The reflexive speed, three times faster than an ordinary person's, saved him at that critical moment. Everything around him seemed to slow down. He felt as if every movement required immense strength, straining even his current physique, and his body felt on the verge of tearing apart with each motion. The ground, the air, and the rapidly approaching wall—everything seemed to exert a dragging force, resisting his velocity. This was a phenomenon he had never encountered before.

As he neared the wall, the surrounding air grew so dense it felt like [Original text uses a placeholder, implying extreme viscosity or density]. He even managed to step on the air itself to vault towards the surface, then drove off the wall with a sharp push from his feet, finally reversing his trajectory. The first thing he saw was an alien dragging Zhan Lan. This creature was distinctly smaller than the previous one he had faced, yet still stood nearly two meters tall and stretched over three meters long. It was hauling the girl deeper into the corridor. Her left shoulder was shattered almost beyond recognition, and her slight frame was soaked in blood. In her eyes, there was nothing left but despair mixed with a peculiar flicker of lingering affection.

Zheng Zha suddenly understood the meaning behind that look of affection. It was a testament to the hope for life, for a future. Though he had never seen his own eyes, he knew that during several moments of utter hopelessness, that same flicker must have crossed his gaze. He was absolutely certain! In Zheng Zha’s perception, Zhan Lan, held in the alien’s maw, transformed into Li Xiaoyi, about to be ripped apart, reduced to meaningless scraps of flesh. Or perhaps she became himself—if he were seized and dragged away by the creature, his eyes would surely betray despair and that same lingering attachment before he, too, was torn apart and consumed. He would not allow it! No matter the cost, he had to save this resilient woman; he had to ensure she survived! “Argh!” Zheng Zha roared maniacally. Because time was moving slowly for him, he could clearly observe every minute movement of the alien’s limbs. Moreover, the thickened air allowed him to leap several meters away from that single push, plunging directly toward the creature.

All of this transpired in a mere instant. From Zhan Lan’s perspective, Zheng Zha charged wildly at the wall, then executed a bizarre, swift push-off, making contact with the steel surface. The wall emitted a muffled thud, and the solid metal bore two deep impressions where his feet landed. Then, Zheng Zha rocketed away from her field of vision like a cannonball; his speed surpassed anything her eyes could track.

Zheng Zha was now diving straight at the alien’s face. He could distinctly see the saliva dripping from its mouth and the long, razor-sharp appendage of its tongue. Just as he cleared the creature, he swung the steel bar in his hand with flawless accuracy, aiming for the tongue. A dull thud echoed; Zhan Lan fell to the ground, while the alien shrieked in fury. Caustic, highly corrosive [Original text uses a placeholder, implying acid or venom] jetted constantly from its severed tongue; Zheng Zha had cleanly chopped more than half of it in two.

“Argh!” But it wasn't over. Zheng Zha screamed with the same feral intensity as the alien. The last vestiges of rationality were gone from his eyes, replaced only by sheer frenzy and a blood-red haze—perhaps stained by Zhan Lan’s blood, or perhaps his own eyes had turned crimson.

As he landed, Zheng Zha slammed the steel bar down across the alien’s back. A sound of clashing metal erupted; the bar, as thick as a man’s arm, bent violently, yet the creature fared no better. Its back carapace cracked open, leaking corrosive [Placeholder] that was already pockmarking the corridor floor into a cratered mess.

The alien’s speed was terrifying. Even with the world moving slowly for Zheng Zha and the air thickened, this state only allowed him to match the creature’s velocity. When the alien’s massive claw swept horizontally, Zheng Zha could only raise his arm in a desperate block. A heavy impact sounded, slamming him backward onto the floor, causing the entire passage to tremble. Zheng Zha’s head struck the ground hard enough to draw blood profusely.

Zheng Zha was now fighting with utter disregard for his life. He lacked the alien's iron-hard shell. That brief block left several bloody gashes in his arm. Furthermore, the alien’s immense strength was staggering; the blow to his head nearly rendered him unconscious. He only stayed lucid by biting down hard on his tongue, using the searing pain to keep his mind anchored.

