The Great Genetic Era Chapter 3 - The Genetic Research Institute

Dawn, 6:30 a.m.

Golden sunlight filtered through the curtains, brushing against Xu Tui’s long lashes. He awoke at precisely that moment.

Years of grueling academic pressure and physical training during his final high school year had fine-tuned his internal clock to perfection.

He stretched out, limbs languid.

A wave of rejuvenation washed over him.

The muscle soreness that plagued him the previous evening had completely dissipated.

He was fully restored.

A mix of casual laziness and suave, youthful vigor radiated from Xu Tui.

However, the moment he stepped off his bed, that leisurely aura vanished, replaced by a sense of disciplined efficiency.

He finished brushing his teeth.

Then, he downed a tall glass of lukewarm water.

It was a rigid habit instilled by his mother. Xu Tui had long since made it part of his daily routine.

After splashing his face and dressing, he hurried through his morning meal.

The spread consisted of three hard-boiled eggs, a generous glass of milk, a steaming corn cob, a plate of glossy pork-and-eggplant buns, and a small saucer of savory chili oil for dipping.

His mother had prepared it with care, though perhaps his father had lent a hand.

It was aromatic.

And absolutely delicious.

In this Great Genetic Era, every child was required to balance rigorous academic studies with mandatory physical training from their primary school years.

These conditioning exercises reached their pinnacle during high school—a fact made clear by the tradition of physical education teachers doubling as homeroom instructors for third-year students.

For most common families, eggs served as the most accessible and effective way to fuel one's protein intake.

Xu Tui hailed from an incredibly ordinary background.

They resided in a humble neighborhood brimming with daily life, his parents typical wage earners.

The only reason their lifestyle remained stable was due to his parents successfully clearing the Genetic Admission Score in their youth.

“Mum, I’m finished. Heading to school now.”

Gathering his liability and insurance forms, Xu Tui announced his departure as he reached the threshold.

Zhang Xiuli looked toward him, her lips parting, but she ultimately remained silent.

Xu Jianguo offered a small wave. “Go on. Make sure you call us the second you step out of the Genetic Examination Hall.”

Though Xu Jianguo didn't explicitly demand a status report on his safety, Xu Tui noticed a slight tremor in his mother’s posture.

“I will,” he promised.

In his younger years, he had been foolish, often annoyed by his parents' constant fussing.

Yet, today, Xu Tui felt the heavy gravity behind their worries.

…

After Xu Tui disappeared from view, Xu Jianguo sat heavily at the breakfast table, sliding a tissue toward his wife.

“In this era, every youth must tread this path,” Xu Jianguo said softly, aiming to soothe her heart. “Skipping the Genetic Liberation Elixir essentially means choosing a life of mediocrity—or worse—in this Great Genetic Age. Besides, we both made it through, didn’t we? There’s no reason for such panic. And twenty years ago, were you not just as nervous when you took the elixir? I certainly didn’t see you weeping back then.”

Xu Jianguo’s words seemed to provide some solace. Wiping away the moisture at her eyes, she replied, “I know, but I’m just anxious for him. Probability is just a theory. But when it strikes someone, the reality is…”

“It won't strike our son,” Xu Jianguo interjected firmly. “The teacher assured us that after a decade of meditation, the risk of a genetic collapse from the Genetic Liberation Elixir is virtually nonexistent.”

Zhang Xiuli relaxed, her expression smoothing as he invoked the teacher’s name.

Her profound trust in that mentor was evident.

“But what about the potential side effects…”

“There are no ‘buts’!” Xu Jianguo insisted, his tone unwavering. “Furthermore, the sample size of students our teacher has been monitoring is quite small. We lack enough consolidated data to form a proper comparison.”

…

Xu Tui was oblivious to the quiet anxiety his parents felt regarding his future as he navigated the morning commute.

He arrived at school exactly on schedule. The campus was swarming with students, their expressions a cocktail of nervousness and burning anticipation.

By the end of today, many among them would surely ascend to become genetic superhumans.

Like every other student, Xu Tui harbored his own secret hopes.

Would he gain speed like the howling wind? Or perhaps super strength, a literal ironman? Maybe eyes sharp enough to pierce the distance like an eagle? Or, just maybe, the fabled supernatural abilities?

Of course, most of the students currently shuffled across campus with stiff, jerky movements—some even limping.

Cheng Mo’s condition looked even more ridiculous; he was hopping across the school grounds like a toad.

They were ordered to report directly to Court Number Four.

Yu Zeping was already there, counting his students.

He collected and meticulously scrutinized their liability and insurance documents.

The risk of mortality during these looming genetic examinations was no idle threat.

When Xu Tui turned, his forms were in order. However, Yu Zeping’s brows furrowed as he watched the perfectly normal gait with which Xu Tui approached.

“It appears yesterday’s tripled workload wasn't enough to humble you.” Ignoring Xu Tui’s attempt to speak, he added, “Get to it. Start with double the usual training before the others even begin.”

Xu Tui’s suave demeanor instantly dissolved into irritation.

“Teacher, I assure you, I hit my physical limit yesterday.”

He even tried his best to feign a convincing limp.

Crack!

The thin leather lash in his instructor’s hand flicked toward him.

“Do you honestly expect me to buy that?”

“...”

With a frustrated sigh, Xu Tui retreated toward the court.

Cheng Mo, Tang Ting, and several others glanced his way, trying—and failing—to suppress their laughter.

They knew his secret well.

No matter how devastating the training session, Xu Tui always appeared annoyingly refreshed by the following morning.

Alas, he was clearly destined for a brutal day today.

