Chapter 13

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In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

Of course, the reaction speed and functional enhancement achieved through the secretion of adrenaline is not a genuine bodily response, but rather a biological sensitivity. If this reaction speed is maintained for a long time, it will greatly deplete the body's energy, making one feel extremely tired and prone to neurological fatigue.

Therefore, people in war often feel physically and mentally exhausted after prolonged conflict.

Of course, this is just a minor secretion of adrenaline.

The more adrenaline is secreted, the greater the temporary enhancement of bodily functions, and the longer the duration. However, the subsequent physical damage and aftereffects will also be more severe.

"Force accumulation... gene center activation... level one... adrenaline..." Chu Nan silently thought about these terms, gradually connecting the dots and forming a vague understanding in his mind.

The bean-like object, which he suspected to be the pineal gland, should be the gene center mentioned in the information. Like the nervous center in the human body, this bean-like object, based on its name, should control the human genes, or rather, the core.

Force accumulation, according to Chu Nan's guess, refers to the energy contained in the gene center of the bean-like object.

This energy, known as the Force, can still be active after a person dies, precisely because of the activation of the Force in the gene center. By killing the zombie-like creatures, one can seize and absorb the Force from their gene centers.

Previously, his gene center had accumulated enough Force, which triggered a change, activating the gene center or, more accurately, stimulating it. The ability he gained was the control of adrenaline.

Everyone has adrenal glands in their body, and when stimulated, they can secrete adrenaline, temporarily enhancing bodily functions such as agility, speed, and strength.

However, a sudden increase in strength, speed, and agility, to the point of becoming superhuman, is a result of extreme stimulation and is very rare, or not controllable by human will.

After the gene center was activated, Chu Nan gained the ability to control adrenaline secretion by will.

Just now, he was in a state of extreme adrenaline secretion, which greatly enhanced his bodily functions, making him swift and agile, and his strength multiplied.

However, this temporary enhancement has significant side effects. The heroic performance just now consumed at least the equivalent of two days' worth of energy in his normal state.

Moreover, his physical condition, including internal organs, bones, and muscle fibers, will suffer from the aftereffects of the excessive force.

Now, Chu Nan felt uncomfortable all over, with his muscles trembling and his limbs weak.

The activated gene center remained hollow, with a stream of energy flowing inside. According to the information he obtained, this energy is called the Force, specifically the gene Force, which is the fundamental power that activates and maintains all gene activities.

Previously, Chu Nan activated the gene center, causing an excessive secretion of adrenaline. He killed over a dozen zombie-like creatures in one go, absorbing their gene Force. Now, the Force flows in his gene center, seemingly lying dormant. Once it accumulates enough Force again, it will trigger a new ability of the gene center.

Chu Nan lay quietly on the ground, analyzing the information he had obtained and combining it with his experiences over the past day. He now had a systematic understanding of what was happening to him.

"Although I have activated the gene center and gained the ability to control and stimulate extreme adrenaline secretion, this ability has significant side effects and should be used sparingly," Chu Nan thought to himself.

Tang Sanli and Yu Xiaohu watched as the nine newly arrived people searched for food buried under the rubble. Several of them were excitedly shouting, which made Tang Sanli frown and want to stop them. Suddenly, a sound came from a distance.

"Who is it?" The seven men and two women reacted quickly, several men simultaneously shouting and raising the weapons in their hands.

These weapons, whether iron shovels, steel rods, or thick, bent rebar, were all found along the way.

Tang Sanli and Yu Xiaohu also looked in the direction of the sound.

A figure jumped onto a broken wall and made a sound.

This figure was a man, but his face was twisted and stiff, with half of it missing, the flesh and blood mangled, revealing white bone. One eye hung down, dangling from the eyelid, slightly swaying.

He looked nothing like a living person; he was a zombie-like creature.

Just one zombie-like creature, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as there were twelve of them.

However, when they saw what the zombie-like creature was holding, their faces turned grim.

