Chapter 68

"Gene serum?" Li Shutong asked in surprise, "For the person inside?"

"Yes," Qingchen nodded.

"Why," Lin Xiaoxiao asked curiously, "Isn't it quite difficult to get gene serums? Wouldn't it just make things easier for him?"

"I need to use him to prove to the people in the real world that I can indeed give them what they want. Besides, he should have some self-defense capabilities; otherwise, it would be too easy for him to be interrogated if captured," Qingchen replied.

Liu Dezhu had no backbone; during Lin Xiaoxiao's interrogation, he confessed everything.

Using such a person as a firewall to face the people in the real world, Qingchen still felt a bit uncertain.

So he changed his perspective: since he would confess if captured, then he must not be captured!

Lin Xiaoxiao thought for a moment and said, "It seems to make a lot of sense..."

Qingchen looked at Li Shutong, "I need to build layer upon layer of fortifications around myself to ensure my disguise and safety. Although Liu Dezhu is not a solid firewall, he is the only one I can use now."

Qingchen had Jiang Xue, Li Tongyun, and Nan Gengchen around him, but they were his friends, and using them as a firewall and fortification would be fatal.

Therefore, Liu Dezhu was the best choice at the moment, and it was also his own choice.

He looked at Li Shutong, "Teacher, you still owe me a trade condition. I want to trade it for a gene serum."

Li Shutong asked with interest, "You are already my student, so you don't need to trade conditions."

"Can't always rely on others to walk, can we?" Qingchen responded.

"Interesting," Li Shutong suddenly felt that perhaps it was because of the other person's clarity and stubbornness that he ultimately chose him as his successor.

This was an excellent quality that could help one go further.

Li Shutong said again, "However, you brought me the chess manual, so I owe you one more. This time, I can find you a gene serum, but I still owe you a request."

"Thank you, Teacher," Qingchen said seriously.

...

The next day, with only 1 hour left on the countdown, the alloy gate in front of Liu Dezhu opened again.

He looked at the familiar cat mask and the briefcase in the other person's hand.

"This is..." Liu Dezhu was astonished.

"Remember what I'm about to say," Qingchen looked at him coldly, instructing him on the precautions to take when returning to the real world.

After finishing, he opened the briefcase to reveal two refrigerated syringes inside.

One was for a skin test to check for any rejection of the serum.

The other was the gene serum, a blue liquid tightly sealed in the transparent glass of the syringe, swaying in a mesmerizing pattern.

On the syringe, it read "Li's FDE-005."

Qingchen left the briefcase and said before leaving, "First, inject the skin test. If you feel a tearing pain, it means the serum is not rejected, and you can inject the second one. The first injection will hurt for 15 minutes, and the second one might hurt for 5 hours. But if you don't have the courage to inject, it will be meaningless."

The Li's FDE gene serum, from 001 to 005, required starting with 005 and then sequentially injecting 004, 003, 002, and 001.

Each injection must be spaced one month apart, gradually ascending and becoming stronger.

Otherwise, if you inject FDE-001 first, you will die immediately.

Originally, when Lin Xiaoxiao gave it to Qingchen, it didn't even come in a box. It was only after Qingchen's request that the other person found a box.

Qingchen's explanation was that the gene serum in a box looked more impressive.

This gene serum had significant advantages: low rejection rate, quick effectiveness, and no damage to organs.

However, it also had its drawbacks. If 005 corresponds to F-level, then 001 corresponds to B-level.

This was the ceiling of the FDE gene serum.

Moreover, FDE-001 and FDE-002 serums were very rare and almost impossible to find on the market.

Lin Xiaoxiao said, "This is the fastest path among all shortcuts, but it is the shortest."

Thus, Qingchen realized that the path he was taking, though the longest, was also the most enduring.

...

"Hey, do you think he will inject the gene serum after the skin test?"

In the dim corridor outside the isolation room, Qingchen asked in a low voice.

He didn't leave far but waited quietly.

For the past 15 minutes, Liu Dezhu's screams had not stopped.

To be honest, even Qingchen had underestimated the power of the skin test. Just by hearing Liu Dezhu's screams, he could guess how painful it was.

"It's hard to say," Lin Xiaoxiao said, "The pain from the gene serum is bone-deep. Many people give up after the skin test because they lack the confidence to endure the five hours of the second injection."

