Chapter Eighteen: The Mad Woman

As the first rays of dawn swept across the land, the sky gradually shifted from black to pale pink, then slowly brightened.

The girl lay face down on a pink gymnastics mat, lifting the bright orange vest on her back to reveal her smooth, pale skin. However, her back was marked by several terrifying scars, like deep furrows in the earth.

Zhang Min raised her hands, palms open, and a white glow began to gather there. She gradually solidified the ethereal light until a small luminous orb formed at the tips of her index and middle fingers, shining fiercely like a tiny sun ready to burst into flame.

She pointed toward the furrows on Yu Yue’s back, and the small orb shot out a beam of light that eagerly bathed the scarred flesh.

At the touch of the light, the grooves on the back seemed to come alive, slowly writhing as pink flesh began to reconnect the scabbed-over cracks, as if something was about to emerge from beneath the earth after an earthquake.

“...Hmmph...” The girl furrowed her brow slightly, stifling a grunt as sweat began to bead on her forehead.

Zhang Min did not stop her movements. Her voice was resolute: “Hold on.”

As she spoke, her hands alternated, sending a more concentrated beam onto Yu Yue’s back. “New flesh is growing.”

Yu Yue groaned in response, “Okay,” and then buried her face in the mat.

After a moment, Zhang Min rose.

A faint smile curved her cold, elegant face. “How do you feel now, little classmate?”

Yu Yue first moved her right hand, noticing the previous tearing pain was gone.

She jumped up from the mat with the vigor of a Border Collie ready to tear the house apart—no longer a weak patient.

Meanwhile, Zhang Min looked pale, as if she might collapse. Pei Siying quickly shoved a chocolate bar into her mouth and gave her some mineral water.

“Chocolate flavor, your favorite.”

“Didn’t expect you to remember,” Zhang Min murmured, her face as pale as paper but lips still rosy, her moist peach blossom eyes drooping.

Pei Siying helped her onto the mat Yu Yue had been on, her voice softening. “You rest for a while.”

Then, standing in the center of the gymnasium, Pei Siying raised her voice: “We can’t stay at school anymore. Those who want to leave, come with us.”

“Sister Siying, why can’t we stay here?” a girl raised her hand, asking.

Pei Siying didn’t answer immediately, and others soon voiced doubts.

“Yes, yes, now that the signal is back, if we contact the authorities, someone will come to rescue us.”

Pei Siying found this a little amusing. With the chaos outside, manpower was stretched thin. If contact had been made on the first day, that might have been different. But after two weeks, communication would soon be lost completely.

The best way now was to follow the main group to find the base to survive. Hiding in the gym would only lead to starvation once supplies ran out.

Clearing her throat, Pei Siying raised her volume: “Of course, you can stay here if you want. I won’t stop you.”

“But those who want to leave, step forward.”

Yu Niaoniao was the first to emerge from the crowd, her gaze steady. “Where Minmin goes, I go.”

Pei Siying nodded slightly, seeming to wait for others' responses.

“I want to go too…”

“Better to follow Zhang Min... So many powered people are with them. Staying here is just waiting for death.”

“I’m with you.”

Eventually, the group split in two. About eighteen people joined the main group.

Pei Siying had expected the first two doubters to stay behind.

What surprised her was that some powered individuals chose to remain, but there was nothing she could do about it. She said no more.

She strode straight to Li Luyan, raising an eyebrow. “So, your issues are settled?”

“Yeah. Shall we set off now?”

“No, first we inventory our supplies.” Without looking back, she hoisted a black backpack containing all the food.

Suddenly, a dark hand grabbed Pei Siying’s wrist. She frowned, displeased. “Let go.” Her voice was low, tinged with anger.

The owner of the hand was Li Luyan, also a powered individual. She narrowed her eyes, wondering what would happen next.

“Pei Siying, with so many of us, you shouldn’t take all the food yourself.”

Pei Siying raised an eyebrow, emptying about half the snacks from the backpack—just small breads and spicy strips. The durable compressed biscuits remained inside. “Is that enough?”

The man did not release her, gripping tighter until her wrist reddened.

“Pei Siying, what do you mean? We have more people, so we deserve a bigger share. You should at least split it in half.”

Yu Niaoniao stepped forward, displeased. “Guo Yi, what are you implying? All this was retrieved by Ling Ling and Minmin. Sharing it with you is already merciful.” Her voice unconsciously rose.

Guo Yi felt his pride wounded, but this wasn’t the time for face. If they kept this up, they’d starve.

He stiffened his neck and said, “Then what? I don’t care. You must give us the food.”

The air grew tense. Li Luyan grew curious about how Pei Siying would handle this.

Pei Siying narrowed her eyes, a glint of lethal intent flashing within. She drew a small knife from her cargo pants and plunged it into Guo Yi’s abdomen.

His eyes bloodshot, veins bulging on his neck, sweat pouring down his forehead, he shouted, “You bitch! I’ll kill you!”

Suddenly, the gymnasium shook, cracks spreading across the floor. Soil chunks emerged from the fissures, sticking together into what looked like an impenetrable armor.

Sharp blades formed from the earth surged toward Pei Siying.

To summon so many earth blocks at once, Guo Yi had clearly overexerted his powers, prepared for a do-or-die fight.

A smile played on Pei Siying’s lips. She dodged the spikes and grabbed Guo Yi, stabbing him eight times in rapid succession.

He heard her sneer, “I don’t even bother using powers to kill scum like you. Learn to be a decent person next life, idiot.” Her words were like whispers from a demon of hell, especially the last two words—deeply insulting.

Guo Yi’s eyes widened in shock before he collapsed.

Seeing this, the others who had stayed to fight over food silently shut their mouthsI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.