They traveled through time at the same time, but the villainous scientist

Chapter 410 The Evil Cultivator's Lock-picking Skills Are Fast
"Click."

A faint, almost inaudible click of a mechanism suddenly broke the silence of the laboratory.

The ancient stone demon mask seemed to come alive, with bone spikes protruding from its sides gleaming with a cold luster, piercing Zheng Zha's skull without hesitation.

Zheng Zha's body suddenly stiffened, like a fully drawn bow, with veins bulging like twisted earthworms climbing from his neck to his forehead, and his muscles spasming violently.

However, Chu Xuan's gaze didn't linger on Zheng Zha's pained expression for even a second.

His eyes were fixed on the screen of the cultivation furnace, the lenses reflecting the waterfall of refreshing blue characters, and an almost fanatical obsession appeared on his eternally unchanging icy face.

"The brainwave frequency has exceeded the threshold... Ultra-high frequency oscillations have appeared in the gamma band... The activity of the nervous system is increasing exponentially..."

An unknown hormone has been detected secreted by the pituitary gland, and spectral analysis is underway... That's it, the substance that forcibly removes genetic restrictions... I see, I see..."

On the screen, the 3D image representing the areas of Zheng Zha's brain activity was instantly covered by a dazzling white light, which was so bright that it hurt people's eyes.

This means that Zheng Zha's brain was working at an unprecedented efficiency at this moment.

"how do you feel?"

Zhang Qi looked at Zheng Zha, whose body was still trembling slightly but whose breathing had gradually calmed down, and asked.

This [Stone Mask] is an improved version he created using core materials he obtained from the main god and combined with technology from other worlds.

The original Stone Mask was a tool created by Kars to break through the limits of his own race; it was not originally designed for human use.

It forcibly drains the brain's potential through brutal physical stimulation, elevating vitality, or "life," to a terrifying level.

But for mental strength, or "sex," which is relatively weak for humans, this kind of forced growth will only lead to one result—"letting things run wild."

A powerful physical instinct can completely overwhelm the dam of reason, turning the user into a beast that only knows how to kill and devour blood.

Throughout the entire JOJO world, only a genius like DIO, who possesses the innate mental strength of a "villainous savior," can retain his complete self-awareness after transformation, and even control his enhanced body to develop exquisite abilities such as the "vaporization freezing method."

Zhang Qi's reforms were precisely aimed at resolving the imbalance between "sex" and "life".

He significantly reduced the stimulation power of the [Stone Demon Mask] and added a slight mental calming function similar to the "Sexual Qi" of the Double-Handed Technique, which greatly improved its stability.

"I've never felt this good before..."

Zheng Zha slowly raised his head, looked at his hands, and said in disbelief.

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly clenched his right fist.

"Crack!"

With a sickening cracking sound, the muscles in his right arm swelled and bulged at a visible speed, stretching the tight-fitting combat uniform sleeves like balloons about to burst.

His originally well-proportioned arms suddenly became several sizes thicker in just one second, exuding an explosive sense of power.

He opened his palm, then clenched it again, feeling the perfect control over every muscle fiber and every nerve ending as if they were his own limbs.

"This...this...this..."

Zhang Jie staggered back half a step, his pupils shrinking to the size of pinpoints from extreme shock.

He pointed at Zheng Zha incoherently, making hoarse sounds in his throat.

Without a doubt, this extraordinary control over one's own body is the hallmark of the second stage of the gene lock!

Countless reincarnators risk their lives, only in dire straits where survival is nearly impossible, to glimpse even a trace of the path to enlightenment.

Now, right before his eyes, with a bizarre mask, it was accomplished in just a few minutes?

Has this world become so absurd?
"Only second-order?"

Zhang Qi looked at Zheng Zha's state and nodded thoughtfully.

According to his deduction, the Stone Mask directly affects the brain, and is most likely to unlock the third-order gene lock that develops the brain itself.

It seems that something is still missing...

"Alright, let's test the power in this state first..."

He then gestured for Zheng Zha to go to the training ground nearby.

Inside the training ground, Zheng Zha stood in front of a specially made gravity alloy force gauge. He took a deep breath and assumed a standard punching stance.

In the second stage of genetic lock, the "limiters" in the brain that exist to protect the body are temporarily removed.

This means that he can utilize 100% of the strength of his muscles...

"drink!"

With a loud shout, Zheng Zha's fist, accompanied by a shrill sound that tore through the air, slammed heavily onto the sensor plate of the force measuring device!

"boom--!!!"

A loud bang shook the entire laboratory. The sensor panel dented deeply, and the numbers on the connected electronic screen skyrocketed, finally settling on a value that almost took Zhang Jie's breath away.

This value has exceeded Zheng Zha's previous limit of power by several times!
But it's not over yet.

Zheng Zha closed his eyes.

He could clearly "see" two completely different yet equally powerful energies within his body.

One is a warm and profound internal force that flows through the meridians;
The other was a cold and domineering aura, hidden within his veins.

In the past, he couldn't mobilize these two energies.

Now, under the control of the second-order gene lock, they are like two arms that have been extended from themselves.

With a thought, his inner strength erupted from his body, flowing into his limbs and bones, and his speed and power increased once again.

Immediately afterwards, he mobilized his vampire energy, and a thin layer of crimson mist enveloped his fist. He punched another alloy target beside him, leaving a fist mark and a patch of corroded marks on the target.

Internal energy strengthens oneself, blood energy weakens enemies, and one recovers oneself...

Looking at the series of astonishing data recorded on the screen, Chu Xuan pushed up his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses flashing with rational brilliance.

He strode up to Zhang Qi and began discussing plans to promote the gene lock within the team...

Once everyone unlocks their gene lock, even if it's only at the first level, their team's overall strength will experience a qualitative leap!
Everyone... has unlocked their genetic potential?

Every word Chu Xuan uttered was like a heavy hammer, striking Zhang Jie's heart with devastating force.

His vision went black for a moment, and his ears were ringing.

Zhang Qi's rapid growth had already filled him with despair, and now, Chu Xuan's plan had completely crushed his last shred of hope.

He couldn't stay there any longer.

Zhang Jie turned around listlessly, like a soulless walking corpse, and slowly moved towards the door.

Behind him, the sounds of Chu Xuan and Zhang Qi discussing their new plan, and the roar of Zheng Zha testing his new power, all seemed to come from another world, completely out of place with him.

He pushed open the laboratory door and returned to his room.

Zhang Jie's mind went blank, and all his strength seemed to have been drained away in that instant.

He leaned against the cold metal door and slid helplessly to the ground.

The God's assessment mission... has finally arrived.

There was no way out for him.

Kill them, and live on.

Or, complete your mission as a guide, and then disappear...

Zhang Jie buried his face deeply between his knees, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

In the darkness, a suppressed sob, like the mournful cry of a wounded beast, escaped from the depths of his throat.

Why……

Why does it become like this...

He... just wanted to survive...

(End of this chapter)