Chapter 120: A World-Shaking Event

This is a gene-awakened individual.

Different gene states, and higher-potential gene limits.

Even the most ordinary human genes, once developed, can multiply their strength several times over what it was before awakening.

Not to mention…

Those who have undergone multiple high-energy gene optimizations will see their strength become even more terrifying after gene awakening!

“But…”

Chen Guang scanned Lin Qing and said, “Your gene limit is so high, fully unlocking it will be difficult—and the energy consumption will be enormous.”

Lin Qing nodded slightly and said, “I remember the Gene Cultivation Method is free.”

“I have it right here.”

As he spoke, Chen Guang tapped her fingertip, and a sheet of consciousness-projection paper materialized out of thin air, floating gently before Lin Qing’s eyes.

Lin Qing glanced at it once, and he had already learned the Gene Cultivation Method written upon it.

There was no help for it—it was too simple.

“The simplest form of absorption,” Lin Qing nodded slightly.

“Not that simple.”

Chen Guang said, “The more gene optimizations you’ve undergone, the more complex the energy you must absorb—you must find the right ratios and balance points among different energy levels yourself, or you’ll never reach your limit.”

Lin Qing nodded, understanding her meaning.

The more ordinary the gene, the simpler the energy needed to unlock its potential, and the quicker you can reach its limit.

But he had undergone so many gene optimizations that the energy he absorbed was extremely complex; finding the right ratios and balance points was far more difficult.

This required self-exploration.

If the Gene Cultivation Method wasn’t perfected through trial and error, you couldn’t reach your gene’s limit.

But Lin Qing didn’t care.

“I’ll cultivate for a while. After twenty-five days, once the Superenergy debt is cleared, the Gene Cultivation Method can be advanced directly to its limit.”

Lin Qing thought to himself, “By then, my strength will be ten times what it is now!”

Before gene awakening, his strength was already at the Two-Star Elite Patrol level—and among the top of that tier.

Now, although his physical attributes hadn’t yet improved, entering the right gene state would still grant him a significant boost.

If that strength were multiplied tenfold…

“Definitely at the Three-Star Elite Patrol level—and likely among the stronger ones.”

Lin Qing made his own judgment.

Below Patrol Masters, even if someone was stronger than him, they were probably a genius from the urban circle.

Like someone who had optimized several fourth-energy-level genes—their physical upper limit was certainly no worse than his, and if they had reached gene recombination, they’d definitely surpass him.

And if they had also trained in a Primitive-Level combat art, they’d be even more terrifying.

Thinking of this…

“Even among Three-Star Elite Patrols, the strength differences are huge,” Lin Qing murmured.

“Don’t be fooled by the title ‘Three-Star.’”

Chen Guang shook her head slightly. “At Patrol Headquarters, if you’re a gene-awakened individual and your basic combat art has reached instinct level, and you’ve enhanced fourth-energy-level gene abilities, you qualify as a Three-Star Elite Patrol—that’s the strength you’ll reach once fully developed.”

“Or even if you’re just at gene recombination level, you’re automatically a Three-Star Elite Patrol, no matter how ordinary.”

“Moreover, those at gene recombination level can effortlessly withstand fourth-energy-level energy—they can complete fourth-energy-level gene optimizations given enough time and sufficient cost.”

She looked at Lin Qing. “If such a person also masters a Primitive-Level combat art, they become a true force just below Patrol Masters—and they meet the conditions to attain a Starry Office.”

“So the gap between the lower and upper limits of a Three-Star Elite Patrol is truly enormous,” Lin Qing remarked.

“The gap is indeed vast.”

Chen Guang nodded slightly. “Patrol Masters are also at gene recombination level, but those who qualify for an Office are the absolute elite among them, wielding Office power—far stronger than ordinary gene recombination-level individuals.”

Lin Qing understood.

He recalled how, back in Lin’an City, two Patrol Masters had fought a professor from the Primitive Research Institute—just one exchange had reduced an entire hotel tower to rubble.

Such power was terrifying.

“Actually, you’re not far from gene recombination level.”

Chen Guang scanned Lin Qing. “Gene recombination has three thresholds: energy, body, and will. For energy, you can already absorb several fourth-energy-level energies—that’s sufficient. For body, as long as you reach your limit and surpass ordinary humans by a hundredfold, you’ll have absolute certainty. But I don’t know how your will is.”

