Chapter 19: The Light in the Darkness

“…It has now been accurately concluded that ability users are selected mutants.
This is essentially a natural selection process—a survival of the fittest.
Those who adapt to the mutation unlock their genetic limitations and gain power far beyond ordinary humans.
For those who cannot withstand the mutation, the mutated cells become an outright poison—devouring them completely, while also dragging countless new victims into a deep abyss of painful despair…”

“These people who successfully adapted to the mutation were later called ‘ability users’ by scholars.
It was precisely because of the emergence of these ability users that the mutation—once a source of universal dread—gained a new synonym.”

“…That term is ‘evolution’.”

“When ability users were first discovered, most people did not realize what kind of impact their appearance would have on the entire human world. On the one hand, they were limited by the situation at the time—in the beginning, the number of mutants was very limited, and the number of people who could successfully pass the ‘selection’ to become ability users was even rarer. When people saw ability users, besides envy and jealousy, there was also exclusion and resistance.”

After all, the rise of ability users came at the cost of countless lives.

From that perspective, it wasn’t hard to understand why many people harbored resentment or even hostility toward them.

The cold, scientific term “evolution” only intensified the social rift, deepening the conflict between the two groups:
ordinary humans and ability users.

Luo Yan shook her head slightly and continued reading:
“…Another reason why ability users did not attract enough attention from the public at the beginning was that there was no systematic way to cultivate ability users at that time. The advantage of ability users who had not fully developed their talents compared to ordinary people was merely better physical fitness, explosive power, and reaction speed…”

“Of course, the above facts are only described from the perspective of ordinary people. In fact, at that time, many countries and interest groups had noticed the importance of ability users and regarded it as a turning point in the new era, conducting a large amount of research work…”

“Some countries and independent cities that had made leading progress in ability research took this opportunity to develop better. The world’s landscape also quietly changed in this process. At the same time, various methods for guiding ability cultivation appeared in people’s vision like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Specialized ability user schools thus came into being.”

“…As the ability cultivation system continued to develop and improve, the gap between ability users and ordinary people gradually widened. It was only after the appearance of ‘Transcendent’ level ability users that people belatedly realized that high-level ability users had almost surpassed human cognition…”

“Today’s scholars generally regard the year 2006, when the first ‘Transcendent’ level ability user was born, as another turning point of the era. Looking back, ability users, as a special group that had been controversial since their appearance, now had a completely different social status. More importantly, in the same year, the proportion of ability users in the world’s population reached 10 times that of the millennium, which was 0.3%.”

“At the same time, based on the gradual expansion of the scale of ability users and the deepening of research on abilities, people who believed that they had a relatively comprehensive grasp of abilities finally jointly established four successively increasing levels to distinguish the abilities of ability users in this year—Aberrant, Awakening, Luminous, and Transcendent. To this day, people still use this classification system when distinguishing the level of ability users. However, around the year 2020, ability users more powerful than Transcendent appeared…”

“Because the mutated genes can be inherited by the offspring, coupled with the environmental changes over the past twenty years, ability users have become increasingly active on the world stage. According to the latest statistics, the proportion of ability users in the world’s total population in the year 2025 reached 1.3%. Relevant experts predict that this data will continue to expand at a high speed, but some experts have also analyzed the potential mutated population and pointed out that a proportion of 1.5% is already approaching the threshold and will reach its peak in at most 10 years, after which it will enter a stable period…”

This book had been written in 2025, but it was now 2030.

So the “latest” statistics were already outdated.

According to the most recent data Luo Yan had found online, the current proportion of ability users had already reached 1.5%.

In just five years, the number had increased by 0.2 percentage points, and there was no sign of it slowing down.

The experts who had predicted a “peak” must be having a hard time saving face right about now.

A thoughtful glint flashed in Luo Yan’s eyes.

“At 1.5%, that means about 3 out of every 200 people are ability users.”
“This proportion is actually quite high.”

Based on the classification in the book, her own ability level—Awakening—meant she had just crossed the beginner’s threshold.

It wasn’t surprising.

After all, even in Lu Xiaona’s ability school, someone at the Awakening level was still considered a student, albeit a more outstanding one.

Still a long way to go…

Waiting for her were the Luminous, the Transcendent, and even the unknown levels beyond Transcendent.

After finishing the history book, Luo Yan pulled out a few ability-related textbooks, including the official material used at the Neo Aonan First Ability School, where Lu Xiaona studied.

As expected of a textbook, it was dense and technical.

Luo Yan had half-expected something like a “martial arts manual”, but the reality was far more academic—filled with theories, formulas, and scientific models.

Even thirty years after the Millennium Mutation, humanity still preferred to analyze abilities through the lens of traditional science.

“One more thing that underachievers can’t do… Tsk, how tragic.”

Luo Yan sighed inwardly.

She could barely make sense of most of the formulas, but fortunately, she had her system panel—an advantage no one else had.

If it weren’t for the Advent Project constantly looming in the background, her situation would actually be quite enviable.

It was now clear that this world’s ability cultivation system still primarily focused on theoretical study and practical combat.

As far as she could tell, there was no one else like her—someone who could cultivate abilities through an internal system.

At least, not according to any textbook she’d read so far.

That said, there were mentions of other cultivation methods beyond just theory and combat.

However, the textbook authors clearly held a cautious, skeptical attitude toward these alternative practices.

Luo Yan skimmed through those sections briefly—until a certain term caught her attention.

Her eyes narrowed.

Odegaard Extraction Method.

Her interest was instantly piqued.