Chapter 62

Chapter 62

The next day, as luck would have it, it began to rain, and within just ten minutes, it came down hard.

Huo Changfeng closed the window and turned around, saying, "It's acid rain."

Bai Tu was lacing up his shoes. Hearing this, he tied his shoelaces and walked over beside him. The base was deserted, with everyone indoors sheltering from the acid rain. Raindrops slashed against the windows in sheets, and an acrid smell seeped in, making Bai Tu's nose itch. Within seconds, the inside of his nose began to swell up and hurt.

The pH level was very low, but the plants outside the base didn't wilt at all from the rain; instead, they appeared even more vibrant and upright.

Huo Changfeng ripped up a dirty piece of clothing and used the strips of fabric to seal the cracks around the window.

The acid rain showed no sign of stopping anytime soon, so they had to put off their original plans to go out. Guan Jianrui came over with two decks of playing cards and asked Huo Changfeng and Bai Tu if they wanted to play Fight the Landlord together.

"There's six of us exactly—we can split into two groups. Want to play?"

The playing cards were thin metal sheets of uniform size, made by Xiang Yubo. He'd used a black marker to write letters and numbers on them. Aside from being a bit inconvenient to shuffle, they handled just as smoothly as paper cards.

With all six people gathered in one room to play cards, Guan Jianrui said the moment he got his cards, "Let's get this straight, Four-Eyes—no using your ability to count cards during the game. That would take all the fun out of it."

Fan Xinglu raised an eyebrow. "Who needs an ability to count cards?"

Guan Jianrui retorted, "Think you're so clever? Even if you don't consider me, at least think about Yueyue's gaming experience."

Ji Songyue, having just organized her cards, chimed in, "No need for that. Save those words for when you can actually beat me."

"Then I'll start. Pair of threes."

"Pair of twos."

"Starting off that strong? I'm out."

"Three to jack, straight."

"...Skip."

"Bomb!"

"..."

The three of them were going at it hot and heavy, slapping cards down with loud snaps. In contrast, Bai Tu's group was much quieter.

Bai Tu was dealt a bad hand this round, nothing but mismatched singles. He led with a three.

Xiang Yubo followed with a five.

Huo Changfeng played a king.

Bai Tu passed. Xiang Yubo immediately played a two. Huo Changfeng countered with the big joker, then played a pair of fives.

Bai Tu: Pair of sixes.

Xiang Yubo: Pair of nines.

Huo Changfeng: Pair of jacks.

Bai Tu: Pass.

Xiang Yubo: Pair of aces.

Huo Changfeng: Pair of twos.

Bai Tu & Xiang Yubo: Pass.

Huo Changfeng glanced at the cards in Bai Tu's hand: Single nine.

Bai Tu: Single ten.

Xiang Yubo: King.

Huo Changfeng: Ace.

Bai Tu: Pass.

Xiang Yubo: Small joker.

Huo Changfeng: Four queens.

Bai Tu & Xiang Yubo: Pass.

Huo Changfeng: Nine.

Bai Tu: Jack.

Xiang Yubo: ?

The six of them played from dawn until dusk, pausing only for two meals. The acid rain just kept coming down outside. Finally, Ji Songyue was the first to call it quits. After winning a hand, she tossed her cards aside, stood up, and stretched. "I can't go on. Looks like we won't get anything else done today. I'm going to sleep. You all keep playing if you want."

Guan Jianrui said, "Then we'll stop too."

Huo Changfeng asked, "Still want to play?"

Bai Tu shook his head; he was also feeling sleepy.

Xiang Yubo immediately began gathering the playing cards. As he, Guan Jianrui, and Fan Xinglu left the room, heading toward Guan Jianrui's ward, Xiang Yubo suggested, "Want to play a few more rounds?"

Guan Jianrui looked surprised. "You still want to play?"

They had already played about twenty games that day.

Fan Xinglu stifled a laugh. "He's been losing all day."

