Chapter 99: New Knowledge Chain Acquired, Bai Fu Becomes a Living Bodhisattva
After unlocking the new knowledge chain, Bai Fu's knowledge chain boost became——
【All Psionic Class active skill effects +80%, Psionic resistance +60%, Psionic recovery rate +4/min, Inspiration +5, Psionic Enhancement unlocked】
Among these, the boost to active skill effects of the Psionic Class wasn't particularly impactful at this stage, since most of her skills were passive, or non-damaging control- or support-type skills. Some skills, such as Battle Etiquette, were unique and didn’t benefit from the boost at all.
However, the fact that this bonus wasn’t very useful now didn’t mean it would remain that way. Once she gained more skills like 【Summon True Spirit】, the bonus would become terrifying.
The most notable difference between Advanced Classes and Progression Classes wasn’t actually in base stats or the number of learnable skills—it was this kind of bonus.
The increase in Psionic resistance was quite meaningful for Bai Fu.
As an 【Apprentice Psionic Illustrator】, her base Psionic resistance was already high. With a 60% increase, she could now bathe in ordinary Pollution Sources in the wild without becoming mutated anytime soon.
In future scenarios—whether someone was chasing her, or she was chasing someone else—extremely high Psionic resistance might prove miraculous.
The benefits of improved Psionic recovery speed were even more obvious. Bai Fu's base Psionic recovery rate was 9 points/min; factoring in Psionic Affinity and knowledge chain bonuses, it now totaled 15 points/min.
That rate was sufficient for her to control three Tiny Bai Fu without any resource drain.
"If it turned into percentage-based recovery in the future, that would be even better."
Bai Fu was secretly delighted. She still had 760,000 XP on her, enough to level up again.
She didn’t hesitate. She spent the XP to level up her 【Apprentice Psionic Illustrator】 from Lv16 to Lv17, and the extra 3 Attribute Points were naturally allocated to Inspiration.
With the extra 5 Inspiration granted by the knowledge chain, her Inspiration had officially reached 100!
Her attribute panel now looked like this——
【HP】: 1990/1990
【Psionic Value】: 1030/1030
【Qi】: 140/140
【Attributes】: Strength 25, Agility 31, Constitution 88, Intelligence 27, Willpower 28, Inspiration 100
Bai Fu glanced around.
The highest attributes of Coyote and Bugfather Ferreira, who were also S-rank Certified Assassins, didn’t even reach 85. As for HP Bars, the longest among them belonged to Su Li, the Martial Artist—only 1210.
This was the very definition of standing out from the crowd!
Bai Fu closed her attribute panel with satisfaction.
She did a quick mental calculation: after this quest ended, she was still short one Psionic knowledge chain, 2.81 million XP, and a class transfer prerequisite quest to unlock her Advanced Class.
The specific content of the transfer quest was unknown, so she set that aside. The XP requirement seemed large, but with the new version update two months away, she had that long to grind XP. Earning 2.81 million XP in two months wasn’t difficult for her current self.
"The key is still that final knowledge chain."
Bai Fu’s gaze fixed on Su Li.
Me?
Su Li noticed Bai Fu's unusual stare.
Bai Fu asked, "Besides you all, the Gene Primordials, and the Truth Society, do you know where else I could find advanced Psionic knowledge?"
Of the five major factions on Origin Star, Bai Fu had only not interacted directly with the Human Alliance and the Old Republic. The Human Alliance was tricky—since they upheld "Pure Human Supremacy", and Bai Fu had fused with the Blood of Evolution, if they realized she wasn’t a pure human, they might not attack her outright, but they’d definitely drive her away.
Su Li shrugged: "Since you’ve already ruled those factions out, I honestly don’t know where else you’d find advanced Psionic knowledge. The Old Republic doesn’t research that stuff, and the Human Alliance, which split from them and is even more hostile to non-pure humans, certainly wouldn't either."
Bai Fu rubbed her forehead.
