Chapter 1277: The Power of Bonds

Facing his friend, Zhou Tian was willing to elaborate a bit more.

"Although genetic technology allows me to control my cells and remain eternally young, it cannot influence my state of mind."

As he spoke, Zhou Tian's face constantly shifted, as if covered in a layer of modeling clay, transforming from a youth to a young adult, then to middle-aged and elderly, before finally reverting to a youth. As the leader of the Supreme Society, he commanded the most advanced genetic technology.

"The longer one lives, the more one's mindset resembles that of old men on their deathbeds. Such a mindset is detrimental to both daily life and scientific research."

"I discovered that continuously stimulating the brain can keep the mind in an active state."

"Lan Hai, you are utterly defenseless. Why get involved in this? For the sake of our past acquaintance, I can let you go."

Lan Hai hesitated. He knew Zhou Tian better than anyone. This attitude indicated Zhou Tian was completely confident, and their resistance would be futile. Surrender might be a good option to save his life. Thinking this, Lan Hai pointed at Lu Yang and the others, asking, "What about them? Can they be released?"

Zhou Tian shook his head.

Lan Hai silently raised his grenade launcher.

"Attack," Zhou Tian gestured. He was like a male lion whose roar could command countless lionesses to charge into battle for him. Eight A-grade warriors closed in, striking swiftly.

"Zhou Tian, you forced my hand!" Lan Hai aimed at Zhou Tian, preparing to fire a grenade.

One of the A-grade warriors opened his mouth, emitting a silent sonic attack. It was an infrasound wave, inaudible to humans but capable of affecting their bodily functions. Lan Hai became nauseous and dry heaved, falling to the ground incapacitated.

Michelle was a genetic warrior, and most of Yu Ran's body was mechanical, so they were unaffected. Lu Yang felt that faking nausea and dry heaving would ruin his image, so he pretended to resist the infrasound wave with sheer willpower.

Michelle and Yu Ran were quickly outmatched by the eight A-grade warriors. Michelle grabbed Lan Hai's grenade launcher and fired two shots at Zhou Tian, who was observing. Zhou Tian merely tilted his head to dodge, not even shifting his body. The grenades exploded against the ice wall, yet not even a tiny crack appeared. The ice chamber was terrifyingly hard.

"Michelle, opposing the Supreme Society is a death wish!" The lead A-grade warrior's eyes were bloodshot. He was as strong as a black bear, immensely powerful, and robots were like paper in front of him. Michelle could barely resist him. Every clash left her arms numb, but her incredible recovery ability prevented her from being defeated.

"Do you think you have me cornered?!"

Michelle created some distance, pulled out several vials from her waist, held them in her hand, and threw them at the A-grade warrior. The vials shattered, and the A-grade warrior screamed, collapsing to the ground in convulsions, frightening the other A-grade warriors away.

"What is that?"

"An anti-gene agent?" Zhou Tian raised an eyebrow. No wonder Michelle dared to infiltrate this place; she had evidently concocted such a substance. With the anti-gene agent, the tide of battle instantly turned. Michelle threw vial after vial, and every A-grade warrior hit by them cried out in pain and lost their ability to move. In just a few breaths, three more A-grade warriors collapsed to the ground.

"Zhou Tian, surrender now!" Michelle grew stronger with each attack, an almost imperceptible aura rising from her.

Zhou Tian remained unperturbed. He took out a remote control, pressed a red button, and fire sprinklers on the ceiling sprayed an unknown liquid. Michelle's expression changed dramatically; this was also an anti-gene agent! She tried to flee, but it was too late. As the anti-gene agent landed on her, she writhed in agony, as if plunged into a bucket of sulfuric acid. Her strength gradually faded as the genes that empowered her rapidly disintegrated.

Of course, Zhou Tian still intended to use Michelle for experiments, so he adjusted the anti-gene agent's concentration to be non-lethal.

"Little sister Michelle, are you alright?!" Yu Ran shook Michelle, frantically wiping the anti-gene agent from her body with her clothes. But the anti-gene agent had already melted into her body; wiping off the surface liquid was too late. Michelle didn't answer, only writhing on the ground, wailing in pain.

