They traveled through time at the same time, but the villainous scientist

Chapter 190 Behemoth's Invitation

On the other side, in the world of Under One Person.

"Soul?"

As Zhuge Qing sensed the experimental data transmitted from him in the EVA world, he tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, lost in thought.

With the threat of the Angels gone and his schemes within the EVA world underway, countries around the world have begun to devote all their efforts to researching the Angels; of course, it will take time before any results are obtained.

What he is looking at now is the data he observed and measured in that world when the Third Impact occurred.

He touched his chin and turned his gaze behind him.

There, a figure stood quietly, wearing a feather fan and a turban, his ancient face gradually appearing.

It was that wise sage of all time, his ancestor, Zhuge Liang.

Since the news of his receiving the Fields Medal was reported back to China through major media outlets two years ago, sparking a public outcry, the phantom of Zhuge Liang, entirely constructed from the power of immense faith, has become increasingly solidified.

Her once somewhat stiff facial features now even have a touch of lively charm.

But Zhuge Qing knew that this was ultimately just an appearance.

It still hasn't developed true intelligence; it's more like a machine that incorporates the concept of Zhuge Liang.

While their abilities have indeed become more powerful, they are no longer capable of independent thought...

So, what exactly is the soul?
There are many spirits in this world, such as the gods behind him, the evil spirits after people die, and even shamans who deal with spirits.

But none of this has yet touched the essence of the soul...

This question was like a deep black hole, drawing in all his thoughts.

The AT position in the EVA world is a promising research direction, seemingly touching upon the transformation between soul and matter, but related research is only just beginning for him or them.

As for the Naruto world, although it also has forbidden techniques like the Impure World Reincarnation that manipulate life and death and connect souls, its foundation is built on the energy system of chakra, a technology that is almost against the rules.

Its logic is self-consistent, but it is difficult to replicate in other worlds.

If... if there were a world where the entire technology tree or cultivation system of a civilization revolved around the concept of "soul," how wonderful that would be.

Zhuge Qing gathered his scattered thoughts and took a deep breath.

The development of civilization in every world is deeply constrained by its environment, ultimately leading to vastly different technological paths.

This is similar to the coastal communities whose civilizations inevitably ignite shipbuilding and navigation-related technologies.
The people who have lived deep in the desert for generations could not possibly have developed these things out of thin air, no matter how hard they tried.

Environmental determinism is almost an absolute truth on a macro scale.

That's why he decided to focus his research on the Primordial Qi, because it's a unique aspect of his world.

With information sharing, conventional technologies can be completely handed over to ordinary worlds like Sword Art Online for research.

Therefore, if he could find a world that specializes in studying the soul, a world that analyzes the soul on an equal footing with "matter" and "energy," perhaps his research progress could achieve an exponential leap.

[Based on the patterns of that space, the next batch of newcomers should be arriving soon, right?]

Thinking of this, a faint smile appeared on Zhuge Qing's lips, and he began to look forward to the next newcomer.

After all, their current research progress does indeed require them to begin delving into the level of the soul...

However, before that, his plans in this world should officially enter the next stage.

Just as he initially planned, everything he did ultimately aimed to gain national-level support, and then research superhumans and innate Qi. He completed his basic education in China, entered the public eye as a genius, and paved the way for everything that followed.

He then went abroad to pursue a combined master's and doctoral degree, starting with the purest field of mathematics, and used a Fields Medal of sufficient prestige to completely solidify his image as a top student, leaving no room for doubt.

This goal has now been exceeded.

After reaching the pinnacle of mathematics, he devoted most of his energy to biology and physics, two cornerstones of modern science, and with his knowledge far ahead of his time, he also achieved remarkable success that drew the attention of the academic community.

All of this is just the beginning...

However, unexpectedly, at this crucial juncture, some unforeseen events occurred.

His gaze returned to the computer screen, where a newly received email lay quietly.

The email's design is simple yet powerful, with a logo made up of a giant beast silhouette imprinted at the top.

This is an invitation from Behemoth.

Zhuge Qing's finger hovered in mid-air as he fell into deeper contemplation.

When he chose to go abroad, besides wanting to create an impeccable image of a top student, there was another very important reason: he had a strong desire to explore the cultivation systems of other countries.

In addition to his studies during those years, he also traveled to many places and personally witnessed many different kinds of extraordinary people's methods.

The result was exactly as he had guessed: there is an invisible "wall" between different cultural spheres.

When he tried to use the "Qimen" technique, which requires the power of heaven and earth, in those foreign lands, he could clearly feel a sense of stagnation.

The efficiency of the spells will be significantly lower than when they were in China.

Although the difference was subtle, it was as conspicuous as a torch in the dark for someone like him who had developed his senses to the extreme.

This sense of exclusion, formed by culture and collective cognition, is particularly evident in ancient countries with equally long histories.

This also completely confirmed a bold guess in his mind:
Different cultural spheres, due to their unique history, mythology, beliefs, and collective unconsciousness over thousands of years, collectively shape their own invisible "natural force field."

This is remarkably similar to the situation on Nathan Island.

Within the protection of the divine tree, the king and guards on the island can gain unimaginable power boosts. That divine tree is the core of the "Heavenly Way" of the Nathan Island cultural sphere.

However, the "Way of Heaven" in various cultural circles outside the world lacks an absolute core like the "King" as a link, which prevents the extraordinary individuals within them from actively and efficiently obtaining this kind of bonus like Nathan Guard.

If this theory holds true, then a logical conclusion can be drawn:

The longer a country's history and the deeper its cultural heritage, the stronger its "natural force field" should be.

The stronger the Heavenly Dao is, the more types of extraordinary beings this land should be able to nurture.

But if that's the case... then the existence of the Behemoth organization becomes rather intriguing.

After all, that country was a colonial power through and through, and its history was so short that it was like a hasty footnote in a history book. The foundation of its "heavenly way" should have been extremely shallow.

But the other side just happened to give birth to Behemoth, a behemoth capable of contending with all the superhuman forces in the world.

They even managed to develop SP potions that could turn ordinary people into superhumans, which is truly unbelievable.

Now, this organization has actually taken the initiative to extend an invitation to him...

　That concludes the EVA world for now. It's gotten a bit long, and some details have been omitted, as this is a crossover novel. That's all.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)