"Strange... where did that boy come from? Could it really be due to a mutation? That doesn't seem right!"
Perched atop the wreckage of a derelict spaceship, a young woman with striking short white hair observed everything unfolding below through a suite of advanced instruments. Her name was Bai Yuekui, a neuroscientist who was, in reality, over eighty years old.
Thanks to injections of the "Angel Serum" and "Miracle-K," she had attained eternal life, an ageless body, and formidable physical power.
She had dedicated her life to destroying the Mana ecosystem—the force responsible for the world's ruin—and to saving humanity. Her presence here on this occasion was primarily to observe one of Liusheng's clones: Subject No. 4—Mark.
However, she had unexpectedly stumbled upon a boy... with a tail.
The mutated boy from the Bar relied solely on sheer physical strength to shatter several massive Phage Beasts with a single punch.
Although this level of power fell far short of her own capabilities, it had, in reality, already surpassed the limits of normal human beings.
Even among the power-enhancement-type Awakened individuals within Dragonbone Village—the settlement she herself had established—none could reach such a magnitude of strength.
The crucial point was that the boy was not a member of Dragonbone Village; he had not undergone the development of Source Essence potential, nor was he an Awakened individual.
Yet, based on her extensive knowledge of Phage Beasts, even if someone were to consume them daily, it would not result in such a mutation.
She possessed an unparalleled understanding of the Mana ecosystem and the Phage Beasts that inhabited it.
In short, the mutated boy was shrouded in mystery—a puzzle so enigmatic that even she found herself unable to fully decipher it.
"Never mind. As long as he doesn't interfere with the plan, I'll leave him be for now."
Bai Yuekui shook her head; with a few agile leaps, she vanished from the spot.
Her primary objective at this moment was to seize an opportunity to transform Test Subject No. 4—Mark—into a Life Chimera, endowing him with the unique Triple-Helix DNA.
This would allow her to execute the final Assault Plan and permanently resolve the crisis posed by the Mana ecosystem.
Nothing else mattered.
One hour later.
Across the desolate plains, a convoy of Wilderness Hunters was advancing toward a colossal, lighthouse-like mechanical structure that hovered majestically in the sky ahead.
That massive mechanical edifice was humanity's final sanctuary—the Lighthouse—home to tens of thousands of human survivors.
"Goku, did you grow that tail because you ate a Phage Beasts?"
Inside the armored vehicle, Erica stared intently at the tail swaying behind Goku, asking the question with blunt directness.
Upon hearing her words, Goku shook his head:
"I've never eaten a Phage Beasts. I've had this tail since the moment I was born."
"You don't have a tail? How pitiful."
"But—"
"You're the one who's pitiful! What normal person has a tail?"
Erika bared her teeth, nearly rendered speechless by Goku.
"If you don't eat Phage Beasts, what do you usually eat?"
Jeff, standing nearby, immediately chimed in with the question.
Goku's sudden appearance was shrouded in mystery, and since he and Erika were the very first people to encounter him,
Captain Mark had instructed them—while on their way back to the Lighthouse—to gather as much information about Goku as possible.
"Oh, there's plenty! Chicken, duck, fish, shrimp, crab, beef, lamb, wolves, tigers, dinosaurs..."
Goku rattled off a list of the various things he typically ate, one after another.
Jeff and Erika's eyes went wide with shock; however, Jeff quickly raised a hand to cut him off.
"Forget it. If you don't want to talk about it, then don't."
Things like chicken, duck, fish, and meat—due to the existence of the Phage Beasts—should have gone extinct on the surface long ago.
The fact that the Lighthouse still possesses such provisions is entirely due to the establishment of specialized zones where these creatures are scientifically bred and raised, yielding only a meager supply.
Generally, only the upper echelons of the Lighthouse can indulge in these delicacies without restraint. Even for those classified as "Upper Citizens"—or even the elite members of the "Wilderness Hunters"—sufficient contribution points are still required to exchange for them.
For Goku to claim he eats such things every single day on the surface was simply impossible.
And when he subsequently started spouting nonsense about encountering tigers, dinosaurs, and the like, it became abundantly clear he was just joking around.
