Closer to Revealing My True Self
Chapter 693 - 447 Exposure or Not_1

Chapter 693: Chapter 447 Exposure or Not_1

Feng Yi did not think the three he encountered in the lounge were just making casual remarks.

Being able to discuss this here and overheard by Feng Yi, although there was a statistical improbability, it also indicated that they likely had been frequently talking about it recently.

If it came up frequently, that meant the project might be close to a breakthrough!

Feng Yi looked at the limited information displayed on the check screen.

The "Butterfly Project" was a highly secretive plan, and this level of secrecy might be due to its potential to trigger uncontrollable public opinion.

If such a plan was to be undertaken, it would certainly require time and massive financial support.

Feng Yi left the library and returned to the hotel.

Picking up another encrypted phone, he called Geng.

Yue Gongyang, the nominal head in charge of the Ancestral Factory, paused when he heard "Butterfly Project." After reminiscing for a while, he said,

"I have heard of it, but our Ancestral Factory has not been involved. That was a decision made by the previous generation."

A decision made by the previous generation meant it was decided by Madam Feng.

Feng Yi was puzzled. For such an important plan that needed massive financial investments, how could the Ancestral Factory not be involved?

Could the Butterfly Project actually not be short of money? If it lacked funds, it would not pass up on the Ancestral Factory, a juicy target.

Yue Gongyang added, "However, the ’Chaos Fund’ established by Madam Feng has been consistently investing in this project. Oh, the Chaos Fund is now managed by her eldest son, your first cousin, right? He’s in charge."

Feng Yi’s brow furrowed slightly, pondering the deeper meaning behind his grandmother’s actions.

Yue Gongyang continued, "The Butterfly Project once drew a lot of attention, and information used to be available online, but now it’s probably been deleted, and its security level raised. Maybe there has been real progress? However, because there has been no public updates over the years, aside from those involved in the project, even investors have very limited knowledge. Some who supported it at the beginning have now become skeptics. Also, with the overall global situation stabilizing over the years, they’ve gradually begun to dismiss it as a waste of money."

After speaking, Yue Gongyang paused for a moment, giving Feng Yi enough time to think.

In the meantime, Yue Gongyang also searched for related information on his encrypted computer.

"The Butterfly Project has indeed been mentioned more frequently recently. I suspect there will be news soon. If anyone contacts me about it, I’ll let you know immediately."

"Alright, keep an eye on it."

Feng Yi did not talk to Yue Gongyang for too long. After the call, he did not inquire with his first cousin. He had met his cousins and his aunt, but he was not sure about his first cousin’s stance and did not plan to contact him about this matter yet.

Feng Yi picked up the phone and called his butler.

In terms of financial capability, he had never underestimated his butler!

The butler answered quickly.

"Oh, the Butterfly Project, I know about it."

Having struggled through an era of climate anomalies, with extensive experience and unknown financial strength, and having served beside Madam Feng for many years, the butler knew far more details than Yue Gongyang.

"It’s a self-rescue plan to artificially alter disaster weather. Many people think it originated twenty years ago, but in fact, it goes back further than that. It was officially proposed in the fifth year of the climate anomaly period, but preparations had already started before that. Including the preparation period, the project has been ongoing for nearly forty years.

"The Security Union’s sixth database supported it, continuously feeding it with data. Its realization requires massive amounts of data to sustain."

"To build the joint database, they sought elite talents, reallocated elite troops from various countries, and invited top financial groups... At that time, the tycoons had a simple idea: money invested would guarantee them a spot on the ’Ark’ in case of the apocalypse. Thus, fundraising was smooth."

Feng Yi listened to the butler’s narrative. Such a movement was truly a concentrated effort for great undertakings!

The butler sounded somewhat emotional, "Humanity only realized the helplessness and despair of an apocalypse after experiencing the climate anomaly period. Actually, from the beginning of that period, your grandmother already had such an idea, but she contemplated and chose not to propose it. Instead, she expressed her support when someone else initiated the plan."

Feng Yi understood. The planet’s shrinking resources for survival, combined with their clan’s decreased capabilities and underdevelopment, made it impossible to reverse and control such a global climate disaster. Even with a world-saving heart, Madam Feng was powerless.

But if humanity could use technology to carve out a path to survival, she would support it.

As for why she wasn’t the first to propose it, Madam Feng must have had her reasons.

The butler continued, "If such weapons could truly succeed, they could offer a glimmer of hope for humanity or accelerate destruction, ushering in the sixth mass extinction prematurely.

"How to balance the human desires for survival and ambition is a challenge. However, at the current stage, the priority is on the realization of the plan."

As Feng Yi absorbed this information, he voiced his inner doubts, "Why didn’t my grandmother have the Ancestral Factory participate? Was it because the factory didn’t have enough money at that time?"

"Not at all," the butler said with a laugh. "I’m actually not sure either. But she had her considerations. She said the Ancestral Factory is special, and when the Butterfly Project finally yields results, it will be up to the head of the Ancestral Factory to decide whether to get involved."

