A Chemist's Interstellar Saga

Chapter 94: Gene Lock
Chapter 94: Gene Lock

During the ten more years she had stayed in the interstellar era, ”Arix” has gained a lot of knowledge about mecha technology. After returning, she wasted no time in setting up her own arms company.

Today, she’s a renowned mecha expert in the 21st-century world. When she steps out, she’s always flanked by more than a dozen guards for protection.

With her ambition, building a spaceship and migrating to other planets might soon be within reach. It’s possible that the next leap in interstellar travel could be driven by her innovations.

...

Realizing her time here was limited, ”Arix” quickly moved to the main task.

”Raya, I don’t have much time. This time, I’m here on an old man’s orders,” ”Arix” began, cutting Raya off before she could ask, ”I don’t know who he is, so don’t ask.”

Raya felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if ”Arix” could read her mind. She hadn’t even asked yet, but the answer was already given.

”Alright, then at least tell me what he sent you here to do,” Raya said, resigned and curious.

”To unlock your gene lock,” ”Arix” replied with a serious tone.

”Gene lock? Isn’t that for treating genetic diseases? I haven’t noticed any gene lock in me,” Raya said, completely baffled. She even used her psychic power to scan herself again but found nothing.

Gene locks are typically used to manage DNA fusion issues arising from hereditary problems or other reasons. Usually, only those with close-relative marriages or problematic parental combinations, like ligers, would have their genes specifically locked.

If an ordinary person locked their genes for no reason, at best, they might not grow tall, go bald, have a flat chest, or be short. At worst, they’d be prone to cancer and hereditary diseases.

Even in the 21st century, modifying a baby’s genes is strictly prohibited, let alone in the interstellar era.

Raya shook her head in confusion, sayhing, ”Why don’t we just try unlocking it first? Maybe something will come to you.”

”Alright,” ”Arix” agreed, though reluctantly.

”And Cupid, Vita, Sophia, you should return to my psychic world for now. We’re about to start,” Raya said, her expression softening as she addressed the three little ones in her arms.

”Okay,” they replied in unison. Then they transformed into streams of psychic power and returned to Raya’s psychic world.

Once everything was set, ”Arix” gently cupped Raya’s face and pressed their foreheads together.

”Isn’t this a bit unscientific? Gene locks aren’t supposed to be opened like this,” Arix mumbled, feeling the warmth on her forehead and suddenly feeling awkward.

”Shut up! You’ve already time-traveled, and you’re still talking to me about science?” ”Arix” snapped, a symbol of irritation flashing on her forehead.

Feeling helpless, Raya closed her mouth, then her eyes, and waited quietly.

After a short while, a blinding white light suddenly burst forth from between the foreheads of the two young women.

Arix felt as if her entire body was ablaze, something within her breaking free from a cage. She opened her eyes in agony and saw that ”Arix” was gradually becoming transparent.

”What’s happening to you?” Arix asked, her concern cutting through the pain.

”It’s nothing, just my time running out. It’s time to say goodbye,” ”Arix” said with a calm smile, as if she had anticipated this moment.

While ”Arix” seemed serene, Arix was filled with reluctance. The pain in her body intensified, making her throat so raw that she couldn’t even speak. She could only reach out weakly, trying to grasp ”Arix.”

”Arix” spoke in a proud yet slightly playful tone, ”Raya, I always thought my time-traveling was just an accident. But on the night I died, a mysterious elder appeared next to my corpse—or rather, your corpse. I couldn’t see his face clearly, but he seemed to be praying for a long time. Then, your soul returned to this body. After that, I don’t know what happened. He only instructed me to unlock the gene lock in your body if I ever returned to the interstellar era. After that, he sent me back to the present. Although that old man was a bit aloof, I’m still grateful to him.”

Hearing this, Arix felt a mix of emotions. But at that moment, she didn’t care about any old man. She only knew that this newfound friend was about to leave before they had even gotten to know each other well.

”Arix” reached out, wanting to ruffle Arix’s hair one last time, but her hand couldn’t make it. ”And thank you for taking care of Sister Gwen and the others. Although we just met and now have to say goodbye, I want to say, Arix, it’s been a pleasure meeting you.”

”Arix” then disintegrated into fragments, like data being deleted, and vanished completely.

