Dottore sighed, knowing he would not get away without revealing a certain measure of the truth.
He could only spread his hands in a vague gesture.
“Very well.
It was a world, a rather unfortunate one, being eroded by some kind of cataclysmic energy.
I happened to possess some targeted technical solutions, so I went over and lent a hand.” He watched Pierro’s expression darken further and added, “Rest assured, it wasn’t for nothing.
While I was at it, I secured a long-term arms deal for Snezhnaya.
The agreement has been fully negotiated.
They will pay with conventional resources and special minerals.
It’s a lucrative deal that will significantly enrich our stockpiles and research materials.” “Arms deal?” Pierro’s voice shot up sharply, laced with disbelief and barely suppressed fury.
“Dottore, do you have any idea what you’ve done?
Unauthorized cross-dimensional travel, contact with an unknown civilization—do you understand how severe the consequences could be?” Faced with Pierro’s interrogation, Dottore remained calm.
“The risks were manageable,” he answered evenly.
“I took the necessary precautions and conducted a proper investigation.
Moreover, the gains were substantial.
Aside from the business, I also carried out an interesting experiment along the way and verified some conjectures about energy conversion.
That is all.” He gestured toward the sealed main laboratory.
“As for the energy leak inside the lab, it’s possible that when I left, some unstable experimental apparatus was disturbed.
It was merely an accident.
The emergency systems activated successfully, did they not?” “An accident?” Pierro was nearly driven to incredulous laughter by his dismissive tone.
“You call an energy vortex that nearly detonated an accident?
An ‘accident’ that required you to use unknown powers and vanish for nearly a month?
Dottore, do you truly think I will believe such a story?” He stepped closer, an overwhelming pressure bearing down on Dottore.
“Tell me honestly, what exactly was this ‘small problem’ of yours?” Dottore rubbed his temples, looking somewhat weary.
“The primary threat in that world was a cataclysmic energy known as ‘Void Filth.’ It possesses extreme invasive and devouring properties.
I helped them establish a seal to temporarily suppress the energy leak.
It is expected to hold for two hundred years.
In return, they opened their technology database and agreed to establish a long-term weapons and defense technology trade with us.
Here are the preliminary draft of the agreement and some technical samples.” He pulled a miniature data storage crystal from within his coat and handed it to Pierro.
Pierro accepted the crystal but did not examine it immediately.
Instead, he pressed further.
“Then what about your body?
You look worse than before you left.” “The seal utilized some spatiotemporal stabilization techniques I derived from ancient texts, part of that ‘experiment,'” Dottore said, deflecting the question.
“As for my physical state, it is merely a side effect of traveling through spacetime.
Some excessive depletion.
Rest will take care of it.” Pierro clearly did not believe this explanation, but he knew that when Dottore did not want to speak, no one could pry his mouth open.
He weighed the storage crystal in his hand and said heavily, “Even so, you acted without authorization, caused a hazardous situation in the laboratory, and alarmed Her Majesty the Tsaritsa.
These failures are indisputable.” “I admit, my method of departure was somewhat drastic, and the laboratory accident was never my intention.” Dottore made a rare show of acknowledging fault, but deep within his eyes lay an unyielding resolve.
“But the value of what I have brought back far outweighs these ‘failures.’ Let me be very clear: everything I have done, I have done for reasons I could not avoid.
Some things are better known by as few people as possible.
Rest assured, in the end, it is all for Snezhnaya and to prepare for certain threats that may come.” Pierro tucked away the storage crystal.
He still had more he wanted to say, but seeing Dottore’s clearly depleted state, he swallowed his words and sighed.
“You are always like this.
You return with astonishing results but also leave behind a field of wreckage and countless mysteries.
I will speak with Her Majesty first.
For now, your priority is recovery.
Everything else will come later.” Dottore inclined his head slightly and did not object.
He truly needed a short period to properly recover and organize his thoughts.
“The laboratory…” “Until you have obtained Her Majesty’s permission and a thorough risk assessment has been completed, I am afraid it cannot be returned to you just yet.
It will remain under lockdown.
Your movements will also be restricted.
Dottore, you have played far too recklessly this time.” Pierro’s tone was absolute, though a hint of helplessness seeped through.
Dottore did not seem surprised by any of this.
He simply asked flatly, “What of my executor unit, Xiaomu?” “After the incident in your laboratory, it entered a dormant state.
It is currently stored along with other sealed experimental samples in the temporary secure warehouse.” Pierro pulled over a chair and sat beside the bed, his single eye fixed on Dottore.
He had shed his heavy Harbinger coat, and though clad only in a dark, informal uniform, the commanding authority of one long accustomed to power and his soldier’s upright bearing remained impossible to ignore.
“The samples and data have already been handed over to the technical division for preliminary analysis,” Pierro began, his voice carrying clearly through the quiet medical room.
“The energy conductivity of those ores is truly astonishing.
The structure of some of the ‘purified’ energy samples you brought back is also exceptionally unique.
The preliminary data you left behind likewise shows that you indeed resolved a difficult problem.” He paused, his gaze sharpening.
“All of this does indeed prove that your ‘journey’ had its value.
But, Dottore, it does not fully justify your unauthorized actions and the risks you created.” Dottore, half-leaning against his pillows, merely shrugged nonchalantly at this.
Though the slight movement made his brow furrow almost imperceptibly, the confidence and stubbornness of a genius scholar were utterly undiminished.
“I am aware.
So until then, I suggest you and Her Majesty conduct a deeper evaluation of those samples and data.
I believe the potential they hold extends far beyond merely ‘proving value.'” He spoke with pointed implications.
“A new, highly efficient energy conduction medium, the prototype of a technology that can stably convert harmful energy…
What these mean for Snezhnaya, Pierro, you know better than I do.” Leaning on the sickbed, he felt the faint warmth brought by the slow circulation of [Heart of Life] within him, his thoughts in turmoil.
Occasionally, his gaze would drift past Pierro’s shoulder toward the distant heavy metal door visible through the medical room’s window, a trace of barely concealed urgency flickering in his eyes.
He had to recover as quickly as possible.
That plan could not be delayed for too long.
As for Pierro and the Tsaritsa, he needed a more convincing “accomplishment” to divert their attention.
He was already silently calculating how to regain access to the laboratory without exposing his core secrets.
And the sealed main laboratory, along with the “energy leak” inside that might be worsening, also had to be dealt with as soon as possible.
This journey to another world had brought back more than just resources and agreements.
It had also brought back a perfect excuse.
Pierro watched him in silence for a long moment before he finally spoke, his tone carrying an unarguable finality.
“Dottore, until your body has recovered to a state where it can withstand high-intensity work, several things must be made absolutely clear.” He raised one finger.
“First, Her Majesty the Tsaritsa instructed me to relay this to you upon your return: during your convalescence, all experimental projects are forbidden, regardless of scale or whether they are connected to this incident.
You require absolute rest.” Dottore’s brow furrowed slightly, but he did not argue.
Pierro raised a second finger.
“Second, you are to compile the experiences of your time away into a detailed report, one that holds nothing back, and submit it to Her Majesty.
This report will be key in assessing your actions this time and determining your subsequent clearance levels.” “Nothing held back?” Dottore raised his eyes, a subtle glint passing through his red irises.
“At the very least, on matters concerning Snezhnaya’s interests and security, nothing must be held back,” Pierro emphasized, though his tone softened slightly.