Evolving infinitely from ground zero

Second semester of senior year, June 6th.

Time flew by, and before anyone knew it, the day before the college entrance exams had arrived.

On that day, the school decided not to hold any more classes, opting instead to let students rest and relax to be in the best condition for the exams.

In the school grounds.

Lin Zichen and Shen Qinghan were strolling around aimlessly, chatting and laughing as they went.

Shen Qinghan held a cup of milk tea, took a small sip, and said,

“Xiao Chen, the college entrance exams are tomorrow, I’m a bit nervous.”

“You’re a student from the top class, ranked among the best in school, what’s there to be nervous about?”

Lin Zichen said with a smile.

Compared to when she first started high school, Shen Qinghan’s grades had improved tremendously.

She had climbed from dead last to 28th in her class.

Her scores were second among all the girls in her class and even higher than several boys’.

Looking at the entire senior year, she could firmly place within the top 40, a true academic overachiever.

“I’m afraid I might wet myself during the exam…”

Shen Qinghan pursed her thin lips, flavored with the taste of milk tea, her face full of worry.

Lin Zichen dismissed the concern, “You’re somewhat worrying over nothing. In the past six months, the frequency of your urgent needs has significantly decreased, and your body has nearly returned to normal. You won’t wet yourself that easily.”

“Besides, even if you do get so nervous that you wet yourself, aren’t there diapers for that purpose?”

“Just relax, don’t be nervous.”

Since reaching adulthood in October last year, Shen Qinghan’s body had begun to show improvements, no longer suffering from frequent urges like before.

As for the specific reason, it was still unknown.

However, Lin Zichen guessed that it might be because Shen Qinghan’s body had become more stable after maturation, and the related parts weren’t as easily permeable by water.

“Xiao Chen, my body getting randomly permeated by water—what could be the reason for that?”

Shen Qinghan really wanted to know the answer. After nearly three years of research and her body being checked by Lin Zichen hundreds of times, they still couldn’t find the reason.

This was quite frustrating for her.

Seeing her distressed look, Lin Zichen comforted her in a gentle voice, “This is a good sign. The harder it is for us to find the reason, the more ancient, mysterious, and powerful this superpower likely is.”

The older it is, the more powerful it is—this notion tended to favor antiquity over the present.

In his previous life, such an idea would definitely be ridiculed.

But in this altered Earth, populated by exotic beasts, extraordinary powers, and ancient ruins, this statement held a certain degree of truth.

Many scholars speculated that the exotic beasts that suddenly appeared on Earth hundreds of years ago might not be alien species but rather ancient creatures that had always existed on Earth.

This hypothesis had many flaws and seemed absurd, but it still gained the acceptance of many.

That’s because all other theories were even more absurd.

Furthermore, the sudden emergence of exotic beasts itself was so absurd that even the most ludicrous theories seemed reasonable in comparison.

“The older and more mysterious, the more powerful?”

Shen Qinghan showed a bitter smile, pessimistically saying, “I wish that were true. I just fear that it’s not some superpower at all, but a mere physical defect.”

Lin Zichen laughed, “Even if it’s a physical defect, it doesn’t matter. I won’t hold it against you anyway.”

Hearing this, Shen Qinghan felt warm inside and somewhat sweet.

Then she stopped walking, grabbed the sleeve of Lin Zichen’s shirt, and with a hint of humble pleading in her eyes, she said,

“Xiao Chen, you have to promise never to despise me, okay?”

“I won’t despise you.”

Lin Zichen looked into Shen Qinghan’s teary, peach blossom eyes and said humorously yet very sincerely, “If I dare to despise you, my mom will definitely be the first to not let me off the hook.”

In the evening.

After having dinner, Lin Zichen checked the royalty earnings in his bank account. He had accumulated 2 million and could now unlock the Void Eel album.

Without wasting any time, he left the house and headed to the market to buy meat to devour.

He went straight to the top floor of the market to buy the meat in person.

Now that he was eighteen years old, he no longer needed someone else to purchase it for him.

Soon, he had 100 pounds of Void Eel meat in hand.

Finding a secluded spot, he started to devour the meat with just a thought.

[You have devoured a large amount of “Void Eel” life essence]

[Void Eel Album: 100%]

The moment the text information appeared, a pitch-black eel emerged from the void.

This eel had an extremely sharp sense of danger. As soon as a predator appeared within a certain range, it would flee swiftly.

As the scene in the void faded, two new pieces of text information appeared.

