Epilogue (Part One)

Final Battle.

Rockefeller Castle.

This ancient fortress was constructed during the era of the wastelands. It was painstakingly built over five years by a master with the power to manipulate earth and stone. After special arrangements, it was rumored that no radiation existed within its walls. Legend spoke of a pure underground water source that flowed into the castle, granting the Rockefeller family fresh, radiation-free water every day. Another tale claimed lush plants grew inside, making it the world's last pure sanctuary. The outside world speculated endlessly about this powerful family’s opulent stronghold.

All the world’s genetic champions stood outside the castle, innumerable at a glance—over a thousand in all. Though it seemed vast, these were the elite of the elite, chosen from over six billion people on the planet. Even the Kings of Humanity were present—thirteen in total! At this moment, Qi Xi and Xigua had also finally ascended to the rank of Human King.

No one dared attack rashly, for every King sensed an unusual aura emanating from within the castle—a mysterious force that made their hearts tremble, something so strange it seemed to touch their very souls. Qi Xi and Xigua glanced at the eleven other Human Kings, who returned their gaze.

Qi Xi saw their silence. After a moment’s hesitation, he spoke first: “I believe you all know something already. Yes, inside, we will find the source of all genes!”

At his words, everyone was stunned.

“So it’s true! The source of all genes!”

“What a mysterious existence!”

“What special powers does it hold?”

The eleven whispered among themselves, their eyes shining with infinite desire. At their level, progress was impossible. Their days passed in decadent luxury—eating, waiting for death, though death would never come. Without purpose, their lives were empty and dull, a torture in itself. Now, hearing Qi Xi’s words, they seemed to find a new goal, and their spirits soared.

The gates of Rockefeller Castle remained tightly shut.

Someone called out then, speaking in Mandarin, but in archaic tones: “Today, all under heaven is wasteland. The people have no land, scholars have no books. Your tyranny scatters the hearts of the people. All know this is unrighteous. The unrighteous are condemned by Heaven. If Heaven will not act, we shall carry out its will!”

Qi Xi was momentarily petrified. This halting ancient speech, delivered with a clear foreign accent—this was obviously not a native of China! What was this? What kind of farce was this? Such a grave battle, and it sounded like a schoolchildren’s recitation contest! What were they playing at?

Soon, another person stepped forward to shout: “You are surrounded. Surrender now. Do not resist!”

Qi Xi’s cheek twitched again. This sounded exactly like police surrounding a gang of robbers—what on earth was happening?! Had these people, after a century, forgotten all culture? Had their skill points been misallocated, these damned fools!

“Drop your weapons, or you’re asking for trouble! Don’t you understand, if you don’t act out, you won’t die!”

Qi Xi was speechless. The standards seemed to be dropping lower and lower… At this rate, the atmosphere would be completely ruined by these idiots!

The silence did not last long. Soon, members of the Rockefeller family finally appeared.

The one who emerged was an elderly white-haired man, seated in a wheelchair.

---

Despite his appearance, the old man still carried a certain dignified air of a senior master. He squinted at the crowd and spoke calmly: “I never thought this day would come.”

His voice was quiet, but everyone present heard it distinctly, leaving them puzzled. Yet as they recognized his face, all were shocked.

“It’s him!”

“He’s…”

“He’s still alive… Unbelievable!”

“John D. Rockefeller—I can’t believe he’s still alive!”

“What a joke! How many years has this man lived? Did the virus originate so long ago?!”

The crowd murmured, and Qi Xi gleaned bits of information, feeling astonished. Beside him, Xigua was bewildered and quickly asked, “What’s going on?”

Qi Xi replied, “John D. Rockefeller, the first of his name. That’s him.”

“Why is that so surprising?” Xigua still didn’t understand.

Qi Xi glared at him. “Don’t you get it? Rockefeller I was from the nineteenth century. He was born in 1839. Do you understand now?”

“This…!” Xigua finally grasped it. How could a nineteenth-century man still be alive? It meant he had evolved through the virus, but at that time, the information age hadn’t even begun! The virus had been researched for so many years?!

“No need to be so shocked.” John D. Rockefeller showed a chilling smile and said, “Now, you may all die.”

Everyone was in an uproar, eyes wide. What did he mean?! This old monster was telling them all to die?!

‘Thunk!’ John tapped his cane gently against the ground, and a powerful wave of sound rippled outward.

It was an invisible, all-encompassing shockwave, and everyone felt its presence. Though it was peculiar, no one could pinpoint what made it so.

But in the next second, ninety-nine percent of the crowd instantly became a rain of blood.

Bodies were torn apart, shredded into threads that scattered in the air. The process didn’t stop at dismemberment; the blood rain slowly became a blood mist. In an instant, the area outside Rockefeller Castle was shrouded in crimson fog. Even after becoming blood mist, decomposition continued, the molecules of blood breaking down further under the influence of the unique soundwave.

Almost in the blink of an eye, all those people vanished.

Step by step, their bodies disintegrated, evaporating into nothing.

The thirteen Human Kings looked on in disbelief at the disappearance of the crowd, their eyes filled with terror.

Such horror…

There was no energy fluctuation—how could this be achieved? A thousand genetic champions united could have easily defeated the thirteen Human Kings, yet now, they had been dispatched so effortlessly. Truly terrifying!

---

“And now, it’s your turn.” John felt no emotion for having killed so many, as if it were simply the natural order of things.

“Bastard!”

“Stop!”

“What are you doing?!”

“Have mercy!”

“I’ll leave right now!”

Whether they cursed, pleaded, or begged for mercy, none could halt John’s next move. Soon, Qi Xi felt the molecules composing his body begin to vibrate… rapidly breaking apart, stripping away, until they vanished.

Death arrived once again.

It was so simple—utterly impossible to resist. Was this the power of mastering the source of genes?

When consciousness returned, Qi Xi squinted, surveying his surroundings.

He was in a vast hall, lying on a table as he awoke. Xigua was beside him, still unconscious, but as Qi Xi raised his head and looked around, Xigua soon woke as well.

The hall was spacious, the ceiling soaring at least ten meters high, evoking the feeling of gazing at the stars. Five-colored lamps hung above, and the decor was lavish, dazzling in gold and jade, the epitome of extravagance.

The table where Qi Xi lay was exceedingly long—so long that an unfit homebody would be breathless after running its length.

Around the table sat many people, but they no longer had any sign of life. Yet their skin showed no sign of decay, as if they could awaken at any moment.

Seeing these people, Qi Xi thought again of the wheelchair-bound Rockefeller, and suddenly everything became clear.

This world, so hard to grasp, looked simple from another angle.

“Senior… this…” Xigua stared at the people seated at the table, shivering.

“So that’s it. Now I understand everything.”

Qi Xi murmured to himself, and at that moment, John D. Rockefeller pushed his wheelchair in through the door.

“You’re awake?”