Guan Jianrui said, "You're that bad?"

Xiang Yubo replied, "...Bai Tu kept winning."

Fan Xinglu added, "The captain was constantly feeding cards to Bai Tu."

Guan Jianrui was speechless for a moment, then suddenly understood.

Fan Xinglu continued, "And he kept blocking Xiangyu Bao's plays."

Guan Jianrui expressed deep sympathy, patting Xiang Yubo on the shoulder and saying solemnly, "Come on, we'll play with you until you're satisfied."

...

By nightfall, the rain had lightened but continued to drizzle steadily throughout the night. Fortunately, it finally stopped just before dawn.

After breakfast, Huo Changfeng and the others immediately set out to check the situation on the northern road. Bai Tu wanted to go along. Seeing that he would be the only one left in the hospital, Guan Jianrui couldn't bear to stay lying down either.

They had been at the base for a few days and had become familiar with its layout, so they knew where the North Road was without needing a guide. Nevertheless, Ren Yan and Xiao Jiang still took them there themselves.

The North Road was not directly connected to the base. To get there from the base, they had to pass through an abandoned residential area. All the buildings there had been demolished, leaving a flat road a good ten meters wide. The work was sloppy—the rubble and debris from the demolished buildings had not been cleared, so chain-link fences were erected along both sides. As they walked along, the gaps in the fence mesh got smaller and smaller, and the road narrowed until it was only five or six meters wide.

The blast site was at the end of the abandoned residential zone. Gaping holes had been ripped in the fences on both sides, allowing the rubble originally blocked by them to spill into the path. Numerous unknown vines and branches had also surged in, twining over the rubble and piled three or four meters high, completely blocking the fenced-in path. The plants were growing vigorously; in just two days, they had expanded five or six meters in both directions, making it impassable.

Huo Changfeng stopped well short of the site and warned the people behind him to stop. "Don't get close."

He hoisted himself up onto a nearby fence section and raised his binoculars to look beyond the rubble pile, immediately understanding why the fence openings became denser the further out they went. Outside the residential area was a jungle of overgrown plants. Without the fences, this road would have been swallowed up in moments by these seemingly gentle plants. The fences were not only meant to block debris but also to keep out these invasive plants. If the gaps were too large, vines and shoots would worm their way in.

Clearing such a path would have required significant manpower and resources—no wonder Ren Yan had blown his top when it was bombed.

Huo Changfeng jumped down from the fence. "Everyone, step back. Xiang Yubo, back me up."

Xiang Yubo replied, "Got it."

Huo Changfeng turned to Bai Tu. "If it gets too much for you later, close your eyes."

Bai Tu nodded and backed up with the others about five meters.

Clearing the road wasn't difficult for Huo Changfeng—all he had to do was let loose a few lightning bolts to shatter the obstructing rubble and vegetation. Bai Tu waited for a moment before a peal of thunder suddenly crashed, nearly bursting his eardrums.

Lightning flashed simultaneously. The sky, still somewhat gloomy after the rain, suddenly lit up as if a thousand-watt lightbulb had been hung, bright enough to damn near blind you.

Bai Tu immediately closed his eyes and covered his ears in discomfort. When he had adjusted slightly, he cracked his eyes open to glance at the others. They were also tightly shutting their eyes and covering their ears, wincing in discomfort. Ren Yan and Xiao Jiang even doubled over and took a few steps back.

"Damn, has the boss's superpower gotten stronger again?" The thunderclap made Guan Jianrui queasy, and he clung to Fan Xinglu for dear life. "This is too exaggerated. Even the Thunder God couldn't make thunder like this."

The thunder drowned out all other sounds. Bai Tu could only hear Guan Jianrui's muffled yelling. He looked ahead, where Huo Changfeng's figure was completely swallowed up by the lightning, invisible.