The zombie-like creature, with only half a face, held three bloody human heads in his right hand, which seemed to have been recently cut off. In his left hand, he held a curved knife, similar to the sickle Yu Xiaohu had used before.

"This zombie-like creature seems a bit unusual," Tang Sanli frowned. The previous zombie-like creatures, though strong and fast, were very stiff and had simple movements, making them not difficult to deal with if not in large numbers.

But this zombie-like creature felt completely different.

It knew how to cut off heads and hold them, and it held a curved knife. The previous zombie-like creatures did not use weapons and only knew how to bite.

Chu Nan slowly supported himself to sit up, still feeling weak all over, but after lying down for a while, he felt a bit better. He watched the zombie-like creature standing on the broken wall from a distance, feeling a strange sensation. He noticed that this half-faced zombie-like creature did not immediately attack upon seeing the living, unlike the previous ones.

It was surveying the scattered bodies on the ground, looking at the nine people including Yu Xiaotian, and then at Tang Sanli and the three others.

Chu Nan, seeing its actions, had a vague feeling that this zombie-like creature seemed to have some intelligence, not just the basic instincts of the previous ones.

"Could it be..." Chu Nan suddenly had a terrifying thought.

At that moment, the zombie-like creature on the broken wall suddenly threw the three bloody heads at the group.

"Damn it, are you trying to provoke us?" A sturdy man beside Yu Xiaotian shouted in anger, "This zombie-like creature seems different, let's all attack together!"

Although the zombie-like creature seemed different, there was only one, so the group was not afraid. Four men immediately avoided the heads and surrounded it with their makeshift weapons.

The zombie-like creature jumped down at the same moment, and as the group dodged the heads, it suddenly accelerated, moving much faster than a normal person. It swung its curved knife, leaving a trail of afterimages.

"Ahh—" The sturdy man suddenly screamed, a spray of blood gushing from his throat as he spun and fell, his weapon landing on the ground. He clutched his neck, kicking his legs on the ground, but could no longer speak.

The curved knife in the zombie-like creature's hand had instantly cut through his throat.

Everyone's faces changed.

This zombie-like creature had intelligence.

Everyone had this thought.

Zombie-like creatures, with strength and speed several times that of a normal person, had always lacked intelligence and only knew simple biting. If they gained intelligence and could fully utilize their superior strength and terrifying speed, what would they become?

The half-faced zombie-like creature before them demonstrated this terrifying potential.

The sturdy man's throat was cut, and he spun and fell, his neck almost severed in half, clearly not surviving.

The zombie-like creature crouched, avoiding a steel pipe thrown at it, and with a swift hook of its curved knife, it deeply pierced the left chest of a young man who was facing it.

The young man's eyes rolled back, and he tried to say something, but as the zombie-like creature pulled out the knife, a jet of blood spurted out, and he fell backward, dead.

The knife had directly hooked his heart, almost slicing it in half. The fatal blow instantly killed the young man.

In just a moment, two people were dead, and the zombie-like creature had taken two heavy hits.

However, as a monster, it could not feel pain. As long as it was not hit in vital areas like the head, it could still move freely, even if its heart was removed.

Unlike living people, who have many vital points and can easily die from a slight misstep.

Although two people died instantly, the remaining three men and two women still rushed forward, forming a包围 (surround).

The zombie-like creature, though strong, was not invincible. If it had been, it would not have taken two hits. Moreover, its speed was faster than theirs, and if they tried to run, it would pick them off one by one, possibly killing them all.

Everyone understood this, including Tang Sanli and Yu Xiaohu, so they also rushed forward to join the others in surrounding the zombie-like creature, combining their strength to kill it.

With two people on the ground and Chu Nan, who was too weak to move, there were nine people left to attack.

In an instant, the zombie-like creature took three heavy hits. Although it avoided vital areas like the head, it could not withstand the combined force of so many people.

It swung its curved knife heavily, knocking away the wooden stick Yu Xiaotian was using, but blood splattered from its back, where Yu Xiaohu's sickle had cut a long wound.

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