At the moment when Spicy Lobster was on the brink of death, Feng Qi's fist slammed down on its carapace, delivering the final blow.
The massive creature's body shuddered in its death throes. On the electronic screen, the life value dropped to zero, and the fluctuating life detection graph flattened into a straight line.
As the aroma of roasted meat filled the air, a surge of vibrant energy emerged and was absorbed into Feng Qi's body.
To his surprise and delight, Spicy Lobster granted him 273 points of vitality, pushing his total vitality to 852 points. He was now just 148 points shy of breaking through the Primary Human Bloodline barrier.
Opening his attribute panel, he discovered a brand-new talent ability had been unlocked:
[Cellular Regeneration (LV1)]: Enhances cellular regenerative capacity, maintaining the original structure and function of cells to ensure the integrity and stability of tissues and organs. Significantly extends lifespan and marginally improves physical attributes.
[What a fantastic ability. With this, even if you lose an arm in battle, you can heal quickly. Perfect for a tanky, brawler-style combat approach—fearless of injuries. A must-have for all reckless fighters. Though, the lifespan extension part is kind of lame. After all, a longer life doesn't change the fact that you're doomed to die young.]
Feng Qi: …
"Do you notice anything odd, Narrator?"
[Odd? What do you mean?]
"The rune crystal embedded in Spicy Lobster was from the Mighty Python. Logically, the ability I absorbed should be related to the python. So why did I gain a talent based on the lobster's traits?"
[Hmm… My guess is that during its adaptation to the rune crystal, Spicy Lobster's biological characteristics fused with and influenced the crystal itself. The resulting ability you gained is the product of this integration. Your talent extraction process picked the most optimal ability—hence, the cellular regeneration power from Spicy Lobster.]
"Fair point. That explanation makes sense."
Closing the attribute panel, a bold idea struck Feng Qi.
What if, in the future, the Crimson Research Institute could cultivate rune-enhanced creatures specifically for him?
This would guarantee that every time he entered a future dreamscape, he'd have a new ability waiting for him to claim.
Additionally, killing these cultivated rune-enhanced creatures could grant him significant amounts of bloodline evolution points.
Though, raising multiple creatures at once might be too cruel and impractical. As Wei Wei had mentioned, the base already struggled to support one Spicy Lobster. Raising several at once would likely force the entire institute's staff to scrape by on minimal resources.
If the plan was feasible, it would mean that every time he entered the future, a ready-made "XP farm" would await him.
Even better, it would be like opening a talent ability loot box.
Following this train of thought, Feng Qi started pondering the incredible traits of certain insects, such as ants that could lift objects 400 times their body weight or fleas with astonishing jumping power.
Insects, he realized, were the ultimate overpowered organisms of nature.
For instance, ants. Compared to ants, even tigers of the same size would be completely outmatched. An ant could easily kill a tiger in a single round.
If these insect traits could merge with rune crystals and generate unique talents... he felt as though he'd stumbled upon a rapid path to power.
[Great idea, but remember, not all rune-enhanced creatures will have Spicy Lobster's longevity or unlimited growth potential.]
[Also, how do you plan to embed rune crystals into these insects? A rune crystal is larger than most insects themselves. And don't forget, the structural stability of rune-enhanced creatures is highly variable. Spicy Lobster is a rare exception.]
[Still, you could test whether the domain creatures you kill disappear entirely from this timeline. If they don't, Wei Wei could raise a new Spicy Lobster for you every cycle. That way, your regeneration talent could keep upgrading—essentially giving you a 'Regeneration Mega Pack.']
[By the time your Cellular Regeneration ability is fully upgraded, you might achieve near-immortality. Not even Little Black could kill you.]
"For once, you're making sense. That's a solid idea," Feng Qi agreed with a nod.
For now, though, he decided to fulfill Wei Wei's "last wish" and eat the Spicy Lobster.
