The material supply district was just as chaotic and vibrant as Lin Ke remembered. The air was still thick with the strange, pungent smells of monster parts and alchemical reagents. But this time, as Lin Ke walked its crowded streets, something was different. It wasn't the district that had changed; it was him.
He was no longer a desperate, unknown candidate pinching every credit. He was a champion, a professional tamer with a purpose and the capital to fund it. He walked with a quiet confidence, his gaze sweeping past the common stalls, and made his way directly to the same reputable store that specialized in genetic materials he had visited before.
The same shrewd old merchant was behind the counter, polishing a piece of monster bone. He looked up as Lin Ke entered, his eyes initially dismissive, but then widening in recognition.
"Well, well," the merchant said, his entire demeanor changing. He put down the bone and leaned forward with a respectful, business-like smile. "If it isn't the new champion himself. Lin Ke, wasn't it? Your final match was the talk of the entire district. That was some... creative strategy."
"I'm here for some materials," Lin Ke said, getting straight to the point, unfazed by the recognition.
"Of course, of course! For a champion like you, only the best. What do you need?" the merchant asked eagerly.
"Ten vials of standard Active Cell Culture Medium," Lin Ke began, "and one High-Purity Geode, approximately five kilograms."
The merchant's eyebrows shot up at the second item. The culture medium was a common request, but a geode of that size and purity was a high-end material used by serious researchers and professional tamers for advanced conditioning.
"A fine choice," the merchant said, his eyes gleaming. "The medium is 30,000 credits for the ten vials. As for the geode... I have one of exceptional quality that came in last week. Flawless crystalline structure. For you, Champion... 350,000 credits."
It was an exorbitant price, enough to buy a luxury vehicle. A month ago, it would have been an impossible dream. Lin Ke didn't even blink. "I'll take it," he said, holding out his terminal.
The merchant's smile widened. This young man wasn't just talented; he was wealthy. He quickly completed the transaction, the number on Lin Ke's account balance decreasing significantly but still remaining comfortably large. The merchant carefully packed the vials and then, from a secure vault behind the counter, brought out a heavy, lead-lined box containing the geode.
As he handed it over, the merchant leaned in conspiratorially. "Champion," he said in a lower voice. "A tamer of your caliber is clearly working on a significant project. A bit of free information for a valued customer... My sources tell me that the annual 'Starfall Auction' is happening next month. It's a private, high-end affair, but with your new rank, you could get an invitation. They say a 'Fragment of a Fallen Star' is rumored to be one of the main items this year."
Lin Ke's heart skipped a beat. A "Fallen Star." The name was a clear parallel to the "Stardust Core" his Gene Editor had listed as a requirement for his mythical egg. This was an invaluable piece of intelligence.
"Thank you," Lin Ke said, giving the merchant a nod of genuine gratitude. "I will look into it."
He left the shop with his prize, the heavy box containing the final component for the Rock Vole's evolution. The information about the auction was already being filed away in his mind for his next grand project.
But for now, his focus was singular. He returned to his lab and laid out the three core components on the sterile steel workbench. The gentle, amber glow of the Earthheart Crystal. The dense, shimmering High-Purity Geode. The ten vials of clear, viscous culture medium.
Everything was ready.
The Rock Vole, sensing the gravity of the moment, hopped onto the bench, looking at the strange, powerful objects and then up at its master.
Lin Ke met his partner's gaze, a confident and excited smile on his face. "It's time," he said. "Time to unleash the titan sleeping inside you."