Chapter 96: Inventory of the Horror of the Self-Scroll King

[Thunder Burning Equipment Ball] requires high metal energy, but it must be controlled. After all, it is the cornerstone of developing gene seeds, and its ability will not overlap with other abilities.

Seventy thousand metal energies were lost. Looking at the remaining metal energy, Li Ming sighed again. It was really like flowing water.

Adding 180,000 metal energies, only a fraction is left now.

Just then, a control column was unlocked. Taking this opportunity, Li Ming carefully reviewed everything he controlled.

The most important ones are four pairs of D-level shoes, [Fusion Particles], [Tank Guard 211], [Construct Crystal Shield], [Justice Fists], [Thunder Exoskeleton]...

Low-level items cannot be upgraded, but most of the objects he controls are D-level and do not need to be upgraded for the time being, except for the commonly used smart terminals.

He usually uses this thing to check surveillance probes and remove remaining traces, and it has been upgraded as his life level improves.

This thing doesn't require much to upgrade. It only takes 3,000 points to upgrade to D now, which is a piece of cake.

[Starlink Terminal Advanced Edition - Class D: The seventh generation smart terminal produced by Katai Company, with a full range of functions

…

Control Effect: Hacking Techniques--Advanced

Control capability - Intelligent assistance: Can mimic environmental information within a 50m radius around the host and assist in processing.

His hacking skills were subsequently improved to a considerable level. He no longer needed to rely on the cracking software he had written before. The field of view was expanded to a full 50m.

Now this thing is only the size of a palm, like a thin metal plate, and is controlled by a pop-up virtual screen.

He thought that the cost of upgrading to C-level was too high. It would cost tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, and it wouldn't necessarily make a difference.

The people in the lab were almost driven crazy by him. He spent eight million alone last month.

When Luochuan delivered the things just now, the look in his eyes seemed to want to eat him alive. He seemed to want to say something but stopped himself several times, which might be related to this matter.

Of course, his terrifying development progress is enough to overshadow all of this.

After listening to the lectures of those professors a few days ago, he realized that there are many obstacles that hinder the evolution of living organisms.

The difficulty of developing high-level gene seeds will increase, and after the gene seeds are developed to a certain level, the difficulty of development will increase further.

Not only that, the cells themselves also have iterations and fatigue.

Countless laboratories and research institutes are dedicated to solving or alleviating this problem, and the development potential of living organisms themselves will weaken these evolutionary obstacles.

For people with extremely mediocre development potential, even if they pile up resources at all costs, they can only reach C-level life forms at best, and it will be difficult to continue to improve.

The rate of development will slow to an alarming rate and potential will be exhausted.

This also made him realize that the external detection equipment had misjudged his development potential.

The so-called development potential is some factor hidden deeper in the genes, an interstellar detection device.

At least most of the testing equipment he came into contact with could not detect it, and could only be judged by the apparent speed of development.

There is actually a difference between what the outside world thinks is the development potential and what he thinks is the development speed.

After Li Ming realized this problem, he didn't have any special reaction. He just needed to smash the metal energy. The terrifying development speed could cover everything.

Now he has five control bars. If all of them are filled, the gene radiator, plus the [Thunder Burning Equipment Ball], can develop and enhance the power by 18 times.

"So, if I can just grab some more from the lab, it should be fine." Li Ming muttered, glancing at the smart terminal, his brows raised: "Speak of the devil, and he'll appear."

Zhang Huaiyuan is here again.

………

"Senior, where is Brother Ming?" Zhang Huaiyuan greeted the laboratory staff familiarly as they unloaded the iron boxes one by one.

Then he handed them a cigarette one by one. After coming here two or three times, he was familiar with most of the people here.

Li Ruoning hesitated to speak, looking at the large iron boxes in front of him, and recalled Luo Chuan's expression at the morning meeting.

"He should be resting. Look, he's here." Li Ruoning forced a smile as he looked at the boxes being moved down in front of him.

Zhang Huaiyuan's eyes suddenly lit up, and he trotted along, "Brother Ming."

His attitude seemed more earnest and respectful, and not without reason.

The last time he told Li Ming about what had happened to several people, not long after, all their troubles disappeared.

Originally, Zhang Huaiyuan was not sure whether this matter had anything to do with Li Ming.

But a few days later, the top leaders of the local city guards came to him and revealed that the troubles they had encountered were instigated by Bian Li.