Fortunately, the light and noise lasted only a few dozen seconds. After that, they gradually weakened, revealing the outline of Huo Changfeng's tall figure. He stood with his back to the group, hands hanging at his sides, staring ahead without moving.

Bai Tu felt a twinge of unease and immediately ran over.

The air was still crackling with residual energy, and approaching wasn't safe. Fan Xinglu shouted, but before he could grab Bai Tu, Guan Jianrui had him in a death grip.

He cursed, "You idiot, let go of me!"

Guan Jianrui's ears were ringing. "Huh? What did you say?"

Fan Xinglu frantically tried to pry him off, but by then, Bai Tu had already safely reached Huo Changfeng's side. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Right, Bai Tu had more sense than to run into lightning.

"Huo Changfeng!"

Huo Changfeng stared ahead, looking dazed. Bai Tu called his name several times, but he didn't respond. Worried, Bai Tu reached for Huo Changfeng's hand. His palm was scorching hot, like a branding iron. Bai Tu instinctively let go from the heat but quickly grabbed it again, turning Huo Changfeng's hand over.

The palm was a mix of charred black and pink flesh, the wounds particularly gruesome. Bai Tu's heart clenched. Just as he was about to find something to bandage it, he saw the pink flesh seem to writhe with a life of its own. The unburned skin spread out like the arms of a curled-up starfish, covering the charred flesh within seconds, then rapidly writhed, spitting out the burnt crust as if it had mouths.

In just a few seconds, Huo Changfeng's palm had completely healed.

Bai Tu's heart lurched. Before he could think, he spread his fingers and firmly grasped Huo Changfeng's hand, covering his palm, then looked up at him.

Huo Changfeng was still staring ahead, lost in thought.

Bai Tu quickly brushed away the remaining char from Huo Changfeng's palm, then used his other hand to hold Huo Changfeng's other hand, lightly running his fingers over the palm.

This hand's wounds had also healed.

He similarly brushed away the debris and softly said, "Huo Changfeng, look at me."

Huo Changfeng turned to him like a robot following commands.

"What's wrong? Are you tired?"

Meeting Bai Tu's gaze, Huo Changfeng suddenly snapped out of his daze. "I..."

As if waking from a dream, he pulled his hands back and looked down at his palms.

When he released his superpower earlier, he had felt a surge of immense power welling up from deep within his body. This power felt completely unfamiliar and uncontrollable, ultimately transforming into those violent bolts of lightning.

He turned to look ahead. Where the rubble pile had been was now replaced by a massive crater. The holes in the fences on both sides had expanded, splitting the fences in two. The plants outside had been scorched over a large area, perhaps due to the lingering effects of the thunderstorm, as they hadn't expanded inward.

He had come to clear the road but ended up causing more damage than Song Lan's bomb.

Moreover, he could feel his heart pounding rapidly, as if trying to burst out of his chest—not from any intense or fearful emotion, but simply because the blood in his body was flowing too fast.

His right arm trembled uncontrollably. Huo Changfeng suddenly remembered the five claw marks and felt an overwhelming sense of unease.

"Are you tired? If you're tired, let's go back and rest." His right hand was held again as Bai Tu gently asked him.

Huo Changfeng's heart pounded violently, erupting with intense emotions at the soft voice. He suddenly pulled Bai Tu into a tight embrace, his lips moving but unable to utter a single sound.

Rapid breaths brushed against Bai Tu's ear. Bai Tu hugged him back, patting his back, and said, "It's normal to feel exhausted after overusing your superpower. Don't worry."

Huo Changfeng's lips moved slightly.

Exhausted? But he only felt exhilarated.

Bai Tu continued, "Have you absorbed crystal cores recently? If there's residual energy from crystal cores in your body that hasn't been fully converted, it can be released through your superpower, making you feel extra tired. You'll be fine after some rest."

He had absorbed crystal cores two days ago, but not many—just a handful. Could a few crystal cores have such an effect?

