Gene Lock Collapse

The Comic Book Man, now wearing the Mask of Agony, was clearly different. He'd completely reversed his earlier disadvantage and was now dominating Lu Qiang.

After more than twenty exchanges, Lu Qiang was kicked to the floor.

He tried to spring back up with a burst of energy, but a sharp pain shot through his chest, causing him to slump back down.

He gasped for air, the suppressed pain flooding back instantly.

His hands were completely numb, and every inch of his body ached!

"This is the first side effect of unlocking the gene lock. If nothing unexpected happens, he won't survive it."

Shen Jin, wearing the Ultraman Mask, walked forward, keeping a certain distance from Lu Qiang.

"Gene lock?"

The Comic Book Man seemed unfamiliar with the term, but the others understood immediately.

"Is that the transcendent power mentioned on the broadcast yesterday? Did you guys hear about it?"

"Yeah, we heard! So Lu Qiang unlocked his gene lock, no wonder he was so fierce."

"Look at him now. The after-effects are kicking in. The Heaven and Earth Net Bureau said yesterday that without a strong physique and massive energy replenishment, it's hard for ordinary people to survive the first wave of gene lock unlocking after-effects."

Lu Qiang, lying on the ground, sweat beading on his forehead, heard this and his pained expression eased considerably.

He rolled over and looked at the ceiling. "Hoo~~ So tired. Living is so tiring."

Back then, if it weren't for his elderly mother, a thug who'd been disconnected from society for 15 years might have just chosen to fall back into his old ways after getting out.

But what was the point of living for decades as a laughingstock, constantly being pointed at and ridiculed?

"Cough, cough. If there's a next life, I'll definitely make everyone… respect me."

Blood trickled from Lu Qiang's nose and mouth, his eyes gradually losing focus.

He hadn't glanced at anyone else from beginning to end. His resistance had always been directed only at his own pathetic self; the others were merely tools to prove himself.

It didn't matter if it was Director Shang, Director Xia, or Director Zhao.

"Sigh, Lu Qiang rarely spoke to others proactively before," Shen Jin said, standing beside the Comic Book Man. "Thank you."

The Comic Book Man's Mask of Agony tightened. "Don't thank me yet. I need you to do me a favor."

"Tell me. You saved me, anything I can do."

"Anything except fencing."

"I'm about to pass out. Protect me."

Shen Jin was startled. He saw the Comic Book Man's face was pale, the flames in his hands extinguished, looking utterly drained.

"I will! Who are you? Do we know each other? Why did you save me?"

"My name is Sun Can. Maybe it was fate that I came to save you."

With a snap, Sun Can collapsed into Shen Jin's arms.

Fate? Shen Jin didn't ponder it.

The others looked at the tragic scene and fell silent.

"Little Shen, why don't you put this handsome young man in my room to rest for a bit?" Director Wang said kindly, his bald head gleaming with a saintly aura.

"Uh, which room?"

Director Wang's face lit up with triumph. At over fifty, he looked as excited as a child, his wrinkles crinkling together. It was quite a sight.

"It really is you, Shen Jin! I knew it was your voice. When did you get in? Were you in Director Shang's room the whole time?"

Damn it!

Shen Jin had forgotten to turn on his voice modulator and had been tricked by Old Wang!

The others instantly put on expressions of certainty.

"Little Shen? The computer repair guy who quit last year?"

"Yeah, it's Little Shen, no doubt about it. He used to come to my place to change printer ink cartridges."

"It's definitely Shen Jin. I worked in the same office as him, I even know how long his… well, you know. If you don't believe me, we can check," said a greasy, effeminate man, posing with a delicate finger.

"Hey, hey, hey! That's going too far. So you recognized him, fine, but don't be so… gay about it."

Seeing that he'd been recognized, Shen Jin decided to stop pretending. After all, they were colleagues he'd spent two years with. It was pointless to keep up the act now. He took off the hood.

"Old Wang, you're still as cunning as ever. Your eyes are sharp."

"Hey! What did you just say? Is 'Old Wang' how you address me? It's Director Wang," a sycophant immediately chimed in.

Shen Jin chuckled and ignored him. Some people just didn't have enough brains. They were so used to being lapdogs, they'd forgotten how to act like people.

Director Wang, with his bald head, didn't seem to mind. "Those were just nominal positions before. Now we're all the same, just human survivors. Little Shen, you really know how to hide. Three months without showing your face."

Shen Jin smiled indifferently, offering no explanation, and dragged the Comic Book Man—Sun Can—to Director Wang's room.

Staring at Sun Can's face, which made all men envious, Shen Jin couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"He's too handsome. I finally know why I felt a strange sense of familiarity with you. I often see this kind of aura when I look in the mirror."

"If Zhuge Liang was born, why was Liuxia Hui born?"

Sun Can was clearly born at the wrong time, Shen Jin thought.

However, seeing the woman on the third floor calling him "handsome boy" repeatedly, and saying "Shen Jin, Xiao Shen, Lao Shen,"

Shen Jin almost couldn't fool himself.

"This is bad! The zombies below are climbing up!"

After Zhao Mingkai put Shang Qian in the room, he went to the stairwell, the one that had been blocked by everyone, which Sun Can had previously smashed open.

At this moment, the scent of human life had drifted out, along with the intense battle just now.

The zombies were alerted!

And not just one or two, but a block or two away!

"Don't just stand there, hurry and take me there."

Shen Jin figured that at this point, no one would do anything improper to Sun Can.

Probably?

Shen Jin always felt that Li Jie seemed even more radiant than before the apocalypse. Her peach blossom eyes were so alluring they could drip.

When she came over, she had casually patted Sun Can's chest muscles a few times.

Arriving at the stairwell, Shen Jin saw the zombies roaring and searching everywhere, and they would soon discover everyone upstairs.

Excluding Shang Qian and the now-deceased Lu Qiang, everyone else was gathered at the stairwell.

Looking at the gaping hole, everyone's faces turned ashen. It was too late to block it now. Making any noise was equivalent to telling the zombies:

"I'm here, come and eat!"

"What do we do? Director Wang, you're the oldest, give us an idea," someone asked in a low voice.

"I'm in management, I don't understand engineering. Where's the engineering department?"

"Probably all dead outside."

Shen Jin's eyes flickered as he considered how to act, should he reveal his abilities?

That wouldn't do. Compared to Transcendent abilities like unlocking the gene lock or hands emitting fire, his system was too terrifying.

If word got out, his future would be difficult.

Whether it was a private organization or the government, they would definitely want to study him. If Transcendent humans like Lu Qiang and the Comic Book Man from today caught him, it would be very dangerous.

Even if he could escape, his future life would be spent hiding, living underground like a marmot.

If he didn't expose himself, these people...

Shen Jin looked at his anxious and desperate old colleagues, feeling that they shouldn't die like this. Besides, the Comic Book Man was still lying there.

If he woke up to find zombies surrounding him and feasting on him...

"An eye for an eye. Sun Can saved my life today, and these people shouldn't die."

Shen Jin actually hoped in his heart that most humans could survive. Only 20% were left...

"Alright, everyone go back to your rooms. I'll handle it, I'm afraid of hurting you," Shen Jin said with determination.

Everyone glanced at him and continued discussing strategies. Two people even went to fetch yoga mats and blankets.

"..."

"Hey, hey, hey! Show some respect!"