Chapter 37 – Chi Hao, Mind-Blown
“Woof woof!” Yuan Bao barked angrily at Chi Hao, who was making noises.
Tang Yu’an, who had originally stopped in his tracks, quickly put down Wang Cai, reached out to pat the puppy’s head, and calmed it down before taking out a happy marble from his portable storage.
He continued to step forward toward Chi Hao.
Zhou Qi also noticed that Chi Hao had awakened. He gathered his thoughts and followed behind Tang Yu’an.
“You’re awake,” Tang Yu’an was the first to speak.
Chi Hao, who had been murmuring due to a headache, immediately became alert. He jerked himself upright, ignoring the pain from his injuries.
Upon seeing that the person before him was an innocent-looking child, he let out a slight sigh of relief. However, when he saw Zhou Qi following closely, he nervously leaned back against the wall, not daring to let his guard down.
“You saved me?”
Earlier on the way back, Chi Hao had awakened briefly. He still had lingering memories of thinking he was dreaming at that moment.
But now, it was real…
“Yes, would you like some water first?” Tang Yu’an handed him the remaining glucose solution he had given him earlier.
“Ah… thank you…”
Chi Hao, still groggy, took a sip and was suddenly stunned—it was the familiar high-concentration sugar water!
He looked around the environment and, upon seeing the goods in the front room’s cabinets, confirmed that he had indeed returned to the grocery store.
“This is the Peace Grocery Store?”
Chi Hao blurted out, “You saved me this afternoon?”
He touched his head, noticing that the area where he was injured was also bandaged in the same manner. His tone was more of a statement, already certain that these two young men had saved him.
Since Tang Yu’an had already discussed this with Zhou Qi earlier, he naturally knew how to respond next.
“Yes, we saved you this afternoon.” He nodded, acknowledging the gratitude.
“Then why did you abandon me… send me away, and now you’ve brought me back?” Chi Hao asked, his face full of confusion.
He wasn’t accusing or dissatisfied, just genuinely puzzled.
Knowing how dangerous the wilderness was, why couldn’t they wait until his injuries were more stable or until he was fully awake before letting him leave?
If they had truly abandoned him, that might have been understandable. But having to risk another night to rescue him after he was already in danger seemed reckless.
When Chi Hao was lying in the ditch, he genuinely felt like he was left to die, never expecting to be saved a second time.
“Well…” Tang Yu’an scratched his head, “We didn’t have much choice. The mysterious merchant has regulations that the grocery store cannot receive customers outside of business hours.”
“Mysterious merchant…”
Chi Hao widened his eyes. “So you’re also employees of the mysterious merchant?”
Tang Yu’an nodded.
Zhou Qi added, “You were probably recruited as staff members, right? Plus, with the benefits they offer, we received the mission to save you, and you can enter Peace Grocery Store even during non-operating hours.”
Chi Hao looked between them, feeling as though he had stumbled upon something extraordinary.
He nodded, somewhat dazedly probing, “So who exactly is this mysterious merchant?”
Tang Yu’an glanced at Zhou Qi.
Zhou Qi was solemn, his eyes determined. “To us, the mysterious merchant is like a savior!”
“Yes, yes,” Tang Yu’an agreed, nodding.
“All things in the Peace Grocery Store belong to the mysterious merchant. We only need to work hard to earn supplies to survive in the wasteland and to receive the store’s protection at night, avoiding harm from mutated creatures.”
“Exactly.” Tang Yu’an nodded again.
Looking at the two young men, Chi Hao frowned.
Perhaps because life in the fortress was relatively comfortable, he was only surprised by the supplies in the grocery store but not particularly interested, as he could still trade within the fortress.
As for receiving protection at night…
Hiding in a building does provide some safety, but avoiding mutated creatures? That seemed a bit exaggerated. This grocery store didn’t look particularly sturdy.
Or perhaps there was something marvelous about it that he didn’t know?
Zhou Qi also noticed Chi Hao’s skepticism about the grocery store. Without further explanation, he simply said, “Once you’re feeling better, you can go out and see for yourself.”
Chi Hao slightly opened his mouth but didn’t press further.
Indeed, as he had heard, seeing is believing. It would be better for him to go out and see for himself.
He then asked, “How should I address you?”
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi introduced themselves. After exchanging names with Chi Hao, the atmosphere relaxed a bit, and both parties had gained a preliminary level of trust.
“Then… have you activated the employee panel?” Chi Hao asked.
“Have you not activated it yet?” Tang Yu’an asked, picking up Yuan Bao and sitting beside him, knowingly questioning.
Yuan Bao nestled in Tang Yu’an’s lap, his eyes fixed tightly on Chi Hao, baring his teeth as if ready to bite at the slightest provocation.
Chi Hao hadn’t recognized him and hadn’t expected that this cute-looking puppy was related to the giant dog that had scared him away.