As he entered the court, frustrated, he couldn’t resist shouting back, “Teacher, you should check on Cheng Mo and the others! They might be faking it too!”

The faces of Cheng Mo, Tang Ting, and the rest paled instantly.

Yu Zeping marched toward them, his whip whistling through the air. “We shall see soon enough if they’re just pretending—I’ll make sure they train until we find out!”

Yu Zeping’s method of “potential extraction” was no superficial term.

Yesterday’s tripled intensity had already pushed most students to their absolute breaking point.

Barely into today's session, several students were already collapsing in tears.

They were only granted a reprieve once the school doctor, standing by with a Life Examination Device, confirmed they had reached their absolute biological threshold.

Xu Tui was the very last to exit Court Number Four.

While his peers were dismissed after one or two rounds, triggering the device’s limit sensors, Xu Tui pushed through four and a half rounds before his muscle strength and heart rate finally met the requirement.

Their homeroom teacher looked on, genuinely astonished.

He hadn't realized Xu Tui harbored this much hidden potential during their typical drills.

Privately, Xu Tui felt exhausted. He knew his secret weapon was the rapid recovery provided by his late-night meditation sessions.

…

After showering, the students verified their electronic IDs before boarding the transport vehicles destined for the genetic examination facility.

The exams were being held at two separate locations.

The first was the testing hall at the Jincheng Genetic Evolution College, which dispensed the Level D Genetic Compound Chain Allele Elixir.

Those who hit the Genetic Admission Score but missed the higher Single Excellence threshold reported there.

The second site was the branch of the Jincheng Genetic Research Institute.

This facility administered the Level C Genetic Compound Chain Allele Elixir along with the Genetic Activation Stabilization Elixir.

Students who met or exceeded the Single Excellence Score were sent here.

These elixirs were incredibly precious, and the sheer volume required for the mass testing made the costs astronomical.

The military had cordoned off both sites three days prior.

Once the convoy arrived within ten kilometers of the site, they were subjected to intense scanning by autonomous security systems.

At the entrance to the Genetic Research Institute, Xu Tui, Cheng Mo, Tang Ting, and their cohort alighted and underwent rigorous, multi-layered security screenings.

Within class 3–7, besides the two of them who had surpassed the Double Excellence Score, six others had cleared the Single Excellence requirement.

Fingerprints were taken.

Retinas scanned.

Digital identification documents verified.

Facial recognition logged.

After clearing these stages and obtaining the teacher’s final signature, the group finally stepped into the security tunnel of the Genetic Institute.

It was the most fortified corridor Xu Tui had ever encountered.

Eleven distinct types of scanners were present.

Outside the glass, he could see various automated sentry devices patrolling, backed by armed soldiers—a testament to the critical nature of these exams.

The tunnel terminated in a massive hall capable of holding hundreds.

One wall was lined with forty reinforced doors, each featuring a digital readout. Students were summoned to enter according to their assigned numbers.

On the opposite side of the hall, specialized testing areas were color-coded, where students flowed in after receiving their elixirs.

These halls were divided into the Extreme Branch and the Mystery Branch.

The Extreme Branch was the source of physical superhumans—the common path. Xu Tui and his classmates were well-versed in this.

What truly drew their eyes were the brightly colored rooms in the northern wing.

Those were the Mystery Branch halls, the only places where supernatural ability testing occurred.

Few students entered, and even fewer emerged.

Since his arrival, Xu Tui hadn't seen a single person head toward those doors.

Suddenly, a door to the Mystery Branch wing swung open.

A short youth stepped out wearing an uncontrollable, foolish grin.

As his proctor approached, the boy waved his arms, ecstatic.

“A superhuman!”

“Teacher, I’ve unlocked fire-element powers!”

Before he could even finish, a crackling sound erupted.

Suddenly, the young man was engulfed in rising plumes of smoke and searing flames.

His hair and eyebrows ignited instantly, quickly followed by his clothing.

“Side-effect reaction?”

The proctor moved with practiced speed, lunging for a fire extinguisher.

But the security team was faster. Almost instantly, a blanket of chemical foam erupted, smothering the youth.

Despite the prompt action, the student lost consciousness before the fire was fully suppressed.

“Transfer him to Cold Storage Room Number 9. Keep the ambient temperature at five degrees and administer a Level D Recovery Elixir.”

A researcher in a lab coat emerged, reciting these commands with clinical indifference. It was clear he had witnessed this exact scenario countless times.

Yu Zeping’s eyes sparkled. “A Level D Recovery Elixir? That lad is truly fortunate. Not only did he manifest supernatural genes, but he qualifies for Level D medicine. That implies he liberated at least eight to ten Genetic Base Points,” Yu Zeping told his students. “The side effects seem manageable—a mere power leakage due to lack of control. Not bad. Very impressive!”

Xu Tui, Cheng Mo, and Tang Ting remained silent as their teacher rambled, “If only you lot were as lucky. I’d be satisfied if just one of you proved as gifted.”

“Teacher, that guy fried his brows and hair. You think he scorched… down there too?” Cheng Mo whispered, nudging Tang Ting.

“Down there?”

“You know… Barbequed bird?”

“Charred family jewels?”

The stout Tang Ting cleared his throat nervously and nudged Xu Tui.

Xu Tui was too shocked at witnessing his first true superhuman to react, his mind wandering briefly to the thought of barbeque.

Yu Zeping’s face flushed a deep crimson.

He was clearly about to explode and discipline the three troublemakers.

Just then, the student numbers for Xu Tui and Cheng Mo were called.