CHAPTER 80 - GENE LOCK

Han Wu stared at Jessica and the other members of the Defender Squad, his expression a mixture of awe and disbelief. He had absolutely no clue that one could just fuse with high-ranking plants like that!

Jessica and Captain Dirt initiated the attack, unleashing a barrage of bullets imbued with fire and frost into the encroaching darkness. The impact of their attacks caused the earth to tremble with explosions, but the sheer number of zombies remained overwhelming. Charging out from the shadows and the remnants of the blasts came a horrifying realization: every single zombie in the advancing wave was a terrifying Rank 5!

“We’ll handle this!” Johnson roared, charging forward with his massive warhammer and bringing it down with tremendous force, cracking open the head of a Rank 5 zombie. Despite the seemingly fatal injury, the zombie remained standing and, with terrifying speed, shot out a long, barbed tentacle from its neck, aiming to end Johnson.

Jessica responded instantly, firing a hail of bullets that swiftly shredded the barbed tentacle. Taking advantage of this opening, Johnson brought his warhammer down once more, smashing the zombie into countless pieces as he let out a ferocious roar. “Next!”

Simultaneously, over on the other side, Hank and Captain Dirt were also battling against a Rank 5 zombie. Their teamwork proved effective, and with a final barrage of Captain Dirt’s azure fire bullets, the zombie was reduced to ashes.

Seeing an opening in the chaos, Han Wu seized the opportunity to attack a nearby Rank 5 zombie. He executed his signature combo of Dark Dragonification, Enchant Darkness, and Dragon Slash, but to his astonishment, the attack seemed to have little to no impact on the higher-ranked undead.

Despite his best efforts, Han Wu only succeeded in creating a large wound on the Rank 5 zombie. It took a considerable barrage of fire and frost bullets from Jessica to finally eradicate the creature completely. As a result of his participation, Han Wu received credit for an assist, earning him 3,000 points, which was enough to acquire a single Rank 4 seed from the Defender Squad Point Shop.

Overjoyed, Han Wu eagerly sought out another powerful zombie to battle. However, despite his attempts, he was again unable to secure the kill and received another assist.

For a continuous three hours, they engaged in fierce combat. The high-intensity fighting began to wear down Han Wu, while the other members of the Defender Squad continued to fight with unwavering vigor without any apparent decrease in their stamina.

Upon closer inspection, Han Wu discerned that the Defender Squad members had not only inherited the destructive power of their fused plants but also their incredible endurance. In their current state, they seemed less like humans and more like mobile, high-ranking plants capable of relentless combat.

As a result of the Defender Squad’s efforts, not a single Rank 5 or Rank 6 zombie managed to breach the town’s defenses. However, the sheer number of Rank 4 zombies and those of lower ranks proved too overwhelming to completely halt, and they managed to enter the town. Fortunately, the town residents were capable enough to handle Rank 4 zombies on their own.

It dawned on Han Wu just how crucial the Defender Squad was for the town’s survival. They served as an incredibly powerful filter, effectively preventing any Rank 5 zombies and those of higher ranks from infiltrating the town.

Spotting Han Wu’s fatigue, Jessica winked at him and playfully teased, “Little handsome boy, has the battle already worn you out? With stamina like that, you’ll never be able to handle me as your lover.”

Even as she spoke, she continued her relentless assault on the zombies, her bullets striking their targets with deadly accuracy without her even needing to look.

A bitter smile touched Han Wu’s lips as he couldn’t find a suitable retort. He knew that if he still possessed his attributes as a Divine Being, he wouldn’t have experienced any exhaustion and could have fought tirelessly until dawn. But now, as just a regular human, it was already a remarkable achievement that he had endured such an intense three-hour battle.

Suddenly, a mocking, sneering voice reverberated in Han Wu’s mind. “Vessel, care to guess who’s speaking?”

Recognizing the voice, Han Wu scoffed internally. “Origin of Mutation? Well, look at that! You’ve finally decided to grace me with your time, haven’t you?”

