Man at the top of the food chain

Shi Wen said unhappily: "Don't you believe in our level?"

Li Anping's mouth curled up slightly: "No, I just didn't expect you to make a breakthrough so soon." Li Anping was right. Originally, for biological research of this level, a breakthrough would probably take ten years.

Shi Wen chuckled a few times, and suddenly said a little embarrassedly: "In fact, this breakthrough is also related to you. Do you remember the piece of stone that looks like a piece of meat you brought? This time, the breakthrough in cloning technology depends on it."

"Oh?" Li Anping didn't expect that this piece of flesh and blood could play a role in the breakthrough of the cloning foundation. He just instinctively thought it was a good thing. Suddenly, he reacted: "You didn't use that thing up, did you?"

"Of course not." Shi Wen said: "We made a breakthrough in cloning technology based on the research of that stone. As for the stone itself, it is indeed a kind of creature, and it is in a state of neither life nor death. We need more time to study it.

But it is very dangerous. In the past year, 13 researchers have died in experiments on it. We are now storing it in an environment of minus 180 degrees."

Li Anping waved his hand: "Okay, take me to see the results first." In comparison, he is more concerned about the results of the clones. If it is really very effective, then he now has another way to increase his strength.

Although with the transformation of the hell map, his body is absorbing energy from various air and food almost every moment. With daily practice, he is getting stronger all the time. But this is a very slow process, and it will take about a year to increase by about 1.5.

If the average level of the clones can reach level 3, no, as long as they can reach level 2, plus a huge number, it will be of great help to him.

Li Anping and his three companions walked into a hall, where ten huge metal cabinets that looked like white coffins were lined up in a row. There were dense lines and pipes everywhere leading to these ten cabinets.

The doctor introduced them as he walked. When they came to the first metal cabinet, he said, "This is the Thunder Emperor Type III. He was originally just an ordinary zero-level ability user, but in just two months, his current power generation has tripled. It is estimated that by the end of next month, he will be able to reach the standard of the first energy level."

Li Anping did not speak. He looked at the "chi-luo" man curled up in the metal cabinet. He just asked, "How much does it cost?"

Shi Wen replied, "Not counting the initial research funds, it cost about five million just to cultivate such a sample. However, we are improving the relevant technology. If we want to mass-produce in the future, the time and price will be greatly reduced. I am sure that it can be controlled between two and three times that of ordinary clones."

While listening to Shi Wen's answer, Li Anping carefully looked at the entire metal cabinet and the Thunder Emperor Type III inside. Countless electric currents, nutrients, nutrient solution, and various substances that Li Anping didn't know were injected into the body of the Thunder Emperor.

He could feel the power in the other party's body slowly growing. Although this growth was very small and far less than the growth of ordinary people through exercise, he was doing it 24 hours a day, which was very scary.

Li Anping asked, "Can this method only be used for cloned humans?"

Shi Wen nodded, "It involves genetic changes, and the embryo must be adjusted before birth. These clones have a metabolic rate far exceeding that of ordinary people since birth, and their lifespan is only about 3 years, which ordinary people cannot use."

The doctor on the side said, "The combat capability of Thunder Emperor III is not strong, but it is a very good generator. If it is mass-produced for bio-power generation, its cost performance is even higher than that of nuclear power plants."

Shi Wen hesitated, "This is not good, and using clones to generate electricity will be very troublesome once it is discovered."

"What's the trouble? It's just a bunch of proteins that know nothing." The doctor was dismissive of Shi Wen's hesitation, "Sir, if you can approve the large-scale production of Thunder Emperor III, I can guarantee that within 50 years, the entire Daxia will no longer have to worry about electricity.

This will be the best bio-power generation technology of this century."

Li Anping shook his head. He naturally couldn't agree to the doctor's proposal. Let's not talk about the effect of Thunder Emperor III itself. The risk of information leakage after large-scale application is enough to cause trouble. Most people in modern society probably can't treat the clones in front of them as experimental materials like the doctor did.

