Chapter 38: Gene Lock

The intense life-or-death crisis made Logan immediately let go of the rope.

But that wasn't enough.

Suddenly, an object appeared in front of him—a riot shield!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three bullets hit the riot shield almost simultaneously, missing Logan by a hair.

What terrified Logan was that the three bullets were aimed at three lethal spots on his body.

Had the enemy even anticipated that he would let go of the rope? How could that be possible?!

With a dull thud, Logan fell onto the ground covered with decaying leaves and weeds.

He rolled on the ground and took cover behind a tree as thick as a person.

His heart was pounding, a clear sign of the intense emotions Logan was feeling after narrowly escaping death.

If it weren't for the fact that he had the space ability...

If it weren't for the fact that he could summon objects at will...

If it weren't for his quick reflexes...

Those three bullets would have hit his head, neck, and heart.

The other two spots would have been somewhat protected, but his neck had no protection at all. If he had been shot there, he might have met his end today.

What terrifying marksmanship!

Logan leaned against the tree, trying to calm his heartbeat.

"Argh!"

A sudden scream came from 200 meters away, startling Logan. He cautiously used his thermal night vision goggles to investigate.

He found that the only surviving bodyguard was now lying on the ground, convulsing.

There were no other living creatures nearby.

Logan suspected a trap and didn't approach immediately.

Instead, he flipped out his crossbow and shot an arrow at the man.

After the arrow struck, Logan saw that the bodyguard continued to convulse, without any attempt to dodge.

Only then did Logan cautiously approach.

When he got closer, he saw that the bodyguard was bleeding from his nose and mouth, his face twisted in pain, as if enduring immense suffering.

His body convulsed uncontrollably.

The arrow Logan had just shot was embedded in the man's thigh.

Another arrow was stuck in the man's arm.

But it seemed that the man didn't care about these injuries anymore.

When Agent No.2 saw Logan, his eyes filled with shock as if he couldn't believe Logan was still alive.

He struggled to speak:

"How... how are you... not dead...?"

Logan picked up the gun that Agent No.2 had dropped and aimed it at his head.

"What's happening to you?"

"It's... gene collapse..."

"Gene collapse?"

Logan frowned.

"The side effect... of unlocking the gene lock... I..."

Agent No.2 tried to say more but ended up coughing up a large mouthful of blood.

Gene lock?!

People could unlock the gene lock even in peacetime?

Shocked, Logan asked, "How can I save you?"

He didn't truly want to save the man; he just wanted to learn more about the gene lock.

This was the first person Logan had encountered who had unlocked the gene lock.

The apocalypse was approaching, and dangers would be everywhere. If Logan could learn something from this person and unlock his own gene lock in advance, he would have a better chance of surviving.

"In... my pocket..."

Agent No.2's eyes started to roll back.

Logan crouched down and searched Agent No.2's coat, eventually finding a box in the inner lining.

"Is this it?"

Agent No.2 nodded with difficulty.

Logan opened the box and found a blue pill inside.

Glancing at Agent No.2, who was staring intently at the pill, Logan broke the pill in half and placed one half in Agent No.2's mouth.

He then stepped back a few paces and pointed the gun at Agent No.2 again.

Agent No.2 swallowed the pill with the blood in his mouth, and his body gradually calmed down.

He lay there motionless.

"Do you have any questions? Ask now; I don't have much time left."

Agent No.2's voice was hoarse, and he clearly understood that Logan had only helped him out of curiosity.

Logan asked:

"How do you unlock the gene lock? Tell me, and I'll give you the other half of the pill."

Agent No.2 smiled faintly and asked in return:

"Do you even know what the gene lock is?"

Logan shook his head.

He knew only the basics. In his previous life, he had always been an ordinary person. Even after surviving eight years of the apocalypse, he had only accumulated some combat experience.

"The gene lock—I don't know who first named it. I only found some information after unlocking the gene lock. There are five gene locks in the human body.

Unlocking the first stage of the gene lock allows your brain to block out all external distractions. Things you would normally forget after seeing once can be recalled instantly.

In this state, when you fight, you can use everything around you as a weapon, and your brain functions like a computer, calculating with cold precision.

Unlocking the second stage allows you to control every ounce of your strength and every inch of muscle. Even with just fifty pounds of force, you could kill a boxing champion.

I don't know about the later stages; I've only unlocked the first stage.

To unlock the first stage of the gene lock, you need pain—extreme pain."

Logan frowned. "Pain? Can you be more specific?"

"I don't know the specifics either. The first time I unlocked the gene lock, I was already in shock. I don't even know how I survived."

Agent No.2's eyes grew distant as if he was recalling something.

"Those shots you fired just now—were you in the gene lock state? And is that why you're like this now? Is it related to unlocking the gene lock?"

Logan asked quickly.

Agent No.2's face turned paler and paler.

"Yes. I was in the gene lock state just now, but my body couldn't handle the side effects of unlocking the gene lock.

This was my fifth time unlocking the gene lock. My genes are already on the verge of collapse. If I hadn't unlocked it this time, I might have lived a little longer. But now, even with medication... Ugh!"

Agent No.2 coughed up a large mouthful of blood, the black liquid reeking of rot.

"What is the pill you just took?" Logan asked, still holding the remaining half of the pill.

"That pill controls the side effects of unlocking the gene lock. It also has some healing properties, but it's no longer effective for me."

Agent No.2 bared his bloodied teeth in a grin:

"You want to know where it came from, don't you? Answer one question for me, and I'll tell you."

"Go ahead."

"How did you dodge that shot earlier? I calculated all your possible reactions. You shouldn't have been able to avoid it."

Logan's eyes flickered. This was related to his biggest secret.

But seeing Agent No.2's increasingly unfocused gaze, Logan decided to answer. He was eager to know where the pill had come from:

"Because I used something to block the bullet."

Agent No.2 is a little confused, not understanding what Logan had used.

But having received the answer he wanted, knowing it wasn't his mistake, Agent No.2 smiled slightly:

"It's no big secret. This was made by the the Clarks. The outside world thinks the Clarks is just a company researching energy, but the Clarks are involved in many fields. They got much more leverage and power than you think."

Agent No.2 said slowly.

"Why are you telling me this?"

Logan stared intently at the man who was nearing the end of his life, trying to judge the truth of his words.