After some thought, Yu Zhou decided to return to TPC first. If he could push forward research on virtualized monsters and similar projects, it might give him a boost before leaving this world.
Arriving at the base, he went straight to Captain Megumi's office.
There was no other choice—among TPC's high-ranking officers, Megumi was the only one he knew well.
"Yu Zhou, what brings you here this time?" Megumi asked. Last time, Yu Zhou had reported on the alien alliance. He wondered what news or ideas Yu Zhou would bring now.
Megumi knew Yu Zhou, as Ultraman Tiga from a parallel world, had knowledge far beyond theirs. For example, before Yu Zhou mentioned Dais, no one on Earth even knew such a planet existed.
"Captain, I heard TPC has prohibited research on monsters?" Yu Zhou asked directly.
"That's correct," Megumi nodded. "Over ten years ago, before you joined the Victory Team, there was an accident during monster cell research. After that, all projects on monsters were terminated."
"Monster cell research?" Yu Zhou paused, recalling that something similar had happened in Tiga's original timeline.
"Yes, the Aibron cells," Megumi explained. "These cells could turn a human into a monster."
"I see." Yu Zhou nodded. He remembered now—Aibron cell research had been attempted by a friend of Horii, but ultimately failed.
"Captain, do you think humans could control monsters for combat?" Yu Zhou asked, thinking carefully.
"Control monsters?" Megumi pondered. TPC had considered it in the past, but after several failures and dangerous accidents, such research had been abandoned.
As TPC's strategist, Megumi knew that if Yu Zhou brought it up, he must have a plan.
"Do you have any ideas, Yu Zhou?" Megumi asked, trying to draw out Yu Zhou's thoughts.
"Captain, let me show you a recording."
Yu Zhou pulled a storage card from his spatial bracelet and inserted it into Megumi's office playback system. Soon, the screen displayed footage Megumi had never seen.
"Captain, in a parallel world, there's a team similar to the Victory Team. They face monsters and aliens daily," Yu Zhou explained, showing the red-and-gray uniforms of the GEO team.
"A team from a parallel world?!" Megumi exclaimed. If Yu Zhou could travel between worlds, it wasn't surprising that other teams existed elsewhere.
Megumi watched the footage closely.
"Their weapons and equipment are far more advanced than ours," Yu Zhou continued, explaining GEO's weapons, including monster cards and other devices.
"Incredible," Megumi said, astonished. "They can even harness the power of monsters!"
Seeing Megumi so captivated, Yu Zhou knew the footage had succeeded in grabbing his attention.
However, creating monster cards in this world required more than that. Unlike in the Ultraman X world, there were no "Spark Dolls"—only real, living monsters. Research would need to focus on the monsters themselves.
"Captain, using monsters as allies or defensive weapons isn't impossible," Yu Zhou said slowly.
"Indeed," Megumi nodded. "If other Earth defense teams can do it, we can attempt research in that direction too."
Despite his agreement, a trace of concern appeared on Megumi's face.
"Don't worry, Captain," Yu Zhou reassured him. "This isn't like Aibron cells. Virtualized monsters aren't real living beings—they're electronic constructs that humans can control."
"That's true," Megumi said. Virtualized monsters could be considered equipment, not biotechnology.
"I'll discuss this research with TPC's upper management," Megumi said after some thought. "But I'll need the parallel world data you provided to convince them."
"No problem," Yu Zhou nodded. The storage card contained only the clipped footage, nothing more.
"But Captain, will TPC's upper management even believe this?" Yu Zhou asked.
"Don't worry," Megumi smiled. "I've been at TPC long enough—my words carry weight. But we'll wait until Dais delegates arrive before discussing this, since the previous interplanetary alliance hasn't fully concluded."
"Understood," Yu Zhou said. A little delay didn't matter. If the research could be completed before he left, great; if not, he'd return empty-handed.
From his discussion with Megumi, Yu Zhou realized that monster research in this world could only go the route of electronic virtualization. Biological research would remain forbidden. This was a result of the world's limited technology.
If Aibron cell research had succeeded, there wouldn't have been so many restrictions.
A few days later, Yu Zhou and Dack waited outside the atmosphere in a spaceship for the Dais delegation to arrive.
"How long until they get here?" Yu Zhou wondered.
"Senpai, how much longer?" came the voice of Asuka and the rest of the Super Victory Team over the communicator. They had also deployed for this mission, escorting the Dais visitors.
Now, Asuka and Ryo were in fighter jets alongside Yu Zhou and Dack's spaceship.
"Do you think something will go wrong?" Dack asked nervously.
Yu Zhou groaned inwardly. Do you have to plant a flag like that?
"Dack, we didn't need to check on them," Yu Zhou muttered. "But now that you've said that, trouble will definitely happen. Let's go see."
"Asuka, you and I will investigate. Everyone else, stay put," Yu Zhou instructed over the communicator. For training purposes, Captain Hibi left command to Yu Zhou.
"Understood," Asuka replied.
Yu Zhou had Dack pilot the spaceship toward Dais' route, with Asuka following in her fighter.
"Yu Zhou, could something really happen to them?" Dack asked anxiously. They were his fellow Dais citizens after all.
"Dack… could you maybe not say anything…" Yu Zhou thought. One flag wasn't enough—he was about to trigger another!