Supreme Being

"Genetic modification has a prerequisite."

"Luna, your body must be able to withstand such modification."

"Therefore, you must first use the latest model of mecha to protect your physical body, preventing your genes from collapsing due to radiation during the modification process."

Ayla, at some point, had changed into a sailor-style outfit disguised as a schoolgirl uniform and walked ahead.

She held a small fox with three tails in her arms; the fox was affectionately rubbing against Ayla's hand.

"What are the main modifications to the mecha?"

Luna knew that the Federation's mecha advancements in recent years had been relatively slow; powerful mecha technology that enhanced individual combat capabilities had yet to emerge.

This was partly due to limitations imposed by the volume of the organism itself, and also because of the need for liquid metal to enter the body.

A small organism volume means the organism cannot wear overly large mecha. Mecha that are as tall as that are essentially beyond active control by the organism; control becomes largely passive.

For example, pressing a button to trigger a pre-programmed action in the mecha, or controlling it via a brain-computer interface, cannot match the agility and precision of smaller, lighter suits. They are also costly, inefficient in terms of space utilization, and, in comparison to regular spacecraft, have a pitifully low cost-effectiveness ratio; they are even outmatched by spacecraft.

The issue of introducing liquid metal into the body is also incredibly problematic. The mecha cannot be larger than the organism wearing it, further limiting the mecha's capabilities.

There are also issues with fuel, computing power, speed, and other factors.

Previous applications of technology to mecha have seen improvements, but the advancements haven't been truly groundbreaking.

"The new mecha design is drastically different."

"You'll see soon enough, Luna."

Luna and Ayla were inside the Mobius Ringworld. Luna saw a large, circular device and asked, "What is that?"

"A String clock!"

"Pre-modern light clocks were long unable to provide the accuracy we needed. Over twenty thousand years ago, we switched to neutrino clocks, but neutrinos are virtual particles, impossible to directly observe. While their precision was higher than light clocks, their reliability needed improvement."

"After extensive research, approximately 18,000 years ago, the Federation developed the String clock."

"Earth, in the 21st century, used atomic resonance frequency to measure time. Similarly, strings possess resonance frequencies. Strings, through the strength of their resonance, create various fundamental particles. Our current String clock uses quarks; their specific resonance frequency, generated by the strings, provides precise timekeeping. A String clock, essentially, only deviates by one second every 1.327 trillion years."

A clock is a yardstick for measuring time.

In advanced, high-precision civilizations like the Galactic Federation, a unified standard of time is essential. Without it, transmitted information would be flawed. These errors might be imperceptible in everyday life, but in high-precision calculations and research, they are fatal.

Let's illustrate with a comparison.

At the microscopic level of physics, the simplest difference is this: you measure how many times an electron orbits an atomic nucleus per second, but your time differs from someone else's. The experiment yields two different results.

Because your second might be 0.0000001 seconds longer than someone else's, the seventh or eighth decimal place might differ from the result measured using another timekeeping device.

The same applies to macroscopic astronomical observations. If you and someone else agree to measure the position of a celestial body billions of light-years away at exactly 12:00, and your clock is one millisecond slow – your 12:00 is their 12:00:00:001 – your measurement will be off. Because of the vast distance, this error might not be a millimeter, but a light-year.

Therefore, the Federation must ensure complete time synchronization.

Furthermore, considering the varying gravitational forces and radiation levels across different star systems, the String clock must be able to isolate itself from the influence of the four fundamental forces, using near-identical internal structures to maintain accuracy.

"Every 100 years, Alpha Eridani uses tachyon communication to synchronize with other star systems and adjust their clocks."

"This String clock isn't the master clock. The master clock is located within a 10-light-year-wide void in space, largely free from significant gravitational and radiative interference."

"To be more precise, it measures the changes in zero-point energy at near absolute zero."

"But that's not feasible for other String clocks; they can't achieve such extreme conditions."

"We are currently researching extradimensional clocks. Most matter and energy in the universe cannot penetrate the cosmological membrane, meaning less energy and less spacetime distortion in other dimensions. This type of extradimensional clock is still in its infancy; we haven't even taken a single step towards it."

Luna nodded.

The String clock initially seemed small, but as Luna and Ayla traveled in their orbital vehicle at 40 km/s, Luna noticed that over an hour, the String clock didn't appear to grow or shrink, and its apparent direction remained largely unchanged.

