Chapter 89: Knowing, the Acid Rain Caused Mutations

Chapter 89: Knowing, the Acid Rain Caused Mutations

"I haven’t had a chance to repay you, and now you don’t want me anymore!" Ruan Qing said, tears streaming down his face.

"Again?" Meng Ci caught this word sharply.

Ruan Qing wiped the tears continuously falling from his cheeks, murmuring, "You really don’t remember me..."

His voice was filled with sorrow and disappointment.

Time rewinds to before Meng Ci started high school. Back then, he was still studying at a public school.

However, by the second year of high school, things changed.

Li Shanyang and Zhang Lu decided to transfer Li Xiaoya to City M. But due to Li Xiaoya’s poor academic performance, she couldn’t enter a public school,

so Li Shanyang shamelessly suggested that Meng Ci also transfer to an elite school. This way, they could support each other and improve together.

At that time, Zhang Lu treated Meng Ci with great care.

Thus, Meng Ci agreed to the proposal without much hesitation.

The matter Ruan Qing mentioned happened during Meng Ci’s first year of high school.

Meng Ci’s public school had both junior and senior high school sections connected.

With a delicate appearance, Ruan Qing was rather timid, making him a frequent target of bullying.

One day, as Ruan Qing was being pressed against the sink in the restroom once again, feeling desperate and helpless, Meng Ci happened to pass by.

Without hesitation, Meng Ci stepped forward, stopped those who were bullying Ruan Qing, and successfully rescued him.

These bullies knew about Meng Ci’s powerful background and assumed Ruan Qing was under his protection, so they dared not continue harassing him.

From then on, Ruan Qing finally escaped the nightmare of bullying and began living a peaceful life.

However, when Ruan Qing tried to find the right moment to express his gratitude to Meng Ci, he unexpectedly learned that Meng Ci had already transferred away.

In this storm, Ruan Qing unexpectedly saw Meng Ci again, feeling incredibly excited.

But he never expected that Meng Ci wouldn’t remember him.

Ruan Qing didn’t intend to bring up the past; he just wanted them to get to know each other anew.

Yet, Ruan Qing didn’t expect there would be no chance for familiarity.

Wah wah wah.

"Brother, this is the gift I prepared to thank you, but I never had the chance to give it to you."

"I’m giving it to you now."

Ruan Qing feared that if he didn’t give the gift, he might never have another chance. He handed over a beautifully wrapped box to Meng Ci.

Meng Ci didn’t want to accept it, but Ruan Qing pushed it through the metal gate, bowed deeply to Meng Ci, and ran off.

"This..."

Meng Ci had no choice but to squat down and pick it up.

Shen Que walked over and looked at the box in his hand. "Are you still sticking to your previous decision?"

"Yes."

Although Ruan Qing looked pitiful, Meng Ci didn’t change his mind about distancing himself from Yun Jingcen and the others.

Meng Ci stood up and closed the security door tightly.

Last time, his indecision led to the Green Dragon Gang coming, and this time, it wouldn’t happen again.

He placed the box inside the house without opening it, continuing to munch on chips while instructing Shen Que to heat up some more cola for him.

"Oh right!" Meng Ci suddenly spoke up.

"Since you said humans will turn into mutants and zombies later, do you know what triggered it?"

Meng Ci knew it had something to do with acid rain, but he wondered if there were other factors involved, which the novel didn’t describe.

Therefore, Meng Ci wanted to ask Shen Que if he knew more.

"It’s the acid rain," Shen Que replied.

"The medical professors who survived in my previous life concluded that acid rain could trigger human gene mutations, leading to the development of superpowers."

Shen Que paused and continued, "However, these mutations are random and uncontrollable."

"That’s why I repeatedly suggested we go to the rooftop and place glass panels there when the acid rain fell."

Meng Ci suddenly remembered that Shen Que indeed kept asking him to do this, but he hadn’t thought much about it back then.

"You should have told me earlier!" Meng Ci feigned regret.

Shen Que said solemnly, "It doesn’t matter; I’ll protect you from now on."

Meng Ci found comfort in these words, going to bed every night with a sweet heart, waking up early to chat with Shen Que on the walkie-talkie before getting out of bed.

"Oh right, Shen Que."

"We talk through the walkie-talkies every day. Might Teacher Yun and the others hear us?"

Meng Ci thought about this and recalled their conversations.

Fortunately, they didn't say anything inappropriate or reveal that Shen Que had a space.

Shen Que said, "It's fine; we're on different channels."

Meng Ci knew they were on different channels, but what if someone switched to theirs!

Besides, Meng Ci felt awkward about using the walkie-talkies too much, and since the view to the south was unclear, they still relied on Teacher Yun and the others.

After Meng Ci got up, Shen Que had already come over to start the stove and was simmering a pot of porridge on it.

Meng Ci took a deep breath. "Smells great!"

Shen Que took out the risen dough from the bowl and started kneading it on the table.

"Go wash up first; breakfast will be ready soon."

"Mm-hmm."

If he didn't have to do anything after being with Shen Que, he would have confessed long ago.

In the past few days, since they've been together, Shen Que has been coming over every day to cook and clean, even adding wood to the stove.

Although Shen Que's cooking isn't as fragrant as his own, and although the floor still needs a second sweep by Meng Ci...

Meng Ci always praised him, not wanting to dampen Shen Que's enthusiasm.

After eating, Meng Ci sat on the sofa, touching his face and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Shen Que paused in cleaning the rabbit cage, looking at him in confusion.

"Just thinking that if I keep living like this, where everything is handed to me, I'll get so fat I won't be able to cut anyone down!"

Saying this, Meng Ci pinched his cheeks.

"I feel like my face has gotten rounder."

Shen Que silently turned back, thinking he should leave some tasks for Meng Ci to do.

Otherwise, too much idleness could lead to hysteria. ...

It's only been three days; there wouldn't be such an obvious change!

After three days of laziness, Meng Ci decided to reflect deeply.

Death comes from ease, life from hardship.

To survive in the apocalypse, one must strive harder and harder.

After resting post-meal, Meng Ci began sparring with Shen Que.

Of course, they agreed beforehand that neither would hold back.

Apart from sparring, Meng Ci would occasionally ask about things not described in the novel, noting them down mentally and preparing accordingly.

For example, the smog not mentioned in the novel.

This required Meng Ci to prepare specialized anti-smog masks and nose covers.