Chapter 44: I’m a Vibe of Delicate Weakness (13)
Jiang Zhiyan gripped the railing tightly, her body trembling slightly, as if the slightest touch would make her collapse on the spot.
“I…” Si Xu felt like she had lost the ability to speak.
“Senior, it’s okay, you don’t have to answer me.” Jiang Zhiyan forced a smile. “I don’t want you to feel pressured.”
Jiang Zhiyan lowered her head dejectedly: “It’s okay, Senior.”
She didn’t mean to force Si Xu to give her an answer right now. Looking at Si Xu’s flustered expression, Jiang Zhiyan knew she had achieved her goal.
After this series of moves, Si Xu’s mind was completely in disarray. She stared blankly at Jiang Zhiyan, wanting to speak several times, but Jiang Zhiyan didn’t give her the chance.
Jiang Zhiyan knew Si Xu had a soft spot for her, so in such a pitiful state, it would be difficult for Si Xu to reject her harshly, and Si Xu did have feelings for her.
Qian Rongrong returned, dragging her exhausted body, and collapsed on the floor. Her tail thumped against the ground, and for a moment, because of her exhaustion, she didn’t notice that the atmosphere between Jiang Zhiyan and Si Xu was even stranger than in the morning.
“Senior Qian, I have a great idea.” Jiang Zhiyan looked at Qian Rongrong’s tail.
Qian Rongrong looked at Jiang Zhiyan questioningly.
“Does your tail create wind when you swing it?”
Qian Rongrong: ???
“Are you even speaking human language? I’m exhausted, and you still want to exploit me.” Qian Rongrong looked at Si Xu. “Si Xu, tell her, does she sound reasonable?”
Si Xu, her mind still a mess, looked at Qian Rongrong, not even hearing what she said, and replied casually: “You do need more training.”
“Huh?” Qian Rongrong pushed herself off the floor and moved away.
She didn’t want to interact with these two anymore, she was angry.
Even though they were having a lovers’ quarrel, they could still team up to bully her.
Well, she was still entertained.
Ten minutes passed quickly, followed by various comprehensive training sessions where they could use their abilities. Qian Rongrong felt slightly better.
Jiang Zhiyan’s ability was still incredibly useful, and her use of it had reached a new level. This ability, while called “atmosphere creation,” was actually about manipulating people’s perceptions. So while before she would run one lap and make people think she ran two, now she could pretend to have completed the entire training without doing anything.
Si Xu diligently completed all the training and continued to practice her ability during breaks. She replicated a hundred copies of the equipment that required queuing at the training ground.
Those who were trying to avoid training by waiting in line: …
“Host, it’s a good thing there are no surveillance cameras here.” The system complained.
“Even if there were, I wouldn’t be afraid. If they want to talk to me, they have to do it face-to-face, and as long as it’s face-to-face, I can fool them.”
The system was numb.
The morning training ended, and Jiang Zhiyan, looking exhausted, was supported by Si Xu as they walked back.
“You’re really shameless.”
“You’re one to talk.”
System: …
Indeed, how could Jiang Zhiyan possibly be embarrassed?
The two went to the bathroom to queue for showers. Evolved humans could shower every day, but only for five minutes each time. Ordinary people could shower twice a week.
There were six evolved humans with water-related abilities in the base, and a water recycling system had already been established, so although water resources were scarce, it wasn’t a critical issue.
Of the six water-based evolved humans, three were level six and three were level five, which showed how important water was. The two electricity-based evolved humans that Jiang Zhiyan brought had also started working. Because of their special abilities, they only needed to go out and search for supplies once a month.
After showering, Jiang Zhiyan was about to go back to sleep when she was called to another meeting.
“I’m speechless, why are there so many meetings?” Jiang Zhiyan complained.
This time, it was the head of the External Operations Department who called the meeting.
Hearing that they needed to select a group of people to investigate A University, Jiang Zhiyan took a sip of water and twitched her lips.
Recent photos of A University were circulated among the crowd, and Jiang Zhiyan shed tears of “grief.”
System: Crying so sadly now, when she was clearly so happy blowing up the school.
The other people from A University didn’t look too good either.
“My graduation thesis, my graduation thesis, aaaaaaah!” One person burst into tears, clutching their head. “I’ve already delayed my graduation for a year!”
“It’s fine, the university is gone.” The person beside them comforted.
The person cried even louder, looking as if they would faint.
System: …
“Host, what do we do now?” The system asked. “It seems we’ve done something terrible.”
“So next time, consider the consequences before making a decision, and have a backup plan.” Jiang Zhiyan said.
“Then what about now? How do we fix this now?” The system looked at the photo. Whoever took it had a good eye for composition. Behind the A University sign was a scene of complete devastation, desolate and miserable.
“Who do you think did it? During the meeting yesterday morning, they said the danger level at A University was very high, and today it’s completely gone.”
“A higher-level lifeform? The explosion was precisely contained within A University, not affecting the surrounding area at all.”
“Aliens fighting, and they chose Earth as their battlefield? They treat us like ants, so why was the explosion limited to that area? It was clearly intentional, not affecting the surroundings.”
…
People whispered among themselves, but no one volunteered to investigate A University further. Who knew if there were other dangers lurking there?
Si Xu, seeing Jiang Zhiyan’s red eyes, handed her a tissue.
“Thank you, Senior.” Jiang Zhiyan whispered. “I thought Senior would take this mission.”
“We don’t have a team.”
“Oh, right.”
In the end, it was Yu Wenyu’s team that accepted the mission. They needed to take on missions that others wouldn’t if they wanted to improve their ranking. Besides, they thought that if they could figure out what happened at A University, they might gain favor with the A University students.
As soon as the meeting ended, Yu Wenyu’s team set off.
