"This..."
Even Lu Yuan was somewhat surprised.
The man's current appearance had completely exceeded the bounds of normal human understanding.
He stood two meters tall with bulging, corded muscles, and his right arm in particular looked like a thick stone pillar. Even though there was still some distance between them, the sheer power contained within it was palpable.
"I sacrificed my life force by taking a forbidden drug. My strength is dozens of times greater than normal."
"Now that you've seen what I look like, you're dead for sure."
Though a sliver of reason remained in Captain Zhao, the gaze he fixed on Lu Yuan was savage, like that of a wild beast.
His words had already sentenced Lu Yuan to death. His current power was not something an ordinary human could compare to; even if a world boxing champion were standing before him, he was confident he could kill him in an instant.
In this state, his defense, speed, and strength were all terrifyingly formidable.
Having said his piece, he wasted no more words and attacked directly.
*Thud!*
With a single leap, he not only cleared dozens of meters in an instant, but also gouged a massive crater into the earth beneath his feet.
He drew his right arm back to gather strength, then drove it straight down toward Lu Yuan.
The punch was so powerful that it actually produced a sonic boom. If an ordinary person were struck by it, their body would be reduced to bloody paste.
"Comparing strength?"
Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly, standing his ground.
Bending his knees, he likewise cocked his right fist and blasted it forward to meet that colossal arm.
The medicinal essence from the Ziwu Heaven-Mending Furnace had already tempered his physique to a level rivaling a first-rank Initial Realm Awakened after the mutation. Even if his opponent was in a bizarre state, he was still made of flesh and blood.
Therefore, when it came to physical might, Lu Yuan possessed absolute confidence.
More importantly, he had lived two lifetimes; his combat experience and overall capabilities were far beyond those of ordinary men.
*Boom!*
The next instant, the two fists collided.
A deafening roar erupted, reverberating through the surroundings.
The clash of their strength unleashed a violent shockwave. The ground beneath Lu Yuan's feet sank half a meter deep, fractures spiderwebbing outward through the dirt.
One could well imagine how immense that force was.
And yet, Lu Yuan's body did not waver in the slightest, remaining in his original stance.
In contrast, Captain Zhao's eyes were filled with utter shock. Because of the overwhelming counterforce, the bulging blood vessels along his right arm had ruptured.
"Th-this... how is this possible? Is this guy even human?" Captain Zhao was stunned, his mind reeling in disbelief.
He had only gained this level of strength by taking the drug, but what about the man in front of him?
By all accounts, he was just an ordinary person!
"Did you use full strength?"
Lu Yuan suddenly spoke, then added, "Then it's my turn."
The moment the words left his mouth, he shifted his right hand from a fist into a palm, seized Captain Zhao's fist, and executed a shoulder throw.
*Crash!*
The two-meter-tall giant was slammed to the ground with effortless ease.
The terrifying force caused the earth beneath to fracture inch by inch, forming a crater dozens of meters wide.
Unable to withstand the impact, Captain Zhao coughed up mouthful after mouthful of blood, his body trembling.
He struggled to get up, intending to use his strongest right arm to temporarily repel his enemy.
Yet with a slight twist of Lu Yuan's wrist, a loud *crack* echoed through the night. That arm, as thick as a millstone, was snapped clean in two.
Lu Yuan had even held back; otherwise, ripping the arm off entirely would have been no trouble at all.
The disparity was simply too vast.
"Well? Do you have anything you want to say now?" Lu Yuan looked down at him, speaking calmly.
Though he did not know what that pill was, it amounted to modern technology at best.
And what about himself?
He had absorbed the medicinal essence left behind by an immortal.
"You... what on earth are you? How do you have such immense strength?" Pain racked Captain Zhao's entire body, but what overwhelmed him even more was terror.
The person before him was far too powerful. Even after taking the company's drug, he was no match and had been easily defeated and subdued.
Beset with confusion, he concluded that the figure in front of him could not possibly be human.
"I didn't ask about that,"
Lu Yuan shook his head. "Answer my previous question."
With that, he stepped down and broke one of the man's ribs.
He was by no means softhearted; as long as he did not get his answers, he would not stay his hand.
Seeing the cold detachment in Lu Yuan's eyes, Captain Zhao knew he was not joking. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Then you have to guarantee my life."
"That depends on whether what you say interests me," Lu Yuan replied.
"Fine."
Captain Zhao ceased struggling and said directly, "I come from Longevity Genetics. I'm a special combat operative trained by them. Our objective this time was to retrieve the extraterrestrial meteorite and bring it back to the company. The higher-ups place great importance on this."
At this point, he revealed everything he knew, including the number of retrieval teams deployed.
In short, the company behind him had formulated plans long ago.
They had originally intended to purchase this farm, but someone beat them to it, so they moved covertly instead.
"Longevity Genetics?" Lu Yuan frowned slightly upon hearing the name. From what he knew, it was a massive domestic corporation with immense influence, though the identity of the person controlling it from behind the scenes was shrouded in mystery, completely unknown to outsiders.
True to its name, Longevity Genetics conducted research into life genes. It reportedly held numerous patents and had achieved remarkable breakthroughs.
He had heard in the past that the company would purchase the skeletal remains of deceased senior Buddhist monks and Daoist masters. At the same time, they would spend huge sums of money to specifically consult extremely elderly individuals, seeking the secret to long life.
In Lu Yuan's memories, after the global mutation, Longevity Genetics had risen rapidly as well, securing a place in the chaotic early days of the new era. It commanded numerous Awakened under its banner, making it a force that could not be overlooked.
*It seems Longevity Genetics had also realized the mutation was coming, which is why they prepared so early on.*
*They must have discovered something during their research into life genes. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for them to produce so many Awakened out of thin air.*
He muttered to himself, understanding the cause and effect. No wonder this man had gained superhuman strength after swallowing a single pill; it was likely one of that company's research achievements.
"What else?" Lu Yuan pressed after a brief pause.
"The company ordered us to evacuate immediately once we secured the meteorite. They said many parties had their eyes on it—including the Wuzhou Group, Tianshen Technology, Beidou Biology, and others." Captain Zhao dared not hide anything.
Good grief. Not only were all of them among the country's top corporations, but they were also hegemon-level factions after the mutation.
Hearing this, Lu Yuan became even more certain of his suspicions.
The global mutation—certain figures among the upper echelons not only knew about it, but had also begun making preparations long ago.
Perhaps this world was far more mysterious than imagined.
And then there was the familiar Wuzhou Group. Their reach was long indeed, having designs on what was his.
"I... I've told you everything I know. You promised to spare me," Captain Zhao blurted out, seeing that Lu Yuan remained silent.
Snapping back to his senses, Lu Yuan released his grip on the man, a smile emerging on his face. "Yes, you performed quite well. It's just that... you still deserve to die!"
With that, he clenched his right fist and drove it down straight into Captain Zhao's face.
*Boom!*
The ground fractured once more.
Captain Zhao's body sank entirely into the earth, never to rise again.
As for Lu Yuan, he merely wiped the blood from his hand, his expression calm and unbothered.
Chapter 22