Ch89-Knowing Acid Rain Causes Mutations
"I haven't even had a chance to repay you, and now you're abandoning me again!" Ruan Qing said, tears streaming down his face.
"Again?" Meng Ci sharply caught the word.
Wiping the tears streaming down his cheeks, Ruan Qing murmured, "You really don't remember me after all..."
His voice brimmed with sorrow and loss.
Time rewound to before Meng Ci entered his first year of high school. Back then, he was still attending a public school.
However, by his second year of high school, circumstances changed.
Li Shanyang and Zhang Lu decided to transfer Li Xiaoya to M City. But due to Li Xiaoya's unsatisfactory academic performance, she couldn't enroll in a public school.
So Li Shanyang shamelessly suggested that Meng Ci also transfer to an elite private school. That way, the two could support each other and progress together.
At that time, Zhang Lu showed Meng Ci nothing but care and concern.
Therefore, Meng Ci didn't hesitate much before agreeing to this proposal.
The incident Ruan Qing mentioned actually happened during Meng Ci's freshman year of high school.
Meng Ci's former public school had its junior and senior high sections integrated.
Ruan Qing, with his delicate features, possessed a rather timid disposition, making him a frequent target for bullying.
One day, Ruan Qing was pinned against a bathroom sink by a group of bullies. Just as he felt utterly hopeless and helpless, Meng Ci happened to pass by.
Without hesitation, Meng Ci stepped in, stopped the bullies, and successfully rescued Ruan Qing.
Knowing Meng Ci had powerful connections, the bullies assumed Ruan Qing was under his protection. They dared not lay a finger on him again.
From that day on, Ruan Qing finally escaped the nightmare of bullying and began living a peaceful, stable life.
However, just as Ruan Qing sought an appropriate moment to express his gratitude to Meng Ci, he unexpectedly learned that Meng Ci had transferred schools and left.
During this downpour, Ruan Qing unexpectedly spotted Meng Ci and was overcome with excitement.
But to his dismay, Meng Ci didn't remember him. At the time, Ruan Qing didn't dwell on it, thinking they could simply get to know each other again later.
Little did he know, that chance to reconnect would never come.
Wuwuwu.
"Brother, this is the gift I prepared to thank you earlier, but never got the chance to give you."
"I'm giving it to you now."
Ruan Qing feared that if he didn't give the gift now, there would be no opportunity left.
Saying this, Ruan Qing handed Meng Ci a box wrapped in exquisite packaging.
Meng Ci hesitated to take it, but Ruan Qing shoved it through the iron gate, bowed deeply to him, and dashed away.
"This..."
Meng Ci crouched down to retrieve the box.
Shen Que approached, eyeing the box in his hands. "Still sticking to your original plan?"
"Mhm."
Though Ruan Qing looked pitiful, Meng Ci hadn't wavered in his resolve to cut ties with Yun Jingcen and the others.
Meng Ci stood up and secured the security door.
His previous indecision had invited the Qinglong Gang's men -this time, that was impossible.
Placing the box inside, Meng Ci didn't open it. He resumed munching on potato chips while instructing Shen Que to reheat more cola.
"Oh, right!" Meng Ci suddenly spoke up.
"Since you said later humans will become either awakened or zombies, do you know what triggers that transformation?"
Meng Ci knew the origin was linked to acid rain, but novels hadn't described whether other triggers existed.
Therefore, he wanted to ask Shen Que if he knew more.
Shen Que replied, "It's acid rain."
"Research by a medical professor who survived the previous catastrophe suggests acid rain might trigger human genetic mutations, leading to the emergence of psychic abilities."
Shen Que paused briefly before continuing, "However, these mutations are random and uncontrollable."
"That's why, during the acid rain, I kept urging you to go to the rooftop to place the glass panels."
Meng Ci suddenly recalled how Shen Que had repeatedly asked him to do things back then, and he hadn't thought much of it at the time.
"You should have told me sooner!" Meng Ci feigned regret.
Shen Que replied solemnly, "It's fine. I'll protect you from now on."
Meng Ci found this reassuring. Every night, he drifted off to sleep with sweet thoughts, and each morning, he'd first chat with Shen Que over the walkie-talkie before getting up.
"By the way, Shen Que."
"Do you think Teacher Yuan and the others might hear us talking on the walkie-talkie every day?"
Meng Ci thought about it, mentally reviewing their conversations.
Thankfully, they hadn't said anything that wouldn't pass censorship, nor had he revealed Shen Que's spatial abilities.
Shen Que said, "It's fine. We're on different channels."
Meng Ci knew the channels were different, but what if they switched them?
Besides, they couldn't very well bring the walkie-talkie out here. The southern view was unclear anyway, so they still needed Teacher Yun and the others.
When Meng Ci got up, Shen Que had already lit the stove and was simmering a pot of congee.
Meng Ci took a deep breath. "It smells so good!"
Shen Que took the proofed dough out of the bowl and began kneading it on the table.
"Go wash up first. Breakfast will be ready soon."
"Okay."
If he'd known that after being with Shen Que, he wouldn't have to lift a finger every day, he would've confessed long ago.
Since they'd been together these past few days, Shen Que came over daily to cook and clean. He even added wood to the stove.
Though Shen Que's cooking wasn't as flavorful as his own, and though Shen Que's sweeping needed a second pass by Meng Ci...
Meng Ci praised everything without fail-he couldn't dampen Shen Que's enthusiasm.
After eating, Meng Ci sat on the sofa, stroking his cheeks with a sigh.
"What's wrong?" Shen Que paused cleaning the rabbit cage and asked curiously.
"Just thinking... if I keep living like this, with meals served to me and clothes handed to me, I'll get so fat I won't be able to move!"
As he spoke, Meng Ci tugged at his own cheeks.
"I feel like my face has gotten a whole circle fatter than before."
Shen Que silently turned his head away, resolving to assign Meng Ci some tasks in the future.
Too much leisure time could easily lead to hypochondria.
It had only been three days-how could the weight gain be so obvious already?
After three days of slacking off, Meng Ci resolved to redouble his efforts.
Complacency leads to ruin; adversity fosters growth.
To survive in this apocalypse, one must strive, strive, and strive again.
After eating and resting, Meng Ci began sparring with Shen Que.
Of course, they agreed beforehand: no holding back.
Besides sparring, Meng Ci would occasionally ask about things not described in the novels. After committing them to memory, Meng Ci would prepare in advance.
Take smog, for instance-something never mentioned in the novels.
This necessitated special anti-smog masks and nose filters.