Jiang Zhiyan went back to sleep. She wasn’t afraid of Yu Wenyu’s team finding anything. Under the power of the skill card, all the insects were turned into dust, and even if they found something, they wouldn’t connect it to her.
Si Xu went out for training again in the afternoon, having nothing else to do.
“Do you think Si Xu can reach level five in these few days?” The system asked curiously.
“I don’t know, but anything is possible with her.”
“Your mastery of stating the obvious is truly impressive.” The system was speechless.
Jiang Zhiyan yawned.
“By the way, Host, I think I need to give you a friendly reminder.” The system recalled something it discovered while bored earlier.
“What?” Jiang Zhiyan asked, eyes closed.
“Every night, someone uses their ability to count the number of people in the entire building. Last night, when he came to count, you weren’t there.” The system paused. “Do you think they can deduce when the explosion happened?”
Jiang Zhiyan opened her eyes: “But my ability can make people unaware of my presence.”
“Their ability is thermal imaging.”
Jiang Zhiyan: …
“Then we’ll talk when they come looking for me.” Jiang Zhiyan lay back down calmly. “I’ll just deny everything. I’ll activate my innocent aura, then it’ll be everyone else’s fault, how could a pitiful little thing like me have any problems?”
“Why even bother counting people, tsk.” Jiang Zhiyan was annoyed.
“You’re panicking, you’re panicking.” The system said excitedly.
Finally, Jiang Zhiyan! Is she finally going to get caught?
In the evening, Jiang Zhiyan went to the training ground. Si Xu was doing strength training, surrounded by many people. She was popular everywhere. When Jiang Zhiyan was a female lead, she had never been as popular as Si Xu.
“Host, what are you doing standing here? Why don’t you go over?” The system looked at Jiang Zhiyan hiding behind a tree. “Do you realize you look a bit creepy right now?”
“Let her know I’m secretly watching her.” Jiang Zhiyan said. “Besides, you think I’m creepy because you don’t like me. Other people would only find me shy and cute.”
“Disgusting.” The system rolled its digital eyes.
Jiang Zhiyan stood quietly behind the tree, looking at the men and women surrounding Si Xu, feeling slightly annoyed. She subconsciously tightened her grip on the tree trunk and only came back to her senses when she heard a crisp “crack.” Glancing at the crack in the trunk, she silently let go.
“Host, what did the tree ever do to you?”
Jiang Zhiyan didn’t want to talk. After standing there for about ten minutes, Si Xu finally noticed her. However, like a startled deer, Jiang Zhiyan quickly ducked behind the tree and left.
“Host?”
Jiang Zhiyan ignored it, casually found a shady spot, sat down, rested her chin on her hand, and looked at the distant hillside. Perhaps because of the recent high temperatures, the leaves on the mountain were turning yellow, looking withered.
“Nine minutes and thirty-seven seconds.” Jiang Zhiyan said.
“Hmm?”
“That’s how long it took her to notice I was watching her.”
“You two were two hundred meters apart, and you were hiding behind a tree, only showing your head, and she was surrounded by so many people. It’s already impressive that she even saw you.” The system was speechless. “You’re having another one of your episodes, aren’t you?”
“Why can’t she just talk to me alone?”
“Talking to you alone might drive someone crazy, like me.”
Jiang Zhiyan looked at the person sitting down in front of her, glancing at their legs: “Can you walk now? So fast? Congratulations, Senior.”
“Thanks to Junior Li, her healing ability has reached level three.” Xue Lin said. “What are you mimicking now, Junior Jiang? There are no weaknesses on you at all.”
Jiang Zhiyan looked at Xue Lin, frowning: “You must have seen wrong, how is that possible?”
“Maybe, Junior, what do you think about the incident at A University?”
“Senior, please spare me, I’m just a slacker praying I don’t fail my finals, can’t you ask someone else these high-level questions?” Jiang Zhiyan looked at Xue Lin dejectedly. “It’s already so hot in the summer, it’s annoying.” She really wanted to kill this guy.
After realizing the person behind the tree was Jiang Zhiyan, Si Xu chased after her. Seeing Xue Lin, sitting opposite Jiang Zhiyan, smiling like a peacock, she stopped, then recalled what Qian Rongrong said in the morning.
“We’re just casually chatting, Junior, don’t treat it like a thesis defense, you can relax.”
“Senior, why do you always like talking to me? We’re not close at all.” Jiang Zhiyan frowned, then, as if suddenly realizing something, said hesitantly, “Senior, during these times of life and death, can you please put aside your romantic feelings?”
“What?” Xue Lin was stunned.
“I mean I don’t like you. And your methods of pursuing someone are terrible, annoying.” Jiang Zhiyan mustered her courage and slightly raised her voice, making sure Si Xu not far away could hear.
Xue Lin: ???
“Xue Lin, since Zhiyan has already said so, please keep your distance.” As expected, Si Xu walked over, looking at Xue Lin coldly. “We might have to work together in the same team in the future, it’s not good.”
Jiang Zhiyan looked up at Si Xu, pouted, tugged on the corner of Si Xu’s clothes, then let go.
“Junior might have misunderstood something.”
“Mm-hmm.” Jiang Zhiyan nodded. “I must have misunderstood.”
Jiang Zhiyan’s tone seemed to confirm something. Xue Lin looked at Si Xu, trying to explain, but in the end, gave up. Looking at their current posture, it was clear he was the outsider. He knew that no matter what he said now, Si Xu probably wouldn’t believe him.
He was certain, there was something wrong with Jiang Zhiyan.
Si Xu stood beside Jiang Zhiyan, putting her under her protection, and looked at Xue Lin.
“I just think Junior is very impressive, I admire her, that’s all.” Xue Lin said vaguely, nodding. “You two chat, I’ll take my leave.”
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