Genome. All members of the same species shared over 99.9 of their genome. People who were blood related had an extremely high similarity in their genome. The similarities among human genomes made up the characteristics of a human such as the body, the mind, intelligence, etc. The minute difference that were less than 0.1 percent made up the facial features, personalities, blood types, etc.
Of course, many of the genes in a human were never activated in a person’s life. These genes were remnants of evolution. Evolution of single-celled life, multicellular life, amphibians… and finally man. Many of the genes from the ancient eons were left in our genome. However, what natural selection did not choose to retain weren’t necessarily bad genes. Sometimes, the good genes were eliminated first.
If a person gained full control of his DNA, these hibernating genes would be awakened along with the strength hidden within, and similarly, the primitive instincts of killing.
Zheng couldn’t remember the time this sensation started. It felt as though the sensation arose when he was fighting one bloody battle after another in Starship Troopers. He kept entering the unlock mode, he kept simulating other people’s thinking process, he kept struggling on the brink of death. During that situation, a faint feeling arose. The real awakening took place in Resident Evil. He was filled with killing intent and anger against the researchers. And then when he fought a large number of evolved lickers, he lost consciousness…
By the time his consciousness returned, he saw the majority of the evolved lickers were cut into pieces. While he was unharmed. He realized he made the breakthrough… unlocking the fourth stage of the genetic constraint, control of DNA.
Based on the experience he obtained from that fight, the fourth stage had three phases, early, intermediate, and high. He was in the early phase. In this phase, he could train his body in the most optimized way. He could awaken hibernating genes left from evolution to adjust his body to the most suitable condition.
At this stage, his need for the higher-level vampire bloodlines from God weren’t as urgent anymore because he could optimize his DNA to bring out his full potential.
Zheng was now able to adjust his DNA based on how much energy he had so that his body was more suited for Explosion and Destruction usage and use them at full potential. No wonder it was said that only the fourth stage allowed one to use exchanged abilities in full.
The early phase awakened hibernating genes, optimized the body, and allowed the use of exchanged abilities at full potential. The intermediate phase allowed the evolution and modification of DNA. One could optimize the body to a degree beyond its current best state and allowed the creation of abilities using the information contained inside the genes. The high phase allowed one to control energy within the body at a genetic level. That was only one step away from the fifth stage.
Zheng moved his left shoulder slightly and dodged a pike coming from an Uruk-hai. He then tackled the pike with his shoulder, sending it flying. The pike slapped onto over ten Uruk-hai horizontally. Arms and legs were falling from these Uruk-hai as they came in contact with the pike. Just a tackle from his shoulder was already so powerful.
Zheng reached out his arm and grabbed the Uruk-hai that hit him with the pike. He moved his hands over it. The Uruk-hai was torn to pieces.
The people on the wall looked in shock with their mouths and eyes wide open. On the battlefield beneath them, a killing machine marched into the Uruk-hai army. He wasn’t moving extremely fast but any living being that came into five meters of him would get torn to pieces within the next second. Zheng dropped Tiger’s Soul. He was growling like a wild beast. All his kills were done by tearing with his bare hands. The Uruk-hai were actually pitiful at this point. The villagers on standing on the wall vomited at this bloody scene.
This was Zheng’s reason for hiding the fact he unlocked the fourth stage. He couldn’t control this immense power. The fourth stage was totally different from the third. It was only at this stage that he truly touched upon the source of life. The early stage awakened the remnants of the past but also the frenzy and lust for blood that the simple life forms had when survival was the only thing they wanted. It was a lust without reason. All Zheng wanted right now was to kill everything in sight, the Uruk-hai, the wizard, the humans on the wall, and even the members of team China. He didn’t fear anyone with the strength he possessed.
However, the Uruk-hai were nearest to him so he attacked them first. Multiple Uruk-hai were falling to pieces every second. Head, chest, abdomen, anywhere he attacked was cause of death. Zheng licked the blood that got on the corner of his mouth. He entered almost twenty meters into the Uruk-hai army after coming out of the broken wall. Uruk-hai that were charging without fear began to back. They weren’t scared but they couldn’t understand why wouldn’t this man fall. It was as though arrows shot at him avoided him. Pikes that seemingly hit him hit somewhere else. And anyone that came near him naturally fell to pieces. This terrifying scene made the Uruk-hai back.
“Aouh!!!” Zheng suddenly howled. He leaped at the backing Uruk-hai army. The leaped brought him up eight meters. He landed on several Uruk-hai and smashed them to a paste. His reaction speed right now surpassed what he used to have during Destruction. When his act was registered to the Uruk-hai, he had seized a Uruk-hai and torn it apart. Blood, flesh, and organs splashed over him.
Zheng bit a Uruk-hai in front of him on the head. The thought of biting open a head like an apple naturally occurred to him. He woke up from the fourth stage with a shock. A ground filled with broken bodies that couldn’t even make out a shape came into his eyes. In front of him were the defeated Uruk-hai army running away. He was over a hundred meters away from the fortress without realizing it. Perhaps he was subconsciously moving at the opposite direction from the fortress since if he stayed there during that state, he might wake up to a ground of broken bodies also.
Zheng turned around and quietly ran back to the fortress. Flesh, organs, blood, and dirt were hanging on his hair, face, clothes, and in his mouth. He seemed more terrifying than a monster. Some archers on the wall cried in fear as he approached. Half of them aimed their bow at him. His performance was like how the books depicted Sauron. Invincible.
Zheng ignored these archers. He entered the broken wall and saw YinKong and ChengXiao not far away. Xuan was in ChengXiao’s arms. The young man with an average look and glasses was as calm as always. There was no sign of pain on his face.
“Right. He couldn’t feel pain unless he reaches the fourth stage and obtains what a normal person should have. But…” Zheng walked over to them. He ignored the flesh and blood on him. “Is he really dead?”
ChengXiao nodded. “Yes. Sense his pulse. His heart shattered. Blood no longer flows. After two hours, his brain is also mostly dead. The only thing strange was the leaf of Telperion went down his throat. Did that leaf not account for whether a person was alive or dead?”
“Two hours?” Zheng turned around and looked at the battlefield beyond the broken wall. The broken bodies on the ground amounted to several thousands. It had been two hours since he entered the fourth stage. No wonder the Uruk-hai retreated.
“I can’t believe someone like you died like this. I thought you would only die from being erased for scheming God or drag God along with you to hell. You scumbag. How could you die without pain when you haven’t gotten your feelings yet?” Zheng sat on the ground with his head lowered. He murmured to himself. Something wet slid down his cheeks. Then he fell unconscious. The battle squeezed every last bit of his energy. He managed to walk back because he wanted to see his bro one last time. These were the last words in his heart before he lost consciousness.