They assumed Goku simply didn't want to reveal the truth and was therefore lying—despite his expression appearing utterly innocent, bearing no resemblance to that of a liar.
"By the way, since you lived on the surface, do you still have any family members?"
Erika asked with a hint of curiosity.
One of the Lighthouse's three cardinal laws is the abolition of family ties; it strictly prohibits the formation of intimate relationships—such as familial bonds or romantic love—that were commonplace in the "Old World."
This measure serves to prevent emotional attachments from clouding judgment or giving rise to entrenched family factions.
Any violation, once discovered, results in immediate execution.
All reproductive duties are centrally orchestrated by the Lighthouse's "Council of Light and Shadow" and are carried out within the Hall of Dawn.
Any child born is immediately taken away to be raised collectively.
Consequently, regarding a child like Goku—who was born on the surface—Erika was quite curious to know whether the "Old World" concept of family ties still persisted.
At the same time, this inquiry served as a means to discreetly probe whether any other living humans still survived on the surface.
"No, I don't. I was abandoned in the mountains when I was very young; it was my grandfather who took me in and raised me. Later, when my grandfather passed on to the underworld, I began living entirely on my own."
"Right now, I am diligently training my skills. I hope to find powerful masters to spar with, so that I may continue to improve myself."
"By the way, who is the strongest person on your Lighthouse?"
Goku replied with a completely unperturbed expression.
However, his response clearly left both Erica and Jeff somewhat struggling to wrap their heads around it.
Abandoned as a child? Could it be that his parents were among the extremely few survivors who had been struggling to survive on the surface all along?
If so, it likely wasn't a case of abandonment; rather, they had probably already had their Life Source drained away by the Phage Beasts, their bodies reduced to mere flesh.
The grandfather who saved him—perhaps he was one of the elderly citizens whom the Lighthouse had exiled.
And later, he too had died.
Leaving this child all alone wandering across the world. Thanks to his naturally mutated, powerful physique, he constantly fought off the Phage Beasts attempting to devour him—and that is how he survived.
Through a process of filling in the blanks and interpreting Goku's words, they had formed a rough hypothesis regarding the circumstances of his past.
"If you're asking who the strongest guy on the Lighthouse is, that would definitely be the Lord of Light and Shadow. After all, that guy is hyped up as being omnipotent."
Jeff answered Goku's question offhandedly.
Yet, judging by his expression, it was clear that he harbored nothing but disdain for this Lord of Light and Shadow.
The Lord of Light and Shadow is the deity worshipped by the Church of Light and Shadow the only religious institution on the Lighthouse.
The Church of Light and Shadow brainwashes the populace day in and day out, attributing every single benefit and blessing—to the Lord of Light and Shadow's divine protection, and to the prayers offered by their own Church.
They—the Hunters—are the ones down on the surface, fighting tooth and nail against the Phage Beasts every day;—
yet the Church of Light and Shadow merely flaps its collective gums—and walks away with the lion's share of the rewards.
Tell me—isn't that absolutely infuriating?
Consequently, they—the Hunters—treat that so-called "omnipotent" Lord of Light and Shadow with nothing but utter scorn.
"Jeff, you'd better watch your tongue. If the people from the Church of Light and Shadow get wind of this, you're going to be in for a world of trouble."
Upon hearing this, Erica quickly interjected with a warning.
Even their Captain, Mark, wouldn't dare cross the Church of Light and Shadow—
so what chance did they have?
"I'm not afraid of them."
Jeff retorted stubbornly, though he didn't continue to complain any further.
However, their conversation had caused Goku to take note of the name "Lord of Light and Shadow."
He decided that once they reached the Lighthouse, he would first head to the Church of Light and Shadow to seek out the Lord of Light and Shadow for a friendly spar.
"This is 'Cat Scavenger.' Collection mission complete. 'Hunter Scavenger' requests permission to return."
Up in the front of the armored vehicle—having listened to the exchange between Goku, Erica, and Jeff in the back—Captain Mark breathed a sigh of relief and pressed the communication button to connect with the Lighthouse.
On the other end of the communicator, upon hearing that the collection mission was complete, a voice filled with relief responded:
"Captain Mark, welcome back. Deploying Elevator Platform ES01!"
"Hunter Scavenger acknowledges."
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