Chapter 9 (2/2)

“Manpower is the greatest asset” — Mister Zhou.

This adage proved especially true to the leaders of the human civilization after they entered the age of galaxies.

Artificial intelligence could fully replace most high-level intellectual tasks, while robots could complete most of the complicated technical jobs.

Under these circumstances, an average human lost nearly all value. However, even in the age of galaxies, every person’s genes were unique.

Human civilization was made up of billions of complicated humans. These humans were insignificant on their own.

However, the different genes of countless individuals made up a robust foundation that allowed humans to continuously evolve.

Genetic medication was a necessity on a human’s path to evolution.

However, it was also because of the uniqueness and complexity of human genes that the effects of the genetic medication were unstable, so the path of evolution each individual took was a little different.

Even though they’d been injected with the same genetic medication, Gao Xuan had become more and more handsome while Yun Qingshang had taken a different path. That was the difference between their genes.

In actuality, their genes were only 1% different from each other.

Gao Xuan knew why he kept becoming more and more handsome. It was from the influence of the Six-Winged Heavenly Cicada. Both his body and mind were evolving toward perfection.

This direction of evolution was extremely unique. It caused his strength to level up very slowly. That was also the reason why he always ranked last among the other students.

Yun Qingshang’s evolution was much simpler. It was obviously trending toward heightened physical strength. This path of evolution was mature and well understood by the human alliance.

Gao Xuan observed the incubator for some time, then picked out three vials of green genetic medication.

He waved to Yun Qingshang and said, “Qingshang, come over quickly. I’ll give these to you.”

Yun Qingshang was observing the rack of weapons, extremely interested in the heavy-duty sniper rifle on top.

Yun Qingshang only headed over when she heard Gao Xuan call for her. “This is the genetic medication?”

Yun Qingshang was rather familiar with this item. She’d been injected with it four times since she was young. A batch of students would die whenever they were injected with the medication.

The genetic medication was extremely complicated. Once it came into conflict with human genes, the genes would collapse and die before having the chance to evolve.

The base’s merciless tactic of nurturing students also made use of the threat of death to squeeze every bit of potential out of every student.

After all, human life wasn’t worth very much in this era. Humans were expendable.

Gao Xuan said, “The genetic medication in these vials is the medication needed for the fifth evolution. However, the host of the project met with some problems, so they never proceeded with the fifth injection.”

Over a third of the students who’d survived had died after being administered the fifth genetic medication. This was a loss that Zhou Lang hadn’t been able to accept.

The reason for that was extremely complicated, and Gao Xuan didn’t bother explaining it to Yun Qingshang.

He told Yun Qingshang, “These three vials of genetic medication would allow you to reach Level Five extremely quickly.”

Gao Xuan then continued, “Of course, there are risks involved.”

With Yun Qingshang’s talent, she would be able to reach Level Five through training alone, even without the injection of the genetic medication.

However, there was no way that Yun Qingshang could step into Level Six without activating the higher-level genetic sequence with the genetic medication.

There were, of course, powerful fighters who defied nature in this era of galaxies. They became powerful Gold Grade fighters just by Source Power Cultivation, without the use of genetic medication.

However, Yun Qingshang wouldn’t have such ungodly potential.

“We should level up like average humans. Let’s obediently take the medication…”

Gao Xuan was overcome with emotion. His potential for cultivation was already considered above average, but there was still an unbridgeable gap between him and the best of the best.

Yun Qingshang thought for a moment, then said, “Now is not the right time. There are still several problems that we haven’t solved yet at the base.”

“I’ll deal with them.”

Gao Xuan half-forced the genetic medication into Yun Qingshang. Yun Qingshang didn’t resist and allowed Gao Xuan to do whatever he wanted.

Yun Qingshang’s body immediately turned red after she received the three vials of genetic medication, and she started to lose consciousness.

“Zhou Lang’s collection is vast indeed. He sure is a hoarder!”

Gao Xuan helped Yun Qingshang to slowly lie down on the ground. He then walked to the front of the weapon rack and picked up a long sniper rifle. “Look. This here is the real Gungnir Model Three. Really, not every boss drops such good loot.”

Yun Qingshang’s body got hotter and hotter. It was as if she’d been thrown into a furnace. She felt as if her body had been thoroughly roasted!

However, with Gao Xuan rambling away next to her, she felt especially secure and safe.

Gao Xuan touched Yun Qingshang’s hot forehead. Her temperature must’ve reached 70 degrees celsius. An ordinary person’s brain would’ve long since evaporated.

“Bear with it. Genetic mutations are like this…”

Yun Qingshang’s mind faded to black, and Gao Xuan’s voice became more and more distant, more and more fleeting.

She only had one thought in her heart: “I cannot die. I have to hold on. I want to be with 088. I want to protect him…”