What was the fourth round?
Battle of the top 100!
Those capable of surviving up till this point were all elite producers filtered out of a countless amount of producers. Every single one of these people possessed an extremely high production level!
Every single one of them possessed high amounts of popularity and fans!
The intensity of the competition had also reached its highest point since the start of this year’s competition.
"What will be the contents of this round?"
Countless crowds looked forward to it.
Shua!
Light swirled and the ice-cold machinery voice resounded.
"In the fourth round, the participants will be required to produce support gene reagents that will be used to support an android as the android battles it out against others."
"One victory will be equivalent to one point."
"The defeated will not receive any points."
"One formula will be given for free. Production materials will be supplied without limit."
"Stage of production: daytime (10 hours). After production is completed, the participants will enter the battle stage. The producer will be the one controlling the android to participate in battles. (Friendly reminder: In order to make the evaluation process easier, the gene reagent used during the battle will not be truly consumed. After the battle ends, the gene reagent will be restored to be used in the next battle.)"
"The final ranking will be decided by the scores."
"Only ten participants shall survive this round."
"The rest—eliminated!"
Hua!
Everyone was in an uproar!
Support!
It was actually support!
What was the so-called support gene reagent?
It meant that the gene reagent one produced could only be used on the android instead of the opponent. The produced gene reagents were only allowed to be used to support the android in battle!
There were no restrictions on the quantity used in this round!
In other words, theoretically, one could use a countless amount of support gene reagents!
As long as these reagents did not conflict with each other.
When using multiple different gene reagents at the same time, there was a certain probability that a conflict would occur among the gene reagents, leading toward mutation or some negative changes. However, as long as one were to juggle this wisely…
One would be able to use countless gene reagents!
In this round, abundant time was left for production and testing. Hence, one could imagine how many gene reagents would be appearing on the bodies of these androids.
Another round where one’s accumulation was tested.
How many support gene reagents that would not conflict with each other did each of the producers possessed?
One?
Two?
Or more?
Without a doubt, when facing an android with the same ability, the participants capable of using more support genes on their androids would be the ones capable of providing a greater increase of strength to their androids, and they would be the ones victorious!
This was a competition simulating real combat, leaving no chance for any trickery.
"Hum!"
Azure radiance blossomed.
All the participants appeared in a huge laboratory respectively.
"This is…"
Chen Feng’s heart leaped.
This was an independent laboratory. Within were countless materials. Every single one of these materials was ready to use. Even those materials that couldn’t be preserved were preserved using a simulated ecosphere. This was the so-called unlimited supply of materials. Whatever materials one required, they would be available here.
On the table was a formula chip.
Chen Feng turned it on.
Shua!
A light screen appeared.
The gene bank was once again opened and countless formulas appeared.
"Ding!"
"Kindly choose your formula," the ice-cold voice prompted.
Chen Feng ignored the voice. Instead, he stared forward distantly. There, in the huge training room, stood a gold-colored figure that resembled a standard-looking human, waiting for his orders.
This was the android?
Chen Feng felt astonished.
Shua!
He glanced at it and a row of data appeared before his eyes.
Android
Spirit: 200
Strength: 200
Physique: 200
Agility: 200
Genetic ability: Spirit Shock. Condensing spiritual energy and using it to attack the opponent, bringing about a certain amount of spiritual damage.
This was a standard-issue android.
Possessing balanced attributes, it also possessed a genetic ability; however, the genetic ability was rather ordinary. The producer’s mission was to provide support to this android, making it stronger! Its body was built as an imitation of a human with same type of genes a human would have in its body. Hence, there was almost no difference from a regular human’s body. One could use all sorts of gene reagents on it.
"Real combat simulation indeed!"
Chen Feng had a solemn mood.
Once again, the rules of this round were focused on his weakness.
Support gene?
He did not even posses a single one of those!
"Accumulation…"
Chen Feng suddenly recalled the words he'd heard previously.
The stronger one’s accumulation[1] was, the further one could advance in the Gene Rookie Competition.
