143. The Greatest Future
Turning back, Li Aozi used [Eye of Truth] to appraise the properties of this cutting-edge knowledge book:
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[Item Name]: "Genetic Engineering"
[Type]: Information Carrier/Professional-Level Supernatural Knowledge
[Quality]: Ordinary Durability
[Attributes]: A book that records cutting-edge knowledge.
Prerequisites: Restricted to professions involving life engineering—[Biochemist], [Mutant], [Architect], [Mage].
[Description]: The carrier itself is not important. What matters is—detailed records on gene transcription, how to use a natural person's will to interfere with, edit, influence, and modify genes, thus enhancing your understanding of life.
"Once, we were trapped by all the flaws given to us by fate, unable to surpass our limits. Now, we are fate."
Learning this knowledge allows life engineering to take on new effects in your eyes, and your worldview will be impacted. You need [Willpower] ([Intelligence]) higher than 120 to avoid being affected.
Warning: If your [Intelligence] is lower than 30, forcing yourself to learn will result in up to 25 negative psychological effects, such as [Hatred of Life], [Severe Depression], [Antisocial Personality Disorder], [Bloodlust], [Schizophrenia]. In the worst cases, you will be unable to communicate with any targets.
Learning Effects:
General Effect ① "Seizing Fate's Gift": You can copy others' genes, randomly obtaining one of their innate talents.
General Effect ② "My Fate, My Choice": Immediately gain a racial talent, and each time you change race, the number of awakened talents increases by +1.
General Effect ③ "Life Editing": You can conduct gene editing research, and your gene editing success rate increases by 25%. Creatures created through gene editing have a 2.5% chance to gain self-awareness. (Increase knowledge level to improve success and awakening rates.)
[Mutant] Exclusive Effect: "Indomitable Will": You can forcefully use Omega Energy by consuming health, temporarily causing 'Gene Explosion', increasing [Charisma] benefits by 60%.
[Biochemist] Exclusive Effect: "Unmoved by Wealth": You can enter an 'Abstinence' state, sealing off desires for reproduction, consumption, and pleasure, gaining 300 experience points per hour.
[Architect] Exclusive Effect: "Unyielding Purpose": You can regularly set a 'goal'. Each time you complete a goal, you permanently gain 1% of your primary attribute with no limit. However, if you fail to achieve the goal, the bonus resets to zero.
[Mage] Exclusive Effect: "Clever, Not Mad": You can substitute your [Intelligence] stat for another attribute at will. Meanwhile, your [Intelligence] will convert proportionally into a 'mental shield', resisting an equivalent amount of psychic damage.
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Li Aozi clicked his tongue.
He had to admit, this knowledge was terrifying. For Azure Star, it was something that could overturn the entire civilization.
Think about it—if the gene modification success rate could be as high as 25%, and the creatures created through gene editing had a 2.5% chance of gaining self-awareness—what does that represent?
It means you could become a creator on this backward, isolated planet!
At first glance, 25% success doesn't seem high, but that's at the beginner level, the lowest success rate.
If you raise the mastery level of this knowledge to 'Bachelor's level', the success rate would reach 100%.
Likewise, with a 2.5% chance of self-awareness, if you mass-produced creatures on an industrial scale, that probability would be incredibly high. It would completely eliminate the need for artificial intelligence created by [Mechanics], with more flexible and quantum-based biological computers becoming the new norm.
Also, having self-awareness meant that with enough time, you could create a loyal, carefully selected intelligent race. They could eliminate the ordinary Azure Star people, especially the starving and struggling Outerlanders.
Li Aozi quickly learned the knowledge, waiting for the loading bar while engaging in brief conversation with Alexia.
"I'm going to take a break. You should take care of yourself too, Li Aozi. Space will be a long journey, won't it?"
Alexia stretched, stepping back from the tense battle. She was clearly tired.
Li Aozi nodded: "It'll be a bit exhausting, but I've gotten used to it."
"Used to it..."
Alexia clearly misunderstood his use of 'used to it', gently patting Li Aozi's cheek with concern:
"There are some things you don't have to carry alone. If it gets too tough, you can tell me."
"That won't be necessary." Li Aozi shrugged: "I'm pretty resilient on my own."
"Yeah, I guess I underestimated you."
