Three Choices

Three Choices

The Graduation Exam came to an end.

The three most talked-about students in Evolution Camp were:

Huang Zirui of Class 1, ranked first overall in the 101st Class, with a physical fitness score above 160 and an S in the combat assessment.

Yu Shuiqin of Class 2, first among the girls. Not only could she fight, but she was also stunning. Rumor had it that she could already vaguely sense the existence of Moon Web.

Wang Ye of Class 23.

A model of an ordinary class student rising against the odds.

Unlike the Elite Class Students with their astonishing talent, he had neither good resources nor favorable conditions. Yet through his own efforts, he had fought his way out from among 3,000 students.

In particular, his S-grade combat assessment was enough to get him into the special departments of the Three Great Organizations in Evolution Camp!

"Moon Web..."

Wang Ye focused his thoughts.

The sound of trickling water reached his ears, and an enchanting image surfaced in his mind.

Very moist.

Then his consciousness drifted outward.

Vast Life Energy, Cosmic Energy everywhere...

And high in the endlessly distant sky, a faintly discernible presence.

Even from so far away, he could sense it weakly, like the light of the sun.

Bang. The bathroom door opened.

Shu Mengou emerged wrapped in a white bath towel. Water droplets clung to her fair, smooth face. Smiling softly, she sat beside him. "What are you thinking about?"

"Thinking things over." Wang Ye blinked.

"No, I can't take it anymore." Shu Mengou looked at Wang Ye with her crystalline, sparkling eyes. "Have you... thought about which organization you'll join after becoming an Evolver?"

"Isn't that too far off?" Wang Ye casually wrapped an arm around her supple waist. "First, I have to receive an Evolutionary Serum and become an Evolver. Then I have to pass the Rookie Trial before I can join one of the Three Great Organizations."

"Tell me anyway," Shu Mengou said softly.

"Mm..." Wang Ye thought for a moment.

"Of the Three Great Special Departments, Future Center of Gene Park is close to home. It gives the highest priority to training Evolvers and offers the most freedom. Other than cultivation, there's nothing else to worry about. The state provides all the resources. It's pretty good."

"The Guardian Division of the Base Defense Division has the greatest authority and broadest influence among the Three Great Organizations. There's plenty of room for future promotion, and its training resources are second only to Future Center. You also deal with all kinds of monsters more often, though there are a lot of missions. Overall, it's actually not bad either."

"As for Evolution Camp's Rescue Team... they're too selfless, and the missions are too tedious. I'm not considering it."

Wang Ye watched Shu Mengou lower her head slightly. There was a hint of disappointment in her soft hum, and he knew what she was thinking. "Don't worry. No matter where I go, our relationship won't change."

"Really?" Delight showed in Shu Mengou's eyes.

Wang Ye gave a soft hum.

Over the past month, there were two people he was most grateful to.

One was Song Shirui from the Rescue Team. She had saved him in the wilderness, preventing him from being bitten by Mutated Monsters. If he had the chance, he had to repay her properly!

The other was Shu Mengou, who had been carefully treating him and bringing him warmth all this time.

"In three days, they'll announce the list for receiving Evolutionary Serum."

"First, become an Evolver!"

Wang Ye pulled himself away from the soft, fragrant embrace and continued cultivating the Life Evolution Method.

December 24th.

The students frantically refreshed the Intranet page from their respective dorm rooms.

At noon, the list for receiving Evolutionary Serum would be released!

Basically, any student who passed the comprehensive physical examination, met the physical fitness score requirements, and hadn't received an F in the combat assessment could make the main list.

"It's out, it's out!"

"Hahaha, I can become an Evolver!"

"Don't celebrate too early. The death rate for receiving Evolutionary Serum isn't low. Let's exchange Bank Card passwords first, so we can look out for each other. If something happens, at least the bank won't get our money."

"Heh, your Huabei payments are already overdue!"

Just as the students of Class 23 were celebrating wildly, someone suddenly noticed something was wrong.

"Look, isn't Wang Ye missing from the list for receiving Evolutionary Serum?"

"Yeah, Ye Ge's ID is W1012323, right? He really isn't on it. That's too strange!"

"What happened? Why can't Ye Ge receive Evolutionary Serum? Could it be that his Graduation Exam results were too good, and he was recruited early by a special department?"

"Keep dreaming. Evolution Camp doesn't have early recruitment. Everyone has to receive Evolutionary Serum first, take part in the Rookie Trial, and only then can they join one of the Three Great Organizations! In my experience, there's a high chance something's wrong with Wang Ye's body."

"Hahahahaha!"

In his dorm room, Yu Haitao could no longer hold back his joy and burst into laughter.

He checked again and again, completely certain that Wang Ye's ID was not on the list!

The gloom and frustration of the past few days were instantly thrown to the winds.

Wasn't he impressive?

First in the ordinary classes in physical fitness score?

S-grade combat assessment?

What use was any of that!

If he couldn't receive Evolutionary Serum, then even if he cultivated the Life Evolution Method to its limit, his physical fitness score could never exceed 200.