In actuality, this was the truth. The original purpose of the Gene Rookie Competition was to choose the strongest producer. Without sufficient accumulation, how could one hope to become the winner?!
The first round, second round, third round, or the fourth round. In almost all the rounds, it might appear that one was allowed to choose a formula to produce the required gene; however, with the way the rules were set, these rounds were simply a trial of one’s accumulation!
The first round’s theoretical foundation…
The second round’s material-gathering–related knowledge…
The third round’s three types of injuries. Despite Qin Hai choosing curses, he possessed his own injury-healing formula. Otherwise, it would've been impossible for him to obtain 350 points.
All this was accumulation!
And in this round, the accumulation being tested was the quantity and quality of support formulas one knew.
Choosing a formula?
Regardless of how strong the formula was, only one could be chosen!
Against the androids of other participants enveloped in 17 or 18 types of support genes, how could a participant who only possessed a single support gene defeat the opponent?
5-star? Mutation?
No matter how strong it was, one would still need to bend their knees before these pure quantities!
When the amount of support genes reached a certain point, the quantity would definitely give rise to a qualitative change!
Chen Feng frowned. "This will be somewhat troublesome."
Lumberbear gene…
Thundersnake gene…
Gold ant gene…
Illusionary snake gene…
Chen Feng looked back at all the formulas he knew. How lamentable was it that not a single one of these was a support gene! Oh, no—gold ant gene could be considered as a semi-support gene.
Perhaps…
He could try producing a mutated gold ant gene?
Unfortunately, an increase of 20 points in its spirit attribute was simply too small an amount for this android. Apart from this, Chen Feng did not possess any usable genes!
In other words, after selecting the single gene formula from the gene bank, Chen Feng would possess only one usable gene, and a brand new gene for him on top of that.
He would have to use this single gene to support the android in its battle against the other androids that were supported by seven, eight, or even more than ten types of support genes!
Forget about mutation, even if the gene he chose had its very nature changed, it would still be useless against that.
"Ding—"
"Kindly choose your formula," the ice-cold machinery voice prompted Chen Feng once again.
"Which should I choose?"
Chen Feng stared at the gene bank. What should he do this time?
At this time, in the control center of the virtual company building, Gao Yunfeng was indifferently looking at this scene.
"Look at this."
"There’s no need for me to do anything. He will end up eliminating himself. I acknowledge Chen Feng’s talent. Perhaps, in two more years, he will be the new champion of the Gene Rookie Competition."
"As for now? He’s not enough."
Gao Yunfeng shook his head.
Able to be acknowledged by him as the champion two years down the road, it was apparent that Chen Feng’s ability was still recognized by him despite the many times Chen Feng had foiled his plans.
"He is too young," Gao Yunfeng commented. "His accumulation is too shallow."
The old man had a faint smile. "Are you not afraid that he will be grabbing first place once again?"
Gao Yunfeng’s plans seemed to have been foiled twice as of now, right?
He was still so confident?
"It’s different this time.
"This time, it’s a real combat support!" Gao Yunfeng shook his head. "Based on what I’m aware of, Qin Hai alone had mastered two 5-star E-class support gene formulas, two 4-star E-class support gene formulas, and a large amount of other formulas. Every single one of these formulas is extremely powerful. Even those 5-star formulas in the gene bank won’t amount to much, right?
"How is Chen Feng supposed to surpass this?
"Even if he were to add his genetic ability into the equation, it would still be insufficient."
"Granted, he is the winner of the previous rounds. However, he obtained those through trickeries. This time, there’s no chance for him to win in such a manner," Gao Yunfeng analyzed seriously.
Such an attitude was essential for a research scholar.
Not berating or accusing anyone. Instead, he analyzed with facts.
"Is that so?" The old man laughed as he said, "Let’s open our eyes wide and watch, then."
Footnotes:
1. The accumulation here refers to the accumulation of every aspect, such as experiences, gene formulas, resources, etc.