Super Gene

Annie returned to her room. She reclaimed the videotape she had watched earlier and sent it via a special communicator.

At the same time, in the same office, a middle-aged man opened the videotape. After watching it, he closed his eyes and reclined in his seat. It seemed as if he was resting, but then he opened his eyes and looked at the video once more.

”One mind controlling two things; is this really the heir of Han Jing? Is Han Jing’s prediction going to turn out correct?” The middle-aged man furrowed his eyebrows as he spoke to himself.

The communicator on his table rang again. He looked at the number and smiled. He picked up the call and saw the image of a beautiful woman fill the screen.

”Yanran, where did you find the time to talk with your old man today? Shouldn’t you be spending your free time with your boyfriend?” the middle-aged man joked.

Ji Yanran blushed and said, ”Dad, what are you talking about? You know I always care about you.”

”I know my daughter cares about me, worry not. But recently, you have been spending less and less time communicating with me. If you do have the time, try and talk to your mother once in a while, as well. I know she can be mean, but she loves you and misses you dearly,” the middle-aged man said.

”I know, father. I was just talking to Mom, and yes, she kept complaining about me,” Ji Yanran said.

”Right, wait until Han Sen has finished serving in the army before introducing him to your mother. You two aren’t young anymore, and if there aren’t any issues prohibiting it, you both should get married sometime. I am still waiting for my grandkids.”

”Dad, you really want me to get married that much?” Ji Yanran’s face was red, but she was happy to know how accepting her father was.

”Are you saying that kid named Han isn’t good enough for you? Fine, I’ll get Annie to throw him into the Black-Plague Star and get him chained up in some mine somewhere. He can dig there for the rest of his days while you go and find someone you like,” the old man jested, with a cold face.

Daughters always knew what their fathers thought, and Ji Yanran knew exactly what this middle-aged man was thinking, too. She laughed and said, ”Fine, quit your kidding about. When he’s done serving the army, I’ll bring him around so he can meet you and mother. If you aren’t satisfied, I’ll throw him into the Black-Plague Star myself!”

”You seem quite confident. It looks like my daughter really has been attracted by someone. To think that the daughter I have had for 20 years will be taken away…”

”Dad, can we quit pretending? Let’s talk like normal!”

After the call ended, the middle-aged man’s smile soon faded away. He carefully perused the information Annie had sent him, along with the videotape. His fingers tapped the table as he read, and he didn’t say a word until he was done.

”Han Jing Zhi, you cause much unrest even in death.” After a break of silence, the old man sighed. He closed the information tab.

Battling Annie must have cost Han Sen a lot of willpower. After their encounter, Han Sen retired for the day and did not continue training his Dual sword skill. He returned to his bedroom and laid down on his bed, reading news on Skynet.

Many media stations in the Alliance were covering the coming election for a new leader. This was a massive event for the Alliance. Nominees from every system were selling themselves, scrambling for every vote they could claim.

On the list of nominees, Han Sen spotted a strange name that evoked a sense of familiarity.

”If Ji Ruo Zhen became leader…” Han Sen read it once and then sighed. A puzzled expression spread across his face.

Then, he decided to read about other topics, including one that pertained to shelters. Apparently, some genius kid managed to evolve before he was 20 years old. A surpasser killed a certain sacred-blood creature. Some demigod used a punch to break a shura battleship, etcetera, etcetera… These news topics, however, were enough to bore someone to tears.

”If I don’t become a demigod, it’ll be far more difficult for me to ascend and become better than everyone else.” Han Sen’s eyes were shining, confident in his ability to one day become a demigod. But first, he’d have to become flawless with all the basics. If he didn’t, he could very well die.

So far, no human had been able to enter the Fifth Sanctuary. And that was why nobody knew what it looked like on the inside.

Han Sen did not want to rule the world, he just wanted to be free. He didn’t want to be governed by the whims of others, restricted and restrained from doing what he wanted.

The death of Han Sen’s father was a mystery, as well. If he did not have the power he sought, he might never uncover the truth about his death.

While Han Sen was lost deep in thought, the communicator rang. It was Yang Manli. Han Sen knew Yang Manli would not seek him out if it wasn’t something important, and as he answered the call, her entire body filled the screen.

”I am afraid you have a problem.” Yang Manli wore a grave expression.

”And what problem would that be?” Han Sen casually asked. Problems followed him wherever he went, so what was one more to the equation?

”The special security group has given us a mission. It is to protect a person who has just levelled up and reached the Second Shelter,” Yang Manli promptly explained.

”Is he from our Goddess Shelter?” Han Sen asked.

”No, he’s from the ice fields. He’s over in Starwheel Shelter, right now,” Yang Manli said.

”Is this person special in any capacity?” Han Sen didn’t think Yang Manli would refer to this person as a problem if he were any ordinary person.

”It’s the son, Dong Sen,” Yang Manli said, heavily.

Han Sen was quite shocked, and so he said, ”That is quite the coincidence!”

”It is. That is why I said you are in trouble. That man wouldn’t idly sit back and watch you claim the Blackgod Shelter, and your men are the ones who are listening to Dong Li. With his son there, it’ll be difficult to maintain our hold on the Blackgod Shelter,” Yang Manli said.

”I can’t believe they have made us become his guardian. That Dong Li got me good, and it’s not like I can reject this responsibility,” Han Sen said and smiled.

”You can smile at a time like this?” Yang Manli rolled her eyes. If she were in Han Sen’s position, she doubted she could eat. But there Han Sen was, smiling.

Again, Han Sen smiled. Then he said, ”Why shouldn’t I smile and laugh? No matter how much he has planned, control of the shelter resides firmly on the feeble shoulders of his son. He might not have what it takes. And besides, there is protocol to follow. There is no way Dong Li will be able to kick us out.”

”Maybe you are right, but if those people don’t listen to you and follow the son’s command instead, what will you do?” Yang Manli thought Han Sen was being too naive.

”That’s fine by me. But for as long as I am around, the Blackgod Shelter will be too. If I am gone, then the shelter will be destroyed. It’s as simple as that,” Han Sen said, with a streak of cold in his tone. Still, he did sound calm.

When Yang Manli heard what he said, she felt a frightful chill race down her spine. Beneath Han Sen’s calm voice, Yang Manli could feel the slither of something sinister. It was something she had never felt from Han Sen before today.

Yang Manli took a deep breath. ”He wants to see you.”

”Sort it out tomorrow; it’s too late right now.” Han Sen was exhausted and could not muster the motivation to travel to the shelter again today. He talked with Yang Manli for a while longer and then hung up.