And that Bian Li died the day after he found Li Ming.

He wasn't sure if there was any connection between the two, but it couldn't be a coincidence.

"Three million of Flame Blue Alloy." He pointed at the boxes and said, "It's all in here."

"Yeah." Li Ming nodded. Li Ruoning walked over slowly. She was a little afraid to take Zhang Huaiyuan to the finance office again.

Li Ruoning couldn't help but ask, "Were the millions of development materials we bought a few times ago used up so quickly?"

"It's almost done. It's better to be prepared." Li Ming said casually.

Li Ruoning nodded reluctantly and led Zhang Huaiyuan to the finance office in a trance.

Three million flame blue alloys can provide him with approximately 50,000 points of metal energy.

Now, with 50,000 points of metal energy, he can only barely restore blood. Li Ming shook his head helplessly.

By mid-afternoon, Li Ming came out of the training room, and the E-level gene refining potion had been used.

"The basic energy level can now reach around 6D. The combat skills of low-life gene seeds do not have such a huge impact on high-level gene seeds."

"But the combined burst of the controlled object is also over 30D, and I have only just integrated it. After a little development for a while, even if I can only get past the 30% mark, I can compete with those with 100% development progress."

"Hmm..." Li Ming shook his head: "Others also have combat skills. Conservatively speaking, 50% should be invincible."

Of course, the D-class life form he used to measure himself must have been fused with the top-tier D-class gene seeds.

Ordinary D-grade gene seeds, after they have just been fused, may even find it difficult to reach the energy level evaluation standard of the D suffix and are not included in the measurement range.

I looked at the time and it was almost two o'clock. Today was the day to go to Professor Xia's laboratory to observe and study.

Professor Xia, whose original name was Xia Yuanlun, mainly studied advanced mechanical structures. Ding Hui, the tutor of the mechanical engineering major, was his student.

There should be quite a few mechanical creations in his laboratory, so Li Ming was interested and made preparations early.

…

A huge palace made of metal machinery stands on the island. It has a bronze surface, is over 200 meters high, and has three peaks.

The middle one is the highest, and a huge metal dial is hung on it. The three thick hands of hour, minute and second tick non-stop. The gears are engaged and the division of labor is precise. The time on it is exactly the same as that on the smart terminal, to the minute.

With Li Ming's keen eyesight as a mechanical engineer, he can see that this metal dial is not powered by external energy.

With this mechanical palace as the center, there are many small buildings distributed around it, all of which are full of heavy industrial style, and some of them even have thick chimneys.

It should just be a decoration. Blue Star's smoke treatment technology is enough to make it invisible to the naked eye.

The main means of transportation on the island are rugged armored vehicles, each of which is very distinctive and seems to have been individually modified. The air is filled with the smell of exhaust and metal.

You can also see statues carved from various alloys.

This place doesn't look advanced, but rather a bit decadent.

"I didn't expect that Professor Xia is so kind on the surface, but actually quite wild inside." Li Ming looked around and couldn't help but sigh that the architectural style of the laboratory can clearly show the personality tendencies of its owner.

"Professor Xia was a huge fan of death metal when he was young," Qi Xing said. "He's quite fond of retro technology. This place looks like Blue Planet hasn't even entered the interstellar age... no, it looks like technology from even earlier times."

Li Ming nodded.

Three out of ten people didn't come because they were not very interested in the mechanical aspects.

It is worth mentioning that Nuo Xing came, wearing a bright blue corset dress that reached her ankles. Her slender waist was not even wide enough to be held in one hand. Her eyes, which were usually calm, were now filled with curiosity and scrutiny.

Professor Xia's assistant was waiting at the door and took them in.

"I say, you can't hide and exercise secretly this time, right?" Qi Xing came over on the way.

"I misunderstood. I really had no interest in drinking last time." Li Ming explained.

Rosser added, "When you're working out, remember to tell me."

Li Ming was speechless. Why did Rosser, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, also join in the fun?

"Now you know how much of a shock we all felt when we opened the door and saw the development potion in your quilt," Qi Xing said sadly.

If Li Ming was doing normal development and training, they wouldn't feel anything special, but in that special situation, the feeling was different.

"I would even rather it was Noxing lying under the quilt."

Nuo Xing glanced over coldly when he heard what they were saying. Qi Xing immediately raised his hand and said:

"Nuo Xing, you don't know, last time you left early, this guy was halfway through drinking and secretly ran to the room to develop gene seeds."