Feng Yi: "...That’s a lot to unpack. Did she not leave any more hints?"

As if seeing Feng Yi’s frowning face over the phone, the butler cheerfully said,

"Because she herself wasn’t certain, that’s why she didn’t say more. Don’t rush; the answer will come soon.

"During the years of the climate anomaly period, they collected extremely important meteorological data. With the participation of top talents and large financial groups, as well as the support of the massive sixth database, the project won’t be delayed. The fact that you overheard this in a library proves that there must be progress in the plan, right?"

"The journey is obstructed and long, but if you walk, you will arrive. Perhaps those investors never anticipated the day would actually come."

"If there is real progress, the management level of the Butterfly Project will invite top global experts and big conglomerate heads to watch the achievements, they need more people to agree and support the continuation of the plan. What this means is, they are very likely to arrange a ’live exercise’ first."

Upon hearing this, Feng Yi was invigorated.

According to the butler’s analysis, the "live exercise" of the Butterfly Project would soon come.

The butler on the other end of the phone suddenly added, "However, to get a ’front row seat’ to the live event, you’d need the identity of the real decision-maker of the Ancestral Factory."

This was to let Feng Yi know that if he wanted to be among the first to witness this meteorological weapon’s live exercise, his real identity as the ultimate boss behind the Ancestral Factory would be exposed.

Now it was up to Feng Yi to decide.

"Consider it from your own standpoint," said the butler.

After the conversation with the butler, Feng Yi pondered in his hotel room.

What choice to make indeed required careful consideration.

Until now, everyone had believed Feng Yi was just a shareholder of the Ancestral Factory, and the elder at home took care of Feng Yi because of the good relationship with the power holder of the Ancestral Factory. It was not a matter of just throwing money at things.

But if his identity as the hidden boss of the Ancestral Factory was exposed, it would be a severe shock to the public and various organizations alike!

Even the integration bureau, which believed it had thoroughly investigated Feng Yi’s background, would be taken aback.

When that time came, troubles would certainly not be few.

But Feng Yi really wanted to be among the first to see the "Butterfly Project’s" live exercise!

Moreover, his grandmother had told him to decide after watching, which surely meant it was a matter of great importance!

He needed to think carefully. Think carefully.

Feng Yi sat in his room, quietly being a thinker for two hours.

Then he continued to polish his presentation materials.

Whether or not to expose his identity could not be decided for the time being, so he would deal with the matter at hand first.

Feng Yi actually quite wanted to sneak over to attend that meteorological seminar, but unfortunately, there was a scheduling conflict, and he could not go.

However, because of the Butterfly Project, Feng Yi felt that the pressure brought by his presentation was not worth mentioning anymore. He organized his materials, and on the day of the exchange meeting, arrived at the venue as agreed.

This time the exchange was purely a sharing of experience, viewpoints, and research results, without other interactive events with the outside world.

Feng Yi, dressed in scholarly attire, discussed some small details he observed about the flora and fauna in the tropical rainforest, along with the presentation, and also shared his viewpoints and rationales.

Because he didn’t feel too much pressure, he spoke quite naturally. Sometimes when his opinion about the behavior of a certain animal differed from others, Feng Yi did not back down.

"This is what I believe," he said and presented his evidence. "Do you have a different opinion? Have you published a paper on it?"

So what if you have published a paper? So what if you list references?

None of that means it’s definitely correct!

Such conflicts of opinion are common at exchange meetings and the organizers welcome them.

No worries, as more researchers participate and more evidence accumulates, some incorrect opinions will gradually be corrected.

Scientific research relies on everyone repeatedly being proven wrong and constantly setting new goals to progress.

Despite some conflicts of opinion during the process, overall, Feng Yi was considered successful at the exchange meeting.

In the eyes of others, this young expert demonstrated considerable professional knowledge and asserted his strong stance, not showing any timidity in front of many seniors.

After the exchange meeting ended, the organizers and the professor who had strongly invited Feng Yi to the meeting shook his hand vigorously as if a lighter shake could not fully express their enthusiasm.

While they were enthusiastic, they also gave Feng Yi some advice.

Facing these seniors, Feng Yi was very respectful and appeared earnest in receiving their suggestions.

One of the professors from a prestigious school strongly recommended that Feng Yi pursue further studies and offered to write a letter of recommendation if Feng Yi was interested in doing so.

However, Feng Yi did not aspire to this.

Throughout the exchange meeting, no one noticed a young man who had come in with Feng Yi and then left with him, seriously watching the entire process, noting down the important people who chatted with Feng Yi and the general content of their conversations.

Ren was there today to strengthen himself and enhance fine-tuning the details. He had disguised himself, looking different from his usual appearance, donned with an air of commonness that made him easy to overlook.

When it was his turn to stand in, being asked about the exchange meeting, he could converse about it quite smoothly.

An excellent professional stand-in must also have impressive skills!