"The further away you are, Luna, the better you'll understand its true size."

"Its diameter is 127,000 kilometers."

Luna was stunned. Earth's diameter is approximately 12,742 km. The String clock's diameter is roughly ten times that of Earth, and its surface area is a hundred times greater.

It wasn't the size itself—the Mobius Ringworld is far larger—but the fact that this gigantic object was merely a clock seemed extraordinary.

"Actually, despite its immense size, the core that shields it from external interference is smaller than a human fist."

Ayla kept her gaze fixed on the front of their orbital vehicle, where a light was now appearing.

Luna saw it too.

Their destination.

They soon left the String clock's location. Looking back, Luna saw that the String clock was housed within a massive protrusion on the rear of the Mobius Ringworld.

They had now reached the rear of the Mobius Ringworld.

It wasn't quiet here; countless robots were at work. The density was over 100,000 robots per square kilometer.

"Neatness often masks the dirtiness behind it."

This was the Mobius Ringworld's "dirty" side—a vast army of robots maintaining the entire structure, ensuring its stability.

"Ayla, could you convey my gratitude to them?" Luna said.

This was a genuine sentiment, even though these were merely robots with limited computational capacity, capable only of simple tasks, not assigned by Ayla.

Ayla nodded.

"Of course!"

...

As Luna expected, the robots didn't respond.

She and Ayla continued their journey through the dark expanse.

Ahead, a pyramid-like structure emerged, each level distinctly separate.

"The rear research facility. Each level is an independent research institution. While not necessarily leading the Federation in every area, each specializes in a top-five field of research."

Ayla explained as they approached the pyramid.

The pyramid was smaller than Luna had imagined, apparently no more than 1000 km tall. While still enormous for a research facility – its footprint covered approximately 1 million square kilometers – after seeing the 120,000-kilometer-diameter clock, it seemed comparatively diminutive.

Moreover, the research levels decreased in size progressively, minimizing land use.

"The pyramid shape and separate levels aren't just for aesthetics; they're designed to minimize mutual interference and conserve materials."

"The lowest two levels house the main research facilities. The upper five floors store large-scale equipment with high energy and radiation levels. Separating them prevents radiation from reaching the lower levels and harming researchers."

Luna and Ayla entered the massive structure.

The pyramid was divided into seven levels, but the actual height was far greater. The first level alone was 70 kilometers high, making a 70-kilometer ceiling impossible; it wasn't a research facility, but a small world in itself.

Each level here is approximately 30 meters high, slightly taller than the Federation's average 18-meter floor height, but not excessively so. After entering the elevator, Luna noted a maximum of 2278 floors.

"Each floor is divided into numerous zones, each with its own sub-levels. Because there are so many rooms, the designations require eight alphanumeric characters. Our zone is As1298g3." Ayla continued her briefing.

Luna usually didn't pay attention to such details; there's simply too much to keep track of in the vast Federation.

Ayla led Luna to the mecha research zone.

Luna felt a sense of déjà vu; she had once been brought to a research facility and shown the Federation's first mecha.

This time, however, the facility was much busier. Ayla didn't introduce the new mecha; instead, a middle-aged researcher did.

Luna accessed the researcher's profile: a materials scientist ranked 823rd, named Chris Sao.

"As the first test subject for the new bio-mecha, you're fortunate."

"It represents a mecha revolution."

"We've been researching how to make mecha smaller; making them larger is easy. This mecha, however, will redefine your understanding of size."

Chris Sao wasn't a stiff Iridescents.

The Iridescents were one of the races enslaved by the Purple Thorns Civilization. Their name derives from the iridescent, triangular scales covering their bodies, exhibiting thirteen different colors, resembling a living color chart.

Their appearance, however, is rather unremarkable: an upright-walking amphibian. However, instead of slime, their skin is covered in scales, making them resemble a miniature Godzilla.

Their form is, however, more streamlined than that of Godzilla, not the head-small-body-large type with all the weight concentrated in the lower body due to gravity.

What makes the Iridescents somewhat striking are the thin, transparent ribbons that evolved from their wings. They exhibit rainbow patterns in the light and are extremely sensitive—essentially the Iridescents' erogenous zones, serving as their primary external sensory organs.

