Chapter 8 – Save a Life
What to do?
If there’s a problem, find the system.
Yu Zhi decisively asked, “System, are you there?”
The system didn’t respond.
Threats—no, the tactic of turning enemies into friends has already been used.
After thinking for a moment, he said in his mind to the system, “The first Earth resident to kill over a hundred mutated species believes there is a problem with the new task.”
The system quickly replied, “The main task is flawless; there is no problem. Please take positive action to complete the main task!”
Yu Zhi lowered his hand from the wall and continued walking forward. “No, there is a problem,” he insisted. “The task doesn’t take into account someone like me who cannot consume supernatural powers…” He paused, swallowing the words “ordinary person” and instead said, “expert.”
Then he emphasized again, “The first expert among those who have killed over a hundred mutated species.”
The system replied, “…Please take action.”
Seeing it was unresponsive, Yu Zhi earnestly persuaded, “System, I’m not doing this for myself. It’s for you, for everyone, and especially for guarding the Earth.”
The system replied, “Please wait, currently detecting…”
Yu Zhi stared at the panel, and the next second, his smile froze.
The system announced, “Detected that you have not actively participated in the main task. You are about to be deemed as automatically forfeiting and will face a failure penalty.”
Yu Zhi’s mouth twitched. So this was what it was detecting.
He immediately said to the system, “Don’t talk nonsense, I’m clearly taking action, doing my utmost.”
The system replied, “?”
Yu Zhi remained calm. “I’m doing my utmost to help you.”
The system remained silent.
Yu Zhi hesitated for a moment, deciding not to question the main task again. It seemed to be a taboo for the system; he had almost faced punishment for asking a couple more questions.
Just when he thought the matter was settled, a familiar notification sound rang out: “Ding dong—”
The system spoke, “Congratulations to both of you; you have triggered a hidden task.”
Task details popped up on the panel.
[Hidden Task: Sprinting]
[Task Objective: Complete a 400-meter sprint within one minute and thirty seconds to test physical fitness.]
[Completion Reward: Unknown.]
[Failure Penalty: Unknown.]
Lu Liming was shocked by the appearance of the hidden task. “Damn! There’s actually a hidden task!” he exclaimed.
Yu Zhi was about to speak, but before he could utter a word, the system began the countdown.
“Three, two, one!”
A countdown for the hidden task appeared on the translucent panel.
Yu Zhi grabbed the dazed Lu Liming and took off running.
At first, he was far ahead, but before long, Lu Liming caught up and then left him far behind.
This young master, who couldn’t carry a shoulder bag or lift a hand, started later than me, yet his speed is so much greater.
Yu Zhi gasped as he watched Lu Liming’s back, his mind buzzing from the effort. He hadn’t run like this in a long time.
Completing 400 meters in one minute and thirty seconds was neither easy nor hard; it was just right to require him to give it his all.
After 200 meters, Yu Zhi’s legs felt weak, and his throat was dry and painful. He wanted to take off the bothersome helmet but didn’t dare waste time, so he gritted his teeth and kept running.
By this point, Lu Liming had already reached the finish line, looking as if nothing had happened, energetically shouting encouragement at him.
[Hidden task countdown: ten, nine, eight, seven…]
Listening to the life-threatening countdown, Yu Zhi took a deep breath and used his last bit of strength to surge forward, reaching Lu Liming’s side.
He leaned against a tree, gasping for air, his vision filled with stars as he looked at the panel.
[You have completed the hidden task: Sprinting.]
[Task Reward: System’s congratulations.]
Yu Zhi: “???”
What kind of reward is that?
[Distributing rewards…]
[You completed the hidden task with an ordinary time of one minute and twenty-five seconds! Your physical fitness is rated E, with no potential! You are the most ordinary among ordinary people! Congratulations!]
Yu Zhi almost couldn’t catch his breath. Is this what they call congratulations? The system’s insults are truly creative.
Lu Liming leaned in excitedly. “Bro, the system says my physical fitness is B, but I have the potential for A!”
Yu Zhi wasn’t surprised; Lu Liming had run much faster than him, and his supernatural powers were also better.
After catching his breath, he hoarsely said, “I’m E-level.”
“How is that possible?” Lu Liming blurted out.
