Kaidan Game Train: Abide Rule or Die!
Chapter 968 Doctor Zhang

Chapter 968: Chapter 968 Doctor Zhang

"Impossible!" Luo Changren declared emphatically. "I have personally witnessed the efficacy of the Gene Evolution Agent; it has worked on the races in other game districts!"

"That is to say, Doctor Zhang not only used the genetic samples you provided to make the Evolution Potion, but he also has similar research in other game districts," Xu Huo said, pausing for a moment. "What kind of person is he?"

"A very refined gentleman..." Luo Changren’s belief was shaken, and he barely managed to answer before pressing on, "Did Gao Zhen tell you all this?"

Xu Huo produced evidence on the spot, showing him the key points.

From the beginning, Luo Changren’s complexion worsened. When Gao Zhen uttered the words, "You should always leave people with some hope," Luo Changren, who had been holding back, finally spat out a mouthful of blood and slumped over his knees, repeating, "I can’t believe it... I can’t believe it... I can’t believe it..."

In fact, he was just a catalyst. The true culprit behind the SE virus outbreak was Base City 01. Even if the Evolution Potion he brought back went into mass production, it could only have harmed a small number of players; it was not enough to cause so many deaths. Later, when he was scapegoated for the ordeal and struggled with guilt, he escaped to retrieve the vaccine, bearing humiliation and hardships in hope of redemption. Now to tell him that the vaccine might have been fake was something no one could accept.

Xu Huo glanced at the time without interrupting Luo Changren’s emotional outburst.

Eventually, Luo Changren somewhat collected himself and asked with hope, "The SE virus really won’t damage the evolution gene?"

"If Gao Zhen wasn’t lying," Xu Huo said analytically. "She has no reason to lie, as she orchestrated the SE virus incident herself, primarily to cull the population. She wouldn’t gamble the future of the entire base city."

"The genetic continuity of a race, any person with ambition would treat it as a matter of the utmost importance."

Luo Changren seemed persuaded and slowly nodded, "Yes, otherwise she wouldn’t have let me go in the first place."

"When did you first encounter Doctor Zhang, and was it he who first told you about using ancestral genes to modify the Evolution Potion?" Xu Huo inquired.

"The first time I was expelled from Base City 01," Luo Changren responded. "After graduating from Seagull, I was frustrated by the limitations of being a doctor. I became obsessed with religion for a while, but after learning about Dr. Wu’s deeds, I resolved to become a Pharmacist."

"A surgeon can only save a few lives, but only by developing sufficiently good Potions can base stations grow stronger. Therefore, I used connections to search for investment for the Evolution Potion project. However, limited by my own talent, and without talented individuals willing to join me, the lab wouldn’t continue funding me after seeing no results. After being unemployed several times, I couldn’t make it in Base City 01 and had no choice but to buy non-player tickets to other districts."

"After wandering through two districts, I met Doctor Zhang in E21-024."

"At the time, he ran a small lab but had a big reputation; many powerful people wanted to throw money at him. I barely got to visit one of his Potion experiments through a noblewoman."

"The Potion displayed that day was a strength enhancer, much more effective than what was supplied to common Evolvers in that district, and hence it was highly sought after..." He seemed reluctant to elaborate on this part and skipped ahead, "He approached me for a chat. I was very troubled and poured out my troubles to him. It was his idea to start from the genes."

"I was deluded, thinking that if it really could improve the base station’s genes, not only would the base station have a brighter future, but my name would also be passed down through generations..."

"Too naive... If improving genes were that easy, other game districts would have done it long ago. I was too naive, having seen Players and Evolvers, I thought it could really be done."

This statement came from utter despair, and Xu Huo made no comment. But if it were him, he’d likely believe Doctor Zhang’s words. Not to mention a visionary talent like Dr. Wu, the Stellar Medical Group probably mastered this technology long ago, just not universally available. However, evolution is also a form of gene improvement; the difference lies in Luo Changren’s desire to induce a special evolution in the base station’s race.

Luo Changren went on, "After returning to the base station, it took me a lot of effort to find an ancient corpse. Once Base 01 funded my research, I went back to District 024 to find Doctor Zhang. He charged a minimal fee and agreed to complete the research for me... But there’s no such thing as a free lunch."

"Did he hand over the finished Potion to you directly?" Xu Huo mused for a moment. "What did he say to you at that time?"

Every word spoken by Doctor Zhang, who once was Luo Changren’s benefactor and now his biggest enemy, was deeply engraved, "At the time I didn’t understand what he said, but now I do."

"Genetic improvement is a lengthy process. Humans obtain this result through mating over long periods of time, although it’s for environmental adaptation, every part of the gene has a reason for its existence. Even some parts that appear useless are indispensable. Accelerating this process and forcibly stripping away parts of the gene can bring unpredictable consequences."

"That was his exact wording," Luo Changren clenched his fists, "I even wrote this down at the beginning of my autobiography!"

There was no need for him to expose such mortifying secrets.

"Tell me about the vaccine," Xu Huo said. "You must have suspected him when the SE virus broke out."

"Indeed, I did suspect, but I had no other choice than to seek him out," Luo Changren said. "But I didn’t see him on that visit. I only learned he had left a vaccine for me as a precaution in case I had a change of heart when I found his residence..."

Tears streamed from his bloodshot eyes as he covered his face and let out a strange cry, "I thought at the time, how could there be such a good person in this world... and it turns out even the Evolution Potion was fake..."

This point remained to be verified.

What Gao Zhen said about the SE virus not affecting the next generation was true, but whether the Evolution Potion was useless was not necessarily the case.

Regardless of the intentions of other base cities, the combination of the Evolution Potion with the virus from Base City 01 culminated in such a tragic situation, indicating that the Potion itself was not without hidden dangers. Evolution requires a price, as evidenced by all Players. To say that Doctor Zhang used a gene-destroying Potion to teach Luo Changren a lesson was completely unnecessary; besides, he later left behind a vaccine Potion, meaning he had anticipated the adverse effects of taking such an Evolution Potion... As for why he didn’t give both Potions to Luo Changren at the same time, maybe he really did want to teach him a lesson. However, Base City 01’s interference turned the situation uncontrollable.

Of course, this was just Xu Huo’s speculation.

It could be imagined that upon returning with the vaccine, Luo Changren had been pursued and forced to change his identity. He then entrusted the vaccine to trustworthy friends to hide in Base W37 City, and afterwards, he never saw Doctor Zhang again.

"Do you still remember what he looked like and his physical characteristics?"