Luna recalled that when she first encountered the Iridescents, their average height was only 1.2 meters. Now, they stand well over 1.8 meters, only slightly shorter than herself.

"How small is it?" Luna asked.

Chris Sao suddenly stopped, pressing a button.

After a ten-minute walk following him, Luna entered a laboratory. Ayla had already left; she had other tasks to attend to.

After all, Alpha Eridani is ultimately in charge, usually appearing as a projection. This time, however, it used a high-fidelity bio-simulation, needing a thorough check of the facility's security.

"Come in."

The lab was vast, over 20,000 square meters, but didn't feel that large due to its cluttered nature. Dozens of large pieces of equipment were haphazardly placed amidst various tables covered in experimental materials, with more materials piled on the floor.

The only relatively spacious area was a sofa on one side, likely used for discussions, opposite a blackboard filled with formulas and reactions.

To Luna's surprise, she also saw a piece of human lingerie.

Chris Sao noticed it as well, quickly explaining, "That's not our kink. We have a crazy woman researcher here; she's a human female with a penchant for nudity. I've warned her repeatedly; her nakedness is really nauseating."

Despite over twenty thousand years of integration, there hasn't been a complete aesthetic homogenization between the Federation's various species.

Inter-species relationships remain challenging, due not only to physical appearance but also differences in reproductive organs. This is far more complex than the simple difference between humans and mammals.

Humans might develop unusual preferences for mammals... or even vertebrates. After all, in the 21st century, some cultures even embraced reptiles, but few would have such extreme preferences for insects.

Chris Sao rummaged around in the lab and produced a syringe.

"This is what you need."

Luna looked at the tiny syringe, surprised.

"Just this?"

Chris Sao chuckled, "Of course. I said it's revolutionary; it's tiny."

"You should inject it now. Actually, you must inject it now. It's still classified; you can't take it outside."

He didn't know Luna's identity; otherwise, he wouldn't have said that.

Luna, however, had no intention of taking it elsewhere. She took the syringe from Chris Sao and injected it into her vein.

The substance was highly concentrated, and the injection took a long time. As the injection progressed, a layer of silvery liquid seeped from her pores.

This was her original liquid metal exoskeleton.

Then, the quark robots within her body began connecting to the new mecha, the new mecha sending data back to the quark robots.

Upon receiving this data, Luna couldn't hide her astonishment.

Because it was a cellular mecha.

As the name suggests, it doesn't protect the body's exterior, but each individual cell. It coats each cell, as if each cell were wearing its own suit of armor.

"Unbelievable!"

Luna knew the incredible difficulty involved, as well as the unimaginable mechanics of such a thing.

"Naturally. It's the perfect masterpiece."

A voice suddenly interrupted, not Chris Sao's, but a woman who emerged from the clutter. She carried a faint scent of alcohol and was completely naked.

The woman appeared very young, with a stunning figure and striking features, her long hair a deep blue-black with natural curls.

She ruffled her hair, still slightly intoxicated.

"What you have isn't ordinary. As Chris Sao said, this is a revolutionary advancement."

Chris Sao cleared his throat.

"Ahem, Chu Miao, please put your clothes on. Even if you're usually shameless around us, you shouldn't be like this in front of another human."

Chu Miao remained unconcerned.

"Fine, fine. You're such an old fogy."

"The biological body is the perfect garment. All other clothing is merely encumbrance."

Luna noticed something beginning to emanate from her skin—a thin, almost ethereal layer that resembled body paint in human art, the skin's texture clearly visible, though the important areas were still obscured.

He asked, "Is this a function of the new mecha?"

"Correct. You're the first outsider to wear the cellular mecha, but not the first living being. As researchers, we had early access."

"However, my mecha is still incomplete. Damn regulations! We invented this thing, but we have to pay for it ourselves!"

"With my meager salary, it'll probably take another ten years." Chu Miao grumbled.

Chris Sao, meanwhile, wondered if he'd fallen behind the times. When did humans become so open? Was this level of frankness so commonplace?

Ironically, as a biologist, Luna had dissected countless cloned humans in her research, rendering naked human bodies no different from roadside rocks in her eyes.

Chu Miao saw Chris Sao's reaction. "Don't you know who she is?"

"Normally, if someone else saw me like this, I'd tear them apart. But this gentleman... it's fine."

She winked at Luna.

