"Hua—"
Everyone was in an uproar.
"Extra points for mutation?"
"It had actually mutated?"
"I recall this being a new formula for him, right?"
Everyone was stunned.
Mutation!
It was actually a mutation!
Mutating on its first production. How small an odd was it for that to happen?
This, this, this…
Everyone had dumbfounded expressions on their face.
Who would have guessed that a rookie producer like Chen Feng would mutate his reagent at his first production? Worthy of being someone capable of creating the mutated versions of gold ant gene and thundersnake gene indeed.
"Wait…"
"With this, doesn’t it mean that Chen Feng is now in the top three?"
Everyone was abruptly startled awake.
That was right.
Entering the top three.
Due to the extra points for mutation, Chen Feng had become the second place holder with a total score of 416 points, obtaining one of the three spots available for Gold City.
Li Si, eliminated.
"This actually happened?"
Everyone was dumbstruck.
"This seems to be somewhat unfair, right?"
Some were unsatisfied. "Isn’t gene mutation something completely dependent on luck?"
However, these words of his attracted a flabbergasted expression from everyone else.
"Brother, are you an amateur?" some mocked.
Luck?
Mutation was a part of gene production in itself.
There were some who had even specifically fused with genetic abilities capable of increasing the odds of mutation in order to produce more powerful genes!
This was a topic that, even by its very self, was capable of being studied as a core subject!
The strongest gene…
Special formula…
Unexpected gains…
At times, all these were gained through mutation.
Now, with Chen Feng’s entrance into the top three, his fame increased once again.
The popularity of his livestream was surpassing the heavens, with several hundred thousands of viewers, as his livestream room was overflowing with people.
Chen Feng’s name became well-known.
Previously, Chen Feng had depended on the mutated gold ant gene, mutated thundersnake gene, and a certain newspaper to gain popularity among the commoners of Gold City.
In actuality, though, after the initial hype waned, there were still very few people who truly knew about him.
Now, however, he had entered the top three fair and square!
Defeating a huge group of peak-beginner producers, including Li Si, and soon to become the representative of Gold City in the Gene Rookie Competition caused his name to be known throughout Gold City unknown to no one.
A certain location in Gold City.
"Chen Feng has actually entered the top three."
Xu Fei and the rest exclaimed in admiration.
Although they were too busy to watch the competition, with the news delivered to them by the system, they had still found out about the various comebacks Chen Feng made before ultimately entering the top three.
"Seems like you need to put forth more effort."
Zhou Ling had a faint smile. "Be careful lest you get surpassed."
"How is that possible?"
Inwardly, though, Xu Fei had a solemn mood.
Chen Feng’s rate of improvement was too fast!
With this speed, it was very probable that the next time they met, he would have already become someone who far surpassed them. Their relationship was still quite good. However, the cruel truth was that, if the disparity between their strength was too big, even remaining as friends might be hard.
"This won’t do."
Xu Fei rubbed his bald head.
He had become a bald person; however, he had to become stronger as well!
Gold City.
The entrance of a certain neighborhood.
Uncle Zhang had just sold a set of gene materials when he heard the news and immediately burst out in laughter. "Heh, this Chen Feng kid has actually gotten himself one of the quotas?"
"I know, right?"
"I told you this kid is somewhat talented."
Aunty Zhang, the vegetable seller, was also busy gossiping.
Some of those elderly ladies in the neighborhood started gossiping; the whole neighborhood was bursting with noise.
Gold City, Ironcloud’s hub.
Su Jin and the rest were waiting for their transportation.
From today onward, they were students of seeded universities! They would greatly surpass the average person, treading on a path of rapid growth!
Becoming stronger!
Becoming more outstanding!
"Hey, I heard it’s the Gene Rookie Competition today," one of the students excitedly said.
"It’s not related to us, though."
Another student shook his head. "Even for students who specialize in gene production, that competition is too grand. At the very least, one needs to have graduated from university and practiced for an extra two or three years on top of that before participating in it. Even with this, one might only to be qualified to get some rewards out of it. As for now?"
Everyone nodded, agreeing with him.
"Su Jin, what are you thinking about?"
Liu Yao saw that Su Jin was somewhat dazed and patted her shoulder.
"No, nothing."
Su Jin recovered from her stupor.
"You can’t still be thinking about Chen Feng, right?" Liu Yao rolled her eyes and said with disdain, "He failed his university entrance examinations and is now hanging around with those wild cultivators. In the future, he might even end up as some random hoodlum. He won’t have anything to do with people like us. Look at those seniors of ours who failed to enter university. How many of them have great achievements? Haven’t you seen all this?"
