Chapter Forty-One: The Experiment Succeeds

"Are you planning to inject all the serums into your body?" Gwen was a little frightened, wondering what kind of monster this would create.

"No." Michael picked up three serums and explained, "The one that matches my genes best is the vampire bat gene—it must be injected first. The super serum is compatible with the human body and should go second. Last comes the angel gene."

"Angel gene?" Gwen quickly caught on. "That’s Warren’s gene." She looked at Michael in confusion. "What do you want that gene for? Are you hoping to grow a pair of wings?"

Michael felt awkward. To say he wanted to grow wings—how embarrassing that sounded. "Something like that. But I've improved this gene; it’s not weak anymore. Actually, you could inject it too."

"No way! If I grew wings, my parents would be scared to death." Gwen glanced over again and asked, "What do we need to do now?"

"Check the number of antibodies in my blood." Michael produced a syringe, drew a few drops of blood, and placed them in the device. Soon, the antibody count was displayed—it had reached the threshold for serum injection.

"It’s about time." Michael took off his shirt, revealing his gaunt body. Gwen couldn’t help but feel a bit shy, though she tried not to show it.

Michael picked up the serums, opened the injector-equipped lab, and fitted each serum onto the apparatus.

Gwen stared in surprise at the claw marks inside the lab. "Did you keep lions in here?"

"Yes—experimental subjects. I cloned myself to use as test subjects."

Gwen was shocked by his actions. "If word got out, your reputation would be ruined."

"Will you tell anyone?" Michael looked at Gwen.

She shook her head.

"Then let’s begin." Gwen secured Michael in the restraint chair. "If anything goes wrong, I’ll inject you with the anti-gene serum immediately."

Michael nodded. "There’ll be tremendous pain during the experiment—don’t worry, it’s normal."

"Alright." Gwen acknowledged she understood.

Since the test subjects had no will, Michael couldn’t easily observe how the serum affected their minds, so he was still a bit anxious. But with Keisha’s guarantee, he felt reassured.

It had always been the test subject lying here; now, it was himself. He couldn’t help but feel some nervousness.

"Let’s start." Michael took a deep breath, tense with anticipation. Gwen stuffed a towel in his mouth and stepped outside. She pressed the activation button, and the serums were delivered sequentially into the device, smoothly injected into Michael’s body.

Before he could react, immense pain swept over him. Michael nearly bit the towel to shreds.

It hurt—pain beyond description. It was as if molten lava flowed through his veins instead of blood, tremendous heat surging inside him.

The heat threatened to melt him. He clenched his teeth, his consciousness growing hazy.

Michael seemed to hear the sound of the sea rising and falling—a grand tribe beating drums inside him, the noise thunderous. Eventually, he realized it was the sound of his heart pounding and blood coursing.

Then came the sound of waves crashing on rocks—his bones creaking.

After an indeterminate time, the pain faded. It felt as though his soul drifted outside his body, quietly observing the changes.

But soon, he was yanked back, as if thrown into a spinning washer, his soul rapidly returning to his body.

A new wave of agony struck, as if he were strapped to a chair and shocked with electricity.

He was reminded of that day at the orphanage, when some children had gotten hold of a stun baton and used him for their experiment.

That was the first time he realized how terrifying a child’s world could be.

"Michael... Michael..." It was Keisha’s voice. Michael’s mind gradually cleared.

He opened his eyes, only to find himself in a place of complete darkness.

"Don’t worry. This is your dark matter plane."

"What just happened?" Michael asked, still shaken.

"The serum triggers memories of painful times to affect your mind."

"But it doesn’t matter. Now you’re in the dark matter plane, your mind won’t be too deeply affected."

"Thank you." Michael watched as light gradually flickered in the dark matter plane, and chains resembling genes began to appear around him.

"What is this?"

"Your divine gene—also called the gene lock. It’s like a rule anchored inside you, your abilities."

"My abilities..." Michael realized he could interpret the meaning expressed by those genes.

"This image is shaped by your understanding—it’s the embodiment of your conceptual limits. In the future, the dark matter computer will use this data to help you wield various abilities and fight."

Michael remembered—Galon’s later creation, the Dominator Core, the void engine, was an operation platform resembling the eight trigrams.

"Dark matter computer plus divine gene—that’s the gene engine, right?"

"You could say that. It’s the ultimate product of the god-making project and the basic definition of a super-god."

Gwen watched Michael writhing in pain, several times tempted to press the button to spray anti-matter serum vapor.

At last, Michael’s expression grew calm. Aside from bulging muscles, his body hadn’t changed much.

Thank goodness—Michael hadn’t turned into a monster.

After a while, Michael’s shoulders swelled, and a pair of pure white wings sprouted from his back.

So there was mutation after all, but it seemed Michael had planned for this from the start.

Michael opened his eyes, spat out the shredded towel, and looked toward Gwen, exhausted. "It’s over."

Gwen hurried in and released the restraints.

Michael slowly stood up. "I feel like my whole body is brimming with power, as if it’s inexhaustible."

He struck the restraint chair, denting the high-grade steel.

Testing his strength, Michael turned to Gwen.

"You seem shorter?"

"You’ve gotten taller," Gwen replied, unable to resist touching Michael’s chest.

Michael felt ticklish and grabbed Gwen’s hand. They gazed at each other in silence.

"You..." Gwen was nervous, her heart pounding.

She admitted to herself she liked Michael—his handsome face, his formidable intellect, and his confidence in handling anything that came his way.

"Don’t speak." Michael pressed a finger to Gwen’s lips, pulling her into his arms.

"You’re beautiful." Michael slowly lowered his head, while Gwen closed her eyes in anticipation.

Their lips met lightly, parting as if electrified, then they kissed passionately.

Michael held Gwen tightly, as if he wanted her to melt into his body.

Gwen struggled to push him away. "You’re squeezing me too hard."

Michael was embarrassed. "Sorry, I didn’t control my strength."

"Is this how men always treat women? Compliment her, then kiss her?"

Michael smiled. "Isn’t that the standard way men woo women?"

Gwen smiled happily, looking at Michael. "Isn’t something missing?"

Michael was momentarily puzzled.

"Don’t play dumb—it’s a confession."

Gwen pinched Michael’s waist, making him gasp.

"I like you, Gwen."

Fate be damned—he liked her, and even if the king of heaven descended, he’d still like her.

"Hahaha—" Gwen couldn’t help but burst into laughter.