Chris Sao examined Luna's face repeatedly but couldn't recognize her; it's like how humans see two worms—other species perceive humans similarly. Except for size, facial features are difficult to distinguish.

"Luna, it must be almost a thousand years, right?"

"I remember studying her work in high school. Back then, I thought she was an ancient figure from history, but this old woman is still alive, and she looks younger than me! Unbelievable."

Chu Miao, ever familiar and casual, called Luna "old woman" to her face.

Luna touched her nose, trying to hide her embarrassment.

If people knew she was over 20,000 years old, "old woman" would be a gross understatement.

Chris Sao was stunned.

"The one you always mentioned as your idol… Hu hu…"

Chu Miao covered Chris Sao's mouth before he could finish.

"Follow me. Let's go to the testing grounds; you can familiarize yourself with your new mecha there."

"By the way, what's your psionic level?"

Luna hadn't honed her psionic abilities in a long time, but time had smoothed over that neglect; her psionic level was now 3.

Chu Miao did a calculation.

"Scholarly lifespan is extended by 50-100%. You're likely at the maximum, about 520 years."

"Psionic level 3 grants 3369 years of lifespan. No wonder you're so young; according to lifespan ratios, you're only in your youth."

"I'll probably be dead before you are."

Her voice was low.

Lifespan remains paramount.

Many scholars in the Federation choose to leave and pursue independent research when their lifespans approach their end.

Outside the Federation's territory, many places like the Death Star exist, serving as havens for these scholars.

Chu Miao led Luna into a darkened space. Once the lights came on, Luna saw its immensity; roughly 100,000 square meters, or a 300-meter-wide space—several football fields could fit easily within.

The height was 90 meters, indicating the third floor had been hollowed out.

"The new mecha's controls are slightly different from older models. You need to download this document."

Chu Miao directly transmitted the document to Luna. This direct data transfer doesn't require adding friends or similar; when transmitting, the sender creates a shared space on the local network; anyone within a one-meter radius can receive the data.

Alternatively, a command could be set so only the intended recipient can access the data.

If both parties are already friends, it's even easier; simply dragging the document onto the recipient's profile picture will send it.

Luna glanced at the file size: 283 TB, not particularly large.

However, considering it's only a control document, it's not small. The original control document for the old mecha was already 137 TB. Over time, it expanded to 2 PB, as it had to adapt to individual preferences.

These control documents are incredibly complex because while a mecha appears monolithic, it's not.

The liquid metal mecha is composed of countless tiny units. Issuing commands requires sending individual instructions to each unit; controlling the mecha often involves sending simultaneous commands to billions of individual units.

The underlying operations are incredibly complex.

There are methods to control all units with a single instruction, but that sacrifices fine-grained control.

For instance, wanting the liquid metal to cover only the hand, or not wanting it to provide protection but only energy, or wanting it to release energy while inside the body… such nuanced controls are always the core challenge of liquid metal mechas.

A single-instruction method is typically used only in exceptional situations, such as donning or removing the mecha—this can be accomplished within 0.02 seconds.

The core of the control system is the translation, or the language itself.

Just like C, Java, or C++, the mecha control system is similar, but with differences. The core is to allow the mecha to understand the human nervous system's language and vice-versa, enabling control.

It's like a Chinese person and a Russian person who don't understand each other's languages but can communicate in English.

That's the function of the control system.

"The current command library isn't complete; we're only at 85%. Further expansion will likely require field testing by the military."

"But don't worry; the safety protocols are complete."

For an internal mecha, a failure of communication is terrifying.

For example, you intend to have the mecha cover your body, but it interprets the command as 'destroy the body.' The mecha would immediately destroy all cellular structures, resulting in instant death.

Therefore, the control system doesn't only contain operational commands but also safety protocols and forbidden commands to guarantee the wearer's safety.

There are also special commands. For example, to prevent conflicts in the military, under special circumstances the mecha can activate commands to neutralize both sides' combat capabilities.

After adding the controls, Luna activated the cellular mecha.

She felt an immediate change throughout her body.

"Check your current speed."

Chu Miao snapped her fingers, and a treadmill rose from the floor.

Luna stepped onto the treadmill and gradually increased her speed. Soon, her legs were a blur. After reaching top speed, she slowed down. The treadmill display showed her speed:

14 km/s

Extraordinary.