He didn't even bother standing up. Utilizing momentum, he drew a second steel bar from his back and swung it low and hard across the alien’s legs. This force, combined with a sudden burst of inner energy, managed to topple the creature, which was large enough to crush two or three men. However, as it fell, the alien stabbed him sharply in the thigh with the spiked tip of its tail. The creature truly lived up to its nature as a being evolved solely for killing and survival; its combat instincts were incredibly potent.

Zheng Zha’s mind went blank. He felt as though his body was moving on its own accord, countless combat instincts flooding his awareness. He twisted sideways, rolling backward. The tail spike, lodged in his thigh, slid free from the wound as he rolled. Then, pushing off hard with his feet, he lunged forward again, driving the steel bar deep into the alien’s mouth.

He let go of that bar and immediately drew another from his back, relentlessly stabbing it into the creature’s skull. He didn't even notice the corrosive [Placeholder] splattering across his body. His frenzy seemed aimed at tearing the alien apart until Zhan Lan reacted. Ignoring her own severe injuries, the girl launched herself at Zheng Zha, slamming into him. They tumbled several meters away before Zheng Zha slowly began to regain focus.

His front felt like it was burning, a searing, stabbing pain. He frantically ripped his clothes off, then began wiping away the corrosive [Placeholder]. As the substance hit the steel floor, it immediately hissed, melting and corroding the metal as if it were ice. Yet, on his own skin, aside from turning patches black, not a single scratch remained. This sight astonished Zhan Lan.

Zhan Lan was busy applying a hemostatic spray to her shoulder wound. She said quietly, “It’s a miracle you survived. Thank you… But why is your skin completely unharmed? That alien blood is a super-acid; even a drop should dissolve you down to the bone.”

Zheng Zha wiped the last of the corrosive [Placeholder] from his body. His mind was still a void; the preceding events felt like a nightmare. He had fought purely on instinct, especially when the alien’s tail pierced his thigh—it felt as if something deep inside him had been forcibly unlocked.

“Perhaps my cell vitality and immunity are just extremely high,” Zheng Zha said with a weak smile. “And it wasn't entirely harmless; at least my skin was burned black as charcoal…”

As he reached for a hemostatic spray from his spatial storage ring, his entire body seized violently. A painful, paralyzing sensation began in his internal organs, like countless insects crawling within him. This agony then burrowed deeper into his marrow, spreading along his bloodstream to his skin, bathing his entire being in pain worse than death. Gradually, his vision blurred to white, and he felt as if he were on the verge of expiring.

“Imagine yourselves: if monkeys reaching this extreme state evolved into humans, what would a human become if they reached this same limit?” “It requires a substance similar to adrenaline, which the body can only generate itself, and critically… it is highly toxic. I believe you’ve heard stories about elderly women lifting cars single-handedly to save grandsons trapped beneath the wheels? This is a documented fact, but that grandmother died shortly afterward. Scientists found trace amounts of this substance in her blood…” “…The Gene Lock…” Zheng Zha recalled Chu Xuan’s lecture on the Gene Lock. He didn't know if he had accidentally unlocked it, but he knew he was struggling on the edge of death. The spasms in his internal organs intensified, and blood began spewing from his mouth and nose. Then his lungs began to convulse, making breathing nearly impossible, forcing him to gasp desperately with his mouth wide open.

Zhan Lan reacted fastest. She clung desperately to the convulsing Zheng Zha, leaning in to place her mouth over his lips, forcing air into his lungs. After more than ten seconds, the spasms in Zheng Zha’s organs slowly subsided, followed by his lungs regaining rhythm. The pain on his skin also began to recede. But Zhan Lan didn't stop; she continued blowing air into his mouth, weeping as she did so. Zheng Zha could only faintly hear her muffled murmurs.

“Don’t die, please, don’t leave me alone again. I beg you, stay alive with me…” he faintly heard her plea as he drifted back towards consciousness.