I Spread my Genes to Level Up in the Apocalypse

Chapter 217: Con artist

What were politicians truly good at? The answer was simple: lying. Every single one of them made grand promises, most of which were impossible to fulfill.

It didn't matter who they were or where they came from—deception seemed to run in their veins, passed down like an inherited trait.

They possessed an uncanny ability to sway the masses, weaving lies and truths together so intricately that it became nearly impossible to tell them apart. This confusion led you to believe their words without engaging in any meaningful critical thought.

It was through this cunning manipulation that they managed to strip away your rationality, steering you onto their bandwagon of empty assurances.

As Ray watched the man's retreating figure fade into the distance, he couldn't help but be reminded of those very people.

"Well, he must have had a certain charm at some point, but now it's all gone," Ray muttered to himself. Even without his intervention, these people might very well tear him apart.

After all, he was the one responsible for leading them into betraying such a good life—and they all knew it. Still, in the face of death, he still chose the slower path of demise, clinging to the faint possibility of survival.

It was, after all, the most logical choice.

Ray remained seated, his eyes closed, waiting patiently as the tension in the air grew thicker with each passing moment.

The soldiers surrounding him were already drenched in cold sweat, their nerves frayed just from standing in his presence.

Not that Ray was unaware of the events unfolding in the bunker below. On the contrary, he could sense everything happening there with perfect clarity, as though he were watching it in 8K, as if he was right in front of them.

He had thought that the shouting guy would have some trouble convincing others to go up, but to Ray's surprise, this guy was really a veteran scammer, able to convince these people so easily.

After a short time, a large number of footsteps rang out, causing the ground to tremble slightly as the people tentatively looked ahead.

They looked at Ray, who was sitting on his throne, and all the soldiers who stood there in silence.

There was a look of bewilderment on each of their faces.

"What are you looking at me for?" Ray chuckled. "Did your leader not tell you that he sold every one of you to me?"

Silence!

A strange silence descended upon the crowd, and the sound of teeth grinding against each other slightly resounded.

Even though it was hard to pick up, Ray could immediately tell that it was made by William. This guy didn't have bloodshot eyes aimed at his leader; instead, they were fixed and directed at Ray.

"My daughter not only chose a rebel, but also a foolish person as well," Ray nodded his head as if agreeing with himself.

The leader in question had faint tears in his eyes, with the whites around his pupils bloodshot and veiny, as if he was being forced to make his choices. This simple gesture moved the crowd, and some of the young people felt hope burning in their eyes.

Of course, they would feel hope; after all, they were narrated by the leader in such a way to make himself look good.

Ray could see this in the light of day, which made him even more amused. This guy was truly a veteran and had the capability of reaching new heights.

"I only need one guy, who is called William here?"

He spoke in a light tone, his eyes flashing with a cruel glint.

"Eh?" The leader was stunned, a gradual realization slowly appearing on his face.

He was still very knowledgeable about the base and was the one who had admitted William to the best academy in the world, the Gene Academy, where even Ray's children studied—albeit under a hidden identity.

"Maybe this brat somehow offended him?" His face turned pale, and a shiver ran down his spine. A disgusting smell soon emanated from him.

Ray casually snapped his fingers, instantly dispelling the foul smell lingering in the air. His voice cut through the silence like a blade:

"Where is William? Come out, or I'll slaughter everyone present here."

His expression remained deadpan, utterly devoid of emotion.

"You dare, bastard!" A righteous shout broke the tension as a youth stepped forward, his fiery eyes locking onto Ray with defiance. "You tyrant!"

"Little kid," Ray chuckled softly, his tone condescending. "If I were a tyrant, do you think you—or any of these people—would still be alive right now?"

"You…" William gritted his teeth, his anger faltering under Ray's calm demeanor.

"You are nothing more than dust in my eyes," Ray continued, his gaze unwavering. "I could erase all of you with a mere thought. Do you really believe I would waste my time arguing with you if I was a tyrant?"

"But… but…" For the first time, William hesitated. His once unshakable conviction wavered, leaving him visibly confused and dumbfounded, struggling to find a response.

"So, tell me," Ray said, crossing his arms as he leaned back on his throne, his voice calm but firm. "How exactly did I become a tyrant? Spare me your fickle emotions and give me **facts**."

