Chapter 010.2 — Confusion and Revelation [2]
Author: He Feng Yan
Translator: HeXie
Editor: tattaro
Li Jianguo, 54, was a brilliant professor at the peak of his career when the apocalypse broke out. Using his expertise, he and his most valued students survived the initial chaos. However, he had offended a corrupt person in authority before, so he was deliberately forgotten, while less competent people were recruited to Yan Jing Base to continue their research. He was left with no choice but to stay in Lan Cheng Base and rely on his students for support.
Struggling for more than a year in this apocalypse, Li Jianguo looked like he had aged for 10 more years. Originally, he was a kindly, fat, old man, but now, he had become gaunt and dull with lines of hard life etched on his face. When he saw Ji Yun returned safely, he regained some vitality on his face. “It’s good to have you back safe!”
“I have worried you, Teacher.” Ji Yun said smiling. He was raised by a single mother and so, this friendly Professor Li, whom he met in college, made up for the lack of fatherly love in his life. Professor Li himself had devoted his life to research and had never married nor had kids. He had raised many students but Ji Yun was the most talented and shared the same values as him. He was good-natured, and his professor treated him as his own son.
Seeing that his mother and Professor Li were both single, old, and lonely, Ji Yun once planned to match them as a couple. In his eyes, they looked right for each other. Had the apocalypse not happen, they would have already become a family.
But even when the apocalypse came, and when his mother died, Ji Yun still regarded Professor Li as his only living relative left.
“I blame myself for dragging you down with me,” Professor Li mocked himself.
“Teacher, how could you say that?” Ji Yun vehemently disagreed, shook the dishes in his hand, and said, “Teacher, I have two friends coming over later. You have to show off your skills!”
“What’s the problem with that?” Aside from studying all kinds of electronic instruments and equipment all his life, Professor Li was also a foodie. He loved eating, and since he had been single all his life, he had developed culinary skills that everyone praises.
Wu Ye and Qin Wuhua’s turn finally came after more than an hour.
As he got closer, he noticed that the office was not located at the base gate. Instead, there were several buildings built in a row outside the gate. First stop was the detection office, which confirmed whether a person was infected or not. Once cleared, a person would then be sent to enter one’s identity information at the registration office. Then, that person would need to pay the relevant taxes and fees at the cashier’s office to apply for the temporary resident card. This card would be swiped at the base gate like a key.
The office was surrounded by armed guards so occasional uproars were easily pacified.
In just over an hour of queueing, Wu Ye had heard dozens of gunshots. Rioteers’ bodies were piled one on top of the other beside the line people trying to enter the base. Blood oozed out from the corpses and flowed towards the queue, silently screaming the resistance of the dead.
It had never been more clear to Wu Ye about how human life was like grass, especially in this apocalyptic world.
This apocalypse was far more terrible that the chaotic times.
F*ck, this daddy must go back!
Wu Ye clenched his fists and swore to himself again and again.
The office was efficient. As long as you’re not infected with the virus, and had enough crystal nuclei, you would be let in through the checkpoint, and into the base in a few minutes.
“This is ruthless! It’s like daylight robbery!” Wu Ye said angrily as he calculated the cost he had to pay to enter the base. For survivors applying for temporary ID card for the first time, he had to pay 15 Level 1 crystal nuclei for head taxes, and a minimum of 10 day’s worth residence tax. Within a few minutes, 25 first level crystal nuclei were gone. To get these 25 nuclei, Wu Ye had to kill at least 30 Level 1 zombies since not every zombie had a crystal nuclei, yet all his efforts only amounted to his entrance fees. The zombies were not like watermelons standing there, waiting for you to cut it down, you know. Just a little slip and you could die. No wonder there were so many people who could only live outside the refugee camps.
As the apocalypse progressed, the number of people who had awakened their abilities increased bit by bit. The probability of awakening one’s power had increased from one in 10 thousand to 1 in 100 now. Compared to ordinary people, those who had awakened their abilities had more advantages, and were regarded as backbones of a base. They were also the key targets of the forces in all sides.
In Lan Cheng Base, all Level 1 ability users were given a 20% discount from all fees, including personal taxes. Level 2 ability users could enjoy 30% discount, and so on. Those who were willing to work as mercenaries for the big forces in the base, could enjoy even more benefits.
After Qin Wuhua was confirmed to be an intermediate Level 1 ability user, staff members affiliated with different forces immediately tried to woo him into joining their forces. Qin Wuhua’s indifference was rooted in his bones and awakening the lightning skill give off an unpredictable force to others. He only glanced coldly at the staff and they were immediately silenced, speeding up their hands and feet to serve him his certificate.
“F*ck, who was that man just now? I had goosebumps when he looked at me,” one of the staff gossiped.
“He scared me even more than a Level 2 ability user.”
“Well, how many Level 2 ability users have you met? You guys were easily wowed. I tell you, that man was just pretending to be tough and scared all of you to this point. It’s really…”
“That’s right. If he was that good, why would he rent only a shack or share it with others?
“But, his little lover is quite a looker. I didn’t know how long he could protect him.”
Waves of ambiguous laughter floated from the office, mixed with few obscene jokes.
Qin Wuhua’s ears were very sharp. He had heard every single word uttered by those shameless people that he couldn’t help but frown.
“You finally came out. Did they bother you? Did you get the discount?
In the backlight, Qin Wuhua saw the sunset glow on Wu Ye’s delicate face, coating him with a layer of soft orange light. His clean peach blossom eyes sparkled, and he seemed to see his own figure reflected in them from a short distance.
This little guy really looked beautiful.
“Woah! You can smile?!” Second young master Wu cried from the bottom of his heart. Little brother, with you here, how could I ever meet with beautiful women in the future?
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