"That's under static conditions. The significant air resistance outside the treadmill will reduce your speed by 22%," Chu Miao reminded her, clearly referencing previous tests.

Even so, that's still 10.9 km/s.

Luna was extremely pleased. While not as fast as the old mechas, the feeling was completely different.

The old mechas felt like they were pulling you forward, but the cellular mecha was different. It felt like she was running, sensing the cells surging, the blood rushing—an exhilarating feeling.

To put it another way, it was like playing NBA2K before, and now she was on the court with the ball herself.

This alone justified calling it revolutionary.

It meant that life within a mecha was more intuitive, not facing a cold screen displaying a remaining energy level of 1%...

"The biggest difference between cellular and conventional mechas is that the cellular mecha's energy acts directly on the cells, driving each cell's activity."

"Conventional mechas are merely exoskeletons; cellular mechas become part of you."

Chu Miao saw Luna's joy and felt happy herself.

A Federation luminary using her creation!

"That's not all, is it?" Luna felt that wasn't enough to make it the future trend of the Federation.

"Of course not!"

Chu Miao smiled, "The cellular mecha's original codename was 'Omni-Scale.' That's its true core function."

Omni-Scale?

A rather casual name.

"You can now input commands for size alteration."

Luna inputted the command. She instantly felt her clothes—no, her body—shrinking.

Her original 1.9-meter frame compressed to one meter, transforming her into a dwarf.

However, her proportions remained the same; it was a proportional reduction, not simply a decrease in height.

She felt she could shrink further.

She quickly commanded her body to grow. It did, returning to its original size and continuing to increase until she was over five meters tall.

"The mecha coating on the cell surface can compress and expand the intercellular distance, thus enabling macroscopic size changes."

"Of course, this is just a byproduct of Omni-Scale; we didn't initially aim for this functionality."

"The true function of Omni-Scale is to compress the cells, increasing density. While increased density can't eliminate bulkiness, its effect becomes negligible."

Increased density makes the body much more rigid.

For example, a fat person versus a muscular person. While the fat person is less strong, their flexibility is greater.

Similarly, a being whose flesh density exceeds that of steel will not be more flexible than one with lower density.

Flexibility is affected by the body's agility and the gravitational influence of its mass. Thus, even without becoming a gigantic humanoid, a small creature with high density would still be cumbersome.

But as Chu Miao mentioned, this is not a problem.

The original liquid metal exoskeleton had the same issue.

This technology's main advantage is increased strength. In game terms, the cellular mecha's stats would be something like Strength +10, Constitution +10, Agility -1—essentially god-tier armor.

"You can issue another command: 'Overgrowth,'" Chu Miao suggested.

Luna issued the command. She felt herself sinking, the quark robots responding, her cells rapidly dividing. This was Overgrowth.

Soon, the number of cells in her body increased tenfold.

His weight increased from 462 kg to 4528 kg—over 4.5 tons.

Luna exerted a little pressure with her feet, and her entire body instantly leaped 53 meters into the air.

"A normal body would struggle to move under that weight, but the cellular mecha is a mecha; it provides energy to the cells."

"Try your maximum jump height. Don't hold back; even though this room is only 90 meters high, there are anti-gravity devices on the ceiling. You'll never reach the ceiling with your strength."

Chu Miao watched Luna's attempt with excitement.

Luna tested her maximum jump height: 183 meters. Her top speed also increased to 21 km/s. She also tested her strength; lifting 279 tons felt relatively easy, and she could easily punch with 3123 tons of force.

"The cellular mecha still has drawbacks: it lacks the raw power of liquid metal mechas."

"Its volume is too small. Before the emergence of radiation genetics, the Boundary Gods didn't prioritize our research, but afterwards, funding increased dramatically."

"Cellular mechas can't increase a cell's inherent radiation resistance, but they can compress cells, increasing the total cell count by up to 24 times. This, in turn, increases the radiation output by 24 times."

"Based on the average weight of a Federation citizen, approximately 114,936 Joules of energy can be released. For Warbeasts—assuming an average weight of 24 tons—the maximum weight with a cellular mecha would be 576 tons, generating 6,744,960 Joules per second, or 1.87 kilowatt-hours. This means they could generate 162,000 kilowatt-hours per day, enough to generate one Energy Credit every 1.7 days."

"Warbeasts would become the most energy-rich species in the Federation!"