"I know," Su Jin said in a low voice.
In high school, she’d always had a favorable opinion of Chen Feng, the top student. However, who would have guessed that the Chen Feng that had always dominated the top position would actually fail the examinations.
Furthermore, in the previous Dragon’s Passing Mountain incident, the Chen Feng that appeared before her was a completely different person!
Everything had come to an end. She was clear that, from now on, she and Chen Feng were people of two different worlds.
"Let’s go," Liu Yao said.
Su Jin nodded. "Mhm."
However, at this moment, a student raised his head with a shocked expression. "Isn’t that… Chen Feng?"
"What?"
Everyone raised their heads instinctively.
On the huge screen in the plaza of the Ironcloud’s hub, the news regarding the Gene Rookie Competition was being reported. Three illusionary figures were cycled without stop on the screen—Zhang Lin, Chen Feng, and Mu Yuan!
"How is this possible?"
Liu Yao almost cried out in alarm.
Chen Feng?
That was actually Chen Feng?
That must be someone with the same name, right?
However, as she looked at that familiar face and the personal information broadcasted, her heart jolted furiously. It was truly Chen Feng. Their fellow classmate, the very Chen Feng that had failed his examinations! This fellow student that they still despised a few seconds earlier had now astonishingly emerged out of the competition that they did not even dare to imagine about.
"Look at Zhang Lin’s information…" one of the students cried out in alarm.
Everyone looked at it in detail before their expressions changed greatly.
Zhang Lin!
24 years old!
The one who graduated with outstanding results from Sea Breeze University!
Becoming an intermediate producer two years after graduation with rich experience in gene production, for example… wait, very detailed information was shown on the screen.
How could this be?
Several students lost their voice at the same time.
Sea Breeze University!
It was the university some of them had managed to enter!
The fellow student that they despised was actually standing at the same height as an outstanding graduate of their Sea Breeze University, the seeded university.
Furthermore—
Their total scores were very close!
As they recalled their earlier words, their faces immediately flushed with embarrassment, while Su Jin blanked as she looked at Chen Feng’s figure, not recovering from her daze for a long time.
So… you have reached such heights?
Currently, at the Gold City branch.
The emergence of Chen Feng had brought great shock to them.
For example, Zhang Wei.
"Second place?"
Zhang Wei felt somewhat lost.
No matter what, he had never imagined that Chen Feng would enter the top three in such a manner, getting one of the available spots as the second place holder. This…
"You are not happy?"
The producer beside him looked at Zhang Wei with an amazed expression.
"I don’t know." Zhang Wei sighed. "I should be happy. However, when I thought of how Chen Feng needs to now confront the real Gene Rookie Competition, those rounds of cruel competition…"
He was too young!
That was what Zhang Wei was worried about.
Chen Feng was indeed talented. However, similarly talented people were everywhere. Furthermore, those people were all older than him!
This was a competition of those 25 years old and below! An 18-year-old compared with a 25-year-old? How were they supposed to compete?
If it’s two years later…
"You are thinking too much." That producer curled his lips. "Even if there are dangers, the actual dangers will be in the later rounds. Do you think that Chen Feng can get through the second round?"
Sweat. [1]
Zhang Wei was immediately speechless.
True, Chen Feng’s achievements seemed impressive; however, that was only in Gold City! Every single year, out of those who represented Gold City, how many of them were able to get through the second round?
To be honest, they were only there to make up the numbers. Since they couldn’t even pass the second round, how would there be any danger?
"I have indeed been thinking too much."
Zhang Wei smiled bitterly, as the reason for there to be no worries on the safety of their representatives were also a sorrowful fact in itself.
Gold City’s branch.
First round of the competition ended.
The second round was fixed at three days later, venue: Sea City. After Chen Feng and the other two received the information, they left respectively. They had two days to prepare themselves.
"Three days…"
Chen Feng pondered.
The first round was simply an audition done at the branches.
From the second round onward, that was the true production competition!
No foundations!
No tests!
Only—
Production!
Chen Feng tried checking the information regarding previous Gene Rookie Competitions online. However, the rules of the competition were different every single year. The rules would be heavily influenced by the individual in charge of setting the rules, so it was not possible to guess the rules in advance. As for the analysts, the internet only had one conclusion—the stronger one’s accumulation was, the further one would go!
"I wonder what kind of competition it will be."
Chen Feng was somewhat looking forward to it.
As long as there were none of those foundational tests, in a true competition, he never feared anyone!
That was his home ground!
"Hum—"
His wristband buzzed.
Chen Feng turned it on; it was actually Wang Chun.
Footnotes:
1. Picture the sweat meme.