The Origin of Mutation had been rather talkative prior to him giving it the Divine Essence. However, ever since it had taken the Essence, it had completely disregarded him, not uttering a single word or thought to him.

“Ugh, I think I smell a hint of a bitch.” The Origin of Mutation’s voice echoed in Han Wu’s mind, tinged with irritation. “Did someone just have the nerve to call my chosen vessel weak? I will not stand for such disrespect. I’m going to give you a chance to demonstrate your manliness in front of that little girl.”

Han Wu’s curiosity was piqued. “What exactly are you planning to do?”

“I am going to unlock something within you called the Gene Lock. It’s incredibly powerful. Are you willing to give it a try?”

“Of course!”

Having already expended a considerable sum of eight Divine Essence on the Origin of Mutation, how could Han Wu possibly decline such an enticing offer? This new offer was a chance to see a return on that investment.

“Alright, hang on tight! Let’s get this show on the road!” The Origin of Mutation cackled.

Suddenly, Han Wu’s body was filled with a multitude of clicking sounds, as if numerous complex locks were being undone in unison.

An intense sensation coursed through his body as his very cells seemed to awaken, behaving almost like independent, sentient entities. They began to greedily draw in the surrounding air in an uncontrolled, gasping manner. Suddenly, his body was brimming with renewed vigor and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of energy.

The Origin of Mutation chuckled with amusement. “And there you have it—the Gene Lock has been unlocked. You now possess the ability to harness the cells of any powerful living organism to trigger a temporary mutation in your own body!”

Han Wu’s brow furrowed in confusion; he couldn’t immediately think of any cells from strong living organisms he had access to. Then, a realization dawned upon him, and he recalled the points he had earned in the battle.

Han Wu quickly navigated to the Defender Squad Point Shop and exchanged his 3,000 points for a Rank 4 Blazing Sunflower seed. He immediately put the seed in his mouth, and it began to dissolve rapidly as his cells eagerly broke down and devoured its genetic material.

In an instant, Han Wu felt an intense heat surge through his body, as if every single cell had transformed into a miniature, blazing sun, each radiating an immeasurable amount of heat and light energy. This extreme sensation lasted only briefly before Han Wu’s body began to glow with an extraordinary brilliance, much like a human-shaped lightbulb, casting a brilliant light that illuminated everything within a five-kilometer radius.

The sudden, intense light instantly exposed the zombies lurking in the darkness, which swiftly began to burn their rotting flesh. Numerous lower-ranking zombies were instantly incinerated into dust, while the more powerful Rank 5 zombies suffered severe damage, their combat effectiveness reduced to half of what it was before.

Although they were unsure of the cause of Han Wu’s radiant display, the Defender Squad recognized the immediate advantage it presented. They immediately pressed their attack, with Jessica’s firearms unleashing a torrent of bullets and Johnson’s warhammer, Hank’s lance and sword each cutting down a vulnerable zombie.

The zombies, who under normal circumstances would have posed a significant threat, were quickly overwhelmed and decimated. Only a single, massive Rank 6 Giant Zombie managed to withstand the intense burning light. Though it was clearly in pain, its massive body remained unscathed. With a deafening roar, it lunged towards Han Wu, apparently intent on extinguishing the source of the damaging light.

“Protect Han Wu!” Captain Dirt yelled out in alarm.

Immediately, Johnson and Hank moved to intercept the charging Rank 6 Giant Zombie, attempting to halt its advance using their powerful physiques.

However, they were effortlessly knocked aside by the creature’s enormous arms. The Rank 6 Giant Zombie was a truly massive behemoth, its sheer size and power making it seem almost unstoppable.

Even with their combined firepower, Captain Dirt and Jessica’s bullets only managed to graze the Giant Zombie’s thick skin, doing nothing to slow it down. At the very last moment, Han Wu moved on his own. However, instead of trying to get away, he spread his arms wide open and charged directly towards the Giant Zombie.

The instant they made contact, the light surrounding Han Wu flared with incredible intensity, and a miniature sun materialized into existence. Everything within the confines of this minuscule, blazing star was instantaneously turned to dust.