Huo Changfeng rarely absorbed crystal cores. His strength was sufficient for most situations, so he wasn't in a hurry to improve. Most of the crystal cores he collected were distributed to his team members, so he wasn't very familiar with them. Hearing Bai Tu's explanation, he mostly believed it.

His rapid heartbeat gradually calmed. Only then did Huo Changfeng remember there were others nearby.

His team members and the base administrators were gathered a few meters away—some looking around, some gazing at the sky, others staring at the ground—all deliberately avoiding looking at him and Bai Tu.

Huo Changfeng cleared his throat softly, released Bai Tu, and called his team over to finish up.

Guan Jianrui approached and whistled at the sight of the crater. "Boss, were you setting off fireworks for Bai Tu with your superpower? Such a big thunder display."

"You're wasting your talent not being a comedian," Huo Changfeng retorted, but his eyes secretly glanced at Bai Tu.

Bai Tu noticed his gaze and smiled up at him.

Caught staring, Huo Changfeng quickly looked away, but his fingers curled slightly at his sides. After a few seconds, he hesitantly reached for Bai Tu's hand. Bai Tu didn't pull away. Huo Changfeng secretly took a deep breath, reminding himself that they were in a proper relationship now—there was no need to feel embarrassed.

He opened his palm and enveloped Bai Tu's hand in his.

"Just haven't had the chance," Guan Jianrui said, scanning the crater. After a moment, he snapped his fingers. As the snap echoed, the soil and rocks outside the fence flowed like water, slowly filling the crater.

Once the crater was filled, the flow didn't stop. Instead, the material gradually piled up at the broken sections of the fence, forming a solid, seamless high wall. When the earthen wall reached the same height as the fence, Xiang Yubo placed his palm on it. Silver metal spread across the wall, and soon, the earthen wall transformed into a thick iron plate, seamlessly connecting with the fences on both sides.

"Done!" Guan Jianrui whistled. "I think your superpower should be renamed—'Turning Stone to Gold' sounds much better."

Xiang Yubo usually didn't respond in such situations.

Guan Jianrui said, "Yueyue, tell me, isn't my name much better than his original one?"

Ji Songyue said dismissively, "Yeah, yeah, sure."

As they gathered together, chatting and laughing lightheartedly, Ren Yan, who was observing from the side, was inwardly astonished. The mutated plants that had troubled them so much were no match for Huo Changfeng's lightning. The deep pit and towering wall that would have taken them days to fill and build were accomplished by Guan Jianrui with just a snap of his fingers. Xiang Yubo's abilities, when applied to the base's defenses, were like a tiger that has grown wings.

As for Fan Xinglu's skills, Ren Yan had witnessed them on their first day at the base—accurately pinpointing their location with just a walkie-talkie and makeshift equipment, far from what he modestly claimed as merely dabbling in computer technology. Ji Songyue, needless to say, was capable of saving lives at critical moments.

Although he hadn't yet seen Bai Tu's abilities, the fact that he rushed forward without regard for danger earlier showed he was someone with great courage.

Without a doubt, this was an elite team.

Ren Yan was immediately fired up.

Talents! These are all talents!

What their base lacked most now wasn't supplies, but talented individuals who could contribute to its construction!

Suppressing his excitement, Ren Yan walked up to Huo Changfeng, bowed slightly, and said, "Thank you, Captain Huo, and everyone, for your invaluable assistance. Without you, who knows when we'd have gotten this road fixed."

Huo Changfeng quickly stepped aside to avoid the bow. "You flatter us, Mr. Ren. The destruction of the north road was originally our fault."

"That's right, that's right. No need to be so polite. Besides, we've troubled you a lot these past few days. If anything, it's you who have helped us," Guan Jianrui added.

Ren Yan didn't respond immediately, his expression hesitant and troubled.

Huo Changfeng asked, "Do you have something to say, Mr. Ren?"

Ren Yan hesitated for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "To be honest, I have another presumptuous request to make."