Was this the worst-case scenario? She had known it wouldn’t be easy to fulfill the Advanced Class prerequisites.
It seemed she had no choice but to increase bounties on the Dark Web while also pursuing the research institute mentioned in the Goli Desert’s Regional Main Storyline. That institute was likely one of the earliest Psionic research centers in Origin Star's history—there might be advanced Psionic knowledge there.
If that didn’t work, Bai Fu had one final option.
【Rescue Private Yulia!】
Yulia’s true body had definitely unlocked an Advanced Class. Though her power didn’t come from training, with some effort, Bai Fu could probably extract something useful from her.
……
Roughly an hour and a half after Bai Fu’s group departed the Marine Biology Research Institute, two helicopters resembling Ospreys flew in from the north and landed near the facility.
Moments later, surrounded by a team of elite special agents, a middle-aged man stepped down from one of the helicopters.
He wore square sunglasses and leaned on a pitch-black cane, standing out in the crowd.
"General Pombaton……"
Pombaton said expressionlessly, "There are no survivors inside."
The elite special agents’ faces all changed. No survivors meant the institute had been overrun, and its vital data likely stolen.
They followed Pombaton nervously toward the research institute.
Pombaton was a member of the Gene Primordials' Council of Seven and held supreme authority within the faction. He had personally given the order during the Bagaros operation for Bask to eliminate Bai Fu.
The investigation concluded swiftly—and the situation was indeed grim.
At the entrance, corpses and blood were everywhere!
Deeper in the institute, all portable data storage devices had been completely stripped!
Yet that wasn’t the worst part. From the first smashed door to the surveillance room, there were no signs of a fight—only a single gunshot corpse lay on the floor, and the surveillance room door was the only structure visibly broken.
"Only two possibilities: either the intruder had a special Esper Power allowing them to pass through walls, or someone on the inside was a mole and opened the gates for them!"
Pombaton’s expression turned frosty.
He leaned toward the latter. If it were the former, the intruder wouldn’t have needed to kill so many people at the entrance or destroy the surveillance room door.
Most importantly—without an inside agent, how would the intruder have even targeted a research institute that, on the surface, only studied marine biology?
Still, he knew now wasn’t the time to dwell on such things.
The research data had been stolen. If made public, the resulting impact would be ten times worse than anything the Truth Society had ever leaked. The Gene Primordials' reputation would plummet, and they’d become as universally reviled as the Truth Society.
If this happened before the final plan was executed, it could very well derail everything.
一 surge of uncontrollable fury rose from the depths of Pombaton’s heart.
First Li Cheng, then Bai Fu, then Graham of the Truth Society, and now these unidentified individuals—why was everyone opposing the Gene Primordials?
Kill, kill, kill! Once the plan succeeded, he would slaughter all those unwilling to submit!
“Go find the Undying Ones assigned here. They might know something.” Pombaton immediately issued the order.
The elite special agents got to work, and soon after, news arrived——
All the Undying Ones had vanished!
“？”
Pombaton froze.
Two possibilities remained: either the Undying Ones fled at the last moment, or they were the traitors.
He couldn’t tell which was true—he only knew he could barely contain his rage now.
Bastards, a bunch of filthy bastards crawling out of nowhere!
This world should not permit the existence of something as powerful as the Undying Ones. And if someone must have such power, then it should only be him!
After returning to Haidu from the research institute, Pombaton immediately gathered the other members of the Council of Seven. After a round of discussion, they made a new decision—not to rely on the power of the Undying Ones anymore, but to focus on researching the origin of that power.
After all, the current Undying Ones were weak and could only serve as cannon fodder. Though they were growing stronger, the Gene Primordials’ plan would be long completed by the time they matured.
And if the plan failed, these opportunistic Undying Ones would probably abandon ship halfway. If it succeeded, then there’d be no use in keeping them around.
Thanks to Bai Fu’s actions, another faction hostile to Players had emerged!