Nuo Xing was slightly stunned, with a hint of disbelief in her eyes, and even forgot Qi Xing's teasing of her.

"The King of Rolls, he's really the King of Rolls. He makes us not dare to rest for a moment." Qi Xing complained

"Lao Qi, you care about me so much. I will be the first to tell you when I fuse the D-level gene seed." Li Ming said unhappily.

"Damn it! Don't goad me!" Qi Xing yelled, adding, "This guy must be crazy. He chose Mechanical Engineering as his secondary major and has to take professional courses. Otherwise, we would have no chance of survival."

He didn't know? Li Ming was surprised. He thought they all knew that he had passed the test.

That’s right…the things they deal with are bigger, and if you don’t pay special attention, you won’t know about them.

Nuo Xing glanced at them, and the corners of his mouth twitched as if he knew something, but he quickly restrained his expression and remained expressionless.

"Hey, Li Ming!?"

As soon as they stepped into the metal hall in the center of the island, they heard someone shouting.

Li Ming felt that the voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't remember when he had heard it before. Turning around, he saw a man running towards him with an excited look on his face.

"Teacher Ding?" Li Ming was surprised.

The person who came was Ding Hui, his professional course teacher.

"Why are you here?" Li Ming exchanged a few words of greeting and couldn't help but ask.

Although Ding Hui is Professor Xia's student, he normally has his own things to do.

"A senior brother took an order from Bichengwei and ran into some trouble, so he called us all over." Ding Hui explained casually, glancing at everyone, "You are here to observe and learn, right?"

Seeing them nod, Ding Hui pondered for a moment, looked at Li Ming with a slightly bright look in his eyes, and said to the assistant beside him: "Xiao Liu, you go ahead and do your work. I'll take them over."

"Let's go, the teacher is over there." He led a few people forward and walked through the corridor, with hollow mechanical gear structures on both sides.

As they walked, he asked Li Ming, "You don't have anything to do this afternoon, so stay here and help me."

"Professor Xia, do you still need me here?" Li Ming shook his head.

"What you said is true. More people and more brains are needed. The teacher won't care about these small projects. What's more, your level is not lower than mine..." Ding Hui advised, but he was interrupted by a surprised shout before he finished speaking.

"What did you say?"

Qi Xing came closer, his face filled with disbelief. "Teacher Ding, you said his level is as good as yours? What level?"

Rosser and the others also looked over.

"Of course it's the level of mechanical engineering, what other level could it be?" Ding Hui asked curiously.

Qi Xing had a constipated expression on his face, and the others looked at each other in surprise.

Ding Hui is a professional teacher, so his skills are self-evident. But what about Li Ming? He didn't even finish compulsory education, so how could he be compared to Ding Hui?

There are explanations for developing potential, after all, it is innate, but how do you accumulate knowledge?

How could such a heaven-defying guy suddenly appear from that corner of Silver-Ash Star?

"What a fuss! Haven't you seen a genius before?" Ding Hui's mouth curled up. It was finally his turn to say this.

"I..." Qi Xing held his breath, then suddenly realized something and widened his eyes: "If his level is almost the same as yours, why would he still need to attend your class?"

"Of course not. He passed my assessment in the first lesson, so he doesn't need to come this year." Ding Hui said as a matter of course.

"You passed the first lesson?" Qi Xing murmured, "Does that mean you practice in Professor Wu's lab every morning?"

"That's about right." Li Ming nodded.

Qi Xing looked distressed, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I thought you were well-informed and knew it a long time ago."

"I..." Qi Xing opened his mouth but didn't say anything. Who has the time to pay attention to the unpopular major of mechanical engineering?

Zhao Jingang's face turned dark. No, I can't sleep tonight.

Rosser's eyes were dark and he hadn't been able to sleep for a week.

"I know." A cold and ethereal voice sounded, and Nuo Xing spoke: "The mechanical engineering major was noisy that day, but no one paid attention to this major."

Of course, Rosser and the others didn't pay attention to it. What they cared more about was not Li Ming's mechanical engineering level, but Li Ming's theoretical development and training time, which exceeded expectations.

Several of them were losing interest and wanted to go back and exercise vigorously, but they had already reached the door and Professor Xia was inside, so it would be bad not to go in.

(End of this chapter)