Chapter 68: Replacing Memory Genes

Huacheng, Tianyun International Center.

There are direct flights to Dakar here.

In an era where gene beasts roam freely, few people take flights; flying beasts are far more terrifying than terrestrial ones.

But this flight is guaranteed, because it heads directly to the Human Corridor Defense Line.

Those who board this flight are all strong elites; such flights absolutely do not permit gene beasts to intercept.

Therefore, each flight is escorted by two Huaxia X-99 fighter jets.

When Fang Chong and Especially Ai Xi arrived at Tianyun International Center with their mentor Guo Qingrong from the Great Han Yi Academy, over three hundred people had already gathered there.

Among them were not only the top ten colleges of Blue Star, but also members of the Gene Alliance, Martial Arts Alliance, Security Bureau, Huaxia Border Defense Bureau, and some civilian organizations.

"Fang Chong!" As soon as Fang Chong arrived, he heard an excited voice calling his name.

Fang Chong turned and saw Lü Zi; he walked over laughing and slapped Lü Zi on the shoulder. "I knew you'd come."

As he spoke, Fang Chong instinctively glanced around.

"No need to look—Li Li Wanran didn't come," Lü Zi knew what Fang Chong was searching for.

Fang Chong snorted. "That woman—I don't know her anymore."

"Fang Chong, you're just too blunt. If you don't know her, keep it to yourself—why say it out loud?" Lü Zi advised.

Then he sensed that Fang Chong's strength was no weaker than his own—perhaps even stronger.

Fang Chong had always been slightly weaker than him in cultivation and power, yet now he seemed stronger; clearly, the lack of advanced cultivation techniques had affected him too much.

But if he had no advanced techniques, how did Fang Chong get any?

"Fang Chong, what level are you now?" Lü Zi immediately asked.

Fang Chong laughed, about to answer, when a woman approached.

Seeing the woman, Fang Chong swallowed his words. It was Qin Qiang, dean of the Wu Mai Mountain Field—the woman he despised most.

"Fang Chong, Lü Zi, long time no see," Qin Qiang greeted with a smile.

Fang Chong acted as if he hadn't heard; in terms of strength, he believed he was no longer afraid of this woman.

If so, why make himself suffer?

"Dean Qin," Lü Zi still greeted her politely.

"It seems both of you received Ding Huan's true transmission. Li Li Wanran, being weaker, stayed at the academy—you two dared to go to the front lines? Excellent, excellent." Qin Qiang showed no sign of offense, her tone still smiling.

"Many young bulls like you end up dead on the front lines—you're truly impressive," said a male student who stepped forward behind Qin Qiang, chuckling.

He was a student of Wu Mai Mountain Field; seeing Fang Chong, a mere student, dare ignore the dean, he couldn't help but sneer.

"Who are you?" Fang Chong asked coldly.

"I'm Yang Chongyan. My cultivation isn't high—just a Level Two Gene Cultivator. If you're willing, we could spar a bit," Yang Chongyan challenged Fang Chong.

A Level Two Gene Cultivator wanted to spar with him? Fang Chong stared at him in disbelief.

After the old dean gave him three Qi Stones, and Especially Ai Xi shared his experience of breaking through to Level Four Gene Cultivator, Fang Chong had already reached Level Four Gene Cultivator.

Fang Chong suspected he wouldn't even need to move—just a single wind blade could kill the guy.

"Chongyan, don't act foolishly. We're going to the front lines to stop beasts—if we start fighting among ourselves at the airport, we'll be laughed at," Qin Qiang scolded.

Yang Chongyan immediately bowed respectfully. "Yes, Dean."

Fang Chong raised his thumb. "Impressive. Level Two Gene Cultivator—I'd need several Fang Chongs to match you."

"Fang Chong, let's go over there and talk," Lü Zi pulled Fang Chong aside; he was certain Fang Chong was far stronger than Yang Chongyan—even stronger than himself.

At the corner, Lü Zi asked urgently, "Fang Chong, tell me—are you already a Level Four Gene Cultivator?"

Fang Chong nodded. "Yes, I'm a Level Four Gene Cultivator."

"What? How did you get the advanced cultivation technique? Did Master Ding Huan come?" Lü Zi grew even more eager.

Fang Chong slapped Lü Zi's shoulder. "Master didn't come. Before we chose our academies, I happened to meet Master Ding Huan—he personally passed on the advanced technique to me."

"And he told me that if I met you, I should pass the technique on to you."

"Damn it, why didn't you come find me sooner?" Lü Zi was furious—if he'd had the technique earlier, he'd already be a Level Four Gene Cultivator.

"I invited you to join the Great Han Yi Academy before. You chose the Guardians. I planned to find you later, but I trained day and night without pause—had no time."

Fang Chong explained.