“Will?”

Lin Qing said uncertainly, “I suppose it’s decent enough.”

His will had always been a strength, but he wasn’t sure if it met the requirement.

“Will is intangible and hard to measure,” Chen Guang said. “Patrol Headquarters has a place to test will—you can try it later.”

Lin Qing nodded slightly. “So gene recombination isn’t that hard, then.”

“For you, it isn’t.”

Chen Guang said, “Your accumulation before gene awakening far exceeds others’. Normal Elite Patrols barely reach forty to fifty times ordinary human physical capacity, and few can endure the purification of fourth-energy-level energy—plus there’s the will threshold. The chance of breakthrough is slim.”

Lin Qing now understood.

“I’ll just wait twenty-five days.”

He took a deep breath and didn’t rush to try the Gene Cultivation Method. Instead, he sank his consciousness into the Star-Transmission Pagoda within his body.

He intended to try again—could he push open that massive stone door?

Moments passed.

Lin Qing opened his eyes and shook his head slightly. “Still not enough.”

Though this attempt, in his pure physical gene state, had pushed the two massive stone doors open a little further, he was still far from fully opening them.

“My physical potential is still great—I just need more time to improve.”

Lin Qing immediately closed his eyes and began practicing the Gene Cultivation Method.

…

…

After gene awakening, Lin Qing felt tremendous progress every day—his physical attributes were rising at an astonishing rate.

Moreover, his genes could automatically adjust into the optimal state for practicing combat arts.

On the very day of gene awakening, he had already entered the beginner stage of the Infinite Heavenly Radiance art.

Lin Qing couldn’t help but marvel.

Was this the enhancement of talent after gene adjustment?

Talent was a composite of many factors.

Even if he wasn’t naturally skilled in one area, ancestral genes within his bloodline—or genes absorbed from extraterrestrial lifeforms—would always contain some strength.

This was the power of gene-awakened individuals.

Unfortunately, Lin Qing had no spare advance slots now; the next one was reserved for the Gene Cultivation Method. The Infinite Heavenly Radiance and the Six Movements of the Sinking Star would have to wait.

But he wasn’t in a hurry.

Lin Qing immersed himself daily in the feeling of rapid advancement and had no desire to leave the training division—if he could reach gene recombination level in one go, that would be ideal.

Unfortunately, peaceful days were always short.

Or perhaps… there was no true peace on Earth—only people lucky enough to live in peaceful regions and eras.

On September 1, 2121, an event occurred that shook the entire Patrol world—and the world’s security—to its core!

…

18.5°N, 83°W

This was the Cayman Trench.

In the dark, profound depths of the sea, there seemed to be no light at all. A massive nuclear submarine, like a roaring beast in the water, sped through the crushing pressure of the seabed, cutting through cold, silent waters.

Under the submarine’s searchlight, its intelligent detection system suddenly spotted a figure ahead.

It was a figure suspended in the deep sea, entirely shrouded in a black robe.

The submarine veered slightly, preparing to bypass the figure.

But—

The black-robed figure suddenly turned its head, looking over.

Beneath the robe, two eyes blazed—crimson as blood, yet colder than ice!

“Boom!”

Even beneath the sea, a thunderous roar echoed—the massive nuclear submarine instantly disintegrated, breaking into countless fragments that slowly sank, along with all the humans inside.

The light dimmed. The deep sea now floated with vast amounts of blood.

Too bad even sharks couldn’t dive to such depths.

“This is freedom.”

!.

This was the seabed—but the black-robed figure’s voice echoed clearly, heard by every dying Elite Patrol still barely alive.

Then, the figure withdrew its gaze and turned toward the massive underwater prison.

“What a large cage…”

Five minutes later.

The massive underwater prison, resting on the seabed, began slowly disintegrating. Vast quantities of seawater, as if the heavens had collapsed and the earth had sunk, surged violently into the prison.

Yet even as endless freezing seawater poured in, the cheers and wild laughter from within the prison could not be drowned out.

"Hahaha... I'm free!"

"I can get out!"

"Hahaha, what’s going on? The shackles unlocked themselves?"

"Who? Who saved us?"

"Hahaha! I’m finally free!"