Luna found Chu Miao's argument intriguing; her perspective was quite novel.

However, Luna was more focused on the cellular mecha's amplified radiation output, understanding why Ayla brought her here. With the cellular mecha, using one's own radiation as an energy source would be entirely feasible.

These two technologies, supporting each other, could change the entire Federation.

But there's something more crucial.

"How much does a cellular mecha cost?"

Chu Miao pondered, "Mass production could bring the cost down to around 7 Energy Credits."

Liquid metal mechas currently cost 8 Energy Credits to produce, with a minimum market price of 10. A pair of hands costs 4 or more. This may seem cheap, but the liquid metal mecha's ongoing maintenance costs are significant—nearly 2 Energy Credits per month, even without usage; active use increases this to over 15 Energy Credits per month.

Cellular mechas, however, could have a mass production cost of 7 Energy Credits, potentially dropping to 5 or even 4 with improved manufacturing processes. Their lower maintenance costs would further drive down the overall price, making them much more accessible.

"Truly a revolutionary product."

"This mecha will soon enter mass production. Based on its demonstrated value, I believe your team will receive over a million Energy Credits in rewards."

As Chu Miao pointed out, the cellular mecha alone isn't as valuable as the liquid metal mecha, especially given its limited individual combat effectiveness.

However, add radiation genetics, and everything changes.

This is a case of 1 + 1 >> 2.

At that moment, Luna heard Ayla's voice in her head.

"Luna, after receiving the cellular mecha, go to the second level. You'll undergo radiation genetic modification there; everything's prepared."

Luna said to Chu Miao, "Since everything here is done, I should go. Thank you for letting me test it."

Chu Miao was stunned. Seeing Luna turn to leave, she suddenly called out, "Could you sign an autograph for me?"

Luna paused, turning back. "Of course."

"But I don't like autographs. Cellular mechas and biology go hand in hand; you could visit my lectures sometime."

Luna gave Chu Miao a simulated card.

"This grants six months of access to the simulated universe. I believe that's more practical than an autograph."

"As a scholar, you're excellent. I hope we meet again."

Luna left without lingering. Chu Miao stamped her foot in frustration.

"A simulated thing is no substitute for a real autograph! A Luminary's autograph—that's valuable!"

"Damn it, next time I see her, she'll sign!"

"If there is a next time…"

The universe is vast. Even childhood friends might not see each other for hundreds of years after growing up, let alone someone like Luna. Hundreds of years pass quickly. Perhaps when Luna remembers her again, she'll have long been resting in some tomb.

However…

Chu Miao was still delighted with the card.

If she achieved greater success, she might have a chance to meet again.

She should also visit Infinity Academy more often.

...

Luna proceeded to the second level.

It was drastically different from the first.

Immaculately clean!

If the first level was pristine, the second level was beyond reproach.

The biological safety and sanitation protocols were far more stringent than in standard labs; anything released here could potentially cause a star system's destruction.

Ayla was waiting for her by the elevator after Luna arrived.

The first and second levels were connected by an elevator lacking an external shaft. It ascended by direct levitation, lifting the entire elevator car to the second level.

"You didn't need to rush up. I saw you chatting quite amiably with that young woman downstairs."

Ayla was aware of Luna's encounter below.

Her tone was even, but somehow conveyed something else.

"The task is complete; no need to linger."

Ayla and Luna proceeded to the designated laboratory.

All researchers on the second level wore full-body mecha suits. Luna asked, "Do I need a suit as well?"

Ayla, without turning, grunted in affirmation.

"…"

Luna quickly used her cellular mecha to solidify her outer layer. It felt strange, like putting on a second skin.

It wasn't just her body; it was a full-body suit, sealing pores, nostrils, and ear canals. Even her eyes seemed covered by a thin membrane. Though she could see clearly, a foreign sensation reminded her of something on her eyes.

"This isn't the Federation's strongest biological research facility, but its security is among the top two."

"This facility houses numerous restricted and forbidden biological weapons."

Ayla informed Luna.

They were passing a corridor lined with paintings. Ordinary beings would likely be terrified; the paintings depicted various organs in extreme detail.

"Do you find these realistic?"

"Because they are."

Luna was startled; these weren't just paintings.

"Are those… real Zombie virus samples?"

