Chapter 7: The Primal Energy Furnace—A 99% Conversion Rate!

Without the slightest hesitation, I chose free mutation!

A few minutes later, a tingling sensation surged through the muscles and tissues beneath my skin. Suddenly, my entire body tensed; every pore opened wide, and the hair on my body stood on end. I could even see wisps of electricity crackling across the surface of my skin with the naked eye!

Soon, a chime echoed in my ears.

【Congratulations, you have acquired the SS-rank genetic enhancement skill: "Bio-Electromagnetic Pulse." This skill significantly strengthens your cells, enabling them to generate a powerful electromagnetic pulse. It causes interference to electronic equipment within a 1-kilometer radius and has a high probability of destroying them outright. Cooldown: 60 minutes.】

...

"Seriously? No way!"

I was overjoyed. I had actually hit the jackpot! The limit of the Pandora Solution was an SS-rank enhancement skill, a prize with only a 1% drop rate. To think it had descended upon me so effortlessly!

Bio-Electromagnetic Pulse—a skill that sounded incredibly cool. Once triggered, it could paralyze the electronic network within a kilometer. With a cooldown of just one hour, it was both effective and efficient.

My heart raced with excitement. If my previous chance of a successful prison break was 50%, the arrival of this skill had pushed it to at least 80%. After all, this underground "Iron Blood Training Camp" beneath the Death Mine was riddled with electronic grids, and most of its machinery contained sensitive electronic components. A single electromagnetic pulse would be enough to cripple over 90% of the base’s defenses. Combined with "Left Hand" and me upgrading our Origin Power Furnaces, our chances of escaping the tiger's den had drastically increased!

Soon, I calmed myself down.

There were still many challenges ahead. First, I had to deceive Instructor Lakuri. If he discovered that I had awakened an SS-rank super genetic enhancement skill like Bio-Electromagnetic Pulse, he would undoubtedly send me to a higher-level base of the Dark Tide organization. The future I would face there might be even grimmer than Puff’s.

An hour later, two guards walked in and pushed me—looking outwardly unchanged—into the electric shock chamber.

"Why is there still no reaction?"

Instructor Lakuri’s face twisted with irritation. "You useless trash! Three precious doses of the Pandora Solution and not a single mutation! Guards, give him a heavy shock!"

"Yes, Instructor!"

The two guards stepped forward and initiated the electric shock protocol.

The next moment, high-voltage current coursed through my body. The electromagnetic pulse power hidden deep within my cells resonated with the external charge, crackling and hissing as if eager to burst forth.

*Damn, this isn't good...*

I desperately struggled to maintain my composure, fighting the urge to enter combat mode while suppressing the bio-electromagnetic energy within me. For a moment, the internal and external currents clashed violently.

Three minutes later, the shock ended.

"Instructor Lakuri, still no effect." The doctor in the white lab coat shook his head. "Perhaps this test subject's genetics are simply too stubborn; the Pandora Solution didn't trigger any mutation."

"You piece of trash!"

Enraged, Instructor Lakuri grabbed me by the collar, hauled me off the hospital bed, and slammed me against a nearby table.

Sharp pain radiated from my face and chest. Simultaneously, I saw Instructor Lakuri’s health bar and my own, which was plummeting rapidly.

"You waste of space, you disappoint me!"

Instructor Lakuri’s iron-like hand pressed my head down, smashing it against the reagents, needles, and various instruments on the table before throwing me heavily to the floor.

"147!"

My health bar dropped by more than half in an instant. And that was only because Lakuri was venting his anger, not trying to kill me yet.

Lying on the cold floor, I trembled, but I didn't make a sound. The fury in my heart burned brighter than ever.

"Instructor," one of the guards said, "Subject 033’s training scores are actually quite good, especially in live combat—he and 066 are ranked first and second. It’d be a shame to just kill him."

"Hmph!" Instructor Lakuri shot me a malevolent glare and sneered, "This trash... throw him into the Vanguard reserve camp tomorrow afternoon and let him fend for himself!"

"Yes!"

The two armed guards escorted me back to the old storage room, even kicking me in the back along the way. I couldn't help but offer a bitter smile; at this point, I was likely a target for anyone in the base to bully.

...

Late at night, I activated the star map.

"Old Six, are you there?"

"I'm here, Third Brother!" Left Hand logged on instantly. "I saw you being taken to the injection room. How did it go?"

"Things are looking bad," I frowned. "I’m being sent to the Vanguard reserve camp tomorrow afternoon. We have to move our plan forward, or it'll be too late. What do you think?"

"I'm already prepared," Left Hand replied. "Actually, the timing is quite good. Miss Puff sent word that General Vega will be leaving the Death Mine base at 8:00 PM tonight with three hundred soldiers from the Gray Worm Battalion. They're heading to a large settlement to abduct more test subjects. That place is far; it’ll take at least eight hours one way!"