Any unfriendliness toward him was simply ignored.
“Yes, it’s activated,” Chi Hao nodded. “What’s the use of it being activated?”
“It allows you to exchange points for items,” Tang Yu’an explained.
“Points?” Chi Hao looked at the light screen, which seemed to show he had a monthly wage of 10 points. He couldn’t help but ask, “What can points be exchanged for?”
“Everyone’s exchange options are different,” Zhou Qi said. “The glucose I gave you was exchanged using the employee panel.”
Chi Hao suddenly realized that even high-concentration sugar water could be exchanged, making it quite valuable!
He needed it desperately right now.
No, he quickly rose, feeling he hadn’t properly thanked them yet.
Regardless of what the mysterious merchant was, these two kids had saved him twice. It was undeniable; he had been incredibly lucky to be rescued.
In the wasteland, the dangers weren’t just mutated creatures and the environment but also other humans.
Having a stranger willing to help when life was in danger was like encountering a living deity.
“Thank you both for saving me.”
He earnestly thanked the two young men, touched his body, and felt a bit uneasy. “Sorry, I don’t have anything valuable on me. I’ll find a way to repay you later.”
Tang Yu’an wouldn’t be foolish enough to say otherwise. Any valuable items he had were already taken by them.
Following Chi Hao’s words, he innocently asked, “Chi Hao, are you from the fortress? How did you end up in the Desolate city? And why are you so seriously injured?”
Chi Hao first nodded, then vaguely said, “I… encountered a mutated creature on the road.”
This statement was obviously half-true.
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi had met him earlier, so Tang knew he came to the Desolate city with a purpose. Moreover, he had a companion named Old Xie who was missing.
No, it was normal for him to withhold information. After all, they had just met and hadn’t yet earned each other’s trust.
“What kind of mutated creature?” Zhou Qi asked, following his words.
“A mutated giant dog with four eyes,” Chi Hao whispered. “You’re active in this area, so be careful.”
As for mutated tigers, as long as one doesn’t seek trouble in the city center, they’re rarely encountered.
However, upon hearing this, Tang Yu’an almost couldn’t hold his facial expression, and Yuan Bao, nestled in his arms, bared his teeth even more fiercely at Chi Hao.
Zhou Qi raised an eyebrow, “You fell into the ditch earlier… was it because of it?”
Hearing the young man straightforwardly say that he fell into the ditch, Chi Hao’s expression became tense.
Black history! A complete black history!
After all, he was at least a captain-level figure. If word got out that he was chased by dogs, fell into a ditch, and nearly died, not only would he be chased, but his reputation would also suffer.
Chi Hao cleared his throat and said, “It’s… just an accident.”
Seeing his uneasy demeanor, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi guessed that Yuan Bao had seen him when he returned, causing him to flee in panic and fall into the ditch.
This also explained why Yuan Bao probably didn’t see him initially but was able to find him quickly after following Yin Bi’s arrangement.
Tang Yu’an patted Yuan Bao’s head but couldn’t help but glance at Chi Hao’s employee profile.
After all, his comprehensive ability rating was only C, which was understandable—his potential was still quite high, and he could grow to an S level.
Chi Hao was reluctant to talk about the central ruined city, and Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi didn’t press him. They were more familiar with the world outside the city.
“So, brother, are you a mutant?” Tang Yu’an asked knowingly.
“Mutant?” Chi Hao responded oddly. “That’s a derogatory term. In the fortress, we don’t call it that anymore. You shouldn’t call others that, or you’ll get beaten.”
“Then what do you call it?”
“Special Ability Users, or simply Ability Users.”
Tang Yu’an nodded, as it was similar to being an esper. Old Li wouldn’t suspect them upon hearing this.
So he nodded and continued, “What are things like in the fortress? Can you tell us about it?”
Chi Hao looked at his fair, soft face and those clear, bright eyes, and couldn’t help but wonder, “Aren’t you from the fortress?”
Why would he ask such a question?
“No,” Tang Yu’an said according to the plan he had discussed with Zhou Qi. “My brother and I haven’t left the desolate city. Everything in the fortress is based on what the Ability Users in the desolate city have told us.”
“He hasn’t been to the fortress for a long time, so what we know isn’t the latest.” Tang Yu’an added, half-truthfully.
Chi Hao looked surprised. “But you guys don’t look like it…”
They looked well-fed and seemingly harmless, not like the children raised in the wasteland outside the fortress.
Even within the fortress, such children were rare.
“Because we were recruited by the mysterious merchant as store clerks,” Tang Yu’an explained confidently. “As long as we work hard and earn points, we don’t have to worry about food and drink, and of course, we stay healthier.”
Chi Hao remained silent, suddenly feeling that it might be necessary to study the points system carefully—how to use it and exchange items.