However, compared to the Truth Society—who wanted to transform every Player into a Mutant warrior—the Gene Primordials’ methods were far gentler. At worst, they used psychological abuse, injected some anesthesia, or ran slicing studies. They wouldn’t destroy Players’ accounts like the Truth Society did.
Oh yes, thank goodness for that.
……
A day and a half later, after transferring between two vehicles, Bai Fu and her team successfully arrived at Shelter Number 5.
“I still need to return this data to the Railway Guild, so I won’t bother you further. Let’s part ways here.”
Su Li shook Bai Fu’s hand, then sashayed her full figure onto the helicopter dispatched by the Railway Guild.
As the helicopter lifted off and soared into the sky, the pilot suddenly asked, “So, what do you think?”
Su Li was caught off guard. “What do I think about what?”
“I mean, what do you think of Silver Moon?”
Su Li’s expression turned instantly grave. “Extremely dangerous. An extremely dangerous existence. I advise you—unless absolutely necessary—do not engage her. That would be unwise!”
The pilot said, “I’ll report your evaluation to the higher-ups……”
“That’s not an evaluation. That’s advice—a sincere suggestion!” Su Li interrupted him. “If you don’t believe me, you can ask the others who acted with me. We are on the brink of a storm, and a single misstep now could mean doom.”
The pilot paused, then suddenly chuckled. “I recall just a few days ago, you were cursing her to slip on soap and break a leg while showering.”
Su Li looked helpless. “That was then. This is now. I hadn’t met her yet back then.”
The pilot nodded. “When I make the report, I’ll emphasize what you just said. By the way, did you figure out how she controls the Undying Ones?”
“Well……”
Su Li frowned slightly. She recalled the video she had taken using the covert filming equipment, and the behavior of the Undying Ones during Bai Fu’s assault on the research institute. She truly hadn’t seen any special techniques.
The only possibly useful intel might be the half-joking line Bai Fu had said——
They think I’m a good person!
How was Bai Fu treating the Undying Ones any different from how others did?
Su Li felt like she had vaguely grasped something. She needed to give it a try.
……
After parting with Su Li, Bai Fu met with the Dark Web’s representative stationed at Shelter Number 5 and significantly raised the bounty for collecting advanced Psionic knowledge. Once all that was done, she returned with the Players to Shelter Number 11.
She sent a new quest to Digging‑Treasure and the others, asking them to help new Players get familiar with the Garden of Silence, then dived straight into her home.
Old Nissen had taken Players out to search for the ruins of the research institute. Since she had free time, she might as well study the data retrieved from the Marine Biology Research Institute.
There was a lot of data, but thankfully it had already been categorized.
【Experiment Log】, 【Routine Meeting Notes】, 【Supplies Inventory】, 【Personnel Transfer】, 【Project Obsidian】……
“Project Obsidian?”
These characters piqued Bai Fu’s interest. She opened the corresponding files to read.
Project Obsidian, in simple terms, was a special Artificial Human development plan. From the time the Marine Biology Research Institute was founded until now, about twenty years, Project Obsidian had successfully produced 21 special Artificial Humans.
The documents didn’t mention the identities of these 21 Artificial Humans. They only briefly noted their fates: these Artificial Humans would remain at the institute until age five. After that, using technology developed at the Biochemical Factory attacked by Graham, their original consciousness would be erased and replaced with a new one—a new identity.
“These Artificial Humans aren’t like the mass-produced combat models. They don’t seem to be made for fighting?”
Dammit, it’s always about making Artificial Humans and Mutants—what exactly is the Gene Primordials researching?
Bai Fu flipped through the documents for a long while but couldn’t determine the ultimate goal of Project Obsidian. Perhaps it wasn’t that the documents deliberately concealed it, but that even the researchers themselves didn’t know what their creations were ultimately for.
“I need to activate those Players planted inside the Gene Primordials.”
Bai Fu summoned Sword Qi Soaring and had him arrange for the Players within the Iron Rain Guild who had joined the Gene Primordials to try gathering intel.
