In the laboratory of the temporary stronghold, the blue light stayed on all night. Three β-7 crystals were accurately installed on the gene editing instrument, and the pale blue energy, intertwined with the purple light of the pure symbiosis source, slowly flowed into Liam's body. After the rainforest battle, his activation level stabilized at 18.5%, with a neural symbiosis stability of 88%. His bone density and lung genes had completed initial adaptation. At this moment, he was fully promoting the final gene editing of all key organs in his body, aiming to be completely compatible with 20% activation level.
Elena stared closely at the gene sequence on the screen, her fingers tapping the keyboard rapidly, with cold sweat covering her forehead: "Myocardial gene adaptation is 80% complete, lung adaptation 90%, now starting kidney adaptation—warning! Kidney rejection reaction detected! The efficiency of filtering energy metabolic waste is insufficient, unable to withstand the dual energy impact of the pure symbiosis source and the crystal!"
As soon as the words fell, Liam suddenly twitched all over, the liquid in the medical cabin rolled violently, his face was as pale as paper, and the myocardial support device on his chest issued a harsh alarm. The stabbing pain in his kidneys spread to his whole body along the nerves, coupled with the myocardial damage that had not yet fully healed, making him couldn't help groaning. His activation level briefly dropped to 18.2%, and his neural symbiosis stability plummeted to 82%. [Warning! Kidney rejection reaction is intensifying, energy metabolic waste is accumulating. If not intervened in time, it will lead to renal failure!]
"Inject the rainforest plant extract immediately!" Elena ordered decisively. The technician quickly took out the rainforest-specific plant stock solution that Professor Marcos had given in advance—as he had specially instructed, this extract could alleviate organ rejection during crystal energy adaptation, a "energy neutralizer" passed down by the rainforest tribe for a long time. After the stock solution was injected, Liam's twitching gradually eased, but the progress of gene editing was forced to be extended to 8 hours. During this period, he had to maintain 18.5% activation level all the time. Muscle twitches and nerve stabs hit repeatedly like tides, and he almost gave up several times.
Dr. Gray stood by the medical cabin, monitoring myocardial and kidney data in real time, his tone solemn: "Although the rejection reaction has eased, the myocardial damage rate is still 10%. Maintaining high activation level for a long time is still a fatal load for the heart. He is now like a tight string, which will break if he is not careful." Outside the laboratory, Kane was leading the team to strengthen the defense—they had received news that Hale's residual forces had tracked the crystal energy, and FBI agents had surrounded the periphery of the stronghold, putting the situation in a desperate situation of "internal breakthrough crisis and external double attack".
Sure enough, just 10 minutes before the gene editing was completed, the laboratory's alarm sounded loudly, piercing people's eardrums: "Strong dark energy fluctuations detected! Hale's residual forces (7 modified soldiers + 2 Reaper enhanced bodies) have broken through the peripheral defense and are attacking the laboratory! At the same time, an FBI agent convoy was found outside the stronghold, requiring the immediate handover of genetic modification equipment, β-7 crystals and related personnel!"
Kane was instantly in a dilemma. On one side were Hale's remnants with enhanced weapons and fast-healing wounds; on the other side were well-armed and eager FBI agents. Liam in the laboratory could not participate in the battle at all. "Everyone split into two groups! One group defends the laboratory door, uses weakened counter-weapons to delay Hale's men; the other group goes to the periphery to negotiate with the FBI to gain as much time as possible!" Kane deployed decisively, and he himself guarded the laboratory door, clutching the counter-weapon, ready to fight to the death.
Hale's residual forces were aggressive. The modified soldiers' bodies were strengthened by dark energy, and their wound healing speed was twice as fast as before. Attacks from ordinary bullets and weakened counter-weapons could only repel them temporarily, but could not cause fatal damage; the two Reaper enhanced bodies both had an energy intensity of 65 units, which could release dark energy barriers to resist attacks from the stronghold soldiers. The laboratory door was shaken to the point of collapse, and gravel kept falling from the ceiling.
Outside the stronghold, the shout of FBI agents came clearly: "Personnel inside surrender immediately! You are suspected of illegally researching genetic modification and dangerous energy weapons, which seriously threaten public safety! Hand over all relevant items within 10 minutes, otherwise we will force our way in!" The soldiers held weapons and confronted the agents, and the atmosphere was on the verge of breaking out. At this moment, Dr. Gray suddenly walked out of the stronghold, raised his hands to indicate that he was not malicious: "I am Dr. Gray, a cardiologist. I can testify that they are not terrorists. They are fighting unknown alien monsters to protect all of us!"
The agents were half-believing and temporarily stopped the attack, but they still did not withdraw and still surrounded the stronghold tightly—Dr. Gray's anonymous message made them full of vigilance against this stronghold and did not dare to easily believe any words. On the street outside the stronghold, the originally peaceful citizens had already fled after hearing the news. The convenience store owner hurriedly closed the store door, looked at the direction of the stronghold before leaving, and whispered "I hope everything will be over soon"; in the distant residential building, someone secretly took photos through the window, talking about this sudden "confrontation". No one knew that behind this crisis was the final contest between humans and alien residual forces, and Liam's desperate persistence to break the shackles and guard peace.