What’s so impossible about it? Yu Zhi thought. He was just an ordinary passerby; having E-level physical fitness was very normal.
His throat was burning after the run, and he didn’t want to argue with Lu Liming about physical fitness. He took out a bottle of water from [My Items] and drank it.
After finishing half the bottle, he offered it to Lu Liming. “Want some?”
Lu Liming looked at the water, then at Yu Zhi’s pale face. He had seen Yu Zhi using spatial storage powers all morning, taking in and out knives and sticks, and there had been no signs of overusing his powers.
How could Brother Yu Zhi only be E-level?!
After thinking for a moment, Lu Liming found the answer. They had only known each other for a day, and it was normal for Yu Zhi to keep some things hidden from him. Realizing this, he admired Yu Zhi even more—he even pretended to run slowly so well! So impressive!
Lu Liming nodded vigorously. “Bro, I understand, I totally get it. You are E-level.”
Yu Zhi glanced at him strangely. “If you’re not drinking, I’ll keep drinking.”
After finishing the remaining water, the pain in his throat eased. He tossed the empty bottle into the trash can and looked down at the system panel, his mind unusually clear.
Rather than being a hidden task, [Sprinting] was more like a warning from the system. It was warning him that the system’s authority was significant; it could issue hidden tasks and set corresponding completion rewards and penalties. It could even take their lives within the rules.
Yu Zhi wiped his mouth. It seemed the system wasn’t just mechanically issuing commands; it had its own personality and temper.
“Its temper is quite big,” he said, exhaling slowly.
Lu Liming didn’t hear him clearly. “What?” he asked blankly.
Yu Zhi originally wanted to explain the origin of the hidden task, but he saw Lu Liming still happily reveling in his A-level potential, so he swallowed his words.
Xiao Ming is already afraid of the system; there’s no need to scare him further. In this apocalypse, it’s good to be happy for a while; who knows when we might die.
“Nothing,” he said. “Can you drive?”
“Of course!” Lu Liming immediately replied. “I’m the driving god of Haidian District! My mom gave me my first car when I turned eighteen. Now I have seven years of driving experience, and I can handle any car with ease…”
Yu Zhi responded perfunctorily a few times as they walked along the street.
There were many cars parked there. He walked forward, checking for any usable vehicles. The water was gone, and [My Items] had just cleared a spot.
Before long, he found an SUV with its door wide open and the keys inside.
Yu Zhi tried to store it.
The next second, [My Items] had an extra vehicle.
[Item: Stolen Land Rover Defender (Meteorite Black)]
[Function: I have all the functions a car should have.]
[Description: I was once the daughter of a listed group, but I was harmed by cunning thieves. My company sold me, and my owner abandoned me. If I could start over, I would reclaim everything that belongs to me! Get in! Listen to my revenge plan!]
Yu Zhi: “…”
Seeing him store the car, Lu Liming asked, “Are we going to drive somewhere else?”
Yu Zhi shook his head. “Let’s check the convenience store across the street first.”
He was inexplicably made to run 400 meters by the system and was now starving.
Yu Zhi often went to this convenience store. The cashier was a retired aunt who lived nearby. Seeing him always buying discounted, near-expiry food, she would often give him some free samples. Later, Azheng kept sending him various foods, so he went to the convenience store less often.
Thinking of Azheng, Yu Zhi pursed his lips.
That kid was well-versed in novels and was definitely living well now, without any worries.
Crossing the street, he saw from a distance that the glass door of the convenience store had been smashed, shards of glass scattered everywhere.
Walking into the store, he saw that all the shelves had been completely ransacked. There was no food or daily necessities left, and blood stained the floor, leading all the way to the freezer.
Yu Zhi walked to the freezer but didn’t see any bodies.
There were still plenty of ice creams inside, probably because they were hard to preserve; no one had taken them.
Yu Zhi grabbed a vanilla ice cream and turned to Lu Liming. “Do you want one?”
Lu Liming shook his head.
Yu Zhi tore open the ice cream, took a big bite, and the cold sensation slightly suppressed the irritation in his heart.
He followed the trail of blood along the freezer, walking to a door, and mumbled to Lu Liming, “Let’s check the warehouse.”