One painting depicted a large, gelatinous mass resembling a sectioned organ, but enormously sized—approximately 10 meters in diameter.

"Of course." Ayla nodded.

The inspiration for the Zombie virus came from 21st-century Zombie films. Luna created this virus; it's highly invasive to humans, the Kate, and the Multi-eyed, capable of complete body invasion upon contact and rapid brain control.

Unlike movie depictions, these viruses possess high mutability. After controlling the host brain, they hijack the host's decision-making capacity while enhancing its motor functions.

Theoretically, individuals infected with this Zombie virus become tyrannical beings possessing human intelligence.

Of course, Luna wouldn't create such simple tools during her research. As a bioweapon, her creations are far beyond what a simple gun can handle.

These viruses possess extraordinary vitality. Even if the host is dismembered, as long as over a kilogram of biological material remains, they can regenerate with sufficient nutrients. Even without nutrients, they can photosynthesize.

Zombie viruses were once useful, but after the widespread adoption of quark robots, infection is now comparable to a mild cold.

Modern viruses can directly destroy quark robots or other internal machinery, meaning even mecha suits aren't completely safe; much of the protection comes from the facility itself.

"This is it."

Ayla opened a door.

Luna noticed a series of numbers above the door, with a small circle at the end. A "V" was inscribed within the circle; this wasn't just a VIP lab; the symbol typically marked the highest-level research areas.

Indeed, upon entering, Luna and Ayla found not a lab but a 30-meter-long corridor, with various gases being sprayed onto them. After waiting 10 minutes under these conditions, the door at the end finally opened.

Next, they entered another corridor. Countless nano-robots swarmed onto their bodies, cleaning away dirt and bacteria from their insides and outsides.

After the nano-robots departed, Luna felt her skin incredibly smooth.

Then, they entered the lab itself.

The lab didn't seem large, but when Ayla snapped her fingers, a wall slid open to reveal a large window. Beyond the window, incredibly complex machinery was visible, resembling a sophisticated control panel for an aircraft.

"I'll perform the genetic modification myself. You can enter, Luna."

Ayla gestured for Luna to approach the window. Luna took a step forward and found herself passing through the window, as if it were a sheet of water.

"Seal your mecha, then lie down."

"I'll gradually alter your genes. You won't feel a thing, because…"

Luna lay down on a cold metal table; before Ayla could finish, her eyelids grew heavy.

There would be no pain; she would be unconscious throughout the procedure.

After seeing Luna fall into a deep sleep, Ayla began operating the complex bio-engineering device that resembled a digital control panel. This device, built using the Federation's most advanced technology, despite appearing only room-sized, cost almost 30 million Energy Credits.

Its high cost was due to its ability to manipulate atoms; its precision was unbelievably high. Altering an entire genome was child's play for this device.

If it weren't Luna, Ayla wouldn't have brought her here; she would have sent her to a hospital in any Star City. Genetic modification is a commonplace procedure in major hospitals; it's not advanced technology.

Of course, there was another, unstated reason.

Ultimate radiation genetics doesn't use human genes as a template but a curated gene pool.

Ayla would modify Luna with the Federation's currently strongest gene combination.

This gene pool has a name: [Supreme Being]

...

The [Supreme Being] gene pool has never been used on any individual.

The requirements are too high.

This isn't like many fictional works where a single gene modification requires immense willpower or extraordinary wealth. The real barrier here is purely financial.

The more advanced the gene combination, the astronomically higher its cost and the greater the difficulty of modification.

Previously, the top gene pool in the first batch, [Corrosive Scythe], seemed easy to modify; a simple injection sufficed.

That's because it was a relatively basic gene pool; [Corrosive Scythe] was among the top in only the third iteration.

Gene pools have now evolved to the 181st generation; improvements are constant; a new, stronger gene combination emerges every few or ten years.

[Corrosive Scythe] has fallen to the lower ranks.

The current gene pool, due to its power, requires substantial additional costs for gene replacement to avoid organ failure.

Ordinary citizens' genes cannot withstand [Supreme Being]; only the latest radiation genetics can handle that intensity.

The gene replacement process took a considerable time; Luna slept for seven months before awakening.

"That long?"

Luna checked the time after opening her eyes, expecting it to take only a few days.

"Most of that time was for adaptation. Gene fusion must be gradual to ensure safety; haste can lead to gene collapse."