Alexia smiled, then glanced at the launch rig Du Zexin was working on:
"It's really basic, huh? Back then, we had tons of rocket industries, countless beautiful planes, an aerospace committee, 400,000 pilots, 5 million workers, 20,000 private companies, 7,000 researchers—yet we couldn't make it to space. And now you're using the simplest contraption, a hydrogen bomb for dam-busting, to reach the sky."
Her words were filled with melancholy, but also a trace of excitement.
"Ellie?" Li Aozi asked.
"It turns out that the people of the future still accomplished what we couldn't." Alexia said with a content smile: "I won't dwell on the glories of the past. Even though I'm an old monster by age, I still feel pretty young at heart."
She slowly stepped forward, looking up at the crude device: Du Zexin had split his mech in half, with the lower half modified into a propulsion system, working with a chemical rocket to send Li Aozi and others into the sky along with the hydrogen bomb. The upper half was converted into a protective capsule connected to the biochem pool, preventing them from being corroded by Calamity before they escaped the atmosphere.
The whole thing definitely wasn't pretty. Du Zexin, a practical-minded engineer, hadn't even bothered to repaint it, just covering it with fireproof coating. It looked like a soda can with a frying pan on top.
"It's so ugly, hahaha."
Alexia couldn't help laughing. As she laughed, her expression turned solemn again, as if remembering her fallen homeland.
"Back then, we always wanted to go to space, but we were delayed time and time again—first by war, then by poverty, and later by equality. And when we finally overcame all obstacles and were ready to launch the rocket—my country was gone."
Alexia reached out, touching the 'spacecraft', and said nostalgically:
"But I think, no matter who you are, everyone should remember that humanity has always been children of the universe. The Earth can't trap us. We're all meant to go to space. We should walk on the surface of the sun, watch the nebula lasers converge at Polaris, and explore the past of the universe at the event horizon of a black hole… Since I was in elementary school, teachers gave us this dream—a great, beautiful dream."
"Now."
Alexia turned her head:
"That dream, the dream of all humanity, rests on you."
She placed one hand on her chest, sincerely saying:
"Mr. Li Aozi, what you're about to do is fulfill humanity's leap of fate, achieving something that even the old era could not. This will inspire people worldwide."
In the distance, the sound of artillery rumbled, and players shouted. When someone fell, they were quickly pulled back up, everyone fighting this battle, not just for their goal but to protect this planet.
"Hurry, someone! The shelling is too intense over here, we can't hold on!"
"Get into the bunker—ah, the bunker collapsed! They've fired at least 3,000 shells on this hill! 3,000!"
"Is this really the Tianhuan, one of the Four Nations? It's been half an hour, and they still haven't crushed us—haha, not so impressive!"
The players fought with increasing courage, gaining more experience and becoming skilled in battle. Many of them, starting from scratch, quickly learned how to calculate trajectories on tablets, helping teammates carry shells and resources, digging trenches and foxholes.
In the cold winds of the Outerlands, everyone was giving it their all to complete their first mainline quest.
Alexia looked at Li Aozi and said:
"Show the universe this blue planet. We are part of it too."
Li Aozi lifted his head, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled, his eyes becoming sharp and clear.
He knew that he was no longer just fighting for himself.
This meant something much greater for everyone.
"I think I can do more than that."
He picked up his terminal, opened a livestream, and aimed the camera at himself.
Soon, the news of Li Aozi's stream hit the trending list. Now known as a terrorist, freedom fighter, and folk hero, Li Aozi had become Azure Star's undisputed top influencer. In no time, tens of thousands of people flooded into the stream.
Before they could go wild, the viewers were stunned by what they saw: the rumble of artillery, a snowstorm-sandstorm, and Li Aozi standing resolutely in the trenches, giving the audience an electrifying start.
"Dear friends." Li Aozi began, "Whether you're from Red Arrow, the Frost-Plated Republic, Tianhuan, or Zhengxu, good afternoon. I am Li Aozi. As you can see, I am in the midst of a battle."
"Many of you must already know about my recent actions and identity. Yes, I take full responsibility for these events."
Li Aozi bowed his head, making a formal bow:
"To the innocent civilians affected by the Abyss Humanitarian Relief, Gulant's Independence War, and the Tianhuan Kowloon Gathering incidents, I offer my deepest sorrow and do not expect your forgiveness. You don't need to understand me, but I must explain why I've done all of this."
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