48: Third gene optimization

The night was deep. After bidding farewell to Luo Feng's family, Qiao Yu returned to his villa alone.

After a simple shower, Qiao Yu collapsed onto his bed, calculating the gains from these past few days.

First, he opened the Dojo of Limits mall on his phone and received two transfer notifications.

One was a transfer record from Zhang Ke, totaling 200 million.

The other was a transfer record from Luo Feng, also for 200 million.

Total account balance: 467 million huaxia coins.

Qiao Yu shook his head with a bitter smile. He had already said that the limb regeneration serum didn't need payment, as the cost was negligible, but Luo Feng insisted on giving it. In the end, unable to refuse, he accepted the 200 million fee. He had given the favor and taken the money; it was a huge profit.

After checking his account balance, Qiao Yu summoned the personal information panel of the System.

【 host: Qiao Yu (Advanced Warrior Level) 】

【 Psycher Master: Unranked 】

【 Current flesh and blood mycelium quantity: 5000 cubic meters 】

【 Current Soul fungal swarm quantity: 600,000 milliliters 】

【 flesh and blood mycelium required for the Third Genetic Optimization: 1000 cubic meters 】

【 Soul fungal swarm required for the Second Soul Nourishment: 100,000 milliliters 】

"Hmm? System, why has the unit of measurement for the flesh and blood mycelium changed?"

【 Replying to the host, since the fungal nest has begun to be established, from now on, the flesh and blood mycelium will be measured by the volume range occupied by the fungal swarm. 】

"Then what if the fungal nest is destroyed by people or monsters?"

【 Then the host will lose a portion of the fungal swarm within that fungal nest! 】

"Damn, isn't this too much of a rip-off? Shouldn't you be absorbing all the fungal swarm into the System space, and then I can use it when needed?"

Qiao Yu said with some dissatisfaction.

【 After building the nest, the fungal nest will automatically expand aggressively outward, providing the host with a continuous supply of flesh and blood mycelium. 】

【 The host can view it as an investment; expansion has risks, and one must be cautious when investing. 】

Upon hearing the System's explanation, Qiao Yu understood. A fungal nest that didn't require his constant attention and could grow on its own was equivalent to a fierce general going out alone to expand his territory.

Life and death are fated, and wealth is in the hands of heaven. Even if there were risks, as long as the fungal swarm wasn't completely annihilated, it would sooner or later be able to make a comeback.

More importantly, it was a fungus, a type of organism that truly achieved the feat of "wildfires cannot destroy it; it grows again with the spring breeze."

Relying on that group of Beast Soldier-level Monster and Beast General Rank Monsters in County-level City No. 0201, it was simply sending resources to him. It seemed that County-level City No. 0201 would become Qiao Yu's backyard in the future.

"System, why has this Third Genetic Optimization changed too? I remember it previously displayed that for me to promote to a Martial Artist, it required 1,000,000 milliliters of flesh and blood mycelium."

Qiao Yu pointed to the column 【 flesh and blood mycelium required for the Third Genetic Optimization: 1000 cubic meters 】 on the System panel and asked.

【 Replying to the host, after the Second Genetic Optimization, the host possesses the potential to rise to the Advanced Warrior Level. The host can level up by absorbing Universe energy to synthesize Genetic Origin Energy, or by consuming flesh and blood mycelium to immediately raise their strength to a specified Rank. 】

【 After the Third Genetic Optimization, the host's potential will be raised to the High-level Wargod. At that time, the host can consume flesh and blood mycelium to rise to any Warlord Level below the Elementary War God. 】

"So that's how it is."

Qiao Yu rubbed his chin. No wonder the previous System prompt regarding promotion was about Rank, not Genetic Optimization. This explained it perfectly.

Since he hadn't gone to the Wilderness Area to build a nest for the fungal swarm before, the quantity of flesh and blood mycelium was far from enough for him to perform the Third Genetic Optimization.

And the quantity of Soul fungal swarm had reached 600,000 milliliters; converted, this meant he had effectively killed 6,000 Elementary Beast Soldier-level Monsters during this operation.

But obviously, he hadn't killed that many monsters. It must be that other Intermediate or Advanced Beast Soldier-level Monsters possessed stronger Souls, naturally providing a larger quantity of Soul fungal swarm.

"System, perform the Third Genetic Optimization and the Second Soul Nourishment."

【 Ding! Performing the Third Genetic Optimization and the Second Soul Nourishment! This time, a total of 1000 cubic meters of flesh and blood mycelium and 100,000 milliliters of Soul fungal swarm will be consumed! 】

As soon as the System prompt sounded, Qiao Yu felt a wave of fatigue wash over him. He was already lying on the bed; he just needed to sleep, and upon waking up, the Genetic Optimization and Soul Nourishment would be complete.

Qiao Yu yawned and fell into a deep sleep.

---

A silver-white warplane tore through the sky, returning to the sky above County-level City No. 0201.

As the warplane's hatch opened, the bald monk in silver robes, Thunder God, stepped out slowly from within, walking on the Void Realm, looking down at County-level City No. 0201 below.

He had already obtained the consent of China's high-level officials to prohibit human entry and seal off this county-level city.

Whether they were Martial Artists from the Dojo of Limits or the Thunderbolt Martial Arts School, or official personnel, none could enter this city again. As for the Martial Artist Squads that were still remaining here, he also had the two martial arts schools urgently contact them to return to the city for a one-month quarantine.

As for the Fire Hammer Squad where Qiao Yu had previously been, they would likely be a key focus for Thunder God. While they wouldn't be treated as research subjects, quarantine was inevitable.

At this moment, there were no humans left in County-level City No. 0201; only a large number of monsters and the dilapidated city remained.

Thunder God stood in the desolate zone at the edge of the city. The ring-shaped weapon on his back began to slowly unfold and transform. With a few clicking sounds, a Thunder Saber, shimmering with yellow lightning, appeared in Thunder God's right hand.

"Sizzle—"

A piercing thunderclap resounded through the Universe, and the originally pitch-black sky was covered by streaks of yellow lightning.

"The Ninth Layer..."

Thunder God murmured softly. The veins on his right arm beneath the silver robes bulged as he unleashed the full 7 times the power of the Ninth Layer of the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade.

"Hum!"

A faint buzzing sound emanated from within the Thunder Saber, followed by continuous buzzing resonance.

Thunder God let out a low growl, and he slashed the Thunder Saber fiercely toward the ground below.

The seven-fold Planetary Level power erupted, and the wind blade slashed out by the Thunder Saber carved a long and deep trench into the ground at the edge of County-level City No. 0201.

All living creatures and buildings previously located where this trench was now were instantly obliterated.

Thunder God followed suit, creating dozens of trenches, each up to a hundred meters deep, in other edge areas of the county-level city, cutting off the entire County-level City No. 0201 from the outside world.

"I hope this separation will be able to trap that group of unknown creatures here."

Thunder God shook his head slightly; he didn't hold much hope. He was just giving himself some psychological comfort.

The rr virus could still spread through the air, so these creatures might also be able to. He only hoped that the research institute could quickly develop corresponding serums or weapons to deal with such creatures.

With this thought, Thunder God did not continue to linger in County-level City No. 0201 and returned to the silver warplane.

In the future, the country would naturally send troops to intervene and conduct research here; he could only do what was within his power.

Once official personnel arrived to carry out a more professional quarantine of this place, they would naturally have ways to cross these trenches.