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Due to Simba's voracious appetite being too extreme, Ivan dared not keep it near the other magical animals. Otherwise, it would eventually consume all the magical animals he had raised. As a result, he brought Simba to the castle, where the elf named Winky was put in charge of feeding him.
Soon, Ivan discovered another issue: Simba was ingesting too much, accumulating excessive nutrients. His previously halted growth resumed, and within a month, he grew from one meter to over two meters. With the increasing body size, the food intake also rose.
In Ivan's heart, Simba remained his beloved pet. He was determined not to let Simba grow into a towering monster. After researching the matter, he decided to use the energy from the castle's nodes to enhance Simba's body, maximizing the energy capacity of large cells.
Thus, Ivan placed Simba in a cultivation tank, initiating the strengthening process. However, a new problem surfaced. Ivan noticed that some energy extracted from the ground had peculiar characteristics. After Simba absorbed it, he displayed violent tendencies.
Further research by Ivan revealed that this energy had dark attributes reminiscent of the mysterious Yin energy in Chinese legends—negative energy associated with earth spirits and evil entities like zombies and monsters.
This revelation sparked a unique idea in Ivan's mind. He remembered obtaining a zombie in China and extracting the T-virus from its body. Combining this virus with another extract from a vampire, Ivan created an upgraded T-virus. The zombie had been sealed until now, seemingly fit for use.
Using an ancient Chinese method, Ivan extracted the negative energy and infused it into the zombie's body. Simultaneously, purified positive energy was employed to strengthen Simba.
Three years later, Simba thrived, his physique growing orderly. However, the zombie's transformation exceeded Ivan's expectations. Absorbing considerable negative energy caused the zombie to develop white hair, then black hair, and mutate its joints, continuously enhancing its physique and shocking Ivan with its speed.
One day, the zombie seemingly broke a limit, gene-changing right before Ivan's eyes. It turned into a liquid, reassembling and collapsing repeatedly under the influence of negative energy. Ivan injected the upgraded T-virus, and the zombie assumed a human appearance, yet genetically differed from humans, becoming a distinct creature.
The evolved zombie lacked memories, treating Ivan as a parental figure, obeying his every command. After testing its physical prowess, Ivan released the now-named General. The zombie's capabilities were extraordinary, transforming into a snake monster with a white face and fangs. It emitted a scorching aura, dispersing dark clouds and causing significant climate changes within hundreds of miles.
Ivan deduced that the monster he created was a dreadfish, a legendary entity associated with severe droughts. Despite planning to name the zombie Nuxian, he settled on calling him the General. Besides possessing infinite zombie power, General exhibited vampire-like speed, abnormal recovery abilities, and the unique capacity to rapidly divide and grow cells, turning into a giant. While theoretically limitless, his current height limit stood at thirty meters due to increased gravitational forces.
Although Ivan possesses a formidable force in the form of the General, he refrains from unleashing him due to the highly contagious nature of the T-virus within his body. Fearing a global catastrophe akin to the biochemical crisis, Ivan continues to confine the General in the cultivation tank. On one front, he persists in using negative energy from underground sources to fortify the General's physique. On the other, he actively seeks a solution to neutralize the T-virus. Until a resolution is found, Ivan is adamant about not releasing this potential ticking time bomb.
One day, as Ivan busily conducted research in the laboratory, the Red Queen's voice interrupted, announcing the arrival of Mr. Azazel with urgent matters. Aware of the Red Devil's respectful nature, Ivan reluctantly halted his experiments. He stepped out to meet Mr. Azazel, understanding that such interruptions only occurred for significant reasons.
Upon exiting the laboratory, Ivan found Red Devil waiting.
"Dr. Ivan, Mr. Shaw has summoned you to the Hellfire Club urgently. He has something important to discuss."
Mr. Shaw, referred to by the Red Devil, is Ivan's father. Given Shaw's stature, Ivan promptly agreed to go.
"I'll prepare and leave immediately."
The Hellfire Club, existing since the 18th century, recruits top talents globally. Shaw initially declined their invitation but later sought to use the Club's influence to spark conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. The goal was to induce war, detonate nuclear bombs, and stimulate mutant genes with radiation. Shaw, now the Black King, needed Ivan's assistance in executing this critical plan.
Assisted by Red Devil's spatial abilities, Ivan effortlessly traversed the distance, arriving at a secret Hellfire Club stronghold. Unfamiliar with the surroundings, he relied on the Red Devil's guidance. Directed to a specific room, Ivan knocked, and the door opened to reveal four individuals, including his father, Sebastian Shaw.
Seeing Ivan, Shaw greeted him with a smile. "My dear Ivan, you're finally back. Let me introduce you to our compatriots."
Introductions followed, including the White Queen Emma, Mastermind, and an enigmatic woman with long black hair whom Shaw conspicuously neglected to introduce.
Despite Emma's discomfort with Ivan's friendly tone, he complimented her beauty. Torrent remained silent, and Shaw quickly explained his reserved nature. Ivan, unfazed, appreciated the reliability such traits could offer.
The introduction omitted details about the mysterious woman in black, raising questions about her significance in this gathering.
The woman in black, Selene, displayed a thick-skinned demeanor. Despite Shaw speaking, she took the initiative to greet Ivan,
"What a handsome young man! Hello, I'm Selene, the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Ivan was taken aback upon hearing Selene's name. He knew of her reputation as a witch capable of absorbing the vitality of others, essentially a soul vampire. Those who fall victim to her lose their vitality, turning into dust. If Selene voluntarily returns part of her life force, the person becomes bound to her control.
Selene maintains her youth by absorbing the vitality of others, enhancing her speed, strength, endurance, and reflexes. Anyone familiar with her tends to keep their distance, as no one wishes to be drained of vitality and meet their demise.
Shaw, expressing displeasure at Selene's lack of support, decided she was unwelcome. "Enough. Since you don't want to support me, Selene, you are not welcome here. Please leave."
Rather than being angered by the eviction order, the Black Queen responded with a smile, "Don't be angry. I've changed my mind. I can support your plan, as long as you let this young man accompany me and have a good time."
"Don't even think about it. Ivan is my son, and I'll never let him betray his principles..."
"Enough! Old man, you didn't agree to such a good offer. Just go"
Before Shaw could finish, Ivan pulled him aside.
"Dear, don't worry about that old man. He's got a couple of screws loose. Let's find a place to have a good chat about life ideals and such."
Leaving Shaw, Emma, the Red Devil, and Mastermind stunned, Ivan proceeded to embrace Selene, chatting and laughing as they exited the room.