Chapter 2: Two Fire Seeds

*The failed Super-Base Evolutionary Fire Seed—Seven Steps of Conflict: "Beyond seven steps, the gun prevails; within seven steps, I prevail."*

Lin Shen felt as though he were on adrenaline, itching to pull off a 720-degree Thomas spin right then and there.

Anyone knew that for regular humans, beyond seven steps, the gun was faster; within seven steps, not only was the gun faster, but also more accurate. *That saying about "within seven steps, hands outpacing guns" was nothing but human fantasy.*

If the earlier Fire Seed "Acupoint Sealing" hadn't been proven, Lin Shen wouldn't have believed in such a thing at all. But now, he just wanted a gun to test whether this "Seven Steps of Conflict" was as miraculous as claimed.

However, in Lin Shen's opinion, the Seven Steps of Conflict Fire Seed still wasn't as strong as Acupoint Sealing. *Some advanced Mutators might be faster than bullets, rendering the talent less extraordinary compared to Acupoint Sealing.*

That being said, for humans who hadn't undergone Base Mutation, this was undeniably an incredible ability—though this wasn't the main point.

"Since there's a second Fire Seed, that means there'll be more." Lin Shen was now dying to rush out immediately, scouring every store selling Base Mutation Eggs and collecting every Fire Seed egg there was.

Lin Shen threw on his clothes and was about to head out. As soon as he opened the door, he bumped squarely into someone.

"Little Brother Shen, where are you rushing off to so urgently?" The man he collided with stood unwaveringly, eyeing Lin Shen, who staggered a few steps back, with a puzzled frown.

"Ye? You're back? Where's Fourth Brother?" Lin Shen steadied himself and peered behind the man, seeing no one else. He grew more perplexed.

Ye was someone under Lin Xiangdong, the Fourth Brother. He was almost inseparable from Fourth Brother, like his shadow. Ever since Lin Shen had met Ye, he'd never seen him alone. Ye was always glued to Lin Xiangdong's side.

"Something's happened." Ye's expression darkened as he entered, closing the door behind him. Then, speaking in a low voice, he said to Lin Shen, "Something's wrong."

"What's wrong?" Lin Shen's heart sank.

"About a month ago, Mr. Lin Zongzheng came to find Fourth Brother. He said he'd discovered a Steel-Shell Insect nest outside the base and needed Fourth Brother's help. Fourth Brother didn't hesitate and went with him. They said they'd be back in about half a month after sneaking out of the base together. But it's been over a month now, and there's still no news from them." Ye spoke with a somber tone.

Lin Shen felt his heart skip a beat. Forcing himself to stay calm, he said, "Maybe there's just too many Steel-Shell Insects, and they haven't finished clearing them, which caused the delay."

"You're aware of Mr. Lin Zongzheng's personality, aren't you? Fourth Brother might act impulsively, but Mr. Lin Zongzheng would never have neglected to send word back for peace of mind, even if there were trouble. The fact that there's been no news so far means something must have occurred." Ye shook his head as he replied.

The "Mr. Lin Zongzheng" Ye referred to was Lin Shen's Third Brother, Lin Zongzheng. Naturally, Lin Shen knew his Third Brother's character well. *Unless there was no alternative whatsoever, there was no way he wouldn't send a single message back.*

"How many people do we have at home? Call everyone together. Let's join the search," Lin Shen forced himself to stay composed as he spoke to Ye.

"We can't go, and we shouldn't go." Ye shook his head firmly again.

"Why not?" Lin Shen frowned at him.

"It'd be too risky for you, and you wouldn't be of much help anyway," Ye replied.

Lin Shen understood Ye wasn't trying to insult him. Ever since something had happened to Second Brother, the four Lin siblings had set a rule.

Lin family's elder sister managed the family business; Third Brother and Fourth Brother fought their way outside, while Lin Shen—the youngest, affectionately nicknamed Fifth Brother—had the duty of staying home to continue the family's lineage. Essentially, he was their "protected heir."

Both Third and Fourth Brothers had once said, "No matter what, the Lin family must keep a descendant alive. If we all die, Lin Shen has to ensure our legacy continues without losing the bloodline."

