The three people in the lab had glimpsed the near future and knew Zhang Chen would enter.
However, what would happen next was unseen due to damaged equipment.
So, the three of them huddled together, shielding the only girl, Tang Zhilan, behind them, their faces contorted with fear as they stared at Zhang Chen.
"This… this is the ultimate life form of your world?"
Chen Ye asked with disbelief.
"This… our world doesn't have such pure humanoid life forms… besides us humans, everything else is just monsters!"
Tang Houde stammered, his face pale, genuinely terrified.
"You are Tang Houde?"
Upon seeing the faces of the researchers, Zhang Chen was taken aback.
This Tang Houde fellow was truly persistent; he encountered him everywhere.
"You… you know me?"
Tang Houde nervously pushed his glasses up his nose and asked.
"Never mind, that's not important. How is your progress with the time meteorite?"
"Also, do you know a man named Chen Xiao?"
Zhang Chen asked calmly.
"Chen Xiao?"
Hearing the name, Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat.
Wasn't that his son?
But he couldn't quite grasp Zhang Chen's intentions. What if he intended to harm his son?
So, he remained silent, fearing Zhang Chen might detect his thoughts, and deliberately turned his head away.
"No, we don't. Are you from our world? Why is there such powerful biological energy within your body? How did you manage to fuse biological energy with a human body?"
Tang Houde's curiosity gradually overcame his fear. He took a few steps forward, observing Zhang Chen up close.
"Your world?"
"Are you from the apocalyptic Water Blue Star?"
Zhang Chen looked at Tang Houde. He was indeed much younger than the Tang Houde he had encountered before.
Even younger than the Tang Houde wearing a blue ring whom Xu Ruina had taken in.
"As expected, I knew you were from our world!"
Tang Houde excitedly reached out to pat Zhang Chen, but the Level Three Red Alert on his wrist reminded him that this guy was not to be trifled with; a mere touch might cause him to vanish.
So, Tang Houde hesitated, his hands awkwardly clapping in mid-air.
"Which era are you currently in?"
Zhang Chen asked Tang Houde curiously.
"Me? Of course, it's the beginning of the apocalypse. We're currently hiding in the High Wall City, temporarily safe from the monster's invasion, but the High Wall is not a long-term solution!"
"Mo Pai, the representative of the Gene Faction, and I are researching ways to save humanity. I also arrived in this world by accident."
"We were actually betting on who could find a way to save humanity first…"
"But… seeing you, I understand. Mo Pai won; he actually managed to make humanity this powerful!"
"Tell me quickly, has the apocalypse in your timeline already ended?"
Tang Houde asked with admiration.
"In a sense, yes!"
Zhang Chen replied noncommittally.
He knew that the current Tang Houde was from the early days of the apocalypse, when Raven Studio had not yet split into the Progressive Faction and the Gene Faction, and they were still working and researching together.
Moreover, Tang Houde at this time did not show any hostility towards Mo Pai; rather, he seemed to have a sense of mutual appreciation.
"That's great. I should tell Mo Pai this good news when I go back. Although it might make him complacent for a long time, it doesn't matter, after all, humanity is saved!"
Tang Houde turned to Tang Zhilan and said.
"Perhaps this shouldn't be told to him. After all, this is news from the future. No one knows if telling him will cause him to become complacent… or do something unexpected, causing the timeline to change…"
Chen Ye cautiously reminded him.
"That's right, we just need to know this good news!"
Tang Zhilan also agreed.
"Then… alright, I'm really happy to hear this news!"
"However… since the apocalypse has already ended, why are you here in this world?"
"I haven't asked yet, what is your name?"
Tang Houde asked excitedly, becoming somewhat incoherent.
"My name is Zhang Chen. I'm here to find someone named Chen Xiao; he is crucial to the future."
"If we can't find him, then something more terrifying than apocalyptic creatures might appear!"
Zhang Chen did not elaborate on his grievances with Tang Houde and Xu Linna.
After all, those things had not happened yet, and Zhang Chen was not foolish enough to let his enemies prepare in advance to deal with him.
"Something more terrifying than apocalyptic creatures?"
Hearing Zhang Chen say this, Tang Houde's expression instantly soured.
"Yes, but since you don't know Chen Xiao, can you use the time meteorite to see when I might encounter him?"
"Or use your media to search for Chen Xiao worldwide. He is extremely important!"
Zhang Chen said solemnly again.
"Since you can control such powerful biological energy, can't you absorb some energy from the time meteorite? Then you could see the future yourself, or even travel through time and space?!"
Tang Houde suggested.
"I can't. The meteorites of creation and destruction in our world, their biological energy and the energy emitted by the time meteorite are mutually repulsive!"
"Otherwise, I would have taken the time meteorite directly and wouldn't be chatting with you!"
Zhang Chen said with a bitter expression, then continued:
"But Chen Xiao can. He can flexibly utilize the time meteorite, so if we find him, the crisis for both of our worlds will be resolved!"
"However, using global media… I'm afraid… we are scientists, we don't have that kind of authority…" Tang Houde frowned.
Even in the apocalypse, the authorities were still not scientists like Tang Houde and Mo Pai, but the people in the council.
They decided what could and could not be done.
It wasn't until years later, when the Progressive Faction gained dominance in fighting apocalyptic monsters, that they gradually acquired power. But before that, Tang Houde and Mo Pai were merely insignificant pawns of the council.
Similarly, although Chen Ye in this world had the support of the United Government, it was limited to supporting the research on time meteorites; they wouldn't help with other matters.
"Sigh…"
After repeated internal struggles, Chen Ye finally sighed and said,
"Chen Xiao is my son. He is only eleven years old this year. I don't think he can help you…"
"Besides, I've tested his genes, and he cannot absorb the energy of the time meteorite at all…"