Chapter 13: The Safe House Is Anything But Safe…

『Day 14: The man who had knocked yesterday returned; he tried to break the door by force, and you stepped in to stop him… He claimed that he only wanted to gather supplies from inside the compound, but you heard his inner voice and sensed no goodwill.』

『Day 15: Someone knocked again; he said he was a relative of the landlord, swaggered in and demanded the house back… You activated the Shirt-Bursting Warrior Talent and killed one of them on the spot, and the rest scattered like birds and beasts.』

『Day 16: You symbolically donated old clothes to help refugees who had fled the Contaminated Zone keep warm…』

『Day 17: You heard that a resident who kindly took in refugees was murdered…』

『Day 18: An Awakener opened a stable route for acquiring supplies and became sought after by the Safe Zone residents』

『Day 19: Word spread that you had stockpiled supplies at home…』

『Day 20: An Awakener led a group to your door to demand supplies; you activated the Shirt-Bursting Warrior Talent, fought the Awakener and won, killing him… To stay in good shape you had to burn one layer of healing energy.』

『Day 21: People took you for an Awakener; other Awakeners invited you to join the leadership team, but you refused… Because you heard their inner voices and each of them harbored ulterior motives.』

『Day 22: …』

As in the previous simulations…

His green combat-type Talent was already enough for him to confront so-called Awakeners head-on.

If he counted Fallen Benefaction as well, then it became a one-sided beat-down.

After all, ordinary Awakeners did not possess his terrifying regenerative ability.

“That said, it would be even better if there were a way to become an Awakener myself…”

Su Ze muttered to himself.

Raw fighting power was absolutely indispensable for survival in this doomsday.

Not every Safe Zone maintained good order the way the school did.

Dark incidents only began to surface after 30 or 40 days there.

In this run, however, the Safe Zone where Su Ze lived hovered on the brink of total collapse from the very start.

Ordinary people tried to stay kind-hearted, only to be exploited and killed in turn.

Awakeners possessed greater power, yet each had different schemes.

Frankly, if there was only one Awakener, he might immediately announce that he did not eat beef and then start doing evil…

Human nature cannot endure too many temptations.

Precisely because of that…

Direct combat strength was a must.

Otherwise, no matter how many supplies you stored, they were useless.

If your neighbor hoarded guns while you hoarded food, it would be strange if he did not rob you.

『Day 24: You saw clearly that many people in the Safe Zone were itching to make trouble』

『Day 25: You taught Chen Keqing how to use a gun』

『Day 26: The Father God Listens Talent kicked in, and you heard two more unknown spells; now you knew the complete set… Enhancement, Fantasy, Heavenly Eye, Inspiration, Conversion, and Starry Sky.』

『Day 27: You shared all the detailed intel you had on the Contaminated Zone with Chen Keqing and told her every spell』

『Day 28: A newly awakened Awakener came to seize your supplies; you fought him, killed him, but your door was completely destroyed in the battle…』

『Day 29: An Awakener again invited you to join the leadership group; you detected a lot of malice and ran out of patience… You took Chen Keqing to the meeting, deliberately allowed the Awakener’s cronies to empty out your supplies in secret』

『Day 30: The supplies were gone, Chen Keqing cried her heart out, and you robbed some sweets from others to cheer her up…』

『Day 31: You went on a killing spree; relying on the recovery of Fallen Benefaction, you slaughtered all the Awakeners in the Safe Zone and their lackeys, terrifying the remaining survivors…』

『Day 32: You felt the safe house had lost its meaning, so you drove through the Contaminated Zone at great risk and returned to the school…』

Sure enough.

With Fallen Benefaction in hand, even a green combat Talent let him deal with Awakeners.

Although the process might be a little dangerous and troublesome, he would still win in the end…

In addition, the Father God Listens Talent continued to prove useful.

At last he knew all the spells.

“Still, this safe house doesn’t look like a safe house at all…”

Su Ze could not help complaining silently.

What counted as a safe house?

If there was no absolute safety, could it be called a safe house?

At best, it was nothing more than a storage room.

He had been aware of that issue before.

It was just that in previous simulations he had spent most of his time on campus, so the security problem had never been this serious.

Another point was that in those simulations he had acted alone, braving wind and rain, and did not care.

But this run was different.

He had brought a girl along.

Whatever decision he made, he had to consider Chen Keqing’s safety first.

Even something as small as passing through a Contaminated Zone had turned into an adventure.

After all, the moment you entered a Contaminated Zone you might trigger a deadly nightmare.

『Day 34: The school was in much better order, yet you still sensed the restlessness in many hearts…』

『Day 35: You wanted to attempt awakening; Chen Keqing insisted on accompanying you, so you hesitated』

『Day 36: You kept hesitating』

『Day 37: You kept hesitating』

『Day 38: Once you confirmed Chen Keqing’s determination, you took her into the Contaminated Zone, touched a pollution source, and returned to school』

『Day 39: You had a nightmare; one layer of healing energy was consumed, but nothing happened to Chen Keqing』

『Day 40: After investigation you fully confirmed the intel… that to become an Awakener one had to touch a pollution source or enter a Contaminated Zone, then face a nightmare, undergo a trial in the nightmare, choose a spell, and complete all the steps… Yet you still did not understand why you had failed over and over』

『Day 41: When you woke up you found Chen Keqing was… cold; she had had a nightmare without your knowledge and died, and your attempt to heal her failed.』

『Day 42: You drove to another safe house, took the stored supplies back to the school, and distributed them to the people who had helped you recently』

『Day 43: You smashed the pollution source in the Banshan Complex』

『Day 44: You spent the night in the Contaminated Zone, had a nightmare, exhausted all your healing energy in the dream… and died.』

Different simulations, the same style of death.

Su Ze silently wrote a note in his little notebook… never destroy a pollution source; that is tantamount to suicide.

At least with the current intel, that was exactly what it meant…

Even his Fallen Benefaction could not save him.

Apart from that piece of information, the way to become an Awakener was now perfectly clear.

But his constitution seemed special, preventing him from becoming an Awakener…

Either that, or he simply failed the trial in the nightmare.

After all, fewer than 1 in 10 people who challenged the uncanny succeeded in awakening.

Statistically speaking, the odds were indeed low…

“Damn it, what on earth is going on with Awakeners?”

Su Ze shook his head with a helpless expression.

He could only settle down and be patient.

Keep simulating, keep gathering intel…