Chapter 116

Brother Dong’s gaze wandered.

Zhou Wang looked somewhat uneasy.

Only Little Huang seemed forlorn and thoughtful, nodding along.

Everyone had indeed “drawn their own conclusions.”

Aside from Li Jiangbing, most people could accept the information Zhao Yi and Gao Yuxuan had summarized. They agreed with the majority of it.

Some had already realized that, if they followed this whole theory through, even Li Jiangbing and Song Jingshuo could find a theoretical basis for their abilities.

The only truly special person was Jiang Cheng.

Unless another space-based superpowered individual appeared, there was no way to break this “special status.”

As for Jiang Cheng’s existence, the two men who constantly talked about science and logic—Zhao Yi and Gao Yuxuan—abandoned both science and logic whenever she was involved.

“The Chosen Maiden.”

Zhao Yi declared with absolute conviction, “I feel like Jiang Cheng is the Chosen Maiden of Youth Apartments.”

It was as if she had been born in response to the times.

“People like her are meant to live through troubled times, emerge from the masses, and face every challenge head-on.” Gao Yuxuan asked, “Are there any anime with that kind of theme? You know, a Chosen Maiden protagonist?”

Zhao Yi thought for a moment and said, “Usually, those are shoujo series.”

Anime had protagonists of different genders, after all. The ones the two of them usually watched featured Chosen Male protagonists saving the world. Chosen Maiden stories were generally watched by girls.

Gao Yuxuan: “...It’s not like we can’t watch one.”

They just wanted to find one into which they could cast Jiang Cheng.

“Preferably one where the heroine also has a magical pet by her side.”

The discussion and question-and-answer session began in the small plaza.

Someone asked, “According to all this, the military should be in better shape this time than last time, right?”

Before Zhao Yi could answer, Jiang Cheng spoke first. “Not necessarily.”

The plaza fell silent at once.

Jiang Cheng still had an incredible talent for commanding everyone’s attention.

Everyone turned to look at her.

Jiang Cheng explained, “The day before yesterday afternoon, only a handful of people had activated their superpowers. Everyone else awakened gradually yesterday and today.”

“Besides,” Jiang Cheng asked, “Gao Yuxuan, how strong was your superpower the afternoon before last?”

Gao Yuxuan held out his hand and made a pinching gesture with his thumb and forefinger. “Just a tiny bit, about this much. All the way until that night, the current was only this big. It could kill an ant, but electrocuting a cockroach would’ve been iffy.”

“One or two hours,” Jiang Cheng said. “If the military didn’t undergo a large-scale awakening within one or two hours, then although their experience would mean fewer casualties than last time, there still wouldn’t be as many superpowered people as you imagine.”

Jiang Cheng suddenly thought that this might also explain why there had been no survivors in the district government building.

No. She immediately discarded the idea, because every tall, densely populated building with interconnected spaces would have faced the same situation. Schools had survivors.

The sample size was simply too small.

She couldn’t make a judgment based on information from just one district government building. At the very least, she needed two or three—perhaps three or four—samples.

There was no need to rush, though. The zombie virus had broken out on the afternoon of August 29. After yesterday, August 30, today was already August 31. If no news arrived of a provisional government being established or a new emergency command center being formed, then her hypothesis would be confirmed.

The discussion in the plaza grew heated.

Most of it revolved around three questions: “Can I awaken a superpower?” “How should I advance my superpower?” and “Can someone share their experience and methods for advancing?”

Almost everyone wanted a superpower.

The only exceptions were the elderly residents of Jixiang Gardens. They understood that, given their physical condition, they most likely fell below the qualifying threshold and therefore didn’t hold out much hope.

Even so, they still hoped that the young people would awaken.

To witness humanity’s evolution with their own eyes before they died would make their lives worthwhile.

Zhang Lesi said, “In theory, there should be a window period. It’s impossible for there to be no expiration point. Everyone should still be within that window right now. No one knows how long it will remain open, or when it will close.”

“If it closes, does that mean we won’t be able to awaken anymore?”

“Probably. That’s only a deduction based on basic medical knowledge, though. It may not be correct.”

“Then what should we do now to increase our chances of awakening?”

“Um...exercise?”

“And try to find substances you have an affinity with. Oh, right—don’t go touching fire recklessly. Several people have already gotten burned.”

On one side, those without superpowers anxiously asked how they could awaken.

On the other, the superpowered individuals clustered together to share their experiences and insights on advancing their abilities.

Brother Dong figured the discussion had more or less reached its end.

He was already one of the stronger superpowered individuals, so there was no need for him to keep listening.

He went to find Guo Jun. “Help me get a vehicle.”

He had his eye on the minivan they had used to rescue Little Huang the previous day. It was currently parked by the east gate of Youth Apartments.

Guo Jun had shared life-and-death hardships with him yesterday, so they could let bygones be bygones. Brother Dong had already resigned, and they had settled his wages yesterday. Once he left today, they would probably never contact each other again.

Guo Jun intended to help him one last time.

But something unexpected happened.

Guo Jun failed to start the engine. Instead, he burned out the electrical system.

Smoke immediately began pouring from the vehicle’s central console.

Guo Jun and Brother Dong: “...”

Brother Dong could hardly believe it. “Aren’t you the strongest electric-type superpowered person?”