There must be things he needed in the grocery store, like that high-concentration sugar water and food.
“So, what’s it like in the fortress?” Tang Yu’an continued, “Do the children study there?”
Chi Hao snapped back to reality and nodded. “Of course they study. Especially Ability Users, to enhance their strength, they need not only physical training but also a smart mind.”
“As for what it’s like inside the fortress…” Chi Hao reminisced, “It’s probably the place closest to the pre-disaster world on the wasteland.”
“The fortress is surrounded by towering walls that isolate the wasteland. Except for domesticated pets, ordinary people might never encounter mutated creatures in their lifetime.”
“They live peacefully inside the fortress, and compared to people in the wasteland, their lives are relatively prosperous.”
Of course, this was relative.
Children like him, who awakened their abilities at a young age and were selected for the Ability User training base, were rare in the fortress. Not only were they well-fed and could receive a good education, but also, after graduating, they joined Ability User squads and became squad leaders at a young age.
So, enclosing a place with walls is indeed an effective way to defend against mutated creatures, but…
“What if a natural disaster occurs?” Zhou Qi asked.
“Inside the fortress, there are special Ability Users designated to handle such situations. When a disaster strikes, they are organized and combine their strengths to resist the calamity.”
At this point, Chi Hao looked at Zhou Qi and asked, “Have you awakened your abilities?”
He had seen through Zhou Qi just as Old Li had.
Zhou Qi pressed his lips together, somewhat puzzled, “How did you figure that out?”
“In general, Ability Users can sense each other,” Chi Hao explained. “Because you two saved my life and I have nothing to offer in return, I’m sharing more information.”
“You must have just awakened, so your sensing abilities are still weak. They will improve over time.”
Zhou Qi could indeed feel his five senses enhancing and even developed an ability to sense things—like sensing the ebb of Chi Hao’s life force.
“But aren’t there exceptions?” he asked.
“What?”
“If the other party has abilities, can I always sense them?”
Hearing this, Chi Hao chuckled lightly.
“Of course not,” he said. “Ability Users also vary in rank.”
Levels 1 to 3 are low-tier, 4 to 6 are mid-tier, and 7 to 9 are high-tier.
“The higher the level, the more powerful they are. They can completely overpower lower-tier Ability Users. At lower levels, it’s not obvious, but starting from mid-tier, each tier can crush the next.”
“Of course, just because you can’t sense someone doesn’t mean they’re lower-tier. Some Ability Users are naturally good at disguising themselves… *cough cough*”
After speaking too much in one breath, Chi Hao couldn’t help but cough.
Tang Yu’an quickly poured him a glass of water. After he slowly drank it, Zhou Qi continued, “So does awakening have no side effects?”
“Of course it does…” Chi Hao paused, looked at the young man in front of him, “I can only say that in the early stages of awakening, you must control your desires. As for more techniques… how old are you this year?”
“Fifteen,” Zhou Qi replied.
Chi Hao couldn’t help but glance at his physique and nodded. “Not bad. If you come to Qingmu Fortress, I could recommend you to the Ability User training base. Your age fits the requirements.”
Chi Hao was indeed from Qingmu Fortress.
“At the training base, you can learn a lot. The instructors will help you unlock your potential and become a high-tier Ability User.” He continued.
Of course, after graduation, you need to serve the fortress for a period, but the benefits during service are good.
“Thank you, I’ll think about it,” Zhou Qi didn’t directly refuse Chi Hao’s offer.
“Sure, no problem. You can come find me anytime,” Chi Hao said with a smile.
Seeing that he stopped at the details, Tang Yu’an secretly sighed. There was no need to ask about parasitic organisms or symbiotic ecology; Chi Hao probably wouldn’t answer.
He then continued, “So, Chi Hao, what tier are you as an Ability User?”
“Me?” Chi Hao smiled, “I’m a mid-tier Ability User. As for the exact level, guess.”
Ability Users don’t usually disclose their levels casually, even to two seemingly harmless young men.
However, Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but mutter to himself, “Is he really mid-tier? With only a C comprehensive ability… that should be level 4, right? Seems about right.”
“What’s the highest tier of Ability Users in this world?” he asked curiously.
Chi Hao shook his head. “So far, no level 9 Ability Users have surfaced. We don’t know if there are any top-tier humans.”
“If there are none, why categorize the tiers?” Tang Yu’an asked, puzzled.
Chi Hao showed a trace of regret on his face. “There are no level 9 Ability Users, but there are level 9 mutated creatures.”
So that’s what it was…
“Are there many level 9 mutated creatures?” Tang Yu’an asked like a curious child, one question after another.
“Of course not,” Chi Hao laughed. “Level 9 is almost legendary. If there were many, humans wouldn’t be able to survive.”
That made sense. Tang Yu’an nodded.
