Mister Zero, Her Story: Chapter 41 – Resonance
A few days later, Flower Street.
After a period of recovery, Hua Qiling was finally discharged from the hospital.
Luo Yan, who hadn’t been seriously injured, was simply exhausted, and with her deteriorating condition, staying in the hospital was pointless, so she was also discharged.
However, Luo Yan could no longer walk freely. Even a short distance required rest, so she now used a wheelchair.
Of course, despite her physical weakness, her combat strength remained formidable.
With the “Overlimit” sniper rifle, she was a threat even to “Ruin” level ability users.
And with her eyes open, she was even more terrifying. Luo Yan estimated that she could now rival Grifres, whom she had encountered in Ghost Town.
Even Grifres, a mind-related ability specialist, wouldn’t just be momentarily dazed if he met her gaze now.
However, all of this meant that Luo Yan was nearing the end of her life.
Hua Qiling pushed Luo Yan’s wheelchair down Flower Street, heading towards the Flower Shop to fulfill Luo Yan’s promise to Anna.
They both used their life hacks to avoid unwanted attention.
Although there had been several incidents on Flower Street recently, everything seemed to have returned to normal.
The crowds were as bustling as ever, the shops still open, as if nothing had happened.
The only difference was that the “Gold-Melting Kiln” had been shut down, seemingly due to the strong objections of a certain Young Master Liu, who had even complained to the City Lord.
Luo Yan now knew that the foolish young man she had knocked unconscious was Young Master Liu, and she wondered if she had been too rough, leaving him traumatized.
…He was traumatized, although the nature of his trauma was… debatable.
“Qin Wen seems very busy lately,” Luo Yan said. “I haven’t seen her since I woke up.”
“Oh, she was recruited by the Apprehension Department, to handle the aftermath of the Flower Street incident,” Hua Qiling scratched her head, puzzled. “It was the old man’s arrangement. Why the Apprehension Department? These old people’s thoughts are truly unfathomable…”
“The Apprehension Department…”
The two “Ruin” level ability users from the Apprehension Department had left a lasting impression on Luo Yan, mainly because they had been so weak and utterly useless.
Luo Yan didn’t suspect that Director Frick was behind it; she simply wondered if all “Ruin” level ability users in the Apprehension Department were that weak.
“Never mind, never mind, let’s not talk about depressing things. If Qin Wen is busy, then let her be busy. We’re going to see little Anna!”
Hua Qiling’s steps quickened.
Spending time alone with Miss Luo Yan was quite nice.
Being around her always brought a sense of peace… perhaps that was Miss Luo Yan’s charm.
“Mm,” Luo Yan nodded slightly.
“Speaking of which, although everyone is busy, because their work is halfway done, I can’t really interfere, so I actually have some free time,” Hua Qiling leaned on the handle of Luo Yan’s wheelchair, strolling leisurely and observing the crowd.
“Yan City seems unchanged, as if it will always be like this, but so much has happened recently, I doubt there will be another chance for such peace and quiet.”
“…Perhaps.”
Luo Yan looked up slightly, her eyes flickering open.
But she quickly closed them again, just in case.
After the Flower Street incident, whether because they were too busy or had simply given up on their vigilance, Yan City had relaxed its surveillance of Luo Yan, only maintaining the basic Calamity Infected monitoring procedures.
Of course, there was another, more important reason.
Luo Yan only had less than three months left to live. The hospital had confirmed this through their examination.
In three months, the demonic power’s erosion would reach its limit, and her body would collapse.
What would happen to Luo Yan then, whether she would die peacefully or lose control and become a disaster, no one knew.
Treatment was futile, merely a comfort offered out of humanitarian concern.
Yan City hadn’t told Luo Yan this news, not even Hua Qiling or Qin Wen knew, but Luo Yan herself had already sensed it.
But what could she do?
She would do her best and accept whatever came…
If all else failed, slumbering in an “Ice Coffin” seemed like a decent option.
“We’re almost at the Flower Shop, Luo Yan,” Hua Qiling interrupted her thoughts.
“Mm.”
Luo Yan snapped back to reality, pushing aside her complex emotions.
At least, she would cherish the present.
It was the agreed-upon day, and Anna was ready. Seeing Hua Qiling pushing Luo Yan towards the shop, she rushed out to greet them.
“Second Sister Hua! Lady Luo Yan!”
“Wow, you even dressed up,” Hua Qiling said, surprised.
Although Anna was a tailor, she usually wore simple dresses made of ordinary fabric.
But today, she was wearing a floral dress and a white shirt, looking like a student from the intermediate academy.
Well, Anna was around the same age as an intermediate academy student; she just didn’t want to go to school.
“Hee hee, of course!” Anna puffed out her chest. “This is a rare opportunity to go out with Lady Luo Yan! I can’t just dress casually! Although no matter what I wear, I can’t compare to Lady Luo Yan…”
“You never dress up like this when you go out with me,” Hua Qiling grumbled.
“That’s because Second Sister Hua never cares about her appearance!” Anna retorted, tilting her head up. “I always dress up when I go out with Big Sister Hua! She even picks out my clothes for me!”
“…”
Hua Qiling was speechless. She couldn’t argue with that.
“Alright, let’s not waste any time. Lady Luo Yan, come with me, I’ll change you into a beautiful outfit!”
Anna took the handle of Luo Yan’s wheelchair and excitedly pushed her towards the shop.
