Oliver is shocked by a few numbers from Isabella. There were only thirty thousand zombies in that small town a while ago. If 7.3 billion zombies? That's a terrifying number! It's totally beyond what Oliver can imagine.
Is this the world fifty years later?
Thinking about the time, Oliver asks, "Did you say the XR virus broke out on December 20, 2075?" He points at his watch and continues, "Is the time on this watch right?"
Isabella smiles and says, "The time on the watch is Greenwich Mean Time, and it's completely accurate. The XR virus has been spreading for three years and seven months now." Oliver can't believe it. If the virus has been around for so long, are there still living humans on Earth? Zombies are so scary. You can't kill them unless you hit their heads.
"So, what happened to me? Don't tell me I've been asleep for decades." Oliver says angrily. Just thinking about the scary scenes in the small town makes his whole body shake.
Isabella answers, "Of course not. You were living in 2024 yesterday. You've been sent to this time through the time - space gate opened by the Matrix." Oliver interrupts, "Wait a minute. You said 'Matrix'. What's that?"Isabella give Oliver a seductive smile, shakes her head, and says, "You don't have the right to access that info. I can't answer." Oliver frowns and asks, "Are you saying I was sent from 2024 to 2079?"
"Yeah. Your job is to upgrade your genes and get more access rights. Only when you have enough rights can you understand the all things of the XR virus." Without giving Oliver a chance to ask, Isabella goes on, "Your body's genes have been upgraded by the Matrix. There are ten levels of access rights. Your gene level is one now, and you can only get level - one rights."
"I don't care about the rights. I just want to go back to my previous world, not stay in this lousy world full of zombies," Oliver says.
Even though Oliver is angry, Isabella still smiles. She says, "The main function of the watch is teleportation. As long as you want, you can go back to your previous world anytime." Oliver gets excited and says, "Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and send me back. I want to leave this world right now."
"Sure, you can go back, but the watch can only teleport once a day, and each time it's only for three hours. After three hours, whether you like it or not, the watch will send you back here. You have to face 21 hours of danger every day." Isabella explains.
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Oliver is shocked and then really angry. He shouts, "So, I almost have to stay in this hell for the rest of my life? Why did the Matrix do this? What does it want me to do?" Isabella gives an apologetic smile and says, "There's no answer in the level - one database. What you need to do now is get stronger. Maybe when you unlock the second - level rights, you'll know the Matrix's purpose."
"why me? Out of over eight billion people on Earth, why was I chosen?" Oliver is still furious. Anyone in his situation, suddenly in the future world, wouldn't be happy.
Isabella suddenly took out a document. She puts it on the virtual desktop, opens it, and after looking at it, says, "You should feel lucky. Among all the people on Earth, only you have the right gene sequence for the Matrix."
Oliver looks at his thin body and says sarcastically, "So, should I thank the Matrix for this 'chance'?" Then he shouts, "I have a super - strong gene? That's crazy. If so, wouldn't sports stars become supermen?"
Isabella covers her mouth and laughs charmingly. She says, "The strength of a gene doesn't depend on how strong you look. Haven't you noticed you're stronger and faster than normal people? The strength of an ordinary person is 100 when counted as a number. A level - one gene makes you five times stronger than them."
Oliver feels like he's in a sci - fi world. He asks, "So my strength number is 500 now?" Isabella nods and says, "Yeah. This number will go up as you evolve. When it reaches five times the current level, your gene level will go up. But remember, before you upgrade your gene level, even if you have a strength of 2500, you can only use half of it in fight."
"Only after I upgrade can I use all my power?" Oliver gets it quickly.
"Right. Also, the Matrix gave you a space storage," Isabella says.
Isabella makes a move, and Oliver suddenly finds himself in a one - cubic - meter space.
It's empty.
"This is the space storage. With your gene level, you can only have this one - cubic - meter space. The watch is connected to your brain. When you want to open the space storage, just think about it in your mind, and it will open."
"The teleportation works the same way." Isabella adds.
Oliver thinks of a question and asks, "You mean I can open this space storage anytime, even in different worlds?" Isabella seems to know what he's thinking. She smiles and says, "Yeah, you can take things from this world to your previous world and vice versa. But the things you take mustn't be alive and must fit in the space."
Isabella's explanation makes Oliver think this is getting interesting. He can go back to his previous world for three hours every day and move things between the two worlds. This means he just needs to stay safe in this apocalyptic world for 21 hours a day. This makes Oliver regret not picking up the bills on the street in the small town. If he filled the space with bills, he'd be a multimillionaire.
But regretting doesn't help now. He's only five times stronger than an ordinary person. He's no match for the zombies. If they scratch him even a little, he'll get infected and become one of them.