Chapter 31: Second Rank
The savory aroma of dinner grew richer by the minute, filling the cramped hotel room. Despite the limited ingredients, the stew Su Mubai had thrown together was a masterpiece—the potatoes were soft and tender, the luncheon meat rich and flavorful, and the vermicelli fully soaked in rich broth. Paired with steaming, fluffy white rice, it was practically a feast in this apocalyptic wasteland.
“Dinner is served!” Chu Yang eagerly helped carry the pot over to the table. The moment he set it down, he took a deep, exaggerated breath, his eyes narrowing as he nearly drooled. “Incredible! You’re ridiculously wife material, Su Mubai! Anyone who ends up marrying you must have saved the world in their past life—they’ll get to eat like royalty every single day!”
Su Mubai’s cheeks flushed slightly at the praise. “I just threw together whatever we had. As long as it’s edible, that’s all that matters.”
The four of them gathered around the table. Just as they picked up their chopsticks, Lin Xiao suddenly set his bowl down and pushed his chair back.
“Uh… I should go grab Lin Weiwei, right? She’s on her own next door with nothing to eat.”
Chu Yang, who was currently busy dishing out the rice, paused mid-scoop. Looking up, he gave Lin Xiao a teasing, exaggerated look. “Well, look at you, Old Lin! I never knew you were such a devoted gentleman! You never forget the pretty girl for a single second, do you? Delicious food is sitting right in front of your face, and you’re still thinking about the lady next door. Truly impressive!”
Embarrassed, Lin Xiao laughed and swatted at the air. “Get lost! I’m just letting her know dinner’s ready, what’s with all the commentary?!”
Chu Yang chuckled, dropping the joke.
Jiang Jue, however, noticed something else. The moment Lin Xiao mentioned calling Lin Weiwei, Su Mubai’s chopsticks froze mid-air. He cast a quick, complicated glance at Lin Xiao before immediately lowering his eyes, quietly chewing his rice in complete silence.
Glancing at the generous portion left in the pot and remembering that Lin Xiao and Su Mubai had supplied the ingredients, Chu Yang nodded. “Fair enough, go call her over. But just to be clear, this is all the food we’re making tonight. Once it’s gone, that’s it.”
Lin Xiao gave a quick nod and hurried out, knocking on the door to the neighboring room.
The door soon opened a crack, revealing Lin Weiwei’s cautious expression. The moment she recognized Lin Xiao, she relaxed, asking softly, “Brother Xiao, what’s up?”
“Dinner’s ready. It’s over in Third Brother’s room—come eat with us,” Lin Xiao said with a warm smile.
At the mention of food, Lin Weiwei’s eyes lit up. Starving after days on the run, she nodded eagerly. “Okay! I’ll be right there.” She quickly smoothed down her hair, straightened her clothes, and followed Lin Xiao back into Chu Yang’s room.
“Miss Lin, welcome. Take a seat and help yourself,” Chu Yang greeted her politely, stepping into his role as host.
Lin Weiwei murmured a soft “thank you” and took the empty seat beside Lin Xiao. She ate daintily, taking small, polite bites while occasionally sneaking glances across the table at Jiang Jue.
This Jiang Jue clearly isn’t someone to mess with, and his strength is terrifying, she mused quietly. Even Chu Yang listens to his every word. I need to be extra careful around him and make sure I never get on his bad side.
The dinner was lively enough, mostly fueled by the constant, playful banter between Chu Yang and Lin Xiao. Su Mubai chimed in occasionally, while Lin Weiwei stayed quiet, minding her manners.
Jiang Jue, as always, remained silent, eating with calm precision.
After polishing off the meal, the group lingered around the table to chat. Lin Xiao’s eyes eventually landed on Chu Yang and Jiang Jue, noticing their comfortable, loose cotton loungewear. He couldn’t help but groan in disbelief. “Holy crap, Third Brother, you really brought everything! It’s the end of the world, and you’re casually lounging in pajamas! We’ve been sleeping in our dirty clothes for days; it’s pure misery.”
Chu Yang raised his chin proudly. “Of course! What’s the point of having a Spatial Ability if you can’t use it? Comfort is everything. Even in an apocalypse, there’s no reason to treat yourself poorly.”
As he spoke, his gaze drifted across Su Mubai and Lin Xiao, his brow furrowing with concern. “Speaking of clothes, what’s the deal with you two? It’s literally freezing out there, several degrees below zero. Why didn’t you find some proper winter coats? I wanted to ask earlier—you’re just wearing thin windbreakers without even a sweater underneath. Aren’t you freezing to death?”
Indeed, Su Mubai and Lin Xiao were both clad in worn, thin black jackets that offered almost no insulation against the bitter frost.
Although awakening an ability improved one’s physical constitution and cold resistance, they were still flesh and blood. Enduring such extreme cold for prolonged periods was bound to take a toll.
