Chapter 89: The Tram Problem
After the examination, Xue Wenli took Su Yu on a tour of the office building, giving him a detailed overview of the organizational structure within the "relevant departments."
Su Yu, as the first Blue Star human with manifest power, was someone Xue Wenli wanted to recruit fully into their ranks. However, as she explained the setup, it became clear he wasn't interested in a formal role. Seeing this, she decided against pressing the matter.
They stopped outside the storeroom on the building's eighth floor. Emerging from the storeroom, Xue Wenli held a cylindrical, airtight metal container about 20 centimeters in diameter and 30 centimeters in height.
"This is the psionic energy I mentioned," she said, handing it to Su Yu. "Try absorbing it once you're home. If your strength improves or if you experience any unusual effects, contact me immediately. Understood?"
"Got it," Su Yu replied, accepting the container.
"Then you're free to go."
"Thanks. I'll be careful on the way back." Su Yu nodded, saying his goodbyes before heading out.
About an hour later, Xue Wenli walked into an office on the east side of the eighth floor. She seemed conflicted, her expression twisted as she weighed something in her mind. Sitting on the desk was her *Evolution* game helmet.
After a moment's hesitation, she decided, putting on her helmet and entering the game.
Soon, her character, a level 4 archer named [Katyusha], appeared in Novice Village No. 2. Xue Wenli had managed to secure this name early on, but due to her demanding schedule, she had only leveled up to 4.
Not long after logging in, she received a private message from Snow Leopard.
**Snow Leopard**: "Wenli, how did your meeting with Su Yu go?"
**Xue Wenli**: "It went well." She quickly recounted their time together and the tests they conducted on Su Yu's spell strength that day. Then, she paused, conflicted again. "But there's something you should know, Zhong Feng."
**Snow Leopard**: "Go on."
**Xue Wenli**: "To prevent the Skrulls from pulling any tricks, we've installed a psionic wave perspective device at the entrance of the new base. This device scanned Su Yu's body."
**Snow Leopard**: "Alright."
**Xue Wenli**: "The scan showed nothing unusual in Su Yu's body. It didn't differ from a typical human."
**Snow Leopard**: "And?"
**Xue Wenli**: "Professor Shen and several biologists proposed dissecting Su Yu to understand 'how the manifestation of power affects biological traits' and how he manages to cast spells."
Without hesitation, Snow Leopard replied: "Kill and dissect him? Absolutely not!"
**Xue Wenli**: "Don't dismiss it too quickly. Professor Shen believes that understanding this could benefit humanity as a whole. Normally, biologists advocate for ethics and rigor, but given our time constraint—a single year—they're pushing to take risks, arguing that the alternative is inevitable disaster."
This dilemma reminded Xue Wenli of the classic "Trolley Problem": A runaway trolley races down a track toward five innocent people tied to it. A lever beside you could redirect it onto a different track, where only one person is tied up. Should you pull the lever?
Here, the choice felt similar: should they sacrifice Su Yu to benefit the larger population?
Snow Leopard, however, was unmoved: "Let me ask you, Wenli: if you agree to sacrifice Su Yu today, what happens if someone proposes sacrificing *you* tomorrow, all in the name of 'human interests'? Would you agree?"
"This…" Xue Wenli hesitated.
Snow Leopard continued: "And think bigger. If some alien civilization later tries to destroy Blue Star, claiming it's in the galaxy's best interests, would we accept that?"
**Xue Wenli**: "Of course not."
**Snow Leopard**: "Then we must hold to our principles. Besides, can a few biologists alone claim to speak for all of humanity? And who's to say Su Yu won't achieve even greater things alive? Sacrificing oneself is noble, but forcing others to sacrifice under the guise of 'greater good' is abhorrent."
"So, let's be clear: we firmly oppose this. Protecting Su Yu isn't just about ethics; it's about valuing potential and respecting humanity's fundamental values."
**Xue Wenli**: "Understood. I'll ensure Su Yu's privacy is safeguarded."
**Snow Leopard**: "And there's another thing: we need to address the recent surge of 'ghost' activity. Domestic accidents are spiking, and I have a bad feeling something major might be on the horizon."
**Xue Wenli**: "Zhu Guorui has offered to assist, and I'll enlist Su Yu as well to help with suspected ghost incidents."
…
Meanwhile, Su Yu returned to his rented apartment. Sitting cross-legged on the sofa, he opened the metal container, releasing a fog-like, milky-white psionic energy. Without hesitation, he absorbed the energy in a calm, focused state.
After five minutes, a notification sounded:
"Ding! By absorbing psionic energy, you've gained 866 experience points."
Su Yu exhaled deeply, feeling the magical core within his mind solidify further. While absorbing too much raw psionic energy at once could destabilize one's foundation and create obstacles at higher levels, his intake today was modest enough to avoid any such risks.
He sent Xue Wenli a quick message, detailing his experience with the psionic energy, then donned his game helmet and logged back into *Evolution*.
Su Yu materialized outside the Gorse Palace. It was noon, and he still had an hour and a half before he was scheduled to release his quest to the players. Not enough time to head to Tina, he decided instead to level up in the wild.
He mounted Tima and rode along the main street of Gorse City, surrounded by the occasional player. Most were absorbed in their own tasks and quests, paying him little attention. Outside the city, in the level 11-12 monster area, players could be seen battling low-level creatures, though the numbers were sparse.
Su Yu ventured further out to the level 20 wilds, where the [Magic Spring Lynx] prowled. Activating his [Insight] skill, he scanned the lynx and reviewed its stats.
**[Magic Spring Lynx lv20]**
- **HP**: 1650
- **Attack Power**: 52
- **Skills**: [Pounce], [Ferocious Bite], [Lynx Agility (Passive)]
- **Description**: The Magic Spring Lynx is a vicious predator with razor-sharp fangs and clawed paws that spring like coiled steel.
After storing Tima's horse badge, Su Yu took advantage of his increased movement speed to draw in several lynxes, positioning them for an efficient leveling session.
(End of Chapter)