Dozens of figures radiating terrifying energy suddenly burst out of the prison like madmen, their voices filled with near-hysterical joy and excitement, their speed enough to make the heart tremble.

Without hesitation, those figures plunged into the sea, yet the deep-sea pressure seemed meaningless to them—they immediately scattered in all directions, fleeing across the oceans!

"Hahaha..."

At that moment, a voice laced with amusement echoed through the ocean depths: "Enjoy your freedom, little ones."

【Current Order Level decreased by 3.9 levels】

【Current Order Level decreased by 3.4 levels】

【Current Order Level decreased by 3.2 levels】

【Current Order Level decreased...】

On the morning of September 2nd, when Lin Qing awoke from sleep, the first thing he saw upon opening his eyes were these ink-black notifications.

"Huh?"

Lin Qing could hardly believe his eyes. "What’s going on?"

He couldn’t help checking his current Order Level—it had dropped from 28.6 to 4.1.

Lost over twenty-four levels in one night?

And the notifications were black—that meant a massive danger and chaos had entered his life circle overnight.

"Where did this danger come from?"

Lin Qing stared at the warnings, each hovering above three levels, and felt a chill.

Order Level rose exponentially; each level increase meant danger multiplied by dozens.

A One-Star Patrol Elite’s threat level was only around 1.6; anything above Level 3 was likely a Three-Star Elite Patrol.

"Chenguang."

Lin Qing couldn’t help asking, "Any special events today?"

A streak of light flew out, forming a three-nothing little girl in a white dress, like an angel.

Chenguang glanced at Lin Qing and said, "Special events? Let me check."

Soon, her brows twitched slightly. "There really is something major happening."

"Major?" Lin Qing looked at her.

"It’s the Broken Stele Prison."

Chenguang turned to face him. "Late last night, the Broken Stele Prison was breached. All stationed patrols were killed, including two Three-Star Elite Patrols from the fifth level. All prisoners escaped."

"What?" Lin Qing froze.

The Broken Stele Prison had been breached?

That was the Broken Stele Prison built by Zhi Star Group, designed specifically to imprison extraterrestrial smugglers—and now all of them had escaped?

Even...

Two Three-Star Elite Patrols had been killed!

This would shake the entire Patrol Corps to its core!

"This is big."

Lin Qing took a deep breath.

At that moment, he understood why the Order Level had dropped so drastically.

That day, the Patrol Headquarters issued a notice.

Effective immediately, the entire Patrol Corps entered maximum alert status!

All new patrols, elite patrols, and even Patrol Masters were required to participate in global patrol duties.

Even new patrols from Headquarters, who were at least at the level of regional Patrol Chiefs, could still fulfill sufficient patrol roles under the current manpower shortage.

"Lin Qing, come to me."

That morning, Patrol Master Tang Wanqiu notified Lin Qing.

At the Headquarters core zone, Lin Qing met Tang Wanqiu again at the private estate.

"Director, what exactly happened?"

Lin Qing couldn’t help asking.

Although Chenguang could find out about this, the full details were locked in the Patrol Headquarters’ classified archives, guarded by an intelligent lifeform under the Headquarters’ oversight department—Chenguang couldn’t probe it without being detected.

"What’s your current strength?" Tang Wanqiu sized up Lin Qing.

"I’ve awakened my genes," Lin Qing answered honestly.

"Oh?" Tang Wanqiu’s eyes lit up. "Perfect. Then you’ll serve as the supreme commander of the Jiangnan region."

"Me?" Lin Qing blinked in surprise.

"I’ll be straight with you."

Tang Wanqiu said gravely, "The Broken Stele Prison was breached. Over seven hundred extraterrestrial smuggler prisoners escaped. Their implanted signal trackers were destroyed. They’re likely scattered and hiding across the globe."

Lin Qing frowned.

He knew where some of those prisoners were right now.

"Of the twelve Patrol Masters, only two are in our country."

Tang Wanqiu said, "I oversee the southern region, the other handles the north. We’re desperately short on manpower. Your current strength is close to a Three-Star Elite Patrol, and you’ll reach true Three-Star status soon. You’re the perfect choice to lead Jiangnan."

Lin Qing frowned slightly. "What about the urban zones? Ignore them?"

(End of Chapter)