Silence, almost deathly still. The five interviewers said nothing. What was going on? A question posed by the interviewers had been refuted by the interviewee, who then provided the correct answer. Watching Feng Lin’s confident expression, they wanted to say he was wrong but couldn’t bring themselves to. The facts proved they had made a wise choice. “The answer is indeed the chief god of Zoroastrianism! But how do you know it’s not Hura Mazda, but this… Ahura Mazda?” the fifth interviewer, no longer stubborn, asked hesitantly. They had agreed on five mythology questions, and this was the sixth! But Feng Lin naturally wouldn’t be foolish enough to point that out. Instead, he explained, “I’m very interested in mythology. I once collected legends about ancient Earth’s Persian Zoroastrianism. In Zoroastrianism, Ahura Mazda is the omniscient and omnipotent creator of the universe, holding dominion over light, life, creation, order, truth, and more. In the myths, Mazda created the material world and also fire, the ‘infinite light,’ embodying fire itself!” Seeing how detailed his explanation was, the interviewer was convinced. “Aside from the name, everything else you said matches what I know. The Zoroastrian stone tablet relics I found had some corrosion and worn-out characters! Maybe the chief god of Zoroastrianism really is the name you gave!” He acknowledged Feng Lin’s view. Hearing this, Feng Lin could easily guess that the other party had found myths about Zoroastrianism from ancient ruins but had very limited knowledge. Watching the man’s admiring expression, Feng Lin chuckled inwardly. Already surprised? He hadn’t even told them that Zoroastrianism predated Christianity and Hinduism, being an even more ancient religion. It was only later, with the decline of its followers’ nation, Persia, that the faith’s transmission was severed. Feng Lin had no desire to show off excessively; saying too much would only bring trouble. Clarifying the chief god of Zoroastrianism was enough. If he could detail every aspect of a long-lost myth from its origins to its decline, that would be shocking. Feng Lin didn’t want to be treated like a national treasure, a giant panda locked up for study. “You even know such obscure mythological stories!” “Amazing! How many myths do you actually know?” “Besides Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, and the Bible, what other myths do you know?” … Seeing that the last interviewer had also accepted Feng Lin’s answer, the other interviewers were full of praise, their gazes burning with admiration. Mythology was notoriously difficult. Ten thousand years had passed, and too much was lost; few could master this field. The questions they asked spanned various mythological systems. They had originally assumed that if Feng Lin could answer two or three correctly, they would hire him. They never expected him to get them all right. How could one person be so proficient in so many mythological systems? “Good, very good!” the lead interviewer applauded in admiration, thoroughly satisfied with Feng Lin. “You’ve passed this interview round, no question about it! If I could give a score, I’d give you full marks! Next, we’ll start the potion preparation test!” “Potion preparation test!” Feng Lin was surprised. “That’s right! Gene scholars ultimately prepare potions. Your theoretical knowledge is perfect, so now we need to test your ability to prepare potions!” the lead interviewer said. “How will it be tested?” Feng Lin asked. “Very simple! We’ll give you a new prescription. You can take half an hour to study it, then prepare the potion. Don’t worry, this is just a gene scholar interview, and the potion is a non-grade gene potion, not too difficult. You can take your time. You’ll have three chances. As long as you succeed once, you pass!” the lead interviewer said, tapping his finger in the air. A holographic projection appeared before Feng Lin, clearly displaying the words “Rage Potion.” This was a non-grade potion that could make one’s blood boil, temporarily boosting strength by over twenty percent. Don’t underestimate that twenty percent—a full enhancement of strength brought immense changes to the body. The potion’s effect was very similar to the Blood Boil Potion Feng Lin had seen earlier, likely a simplified version. Even as a simplified version, it was still a potion formula of considerable value. Just this one prescription was worth at least 4,000 star coins. They had thrown it out so casually, truly showing their deep pockets. This virtual universe could simulate reality with nearly 100% accuracy. Preparing potions here used similar techniques to real life, and the simulated effects were very close, though they only worked within the virtual universe. In fact, many gene scholars started practicing potion preparation in the virtual universe. Feng Lin carefully studied the holographic projection before him. A figure in a white lab coat was preparing the potion, with complete steps and formulas, no omissions. The Rage Potion was just a simplified version of the Blood Boil Potion. For Feng Lin, who had already mastered the Blood Boil Potion, it wasn’t difficult. He watched it three times attentively, memorizing it silently, and soon had it fully recorded. He nodded to the five interviewers. The lead interviewer tapped the interface before him, and Feng Lin’s surroundings changed. Transparent virtual devices quickly materialized into solid forms: test tubes, flasks, funnels… various chemical-like equipment for potion preparation, along with many raw materials. The test officially began. Feng Lin took a deep breath, calmed himself, and started operating. First, he picked up a red plant—a Flame Pepper, grown on desert planets, incredibly spicy, ten thousand times hotter than ordinary peppers. Eating one would kill an average person. He mashed it into a pulpy juice, filtered it, and finally extracted about one milliliter of red liquid, which gave off a pungent, spicy smell that made one’s eyes water. So realistic! Feng Lin marveled inwardly and continued. Though it was his first time operating, it was just a non-grade gene potion, not too challenging. He kept his composure. Summer Snake Grass, a strange herb half-snake and half-plant; Water Jade Powder, powder ground from water-soft jade… various bizarre materials were added in a specific order with certain techniques, methodically. The interviewers watched from the side, nodding approvingly. So far, Feng Lin’s technique was seasoned, with no mistakes. Soon, the potion in the test tube underwent a strange transformation, turning blood-red with a faint amber glow. At this point, it seemed almost complete. But Feng Lin’s expression grew serious instead. The last ninety miles of a hundred-mile journey is half the journey. The final step in preparing gene potions was the most important, called Spirit Sensing. It involved using human perception to detect the potion’s spiritual energy state and make final adjustments to achieve perfection. Only intelligent beings like humans could do this. Due to the unpredictability of spiritual energy movement, every potion was different. Only humans could sense the subtle differences; machines couldn’t. That’s why most gene potions had to be prepared by gene scholars, not machines. Feng Lin used a dropper to take a drop of the liquid and carefully placed it in his mouth. A sharp, burning sensation rushed into his nerves, numbing his tongue, but his body had little reaction. “Too spicy, too few spiritual particles!” Feng Lin took out the spiritual material, Spirit Blood Flower juice, and dripped it in. One drop, two drops, three drops… Bang, the test tube in his hand shattered, a failure! The interviewers sighed. But Feng Lin wasn’t bothered. He had already found the feeling of success; he wouldn’t fail a second time. And that was exactly what happened. Without resting, Feng Lin continued preparing, his technique even more seasoned. Soon, he had another Rage Potion ready, taking a full third less time than before. He tested it—this time, the spiciness was too low to stimulate the body to absorb the potion’s effects quickly. Feng Lin carefully dripped in Flame Pepper juice, adding two and a half drops. The blood-red potion miraculously began to fade, turning into a faint, transparent red with no odor. This was a sign that the potion’s power had fully converged, a successful preparation. The five interviewers stepped forward. “Congratulations, you’re hired!”