In the laboratory, the prompt sound of the completion of gene editing sounded: "Gene adaptation of all key organs is completed! Myocardium, kidneys and lungs are all compatible with 20% activation level, energy metabolism efficiency is increased by 50%, and myocardial damage rate is reduced to 8%!" Elena's voice trembled with excitement: "Liam! You can start absorbing the pure symbiosis source to break through to 20% activation level!"
Liam slowly opened his eyes, and the fatigue and stabbing pain in his body disappeared instantly. The sense of restraint at 18.5% activation level was gone. He slowly sat up, and the purple energy of the pure symbiosis source was completely integrated with the blue light of the β-7 crystal, forming a dazzling halo around him. His activation level began to climb steadily: 18.8%, 19.2%, 19.5%, 19.8%—every climb, his perception became stronger, and the accuracy of energy control also improved. The side effect of "energy overflow" after the previous gene editing was gradually calibrated in the continuous energy nourishment.
Just as the activation level was about to break through 20%, the laboratory door was smashed open with a bang. Hale's remaining modified soldiers and Reaper enhanced bodies rushed in, and dark energy and corrosive beams rushed straight at Liam. "Don't disturb him!" Elena, Dr. Gray and the technicians all stood in front of Liam, building a line of defense with their bodies. Even though they knew they were no match, they did not flinch at all.
A trace of determination flashed in Liam's eyes. He no longer deliberately suppressed his activation level, letting the energy surge in his body—[Activation level breaks through 20%! Stabilized at 20%! Unlocked advanced ability: Energy Domain! Can form an energy barrier within 10 meters to suppress the enemy's energy output!]
A dazzling blue-purple light erupted instantly, sweeping the entire laboratory. Within 10 meters around Liam, an invisible energy barrier quietly formed. The Hale residual forces that rushed in were instantly suppressed by the energy barrier. The dark energy in their bodies could not be mobilized, the wounds of the modified soldiers no longer healed, and the corrosive beams of the Reaper enhanced bodies also became weak. Liam slowly stood up, and the energy spear condensed an unprecedented light, with smooth and effortless movements—the perfect adaptation of bone density, myocardium, kidneys and lungs made him completely get rid of all previous shackles, and the power of 20% activation level was far beyond his imagination.
In just a few minutes, all Hale's residual forces were defeated. The modified soldiers fell to the ground, losing their vital signs. The Reaper enhanced bodies turned into a pool of grayish-black mucus, and their energy was absorbed by Liam, further stabilizing the 20% activation level, and the neural symbiosis stability was finally increased to 98%. After the battle, the laboratory was in a mess, with gravel and mucus all over the ground. Several soldiers fell to the ground injured, tired but with smiles of victory.
Liam walked out of the laboratory, and the energy domain was still unfolded. He neither hurt the FBI agents outside nor relaxed his vigilance. Dr. Gray walked to the agent leader, took out the photos of the Reaper remains taken in the laboratory and the weapon fragments of Hale's remnants: "Look, this is what they are fighting against. They are unknown alien monsters, not dangerous weapons. If it weren't for them, these monsters would have endangered more people long ago."
The agent leader looked at the photos, then at the energy halo around Liam, and then thought of Dr. Gray's testimony. He finally breathed a sigh of relief and ordered to withdraw: "We will report the situation to our superiors and temporarily lift the siege, but please cooperate with the follow-up investigation and truthfully explain all the situation." With that, the FBI agent convoy slowly withdrew, and the crisis outside the stronghold was completely resolved.
At this moment, global news broadcast synchronously: "A joint research team from multiple countries announced a major breakthrough in gene technology, which is expected to cure various rare diseases and alleviate organ rejection!" On the screen, scientists from various countries raised their glasses to celebrate (actually covering up the cooperative truth of the pure symbiosis source and β-7 crystals, as well as the contest between humans and alien residual forces). In the stronghold, Technician Wang dialed a video call with his family, smiling and saying: "Dad, Mom, my work here is done. I will go home soon to help you rebuild the farmland and never be separated again!" The smiles of his family appeared on the screen, warm and healing.
Dr. Gray looked at the news on the screen, then at Liam beside him, full of admiration: "You did it. You not only broke the shackle of your heart, but also guarded this peace." Liam shook his head, walked to the window, and looked at the street that was gradually returning to calm—citizens returned to the street one after another, convenience stores reopened, and the sunset in the distance was particularly dazzling.
He knew that 20% activation level was not the end, but a new beginning. The purity of the pure symbiosis source had dropped to 80%, and a small number of Reaper remnants around the world had not yet been eliminated. The road to 100% awakening was still full of thorns; myocardial damage still needed a month of rest, and the follow-up investigation by the FBI had not yet ended. There were still countless tests waiting for him. But at this moment, there was no fear in his heart, only firm belief.
In the rainforest, Professor Marcos was using that one crystal to perform gene therapy on the tribal children, and the children's faces gradually turned red; in the stronghold, Elena was debugging equipment, planning a plan to improve the purity of the pure symbiosis source in the future; the injured soldiers were resting in the medical cabin, talking about their ordinary life after the war.
Liam clenched his fists, and the energy halo around him gradually subsided. The power of 20% activation level was calm and powerful. He knew that as long as he had comrades by his side and ordinary warmth worth guarding, no matter how dangerous the road ahead was, he would move forward bravely, continue to break the shackles, and continue to guard this hard-won peace—this was his inherent mission as a symbiont enhancer.