CHAPTER 1099: CHAPTER 108: BECOMING A SCIENTIFIC KNIGHT STARTING TODAY

After waiting in the Order of Knights for about six days, Xiang Shan finally met a genuine administrator of the Order of Knights.

Xiang Shan had realized early on that the "self-proclaimed acting captain" of the Knights he had initially interacted with was merely brought in as an errand runner. Thus, he made no moves and didn’t deploy any Gu.

Now that a true high-ranking official appeared before him, he still forced himself to curb his bad habits.

It was all because of Xinyu leading him astray back in the day. Xiang Shan wasn’t like this originally.

Deputy Chief Devinia slightly bowed and said, "Our honorable Captain has gone to conduct academic exchanges with the Bloodline Blessing and won’t return for a while, so I, as the deputy, am handling it. In the Six Dragons Sect’s hierarchy, my Saintly Grade is temporarily higher as well. I’m fully responsible for this matter."

Xiang Shan nodded but didn’t pull the junk information from the interface.

Devinia said, "If you prefer the Order of Knights’ titles, feel free to do so."

Xiang Shan nodded: "Then, Your Excellency, has your Order completed the appraisal of that sample...?"

"Yes, without a doubt, it’s indeed a project unique to our Church. Only within our Church could such... forbidden cells exist."

"I figured as much."

"What?"

"The comparison results of genetic information. Although I haven’t confirmed whose it is exactly, I assume it’s certainly that person’s, right?"

Although Xiang Shan didn’t know exactly how he came to be, he could ascertain two points. First, his cells indeed contained specific genetic information unique to the original Xiang Shan, the Homo sapiens Xiang Shan. Second, the Six Dragons Sect was crazy enough to want to hunt the Martial God for research purposes.

After acquiring the Holy Lord’s memories, he even understood what these guys were really thinking.

Xiang Shan was the first individual to complete the "physical-electronic-physical" transition process. The ultimate goal of the Six Dragons Sect was to complete this process infinitely under autonomous control.

Studying Xiang Shan was considered one approach.

Pretending Xiang Shan’s cells were a product of the Six Dragons Sect, the sect was most likely to believe it.

Not to mention that his cells indeed contained some rare elements.

So...

"Your Excellency, let’s skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point," Xiang Shan unplugged the junk information from the interface, saying, "This sample must continue to be researched. This is my project."

The word "my" was emphasized.

"I’m afraid it isn’t ’your’ project," Devinia said with a half-smile, "at least not solely yours— there are others involved too."

"No, it’s mine. My dedication, my ideas, my thoughts— it’s all in there." Xiang Shan’s tone seemed tinged with resentment.

—Oh, have you encountered an unforgiving Knight Instructor?

Devinia almost immediately understood the underlying subtext from across him.

Such matters...

Some things, which by law should have been buried in the Old Era, and ostensibly have disappeared, often merely continue to exist under a different name.

Devinia was a Hermit and not responsible for missionary affairs. However, he knew the methods the Six Dragons Sect used to propagate within the Scientific Knights.

The Sect Hierarch used Xiang Shan’s memories to prove one thing: Yawgmoth, the Father of Machines, hated the Order of Yawgmoth.

His Majesty, the Father of Machines, also despised the Scientific Knight Order.

He adopted this title with a tone of mockery. He used such appellations to ridicule humanity. The human organizations mastering science, ironically, adopted a structure far behind the times.

He genuinely felt there was no hope for humanity.

And he favored the Scientific Knights not out of genuine love for the Knights.

The Father of Machines learned only one thing from the Martial Ancestor—to drive humans to action, one must offer benefits.

To the Father of Machines, the Scientific Knight Order was merely a tool that needed to be destroyed in the end.

The Scientific Knight Order may not even be included in the final Holy War’s participant list.

The Father of Machines only wanted to bestow "knowledge" to future humanity, while old humanity, like the Knighthood, which unearths knowledge, must be annihilated in the Old Era.

The Father of Machines might not truly think this way. However, the Sect Hierarch could make people believe that the Father of Machines thought so.

Perhaps when the Father of Machines bestowed the name "Scientific Knight Order" to the Church, he indeed mocked humanity in his heart.

Of course, the Sect Hierarch also didn’t have much faith in humanity. The "Ascension" of the Six Dragons Sect merely hoped to extinguish humanity’s ignorant flame through "distance" and "cost".

To escape ignorance and ascend, the Six Dragons Sect banded together.

Because there was widespread dissatisfaction with the senior Scientific Knights among the lower-level Scientific Knights and apprentices, the Six Dragons Sect was able to grow rapidly a hundred years ago.

The Martial Ancestor Xiang Shan was the most outstanding project manager and understood how to nurture talent. Under the intervention of the Sect Hierarch, the apprentices and lower-level Scientific Knights from a hundred years ago have now gradually gained significant power.

This is what Elder Devinia learned from the Six Dragons Sect’s history.

