I Spread my Genes to Level Up in the Apocalypse

Every living being is born with a certain genetic limit that constrains one's strength. Studies suggest that we are unable to reach our maximum potential due to the limitations in our brains.

For example, in extremely life-threatening situations, individuals may find that their strength is instantly increased and they can perform actions that would be impossible in their normal state.

However, even when one's body reaches its maximum potential and they can exert their strength to the extreme without the restriction of the brain, it is still limited. For instance, they may not be able to lift a building.

At most, during critical times, their strength is slightly increased, but it remains within the range of what a trained professional could achieve.

No matter how intensely one trains to condition the body, there is still a genetic limit that is specific to each individual.

If the genetic limit is high, then even with minimal training, individuals could achieve extraordinary results. Conversely, if the limit is low, a person would need to train constantly to make any progress.

However, in reality, prior to the apocalypse, no one could reach their genetic limit, even with the use of performance-enhancing steroids.

At most, only a small fraction of the body's potential power could be utilised, and these steroids only served to unlock a fraction of the body's potential while harming it in the process.

Ray was unaware if his average strength of a ton was a result of a low or high genetic limit, but this was the hard cap imposed by his genes. In order to remove this hard cap, he needed to break through his genetic limit. But how does one break the limit of their genes?

Well, there are many methods to breaking it, but the one Ray chose was the most raw and primal one.

By constantly testing his limits to the extreme until his Physique and Vitality reached the extreme of the extreme and facing countless life-threatening situations, he could push his body to break the limits set by the Gene.

This was a crude and brutal method, which looked simple at first but was extremely dangerous. Even if one reached the limit of the Gene, they still needed to face the constant life-threatening situations.

Luckily for Ray, he had gotten a system.

Ray lay on the ground while looking at the ceiling, veins popping in his head, and the sound of bones cracking constantly echoed throughout the room.

His eyes were strangely bloodshot and twitching naturally with no sign of life present in him.

Something inside him was changing, and black substances were constantly being expelled from his body.

Ray's mind, however, seemed to be elsewhere, engulfed in pitch-black darkness as his pre-apocalypse memories vanished completely.

"Hmm, what is this?" Ray though curiously as he looked around the pitch darkness with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

At that moment, an alarm sounded in his ears, persistently ringing and annoying him.

"Huh?" Ray opened his eyes to see his familiar ceiling, confusion clouding his mind.

Then, something seemed to jolt his memory, causing panic to set in.

"Oh, shit. I'm going to be late for my job interview," he muttered in a rush as he headed to the bathroom to freshen up by brushing his teeth, washing his face and taking a dump before hastily checking the time.

"Damn it, I only have twenty minutes," Ray said to himself, quickly grabbing a piece of bread to eat on the go before glancing at the wall clock with a puzzled expression.

"I forgot my watch was five minutes slow," Ray muttered to himself, a hint of panic settling in his eyes as he hurried out of his flat while still holding the bread in his mouth.

"Hey, Ray, this is this month's rent," Jose called out, stopping him before he could go far.

Ray saw Jose just as he remembered, but his face appeared blurry and indistinct, yet he was too flustered to notice.

"Just send it to my bank account," he hurriedly replied before continuing on his way.

"What is this brat being arrogant for? Soon I will get this house while he will be in the streets," Jose sneered silently as he watched Ray leave.

Ray went to the streets and noticed a cat darting across the road. He wasn't a saint, just an average person, and he definitely wouldn't risk his life for a cat. Yet, something in his mind compelled him to perform this act of kindness.

Before he knew it, Ray was already running. He shoved the cat out of the way as the truck slammed directly into him.

Boom!

Blood splattered across the ground. Ray felt a tearing pain as the bones in his arms and legs shattered, and his vision began to fade. The pain was overwhelming, numbing his entire body from its intensity.

His entire body was deformed with blood constantly flowing from his head.

"What is happening?" That was his last thought.

Ray slowly opened his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling.

"The patient is awake…"

He faintly heard voices around him, barely audible. Then the excruciating pain surged through him again, sending him back into unconsciousness.

Finally, he focused again, hearing the beeping sound of the hospital's machines.

"The patient is not responding... his heart rate is dropping... Emergency…"

"Stop shouting, I'm still alive," Ray wanted to scream, but to his horror, no sound came out. He strained his eyes, barely making out the blurry figure of Jose through the window, holding a key in his hand.

"What is happening?"

Ray's eyes snapped open, and he was jolted awake by the sound of his alarm clock.

"Eh, what?" He looked around at his room, then down at his perfectly intact body, his heart pounding rapidly.

"Didn't I get hit by the truck?"

Confused, Ray brushed his teeth, got ready, and headed out with a piece of bread in his mouth, only to find Jose waiting for him, asking for the rent again.