I am the Clone of a Death Row Inmate

Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Absorbing the Extract: Mutated Upright Ape

In response to Zhang Tai’s question, Su Ze nodded resolutely. ”I’m sure. I’ll take this one.”

As the sole initial skill of an S-rank mutated beast, Su Ze believed that ”Knowledge is Power” couldn’t possibly be weak. Besides, it was a perfect fit for him.

There was another point. As a skill that enhanced his constitution, it could push his already formidable physique even further, laying the foundation for his next leap in absorbing a Tier 3 high-grade extract.

Zhang Tai said, ”The source of this extract, that Mutated Upright Ape... I remember it very clearly. I was on the team that hunted it back then. That giant ape, relying on nothing but its physical strength and some crude skills, was strong enough to dominate its peers. The five of us, all at the Cocoon Stage, couldn’t take it down. In the end, it took someone at the Butterfly Stage to finally kill it.

”Its extract is powerful, undeniably so. But as for why this tube has been sitting in Dongli’s inventory for twenty-three years, I’m sure you can see the reason.”

Su Ze nodded. Others didn’t dare choose this extract for two main reasons.

First, it had too many skills. Aside from the initial skill, ”Knowledge is Power,” the rest, while also Tier 2, were all crude, low-level skills. If they were to be graded, they would only be equivalent to Tier 2 D-rank or E-rank skills.

Randomly drawing one from so many options was like playing the lottery, and the odds of winning were pitifully low. No one dared to take that gamble; no one was willing to take the risk.

Only drawing ”Knowledge is Power” would be a massive win. Drawing any other skill would be a total loss.

The second reason was that this extract was simply too potent, exceeding the level of a normal Tier 2 S-rank. The average person couldn’t absorb it; they would likely be overwhelmed to the point of bursting.

After all, not everyone was like Su Ze, with a constitution that far surpassed their peers.

Unless one was a genius, even absorbing an S-rank extract was difficult for an ordinary evolver, let alone an S+-rank one like this.

Even Su Ze himself had felt the pressure when he absorbed the Mutated Giant Crocodile Extract.

However, after absorbing and digesting the Mutated Giant Crocodile Extract, Su Ze’s constitution had improved dramatically. Absorbing this S+-rank extract now would surely be no trouble at all.

As for the issue of too many skills and it being a gamble on luck, that wasn’t a problem for Su Ze. He could freely choose his skill. Even if there were ten thousand skills, he could precisely select the one he wanted.

Zhang Tai warned him again, ”You have to think this through. If you don’t get the ’Knowledge is Power’ skill, this extract will be worse than a regular S-rank one. Furthermore, the absorption process is dangerous and will put immense pressure on your body.”

”Mr. Zhang, I’ve made up my mind. I’ve always had pretty good luck. Besides, I have experience from absorbing the Mutated Giant Crocodile’s extract. That bit of pressure is not a problem for me.”

Seeing that he couldn’t persuade Su Ze, Zhang Tai could only shake his head helplessly and order his subordinates to retrieve the Mutated Upright Ape Extract.

Half an hour later, a tube of extract, glowing with an orange light of evolution so brilliant it was dazzling, was placed in Su Ze’s hands.

Zhang Tai said, ”There’s a lounge next door. You can absorb it in there.”

Su Ze nodded in agreement and got up to go to the lounge next door.

The lounge was spartan, containing only a bed and a sofa.

Su Ze sat on the bed, took a deep breath to compose himself, and then tipped the Mutated Upright Ape Extract into his mouth in one go.

SPICY!

Incredibly spicy!

So, old extracts really were spicier.

This twenty-three-year-old ”expired drink” was spicier than anything Su Ze had ever eaten.

He still hadn’t encountered one of those legendary sweet extracts.

Su Ze was so overwhelmed by the spiciness that he didn’t even notice the changes in his body. By the time he felt a little better, the extract was almost completely absorbed.

Just as he had predicted, with his current physical strength, absorbing a Tier 2 S+-rank extract posed no pressure at all. The process was completely natural.

His body didn’t swell up like it did last time when he absorbed the Mutated Giant Crocodile Extract.

Once the absorption was complete, Su Ze once again entered the skill selection phase. This time, however, was a little different from before.

After his consciousness entered the blank space this time, he saw over a dozen dense masses of fog—something he had never seen before.

Among these dozen or so orange masses, one was enormous. The others were not even a tenth of its size, clustered around the giant mass like stars orbiting the moon.

Su Ze didn’t even need to get closer to feel it out. He could tell at a glance that the huge mass of fog had to represent the ”Knowledge is Power” skill.

Su Ze’s consciousness plunged right into it...

His vision blurred, and his consciousness returned to his body. Before he could even get up from the bed, he suddenly felt his entire body being enveloped by a peculiar power.

The power was subtle and meticulous, seeping into every corner of his body and leaving him feeling warm all over, as if every single one of his cells was taking a hot bath.

’Is this... the ”Knowledge is Power” skill starting to strengthen my body?’

Every skill Su Ze mastered brought with it a full-body enhancement.

He took a quick inventory of the skills he currently possessed...

Ant Power, Rhino Charge, Divine Grace of Evolution, Needle Strike, Regeneration Body, Furious Waves, and the newly acquired ”Knowledge is Power.”

A total of seven skills.

In other words, his body would undergo seven enhancements.

Su Ze began to look forward to it.

Soon, the first enhancement ended, and the miraculous power within Su Ze started to recede.

Su Ze threw a punch, carefully sensing the boost to his strength and speed. A satisfied, even slightly surprised, smile spread across his face.

’It’s even stronger than I imagined!’

The degree of enhancement was somewhat beyond Su Ze’s expectations.

As expected of the strongest skill from an S+-rank extract. Even if Su Ze didn’t have the Divine Grace of Evolution skill, the boost he received from ”Knowledge is Power” was still substantial, no less than any other Tier 2 S-rank skill.

Moreover, this was also a growth-type skill. The higher his evolution level and the more skills he possessed, the greater the boost it would provide.

After the first enhancement concluded, the miraculous power surged forth once more, covering Su Ze’s entire body and beginning the second enhancement.

Su Ze knew this process would repeat a total of seven times, so he wasn’t in a hurry and waited patiently.

As the enhancements finished one after another, the feeling of power in Su Ze’s body grew more and more immense. His constitution improved at a rocket-like pace.

His strength and speed both reached a new level, and the toughness of his physical body grew ever more terrifying.

When all seven enhancements were complete, Su Ze felt as if he had transformed into a humanoid tyrannosaur, capable of tearing tigers and leopards apart with his bare hands and shouldering mountains.

The Mutated Upright Ape Extract itself had already given Su Ze a considerable boost to his constitution. With the seven enhancements from ”Knowledge is Power” stacked on top, his physical strength took a quantum leap.

Su Ze was reminded of the mighty figures in fantasy novels who achieved sainthood through sheer physical power. He felt a bit like one of them now.