"You haven't fully adapted to your genes yet; they could erupt at any time…"

As Ayla spoke, Luna's body suddenly enlarged.

A white, metal-like exoskeleton began growing on her skin, resembling armor. Her body, due to the concentrated radiation, started emitting alpha, beta, and gamma rays.

However, her skin seemed to contain other substances; 99% of the radiation was absorbed, and the remaining 1% was converted into various lower-frequency emissions, including visible shortwave light, making her appear to glow.

Luna felt an unusual sensation under her arms; two new arms had sprouted, giving her four.

"What's happening?"

Luna was now confined within the lab; her body had grown to 27 meters tall, resembling a glowing humanoid giant in white armor with four arms.

Ayla remained calm.

"Didn't I say? Your genes are still unstable. It's not a genetic issue but a lack of control on your part."

"The [Supreme Being] gene pool requires stronger psionic abilities for stability. Luna, you can't slack off on your psionic training."

Gene pool?

Luna hadn't heard of gene pools being integrated into one's genes.

She had heard of the [Supreme Being] gene pool; it doesn't have any strange abilities. Its terrifying aspect is its extreme balance.

This isn't ordinary balance; it's incredibly powerful.

If you were to represent [Supreme Being] as a six-dimensional graph, every aspect would score above 9; it's exceptionally well-rounded.

"I remember Supreme Being's abilities were supposed to be limitless."

Luna activated this ability.

Her body began to disintegrate, not dissolve, but break down into countless tiny spheres.

"Correct. Supreme Being incorporates the concept of life forms from the Olive Branch Civilization and emphasizes regeneration."

"Due to its biological nature, it has some drawbacks."

Luna had become a cloud of mist. Ayla waved her hand, activating a ventilation duct that sucked the mist away.

Moments later, Luna emerged from another part of the duct. This wasn't some waste processing plant but a bubble.

This bubble-like space was vast, over 200 meters in diameter. Luna recovered her body and tapped her exoskeleton-covered head.

"That feeling was awful."

Ayla's voice echoed, "That's the drawback. In its mist form, Supreme Being is incapable of complex thought; your intelligence is forcibly reduced to an insect level."

Luna was aware of this.

In both normal and mist forms, Supreme Being's ability, [Limitless], functions.

[Limitless] means infinite regeneration, similar to the concept of cellular regeneration in fiction.

It's not that extreme, but regeneration is possible with as little as 10 kilograms of remaining biomass.

Luna quickly understood why Ayla gave her this gene pool.

"We discussed this before. Supreme Being allows you to detach and store parts of your body."

"Supreme Being's cells have extremely high activity; even without preservation or sustenance, they can survive for tens of thousands of years with minimal energy consumption."

"After death, you can regenerate using these stored parts. This regeneration process has undergone extensive testing. Supreme Being is called a god because it achieves multi-body unity; each regenerated individual isn't a different 'self' but the original."

This sounds fantastical, but they conducted extensive research into the underlying mechanism.

They discovered that Supreme Being's ability to maintain its identity stems from the preservation of information after death.

All matter carries information; this information is fundamental to matter and life. Supreme Being's information, at the moment of death, identifies the coordinates of its body parts and then moves towards them.

Once the information reaches the body parts, fusion begins, leading to "regeneration."

This sounds simple, but it's incredibly difficult.

Maintaining complete information integrity under high-energy attacks is extremely challenging for ordinary matter. Supreme Being cleverly utilizes quantum information to avoid energy-induced information destruction.

It's worth mentioning that this wouldn't be possible through purely genetic means.

The gene pool's steady and powerful evolution is due to its integration of genes and machinery.

All of Supreme Being's abilities rely on internal machinery and powerful energy support, not solely on genetic capabilities.

If a purely biological being could achieve this through genes alone, the Federation's current understanding of biology would collapse.

Ayla said seriously, "That's correct."

"As one of the Galactic Federation's founders, you can't die. Your previous trip to /Tilted Station was too risky."

"Flesh and blood can't compete with machines; direct conflict will lead to disastrous defeat. Therefore, you need more powerful survival capabilities, Luna."

"This space is specifically designed for observation and research. You can adapt to your new genes here. I think you'll like this body."

Luna tested her new body. She opened her hand, and a thought spontaneously arose. In her palm, there was…

Lightning!