Chapter 12: She Deserves This Score!

“Huh?”

The girl’s pretty face froze in surprise.

She instinctively pulled her neck in, looking a little adorably silly.

『How does he seem to know exactly what I’m thinking… s-so cool!』

Bingo!

That’s exactly the reaction he wanted.

Su Ze secretly enjoyed the praise coming from her heart.

On the surface he still looked as calm as ever, a cold-faced handsome guy.

Even so, he needed to use this mind-reading trick sparingly.

If he flatly told the girl, “I know your parents have died and you’re scared right now…” she would probably be scared half to death; she had just shaken off one sleazy pervert only to meet an even scarier one.

“Oh, oh… I understand.”

The girl scratched her head and pretended to understand Su Ze’s explanation.

In fact, she understood nothing.

Su Ze could not be bothered to clarify and instead asked a question.

“What’s your name?”

“…Chen Keqing.”

And the conversation ended there.

After several seconds of silence, the girl called Chen Keqing blinked and asked,

“And you?”

“Su Ze.”

“Are you a college student?”

“Yeah, from nearby Su University.”

“I-I want to get into Su University too…”

A few awkward lines of small talk completely killed the mood.

To be honest, Su Ze had little desire to flirt.

The apocalypse was coming anyway; when the time came, one burlap sack would settle things whether she liked it or not.

Still, if personal charisma could win the girl over, he wouldn’t mind.

“Mm… how about I walk you to the entrance of your building?”

Su Ze suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

The simulator’s cooldown was about to end, and he didn’t want the girl beside him to be a distraction.

“Ah? O-okay… th-thank you.”

Without any token refusal, the truly frightened Chen Keqing had been waiting for Su Ze to escort her home.

Now her wish was fulfilled.

Su Ze pulled down the shop’s shutter and escorted her out.

The conversation on the way was still awkward, but the atmosphere was much friendlier.

“I live right here; thank you for walking me.”

They soon reached the entrance of the complex, and Chen Keqing thanked Su Ze again.

This time she was much calmer.

Every gesture she made while thanking him expressed her sincere gratitude.

She even managed to squeeze out a rare, sweet smile filled with resolve.

Then she turned around…

Bang… she smacked into a lamppost and cried out, “Ow!”

9.5 points!

Silently, Su Ze raised the girl’s score in his mind.

Her looks, figure, and that silly demeanor all merited the rating.

“I-I’m heading back now.”

Mortified, Chen Keqing fled at full speed.

Su Ze also turned and left soon after.

…

He hurried back to the convenience store before the cooldown ended.

Su Ze poured himself a hot drink, returned to the throne behind the counter, and sat down slowly.

『Simulator cooldown has ended…』

Simulation, start!

『Apocalypse Simulation has begun…』

『Please choose one of the following three Talents as your inherent Talent for this simulation!』

『Tennis Prince (white): Your tennis skills improve dramatically; you can now use smashes in combat, though that may be useless.』

『Disinfection Expert (white): Your saliva has a disinfecting effect comparable to medical alcohol.』

『Shirt-Bursting Warrior (green): Take off your shirt and reveal your pecs; you become a powerful hunk and all your attributes rise to some extent.』

Hmm…

Another batch of three turds.

But Su Ze was already used to it.

Purple and gold Talents really had a low drop rate.

So he could only pick the least useless one from this pile of crap.

Still, before choosing his inherent Talent,

Su Ze silently repeated a wish in his heart.

After yesterday’s simulation, what he most wanted to learn was how to become an Awakener.

In other words, how he himself could awaken.

Everyone else had broken through by similar means and succeeded in becoming Awakeners.

Yet he alone failed with the same method, which felt like the world was targeting him.

Therefore, in today’s simulation he had to figure out exactly what to do to become an Awakener… if he couldn’t, then forget it.

Besides, information about that strange fog and the various Contaminated Zones was something he could never have too much of.

『Inherent Talent selected: Shirt-Bursting Warrior (green)』

『Simulation start…』

『Day 1: Doomsday arrives on schedule; worldwide panic erupts, and after calling Chen Keqing you drive to pick her up and bring her back to your current residence, Jinxiu Complex.』

『She feels very safe when she is with you.』

Hm?

I didn’t even put a sack over Chen Keqing…

Ahem.

The sack is only a backup plan; judging by the simulation, I won’t need it.

Apparently I made my move before doomsday, closed the distance, and built mutual trust.

Otherwise she wouldn’t have boarded my ship so easily.

Also, in this round I seem to have chosen a Safe Zone as my spawn point.

This Jinxiu Complex is the Safe Zone closest to the school.

In previous simulations, the faction that fought the school’s Awakeners over supplies was made up of people from this Safe Zone…

『Day 2: The temperature plunges, unease spreads, and you and Chen Keqing cook hot pot together…』

『Day 3: Terrifying rumors flood the internet, scaring Chen Keqing out of her wits…』

『Day 4: Power and water are cut; the city falls into chaos, you accompany Chen Keqing on a walk downstairs and see that everyone in the complex is terrified…』

『Day 5: You spend the entire day helping Chen Keqing with her homework, and at night the two of you talk about many things…』

『Day 6: …』

『Day 7: …』

『Day 8: …』

『Day 9: …』

『Day 10: Incidents of “the uncanny” from other communities spread through the complex, and most residents are afraid to go outside…』

『Day 11: Supplies in the complex run short; money loses all value, and the age of barter begins…』

『Day 12: You notice that Awakeners have appeared in the complex…』

『A number of people gather to discuss how to find food for everyone, and the Awakeners are elected as leaders.』

『Day 13: Someone knocks on your door, but you ignore it…』