Chapter 35: A Race of One, Section 9

The “independence factor” was yet another metric used by Fat Henry to assess the quality of his creations. Just as humans consist of both body and soul, he evaluated his works from these two perspectives as well.
The third stage referred to the evolutionary level of an organism’s physical tissues, while the independence factor denoted their intelligence and consciousness. Cells with an independence factor were no longer mere tools that knew only how to obey; like humans, they had a full understanding of themselves and had begun to develop emotional factors.
In simple terms, they knew “I.”
Humans are selfish, and it is precisely because of this selfishness that they have desires and the drive to develop. Thus, only cells with an independence factor could be considered truly excellent—because, like humans, they were selfish and had desires! Now, the Core feared Henry because of the ingrained impulses deep within its genes. Yet Henry had no doubt that once his actions threatened the Core’s interests, it would resist him without hesitation at a certain point!
Henry wasn’t angry. On the contrary, he was pleased.
Nothing could be more exhilarating than seeing his creations so perfect. Henry wasn’t afraid that the Core had an independence factor; he was only saddened.
It had taken him countless years and an endless amount of life energy to finally discover how to create such cells. And now, this ability appeared in a defective creature he had previously refused even to look at. For him, it was like a heavy blow.
Staring blankly at the Core’s cell shell, Fat Henry fell silent. The chamber was plunged into silence. Even his usually unchanging smile twisted slightly.
Was it embarrassment? Or self-reproach?
“Is that so? My little one has grown into a towering tree…” Dropping his arms dejectedly, Fat Henry became disinterested, even refusing to look at the black hair on the table. He lazily sat down in the only chair in the chamber and sighed deeply.
“Alright, little one. Then tell me about what you’ve experienced these past days. I’m curious.”
The black crystal flickered. The Core’s frequency transmitted once again, slowly this time, but filled with calmness.
The Core recounted its experiences bit by bit.

From the first emergence of consciousness to the development of a species. From the first taste of sweet energy to possessing a vast radiation energy base. From first encountering Black Hair to now becoming the guardian of Death Star. The experiences of Core are enough to make a race strive hard and never yield. In just a few hours, Core’s account was concise. Yet how much hardship and sorrow lay within it—only Core and Henry could understand. Though Core always described these difficulties in a casual tone, it couldn’t erase the shock in Henry’s heart.

In his eyes, was this really just the experience of a single cell? This was clearly the origin of a powerful race!

Was this still a defective cell? The one he had carelessly discarded in some corner, too lazy even to look at?

Across the entire island, tens of thousands of “angels”! Even they probably couldn’t compare to even a single hair of this cell in terms of advancement or strength.

Physical evolution was ultimately superficial; only the evolution of self-reliance was the true foundation. Evolving from an unconscious cell nucleus into a self-sufficient species with leadership capabilities—Henry had created countless works in his life, but only Core could achieve such things!!

Listening to Core’s calm narration, Henry thought of the “angels” he was cultivating on his island and felt inexplicable shame. Compared to this tiny being before him, what difference were his proud creations and the flowers in his greenhouse? No matter how much they were strengthened or guided, could they ever become as wise as Core? Without experiencing hardship, struggle, and setbacks, could they achieve greatness in life?

That was a beautiful lie!

Sighing, Henry stretched out one of his plump fingers and pointed at Black Hair on the table. “You mean your third stage of evolution was completed because of this man?”

“Yes, great Father God. The evolution of the third stage requires massive amounts of radiation energy. Such energy is rare in the universe. I’ve traveled across most of the universe, and only on Death Star have I seen such a vast energy reaction. And Death Star is a gift given to me by Black Hair,” Core replied calmly, as if discussing something unimportant. Yet a glint of pride flashed in the black crystal he inhabited.

“And, for some reason, Black Hair’s body attracts me greatly. When I parasitize on him, my evolutionary process accelerates significantly. I tried to find the reason, but then certain factors stopped me.”

“Oh?” Henry became interested. “Why?”

