Chapter 131: I Don't Like Bald Heads - It’s the Cyber Age—Still Playing a Traditional Villain?

Chapter 131: I Don't Like Bald Heads Jiang Chengcheng is a human, not an indefatigable machine. Or perhaps, even machines require maintenance. The way she previously burned the midnight oil, taking on most of the engineering development work herself, was truly commendable. If all these tasks were piled on her simultaneously—Phase Two development, dealing with Lin Wenhua's games, plus a new specialized weapon—whether she was willing or not, Xu Shi wouldn't allow it. "It's well known that overworking like this leads to hair loss. Lose too much and you'll end up with a shiny bald head." Xu Shi candidly pointed out the consequences, "And I really don't like bald heads, so Jiang Chengcheng, you should think it over." Upon hearing this, both Jiang Chengcheng and Su Lin couldn't help but burst into laughter. At first glance, it seemed like a jest, but in reality, it showed concern. Xu Shi had told Jiang Chengcheng more than once that she didn't need to push herself so hard; the engineering department wasn't staffed by her alone, and she didn't need to handle everything personally. "...I could always wear a wig." Jiang Chengcheng responded with humor as well, though her heart was warmed. She was wholeheartedly devoted to Xu Shi, and his concern was a cherry on top of their relationship. "Give that up." Xu Shi wasn't buying it, seriously advising her, "For the project on specialized armaments, select a few utterly trustworthy team members to handle it. Not a hint must escape." For things like Phase Two chips, he could afford to let go, even using them as bait or as leverage to publicize. But specialized weapons were a different matter. Such technology had to remain firmly under their control no matter what. Jiang Chengcheng agreed wholeheartedly, understanding the gravity of the situation and adopting a serious stance. Truth be told, by organizing things in this manner, Xu Shi was also ensuring she could focus entirely on this aspect, using her talents most effectively. "I understand." She took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, "Then... should I first record your data? It'll help me conduct research more accurately." Specialized weapons differ from generic enhancement tools. They need to be tailored, starting by selecting a target to build a model around, analyzing enhancement methods to create the most suitable product. For Jiang Chengcheng, she hoped the first beneficiary of this project would be Xu Shi, as she had expressed before. "Sure." Xu Shi had no objections to this. Being the first test subject didn't imply any risks, and even if there were, it wouldn't be in this stage—it's merely a data recording, not a surgical procedure. The process wouldn’t take long, roughly under half an hour, and Jiang Chengcheng obtained the necessary data—height, weight, the limits of personal mental strength, stress capacity, detailed records related to abilities, and methods to counteract complications, among others. Admittedly, while it wasn't dangerous, tasks like this should only be entrusted to someone trustworthy. In the hands of a malicious person, it could be a lethal weapon. This is why Xu Shi would never let Xie Qingyan know, as he couldn't trust his fiancée—at least, he wouldn't expose his weaknesses to her. As for whether that meddlesome woman had any such plans of her own, that was her concern. "...That's it." After organizing Xu Shi’s data, Jiang Chengcheng looked towards Su Lin, "Shall I record your data too, Arin? Having more data samples will make development easier." "Thank you for your effort." Su Lin had no reason to refuse, acknowledging her friend's professional skills, especially since the Young Master had already led by example. What was there to worry about? Besides, the specialized weapon was inherently intriguing; even hearing the description was exciting. Who wouldn't want their abilities to advance further? Especially for her, an A-grade "Ascendant," being stuck without breaking through to S-grade was quite troubling. "By the way, Chengcheng, you haven't awakened any abilities yet, right?" Xu Shi asked with interest, watching Jiang Chengcheng take measurements, suddenly recalling something. This issue has been an ongoing topic. Since taking Jiang Chengcheng under his wing, he had considered this matter—it was the same sentiment: if she could be so formidable without abilities, how much more would she soar with them? Yet, this matter had been postponed for a long time, partly due to concerns about her mental instability, which were no longer unfounded. It was really because he hadn't pushed her, and she hadn't raised it herself. "...I can manage without abilities." Jiang Chengcheng was finishing up with Su Lin and briefly froze before responding, "Are you hoping I'll awaken my abilities, Director Xu? If so, I'll go do it." "...Seeing as it's been delayed this long, there's no rush now." Xu Shi raised an eyebrow, dismissively waving, "Just focus on completing the 'Overlimit Project' first." "Alright, then I'll be heading back." Jiang Chengcheng organized the materials with a smile and stood to leave. Watching her retreating figure, Xu Shi fell into thought. "Young Master, don't blame Chengcheng; she's... probably afraid." Su Lin hadn't intended to speak, but seeing Xu Shi's contemplative expression, she couldn't restrain herself, speaking on behalf of her friend. "Awakening abilities might not be good for her." "What do you take me for?" Xu Shi rolled his eyes, "Are you deliberately provoking me? Forget about your salary this month." He wouldn't blame Jiang Chengcheng for this; rather, he understood her mental landscape. The instability of "Ascendants" cannot be ignored—it's not about unlocking some path to immortality where awakening grants eternal youth. On the contrary, complications are a real threat, and it's a lie to claim one wouldn't be scared. The real issue isn’t awakening a worthless power; it’s awakening a worthless power and suffering torment from the complications. If he weren’t already aware of his abilities inside out, he'd feel anxious too. Especially considering Jiang Chengcheng's past experiences. Though she's moved past her trauma in recent months, if acute complications arose, she undoubtedly wouldn't want to risk losing her newfound happiness. It was fear—fear of losing this hard-won peace. All things considered, her determination was partly to prove to herself that she didn’t need abilities to achieve success. Sigh. Xu Shi shook his head compassionately. This was why he was particularly attentive to Shen Qin’s potential "Dual Abilities." If they were indeed implanted… perhaps this issue wouldn’t exist. "Alright, one step at a time." He reclined into his chair with a sigh, "In the meantime, make arrangements to advance this month's regular meeting." (Chapter end)