Chapter 127: Chapter 127: The Reward That Wasn’t

[AN: I am about to do a massive info dump, am so sorry, you can skip it if you are not interested in the technical details]

STARR ADVANCED RESEARCH DIVISION – FUSION REACTOR CONTROL ROOM – 3 DAYS AGO.

The control room was in chaos—of course the good kind.

“Sustained fusion confirmed!” Dr. Amara shouted over the noise of cheering researchers. Her hands were shaking as she stared at the monitors. “Temperature stable at 152 million Kelvin! Magnetic confinement holding at 80 Tesla! Power output registering 4,850 megawatts continuous!”

[Note: I changed the Tesla value from 295 to 80, because a 295-tesla magnetic field is incredibly strong—about 10,000 times more powerful than a standard MRI machine. To give you an idea of its strength, it only takes 16 Tesla to make a frog float in mid-air.

At 295 Tesla, the environment becomes extremely dangerous:

Crushing Pressure: The magnetic force is so intense it creates massive physical pressure, enough to crush or tear apart most objects nearby. So if such a magnet is put in the fusion reactor, as soon as it is turned on, Explosion. Metal Destruction: Any metal objects containing iron would be violently pulled or destroyed instantly. Total Chaos: Because the forces are so extreme, the immediate area would be completely uninhabitable and physically ruined.

]

Around her, researchers were hugging each other. Some were crying. Dr. Martinez had her phone out, taking pictures of the displays. Someone had even smuggled in a bottle of champagne and was spraying it everywhere like they’d just won a championship. It was truly a day to celebrate.

Thirty years. That was how long the fusion research community had been chasing this dream. Tens of Billions of credits spent in tax payer money. Countless failed experiments and accidents. Countless manufacturing problems. Previous Governments, now Federation failed. Multiple Private corporations had all tried and also spectacularly failed.

And now it was done. They achieved controlled fusion.

The fusion reactor hummed in its containment chamber beyond the observation window. Through the camera placed inside the reactor, Orion could see the faint glow of plasma contained by invisible magnetic fields. Deuterium nuclei fusing together. Helium forming. Energy flooding into the thermoelectric blankets that surrounded the reaction chamber. Clean power at commercial scale.

Three months ahead of schedule.

Orion stood at the back of the control room, watching the celebration. He should have been happy. Should have been celebrating with them. Walking over to accept congratulations. Smiling and shaking hands.

Instead, he was frozen in place.

A translucent blue and golden window had appeared in his vision. Floating there like a hologram that only he could see. The same interface he’d seen once before—two months ago, right after waking up in this body. Right after the consciousness transfer that had made him Orion Starr instead of Runar Cross.

The system.

The mysterious entity that had given him the mission. That had promised rewards for advancing this civilization. That had been completely silent for two months while he worked.

It was back.

Nobody else could see it. Dr. Zhao was on his phone, shouting excitedly to someone about the results. A technician was double-checking power output numbers. Dr. Chen was explaining something technical to a colleague, gesturing wildly at a screen.

They couldn’t see the blue window. Only Orion could.

His heart started beating faster.

The notification expanded, text appearing line by line:

SYSTEM NOTIFICATION

CONGRATULATIONS, HOST

Mission Objective Status: COMPLETED

Task: Construct Functional Nuclear Fusion Reactor

Completion Time: 3 months ahead of projected schedule

Performance Rating: EXCEPTIONAL

Quality Assessment: Design exceeds minimum specifications by 340%

Civilization Impact: Significant advancement detected

CALCULATING REWARDS…

REWARDS GRANTED:

Primary Reward:

→ Exotic Energy Synthesis Method [UPLOADING TO HOST CONSCIOUSNESS…]

Secondary Reward:

→ System Library: Tier 2 Technology Section [ACCESS GRANTED]

Additional Rewards for Early Completion:

→ Cultivation Technique: Stellar Body Refinement Method [UPLOADING…]

→ System Feature: Dimensional Storage Matrix [ACTIVATED]

→ System Upgrade: Advanced Simulation Code Matrix [INSTALLING…]

→ System Feature: Time Dilation – Library Mode [UNLOCKED]

→ Ability Enhancement: Psychic Enhancement Serum

→ Knowledge Package: Complete Genetic Engineering Codex [UPLOADING…]

Data transfer initiating in 3… 2… 1…

Orion’s vision blurred. The control room around him seemed to fade slightly. He felt warmth spreading through his head—not painful, but intense. Like his brain was expanding to accommodate something massive.

Information flooded his consciousness. Not through reading. Not through studying. Direct transfer. Knowledge appearing in his memory as if it had always been there. Complete. Perfect. Accessible.

The Exotic Energy Synthesis Method downloaded first.

Orion had been hoping for a machine. Something sleek and technological. A device that would produce exotic energy continuously. Something he could build and scale up immediately.

What he got instead made his excitement die instantly.

The upload completed. Orion accessed the new knowledge.

Biological organisms. Genetically modified plants and algae. Growth chambers. Harvesting systems.

And a yield of 2-5 milligrams of qi per square meter per day.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Orion muttered under his breath.

Dr. Okafor noticed him standing alone at the back of the room. She walked over, still grinning wide. Her eyes were a little red from crying. “Mr. Starr! We did it! This is the greatest achievement of my career. Your design—it’s perfect. Better than perfect. We’re going to change the world with this.”

Orion forced himself to smile. Pushed down the disappointment. This wasn’t the time. “Congratulations, Dr. Okafor. You and your team did excellent work. The execution was flawless. Take the rest of the day to celebrate. You’ve earned it.”

