Awakening: God-Tier Adaptive System
Chapter 30: System vs Science

Chapter 30: System vs Science

He looked at the screen again, wondering if this was actually his superpower.

But his scientific mind refused to accept it.

’Should I run an experiment?’

In science, nothing was truly proven—only supported until evidence said otherwise.

So, the truth he knew now didn’t mean it would be the truth forever.

People once believed the planet was flat and that the sun and moon revolved around them.

’But how?’ He narrowed his eyes, deep in thought.

Then it hit him—the skills.

If he activated one and it worked, that would be proof. But there was a problem: the placebo effect.

For example.

If he had a Berserk skill and suddenly felt a surge of rage, it could just be his mind playing tricks on him. He needed something undeniable.

A skill with an effect so extreme that there would be no room for doubt.

’Right now, all I have are One Minute Wonder and Good Shit, and I don’t even know how to use them.’

’No, I need to be smarter. Both skills rely on one thing—drugs. So, first, I need to find one.’

"Hey, do you have any drugs here? A place like this must have some to keep you awake."

The man was stunned. Neo had guessed it right.

It was only natural—he had dealt with many users before.

Not all of them were bad. Some took drugs to work harder, study longer, or stay awake, especially those who drove for hours.

But it wasn’t just that. What led him to this conclusion was the working conditions in this place.

Though the man acted unaffected by all the death around him, his earlier words suggested he was simply forcing himself to endure it.

Mentally speaking, such endurance would take a toll on his mind. To cope with the stress, he must be taking something to numb the guilt.

"Where is it?" he asked, casually playing with the scissor—now an object of trauma for his prey.

His repeated torture wasn’t just about pain; it was psychological.

Much like how repeatedly spraying water on a dog trained it to avoid bad behavior, he had conditioned to fear the scissor,

"It’s in the cabinet, bottom drawer. There’s a drug called Iodizen—it helps me relax."

"Is that all the drugs? Tell me everything, including their effects."

"T-There’s more... We have a stimulant called Shab—it keeps us awake for long shifts. Some use it to stay focused, but too much makes your hands shake."

None of it interested Neo much, but then—

"There’s this one experimental drug," the man muttered, his voice dropping. "They call it APX Formula. Supposed to double your strength for a bit. They gave it to all of us... just in case things went bad."

Neo stood up and hurriedly searched the drawers. "Which one is it?"

"It’s the one in the bottle."

He grabbed it. Inside, there was only three red pills.

"Are you sure this isn’t poison?" Neo asked, his eyes narrowing as he held it up "I’m going to hit you again if you’re tricking me."

"No, I’m not lying!" the guy cried out.

Neo studied the man’s face, searching for any sign of deceit.

He found none. The pain and exhaustion had clearly taken their toll, making it impossible for the man to think straight—or to orchestrate a complex comeback.

Still, he wasn’t an idiot. The man might believe it would really double his strength, but what was stopping the people he worked for from lying?

He decided to leave the office first to find more ropes. He eventually found some in the utility room but didn’t rush back.

Instead, he carefully threaded them together, weaving the strands in a tight, secure pattern to make them tougher.

When he returned, he began his plan.

To make sure the man couldn’t break free, Neo used the square knot to fasten the ropes, a simple but reliable choice.

For added security, he used a hitch knot to anchor the ropes to the chair, making sure it wouldn’t slip.

To secure the man’s arms and legs, Neo used the figure-eight knot around each limb, tightening it until it was uncomfortably firm.

Finally, he added a slip knot around the neck, making sure it could tighten if the man struggled, but could also be loosened quickly if needed.

Why do all of this?

Well, in the off chance that the man really did get a boost in strength, a normal rope would be useless.

Now, even if he tripled or quadrupled in strength, there was no way he could break free.

"Drink it," Neo commanded, taking one pill and forcing it into the man’s mouth.

His prisoner didn’t resist much, and after swallowing the pill, Neo waited.

At the ten-second mark, he began to notice changes.

Veins started protruding from the man’s forehead, and his skin flushed a deep red, like someone suffering from high blood pressure.

"ARGGHH!"

The man gritted his teeth, his body trembling as blood trickled from his nose.

His muscles bulged, and Neo could see the ropes stretching slightly as the man’s body tensed. It was obvious—he was really getting stronger.

Neo’s mind raced.

’Is it adrenaline?’

When people are in danger, the body releases adrenaline from the adrenal glands to prepare for fight or flight.

The drug must be triggering the release of chemicals, but in a much more powerful way than the body would normally produce on its own.

"ARGGHH!"

The man kept struggling, more blood seeping through his nose and teeth with each movement.

’The nosebleed isn’t from the drug,’ Neo thought. ’It’s from him not being able to move freely because of the ropes.’

He remembered watching a video before that explained this phenomenon.

The strain from physical effort would lead to increased pressure in the body, especially in the head, and when it gets too intense, blood vessels in the nose can break, causing a nosebleed.

’If he doesn’t die here, it means this drug is safe—well, relatively speaking,’

He waited patiently, watching the man struggle.

After three minutes, the man’s movements began to slow, and he looked completely exhausted.

"Are you okay?"

The man nearly choked as he tried to respond, but he still managed to nod weakly, his face flushed and drenched in sweat.

GULP!

Neo swallowed one pill and sat back in his chair, waiting for the effects to take hold.

[DING!]

[Host swallowed a substance. This drug will be recorded by the database.]

[DING!]

[Due to Host’s One Minute Wonder skill, the effect of this drug will be enhanced, reducing the adverse effects by 50%.]

[DING!]

[Due to Host’s One Minute Wonder skill, the effect of this drug will be 20% more effective]

Multiple notifications rang in his mind as the drug began to take effect.

Neo could feel his muscles tightening, but his increased heartbeat was distracting.

It pounded in his chest, the thumping echoing in his ears as if his heart might burst from the pressure.

’Unbelievable,’ he muttered, stunned, as he managed to bend the scissors with just his grip.

Not only that, but all his senses sharpened as well.

The hum of the AC, the sound of blood dripping from the man—it all became very noticeable.

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