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

Chapter 476 Promotion, Salary Increase, and the Domineering Female CEO
The air in the research room was a mixture of the slightly fishy smell of ozone, the sweetness of coolant, and a minty coolness emanating from an unknown energy source.

This is one of the heart areas of the "museum," and also the first stop where Gaia Memory moved from an ethereal data concept to a tangible and commercialized entity.

Zhang Qi, dressed in a white sterile research coat, was standing in front of a huge, precision instrument.

At the heart of the instrument is a crystal-clear cylindrical container, inside which a viscous, mercury-like liquid energy is slowly rotating, emitting a green glow.

This is the most primitive "Earth's memory" extracted directly from the "well".

They are chaotic, violent, and filled with a vast amount of unorganized and rambling information.

His job is to "separate" these primitive memories.

By adjusting the instrument's multiple resonant force fields, like a top-notch sound engineer, one can precisely capture specific "notes" of particular concepts such as "fear," "fire," or "wind" from a cacophony of noise.

This is a process that extremely tests one's mental strength and concentration.

"Hey, newbie, is the 'rhinoceros beetle' data extracted from separator #7 yet? The sales department is pressing us for it."

A slightly hoarse and impatient voice came from the side.

The speaker was a senior researcher named "Inukai," who was in charge of data monitoring for several production lines and had a long tenure.

There's always a sense of scrutiny and criticism towards newcomers like Zhang Qi who haven't been there long.

"Almost there, Mr. Inukai. The activity of the original memory is 3.7 percent higher than the standard value. The output power of the suppression field needs to be recalibrated, otherwise the separated data impurities will exceed the standard."

Zhang Qi did not turn around; his gaze remained fixed on the dashboard in front of him, his hands steadily operating the levers and knobs.

"Tsk, why all the fuss?"

Inukai curled his lip in disdain.
"That's good enough. What good are stability and purity once they're in the hands of addicts? As long as it can make them feel good, it's a good product."

Output, output is the most important thing, understand?

Zhang Qi did not argue with him. Of course he understood.

The museum's purpose was to improve the technology by collecting combat data of users under extreme emotions through the large-scale deployment of memory modules in Fuuto.

From this perspective, the stability of memory is actually a negative attribute; the more unstable it is, the more unexpected changes it can produce.

Fuuto is nothing more than the Sonozaki family's enormous laboratory.

The citizens of Fuuto were the test subjects.

But that's not his goal.

In this evil organization where results are everything, the simplest and most direct way to get in touch with "The Well" is to achieve irreplaceable results.

Since the source of the data is firmly controlled by the Sonozaki family and he cannot interfere, the only thing he can improve is the back-end production process.

This was not difficult for him.

In his view, the underlying logic of this seemingly sophisticated memory production line is similar to many technologies he has seen in other worlds.

He tapped his fingers across the console, not inputting the standard operating procedure commands, but a set of entirely new resonant frequency parameters that he had modified.

The hum of the instrument changed instantly, from a slightly muffled growl to a clear and rhythmic sound.

Inside the cylindrical container, the originally turbid liquid energy suddenly began to rotate at an accelerated speed.

The light began to separate, and strands of pure, sapphire-like light were separated and flowed into a collection tank on the side.

The mixed, dark purple energy, symbolizing "noise," was firmly bound to the center by an invisible force field vortex, unable to dissipate even a fraction.

The whole process was smooth and graceful, full of a certain charm.

Inukai, who was standing not far away, paused slightly, his previously impatient expression faltering.

He subconsciously glanced at the No. 3 separator he was in charge of, which was also extracting data from the "rhinoceros beetle," but its separation speed was significantly slower than Zhang Qi's, and the aura of energy loss caused by energy dissipation was visibly larger.

"What are you doing?" the dog
Si walked over with a frown, staring at Zhang Qi's dashboard.

"These parameters... You modified the standard resonance matrix in the user manual? Are you crazy! Do you want to render the entire machine unusable?"

Zhang Qi finished stripping away the last bit of data before raising his head and calmly meeting Inukai's questioning gaze.

"I simply added a third-order perturbation algorithm to the standard matrix to counteract the entropy increase effect inside the original memory."

Theoretically, this could increase the purity of data separation by five percent…

"Theory? What a load of bull!"

Inukai chuckled.
"This is a production line, not your university lab! Do you know the consequences of unauthorized parameter changes? If it's reported, you'll be immediately..."

Before he could finish speaking, the No. 7 separator emitted a soft "beep" sound, and the indicator light changed from red to green.

Zhang Qi skillfully took out the container holding the finished memory core liquid. It was a crystal-clear vial, and the liquid inside was a deep and pure blue, as if the starry sky of a summer night had been condensed into it, without a trace of impurity.

At the same time, the test report for this batch of finished products popped up on the analysis screen next to it.

[Gaia Memory Prototype: Beetle]

[Data purity: 98.6%]

Energy stability: A+

Inukai's voice stopped abruptly. His eyes were fixed on the string of numbers on the screen, and his mouth was half-open, as if he could fit an egg inside.

"98.6% purity?!"

He muttered to himself, his voice filled with disbelief.

"This... how is this possible... even the most advanced equipment in the lab can only achieve around 95%... a mass production conversion rate of 1.35? Good heavens, normally we'd be lucky to get a conversion rate of 1.8!"