At the mention of the cold, Lin Xiao instinctively shuddered, rubbing his arms. “How could we not be freezing? It’s so cold I can’t even fall asleep at night! We checked several clothing shops before, but they only had spring and summer stock left—not a single winter jacket in sight. These windbreakers were salvaged from a closet in an abandoned apartment. At least they cut the wind. If we were still wearing our old T-shirts and shorts, we would’ve turned into human icicles days ago!”
Chu Yang looked at their red noses and wind-chapped ears, shaking his head with a mock sigh of pity. “Are you two completely hopeless? When you’re searching for winter gear, you don’t check tiny boutiques—you hit high-end department stores or outdoor sporting outlets! Use your heads a little!”
He paused, taking in their miserable state, and waved a generous hand. “Whatever, whatever. Consider this a reward for contributing the groceries tonight—I’ll hook you up!”
Focusing his mind, Chu Yang reached into his storage space and pulled out several heavy winter items.
First, he sized up Lin Xiao. Standing at about 185 centimeters, Lin Xiao was only slightly shorter than Jiang Jue, sharing a similar tall, broad-shouldered build. Chu Yang tossed him a heavyweight 3XL black down parka, a pair of insulated thermal pants, and a set of tight-fitting thermal base layers. “Here, take these. 3XL should fit your frame. These base layers are top-grade stock I specifically hunted down; the insulation is incredible. The second you put them on, you’ll be toasty warm, even if you spend hours outside.”
Next, he turned to Su Mubai. At around 175 centimeters, Su Mubai was slightly shorter than Chu Yang. Chu Yang pulled out a light gray XL down parka, matching insulated pants, and a set of the same high-tech thermal underwear, handing them over. “Little Bai, these are yours. XL should be the perfect fit. Brother Jiang and I have been wearing these exact sets for the past few days. It’s freezing outside, but we haven’t felt a single draft. The fabric regulates your body heat automatically—super comfortable!”
Holding the thick, brand-new winter gear, Lin Xiao and Su Mubai’s eyes widened with pure gratitude. “Thank you, Third Brother! You’re an absolute lifesaver!”
“Don’t mention it! We’re on the same team, aren’t we?” Chu Yang waved it off with an easy grin.
Standing off to the side, Lin Weiwei watched Chu Yang hand out the clothes, her eyes brimming with eager anticipation as her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her jacket.
The cotton coat she was wearing was slightly thicker than a windbreaker, but it was filthy, frayed around the cuffs, and barely fended off the cold. She had spent the last few nights shivering non-stop.
She assumed Chu Yang would naturally pull out a set for her too. Yet after waiting patiently, she realized Chu Yang was entirely focused on chatting with Su Mubai, not sparing her a single glance.
A wave of bitter grievance washed over her. Unable to hold back, she spoke up softly, “Brother Chu…”
Chu Yang turned his head at the sound. “What’s up, Miss Lin?”
Lin Weiwei bit her lower lip, putting on her most delicate, pitiful expression. “My coat is really thin… It’s freezing at night when I try to sleep. I was wondering if you might have an extra winter jacket you could spare for me?…” She deliberately softened her voice into a gentle plea, confident that no man would turn her down.
Chu Yang offered a casual shrug, a polite but distant expression settling over his face. “Ah, sorry about that, Miss Lin. As a guy, I only stockpiled men’s clothing in my space. I never collected any women’s winter gear.” His tone was polite, but carried a firm, unmistakable boundary.
Disappointment crashed over Lin Weiwei. She was on the verge of saying that men’s sizes would work just fine, but noticing Chu Yang’s complete lack of interest in continuing the conversation, she swallowed her words.
She gritted her teeth in silence. Fine. At least her current coat blocked the wind—it was better than nothing.
Seeing that the hour was late and the snowstorm outside was worsening, the small gathering wound down. Lin Xiao and Lin Weiwei stepped out to their room, while Su Mubai returned to his own lodgings down the hall.
Once the door clicked shut, the room plunged into quiet stillness, leaving only Chu Yang and Jiang Jue.
Chu Yang turned to Jiang Jue, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Brother Jiang, should we absorb some more crystal cores tonight? I feel like I’m right on the edge of the second rank! The energy in my body is practically vibrating!”
Jiang Jue nodded, retrieving a handful of translucent cores from his pocket. “All right.”
Without another word, each held a crystal core in their palms, closed their eyes, and began drawing the pure, refined energy inward.
Time slipped past in absolute silence.
Chu Yang felt his consciousness sink into an expanding void. His spatial domain, which had started to feel somewhat constrained, began pushing its invisible boundaries outward, growing vastly wider, deeper, and more stable.
When he opened his eyes again, a sharp, brilliant light flashed across his pupils. A profound lightness washed over his entire body, accompanied by a far more precise mastery over his spatial powers—he had successfully broken through to the second rank!
