Xiu Jun's demand plunged the entire hall into silence.

Confidentiality in scientific research and military projects was often on par, and everyone present was an adult who understood the implications. If they were to nod and allow Xiu Jun to proceed, who would be responsible if something went wrong? Who would bear the consequences?

The acting department head certainly had no desire to shoulder this burden.

If he gave his approval, he'd be the one left holding the bag. How could he possibly agree?

So no one spoke.

Everyone looked at the ceiling, the floor, at each other - anywhere but at Xiu Jun.

Xiu Jun, however, remained unfazed.

He knew all too well that there was only one exit from the No. 1 Shaft Laboratory. As long as he guarded it, no one could enter or leave.

As for concerns about how this might look later, the Marshal cared little for such trivial matters.

Strictly speaking, his actions had already violated confidentiality agreements and several legal statutes. His political enemies might use this as ammunition to attack him later.

But compared to the potential gains of success, enduring a few insults, disciplinary actions, or even a demotion in military rank was acceptable.

Moreover, taking action against him would be no easy feat.

Those who tried to criticize him might find themselves on the losing end of the battle. As long as his corps and Marshal Kevin remained, even if they stripped him of his rank, it would hardly be a significant loss for Xiu Jun.

Of course, the likelihood of a demotion was slim to none, unless the entire Imperial political establishment collectively lost their minds.

After all, with the Free Army of the 18th Star System still causing trouble, the Empire could ill afford to lose a renowned general.

So the most likely outcome was that they would follow his lead and thoroughly deal with those in the Research Department who had escalated the situation.

As for how the Emperor's faction might change their attitude afterward, Xiu Jun couldn't care less.

After all, once this was over, the Marshal would be leaving the First Star System to fight in the war.

If they had the guts to sabotage the military behind his back, they'd have to answer to old Kevin.

Xiu Jun remained composed, lowering his gaze to look at Yue'an, who was huddled timidly inside his coat. He extended a finger and gently poked the little one's head.

"Meow," Yue'an reached out with both paws to grab the finger.

The acting department head seemed to be jolted out of his stupor by the soft, tender mew.

He snapped back to reality, observing Xiu Jun as he gently teased and comforted the fluffy little creature in his arms. After a moment's consideration, he said, "Marshal Xiu, I can't make this decision."

Xiu Jun withdrew his hand and looked up at him. "The Research Department Head has the authority to inspect unauthorized experiments."

"...I'm only acting in the role," the man protested weakly.

The Marshal was undeterred. "Acting heads have the same authority."

The acting department head nearly choked.

How does a military leader know so much about Research Department regulations?!

I really don't want to be held responsible for this!

I just want to get a good night's sleep!

My precious culture in the lab's petri dish is waiting for me to check on it tomorrow morning!

The acting department head's face twisted in frustration. "I don't have clearance to go down there."

"I can go down," Xiu Jun replied, still calm and unhurried. "You just need to nod or shake your head."

...Damn it all.

The acting department head felt like cursing.

"As a scientist, I absolutely oppose and protest any experiments that violate laws and the rights of sentient beings," he said, deciding to implicate everyone present.

"If you want to go down, fine, but please take at least three law enforcement recorders with you. We hope to clearly see the situation from up here, just in case."

Come on!

Let's all be in this together!

If you all see the footage, you'll all be accomplices!

The acting department head had given up.

This request was like a gift from heaven for Xiu Jun.

If the place hadn't been blocking outside communication signals, Xiu Jun might have even considered streaming the whole thing live.

The Marshal nodded without hesitation. "Agreed."

Having implicated everyone present, the acting department head now appeared quite nonchalant.

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He made a grand gesture. "Please, proceed."

Xiu Jun removed his cloak and handed it to a nearby soldier. With the white furball peeking out from his arms, he raised his foot and kicked the heavy alloy door, sending it flying off its hinges.

To everyone's surprise, there was no elevator shaft behind the door.

The door flew straight down, accompanied by a whistling sound as it fell. Several seconds passed before a thunderous crash echoed from below.

Xiu Jun looked down at the cat in his arms.

Yue'an burrowed deeper into his jacket, meowing softly at him.

You did this?

Yes, it was me.

Xiu Jun requested three law enforcement recorders from the nearby soldiers. After setting up the three video feeds to display on large screens in the Research Department's main hall, he placed a hand on Yue'an's small head and leaped directly into the hundred-meter-deep shaft.

A collective gasp erupted from those in the hall.

To them, this action was indistinguishable from suicide.

For an ordinary person, a fall from just a dozen meters could be fatal.

This was a hundred-meter drop!

But Xiu Jun was far from ordinary, his physical capabilities far exceeding those of a normal human.

No one had thoroughly studied SS-grade gene bodies yet - at least, all publicly available academic materials on SS-grade gene bodies were merely speculation based on observed facts.

These observed facts were largely derived from Marshal Xiu's performance in numerous battles over the years.

While Xiu Jun's reputation as an SS-grade gene body was widespread, initially, no one took him seriously.

His rise to fame began during his time as a colonel when Marshal Kevin ordered him to lead a mecha squad of eighty to escort a large logistics supply ship.

During the escort mission, they encountered a fleet of space pirates.

The pirate fleet consisted of two escort ships and a heavy laser cannon flagship, which completely outmatched the light mecha squad in terms of equipment. It seemed like a catastrophic mismatch.

No one held out hope for the success of this escort mission. Even Marshal Kevin had stated that if necessary, they should destroy the supply ship and withdraw the entire squad.

But Xiu Jun didn't listen.

