Cal. When Orlando and Naoto Ito came out of the cultivation wing storeroom, the sky was still full of the last rays of light before it went completely black. Excuse him to let Naoto sort out the recent investigation report and break him up, Carl flew alone in the direction of the Advanced Life Research Institute.

At this time, most of the 9-to-5 office workers have already left work, but the lights are still bright in the Imperial Academy of Sciences.

Researchers are arguably one of the most inherently unscheduled working hours. Once it is related to research reports or scientific research experiments, it is normal for a big experiment to not be able to leave the laboratory for ten or twenty hours.

The lieutenant's schedule has always been arbitrary, and the phenomenon of late arrival and early departure is frequent. This kind of time appears in the research institute for a purposeful stroll, and it seems normal to others.

So when he swaggered and swayed to the rest area of the Institute of Advanced Life Studies, the researchers around him who occasionally came to pour coffee didn't even look at him. Carl was also happy to be ignored, and he turned around to find a comfortable sofa and lay down in it.

Soon, the video headset vibrated and a call came in.

Carl looked like he'd been waiting for the call for a long time — the blindfold had been unfolded from the moment he sat down on the couch. However, when the phone did ring, he didn't seem to be in a hurry to answer, staring at the number on the screen for a while before pressing the answer button on the headset.

"Huh? Who is it? The lieutenant's voice, though faint, was deliberately lowered to make it sound as attractive as a magnet and impressive.

"Ah, Carl......" came a very charming female voice on the other end of the phone, "I'm Mia, you...... Remember me? ”

"Mia......" Karl said mildly, after a moment's thought, "of course I do." What's wrong? ”

There seemed to be a sigh of relief: "Great...... I was just wondering if it was you sitting in the lounge...... I'm not looking at the wrong person, am I? ”

"That's right. I happened to come over in the afternoon to run errands. However, it's a bit tricky...... I forgot to make an appointment in advance, so I don't know how I can meet the boss of your house? Karl's tone was filled with a shallow smile and self-deprecation.

"Which boss do you want to meet?" When the other party heard this, his tone immediately became very earnest, "Maybe I can help by saying it?" ”

Therefore, amorous also has the benefits of amorous.

Once and Carl. Orlando has dated even a woman for only one day, who doesn't want to have the opportunity to relive old dreams with the lieutenant and regain even a little bit of his affection? So from the moment he stepped into the institute, Carl had already calculated that among the researchers, experimental students, and assistant professors he had hooked up, as long as someone saw him swaggering in, he would be willing to show up and approach him; And as long as he speaks, the other party will definitely be willing to help him with this.

The corners of Carl's mouth provoked a smug smile, but there was a well-disguised melancholy in his tone: "I'm here to see Director Russell." But I forgot to make an appointment, so I guess I won't see it...... But don't be embarrassed! I'll just come back later. ”

"Hmm......" There was a pause on the other side of the phone, as if in thought. Then he quickly replied, "Yes." But if you come to me, I'll take you. The director's office area has a separate door lock, unless you are a visitor, otherwise you can't enter. ”

"That's good." Karl said, "Where are you?" ”

…………

An hour later, a graceful and intellectual female researcher opened the curfew of the director's area with a key card she had brought with her, and led a red-clad blonde male officer into the independent area.

The officer was tall and capable, and his steps were firm. And the researcher is also dressed in a neat white coat and her hair is neatly combed.

As she passed through the area monitored by the electronic eye, the female researcher's eyes immediately became lingering as she looked at the officer.

"Carl, I'm ......" Mia looked at each other wistfully.

Karl's slender fingers brushed her soft blonde hair, his eyes filled with smiles, and he leaned over to kiss her plump pink lips deeply.

Mia's cheeks instantly flew with two flushes.

At the end of the kiss, she should have lowered her head shyly, but she couldn't bear to give up this rare opportunity to get along, and asked angrily: "Will you come to me again in the future?" ”

"If it's not busy." Carl's voice was as soft as a breeze and his smile was as gentle as sunshine.

Busyness has always been the best excuse to turn down appointments, especially for officers like the lieutenant, who are supposed to be busy all day long. No matter how idle he usually is in the office, where he goes to work, as long as he is willing to say to the women who admire him, "I've been too busy lately, I really don't have time to see your ......", then the other party has a strong desire, and he doesn't want to take up another minute of his time.

