Chapter 60 - Mutated Locust’s Short Life

Without hesitation, Han Wu placed all 10,000 high-purity Radiation Stones into the Refinery to enhance their purity. The Refinery took some time to complete the process, ultimately producing 6,000 Radiation Stones that were almost entirely pure.

The higher the purity of the Radiation Stones, the greater their radiation content, and the more readily they induced mutations in organisms that ingested them. Despite this, the mutations were still completely random.

Aiming to increase the odds of achieving positive mutations, Han Wu brought forth 100 million Unique locusts to serve as test subjects. Thankfully, the area they were in was separated from his divine realm, ensuring the radiation would not harm his other units.

Han Wu initiated the experiment by distributing 2,000 of his refined Radiation Stones into 100 million portions for his locusts. Due to their small size and high sensitivity to radiation, all the locusts exhibited the effects of ingesting the pure Radiation Stones within a single hour.

Unfortunately, 42 million locusts succumbed to severe radiation poisoning, 30 million were rendered crippled by uncontrolled DNA mutations, and 18 million suffered DNA deletions, causing them to regress to the Elite rank and drastically shorten their lifespans.

Of the initial 100 million, only 10 million locusts successfully mutated into Rank 1 mutated beasts, but 7 million of those showed no discernible increase in strength. The remaining 3 million locusts were the fortunate few that experienced enhanced strength due to their beneficial mutations.

He then distributed 1,000 pure Radiation Stones among the 10 million Rank 1 mutated beasts that had survived, in an effort to boost their power. After three hours, the results showed that only 2 million of the Rank 1 mutated beasts had advanced to Rank 2, with only 400,000 of them displaying a notable increase in strength.

Han Wu provided the 2 million mutated beasts with regular food before proceeding to feed them the pure Radiation Stones. He then used 1,000 Radiation Stones, successfully transforming 50,000 of the 2 million mutated beasts into Rank 3 mutated beasts.

The Rank 3 mutated beasts developed the ability to generate Gene Stones from their bodies. However, only 1,000 of the 50,000 Rank 3 mutated beasts experienced beneficial mutations that boosted their strength to the level of a Heroic life form.

He picked up each of the mutated locusts and meticulously inspected their mutations, eventually finding one particularly remarkable mutation. One of the locusts had experienced a transformation that granted it an incredibly rapid recovery speed.

The locust possessed the ability to regenerate any part of its body, even its head, provided it had sufficient energy. Han Wu at last perceived a slender thread of hope for that specific locust to endure the game.

Han Wu isolated the locust from the rest and meticulously cut a thousandth of a single pure Radiation Stone, which he then fed to it. The Law of Gluttony ensured that the locust could consume anything it was given without issue, including the highly dangerous Radiation Stone.

The locust eagerly consumed the sliver of Radiation Stone and immediately began to mutate once more. The radiation proceeded to destroy its cells, causing its flesh to gradually peel away. However, due to its extraordinary regenerative capability, it was able to rebuild the lost muscle and survive the ordeal.

The locust endured until the energy from the Radiation Stone was completely depleted. By the end of this process, it had surprisingly become stronger, with its recovery speed significantly increased. Satisfied with the outcome, Han Wu fed the mutated locust some standard food and subsequently gave it an even larger quantity of Radiation Stones.

The locust sustained itself by relying on its exceptional recovery speed to regenerate the tissues damaged by the radiation. It managed to survive each bout of radiation poisoning, gradually becoming stronger. The locust also increased in size with each mutation, finally measuring two meters long upon reaching Rank 4, a size unmatched even by the Heroic Locustman.

With its increasing size, the locust became capable of handling greater amounts of radiation. By this point, it could consume half a Radiation Stone in less than half an hour. Han Wu steadily increased the amount of Radiation Stone it was fed, progressing from one stone to two, then to five, and finally to ten stones at a time.

He achieved an astonishing level of control over the feeding amount, precisely balancing it so that the damage from the intense radiation was nearly equal to the locust’s rapid recovery rate.

For three long months, all six of them worked tirelessly within the isolated space, striving to increase their units’ power. The five cloaked people, however, ended up sacrificing all of their units throughout the experiment, resulting in only one surviving Rank 4 mutated beast, which had originally been a Heroic ape.

After undergoing multiple mutations, the ape reached a height of ten meters and acquired two extra front limbs. It had the potential to unleash widespread destruction when it entered a berserk state. By this stage, it had significantly surpassed the strength of ordinary Heroic life forms. However, even with its enhanced strength, it only managed to withstand Gemora’s assault for three minutes. Ultimately, Gemora consumed it as if it were a mere snack.

The five cloaked people witnessed their mutated ape being torn apart and consumed piece by piece. They were overcome with a profound sense of grief, as if they had lost their own children. The mutated ape had represented their last glimmer of hope. However, the Origin of Mutation remained merciless, instructing Gemora to consume the five cloaked figures.

The Origin of Mutation then turned its attention to Han Wu, observing the colossal 20 meter long, eight meter high locust. The locust had now reached Rank 6, the same level as Gemora.

To significantly enhance the locust’s strength, Han Wu used all the Gene Stones he had acquired from the rest of his mutated locusts and implanted them into it. Due to the Gene Stones, the locust’s body underwent localized mutations of varying forms, ultimately surpassing the power of a Heroic life form.

However, there was a significant drawback to recklessly enhancing its strength. The uncontrolled mutations had drastically shortened the locust’s lifespan, reducing it to a single day. It was destined to perish tonight, whether it faced Gemora or not.

“Go, prove to me the significance of your short life!” Han Wu exclaimed, cheering on his locust prior to the battle. The locust nodded as understanding what was said and then soared into the air.

The intense wind buffeted Gemora, forcing it to lower its head. Nevertheless, as a Rank 6 mutated beast, Gemora quickly regained its composure and attacked, biting down on the locust. Its massive jaws ripped away sizable chunks of the locust’s flesh with every bite.

Refusing to yield, the locust regrew its damaged flesh with every injury it received. At the same time, it devoured Gemora’s flesh to replenish as much energy as possible, supporting its ongoing regeneration.

The battle was so brutal and bloody that even Han Wu couldn’t bear to watch. The Origin of Mutation, however, was deeply engrossed in the fight. After being sealed away for so long, it craved the thrill of an intense battle.

After a relentless eighteen-hour struggle, the locust triumphed, devouring Gemora’s brain at the very end of its life. The locust succumbed to death immediately after defeating Gemora. The only remaining evidence of its survival was the Rank 6 Gene Stone it left behind.

“That was quite a spectacle, wouldn’t you agree, my new vessel?” the Origin of Mutation commented, as it rushed towards Han Wu, its viscous form wrapping around him. Han Wu was then subjected to the agonizing pain of suffocation for the first time.