Chapter Thirty: Beyond Anyone's Imagination

A secret concerning the destruction of an entire world is often hidden in a place no one would ever suspect, concealed right before everyone’s eyes, in a spot so commonplace as to be overlooked completely. Yet who could have imagined that such a secret would be harbored there? It was beyond anyone’s reckoning.

There had been countless controversies about genetically modified foods in the country. Setting aside all arguments about their potential health impacts, the environmental damage alone had sparked repeated debate. Yet the weight of scientific authority had firmly silenced a large portion of the dissenters, closing the door to further discussion.

No one ever expected that this much-maligned food would bring about the destruction of the Earth.

“How can this be? This is unbelievable, it’s impossible to accept that this is real,” muttered Xiao Fengyu, gazing at the diary. His eyes were dazed; he could not fathom that this was the reason for the world’s end.

How could anyone accept such a thing?

Even Li Feidao, standing beside him, was shaken. He stroked his chin as he read the diary, his expression just as stunned as Xiao Fengyu’s. Yet his mind was more adaptable—perhaps a consequence of his career as a novelist—and soon he was murmuring to himself, “This would make a great story, though I suppose there’s no point in writing novels anymore. What a pity. But since we’ve evolved, at least we don’t have to worry about starving to death for now…”

Had the diary not provided such thorough reasoning and supporting evidence, none of the three would have believed this truth.

Qi Xi, however, was different. He merely rubbed his chin with a hint of surprise but accepted the facts almost immediately. Speaking to himself, he said, “So that’s how it is. If that’s the case, many things suddenly make sense.”

With that, Qi Xi began to pace the laboratory, analyzing the current situation as he moved. “If this world was destroyed because of the genetically modified foods produced by Monsanto—a Rockefeller family enterprise—then naturally, the mastermind behind the world’s destruction is Rockefeller itself.”

“This world is not as benevolent as it seems. Remember when we arrived? Xiao Fengyu, Li Feidao, and Qiu Xiaoyan all immediately ascended to the rank of Gene Human, yet after all these days, none have broken through. Clearly, we’ve fallen into a trap.”

“They’re just ordinary talents, their loyalty uncertain, so there’s no reason to invest heavily in their development. This isn’t an exception, nor does it affect what happens next. Still, since Rockefeller has influenced this world…”

This laboratory belonged to the Rockefellers, and they exercised strict control over it. In the previous life, a laboratory was destroyed; a few days back, another—most likely, those weren’t Rockefeller labs, which is why they were eliminated. With this in mind, everything becomes clear. But…who, exactly, is Rockefeller?

The diary described them as American financial oligarchs, oil tycoons by the phrasing used—a fact that made everything else more comprehensible. Fools blinded by profit, perhaps?

The next question is: what is the essence of this world?

In each world, the underlying principle wasn’t immediately evident. When Qi Xi last traveled to the martial arts world, the proliferation of sects, the founding of schools—all pointed to sources like “earth energy,” “dragon spirit,” or “martial souls.” Eventually, it turned out to be something called the Martial Dao True Source. There wasn’t much deviation, but had it been a different martial world, the source could have been something else entirely.

Here, the essence of this world seemed already clear.

Qi Xi paced the laboratory, gazing at the suspended organs of infected zombies, a gleam of coldness in his eyes. “It seems the true source of this world is genes.”

“The secret of genes has already been grasped by the people here, so it must be something derived from genes—or perhaps, genes are the origin of such things. According to the intelligence gathered, all genetic secrets are in the hands of the Rockefeller family. If I follow this thread, then the Red Army, the Victorious Army, and even the Daylight Association are all Rockefeller’s allies—in other words, they are the ones who destroyed this world.”

“That is the only conclusion. But there’s still the question: why, five days from now, will nuclear missiles destroy the world? After becoming Gene Humans, we no longer fear zombie infection; given enough time, we could eliminate billions of zombies and restore order to the planet. Why would the family choose mutual destruction, unleashing nuclear bombs upon the world?”

“That is a real problem…” Qi Xi involuntarily furrowed his brows. “The mystery remains unsolved.”

“But the most urgent issue now is how to prevent this nuclear apocalypse. In just five days, neither I nor Xigua could possibly advance from Gene Human to Gene Commander and seize the gene source. In fact, I suspect that even as a Gene Commander, I wouldn’t be able to take it; the Rockefellers have studied genetics for countless years, and perhaps every one of them is a Gene Commander, or even beyond…A King Among Men?”

“One must attain the realm of King Among Men to seize the world’s true source.”

“But there simply isn’t enough time. Before stopping the world’s destruction, I must figure out where this nuclear catastrophe originates. Is it retribution from the survivors? Only a handful of nations—America, Russia, and a few others—have so many nuclear warheads.”

Qi Xi was unaware that his entire line of reasoning from the start was flawed. At that moment, Xiao Fengyu and Li Feidao had both recovered from their astonishment, watching Qi Xi pace and mutter to himself, their faces filled with confusion.

What on earth was Qi Xi doing?

Because of their Gene Human status, their hearing was exceptionally acute, and the room was utterly silent, so both of them caught every word Qi Xi said.

Xiao Fengyu was baffled, unable to follow Qi Xi’s logic.

Li Feidao, on the other hand, understood. Perhaps it was that those in the thick of things are blinded, while bystanders see the truth more clearly. Li Feidao quickly realized Qi Xi’s mistaken premise.

He spoke: “Qi Xi, I think you might be mistaken.”

“Hm?” Qi Xi, absorbed in his analysis, looked up at Li Feidao, surprised.

Li Feidao paused, then continued, “I believe you were wrong from the very beginning. Your assumption is about why the Rockefellers would destroy the world along with themselves. But is that really the truth? Can nuclear weapons truly annihilate everything? If nuclear explosions ravage the surface, does that truly mean the world is destroyed?”

Qi Xi’s whole body jolted at Li Feidao’s words. The confusion in his eyes cleared, and suddenly, all his thoughts fell into place.

“So that’s how it is…”