Chapter Four: Test of Strength

After dinner, Luo Rao began tidying up the room, while Ji Cheng took advantage of the remaining daylight to head out with his documents to the Gene Prototype Registration Office.

It wasn’t yet seven o’clock, and the streets were still crowded with people. Ji Cheng grabbed someone at random to ask for directions, then darted swiftly through the throng.

“Because Southport New City is close to the mining district, there should be quite a few people here who’ve received gene prototype injections.” Ji Cheng moved through the crowd like a leopard, agile and powerful as he twisted and turned, weaving between pedestrians.

“It feels a lot like in the game, but much more real—I can sense every muscle fiber stretching and surging within me. At full speed, I should be able to reach twenty meters per second.”

He raced across several streets, and finally, under the astonished gazes of a few passersby, leaped over the wall into the registration office compound.

The yard was not large and looked overgrown with weeds. A cement wall topped with an electrified grid encircled it, leaving only the main entrance open. Influenced by the original owner’s personality, Ji Cheng found entering through the gate uninspiring and opted to scale the wall instead.

“Just as I thought, it’s built underground, just like in the old city.” He glanced at a downward passage in the center of the yard.

Because mutant beasts often attacked the city, and even with many ability users defending it, tall buildings were still unsafe—especially against flying mutants. Underground safehouses rose to prominence in such times, and most important city buildings were relocated below ground. Compared to surface structures, subterranean ones required much more demanding geology, so land suitable for safehouses was extremely limited in any city.

Ever since the sudden mutation fifty-five years ago, the urban areas on Baishan Star had been drastically reduced, making land rare and precious. Having an underground safehouse was not something that money alone could buy.

Of course, if one became an ability user, one was entitled to a safehouse as a residence—a deserved privilege.

Ji Cheng descended the safehouse stairs. After fifty or sixty steps, an armed guard blocked his way.

“I’m a gene prototype recipient.” He pointed to his eyes. The eerie vertical pupils were striking even under the dim underground lights.

The guard glanced at Ji Cheng’s eyes and immediately straightened, saluting with respect. “It’s an honor to serve you, sir.”

“The registration is inside, right? I’ve just immigrated from the old city,” Ji Cheng’s voice echoed in the narrow space.

“Yes, sir.” The guard adjusted his earpiece, apparently receiving orders to let him pass. “Please go in.”

Beyond the blast door stood a pitch-black circular hall.

Click.

Automatic lights snapped on in concentric rings, revealing sterile white light. Disinfectant gases sprayed from small vents and were quickly drawn back in.

“Descent permitted.” A mechanical voice sounded abruptly, and the entire floor began to lower.

With a clatter, after several minutes, the elevator platform stopped.

In stark contrast to the sparse space above, the underground area was bustling and spacious, alive with people.

A young woman in uniform was already waiting nearby. Seeing Ji Cheng enter, she immediately approached with a professional smile. “Welcome, please follow me for prototype registration.”

“Southport New City has a large population. For convenience, the registration office and administration share a single safehouse,” she explained.

“Alright, understood.” Ji Cheng nodded casually.

…

Half an hour later, Ji Cheng emerged back onto the surface. Night was falling.

“The Mountain Cat gene prototype has a rather unique trait: after dark, neural reflexes and dynamic vision surpass those of daytime. This is linked to changes in certain neurons in the brain.”

He gazed into the distance and easily spotted the training ground’s sign.

With a few powerful strides, Ji Cheng vaulted over the electrified wall and landed on the street. There were fewer pedestrians now, and with his night-boosted reflexes, he sprinted with abandon.

“The training ground closes at nine. If I go now, I should have time to finish the strength assessment.”

He had only completed half of the registration at the office; the remaining strength test had to be conducted at the training ground. In this era, strength was paramount. The higher one’s gene prototype assimilation, the better the benefits and privileges—crucial for those aiming to become ability users.

The Blue Algae Training Ground was founded three years ago after a public referendum initiated by Zhang Sheng, the Speaker of Southport New City. It was now the city’s only large-scale training facility.

Locals simply referred to it as “the training ground.”

Despite its name, the Blue Algae Training Ground was not blue at all; instead, lush green vines wound around the exterior as decoration. The complex covered an area equivalent to four or five football fields and spanned eight floors. The roof was topped with a woven steel net dome, giving it a grand and imposing appearance. Security guards stood at the wide main entrance, all on high alert.

