Viktor collected his thoughts. Under Cipher's encouraging but watchful gaze, he approached the reinforced door of the Shimmer Lab and knocked.
"Come in, it's not locked."
A distinctive voice came from inside, deep and hoarse from years of inhaling chemical fumes, yet carrying the peculiar calmness that seemed unique to an older generation of scientists.
Leaning heavily on his cane, Viktor opened the door with some effort. The expensive Shimmer Lab was filled with strange experimental equipment, and the floor was cluttered with pipes and wiring.
Dr. Singed, dressed in a white lab coat, was at the workbench using an alchemical microscope to observe something.
Only when Viktor and Cipher fully entered the lab did he finally turn to glance at them over his shoulder.
But that single glance made him show an unusually surprised expression.
"Viktor… why are you back?"
He completely ignored Cipher's presence, his eyes were focused entirely on Viktor with an expression. He knew from experience that Cipher wouldn't interfere with his experiments or judge his methods, but the same definitely couldn't be said for his former student, who had always possessed an inconveniently strong moral compass.
Due to Cipher's practical decision to arrange for all his other students to leave and work elsewhere, Singed had begun placing many previously forbidden materials openly throughout the lab for research convenience, no longer needing to hide the more controversial aspects of his work.
Because of this dramatic change, Viktor looked at Singed with a deeply complex expression. He observed that many glass containers throughout the lab contained strange and grotesque specimens, some clearly non-human, others disturbingly humanoid in nature.
In the past, upon seeing such ethically questionable materials displayed so openly, he would have immediately turned around and left without a word. He would have preferred to conduct his research entirely on his own, even if it meant working with inferior equipment, rather than accept help from someone whose methods he couldn't morally justify.
But after learning the devastating truth that everything Singed had done over the years was all in a desperate attempt to resurrect his own beloved daughter, his fundamental mindset had begun to shift in ways he wasn't entirely comfortable with.
He was even beginning to seriously consider offering his assistance to his former teacher, despite years of moral disagreement.
After all, although Singed was undeniably conducting forbidden experiments that violated numerous ethical guidelines, Viktor had observed that he wasn't directly vivisecting living humans or causing unnecessary suffering. In his moral framework, there was still hope for redemption.
"Please take a look at this data. It might help advance your research, and it could help save my life as well."
He handed over the precious documents. The files contained not only detailed technical data on the successful modifications performed on Steel Heart, the remarkable Thanagarian-enhanced cyborg, but also comprehensive medical data from Quraci subjects who had undergone various experimental enhancement treatments over the past several months. Some subjects had even been exposed to captured Bialyan biotechnology during Queen Bee's failed interrogation attempts.
To Singed, with his decades of experience in biological research, this represented incredibly valuable experimental data that could advance his work by years.
Taking the documents, he glanced at Viktor with a surprised look, his former student's cooperative attitude had far exceeded his most optimistic expectations, then shifted his gaze briefly to Cipher, who was examining some of the more exotic specimens.
The convictions of scientists, especially those operating at the very highest levels of their fields, were notoriously difficult for ordinary people to understand, they could even be considered dangerously stubborn when it came to pursuing knowledge regardless of conventional limitations.
Years ago, Heimerdinger hadn't understood Singed's willingness to push ethical boundaries in pursuit of scientific advancement, and had ultimately dismissed him from the prestigious Piltover Academy in a very public controversy.
Viktor hadn't understood him either back then, and had chosen to leave for the seemingly more respectable Piltover Academy, where research was conducted within acceptable moral parameters. Even now, he still didn't fully understand the depths of Singed's dedication, but in his complicated gaze, there was both admiration and genuine pity for a father's impossible quest.
Having spent most of his long life carefully studying and understanding human nature in all its complexities, Singed immediately recognized that Cipher had already revealed his most closely guarded secret to Viktor. But he said nothing about this revelation, just took the documents and began flipping through the pages.
"How absolutely fascinating, Viktor. I wish I could see the world through your eyes."
He was visibly captivated just by the first page of data, which detailed cellular regeneration patterns and biotechnological integration techniques unlike anything he'd encountered in decades of terrestrial biological research. And he immediately knew, this could not possibly be technology developed anywhere in Piltover or Zaun.
"I would be extremely interested in examining this enhanced individual, this Steel Heart, in person if that could be arranged."
He couldn't help but voice his curiosity, though he kept his tone respectful rather than demanding. The well-honed instincts of a scientist told him with absolute certainty: this extraordinary experimental data on the cyborg could potentially help him fulfill his lifelong obsession, to discover the perfect synthesis of biological regeneration and technological enhancement that could bring the dead back to meaningful life... to resurrect his daughter and give her a chance at the existence she'd been denied.
At that moment, Victor sat in a nearby chair. Directly in front of him was a massive glass containment jar holding a large, heavily mutated salamander, once his faithful companion.
