110: Chapter 110: The Layout in the Countdown

"It's enough."

These two words had been stuck in his throat all night, and they were still there when he woke up the next morning.

November 16th, 8:00 AM, Antique Shop Underground Room.

Yan Zheng did not go upstairs to open the shop.

The "CLOSED" sign hung on the door all day, and the window blinds were pulled all the way down; from the outside, it looked like a small shop that was out of business.

He sat in front of the workbench, with a large working surface made of three sheets of white paper spread out before him.

The title was written in pencil in the upper left corner, the handwriting a shade heavier than usual.

Countdown: Ten Days · Combat Power Leap Plan.

Below the title, it was divided into three sections, separated by horizontal lines.

Title of the first section: X-23 Healing Factor Extraction.

Yan Zheng opened the refrigerator on the left side of the workbench; white mist spilled out from the gap in the door, and the LED strip on the inner wall illuminated the three shelves.

On the bottom shelf, a sealed metal container lay quietly on a shock-absorbing mount. The surface of the container was covered with a thin layer of frost, and on the label, in tiny regular script, Yan Zheng had written: X-23 Gene Sample, recovered from Red Hook District E.S.S. Outpost, August 27th.

He took the container out and placed it on the workbench; the frost began to melt, and water droplets condensed on the metal surface.

"Mr. System."

The system panel popped up in the corner of his vision.

"Pull up the full analysis report for the X-23 sample."

[ X-23 Sample Analysis Report (Full Version). ]

[ Genetic Composition: Super Healing Factor (Core), adamantium skeletal coating residue (Subsidiary), enhanced adrenaline secretion system (Auxiliary). ]

[ Feasibility of independent Healing Factor extraction: 92%. After extraction, the Healing Factor can be stitched into the existing Undead Creation system as an independent module. ]

[ Handling plan for adamantium residue: Cannot be directly integrated by the Laws of the Undead. It is recommended to seal it separately as a bridging material for future use. ]

[ Note: After the Healing Factor module is implanted, it will cause an rejection reaction with the target Undead Creation's existing attributes. The rejection period is estimated at 72 hours, during which the Undead Creation's combat power will decrease by approximately 60%. ]

Yan Zheng took out a scalpel and made a shallow mark on the seal of the metal container to mark where to open it.

"72-hour rejection period."

"That means if I start the extraction now, I won't be able to restore full combat power for three days."

"Ten-day countdown, minus the three-day rejection period, leaves only seven days of actual preparation time."

Yan Zheng: ( ꐦ ≖ ‸ ≖ )

He set the scalpel down next to the container, leaned back in his chair, and shifted his gaze from the refrigerator to the grid paper in the middle of the workbench.

Second section: Kinetic Energy Release Gene · New Undead Creation Plan.

This gene was collected on October 30th from the corpse in Flushing, Queens. Excellent quality. Kinetic Energy Release type, long-range strike type.

A draft of the initial stitching plan was stored in the system panel. Yan Zheng had revised it four times over the past two weeks, and he had rejected every version himself.

"The problem with the Kinetic Energy Release gene is stability."

He pulled up the stitching simulator on the system panel and entered the parameters for the fifth version of the plan.

"The original owner's loss of control shows that the expression of this gene is heavily influenced by emotional fluctuations. Living people can't control it, and it's even harder for the dead. Undead Creations have no emotions, but they also lack the natural trigger mechanism driven by emotions."

The simulator results popped up after three seconds.

[ Stitching Simulation (Version 5) Results. ]

[ Kinetic Energy Release module stability: Insufficient. Lacks a trigger drive source. ]

[ Suggestion: Pair with an emotional simulation inscription array, or introduce an external energy trigger to replace emotional drive. ]

Yan Zheng tapped the simulation results twice with his index finger.

"Emotional simulation inscription array."

"Making an emotionless Undead Creation simulate neural signals of fear or anger to drive gene expression."

"It's technically feasible, but the precision required for inscription carving is extremely high, exceeding my current manual skill level."

He closed the simulator and wrote a line next to the second section of the grid paper.

Kinetic Undead Creation: Plan on hold. Lacks precision inscription tools. Will complete after the Kamar-Taj trade.

"The third one."

Yan Zheng's gaze shifted to the third section.

Mental Power improvement plan.

Current total Mental Power: 15. Control slot limit: 16. Dual-line control unlocked.

"Mr. System, what conditions are required to increase Mental Power from 15 to 18?"

The panel flashed and displayed a line of text.

[ Mental Power improvement path (15 → 18). ]

[ Path 1: Continuous high-intensity dual-line control training, estimated time: 6 to 8 weeks. ]

[ Path 2: Absorb the Mental Power amplification factor from high-quality telepathic Mutant genes; can increase by 2 to 3 points at once. ]

[ Path 3: Complete the third stage of awakening for the Laws of the Undead (conditions unknown, no data currently available in system). ]

Yan Zheng's gaze lingered on Path 2 for three seconds.

"Telepathic Mutant."

He flipped through the existing list of materials and target files in his mind.

The procurement entry for the Morlocks at the bottom of the Harvest Season list floated to the surface. Morlocks leader, perception type.

"If it's intermediate quality, the Mental Power amplification factor can provide one to two points."

"If it's upper-intermediate, two to three points."

"But the Morlocks are still waiting; the situation hasn't reached that point yet."

Yan Zheng looked over the contents of the three sections, his fingers slowly curling into a fist on the paper.

"There is only one thing that can definitely be implemented within ten days."

