Evolution Begins With A Big Tree

Chapter 103, Ling Er and the Golden Ant

Translator:  Ashish

Translation Checker: Silavin

The next morning, within the heart of a mysterious laboratory…

Ling Er slowly opened her eyes.

*Boom*

Faintly, a cluster of flames ignited deep within her eyes.

It was materialization of her Spiritual Energy, an indication of reaching the peak of the Tier-0 Level 9. Ling Er was now only half a step away.

If she succeeded, she would become one of the few most powerful existences that stood at the top of the Human Race.

If she failed, she would vanish from the face of this earth.

This was the frightening aspect of breaking through to the Transcendent Realm.

Furthermore, not only were the Mutant Beasts affected, it was even true for Humans; it was literally a divine punishment.

Until now, apart from the monsters hidden in a few secret laboratories of China, Ling Er had not heard of many people becoming Superhumans.

At this moment, Ling Er’s eyes flickered slightly. She slowly got up, changed her clothes, put on a white mask, and left her bedroom.

“Hello, Senior Ling Er.”

“Senior…”

Along the way, everyone who caught sight of her figure greeted with a nod, and even bowed respectfully.

Ling Er was the prodigy of the No.1 Spiritual Energy Research Institute, possessing great strength that few knew about.

But that was not the most terrifying part.

The most terrifying thing was that Ling Er had achieved all this in just half a year. Although she had the assistance of Fire-Attribute Spirit Stones, her talent was undeniable. Given her exceptional talent, and as the assistant of several professors, Ling Er’s status in this secret Genetic Research Laboratory was among the top few, second only to the professors.

Her lips curled into a faint smile. Even her eyes seemed to be smiling, forming a crescent shape. Though she appeared aloof, Ling Er still gave a certain level of response to the people who greeted her.

Shortly after, traveling along a white corridor that stretched hundreds of meters, Ling Er arrived at the deepest part of the laboratory.

Looking up, she saw the word ‘Genetics.’

“Ha…” Exhaling a long, deep breath, Ling Er approached a facing recognition console.

A clear electronic synthesized sound rang in her ears as a metal door not far from Ling Er slowly opened to both sides.

The next moment…

What entered Ling Er’s sight was an enormous hall.

Inside the hall, there were various petri dishes. Upon closer inspection, each petri dish was filled with green solution, immersed in which were a few or more insects, many of them also have many severed limbs.

As the Genetic Research Laboratory, they naturally conducted various genetic research here. 

Previously, the “Werewolf”—made by fusing a Wolf’s gene with a Human, which resulted in a monster with the body of Human and the head of a Wolf was the product of this place.

However, considering the difficulty of controlling genes from larger animals, which caused ninety-nine percent of Humans to lose control of themselves and go insane, the Genetic Research Laboratory had changed its direction and focused on researching the genes of insects, amputated limbs, and small Mutant Beasts.

However, at the deepest part of the hall…

*Roar, Roar…* Faintly, mixed among the crazed roars, clanking sounds of countless chains being pulled could be heard.

At this moment, Ling Er’s eyes caught sight of a silver centipede that was over twenty meters long. Its body seemed to be cast in silver, with each segment emitting a silver glow, giving it an exceptionally ferocious appearance.

The Silver Centipede, the only Disaster Class Tier-2 Transcendent caught by China inland.

Because of its existence, the Genetic Research Laboratory had made frequent breakthroughs in genetic research. Some of the experimental results left even Ling Er astonished.

However, the price paid for it was that the body of this over twenty-meter-long Silver Centipede had been dismembered by more than half. Yet, it still persisted due to the tenacious vitality unique to Tier 2 Transcendents.

According to Ling Er’s estimation, in a few months or at most a couple of weeks, this Tier-2 Silver Centipede would almost reach the end of its life.

[At that time…] Hidden behind her white mask, the corner of Ling Er’s lips curved, outlining an eerie arc.

Seemingly laughing, yet also seemingly anticipating. Even a cluster of flames were ignited within the depths of her eyes.

…

Just then, as if noticing Ling Er’s arrival, a very old voice sounded from afar.

“Ling Er, you’re here, come, lend me a hand.”

“Okay, Old Li.” Replying, Ling Er immediately walked towards an elderly man with silver hair.

Old Li was one of the highest-ranking professors in the Genetic Research Laboratory and one of the main scientists of the genetic experiments.

According to rumors, it was because of his efforts that China established its first Spiritual Energy Research Institute.

Up until today, through satellite communication, China was astonished to discover that they seemed to be at the forefront of Spiritual Energy research. Apart from certain countries in Europe, even America was lagging behind.

And all of this was due to this old man, who, upon confirming the resurgence of Spiritual Energy, directly mobilized national forces to establish the first Spiritual Energy Research Institution.

This illustrated this old man’s status in China today.

Casually taking the white lab coat handed to her by a scientist and putting it on, Ling Er asked with a gleaming smile, “Old Li, did you succeed again?”

Hearing Ling Er’s question, Elder Li nodded with pride. Then, as if unable to contain himself, he laughed triumphantly.

“We did it, we did it.”

Saying so, he pointed at a nearby petri dish, and explained, “We have completely activated the gene that symbolizes this Golden Ant’s strength. It can be said that this any, which was capable of lifting objects over 400 times its own weight and carrying objects over 1700 times its own weight, has had its natural talents significantly enhanced by our experiments. If my guess is correct, it should now be able to lift objects over 4000 times its own weight.”

As he spoke of this, the silver-haired old man suddenly sighed, as if recalling something, and regretfully continued, “Unfortunately, we won’t be able to witness the mutation of this Golden Ant.”

“Uh…” Ling Er’s face slightly froze, and she looked toward a giant Ant with a length of five centimeters not far away. Its body seemed as if cast from liquid gold. She could not help but ask, “Why!?”

“Alas, by forcibly unlocking its talents, the vitality of this Golden Ant is nearly depleted. It won’t be long before…” Before he could finish, the silver-haired old man’s gaze shifted to the other petri dishes, and he smiled, and continued, “But fortunately, we’ve obtained the experimental data. Now, the success rate of activating it again has reached 20%.”

At this point, Old Li seemed to have thought of something,and added, “Take this Ant back and study it again. I want to see your analysis and understanding of it.”

Nodding, Qing Er readily agreed.

But the next moment, as if she remembered something, Qing Er suddenly stated, “Old Li, I would like to request a leave of absence.”

“A leave?”

“Yes, a leave. It’s been a long time since I went back home. I miss my parents.”

“Is that so!?” After contemplating for a moment, Old Li nodded his permission.

“Alright then. Since that’s the case, go back for a while. But remember, it’s only for a week. We’re in the final stage of the Silver Centipede experiment, and we can’t do without you.”

“Okay,” nodding, Qing Er replied with a smile.