Chapter 1816 - 466: Wings and Thorns_3

Chapter 1816: Chapter 466: Wings and Thorns_3

Huixin followed Tu Hu’s instruction of "steady progress, no rush," breaking down the research into countless small steps.

Starting with the basic study of cell energy affinity, analyzing individual differences among different clans, and selecting safe energy guiding mediums.

Failures were commonplace in research; a tiny parameter error could lead to the necrosis of an entire batch of experimental samples.

After years of painstaking optimization, the first generation of safe "Basic Gene Optimization Potion" was born.

Its effects were mild and gradual, mainly slightly enhancing cell vitality and improving metabolic efficiency, slightly increasing the user’s perception and adaptability to free energy in the environment.

With long-term use, it slowly improves constitution, prolonging peak status to lay the foundation for deeper gene optimization later.

According to Tu Hu’s orders, the potion was implemented with a quota allocation system, prioritizing supply to researchers, elite soldiers, and outstanding young individuals.

This was a process of sowing seeds, hoping to reap results in the future.

Unlike the First and Second Generations, where leaders worked in sincere cooperation.

Though the goal was the same, there was always a subtle competitive relationship between the Third Generation’s Lie Zhua and Huixin.

Lie Zhua believed Huixin’s research required significant investment with minimal returns, calling it "distant water that doesn’t quench present thirst," often expressing dissatisfaction at resource allocation meetings over the long-term occupation by the Starfire Plan, trying to tilt more resources toward the Thunder Armor Plan iteration and mass production.

Meanwhile, Huixin sneered at Lie Zhua’s overly dependent, slightly impatient development approach on external matter.

She believed that no matter how powerful the "Thunder Armor" was, it couldn’t break its inherent physical limits and logistical dependencies; only by seeking breakthroughs from the essence of life could the Downspirit Clan truly stand amongst the myriad of races.

This competition encouraged both to produce more dazzling results to prove the correctness of their paths, accelerating technological development.

On the other hand, it occasionally led to efficiency consumption due to ideological disagreements in New Star Valley’s high-level decisions.

Tu Hu watched all of this closely.

He chose not to forcibly mediate.

As long as the competition was within bounds and didn’t harm the foundation of the clan, he even welcomed it.

The growth of civilization required exploring different paths and accommodating different voices.

His role was to be like a stabilizing anchor, grasping the general direction at critical moments, ensuring this ship of civilization would not veer off in turbulent waters.

In his view, the contemporary Downspirit Clan under internal competition, like constantly tempered steel, was becoming increasingly resilient along two paths of external influence and internal cultivation.

But an unforeseen crisis quietly emerged at this stage.

To seek breakthroughs, especially under the invisible pressure from Lie Zhua’s ever-advancing Thunder Armor Plan achievements, Huixin’s research became increasingly radical.

Due to the scarcity of experimental subjects, she conducted many high-risk gene splicing experiments secretly on herself without informing anyone.

In an experiment attempting to merge gene fragments from an ancient fierce beast called the "Shadow Beast" discovered in ancient ruins, hoping to gain super regeneration and energy perception abilities, disaster struck.

The aggressive gene, like a vicious plague, instantly backfired, collapsing Huixin’s life balance.

When the laboratory’s emergency alarms were forcibly triggered, it was already too late.

When Lie Zhua led the personal guard to smash through the reinforced laboratory door, they were met with chaos and a... monster.

The scales on Huixin had turned black and twisted, edges as sharp as a sword.

Her body unnaturally swelled, joints reversed, and from her mouth came a growl mixed with suffering and bloodthirsty desire.

Huixin’s rationality was being overtaken by pure madness, occasionally flashing a moment of clarity, showing endless suffering, only to be immediately swallowed again by violent emotions.

Even more terrifying was that some biological contamination aura from her was affecting nearby researchers, causing them to start showing signs of scale mutation and mental frenzy.

"Seal the area, quarantine all contacts, quickly!" Lie Zhua responded swiftly, his voice carrying a tremor he himself didn’t notice.

He personally led the team, using thunderous means to subdue the half-monsterized Huixin and other infected individuals, imprisoning them with energy binding devices in the quarantine zone.

But the pollution continued to worsen.

The infected prisoners’ mutation deepened, gradually losing all rationality, turning into beasts that knew only destruction.

All attempts at reversing treatments failed.

The Shadow Beast’s genes were like a relentless parasite, irreversibly rewriting the host’s life form.

Days later, in the cold isolation observation chamber, Tu Hu stood silently before the main isolation chamber.

Through the thick transparent crystal stone cover, he could see Huixin, who was unrecognizable, tightly bound in the center by numerous energy chains.

She was still struggling, letting out a low roar.

Lie Zhua stood next to Tu Hu, this commander who remained unfazed in the face of thousands on the battlefield, now clenched his hands into fists, fingernails digging deeply into his palms.

He looked at the figure within the chamber who had once argued and competed with him but also supported the clan’s future together; his heart was tightly gripped by an invisible hand, causing almost unbearable pain and constricting his breath.

It seemed he still couldn’t accept that the wise, calm scholar who occasionally gave him a helpless smile had become what lay before him.

"Mr. Hu." Lie Zhua’s voice was dry and hoarse, carrying a hint of hatred even he loathed: