The cold light of the laboratory fell on the holographic screen of the console, and Liam's fingers tapped rapidly on the virtual keyboard. The flowing data streams on the screen, like a silver waterfall, gradually outlined the outline of Marcus Thorn's trap. Elena stood beside him, holding the calibrator of the gene editor in her hand, her fingers still trembling slightly, but the fear in her eyes had been replaced by determination—she had just extracted a trace derivative of the "Apex Serum" according to Liam's instructions and prepared an emergency potion to temporarily enhance physical fitness, which was enough to support Ethan's body to withstand higher-intensity energy impacts for a short time.
[Analysis of unknown biological enhancement device energy completed: Energy fluctuation intensity is 18.7 units, higher than the current output of the Connection Core (15.5 units). It is speculated to be a prototype of the first-generation bio-mecha, relying on manual control with a defect in energy conduction delay. Life signals confirmed: 8, all with high-intensity physical characteristics, consistent with enhanced assassin characteristics, distributed around the abandoned laboratory in an encircling posture.] The AI's voice sounded steadily in Liam's mind, accompanied by the increasingly clear hum of the Connection Core, as if echoing the fighting intent surging in his chest.
Liam raised his hand to press his temple, and the faint blue light under the bandage flickered slightly. A gentle warmth spread along the nerve pathways to his limbs—AI was slowly increasing the brain activation level. For every 0.1% increase, his perception became sharper, and the intertwined memories of Liam and Ethan became more closely integrated. He could clearly recall the weaknesses of bio-mechas that Ethan had studied, and with his own AI expertise, he could quickly crack the electronic monitoring and trap triggering mechanisms that Marcus might have set up.
"Emergency potion injection completed, physical enhancement effect lasts for two hours." Elena handed a small injection needle to him, and the light blue potion in the needle glowed faintly, echoing the blue light of the Connection Core. "According to your request, the potion combines serum derivatives and nerve stabilizers, which can not only temporarily improve muscle toughness but also prevent nerve backlash caused by excessively high brain activation. In addition, I modified your identity code to temporarily shield the positioning tracking that Marcus might have implanted, ensuring we are not discovered before arrival."
Liam took the needle, pierced it into the vein of his forearm without hesitation, and slowly pushed the light blue potion into his body. A burning tightness instantly spread through his body, the soreness of muscle fibers was quickly relieved, and his originally weak body seemed to be injected with new strength. [Detection of emergency potion fusion, physical tolerance increased by 30%, current brain activation level can be safely increased to 16%. Activate the activation program?]
"Activate." Liam replied in a low voice, his gaze fixed on the structural diagram of the abandoned laboratory on the holographic screen—it was an old bio-lab built ten years ago, abandoned due to an experimental accident, filled with aging pipelines and exposed wires inside, which happened to be an excellent cover for him to counterattack using the terrain. He tapped his finger, and a virtual folder popped up on the screen, containing his forged serum formula and preliminary physical modification plan. "This is the 'bait' for Marcus, mixed with false gene editing sequences. Once he tries to use it, it will only cause energy disorder in the bio-mechas and trigger the self-destruct program."
Elena looked at the false data on the screen, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes: "You actually constructed a sequence that is enough to be confused with the real one in such a short time and implanted a self-destruct program—this has exceeded the ability of ordinary neuroscientists." She had actually long noticed that the "Ethan" in front of her not only had Ethan's neuroscientific talent but also had an almost extreme logical thinking and code manipulation ability, a sharpness belonging to an AI genius that she had never seen in Ethan.
A faint smile appeared on Liam's lips, a mix of Ethan's calm and his own arrogance: "Obsession blinds people, while fusion makes people invincible." He did not explain further, but only handed a small nanoscale signal transmitter to Elena. "Take this with you. It can shield the thermal detection of bio-mechas and send me a signal in an emergency. Later, we will act separately. You lurk in the ventilation duct on the west side of the laboratory, responsible for observing Marcus's movements and not showing up easily—your task is to send an interference signal when he activates the bio-mechas, and leave the rest to me."
Elena took the signal transmitter, held it tightly in her palm, and nodded firmly: "Don't worry, I won't hold you back. You also need to be careful. Marcus's methods are extremely cruel. Each of those enhanced assassins has undergone genetic modification, and their physical fitness is far beyond that of ordinary people." She paused, her gaze falling on the blue light at his temple. "If there is any abnormality in the Connection Core or if the brain activation level is too high, you must stop in time—I don't want to lose you, let alone let our research fail."
Liam felt a warmth in his heart and raised his hand to gently pat her shoulder—a gesture half of Ethan's trust in his colleague and half of his own gratitude to his ally. "I will be fine." His voice was firm. "Remember, once I launch the counterattack, you immediately send the interference signal without hesitation. Marcus wants my Connection Core and the serum formula, so I will give him a 'surprise'—let him know that coveting what does not belong to him will eventually cost him a painful price."
As soon as he finished speaking, the AI's prompt sounded again in his mind: [Brain activation level increased to 16%, neural symbiosis stability 89%. Unlocked new abilities: Energy Perception, Electronic Interference. The Connection Core has established a temporary link with the laboratory's main control system, capable of remotely controlling the circuits and pipeline valves of the abandoned laboratory.]
An unprecedented clarity swept over Liam's mind. He could "see" the thermal outline of every assassin around the laboratory, "hear" the faint current sound of the communicators on their bodies, and even perceive the energy pulse of the unknown bio-mecha in the distant abandoned laboratory—like a sleeping behemoth waiting for the order to wake up. He knew that 16% activation, although not enough to crush everything, was enough to deal with the current trap and give Marcus a fatal counterattack.
As night fell, the abandoned laboratory on the edge of the city was shrouded in darkness. Only a few dilapidated street lamps emitted faint light, stretching the laboratory's shadow long, like a ferocious monster. Liam wore Ethan's white lab coat, put the forged documents in his portable briefcase, and walked slowly towards the laboratory door—he did not hide his whereabouts, but instead deliberately slowed down, like a prey taking the initiative to walk into a trap, luring the hunters in the dark to show themselves.
As soon as he reached the laboratory door, two black shadows suddenly rushed out from behind the walls on both sides, holding special energy daggers with a faint green cold light, pointing directly at his heart and temple—obviously, the target of these assassins was not only to kill him but also to seize the Connection Core in his temple.
Liam's eyes turned cold, and his body dodged to the side subconsciously, moving faster than the limit of ordinary people—16% activation not only improved his perception but also strengthened his reaction speed and physical coordination. As he dodged, he flicked his finger lightly, and a faint blue energy overflowed from his fingertip, accurately hitting the communicator on one of the assassins' wrists.
"Zila——" A harsh current sound rang out, and the communicator short-circuited instantly, emitting bursts of black smoke. The assassin let out an exclamation, his wrist went numb, and the energy dagger slipped out of his hand. Liam took the opportunity to step forward, and his elbow hit him hard in the chest. There was a clear "click" sound, and accompanied by the assassin's scream, the other party fell to the ground like a broken kite, unconscious.
Seeing this, the other assassin's eyes flashed with shock, and then he pounced more frantically, the dagger stabbing at Liam's neck. Liam did not dodge, but raised his head slightly and gave an order in his mind: [Activate electronic interference, cut off the connection between the assassin's nerves and the genetic enhancement device.]
Almost at the same time, the assassin's movements suddenly stiffened, a look of confusion flashed in his eyes, and his body trembled uncontrollably—the genetic enhancement device in his body was hit by the electronic interference signal from the Connection Core, instantly falling into disorder, the nerve pathways were blocked, and he lost control of his body. Liam raised his hand and pushed gently, and the other party fell to the ground with a crash, twitched a few times, and then stopped moving completely.
[Detection of two assassins losing mobility, the remaining 6 assassins are approaching the laboratory door, expected to arrive in 30 seconds. Bio-mecha energy fluctuation intensifies, about to activate.]
A cold smile appeared on Liam's lips. He bent down to pick up the energy dagger from the ground, ran his finger across the blade of the dagger, and felt the energy fluctuation on it. He knew that the real battle had just begun. Marcus was hiding deep in the laboratory, waiting to see him in a mess and seize everything from him—but Marcus would never know that he was no longer the Ethan Cross who could be manipulated at will, nor the desperate AI prodigy Liam Voss.
He was the fusion of two people, a miracle of symbiosis between the Connection Core and the human brain, and the existence that was about to rewrite the trajectory of human evolution.
Liam held the energy dagger tightly and slowly pushed open the laboratory door. Darkness swallowed him instantly. Inside the laboratory, aging pipelines dripped water, making a "tick-tock" sound, which was particularly harsh in the silent room. Beside the distant console, a tall figure stood with his back to him, playing with a black controller in his hand—it was Marcus Thorn.
"You really came, Dr. Cross." Marcus turned around slowly, a sinister smile on his face. His gaze fell on Liam's briefcase, then swept over the blue light at his temple, a flash of greed in his eyes. "It seems you are sensible and did not disappoint me."