[Waste of time… but fine. Considering the old woman kept urging you to eat it even in her dying moments, let's honor her wish.]
Climbing onto the steaming-hot back of Spicy Lobster, Feng Qi grabbed one of its antennae and yanked hard, cracking open its head.
A wave of rich, savory aroma burst forth, and the exposed flesh shimmered with white, crystalline lines. The meat looked as pristine as freshly caught fish.
He tore off a chunk of meat along the grain and stuffed it into his mouth. The texture was springy and tender, and the rich juices flooding his mouth awakened a voracious appetite.
Feng Qi didn't have many hobbies, but eating was definitely in his top three.
After savoring the first bite, he tore off another piece and devoured it.
The sweetness and umami of the meat filled his senses. As he chewed, the flavors lingered, and the unique elasticity of the lobster flesh offered a delightful resistance to his teeth.
"This… is incredible."
Feng Qi was genuinely moved. He couldn't recall ever eating anything this delicious in his life.
[Well, it's technically a domain creature. Its body has been refined by spiritual energy, so of course it tastes amazing. Damn it, why can't I eat? Life's so unfair. I'm just a system…]
Ignoring Narrator's grumbling, Feng Qi focused on the food. This time, he tore into the lobster head to retrieve the rich, golden tomalley.
The tomalley was pale red, with a texture resembling custard. Its flavor carried a hint of brininess, followed by a burst of sweetness. The dense tomalley dissolved gradually in his mouth, its granular texture offering a sensory delight.
[Don't forget the seasoning! Wei Wei specifically said it should be spicy.]
Taking the hint, Feng Qi nodded and punched through Spicy Lobster's carapace.
Within minutes, he peeled off the shell, revealing piles of tender, pinkish-white lobster meat. The sheer volume was visually overwhelming.
Leaping down from the lobster's back, he returned to the electronic screen outside the enclosure and activated the fire suppression system.
From the ceiling of the enclosure, a sprinkler-like metal nozzle extended. Aromatic seasoning rained down in a fine mist, coating the meat evenly.
Feng Qi then hit the heating button again. The aroma intensified as the flavors melded with the meat.
At that moment, he couldn't help but admire Wei Wei.
Even the process of sprinkling the seasoning was so meticulously planned, reflecting just how deeply Wei Wei was obsessed with the Spicy Lobster.
Moments later, Feng Qi stepped into the steamy isolation chamber with a smile, approaching the now perfectly cooked Spicy Lobster.
For the first time in his journey through the future dreamscape, he felt genuine happiness.
The addition of the spicy seasoning had transformed the flavor of the lobster meat. While it no longer retained its original freshness, the spicy kick elevated the dish to an entirely new level. The vibrant red-orange lobster claw meat, glistening with a hint of seasoning, was so tight and succulent that just one bite made it clear this was a delicacy beyond compare. His teeth followed the meat's natural fibers, crushing it gently and savoring every bit of the texture, filling him with an immense sense of satisfaction.
In that moment, all that was missing was a bottle of cold soda, the perfect pairing to complete the meal.
The only regret was that his undead body couldn't retain any food.
It was a constant cycle of eating and leaking, but at least he could taste the flavor. Without that, it would have been an immense tragedy to miss out on such a feast.
Once the gluttonous feast ended, he left the isolation chamber in high spirits.
His only lingering regret was that he couldn't take the Spicy Lobster back to reality.
If he could, he would have invited Wei Wei, Lin Ran, and Mu Qing to share in this delicacy, spreading joy among them all.
After all, meat from a domain creature undoubtedly contained an immense amount of energy. One feast like this might even fully recharge someone's energy gauge.
Of course, this was just a fantasy. If he could truly bring items from the future dreamscape back to reality, his priority would be the database itself, copying all its information for use.
With that thought lingering, Feng Qi returned to the database terminal once more.
He typed his name into the search bar.
A few seconds later, the results appeared on the screen.
