"Zhang Liang, are you sure people live here?" Jiang Cheng didn't believe anyone would inhabit such a dilapidated place.
"Of course. Only a place like this can hide us from prying eyes. Let's go."
Zhang Liang helped Jiang Cheng out of the car, then used leaves to conceal it before leading him through a very hidden, downward-sloping passage.
The passage was long, incredibly long, like an entrance to hell. Jiang Cheng, suppressing his impatience, finally reached a straight tunnel that was slightly damp.
The light was dim. Before they had walked much further, they were stopped by two foreigners who appeared around a corner.
"Who are you?"
To their surprise, the foreigners spoke fluent Chinese.
"We are volunteers." Zhang Liang took out a wad of cash from his pocket and handed it to them.
"Both of you?" The foreigners' eyes lit up with greed upon seeing the money.
Zhang Liang waved his hand, "No, just my brother here."
"Alright, follow me. You wait outside."
As soon as he spoke, one of the foreigners guided Jiang Cheng into a hidden underground chamber illuminated by flickering blue light.
Jiang Cheng, already injured and having walked such a long distance, was becoming disoriented.
He saw the underground chamber filled with azure light. Inside, there were about seven or eight bald scientists moving around with test tubes containing unknown liquids. Some glass experimental jars contained sapphire-blue droplets, each holding people fitted with numerous tubes, invariably.
"Are you a volunteer? Do you want to try our newly developed gene drug?" A bald man, holding a small notebook, glided before Jiang Cheng like a ghost, his eyes fixated on him with a madman's intensity!
Jiang Cheng nodded. The bald man offered him the pen he was holding in his mouth, seemingly wanting him to sign a document.
At this moment, Jiang Cheng had completely forgotten fear, and the responsibilities he carried. Without any hesitation, he signed his name.
Afterward, he was helped by the foreigner onto a metal chair.
"Jiang Cheng, is it? Now, I need you to clearly tell me, how many fingers am I holding up?"
The bald man waved two fingers in front of him.
"Are you kidding me?"
Jiang Cheng felt both annoyed and amused, thinking how ridiculous the questions for this so-called gene modification were.
"No, our drug is very precious. Even in its experimental phase, we don't want to waste it on a muggle."
"Alright, those are your fingers, and the answer is 2. Are these answers sufficient?"
"They are. Now, please relax as much as possible. The injection process might be extremely painful, and you have already signed a waiver of liability. We will not be responsible for your life or death. Have you thought this through?"
Jiang Cheng sneered. He had already anticipated these nonsensical questions and said solemnly, "If I die, it means I am not worthy of this drug. Come on, stop wasting time!"
The bald man excitedly pressed a button. Then, a cold, artificial female voice spoke:
"Ramanda Gene injection commencing. Scanning host's physical condition.
Scanning in progress, please wait.
Host exhibits multiple contusions, unsuitable for Ramanda Gene inoculation."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Cheng broke out in a cold sweat. His mind reeled, and he could only desperately growl, "I have a great vengeance to exact. I want to see him disgraced. I want him unable to hold his head up in front of that bitch. I want him dead!"
"Dr. William, this person's body might not withstand the Ramanda Gene modification. Should we waste the rare materials?" the man who had escorted Jiang Cheng whispered into the bald man's ear.
Dr. William, however, shook his head and chuckled softly, "Ben, do you know what can truly unleash the ultimate human potential in this world?"
"Talent?"
Dr. William shook his head.
"Physical condition?"
Dr. William still shook his head.
"That's it, it's the mind!"
Dr. William shook his head again, looking at Jiang Cheng with a hint of excitement and said, "It's despair, it's rage, it's hatred. These things can completely force out the human body's ultimate potential. At that point, we can artificially create gods for this era!"
Ben stood frozen. Dr. William, extremely pleased, nodded at the artificial intelligence, "Rejected. Proceed with Ramanda Gene injection."
As the doctor finished speaking, the artificial intelligence's mechanical arm inserted a syringe filled with a deep blue liquid into the back of Jiang Cheng's neck and slowly pushed it in.
The moment the needle pierced him, Jiang Cheng let out a heart-wrenching roar, like a pedestrian run over by a car.
"Aaaah~!"
Jiang Cheng felt a tearing pain throughout his body. His skin felt as if it were being scorched by flames, his heart rate surged, his face felt like flowing lava, his sweat turned to steam under the intense heat, and every bone seemed to be rearranged!
The most terrifying pain, however, did not come from his body, but from the recurring illusions in his mind.
No, they shouldn't be called illusions, but rather the scenes of Ren Yuanhao taunting him during the arena match this morning.
"Ren Yuanhao~!!" Da Feng Novel Network
His rage did not seem to impede the injection of the Ramanda Gene; rather, the doctor watched with growing excitement.
"Ben, do you see? He's the only man so far who has accepted half a syringe of the serum without suffering blood depletion!"
"Warning, warning! Host's body is exceeding its load capacity. Further injection may lead to blood depletion!"
"Doctor, that's enough. This man is perfectly capable of becoming our test subject!"
Ben's voice could no longer stop the frenzied doctor. He issued a death order, roaring, "Rejected! This man must receive the entire syringe. It's either death or success. A half-finished product has no value, and I won't hesitate!"
Jiang Cheng's eyes turned blood red. The back of his neck, as the blue liquid was injected again, bulged into a massive cyst!
Ben exclaimed in alarm, "It's over, it's over! His body has developed an adverse reaction. He can't take any more dosage. Doctor, stop!"
To his surprise, Dr. William remained unmoved until the entire syringe was injected into Jiang Cheng's body.
Jiang Cheng's roars became hoarse, eventually trailing off into silence as he slumped his head, unable to make a sound. His body radiated heat, remaining utterly still, showing no signs of life.
But just as William's pupils constricted, the cyst began to slowly shrink!
"Heh heh!"
Jiang Cheng's chilling laughter sent shivers down one's spine. Saliva dripped from his slack jaw, making him resemble a monster awakened from hell!