Mecha are pinnacle technological creations designed based on human biomechanics, capable of adapting to various planetary environments across land, sea, and air—a formidable tool in interstellar human warfare. However, in common perception, mecha are often prejudiced as clunky mechanical constructs, yet there exists a special type among them known as genetic mecha, or simply "gene mecha."
Most mecha are universal machines; anyone proficient in piloting skills can use them. Gene mecha, however, are different. They are custom-built for interstellar cultivators, featuring a unique device called a gene core, designed based on the cultivator's awakened genes to maximize their genetic abilities. Cultivator plus mecha—cultivation and technology—two vastly different yet parallel capabilities complement each other, unleashing power far beyond simple addition, far greater than 1+1=2.
Feng Lin suffered a major setback only to realize that his opponent wasn't wearing a micro-mecha but a gene mecha that could amplify genetic abilities. The invisible fluctuations weren't a mecha function but a genetic ability—psychokinesis! Psychokinesis, formless and intangible, can move objects at a distance and manipulate matter, making it highly elusive. Yet compared to other genetic abilities, psychokinesis tends to be more about tricky effects, with low actual power, rarely able to directly challenge a cultivator of the same rank. The opponent had a vitality of just 1.6—how strong could their psychokinesis be? But at this moment, Feng Lin felt the psychokinesis was as solid as matter, like layers of invisible ropes binding his limbs—utterly unreasonable. From all this, Feng Lin deduced that his opponent must be using a gene mecha. Only a cultivator could pilot a gene mecha to amplify genetic abilities to such an extent.
Another wave of fluctuations rapidly spread out, distorting the air, an invisible force trying to tightly restrain him. The energy core on the opponent's chest flared with blinding light again. Psychokinetic restraint plus ray attack—Feng Lin was like a sitting duck, with no escape. But he wouldn't fall for the same trick twice. If hit by another energy beam cannon, he'd truly lose combat capability, and this trip to the virtual martial arts tower would be a complete failure.
"Ha!" Feng Lin planted his feet in a horse stance, roots deep in the ground like an ancient tree, unmoving. His body swelled, standing like a giant ape on two legs, muscles knotted, veins bulging, his face twisted in ferocity. With a sudden swing of his arms, he broke free from the invisible restraints. Raw power overcomes finesse. Though psychokinesis is formless, it's still a form of force. Feng Lin used a burst of explosive strength to shake off the bonds. This technique was extremely taxing and couldn't be used often, but it was worth it. As the beam cannon fired, he instinctively sidestepped, barely dodging the scorching ray. His arm grazed by the beam, burning with pain, but Feng Lin pressed forward instead of retreating, charging fiercely.
Gene mecha, driven by mechanical energy, have far greater endurance than humans, never tiring. The longer the battle dragged on, the more disadvantageous it became for him. He had to end it quickly, taking the opponent down fast. Feng Lin didn't dodge; he met the enemy head-on. His stone fetus gene, enhanced to +6, was activated to its maximum, his skin taking on a stony texture like an indestructible stone man. Flesh and gene mecha clashed, sparks flying—a contest between mythical genes and peak technology, yet filled with raw, savage intensity that made the blood race.
Thud, thud, thud! Feng Lin didn't yield, engaging the gene mecha warrior in close-quarters combat, each punch landing solidly, making the metal casing of the mecha ring out as its energy body began to dissipate. But he wasn't unscathed either, taking heavy blows from the gene mecha warrior, his body covered in wounds.
"So fierce! So brutal!" The group of teachers in the monitoring room watched in stunned amazement. In this interstellar era, everyone was civilized—who would have thought someone still fought in such a savage way? It was rare. Were these the usually gentle and obedient students? They blinked, doubting their own eyes. "What gene did he awaken to dare go toe-to-toe with a gene mecha? Could it be..." "That's a gene mecha warrior! How reckless!" "No kidding!" The other homeroom teachers chimed in with their critiques. The female homeroom teacher fumed silently but couldn't argue; she didn't know why Feng Lin had chosen such a foolish tactic.
"Brilliant!" At that moment, the principal spoke up, unexpectedly clapping in admiration, his face full of appreciation. Everyone exchanged glances, having just been questioning, only to hear the principal give him a positive review—awkward... "Principal, why do you say that?" they asked curiously. The principal smiled lightly. "You all only know that this warrior is clad in gene mecha, hard to break, but you didn't notice that this virtual martial arts master isn't real—it's a construct of energy." "But still! A virtual energy body isn't much weaker than the real thing. What's the point of this?" The homeroom teachers looked at each other, still not grasping Feng Lin's true intent. "A virtual energy body is an energy model, essentially a lifeless thing with no recovery ability, while the human body has self-repair. If I'm not mistaken, this kid must have awakened a body-tempering gene, strengthening his physique. Going head-to-head with the mecha warrior isn't a big loss, and his recovery far exceeds the opponent's. This is a trade-off of injuries—a contest of who can last to the end. Look, isn't the mecha warrior much fainter? If I'm right, in another hundred rounds, Feng Lin will defeat it, but due to his own severe injuries, he'll stop there." The principal pointed at the screen, explaining step by step with a smile, dissecting Feng Lin's combat style and physical state, as if everything was under his control. "I see!" The crowd suddenly understood, realizing the situation on the screen matched the principal's words exactly. After each intense clash, Feng Lin was battered but still holding on, while the gene mecha warrior had dimmed significantly, on the verge of collapse. The principal was the principal—as an elite-level cultivator, his sharp insight was beyond their reach! They silently admired him, feeling inferior.
But what happened next exceeded the principal's and everyone else's expectations.
"Almost there!" After another ten rounds of fierce fighting, Feng Lin was aching all over, feeling like his body was falling apart, nearing his limit. "If I don't finish him now, I'll lose combat capability from my own injuries. This is it!" "Add points!" He focused his mind, and a nebula of energy in his dantian shattered, adding a free attribute point to his stone fetus gene. His bone marrow itched intensely, embryonic stem cells rapidly generating to enhance every organ, his injuries healing swiftly. Feng Lin had chosen to clash head-on because he saw the opponent was an energy body that couldn't recover from damage, while he could use gene points to strengthen himself through enhancement, quickly recovering. Free gene points were his greatest advantage—Feng Lin had been clear about this from the start.
"Name: Feng Lin Vitality: 1.8 Ape Gene: 10 Stone Fetus Gene: 7 Gene Potential: 92%"
The stone fetus gene officially reached 7, vitality at 1.8. Feng Lin clearly felt a surge of warmth like spring water welling up from deep within his body, power gathering, his physique reviving. The opponent was weakening while he was growing stronger. With this shift in momentum, Feng Lin gradually gained the upper hand. After another ten rounds, he finally seized an opportunity to obliterate the opponent. Gene potential +26%. Gene potential reached 118%, earning Feng Lin another gene point—just one left. To climb higher tower levels, he had to use it sparingly this time. Feng Lin grimly realized that while the opponents were getting stronger, his own growth rate was faster, making gene potential increasingly harder to obtain.
"He actually won! And in only a fifth of the time the principal predicted—so much faster! How did he do it?" The teachers exchanged bewildered looks; this scene defied everyone's expectations. The principal was also stunned, feeling things slipping out of his control. He had confidently made his judgment, only to be sharply contradicted now. Defeat the opponent in a hundred rounds? Lose combat capability? Stop there? All of it was overturned by this kid Feng Lin. Had he misjudged? This wasn't scientific at all, not genetic at all! "Look, he's challenging a higher-level virtual martial arts master!" A shout drew everyone's attention, all eyes fixed on Feng Lin, unable to look away from him.