In truth, if Lü Zi had joined Wu Mai Mountain Field like Li Li Wanran, he would never have mentioned passing on the technique today.

Master Ding Huan said he could decide for himself. Since he could decide, he wouldn't pass it on to someone like Li Li Wanran, a Bai Yanlang.

Lü Zi nodded—he too was always pressed for time in cultivation, so he accepted Fang Chong's explanation.

"Our flight is still hours away. Teach me now." Lü Zi was impatient.

"Alright. I'll teach you the Level Four Gene Cultivator technique first. Once we reach the defense line, I'll teach you the next level."

Fang Chong knew this wasn't a joke—on the front lines, every bit of strength meant another chance at survival.

Lü Zi was overjoyed—he was already at the peak of Level Three Gene Cultivator, needing only one step to enter Level Four.

"Lü Zi, before I teach you the technique, I must warn you: you are not allowed to pass this technique to anyone else," Fang Chong's tone turned serious.

Lü Zi froze, understanding Fang Chong's meaning—it was a warning not to give the technique to Li Li Wanran.

Fang Chong wouldn't say this unless he had Master Ding Huan's approval. Li Li Wanran always seemed obedient, yet her gratitude was so thin.

Probably, when she realizes this later, it'll be too late to regret.

"I promise," Lü Zi answered without hesitation.

Lü Zi was indeed at the peak of Level Three Gene Cultivator, with deep foundations.

Fang Chong explained the cultivation methods and breakthrough techniques for Level Four Gene Cultivator; within just twenty minutes, Lü Zi crossed into Level Four Gene Cultivator.

"Haha, thanks! Once we reach the front lines, we'll fight together," Lü Zi leapt up, his gloom completely gone.

"Good. I'll give you a surprise then," Fang Chong grinned—he planned to teach Lü Zi his unique Yang Finger technique.

……

Ding Huan returned to the lab; Kong Dan had already left.

The lab had been cleaned thoroughly, even the small thing in the corner had been washed by Kong Dan, and fresh food and water had been placed before it.

Ding Huan placed the stone monkey on the table, directed his spiritual sense onto it, and slashed down with a wind blade.

The wind blade split exactly one-third of the stone monkey's skull; a dark brown substance appeared in Ding Huan's vision.

Ding Huan carefully peeled out the fist-sized dark brown mass from the stone monkey's skull, then began gene dissolution.

Extracting the stone monkey's memory genes was not easy; this stone monkey had endured countless years, and it was uncertain whether its genes still existed at all.

Or even if the genes could be extracted, whether they contained memory fragments was also unknown.

If he could not extract the stone monkey's memory genes, for Ding Huan, it would be a meaningless task.

In the gene extraction solution, Ding Huan soon found a surprise—the stone monkey's genes still existed. Moreover, the genome was remarkably intact.

With the aid of his spiritual sense, Ding Huan extracted the genes more smoothly.

Earth's descriptions of memory genes were incomplete; compared to Ding Huan's understanding of memory genes, they differed by several civilizational levels.

Ding Huan could extract all the memory genes perfectly intact—he was now doing exactly that.

After another five full days, Ding Huan finally extracted the stone monkey's memory genes entirely and turned them into a gene serum.

Looking at the small thing on the side, now starving and on the verge of death, Ding Huan reached out and lifted it onto the experimental table.

Sensing danger, the small thing struggled violently in Ding Huan's hands.

Ding Huan slapped its head once, knocking the small thing unconscious instantly.

Then he inserted the gene serum he had extracted into its mouth.

Gene fusion did not require the subject to be unconscious, but Ding Huan's gene serum was different.

He had crafted a replacement memory gene serum—he had no intention of preserving the small thing's original memories.

By knocking it unconscious, the gene serum could more easily devour the original memories and form new memory genes.

This method could rightly be called rebirth.

Although the stone monkey's soul had not transferred into the small thing, Ding Huan believed memory was more important than soul.

Moreover, whether the soul was even related to memory genes remained to be proven.

Half an hour later, the small thing on the table opened its eyes.

Ding Huan clearly sensed a difference in its gaze—it looked at him with confusion and bewilderment.

Then it swept its eyes around the room, appearing far sharper than the previous small thing.

The gene fusion seemed to have worked well; Ding Huan was very satisfied.

"Stop staring. I saved you. You were dead beyond any hope—I rescued you with my own methods."

Ding Huan believed that any species capable of preserving its genes for countless years, even transforming into a stone monkey while retaining them, was no ordinary being.

The creature clearly understood Ding Huan's words and had roughly adapted to its new body; it immediately screeched and tried to rush out.

But Ding Huan flicked his hand, tossing the small thing back onto the lab table, then said calmly,

"I went through hell to save you. You don't even thank me, and now you want to walk out clean? You can leave—but you must tell me some things first. Then you go your way, I go mine."

"Can you understand what I mean?"