Tears streamed down Arix’s face, the pain and sadness indistinguishable. With a hoarse voice, she whispered to the empty space where ”Arix” had been, ”It was a pleasure meeting you too.”

Arix then could no longer withstand the excruciating pain and fainted. In the end, within the dark and perilous void, only a transparent light sphere enveloped Arix, directionless and uncertain of where it would go next.

At this moment, within the Empire...

Inside the grand and sacred Moon Goddess Temple, an elderly man, dressed in the Pontifex’s attire—a white robe trimmed with gold—sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. He was deep in prayer before the massive statue of the Moon Goddess.

Perhaps because he had devoted his entire life to faith, the old man seemed to emanate a divine aura. His appearance was kind and wise, yet his eyes betrayed a cold indifference toward the world.

However, the moment Raya’s gene lock was unlocked, the Pontifex’s prayer abruptly halted. He slowly opened his eyes, and a hint of emotion finally appeared in his gaze.

”Moon Goddess, should I intervene?” Vezgor murmured, his expression complex.

Years ago, for the sake of his granddaughter—his daughter’s daughter—he had broken his own rules and altered her fate of certain death. Now, his granddaughter was once again in peril, trapped in a dangerous black hole. His rational mind told him to remain uninvolved.

But the anxious beating of his heart mocked his self-deception.

For the first time, the Pontifex, who usually felt at peace, was unsettled. He closed his eyes and prayed again. It seemed as though he received some sort of message, and his expression relaxed.

”Thank you, Moon Goddess. I understand.” The Pontifex closed his eyes once more and resumed his prayer, now with a heart free of distractions.

In a hidden forest of the Empire, a beautiful meteor streaked across the early morning sky.

Mama Tiger, who was crouched down to drink water, lifted her head. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she watched the meteor glide by.

After the meteor had vanished, Mama Tiger drank her fill. Then she picked up the wild rabbit she had caught earlier and started heading back to her den.

She wondered if her cubs were hungry since she had been out hunting longer than usual.

Upon returning to the cave, Mama Tiger checked the entrance, covered with grass and stones. She felt relieved seeing that neither humans nor animals had disturbed it.

Using her paws, she moved aside the grass and stones, then squeezed through the small entrance.

Inside the spacious cave, Mama Tiger shook out her fur. She carried the prey to her cubs’ nest.

Seeing her cubs still asleep, Mama Tiger’s heart softened. She let out a gentle growl to wake them for breakfast.

Before dividing the food, Mama Tiger habitually counted her cubs.

One cub, two cubs, three cubs, four cubs, five cubs...

’Wait a minute. There’s an extra cub today.’

Mama Tiger nodded happily but then suddenly froze.

There was an extra one!

ONE EXTRA!

EXTRA!

The prey dropped from her mouth in shock. She instinctively used her furry paws to clutch her face in horror. Her powerful jaw, which had taken many lives, was now dropping and silently screaming.

Her expression resembled Edvard Munch’s famous painting, ”The Scream.”

After a moment, Mama Tiger snapped out of it and counted again. The result was still the same—one extra cub.

Her expression grew serious. She bent down and carefully inspected the cubs in the nest.

Among the adorable cubs, she found one that was different.

This sleeping cub had a pair of small wings and pure white fur with black stripes.

Most strikingly, there was a golden emblem on its forehead, making it look noble and mysterious.

With semi-circular ears and what looked like golden eye makeup around its eyes, this cub appeared both divine and incredibly cute.

By the end of her inspection, Mama Tiger’s stern eyes softened, charmed by this adorable cub.

It wasn’t that she was too weak; it was that this ”ferociously cute” newcomer was too irresistible.

After being mesmerized for a moment, Mama Tiger quickly shook her head. ’No, this isn’t the time to get lost in thought. Where is this strange little cub come from? And why does she have wings? Is she abandoned because of them? Or maybe... maybe my husband has a secret affair with some birdie and left this cub with me?’

Mama Tiger’s expression turned fierce. Regardless of whether her guess was right or wrong, she’d give Daddy Tiger a good thrashing when he got back.

But now, the most pressing issue was what to do with this little cub.

Mama Tiger picked up the cub with her paw, deep in thought.

Arix woke up in this situation.