Target

As he hurried through the jungle in the dead of night, Su Ren told Su Shijie everything he knew and had been able to learn.

Filling in and refining the details for the broader path ahead.

"...After the Awakened Rank completes the full infusion of one's own genes, the Transformation Tier begins, constructing and imprinting new genes according to one's chosen direction. This is where the foundation laid by Bloodline Transformation becomes apparent.

"Gene-level modifications are extremely dangerous. Newly constructed genes must provide improvement while remaining stable enough. This is especially true for rare career paths and specialized gene fragments—many have limits on the number of transformations, and some even place restrictions on Bloodline Traits..."

Su Shijie had learned about what Su Ren was saying through the Advanced Class as well.

Randomly cobbling together new genes would only get someone killed. However, during the Earth Federation's early contact with interstellar civilizations, it obtained information on four of the safest and most fundamental career templates. They had been freely available for a thousand years, and every Transformation Tier could use them as references for their own construction.

Warrior, Gunner, Worker, Scholar. The only Gene Potions capable of taking someone directly to the Transformation Tier were the initial types for these four professions, each representing a different path.

And although they were the most common and basic professions, that did not mean they were inferior to rare professions. These were currently recognized as the most stable and solid structures. By following the established steps, the chance of achieving a perfect transformation without genetic damage was far greater.

The overwhelming majority of Transformation Tiers chose these basic professions.

For example, the Transformation Tier commander on P-314 with a Knight Bloodline had chosen the Worker profession.

Once one reached level nine of the Transformation Tier and completed all newly structured gene fragments, one could enter the Evolutionary Tier and begin using spiritual energy to deeply strengthen one's stabilized genes.

This was far more grueling than the initial infusion, like forging iron. If one's foundation was not solid or stable enough, or if major damage had been caused by recklessness during the transformation period, they would be unable to withstand such hammering. They would either collapse and die or choose survival and stop advancing.

Beyond the Evolutionary Tier came the Transcendent Tier.

However, Su Shijie only knew that Transcendents were talents of vital importance even to the Earth Federation. Every one of them belonged to the ruling class, but he did not know much beyond that.

"The Transcendent Tier is the endpoint of the Evolutionary Tier. It could be said that every Transcendent is more important than all Evolutionary Tiers on Earth who lack the potential to become Transcendents combined.

"In interstellar civilizations, one can actually become eligible for immigration at the Transformation Tier. Once manufacturing techniques enter the microscopic realm, the most convenient way to overcome the interference caused by its laws is through spiritual energy. And since instruments cannot use spiritual energy, many civilizations' basic productivity has to rely on Spiritual Creatures.

"For example, the early stages of Gene Potion preparation are fully automated, but at the final stage, Scholars are needed to complete the final formulation of the semi-finished product."

After saying this, Su Ren gave Su Shijie a deep look.

"Moreover, the Interstellar Human Resources Management Group, one of the Federation's four major conglomerates, is especially keen on this sort of business. As long as you pass the basic assessment and are not too poor a candidate, you can sign an agreement and receive a Transformation Tier potion for free, along with a settlement allowance. Once injected, you are shipped off immediately."

Hearing this, Su Shijie's scalp inexplicably tingled as countless thoughts sprang to mind.

After a moment of silence, he finally asked,

"It's one of the Federation's four major conglomerates. Does it have the Federation's approval?"

"That's right. It's one of the important sources of foreign exchange."

"Then why don't we have any here in the shelter? Recruiting people here should obviously be easier than in the city."

"How do you know there aren't any?"

The meaningful look in Su Ren's eyes made Su Shijie choke up. He then fell silent.

Seeing Su Shijie's reaction, Su Ren knew he had taken the point. He did not pursue the matter further and instead continued,

"If the Transformation Tier grants basic eligibility for immigration, then the Transcendent Tier earns sufficient respect and preferential treatment in any civilization. They can also easily join various interstellar companies and become part of management.

