Ben10: A Romantic Adventure with a Gender-Swapped Class

Elena snatched the cold, metallic chip from Mo Bai's outstretched palm almost as if she were grabbing it, her fingertips trembling slightly.

She strode quickly to a precision scanner that shimmered with a deep blue light, her movements carrying an almost obsessive urgency.

She carefully placed the chip into the testing slot, and the instrument's probe fell with precision as if it were alive, emitting a soft hum.

A complex stream of data and constantly changing molecular structure models burst onto the screen in an instant.

Elena stared intently at the screen, her brow furrowed, her fingers flying across the control panel, zooming in and comparing... Time ticked by amidst the instrument's low hum.

Finally, her tense shoulders slumped, and she let out a long breath, filled with deep disappointment and a hint of confusion.

She turned around, faced the crowd, and slowly shook her head, her voice dry but firm.

"This is not my chip."

This conclusion, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly created ripples.

Before she finished speaking, Xiaowen had already taken a step forward. Her voice was clear and fast, carrying an undeniable firmness, and her sharp gaze was fixed on Elena.

"It must be!" Her tone was resolute, as if stating an undeniable fact. "Otherwise, where else could it come from? Besides your lab, who else is researching and manufacturing this kind of thing?" Her words came out like a machine gun, with an extremely clear target, each word hitting right at Elena's declaration of "absolute safety."

Just then, Mo Bai's tall figure moved.

He ignored Elena's denial and Xiaowen's questioning, and walked straight to the special container that imprisoned the chip.

He stretched out his two large hands and pressed them heavily onto the cold metal workbench, supporting his body as he leaned slightly forward.

This posture caused his broad shoulders to almost block out part of the light, casting a shadow that covered one corner of the container.

He looked down at the crystals that floated silently inside the container, radiating an alluring yet dangerous glow. His gaze was deep, as if he wanted to pierce through the solid shell and see all the secrets hidden behind it.

“Therefore,” he said slowly, each word crystal clear, “we need to find out the truth.”

He paused slightly, looked directly into Elena's slightly evasive eyes, and said earnestly but with a pleading tone, "I need your help, Elena."

However, before the request could be fully uttered, a voice with a distinctly sour tone interrupted from the side, like a discordant note being plucked on a taut string.

“After all, she’s the person who knows the most about chips in the world…” Xiao Ban crossed his arms and leaned against another instrument, his voice drawn out with a rising tone at the end, full of undisguised sarcasm and deep dissatisfaction.

She emphasized the words "knows best," glancing at Mo Bai with a slight pout, making no attempt to hide that she was still bothered by the "hug incident" at the door.

Mo Bai looked towards the sound and met Xiao Ban's eyes, which were filled with "I'm very unhappy".

Xiao Ban met his gaze without hesitation, then forcefully and defiantly turned her head in the opposite direction, leaving him with only a puffed-up profile and slightly bulging cheeks, as if looking at him for even a second longer would be too annoying.

Looking at Xiao Ban's "I'm so angry, I can't coax you" expression, Mo Bai sighed helplessly.

He knows Xiaoban too well; reasoning with him is useless in this situation.

Fortunately, he was prepared. He had a tried-and-true "killer move" to deal with the younger students' "recklessness and temper".

That's the King of Snow Mud! If one cup isn't enough, then two!

Just as Mo Bai was secretly plotting his "snow mud diplomacy" strategy and even considering whether to buy it now, Elena had already responded.

She avoided Mo Bai's earnest gaze and Xiao Wen's sharp scrutiny, lowered her head slightly, and unconsciously tightened the hem of her white coat with her fingers. Her voice carried a stubborn persistence, as well as a hint of imperceptible fatigue.

"I'm sorry," she took a deep breath, looked up, and refocused her gaze on her lab table, "I can't help you."

Her tone gradually became firm, as if she were convincing herself, and also as if she were convincing them.

"This experiment is very important to me. It's not just a project; it might be the key to the future! Maybe...maybe you can help me?" She suddenly looked at Mo Bai, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "Maybe we really can...change the whole world together!"

"Change the whole world?" A rough voice, laced with sarcasm, rang out.