Han Feng fell silent.

Seeing Han Feng’s hesitation, the female instructor didn’t press him. Instead, her tone became even gentler.

"It’s alright. You can take your time to think it over."

"This is my contact number."

She handed him a business card.

"If you change your mind later, or if you want to know the inside scoop on the various sponsorship plans, you can contact me anytime."

"After all, I’m your instructor. I’m not going to lead you astray."

Her words sounded sincere and heartfelt, but Han Feng sensed something else beneath the surface.

’This instructor probably receives a handsome reward for every talented student she successfully recommends.’

But he didn’t call her out on it.

’Every man for himself. That was just human nature.’

"Thank you for the advice, instructor. I’ll consider it carefully."

Han Feng took the business card and nodded solemnly.

"It’s good to be ambitious."

The female instructor smiled, satisfied.

"Go on now. Remember, don’t let so-called pride get in the way of your future."

Han Feng bowed once more, then turned and strode out of the evaluation room.

...

Meanwhile, Han Feng clutched the still-warm A+ Level Talent evaluation report and rushed back to Experimental Area 3 without stopping.

When he once again pushed open the door to Zhao Yu’s private lab, he found Zhao Yu staring blankly at a pile of scrapped component blueprints.

The man was radiating a gloomy "stay away from me" aura.

"Senior Brother Zhao."

Han Feng spoke up.

Zhao Yu looked up. Seeing it was Han Feng, the impatience on his face subsided slightly.

"You’re back already?"

"How did it go?"

"C Level or B Level?"

In his opinion, getting a B Level would be a stroke of incredible luck for Han Feng.

After all, while Perception Talent was rare, the evaluation standards were also incredibly strict.

Han Feng didn’t say a word.

He just silently handed over the report, which seemed to shimmer with a golden luster.

Zhao Yu took it, confused, and his gaze fell upon the paper.

The next second, a crack appeared on his perpetually unchanging, icy face.

"Overall Evaluation..."

"A+ Level?"

His voice was soft, but it was like a needle that instantly pierced the lab’s silence.

A few C Level students nearby, who had been eavesdropping, dropped the wrenches in their hands. They hit the floor with a CLANG.

A+ Level!

Among the tens of thousands of students in the entire East Sea Martial Arts University, you could count the number of A Level talents on one hand!

Every single one of them was a treasure, cherished and protected by the major corporations and the military!

And now, their Celestial Craft Maintenance Department—a place perennially looked down on as a "logistics blue-collar" workshop—had actually produced an A+ Level talent?

Zhao Yu’s fingers tightened around the report.

His gaze was glued to the two glaring evaluations.

[Energy Perception Acuity: A+]

[Energy Affinity: A+]

A+ Perception Acuity!

This meant that in the dimension of Perception, Han Feng already stood at the very pinnacle of all A Level talents!

Someone like him was born to be a top-tier scout or sniper!

Or...

A top-tier diagnostics expert!

"Good!"

"Excellent!"

An irrepressible wave of excitement and ecstasy finally erupted on Zhao Yu’s face.

He looked at Han Feng, his eyes like those of an appraiser admiring a peerless, uncut jade that had just been unearthed.

...

East Sea Martial Arts University, Design Institute.

This place was completely different from the environment of the Celestial Craft Maintenance Department, which was filled with the smell of engine oil and metal.

The buildings were pure white, the corridors spotless, and even the air seemed to be permeated with a sense of intellectual superiority.

At this moment, however, the atmosphere in the circular laboratory on the First Layer of Design Building No. 3 was so oppressive it had nearly solidified.

In the center of the lab, a jet-black fighter, its design strikingly futuristic, was parked silently.

Its lines were fluid yet deadly, exuding a sense of power.

It was none other than Miss Su of the Su Family’s privately commissioned ride—the "Night Falcon."

A group of researchers in white uniforms were gathered around a holographic model of the fighter jet, arguing incessantly.

Exhaustion and anxiety were written on everyone’s faces.

"It’s still not working!"

"Simulation data shows that during a ’Herbst Maneuver,’ the energy loss rate at node T-37 spikes by fifteen point three percent!"

"There’s no improvement at all!"

"We’ve already switched to ’Secret Silver Alloy’ with its higher Spirit conduction efficiency, so why isn’t it working?"

"The problem isn’t the material!" 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"It’s a conflict in the underlying logic!"

The project’s chief designer, Lin Xue, stood before the main console. Her hair was tied in a neat ponytail, but her pretty face was clouded with worry.

She rubbed her aching temples, staring intently at the glaring red warning area on the model.

The project had been stuck at this stage for half a month.