The lower the conversion rate, the more mass-produced memory can be copied with less stock solution, resulting in a significant reduction in cost.

Higher purity and stability mean that the finished product is more potent and has fewer side effects.

This means that Zhang Qi has fundamentally overturned the existing production process!
Inukai's face turned pale and then red. He looked at the screen, then at the calm young man in front of him, and felt as if something was stuck in his throat, unable to utter a single word.

All the previous contempt and disdain now turned into stinging slaps across his face.

For the past month, Zhang Qi has been making similar "fine-tuning" adjustments every day.

He didn't make any earth-shattering noise; he simply worked like a diligent craftsman, optimizing every step of the production line bit by bit.

From data separation and purification to prototype packaging and stability testing...

He did his best in every aspect.

Initially, these minor improvements went largely unnoticed. But when the monthly data summary report was submitted, the quantitative changes finally led to a qualitative leap.

The total production of Gaia memory across the entire "museum" increased by 15 percent compared to the previous month.

Furthermore, the average stability of the finished product has been improved by a whole new level.

This means that the probability of users going berserk and out of control with the sold memory chips is reduced, but their power is stronger.

This is fantastic news for collecting high-quality combat data.

This report was like a depth charge, causing a huge uproar among the museum's top brass.

……

in a few days

"You, come with me."

Two men dressed in black suits and wearing sunglasses appeared in front of Zhang Qi's workstation.

The entire research room fell silent instantly, and all eyes turned to them, a mixture of surprise, jealousy, and a hint of schadenfreude.

Inukai froze, knowing that this was a top-level security personnel.

Zhang Qi calmly took off his research coat and hung it on the hanger, as if he had long anticipated this moment.

He didn't ask where they were going or who they were going to see; he simply followed silently behind the two men in black.

The elevator ascended silently, the floor numbers flashing rapidly.

The surrounding walls gradually transition from cold metal to warm wood and luxurious marble.

The chemical smell of the laboratory in the air had disappeared, replaced by a light and expensive incense.

Finally, the elevator stopped at the top floor.

A heavy, double-leaf door, carved from a single piece of ebony, blocked the way.
The man respectfully pushed open the door and stepped aside.

Behind the door was a huge, somewhat luxurious office.

Floor-to-ceiling windows covering the entire wall offer a panoramic view of the city. The afterglow of the setting sun, like molten gold, bathes the entire city in its light.

Those iconic giant windmills slowly turned against the horizon, casting long shadows.

A tall, elegant woman stands with her back to the doorway in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the city that belongs to her.

She wore a well-tailored black suit that accentuated her mature and graceful curves, and her smooth black hair was styled in an updo, revealing her long, fair neck.

Even just a glimpse of his back exudes a powerful aura of life and death.

Saeko Sonozaki, the eldest daughter of the Sonozaki family and the museum's public manager.

Hearing the door open, she didn't turn around, but spoke in a lazy yet slightly playful tone:
"You're the genius who increased the efficiency of our production line by 15 percent in just one month?"

"I only made some minor modifications."

Zhang Qi answered neither humbly nor arrogantly, while simultaneously considering what would happen next.

It seems he has succeeded in taking the first step to gain the attention of the museum's leadership...

Sonozaki Saeko slowly turned around.

Her appearance was stunning yet menacing, with slightly upturned eyes and a sharp gaze that seemed to pierce through people's hearts.

Her lips were painted a bright red, and the corners of her mouth held a half-smile, exuding both the charm of a mature woman and the scrutiny and oppressive aura of someone in a superior position.

She walked towards Zhang Qi step by step, her high heels clicking crisply and rhythmically on the marble floor, each click feeling like a blow to the heart.

She walked up to Zhang Qi and stopped.

Her gaze, like the most precise scanner, swept over Zhang Qi's forehead, eyes, and lips, inch by inch, as if assessing a novel and interesting artifact.

"negligible?"

"Do you know that this 'trivial' optimization you mentioned has generated at least several hundred million more in profit for the family this month?"

Saeko Sonozaki chuckled softly and said.

"This is what I should do as an employee..."

Zhang Qi bowed and answered.

Suddenly, Saeko Sonozaki reached out and lifted Zhang Qi's face.

Her movements were gentle, yet carried an irresistible force.

"Talented, and also quite good-looking."

Her red lips drew close to Zhang Qi's ear, her warm breath caressing his earlobe. Her voice was low and seductive, yet undeniably domineering.

"Be mine."

amount……

Zhang Qi was stunned for a moment upon hearing those words.

He had imagined countless possibilities.

He was promoted to head of the research department, gaining greater authority.
They were entrusted with more core classified projects, thus gaining access to "The Well";
Or perhaps through this, one can make contact with the conglomerate X^
This was the only one I hadn't thought of.

What's going on? Did he encounter some kind of workplace shady dealings?

"Ms. Sonozaki, what do you mean?"

Suppressing his distracting thoughts, Zhang Qi took a deep breath and confirmed.

Saeko Sonozaki seemed quite pleased with his momentary surprise.

She straightened up, crossed her arms, and looked down at him, the curve of her lips deepening—a smile of complete control, the smile of a victor.

"What I mean is simple."

She spoke clearly, word by word, her voice carrying an air of self-assured authority.

"Marry me, and then become an adopted son-in-law of the Sonozaki family..."

(End of this chapter)