That young man at Youth Apartments yesterday had managed to start the vehicle without burning out its wiring.

Guo Jun stiffened his neck and said, “That’s because I’m too strong!”

As he spoke, the vehicle caught fire.

Fortunately, Brother Dong had been standing outside with the door open. Guo Jun hurriedly climbed out of the vehicle.

A burning car could go up in flames within seconds. Smoke quickly billowed into the air, alerting the residents of Youth Apartments.

Everyone ran out to see what had happened.

When the security guard, Little Fang, saw that a vehicle was on fire, he was about to retrieve a fire extinguisher from the security office.

Wu Jiancheng said, “No need!”

He was about to go over and put out the fire, but Cao Jiacai moved even faster.

Cao Jiacai walked over, stopped several steps away, and reached out with one hand. The flames on the vehicle were pulled toward him as though they had been seized by an invisible force.

A huge ball of fire spun in front of him.

A wave of heat washed over everyone.

Everyone except Wu Jiancheng retreated.

Fire-type and water-type abilities differed in one major respect.

When Li Jiangbing manipulated water, he first needed a supply of water. The amount he could control depended on how much water was available. With a lot of water, he could manipulate a massive volume; with only a little, he could control only a little.

Fire-type abilities, however, needed only a tiny flame to begin with.

Combustion required three elements: fuel, an oxidizer, and an ignition source. Although no one could explain the principle, in this world, superpowers had replaced the fuel.

As for the oxidizer—oxygen—it filled the world around them, inexhaustible and freely available.

Therefore, as long as a fire-type superpowered person had even a tiny flame, the size of the fire they could control depended solely on the strength of their superpower.

Or, put another way, it was the “mana” Gao Yuxuan and the others had asked Chen Lesi about when they wondered whether she could “restore someone’s mana.”

It was really a concept from video games: red represented the health bar, while blue represented the mana bar.

Using magic consumed mana. Once your mana was gone, you could no longer cast spells.

This concept could indeed be applied to the superpowers they were dealing with now. Zhao Yi and Gao Yuxuan had already tested the critical limit of exhausting their “mana” during practice.

A nosebleed was the warning sign.

If they forced themselves to keep going, they would stop consuming mana and start consuming their own lives.

Once blood began flowing from the ears, blood was being spat from the mouth, and the eyes throbbed painfully until bloody tears trickled out, the person would be on the verge of death.

As if he were deliberately showing off, Cao Jiacai didn’t immediately extinguish the fireball in his hand. Instead, he looked around smugly and said in his less-than-standard Mandarin, “Everyone, back up.”

As everyone retreated, the fireball in his hand rapidly grew larger with a whoosh.

The distance they had retreated was nowhere near enough. A wave of heat struck their faces, making them sting, while the exposed skin on their arms and necks burned painfully. Many people cried out in alarm.

Everyone hurriedly backed away again. Someone fell, and another person stepped on their hand.

Jiang Cheng was there too, but she wasn’t worried.

Although the scene was chaotic, Cao Jiacai’s purpose was to show off and intimidate them. He wouldn’t really cause an accident.

Sure enough, Cao Jiacai dispelled the fireball, turning it into two miniature flames the size of pigeon eggs. They wound around his fingertips as he idly toyed with them, much like middle-aged and elderly men rolling walnuts in their hands. Only these were far more nimble, more like the coins some young people liked to flip between their fingers.

He looked at everyone with a beaming smile. “Look at you.”

Many people cursed him in their hearts, especially the ones who had fallen and been trampled.

But they only cursed him silently.

Everyone had a sense of proportion.

Just like the last time the zombies appeared, wherever Li Jiangbing went, people addressed him as “Brother Li.” He had practically ruled the neighborhood by sheer force.

This time was no different. The only difference was that physical strength alone was no longer enough. Now, what mattered was whose superpower was stronger.

Someone couldn’t help complaining.

Cao Jiacai chuckled. “I was only joking.”

As he spoke, his gaze swept over Jiang Cheng and Li Jiangbing.

Following his line of sight, Jiang Cheng saw Li Jiangbing clench his fists, the veins on his arms bulging.

Jiang Cheng walked over and gently patted him on the back.

Normally, she should have patted his shoulder, but Li Jiangbing was simply too tall and broad. So Jiang Cheng went straight for his back instead.

Li Jiangbing turned his head and relaxed when he saw that it was her.

With a smile still on his face, Cao Jiacai walked past the two of them and returned to the residential complex.

His superpower really was formidable. With a single grab, he had extinguished the flames on the van. It was only still smoking, but the smoke had choked everyone badly.

Seeing Brother Dong and Guo Jun standing beside the vehicle, Zhou Wang asked, “What happened?”

Brother Dong said, “I wanted to drive home.”

There weren’t as many cars on the streets this time, and this one had been available with its doors unlocked.

If the Youth Apartments could make use of ownerless property, then naturally he could too.

Actually, the car he had driven home last time—even though its keys had still been in the ignition—had remained unclaimed until the zombie virus broke out again the day before yesterday.

Brother Dong had no intention of returning it. But he felt guilty and hadn’t dared drive it over. He had come by suburban bus instead.

So now he had no means of transportation.

He could run very fast, but his home was in a distant suburb. It was simply too far away.