Shimmer pumped through a complex network of tubes was forcibly sustaining the creature's biological functions.
He did not approve of this kind of artificially prolonged existence. To his way of thinking, being kept painfully alive in a glass jar with no hope of natural life, death would honestly be a merciful release for the poor creature.
"I'm afraid… that won't be easy to arrange for you."
Rising from his seat and shaking his head slowly, Viktor politely refused Singed's request.
The dimensional travel capabilities, the ongoing situation in Qurac, and Cipher's deep involvement in interdimensional affairs represented Zaun's most closely guarded secrets. Without explicit permission from Cipher himself, he absolutely could not reveal even the smallest detail.
"I've tried every possible kind of experiment, but… they all failed catastrophically. Every single test subject died."
The technical data on Steel Heart clearly demonstrated that the process of successfully integrating alien biotechnology with human physiology was extraordinarily complex and dangerous, requiring precise timing and apparently some element that couldn't be easily replicated. Even when Viktor had carefully used the cyborg's detailed data for controlled animal experiments, the results were still complete failures.
He couldn't understand where the disconnect was, his calculations were mathematically accurate, and the data was thoroughly verified.
Left with no other viable options, he returned to seek help from Singed, the undisputed expert in the field of biological sciences.
"Perhaps the fundamental problem isn't in your precise calculations, but in your choice of test subjects."
What Viktor couldn't figure out despite weeks of analysis, Singed saw immediately with his more experienced perspective.
In the biological sciences, particularly the intersection of biology and enhancement technology, he was decades ahead of anyone else in Piltover and Zaun, completely unmatched in his understanding.
"Nature programs us to instinctively reject dramatic mutation as a survival mechanism. But fortunately, we have developed the scientific tools to change our own fundamental nature."
Singed walked over to a secured cabinet and retrieved a very small vial containing shimmer.
"This… is shimmer?" Viktor asked, visibly puzzled by the distinctive appearance. He had used standard shimmer in his animal testing protocols before, but those experiments had still failed miserably.
"This is a highly specialized variant of shimmer. Theoretically, it can help a subject endure the extraordinarily painful mutation process while maintaining both consciousness and personal identity throughout the transformation."
Singed turned and glanced meaningfully at Cipher, who was watching their interaction with an enigmatic smile that suggested he knew exactly where this conversation was leading, and felt compelled to provide further explanation to his generous benefactor.
"The cheap, mass-producible inferior shimmer we manufacture for the public is perfectly adequate to meet the basic needs of therapeutic medicine for common injuries and illnesses. The perfectly refined shimmer, however, can only be extracted in the laboratory under extremely controlled conditions with a very low success rate. It definitely isn't suitable for general medical use. That's not its intended purpose at all."
Singed walked over to Viktor.
"This enhanced shimmer… is for animal testing?" Viktor's throat moved nervously as he swallowed hard. From Singed's words and meaningful tone, he had already vaguely guessed the shocking truth, but every instinct he possessed desperately didn't want to believe what was being suggested.
"You didn't come here seeking help with animal subjects, did you? Your degenerative illness is silently eating away at your body from the inside. You don't have much time left, Viktor. I can see it."
Singed now stood directly in front of him, holding that tiny vial of perfect shimmer.
"I know exactly what it looks like when someone is approaching death. I must warn you of what this path entails."
Holding the perfect shimmer before Viktor's eyes so he could see the swirling liquid, he looked at his former student with deep intensity.
The path of technological augmentation was definitely not an easy one to walk. He knew all too well from bitter personal experience how deeply humans instinctively reject anything that appeared different or unnatural.
"If you choose this path, you will be scorned by those who don't understand. To gain transcendence beyond normal human limitations, you must be prepared to abandon any hope of human admiration and accept that your legacy may be viewed with suspicion rather than honor. That fundamental incompatibility is why Heimerdinger and I ultimately parted ways so bitterly."
He had said everything that needed to be said about the consequences. Now the choice belonged entirely to Viktor to make. He extended the vial toward him.
To remain human and die, or transcend humanity and live, this was no easy decision for anyone to make. Viktor breathed heavily, turning his gaze toward Cipher.
"Have the courage to do what you believe is right. Whether it's Janna or Zaun itself, both will honor those who give themselves completely for glorious progress. Technological augmentation is just as noble and meaningful as any other form of advancement."
Cipher clearly disagreed with Singed's pessimistic view of how society would react.
The development of enhancement technology was definitely not solely intended for military applications or warfare. It could offer a genuine second chance at life to the disabled, save countless lives from terminal illnesses that required complete organ replacement, and even help humanity adapt to the increasing challenges of an increasingly complex multiverse, its significance was truly profound.
"Thank you… for understanding me when others might not."
Viktor's hesitant gaze turned firm. He reached out and took the vial from Singed's hand.