Piloting his agile light mecha under the cover of his comrades, Xiu Jun dodged cannon fire and stray bullets, propelling himself onto the enemy escort ship's deck. In full view of everyone, he punched straight through the ship's armor plating with his bare fist, causing the previously confident pirates to flee in terror.

Xiu Jun then led his comrades, their mecha armed with superluminal gravity guns, in turning the enemy escort ship upside down.

Before they could board the enemy flagship, the pirates had already retreated in disgrace.

Although he was nearly pummeled by Marshal Kevin afterward, the result was an unequivocal victory.

Xiu Jun's fame skyrocketed overnight, and many researchers in human body sciences developed a keen interest in SS-grade gene bodies.

Punching through a warship's armor plating far exceeded any conventional understanding of "physical capabilities."

Whether in terms of physical prowess, strength, durability, or healing ability, SS-grade gene bodies surpassed S-grade by an immeasurable degree.

Most scientists considered this a form of evolution.

It was seen as a qualitative leap resulting from the accumulation of quantitative changes since humanity entered the era of space exploration—human genes seemingly preparing for unaided survival in space.

In truth, even Xiu Jun wasn't entirely sure of his own limits.

Jumping from a height of a hundred meters, his feet left two deep impressions in the hard alloy door, yet he felt only a slight numbness in his legs.

This was why when Yue'an jumped on others with a bit of force, it could fracture their ribs, but when he pushed off Xiu Jun with all his might, it merely left the Marshal slightly winded.

The researchers watching the three large screens in the hall nearly stopped breathing as they saw Xiu Jun calmly lift the elevator hatch.

"So this is an SS-grade gene body?"

"It's completely beyond human limits, isn't it?"

"Didn't an SS-grade psychic appear a few centuries ago?"

"Yes, but the country he was born in dissected him immediately. We never got to see the wonders of SS-grade psychic abilities."

"I heard rumors that the Star Network was built using his brain as a blueprint..."

The acting department head turned to reprimand them: "Silence!"

The researchers immediately fell quiet, obediently looking up at the large screens without another word.

Xiu Jun lifted the hatch and looked down at the two middle-aged men who had approached the elevator shaft, weapons in hand, upon hearing the commotion.

His gaze fell on their faces, scrutinizing them from above as he carelessly tossed aside the remains of the hatch.

"It's been a while," he said, his voice cold enough to form icicles.

The middle-aged men he was staring at changed color rapidly, their lips moving as if trying to speak, their weapons unconsciously pointing at Xiu Jun standing atop the elevator shaft.

Three small law enforcement recorders floated around the Marshal, faithfully transmitting the scene above.

One of the middle-aged men spoke with a hoarse voice: "How are you here?!"

Hearing this question, Xiu Jun briefly displayed an odd, mocking expression before quickly regaining his composure. He stated calmly, "You stole my cat."

The middle-aged man glanced at the chaotic scratch marks all over the laboratory, his face alternating between shades of green and white.

"Who stole your cat?!"

The Marshal replied coolly: "You did."

The middle-aged man looked hatefully at the small furball peeking out from Xiu Jun's coat collar.

"Bullshit!"

Yue'an, nestled in Xiu Jun's arms, angrily meowed at the middle-aged man below.

What bullshit!

This cat hasn't needed a litter box in over a hundred years of fasting!

You're the one talking bullshit!

Although Xiu Jun couldn't understand the exact words, he grasped that Yue'an was angry at the man.

Unable to comprehend the meaning, he assumed the cat was cursing on his behalf.

To the uninformed researchers watching the scene, who believed this was a case of a powerful figure's cat being stolen for experiments, Yue'an's outburst appeared to be a small, wronged creature expressing anger and fear upon seeing its tormentors.

"How cruel..."

"Don't the seniors have nightmares about this?"

The acting department head wanted to silence them again, but seeing the disapproving looks on the young researchers' faces, he swallowed his words.

It's not so bad, he thought.

Tracing things to their source was the most fundamental pursuit of researchers, but they shouldn't lose their basic reverence for life.

The acting department head felt both worried and relieved as he turned his attention back to the screens.

On screen, Xiu Jun took a step forward, slightly bending as if preparing to jump down from the elevator shaft.

The middle-aged man raised his weapon: "Don't come down!"

Xiu Jun ignored him, casually picking up two small pieces of broken alloy and tossing them down, knocking the weapons out of both men's hands. Without hesitation, he leaped down, swiftly pinning the two combat-inept men with their hands behind their backs, cuffing them together, and unceremoniously dragging them into the laboratory.

"You can't come in! This is the Empire's most confidential research room!"

The two middle-aged men struggled desperately. "You've already violated the confidentiality agreement! And imperial law..."

"Oh? But I've already been in here before."

Xiu Jun, holding onto these two men, stood at the entrance of the gene science laboratory. He glanced at the door scratched by cat claws, and under the recording of the law enforcement devices, he pulled out a memo card from the laboratory entrance. Crouching in front of one of the men, he lightly tapped the man's face with the stiff card.

"Accusing me of violating the law?"

"Too modest. I'm not as proficient as you are."

The Marshal stood up, watching the other two law enforcement recorders quickly enter working mode and start scanning the surroundings. He turned the card over in his hand, examining it for a while, then reinserted it into the card slot at the laboratory entrance. He gently stroked the cat squirming in his arms.

In the hall, the researchers watching the large screens were dumbfounded.

The entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

What did those words mean?!

What was the significance of that SS-grade gene body basic exploration memo card??

The people in Shaft No. 1 had actually experimented on an Imperial Marshal???

Have they lost their minds!?