Almost in the exact same second, Jiang Jue opened his eyes beside him.
Opening his palm, a sharp crackle resonated through the room as arcs of electricity danced across his fingertips. The lightning was noticeably deeper and denser than before, shimmering with an intense, crackling violet hue that visibly warped the surrounding air.
He had stepped into the second rank as well.
Sensing the formidable energy radiating from Jiang Jue, Chu Yang leaned in close, watching the violet sparks with pure fascination. “Brother Jiang, your lightning… the color is way darker now! That looks ten times more lethal!”
Jiang Jue curled his fingers, dispersing the current as he felt the surging power settling within his veins. Looking down at Chu Yang, a rare glimmer of quiet satisfaction touched his eyes. “Mm. And your space?”
“It expanded by a ton!” Chu Yang gestured enthusiastically with his arms. “I can fit so much more loot in there now! Gathering supplies is going to be effortless!”
The two looked at each other, the shared thrill of growing stronger passing silently between them.
The next morning, pale winter sunlight filtered through the third-floor hotel window, casting a warm glow across the room.
Chu Yang remained buried under the thick duvet, fast asleep. He was clutching Jiang Jue’s arm tightly, his head resting against the man’s shoulder, his nose buried in the warm fabric of the sleeve. His breathing was slow, deep, and steady, his brows completely relaxed in peaceful slumber.
Jiang Jue had been awake since the first crack of dawn.
He could feel a dull numbness creeping through his left arm from Chu Yang’s weight cutting off the circulation. Yet just as he tried to gently slide his arm free, the sleeping youth frowned in his sleep, let out an incoherent mumble, and tightened his grip like a clingy kitten, clamping onto his “human body pillow” as if terrified it would vanish.
Jiang Jue’s hand paused in mid-air. A faint, quiet smile touched the corners of his eyes. His fingertips rested lightly on Chu Yang’s back, gently patting him in a soothing rhythm.
Deciding against moving, he simply lay on his side, quietly watching Chu Yang’s sleep-flushed cheeks and the messy tufts of hair sticking up from his forehead. Listening to the boy’s soft, rhythmic breaths, he didn’t feel the slightest bit restless.
Knock, knock, knock—
A sharp, hurried rapping at the door suddenly shattered the peaceful silence.
Chu Yang stirred uncomfortably, his brows pinching tightly. “Mmm… quiet down…” he grumbled in his sleep, rolling over irritably with his back to the noise to continue sleeping.
Jiang Jue’s brow furrowed, cold displeasure flashing across his face at the disturbance.
The knocking persisted, thud, thud, thud, without stopping. Fearing it would fully wake Chu Yang, Jiang Jue quietly lifted the duvet, slipped out of bed, strode to the door, and pulled it open.
Out in the hallway, Su Mubai had his knuckles raised, about to knock again.
He had expected Chu Yang to answer with a cheerful morning smile, but instead found himself staring directly into Jiang Jue’s expressionless, icy face, his dark eyes carrying the sharp chill of dawn.
The bright smile on Su Mubai’s face froze instantly. His raised hand hovered awkwardly in the air, and he instinctively took half a step back as the air around them seemed to drop several degrees.
His throat went dry, his heart thumping against his ribs—Jiang Jue’s intimidating presence was simply overwhelming.
“Mr. Jiang, good morning…” Su Mubai’s voice dropped to a timid whisper as he struggled to keep his composure. “Um… I finished making breakfast. It’s hot noodle soup with cured meat and cabbage… I came to let you two know so we could eat together.” As he spoke, his eyes darted nervously behind Jiang Jue, silently praying for Chu Yang to appear and rescue him from the suffocating tension.
Right on cue, Chu Yang finally dragged himself out of bed, awoken by the voices.
With his hair standing up in a messy nest, rubbing his groggy eyes, he shuffled over and poked his head out from behind Jiang Jue’s broad shoulders. His voice was thick with sleep: “Little Bai…? What’s going on? Is it breakfast time?”
Seeing Chu Yang, Su Mubai looked as though he had spotted a savior. He let out a visible breath of relief, nodding quickly as his tone brightened. “Yeah, it’s ready! Fresh, hot noodle soup. You two should wash up and come over while it’s piping hot!”
“Awesome! We’ll be right there! You’re an absolute saint, Little Bai!” The mere mention of hot noodle soup wiped away the last traces of Chu Yang’s sleepiness, his eyes sparkling with delight.
After a quick wash, Chu Yang and Jiang Jue walked into the room next door, immediately greeted by the rich, comforting fragrance of freshly cooked broth.
Su Mubai’s culinary skills truly never disappointed. Several steaming bowls of noodles were laid out across the table—the broth was crystal-clear and savory, the thin slices of cured pork were slightly crisped around the edges, and the tender green cabbage leaves looked vibrant and appetizing, instantly making their stomachs rumble with anticipation.
