Beep! Beep! Beep!
Early the next morning, Feng Lin was jolted awake by the incessant beeping of his identity chip.
"Who?" Feng Lin opened his eyes, a wave of irritation washing over him.
Being disturbed from his dreams so early in the morning was truly annoying.
He tapped open his chip and immediately saw a massive, fat-headed, big-eared projection looming toward him, startling him.
"What is that?" Feng Lin sat up with a start.
The pig-like projection spoke, "Are you Master Hongjun? I'm Zhu Tiangang. A pleasure, a pleasure! No, I'm the OP of that post on the Myth Forum, ID 'Fatty with a Cultivation Dream.' You told me that the obesity gene, the gluttony gene, and the pigskin gene could evolve into the big-belly gene! I'm so grateful to you—you've fulfilled my cultivation dream! The money has already been transferred. Next, I'd like to purchase the complete gene evolution formula..."
The mouth opened and closed endlessly, spewing words of infinite gratitude and respect.
A pig talking?
Feng Lin had just woken up, his mind still groggy, as a massive head bobbed before his eyes.
When he came to his senses and looked closely, he realized this wasn't a person—no, not a pig either!
It was a human head shaped like a pig's face, talking nonstop, with two ears as big as palm-leaf fans flapping constantly.
How fat was this person!
Feng Lin was momentarily taken aback, but as he listened to what the man said, he pieced it together.
This fatty was the "Fatty with a Cultivation Dream" from the Myth Forum?
Feng Lin opened his identity chip and indeed saw a notification of 10,000 star coins credited.
So much money, transferred directly without much confirmation—this fatty was clearly a wealthy tycoon!
As the saying goes, you can see the whole leopard from a single spot. From one part, you can infer the whole.
Although the fatty only projected a fat-headed, big-eared face, Feng Lin could imagine just how obese he was.
Wasn't he over 1,000 pounds? He was nearly 2,000!
Had he gotten even fatter afterward?
...
Being this fat was a kind of talent in itself—most people couldn't manage it...
Feng Lin was speechless.
And this guy had first called himself Zhu Tiangang—was that his real name?
Hearing what the fatty said, Feng Lin pondered. He wanted to exchange for the complete gene formula?
His heart stirred with interest.
Although gene formulas were precious, most were useless to Feng Lin himself.
A person's energy was limited; choosing the brightest path or a few paths naturally led to boundless prospects.
The big-belly gene was merely a mid-tier primitive gene, and it would make a person as fat as a pig. Except for someone with "unique talent" like this fatty, no one would choose it.
Feng Lin certainly looked down on it.
If he could trade this useless gene formula for star coins, that wouldn't be bad.
The key was whether this person was reliable.
Feng Lin opened his identity chip and started a conversation with him.
Of course, he didn't reveal his true face. Instead, he simulated the image of the immortal, ethereal Dao Ancestor Hongjun in a Daoist robe within the virtual universe, and began an online meeting with the fatty.
"Are you Master Hongjun?" the fatty called out enthusiastically the moment Feng Lin appeared.
Admittedly, Feng Lin's Hongjun image had a striking appearance, very imposing, perfectly matching the fatty's mental image of a senior master.
Feng Lin nodded, smiling without speaking.
He deliberately cultivated an air of mystery, giving off an untouchable, ethereal vibe.
For a stranger, such an image worked wonders, making him more convincing.
"Master Hongjun, you must be a gene martial artist, right?" Sure enough, before Feng Lin could say anything, the fatty had already assumed Feng Lin was a mysterious gene master, chattering excitedly, "Master, the big-belly gene evolution path you mentioned—I've never heard of it. I've hired all kinds of gene martial artists before, and none could get me on the path of cultivation! If you can make me succeed in cultivation, star coins are no problem!"
The fatty boasted grandly, his words dripping with wealth.
Feng Lin wasn't surprised by his eagerness.
Human genes were countless, like stars in the sky, too numerous to count.
Starting from a single gene, combining it with others to evolve new gene formulas—the combinations were in the billions, an astronomical number, each requiring extensive scientific validation.
That's why a new gene formula was so rare.
And the big-belly gene's evolution formula was a lifeline for this fatty, who had never been able to cultivate, so his urgency was understandable.
Before Feng Lin could respond, the fatty couldn't wait any longer, upping the stakes, afraid Feng Lin would refuse.
"Master, if you tell me the exact evolution path of the gene formula! I'll give you 500,000—no, 1 million star coins, how about that?" He acted as if star coins were nothing, his wealth overwhelming, even shaking Feng Lin.
Feng Lin's expression turned strange. Was this fatty a legendary star tycoon?
This was the interstellar age!
Plain land was worthless.
So-called land tycoons couldn't even hold a candle to the real wealthy, whose assets were measured in planets.
These people were called star tycoons.
Owning a planet, even a barren dead one, meant the minerals mined from it were incredibly valuable.
Not to mention the top-tier star tycoons, who often owned a life-sustaining planet, with humans, animals, companies... all under their rule. Just from taxes, their wealth was immeasurable.
Now, a potential star tycoon source was right in front of him—who else to fleece but him?
"Deal!" Feng Lin didn't hesitate, deciding immediately.
It was just a mid-tier primitive gene formula—nothing he valued!
There was no best gene, only the most suitable one.
The big-belly gene was bizarre; no normal person would choose to cultivate it, so it wasn't worth much. Only meeting this fatty could fetch such a sky-high price!
Opportunity knocks but once!
"I do have the complete gene formula. If you want it, I can sell it to you!" Feng Lin said without any delay, "If you trust me, transfer half the star coins first, and I'll tell you the formula! Then you can transfer the rest."
Feng Lin said this, unafraid the man would back out.
500,000 star coins was a decent sum. Even if the fatty reneged, he wouldn't lose anything.
"Beep, 500,000 star coins credited!" But the fatty's wealth exceeded expectations. Before Feng Lin could finish speaking, the identity chip chimed with the transfer notification.
"The money's been sent. Give me the gene formula!" the fatty said eagerly.
"..." Feng Lin was silent for a long moment, then silently transmitted the big-belly gene's evolution formula as encrypted information.
"Beep, 500,000 star coins credited!" Another 500,000 star coins arrived!
A mid-tier primitive gene formula had sold for a full 1 million star coins.
Then the fatty went silent, clearly rushing off to test the gene formula.
Feng Lin was stunned by the fatty's overwhelming wealth.
What was this fatty's identity?
He'd tossed 1 million star coins around like trash.
The world of the rich was truly incomprehensible!
In the interstellar age, cosmic resources were virtually limitless. The wealth those star tycoons possessed was unimaginable.
Feng Lin felt his own experience was still too limited, silently laughing at himself for making a big deal out of it. He shook his head and continued scanning questions on the Myth Forum.
In just one day, yesterday's scanning had already paid off, earning him over 1 million star coins.
He needed to keep working hard, gain more attention, and become a Myth Forum big shot soon.
...
In the blink of an eye, another day passed.
Deep in some unknown interstellar region, within the asteroid palace, a triumphant, unrestrained laugh echoed, reverberating through every corner of the asteroid, lingering endlessly.
"Hahaha! I, Zhu Tiangang, have finally become a gene cultivator!"