Liam did not speak, but only looked at him calmly, silently counting in his mind: 3, 2, 1——
"Hum——" A violent energy fluctuation suddenly sounded. The walls on both sides of the laboratory slowly opened, and six half-human tall bio-mechas walked out slowly. The surface of the mechas was covered with dark black scales, the heads were flashing with red thermal detectors, and the arms were equipped with special energy cannons, emitting a suffocating sense of oppression. At the same time, six enhanced assassins rushed in, surrounding Liam tightly, forming an impenetrable encirclement.
Marcus raised the controller in his hand, the smile on his face becoming more sinister: "Dr. Cross, hand over the documents in the briefcase and the 'treasure' in your temple, and I can give you a quick death. Otherwise, these bio-mechas will tear you to pieces, leaving you with no chance to regret."
Liam raised his head slowly, the blue light at his temple becoming more dazzling. Elena's voice sounded in his mind: [Interference signal is ready to be sent at any time. Bio-mecha energy conduction delay confirmed, weakness at the chest energy core.]
The smile on his lips became colder. He slowly opened the briefcase and threw the forged documents on the ground: "The documents are here. As for the Connection Core——" He paused, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding bio-mechas and assassins, his voice filled with a hint of arrogance and disdain. "If you want it, come and get it yourself."
Marcus's face turned dark, a flash of killing intent in his eyes: "It seems you won't give up until you see the coffin." He pressed the controller in his hand sharply. "Activate the bio-mechas, kill him, and seize the Connection Core!"
"Hum——" The bio-mechas activated instantly, the energy cannons on their arms emitted dazzling red light, aiming at Liam. The six enhanced assassins also pounced at the same time, their energy daggers glowing with faint green cold light.
At that moment, Liam raised his hand sharply and shouted loudly into the air: "Do it!"
Almost at the same time, in the ventilation duct on the west side of the laboratory, Elena pressed the button of the signal transmitter. A strong electronic interference signal spread instantly. The movements of the bio-mechas suddenly became stiff, and the red light of the energy cannons began to flicker, obviously falling into energy disorder. The six enhanced assassins also showed symptoms of nerve block again, their movements becoming slow.
[Brain activation level temporarily increased to 16.5%, energy output maximized. Activate the circuits of the abandoned laboratory, release high-voltage current.]
The moment Liam gave the order in his mind, the metal pipelines on the laboratory floor suddenly emitted dazzling electric sparks. High-voltage current spread along the pipelines, hitting the surrounding assassins and bio-mechas. The assassins let out shrill screams, their bodies were instantly pierced by the current, and they fell to the ground completely motionless. The shells of the bio-mechas also emitted bursts of black smoke, and the light at the energy core began to dim, obviously suffering serious damage.
Marcus's face changed drastically, looking at the scene in front of him in disbelief. The controller in his hand fell to the ground with a "click": "Impossible! This is impossible! How could you control the circuits here? How could you crack my bio-mechas?"
Liam walked slowly towards him. With every step he took, the blue light at his temple became more dazzling, and the aura on his body became stronger. He stopped and looked down at Marcus, his voice cold without a trace of warmth: "Marcus, you are too conceited. You thought that with a few imperfect bio-mechas and a few genetically enhanced assassins, you could manipulate me? You could seize my research results?"
He raised his hand, pointed his finger at Marcus, and a blue energy beam shot out instantly, hitting Marcus's shoulder. Marcus let out a scream, his body staggered back a few steps, black smoke emitting from his shoulder, and blood instantly dyed his suit red.
"You don't know," Liam's voice sounded slowly, with a hint of compassion and a hint of arrogance. "I am not Ethan Cross, nor any opponent you think I am. I am Liam Voss, I am Ethan Cross, I am the Connection Core, and I am the future of human evolution. You covet everything of mine, and in the end, you will only be swallowed by your own greed."
Marcus looked at him, his eyes filled with fear and unwillingness. He wanted to resist, wanted to escape, but found that his body had long been blocked by the electronic interference signal, and he couldn't move at all. He could only watch Liam walk towards him step by step, watching that dazzling blue light, like the gaze of death, covering him completely.
Just as Liam was about to completely finish off Marcus and seize the bio-mecha research data in his hand, the AI's urgent warning suddenly sounded in his mind: [Warning! Detection of high-intensity energy fluctuation, coming from outside the laboratory, energy intensity 25 units, far exceeding the current output of the Connection Core! Suspected to be a higher-level bio-mecha, approaching rapidly!]
