...following the intravenous line. Drawn from one person's body and flowing into another's. Clotted blood, bit by bit, was forced out of the vessels and dropped away.

Du Peng lay still in a nutrient fluid tank newly configured by Inzarota. Nearly a hundred tubes were inserted into his body, through which hundreds of different ** flowed every second.

Lin Liqiang carefully retrieved various Bug Warrior samples provided by the Founding Society, handing them little by little to Lin Ling, who, this unexpected surgical woman, performed all manner of additions and subtractions.

Qin Fen watched this utterly bizarre, witch-like surgical scene from a distance.

Du Zhanpeng’s complexion, initially ruddy, had turned pale at some point; the combination of blood loss and the depletion of the Zhenyuan accumulated through rigorous training caused the luster of his skin to fade rapidly.

Inzarota intermittently adjusted the dosage of the agents, sometimes pulling out a tube from Du Peng’s body, only to immediately insert another tube, or several others, in its place.

Starting from the toes, then the ankles, then the calves...”

Under Lin Liqiang’s direction, Lin Ling meticulously and seriously injected various indistinguishable materials using small syringes, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.

Fifteen hours later, Lin Liqiang placed two extremely thick high-voltage cables directly into Du Peng's hands. He then dismissed everyone and instantly initiated the final operation.

A powerful surge of current caused Du Peng’s body to convulse violently. A pungent ** seeped out from several points on his body, and his skin turned completely black, resembling charcoal scorched by electricity.

The room returned to silence. Everyone watched the body that had been electrocuted to a state where its human form was almost unrecognizable.

Du Zhanpeng's hands were already clenched into fists. He shook his head forcefully. His body, depleted by massive blood loss and vital energy, should have been resting to recover, yet he remained standing there silently.

Chen Zhi quietly walked beside Qin Fen. Whispering into Qin Fen’s ear as he watched Du Zhanpeng, he said, "What are you thinking about? Thinking of Qin Zhan? I can only tell you one thing. Regarding what Du Zhanpeng did for Du Peng, you don't need to be envious. Qin Zhan's care for you is no less than Du Zhanpeng’s for Du Peng."

Qin Fen looked up at Chen Zhi. This wasn't the first time he had heard news about Qin Zhan from these people, but Chen Zhi had already closed his mouth, adopting an expression that suggested even if he were beaten to death, he absolutely would not reveal more about Qin Zhan.

"My brother," Qin Fen probed, "is he the Azure Dragon?"

Chen Zhi closed his eyes, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "What do you think?"

Qin Fen realized for the first time that Chen Zhi was far more cunning than he had imagined. The pupils are the one part of a person that cannot lie; even a Martial Arts Grandmaster cannot freely control them. Unfortunately, the moment Chen Zhi spoke, he had already closed his eyes, blocking off any potential information.

"I guess yes."

"Oh."

"I guess no."

"Oh."

Chen Zhi, whose appearance didn't suggest sharp intellect, spoke slowly, devoid of any emotion, and without opening his eyes. Against a Martial Arts Grandmaster who could control his heartbeat and blood flow, many of Qin Fen’s detection methods became ineffective.

"If you truly wish to see Qin Zhan, I can point you to two paths: become a Saturn Divine Beast, or participate in the Assembly of Heroes; either way, you will meet Qin Zhan."

Chen Zhi's mouth remained tightly shut, taking on the demeanor of someone who wouldn't speak another word this time.

Qin Fen refocused his attention on Du Peng. Lin Liqiang stared grimly at the 'charcoal' in the culture medium, while Inzarota observed the projection data leaping out of the nutrient tank.

Snap… “Cracka Snap-cracka …”

In the quiet hall, sounds like branches snapping echoed.

Qin Fen noticed that Du Peng's charcoal-like skin was constantly cracking, as if peeling bark, revealing the unique complexion of a yellow-skinned human underneath.

In an instant, hundreds of tree-bark-like fissures appeared on the charcoal skin. The black, coke-like layers began to slough off, and in the blink of an eye, Du Peng in the nutrient tank revealed his true form.

Due to the high voltage, Du Peng was temporarily hairless. His solid, hard muscles remained unchanged. He lay quietly, his chest rising and falling subtly, presenting an image of complete slumber.

Lin Liqiang gently raised his right palm. Inzarota, usually perfectly composed, struck it with a hand that was both swift and powerful, producing a crisp clapping sound that resonated through the silent hall.

Lin Liqiang shook his hand, which Inzarota had struck bright red, and grinned happily.