"Go, capture them. Bring them all for experiments," Zhou Tian commanded, and the remaining A-grade warriors charged towards Lu Yang and the others.

"No, don't!"

Michelle's remaining consciousness heard Zhou Tian's command and whispered to herself. She had grown up in a cold laboratory. Her only source of warmth, her grandfather, the doctor, was dead. Now that she had finally found companions, how could she let them fall into danger? Through her blurred vision, she watched in agony as her companions were captured one by one.

"Get up! I need to get up and save them!"

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Suddenly, a powerful heartbeat echoed through the ice chamber. The beats weren't fast, but they resonated strongly!

"What's happening!" Zhou Tian, who had been completely confident, could no longer sit still. Something unexpected was happening to Michelle.

Michelle slowly rose, not by pushing herself up, but as if being pulled by an unseen force, like a puppet on strings. Her golden hair floated like golden waves. Her eyes turned blood-red and savage. The air around her distorted, and intensely cold mist swirled, making the chamber even colder.

"You will not harm my friends!"

Michelle roared softly. The A-grade warriors involuntarily released their grip, knelt on the ground, and submitted to Michelle. All their genetic modification technology originated from research on Michelle. If the frozen corpses in the ice chamber were Michelle's origin, then Michelle was their origin. This was the pure pressure of a higher-order being upon lower-order beings, impossible to defy. Those who resisted would die!

"Genetic evolution?" Zhou Tian was ecstatic. Michelle's condition perfectly matched the theoretical concept of genetic evolution.

"Her bloodline has awakened," Lu Yang observed Michelle's transformation. This was originally a lengthy process, but under the dual pressure of the anti-gene agent and her desire to save her friends, it had been drastically accelerated. Lu Yang found the Supreme Society truly laughable, claiming to believe in the power of the human body while treating Michelle as Experiment Subject Number One. The truth was, Michelle was so powerful because her bloodline was impure, mixed with the blood of an ancient demon. What puzzled Lu Yang was that Michelle's body seemed to contain two ancient demon bloodlines.

"Are you alright?" Lu Yang pulled Lan Hai and Yu Ran to their feet. Neither of them had undergone genetic modification, so they were unaffected by Michelle.

Michelle ignored the prostrate A-grade warriors and walked directly towards Zhou Tian. Zhou Tian hurled a high-concentration anti-gene agent, intending to subdue Michelle, but before it could even reach her, it froze into ice crystals and shattered upon hitting the ground.

"What?!"

The changes in Michelle completely overturned his understanding; this was practically a superpower! This was unscientific!

Michelle raised her hand and slapped Zhou Tian, sending him crashing into the ice wall, blood gushing out. Just as Michelle was about to finish off Zhou Tian, she suddenly staggered, her consciousness pulled away, drifting towards the depths of the ice chamber. Something there seemed to be calling to her. Was it the source of her power?

The depths of the ice chamber were pitch black. During the earlier conflict, it had been impossible to discern what was frozen there. Only now did Michelle realize what it was. It was a snow-white rabbit, indistinguishable from a pet rabbit seen in a market.

"An ancient Jade Rabbit," Lu Yang murmured.

Michelle's consciousness uncontrollably entered the rabbit's corpse. The moment she entered, a myriad of thoughts flooded her mind: darkness, coldness, and extreme negative emotions overwhelmed her consciousness.

"What... what is this?"

Michelle felt herself merging with the rabbit, but the rabbit's negative emotions were also eroding her. During this process, the Jade Rabbit's corpse slowly opened its blood-red eyes. Merely a wisp of its living presence was enough to cause Zhou Tian's ribs to pierce his lungs.

"No, I cannot be consumed like this. A mere wisp of power just crushed Zhou Tian. My companions must be in grave danger. If I am overtaken by these negative emotions, my companions will surely die." Michelle's benevolent consciousness fought against the negative emotions, a battle between two forces. Michelle looked at Lu Yang and the others. She believed that as she struggled, her companions must also be suffering, and that the strength of their bond would surely help them overcome this ordeal.

Then she saw that Lu Yang and the others were completely unaffected by her.

Michelle: "?"

The negative emotions instantly seized control of Michelle's consciousness.