Chapter 138: The Trap, Part 2

“No way, you went all out in an instant—no wonder.”
“Blame me? If it weren’t for me, how else would you have given him that lightning bath? You think you could have done it so easily? It’s all thanks to me.” Hu Guozheng snorted discontentedly. This guy was always like that—giving his all without holding back, completely unafraid of any danger lurking behind.

However, Du Bin wasn’t exactly overpowering these bodyguards, nor was he truly losing. After all, before regaining his abilities, he had suffered endless humiliation at the hands of those armed police officers, and a burning resentment had long been building inside him. Now that his powers had returned, he was determined to show them what he was made of. He also longed for that surge of golden lightning—the thrill of smashing Tao Wenjie apart with a single hammer blow was indescribably satisfying. Since regaining his abilities, he had experimented with different approaches, as if that power had never truly left him. Apparently, he had been too impatient; he could only let things take their natural course.

Du Bin found his recent changes strange as well. He used to dislike thinking things through, acting mostly on impulse. But now it was as if a veil had lifted—his intelligence had subtly increased, reflecting the transformation within him.

Meanwhile, as the bodyguards were injected with the vaccine, one of them pulled out a remote control and pressed a few buttons. A hatch opened on the central upper floor, and Tong Xiaoguo was immediately taken up a level. There was no need to keep her here during the fight; she would only be a hindrance. Du Bin could have used his magnetic field to disrupt the electronic devices and rescue Tong Xiaoguo, but he refrained. If he truly went to save her, he worried she might be armed with a pistol—something beyond his control.

“Fatty, you handle defense. Let me take care of them!” Seeing the bodyguards’ muscles instantly bulge after the vaccine injection—each now boasting Hulk-like strength—Du Bin couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat. Ordinary people had gained power comparable to that of superhumans thanks to this vaccine. If Zeng Yilong ever sold this worldwide, it would be terrifying. Forget military agencies; just imagine terrorist organizations wielding such a force. The religious wars across the Middle East would be forever changed.

“You think you can take on twelve at once?” Hu Guozheng was curious about his solo challenge against so many.

Du Bin rolled his eyes. While he hadn’t unleashed his powers as extravagantly as Hu Guozheng, he had still used about a third of his energy. “Whether I can or not, I have to. Just looking at them makes me furious. If I really can’t do it, we’ll be stuck here as lab rats.”

“Damn, not long ago you were being beaten like a dog, and now you want revenge? Hahaha…” Hu Guozheng laughed so hard he doubled over, while Du Bin shot him a dark glare.

“That’s funny; it means you know your days are numbered.”

The bodyguards felt an overwhelming surge of strength, as invigorating as a shot of Red Bull. To get used to their newfound power, they pounded the steel walls relentlessly, each punch nearly denting their knuckles. This infuriated Hu Guozheng, who had struggled to make even a small dent with all his strength. Damn, comparing oneself to others could be maddening.

Within minutes, the bodyguards grew accustomed to their abilities. Before, facing someone with powers meant only one option: run. But now, enhanced by the R vaccine, they wielded strength rivaling superhumans. With twelve of them, no matter how formidable their opponent, survival was unlikely. Their mocking gazes made it clear they saw Du Bin and Hu Guozheng as nothing more than dead men.

“Maybe you’re digging your own graves,” Du Bin retorted.

“Heh, still so cocky with death knocking at your door,” Zeng Yilong sneered at the doomed men. “Kill him.”

The bodyguards charged fiercely, their faces fierce as they approached. Du Bin’s hands crackled with blue lightning, bolts sizzling with energy amplified by the vaccine. Their movements were swift—even faster than his. Struggling, he weaved through their attacks, striking back where he could. Although his hits carried an electric shock effect, their bodies were as tough as steel. This was hundreds of volts—any ordinary person would have been down long ago.

Not only were they unharmed, their punches landed on him like iron hammers, causing excruciating pain. Blood spurted from his mouth. Just as he hesitated, a bodyguard leapt from above, hands clenched, aiming to smash his skull. Du Bin rolled aside just in time, clutching his aching chest and crying out, “Damn it! Lucky I dodged, or my head would’ve exploded.”

“Hmph, you got lucky this time. Next time won’t be so easy.”

The bodyguards tightened their circle, fearing their prey might escape. Their grins irritated Du Bin, reminding him of when he’d been cornered before, forced to jump into the sea to flee. Each had already felt his electric shocks; if Du Bin wished, he could unleash a storm to fry their hearts instantly or paralyze them to death. But that would be murder—these bodyguards were just ordinary men temporarily enhanced by the R vaccine, unlike the werewolves or vampires he had faced before. He couldn’t cross that line. Besides, if any video recorded the incident, he’d be legally incriminated.

Du Bin recalled Li Ning mentioning that his brother’s vaccine effects lasted only an hour. If this was merely a test, the vaccine’s components would be diluted, possibly halving the duration. Once the effects wore off, the threat would vanish. The idea was sound, but whether reality would follow his script was another matter.

He also considered another possibility: as the time approached, a follow-up dose might be administered. If so, he might be able to steal one in a surprise move.

“Fatty, watch yourself.”

Without needing to be told, Hu Guozheng had already retreated to a corner, erecting an earthen wall for protection. “Alright, I’ll keep an eye out. I’m near the exit, so if anything goes wrong, I can slip away immediately. Go ahead and fight; I’ll support you mentally from the rear.”

Du Bin nearly spat blood in exasperation. What kind of mental support was that? Ignoring the idiot, he faced the bodyguards’ relentless advance, forced to defend while counterattacking. The key was dodging their blows. No human could withstand that kind of damage. His electric shield absorbed countless attacks, and he relied on the lightning within it to strike back.

Whenever their fists hit the shield, they took damage in return. To hold them back, Du Bin channeled electricity into the steel plates beneath them. Aside from their shoes, any part of their bodies touching the plates without insulation received an electric shock.

With a roar, Du Bin spread his hands wide, and the electric shield exploded outward with a shockwave. Caught off guard, several bodyguards were thrown back—some crashed into walls, others fell to the ground. Every one of them was shocked by the current running through the steel plates, their muscles convulsing uncontrollably, black smoke seeming to rise from their heads.