"The extraction and implantation of the X-23 Healing Factor."

"The other two lack the necessary conditions."

He stood up and walked to the corner of the Underground Room.

In the shadows, the golden phosphorus fire of the Undead Knight flickered slowly deep within its skeletal frame, and the carved inscription lines on its chest cavity and spine gave off a dim luster. The four control slots occupied the largest bandwidth in the Mental Link, and its daily standby power consumption was also the highest among all Undead Creations.

"Mr. Knight."

The golden pulse brightened for a moment.

"Your current configuration is a high-strength alloy skeleton plus the Frost Archer module for long-range support. High defense, medium output."

Yan Zheng walked up to the Knight, took the scalpel from his pocket, and gently tapped the tip against the inscription on the Knight's chest cavity.

"If I implant the X-23 Healing Factor and replace your existing alloy attributes, you will lose your metallic hardness, but gain top-tier regenerative abilities."

"If you get smashed to pieces, you can put yourself back together."

"The price is a 72-hour rejection period, during which your combat power will only be at 40%."

Yan Zheng: ( ˵ ꐦ ≖ ⌓ ≖ ˵ )

He took a step back and spun the scalpel in his hand twice.

"72 hours."

"Counting from now, the rejection will be complete on the morning of the 19th."

"The bill vote is on November 29th, with ten days of buffer in between."

"If no one comes to kick down my door during these ten days, the rejection period won't be a problem."

"And if someone does come?"

He looked back at the workbench, his gaze sweeping over the flickering light points on the Legion Formation panel. The dark red of the Brute, the icy blue of the Frost Archer, the silver-white of the Thunder Guard, and the dark green of the Acid Walker.

"If the Knight is absent for three days, is the remaining formation enough to guard this Underground Room?"

The answer passed through his mind in three seconds.

"Yes."

"The Brute will take the front, the Thunder Guard will provide firepower, the Frost Archer will suppress from a distance, and the Acid Walker will conduct infiltration counterattacks. No. 8 and No. 9 will provide perimeter warnings."

"Even if people come from six directions at once, I can hold off the first wave."

The scalpel stopped.

Yan Zheng walked back to the workbench, sat down, and officially dragged the X-23 container from the refrigerator in front of him.

"Mr. System."

The panel lit up.

"Start the X-23 Healing Factor independent extraction procedure."

[ Extraction procedure starting. ]

[ Super Healing Factor independent extraction success rate: 92%. ]

[ After extraction, the adamantium component will be sealed separately and can be used as a bridging material in the future. ]

[ Execute? ]

"Execute."

[ Extraction in progress... Estimated time: 4 hours. ]

The progress bar on the panel slowly advanced, the percentage number jumping every thirty seconds.

Yan Zheng leaned back in his chair, flipped the grid paper with the countdown plan to a blank page, and wrote a line at the top.

November 16th to 29th: Situation Forecast for Each Front.

Project Purity: Accelerating the net closure before the bill vote; the frequency of containment operations is expected to double weekly. The inventory at Stryker's Alkali Lake Base continues to grow.

The Brotherhood: Quicksilver has already been here, and his recruitment attempt was politely refused. It is expected that Magneto will make a second contact around the time of the vote, and his attitude might not be friendly then.

X-Men: Appeasement patrols are ongoing; Xavier is striving for peace. If the bill passes, the X-Men will become a buffer between The Brotherhood and the government.

Daredevil: The warning has been completed; he won't take action in the short term, but surveillance will not stop. Operations need to be more cautious.

The fountain pen stopped on the paper, and the ink bled into a small dot next to the last period.

Yan Zheng placed the pen back in the pen slot and his gaze fell on the progress bar.

7%.

"Four hours."

He stood up and went to the sink to wash his face; the cold water eased the dull throbbing in his temples slightly.

He hung the towel back on the rack after drying his face, walked over to the Knight, and crouched down, pressing his palm onto the inscription on the Knight's chest cavity. The temperature of the golden phosphorus fire transmitted from the bone surface into his palm—ten degrees lower than body temperature, five degrees higher than room temperature.

"Mr. Knight, the surgery will begin in four hours."

The golden pulse flickered, the frequency steady.

"It won't hurt." Yan Zheng's lips curled up slightly. "The dead don't know pain."

He withdrew his palm and walked back to the workbench to sit down. The progress bar jumped to 8%.

"Seven days from now, the Knight's combat power will be a level higher than it is now."

"An Undead Knight that can regrow itself after being smashed."

"Coupled with the Brute's frontal suppression and the Thunder Guard's area bombardment."

"My core combat group will complete its first qualitative change before the bill vote."

Yan Zheng: ( ˵ ꐦ ✧ ⌓ ✧ ˵ )

The freshly brewed tea in the enamel mug was steaming; he picked it up and took a sip, the temperature was just right, and the bitterness was very mild.

"Seven days from now, the Mutant World will be turned upside down."

"And what I will reap in that upheaval is a whole list more than seven days ago."

The progress bar jumped to 9%. Yan Zheng set down the tea, opened the Legion Formation panel, and began to plan the details of the defense plan during the Knight's absence.

The pencil moved across the grid paper line after line, the handwriting dense and compact, like a pre-operative checklist.

In the Underground Room, there was only the scratching sound of the pencil on paper, the faint fluorescent light of the system panel, and the quiet breathing of the various colored phosphorus fires of the Undead Creations.

"Mr. System, notify me immediately after the extraction is complete."

"I won't be sleeping tonight."

"For things like surgery, I, Yan, prefer to do it while it's hot."