Chapter 392: Chapter 43: On the Verge of the Fifth Deep Evolution

In the mall, Lu Li is lost in thought.

Logically speaking, it’s a good thing that no media dares to reveal my true appearance.

After all, this way, no one will disturb my life.

If anything happens, I can act wantonly under the guise of my pseudonym.

Yet, deep down inside, he has a craving to expose his identity.

Actually, Lu Li knows that exposing his identity brings him no benefits.

But that little sense of loss is there simply because his identity remains hidden.

He doesn’t quite understand why.

Thinking about this, Lu Li and Liu Kexin walk into the Nike store.

Liu Kexin walks ahead, “Let’s pick a couple of sports outfits for you here first; later we’ll head to Mei Luo and buy some nice clothes.”

Lu Li follows her, suddenly asking a question, “Kexin, have you watched those superhero movies adapted from American comics?”

“I have seen a few.” Liu Kexin walks to a row of clothes, picks up a white T-shirt, “This shirt looks nice, do you want to try it on?”

Lu Li takes it casually, “I’ll try it later. Have you seen ’Batman’ and ’Iron Man’?”

Liu Kexin turns her head, “I have, why?”

Lu Li voices the doubt in his heart, “What do you think, why does Batman hide his identity? Whereas Iron Man chooses to reveal his?”

Liu Kexin thinks for a moment and says, “Personally, I feel Batman hides his identity to become a ’sword’, while Iron Man reveals his to become a ’beacon’.”

Lu Li didn’t quite understand, “Can you elaborate?”

Liu Kexin continues picking clothes, speaking offhandedly, “Whether in Marvel or DC Cosmos, or other types of superhero works, every superhero essentially embodies a signal. Oftentimes, we are not watching the character itself but the signal this character releases in the built environment of the plot.”

Lu Li slightly nods, agreeing with what she’s said.

Liu Kexin continues slowly speaking, “Just like the nights of Gotham City in DC, in its dark alleyways where one might fall into the trap of growing evil at any moment, Batman becomes the ’sun’ in those chilly corners, a ’Damocles’ Sword’ above every budding evil. For Batman, from the character’s origin and encounters to the danger level of the opponents he faces, hiding his identity is Batman’s way to ensure that his ’Damocles’ Sword’ remains sharp enough, existing long enough to curb evil, making every evil hesitate before rampaging, this is Batman’s willingness to become a signal projected in Gotham City’s night sky, representing a more ’fearsome’ presence.”

Lu Li finds this analysis aligns with Batman’s character.

Liu Kexin brings out a black T-shirt, “And for Marvel New York City, when Iron Man steps out of the armor, revealing his real face under the spotlight, he is also sending a signal. Fans familiar with Iron Man know, in the movie, before Iron Man’s arrival, Tony Stark is nothing more than the boss of a war tragedy-making factory, where the most profitable business of Stark Industries is indeed arms dealing. During this time, Tony Stark represents a typical rich man living in the clouds, never witnessing the disaster his most profitable business brings to the lower people.”

She pauses slightly, “However, after Tony Stark’s cave journey, maintaining his life with a battery, witnessing the fall of the assistant who helped him, saying with a smile to reunite with his family, it’s then that this era’s Tony Stark finally awakens from intoxication. He decides to become a ’beacon’ in reality that’s exceptionally cold and dark under the bright daylight, which was achieved not just through the armor suit but also by deciding to cut off his most profitable business, reveal his identity, making Tony Stark’s real identity the ’fuel’ of this beacon, sending a signal of ’hope’ to those ordinary people in dire straits.”

Lu Li seems to understand somewhat.

Liu Kexin is very smart, roughly realizing why her boyfriend asked this question.

So as she hands over the black T-shirt, she says in a meaningful tone, “Whether Batman or Iron Man, hiding their identity or revealing it, all it does is send out a signal of their attitude to the outside world. Therefore, sometimes personal attitude is important, important enough to define what kind of person you become.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Li falls into contemplation.

Exactly, as Liu Kexin said, the choices of Iron Man and Batman depend on their personal attitudes, based on what type of person they hope to become.

Then, what kind of person do I really want to be?

This is a question that Lu Li has pondered before.

Only those times of pondering were mostly before unlocking the gene.

For example, when I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a scientist or police officer.

After growing up, I hoped to leave school and become a super-rich like Old Ma or Xiao Ma.

I suppose, like most people, I once had similar growth aspirations.

However, after the gene unlock, Lu Li hasn’t truly thought about what type of person he wants to be.