What is a New Human? Lin Liqiang didn't know, and Inzarota actually didn't know either. They had merely followed a path down; as for what that path truly led, it required research—and a great deal of it.

The two gazed intently at the sleeping Du Peng, chuckling repeatedly. This wasn't just a massive turning point in Du Peng's life; with deeper research, it might even become a significant marker for the future evolution of all human society.

What kind of change would it be? Both Lin Liqiang and Inzarota were eager to find out. This entire endeavor stemmed from a flash of inspiration. The Bug Warrior route of the Founding Society was profound and vast; anyone who looked at it would immediately become deeply enamored, following the Bug Warrior's thought process all the way down the path toward deeper Bug Warrior development.

Perhaps because of their friendship with Qin Fen, the two held an instinctive resistance to the Founding Society, always wanting to find fault with the Founding Society's Bug Warriors. It was precisely this instinctive desire to oppose that inadvertently led them to discover a rugged, narrow trail—one that, one might say, they found just before the Founding Society's continued research would have led to the Bug Warriors' eventual extinction.

Science holds infinite possibilities and surprises. If this small path had been hidden for even a little longer, Lin Liqiang and Inzarota might have also been captivated by the magic of the Bug Warriors.

Du Zhanpeng stood silently before the nutrient tank, his shoulders trembling slightly, clearly not yet emerged from the tension and excitement. He looked at Du Peng, peacefully asleep in the fluid, and forced his voice to sound calmer: "What? Isn't he awake yet?"

"How could he wake up so quickly?" Lin Liqiang scratched his head. "It might take another day or two."

"Is that so?" All worry vanished from Du Zhanpeng’s eyes. He rested his arms gently on the edge of the culture tank, watching Du Peng quietly, the corners of his lips and eyes showing genuine, heartfelt smiles.

Chen Zhi sighed lightly and shook his head. Was this exchange truly worth it? Taking such a huge risk—was it worth it? No one knew what the New Human truly was or what its future development might hold.

Du Zhanpeng himself had the potential to challenge the Divine Beast level! Chen Zhi looked at Du Zhanpeng’s back and shook his head gently. These two brothers... one gave up the possibility of becoming a Divine Beast for his younger brother, and the other, for his younger brother, disregarded the bigger picture entirely and actually killed the White Tiger. No wonder they became such close friends.

"Kid, next time we meet, you’ll probably have to protect me. Heh, I hope you won't mind if your big brother is just dragging you down then."

Du Zhanpeng leaned against the nutrient tank, his lazy, exhausted posture complementing his smile, creating an image of...

Kid? Why did that voice sound so familiar? Du Peng’s sleeping fingers twitched slightly. "Du Zhanpeng! Brother! Where am I?"

"Right, I was heavily injured by the Night Roamer. I think I heard his voice then. Right! Qin Fen, it must be Qin Fen imitating his voice, trying to wake me up..."

"Kid, sometimes don't push yourself too hard. In this world, who can live forever? People will always die; it’s just a matter of when. If you let it trap you, you might find yourself too weak to even have a chance to prove yourself when others call your brother useless. Isn't that so?"

"People will die, but you died because of me. If you hadn't saved me back then, you would be the one alive..."

"Less self-blame, more happiness. If you smile more, your friends around you will be happy too."

"Oh, why aren't you talking anymore? Say something else! Qin Fen, even if you’re just imitating his voice, say more! I really want to hear his voice again..."

Du Zhanpeng moved his somewhat heavy feet and stood before Qin Fen again. "This time, help me look after him."

"Mmm." Qin Fen nodded slightly. True promises needed no flowery words.

Du Zhanpeng clapped Qin Fen on the shoulder, then lifted his head and brushed past him, walking toward Chen Zhi. "This time, I'll leave a message for that kid. After two encounters with death, his mind should have matured significantly."

Five hours later...

The fluid in the nutrient tank vibrated faintly, and Du Peng's eyes suddenly snapped open. He sat bolt upright, looking around in confusion, staring at his hands: "This is...?"

Lin Liqiang stretched lazily and said, "Simply put, the Night Roamer almost killed you, then you took Old Yin's Life-Death Pill, and then you were gone. Later, because of various chaotic events, we turned you into what you are now."

"Then," Du Peng looked at Lin Liqiang, "am I dead, or am I alive?"

Lin Liqiang shrugged. "Theoretically, you should be alive. Luckily, you completed the Marrow Replacement Nirvana Great Innate transformation and reached the strength of a fifteen-star Martial Arts Grandmaster; otherwise, you’d have had zero chance this time. We calculated that this method isn't useful for everyone; the basic requirement must be a fifteen-star Martial Arts Grandmaster, and each person only gets one chance in their lifetime. Alright, alright, I'll tell you about your situation later. Old Qin is waiting for you."

