Chapter 14 (1/2)
The next morning, Zero arrived at Leigh's lab.
Leah was sorting and summarizing the medicines they had brought with them, and she wasn't surprised to see them at zero.
Old Jack had already told her that from today onwards, Zero would take Halt's place as her bodyguard.
For Leah, it didn't matter who was the bodyguard. It was just that the man who bound his freedom had changed.
”Come, help me bring those things over.”
Sometimes the work of a bodyguard isn't just about protection. Sometimes it involves letting Leah do all the trifling things.
He took the item and made a special request.
”I want you to help me do another ability appraisal.”
”Huh?”
Leah looked up. Today she was wearing flat glasses that added a touch of intellectual beauty to the beautiful girl.
Leah thought she'd misheard. ”What did you say?”
Lia put down the words she was about to say and circled around Zero. ”What, do you feel that something is wrong with your body?”
”A little.”
Zero remembered last night's madness and the sudden appearance of power. He added, ”But no matter what the result is, I hope you can keep it a secret for me.”
”And if I tell you, will you kill me?”
Liya asked half-jokingly.
Zero shook his head and said seriously, ”I will leave.”
He had his own considerations.
Leah had pointed out a universally accepted rule when she mentioned Adepts.
That is, the survivors who did not experience the day of the Cataclysm, because the genes did not withstand the shock, are unlikely to have the ability and the point of evolution.
If he were to be able to do so, he would definitely be treated as a freak.
He didn't know much about this new era, but he did know that even in the old days, the emergence of new species meant capture and research.
He didn't like being a prey, and he didn't want to be a rat, which was why Lia kept it a secret.
Leah nodded, carefully locking the lab door behind her.
Even if someone were to suddenly appear, they would not discover the abnormality of zero at the first possible moment.
Lia, on the other hand, did not believe that Zero's body would change at all.
Because it's impossible.
Zero laid down on the platform and closed his eyes. He felt the platform slide into the machine and his heart raced.
In this era of chaos, of course, zero is hoping for greater power.
But at the same time, if there was a mutation, it would go against the laws that the world approved of.
That could only mean that the origin of Zero was even more mysterious and complex. Otherwise, how could there be a change in him, who had yet to experience the cataclysm?
Leia's fingers moved nimbly across the operating table, and as groups of commands entered, various lights began to flicker in the identification device.
With each flash of light, a set of data would be transported to the data center, where the data would be concentrated and then gathered to form a clear data display on the control panel.
When the screen flashed zero, she had to cover her mouth with her hand to stop herself from screaming.
However, the computer used an inorganic voice to report the data.
His physical stats had increased by 5% compared to before, which was negligible. What surprised Lia was the following stats: ”Target ability: First-Order Strength Enhancement, First-Order Defense Enhancement.”
”Evolution point data:”
As Zero came down from the platform, Leigh suddenly took his face in her hands and hugged him with a cry of joy.
Zero's head was covered by two bundles of software, and his nose was filled with the healthy scent of a teenage girl.
”Wonderful, zero.”
First Order Strength Strengthening and Defense Strengthening, this was the ability of the Fighting Domain.
”There's also an extra point of evolution. You can naturally evolve a certain ability, or you can buy mature formula from a large company to catalyze the directional ability.”
Lia let go of her weapon, tears welling up in her eyes. ”That's great! We finally have an Adept at our base. I'm going to tell my grandfather right now.”
Let go of Zero. Leah turned to leave, but was caught by Zero.
She slowly shook her head.
Leah remembered what she had promised Zero, and whispered, ”I promise to tell Grandpa only that no one else will know.”
”Only you and I will know.”
Zero emphasized.
”Why?”
Leah didn't understand.
”I'm afraid of trouble,” replied Zero.
Leah was a smart person, too, and what was the trouble with Zero?
Indeed, if the facts of zero were to be disclosed, the rules that the world would regard as iron laws would be overturned.
Who knew how many large corporations and organizations would take it back as a mutated species to study it? This was something they had no qualms about.
”Then aren't you afraid I'll tell them?”
Leah asked again.
”I don't know.”