I am the Clone of a Death Row Inmate-Chapter 85: Knowledge Is Power

Zhang Kun was taken aback. He didn’t know why his father had suddenly changed his mind the moment Su Ze arrived.

A moment later, Su Ze walked into Zhang Tai’s office and sat down nonchalantly. Seeing Zhang Kun standing ramrod straight, he asked in confusion, "Mr. Kun, why aren’t you sitting? What are you standing there for?"

Zhang Kun’s expression was a little unnatural, but he still sat down on the sofa next to Su Ze.

Zhang Tai looked at Su Ze and asked, "Did you successfully digest it?"

Su Ze nodded. "Yes, and I must thank the organization for gifting me the natural medicine."

Zhang Tai asked, feigning ignorance, "So, are you here to return the remaining medicine?"

"I finished it all. How else could I have digested it so quickly?" Su Ze said. "I mostly came to see you, Mr. Zhang, and I also have a few things I’d like to ask your advice on."

Zhang Tai chuckled and chided him, "Alright, cut the act. Just say it. What type of extract are you looking for?"

Su Ze gave a wry grin. "Mr. Zhang, you’re always so direct. I’d like to first see what our motherland has in its reserves. Would that be possible?"

"You little rascal, getting picky now, are you?"

Shaking his head with a smile, Zhang Tai picked up the phone on his desk and gave a few instructions. A moment later, a junior assistant came in with a file and placed it on Zhang Tai’s desk.

Zhang Tai handed the file to Su Ze. "See for yourself. This lists all the Tier 2, S-rank extracts currently in the Dongli Kingdom’s inventory. There aren’t that many. It’s useless to hoard these things; turning them into combat power as soon as possible is the best way to use them."

Su Ze took the file and gave it a quick scan. Zhang Tai had said there weren’t many, but there were actually seventy or eighty of them!

Every single vial of a Tier 2, S-rank extract had a detailed record: which beast it came from, the skills that could be obtained, the effects of each skill, and the date it was added to the Dongli Kingdom’s national treasury.

Zhang Tai reminded him, "This list is sorted by acquisition date. The ones at the top are the newest. You should pick from the top down. The ones at the bottom are all leftovers that others have passed on; they more or less have some issues." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Su Ze nodded. Some S-rank extracts had skills that weren’t practical, or were purely for support. As a result, those who were qualified to take them didn’t want them, and those who wanted them weren’t qualified to get them. Over time, they became leftover stock.

He began to carefully screen them from the top.

Zhang Kun watched from the side, green with envy. Although the three extracts he absorbed during his Pupa Stage were all S-rank, aside from one his dad gave him as a coming-of-age gift, the other two were ones he had fought tooth and nail for himself.

One vial he bought with over ten million he’d saved up from painstakingly completing missions, plus another ninety million his mom gave him.

The other was a reward for ranking first in the new student assessment when he was admitted to Dongli University.

He had never received the kind of treatment Su Ze was getting—dozens of S-rank extracts to choose from, with the Dongli Kingdom’s government footing the bill.

Su Ze focused on reading through the list line by line. No one rushed him, and he studied it very carefully.

He noticed the list contained many extracts from Marine Beasts. Since the Dongli Kingdom bordered the sea to the east, they likely hunted in the ocean often, resulting in a rich supply of Marine Beast extracts.

Among the extracts in the first half of the list, some were decent, but none particularly captivated Su Ze.

The second half gradually started to fall off in quality. For example, there were many Marine Beast extracts whose signature skills only reached their full potential in water, with their effects being greatly diminished on land.

There were also some extracts suitable for researchers like Liou Wenxin, with skills that had no combat application and were purely for aiding in learning and research.

As Su Ze continued reading, his heart couldn’t help but sink. If this were back when he had just completed his first evolution, there would have been plenty on this list for him to choose from. But now, after absorbing the Undying Salamander and Mutated Giant Crocodile extracts, his standards had risen, and many of the extracts’ skills overlapped with ones he already possessed.

’If only Liou Wenxin were here...’ Su Ze once again found himself missing the days with Liou Wenxin. In a situation like this, Liou Wenxin would definitely have been able to sift through the pile of extracts and find the one most suitable for him.

Su Ze’s eyes quickly scanned the bottom half of the list. Just as Zhang Tai had said, the further down he went, the less reliable the extracts became, and the longer they had been in storage—from one year to over five years...

This made him realize something: not all S-rank extracts were powerful. Some were so trashy they were even worse than A-rank or even B-rank extracts.

Especially the very last extract on the list—it had been in storage for a full twenty-three years!

It was older than he was.

Simply outrageous.

’Wait, what is this extract that’s been in storage for twenty-three years?’

Su Ze’s body suddenly stiffened. His eyes fixed on the last entry of the list, and he began to carefully read the description of this "old employee" of the Dongli Kingdom’s treasury.

**[Mutated Upright Ape Extract]**

Level: Tier 2, S+ Rank

Obtainable Skills: Knowledge is Power, Giant Force Smash, Frenzied Bite, Barbaric Charge, Merciless Roar, Celestial Falling Heavy Hammer, Iron Mountain Lean...

Note: The Mutated Upright Ape is a mutant simian beast. It possesses a powerful learning ability and can learn the relatively simple skills of other beasts, turning them into its own Talent Skills.

Su Ze noticed that this extract was rated S+ Rank. This rating wasn’t official, but it showed that the Dongli Kingdom’s officials believed this extract’s level surpassed that of an ordinary Tier 2, S-rank extract.

Su Ze guessed that this Mutated Upright Ape was probably similar to the Mutated Giant Crocodile—both had mutated into powerful existences that far surpassed others of the same tier.

The number of skills that could be absorbed from this extract was truly immense. Normally, a single beast couldn’t possibly master so many skills. This was likely related to the Mutated Upright Ape’s powerful learning ability, as mentioned in the note; it had acquired many of its skills through learning.

And among the dozen or so obtainable skills, only one was its initial skill. It was precisely this skill that had captured Su Ze’s attention.

’Knowledge is Power... I don’t know who came up with that name for the skill, but it’s surprisingly fitting.’

Knowledge is Power: Passive Skill. For each skill mastered, the body receives one enhancement (a comprehensive boost to strength, speed, and durability).

This skill, combined with the Mutated Upright Ape’s ability to learn skills, was a perfect match.

Every time the Mutated Upright Ape learned a new skill, it gained a full-body attribute enhancement. One could only imagine how powerful the physique of a Mutated Upright Ape that had mastered so many skills would be!

When Su Ze saw this skill, he suddenly realized it was a perfect match for him as well.

Because of his Evolution Divine Grace Skill, he also had more skills than other people.

This also meant that if he mastered this skill, the number of body enhancements he could receive would be greater than that of other evolvers.

Besides, when he didn’t know which skill to choose, a passive, attribute-boosting skill like this was a choice he absolutely couldn’t go wrong with.

’Stats are always useful, no matter what.’

Su Ze put down the list in his hands, looked up at Zhang Tai, and said, "Mr. Zhang, I’ve made my choice. I want the Mutated Upright Ape Extract."

Zhang Tai’s hand, which was holding a teacup, trembled. The scalding tea spilled onto his leg, but he paid it no mind, his eyes wide as he asked, "Are you sure?"