The yields from bio-engineered beasts, much like martial artists, come in varying grades; the higher the grade of the bio-beast, the more exorbitant its price. Necessarily, the more advanced the bio-beast, the more power it drains from its user.

The 'Growth Type' is, theoretically, the most perfect form of existence. Many bio-beast experts have proposed this theory, yet no tangible entity embodying it has ever actually appeared.

“So there you have it…” Lin Liqiang spread his hands wide: “This is a product from my lab. Theoretically, it possesses the capacity for growth functionality—whether it truly does, I have no idea.”

“A lab product?” Song Jia took a sip of iced water. “Meaning there might be side effects?”

“This… haha…” Lin Liqiang clapped Qin Fen on the shoulder. “Buddy, time was too tight; there wasn’t enough time for proper testing.”

Qin Fen had been friends with Lin Liqiang for nearly three years; he knew his friend’s personality too well. The constant requests for leave lately must have been dedicated to creating this phantom beast. It wasn't surprising that his usually immaculate appearance now showed the faint traces of dark circles beneath his eyes, a result of overwork.

“What are you looking at?” Lin Liqiang instinctively touched the shadows beneath his eyes. “That’s from getting hit by a girl while I was trying to woo her. Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not planning on switching genders anytime soon, so please put away that look of yours that suggests you think I’m into guys, thank you.”

“Right!” Lin Liqiang produced a storage card. “There are usage instructions on here. When you get to the military, find some time to look them over and hatch this thing as soon as you can. Send me a photo once it hatches; I’m eager to see what the thing I made actually looks like.”

“You don’t even know what it will look like when it hatches?” Song Jia finished her glass of iced water. “I am highly dissatisfied.”

“Can’t be helped, it’s a lab product, after all~” Lin Liqiang acted completely unconcerned. “Old Qin, you asked me to write so many leave slips for you—you must be working on a gift too, right? Show it to your old pal.”

Smack!

A metal belt, intricately carved with a dragon motif, was placed before Qin Fen.

Thwack...

The dragon-shaped belt sprang open automatically, revealing nearly a hundred pills, each the size of a grain of rice.

“Fifty Red Yang-Restoring Pills: For internal injuries, they recover more than half of your strength in ten seconds. Side effect: physical weakness and fatigue for one day afterward. Fifty Green Lessening Pills: For when internal energy is depleted, restoring sixty percent within ten seconds. Side effect: mobilizing true Qi the next day feels like being stabbed by needles. Two White Super-Frenzy Pills: Instantly boost attack power by forty-five percent for one hour. Two Black Super-Iron Armor Pills: Instantly boost defense by forty-five percent for one hour. Five-Colored…” Inzarota pointed to the last, unique colored pill tucked within the dragon belt. His icy expression shifted to one of profound seriousness: “The Pill of Life and Death (Shengsi Dan). This pill’s effect is to stimulate latent human potential. The consequences of taking it are twofold: one, immediate death upon consumption. Two, the potential is activated. It is a laboratory product, utterly unique in the world. Time was short, materials scarce, and there was no time for testing.”

Inzarota, who normally spoke in clipped sentences, suddenly delivering such a lengthy explanation genuinely startled Song Jia. Upon hearing the effects of the Pill of Life and Death, she blurted out, “Is this poison? Or a tonic?”

Inzarota did not answer Song Jia. His eyes were fixed intensely on Qin Fen, and he pointed again to the Pill of Life and Death. “Take it at the critical moment of life and death. Take it when facing death.”

Being reminded twice by the usually taciturn Inzarota clearly demonstrated the danger and paramount importance of this specific medicine.

“I understand,” Qin Fen replied, deeply moved. A friend who rarely spoke was forcefully altering his habits just to ensure he didn't mistake the pill. Concern, sometimes, didn't need constant verbal assurances like, “I am very worried; I am very uneasy…” Concrete actions better illustrated the bonds of friendship.

“The instruction manual—read it carefully when you have time,” Inzarota said, handing over a hand-copied notebook.

“Understood.” Qin Fen carefully tucked the notebook close to his body.

“Old Yin!” Lin Liqiang launched himself toward Inzarota, praising loudly: “The concentrated type! You are truly generous! Super-Frenzy and Super-Iron are not available commercially, and you managed to get them!”

Concentrated type? Qin Fen was slightly confused, but Song Jia understood perfectly. Pills available on the market were usually the size of hawthorns; carrying a few was light enough, but lugging around hundreds, as Qin Fen was prepared to do, probably wasn't all that convenient.

The concentrated form was currently only circulated among the highest echelons. These medicines were clearly crafted with meticulous care by Inzarota, and their efficacy might even surpass the commercial versions—otherwise, why would a genius like him vanish for nearly a month without a trace?

“Say, Old Yin,” Lin Liqiang wrapped a familiar arm around Inzarota as if greeting a beautiful woman. “When we graduate from university, let’s start a company together. You develop a top-tier pharmaceutical to enhance male vitality—listen to me~~ the market for that is huge…”

“Here,” Song Jia whispered, slipping a small booklet from under the table into Qin Fen’s hand while leaning in close to his ear. “The Cycle of Rebirth Art (Huisheng Jue). I hear military training is exhausting every day; practicing this will rapidly restore stamina. Don’t let anyone else see it; just practice it yourself.”

Lin Liqiang, who had been roughhousing moments before, stopped abruptly, a flicker of shock crossing his eyes.

The Cycle of Rebirth Art was far more than just a physical stamina restoration technique. Song Wendong, the Martial God of Earth, had fused several ancient martial disciplines to create three unique martial arts, and the Cycle of Rebirth Art was one of them.

This was a martial art that the Song family absolutely forbade from leaking out! As a third-generation member, Song Jia could not possibly be unaware of the grave consequences of this revelation.

“You two…” Lin Liqiang adopted a seasoned, worldly look, scrutinizing both of them up and down.

“Qiangzi, if you want to try being an airborne human dropped from thirty thousand feet, then keep guessing,” Song Jia retorted.

Faced with Song Jia’s threatening tone, Lin Liqiang hid off to the side with a suppressed, slightly smug smile, though his eyes kept darting toward Qin Fen with genuine concern.

The Song family was no mere minor noble house. And Song Wendong was no simple old man to handle; he was stubborn, powerful, and self-assured!

If Qin Fen had the backing of the Lin family, perhaps Old Man Song wouldn't say anything. But without it… Qin Fen’s path forward was unlikely to be smooth.

Thinking of that perpetually grim-faced Song Wendong, Lin Liqiang felt a headache brewing again. That old fellow was a truly formidable obstacle! Anyone who dared to assume he was merely a brute with great power but no intellect would face a fate worse than mere disaster.

P.S.: It’s Monday! Pushing for the new book charts~~~ Brothers and sisters, we need recommendation votes for firepower support! For the sake of the Party and the nation, for the sake of Gao Lou’s midnight updates, and for the sake of the novel’s decent quality—send those recommendation votes!