Mia lowered her head, there was not the slightest resentment in her eyes, but said in a tone of self-reproach: "Yes, the work of the MIA is definitely much busier than ours here." I should be satisfied to take this opportunity to meet you today......"

Carl just looked at her and stopped talking.

It's a sign that the date is over, and Mia knows it all too well. Carl made it very clear to her from the beginning that he came to the institute to talk to the director about things. It was already an unexpected surprise for her to be able to take the opportunity of the lieutenant to do something, and she felt that if she continued like this, she might really delay the other party's business.

Thinking of this, Mia straightened her collar, straightened up and said, "Then, I'll go back first." ”

"Hmm." Carl watched as she turned around and patted her on the curvy waistline, "Go ahead." ”

The researcher's face turned red again, and he turned around and walked towards the door without looking back. The sliding door closed behind her, and the slim figure disappeared behind the door.

Karl turned around and walked deeper into the aisle.

The director's office area of the Institute of Advanced Life Sciences is a separate area with great privacy. No one is allowed to enter without permission, except for senior researchers like Mia. Even the cleaning of this area is done regularly under the supervision of patrol guards, and there is no room for the slightest error.

Carl surveyed his surroundings as he walked—silver-coated walls plunged in from the public areas outside, but inside and outside the door were two worlds entirely.

The imposing research institute is like a high-speed machine.

Tens of thousands of people outside the door are parts on the machine. Everyone is like a gear, a screw, a bearing. They do their job to ensure that the machine runs at high speed;

And the instructions from the highest level that drove them to operate were given in the director's office. The results, essences, and achievements of the research institute are all gathered here. This separate area is the heart of the machine, a brain-like existence.

Just as the political system of the Qingyun Empire is the supremacy of imperial power, all the core enterprises, research institutions, and institutions within the empire are all autocratic systems.

The director of the Higher Institute of Life is the sole ruler here. When she stood before the emperor, she represented this huge institution. Her intention is the intention of the Institute, and her decision is the decision of the Institute.

This director is the target of Carl's search today.

The door to the director's room was unlike any other in the institute.

It's not so much a door as a barrier. It was deliberately painted in pure white, but it couldn't hide the fact that the material of the door itself was thick enough to be heavy armor. Being locked behind such a door all day feels no different than treasure in a vault. I really don't know what kind of mood the people behind this door are working in.

Carl's hand rests on the doorknob, which also has a cold, hard texture like a metal compass.

The lady behind the door...... I guess I haven't seen each other in six years......

Six years...... A lot of people, a lot of things, have changed.

Six years ago, the simple and serious self who only thought about studying every day, practicing martial arts seriously, and serving the motherland one day has long since disappeared with time; Standing here today is just a cynical, idle, and incompetent lieutenant.

The man behind the door...... You must be disappointed with yourself like this, right?

Carl felt his hand suddenly become unusually heavy when he was about to push the door.

He suddenly hoped that when he pushed the door open, the person behind the door happened to be absent, or that the person behind the door was not who he thought he was.

Thinking of this, the lieutenant shook his head, smiled bitterly and whispered to himself: "Looking ahead, it doesn't look like me at all......"

With that, he turned back into the confident lieutenant he used to be. With his back straightened, the person standing at the door suddenly became heroic, majestic, and his dark red eyes exuded a compelling heroic spirit.

Carl pushed the door open and strode inside.

This is a workspace that is several times larger than Professor Sun Lin's office.

The walls on either side of the door are covered with sky-high bookshelves with dense volumes and manuscripts. The door was facing the desk, and a gray-haired lady sat behind it, quietly reading the paper papers on the desk.

Her face was very thin, and the reading glasses on the bridge of her nose seemed to fall off the tip of her nose at any moment. The wings on his back are sparsely feathered, but he is neatly dressed, and his short hair is meticulously combed. In her right hand, she held an old-looking, but delicately styled fountain pen, and from time to time she wrote some annotations on the document; On the left hand side is a long, slender pipe with shiny black gold.

Seeing someone push the door in, the director raised his head and took off his reading glasses, looked Carl up and down, and then asked slowly, "Who are you?" ”

The lieutenant stood tall in front of the door, slowly raised his hand, and stopped beside his eyebrow bone with a neat snap.

It was an extremely standard but elegant military salute.

"Carl. Orlando. He said his name aloud.