Liam's face changed, and he turned to look at the laboratory door instantly, a flash of shock in his eyes—he could clearly perceive that a powerful energy was approaching rapidly. The intensity of that energy was far beyond the range he could currently handle, even more terrifying than the energy output he imagined at 100% brain activation.
Seeing this, Marcus suddenly let out a crazy laugh, the laugh filled with mockery and madness: "Hahaha! Liam Voss! Do you think you won? You're wrong! That's the backup I prepared long ago, the real bio-mecha prototype! You, your Connection Core, and that woman—you will all die here today! No one can stop me, no one can take away what belongs to me!"
Liam held the energy dagger tightly, the blue light at his temple began to flicker, and the neural symbiosis stability also had a slight fluctuation. He knew that a greater crisis was quietly approaching. Who was controlling that higher-level bio-mecha? How many backups did Marcus have?
He turned to look at the ventilation duct on the west side of the laboratory, a flash of worry in his eyes—Elena was still inside. Once the higher-level bio-mecha launched an attack, she would be in great danger.
[Brain activation level can be temporarily increased to 17%, but neural symbiosis stability will drop to 75%, with the risk of nerve backlash. Activate?]
At the laboratory door, heavy footsteps could already be heard. Each step was like thunder, making the entire laboratory tremble. The energy fluctuation became stronger and stronger, and a suffocating sense of oppression filled the air.
Liam took a deep breath, the hesitation in his eyes disappeared instantly, replaced by firmness and determination. He looked at Marcus, a cold smile on his lips: "Marcus, do you think you can beat me with just one higher-level bio-mecha?"
He raised his hand to press his temple, and said firmly to the AI in his mind: "Activate 17% activation, no matter the cost. In addition, notify Elena to evacuate the laboratory immediately, don't look back."
[Command received, activating 17% activation program. Neural symbiosis stability is decreasing, please be careful to prevent nerve backlash. Evacuation order has been sent to Elena.]
A strong burning sensation instantly swept over Liam's brain, and the blue light at his temple became extremely dazzling, almost breaking through the bandage. He could feel that his perception, energy output, and reaction speed were all improving rapidly. The intertwined memories in his mind became more closely integrated, and Liam's AI expertise and Ethan's neuroscientific talent were perfectly fused, erupting with unprecedented power.
At the laboratory door, a tall black shadow appeared slowly. It was a bio-mecha covered with silver scales all over its body, three meters tall, with cold red light flashing in its head, and energy cannons on its arms emitting a suffocating aura of death. In the chest of the mecha, there was a huge energy core glowing with purple light, and that powerful energy fluctuation emanated from here.
The head of the mecha turned slowly, the red light locked on Liam, and a cold electronic synthesized voice sounded: "Target confirmed: Liam Voss (Ethan Cross's body), holder of the Connection Core. Order: Kill the target, seize the Connection Core, and destroy all research data."
Liam held the energy dagger tightly, looking at the bio-mecha in front of him coldly, without the slightest fear in his heart. He knew that this was a life-or-death struggle. If he won, he could survive, continue his research, and find a way to return to his own universe to save his sister; if he lost, he would lose everything, even let Marcus's conspiracy succeed, bringing unprecedented disasters to humanity.
"Come on." Liam said in a low voice, his voice filled with a hint of arrogance and a hint of firmness. "Whether it's you or Marcus, no one can stop me. 100% brain awakening, I will definitely achieve it; the trajectory of human evolution, I will definitely rewrite it."
As soon as he finished speaking, the bio-mecha raised its arm sharply, the energy cannon emitted dazzling purple light, and a powerful energy beam shot out instantly, pointing directly at Liam. Liam's eyes condensed, his body dodged to the side instantly, and at the same time raised his hand, a blue energy beam shot out from his fingertip, colliding with the purple energy beam.
"Boom——" A loud noise, a violent explosion swept the entire laboratory instantly, gravel flying, pipelines breaking, cold water droplets mixed with dust, flying all over the sky. Liam was shocked back a few steps by the shock wave of the explosion, a trace of blood overflowing from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes were still firm, and the blue light at his temple was still dazzling.
The life-or-death struggle officially kicked off. And this time, with 17% brain activation, the fusion of two geniuses, and the power of the Connection Core, Liam would launch a duel that could rewrite his fate with that powerful bio-mecha—his goal was never to win this battle, but to survive, continue towards that 100% awakening, and towards the future of human evolution.