Apocalypse: My Items Can Upgrade Infinitely

A few minutes ago, Shen Jie received Lin Feng’s command. He took the lead and left, heading back to the entrance they had come from.

There, a Swarm of Tier Two Tiger Spine Zergs, mobilized from other Hives, was waiting. Their purpose was to coordinate with the Pulse War Scorpions for a pincer attack.

Shen Jie had struggled against the long-range attacks of the Pulse War Scorpions, unable to pinpoint their location. But against the melee-focused Tiger Spine Zergs, he was utterly fearless in his Winged Tiger Frenzy Form.

In fact, under the influence of the Zerg Race genes, he was growing more and more excited.

Qin Hu, who was leading the remaining team members right behind him, had already noticed the change in Shen Jie’s State.

His miniature Tiger Spine Zerg Giant Mandible was incredibly conspicuous, and its hardness was nearly identical to the real thing. Combined with the reaction speed of a Genetic Warrior, he was far more agile and swift in close combat than the others with their Tiger-toothed Chainsaw Swords. It allowed him to easily dodge the attacks of a Tiger Zerg Giant Mandible before finding an opening to counter-attack.

However, the most prominent changes were to his assimilated Zerg-like head. A small, meter-long Giant Mandible had appeared on his face, and a pair of Zerg limbs had sprouted from his waist.

’Such a deep level of trait Assimilation...’ Qin Hu estimated his Fusion Level must have reached over 40%, perhaps even higher.

’What a suicidal maniac!’

After all, even he could barely withstand a Fusion Level of around 30%.

Once it surpassed 40%, although he could retain most of his sanity through sheer willpower, irreversible mutations would appear on his body’s surface.

For example, when he had pursued Cheng Zhan, he had faced a squad of three Tiger Spine Zergs. Unarmed and desperate, Qin Hu had briefly pushed past his safe Fusion Level limit, but he stopped the Fusion Zygote’s injection as soon as Lin Feng arrived.

But even from that brief burst of power, lasting only a dozen seconds, Qin Hu later discovered that a two-centimeter-high, serrated exoskeleton had grown on the outside of his feet and calves. It was as hard and sharp as the barbs on a grasshopper’s hind legs.

Even though Qin Hu repeatedly tried to cut it off with a Bone-Stripping Saber or pull it out by the roots with pliers, it would always grow back by the next morning after a night’s rest.

The effects of excessive fusion from breaking the safe limit were irreparable and irreversible.

It directly altered the most fundamental genetic sequence of his cells. Even if Qin Hu were to chop off his legs and regrow them, the protruding, barbed spikes would still be there.

Fortunately, this effect wouldn’t continue to spread.

However, it was enough to make Qin Hu deeply wary, constantly ensuring he kept his Fusion Level within the safe range of below 40%.

Although Qin Hu knew that as a Genetic Warrior, he would one day become a terrifying monster that was neither human nor Zerg, he didn’t want to reach that point so soon.

He still had the Capital to protect, and a wife and daughter waiting for him to come home...

Seeing Shen Jie’s transformation now stirred the deeply hidden fear in Qin Hu’s heart.

He was afraid of stepping further into the Abyss, eventually deforming into one of the Zerg People, unable to ever change back.

He was even more terrified that, at that point, he might no longer clearly remember his former identity as a human.

After all, the side effects of Genetic Assimilation included memory loss and a confused, doubtful sense of self.

But in the Assimilation State, the power boost was undeniably real.

Qin Hu had previously witnessed Shen Jie charging into a Swarm of Tier Two Tiger Spine Zergs, moving freely as if it were an undefended territory.

This astonishing Physique Attribute and neural reaction speed were far beyond what an ordinary Tier Two Early Stage Awakened could achieve.

Qin Hu was marveling at the young man’s reckless abandon. As the group pushed through the fleeing tide of the Black Spine Zerg Swarm and finally squeezed their way to the entrance...

He saw many powerful-looking Tiger Spine Zergs swinging their Giant Mandibles, mercilessly flinging aside any Black Spine Zergs in their way. They had already cleared an open area and were now charging toward Shen Jie and the others.

Judging by their massive size and the aura they radiated, this Tiger Spine Zerg Swarm was composed entirely of Tier Two Middle Stage or Late Stage beings!

Evidently, after two failed waves, the Hai City Mother Empress had learned her lesson. She was no longer sending the weaker Tier Two Early Stage Tiger Spine Zergs.

Instead, she had gathered the Zerg Race’s elite forces and sent them all out!

She intended to wipe out all the invading Awakened in one fell swoop!

After all, as long as they couldn’t escape, all her previous losses could be recouped. She could even acquire data on the true strength and Physique of human Genetic Warriors.

Faced with this great enemy, Shen Jie, in his Tiger Zerg form, charged forward without hesitation, immediately tangling with the Tiger Spine Zergs...

Qin Hu hesitated no longer. He too activated the Genetic Essence Liquid in the Fusion Zygote on his back, injecting it into his body.

Black and Yellow Zerg Armor gradually appeared on his body, and a glint of madness flashed in his yellowish, vertical pupils.

Then, Qin Hu gave the signal to attack to the two remaining Genetic Warriors behind him.

Their Genetic Fusion with the Black Spine Zergs could reach over seventy percent compatibility, granting them a Physical Enhancement of nearly seventy percent. Combined with their own Superpowers, they could easily reach the strength of Tier Two Early Stage Perfection.

That was equivalent to a level 23 Awakener.

But in this extreme state, the speed of Zerg Race Genetic Assimilation would also accelerate, causing their bodies to wildly contort with Zerg-like features...

The impact on their sanity was also deepening.

But the Tiger Spine Zerg Swarm was already bearing down on them.

There were twelve in total: four at Tier Two Late Stage, and the remaining eight at Tier Two Middle Stage.