Lin Ke did not linger in the dark sewer. After confirming the Corrupted Creeper was truly dead and that there were no other immediate threats, he cautiously made his way back to the surface.
Emerging from the manhole into the late-night air of the industrial district felt like returning to another world. The cool night breeze helped to clear the stench of the sewer from his clothes and the lingering adrenaline from his mind.
He didn't go straight home. Instead, he made his way to a 24-hour public decontamination station run by the Guild. As a registered Beast Tamer, he had access to these facilities. He and his Rock Vole underwent a thorough cleaning and disinfection process to eliminate any potential biohazards or residual corrosive slime.
Only when he was back in the sterile safety of his apartment did he finally allow himself to relax.
The Rock Vole, exhausted from its first real life-or-death battle, fell into a deep sleep almost immediately after eating a high-energy nutrient meal.
Lin Ke, however, was wide awake, his mind buzzing with the monumental discovery he had made.
He sat at his desk and pulled up the Gene Editor's interface, focusing on the new item in his inventory.
[Item: Raw Corrupted Gene Essence] [Quantity: 12 units] [Purity: Low] [Description: A highly potent but unstable energy source, purified from the core of a corrupted creature. It contains raw, chaotic genetic information. Can be used as a powerful catalyst in genetic editing, but carries the risk of inducing unpredictable mutations.] [Warning: Direct use on a battle pet is not recommended without further refinement.]
"A catalyst..." Lin Ke whispered, his eyes gleaming. "And it mentions mutation."
This was a game-changer. The materials he needed to repair the ancient egg's genes were incredibly expensive and rare. But this... this was a resource he could potentially farm himself from corrupted creatures.
However, the "unstable" and "unpredictable mutation" warnings were a serious concern for a scientist like him. He would never risk his pet's well-being on a reckless gamble.
"I need more data," he concluded. "I need to understand what this essence truly is and how to refine it."
His gaze shifted to another prize he had yet to claim: the reward from Chief Proctor Magnus.
"The Guild's private 'Archive of Forgotten Species'..."
His mission in the sewer was complete. He had investigated the source of the energy fluctuations and eliminated the threat. Tomorrow, he would submit his report to the Guild. That would officially grant him the D-rank mission completion status.
His plan began to form, clear and logical.
Step 1: Submit the mission report. Downplay the details of the creature, simply classifying it as a "unusually aggressive, mutated Sewer Creeper" to avoid drawing unwanted attention to its specific corrupted nature.
Step 2: Officially graduate from the qualification exam. With his championship title, he would gain access to the Archive.
Step 3: Dive into the Archive. He would search for any information related to ancient creatures, astral energy, and, most importantly, any historical records of phenomena similar to the Abyssal Corruption. He suspected the answers to refining the Corrupted Gene Essence lay in the forgotten knowledge of the past.
Step 4: The next battle in the tournament. His opponent was Zhang Shan's Iron-shelled Beetle. That match was no longer just about winning the tournament; it was about testing the full capabilities of his reborn Rock Vole in a controlled environment.
He looked over at his sleeping partner, a feeling of deep connection washing over him. The little creature had trusted him completely, fought for him bravely. He had a responsibility to ensure its future path was not one of reckless gambles, but of carefully planned, glorious ascents.
The path to godhood was not a sprint; it was a meticulous, scientific endeavor. And he, Lin Ke, was ready to take the next, calculated step.