Chapter 71: The Whole City Blesses the Savior!

In the Meeting Room

Yu Fei’s eyes burned with fervor.

“The Savior’s ability is most likely collective and altruistic. In other words, if anyone else had transported this water, the fish wouldn’t have evolved.”

“The principle behind this is extremely complex and not easy to explain in just a few words.”

“But one thing is certain—if the Savior truly awakens, the entire world will change!”

“I’m not just talking about the Golden Age from three hundred years ago. I mean the present and our future!”

“My hypothesis is that this planet has a consciousness of its own and is attempting self-rescue!”

“It is highly likely that all its hopes are pinned on the Savior!”

His words were shocking.

The room fell into a deep silence as everyone pondered his statement. No one interrupted.

After a long while, Professor Chen Huayuan finally spoke, his tone filled with admiration.

“I agree with his assessment.”

Previously, they had speculated about whether the Savior would awaken an ability.

If she did, it would undoubtedly be an immense blessing.

Yet now, the room remained silent.

It wasn’t jealousy or resentment that quieted them.

On the contrary, they all wished for Gu Man’s well-being, hoping she would grow stronger—strong enough to become divine!

But they had overlooked one crucial fact:

The stronger an ability, the more difficult and dangerous its awakening.

Why, in three hundred years, had the base only produced one 3S-level ability user—Song Lufeng?

It wasn’t for lack of talent.

There had been others with 3S potential before.

But the more powerful the potential, the greater the explosion of energy during awakening. Their bodies simply couldn’t withstand it, and every one of them perished in the process.

Even 2S awakenings were nearly impossible to endure.

The awakening process inflicted extreme pain, sometimes even altering the consciousness, twisting one’s mind.

The most infamous example of this was Zhan Bai.

Only Song Lufeng had managed to survive his 3S awakening and remain intact.

Yet he vividly remembered what he had endured during that process.

The thought of the Savior experiencing the same suffering made him sick to his core.

This was the reason for their silence.

Sensing the somber atmosphere, Yu Fei suddenly grinned.

“Actually, you don’t need to be so tense. The Savior’s ability differs from the City Lord’s.

“Her awakening process might be entirely different.

“And considering the planetary consciousness is protecting her, she probably won’t face any major dangers—wait, why are you all staring at me like that? Look, it’s a 3S ability, maybe even higher! Some danger is normal, right?”

“Alright, alright, no danger! No danger at all!”

Yu Fei raised his hands in surrender.

Of course, he didn’t want anything bad to happen to the Savior.

If she died, what would he have left to study?!

“City Lord, what should we do?”

Everyone turned to Song Lufeng.

His heart twisted with pain.

He didn’t want his Savior to suffer.

If he could, he would rather take her place and endure the awakening all over again.

Seeing his dark expression, Yu Fei offered a solution.

“There is another way…”

Song Lufeng’s response was a single word.

“Speak.”

So Yu Fei explained.

“We gather the power of the entire city—blessings, you know? This kind of thing is rare in the apocalypse, but if it’s for the Savior, everyone will have one.”

“Blessings are a form of consciousness, and consciousness carries energy.”

“If we collect all the blessings and transmit them to the Savior, and then you use your ability to synchronize them with hers—”

“Then, during her awakening, the energy impact can be dispersed. It might even help her ability grow stronger.”

“But this process is extremely delicate and requires absolute caution…”

“Alright.”

Song Lufeng agreed immediately.

Yu Fei rubbed his nose, surprised at the swift decision.

The others, hearing that there was a way, eagerly prepared to offer their sincerest blessings to Gu Man.

---

Meanwhile…

Gu Man had no idea what was happening at the base.

After transporting the lake, she awkwardly realized… someone had been fishing at the shore.

The fisherman’s line had snapped.

Clearly, he had hooked a big fish.

But the fish—along with the entire lake—was gone.

She felt incredibly guilty.

Fishing enthusiasts were known for their devotion. If they found out she was the reason the lake disappeared, wouldn’t they beat her up?!

Time to leave.

As she prepared to slip away, two more fishermen arrived, ready for a night of fishing.

Noticing her, they asked curiously,

“You’re here to fish too?”

Seeing her empty hands, they added,

“You don’t have any gear. You can’t fish without equipment! Want me to lend you a rod?”

Most fishers carried multiple rods, each suited for different fish.

Gu Man waved her hands frantically.

“No, no! I’m just here to enjoy the scenery.”

With that, she bolted.

The fishermen didn’t think much of it.

What, was she not allowed to admire the view?

But when they reached the lakeside and saw the empty lakebed, they panicked.

“Where’s the water?! The whole damn lake was right here!”

Meanwhile, Gu Man, already in her car, could still hear their cries of alarm.

Feeling guiltier than ever, she hit the gas and sped away.

---

Back Home

Her mother was no longer in a wheelchair.

She was in the yard, playing with the cats and dogs.

Gu Man’s heart relaxed.

“Mom, are you feeling better?”

She walked over.

Xu Mengyu lifted her head and gave her daughter a blank, unfamiliar look.

Then she went back to playing with the kittens.

“Be good… eat well, eat well…”

Gu Man knew.

Her mother was lost in her own world again.

“Miss Gu, the Madam is doing quite well today. She had some porridge at noon and took a nap. That tabby cat has been with her the whole time.”

“In the afternoon, she came out to play with the cats. I thought it’d be good for her to get some fresh air.”

Gu Man nodded.

“You did well. Thank you.”

She was about to go inside to put away her bag when—

“Be good… eat well, grow big and strong… Manman…”

Gu Man froze.

Tears poured down her face.

Even though her mother had forgotten her face, she had never forgotten her love.

She had always been deeply loved.

Mom, I will cure you!

---

“Miss Gu, have you noticed that our courtyard looks different from before?”

Aunt Zhang suddenly spoke with a mysterious air.

“Hmm? What’s different?”

Aunt Zhang had been waiting for this question.

She could finally say what had been on her mind.

“Look at this sweet osmanthus tree. It was almost dead, but now it’s lush and full of life!”

“And all the flowers, trees, and grass in the yard—they’re growing beautifully.”

Aunt Zhang wasn’t great with words.

“But basically, even though it’s still midsummer, other courtyards have trees with sun-scorched leaves. Meanwhile, our trees look like they’ve been drenched in oil—so green, so vibrant!”

Not just the plants.

Even the cats and dogs had grown healthier, stronger, and smarter.

“Take this dog, for example. It’s a mixed breed, and normally, they don’t grow very big. But look at it now—it’s way larger than when you first rescued it! And so much more handsome!”