Is there something that could keep this person so utterly distracted? Could it be that his accomplices had begun to make their move? But even if they had realized something, it was already too late by now, wasn’t it?
“Mental ability users are such a hassle… If he hadn’t shown up to stir things up, the plan would’ve been smoothly executed by now! But with just him alone, all he can do is disrupt one step at best. By the time he realizes, everything will already be irreversible… Let’s see what you can do then!”
Although Tang Hao had given up resistance, he hadn’t completely pinned his hopes for survival on Ling Mo’s mood. In his eyes, the most troublesome person in this group was this youth. Even though he was now captured, it didn’t mean their side had lost. Especially considering Ling Mo’s decision to prioritize rescuing the little girl-it struck Tang Hao as utterly foolish.
“Go ahead, go ahead. Just one look at your state, and it’s obvious you have a lot on your mind. And judging by the look in your eyes, your distraction isn’t ordinary either… Facing me with that attitude is one thing, but if you behave like this in front of Qi-Ge later…”
Just then, Ling Mo suddenly turned his head, startling Tang Hao out of his mocking internal monologue. “Wh-what?”
Ling Mo gave him a calm look and asked, “Who is Qi-Ge? And what is his superpower?”
Tang Hao swallowed hard, a faint sense of unease creeping in. There was something disturbingly unique about Ling Mo’s gaze, leaving him uncomfortable. Perhaps it was due to the residual effects of his partial zombie transformation that Tang Hao was now more perceptive than before. He noticed that within Ling Mo’s clear, bright eyes, there were occasional flashes of something entirely different, something foreign. It was as if another living being resided in his mind.
If Tang Hao’s zombie transformation had been purely physical, then Ling Mo’s presence gave the impression of a psychological zombification.
But that wasn’t all. Once Tang Hao met Ling Mo’s eyes, he felt as if his emotions were slipping out of his control… What started as mild fright had now escalated; his palms were slick with sweat, and even the pain in his body seemed to intensify with the tension.
Some little girls might find such eyes alluring and mysterious. But Tang Hao felt they concealed an unseen dark shadow, one that exuded a sense of profound danger and oppressive weight.
“He… he’s one of the earliest members… Although he isn’t the boss in name, most things were actually decided after discussing with him. Or rather, it wasn’t so much a discussion as it was seeking his advice. Many of the major decisions were proposed by him,” Tang Hao said nervously. “Although the current companions don’t really know it, Qi-Ge should essentially be the real boss. It’s just that he thinks such responsibilities are too troublesome, so he refuses to take the title…”
“Oh… aren’t you quite clever? Seizing the chance to quickly absolve yourself from all responsibility. Are you trying to say that this incident has nothing to do with you? That you were merely assisting from the sidelines?” Ling Mo interrupted him with a cold sneer.
Tang Hao’s lips parted, but he stayed silent, guilt flickering in his expression.
Carrying the title of boss while taking the initiative to confront Xiao Bai, it was indeed a bit pointless to try defending himself at this stage…
He sighed and said, “Qi-Ge… his superpower is very unique… You mentioned earlier that my ability belongs to the enhancement ability system, right? That classification is quite accurate. I suppose a lot of survivors have developed a standardized way of identifying these powers. At first, I was only familiar with the concept of the mental ability system, and later, the enhancement ability system as well. But Qi-Ge’s ability…”
“An elemental ability?” Ling Mo asked.
This type of superhuman power was very rare, and its potency varied greatly depending on the individual. Yuwen Xuan was one such example.
If “Qi-Ge” was neither a mental nor enhancement type, then it was highly probable his ability belonged to this category…
“No… Elemental abilities, though I’ve never seen one personally, can be vaguely imagined based on the name. They should be related to nature, right? Things like metal, wood, water, fire, earth, or perhaps wind, rain, thunder, and lightning… That said, human abilities probably aren’t as exaggerated as those elements suggest. I think it’s more like how some animals can sense certain special phenomena in the natural world and utilize them,” Tang Hao explained. Ŗ𝒶₦𝐎𝐛Εʂ
“Not entirely accurate, but the general idea isn’t wrong.”
“Heh, my wife used to be a biology teacher, so…” Tang Hao seemed to brighten up slightly, but as soon as he mentioned the past, his expression darkened again. Fortunately, this time he managed to compose himself quickly and didn’t lose control.
“Well then…” Ling Mo pondered for a moment before a term came to mind. He frowned and said, “Could it be that he belongs to the mutation system? Aside from the three systems we mentioned, the only one left is the mutation system.”
Regarding the mutation system, Ling Mo had heard about it quite some time ago, but he didn’t have a solid understanding of it. The mutation system, in essence, referred to humans who experienced variations due to the influence of the virus, leading to some unique mutations. This category of superhuman was the rarest of all.
“If someone belongs to the mutation system, there should be some physical traits that distinguish them from other humans. Even if they don’t show these traits most of the time, they’ll definitely become visible when they activate their powers! It’s like… a chameleon!” Ling Mo explained.
“Mutation system?” Tang Hao pondered for a moment and then quickly nodded. “Yes, that’s it!” Though he was being interrogated, his excitement leaked through. Perhaps it had been a long time since he encountered survivors from other places. Just understanding these foundational concepts seemed to spark a sense of newfound curiosity in him.
No matter how abilities mutate, it seemed like the basic human nature remained dominant-at least until any lasting effects or side effects fully manifested.
“So, how exactly did he mutate?” Ling Mo, intrigued, followed up with another question.
He hadn’t expected to encounter someone with powers from the mutation system here-especially not a unique superhuman capable of “transforming.” It was extraordinary enough that they’d developed a mutated ability, but to layer a secondary mutation on top of that… what could such an ability evolve into?
“Well… when I first met him, he seemed just like a regular enhancement ability superhuman. But later, he started conducting some sort of special research. After that… he somehow gained an extra sister.” As Tang Hao resumed his story, his expression turned a bit odd, and his tone was tinged with uncertainty. When he got to this point, he hastily added, “I swear I’m not making this up!”
“Everything about that sounds made up…” Ling Mo was momentarily dumbfounded. Gained… an extra sister? What kind of research results in that? Could it be… reproduction?
When it came to reproduction, someone he knew had also been persistently conducting research in that area…
But now wasn’t the time to entertain such tangents. With things developing on multiple fronts, time was of the essence. Ling Mo snapped back to focus and pressed firmly, “Can you explain this more clearly?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to explain; it’s just that… even I find it a bit unbelievable, so I worry you won’t take me seriously,” Tang Hao said hesitantly, pressing his lips together as if trying to find the right words. “If I want you to believe me, I guess I’ll need to start with Qi-Ge’s own situation… He… he’s different from us ordinary people. In fact, I think his difference could very well be the source of his superpower. You know, right? A person’s original condition can sometimes influence the type of abilities they develop later… And in this regard, Qi-Ge’s circumstances are particularly… unique.”
He hesitated for a moment before finally continuing, “Qi-Ge’s body is… unusual. He isn’t purely male. There are also some feminine characteristics in him… Of course, this is just my guess because I’ve never seen it with my own eyes. But I’m certain… it must be true.”
“How can you be so sure?” Ling Mo asked.
While this wasn’t the sort of thing someone would typically make up, it was still hard to believe without concrete evidence. Since even Tang Hao didn’t seem to have any solid proof, Ling Mo wasn’t inclined to simply take his word for it. By this point, they had walked a fair distance down the alley, moving farther and farther away from the main street.
Tang Hao glanced up at Ling Mo and replied, “Otherwise, how else could he transform into a woman?”