Sword Qi Soaring looked glum. “Bai Fu-jie, I don’t think that’s possible anymore.”
“What happened?” Bai Fu was surprised.
Sword Qi Soaring replied, “I just received their message. The Gene Primordials suddenly transferred them from the Intelligence Bureau to the Police Department and told them to maintain public order. What’s worse—some Undying Ones were outright kicked from the faction.”
“Ah?”
Bai Fu was stunned. What was going on?
Oh, right. She recalled that the Gene Primordials likely discovered the Players they’d stationed on the frontlines had fled. That probably made them highly suspicious of all Players.
Bai Fu opened the Origin Star subforum in the Community. Sure enough, a quick glance revealed many Gene Primordials faction Players ranting furiously.
【Aaaah, Gene Primordials, I won’t let this go!】
【All my enthusiasm went to the dogs! I even wanted to help you deal with Bai Fu, and this is how you treat me? Fine, fine, fine! From today on, I’m joining the Fu Sect just to wreck you!】
【Council of Seven, f*** your whole clan!】
Amid the cursing, there was a stream of clarity—these Players came from the Railway Guild.
While the Players aligned with the Gene Primordials were being hit hard, the Players of the Railway Guild suddenly noticed that the NPC superiors who had never cared much about them were now being all warm and attentive. Moreover, the Railway Guild had even implemented promotion policies specifically for Players.
For a moment, Players in the Railway Guild were no longer treated like pure cattle and horses. Instead, they began to see new hope.
If they worked hard and had a bit of luck, they might just become middle or even upper-level ranks in the Railway Guild.
【Damn, did the devs finally wake up after all the flaming and decide to adjust faction treatment?】
【Shifting the Railway Guild to the good side and the Gene Primordials to the bad side—are the developers out of their minds?】
【Kinda love it though. This way, I don’t need to go to the Garden of Silence anymore—staying in the Railway Guild is just as good】
【Let me tell you a secret—this change in the Railway Guild is related to Bai Fu】
【Can you not? Everything ends up being about Bai Fu. One fan equals ten haters, you know】
【If you don’t believe it, go ask Desert. Yesterday, an NPC named Su Li took him aside and asked him a bunch of questions. He’s not the only one—it happened to others too. The questions were all about Bai Fu: why she’s popular among Players, how she interacts with Players. And the very next day, the Railway Guild announced the new promotion policy. If you tell me this has nothing to do with Bai Fu, I don’t buy it】
This news swept through the Community like a tornado.
As more and more witnesses came forward, even the most skeptical Players had to admit that the Railway Guild’s changes had something to do with Bai Fu.
【Copying Bai Fu’s example】
【Can’t imagine how long these NPCs would’ve kept treating us like beasts of burden without Bai Fu setting the standard】
【I won’t call Bai Fu a Bodhisattva, but those are the facts!】
Having seen the entire drama unfold, Bai Fu exclaimed inwardly, good grief! This turn of events was completely beyond her expectations. So now she’d become a living Bodhisattva in the eyes of some Players?
All she could say was: Su Li did a fantastic job.
Since the Iron Rain Guild’s Players couldn’t investigate Project Obsidian anymore, she might as well see if anything could be uncovered from the Railway Guild side.
Bai Fu kept scrolling through the Community and found that after the official video explaining how to trigger Main Storyline quests was released, Players across various Beginner Planets had gradually started triggering Main Storylines and locating NPCs suspected to be the Version Protagonists of their planets.
“Gotta ramp up the action—at the current pace of information spread, who knows how long I can maintain my popularity at the top.”
The game never lacked beautiful female NPCs, nor did it lack unique female NPCs.
Gentle big sisters, psycho lolis, deranged maniacs, hot-blooded heroes… there was always one to dazzle the stars.
The good news was that she was no longer that forgettable side character. Even in the face of challenges, she now had plenty of ways to respond.
Bai Fu returned home and resumed going through the data she had snatched.
That night, Old Nissen had the Players relay a message back.
“We found that research institute!”