Chapter 59: 36% Brain Development

The sky outside the window was growing dim, but the office was brightly lit.

Old Ryze touched his bald pate and looked cautiously at Ge Xiaolun. "Xiaolun, your teacher here hasn't lived enough yet, you know?"

Ge Xiaolun chuckled and shook his head. "Teacher Ryze, you're getting up there in years. Isn't it a bit much to act cute with me?"

As he spoke, he summoned a chair and sat down opposite Ryze.

"Hehe," Ryze let out a chuckle upon hearing this. "Well, Xiaolun, what you said just now is somewhat ambiguous in itself..."

Before long, however, his smile faded. He looked at Ge Xiaolun with a complex gaze. "Xiaolun, those documents truly weren't read in vain!"

There was an inexplicable sigh in his voice.

In truth, before Ge Xiaolun arrived, he really hadn't expected the young man to say such things.

Even when those macro-level documents were originally handed over to Ge Xiaolun, he never imagined they would have such a profound impact on him—though he had already witnessed Ge Xiaolun going toe-to-toe with the deities of Leiyang using that very knowledge.

He also knew that from the moment Ge Xiaolun put forward this request, many things seemed destined to change.

"How did you discover that you had this need?" Ceasing his sigh, he looked earnestly at Ge Xiaolun.

Ge Xiaolun's expression remained calm. "With the exact same materials, Du Qiangwei's reading and learning speed was more than a hundred times faster than mine... And among the other warriors of the Xiongbing Lian, Cheng Yaowen and Qi Xin's learning speeds also far exceed ordinary people."

"Should you be surprised that I discovered this problem?"

In fact, this issue had been weighing on his mind for a very long time, ranking near the very top of his concerns.

Even his request for documents from Teacher Ryze, and even bringing Du Qiangwei along to read them, were to some extent merely maneuvers so that he could legitimately raise this question.

Learning speed.

How could he possibly ignore a problem that the stubborn head-on fighters and the warriors of the Xiongbing Lian in the original timeline had struggled through for years without ever thinking to solve, and that no one had ever thought to help them resolve?

"Hehe, indeed. Why shouldn't your teacher be surprised?"

Ryze smiled bitterly at the words. Looking at Ge Xiaolun's calm visage, he took a gentle breath. "However, the issues involved in this matter are indeed rather complex. It's not something this old man can decide with you alone... I'm afraid Chief Du and Lian Feng will need to explain it to you."

He could perceive the unfathomable depth in Ge Xiaolun's eyes and vaguely sense that the young man had probably discerned many underlying problems from this.

He also knew that in his interactions with himself, Du Kaao, and the others, this child had maintained a rare tolerance and patience most of the time, rarely questioning things that seemed abnormal on the surface, striving to maintain harmony between them.

For instance, why didn't they develop higher brain capacity for Ge Xiaolun and the Xiongbing Lian warriors?

Given the conspiracy theories and causal reasoning inherent to Earthlings, such a question would undoubtedly spark wild imaginations.

"This student harbors no other intentions; I simply have an urgent need for this capability at present, specifically for learning."

Ge Xiaolun looked at old Ryze with a gentle tone. "If it is convenient for you, Teacher, I would like to master this ability as soon as possible."

How could he not know the intricate and tangled problems behind this?

And the chain reaction his words would trigger?

If not for that, he wouldn't have patiently waited for Angel Yan to leave before coming to raise this matter with Ryze.

After all, the Galaxy Power equipped with a divine-level civilization brain—or even an entire Xiongbing Lian equipped with divine-level civilization brains—was an entirely different concept compared to a Xiongbing Lian whose members possessed ordinary Earthling minds.

"Very well. For your sake, Xiaolun, when has it ever been a matter of convenience or inconvenience for this old man?"

Ryze rose with a smiling sigh, already growing accustomed to the feeling of serving Ge Xiaolun.

"Wait here for a moment, Xiaolun. I'll go fetch Chief Du and Lian Feng; some things are better explained to you by them directly." With these parting instructions, he opened a wormhole and stepped inside, his figure vanishing from sight.

Ge Xiaolun sat quietly in his place, feeling no particular sense of apology for temporarily mobilizing the three of them.

The logic was simple: he was the Galaxy Power.

Moreover, he knew clearly that such occurrences would only become more frequent in the future.

And Du Kaao and the others would gladly serve him, since they were all striving toward the same goal.

He sat composedly. About three to five minutes later, a wormhole materialized, and Ryze emerged into the office accompanied by Du Kaao and Lian Feng.

"Chief Du, Sister Lian Feng." Ge Xiaolun stood up to greet them. "Sorry to trouble you both by calling you over so late."

"Hehe, Xiaolun, it's only been a few days, but why do I feel like I'm almost getting used to serving you?" Du Kaao chuckled and patted Ge Xiaolun on the shoulder, showing no signs of dissatisfaction.

"I feel the same way," Lian Feng chimed in with a gentle smile. "Aside from these past three days when Xiaolun was a bit quieter, ever since his awakening, it feels like we've been spinning around him in circles. It's a magical feeling."

In truth, they still had a mountain of work waiting for them on their hands.

Yet there was no help for it—whenever Ge Xiaolun had matters to discuss, especially ones of such magnitude, they had to come regardless.