Meanwhile, as long as Yu Haitao successfully completed his evolution and cultivated the Advanced Evolution Method, he would soon become a Gene Warrior.

Then he would crush Wang Ye!

A first-stage Gene Warrior had a physical fitness score of at least 250!

"You're finished!"

Yu Haitao's smile was utterly unrestrained.

Once he became an Evolver, it would be Wang Ye's death day!

"Good thing you held back and didn't go get back together with him." Huang Ju patted her chest.

"Mm." Zhao Xiaoyu looked at the computer screen.

For the past few days, she had been torn over whether to bring up getting back together with Wang Ye.

Wang Ye's calm yet noncommittal attitude made it impossible for her to figure out what he was thinking.

Luckily.

"See? Our decision back then was completely right." Huang Ju smiled. "If he can't become an Evolver, then after returning to Base City, he can only find an ordinary job. He's a drifter, and his family isn't well-off either. You'd only suffer if you stayed with him. There'd be no future."

"Yeah."

Zhao Xiaoyu closed her laptop. This time, she truly let it go.

They were not on the same path.

After becoming an Evolver, she would be above, while Wang Ye would be below.

Ground level, second-floor hall.

Wang Ye pushed the door open and entered, his gaze sweeping over the three instructors seated at the table. On the left was the Class 23 mentor, on the right was the lead instructor for all students of the 101st Class, and in the middle was Xiao Instructor, whom he had sparred with during the combat assessment.

"Sit." Li Shoudao, seated on the right, waved a hand.

Wang Ye nodded and sat down.

"Did you see the list for receiving Evolutionary Serum?" Li Shoudao asked.

"I did," Wang Ye replied.

Even if Li Shoudao had not called for him, he had planned to come and ask for an answer.

Huh?

"Your hair and blood test report is out." Li Shoudao did not beat around the bush. "You failed. You don't meet the requirements for receiving it."

A question mark seemed to pop up over Wang Ye's head.

?

What, did he have panda blood?

"There are Blood Crystals from Mutated Monsters remaining in your blood. Simply put, you've been contaminated," Li Shoudao said.

"But I didn't mutate." Wang Ye came to a realization, though he still had some doubts.

"If the Blood Crystal concentration isn't high, and your body is strong enough, mutation may not occur." The one-armed Xiao Instructor spoke. "The Evolutionary Essence contained in Evolutionary Serum is essentially another type of Blood Crystal. If you receive it, there's a high chance they'll conflict."

Wang Ye nodded.

The Blood Crystals from Mutated Monsters remaining in his body had most likely come from how often he had been injured during the early stages of his wilderness training.

"There's a solution?" Wang Ye looked toward the three instructors.

If there wasn't, they would not have specifically called him over.

"You have three choices." Xiao Instructor looked at Wang Ye. "First, undergo treatment to remove the contaminated Blood Crystals from your blood, then receive Evolutionary Serum."

"How long will it take?" Wang Ye asked.

"Three months," Xiao Instructor said. "But it can't be completely removed, only over 90 percent. During that time, you must remain at camp and cannot go into the wilderness again."

Wang Ye nodded.

"Second, give up on becoming an Evolver." A trace of regret flashed through Xiao Instructor's eyes. "Even after surgery and treatment, some residue will always remain in your blood cells. Your chance of failing evolution will be much higher than that of ordinary students."

"How much higher?" Wang Ye asked.

"More than three times. With your current physical strength, your chance of failure is around 30 percent." Xiao Instructor paused. "Even if you cultivate the Life Evolution Method to its limit and bring your physical fitness close to 200, the failure rate will still be around 20 percent."

Wang Ye nodded.

"Third, I can follow the procedure and apply for an Evolution Fruit for you." Xiao Instructor looked at Wang Ye. "But according to the rules, you may not have time to undergo treatment. You must begin evolution at the same time as the other students."

"What are the odds of evolution?" Wang Ye asked.

"Forty percent success, thirty percent mutation, thirty percent death." Xiao Instructor enunciated every word.

Wang Ye smiled.

"Then I'll have to trouble the three instructors." Wang Ye stood and dipped his head slightly in thanks.

"Wang Ye, think it over again. It would be better to complete treatment and evolve three months later," Li Shoudao said earnestly.

"No, thank you." Wang Ye politely declined.

Wait three months?

In the apocalypse, every additional day brought another measure of uncertainty.

Not to mention that in three months, Yu Haitao's strength would leave him far behind.

By then, his chances of dying would only be higher.

"Since you've made your decision, I'll help you apply." Xiao Instructor smiled.

He admired Wang Ye's courage.

The path to becoming an Evolver was already one covered in thorns. If he retreated at the first sign of difficulty, his future achievements would be limited as well.

When they had signed up for the Kindling Project, they had directly absorbed Blood Sea Water to evolve. That had been a true nine-in-ten chance of death!

"Thank you." Wang Ye turned and left.

A 40 percent success rate?

That was very high.

He refused to believe his luck was so bad that he could die a second time.