"This is...?"
Pairs of eyes converged on a single point in the air—a green, crystalline gem.
"You're saying you've successfully crystallized the Hulk potion?" Supervisor Frank, usually calm, now breathed rapidly.
"Exactly!" Feng Lin nodded. "This is the Hulk potion I refined using crystallization alchemy!"
"You actually succeeded!" Frank hurried closer, waving the clones aside, no longer intent on throwing Feng Lin into the planet's core.
What, he's not a Son of God?
That didn't matter.
Feng Lin had already proven his talent; turning him into a Son of God was just a divine blood ritual, hardly any trouble.
Seeing the supervisor's excitement, Matsushita Kijin sensed trouble.
He hadn't expected Feng Lin to have this trump card.
He'd deliberately curried favor with Feng Lin, thinking the kid trusted him completely, only to find he'd held back this move.
How ruthless!
Matsushita Kijin glared at Feng Lin, gnashing his teeth, a deep chill rising involuntarily in his heart.
This kid was young, but his scheming ran deep.
Today's final elimination spot—either he dies, or I do!
Could he really compete with him?
Matsushita Kijin's unease grew. Unwilling to wait for death, he jumped out again, pointing at Feng Lin. "This Hulk gene potion—Feng Lin clearly succeeded long ago, or he couldn't have produced it so fast. Why hide it before? It's obviously malicious! Supervisor Frank, Team Leader Aike, you can't trust him!"
He had to admit, his accusation hit the mark.
Everyone had thought the crystallization alchemy failed, yet Feng Lin pulled it out when his life was on the line—too convenient!
It begged suspicion.
"Supervisor, be cautious!" Aike chimed in.
Frank hesitated, his gaze shifting to Feng Lin. "Feng Lin, it seems you owe us an explanation."
His eyes were cold. If Feng Lin couldn't give a good reason, things wouldn't end well.
But since Feng Lin dared to reveal the crystallized Hulk potion now, he'd already planned for this.
"I didn't bring it out before because the technique wasn't mature. I took herbs back every day to study. It took over a hundred failures to succeed this once—the technique's still rough. So I've been refining it, waiting until it's ready to report."
The excuse was flimsy but carried some credibility.
Frank's tense expression eased.
Feng Lin continued, "I worked on it daily, and everyone can testify."
The crowd fell silent. They could accuse him, but the lab had surveillance footage; lying was useless. Yet they wouldn't speak for Feng Lin either, so they stayed quiet.
But silence was consent!
Frank knew this well.
He walked over, picked up Feng Lin's green crystal, still skeptical. "We'll need to test its effects to be sure."
"Of course!" Feng Lin didn't defend himself, exuding confidence.
Seeing his assurance, Frank regarded him more highly.
He didn't know that Feng Lin's real confidence came from his own strength, not the potion crystal.
In fact, since he'd refined it, he hadn't even tested its effects.
If it worked, great—he'd lie low like a slacker, waiting for a chance at the mythical ruins.
If not, he'd raise hell and fight his way out.
"Eat it!" Frank placed the crystal in a clone soldier's hand and ordered.
Without a word, the clone swallowed the green crystal.
Gulp.
It entered his stomach.
Instantly, a strange change began.
A green energy spread visibly from his stomach, showing through his skin.
The clone, with little intelligence, howled in pain from primal instinct. His muscles trembled as the green spread across his body like paint, dyeing him inside and out.
But it wasn't just a color change!
Crack, crack, crack!
Bones creaked.
The clone's body swelled rapidly, growing to an astonishing height.
Soon, he stood over three meters tall, skin bronze-green, exuding a ferocious aura that clenched hearts, like facing some terrifying beast.
His eyes were bloodshot, filled with rage, breathing heavily.
Frank's face lit up with surprise. He pulled out a beam gun and fired.
The Hulk didn't dodge, standing still. The beam hit his skin, absorbed, causing his muscles to twitch and grow slightly, making him even more imposing.
Feng Lin watched coldly, noting the similarity to his Stone Monkey gene ability.
The Stone Monkey gene insulated against energy attacks, while this Hulk seemed to absorb light radiation to strengthen itself. Its exact capabilities were unknown.
Though the Hulk gene was a superhuman gene, the potion-induced version was clearly inferior, its life level not much higher than his own.
Feng Lin relaxed. Even if Frank sent the Hulk after him, he had a countermeasure.
He also knew the Hulk had a major weakness he could exploit. If Frank tried anything, he'd be in for a shock.
"Feng Lin, well done! With you, our Giant Pharmaceuticals can rise again anytime. Come with us now!" Frank patted Feng Lin's shoulder, smiling, his earlier coldness gone, now valuing him greatly.
The Hulk's success tipped the scales in Frank's mind. Facts spoke louder than words—the crystallization alchemy had truly worked.
Truly capable people always earned respect.
Feng Lin nodded with a smile.
They exchanged smiles, as if the earlier friction was just a dream.
Frank's eyes swept over, signaling two clone soldiers toward Matsushita Kijin.
"He's lying to you!" Matsushita Kijin screamed, struggling desperately. "Maybe he's a spy from the Mars Revolutionary Army. How else would they know so many of our secrets? He's the only newcomer these days!"
He howled like a mad dog, accidentally blurting out the truth.
Even the composed Feng Lin felt his heart skip a beat.
But unfortunately, Frank was done listening. He waved his hand.
Amid Matsushita Kijin's frantic screams, the clones tossed him into the magma. A brief wail, then a charred corpse, soon ash—nothing left.
The others held their breath, filled with sorrow for their fallen comrade, but more so, relief at their own survival.
"Feng Lin, don't mind him. Just a barking dog!" Frank smiled, comforting him. "Come, I'll take you for the divine blood ritual."
"Shouldn't we leave first?" Feng Lin asked, surprised.
Frank's next words sank Feng Lin's heart. "No rush, we have time. Before we go, there are other things to do—take some items and hold your ritual."
Feng Lin was about to refuse, but caught Frank's cold gaze and held his tongue.
"Alright!" Feng Lin feigned excitement, hiding his true feelings, but inside, he was ice-cold.
Matsushita Kijin's dying words hadn't been useless. Frank still didn't fully trust him, adding one last safeguard.
Once turned into a Son of God, a white man, he'd be on their side, and Frank would have nothing to worry about.
"Follow me!" Frank said, opening a metal tunnel leading deep into the planet's core.
The group followed Frank inside.
The magma was sealed out, the heat bearable despite the intensity.
Soon, they reached the bottom. A door opened silently, revealing a vast spherical space within the core. The walls, made of some unknown metal, were airtight, keeping the magma out without letting any heat in.
At the center stood a massive glass chamber, housing a five-meter-tall silver giant. Its muscles bulged like marble, powerful and imposing, radiating an awe-inspiring presence like a god descending to earth. Just approaching it was suffocating.
It was a crushing life force.
Feng Lin was stunned. His own life force was at 45.8; to threaten him so much, what level was this giant's life force?
A cultivator elite?!
Pleased with Feng Lin's shock, Frank smiled mysteriously.
"Feng Lin, don't be surprised. What you're seeing is our company's greatest secret. This is..."
"The God-Making Project!"