Regrettably, even within the Six Dragons Sect, it seems such situations cannot be avoided.

——I can only say, the Sect Hierarch is right. Only ascension... only by using distance and cost can we truly eliminate human malice towards each other.

Devinia sighed slightly, saying, "It’s really a pity. But I still have to emphasize one point. This is not your personal project."

"Yes, it’s a project within the Church. I understand. I will travel to Mars in the future to deliver the related results." Xiang Shan said in continuation of this sentence.

However, he slightly adjusted the parameters of his tone.

Devinia was somewhat displeased. He felt that this young knight was manipulating him.

This kid clearly understands it well. He’s implying to me that if I don’t follow his distribution method, he’ll escalate it to the upper echelons of the Six Dragons Sect.

Devinia said, "Of course. This matter certainly needs to be known by the Sect Hierarch, the old man himself. Anything related to the Holy Lord is always handled personally by the legitimate line of the Sect Hierarch."

A reminder for you, are you part of the Sect Hierarch’s legitimate line? It’s enough to stop here.

Xiang Shan naturally caught the underlying meaning thrown over by the opponent. He lowered his stance a bit to match the other’s channel: "Yes. Indeed. I also want to continue the related research on this sample. I need a good external environment."

"Mars’ diameter is about half that of Earth’s, and it lacks a strong planetary magnetic field. In terms of stability, Earth is certainly better." Devinia said, tone laced with a smile, "Besides, not to brag, but there might not be a knight order stronger than our Life Furnace in the field of cellular-level transformation technology."

"That’s what I mean." Xiang Shan decided to lower his stance a bit more, making the other party feel his threat is relatively low, "I need resources. Computational resources, consumables, apprentices... I want to start anew. As a Scientific Knight."

He intentionally mixed in a bit of urgency in his tone.

Devinia relaxed.

He had completely confirmed it. Yes, this is a researcher nurtured within the Six Dragons Sect, who hasn’t gone through the Scientific Knight’s sequence.

Perhaps due to the "harshness" of superiors, this Church Member yearns to enter the other side of the Six Dragons Sect — the side belonging to Hermits and Scientific Knights.

Moreover, he brought a sample of considerable value.

Devinia took out a storage device of universal specifications from behind him, placed it on the table, and pushed it to Xiang Shan’s side: "This is the data we’ve preliminarily organized after research. You can look at it first. Tomorrow follow the procedures of the Order of Knights and submit an application."

Of course, as for the specific amount of resources, it certainly can’t be finalized now.

Xiang Shan immediately got this layer of meaning. He accepted the storage device.

Devinia then asked, "As a researcher from the wild, have you had a Knight’s Badge before?"

Xiang Shan showed interest: "Is there something special about it?"

"No. You can design it yourself. Just add some artistic design to the QR code. It’s not very complicated."

Xiang Shan pondered for a moment: "This must be done carefully, I need to think about it."

"Alright, take your time to consider it. I’ll be leaving first."

After leaving this reception area, Devinia’s body immediately ceased activity.

Meanwhile, outside the door, the real Devinia rebooted for a moment.

The Martial Ancestor roamed the Earth, and he must be cautious with strangers. He wouldn’t risk his Biological Brain.

If it weren’t for the physical isolation from the external network in the special reception area, he would’ve preferred direct online communication.

Except for the King of Godspeed, there’s no one who can surpass the Martial Ancestor in external martial techniques (perhaps some can, but the Scientific Knights are unaware). With the same Prosthetic Body, the combat power of the Martial God is significantly higher than everyone else’s.

Then, he still needs to replace the motherboard again.

The motherboard needs to contact the knight order specializing in computer science, to see if anything has been planted.

Bear in mind, the current generation of Martial God is specialized in Inner Strength.

In summary, one must be vigilant.

Xiang Shan, on the other hand, didn’t care much.

He didn’t use Gu at all.

Because unless it’s an immediately acting offensive Gu, otherwise in the enemy’s base camp, there’s almost no Gu that can compete with the almighty "motherboard replacement." Killing a mere Vice Captain has little significance. It’d just eliminate one Six Dragons Sect for the Scientific Knight Order.

For Xiang Shan, what’s truly important is to grasp resources through this Scientific Knight Order.

The next day, Xiang Shan was asked to leave this special reception area.

After submitting a research plan, he started waiting again.

During this process, some people also monitored him to ensure he wouldn’t take the opportunity to hack anything.

Xiang Shan was quite honest.

He had great confidence in the plan he submitted. In the past, he rarely wrote research applications. Most of the time, he was responsible for reviewing others’ applications. So Xiang Shan believes that his written content is more likely to hit the reviewer’s nerve.

He even hinted at further interest exchanges.

Thus, on the same day, Xiang Shan met the Scientific Knight apprentices assigned to his hand.

Of course, this is just a temporary relationship. He hasn’t truly become the mentor of these young people yet.