Second-Stage Gene Lock

While Uchiha Gen dealt with the Tyrant, Zheng Zha did not idle around either. He took the initiative to clear out the remaining Lickers.

A moment later, Zheng Zha raised his hand and unleashed a Konoha Crushing Rock Rise, smashing the last Licker on the Hive entrance platform to pieces with an elbow strike.

At that moment, Zhan Lan's relieved and cheerful voice rang out. "All the bio-monsters have been killed. Next, we can head straight into the depths of the Hive without obstruction."

Within Zhan Lan's Mental Scan, the entire Hive had fallen silent. No monsters were moving anymore.

Zheng Zha exited his Gene Lock state at that point. After spending some time enduring the backlash, he quickly regained his vigor and laughed. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go. We'll deal with those Umbrella Corporation scum first, then rest."

Although Zheng Zha had suffered numerous injuries in the battle just now.

His muscles and bones had burst apart, and flesh and blood had flown as he was surrounded and attacked by Lickers, but none of it had made Zheng Zha fear battle.

Troll Bloodline had erased all of his injuries.

After such an intense battle, Zheng Zha gradually began to shed the mindset of an armed civilian. He was starting to enjoy the sensation of his blood boiling in combat.

Uchiha Gen, however, had not been carried away by the victory. His expression remained unchanged as he stopped the fired-up Zheng Zha. "No rush. Rest in place for five minutes."

More than two hundred Lickers and Tyrants were likely only part of the Hive's defensive forces. It was far too early to celebrate.

At the very least, Wesker, the bio-modified human, had yet to appear, and Umbrella Corporation's telekinetic bio-weapons had not entered the battlefield either.

At that moment, Uchiha Gen was working hard to refine Chakra and restore the power he had expended in the earlier battle.

Five consecutive Great Fire Destructions flooded with excessive Chakra, one Great Fireball Technique, and a wind-fire combination ninjutsu he had used aboveground earlier—despite Uchiha Gen's current Chakra reserves, he was beginning to feel somewhat exhausted.

To deal with the coming battle, it would be better to stockpile more Chakra.

"Then let's eat something."

Zheng Zha and Zhan Lan walked over to Uchiha Gen and sat down casually beside him.

They then pulled out Solid Water and compressed food from their Ninja Tool Pouches, which they had Exchanged in Main God Space before entering the Resident Evil World. They swallowed the food and water, which resembled candy pellets, to replenish the nutrients their bodies had consumed recovering from the previous fierce battle.

Zhan Lan did the same beside them.

Although she had not fought directly, constantly monitoring the changes on the battlefield was also extremely draining.

In silence, five minutes passed in a flash.

"Let's go."

Uchiha Gen rose to his feet and took the lead toward the underground Hive.

Their formation remained the same as before: Uchiha Gen at the front, Zhan Lan in the middle, and Zheng Zha bringing up the rear.

A short while later, they had passed through the long stairway and dining hall, arriving outside Red Queen's Central Mainframe Computer Center.

A white man in a black suit and sunglasses was waiting there.

This man was Wesker's original body, frozen beneath the Hive.

A confident smile hung on his face as he applauded. "As former company employees, I'm sure I needn't introduce myself. Your strength has surprised me. Why not join Umbrella Corporation and head to the new world with us?"

He was referring to the identities Main God had arranged for the Central Continent Team: security guards who had once worked in this underground Hive.

Those few words, heard by Zheng Zha and Zhan Lan, further confirmed that Uchiha Gen's previous deductions had all been correct.

Umbrella Corporation had indeed deliberately released the virus, then hidden beneath the Hive to wait for the World Ending Plan to be completed. Afterward, they would take over a clean Earth and establish a new world.

Uchiha Gen's expression was indifferent. He treated Wesker as if he were air and did not stop walking.

"Zhan Lan, continue forward with me. Zheng Zha, deal with him."

His calm words drifted through the air. By then, Uchiha Gen and Zhan Lan had already entered the control room.

The Laser Defense System did not activate at any point. Red Queen's basic programming included an obligation to protect humanity. Uchiha Gen and the others were clearly going after the mastermind among Umbrella Corporation's upper ranks who had pushed the World Ending Plan, so Red Queen had no reason to stop them.

On the contrary, she could even provide Uchiha Gen's group with some assistance.

"Red Queen, open the passage leading underground. We have an extremely important matter to report to Umbrella Corporation's upper management."

Uchiha Gen spoke, giving Red Queen an excuse.

Under normal circumstances, Red Queen would have said that Uchiha Gen and the others, as ordinary security personnel, had "insufficient authority." Yet now, she obediently approved Uchiha Gen's request.

The passage leading to the true Hive in the depths underground, where Umbrella Corporation's upper management lay frozen in slumber, opened just like that.

As the passage opened, the barrier that could block Mental Scan vanished.

In Zhan Lan's view, she could now clearly see the many Umbrella Corporation executives frozen underground.

On the other side, watching Uchiha Gen's group leave, Wesker instinctively wanted to move and stop them.

But Zheng Zha blocked him.

"Looks like your companions have abandoned you. Why not consider my proposal and truly join Umbrella Corporation?"

Wesker spoke with a teasing look in his eyes as he watched Zheng Zha.

Zheng Zha had no desire to speak with an anti-human scumbag. Without hesitation, he activated his Gene Lock and threw a full-force punch at Wesker.

Empowered by Chakra, this punch carried tremendous force.

In an instant, the air exploded.

The sound of wind and thunder swept through the area, making Wesker's expression change.

He had not expected this Asian man, whom he had not considered worth noticing, to unleash such astonishing power.

He hastily raised an arm to block, only to be sent flying by the punch.

His entire body slammed into the metal wall like a cannonball. The tremendous impact warped the metal and produced a teeth-grating shriek.

Fortunately, Wesker had been modified with Umbrella Corporation's most advanced technology. His physical abilities were extraordinary, and Zheng Zha's punch had not killed him outright.

After coughing up a mouthful of blood, Wesker's expression turned completely grave.

Wesker no longer underestimated his opponent. He activated his Gene Lock as well, directly entering the Second Stage.

The First Stage Gene Lock could awaken humanity's ancient battle instincts and danger Perception, enhance physical abilities, and grant even ordinary people reaction speeds within milliseconds. Even with a gun pointed at them, they could sense danger in advance and evade it.

The Second-Stage Gene Lock went further in unlocking the body's potential. It could mobilize over ninety percent of the body's tissues outside the brain, unite the strength of every muscle, and greatly enhance reaction speed and physical resilience.

Beyond that, it could also strengthen one's control over the circulation of energy within the body.