Apocalypse Escape: Day One of Survival

But how was that possible?

’Could Xie Ning actually know my deepest intentions?’

When Zhu Huizhen came to her senses, she saw Xie Ning pulling Song You’ai away, leaving without a backward glance.

Song Yufu stood there awkwardly, glancing at Zhu Huizhen’s family with a troubled expression.

”W-why don’t we... go to my place first?”

’He suddenly regretted it. Had he been too hasty in inviting the people from Buildings 98 and 97 to stay at his house?’

Zhu Huizhen bit her lip, hugging her daughter tightly as a boundless hatred welled up in her heart.

’Why was this world so cold and indifferent?’

’Why wasn’t anyone willing to help me?’

’Xie Ning’s family was so capable. If they were willing to help raise Qiqi, her future definitely wouldn’t be too difficult.’

’But she refused. That girl’s heart was too cruel. Was there anything in this world that could soften a heart as hard as iron?’

Zhu Huizhen cried as she held her daughter. She just felt so, so tired and wanted a break.

’If she could keep going, how could she bear to entrust her daughter to others?’

”Cry, cry, cry! All you know how to do is cry, you damn jinx! You’ve cried our Wan family into ruin!”

Song Yufu watched them awkwardly and sighed. ”Let’s go. We still have to arrange accommodations when we get back. We’ve got a lot to do.”

Zhong Shichong, who had been watching the drama from the sidelines with his arms crossed, sneered. ”See? That woman is cold even to her own neighbors. And here you all were, always talking about going to her place for shelter. You must have a death wish or something.”

Zhong Yaying bit her lip. ”If you had just gotten up on the fourteenth, we...”

”That’s enough!” Zhong Shichong yelled at his sister. ”Zhong Yaying, I’ve had it with you! Why don’t you ever mention how your makeup held things up? You just harp on me day in and day out.”

His followers cowered, not daring to make a sound. Seeing this, Xu Bailiang stepped forward. ”Young Master Zhong, Miss Zhong, please, let’s not argue. The priority right now is to arrange for a place to stay. The military will be here tomorrow anyway. Once we’re in the safe zone, everything will be fine.”

With red-rimmed eyes, Zhong Yaying turned and nodded to the gentle, refined-looking man. ”Let’s go.”

”Young Master Zhong, Miss Zhong didn’t really mean to blame you,” Xu Bailiang added, placating the bristling Zhong Shichong. ”Everyone’s just on edge, so tempers are bound to flare a little.”

Zhong Shichong, willing to give Xu Bailiang some face, simply nodded and said no more.

Lost in their own thoughts, the group followed Village Head Song Yufu to settle in at Number 59.

The moment Xie Ning stepped into the living room, she looked up at the large ceiling fan and couldn’t help but rub the goosebumps from her arms.

”Mom, let’s lay down some ground rules. From now on, no matter who we meet or how pitiful they seem, we can’t just bring them home.”

Song You’ai nodded guiltily. ”You’re right, I was being indecisive and not holding my ground. I put you in a tough spot.”

”Mom.” Xie Ning turned to look at her mother with grave seriousness. ”I saw Zhu Huizhen hang herself in our living room and leave her daughter, Qiqi, for you to raise.”

”What?!” Song You’ai’s eyes widened, her expression a mask of terror and confusion.

”No, that’s impossible.” It took her a long moment before she could get those three words out.

”Xiao Gu called it,” Xie Ning said, pulling her mother down to sit on the sofa. ”I’ve awakened a Spiritual Ability.”

”Spiritual Sense and Spiritual Prediction are most likely different manifestations of a Spiritual Ability.”

”When Zhu Huizhen grabbed me, I sensed her thoughts. And the vision I had of her hanging herself was probably a Spiritual Prediction.”

Song You’ai’s jaw dropped. It took her a long moment to snap out of it and stammer, ”My dear girl, you must be a genius! Look at me, it took me ages to awaken a single Water Ability. This is your... third awakening, isn’t it?”

”Mom, please try to focus on the important part of what I just said!” Xie Ning said, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

”Right, right.” Song You’ai wiped cold sweat from her brow. ”So, I almost ended up raising another child? My old back can’t handle that. But don’t you worry, honey, if you have a baby in the future, I can definitely handle that. Aiya, my daughter is so beautiful, my future grandson will surely be the apple of everyone’s eye.”

Xie Ning stared at her mother, speechless. ’How on earth did her train of thought get there?’

”Mom, you don’t have a son-in-law,” Xie Ning said, shattering her mother’s daydream with a single sentence.

’Unbelievable. She’s already talking about grandsons.’

”Okay, okay, Mom. Let’s get serious. I’m going to my room to practice my superpower. I think I can probably rank up today. If I’m not out by lunchtime, just make some noodles for yourself. Don’t worry about me.”

Song You’ai agreed, and the mother and daughter returned to their respective rooms to practice.

Xie Ning closed her door and sat cross-legged on her bed. She took out the few Crystal Cores from her cloth bag, selected the largest Second-level Crystal Core, and held it between two fingers to examine it.

This time, she could see it with perfect clarity.

A wisp of white smoke rose from the Crystal Core between her fingers. It quickly crumbled into fine powder, falling into the disposable plastic cup she had prepared.

She then took a second, and a third. Her superpower source seemed to swell with a feeling of fullness. Closing her eyes to focus on the sensation, she began to assault the First Rank barrier.

The process took a full four hours, an hour longer than her previous breakthrough from Zero to First Rank.

Xie Ning opened her clear, cold eyes and checked the time on her phone. It was 2:15 PM.

She hopped off the bed, stretching her limbs, waist, and neck. Her body felt much lighter and more agile. Her jumping ability had strengthened, and she guessed her speed had also subtly improved.

The constitution of a Second Order Superpower User was a significant improvement over her last.

With a flick of her wrist, Xie Ning sent a metal ball flying, then leaped to catch it just before it hit the ground.

Damn, this little iron ball was heavy. Incredibly solid.

Xie Ning rolled it around in her palm, feeling an inexplicable sense of joy.

’If my body can always absorb Crystal Cores directly, doesn’t that mean ranking up will be a little easier for me than for others?’

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Xie Ning tugged at her sweat-soaked collar and wondered how her mother’s practice was going.

She rummaged through her portable villa’s living room, pulling out a cooling mat to place on the bed. Then she took out a small floor fan, hooked it up to a battery, and blasted herself with it for a good while.

’It’s still so hot!’

’I wonder how Grandma and the others are doing. If it stays this hot, will regular people start having problems?’

’In her past life, the first four years of the apocalypse had been damp and freezing. Ordinary people without winter supplies died in droves.’

Now, they were facing unpredictably high temperatures. Xie Ning’s brow furrowed tightly.

Just then, a loud BANG echoed from the next room.

Startled, Xie Ning flew out of her room and threw open her mother’s door.

She saw her mother, drenched to the bone, turn to look at her with a dazed expression. ”Ningning, Mom figured out a new skill!”

The words were barely out of her mouth when a large Water Ball flew toward the equally baffled Xie Ning and enveloped her.

”Isn’t that refreshing, sweetie?”