Chapter 56 - Divine River Ruins and Gene Stone

Han Wu conducted an online search for information about the Divine River Ruins and finally found out what it was.

The Divine River Ruins belonged to the Divine River civilization, a civilization of great power, which the Divine Civilization itself had to acknowledge. They conceded that the Divine River Civilization was one of the mightiest civilizations they had ever come across.

The Divine River Ruins were an abandoned project left behind by the Divine River Civilization. The area had been the site of extensive experimentation, leading to the radioactive contamination of certain minerals.

The radiation had affected almost ninety percent of the local life forms, causing them to mutate into monsters with corrupted DNA. These monsters were compelled to consume radioactive minerals to enhance their strength through unpredictable mutations, a dangerous method of countering radiation with radiation.

When consumed, these radioactive minerals could potentially form a stone inside the mutated monsters, capable of inducing specific mutations in any life form. This stone was referred to as the Gene Stone.

The Gene Stone’s effect was exceptionally unique and highly beneficial for nurturing units. Even the lowest quality Gene Stone was comparable to a Rank 3 Sacred Object, and could command a price of several million Divine Points. It was a highly sought-after item among Demigods and even Gods.

After learning about the Gene Stone, Han Wu understood Yuan Zhong’s intention in giving him the ticket to the Divine River Ruins. Yuan Zhong was indirectly suggesting that Han Wu visit the ruins to gather Gene Stones, which could then be exchanged for Divine Points.

Han Wu felt a wave of helplessness, questioning his chances as a Divine Being against Demigods and Gods in the competition for Gene Stones. He was contemplating selling the ticket online for Divine Points when a certain piece of news caught his attention.

“A farm owned by a God King, initially intended for the artificial breeding of mutated beasts and valued at 700 billion Divine Points, has suffered bankruptcy after he acquired low-quality radioactive minerals...”

Han Wu had a sudden idea: he could replicate the bankrupt God King’s approach by establishing a farm for the artificial breeding of mutated beasts, thereby bypassing the direct conflict for Gene Stones within the Divine River Ruins!

Han Wu was somewhat optimistic about this strategy because he possessed a key advantage that the God King lacked—the Refinery. With the Refinery, he could refine even the lowest-grade radioactive minerals into the highest purity, which in turn would result in significantly stronger Gene Stones from the mutated beasts. However, this was merely theoretical. He needed to conduct a field test to validate his hypothesis.

He contacted Tian Wen, requesting access to the school’s teleportation device. Once permission was granted, Han Wu input the coordinates from the ticket and was transported to a small town located within the Divine River Ruins. Although the town was filled with individuals from the Divine Civilization, they were all walking with a sense of urgency, their steps brisk and hurried.

Han Wu put on the mask that Tian Wen had provided to conceal his personal information. Being in an unfamiliar location, he prioritized his safety above all else.

He was abruptly approached by someone. “My esteemed guest, this must be your first time here, correct? I presume you’re looking for a trustworthy guide?”

The middle-aged man with tanned skin, seemed sincere, but Han Wu remained cautious.

He coughed, deliberately deepening his voice, and asked, “What makes you worth hiring?”

The guide nodded politely and replied, “I have knowledge of eighteen different gathering points for mutated beasts in the Divine River Ruins, each location hosting unique species. I also possess insider knowledge about the various shops in this town. I can distinguish between honest buyers, cunning ones, and those who consistently deceive their customers. I will guarantee you get good prices for your Gene Stones. Furthermore, I know...”

Han Wu stopped him mid-sentence, stating, “I’m only interested in knowing if anyone in this town sells radioactive minerals.”

With a puzzled expression, the guide asked, “Radioactive minerals? You want to buy those? Are you unaware that a God King recently purchased a shipment of low-quality radioactive minerals and fed them to the mutated beasts on his farm? The beasts died before they could grow stronger, leading to the loss of his farm, a venture worth hundreds of billions of Divine Points, in a single night.”

The guide cautioned Han Wu against buying the radioactive minerals, pointing out that even a God King had suffered significant losses from doing so. He doubted that Han Wu possessed greater wealth than a God King.

With a gruff tone, Han Wu said, “Just answer my question.”

His voice clearly expressed his annoyance.

The guide inwardly cursed Han Wu for being foolish but maintained a polite demeanor. “I apologize for speaking excessively. I can direct you to a seller if you’re still interested in purchasing radioactive minerals.”

The guide then made a rubbing gesture with his index finger and thumb, universally understood as a request for payment.

Han Wu sighed and asked, “How much?”

“Not much. It would only cost you 10,000 Divine Points.”

Han Wu was on the verge of cursing. He couldn’t believe that a mere piece of information would cost him 10,000 Divine Points. Was this not blatant daylight robbery?

“Esteemed guest, I’m going to introduce you to the boss of the most prominent mining company here in the Divine River Ruins. I can assure you that all his goods are of superior quality,” the guide urged, noticing Han Wu’s reluctance.

Ultimately, Han Wu relented and paid the 10,000 Divine Points.

“Esteemed guest, please follow me,” the guide instructed. He then led the way, with Han Wu closely following behind. They navigated through a maze of alleys and eventually arrived at a small shop.

The guide introduced the shop owner to Han Wu. “Esteemed guest, this is Mr. Black, the boss of the largest mining company in the Divine River Ruins. Mr. Black, my customer is interested in purchasing some radioactive minerals.”

Mr. Black carefully scrutinized Han Wu, attempting to discern the type of customer he was dealing with. Being only a Demigod, Mr. Black couldn’t penetrate the mask’s information-blocking properties, but he could tell Han Wu was young from his demeanor.

“Young man,” Mr. Black began, “I’m not one to brag, but I’m the biggest supplier of radioactive minerals in the entire Divine River Ruins. My company is responsible for mining almost seventy percent of the radioactive minerals in this region.”

With a frown, Han Wu asked, “Does that mean the God King who went bankrupt bought those poor-quality radioactive minerals that ruined his farm from you as well?”

Mr. Black waved his hands dismissively, denying the accusation. “Hold on, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I pride myself on fair business practices and would never deceive my customers. Those inferior quality radioactive minerals came from smaller companies who mix them into their stock for extra profit. And frankly, the God King was a cheapskate. That’s why his farm failed. Rest assured, my shop only carries high-quality radioactive minerals.”

Han Wu was naturally skeptical of Mr. Black’s claims, and decided to test the minerals himself before trusting him.

“I’d like to take some samples back to my divine realm for testing,” he said. “'Can you give me radioactive minerals of all the qualities you sell? I’ll buy 10,000 Divine Points worth of each grade.”