Chapter 00068: Replacing Memory Genes
# Replacing Memory Genes
Chapter 68
Novel: After the Myth
Chapter 68: Replacing Memory Genes
Huacheng, Tianyun International Center.
This was the place where one could catch a direct flight to Dakar.
In an era where genetically mutated beasts roamed freely, not many people chose to travel by plane.
Compared to the beasts on land, the flying ones were far more terrifying.
However, this particular flight was guaranteed to be safe, as it was a direct route to the human corridor defense line.
Only the strong and elite were allowed on this flight, and no genetically mutated beast would dare to intercept it.
Every time this flight took off, it was escorted by two Huaxia X99 fighter jets.
When Fang Chong and Aixi arrived at the Tianyun International Center with their mentor, Guo Qingrong from the Great Han Yi Academy, they found over three hundred people already gathered there.
Among them were not only representatives from the top ten academies of Blue Star but also members from the Gene Alliance, Martial Arts Alliance, Security Bureau, Huaxia Border Defense Bureau, and some civilian organizations.
"Fang Chong!" As soon as Fang Chong arrived, he heard an excited voice calling his name.
Turning around, Fang Chong saw Lü Zi.
He laughed and walked over, slapping Lü Zi on the shoulder.
"I knew you'd come."
After saying this, Fang Chong instinctively glanced around.
"Don't bother looking. Li Wanran isn't here," Lü Zi said, knowing exactly what Fang Chong was searching for.
Fang Chong snorted coldly.
"That woman... I don't know her anymore."
"Fang Chong, you're too straightforward. If you don't want to know her, just keep it to yourself. No need to say it out loud," Lü Zi advised.
Then, he noticed that Fang Chong's strength seemed to be on par with his, if not stronger.
Fang Chong's cultivation level had always been slightly lower than his, but now it seemed Fang Chong had surpassed him.
It seemed that not having a follow-up cultivation technique had affected him greatly.
But if he didn't have a follow-up technique, how did Fang Chong get one?
"Fang Chong, what level are you now?" Lü Zi immediately asked.
Fang Chong laughed and was about to answer when a woman approached.
Seeing her, Fang Chong swallowed his words.
The woman was Qin Qiang, the dean of the Wumai Mountain Academy, a woman he despised the most.
"Fang Chong, Lü Zi, long time no see," Qin Qiang greeted with a smile.
Fang Chong acted as if he hadn't heard her.
In terms of strength, he believed he was no longer afraid of this woman.
Since that was the case, why should he let her affect his mood?
"Dean Qin," Lü Zi greeted politely.
"It seems both of you have inherited Ding Huan's true teachings. Wanran is a bit weaker, so she stayed at the academy. It's impressive that you two dare to go to the frontlines," Qin Qiang said, her tone still cheerful.
"Many young bulls like you go to the frontlines and never return. You two are quite something," a male student from Wumai Mountain Academy chimed in, laughing.
He couldn't help but mock Fang Chong, a mere student who dared to ignore the dean.
"And who are you?" Fang Chong asked coldly.
"My name is Yang Chongyan. My cultivation isn't high, just a second-level gene cultivator. If you're willing, I can spar with you," Yang Chongyan said provocatively.
A second-level gene cultivator wanted to spar with him? Fang Chong looked at him in disbelief.
After receiving three more spirit stones from the old dean and with Aixi sharing her experience on breaking through to the fourth level, Fang Chong was now a fourth-level gene cultivator.
Fang Chong suspected he wouldn't even need to lift a finger—a single wind blade would be enough to take Yang Chongyan down.
"Chongyan, don't cause trouble. We're going to the frontlines to fight beasts. If we start fighting among ourselves before even getting there, it'll be a joke," Qin Qiang scolded.
"Yes, Dean," Yang Chongyan replied respectfully.
Fang Chong gave a thumbs-up.
"Impressive. A second-level gene cultivator. Even a few Fang Chongs combined wouldn't be your match."
"Fang Chong, let's talk over here," Lü Zi pulled Fang Chong aside, certain that Fang Chong was much stronger than Yang Chongyan, perhaps even stronger than himself.
Once they were in a corner, Lü Zi eagerly asked, "Fang Chong, tell me, are you already a fourth-level gene cultivator?"
Fang Chong nodded.
"Yes, I am."
"How did you get the follow-up cultivation technique? Did Mentor Ding Huan come back?" Lü Zi asked, even more anxious.
Fang Chong patted Lü Zi's shoulder.
"Mentor didn't come back. Before we chose our academies, I happened to run into Mentor Ding Huan. He passed the follow-up technique to me and told me to share it with you if I ever saw you."
"Damn it, why didn't you come find me earlier?" Lü Zi was furious.
If he had the technique earlier, he would have been a fourth-level gene cultivator by now.