He still had some lingering curiosity and wanted to ask more detailed questions. However, after glancing at Chi Hao’s employee panel and noticing his health had already dropped from 27% to 26%, he chose to stop.
So fragile! His health dropped just from talking!
“Chi Hao, you should rest first. We’re going to sleep. Can we ask you more questions later?” Tang Yu’an said.
Chi Hao also felt too tired to stay alert. Hearing this was like a pardon, and he nodded. “Sure.”
Watching the two young men say goodnight to their three pets, turn off the lights, and climb up to the attic to sleep, Chi Hao suddenly realized—
This small grocery store actually had lights!
What was powering them? Fuel? After waking up, he had always heard the roaring sound of machinery running. It must be generators, right?
He was okay, but fuel was a controlled resource in the fortress… Could it also be exchanged in the grocery store?
Chi Hao became increasingly curious about the mysterious merchant.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t stay here forever. Once he was healed, he would definitely leave.
Chi Hao hadn’t forgotten his mission.
His most important task now was to return to the fortress and report the situation here to headquarters.
Even though there was a pet base in front of the ruined city, the mutated creatures here were unusual in both number and level. In that central area, there might indeed be…
Chi Hao pressed his lips together, thinking of his missing companion. A hint of sadness showed on his face.
He shook his head, quickly wiped away his tears, and pulled himself together.
Why bother? From the day they accepted the dispatch mission, they knew how dangerous the wasteland was, constantly risking their lives. But they still came out, naturally preparing themselves mentally.
No matter what, they couldn’t let Old Xie’s sacrifice go in vain.
At that moment, in the void before Chi Hao, a familiar light screen popped up, emitting light in the pitch-black darkness.
[Congratulations on your recognition. The mysterious merchant has activated your employee panel. Click to enter and view.]
Chi Hao was stunned for a moment, then fumbled to click the screen.
The light screen no longer displayed just text but transformed into a new interface with two icons: Store and Performance.
He first clicked on the Store.
Unlike Zhou Qi’s store, which was brimming with items, Chi Hao’s store page currently only unlocked two items.
[Glucose: 1 point/10g]
[Milk: 50 points/L]
There were many greyed-out icons behind them, which Chi Hao could only browse but not exchange. After quickly scanning them, his gaze fell on the last item.
[Fuel: 20 points/L]
Peace Grocery Store indeed sold fuel! And 1 liter of fuel was only 20 points? It was even cheaper than milk!
Chi Hao tentatively clicked on Milk.
[Insufficient points. Please work harder to earn more points. Friendly Reminder: Points can be used not only to exchange for goods but also to unlock greyed-out items and additional benefits.]
Chi Hao blinked, curiously clicking on Fuel to check it out, only to discover—
Holy moly! Unlocking Fuel required 500 points.
Then he checked his points balance: 10 points.
Chi Hao: “……”
Fine, he obediently looked at “Glucose.”
He hesitated for a moment but chose to exchange it.
His body was currently weak, and to repair, he needed to replenish a large amount of energy. This high-concentration, easily absorbable sugar was perfect.
Besides… he was indeed a bit hungry.
Originally, after exchanging, the two young men would come downstairs to give it to him. However, after successfully deducting the points, the text on the light screen changed to—
[“Glucose” exchange successful. Please choose a delivery address.]
[1. Ping’an Grocery Store Warehouse (Permission not granted)]
[2. Personal Storage (Not activated)]
[Delivery failed…]
[Instant Delivery feature activated. Please select a container for the goods (Touch the container with your finger to select it).]
Chi Hao stared blankly at the text on the light screen. There were many typos. Could he have misunderstood something?
But he still tentatively reached out and touched the cup Tang Yu’an had given him earlier.
[Container selected. Receiving… Delivery successful! Please check your receipt.]
Chi Hao dumbfoundedly stared at the water cup. In the transparent glass, a small pile of white, powdery substance seemed to magically appear out of thin air.
He tried tasting it and confirmed—it was the glucose he had just exchanged!
???
Chi Hao stared blankly at the light screen’s Store interface, knowing that he could exchange points for goods but not realizing it worked this way!
Was this only effective within the grocery store, or could items exchanged in the wilderness also be delivered directly to him?
Chi Hao was completely shocked.
*
In the Attic.
After activating Chi Hao’s employee panel, Tang Yu’an lay comfortably in the warm bed, stretching lazily before quickly feeling sleepy.
The shadow umbrella floated quietly above them, and Yuan Bao and Wang Cai guarded the attic stairs. They didn’t need to worry about potential threats from Chi Hao.
Soon, the two young men fell asleep.
The night grew deeper, with the sounds of insects rising and nocturnal animals beginning to roam, making the desolate wilderness lively.
A pitch-black shadow suddenly flashed through the ruins, approaching the direction of the grocery store amidst the chaotic flapping of birds’ wings…