"Through them, the Earth Federation is able to continuously obtain all kinds of technology and equipment, achieving leapfrog development."

Hearing this, Su Shijie came to a realization.

This was probably why, despite the Earth Federation's already high technological index, the residential zones and shelters outside the cities remained so crude apart from the most basic necessities of life.

There was not enough equipment. It was already good enough if the Floating Cities could be supplied. Any new production capacity would go toward building new Floating Cities. As for the wilderness shelters and residential zones, they were purely places to raise competitors like insects in a jar. As long as no one starved to death, that was enough.

If one was dissatisfied with one's current life, one could either work hard to climb upward or choose interstellar immigration...

"At present, there may only be a few Transcendents on Earth, rotating shifts. The others are busy among the major interstellar powers. However, of the Transcendents who leave Earth, only around one-fifth maintain deep interactions with the Federation.

"Most only care about their own families. A small number who have no attachments, or who have abandoned their families, simply cut off contact entirely."

These were clearly figures that would never be mentioned in the Advanced Class. His father truly knew his stuff.

"And the reason Imperial Bloodlines are special is that, beyond the Transcendent Tier, the Calamity Tier seems attainable only by bloodlines at the Imperial level or above. A Calamity Tier can itself be considered part of a civilization's foundation.

"A terrifying existence that can hide among crowds without any electronic instruments or artificial intelligence detecting anything unusual, while possessing astonishing destructive power.

"As long as there is one Calamity Tier, even an advanced civilization with overwhelming superiority will not push the other side too hard. Whether one has a Calamity Tier or not is a qualitative difference.

"Perhaps a Transcendent of the Mechanist profession can control vast quantities of high-energy weapons to unleash destruction surpassing that of a Calamity Tier. But those weapons themselves can be monitored. A Calamity Tier of any profession, so long as they strip down a little, has no such concern."

Though he had not even reached the Awakened Rank yet, Su Shijie's blood surged and his heart thundered when he heard of the future Su Ren envisioned.

Calamity Tier!

I want to reach it too!

Once I become that kind of existence, no one will be able to force me to do anything I don't want to do. I'll be strong enough to protect myself and my family...

"Another one."

At that moment, Su Ren erupted again. A fierce gust blew Su Shijie straight into a nearby tree trunk, and Su Ren returned carrying a tall stag.

Looking at the unconscious Spirit Deer tossed before him, Su Shijie did not hesitate. He plunged his Soul Tendrils into it and drained it dry.

Becoming a calamity began from this moment!

It had to be said that the proportion of Spirit Beasts among ordinary beasts was still low. Su Shijie and Su Ren spent a total of five hours outside and ultimately only found three.

However, the later ones were of a higher level. Together, the three were roughly equivalent to 5% of that evil spirit from before.

If they could maintain such gains every day, he would be able to undergo another Bloodline Transformation in a hundred days. Still, being able to directly quantify something so unlikely was already extraordinary.

And besides the hunting gains themselves, they had also checked that there was no Contamination Source in the area active tonight.

If they could find that low-level Contamination Source, the speed would likely increase dramatically.

By the time they returned, it was already dawn. Although dim lights still illuminated the walkways of the residential zone, there were no longer any voices. Only the rising and falling chorus of snores echoed around them.

Only after they reached the section assigned exclusively to their family did it become much quieter.

His younger brother and sister were already asleep, while his older sister and second brother had been sent out to confirm the route of the deer herd's impending migration through the area, making later hunting easier.

Su Shijie also crept back to his bed, preparing to restore his mental strength.

He still had the Advanced Class to attend tomorrow.

According to Su Ren, he should continue clinging to the Advanced Class for now. Aside from keeping a low profile, anyone without a place in the Advanced Class would be assigned work by the shelter.

That was the rule—the price of living safely in the shelter zone. Even being Su Ren's child would not change that. Rather than have his energy tied up by tedious work, he might as well remain in the Advanced Class and develop quietly.