The only thing he knows is that given the current progress of evolution, he’s already as powerful as a god.

Most importantly, this is just the starting point, not the final destination.

“No matter how far evolution goes, if possible, I definitely don’t want to leave Earth…”

Lu Li falls into enlightenment, “Since I decide to stay on Earth, I definitely need to assign myself a suitable identity, maybe relying on the immensely powerful force ’not eating beef’, or perhaps sticking to my criteria as a human, when encountering unjust or unfair matters should I intervene?”

He enters the fitting room to try on the sports T-shirt, still in enlightenment.

“I’ve always been quite lazy, not wanting my surroundings to be filled with troubles day in and day out.”

Lu Li is very certain about this, “Hence, I probably won’t become a superhero, and won’t rush to ’uphold justice’ wherever there’s unfairness or injustice, that kind of thing doesn’t suit me.”

He gradually starts to have some ideas, “In fact, I just want to live peacefully, have enough security in life, and get along well with family and loved ones.”

From this, it’s clear that I’m not suited to be “Batman.”

After all, his “Damocles’ Sword” is meant to intimidate the “evil” lurking in the shadows.

Similarly, I’m not suited to be “Iron Man” either.

Lu Li clearly understood that he needed to send a message to the outside world: don’t provoke me or the people around me.

However, becoming a “beacon” like Iron Man would only attract more “mosquitoes.”

But if I don’t become a “beacon,” there will surely be people unaware of the situation who will inadvertently provoke me or those around me.

From this perspective, revealing my identity seems more appropriate.

“Having ’mosquitoes’ hover around the light is better than having them annoyingly land on me.”

Lu Li gradually made up his mind, “I should indeed reveal my identity and let the whole world know that the ’Ancestor’ is a living person who should never be provoked.”

Even if I decide to reveal my identity, there are some “prerequisites” that need to be met.

For instance, letting the people around me know that I’m the “Ancestor” first.

To give my parents, relatives, and friends a psychological heads-up in advance.

Additionally, Lu Li is not someone who likes to make a fuss.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have given himself the “Ancestor” as a “disguise.”

Therefore, he figured he probably wouldn’t actively reveal his true identity.

In other words, if someone exposed it, he could accept it.

As for loudly proclaiming to the world that he is the Ancestor, that was unnecessary.

“Okay, that’s what I’ll do.”

Lu Li completely sorted out his thoughts.

For some reason, at this moment, having made the decision, he felt a wave of “relief” throughout his body.

It was as if a “shackle” he had worn for a long time was finally unlocked, just like the day he unlocked his genes.

The difference being, that time was a genetic unlocking.

This time it was a “mental unlocking” for his soul.

When this “relief” emerged from deep within his soul.

Lu Li inexplicably felt a “surge of energy” within his body.

Like fish swimming in water, so “cheerful and lively.”

The next moment, Lu Li sensed that he seemed to be releasing a special “hormone,” greatly accelerating his evolution speed.

In the blink of an eye, he felt much stronger.

Another blink, and he felt both his physical self and his “true self” had become much stronger.

This terrifying speed of evolution shocked Lu Li, making him think there might be something wrong with his body.

He calmly felt it for a moment, confirmed it was merely a terrifying increase in evolution speed with no negative effects on his body, and then he relaxed.

A moment later, after changing clothes, Lu Li already felt he was on the brink of a fifth deep evolution.

The only thing lacking now is how to obtain vast energy to complete this evolution.

At this moment, Lu Li finally understood why the ancients sought “enlightenment.”

It turns out that once your mind and spirit are “clear and refreshed,” the benefits to yourself are enormous.

So enormous that evolution becomes exceptionally rapid.

“I don’t have time to delay any further.”

Standing outside, Lu Li looked at Liu Kexin in front of the fitting mirror, his gaze becoming profound. “I need to ask Liu Kexin now if she’s willing, before I evolve, to conceive a child. Otherwise, after the fifth deep evolution, I can’t guarantee there won’t be a ’reproductive isolation’ from humans.”

With this thought, he stepped forward and softly said, “Kexin.”

Liu Kexin looked over, her eyes lighting up, and said, “This white T-shirt looks really good on you.”

Lu Li didn’t respond to that topic. Instead, he asked softly and tenderly, “I don’t have much time left. Have you… made up your mind?”

Liu Kexin, seeing Lu Li so serious, blushed slightly, sneaking a peek at the saleswoman nearby, then whispered, “I… I’ve made up my mind, I… I… am… willing!”

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