Ground tests were all perfect, but as soon as it entered high-maneuverability combat simulations, the problem would reveal itself completely.

This Ghost-like energy conflict under extreme G-forces was impossible to replicate on the ground.

They were like a group of blindfolded doctors, able only to analyze the problem based on the pilot’s simple, after-the-fact descriptions.

"Engineer Lin."

A refined-looking man with gold-rimmed glasses suddenly spoke up, breaking the argument.

"Since our current methods can’t pinpoint the problem mid-flight, perhaps it’s time for a different approach?"

The speaker was Chen Kai, another A Level Researcher from the Design Institute, and also Lin Xue’s "supervisor" on this project.

Lin Xue glanced at him but said nothing.

Chen Kai let out a hypocritical sigh.

"I know the ’Dynamic Energy Resonance Theory’ is your mentor’s magnum opus."

"But the facts have proven that it has flaws when applied to a frame like the Night Falcon, which pursues extreme performance."

"What I mean is, since ’blocking’ it is less effective than ’dredging’ it, why don’t we just scrap everything and start over? We can replace the entire energy management architecture."

"My mentor’s ’Matrix-style Energy Diversion’ theory may be conservative, but its strength is its stability. It would never have this kind of out-of-control issue."

His words made the faces of the lab’s Core Members change.

Replace the underlying architecture?

That would mean all of Lin Xue’s hard work over the past six months would be for nothing!

Moreover, the "Matrix-style Energy Diversion" was Chen Kai’s mentor’s theory. If they were to switch, his people would have to take the lead.

This wasn’t a suggestion.

This was a power grab, forcing her hand!

Lin Xue’s nails dug into her palm. She said coldly, "The project isn’t at a dead end yet. I don’t need you telling me what to do."

"But Miss Su is pressing us hard, isn’t she?"

Chen Kai pushed up his glasses, smiling like a fox.

"If we delay any longer, none of us on the project team will be able to bear the responsibility."

"Engineer Lin, you have to think about everyone’s future."

Lin Xue’s expression turned even uglier.

’With my mentor transferred to the frontier, the powers backing Chen Kai have seized the opportunity to swoop in and obstruct me at every turn.’

’Now that the project’s hit a bottleneck, it’s given them the perfect excuse to attack.’

’Do I... do I really have to abandon my mentor’s theory?’

Just as she was wrestling with her thoughts, the personal terminal on her wrist suddenly vibrated.

Seeing the caller’s name, Lin Xue froze for a moment.

Zhao Yu?

’That workaholic from the maintenance department... why is he calling me?’

She walked to a corner and answered the call.

"Hello, is this Lin Xue?"

"Is it a good time to talk?"

Zhao Yu’s unique, metallic-tinged voice came through the communicator.

"Engineer Zhao?"

"What is it? I’m very busy right now."

Lin Xue’s tone was laced with a hint of impatience.

"I know you’re busy."

But Zhao Yu’s voice carried a rare fanaticism.

"That ’Night Falcon’ project of yours... isn’t it stuck?"

"I want to recommend someone to you."

Lin Xue frowned. "Recommend someone? I don’t need another armchair theorist."

"No, he’s not a theorist."

"He’s a mechanical genius who works for me."

"A Gold Level Pilot."

"A rookie who just received an A+ Level Talent evaluation!"

Zhao Yu’s voice was filled with irrepressible excitement.

Lin Xue was stunned.

"And."

Zhao Yu’s voice continued.

"He’s the one who solved the engine resonance problem with my ’Falcon Third Generation’."

"Didn’t use any instruments. Just got in the cockpit, flew a loop in the sky, and found the problem."

The other end of the line went dead silent.

A full five seconds passed before Lin Xue spoke again.

Her voice trembled with a hint of disbelief.

"You’re saying..."

"A+ Perception Acuity?"

"And he can diagnose faults mid-flight?"

"Yes."

Zhao Yu’s reply was concise.

Lin Xue’s breath caught for a moment.

She slowly raised her head. The tense lines on her strained, heavy face suddenly relaxed.

Immediately after, a smile—a mixture of surprise, absurdity, and wild joy—blossomed madly on her lips.

’Talk about perfect timing!’

’I was just worrying about how I couldn’t move the lab into the sky, and fate sends me a "human walking diagnostic tool"?’

Seeing Lin Xue suddenly start laughing, Chen Kai’s brows furrowed deeply.

"Engineer Lin, what are you laughing about?"

"Now is not the time to be putting on a brave face."

He thought the pressure had finally made her crack.

But Lin Xue ignored him, speaking into the communicator with an unprecedented urgency.

"Have him come over now!"

"Immediately!"

"I’ll be waiting for him in Design Building No. 3!"