NOVEL SIMPLE CHAPTER 65
Chapter 65: A Dark Secret
The 47th day of the Apocalypse Calendar dawned bright and clear. In the depths of the official shelter, the heavy gates groaned open, and a convoy of military vehicles emerged from the underground complex.
At the head of the convoy was Colonel Bai Tianyu. Their mission: to return to the Guangping Street gathering place. Accompanying Bai Tianyu in the lead vehicle was a man with greying hair and deep-set eyes, Dr. Huo Sheng, the chief scientist of the official shelter.
The convoy navigated the streets of Nanxiang City, encountering few zombies thanks to Bai Tianyu’s team’s previous efforts. After a while, Huo Sheng, unable to contain his curiosity any longer, spoke up.
“Tianyu, what about Meng Jie…” he began, his voice laced with concern for his ex-wife.
Bai Tianyu smiled faintly. “Dr. Meng is doing very well there,” he assured the scientist, noticing a subtle sigh of relief from Huo Sheng.
Huo Sheng quickly changed the subject. “You mentioned yesterday that there’s an Awakened individual there who’s stronger than you. Could you elaborate?”
Bai Tianyu’s eyes lit up as he spoke of Lu Ming. “He’s definitely stronger than me, without a doubt. I believe he’s at least a Level 4 Awakened, if not higher.”
Huo Sheng shook his head. “That’s impossible,” he declared.
The advancement of an Awakened individual required consuming a corresponding level of zombie crystal. Based on current knowledge, there weren’t enough Tyrants to support the existence of a Level 4 Awakened.
Bai Tianyu considered this for a moment, then replied, “I discussed Lu Ming with Dr. Meng Jie. She’s been observing him for a while and noticed something peculiar. He never seems to consume corpse crystals, yet he trains relentlessly every day.”
He paused, then relayed Meng Jie’s theory. “She believes Mr. Lu Ming might still be a Level 3 Awakened, but his superpower is unique. He can increase his physical strength through training and exercise, and this enhancement might be limitless.”
Huo Sheng pondered Meng Jie’s theory, a thoughtful expression on his face. “That’s certainly a possibility,” he conceded. “What a terrifying superpower…”
Bai Tianyu, however, wasn’t convinced. “My superpower isn’t bad either,” he retorted, a hint of pride in his voice. “I’m not necessarily weaker than Lu Ming.”
Huo Sheng shook his head. “No, Tianyu,” he countered, “your power pales in comparison to Mr. Lu’s. You see, when an Awakened advances, their physical abilities increase significantly.”
Bai Tianyu was aware of this fact.
“And that increase doubles with each level,” Huo Sheng continued. “The stronger the Awakened was initially, the stronger they become after leveling up. Let’s say both you and Mr. Lu are Level 3, but his base strength is 100, while yours is 50. After advancing to Level 4, your strength becomes 100, but Lu Ming’s becomes 200! This disparity only widens with each subsequent level. You simply cannot compare.”
Bai Tianyu opened his mouth to argue but found himself at a loss for words.
After a moment of silence, he shrugged. “Well, I suppose it’s better to have a monster like him on our side than to rely solely on me,” he conceded with a chuckle.
Huo Sheng fell into deep thought. “You mentioned that Meng Jie stayed behind to observe Mr. Lu Ming,” he mused. “Now, I see the wisdom in her decision. If we can uncover the source of his superpower, we might find a way to overcome this apocalypse.”
He sighed, his brow furrowing. “But so far, the origins of these superpowers remain a mystery. All we know is that they’re connected to some unknown factor, and our research has hit a dead end.”
Huo Sheng’s voice trailed off as he muttered to himself, lost in scientific contemplation.
Bai Tianyu, unable to decipher the scientist’s mumbling, turned his attention to the passing scenery. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a figure watching them from a nearby building. He frowned, trying to pinpoint the source of the gaze, but the vehicle turned a corner, obscuring his view.
“Must have been my imagination,” he muttered, shaking his head.
Inside the building, Xu Rufang, a middle-aged woman with a stern face and rough hands, closed the curtains, her eyes following the convoy as it disappeared into the distance. While she appeared ordinary, there was more to her than met the eye.
Meanwhile, back in the apartment building, Xu Rufang, a seemingly ordinary middle-aged woman, possessed an extraordinary secret.
On the second day of the apocalypse, she had developed a high fever. When the fever broke, she discovered her physical strength had increased dramatically, and she had gained a peculiar ability. She had become an Awakened.
Unconcerned with the label of “Awakened,” Xu Rufang had more pressing matters to attend to. After drawing the curtains to conceal her activities from prying eyes, she turned towards the interior of her apartment, a vacant expression on her face.
“It’s time to make breakfast,” she muttered to herself, as if in a trance. “Yes, time to make breakfast… My son will be hungry…”
She made her way to the kitchen, a stark contrast to the rest of the clean and tidy apartment. Bloodstains marred the counters, and the air hung heavy with the metallic scent of gore.
Ignoring the gruesome scene, Xu Rufang picked up a kitchen knife and placed her left hand on the chopping board. With a swift motion, she brought the knife down.
Crack!
Her hand was severed, the gruesome sound echoing through the kitchen. But instead of screaming in pain, Xu Rufang watched with detached curiosity as the wound rapidly healed. Bone and flesh regenerated at an astonishing rate, and within five minutes, her hand was whole again.
A satisfied smile spread across her face as she placed the severed hand on a plate. She carried it to the second bedroom, where she called out softly, “Son, it’s time to eat.”
A rustling sound came from the room, like the skittering of insects. Moments later, the door creaked open, and a fleshy tentacle snaked out, coiling around the plate.
Xu Rufang released her grip, her eyes filled with a disturbingly tender affection. “Lianjie,” she whispered, “if it’s not enough, just tell Mom. I’ll cut more for you.”
A raspy voice, like a death rattle, echoed from the room. “It’s not enough, Mom. I need more…”
“Okay, I’ll cut more for you,” Xu Rufang assured her son, returning to the kitchen.
“Thank you, Mom,” the voice rasped from the bedroom.
End of Chapter 65