85: Have I become a god?

"Ahem, Yueyue, do you think the two of us just aren't qualified?" Ai Guosheng said, clearing his throat.

Ai Yue frowned at his words. Could there be conditions for absorbing it?

Ai Yue carefully recalled Da Wang's actions once more.

It had sliced open her right palm when she wasn't looking and pressed the stone into her hand... Could it be the palm?

Ai Yue perked up instantly.

"Mom, Dad, bear with me for a moment." After saying that, she grabbed Li Shilan's hand to make a cut, but then she suddenly paused. She picked up Ai Guosheng's right hand instead and made a slice across his palm. Blood surged out, and Ai Yue immediately pressed the stone against his wound.

Ai Guosheng hissed in pain, taking a sharp breath, but before he could even exhale, he fainted onto the sofa.

Ai Yue let out a soft breath. "It worked. Mom, your turn."

So it had to be blood from the palm.

Soon, Li Shilan also collapsed onto the sofa.

Ai Yue breathed a long sigh of relief. Fortunately, there weren't any high barriers to absorbing the black stone.

Ai Yue's family was busy absorbing the energy stones, while Gu Xiheng, holding a package in his arms, took an elevator with Gu Yan to the deep underground of the Safety Tower.

No one would have expected such a building to exist deep beneath the Safety Tower.

As the two stepped out of the elevator, a massive and brightly lit experimental base came into view.

Armed soldiers stood guard every few paces, surrounding the entire experimental base tightly. Inside, a dense crowd of researchers in white coats bustled about.

Gu Xiheng followed behind Gu Yan with a calm expression; he seemed very familiar with this place.

The two walked for a long time, passing one laboratory after another, until they finally reached the entrance of a small lab. A sign on the door read "Secret Research Room."

Gu Yan led Gu Xiheng inside.

There were only about ten workers inside, most of whom were elderly.

An old man with a goatee saw Gu Yan and the other enter; his eyes lit up instantly, and he hurried toward them.

"Little Gu, did you get it?"

Gu Yan nodded with a smile. "Old Fei, I have fortunately fulfilled the mission."

Upon hearing this, Old Fei jumped up like a child and shouted excitedly, "Great, that's just great!"

His voice startled those engrossed in their experiments. They all put down their work and ran over, looking at Gu Yan in pleasant surprise.

Gu Yan didn't say much more; he just nodded to Gu Xiheng, signaling him to take out the energy stone.

Gu Xiheng stepped forward, unwrapped the package in his hands, and handed the pitch-black energy stone to Old Fei.

Instantly, Old Fei's eyes became fixated on the energy stone as if he were mesmerized. He reflexively wiped his hands on his clothes and reverently took the stone.

Holding it, he walked away, no longer paying any attention to the supreme leader behind him.

A group of people gathered around Old Fei, chattering and discussing animatedly.

"Old Fei, I'll leave the energy stone in your hands. Please notify me immediately of any findings," Gu Yan called out from behind.

"I know, I know, so nagging!" Old Fei didn't even turn around, waving his hand impatiently.

Gu Yan shook his head helplessly and gave a bitter laugh. "Let's go. We'll leave it to these old fogies to research. I'm sure we'll have results soon."

Gu Xiheng nodded and followed Gu Yan all the way out of the underground experimental base.

The underground experimental base was the most important part of the entire Safety Tower. Even if the surface were to fall completely, the underground had to be kept safe and sound.

This was the result of continuous construction since the Apocalypse began. During the Extreme Heat at the start of the Apocalypse, the rioters were taken by the military to various Safety Towers to build these underground experimental bases.

This was why the military and government presence seemed so small back then—most of their forces had been deployed across the country to construct Safety Towers.

Otherwise, the nation wouldn't have lost social order so quickly in the early days of the Apocalypse.

---

"Sister?" Three hours had passed when Ye Rui slowly woke up. Seeing Ai Yue sitting beside her and watching over her, she called out softly.

"You're awake? Do you feel unwell anywhere?" Ai Yue asked with concern.

"Wuwu, Sister, I'm sorry. I don't know what happened either. I didn't mean to." Ye Rui sat up and started crying like an elementary student who had made a mistake.

Ai Yue stroked her head. "It's okay. That stone was meant for you anyway. Besides, the stone chose you itself, which makes it even more precious. It shows it belongs to you, so don't blame yourself!"

Ye Rui still felt she had wronged Ai Yue. Such an important thing had mysteriously vanished into her body, making her feel even more terrified. "Sister, please don't kick me out. I can do anything—laundry, cooking, cleaning the house, going out to find food, I can do it all..."

"Stop," Ai Yue said, caught between laughter and tears, quickly cutting her off. "I won't kick you out. Just stay here with a peace of mind. I already said we're family now; why would I kick you out over such a small thing? Don't overthink it. Quickly, show me your power."

After hearing her words, Ye Rui also became serious. She walked to the center of the living room and threw a sudden punch.

"Hmm?" Ai Yue felt something was off.

So she walked over to stand in front of her. "Hit me!"

Ye Rui didn't understand why her sister had suddenly become so serious. She swallowed hard but still obediently said, "Sister, here I come."

Then, she threw a forceful punch at Ai Yue.

A scream of pain rang out.

"Ye Rui, are you okay?" Ai Yue anxiously checked Ye Rui's hand.

"Wuwu, Sister, it hurts so much..." Ye Rui was in so much pain that her nose started running.

"I'm sorry, I didn't even use any strength. What's going on? You didn't awaken strength?"

Ye Rui rubbed her aching hand and shook her head obediently. "I don't know."

"How do you feel right now? Does your body feel filled with power?" Ai Yue asked.

"No, I don't feel anything." Ye Rui looked at Ai Yue with her large, watery eyes.

"Hehe, it's okay. Don't worry, let me think."

Ye Rui thought to herself, 'I'm not the one who's worried; you're the one who's been anxious, Sister.'

Ai Yue stared at Ye Rui and suddenly said, "How about you try closing your eyes and concentrating?"

"Oh, okay."

Ye Rui obediently closed her eyes and focused all her senses in her mind. After a while, having sensed nothing, a wave of frustration rose within her.

"Sister, I don't feel anything at all." She furrowed her brows and instinctively flicked her hand.

*Crackle.* A streak of blue light flashed across a nearby chair, and half of it turned to ash.

The two watched the scene in shock.

Ai Yue looked at the chair, then at Ye Rui, her face filled with wonder. "Rui Rui, you can discharge lightning!"

Ye Rui hadn't yet recovered from the shock. She said blankly, "I did that?"

Ai Yue shook her, and she finally snapped out of it. "Sister, am I hallucinating? Is this real?"

Ai Yue found her dazed look quite amusing. "Yes, you can discharge lightning now. That's your ability! Don't doubt it, it's real!"

Ye Rui looked at her hand and then flicked it toward the remaining half of the chair.

Hmm?

Flick again!

*Crackle.*

Well, now the whole chair had turned to ash.

Ye Rui became excited. "Sister, have I become an immortal? Can I fly too?"

"Stop, stop. Wake up, how could a person fly?"

"But I can discharge lightning!"

..."],"new_glossary_terms":[{"zh":" Your Majesty","en":"Da Wang","entity_type":"creature","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" Secret Research Lab","en":"Secret Research Room","entity_type":"location","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" Underground experimental base","en":"Underground Experimental Base","entity_type":"location","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" Xiao Gu","en":"Little Gu","entity_type":"person","gender":"male"}]}