William straightened his posture, pointing an accusing finger at Ray. "You've done terrible deeds! You have so many women and countless children!"

Ray tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "And?" he asked casually. "Those women all came to me willingly. Tell me, have I ever troubled anyone by stealing their women?"

"N... no," William admitted, his voice faltering.

"So, is that tyranny now?" Ray's lips curved slightly, the faintest hint of amusement flickering across his face.

"Then... you... you've…" William stammered, struggling to articulate his thoughts. Finally, he burst out, "That's right! You've arrested those people who raised their voices against you!"

"By 'raised voices,' do you mean those criminals who committed robberies or those who tried to kill me or my family?" Ray asked, his tone steady and piercing. "If defending yourself is considered tyranny, then perhaps everyone should just sit around and wait to be killed. Is that what you're suggesting?"

William hesitated but quickly retorted, raising his voice. "Umm, then what about these people behind me? They've suffered countless injustices because of you!"

Ray shifted his gaze to the crowd behind William, shaking his head slightly. His voice carried a calm yet cutting edge. "What exactly have you all suffered? Tell me. Each of you has had food, safety, healthcare, and a roof over your heads. What more could you possibly need? Explain the 'injustice' you've endured. Or were any of you living in actual suffering—aside from not having luxuries because of your own incapability?"

"This…" William's voice broke as he froze on the spot.

"I have saved humanity from the apocalypse when the survival of our entire species hung by a thread," Ray declared, his voice firm yet calm. "I sacrificed my body countless times to reproduce and bring back the human population. Every major technological advancement you enjoy today—each one—exists because of me. So, tell me, what exactly have I done wrong?"

As Ray listed his achievements, each fact hammered home with undeniable logic, the room fell into a stunned silence. He wasn't wrong, and his words left no room for argument.

William closed his eyes tightly, his breathing unsteady. His steps backtracked, and he collapsed to his knees, his head bowing toward the ground. It was as though the foundation of his beliefs was crumbling before him.

"No... I refuse to believe it!" William suddenly shouted, raising his hand toward Ray. A small flame materialized at his fingertips, crackling with desperate energy as it shot forward.

"Interesting," Ray muttered with a faint smirk. "So, you're a superhuman too, huh?"

But before the fire could even graze him, it dispersed into nothingness, leaving the air undisturbed, as if the attack had never happened.

Ray just stood there with squinted eyes. "Should I kill this kid?"

Superhumans, as we call them, are just ordinary people who have been genetically enhanced by the advanced technologies that Ray himself introduced.

In fact, he did this for his own research by accessing the power of the gene in the human body, allowing him to replicate this process.

After a long period of research, Ray discovered that the human gene contained a pathway to an unknown place. All the skills he had obtained came from that place, while Mutation Energy was simply the energy needed to stimulate and gain power from it, simultaneously allowing him to use the skill with the same energy.

This wasn't unique to Mutation energy alone; he could even use other types of energy to stimulate the doors of the Gene to provide the skills, but that was just a prototype that had not yet been completed.

These superhumans were essentially people who gained power through his technology; in a way, these individuals were his experiments—living, walking guinea pigs. Of course, he controlled the technology so that common people couldn't get their hands on it.

Only this kind of person could access it.

William looked on in disbelief, as if he were paralyzed with fear.

"Kid, did you really think messing with the strongest man's daughter was a good idea?" Ray instantly appeared in front of him and casually pointed his finger to William's forehead, causing him to faint on the spot.

Ray then looked around with a flicker of amusement before saying, "I have expectations for you, con artist."

With that, Ray and William flew into the air, vanishing into the sky and leaving everyone stunned.

"What should we do, leader?" One of the people managed to speak out, his throat hoarse.

"We can only endure," the leader replied, tears falling down his face. Whether they were genuine tears or not was for the crowd to decide.

Ray quickly arrived at his city and entered the tower, tossing the struggling William to the ground.

"You bastard, where did you bring me to?" William shouted, his voice laced with panic.

"To my tower," Ray answered calmly. "Do you regret seducing my daughter, Trix?"

"Heh, why should I?" William sneered.