Gene Modification

As he listened to the sounds around him, Wang Gao considered how to solve the problem of the experimental subjects.

Suddenly, his eyes flashed. Looking at the trough beside the fence, he revealed a thoughtful expression. Perhaps those scraps of food could give him some ideas.

Quantum Computing instantly allocated part of its processing power to analyze the possibilities. Half an hour later, it produced a preliminary solution.

However, whether this plan would succeed depended on the analysis of that mushy food.

With a solution in mind, Wang Gao immediately entered a dormant state, reducing his bodily consumption to the lowest possible level. Of course, his super hearing still maintained a surveillance range of five hundred meters.

Four days later.

It was still the two prison guards, One-Eye and Bearded Man, who came to distribute food.

Climbing to the edge of the trough, Wang Gao stared at the puddle of yellowish-brown mush. With his head lowered, a hint of a smile appeared on his face.

During his microscopic observation with Observation Haki just now, he had discovered the genes of two organisms.

One was likely a plant similar to the grass family. This could be deduced from the husked grains of rice in the mush.

The other was likely an algae organism, because the mush contained kelp-like fragments as well as sodium alginate, which was also the main component that gave the mush its consistency.

He had to thank Impel Down's cafeteria for its shoddy cooking, which had preserved the gene sequences of both organisms in remarkably complete condition.

Based on the heat resistance of biological genes on Blue Star, double-stranded genes would normally split into single strands at around 90 to 95 degrees Celsius. Single-stranded genes required temperatures above 200 degrees Celsius to break down further.

The biological genes of the One Piece world were clearly more heat-resistant. After all, the first trial for prisoners entering Impel Down was being "baptized" in boiling water at one hundred degrees Celsius.

Combined with Impel Down's cafeteria's shoddy cooking, these mushes had probably just been casually boiled in water. After all, they were for prisoners.

After eating the mush, Wang Gao recorded the gene chains of the two organisms and waited until the surroundings grew quiet.

He began preparing for his experiment.

Chain—Reverse Transcription!

After activating his ability, a small patch of old skin on his arm transformed into algae cells, as though a piece of kelp had grown from his body.

A moment later, the moisture inside that small patch of yellowish-brown kelp rapidly evaporated. Clearly, this was caused by the high-temperature, arid environment of Hunger Hell.

There was nothing unexpected about it. Everything was within Wang Gao's expectations.

He activated his ability again.

Chain—Reverse Transcription.

Beside that small patch of kelp, another patch of old skin transformed into a rice seedling. The seedling likewise could not withstand Hunger Hell's harsh environment.

However, Wang Gao knew that rice gene sequences contained drought-resistance genes. He swiftly activated the genes in the rice seedling one by one.

The rice seedling on his arm changed continuously.

Not this one... nor this one...

Found it!

As the drought-resistance gene activated, the rice seedling regained a tiny bit of vitality. However, without a replenishment of water, it would eventually die.

But Wang Gao was not disappointed.

He activated the Aerial Root Gene, activated the Lignification Gene, introduced the Algae-type Chloroplast Gene from the algae genes, and introduced the Sodium Alginate Production Gene...

Through complex genetic modification, Wang Gao spent two days completing the transformation of a new species.

The organism named "Drought Algae Vine" began spreading throughout Wang Gao's cell and silently extending into the corridor outside.

Drought Algae Vine was extremely drought-resistant and heat-resistant. It possessed environmental camouflage coloring, could absorb tiny water molecules from the air, and could grow rapidly under both weak and intense light. Its outer layer was hard, transparent wood.

Using its powerful roots, it took root in the cracks between the floors of the cell and corridor, disguising itself as grout. It used the corridor lights to photosynthesize.

However, Drought Algae Vine could also grow leaves. It simply did not use that ability on the corridor floor. Wang Gao only allowed it to grow leaves inside his own cell and several vacant cells.

The leaves of Drought Algae Vine also had transparent woody outer layers protecting the color-changing chloroplasts within. Spread across the ground, they were almost indistinguishable from stone slabs.

As for why he had created Drought Algae Vine, it was for food and water. With food and water replenished, Wang Gao could restore his physical strength to the greatest extent possible rather than remain in his current state of hunger.

By connecting to Drought Algae Vine, an unending flow of nutrients and water gathered into his body. His malnourished body of so many years gradually recovered its strength, like parched land receiving sweet rain.

Of course, he had also thought of a way to escape the cell, and it was already being carried out.

Within the rock wall behind him, Drought Algae Vine was gradually breaking down the rock. Plant roots might seem insignificant when it came to damaging stone, but over time, they could reshape the terrain.

Moreover, this was a genetically modified organism. Wang Gao had also added some of his own genes to Drought Algae Vine's genes, such as genes that produced gastric acid.

Behind the inner rock wall of the cell, he had carefully observed with Observation Haki that there was a layer of rock strata eighteen to thirty meters thick. This section of rock ran directly through several levels of Impel Down, and ultimately should lead to the Infinite Hell on the sixth level.

However, digging a tunnel was one thing, but he had to be cautious. Impel Down did not merely have guards out in the open. There might also be people from the Revolutionary Army.

That was right, people from the Revolutionary Army.

After all, the hidden Level 5.5 between the fifth and sixth levels of Impel Down had been dug out by Giant Morley.

It had been dug out more than a century ago, meaning Level 5.5 had existed for nearly a hundred years at minimum. Giant Morley was one of the commanders of the Revolutionary Army.

Of course, Wang Gao did not even know whether the Revolutionary Army had been established at this point. He did not know whether Dragon had recruited that giant. If he had, then the Revolutionary Army's upper ranks definitely already knew the secret of Level 5.5.

However, according to the information he possessed, Okama King Ivankov had deliberately entered Impel Down around Grand Line Era 1510.

If that information was true, then Dragon should have recruited Giant Morley around 1509, then learned that Impel Down contained Level 5.5 and an Undersea Tunnel that allowed free entry and exit.

It was now 1498. The chance of Morley having encountered Dragon was low. After all, Monkey D. Luffy was still in liquid form, and Dragon was likely still in the Marines.

Even so, Wang Gao did not let down his guard. Even knowing about the hidden passage and Level 5.5, if he became too complacent and encountered Dragon or other members of the Revolutionary Army, he might very well be silenced.

He relied on his brain, not brute muscle.

During the dull, flavorless days of prison life, Wang Gao appeared calm on the surface, but in secret, he conducted genetic experiments while digging a tunnel.

Meanwhile, Drought Algae Vine continued spreading through the cracks along the corridor, where it discovered several surveillance Den Den Mushi.

He casually took the Den Den Mushi's genes. Wang Gao was extremely interested in this unusual organism, and after researching its genes—

He further enriched the genes in his gene library. At the same time, he acquired the Den Den Mushi's abilities, including eavesdropping on Den Den Mushi communications, transmitting and receiving communication waves, and creating Den Den Mushi or surveillance organs.

After gaining the Den Den Mushi's abilities, Wang Gao's power was further strengthened.

Previously, he had needed Drought Algae Vine to remain connected to his body in order to control it. Now, he could separate it and control it remotely.

Of course, if he chose remote control, he could no longer transmit nutrients and water. At the same time, he had to ensure that the created genetically modified organism possessed a certain degree of intelligence; otherwise, it could only rigidly follow fixed commands.

Thank you all for your support! (ω｀)