“Aren’t you going to celebrate with us?” She gestured toward the crowd. Someone had found plastic cups and was pouring champagne.

“I have some things to review,” Orion said. “New data came in. Time-sensitive. But please, enjoy yourselves. This is your victory.”

Dr. Okafor’s smile dimmed slightly, but she nodded. “Alright. But we’re having a proper celebration dinner tomorrow night. You better be there.”

“I’ll try.”

She rejoined her team. Orion watched them for a moment longer—their joy, their relief, their pride. They’d accomplished something incredible. Something that would change human civilization.

He just wished the system’s reward felt as revolutionary.

Orion walked out of the control room quietly. Down the hallway past other laboratories where researchers were hearing the news and starting their own celebrations. The facility was buzzing with excitement.

He found an empty conference room three corridors away. Locked the door behind him. Sat down heavily in one of the chairs.

“Rene,” he said through the BCI earbuds. “I need privacy. No interruptions unless it’s an emergency.”

“Understood,” Rene replied immediately. Her voice came through the bone conduction speakers, calm and professional. “Routing all calls to voicemail. Marking your status as unavailable. Is everything alright, Orion?”

“Just… processing something. I’ll fill you in later.”

“Of course. I’m here when you need me.”

Orion closed his eyes and dove deep into the uploaded knowledge about the Exotic Energy Synthesis Method.

BIOLOGICAL QI SYNTHESIS METHOD – PHASE 1

The information was incredibly detailed. Comprehensive. Scientifically rigorous down to the atomic level.

And completely dependent on freaking living organisms.

THE ORGANISM:

The system had designated two variants:

“Qi-algae” – aquatic version, modified from Chlorella vulgaris

“Spirit Moss” – terrestrial version, modified from Marchantia polymorpha

Both required extensive genetic modifications. The knowledge package included complete genetic sequences—47 custom genes that didn’t exist in nature. Modifications to existing photosynthetic pathways. Instructions for creating three entirely novel cellular organelles that had no Earth equivalent.

The base organisms were simple. Common. Easy to grow. But what the system wanted him to turn them into was anything but simple.

REQUIRED GENETIC MODIFICATIONS:

Insert 47 custom genes (complete sequences provided in the knowledge package)

Modify 12 existing genes in the photosynthetic pathway

Create three novel organelles from scratch (complete cellular blueprints provided)

Restructure cellular membrane to include new protein channels

Add enhanced metabolic regulation system

FUNCTION:

The modified organism would absorb various forms of energy and convert it into exotic energy through specialized biological processes that shouldn’t be possible according to current Earth science.

ENERGY ABSORPTION CAPABILITIES:

The knowledge showed the organisms could process multiple energy types:

Sunlight (primary source, highest efficiency)

Thermal radiation (heat from any source)

Electrical current (could be fed directly into growth medium)

Electromagnetic radiation (radio waves, microwaves, even gamma radiation)

Nuclear radiation (could actually grow near fusion reactors safely)

The versatility was impressive. But that didn’t solve the core problem.

THE PROCESS:

Orion reviewed how it would work:

Step 1: Energy enters the cell through modified chloroplasts and new membrane protein channels.

Step 2: Normal photosynthesis occurs, producing ATP and glucose like any plant.

Step 3: Secondary metabolic pathway activates, using ATP as fuel for something more complex.

Step 4: Three novel organelles (designated Alpha, Beta, and Gamma in the knowledge) process the energy through mechanisms the system data didn’t fully explain.

The Alpha organelle was modified from mitochondrial structure but served a completely different function—some kind of energy reception and standardization system.

The Beta organelle had no Earth equivalent at all. The blueprint showed crystalline structures at the cellular level. Quantum-level energy processing. Things that shouldn’t be possible in a living cell.

The Gamma organelle was where the actual exotic energy synthesis occurred. The system data showed what genes to insert to create it. Showed the protein structures. Showed the cellular machinery. But it didn’t explain how it actually produced exotic energy. Just that it did.

Step 5: Exotic energy produced as a gaseous byproduct. Released through specialized pores in the cell membrane, similar to how plants release oxygen during photosynthesis.

COLLECTION SYSTEM:

The knowledge included complete designs:

Sealed growth chambers with transparent walls (to allow light penetration)

Organisms grown in thin films or suspended cultures (maximize surface area exposure)

Qi gas accumulates in upper portion of sealed chamber

Compression and storage systems (specialized container designs provided)

Continuous harvest cycle

GROWTH REQUIREMENTS:

At least this part was simple:

Temperature: 20-30°C (comfortable room temperature)

Light: Full spectrum, 1000-2000 lux minimum (bright but not extreme)

Nutrients: Standard hydroponic solution (recipes provided)

Atmosphere: Normal air with CO₂ supplementation

Maintenance: Minimal once established (organisms self-sustaining through normal reproduction)

ADVANTAGES:

The system had helpfully listed these:

✓ Completely biological, self-sustaining system

✓ Only requires energy input (which is abundant)

✓ Scales naturally with growth area

✓ Relatively safe (no dangerous chemical reactions)

✓ Organisms maintain population through normal cell division

✓ Can operate indefinitely with proper care

✓ No mechanical parts to break down

THE CRUSHING PROBLEM:

Production Yield: 2-5 milligrams of exotic energy per square meter per day

Orion stared at that number in his mind’s eye. Letting it fully sink.

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