Chapter 124: Cell Lysis Agent

Ji Cheng unceremoniously stowed away the whistle-arrow, not even glancing at the brain-machine interface provided by the Nanhang Research Institute.

For him, as long as he had some spare time to calibrate it and record his own brainwave patterns, he could use the whistle-arrow perfectly well. There was no need to crack open his skull just to insert a sensor. However, he lacked both the time and the equipment for that right now.

Ji Cheng pushed the tempting metallic whistle-arrow to the back of his mind and sighed slightly. This feeling of having something in his possession but being unable to use it was truly unpleasant. It was like finally getting a piece of top-tier gear in a game, only to realize he was a level or two short of being able to equip it—enough to make someone want to grind through the night.

He picked up another object. It was a bottle the size of a ping-pong ball, its surface so smooth it wouldn't even sit flat on the table. A push-button nozzle sat atop the cap. As he held it, the heat from his hand caused the liquid inside to shimmer with a constant red glow, accompanied by a strange, pungent scent of blood that made Ji Cheng frown.

This was a semi-finished biological weapon, scientifically known as a cell solvent. In the Galactic Empire, there was a type of famous biological weapon widely used on the battlefield called "Active Metal." The production process for Active Metal was not guaranteed to succeed; even the most experienced craftsmen, armed with comprehensive data-ether systems, could still fail.

Before the year 677 of the Galactic Era, the failed products were simply destroyed. But in that year, a workshop in the Cross Province specializing in Active Metal suffered a production accident that ruined a large batch of raw materials. Facing massive financial losses, they decided to try anything to recoup some of their investment. Unexpectedly, after subjecting the metal waste to a bond-breaking process, they produced a strange solvent.

After testing and research, investigators reached several disparate conclusions. Some argued that because of the inherent biological characteristics of the waste metal, the solvent was dangerous and should not come into direct contact with the body. Others claimed that once the chemical bonds of the waste metal were broken, it fundamentally lost its biological traits, leaving behind only a form of inertia. Still others asserted that the process of breaking the bonds and turning the metal into liquid actually expanded its biological characteristics, effectively bringing them to "life" in a sense, though they lacked the potency of a finished biological weapon.

"But one thing is certain: cell solvent has a remarkably significant effect on improving physical fitness," Ji Cheng noted with certainty.

The reason he was so sure was that he had peddled these things in the game before he transmigrated. He had tested it himself. When sprayed on the skin, the cell solvent would automatically target and corrode older, decaying cells. This mild form of self-inflicted damage stimulated the body to undergo cellular restructuring.

"What a shame, a lot of the solvent inside has already been wasted, though even this little bit is still more valuable than that whistle-arrow," Ji Cheng said, looking at the liquid level, which was only at a quarter of the bottle's capacity. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret. "You really had no idea what you were doing, Zhang Sheng... what a waste."

In the Empire, the children of the elite would first max out their assimilation rate while at a low rank, then use large amounts of cell solvent to bring their physical fitness up to speed, allowing them to advance quickly. Furthermore, this stuff not only strongly promoted cellular remodeling but also accelerated the recovery rate of epidermal and muscle cells. With Ji Cheng's current cellular activity, a stab wound to the stomach would normally take about three days to heal completely. If he used this cell solvent, depending on the dosage, he could recover in anywhere from half a day to a full day.

"Still, while this is meant for low-rank ability users, the price is terrifying. A normal person wouldn't necessarily buy it..." Price was a relative concept; no one thought it expensive to spend hundreds of thousands on a house, but spending that same amount on a bicycle would be quite extraordinary.

"How bizarre. Baishan Star can be dirt-poor, yet the rich can afford to let cell solvent gather dust in a broken box like this." Ji Cheng tucked the bottle into his pocket, thinking it felt strangely satisfying to have looted so many high-end items in this "newbie village."

Just then, a call came from the living area. Shana and An Chan had successfully calculated the time it would take for the radiation from the nuclear explosion to dissipate, even if the result was just an estimate.

"So, in about five hours and twenty-seven minutes, I can go outside, right?"

The number was a pleasant surprise. Based on his initial assumptions, he had expected to be stuck in the center of the nuclear blast zone for at least a day.

"That's right," Shana said with a gentle smile. "Because the monsoon winds from the Southern Sea are blowing northward, and because the nukes didn't detonate at the exact same time and place, the conditions are much better than usual."

Seeing Ji Cheng's confused expression, An Chan took over, adding in a cold, elegant tone, "It's like throwing two pebbles into the water side by side; the ripples will cancel each other out. The same applies to nuclear explosions."

...

While Ji Cheng waited in the underground safe house, Yao Lun was questioning someone in another shelter not far away. The hall was spacious, with a massive monitor spanning from the west wall to the curtain's edge. The oxygen generator gurgled with air bubbles, and bright, piercing lights illuminated the entire room. In the center of the hall sat a heavy table, large enough to seat ten, though only two figures were visible under the light—one standing, one sitting.

This safe house served as the reception room in Zhang Sheng's home, and with Yao Lun's status and seniority, he naturally had authorization to enter directly.

"Councilor Yao, I really don't know what happened to the Speaker!" a man in his fifties said, hunching over in distress, beads of sweat hanging from his forehead. His face was deeply wrinkled, as if carved by an axe, and the stubble on his chin was grey. He looked like the type of man who was extremely honest and obedient.

"Hmm?"

Yao Lun was sitting upright on a single iron-framed stool—the only kind of stool in Zhang Sheng's home—holding a teacup. Steam billowed from the rim, but he gulped the hot tea down. Upon hearing the man's answer, he remained silent, merely frowning as he continued to drink.

"Ever since he left that day, the city has become like this. I don't know what happened... Once I saw those terrifying deformed creatures rushing in, I had no choice but to bring the servants and hide in this safe house." The man gestured toward the corner, where a few servants were huddled, shivering uncontrollably.

He was Zhang Sheng's butler and had worked here for many years. He was well-acquainted with Yao Lun, who often visited, but the vast gap in their status made a conversation between equals impossible.

"Has the boss shown any unusual behavior in his daily life lately?"

When Yao Lun finally spoke, his voice was completely hoarse.