Super Gene Evolution

"Old Wei, I'll carry you. Let's find somewhere hidden first." Lin Shen came before Wei Wufu and held out his hand.

"Hands." Wei Wufu supported himself with both hands and crawled forward, still moving incredibly fast. Lin Shen could barely keep up even on two legs.

The two headed toward the Reef Area and finally hid behind a relatively concealed reef.

While they traveled, the translucent armor on Lin Shen's body gradually turned cloudy. Before long, it was no longer transparent at all, reverting to its former mirror-like steel armor appearance once he sat down.

Of course, Lin Shen could not possibly be Crystal Gene Level. He had merely looked very much like one just now.

Leaning against the reef, Lin Shen checked the information displayed on his watch.

User: Super Gene Steel Creature (Evolvable).

Strength: 11.

Speed: 11.

Hardness: 11.

Toughness: 11.

Gene Mutation Rate: 1%.

Theoretical Lifeform Activity Limit: 200 years.

Gene Mutation Talent: Super Gene Evolution.

Super Gene Steel Creature was another term Lin Shen had never heard before. He guessed that Super Gene might correspond to Mutated, or perhaps be a grade even higher than Mutated.

Could this Super Gene have something to do with those Fire Seeds that failed Super Gene Evolution? Lin Shen wondered.

All four attributes were 11. That was even a little higher than the maximum all-around stats Lin Shen had heard of for Steel Grade. With the earlier example of Dead Powder, however, he did not find it too strange.

He had heard the term Gene Mutation Rate before, but never with such detailed data.

For Steel Grade to advance to Alloy Grade, one needed to absorb Gene Mutation Fluid. The more Gene Mutation Fluid absorbed, and the better its quality, the higher the chances of successfully advancing to Alloy Grade in the future.

This Gene Mutation Rate was presumably a direct reflection of the chance of a successful mutation after absorbing Gene Mutation Fluid.

The theoretical lifeform activity limit should be how long one could theoretically live. Before the mutation, it had been one hundred years. Now it was two hundred—doubled.

The Gene Mutation Talent, "Super Gene Evolution," was the ability that made Lin Shen's Steel Body appear to be Crystal Gene Level.

Without detailed information, Lin Shen's own understanding was that this talent was somewhat similar to the tempering treatment used on glass, or the heat treatment commonly used when forging steel.

Glass tempering and steel heat treatment were fundamentally the same technique: heating glass or steel to a state just short of melting, then rapidly cooling it to enhance the strength of the glass or steel.

Super Gene Evolution's enhancement of the Steel Body was very similar, though there were differences.

After glass or steel was heated, its hardness itself would decrease. Its hardness fell during that period, and only rose after rapid cooling.

During Super Gene Evolution's heating process, however, hardness not only did not decline, but continued increasing. After the extreme cooling, its hardness increased dramatically.

It was not just hardness. During this process, all four attributes rose greatly. Even speed and strength increased at the same time.

Super Gene Evolution also had its drawbacks. After glass and steel underwent heat treatment, they would normally retain the enhanced effect permanently.

Super Gene Evolution, however, could not be maintained indefinitely. It would slowly revert to its previous state.

Moreover, using Super Gene Evolution consumed an enormous amount of energy. Just like now, Lin Shen felt as if his body had been hollowed out. He was ravenously hungry, and even maintaining his Steel Body was becoming difficult.

Dispelling his Steel Body, Lin Shen took out the Steel Thorn Turtle Gene Mutation Fluid he had collected earlier and gulped down several mouthfuls.

If he had a choice, Lin Shen would not have wanted to drink this unprocessed Gene Mutation Fluid directly. Unfortunately, he had no choice now. He could only replenish his strength.

After gulping down several large mouthfuls, the Gene Mutation Fluid entered his stomach, and Lin Shen felt as though his body were a dried sponge meeting water, rapidly absorbing the fluid.

After downing Gene Mutation Fluid several more times, Lin Shen felt much better. Not long after drinking it, his watch began vibrating again.

Absorbing Steel Gene Mutation Fluid... Gene Mutation Rate +0... Absorbing Steel Gene Mutation Fluid... Gene Mutation Rate +0...

Lin Shen had drunk so much Gene Mutation Fluid, yet his Gene Mutation Rate had not increased in the slightest.

"Want some?" Lin Shen held the Water Pouch containing the Gene Mutation Fluid out to Wei Wufu.

Wei Wufu did not stand on ceremony. He took the Water Pouch and drank several gulps as well, wiped his mouth, and handed it back to Lin Shen.

"Mutated?" Wei Wufu looked at Lin Shen and asked.

"The Gene Mutation Egg you gave me was a Mutated Gene Mutation Egg?" Lin Shen asked in return after a moment's thought. It seemed Wei Wufu did not know the Gene Mutation Egg's true quality either.

"No. Original Seed Egg. Number Fourteen," Wei Wufu replied.

Lin Shen said with some frustration, "Old Wei, I haven't read much, and my education level isn't high. My comprehension is also very... limited. Could you please put it in simpler terms?"

"Social anxiety. Talking hard," Wei Wufu replied.

"You... have social anxiety..." Lin Shen stared at Wei Wufu with an odd expression.

Who could have imagined that this tower-like, burly man—who wore a cool, icy expression all day, and who could turn anyone with weak nerves socially anxious with a single glance—was actually socially anxious himself?

"Then let's talk slowly." Lin Shen could only patiently continue the conversation with Wei Wufu.

When he had mutated, he had already realized something was wrong with this Gene Mutation Egg. The entire mutation process had differed greatly from the experiences he had heard about before.

During the mutation, he had truly felt as though his body were melting and being rebuilt. Even now, recalling that pain made Lin Shen shudder.

After a long conversation with Wei Wufu, Lin Shen finally more or less understood what had happened.

"Six people died before me?" Lin Shen suddenly felt lingering fear.

According to Wei Wufu, Gene Mutators who used Original Seed Eggs for mutation varied in strength.

But no matter how weak they were, they were still Mutated Gene Mutators, far stronger than ordinary Gene Mutators.

Wei Wufu did not actually know much either, because most Gene Mutators who used Original Seed Eggs would not easily reveal their mutation information to others. Most of the information about them had been inferred from their performances in actual combat.

One thing was certain: Wei Wufu himself was a Gene Mutator who had used an Original Seed Egg. He had started as a Mutated Steel Creature, and after advancing to Alloy Grade, became Mutated Alloy Grade.

From Wei Wufu, Lin Shen also learned a crucial piece of information.

Mutated Gene Mutators could only absorb Mutated Gene Mutation Fluid from Mutated Creatures to increase their Gene Mutation Rate. Ordinary Gene Mutation Fluid was useless to them.

Where am I supposed to find a Super Gene Creature? Lin Shen laughed bitterly to himself, not knowing whether this was a blessing or a curse.

If he could never find a Super Gene Creature, would he have to remain at Steel Grade forever? He feared it would be difficult to make any further breakthroughs for the rest of his life.

"Old Wei, is your leg all right?" When Lin Shen looked toward Wei Wufu, he saw Wei Wufu make a silencing gesture at him.

Lin Shen immediately shut his mouth. Then, following Wei Wufu's gaze, he looked out through a gap between the reefs. The moment he saw it, his mouth fell open in shock.

What am I seeing? Is that an angel? Could I already be dead? Is this world the legendary heaven? Lin Shen saw a beautiful creature flying over the sea, dressed in white robes, with pure white wings on its back and golden curls.

It was clearly not a Gene Mutation Creature, much less a human. Lin Shen could only believe it was a creature from myth and legend.