Apocalypse Gachapon

What kind of crystals were those?

Alamos naturally knew which ones. But what he didn’t know was how Ye Zhongming could possibly be aware of them. When he blurted out, “How did you know?” he froze for several seconds before letting out a bitter smile.

He had been played. This content belongs to ovelfire.net

Ye Zhongming knew such crystals existed—but likely had no idea what they were used for, much less their origin.

Had Alamos simply denied it, he might have gotten away with it. Instead, he had confessed outright.

Looking at the young man before him, Alamos felt a pang of admiration.

This man, the undisputed leader of China’s evolved—if nothing else, his discernment was truly remarkable.

Several teams had been present, including seasoned figures like Gyanendra and the Cannibal Chain’s leadership—all widely experienced.

Yet only Ye Zhongming had seen through the true nature of those gene-lifeforms.

Alamos dismissed the possibility that others had noticed but stayed silent. If that were the case, he might already be facing a coordinated attack from multiple factions.

This alone spoke volumes about the crystals’ value.

Ye Zhongming smiled.

Guessing Alamos’s secret hadn’t surprised him—there had been ample evidence.

First, Cloud Peak was the world leader in gene-lifeform research, the foremost authority on the technology. Though not a technician himself, Ye Zhongming had access to all its core secrets. He might not understand the specifics, but he knew the broader picture.

When Alamos first appeared with his army of seemingly perfected gene-soldiers, everyone, including Ye Zhongming, assumed his technology had achieved a breakthrough.

But upon reflection, Ye Zhongming realized that couldn’t be right.

Achieving a technological breakthrough wasn’t easy. It required not just capability but stringent external conditions—chief among them were research facilities and equipment.

Alamos wasn’t from China, nor even Eurasia. Ye Zhongming had already uncovered his true identity—a North American! His lab and most researchers were based there.

Could he have made such an advanced breakthrough in a foreign land, in such a short time? Ye Zhongming doubted it.

Second, when it came to technology, Ye Zhongming had absolute confidence in Sister Hong. For years, she had researched undisturbed at Cloud Peak under optimal conditions, incorporating the work of the Treant, Guancheng Chun, and even Dr. He. Calling her the foremost expert in gene technology was no exaggeration.

Even she hadn’t yet created flawless gene-lifeforms. How could Alamos have succeeded?

Lastly, based on his understanding of gene-soldiers, Ye Zhongming sensed that Alamos’s creations lacked the distinctive “flavor” of gene-lifeforms. It was an intangible feeling, but a real one.

Now, with Alamos’s inadvertent admission, the Cloud Peak King realized a major opportunity might be at hand.

“I can’t just tell you for free.”

Alamos, after all, was no ordinary man. After a brief adjustment, he counterattacked.

Ye Zhongming, straightforward as ever, nodded. “Name your price.”

“One thousand sets of silver-grade equipment.”

After consideration, Ye Zhongming agreed.

Only then did Alamos smile. Slowly, he explained, “These crystals originate from the White Cave aliens above us.”

After briefly describing this extraterrestrial race, he continued, “They call them White Cave Crystals—a unique product of their planet. Their primary function is to fuse with any lifeform, altering its traits without changing its fundamental composition. They can also absorb various energies to strengthen and integrate the host lifeform continuously.”

Alamos’s explanation was simple, but Ye Zhongming grasped it immediately, his eyes betraying astonishment.

In essence, White Cave Crystals could serve as artificial “hearts.”

The limitation of gene-soldiers had always been genetic incompatibility during fusion. Different gene sequences naturally clashed. Harmonizing them required extensive neutralization processes.

Though Ye Zhongming knew his understanding was somewhat crude, the practical challenges were even greater. Even Liu Zhenghong’s most advanced gene-lifeforms required constant “maintenance”—soaking in specialized solutions or receiving injections.

Yet these White Cave Crystals inherently possessed lifeform-fusion properties. Though Alamos didn’t explicitly state it, they clearly worked on gene-lifeforms. Once implanted, they became the core—the heart—seamlessly integrating disparate genetic components.

They had solved the problem through an entirely different approach.

No wonder Alamos’s creations looked so bizarre. With White Cave Crystals, he no longer needed compatibility testing or precision assembly. He could freely combine functional modules, leaving the integration to the crystals.

Even more terrifying, the crystals didn’t just solve fusion—they enabled continuous evolution.

By absorbing various energies, the enhanced lifeforms could keep growing stronger.

Alamos revealed that biological energy worked best for these crystal-enhanced gene-soldiers. The flesh of the slain Sea Kun, a level eight lifeform, had already significantly boosted their power.

“I can’t give you five hundred crystals. Once implanted, White Cave Crystals can’t be extracted. Two hundred is my limit, plus your pick of one hundred gene-soldiers from my forces. That’s my bottom line.”

Alamos understood his creations’ potential. If they survived, they could evolve indefinitely. Though their ultimate ceiling remained unknown, it was undoubtedly high.

Were it not for his desperate need for equipment and potions, he would never offer such terms. In his view, even fifty White Cave Crystals should suffice to trade for Ye Zhongming’s resources.

He was confident Ye Zhongming would agree. Anyone who grasps the potential of these crystals would recognize their value.

They far surpassed fixed-level equipment or evolution potions.

“Not enough.”

But with those two words, Cloud Peak’s king shattered Alamos’s confidence and daydreams.