What greeted them was an Eevee, submerged in a blue glass jar.
The blue liquid in the jar gently undulated, and the Eevee had its eyes closed, as if in a deep slumber, its body faintly emitting a strange glow that seemed to change color with the chaotic elemental flow within it.
Dr. Bulano proudly introduced, "Look, this is my most prized creation."
"Eevee is already known for its genetic instability, which is why I chose it as my research subject."
"This Eevee is extraordinary; it has integrated the genes of many Pokémon, and its internal elements are incredibly chaotic. Precisely because of this, it can freely evolve into any Eevee form and can also devolve freely."
Lingxi and the others instantly widened their eyes upon hearing this, their faces filled with shock. They knew Eevee had many evolutionary paths, but they had never heard of an Eevee that could freely evolve and devolve. This completely shattered their previous understanding.
Dr. Bulano looked at their shocked expressions, his face showing even greater pride, as if he had accomplished an unparalleled feat.
However, Jiang Mo frowned, his eyes full of doubt. He looked at Dr. Bulano and said, "Dr. Bulano, I believe this Eevee must have a flaw."
"According to what you said before, although those cloned Pokémon you researched have Gym Leader Class strength, their lifespans are tragically short. This Eevee is probably no exception, right?"
Upon hearing this, Dr. Bulano reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his face instantly turning grim.
He glared at Jiang Mo and questioned in an unfriendly tone, "What reason do you have to question me? This is the result of countless hours of my hard work; how dare you casually slander it!"
Jiang Mo, however, was not afraid. He met Dr. Bulano's gaze calmly and then asked, "Dr. Bulano, then I'd like to ask you, since you are so satisfied with this creation, why don't you release it instead of keeping it submerged in this experimental jar?"
"Isn't it because you're afraid it won't live long, and then all your years of hard work will go to waste?"
Dr. Bulano was momentarily speechless, opening his mouth but finding himself unable to refute Jiang Mo's words.
His previously arrogant demeanor weakened a bit, but his eyes still showed unwillingness, as if he refused to admit that his "perfect creation" might indeed have a fatal flaw.
The atmosphere in the room became somewhat awkward and tense. Lingxi, Bing Meng, and Chen Jiaxing quietly watched the scene, no one daring to break the silence easily.
And the Eevee in the glass jar remained still, seemingly oblivious to everything happening outside.
After a long while, Dr. Bulano took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and slowly said, "Hmph, even if it might have a lifespan issue, that doesn't negate its unique value."
"As long as I continue my research, I will definitely overcome this challenge and make it a truly perfect existence."
Jiang Mo shook his head slightly, saying with a serious expression, "Dr. Bulano, if you continue your research like this, this Eevee will never become perfect."
Upon hearing this, Dr. Bulano immediately became anxious, faint veins appearing on his forehead. He raised his voice and said, "What makes you say that! I've spent so many years on this; how can it not be made perfect?"
Jiang Mo looked directly into his eyes and calmly explained, "Because Eevee lacks a crucial condition."
"It currently has the genes of numerous Pokémon integrated within it, making its elements too chaotic, but it has no way to control these genes. They conflict and become disordered within Eevee, and this is the main reason for its short lifespan."
"As a leading figure in the research field, you actually know this fundamental reason, but you just can't bear to believe that so many years of your research would be negated like this."
Dr. Bulano's face turned pale, then flushed, after hearing this. He opened his mouth but was again speechless, because Jiang Mo had indeed hit the nail on the head.
His gaze towards Jiang Mo changed, and he was secretly surprised. The young man before him had such sharp insight and seemed to have a very deep understanding of genetic research; he was definitely not an ordinary person.
After a moment of silence, Dr. Bulano took a deep breath and asked, "Young man, what is your name?"
Jiang Mo calmly replied, "My name is Jiang Mo."
Upon hearing this name, Dr. Bulano instantly reacted, as if a lightning bolt flashed through his mind. Wasn't the Researcher of the new Eevee evolution, which had caused such a stir in the Pokémon research field recently, named Jiang Mo?
At that time, he had even gained inspiration from that research result, thinking of adding some Fairy-type, Psychic-type, and Dark-type elemental energy to Eevee, attempting to create an even more unique existence.
Back then, he had also lamented that heroes emerge from the young, especially after learning that the young man was the student of his old rival, Ouyang. He was even more indignant, openly calling Ouyang an old fool who had gotten lucky to have such a brilliant apprentice.
He never expected that this young man was now standing before him, pointing out the critical problem with his most prized creation face to face.
Dr. Bulano's expression became complex, showing surprise, unwillingness, and a hint of unspeakable awkwardness. He snorted, "So you are Jiang Mo, no wonder you dare to speak so presumptuously here. The apprentice Ouyang taught is indeed very sharp-tongued."
Jiang Mo also heard the sarcasm in Dr. Bulano's words but did not get angry. He calmly responded, "Dr. Bulano, I am not trying to be confrontational with you; I am simply discussing the matter at hand."
"Pokémon research itself is an act against nature, a behavior that alters nature, but your forceful alteration of their genes, disregarding the consequences, is ultimately inappropriate. One still needs to follow some natural laws."
Dr. Bulano, however, was unimpressed. He frowned and retorted, "Follow natural laws? Hmph, if we only relied on following natural laws, how would there be new breakthroughs in Pokémon evolution? Scientific progress is about breaking conventions."
Jiang Mo frowned slightly and continued, "Breaking conventions is not wrong, but your research path was wrong from the start."
"Look at this Eevee; although it now seems to possess magical abilities, it cannot even guarantee basic health and stability. How can this be called successful research?"
"Furthermore, those cloned Pokémon you researched before, in my opinion, are all failed creations. Pokémon without a soul are imperfect."