Yewen added, "Everything in the world comes at a price. To enhance one's strength, one must endure pain, even with the fastest-acting gene serum."

"What about Awakened Ones?" Qingchen suddenly asked, "Isn't it said that Awakened Ones can transcend in a single night?"

"Awakened Ones are mostly triggered by strong external stimuli," Yewen explained, "or by accumulating pain over a long period in a painful environment."

Gradually, Liu Dezhu's screams finally stopped.

The three of them stood quietly in the corridor, whispering, waiting for the next scream, which would indicate that Liu Dezhu had gathered the courage to inject the second dose.

However, Qingchen overestimated Liu Dezhu's willpower. After enduring the skin test, he no longer had the courage to inject the second dose.

Many people dream of becoming stronger, even thinking they are ready to face the price of strength.

But only when the real pain comes do they realize what they must face.

And then they back down.

At this moment, Yewen suddenly pulled out a gold bar from his pocket and handed it to Qingchen, "Here, the boss asked me to give it to you."

Qingchen shook his head, "I said I don't want to be supported by others."

Yewen put the gold bar back in his pocket and said in a low voice, "Just as the boss thought, you wouldn't take it."

"Why did you even take it out?" Qingchen was puzzled.

"Just a symbolic gesture... The boss said you can refuse, but as a teacher, he must have offered it."

Qingchen: "..."

At this moment, Lin Xiaoxiao pulled out two thin black devices from his pocket, about the size of a palm, like mini-phones.

He handed them to Qingchen, who asked in confusion, "What are these?"

"One for you, one for Liu Dezhu. This is a pseudo-base station communication device with independent channel modeling, channel estimation, equalization, detection, decoding, CSI feedback, precoding, modulation, and channel coding capabilities. However, its function is very simple; it can only send text messages. In the inner world, only spies use it to avoid being intercepted by base stations," Lin Xiaoxiao answered.

Yewen added, "But you should note that it uses inner world wireless charging technology, so you can't charge it in the real world. Remember to bring it back each time you cross over, and the same for Liu Dezhu's."

"How did you know I needed this?" Qingchen asked Lin Xiaoxiao.

"It's not me who gave it to you, but the boss asked me to give it to you," Lin Xiaoxiao shrugged, "The boss said a teacher must think ahead for the students. This device can help you hide your identity in the real world, which you would need given your personality. However, the boss also said this device will be your last trade opportunity. If you want the boss to help you again, you'll need to trade something from the real world. You'll have to consider what is valuable in the real world."

The trade was like a small game between Li Shutong, the teacher, and his student.

He knew Qingchen had a strong sense of self-respect and didn't want to be a mental beggar, and he was willing to protect this self-respect.

Qingchen looked at the communication device in his hand and then turned to ask, "I definitely need it... What kind of personality do I have?"

Yewen suddenly said, "The boss might think you are a bit dark."

Qingchen: "..."

After a long silence in the corridor, Qingchen looked at the countdown, which had only 1 minute left, "It seems he won't inject himself. Let's do it."

As he spoke, Liu Dezhu, drenched in sweat and nearly exhausted, watched the alloy gate open again.

Then Yewen and Lin Xiaoxiao rushed in.

"No, no! We can talk about it!" Liu Dezhu shouted.

The next moment, Yewen pinned him down on the bed, and Lin Xiaoxiao grabbed the syringe and injected it into his buttock.

"Damn!"

Liu Dezhu's body, which was lying on the bed, suddenly stiffened!

Not only that, but while he was screaming, Yewen also forced the communication device into his mouth...

Countdown: 00:00:00.

Reset.

Liu Dezhu didn't even have time to scream in the inner world before the world of the time travelers fell into darkness.

The pain would not be swallowed by the darkness; it would accompany Liu Dezhu back to the real world.

Qingchen believed that the first scream Liu Dezhu would let out upon returning would definitely wake up all the neighbors in the neighborhood.

Tonight would be a sleepless night for the paparazzi in Luocheng.

...

Fourth update, please vote for the monthly ticket!

Thank you, simon0911, for becoming a new ally of this book, the boss is generous!

Thank you, busexiaoge, for becoming a silver ally of this book, the boss is generous!

May the bosses make a fortune!

I will add updates gradually...