"No help for it; that's what a deity is." Ryze chuckled, concise and to the point.

Listening to the banter among the three, Ge Xiaolun showed no trace of embarrassment. Instead, he smiled faintly. "Pardon my presumption, but I don't deny that there may be many future matters requiring the cooperation of you seniors, and everyone will likely have to get used to it."

This was not empty talk on his part.

Nor was it an urge to seize power.

Rather, he could already foresee that he would genuinely need to discuss and coordinate a great deal with the three of them moving forward.

"Uh..."

Hearing this, Du Kaao and the two others paused involuntarily, exchanged glances, and then nodded with a smile.

"Hahaha, if that's the case, I think all of us will be very willing to cooperate," Du Kaao said, his face beaming with a smile.

This was unquestionable.

Although they didn't yet know what other ideas Ge Xiaolun had in mind, if they were all problems of this nature, they would only wish he had more of them.

"Let's lay our cards on the table, then."

Du Kaao motioned for everyone to sit together on the sofa, then looked earnestly at Ge Xiaolun. "Xiaolun, since you've brought up the question of the divine-level civilization brain, you must be able to perceive certain underlying issues.

"For instance, why is it that despite all of you possessing alien super genes, we didn't grant you and Liu Chuang the same kind of brain we gave Qiangwei?"

"Indeed." Ge Xiaolun nodded, then added, "Chief Du can speak your mind directly. I am not in the habit of second-guessing you all with conspiracy theories, nor do I care much about such suspicions."

"Very well, then I'll speak plainly."

Du Kaao's expression relaxed considerably upon hearing this, and he continued: "Actually, super genes like yours, the Power of the Galaxy, originate from the Star of Dven. Theoretically, they should be paired with brains possessing a higher degree of development native to Dven.

"However, in order for true Earthlings to pilot those super genes, it took us a very long time to cultivate you into the person you are today... Because under universally recognized cosmic jurisprudence, only by doing so can you truly be considered a deity of Earth.

"As for other civilizations that participated in the creation of the Power of the Galaxy, they cannot assert their authority over you—or over Earth—based on historical precedent."

Ge Xiaolun nodded earnestly. "I have learned much."

This was the first time he had heard this explanation explicitly stated, though it was not entirely incomprehensible.

For instance, in certain civilizations, identity as fellow kinsmen was determined by the shape of one's skull.

"And there is an even more crucial point: your personal civilizational identity."

Seeing how readily he accepted the explanation, Du Kaao continued in a similarly relaxed tone: "If you and Liu Chuang and the others had naturally possessed brains with a higher degree of development, to be realistic, it would have been very difficult for you during your upbringing to view ordinary Earthlings as your own kin.

"And once you encountered other descendants of Duonuo, you would likely have been easily influenced by them, thereby compromising Earth's interests and perhaps even triggering even greater trouble."

"Understandable." Ge Xiaolun nodded casually. In fact, this was a question he had contemplated before.

After all, even among ordinary human beings, there were those who did not regard their compatriots as their own kin.

"Lastly, it facilitates guidance and control." Du Kaao looked at him with a half-smile.

"Anyway, I don't care about that issue right now." Ge Xiaolun spread his hands indifferently.

"Naturally," Du Kaao admitted frankly.

"Besides, I believe I am capable of keeping the other Xiongbing Lian warriors in line, even if they were to acquire higher brain development," Ge Xiaolun continued. "And compared to those potential hidden risks, I hope they, too, can possess faster learning speeds to deal with future wars."

"That is precisely something you can accomplish, while we could not," Du Kaao sighed with a smile.

Being able to explain such intricate matters to Ge Xiaolun with such ease brought a genuine sense of relief to a man who had witnessed far too many of Earth's conspiracy theories.

"So, to return to the core issue: according to the data, I gather that upgrading me to a brain with a higher degree of development does not require vast resources." Ge Xiaolun looked at Du Kaao. "For this, I may need your support."

"Indeed, the cost is minimal and amounts to very little." Du Kaao waved his hand casually. "Well then, Xiaolun, do you already have a target in mind?"

Although there were multiple ways to solve this problem, seeing Ge Xiaolun look so purposeful, he felt there was no need for him to elaborate further.

"If possible, and if Brother Yaowen is willing, I would like to borrow his gene template for the initial phase." Ge Xiaolun naturally had a target in mind and stated it directly. "After all, we both carry the genes of Duxing; it should be somewhat simpler."

"That should be fine. Let's resolve your needs first today, Xiaolun," Du Kaao replied with equal decisiveness.

With that, everyone rose.

The busy night passed unmentioned.

Early the next morning.

In the director's office, Ge Xiaolun felt the exceptional clarity in his mind, looked at the data on the tablet computer, and nodded with satisfaction.

Du Kaao had already departed, leaving only Ryze and Lian Feng to look at him with concerned expressions.

Lian Feng smiled as she looked at him. "How is it, Xiaolun? How does a brain with 36% development feel?"

Ge Xiaolun chuckled. "Sister Lian Feng, a particular quote suddenly came to mind."

"What quote?" Ryze asked out of curiosity.

"No matter how foolish a person might be, can they really fail to learn calculus by the age of fourteen?" Ge Xiaolun broke into a broad grin.