Shi Wen quickly introduced the next material to prevent the doctor from proposing it again. He pointed to the man in the second metal cabinet and said, "This is Composite Type II. The original material is Zhou Kang's four multiple abilities. This clone perfectly inherits the four abilities."

Shi Wen on the side interrupted and said, "Composite Type II is more suitable for combat than Thunder Emperor Type III. I tried to add an intelligent chip to his brain. He can basically complete most simple tasks, and he has no self-awareness, no fear and hesitation. He is an excellent source of biochemical soldiers. I have sent people to study the new generation of intelligent chips and add combat skills to them. Once successful, he will be the best humanoid weapon."

Li Anping nodded and said nothing. Now is not the time to use clones on a large scale. But we can try to produce some as a supplement to conventional troops, or as a secret weapon.

There were a few more materials left, and Li Anping asked again: "Is there a limit to this growth? What energy level can it reach at most?"

Shi Wen thought for a while and said: "According to our calculations, there is no problem in reaching the second energy level."

The doctor on the side added: "But you also know, sir, that from the third energy level, the ability is not just a simple increase in strength, but also related to the ability user itself, and there are some strange abilities that we don't know how to improve the level of the clone."

Li Anping showed a satisfied look. Being able to reach the second energy level was enough to meet his requirements. He immediately ordered Shi Wen and the doctor to speed up the production of clones. As for the previous low-level clones, production can be temporarily stopped.

When talking about this, Li Anping asked by the way: "Osborn, is he still in the institute?" Osborn is Peter Parker's uncle. At the beginning, he was captured by Scorpion along with many famous scientists.

Shi Wen said, "Yes, he is researching a function enhancement factor recently. I heard that he has achieved some success. It can double the strength and speed of ordinary people, but there are some side effects, which are still being modified."

Li Anping nodded, asked them to leave, and then called Scorpion. In recent months, it was Scorpion and others who were responsible for the defense of the Eighth Research Institute.

After Scorpion came up, he stood below with a respectful face, his eyes fixed on his toes, waiting for Li Anping's questions. Since he came back from the field work in the south, he has been working near Tianjing. In recent months, even his skills have regressed a little, and he has gradually reduced his contacts with other combat team members. It is obvious that he intends to stop fighting and develop in the direction of civilian work.

Li Anping greeted, "How are you doing recently?"

"Thanks to you, the current situation is of course much better than before."

Li Anping hummed, and then asked, "I heard that you got married?"

"It happened half a year ago." When he said this, Scorpion, who had always been a sinister image in Li Anping's mind, actually showed a gentle smile, and there was a breath of happiness in his eyes: "The matter is too small, I dare not trouble you to worry about it."

Seeing this, Li Anping knew in his heart that the man in front of him was no longer suitable for front-line work, because he already had concerns in his heart. He sighed and suddenly said with some boredom: "You will report the recent situation in the institute to me, and then go to Liu Sheng tomorrow and hand over to him. You don't have to do the defense work of the Eighth Institute in the future.

You can choose a civilian job to do it yourself."

Scorpion was overjoyed, looking at Li Anping happily and said, "Thank you, sir." He had long had the tendency to switch to a civilian job, and for this reason he had made a lot of preparations in the past six months, read a lot of books, and took many exams.

But Li Anping's words were obviously more useful than these things.

Then, in Scorpio's cheerful tone, Li Anping began to slowly listen to the other party's report. Li Anping listened and Scorpio talked, basically without any delay. Two hours later, the latter reported all the past six months to Li Anping, especially the points that Li Anping was particularly concerned about. He focused on them.

However, Li Anping stopped and didn't find any problems. Even researchers like Osborne who were forcibly kidnapped were cut off from the outside world and were under surveillance.

But Li Anping still asked Scorpio to make some arrangements to strengthen the defense of the Eighth Institute and deepen the monitoring of researchers like Osborne.