Gene Lock Collapse

The Comic Book Man was indeed something else once he put on the Mask of Pain. He completely reversed his earlier slump and pressed Lu Qiang relentlessly.

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

He had wanted to spring back up, but a sudden, agonizing pain tore through his chest, and he collapsed back onto the ground.

He gasped in huge mouthfuls as the pain that had been blocked out came rushing back all at once.

His hands were completely numb, and there was not a single part of his body that did not hurt!

"This is the side effect of opening the Gene Lock for the first time. Unless something unexpected happens, he won't survive it."

Wearing an Ultraman Mask, Shen Jin stepped forward while keeping a certain distance from Lu Qiang.

"Gene Lock?"

The Comic Book Man seemed never to have heard of the concept, but the others immediately understood.

"Is that the Superhuman power mentioned in yesterday's broadcast? Did you hear it?"

"Of course! So Lu Qiang unlocked his Gene Lock. No wonder he was so fierce."

"Look at him. The backlash is coming. That Heaven and Earth Net Bureau guy said yesterday that without a strong physique and a huge amount of energy replenishment, ordinary people would find it hard to survive the aftereffects of unlocking the Gene Lock for the first time."

Sweat beaded on Lu Qiang's forehead as he lay on the ground. Hearing that, the pain on his face suddenly eased considerably.

He rolled over and stared at the ceiling. "Huff... Living is so tiring. Everything is so tiring."

If it had not been for his elderly mother, a thug who had been cut off from society for fifteen years might have chosen to fall back into depravity after getting out.

But what was the point of living for decades in humiliation, mocked and pointed at every day?

"Cough, cough... If there is a next life, I will make... everyone... respect me."

Blood flowed from Lu Qiang's nose and mouth, and his eyes gradually lost their focus.

From beginning to end, he did not spare anyone else a glance. The person he had always fought against was only his own pathetic self. Everyone else had merely been tools for proving himself.

Whether it was Director Shang, Director Xia, or Director Zhao, they were all the same.

"Sigh, Lu Qiang rarely ever took the initiative to speak to people before." Shen Jin stood beside the Comic Book Man. "Thank you."

The Comic Book Man's Mask of Pain was growing increasingly severe. "Don't thank me yet. I need you to do me a favor."

"Tell me. You saved me, so as long as I can do it."

Except fencing.

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

Shen Jin was startled. The Comic Book Man's face had gone pale, and even the flames in his hands had been extinguished. He looked completely 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 brought me here to save you."

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

Fate? Shen Jin did not think about riding his sister.

The others stared at the horrific scene and fell silent for a moment.

"Little Shen, take this handsome guy to my room to rest first," Director Wang said kindly. Even his balding head seemed to shine with the glow of the Virgin Mary.

"Sure. Which room?"

A triumphant expression appeared on Director Wang's face. Though already over fifty, he was as excited as a child, his wrinkles squeezed together. It was truly hard on him.

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

Crap!

Shen Jin had actually forgotten to turn on the voice changer, and Old Wang had tricked him into revealing himself!

Everyone else instantly put on expressions of realization.

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

"That's him, Little Shen. No mistake. He was always coming to my place to replace the printer cartridges."

"It has to be Shen Jin. I shared an office with him—I even know how long his dick is. Don't believe me? Take it out and let's see," said a slick-haired, heavily made-up man, pinching his fingers in a delicate pose.

"Hey, hey, hey! That's going too far! Fine, you recognized me, but stop acting so gay about it!"

Since he had been recognized, Shen Jin stopped pretending. They had been coworkers for two years, so there was no point keeping up the act now. He simply took off his hood.

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

"Hey! Watch how you talk! Is Old Wang what you call him? Call him Director Wang," one sycophant immediately spoke up.

Shen Jin chuckled and ignored him. Some people simply did not have enough brains; they were so used to being dogs that they had forgotten how to be human.

Balding Director Wang did not mind. "Those were all empty titles from the past. Now we're all the same—human survivors. Little Shen, you really know how to hide. You didn't show your face for three months."

Shen Jin smiled indifferently without explaining, then dragged the Comic Book Man—Sun Can—to Director Wang's room.

Staring at Sun Can's face, beautiful enough to make every man jealous, Shen Jin could not help sighing inwardly.

"So handsome. I finally know why you feel strangely familiar. That kind of temperament—I often see it when I look in the mirror too."

Why was Yu born if Liang had already been born?

Sun Can had clearly been born at the wrong time, or so Shen Jin believed.

Yet when he saw the women from the third floor calling out, "Look at that handsome guy!" and "Shen Jin, Little Shen, Old Shen," one after another—

Shen Jin nearly convinced himself otherwise.

"This is bad! The Zombies downstairs are climbing up!"

After Zhao Mingkai carried Shang Qian into a room, he went to the stairwell. The stairs that everyone had originally blocked had been smashed apart by Sun Can earlier.

Now, the scent of everyone living there had drifted out, combined with the intense battle just now.

The Zombies had been alerted!

And not just one or two of them—there were Zombies from one or two entire blocks!

"Stop standing around. Take me over there."

Shen Jin figured no one would try anything indecent with Sun Can at a time like this.

Probably?

Shen Jin felt that Li Jie seemed even more radiant than before the apocalypse. Her flirtatious eyes looked as though they could drip water.

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

At the stairwell, Shen Jin saw Zombies roaring as they searched everywhere for people. They would soon discover everyone upstairs.

Aside from Shang Qian and the already dead Lu Qiang, everyone else had gathered at the stairwell.

Looking at the gaping hole, everyone's faces turned ashen. It was already too late to block it up. Making any noise now would be the same as telling the Zombies—

"I'm right here! Come on, dinner's ready!"

"What do we do? Director Wang, you're the oldest. Give us an idea," someone asked quietly.

"I'm in management. I don't know anything about engineering. Where are the engineering department people?"

"They're probably all dead outside."

Shen Jin's eyes flickered as he considered what to do. Should he reveal his abilities?

That would not do. Compared to Superhuman abilities like unlocking the Gene Lock or producing flames from one's hands, his system was far too shocking.

If word got out, his life would be difficult from then on.

Whether it was a private organization or the authorities, they would definitely want to study him. If Superhuman humans like Lu Qiang and the Comic Book Man captured him, he would be in serious danger.

Even if he managed to escape, he would have to hide for the rest of his life, living underground like a groundhog.

But if he did not reveal himself, these people...

Shen Jin looked at his anxious and despairing former coworkers and felt that they did not deserve to die here. Besides, the Comic Book Man was still lying inside.

What if he woke up to find several Zombies gathered around him, having a feast?

"One good turn deserves another. Sun Can saved my life today, and these people aren't meant to die either."

Deep down, Shen Jin still hoped that most of humanity could survive. Only twenty percent remained...

"Alright, everyone, go back to your rooms. I'll handle this. I'm afraid you'll get hurt," Shen Jin said after making up his mind.

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

"..."

"Hey, hey, hey! Show me some respect, will you?!"