Huan Tian's eyes flew open.
His mind instantly cut through the lingering haze like a blade. He glanced outside—darkness still blanketed the world. Judging by the dim moonlight, it was probably around two or three in the morning.
But then, a wry smile crept onto his lips.
He realized that both he and Lin Qingqing were lying naked on the floor. Their clothes had been shredded into tatters and scattered all over the place. The room was a complete mess—walls scorched, floor cracked, and the air still carried a hint of burning and blood. The aftermath spoke of how intense the previous battle had been.
Lin Qingqing was curled up against him, her arms wrapped tightly around his. She was still softly smacking her lips in her sleep. Under the broken moonlight pouring through the shattered window, her snowy-white skin gleamed like flawless jade.
The body heat he had just managed to suppress surged back up again.
"Damn it..." Huan Tian gave a helpless smile.
He had always known he'd end up "devouring" Lin Qingqing someday, but judging from the fragmented memories of last night, it felt more like he had been the one devoured.
And rather dominantly, at that.
He vaguely recalled being in control—until something strange suddenly bound him to the ground. At the most critical moment, he couldn't even move a muscle. He had been utterly pinned down.
"Talk about a blow to my pride."
Huan Tian glanced at Lin Qingqing with mixed emotions before quickly gathering himself and checking his current condition.
Name: Huan Tian
Strength: 14
Agility: 12
Constitution: 11
Spirit: 14
Genetic Enhancement Level: Tier 1
Genetic Unlock Level: Tier 1
Overall Level: Tier 1 Evolver
Unlocked Abilities:
Might – Strength-based enhancement. Increases muscle contraction efficiency, reduces energy loss during transmission, and boosts raw power output.
Edge – Spirit-based enhancement. Allows perception and manipulation of spiritual particles to coat melee weapons, enhancing sharpness and cutting force.
"Two abilities?!"
Huan Tian gasped.
Even in his previous life, he had never heard of anyone awakening two abilities at once! Could it be because his base Strength and Spirit stats were the same?
Now wasn't the time to get distracted.
He sprang to his feet and immediately tested his abilities.
He was already familiar with Might from his past life—more efficient muscle contractions meant more concentrated power, reduced stamina loss, and significantly increased combat endurance and explosiveness.
As for Edge...
He drew his bone blade. With a focused thought, he felt an invisible energy activate—fine threads of spiritual particles began wrapping around the blade. The entire weapon took on a subtle, eerie glow, as if it had gained a soul of its own.
"Spiritual particles... So this is the foundation of Spirit-based abilities?"
Huan Tian's eyes lit up, heart pounding with excitement.
The ability to control spiritual particles marked the true threshold for Spirit-type Evolvers. And now, he had taken his first step across it.
Huan Tian swung his blade lightly.
The edge pierced into the nearby wall with ease, sinking several inches deep into solid concrete!
But at that very moment, he felt something in his mind drain away—subtle, yet noticeable.
Frowning slightly, he formed a hand blade with his right hand and struck down hard at the corner of a nearby table.
Crack!
With a crisp sound, the entire corner was cleanly chopped off, the cut as smooth as if made by a real weapon. Yet at the same time, a wave of mental disorientation surged through his mind. For about half a second, his consciousness was swallowed by chaos before gradually returning to normal.
"As I thought... the consumption of spiritual particles isn't fixed," Huan Tian muttered to himself.
"The sharper the medium, the less spiritual energy it consumes. The duller the object, the greater the drain. This ability can only be used as a trump card."
Still, none of that could dampen his excitement.
The appearance of "Edge" had perfectly filled the gap in his current combat strength.
If he ran into someone like Luo Mai again—a brute with overwhelming muscle mass—he would no longer be helpless. He could finally fight back.
But one question lingered in his mind like a shadow.
"Why... did I awaken two abilities?"
Almost unconsciously, his gaze shifted toward the sleeping Lin Qingqing.
Name: Lin Qingqing
Role: Official Member of the Demon Hunting Squad
Strength: 6 (+1.4)
Agility: 7 (+1.2)
Constitution: 11 (+1.1)
Spirit: 21
Huan Tian was stunned the moment he saw her stats.
Twenty-one points in Spirit?!
That number was leagues ahead of everyone else, even higher than most Tier-4 Evolvers in his previous life.
