"You called me what? Master? And you want to buy original gene modules from me?" The silver-haired man had suddenly popped up and blocked his way, speaking nonsense. Feng Lin looked at him with a strange expression.
Anyone would be baffled if someone suddenly jumped out and called them "Master."
"You must be a gene martial artist. I've been watching your livestream of clearing monsters for a while! I noticed you constantly testing various gene formulas!" the silver-haired man said eagerly. "How about I buy an original gene module from you for 500 star coins?"
What a stroke of luck!
Feng Lin was astonished.
Gene modules were virtual equipment, synthesized for free, and now some sucker was offering 500 star coins to buy one.
Had this guy mistaken him for a gene martial artist researching gene evolution?
Feng Lin mused inwardly but didn't deny it.
He had to admit, with the Gene Equation at his disposal, he was indeed a natural-born gene martial artist. No wonder this person had misidentified him.
He never expected virtual gear could be sold for money.
With such a good opportunity, he wasn't about to pass it up.
After all, he had already tested the power of these gene modules and knew the evolution formulas. If he wanted, he could re-evolve them anytime. Why not cash in?
"Deal!" Feng Lin nodded.
"You agree?" The silver-haired man was overjoyed, looking impatient. "Then let's trade now!"
"Which gene module do you want?" Feng Lin tapped his fingers, displaying the original gene modules he had synthesized.
The onlookers nearby couldn't stay calm. Their eyes went wide, and their breath nearly stopped.
Thirty-six glowing orbs floated in the air—a full thirty-six original gene modules, representing thirty-six gene paths.
How many gene formulas did this guy know?
A gene martial artist—he was definitely a gene martial artist, and a master-level one at that.
"I want this, this, and this! I want all of these!" The silver-haired man was dazzled, unsure what to pick. He hesitated and asked, "Master, can I buy multiple gene modules at once?"
"Sure!" Feng Lin nodded. The more he bought, the more money he made—he was happy to oblige.
The silver-haired man was thrilled. With a sharp eye, he snapped up five gene modules in one go: Wind-Thunder Gene, Magma Gene, Air Cannon Gene, Blizzard Gene, and Treant Gene—all powerful ones.
The virtual universe was linked to the real world, with no virtual currency; transactions used star coins.
Feng Lin gave his account number and quickly received 2,500 star coins.
The silver-haired man cheerfully stowed away the gene modules, then rolled his eyes and asked, seemingly casually, "Master, may I ask what basic genes the Wind-Thunder Gene is synthesized from?"
It seemed like an ordinary question, but Feng Lin shot him a sideways glance and only replied, "Heh... heh... heh..."
He just chuckled and said nothing more, not letting a single detail slip.
What a joke.
Gene modules were nothing special; the gene formulas were the real treasure. Did he think 500 star coins would get him that?
Even 5,000 star coins wouldn't be enough!
Telling him would be giving him a bargain!
Gene formulas were simple in essence—a straightforward equation—but developing a new one through research was incredibly difficult.
For example:
Airflow Gene 2 + Cloud-Mist Gene 3 + Water Vapor Gene 1 = Frost Gene
Airflow Gene 3 + Cloud-Mist Gene 4 + Water Vapor Gene 4 = Rainstorm Gene
Many knew that combining Airflow, Cloud-Mist, and Water Vapor genes could yield Frost and Rainstorm genes, but few knew the next three formulas.
Airflow Gene 4 + Cloud-Mist Gene 2 + Water Vapor Gene 1 = Hurricane Gene
Airflow Gene 2 + Cloud-Mist Gene 5 + Water Vapor Gene 4 = Lightning Gene
Airflow Gene 6 + Cloud-Mist Gene 7 + Water Vapor Gene 5 = Wind-Thunder Gene
The reason others didn't know these three basic genes could also synthesize Hurricane, Lightning, and Wind-Thunder genes was a saying in cultivation: "No regrets after enhancement."
Once a gene was over-enhanced, there was no going back—unless you used gene removal technology to completely eliminate it, but then you could never awaken it again. This technology couldn't be used multiple times on a human body; severe cases could cause the gene chain to collapse, turning you into a complete invalid.
The virtual universe was just a simulation; it couldn't replicate reality.
Gene synthesis and evolution in the virtual universe had to be based on real-world data; it couldn't be fabricated out of thin air.
If you didn't know the gene formula and input the corresponding data, the virtual universe's system couldn't help you synthesize the gene.
