"Oh? What kind of experimental product? And how exactly does it benefit me?" Jing Shu raised an eyebrow, clearly uninterested, as Zhen Nantian tossed her a translation software, perfunctorily fulfilling his duty.
Being a proper decoy meant making an immediate impact, a decisive one, not some over-the-top, obnoxious act that made everyone hate you. Of course, a little conflict was still necessary.
Denying something three thousand times from the opposite side, then suddenly admitting it once, made everyone believe you even more.
So Jing Shu, as this decoy, had to start from opposition.
Eiffel coughed and grabbed her, "This is good! Dr. B has developed a new experimental product called 'Water of Life,' a miraculous potion that can split life cells in two!
It can double the size of grains like wheat, even make plants grow twice as big! The first generation grows bigger, and the second can increase output by fifty percent, eventually multiplying several times over! Initial tests are promising, and now it's in the verification and review stage. We've invited all the major farms of Austin Castle to witness the miracle. Once approved, it'll hit the market just like the castle walls did."
Dr. B smiled down at Jing Shu like a god, while his assistant, Mrs. C, wrapped in a black anti-radiation suit, stepped forward proudly:
"This achievement is unlike any before. This is epic-level, a witness to human miracles. Due to the rarity of materials and other factors, only a few elite individuals will have the right to it. Being chosen is your luck from God. You should be grateful for the opportunity to participate in this epic trial!"
Eiffel whispered, "Exactly, the final product is so rare that we need you to cultivate the precious herbs for testing. If it succeeds, you'll get double the harvest! And right now, only you can grow these herbs in the castle. If your output reaches pre-apocalypse levels… oh my, you'd be rich, Mirror!"
"What's the big deal with these arrogant guys? Listen, Eiffel, you've been tricked by Dr. B. There's no such miracle in the world. If it existed, it'd have been invented long ago, not just now. And if it really were that rare, why wouldn't they just use it themselves to make more profit?" Jing Shu said, clearly unimpressed with their arrogance and ready to expose them.
The farm owners around her looked skeptical as well. Something that defied science? They'd never heard of it, let alone seen it. One turning into two? What a joke. They stayed silent out of respect for Dr. B.
Mrs. C snorted and pulled out a handful of wheat, double-sized, to show everyone. She added, "Doctor, since this Chinese person doesn't trust you, we won't use her herbs for review. But when those carbohydrates and life-cell structures split into two thanks to the Water of Life, she'll be crying, begging you."
The farm owners examined the grains, crushed them, sniffed, licked, and couldn't help but marvel. If the Water of Life really caused that kind of doubling, it'd be miraculous.
Their eyes shifted. What's most valuable now? Food!
If the Water of Life could double grain as they claimed—one gram turning into two, one thousand pounds into two thousand—then… maybe. But could it really work? Worth debating. Yet who was Dr. B? The man who created the Luminite. Could he lie?
The old hands decided to wait and see, careful not to offend anyone.
But Jing Shu, as the decoy, couldn't hold back. She had to voice all doubts and questions, ask what everyone else dared not. That's what a good decoy—ah, a proper decoy—did, building tension before the payoff.
"You expect to fool who with that little trick? I could fake those grains myself. I didn't see any splitting happen with my own eyes—are we talking about childbirth here? Sure, the castle walls you built helped citizens, but you're just using that trust to sell your Water of Life at outrageous prices, or maybe the secret formula, right?"
The farm owners stayed calm, nodding slowly, watching how Dr. B would respond.
Mrs. C trembled with anger. Eiffel sighed and covered her face, "Mirror, listen, it's not like that. Dr. B really is a good man. He's always willing to share his discoveries. This is a genuine opportunity."
Jing Shu shrugged, "I don't believe it anyway. I don't care what you think of me, and I'm not interested in this. My task is just to grow the herbs. Whether they increase yield or not doesn't matter."
She drew a clear line, leaving the farm owners a bit dumbfounded. They needed her, the naïve one, to assess the situation—and she was stepping back?
Then Dr. B offered a godlike, proud smile:
"Beautiful lady, I think you misunderstood. Science is like the vast universe. As part of it, I have a duty to explore its value. In developing the Water of Life, I promise not to auction or sell the formula. I seek greater universal truths, but I need resources. Compensation will help all present gain more materials.
Moreover, the Water of Life alone can't split life cells. It needs my special methods. After review, I hope it benefits the people of Austin Castle. May God bless us."
Dr. B embodied the notion of seeing money as dirt.
Mrs. C snorted, "What's the point of telling her all that?"
Jing Shu snorted, "Yeah, I didn't ask you to involve me anyway. Just leave."
Eiffel spun anxiously. Dr. B waved, saying,
"Beautiful lady, you don't have to trust us, but you can't slander our research. How about a bet? If the Water of Life successfully splits your herbs' cells, you lose and give us all the herbs you cultivated. If it doesn't, we'll compensate you five hundred pounds (≈227 kg) of grain, witnessed by everyone here. Deal?"