Chapter 85: Saving Agumon

"Alright, it's already evening. Let's go get something to eat and arrange your accommodation," Professor Zhou Jie glanced at his watch and decided not to pursue the conversation further with Zhao Jie.

"Okay," Zhao Jie nodded. He hadn't felt it before, but as soon as Professor Zhou Jie mentioned it, he realized he was indeed a bit hungry.

"Squawk! Squawk!" The little Raven Beast suddenly fluttered onto Professor Zhou Jie's shoulder.

"By the way, Zhao Jie, I just remembered I have some matters to attend to. The little Raven Beast will take you to dinner," Zhou Jie scratched his unruly hair and spoke apologetically.

"Alright, Professor Zhou, go ahead with your work," Zhao Jie replied.

"Raven Beast, after Zhao Jie has had his meal, take him to the room we prepared a few days ago. You've been running around for days, so you must be tired too. Tomorrow, I'll discuss Agumon's treatment plan with you," Zhou Jie addressed the Raven Beast on his shoulder, then turned to Zhao Jie.

"Okay."

"Raven Beast, lead the way," Zhao Jie agreed readily. The past few days on the road hadn't allowed much rest, and now that he'd arrived at Professor Zhou's laboratory, another day wouldn't make a difference.

Zhou Jie watched Zhao Jie and the Raven Beast depart, his gentle smile gradually fading. He glanced at his shoulder, then quickly left the area.

Fingerprint unlock. He entered a room reserved solely for his clothing.

He donned a pair of gloves, picked up a small knife, and removed his blue robe.

"Rip!" He carefully sliced the fabric where the Raven Beast had perched. His expression was intensely focused, as if he were crafting a work of art. Once the piece of cloth was severed, he skillfully retrieved a lighter from a nearby drawer and incinerated the fabric.

Watching it turn to ashes, his complexion eased somewhat.

Opening the wardrobe revealed numerous identical robes. He casually selected one and put it on.

Zhou Jie exited the clothing room. Instead of returning to the laboratory, he went to the parking area, changed into new attire from his car, and burned the old clothes to ashes.

The sound of running water echoed. After leaving the restroom, Zhao Jie saw Professor Zhou Jie at the washbasin, engrossed in washing his hands. Even as Zhao Jie approached, Zhou Jie took no notice.

It was steaming hot water. Zhao Jie observed that the professor's hands were bright red, yet he showed no reaction, continuously rinsing his hands, as if trying to cleanse some substance from them.

"Professor Zhou Jie?" Zhao Jie called softly.

"Ah?" Zhou Jie’s eyes regained their expression. He quickly turned off the tap and smiled at Zhao Jie.

"How was the food? Did it suit your taste?"

"It was alright."

"Good. The food here is different from what you're used to—I was worried you might not like it. I just conducted an experiment, so I was disinfecting," Zhou Jie lifted his hands with a calm smile.

"Alright, I'm getting hungry myself. I'll go eat now," Zhou Jie said after a brief exchange, then departed.

Disinfecting? Zhao Jie watched him leave, a lingering doubt in his eyes. Even for disinfection, wasn’t such self-torture unnecessary? Perhaps the professor had some peculiar habits.

The next morning, after breakfast, Zhao Jie appeared in the laboratory where Agumon was kept.

Before Zhao Jie arrived, Professor Zhou Jie was already working.

"You're here. Have a look. I'm currently using a technique called 'consciousness deprivation' to help Agumon separate the black energy. So far, everything is going well. If nothing goes wrong, in three days this conscious energy will be expelled, and Agumon will awaken," the professor waved Zhao Jie over. Through the precise instruments, the white cloud representing consciousness was indeed separating the black energy.

"Thank you, Professor," Zhao Jie gazed at the screen, seeing the black energy being stripped away. Knowing Agumon would awaken in three days filled him with excitement.

"It's my duty," Zhou Jie nodded with a smile.

"By the way, I saw in the records that your Agumon evolved into Greymon. Super-evolving Greymon is no easy feat! I've studied some materials. When Greymon super-evolves, gene mutations can occur, leading to erroneous evolution."

"The path ahead of you may have already been severed. I think you could consider abandoning this Agumon."

Abandon Agumon? Impossible!

Zhao Jie instinctively shook his head at these words.

"There must be a way to solve this," he thought. In the anime, Taichi used his emotional resonance and the Crest of Courage, enabling Greymon's super-evolution. Why couldn't he do the same? Of course, that would be a last resort.

This was a world of advanced technology. He believed science could provide a solution. After all, Agumon still had a long way to go before super-evolving.

"I hope you find a solution," Zhou Jie patted Zhao Jie's shoulder, looking thoughtfully at Agumon soaking in the nutrient solution.

"By the way, I have quite a few research topics—would you be interested in looking at them?"

"Really?" Zhao Jie looked at Professor Zhou Jie in amazement.

Research topics and data are the most valuable assets for a researcher, usually never shared with outsiders. Yet now, he was being offered a chance to see them.

"Well, there's nothing pressing at the moment. But remember, much of this material is my own research, not yet published. You can look, but don't share it externally," Zhou Jie said as he led Zhao Jie into another laboratory.

"I understand, Professor Zhou."

PS: I just received notice that the book will be available on June 1st. For the last three days of May, there will only be two updates, but there will be a burst of releases then. Originally, I planned to reach 300,000 words before launching, but I suppose the data wasn't good enough, so the editor moved up the schedule.

So far, I am quite satisfied with the plot arrangement for Agumon; there haven't been any intelligence-insulting developments. I can say this is the most satisfied I've ever been with my story's progression.

A small climax is just around the corner.

I can't guarantee there won't be delays, since I need to eat, after all.

Such is the time, such is fate.

But Agumon's story continues—I hope everyone enjoys this tale.