"It's decided," Gu Tang said.
His tone was firm, without the slightest hesitation.
“But…” Han Xuan frowned, seemingly wanting to persuade him further.
“There are no buts.” Gu Tang raised his right hand to stop Han Xuan’s persuasion. “For me, there are no buts, only what should and shouldn’t be done.”
He paused, then said to Han Xuan, "I've already consulted with others. The worst-case scenario is that my mental energy system will be completely destroyed. That doesn't matter to me."
Gu Tang shrugged as he spoke.
He smiled at Han Xuan, a rare occurrence for him, and said, "I probably forgot to tell you, my mental strength... is F-level."
Han Xuan opened his eyes wide in surprise.
“I wasn’t the one who made the move at the Royal Academy,” Gu Tang added.
His tone was very flat.
He wouldn't have told Han Xuan this secret a month ago.
However, after a month of getting to know Han Xuan, he had come to understand the man quite well.
His personality is very similar to that of my former Daoist partner.
He doesn't talk much, doesn't scheme, but he knows everything.
Before undergoing his tribulation, the only person Gu Tang wanted to say goodbye to was his Daoist partner.
Even though they rarely interact, they have been Daoist partners for thousands of years, and the other has never done anything to displease them.
Thinking of this, Gu Tang turned to look at Han Xuan.
The tall man in military uniform was frowning slightly.
There was hesitation and worry in his handsome eyes, but he remained silent.
—It was just like the expression on that person's face when he went to say goodbye to his Daoist partner, telling him that he was about to undergo tribulation, trying to break through the void and find the peak of the Great Dao.
Gu Tang silently curved the corners of his lips and said, "I'm sorry for lying to you before."
Han Xuan didn't say anything; he just shook his head.
With a soft "ding," the elevator stopped and the doors opened.
"I can go in by myself, you..."
"I'll go with you."
This time, Han Xuan interrupted him without giving him a chance to speak, and then rushed out of the elevator first.
Han Xuan will not stop Gu Tang.
He has always respected Gu Tang.
But he can... stay by his side.
In a room filled with all sorts of high-tech, cutting-edge instruments, researchers in white coats retrieved a document from their personal computers.
He enlarged the document and began to explain it to Gu Tang point by point.
"Simply put, this is an experiment that is still in the clinical research stage," the researchers calmly stated. "Of course, we have now adjusted the risks to a manageable level."
"Please continue," Gu Tang said politely.
The researchers nodded and began to explain seriously: "Although it can enhance a person's mental strength in a short period of time, we are not sure to what extent it can enhance it."
"In other words," he paused, then continued, "it's possible to raise the D-rank to B-rank, allowing them to pilot mechs. Or it's possible to only raise the D-rank to its peak, in which case it wouldn't be of any practical significance."
"Hmm." Gu Tang nodded: "So, is there a pattern to the final level increase?"
"Current experiments suggest that it is related to an individual's mental strength and willpower. It is much easier to improve from level D to level C than from level C to level B. In addition, the stronger and more tenacious the subject's willpower, and the more determined their goal, the greater the possibility of improvement."
The researcher glanced at Han Xuan as he spoke: "Marshal has S-level mental strength and is an expert in this field. He should understand what I mean."
Han Xuan nodded slowly.
From D grade to C grade, and from C grade to B grade, there is only one grade difference.
However, Rank B is the dividing line between being able to pilot a mech in combat.
Moreover, the higher up something is, the harder it is to go further.
If going from C to B might still be possible, then going from A to S would be virtually impossible.
The researcher paused, looked into Gu Tang's eyes, and emphasized, "But if it fails, it will destroy the entire mental power system. Although it won't kill you, you'll never be able to control the mecha again."
"Of course, it will have some impact on the body," the researcher added. "You may be more susceptible to illness for several years and unable to work for long periods of time."
"Then..." Gu Tang asked, "What are the chances of going from F-rank to S-rank?"
Researchers: "..."
He almost choked to death by Gu Tang!
He only knew that the marshal was going to bring someone to volunteer for an experiment to enhance mental strength.
He originally thought the other party would be a B or C level, and that he wanted to advance to the next level.
The researchers even considered that if the marshal had brought an A-level item, they wouldn't have dared to let him try it.
If they fail, it means the Sun Army will lose one A-level mecha warrior.
S-class items are extremely rare, and A-class items are also very rare.
In the entire empire, they would be considered top-tier mech warriors.
Such a huge responsibility is something a researcher like him really wouldn't dare to bear the consequences of.
He never expected that an F-rank would be so ambitious, wanting to go directly from the weakest to the strongest.
“You…” The researcher opened his mouth.
He wanted to say that he couldn't do it and that Gu Tang should find someone else.
But when he looked into Gu Tang's eyes, and saw the determination and burning fighting spirit in them, he realized that...
He suddenly couldn't say it.
"Even if it's from F-level to E-level, most people probably couldn't bear the consequences." The researcher sighed and put it more tactfully.
"The pain of going from E-level to B-level is equivalent to dismantling a person and then reassembling them ten times." He added, "And that's just the physical pain."
"As for upgrading from B to A, no one has ever succeeded, but I think the pain would be ten times greater than before, or even more."
"As for going further up..."
He felt he had made himself perfectly clear.
"Okay." Gu Tang nodded. "Then let's give it a try."
His tone remained as nonchalant as ever.
It's like saying, "Shall we have sweet and sour pork ribs tonight?" I don't know how to make that dish, but I'll try making it tonight.
The researchers were speechless.
“Many people can’t bear that kind of pain, and they will have psychological problems, some even going insane,” he told Gu Tang.
"I can't." Gu Tangchao walked forward.
He walked up to a transparent device that resembled a space capsule, turned to the researchers, and asked, "Is this it?"
"Yes." The researcher nodded, somewhat stunned.
"What should I do?" Gu Tang asked again.
“Uh… lie down,” he said.
“Okay.” Gu Tang lay down on the device, which was only one meter wide, almost without hesitation.
Looking at his still calm and composed profile, the researchers couldn't help but look to their Marshal Han Xuan for help.
Is this some kind of pretentious act?
Or are you really that calm?
A person with F-level mental strength wants to reach the top in one step? Isn't that insane?
Han Xuan closed his eyes.
When he opened his eyes again, he took a deep breath and calmly gave the order: "Begin."
He never asked Gu Tang why he did this.
But he believed he must have his reasons for doing so.
This experiment has been conducted in Beijing for many years.
The technology is actually quite mature.
But in this world, the key to success or failure often lies not in the technology, but in the person doing it.
Over the years, people determined to seek revenge have come here.
The most outstanding, rigorous, and persevering B-class mech warriors have tried it.
...
However, only a handful of people have been able to be promoted from C to B grade over the years.
Above that, there's nothing at all.
Those who failed, though they did not lose their lives.
But as this researcher said, some people did suffer great psychological trauma, and some even went insane.
Han Xuan slowly clenched his fists at his sides.
The skin on the back of his bronze hands was so hard that the knuckles even turned a little pale.
"Let's begin," he ordered once again.
"……yes."
As the researcher pressed the button, the lights on the laboratory ceiling dimmed.
He opened the control panel interface with trembling fingers.