Chapter 29: Pioneering a Biochemical Civilization

“Mom, what I was doing is serious work, not just playing games.”

“Serious work? Do you think your mother is a fool? Since when did playing games become serious work... Don’t think I haven’t noticed. That person who always plays games with you, is he someone you’re seeing outside?”

Tang Jinhua pursed her lips, her feisty spirit undiminished by the years.

“Girl, I don’t object to free love, but you have to mind your boundaries. Especially, don’t ever do that sort of thing with him. Besides, find a time to bring him home so your dad and I can have a look and get to know him.”

After a short pause, Tang Jinhua continued.

“Mom, what are you saying? He really is just a friend, a purely platonic friend. Besides... do you even know how young he is? Don’t make wild assumptions...”

Zhang Ya was slightly taken aback; a rare hint of frustration flickered across her usually icy face.

“Wild assumptions? Your mother’s eyes and ears aren’t just for decoration, you know.” Tang Jinhua looked as if she could see straight through everything.

Zhang Ya grew even more exasperated.

“Auntie, maybe you and Ya can keep talking. I’ll head to town first,” Fang Zhuowei quickly said.

He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he’d hear something he shouldn’t.

Besides, not only was Zhang Ya unwilling, but Fang Zhuowei himself wasn’t fond of traveling with others. He preferred to go alone—it was quieter, and he could think through his own matters as he liked. It was a perfect opportunity to slip away.

“That’s several kilometers from here to town, you know. How long would it take you to walk? Let Ya give you a ride—she’s not busy anyway,” Tang Jinhua turned to Fang Zhuowei.

“Mom, am I really your daughter? Who asks their own child to play chauffeur for someone else for free?” Zhang Ya had never felt so exasperated; she was starting to suspect she was adopted.

“Auntie, there’s really no need. I just bought an electric scooter a few days ago. It’s convenient, so Ya doesn’t have to make a special trip,” Fang Zhuowei hurried to smooth things over before Tang Jinhua could speak.

Her intentions were good, but it really wasn’t necessary.

“You bought an electric scooter? When did you buy it? You should’ve told me—I still have a few discount coupons for electric scooters,” Tang Jinhua said in surprise, feeling in her pocket and pulling out several coupons from a dealership.

“I bought it a few days ago, happened to catch a sale and saved a bit,” Fang Zhuowei scratched his head. “Well... Auntie, I’ve got things to do, so I’ll be going now...”

“All right then, take it slow, be careful, and come over for steamed buns at lunch,” Tang Jinhua nodded, no longer insisting once she knew he had transportation.

Fang Zhuowei didn’t dare refuse; he could only nod with a wry smile.

“Mom, what did he come to see you for?”

As soon as Fang Zhuowei left, Zhang Ya asked.

“Watch your tone. How many times have I told you? He’s your cousin. Zhuowei’s parents did us a great kindness—they even saved your dad’s life. If not for them, you’d be an orphan by now. Don’t be so heartless. If I hear you talk like that again, watch your tongue...” Tang Jinhua glared at Zhang Ya, her face stern.

“I know, Mom, don’t be mad. So... what did my cousin Zhuowei come for?” Zhang Ya stuck out her tongue.

“He just came to ask if anything wandered into our yard last night...”

“You mean the claw prints we found this morning?” Zhang Ya arched her brow. “Dad said it looked like a bear’s scratches...”

“Yes, that’s the one. That thing went to your cousin Zhuowei’s place yesterday too—almost broke his door down...”

...

Town was as lively as ever, the streets bustling.

Fang Zhuowei first stopped by the supermarket and bought some gifts like milk—these were for his uncle and aunt. He knew they didn’t care much about such things, but proper etiquette was still necessary.

Afterwards, he found a pet shop.

Last night’s events had served as a wake-up call—strengthening his own abilities was now a matter of urgency.

Though he’d sewn the seeds of extraordinary cultivation in the Ancient Ape clan, and the future prospects would be unimaginably vast if realized, the path would be fraught with difficulty and require countless generations of the Ancient Apes to forge with their lives and blood.

This road could only be paved with countless white bones.

For now, the Ancient Ape civilization was at the critical moment when the fruit of civilization was just beginning to take shape. He couldn’t accelerate their evolution, either; even if they successfully transformed into an extraordinary race, without the crystallization of the civilization fruit, he’d gain nothing. Without that, he’d miss out on the rich rewards brought by an extraordinary civilization. Rather than wasting time, it would be wiser to take a steadier approach.

After a night of contemplation, Fang Zhuowei had come up with an idea.

He would create a new race and civilization—a different kind that would exist in perpetual apocalypse; he called it the Viral Civilization.

Anyone who’s seen Resident Evil would know that many of the viruses in the film not only turned living beings into zombies, but some could also trigger evolution. Take Alice, for example: after combining with the T-virus, she didn’t become a zombie but began to evolve, gaining strength, speed, and agility far beyond ordinary humans.

He planned to learn from Resident Evil and simulate a viral civilization in his sandbox world, screening for viruses that could promote organic evolution without causing aberrations.

He wasn’t sure if it would work, but it was worth a try.

As for the model cells for the simulation, he’d already decided: lab mice.

His choice was deliberate. First, rodents are small, easy to keep and breed, highly adaptable, and fertile. Most lab mice are closely related, making them nearly genetically identical except for gender—this uniformity leads to more consistent experimental results.

Moreover, their genetic, biological, and behavioral traits are very similar to humans, which is why human disease characteristics can be replicated in mice. In the past twenty years, with the advent of transgenic mice, their similarities to humans have become even more pronounced.

Among mammals, mice are less advanced morphologically than apes, but for experiments, they’re unrivaled.

...

“Hello, may I help you with something?”

The pet shop was small, run by a young girl about eighteen or nineteen, with round black glasses and a bit of baby fat. When Fang Zhuowei entered, she was cuddling a tabby cat and watching a soap opera, but she quickly stood up at his arrival.

“I’d like to buy some white mice. Do you have any?” Fang Zhuowei glanced around and replied.

“Yes, yes, how many would you like?”

Her eyes brightened, and she nodded eagerly.

“Could you tell me the price?”

Fang Zhuowei asked.