I accidentally joined a group of charlatans, so I immediately called the police and handed it over t

The words "creating a god" echoed in the closed command room, carrying a suffocating stench of blood and a sense of sacredness.

Li Guobang remained silent for a long time.

He looked at the black pill, then at Chen Xi's young yet resolute face.

Do you know what this means?

Li Guobang's voice was somewhat hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against a tabletop.

"The success of the white mouse does not mean that the human body can withstand it. Although that mouse became stronger, its genetic chain was almost on the verge of collapse and was undergoing reconstruction."

"If used on a person and fails, it's murder."

Su Qingge interjected, her tone cold and objective.

"I have diluted the sample of the Marrow Cleansing Pill a thousand times and made it into an injection."

"In theory, the energy impact would be much milder. But that's just theory."

"We need a volunteer."

Su Qingge's gaze swept over everyone present, as if she were selecting a suitable experimental consumable.

"They must be people with extremely strong willpower, excellent physical fitness, and a willingness to make sacrifices."

"Ordinary people cannot withstand that kind of excruciating pain that transforms them, and may even die from shock."

Li Guobang's brows furrowed into a deep frown.

He sifted through the names in his mind, rejecting them one by one.

A current special forces elite?

No, those are national treasures; we can't gamble with them.

Death row inmate?

No, this power must not fall into the hands of those with wicked intentions.

Suddenly, a name flashed through the fog of his memory like lightning.

Zhao Tiezhu.

That "Iron Tower" who once struck fear into the hearts of border drug lords, that tough guy whose spine was broken while shielding his comrade from a grenade.

That disabled person who can now only sit in a wheelchair, staring blankly at the sunset.

I know someone.

Li Guobang raised his head, a hint of pain flashing in his eyes, but more so a resolute determination.

"If there is anyone in this world who can endure this kind of pain, if there is anyone in this world who deserves this opportunity..."

"Only him."

A sanatorium for military personnel in the suburbs.

The path was covered with fallen leaves in late autumn, their golden hue carrying a touch of desolate chill.

Zhao Tiezhu sat in a wheelchair with a faded military green blanket covering his knees.

He was only thirty years old, but his angular face was covered with wrinkles etched by the hardships of life.

Those once sharp, hawk-like eyes now resemble a stagnant pool, reflecting withered yellow leaves.

Since the explosion three years ago, his world has consisted only of this small wheelchair.

Gone was the smoke of battle, gone were the shouts of comrades, only endless rehabilitation and despair after repeated failures.

He is a king of soldiers, the nation's sharpest weapon.

But now, the knife is broken, rusted, and forgotten in a corner.

"Iron Pillar".

A familiar call broke the deathly silence in the courtyard.

Zhao Tiezhu's hand trembled violently, and he slowly turned his wheelchair.

When he saw the dignified old man in a Zhongshan suit standing among the fallen leaves, a long-lost light instantly flashed in his lifeless eyes.

"Commander... Commander!"

Zhao Tiezhu instinctively wanted to stand up and salute, but the deathly silence in his lower body made him fall heavily back into his chair.

That feeling of powerlessness was like a sharp knife, piercing his pride.

Li Guobang strode forward and pressed down on his trembling shoulder.

"Don't move."

The old man's hands were warm and strong, conveying a silent comfort.

Chen Xi stood behind Li Guobang, quietly observing the man.

Even while seated in a wheelchair, Zhao Tiezhu's chilling murderous aura still lingered.

It was a military spirit that ran deep in their bones, a will that could not be erased even if their bodies were broken.

"Tiezhu, I've come to give you a task."

Li Guobang skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point.

He knew that for someone like Zhao Tiezhu, sympathy was the cheapest insult, and a mission was the highest reward.

"Task?"

Zhao Tiezhu's eyes suddenly lit up, like two burning embers.

"Sir, I...I can still carry out missions?"

Li Guobang crouched down, his line of sight level with Zhao Tiezhu's.

"This mission is extremely dangerous, with a very low chance of survival."

"This is a top-secret gene therapy experiment. If successful, you could be given a new lease on life, or even push your limits."

"If it fails..."

Li Guobang paused, his voice low.

"You may die, and you may die a painful death."

The air seemed to freeze.

Chen Xi looked at Zhao Tiezhu.

He expected to see hesitation, fear, or a struggle to weigh the pros and cons.

But he was wrong.

He saw only liberation and an almost insane longing.

"Commander."

Zhao Tiezhu's voice was frighteningly calm, yet as firm as a rock.

"Zhao Tiezhu has been dead since the day his leg was broken."

"The one who is alive is just a walking corpse."

He looked down at his numb legs and a bitter smile crept onto his lips.

"If my life can still contribute one last bit to the country, if I still have the chance to stand up, I will salute you one last time..."

"Then take it!"

"Even if I'm shattered to pieces, I, Zhao Tiezhu, won't even flinch!"

Chen Xi felt her eyes sting.

Are these the soldiers of China?

Faced with life and death, they never thought of themselves, but of the grand totem called "nation".

One hour later, at Base 001.

Zhao Tiezhu lay on a specially made alloy experimental bed, his limbs fixed by high-strength restraints.

All around were countless cold, metallic instrument probes and dozens of fully armed medical experts.

Su Qingge took the syringe containing the pale green liquid and walked to the bedside.

"Comrade Zhao Tiezhu, this is the last confirmation."

Su Qingge's voice remained cold, but through her goggles, Chen Xi saw a slight tremor in her eyes.

"Once injected, the process is irreversible. You will experience the pain of your entire body's bones breaking and rebuilding, a pain more than ten times that of childbirth."

"No anesthetic will work because we need your nervous system to be absolutely active."

"Are you ready?"

Zhao Tiezhu looked at the dazzling operating lights overhead and a calm smile appeared on his face.

"Come on, doctor."

Don't treat me like a woman.

The needle pierced the skin, and the cool liquid was slowly pushed into the vein.

one second.

two seconds.

At that moment, it was as if death had tolled its death knell.

"Well--!!!"

A suppressed growl, like a wild beast on its deathbed, suddenly exploded from deep within Zhao Tiezhu's throat.

His body instantly tensed up like a fully drawn bow, and the veins on his forehead bulged like earthworms.

On the monitoring screen, the previously stable heart rate curve suddenly turned into a straight red line pointing upwards!

"Warning! Receptor's heart rate has exceeded 200!"

"Blood pressure skyrockets! Body temperature rises rapidly! 40 degrees... 41 degrees... 42 degrees!"

The piercing alarm blared throughout the base, and the red warning lights flashed wildly, turning the laboratory into a scene of purgatory.

Zhao Tiezhu's skin began to turn red, like a boiled shrimp, because his capillaries were ruptured over a large area.

He is burning.

He began his battle between life and death amidst the flames of hell.