So every test of a new gene formula came at the cost of many people's cultivation prospects, and the more times a gene point was enhanced, the harder further enhancement became—requiring immense talent.
Take Feng Lin's gene evolution path, for example: Ape Gene 10 + Stone Embryo Gene 10 = Stone Ape Gene.
It looked simple, but among interstellar humans, Ape Gene and Stone Embryo Gene were widely considered inferior basic genes that couldn't be synthesized or evolved.
So many outstanding gene masters and powerful cultivators couldn't discover this—why?
The answer was simple!
Because Ape Gene and Stone Embryo Gene were both inferior basic genes. Enhancing them to three points was already tough, let alone ten points—it was beyond human limits.
It was like everyone knowing that to become a giant, you just needed to grow to three meters tall. But could you?
Everyone knew that, yet why couldn't so many scientists studying height-increasing techniques or using various remedies make people taller?
Sometimes, it wasn't that people couldn't think of it, but reality told you it was impossible.
The existence of the Gene Equation turned the impossible into possible. As long as you had free gene points, you could break through the limits of talent.
Deriving the possibility and realizing it—that was the true power of the Gene Equation.
Without the aid of this powerful talent, Feng Lin couldn't have broken the enhancement limit of inferior basic genes to synthesize the Stone Ape Gene.
The same went for other powerful gene formulas; ordinary people simply couldn't enhance that many gene points.
Genius and fool were inherently unequal—everything depended on talent.
In one sentence: position determines perspective, and talent limits imagination.
That was why advanced gene formulas were so rare.
Not everyone had the heaven-defying talent of the Gene Equation to assist them, showing just how much of an advantage Feng Lin had on the path of gene cultivation.
...
Feng Lin kept chuckling.
The silver-haired man knew his little scheme had been seen through by Feng Lin. His face flushed as he hid his embarrassment and sent a friend request.
"Master, let's be friends! If something like this comes up again, you can contact me anytime. I'll buy more."
Feng Lin wasn't about to let this sucker go. He clicked accept, and a new name appeared on his friend list: "Niulang Galaxy Silver-Haired God!"
Feng Lin gave the silver-haired man a strange look. You really couldn't judge a book by its cover.
This guy looked like a handsome man, but he had such a cringey, narcissistic name.
"Master, I want this original gene module!"
"I want this one!"
"Move aside, I'll take the rest!"
...
Seeing the silver-haired man successfully buy the original gene modules, others swarmed around Feng Lin, scrambling to snap them up.
Feng Lin turned no one away. Soon, all thirty-six gene modules were sold out, netting him exactly 18,000 star coins.
So many rich people. Even virtual gear could make money like this.
Feng Lin found it amusing. He hadn't expected his first pot of gold to come from gaming.
The money came so easily, without any effort.
But thinking about it, it made sense. The virtual universe wasn't just a simple game; it was humanity's second world—illusory yet incredibly real.
Feng Lin even wondered if he could make a lot of money by killing monsters for gene drops and synthesizing powerful gene modules. Had he made a mistake by rushing off to an internship on Mars?
No, he hadn't.
A moment of hesitation, and Feng Lin instantly cast aside all distractions, firming up his resolve.
Without money, nothing was possible, but money wasn't everything.
Knowledge was priceless. Some knowledge couldn't be bought with money—like the knowledge of a gene master.
Only at Giant Pharmaceutical could he gain systematic knowledge of gene mastery.
But the virtual universe was also a great way to make money, and he didn't need to give it up entirely.
He could just list the synthesized original gene modules on the virtual marketplace. That way, he could use the Gene Equation's power to earn money without revealing the existence of the gene formulas—killing multiple birds with one stone.
Feng Lin was about to continue killing monsters to synthesize more original gene modules for cash when a mechanical voice chimed in his ear.
"Six hours have elapsed. Violation of virtual prohibition detected. Forcing logout!..."
The virtual world before him began to dissolve, bursting into streams of data that faded away.
"Out of time!" Feng Lin regretted it. He had been so absorbed in testing the power of gene combinations that six hours in the real world had slipped by, triggering the virtual prohibition.
Before he could accept the friend requests from the crowd, his body exploded into specks of light and vanished from the spot.
"Hey, why did he leave so suddenly?" The crowd was stunned and disappointed.
Feng Lin slowly opened his eyes, gazing out the cabin window.
The spaceship was speeding along, and a crimson planet appeared before him, its mountains undulating with specks of green.
Mars had arrived!