Chapter Nine: Expanding the Aquarium, Infusing Golden Monkey Cells

After verifying his identity, Fang Zhuowei successfully obtained a complimentary ticket to the scenic area. While his ticket was being checked, he encountered several out-of-town tourists.

It was a family of three—a father, a mother, and their daughter—all impeccably dressed. Though he couldn’t name the brands they wore, the quality was unmistakably high. The man, in particular, wore a watch that appeared to be from a top luxury brand, the kind whose bare price exceeded that of an average car.

Wealthy people!

These days, do the rich all prefer to visit such remote, desolate places?

Fang raised his brows but, not wanting to seem rude, only cast a fleeting glance before quickly looking away. The daughter of the family, however, snuck several curious glances at him when she thought he wasn’t watching.

“Sweetheart, was that young man your classmate just now? Why were you staring at him like that?” her mother asked as they entered the scenic area, unable to hold back her curiosity.

Though the mother had been standing ahead in the line, her eyes never left her precious daughter—her only child, graced with both beauty and poise. She watched her constantly, wary that some unworthy boy might try to court her.

“Mom, what are you talking about? I don’t know him at all,” the girl replied hurriedly, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red as she spoke.

“If you don’t know him, why were you staring?” her mother replied skeptically, clearly unconvinced.

“Really, mom, I don’t know him. It’s just… there’s something about his presence that feels strange. I can’t quite describe it, but it’s very unique…” the girl stammered, trying to explain.

“What’s so unique about him? He’s just an ordinary, couldn’t-be-more-average young man,” her mother scoffed. “That’s the aura of poverty, dear. Poor people all look like that. He’s just one of many impoverished boys from some backwater place. We are different—we’re like phoenixes in the sky, destined for a life of wealth and privilege. He and us, we’re from entirely different worlds. Don’t let yourself be affected by it!”

The middle-aged woman spoke earnestly. She didn’t object to her daughter choosing her own partner, but it had to be someone of equal standing.

“Don’t worry, mom. I was just speaking casually. It won’t cross my mind again,” the girl replied with a wry smile.

She truly had no other thoughts.

…

The scenic area was vast and lush, with bamboo groves and maple forests interweaving as far as the eye could see. There weren’t many visitors—apart from the stylish out-of-towners, most were elderly locals from Anping Town, sitting in pavilions chatting and basking in the sun, forming what might be the largest intelligence network in all of China.

As Fang Zhuowei walked, a fine sheen of sweat formed on his brow. It had been a long time since he exercised; even a bit of walking left his body protesting. Still, compared to before, he could clearly feel his physical condition had improved. In the past, he would have been dizzy and faint by now.

“I created the Fish Tank World. When the species inside evolve, civilizations rise and fall, and once events reach a certain point, all that energy feeds back into my own body—just like health and mana potions in a game!”

Relishing the rare sense of lightness in his body, Fang was delighted. He still wasn’t up to the average person’s standard, but it was a vast improvement over his former state.

Suddenly, a sharp, urgent cry pierced the air, reaching his ears with surprising clarity.

Startled, Fang paused and closed his eyes, listening intently. Sure enough, the sound was real and seemed to be quite close.

With a slight frown and only a moment’s hesitation, Fang followed the source of the cry. Though the sound wasn’t far, the winding mountain paths made it difficult to trace. After some searching, however, he finally found the source.

To his surprise, it was a small golden snub-nosed monkey.

The little monkey, not much larger than a housecat, was lying on its back in a pit about half a person deep and a person wide. Its body trembled with pain as it let out pitiful cries. On its left leg, a faint smear of red could be seen.

“It must have hurt its leg in a fall,” Fang murmured, walking a few steps closer.

Sensing a stranger approach, the injured monkey bared its teeth, but with its large, watery eyes, the display was more adorable than threatening.

“If I recall correctly, there’s an animal rescue station in this scenic area,” Fang thought, rubbing his brow. He took out his phone, opened his navigation app, and confirmed that there was indeed an Anping Scenic Area Animal Rescue Station less than five hundred meters away, complete with a contact number.

He dialed the number.

A woman answered. Fang briefly explained the situation and his location. The response was swift: she assured him they would arrive shortly and hung up.

Three minutes later, a small electric four-wheeler appeared before Fang. The door opened, and a short-haired girl in a blue uniform stepped out.

She was about eighteen or nineteen, wore gold-rimmed glasses, and had the station’s name—Anping Scenic Area Animal Rescue and Shelter—printed in small black letters on her chest.

“Hello, I’m a staff member from the animal rescue station. Thank you so much—this little golden monkey was only recently born. If it hadn’t been found, something terrible could have happened,” she said softly after carefully administering a sedative.

“It’s nothing. I just happened to be passing by,” Fang replied with a faint smile.

“Regardless, we’re very grateful to you!” the girl said, bowing to Fang with practiced formality.

Without further conversation, she gently placed the monkey into the rescue vehicle and drove away.

“Wait—why haven’t I tried creating a new species using monkey cells?” Fang suddenly realized, watching the rescue vehicle disappear from view.

Monkeys and humans alike are mammals—primates, to be precise. Monkeys, like humans, possess highly developed brains, complex cognition, and stable social structures. Their behaviors, social organization, physiology, and metabolism are all remarkably sophisticated, marking them as one of the most advanced kinds of animals.

If used as the basis for spore-based creation, their cells could serve just as well as human ones.

Most importantly, their blood was truly a rare find.

Fang’s breathing quickened with excitement.