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Chapter 9: How do you obtain a superpower?

Physical Education Department Ma Tianming: “How do we trade… I need the water in hand before I tell you how to get a superpower, otherwise what if I tell you and you change your mind?”

Physical Education Department Ma Tianming: “To prove I’m telling the truth, I’ll show you a few photos.”

[Physical Education Department Ma Tianming sent you the photo files.]

The photos showed two male students with their arms around each other’s shoulders.

In addition, several shots that looked freshly taken showed a tall boy talking with a few other students.

Physical Education Department Ma Tianming: “The one in the red T-shirt is Zhao Tao… you should recognize him from the video he posted before… the other one is me, and these pictures prove we are roommates and very close, so there’s no way I’d lie to you!”

Shen Yi read Ma Tianming’s messages and fell into thought.

He felt deeply skeptical about what Ma Tianming had said.

If Ma Tianming really knew how to gain a superpower, why hadn’t he gotten one himself first?

Unless the method was extremely difficult, or he was simply lying!

Yet even though he estimated there was more than a 50% chance Ma Tianming was cheating him, he still had to give it a try.

After all, in this apocalypse, whether you survived or not would surely hinge on having a superpower!

Of course, he had no intention of being reckless.

He certainly wouldn’t idiotically run off to hand over the water in person.

That would have been far too stupid.

Foreign Languages Department Shen Yi: “If I’m not mistaken, you are in the gymnasium, and it’s not far from me.”

Foreign Languages Department Shen Yi: “How about this… each of us walks halfway and we trade in the garden outside the boys’ dorm; I’ll give you the water then and you give me the method.”

Physical Education Department Ma Tianming: “Uh, your plan makes sense, but the risk is too high!”

Foreign Languages Department Shen Yi: “So you want me to bring the water to you? Forget it… you’re afraid of danger, and damn it, so am I!”

Physical Education Department Ma Tianming: “No, no, no, bro, I have another way!”

Physical Education Department Ma Tianming: “You’re in the dorm building, right? Could you go to my room… I have a drone in there with long battery life… you can hang the water on the drone and we can finish the trade without either of us taking a risk.”

Foreign Languages Department Shen Yi: “Which floor is your room on?”

Physical Education Department Ma Tianming: “5th floor, room 509; nobody’s inside, so you might have to pry the door open.”

Shen Yi thought for a moment.

That method really could work.

His original idea had been to send Xu Wanting downstairs to make the trade so he would not have to show his face.

That way, even if something went wrong, he would be safe.

But with a drone, there was no need to risk Xu Wanting at all.

After all, Xu Wanting was still quite obedient at the moment.

After thinking it over, Shen Yi sent Ma Tianming a reply.

Foreign Languages Department Shen Yi: “I’ll contact you after I have the drone.”

Physical Education Department Ma Tianming: “No problem!”

Physical Education Department Ma Tianming: “Bro, make it quick, please… I haven’t had water for over 20 hours and I’m dying of thirst…”

Foreign Languages Department Shen Yi: “Oh? Didn’t your roommate Zhao Tao awaken a lightning superpower? Why hasn’t he gone out for water… shouldn’t there be water in the supermarket?”

Physical Education Department Ma Tianming: “Don’t mention it… his lightning can barely zap a bird or pop a soda can, it’s pathetically weak!”

Foreign Languages Department Shen Yi: “All right, wait for my word.”

Having once again confirmed indirectly that Zhao Tao’s superpower was quite ordinary, Shen Yi fell into thought.

Were all superpowers this weak, or was it only Zhao Tao’s ability?

Was the issue the people or the powers themselves?

Either way, he had to go get that drone first.

With that in mind, Shen Yi looked at Xu Wanting, who was dressed and tidying up the trash, and asked, “Is your body all right… can you still walk?”

“Yes, I can… it hurts a little, but it doesn’t affect me much.”

Xu Wanting answered at once.

She didn’t want to seem too delicate, since that might annoy Shen Yi.

“All right, then pack up; we’re going to the 5th floor,” Shen Yi said, though he had wanted to send Xu Wanting alone but remembered she might not be able to pry the door.

So he had to go out himself as well.

Going to the 5th floor was not too risky.

“O-okay…” Xu Wanting stiffened for a moment and secretly regretted it.

If she had known, she would have claimed earlier that the pain kept her from walking!

She really did not want to go out.

Although the cramped dorm was hardly safe, it was still much safer than the black-fog-filled 5th floor.

Shen Yi also got dressed and checked his gear.

In truth, he had almost no equipment.

His only effective weapon was the folding fruit knife Xu Wanting had brought.

It was totally unreliable for killing mutated animals or plants!

However, it could still serve another purpose.

It could be used against people!

In the apocalypse, people could be more dangerous than monsters…

“Let’s go.”

After packing, the two of them left the dorm room.

This was the first time Shen Yi had stepped outside his room since the strange black fog descended!

As for using the bathroom earlier, that was simple… he used plastic bags and tossed them straight out the window.

It was the apocalypse, after all, so there was no room for niceties.

“Um, Shen Yi, why are we going to the 5th floor?” Xu Wanting asked, clutching his arm in fear.

Now that she was finally safe and had food and water, she really did not want to risk going out.

Wouldn’t it be better to stay here quietly and wait for rescue?

Yes… even now, Xu Wanting still harbored fantasies about a government rescue.

In fact, most civilians were still clinging to that hope.

After all, water and electricity had not been cut off, the internet still worked, and the authorities had done nothing except issue warnings for citizens to be careful.

That made some people suspect the state was deliberately controlling the network to create a veneer of normalcy… after all, people had died and the government had said nothing, which hinted at serious problems.

“Stop talking and just follow me,” Shen Yi said, giving Xu Wanting little explanation.

His reason for bringing Xu Wanting was simple: if real danger arose, an extra piece of human bait would make him safer.

Cruel as it sounded, it was the only way Shen Yi could think of to raise his survival odds.

If possible, he did not want Xu Wanting to die either.

After all, having someone to chat with in the apocalypse was nice.

And she could help him with certain needs from time to time…

Shen Yi moved very cautiously through the silent corridor.

He guessed the 5th floor would be relatively safe.

Otherwise Xu Wanting could not have reached it so easily before.

When he reached the stairwell, Shen Yi saw thick black fog filling the 5th-floor hallway.

He was finally about to come into contact with this eerie black fog!

He drew a shallow breath and started down the stairs.

Xu Wanting clutched his hand tightly and followed nervously.

As he stepped into the black fog, Shen Yi instinctively held his breath.

But after a short while he couldn’t help but breathe.

The black fog immediately entered his body…

Yet his body showed no abnormal reaction.

At most, it just smelled unpleasant.

As for the thirst-inducing effect, it did not hit that quickly.

Indeed, if it drove people desperately thirsty instantly, more than 90% of humanity would already be dead.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Shen Yi began looking for room numbers through the black fog.

Visibility was low but not hopeless… he could still make out objects within a few meters.

“507… 508… 509… this is it!”

Shen Yi tugged at the dorm door and found it locked.

But that hardly bothered him.

These old wooden doors used outdated locks that were easy to pop… with just a cafeteria card, Shen Yi could open every lock on the floor!

He had mastered that trick back in high school.

After a few dozen seconds, a creak sounded and Shen Yi had the lock open.

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