Mr. Lam Dao's bank account chimed, signaling a number that he probably couldn't have saved up in his entire working life. The Lam Minh family was immersed in the joy and bewilderment of people who suddenly had a large sum of money.
Mrs. Mai, after her initial elation subsided, began to make plans.
"With this money, we have to renovate the house to make it look nicer," she said, her eyes sparkling. "Then buy An a high-end computer for her studies. Oh, and we have to buy you a new tea set, dear, the old one is all chipped. As for Minh, is there anything you want to buy, son?"
Lam Minh, the one who had just brought home nearly 30 million, was sitting there munching on a piece of bread from last night. He smiled and said, "I don't need anything, Mom. Just use the money to take care of the family."
He didn't care much for money. What he needed were Immortality Points. But seeing the happy smiles on his parents' faces, he felt that this "side job" was also very meaningful. It helped him make up for the shortcomings of his past life and give his family a better life.
"How about we use this money to invest?" Mr. Lam Dao spoke up after some thought. "That vacant lot in the Z-7 sector that you told me to lease, the situation there is stable now. We could build a sturdy warehouse and rent it out to military supply companies. It's sure to be profitable."
Lam Minh's eyes lit up when he heard this. His father really had a business mind. The Z-7 sector, after being cleaned up and having its security reinforced, would definitely become a developing area in the future.
"That's a great idea, Dad! You go ahead and decide, I support you with both hands!"
And so, the Lam Minh family began a small "get rich" plan. This not only helped improve the family's finances, but more importantly, it kept his parents busy and happier, no longer worrying so much about their son who was "always getting into trouble."
At school, Lam Minh's life also saw many changes. He was no longer a shadow in the classroom. The teachers looked at him with different eyes, a mixture of respect and a little apprehension. His friends treated him like a true "big boss." Even the most troublesome students in the school would bow their heads in greeting when they saw him.
But the person who sought him out the most was still To Quyen.
After the field trip, she became even more fascinated by his secrets. But she no longer pressed him with questions, instead choosing a different approach.
"Lam Minh, are you free this weekend?" one day after school, To Quyen came to his desk and asked.
"Probably. What's up?" Lam Minh looked up from his usual nap.
"My mother's lab just received some Madakaros specimens from the battle at wall section E-12. It even includes the corpse of that Early-stage Foundation Establishment creature," she said, her eyes shining with excitement. "My mother is the head of research there. I got her permission for you to come and visit. Do you want to go?"
Lam Minh's eyes lit up too. A military laboratory? A place for researching humanity's enemy? This was an excellent opportunity for him to better understand their body structure, especially the differences between the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment realms. This knowledge would be extremely useful for his future cultivation and combat.
"Of course! Of course, I'll go!" he replied without hesitation.
To Quyen smiled with satisfaction. "Then I'll see you on Saturday morning. I'll come and pick you up."
She knew that the best way to understand this young man's secrets wasn't to ask, but to explore things they were both interested in together.
On Saturday morning, To Quyen drove a small electric car to pick up Lam Minh. She wore a simple but elegant dress, looking completely different from her usual serious student image.
The laboratory was located in a heavily guarded complex. After passing through multiple security checks, they were finally allowed inside.
The air here was cold and thick with the smell of disinfectant. Countless scientists in white lab coats hurried about. To Quyen's mother, Professor Lan Anh, a middle-aged woman with a kind face but incredibly sharp eyes, came to greet them.
"Hello, Lam Minh," she smiled. "I've heard a lot about you from Quyen. Thank you for helping her so many times."
"Hello, Professor. It was my pleasure," Lam Minh replied politely.
"Follow me," Professor Lan Anh led them into a large room, isolated by multiple layers of thick glass.
Inside, on metal operating tables, were various Madakaros body parts. And in the center was the complete corpse of the Early-stage Foundation Establishment creature that Lam Minh had "accidentally" taken down.
"This is an extremely valuable specimen," Professor Lan Anh explained. "It's the first time we've obtained a nearly intact Foundation Establishment corpse. We've discovered many interesting things. For example, its 'meridian' system is much more complex and durable than a Qi Refining's. And this..."
She pointed to its dissected dantian area. "We found something like a solid 'energy core' here. We're temporarily calling it an 'Inner Core.' It seems this is the source of their power."
Lam Minh and To Quyen listened intently. To Quyen quickly took notes, while Lam Minh was cross-referencing this information with what he already knew.
Just then, a young, arrogant-looking scientist walked over. "Professor, I don't think we should let outsiders into this sensitive area. Especially a high school student. What if he leaks information?"
Professor Lan Anh frowned. "Doctor Quang, this is my guest. And this is Lam Minh, the very person who brought this specimen to us."
Doctor Quang glanced at Lam Minh from head to toe, his eyes full of doubt and contempt. "Him? A snot-nosed kid? It was probably just 'luck' like the newspapers said. Science doesn't believe in luck."
He turned to Lam Minh. "Hey kid, do you know anything about the molecular structure of Madakaros muscle fibers? Or the operating principles of the 'Inner Core'? If you don't know anything, don't get in the way of real scientists."
To Quyen was about to speak up for him, but Lam Minh signaled for her to be quiet. He smiled at the young doctor.
"The doctor is right. I don't know anything about molecular structures. But I have a small question, I wonder if the doctor could help me with it?"
"Go ahead," Doctor Quang crossed his arms, his expression patronizing.
"Why," Lam Minh pointed to an energy chart on a screen, "when you use high-voltage electricity to stimulate the 'Inner Core,' does it emit a resistant energy with a completely opposite frequency, causing your equipment to overload? Is it because the 'Inner Core' has a self-defense mechanism based on the principle of antimatter?"
Lam Minh's question silenced the entire room.
Doctor Quang was stunned, his face turning pale. The problem Lam Minh had just raised was the most difficult puzzle his entire team had been struggling with for a week without a solution. It was top-secret information within the lab.
How... how could a high school student possibly know that?