Thus, at twenty-one years old, Lin Shen had hardly ever left the base, much less ventured into dangerous territory.

"We're in such critical times now. Who cares about things like that anymore?" Lin Shen pressed his brows together and countered.

"Even if you want to go, it'd be pointless. Third Brother didn't tell anyone where they went. Besides, given Third and Fourth Brother's capabilities, even if they're currently caught in trouble, they definitely have ways to resolve it. Their temporary absence doesn't mean you should rush in recklessly—it might even make it harder for them," Ye said, shaking his head.

Lin Shen froze for a second: "Then why did you come to me?"

"There's another pressing matter now. Lin, Qi, and Wang families are co-hosting a recruitment event. In recent years, Fourth Brother has represented the Lin family at these events alongside representatives from the other two families. Failing to attend might provoke baseless speculation from those in the Qi and Wang families. That'd bring unnecessary trouble and hinder our recruitment efforts. So someone from the Lin family must attend this time," Ye explained.

Lin Shen frowned, saying nothing. Around the world, humans fortified their bases with Base Mutation materials to defend against the encroaching creatures born of Base Mutations.

Within the Dark Bird Base, the Lin, Qi, and Wang families stood in a tripartite balance. If the other families learned about Lin family's current situation, it'd certainly result in difficulties, not least aggressive suppression.

"What am I supposed to do?" Lin Shen asked Ye, knowing he wouldn't have come unless there was something Lin Shen could contribute.

"Little Brother Shen, you resemble Fourth Brother closely in physique, build, and sound. With a mask and a slight alteration in voice and speech style, those who aren't particularly familiar with him shouldn't be able to tell the difference," Ye said, carefully gauging Lin Shen.

"You mean..." Lin Shen didn't waste words, understanding the risk he had to take.

*Previously, his elder sister and brothers had protected him from the storms; now that the family was in trouble, it was his turn to step forward.*

"Don't worry. The event venue is safely within the base, so there'll be no danger. But you need to guard against scrutiny from the Qi and Wang families and come up with a convincing reason for wearing the mask," Ye sighed. "The Qi and Wang families aren't people who let things slide easily. However plausible the excuse, their doubts will linger. Tread carefully."

"How much time before the recruitment event begins?" Lin Shen asked after thinking it through.

"Tomorrow morning," Ye replied. "It's too late to undergo Base Mutation now, so we must meticulously plan every detail, ensuring no mistakes."

Lin Shen invited Ye inside, and the two brainstormed all possible issues that might arise during the event.

Most concerns weren't a problem, but the excuse for wearing the mask was tricky to deliver without suspicion—although still moderately viable.

Another critical issue was the event's ritual segment, where representatives of the Lin, Qi, and Wang families typically demonstrated their skill by killing a Base Mutation Creature to showcase their family's strength and attract more Mutators.

In the public eye, Lin Xiangdong was the Lin family's icon, akin to a celebrity spokesman. If Lin Xiangdong were present, this wouldn't be an obstacle. However, with Lin Shen needing to attend instead, it certainly complicated matters.

"Little Brother Shen, you haven't undergone Base Mutation. Participating in the Base Mutation Creature demonstration is absolutely not an option. We'll have to figure out a way around it. Just know the Qi and Wang families have already grown suspicious—they suspect Fourth Brother isn't present within the base. Deceiving them won't be easy," Ye said.

After pausing, Ye continued, "Thankfully, Fourth Brother has already established a reputation for being aloof and overbearing. During this event, you simply need to display disdainful arrogance towards the Qi and Wang representatives. Let me take action on your behalf in the demonstration. Fourth Brother is arrogant enough to warrant this behavior."

"Ye, what's the grade of the Base Mutation Creature to be killed at the event?" Lin Shen pondered while asking.

*Ye's plan was merely a constrained option. If worse came to worst, Lin Shen couldn't afford to expose himself.*

*In the past, Lin Shen might have been helpless. But now, with Acupoint Sealing and Seven Steps of Conflict, he might just pull it off.*

"Just a standard Alloy Creature. With my capabilities, I can kill it with a single blow." Ye replied confidently.