If she were to develop a true Spirit-type ability, the consequences would be terrifying.
"No... wait. There's more!"
Huan Tian scrolled further down her profile, and his brain instantly felt like it had exploded.
Gene Enhancement Level: Tier-1
Gene Unlock Level: Tier-1
Overall Level: Tier-1 Evolver
Unlocked Ability:
Mental Projection – A Spirit-type enhancement that emits powerful spiritual particles outward from the body. A rare, non-fixed-form ability that disrupts and oppresses targets within range.
"She unlocked her first gene lock?"
His eyes widened in disbelief. Lin Qingqing had never injected a Tier-1 gene unlock serum—how could she have awakened an ability?
Unless...
His thoughts suddenly flashed back to what had happened the night before.
That intense, chaotic battle between the two of them... Could it have been the trigger?
It must have been during that exchange that the residual Tier-1 gene unlock serum in his body was transferred into Lin Qingqing's system, allowing her to successfully awaken as a Tier-1 Evolver.
And that feeling of being completely restrained last night—that sensation of immobility—wasn't his imagination at all. It was Mental Projection in action.
What's more, under the immense pressure of her unconscious spiritual force, it was very likely that he had been pushed into awakening "Edge," his second Spirit-based ability.
They completed each other.
"Mm."
Lin Qingqing let out a soft murmur as she turned over and opened her eyes.
Their gazes met, and the spiritual particles radiating from both of them intertwined, allowing Lin Qingqing to instantly perceive the chaos around them, as if she had witnessed it firsthand.
An awkward silence engulfed them, suffocating the moment.
Lin Qingqing said nothing at first, but her delicate face flushed crimson. She bit her lower lip, holding back for a long moment before finally managing to say,
"If I say you should take responsibility... that wouldn't be asking too much, right?"
Huan Tian smiled gently.
"I'm a man."
Four words that said everything.
Under Huan Tian's guidance, she began learning to control her spiritual projection. But Huan Tian had severely underestimated Lin Qingqing.
With a staggering 21 points in Spirit, her spiritual particles far surpassed his in strength, density, and volume.
Even with her control, each release of spiritual power was like a dam breaking loose.
Everything within three meters would be instantly blasted apart. Even Huan Tian had to brace himself with all his strength just to stay on his feet amid the shockwave.
What was even more terrifying was that Lin Qingqing could unleash such bursts four or five times consecutively before showing the slightest sign of fatigue. Her reserves of spiritual particles were like a deep ocean, and Huan Tian couldn't help but envy her.
But what truly made him jealous wasn't the numbers—it was the malleability of spiritual projection.
This ability had no fixed form; as long as it was developed, new functions could constantly emerge. The explosive attacks Lin Qingqing was using now were probably the most basic applications.
"Damn."
Huan Tian muttered to himself. Compared to Lin Qingqing's spiritual projection, his own "Edge" was nothing but a toy.
After two hours of getting accustomed to their newly awakened bodies, the two of them quietly fell asleep in each other's arms.
That night, Lin Qingqing slept more peacefully than ever. Her hand curled gently inside Huan Tian's arm, her body curled up against his like a proud yet clingy kitten.
Her spiritual power quietly enveloped them both, floating silently throughout the room like vigilant guardians.
The 38th floor, Bathroom.
The door was locked tight.
Behind it, brooms, mops, and whatever else they could find had been jammed against the door. But the zombies outside kept pounding relentlessly. The screws on the doorframe were about to be torn loose.
Inside, a man's frantic roar echoed.
The sound of rushing water filled the air as he stood at the sink, scrubbing himself frantically, completely ignoring the door that was about to be forced open.
He washed his face wildly with his only remaining right hand—his left arm had been severed at the elbow. Though wrapped in cloth, the blood had soaked through, still dripping steadily like an open faucet, pooling into a river of red at his feet.
The most horrifying sight was the fresh wound on his waist—something had exploded inside, leaving a gaping hole the size of a bowl.
Yet he seemed oblivious to the pain.
He kept rubbing his face with all his might, as if trying to peel off the flesh itself.
The flickering, dim light revealed fresh scars on the back of his hand, still glistening with blood.
"Damn it... damn it... DAMN IT!"
"Why won't it wash off?! Get away! Get the hell away from me, all of you!"
"This is all your fault, Huan Tian! You ruined me—but why won't you just DIE already?!"