Gene prototype recipients were far more destructive than ordinary people, so their training ground had to be built both large and indestructible.

At the entrance, Ji Cheng handed an attendant a slip of paper detailing all his information, except the prototype assimilation rate, which was left blank. Below was the registration office’s official stamp.

This was his admission pass for the prototype development test, given to him at registration.

“Clear.”

“Clear.”

“Clear.”

After several checks, Ji Cheng entered the training ground smoothly.

The first floor was a vast lobby paved with metal-tinted tiles. Service staff moved quietly, and a formal, solemn atmosphere prevailed.

He walked straight through to the elevators.

“Good evening, sir. Which floor do you need?” The elevator operator, dressed in a white shirt, bowed slightly as Ji Cheng entered.

“Seventh floor.” Ji Cheng glanced at the name tag and sighed inwardly. As expected of a city near the mining district—wealthy enough to have an attendant just for the elevator.

“Seventh floor?” The operator narrowed his eyes. By protocol, the seventh floor was reserved for those whose gene prototype assimilation exceeded eighty percent.

Most recipients never reached even a fifty percent rate in their lifetimes. The young man who’d just gone up in his twenties was already quite impressive, but this youth looked only eighteen or nineteen—what grand ambition.

“Is there a problem?” Ji Cheng, seeing the operator hesitate, couldn’t help but ask.

The operator quickly stepped aside. “No, not at all. My apologies.”

Ding. The doors opened, revealing a room in pure white, exuding a futuristic feel, with only a few people scattered inside.

“Hu Xian, Testing Chamber Two.” As soon as Ji Cheng entered, a recorded voice announced overhead.

“So we meet again.” Ji Cheng smiled, immediately spotting a hurried figure heading into the second chamber on the left. Who else but Hu Xian?

Ji Cheng handed his slip to the waiting staff and chose a seat to settle in.

The place was usually not crowded, but today happened to be the bi-monthly free testing day, drawing many gene prototype recipients eager to test their abilities—or at least to catch the excitement.

After all, for those planning to compete in the ability user selection, these people could be rivals. The assimilation test was a perfect opportunity to observe potential competitors.

Ji Cheng’s arrival caused a stir. It was rare for someone so young to dare attempt the seventh-floor test.

Most people, however, continued their quiet discussions in small groups, or observed coldly from the sidelines. But as shouts erupted from Chamber Two and the display above the door lit up, all eyes were drawn in that direction.

[Name: Hu Xian]
[Age: 26]
[Gene Prototype: Snow Bear]
[Muscle Tissue Strength: 1004 (1150)]
[Neural Reflex Speed: 533 (700)]
[Cell Activity: 714 (890)]
[Prototype Assimilation: 82%]

These lines appeared on the screen, provoking a wave of astonishment.

“Impressive. So young and already reached 82% assimilation with his prototype.”

“Hu Xian… just the name sounds strong.”

“He’s a real talent. Snow Bear is a combat-oriented prototype, and he’s achieved a high assimilation rate at such a young age.”

“Right. At twenty-six and already 82%—he might become an ability user by thirty.”

“Tsk, who knows. I have no hope myself.”

“I thought that kid was just arrogant, but now…”

As Hu Xian’s results were displayed, the hall buzzed with whispers, and many curious glances were directed at Ji Cheng, who, given his age, seemed even more audacious than Hu Xian.

Ji Cheng paid no mind to anyone’s gaze, leisurely twisting open a bottle of mineral water to sip.

“Judging from the screen, the numbers in parentheses must be the development limits for each attribute set by the gene prototype.”

“Hmm… The Fox Spirit’s muscle strength and cell activity are decent, but its neural reflexes are too slow. Snow Bear isn’t suited for neural modifications; even at full assimilation, its reflex speed is only 700.”

“With his reflexes at 533, he’d be at a disadvantage using firearms.”

Hu Xian was seven or eight years his senior, and his gene prototype’s assimilation was much higher, but in actual combat, he was never a match for Ji Cheng.

Ji Cheng was just about to cap his bottle when someone gave his shoulder a moderate shove. He turned and found a sharply dressed man standing behind him.

“Excuse me, sir, but I’ll have to ask you to go downstairs.”