Apocalypse Escape: Day One of Survival

It was just that no one had ever studied it in depth before, which led to the misunderstanding that Space Ability Users were just mobile little warehouses.

I have to admit, Ms. Ning’s mind is unrivaled.

Ji Taixian was incredibly pleased with himself, but he feigned indifference. ”You ask too many questions.”

Feng Lijian: ???

’How am I asking too many questions?’

’It was just one question, wasn’t it?’

’After going out on a mission, how did this Ji Taixian become such a shameless rogue upon returning to the capital?’

”I just want to ask, that technique for your Space Ability is...”

Before he could finish, he saw Song Kexin lead her group away in a great bustle. Ji Taixian, of course, quickly followed, even breaking into a jog to keep up!

’What a psycho!’

Feng Lijian was so furious he felt dizzy.

’When all of humanity is facing a common enemy like the apocalyptic zombies, shouldn’t we be more united?’

’Shouldn’t a technique that could benefit all Space Ability Users be openly shared with the base?’

’What’s the point of being so secretive!’

”Brother, Brother, you saw that! Why should we give them Crystal Cores? That woman is so arrogant, and it’s all because her sister’s got her back, right?”

”And why is her sister so audacious? It’s only because Chen protects her unconditionally.”

”Shut up!” Feng Lijian’s head was buzzing with anger as he roared at his sister.

”Protect? Protect her from what? You don’t know a damn thing, just spouting nonsense the moment you open your mouth! Xie Ning is a Sixth-rank Superpower User—who does she need protection from? She’s the world’s first Sixth-rank Gold Ability User! Who does she need? Your precious Chen hasn’t even reached the Sixth Rank yet; he’s still half a step away.”

Feng JiaMin stared at her brother with her mouth wide open.

Mo Wanrong also tilted her head back in astonishment, a look of pure shock on her face.

Sixth Rank??

”You... You’re lying, aren’t you, Brother?” ’How is that possible!’

Feng JiaMin was unaware that in that instant, her pupils had shrunk to the size of pinpricks.

’How could anyone reach the Sixth Rank? It’s only been a little over a year!’

Many people were still struggling to get past the level of a Second Order Superpower User, and Feng JiaMin had thought she was one of the faster ones.

’She never expected... she never expected her brother to drop a bombshell like this on her today.’

”Impossible! Didn’t you say she was Fourth Rank before?”

’Even Fourth Rank seemed fast to Jia Min, but it wasn’t an insurmountable gap. She was close to the Fourth Rank herself.’

’Since they were both Gold Ability Users, Feng JiaMin had been thinking about finding Xie Ning for a sparring match to see whose practical combat skills were better.’

’Even though her Rank was half a step lower, she was certain Xie Ning couldn’t match her in actual combat.’

’After all, she had undergone long-term military training. Her stats, like stamina and speed, were surely beyond what an ordinary Superpower User like Xie Ning could hope to match.’

’Otherwise, she couldn’t possibly have clawed her way up to the position of vice-captain of the Women’s Superpower Second Team in just over a year.’

Feng JiaMin had always considered herself exceptionally strong, a total badass, but now... Feng Lijian’s words hit her so hard she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

”Check your wristband yourself! The video of her unleashing that ultimate move has already been posted in the main Superpower User group chat!” Feng Lijian rubbed his throbbing temples and took a deep breath.

”You don’t know a damn thing and you still have the nerve to run your mouth. You should thank your lucky stars Xie Ning isn’t here today. Otherwise, not even I could have sorted this mess out for you.”

Feng JiaMin stared, her eyes wide as saucers. It took her a long moment to process it. ”Her? She’s really... Sixth Rank?”

”Go watch the video yourself! I’ll deal with you when we get back. Let’s go upstairs for now.”

Even as Song Kexin’s group walked away, they could still hear Feng Lijian’s furious roar.

’That Feng Lijian... well, he seems to have a clear head on his shoulders, but it feels like it’s only a matter of time before his clueless sister drags him down.’

Song Kexin walked on in silence, and the atmosphere immediately grew still.

Ji Taixian felt he might have made a mistake. He shot a timid glance at the young woman, then turned to look at his expressionless brother.

’This brother of mine is useless.’

’Aren’t brothers supposed to go to bat for each other? Why does he have to be so stoic?’

’This is when a brother is supposed to step up and perform, isn’t it? He should say something to liven up the mood!’

His brother, Wang Zongxuan, pretended not to see the desperate, pleading look the idiot was giving him and deliberately turned his head away.

’Clean up your own mess!’

”Hey, uh, Xinxin, don’t be mad, okay? Don’t listen to that damn Feng JiaMin’s nonsense; she’s just spouting garbage. I was never part of some arranged childhood marriage! That was from when we were kids. Mo Wanrong’s mother was just joking around with my mom. My family never took it seriously.”

With her fair little face set in a stony expression, Song Kexin pursed her lips and marched forward without a word.

Her utter silence terrified Ji Erhuo. He quickly trotted to catch up to her, muttering in a low voice, ”Xinxin, you can ask my older brother about this. He knows everything! When we were kids, we hated playing with those whiny, crying girls.”

”They were so annoying!”

Song Kexin spun around and shouted at him, ”If girls are so annoying, then why are you bothering with me?”

”No, that’s not it! You’re a girl... wait, I mean, you can’t be compared to those whiny girls. You’re different, Xinxin.” Ji Taixian grew frantic, rushing over to pull Song Kexin to a stop so they could talk face-to-face.

Song Youzhi watched the young couple’s tense standoff and was about to step in, but Zhu Yong held him back.

”Let the kids handle their own problems. It’s not right for us adults to interfere.”

Li Xiang, trailing at the back of the group, shot her brother a look. ”Big Brother, what were you thinking just now?”

’When the Starfire Team and the Women’s Superpower Second Team clashed, her big brother didn’t even hesitate. He just gave the order and led their squad to jump into the fray...’

’Thinking back on it, her brother was a bit too... shameless.’

”What do you know?” Li Dawei winked smugly at his sister. ”Helping Song Kexin is the same as helping Xie Ning. You saw it earlier. Xie Ning is just so damn powerful. With one move, she fucking flattened the entire center of the battlefield.”

”What is that? That’s what you call god-tier skill. If this were ancient times, people like us would be second-rate martial artists, while she’d be one of those peerless, reclusive masters who looks down on the entire martial world.”

”Right now, we’re so far behind we couldn’t catch up to her on horseback. That means we have to change our strategy. Going against her now would be suicide, right?”

”So, I, your big brother, have made a unilateral decision. From now on, we’re giving up and clinging to Xie Ning’s coattails! The entire Fierce Tiger Squad will treat the Starfire Team as our sugar daddy. Life will be much easier that way.”

Li Xiang: ...

’Was she allowed to say her brother was truly shameless?’

The other members of the Fierce Tiger Squad: ...

’Our captain’s shamelessness is simply legendary!’

”Don’t laugh!” Li Dawei gave everyone a serious look. ”This wasn’t some spur-of-the-moment decision. This is a well-considered, carefully thought-out strategic move.”

”It’s all for the long game—to make our Fierce Tiger Squad stronger.”

Uncle Ge Liang nodded emphatically, his expression extremely serious. ”The Captain is brilliant. This is for the good of the entire Fierce Tiger Squad—a truly profound strategy.”

Ge Yan: ...

’They were really something else, making ”being lazy freeloaders who ride on someone else’s coattails” sound so fresh and refined.’