Twenty-seven plus sixty-seven.
With those Reputation Points, Jiang Ming had already earned back the points he had spent purchasing Sunkern’s genetic template.
To be honest, after seeing that his clever trick had actually worked, Jiang Ming was tempted to try it a few more times.
After all, given Zhengming Company’s healthy financial situation, coming up with a few hundred thousand Federation Credits would hardly be difficult.
However, just as he was about to put the idea into practice, he noticed that something seemed off about Xue Wenhui’s expression.
He immediately abandoned the thought.
The first cash giveaway had been rather extravagant, but Jiang Ming had successfully created such an impressive genetic organism.
Xue Wenhui was willing to let him celebrate the achievement.
But the moment he realized that Jiang Ming was already thinking about doing it again, his expression naturally darkened.
“Xiao Ming, come to my office. We need to have a proper talk about Sunkern.”
Xue Wenhui left these words hanging in the air before turning and walking toward his office.
He hadn’t taken more than a few steps, however, when he suddenly turned around and addressed the employees.
“As for Sunkern, I don’t want to hear any unofficial reports about it circulating outside the company. I trust everyone understands what I’m saying.”
The employees hurriedly nodded in agreement.
“Good.” Xue Wenhui nodded with satisfaction.
He then turned to his assistant—the same person who had just informed him of Jiang Ming’s success.
“Xiao Wang, everyone’s worked hard this month. Give them some additional performance bonuses.”
“Understood, Mr. Xue!”
Inside the vice president’s office, Jiang Ming and Xue Wenhui sat opposite each other across the coffee table.
The flowerpot containing Sunkern had been placed on the balcony beside them.
“Xiao Ming, can you tell me a little more about this Sunkern?” Xue Wenhui asked directly.
Knowing Jiang Ming as well as he did, he was certain the young man hadn’t revealed everything during the earlier demonstration.
“You saw right through me.” Jiang Ming offered a brief compliment before continuing.
“You’re right. There’s more to the Sunkern I’ve created than what I showed everyone earlier.”
Then, under Xue Wenhui’s expectant gaze, Jiang Ming dropped a bombshell.
“Sunkern is capable of fighting! It’s just too young right now. After it has had some time to grow, it won’t just learn more moves. It may even develop into a mutant beast with the strength of an Evolver!”
Jiang Ming had deliberately chosen the most conservative way to describe its potential.
According to the original Pokémon mechanics, once Sunkern reached levels seventy or eighty, it should be capable of possessing combat strength comparable to that of a Transcendent.
Even so, his words were enough to leave Xue Wenhui utterly stunned.
“Combat ability? An Evolver?! Xiao Ming, do you understand what you’re saying?”
“Our entire Coastal City has only a few hundred Evolvers, and you’re telling me that this little creature has the potential to become one?!”
Coastal City was a medium-to-large city with a population of several hundred thousand.
The number of Evolvers it possessed was already approaching that of some ordinary major cities.
Moreover, of those few hundred Evolvers, roughly eighty to ninety percent were permanently stuck at Tier Four.
If Sunkern truly had the potential Jiang Ming claimed, then even Jiang Zheng might not be able to protect him.
After all, if someone could create one genetic organism, there was a good chance they could create a second, a tenth, a hundredth—or even a thousandth.
“Cough, cough. Uncle Xue, please calm down. I said it was only a possibility. These creatures also have very long growth cycles. Who knows how much time it would take for them to reach that level?”
Jiang Ming hurriedly tried to reassure him.
Only then did Xue Wenhui begin to calm down.
“How can I not get excited when this concerns Evolvers? You should understand the implications yourself!”
“That’s fair, Uncle Xue. I was being reckless. I’m sorry.”
Jiang Ming quickly admitted his mistake.
“But these are things I’ll discuss only with you and my older brother. I guarantee that no one else will hear a single word about them.”
“Mm. That’s more like it.”
At last, Xue Wenhui felt he could breathe a little easier.
Even so, a Sunkern with the potential to reach the level of a Tier Two or Tier Three Awakened would already attract considerable attention.
He studied Sunkern for a few more moments.
After confirming that there was nothing unusual about its appearance, he turned back to Jiang Ming.
“Since you have this ability, focus on researching Sunkern. I’ll keep an eye on the company’s affairs for you.”
“It’s not just Sunkern!”
Jiang Ming immediately dropped another bombshell.
“It’s only one part of my much bigger plan. Right now, I already have methods for creating at least dozens of different genetic organisms in my head. And that number could grow even larger in the future!”
“I intend to usher in an era of my own. And the key to that era will be these genetic organisms.”
“A plan! Dozens of species! The key to a new era! Pokémon!”
As Jiang Ming rattled off one astonishing statement after another, even Xue Wenhui, with his decades of life experience, found himself struggling to process everything.
Yet as he looked at Jiang Ming’s confident, almost flamboyant demeanor, he couldn’t help feeling deeply moved.
He had watched the Jiang brothers grow up.
Jiang Zheng, the elder brother, needed no introduction.
He had been recognized as a cultivation prodigy from childhood, and his life had proceeded smoothly ever since.
Jiang Ming, on the other hand, had always been a sensible child.
But after failing to awaken successfully and enduring all the gossip and criticism circulating outside, he had spent several years in low spirits before finally recovering. The source of this chapter is NovelPing.
Now, Jiang Ming had finally proven his own abilities.
Naturally, Xue Wenhui was delighted to see him succeed.
Our Xiao Ming has finally made something of himself!
“So, what are your plans from here?” Xue Wenhui asked formally.
He now regarded Jiang Ming as someone worthy of being treated as an equal.
Jiang Ming answered without the slightest hesitation.
“Publicity! Extensive publicity! We need to announce to all of Coastal City, the entire Donghuang Federation, and eventually the whole world that Zhengming Company now has the ability to create genetic organisms!”
For Jiang Ming, the most important thing at present was obtaining enough Reputation Points.
“Of course.”
Although their motivations differed, Xue Wenhui had reached the same conclusion.
He had ordered everyone to keep quiet for now, but there was no such thing as a completely airtight secret.
A newly created genetic organism was far too significant a development to remain hidden for long.
They might as well publicize it themselves and take control of the narrative.
“I’ll leave this matter in your hands, Uncle Xue.”
Jiang Ming respectfully poured him a cup of tea.
“Mm. But think carefully about this. Under the current regulations, a single Sunkern won’t be enough to prove that you truly possess the ability to create genetic organisms.”
Xue Wenhui reminded him.
“Don’t worry, Uncle Xue. Give me a little more time, and you’ll see plenty more Sunkern.”
Jiang Ming smiled confidently.
Xue Wenhui smiled as well.
“In that case, once your older brother returns, discuss whether these Sunkern could join the City Guard. We shouldn’t waste their combat potential.”
Jiang Ming, however, rejected the suggestion.
“Uncle Xue, Sunkern’s combat abilities are quite poor before it matures. I don’t want to cause trouble for my older brother.”
“Then what do you intend to do with them?”
“Generate electricity!”
Jiang Ming pointed toward Sunkern.
Having absorbed too much sunlight to make full use of it, the little Pokémon was releasing the excess energy it couldn’t absorb.
“Solar power generation!”