Most of the entries were discussions within the Crimson Research Institute about him. They debated how best to utilize his ability to traverse the future dreamscape, brainstorming numerous strategies.
For instance, they suggested infiltrating the Institute of Technological Research to steal the information used to create Little Black.
Alternatively, they proposed joining the Dawn Rebel Army to investigate the reasons behind Mu Qing's city-wide massacre, while also attempting to learn her secrets.
Another option was to avoid any proactive involvement—lying low to witness history unfold and uncover the truth.
Feng Qi noticed that many of the plans listed were ideas he'd already considered.
But one critical issue seemed overlooked by the Crimson Research Institute.
No matter how much he strategized, he always met an untimely death. Plans that required a long lifespan weren't something he could realistically pursue.
He wanted to live long enough to see plans through, but his death always felt inevitable, as though some kind of antivirus program in the timeline detected his interference and terminated him prematurely, erasing his impact before it could take root.
Moreover, every time he returned to reality from the future dreamscape, the timeline would inevitably reset and diverge in unpredictable ways. Uncertainty permeated every aspect of his endeavors.
Ultimately, he felt that the responsibility of shaping the timeline's direction rested in his hands.
The Crimson Research Institute also offered many proposals regarding humanity's future development.
Several discussions emphasized the importance of cultivating the path of cultivation studies, rather than returning with technological knowledge.
This was due to the concern that technological advancements would ultimately bolster the Institute of Technological Research. A stronger Institute of Technological Research posed a potential risk, as it might lead to the creation of tools that could harm humanity rather than aid it.
At the same time, the meeting concluded with a key point: technological development wasn't inherently problematic—so long as the Institute of Technological Research was eliminated. Without that organization, all advancements could be directed solely toward humanity's benefit.
Beyond that, the institute strongly advocated for advancements in the biological sciences.
Proposals included creating gene warriors, extending lifespans, cloning, and more.
One particularly bold idea suggested merging the traits of domain creatures to develop a "chimera organism."
This project would require Feng Qi to gather knowledge repeatedly, spanning multiple cycles of 1,500 years to make progress.
The envisioned chimera organism could implant offspring into domain creatures.
The offspring would grow by absorbing nutrients from the host creature's body, and upon emerging, would inherit the host's abilities.
By continually reproducing, these chimeric organisms could perpetually acquire new domain abilities.
With each generation, their strength would increase exponentially.
If successfully created and controlled, chimeric organisms could become humanity's ultimate biological weapon.
However, the idea faced considerable opposition.
Critics pointed out the lack of foundational technology for creating such organisms—there wasn't even a starting point. Additionally, fusing multiple domain creature genes would likely lead to genetic instability. After a few generations, the organisms would collapse and go extinct.
There was also the fear of losing control over chimeric organisms. If they turned against humanity, they could become a catastrophic threat.
For these reasons, the proposal was dismissed as a far-fetched idea with no practical merit.
Reading through these audacious discussions left Feng Qi utterly stunned.
The concept of chimeric organisms immediately reminded him of the terrifying monsters from pre-catastrophe sci-fi films, such as Xenomorphs from Alien.
Even if humanity managed to create such beings, losing control over them would spell disaster.
Much like the fate of the creators in those movies, humanity might find itself destroyed by its own creations.
Reviewing these discussions, Feng Qi realized that every developmental path had immense potential.
He'd previously envisioned futures rooted in mechanical sciences and cultivation studies.
Both pathways offered limitless possibilities, each with incredibly high ceilings.
Now, after reading the discussions about the future of biological sciences, he saw another path—one leading to humanity becoming the creators of life itself, a path with equally boundless potential.
If given the choice, he wanted humanity to develop across all fields.
With starships, grand cultivators, and creators of life all coexisting, he couldn't imagine humanity failing to fend off domain invasions.
[Boss, wake up. Time to get back to work!]
Narrator's voice broke through his daydreams, shattering his visions of humanity's triumphant future.