The warehouse door was unlocked and opened with a push.
The inside was much larger than Yu Zhi had imagined. The deeper he went, the darker it became, and standing at the door, he could only vaguely see the outlines of a few boxes.
Just as Yu Zhi was about to take out his phone to use the flashlight, the warehouse lights flicked on with a click.
He thought it was Lu Liming who had turned them on, but when he turned around, he was met with the dark muzzle of a gun.
“Don’t move, raise your hands.”
The number of online viewers in the live stream gradually rose to two hundred, and the comments rolled in quickly:
[User “Loves Peace” awaits your tragic death.]
[User “Gaze of the Dark Eye” looks forward to your demise.]
[User “National Special-Class Human Weapon” mourns for your impending death.]
Yu Zhi glanced at the comments and expressionlessly raised his hands.
He wasn’t dead yet!
The one holding the gun was a tall, bald man with a fierce appearance, covered in tattoos on his hands and neck. He looked quite intimidating.
The bald man looked at the black helmet on Yu Zhi’s head, then at Lu Liming’s white helmet, and gruffly said, “Take off your damn helmets!”
Lu Liming, scared, quickly took off his helmet. “Taking it off, taking it off,” he stammered.
Yu Zhi was holding the ice cream in one hand, so he took off his helmet more slowly.
The bald man couldn’t wait any longer and pointed the gun at Yu Zhi’s chest. “Don’t fucking dawdle!” he shouted. “You think I won’t shoot?”
Yu Zhi took off his helmet, revealing his harmless, delicate features. His appearance was handsome, straddling the line between youth and young adulthood, not feminine, but with a hint of boyish innocence. Holding only an ice cream, he looked completely non-threatening.
The bald man looked at him for a couple of seconds, then unhesitatingly aimed the gun at Lu Liming, whose dreadlocks clearly indicated he was from the streets.
He barked, “Hand over everything you two have!”
Lu Liming obediently handed over the fruit knife he had brought from Yu Zhi’s house.
The bald man snatched the fruit knife and stuffed it into his pocket, then turned to Yu Zhi, demanding, “What about yours?!”
Yu Zhi handed over the bitten vanilla ice cream.
The bald man: “???”
He cursed loudly, “Fuck you, are you messing with me?”
The bald man stepped up to Yu Zhi, keeping the gun trained on Lu Liming with his right hand while his left hand forcefully knocked Yu Zhi’s ice cream away and grabbed his collar.
Yu Zhi glanced at the wasted ice cream and immediately extended his other hand, “Here, take it.”
“Land Rover Defender, Meteorite Black.”
Hearing the name of the car, the bald man instinctively looked down.
A pale, slender hand, with nothing in the palm, not even a fingerprint.
“You dare-bang!”
Suddenly, a massive SUV appeared out of nowhere, crushing the bald man standing in front of Yu Zhi under its wheels.
“Ahhh—” the bald man screamed in pain.
His legs were pinned under the wheels, and the gun in his hand fell to the wall.
Unable to move or run, he could only watch as Yu Zhi picked up the gun, walked in front of him, and stepped on his left hand, grinding it down hard.
With ten fingers connected to the heart, he instantly broke out in a cold sweat from the pain, “Ahhhhhh—”
Yu Zhi half-squatted in front of him, aiming the gun at his forehead, the corners of his lips slightly curling up, “Don’t worry, I’m a good person.”
The bald man instinctively wanted to curse; what kind of good person steps on someone’s hand and points a gun at their forehead?
But at this moment, his life was in the other’s hands, and he nodded repeatedly, “You, you are definitely a great person.”
The next second, he heard Yu Zhi suddenly say, “See, I saved your life.”
Bald man: “???”
Lu Liming: “???”
Is this what saving someone looks like?
Yu Zhi said calmly, “I didn’t kill you, so I saved your life.”
“How will you repay me?”
Before anyone could speak, he continued, “How about this, hand over everything you have on you to thank me.”
Bald man: “???”
Lu Liming: “!!!”
[User “Bronze Player” appreciates your genuine hypocrisy.]
[User “Velvet Latte” marvels at your unique robbery.]
[User “Gaze of the Dark Eye” praises your beastly human face.]
So cool!!! (^-^)b