[You have successfully unlocked the Void Eel compendium, acquiring the biometric attribute—Danger Perception]

[Danger Perception: Within a certain range, you can clearly sense hostility emanating from other creatures and are more sensitive to the suppressive aura they emit, thus allowing you to more easily determine the biological level of your targets]

After reading the text information, Lin Zichen quickly began to experience the effects of this biometric attribute.

Glancing around, he sensed no hostility, but he did perceive surges of biological pressure.

Based on the intensity of the pressure, he roughly estimated the biological levels of everyone around him.

Most were ordinary first level, a few physically strong individuals reached ordinary second level, and he couldn’t see anything beyond that.

It could only be said that most people in this world were ordinary.

Beings like Genetic Integrators and Mechanically Modified Humans were extremely rare existences.

Otherwise, their social status would not be so high.

Before leaving, Lin Zichen took a quick stroll around the mall, looking for the next type of Exotic Beast Meat to consume.

In the end, he chose Undead Slug Meat.

The price was 100,000 per 500 grams.

The most expensive in the entire place, bar none.

Yet, he was resolute in his decision to purchase the Undead Slug Meat.

The reason being that the Undead Slug was a creature with exceptionally strong regenerative abilities, potentially a hundred times greater than that of an ordinary slug.

As long as it didn’t die on the spot, and as long as there was sufficient energy supply, it could heal from even the most severe injuries.

If he could acquire its regenerative ability, even just a tenth of its effectiveness, his life would become tougher than diamond.

“100,000 per 500 grams, 100 times that is 10 million. Just relying on a monthly income of 100,000 from my manuscript fees, it would take me over 8 years to save up enough. That’s too long. It seems after the college entrance exams, I need to increase my income,” Lin Zichen thought to himself as he looked at the chunks of pink, fresh Undead Slug Meat in the freezer.

Nanjiang Province, Provincial Education Headquarters.

Minister’s office.

A nearly two-meter-tall man was using a projector to report this year’s educational situation in Nanjiang Province to a woman sitting in an office chair.

“This year’s educational achievements in the cities of Nanjiang Province are generally the same as last year.”

“Qianzhen City is still in the lead, closely followed by Changzhou City, then Nanguan City, followed by Shanhai City, Daoshan City… and Haiyuan City is at the bottom.”

“It’s worth mentioning that Shanhai City’s educational achievements have greatly improved compared to last year, due to both the enhancement of its own educational level and the fact that it has poached a large number of high-quality students from other cities.”

“And also…”

“Lastly…”

About an hour later.

The man finally finished reporting the data, and said respectfully to the woman, “Principal Yuan, these are this year’s educational outcomes from across the province.”

“Hmm, thank you for your efforts.”

The woman sitting in the office chair, dressed in a light green cheongsam, hair cascading like a waterfall, and adorned with a pair of dragon horns on her head, nodded after taking a sip of tea.

The woman named Yuan Dongzhi appeared to be just over forty years old, but was actually nearly a hundred. Her identity included being one of the vice-chancellors of Shanhai University, the Minister of the Nanjiang Provincial Education Headquarters, and a powerful Genetic Integrator.

Everyone usually called her Principal Yuan, never Minister Yuan.

This was because in a world where a university offers Evolution College and Mechanical Academy, it’s the most powerful force in the area, the pinnacle of power.

And naturally, the chancellor of such universities is the supreme ruler of the area.

Therefore, in terms of status and power, even the vice-chancellor of a provincial university far exceeds the Minister of the Provincial Education Headquarters.

Usually, the Minister of the Local Education Headquarters would be served by one of the vice-chancellors from the strongest university in the area.

“Principal Yuan, what’s the situation like in Source Land No. 36 now?” the man hesitated before asking the question he couldn’t help but ask.

Yuan Dongzhi put down her teacup and said indifferently, “It’s basically stabilized, otherwise I wouldn’t have the time to preside over this year’s college entrance exams in the province.”

Hearing this, the man’s hanging heart was finally put at ease, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

If Source Land No. 36 were still in turmoil, then the entirety of Shanhai City, and possibly all of Nanjiang Province, would be in danger.

Everyone living above it would suffer.

It wasn’t long before the man left.

Yuan Dongzhi rose from her office chair and walked leisurely to the floor-to-ceiling window in front of her, stopping to look out at the sea nearby, murmuring to herself, “Without realizing it, it’s been many years since I last accepted a disciple. I wonder if this year’s college entrants will yield a promising youngster that catches my eye.”

PS: Asking for monthly tickets and recommendation tickets!