The biggest boss of the Death Mine was General Vega, one of the leaders of the Dark Tide. He was a genetically mutated cyborg; it was said that over 70% of his body had been replaced by steel and alloys. With multiple genetic enhancements, he was terrifyingly strong. If he and the Gray Worm Battalion stayed, they would definitely hinder our escape.

"Eight hours..." I pondered for a moment. "That's enough! Let’s exploit the time difference. We strike at 4:00 AM tomorrow sharp. But if we only move from the old storage room, we’ll be too thinly spread. It’s better to create a diversion beforehand; it’ll be easier when the base is short-staffed."

"I see..." Left Hand mused, then chuckled. "What if I blow up the ammunition storage room on the east side of the base? Would that be enough to lure the tigers away from the mountain?"

"You have a way to blow it up?"

"I do," Left Hand smiled faintly. "I have a few trump cards I haven't shown yet."

"Fine," I nodded. "Then let's set the explosion for 3:55 AM. Once things get chaotic over there, I’ll cut all power to the base. Our rooms are programmed to unlock when power is cut. I'll shut it down at 4:00 AM sharp, and we'll break out from two directions. The elevator is definitely out, so we'll fight our way up through the shafts. Are you coming with me?"

"No, sticking together makes it easier to get wiped out in one go," Left Hand said. "I'll take the west shaft, you take the east. One of us will make it out, and if we're lucky, both."

"Agreed."

"Third Brother..." Left Hand asked, "Are you really sure you can cut all power to the base instantly?"

"Yes," I smiled. "That’s a trump card I haven't shown yet either."

"Got it!" Left Hand laughed. "When are we upgrading?"

"Ten minutes early. Upgrade at 3:50 AM to awaken our main classes and Origin Power Furnaces. We shouldn't be detected by then."

"Understood."

"Activate the star map when the time comes; we'll keep each other updated!"

"You got it, brother!"

...

Time ticked away. Around 6:00 PM, a guard brought dinner. It was leftovers: breadcrumbs, a picked-over chicken carcass, and a bowl of unappetizing sludge—likely spiked by the guards.

"033, your luxury meal has arrived," the guard sneered. "You’re off to the Vanguard camp for a 'better life' soon, so don't complain about your last meal here."

I didn't speak, just silently took the tray. I forced myself to swallow the food, ignoring the discomfort. I didn't know when the next meal would be, so the energy this provided was crucial. As for the quality, that was the least of my concerns.

Time flowed on. At 8:00 PM, a roar echoed through the base. Through the window of the old storage room, I saw a massive transport plane on the launch pad, its engines spitting fire as it lifted off and left the mine.

Puff’s information was accurate. General Vega had indeed left.

Among the remaining enemies, the strongest was Instructor Lakuri, a Level 15 Boss. The other instructors were merely Level 15 elite mobs, far inferior to Lakuri in attack power and health.

...

I slept for a bit and woke up around 3:00 AM. I sat in the storage room, checking the time on my watch, unable to sleep anymore. At this moment, Left Hand must have been just as tense as I was.

Finally, 3:50 AM arrived—time to upgrade!

I pulled up my character panel and confirmed the upgrade. A golden light descended, filling my body with a warm sensation. Simultaneously, a chime rang in my ears.

【Congratulations, you have leveled up to Level 5. You have successfully unlocked the main class: "Starry Sky Super-Warrior · Sword Mastery · Tier 1"!】

【Congratulations, you have leveled up to Level 5. You have successfully awakened the "Origin Power Furnace" (SS-rank)!】

"Huh?"

I stood there, dumbfounded, nearly blinded by the golden light before me!

In the beta version, my Origin Power Furnace was only A-rank. How did my luck change so drastically after the official launch?!

I hurriedly opened the character panel and saw a roaring, fiery-red furnace at the bottom. Once I confirmed it, the furnace turned into a beam of golden light and poured into my body!

Instantly, blood and energy surged. A fiery-red vortex appeared at the xiphoid process in the center of my chest, becoming a new organ. It replaced the xiphoid process, running continuously to convert the ambient energy into the Origin Power players required!

At the same time, the stats of the Origin Power Furnace appeared before me:

【Origin Power Furnace】(SS-rank)
Level: 1
Strength: 4
Agility: 3.5
Stamina: 3
Spirit: 2.9
Conversion Rate: 99%
Details: The Origin Power Furnace can be upgraded by extracting experience from killing monsters. The higher the conversion rate, the faster the Origin Power recovery speed per second.

...

"Hummmm~~~"

Looking at the data, my mind went blank.

I hit the jackpot. I absolutely hit the jackpot!

The maximum conversion rate for an Origin Power Furnace was 100%, and mine was at 99%. Doesn't that make me one of the elite few, second to none?!