I Spread my Genes to Level Up in the Apocalypse

The red panel appeared in front of his eyes as if he were seeing a monitor, hovering silently in the void. Even the black pupils of his eyes didn't reflect the red light.

[More Genes, the more blessings]

This was what was written in front of him, making Ray's heart stir.

"Has the world really become a game world?" he muttered. Finally calming down after gathering his thoughts, he went back to the living room where his PS5 was—his literal lifeline.

"Hey, system."

Ray shouted a little loudly because he couldn't help it, but to his surprise, no sentient voice came to his mind. Only the red panel appeared again.

He wanted to touch the panel, but when he did, his finger passed right through it as if it were a ghost.

"Am I seeing things now?"

Ray mumbled while rubbing his eyes again before he slapped himself lightly.

Pang!

"Nope, then should I open it with my thoughts?" he thought as he carefully spoke a word that was very popular in all the systems he had seen.

"Status."

Immediately, the red panel in front of him changed and showed a line of numerical data with his real-life body rotating around.

Ray felt a chill in his back when he saw the uncanny resemblance of his avatar and his real body. Even that rod's size was the same.

—--

[Status]

[Name: Ray Crownwell]

[Status: Awakened (E-class)]

[Skill: Body Strengthening (Awakening I)]

[Strength: 48 Kg (36 original)]

[Speed: 19.5 Km/h (13 original)]

[Mental strength: 1.02 (1 for the average adult man)]

[Mutation energy: 19]

[Shop points: 0]

—--

Looking at the status, he glanced at his Awakened (E-class), then another panel seemed to appear in front of his eyes.

[Awakened (E-class): After humanity has suffered a terrifying tragedy that plunged it into despair due to the mutated undead, there is a glimmer of hope in the darkness. A very limited number of people have genes that can withstand this mutation and become awakened. Your potential after awakening is E-class.]

"Hmm?" Ray frowned and then his eyes went to the skill section after returning back again.

[Skill: Body Strengthening (Awakening I)- The body can be strengthened by the Mutation energy, allowing for a 50% increase in both Strength and Speed attributes.]

"My awakening potential is only E-class?" Ray's brows knitted in concern.

If anyone played a single game, they could tell at a glance that E-class was like the bottom of the barrel, just a step above F, which means Failure.

As he looked at the strengthening he had gained after awakening, it seemed likely to be true. Though he was most likely more powerful than an ordinary person, if he met a trained individual, he would be easily defeated, not to mention other awakeners.

His thoughts suddenly went back to the starting panel where it said that he would get stronger the more genes he spread.

Of course, Ray knew the meaning of this word.

"I need to find females?" he wanted to contact the system. However, no matter how he tried, there was no reply.

"Forget it, one step at a time."

Ray sighed.

Looking at the Mutation energy, which was already at 19, he slightly frowned because no matter how he focused, there was no description. As for the shop points, it was the same thing.

He could only let go for now.

"Wait a second…"

Ray's pupils slightly widened for a moment as he walked out of the room and started to count the corpses of the undead one by one.

"Eighteen and…" his gaze went to the first zombie he killed and got the purple crystal from "Nineteen."

He took a deep breath. "Killing undead gives me mutation energy." Ray was 99% sure of this.

Then his eyes lit up looking at the other undead as if they were experience points instead of the terrifying creatures that could potentially end his life.

"No, I need to be careful," he hurriedly shook his head.

He went through a round of preparation again. This time he wore light enough clothes that wouldn't hinder his movements and at the same time provide sufficient protection.

With the knife in his left hand, he lightly tapped on the railings.

Ting!

This time the sound was loud, loud enough to resound through the five-floored building.

The undead, like moths to a flame, were instantly attracted by the sound and headed towards it.

"You do this, Ray."

His grip on the knife and pan tightened as he mercilessly stabbed the first zombie through the gaps.

Then he slightly glanced at the status.

[Mutation energy: 20]

"Not bad."

Ray's eyes shone as he looked at the other zombies.

He patiently waited for them to arrive and be killed by his knife, like a spider laying its cobweb and patiently waiting for its prey.

Time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye as a mountain of corpses stacked on top of each other, blocking the entire gate.

"My hand feels sore." Ray's hand felt weak, and even tightening his grip around the knife was very difficult for him.

To kill these zombies, he needed to apply his full force into the blow and to withdraw as well he needed full force, which consumed a lot of energy.

At this time, the red panel appeared in front of him again.

[Congratulations, you have collected 60 mutation points. You can level up your skill Body Strengthening. Would you like to proceed?]

Ray murmured "yes" without hesitation.

He could hoard these mutation points, but if something unexpected happened and he died instantly because he hadn't upgraded his strength, it would be too late to regret it.

At this moment, a stream of energy appeared out of nowhere in his body, constantly strengthening him.

The previous muscle soreness seemed to vanish, replaced by warmth.

Just as Ray was revelling in this new power, he suddenly saw some figures quietly sneaking from the corner of his eyes through the gap in the corpses of the undead.