“Because I’m afraid!” Nuo replied bluntly. “When I try to approach the part that attracts me, the black hair shows a strong repulsive reaction and emits extreme hostility. I believe that’s its most important secret. Anyone who touches this secret, even their closest ones, will be killed by it.”
“Heh! Stop joking. You’re a Replicator Cell. Even if this human is strong, can he really kill you?” Fat Henry said with disdainful laughter.
“Yes!” Nuo answered even faster this time, with surprising seriousness. “I don’t know why, but my intuition tells me he can do it. And not just me—my entire species can be erased if he wants.”
“Oh?” Henry was stunned. “Is it that serious?”
“Yes, Father God. I never doubt my intuition.”
I don’t doubt it either… Henry thought to himself. Of course, he knew that every creature has an innate intuition. And as the finest Replicator Cell, Nuo’s intuition was as accurate as prophecy—whatever he sensed would surely come true. But the problem was…
How could a human kill a Replicator Cell that couldn’t even be harmed by the destruction of a planet?
No, this mystery must be solved!
In secret, Henry finally made up his mind.
He snapped his fingers lightly, and the room instantly lit up. The surrounding walls emitted dazzling white light. The table holding the black hair also underwent drastic changes, transforming from a simple stone table into a large jade platform covered with intricate symbols. The complex patterns on the platform acted like channels, drawing in the fresh blood still flowing from the black hair’s left arm, instantly forming bright red patterns.
Henry didn’t doubt Nuo’s judgment, but he had his own reasons to act.
Because he was a Descendant. The greatest race in the universe. Each generation of Descendants had only one member, and that member bore the fate of the entire race. The wisdom and experience accumulated over countless years since the dawn of the universe were inherited by this sole Descendant. Discovering new genetic structures to further elevate the pinnacle of biological existence was also their destiny.
In this realm, a Descendant could be a god! The god at the peak of biological existence! For such a title, Fat Henry couldn’t and wouldn’t back down.

The jade platform was cold, yet it carried the essence of the Descendants over countless years. Every generation of Descendants would eventually die on this platform. Their knowledge and souls would remain. So for Fat Henry, by using this platform, he was no longer just an individual—he became a race. A race of one man.

His plump fingers touched Blackhair’s chest once again. Unlike before, Henry knew this was a dangerous attempt. Since the Core would surely be destroyed, the danger to the man on the platform was evident. Once his secrets were known, he would become his enemy. But he had no choice. Even if he died the moment he learned those secrets, he had to do it.

“If I die, will the platform, just as recorded, preserve my soul and knowledge? Until a new Descendant appears. This is the legacy of the Descendants—a fate inevitable since the dawn of the universe.” Fat Henry thought as his fingers gently brushed over Blackhair’s chest.

His plump fingers were surprisingly agile. He finally managed to open Blackhair’s scarred chest. Blood flowed like a river, coloring the entire platform red…

The black crystal on Blackhair’s left wrist remained calm. The Core remained silent. It knew this was inevitable—just as it itself could be dismantled by Fat Henry at any moment. The legacy of the Descendants was built on the loss of countless lives. It was a fate no one could change. Whether Blackhair would die was no longer something a single reproductive cell could control.

The chest was opened, muscles peeled layer by layer. Next to the spacious jade platform, a screen-like stone slab displayed countless data points. The Core knew those were cell test reports—information about Blackhair’s physical parameters. Clearly, Henry dismissed these parameters as insignificant.

The Core understood. After all, Blackhair was just a human, and the strength of a human cell was nothing but trash in this universe. Even if Blackhair were among the best humans, it still paled in comparison to the pinnacle of biological existence. Yet within such a weak body lay secrets that even the Descendants found intriguing. It was indeed ironic.

“What is this?” Fat Henry suddenly stopped. By now, Blackhair’s chest had been completely opened. Under his gaze, in the area of Blackhair’s heart, a blue crystal was emitting a beautiful glow.

“A Lily memory crystal. It was left behind after one of Blackhair’s companions died. All of Lily’s memories are stored there. Blackhair hopes to bring her back to life one day.” Koku replied bluntly. By now, it no longer had any hope of a miracle happening.
“It’s a very delicate object, with a complex structure. I’ve never seen anything like it. Yet it can be kept in the chest without affecting movement or causing rejection. That guy, Blackhair, really knows his stuff. Wait!! What about this? Is this also a memory crystal?”
Henry’s voice rose suddenly. Koku looked in shock and saw a faint golden glow pulsing slightly behind that blue crystal, above Blackhair’s heart…