The intense sense of life and death made Lin Shi let go of the rope in his hand. But that wasn't enough. Suddenly, an object appeared in front of him—a riot shield!
Bang, bang, bang! Three bullets struck the riot shield almost simultaneously, missing Lin Shi by a hair's breadth. What frightened him was that these shots were aimed at three vital points on his body. Had the enemy predicted even his move to let go of the rope? How could this be possible?!
With a thud, Lin Shi hit the ground, covered in decaying leaves and weeds. He rolled over, hiding behind a tree thick enough to conceal him. His heart pounded fiercely, a testament to the close call he had just survived. If it weren't for his spatial pocket, if he couldn't summon items at will, if he hadn't reacted so quickly, those three bullets would have hit his head, neck, and heart. The other two spots were manageable, but a bullet to the neck, which had no protection, could have ended his life right there.
What terrifying marksmanship! Lin Shi leaned against the tree, trying to calm his racing heart.
"Ahhh!!" A scream suddenly echoed from about two hundred meters away. Lin Shi, startled, cautiously used his thermal night vision goggles to assess the situation. He found the last surviving bodyguard lying on the ground, convulsing. There were no other signs of life around. Suspecting a trap, Lin Shi didn't approach. Instead, he took out his crossbow and fired a bolt at the man. Even after being hit, the bodyguard continued to convulse, showing no sign of evading. Only then did Lin Shi carefully approach.
Upon closer inspection, he saw that the bodyguard was bleeding from his nose and mouth, his face twisted in agony, as if enduring immense pain. His body was spasming uncontrollably. The bolt had struck his thigh, and there was another arrow in his arm, but it seemed the man was beyond caring about these injuries. Seeing Lin Shi, 2's eyes flashed with shock, as if he couldn't believe Lin Shi was still alive. He struggled to speak, "You... how... are you... not dead..."
Lin Shi picked up the pistol that 2 had dropped and pointed it at 2's head. "What's happening to you?"
"It's... genetic collapse..." 2 managed to say.
"Genetic collapse?" Lin Shi frowned.
"The... side effects... of unlocking the genetic lock... I..."
2 tried to say more but coughed up a large amount of blood.
Genetic lock?! In peacetime, someone could unlock the genetic lock? Shocked, Lin Shi asked, "How can I save you?"
He wasn't really trying to save 2, but he wanted to learn the secrets of the genetic lock. This was the first person Lin Shi had encountered who had unlocked the genetic lock. The apocalypse was coming, and danger was everywhere. If he could learn something from this man, he might be able to unlock the genetic lock himself and gain a stronger means of self-protection.
"... pocket..." 2's eyes were already rolling back. Lin Shi crouched down, searched, and found a box in the inner lining of 2's jacket.
"Is this it?" 2 nodded weakly. Lin Shi opened the box, revealing a blue pill. He glanced at 2, who was staring intently at the pill. Lin Shi broke the pill in half and placed one half into 2's mouth. Stepping back, he raised the gun again, aiming at 2.
2 swallowed the pill with blood, and his body gradually calmed down. He lay still.
"Do you have any questions? Ask now; I don't have much time left." 2's voice was hoarse, clearly aware of Lin Shi's intentions.
"How do you unlock the genetic lock? Tell me, and I'll give you the other half of the pill," Lin Shi said.
2 smiled faintly and asked, "Do you know what the genetic lock is?"
Lin Shi shook his head. He only knew a little, having been an ordinary person in his previous life, even in the eighth year of the apocalypse, he had only accumulated some combat experience.
"I don't know who named the genetic lock. I only learned about it after unlocking it. There are five genetic locks in the human body. Unlocking the first stage, your brain blocks all external interference. Things you normally forget after seeing once, you can recall instantly. In this state, you can use everything around you, and your brain calculates like a computer, remaining incredibly calm. Unlocking the second stage, you gain perfect control over every ounce of strength and every inch of muscle. Even with fifty pounds of strength, you can kill a boxing champion. I don't know about the later stages; I've only unlocked the first stage. To unlock the first stage, you need pain, extreme pain."
Lin Shi frowned, "Pain? Can you be more specific?"
"I'm not sure. When I first unlocked the genetic lock, I was in a state of shock and don't remember how I got through it." 2's eyes were vacant, lost in some memory.
"Then those shots you fired earlier were in the state of the genetic lock? Is your current condition also related to unlocking the genetic lock?" Lin Shi asked quickly.
2's complexion worsened, turning increasingly pale. "Yes. I was in the genetic lock state, but my body couldn't handle the aftermath. This is my fifth time unlocking it, and my genes are on the brink of collapse. If I hadn't unlocked it this time, I might have lived longer. Now, even with medication..."
2 spat out a large amount of black, foul-smelling blood. "What is this pill you gave me?" Lin Shi still held the other half of the pill.
"This pill controls the side effects of unlocking the genetic lock. It also has healing properties, but it's too late for me." 2's teeth, stained with blood, parted in a grim smile. "I bet you want to know where this came from. Answer one question, and I'll tell you."
"Ask."
"How did you dodge my shot earlier? I calculated all your possible reactions; you shouldn't have been able to avoid it."
Lin Shi's eyes flickered. This was related to his biggest secret. But, looking at the man's fading gaze, Lin Shi decided to share, "Because I blocked the bullet with something."
2's eyes showed confusion, not understanding what Lin Shi had used. But he had his answer, knowing it wasn't his mistake, 2's face showed a slight smile. "It doesn't matter telling you. This is made by the Shen family. The world thinks they're just an energy research company, but the Shens have their hands in many fields. They are much larger than you can imagine."
"Why are you telling me this?" Lin Shi stared at the man, whose life was nearly at its end, judging the truth of his words.