The once bustling restaurant was now a chaotic mess, the bloodstains on the floor constantly reminding you of the brutal fight that had just taken place.
By the counter in the distance, the uncle leaned quietly, covered in blood. You quickly helped him up, and seeing it was you, the uncle finally let down his guard.
Caesar Life had never given up searching for Lin Ran's whereabouts, and after this natural disaster riot, their desire to develop new Gene Medicine reached its peak.
They somehow got news of Lin Ran and found their way here, intending to take Lin Ran away again.
The good news was that Lin Ran had secretly broken through the third Gene Lock on her own, catching Caesar Life off guard, and she escaped.
The bad news was that Lin Ran was wanted by Caesar Life and was constantly in danger.
Once again, because of your incompetence, because of your misjudgment, Lin Ran had to bear such a great risk alone, even implicating the uncle who took you in. Boundless anger filled your heart.
In your eyes, Lin Ran was just a little girl who loved sweets and had just come of age. If nothing had happened, she should have become a revered human prodigy, a female general who achieved great victories on the disaster battlefield, and not a fugitive.
You silently helped the uncle clean up the restaurant. After settling him, you sat alone on the restaurant's rooftop, while in the courtyard behind you, the small figure who used to train diligently was no longer there.
In the dark night, Zhang Jie sat alone on the restaurant's rooftop, directly opposite him was an extremely prosperous urban area.
Unlike the quietness near the restaurant, the streets there were lit up with neon lights and bustling with activity, and the energetic music could be faintly heard even across an entire block.
That was the most famous red-light district nearby, where those who considered themselves upper-class society loved to indulge in debauchery, enjoying the rights that the era brought them.
Perhaps, the company executives involved in the manhunt for Lin Ran were currently enjoying themselves there, not even worried despite the natural disaster hanging over their heads like a Sword of Damocles.
Does the sky always fall on someone tall to bear it? Not necessarily.
At least, that's what Zhang Jie thought.
This was the fifth year of Caesar Life's self-proclaimed rule, and Rong Country had undergone tremendous changes. In the dark corners of the city, there were gangs, hooligans, and homeless beggars everywhere.
How much longer could Rong Country last in such a situation?
Looking at the city, Zhang Jie suddenly realized that the tragedy of this era was no longer just about his hatred for Caesar Life; it had long since tightly entangled every person on this planet, leaving no one outside of it.
"So... I've been on the wrong path all along..."
Lin Ran was right, only by having strength can one avoid being manipulated at will, but what did that mean? How powerful did one need to be?
The nine-level Gene Warrior, hailed as humanity's strongest, still died at the hands of the natural disaster.
Taking a deep breath, Zhang Jie slowly stood up from the rooftop. He knew what he had to do; he was going to do something, something big!!!
Your idea was simple: as long as Caesar Life was destroyed, everything would be solved. You still clearly remembered the hidden rage within your body, and you decided to take a gamble.
You left all the money you had saved over the years and bid farewell to the uncle.
Before you left, the uncle seemed to realize what you were about to do and gave you the jacket he wore when he roamed society in his youth, along with a piece of advice.
"Never give up the fight!"
Although you weren't entirely sure what the uncle wanted to express, you still expressed your gratitude to him.
You returned to Hai City, the place where you grew up, and also the location of Caesar Life's headquarters, the source of all misfortune.
This place was no longer as you remembered it. Your and Lin Ran's former home had been converted into a commercial area. You still remembered the clusters of flourishing jasmine flowers in the small courtyard downstairs from your house.
The situation here was even worse than in Yun City where the uncle was. The city center was incredibly prosperous, with various skyscrapers rising from the ground, looking like a different world compared to the dilapidated outer city.
The central area of Yun City was like a giant commercial machine, processing people's shattered dreams, broken spirits, and empty souls as raw materials to produce endless wealth.
At the very heart of that prosperity, a skyscraper pierced the clouds, standing like a tall tower. That was the headquarters of Caesar Life.
A week later, near dusk, an unremarkable figure appeared in front of the building, looking up.
Four massive cylindrical structures spiraled upwards from the base to the top, like two intertwining double helix genes. It was taller than any surrounding skyscraper, exuding luxury.
"Double Gene Helix Tower, quite fitting."
Zhang Jie took off his sunglasses, looking at the building with interest. Surprisingly, his eyes were scarlet, and his entire demeanor had undergone a significant change.
"Quite impressive."
He adjusted the jacket the uncle had given him and slowly walked towards the building's entrance.
This was a suicide mission. Standing at the building's entrance, Zhang Jie felt as if a flame was slowly flowing within him.
My heart is like fire. When that power capable of burning everything to ashes reappeared in his heart, Zhang Jie knew he had made the right gamble.
"Then let all of this..."
"Turn to ashes!"
...
"Hello, sir, how may I help you?"
The receptionist politely asked Zhang Jie, completely unaware of what was about to happen.
"The CEO of Caesar Life is on the top floor, right?"
"Do you have an appointment, please?"
Zhang Jie smiled calmly, the life codes of the armed guards around him appearing in his eyes.
"No appointment needed."
...
"Only one person?!"
"And he's already killed his way to the seventh floor?!"
"Are you f***ing kidding me?!"
At the top of this Gene Double Helix Tower, a middle-aged man dressed in expensive clothes was cursing into his phone. He was the actual power holder of Caesar Life: Lu Xuefei.
"Are all of you in the security department f***ing useless?!"
"Where are the more than one hundred resident third-level Gene Warriors? Go get him! Take the firearms and gene weapons I gave you and kill him!!!"
Lu Xuefei gasped for air, angrily kicking over his office desk.
"All of you are f***ing trash!"
His Little Secretary next to him trembled with fear, not daring to look directly at the middle-aged man.
"Contact the Blood Calamity research department and tell them to deploy the Blood Calamity experimental subject to the 13th floor. Also, seal off all passages above the 13th floor."
Through the huge tempered glass window, Lu Xuefei watched as more and more people gathered below the building, his expression ferocious.
"I will not allow anyone to challenge my authority!"