Night of the Apocalypse

Seeing that Huang Lang had compromised, Shen Qiu, in a good mood, said, “Alright, it’s settled then.”

At this moment, Huang Lang’s eyes shifted slyly, and he moved closer, whispering, “Bro, let me ask you something. You wouldn’t have been able to get your hands on this thing unless you’ve awakened, right?”

“Why do you want to know that?” Shen Qiu responded cautiously.

“Don’t be nervous. What kind of relationship do we have? Do you think I’d harm you? You don’t have to say it; I’ll take your silence as a yes. I just want to remind you of something,” Huang Lang lowered his voice, speaking cautiously to Shen Qiu.

“What is it?” Shen Qiu asked seriously.

“You need to be careful with the KPI Department. Under no circumstances should they find out you’re an awakened one,” Huang Lang said, still glancing around as if worried someone might be eavesdropping nearby.

“Why? What happens if they find out?” Shen Qiu raised an eyebrow, deliberately questioning Huang Lang.

“You really need to trust me. For most awakened people, if the KPI Department finds out, it’s not a big deal—they’ll just be regulated. But for you, it’s different. If they find out about you, you’re done.”

“Why?” Shen Qiu pressed.

“Because there’s something wrong with you! In their eyes, you’re like an unstable bomb. I don’t need to spell it out; you know what I mean.”

Huang Lang raised his hand and pointed to his head as he spoke to Shen Qiu, saying, “I get it.”

Shen Qiu responded with a blank expression, his tone so calm that Huang Lang couldn’t quite gauge Shen Qiu’s attitude.

With a bright smile, Huang Lang tried to persuade him, “Bro, I’ve got a great way to make money. Are you interested?”

“What money-making opportunity?” Shen Qiu asked, curious.

“Bro, you’re an awakened one now! Instead of staying with the Red Alliance, where you’re restricted and treated poorly, and can’t even carry a weapon, why not join forces with me? We could go to the Blue Alliance. They hardly regulate anything there, and awakened people are super popular. With your skills and reputation, you’d thrive there!” Huang Lang spoke with increasing excitement.

“I’m not interested. If you want to go, go yourself,” Shen Qiu sat down on the sofa and flatly refused.

“Man, if I were an awakened one, I’d go without a second thought,” Huang Lang said regretfully.

“Enough. The Red Alliance might be strict, but at least it’s stable, and there’s someone to handle things when they go wrong. The Blue Alliance might seem freer, but it’s not necessarily better. And the people over there aren’t exactly trustworthy. You should be careful and keep your guard up when dealing with them, or one day, you might get devoured without leaving a trace,” Shen Qiu cautioned Huang Lang with a level-headed reminder.

When Huang Lang heard what Shen Qiu said, his smile froze on his face.

“I know things are chaotic over there, which is why I want to go with you, to have some backup,” Huang Lang said.

“I’m not interested. Things are fine here. I don’t want to leave the place where I was born and raised,” Shen Qiu replied, showing no sign of being swayed.

Seeing that Shen Qiu wasn’t budging, Huang Lang didn’t push further. He knew that rushing things wouldn’t help, so he decided to say his goodbyes.

“Ah, it’s getting late. I should get going. Give me a call when you’ve figured things out.”

“Mm.” Shen Qiu nodded slightly.

Without lingering, Huang Lang left directly.

Shen Qiu then went into his bedroom, grabbed a white bathrobe from the closet, and headed into the bathroom.

He undressed and turned on the shower.

The hot water streamed down Shen Qiu’s muscular body, washing over him.

Shen Qiu looked down at the black spots on his body and tried scrubbing them to see if he could remove them.

After about ten minutes, he stepped out of the bathroom. He slumped down on the living room sofa and let out a long sigh.

“Finally, I feel alive again.”

He stared at the ceiling, lost in thought for a while.

After snapping out of it, he grabbed the remote next to him and turned on the TV.

Then, he tossed the remote back onto the sofa, walked to the kitchen to boil some water, took his medicine, and grabbed a cup of instant noodles.

“Special Notice: The South Gate Street area of the Ninth Ring and the East Forest Street and Gospel Street areas of the Tenth Ring in Sky City have been designated as special military zones. For the time being, entry is prohibited. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.”

As Shen Qiu listened to the announcement playing on the television, he poured boiling water into his instant noodles. The aroma of the noodles was enticing, making his appetite grow. Having relied on IV fluids during his period of unconsciousness, he hadn’t eaten any hot food in a while, and his stomach was protesting.

Soon, he carried his bowl of instant noodles to the living room.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Qin Ang, the administrator of Sky City. We are currently in a time filled with instability and danger. Recently, numerous terror attacks and unknown incidents have caused significant casualties. But I urge you to believe in Sky City, to believe in the Red Alliance! We will do everything in our power to ensure your safety. In this special period, I hope everyone can unite to overcome these challenges together.”

Shen Qiu sat down on the sofa, placing his noodles on the table. He picked up the remote and switched channels, uninterested in the reassurance speech.

“Special Notice: The Red Alliance will activate special alert devices in the eight administrative districts. In the event of a disaster, all mobile phones, electronic devices, and wireless radios within the area will receive a disaster alert!”

“Breaking news: The Fifth Administrative District’s outer residential area in Missy City has been attacked by unidentified creatures, resulting in widespread building collapses and numerous deaths.”

A well-dressed male news anchor reported the story with a grave expression.

Shen Qiu picked up his noodles and ate while watching the news. His expression shifted as he watched. From the reports, it was clear that the overlapping disasters and disappearances were becoming impossible to cover up. However, it seemed the Red Alliance was doing everything it could to calm the public, control the situation, and prevent widespread panic, maintaining stability as best as possible.

Whoosh ~

Shen Qiu slurped the last bite of noodles into his mouth, took a sip of soup, and then tossed the empty bowl into the trash can.

Afterward, he picked up the remote and turned off the TV, exhaling deeply.

For some reason, the series of announcements on the television had made Shen Qiu feel a strong sense of crisis.

His expression shifted as he raised his hands, staring intently at them.

Focusing his mind, he tried to sense the strange entity that had inexplicably appeared in his consciousness.

Crackle~

In an instant, arcs of electricity began to flicker from his hands, and as he concentrated harder, the arcs grew stronger.

The more he pushed himself, the more violent the arcs of electricity became.

At the same time, a sharp pain shot through his brain.

Shen Qiu immediately cleared his mind, and the flickering arcs gradually faded away, returning his hands to normal.

At that moment, he felt a noticeable heaviness in his mind, as if he had been staying up late for an extended period.

Nevertheless, despite this, Shen Qiu felt exceptionally exhilarated; after all, with this newfound ability, his chances of survival had significantly increased.