The lady behind the desk froze, as if she didn't believe what she was hearing, and looked at Carl again. Then he opened his mouth, and his tone was already full of surprise: "...... Cal!? ”

"Mr. Russell." Carl smiled, the gentle and modest kind, "Or should I call you the director?" ”

Karl ...... Oh, my God...... You've grown so big! The director didn't care about such an innocuous question at all, and the pen in his hand was already on the table, "Come here, let me see you......"

The lieutenant stroked his hair embarrassedly: "It's true that I haven't visited you for years. As he spoke, he walked over to the director's desk, "It's been six years since I graduated from high school......

Director Russell carefully looked at Carl's face and was even more surprised: "Yes...... Looks more and more like your dad when he was younger. Good...... That's great......! ”

"Teacher Russell......" Carl, who has always been thicker than the city wall, was actually embarrassed in front of this director, and grinned, "Your change is great!" Now you need to make an appointment to see you, and when we were in high school, your office was open every day......"

"You don't need to make an appointment now!" The director narrowed his eyes, and his silver-gray pupils flashed with shrewdness, "What, I made an appointment before I came today?" ”

Carl touched his nose in embarrassment: "There was no ...... when it fell"

"I said yes. Your ghostly personality hasn't changed since you were in high school. The director said as he picked up the pipe that was placed next to his left hand, "Those reservation systems are for those who have a good manners. It's none of your business. ”

Carl smiled wryly and raised his hand in surrender - this Ms. Russell, who used to be Carl's substitute teacher in high school, is now the general administrator of the Higher Institute of Life.

The so-called "higher life" actually refers to the winged people. In a country where the Wingmen are in power, the importance of the Higher Institute of Life among research institutions is unquestionable. Even His Majesty the Emperor would deliberately set aside a separate time for this institute-level institution to report every year when he listened to academic reports in the highest field.

And sitting in the first place of such an important institution - Erica. Professor Russell, he's definitely a human being.

In front of human spirits, you can't get a bargain with a flamboyant tongue - Carl understood this truth when he was in high school. So at this moment, he could only put away his usual hippie smile and said seriously: "I came here to see you this time, and I really didn't make an appointment in advance...... But I'm looking for you as well. ”

Director Russell took out a simple crystal ashtray from the drawer, put it on the table, and took the pipe over to knock off the ash inside, "Huh? "Yes.

Carl sighed inwardly. I'm afraid that with his status and size, even if he talks about serious things, it is just a trivial matter here in the director's place. But the matter was still very important to him, so he had to bite the bullet and ask, "Have you heard of the Blackwings?" ”

“…… Blackwings? The director took out a metal jar full of tobacco from the drawer and asked lightly, "Black black?" ”

"Yes. Winged man with black wings. ”

"Huh...... See it in science fiction? The director disagreed.

"No, my men saw it with their own eyes."

Professor Russell's hand to add tobacco to his pipe paused for a moment, and his tone became less casual: "...... your men?" ”

"I work as a special investigator in the Military Intelligence Service, and all of my subordinates are soldiers." Karl seized the director's momentary hesitation and asked, "They said that they were attacked by the Blackwings during their mission, and some people even died because of it. But I've never heard of a winged man with black wings. So judging from your scientific perspective, is it possible for Blackwingers to exist? ”

The director pinched a small handful of cigarettes, listened carefully to every word he said, and replied unhappily: "Since you said that your subordinates have already fought with the Blackwings, have they caught this so-called 'Blackwings'?" ”

Karl shook his head.

"Then how do you know that it's not your subordinates who are wrong?" The director slowly added the tobacco into his pipe, "With the advanced life science knowledge we know so far, as you said, it is impossible for a winged man to grow black wings. The wings of the wings are mostly white, although there are also subspecies of light yellow or beige wings. But no darker colors are possible. ”

"You're saying that the Blackwings don't exist?"

The director compacted the tobacco in his pipe and looked at Carl meaningfully: "There are still too many phenomena in this world that cannot be explained by science. ”

"That means ......"

"No, I didn't say anything." The director put down his pipe and looked very serious, "But if you can tell me more about this 'black-winged man', maybe I can give you some professional assumptions." ”

"Of course no problem!" Carl was overjoyed to see that the director's words were relieved, "I know that the situation is ......"

The director shook his head and interrupted, "Remember, all I can give is an assumption. Unless you can send me a winged man with black wings, nothing I say today will be meaningless, and at best a reference for science fiction. ”