shi... Yetang?

Combat power... three question marks?!