Du Peng walked over to Qin Fen’s side and looked strangely at his body. Why did he feel so different after waking up?

"Come with me, I want to show you something." Qin Fen turned and walked into a room down the corridor.

Du Peng followed Qin Fen into the room while simultaneously inspecting his body for differences.

The room lights suddenly dimmed, and a beam of projection hit the air not far in front of Du Peng. Du Zhanpeng’s pale, weary face appeared in the projection.

"You..." Du Peng forgot to check his body and stared blankly at Du Zhanpeng in the air. He hadn't seen him for years, and now the person he believed to be dead had matured considerably.

"Yes, I'm not dead." As Du Zhanpeng's voice sounded, Du Peng's body stiffened. The voice he heard while he was unconscious echoed in his mind.

"Simply put, kid, I saved you again. And because of this, I might be very tired for a long time and need a significant rest."

"Don't ask where your friends are yet; listen to me first." Du Zhanpeng leaned weakly against a chair. "I know you hate the Du family. If you had enough power, you probably wanted to destroy the Du family directly, right? Well! Maybe now you don't want to destroy it, but you certainly don't want any association with them either. However, you still carry the Du family blood, cough, cough..."

Du Zhanpeng coughed several times, his complexion growing paler and weaker. The self-mocking smile on his lips carried a touch of sickly beauty. "Alright, I’m really weak right now. Let’s keep this short; humor me. Before I return, no matter how much you hate or despise the Du family, please guard them a little for me. Grandfather is getting old..."

"Also, don't rush to find me." Du Zhanpeng’s smile radiated endless fatigue. "Honestly, what good would it do if you found me now? We embrace and weep tearfully? That’s too sappy, isn't it?"

Du Zhanpeng’s smile, despite his weakness, maintained the composed demeanor expected of a noble son. "Or perhaps you want to beat me up when you see me? If that's the case, I’ll be even less inclined to let you find me."

"The Assembly of Heroes is coming soon. Honestly, I wanted to participate. But now..." Du Zhanpeng glanced at his weak body, "...I don’t have the ability to step onto that stage of martial artists' dreams right now. But how can this stage be without a scion of the Du family? So, my brother, you go up for me. Tell everyone! The Du family isn't just Du Zhanpeng; there’s also Du Peng! You won't tarnish my name. Oh, right, at the very least, you have to beat Qin Fen, right? I’ve been fighting him for so many years, and I still can't beat his brother. I really hate that!"

"You must beat Qin Fen. Bring me some credit, and let Qin Zhan know that Du Zhanpeng couldn't beat him, so surely my younger brother can beat his younger brother? Alright..."

Du Zhanpeng pushed himself up with his hands gripping the armrests of the chair, his body swaying weakly as he stood. "I have to go. About the Assembly of Heroes—if you can make it into the top eight, I will come see you. Don't worry, I won't die. I still want to hear you call me 'Brother.'"

Du Peng quietly looked at the final frozen frame on the projection screen: the pale face, the weak body on the verge of collapse, yet an expression of unparalleled serenity and calm between his brows.

"Qin Fen, why is he so weak?"

"The blood in your body, and the vast amount of Zhenyuan he expended to help you..."

"His current star level?"

"Seventeen-star Zhen Gang entering the body."

"His previous strength?"

"Eighteen-star, perhaps he would have reached Di Gang soon."

Du Peng closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his body trembling slightly. His eyes suddenly flew open, and he shouted at the projected Du Zhanpeng: "Idiot!"

The frozen Du Zhanpeng was still smiling, a smile that seemed to respond to Du Peng: "I want to."

"Top eight, is it?"

Du Peng murmured the words to himself, then turned and walked out of the room. Shortly after, Qin Fen heard Du Peng’s voice coming from another room: "Caesar, are you free? Brooks, are you free?"

"Du Peng..."

Lin Liqiang’s voice sounded from outside the door. "I checked. Your bio-beast isn't very good. If you had a better one back then, you might not have ended up like this against the Night Roamer. I have another one here; if you use it, it will completely devour your existing bio-beast with absolutely no side effects."

"Change my bio-beast? Thank you, no need. My bio-beast was a birthday gift from my brother." Du Peng’s voice was filled with immense pride, sweeping away his previous hint of melancholy.

Say something... I’m quite tired.