“Ah… sigh…”
Hua Qiling reached out, feeling a sense of helplessness.
Why was she getting used to this feeling…?
…
After pushing Luo Yan into the shop’s living room, Anna went to find the clothes.
When Hua Qiling entered, Anna held out the outfit she had chosen for Luo Yan.
“Eh…”
Seeing the outfit through “Eagle Eye,” Luo Yan’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You can make this kind of clothes too?”
It wasn’t surprising, but… too ordinary.
Just a simple white dress, with no extra adornments.
“Does Lady Luo Yan like the previous maid outfit?” Anna blinked. “No problem, I’ll go get the other one…”
“No need, this is fine,” Luo Yan quickly said. Although she didn’t mind, there was no need to dress up so formally just for a casual stroll…
“Okay, I just thought… it would be less conspicuous. Lady Luo Yan attracts too much attention, and I… I don’t like being in the spotlight,” Anna mumbled.
She was a shy, introverted girl. Hua Qiling’s surprised expression when Anna had suddenly left the shop to visit Luo Yan in the hospital was proof of that.
“It’s alright, I have a life hack, it won’t attract too much attention,” Luo Yan said with a faint smile.
“…What?”
Anna, of course, didn’t understand.
“I’ll go change then.”
Luo Yan took the dress from Anna and wheeled herself towards the fitting room.
Inside the fitting room, Luo Yan stood up, supporting herself against the wall.
Feeling her weakened body, she chuckled wryly.
“This… isn’t very convenient…”
However, it wasn’t her legs that were the problem, just her lack of stamina.
Simply standing wasn’t an issue.
After changing out of her simple hospital gown and into the white dress, Luo Yan sat back in the wheelchair, preparing to leave.
But just then, she felt a sudden coldness in her chest.
“Huh?”
The coldness emanated from “Death.”
An aura of death and despair leaked out, and Luo Yan quickly suppressed it.
“What’s… going on…?”
Luo Yan slowly opened her eyes, her pupils now completely crimson, the terrifying black slits trembling slightly.
She looked down and saw the Higanbana tattoo on her chest glowing faintly. The power of “Death” seemed to be activating involuntarily, like a resonance.
If Luo Yan didn’t control it, a “Manjusaka” might bloom right here in the Flower Shop, even spreading to the entire Flower Street.
The casualties would be catastrophic.
Fortunately, the resonance didn’t last long.
Under Luo Yan’s gaze, “Death” gradually dimmed, then fell silent.
Like an ordinary tattoo, it rested quietly on Luo Yan’s pale skin.
Luo Yan closed her eyes again, the brief period with her eyes open leaving her feeling tired, but since she hadn’t used her ability, it was manageable.
“It seems… I have to be even more careful with this power,” Luo Yan took a deep breath, gently touching her chest. “Perhaps I should talk to Mister Li Ping, about the ‘Ice Coffin’…”
She had read some of the Ice Coffin Weapon files and understood the basic principles behind humanity’s most powerful weapon.
Using this technology, she could survive in a dormant state, while also suppressing the uncontrolled demonic power.
But this was a last resort…
“Anyway, let’s go out.”
…
“What… what is this…?”
In the Apprehension Department office, Frick stared at his left index finger in horror. A dark aura was wrapped around it.
Cold, deathly.
Like an abyss that devoured all life.
“Could it be… a Life-type ability? But how is that possible…?”
This was the power of “Envy”!
A power from a Primordial Demon, one of the highest level powers in the New Era.
Only a power of the same level could counter it.
In other words…
“This dark aura… is the power of another ‘Primordial Demon’…”
“It was this power… that killed that lucky little minion who obtained demonic power!”
This was the only possible explanation.
Frick’s expression flickered. He hadn’t expected to be afflicted by this lingering injury while absorbing the power of “Envy.”
Fortunately, the dark aura didn’t last long, quickly fading.
But it wasn’t eradicated. Frick could feel a chilling pain in his finger, a constant threat of its resurgence.
—Unbeknownst to him, at the same moment, Luo Yan had suppressed the resonance of “Death” on Flower Street.
Otherwise, this dark aura would gradually devour his life force.
“What should I do…?”
Frick was panicking. It was like having a time bomb implanted in his body.
Of course, the solution was simple.
Amputate the finger.
But…
“No, I can’t!”
A ruthless glint flashed in Frick’s eyes.
He couldn’t give up the power he had finally obtained.
Frick’s Superpower type ability, “Plunder,” allowed him to temporarily control another person’s ability. Its evolved form allowed him to temporarily gain their ability, and its highest form, to permanently acquire it.
Of course, he could only control the abilities of those a level below him, and the acquired abilities were only about ten percent as effective, and he could only hold five at a time.
But it was still incredibly powerful.
The stronger the ability, the greater the benefit to Frick.
However, the targets he plundered…
Usually met… unpleasant ends.
The reason Frick was so eager to find “Mister” wasn’t just for “Noah.”
He desired “Mister’s” powerful and terrifying unknown ability, rumored to transcend the laws of the world and grant omniscience.
How else could “Mister” have survived from the Old Era until now, guiding Dawn through countless crises?
Unfortunately, he had missed his chance.
He had to resort to absorbing the power from the Devil’s minion’s remains.
And now…
After calming down, Frick realized something else.
—Besides the dying “Mister” and the dormant “Ice Coffin Weapon,” there was likely another Demonically Infected in Yan City!
And this Demonically Infected had killed the Devil’s minion on Flower Street!
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