"I invited you to join the Great Han Yi Academy, but you chose the Guardians. I planned to visit you later, but I got caught up in cultivation and never found the time," Fang Chong explained.
In truth, if Lü Zi had joined Wumai Mountain Academy like Li Wanran, Fang Chong wouldn't have mentioned the technique today.
Mentor Ding Huan had said Fang Chong could decide for himself.
Since he had the authority, he chose not to share it with someone like Li Wanran, who he considered ungrateful.
Lü Zi nodded, understanding Fang Chong's explanation.
He, too, had been too busy with cultivation to spare any time.
"Our flight is in a few hours. Can you teach me the technique now?" Lü Zi asked anxiously.
"Sure. I'll teach you the fourth-level gene cultivation technique first. Once we reach the defense line, I'll teach you the rest," Fang Chong said, knowing this was no joking matter.
Every bit of strength could mean the difference between life and death on the frontlines.
Lü Zi was overjoyed.
He was already at the peak of the third level, just one step away from breaking through to the fourth.
"Lü Zi, before I teach you the technique, I need to remind you—you can't share this with anyone else," Fang Chong said seriously.
Lü Zi was taken aback but quickly understood Fang Chong's meaning.
He was being told not to share the technique with Li Wanran.
Fang Chong's confidence in saying this suggested he had Mentor Ding Huan's approval.
Li Wanran had always seemed obedient, but her lack of gratitude was surprising.
Perhaps she would regret it deeply once she realized what she had missed.
"I promise," Lü Zi agreed without hesitation.
Lü Zi was indeed at the peak of the third level, with a solid foundation.
Fang Chong explained the methods and steps to break through to the fourth level.
In just twenty minutes, Lü Zi successfully advanced to the fourth level.
"Haha, thank you! Once we're on the frontlines, we'll fight side by side," Lü Zi said, his previous frustration completely gone.
"Sure. I'll give you a surprise then," Fang Chong chuckled, planning to teach Lü Zi his unique One Yang Finger technique.
...
Meanwhile, Ding Huan returned to his lab, only to find that Kong Dan had already left.
The lab was spotless, even the small creature in the corner had been cleaned, and fresh food and water had been placed in front of it.
Ding Huan placed the stone monkey on the table and focused his spiritual sense on it.
With a swift motion, he sent a wind blade slicing through the stone monkey's head, revealing a dark brown substance inside.
Carefully, Ding Huan extracted the fist-sized dark brown material from the stone monkey's head and began the process of gene dissolution.
Extracting the memory genes from the stone monkey was no easy task.
The stone monkey had existed for who knows how many years, and it was uncertain whether its genes still remained intact.
Even if the genes could be extracted, it was unclear whether they contained any memory fragments.
If Ding Huan couldn't extract the memory genes, all his efforts would be meaningless.
As he worked with the gene extraction solution, Ding Huan soon made an exciting discovery—the stone monkey's genes were still intact, and the genome was remarkably complete.
With the help of his spiritual sense, Ding Huan's gene extraction process went smoothly.
Earth's understanding of memory genes was still rudimentary compared to Ding Huan's knowledge, which spanned several civilizations.
Ding Huan could extract all the memory genes flawlessly, and that's exactly what he did.
After five full days, Ding Huan finally extracted all the memory genes from the stone monkey and turned them into a gene serum.
Looking at the small creature in the corner, which was now weak from hunger, Ding Huan picked it up and placed it on the experiment table.
Sensing danger, the creature struggled in Ding Huan's hands.
Ding Huan gave it a light tap on the head, knocking it unconscious.
Then, he fed the gene serum he had prepared into the creature's mouth.
Gene fusion didn't require the subject to be unconscious, but Ding Huan's serum was different.
He had created a memory-replacement gene serum, intending to erase the creature's original memories.
By knocking the creature out, the serum could more easily overwrite its existing memories, creating new ones.
This process was akin to rebirth.
Although the stone monkey's soul hadn't been transferred to the creature, Ding Huan believed that memories were more important than the soul.
Whether the soul was connected to memory genes was still a matter of debate.
Half an hour later, the creature on the table opened its eyes.
Ding Huan noticed a difference in its gaze.
It looked at him with confusion and curiosity, then glanced around the room, appearing much more alert than before.
The gene fusion seemed to have worked well, and Ding Huan was pleased.
"Don't look around. I saved you. You were as good as dead, but I used my methods to bring you back," Ding Huan said.
He believed that any species capable of preserving its genes for countless years, even after turning into stone, was no ordinary being.
The creature seemed to understand Ding Huan's words and quickly adapted to its new body.
It let out a sharp cry and tried to escape.
But Ding Huan easily caught it and placed it back on the table.
"I went through a lot of trouble to save you. If you're not grateful, that's fine, but you can't just leave after taking everything. If you want to leave, you'll have to tell me some things first. Then you can go your way, and I'll go mine. Understand?"
(End of Chapter)