Chapter 37: Laboratory Room
Valer nodded before entering. After Ni Mengxue had left several days ago, she knew she wouldn’t be able to perform acupuncture every day.
Therefore... she had personally taught Valer the entire procedure. Fortunately, Valer’s awakened ability was photographic memory.
No matter how complicated the sequence or the acupuncture points were, he only needed to see them once before reproducing them perfectly.
Even Ni Mengxue had praised his talent. The treatment proceeded as usual. Nearly an hour later, Valer carefully removed the final needle.
"Done."
He packed the silver needles back into the box before preparing to leave. "Wait."
Lu Yucai suddenly stopped him. Valer turned around. "Hm?"
Lu Yucai looked directly into his eyes. "Are you interested in becoming my right-hand man?"
Valer’s eyebrows slowly rose. He narrowed his eyes. "And what exactly can you offer me?"
Lu Yucai had obviously thought about this beforehand.
"I’ll pay you one hundred kilograms of coarse rice every month. You’ll also have a comfortable place to live."
Valer remained expressionless. "And?"
Lu Yucai continued calmly, "I’ll teach you a fighting technique. A fighting technique developed by me personally."
Valer’s eyes flickered slightly.
He had heard from Ruo Chiwu that Lu Yucai had once been among the strongest ability users before the apocalypse completely changed.
His combat experience was undoubtedly genuine. After remaining silent for several seconds, Valer finally replied, "I’ll think about it."
Lu Yucai nodded. "There’s no rush. But before you decide, I need your help with something."
Valer waited quietly.
"I’ll pay you ten kilograms of spinach."
Hearing the word "spinach," Valer’s expression immediately changed.
Several days ago, Ruo Chiwu had brought home leafy vegetables that Miss Ni had gifted them.
He still remembered their crisp texture and fresh sweetness. Even now, merely thinking about them made him unconsciously swallow.
"...What do you need?"
Lu Yucai slowly answered,
"Find me several teenage boys. They should be struggling to survive. And..."
He paused. "They should have the potential to awaken abilities."
Valer frowned. "And how exactly am I supposed to know who has awakening potential?"
Lu Yucai froze. "..."
After a brief silence, he helplessly rubbed his forehead.
"Forget the last condition. Just bring those with good character and enough determination. I’ve rented a room. Bring them there."
Valer nodded. "I understand."
Previously, when Lu Yucai had exchanged part of the pure rice, he hadn’t spent all of it on daily necessities.
He had secretly rented a small room nearby to build his own power.
Since Ni Mengxue was working so hard outside to improve their future... how could he simply wait for her to shoulder everything alone?
Valer gave one final nod before leaving. Soon, only Lu Yucai remained inside the quiet house.
He slowly took out a small cloth pouch. Inside were several purple zombie crystals.
These were obtained after selling part of the rice Ni Mengxue had left behind.
Looking at the crystals, Lu Yucai quietly closed his eyes. One crystal after another dissolved into streams of purple energy.
The energy rapidly flowed into his body, and his aura gradually became stronger.
Currently, his super strength ability was only Level Three. Far below the level of his former teammates.
But that wasn’t because he lacked talent.
Back then, every zombie crystal earned by the team had first passed through Song Yan’s hands.
Even when Lu Yucai was the one who risked his life killing zombies, Song Yan had always found excuses to deny him his rightful share.
Year after year, crystal after crystal, Song Yan steadily advanced until he reached Level Ten.
Meanwhile, Lu Yucai remained trapped at Level Three.
Thinking about it now, Lu Yucai only found it laughable. Soon, the purple crystal completely disappeared.
Lu Yucai slowly opened his palm. A trace of confusion flashed across his blue eyes. This was another mystery that had followed him for years.
Ordinary strength ability users absorbed gray zombie crystals. Psychic ability users absorbed purple zombie crystals.
That was common knowledge. Yet, his body completely rejected gray crystals. Only purple crystals could be absorbed.
For a long time, he had suspected that he had awakened some hidden psychic ability.
He had tested that theory countless times. Every result ended in disappointment.
No matter how many examinations he performed, the only awakened ability he possessed was super strength.
.............
Meanwhile, Ni Mengxue had just left the apartment and made her way toward Cang Laboratory.
Unlike ordinary clinics or research rooms, Cang Laboratory was one of the few private laboratories still operating after the apocalypse.
It was said that many medicines, antidotes, and even mutation-related studies originated from this place.
Naturally, its price was astonishing. Even making an appointment required a fee of five kilograms of coarse rice.
After paying the registration fee and undergoing a simple health check, Ni Mengxue entered the reception hall.
Compared to the desolate streets outside, the laboratory felt like another world. Bright white lights illuminated every corner.
The floors were spotless. The walls were painted in clean shades of white and silver.
A faint pungent smell of disinfectants and chemicals lingered in the air. Researchers wearing white coats occasionally passed by in a hurry.
Ni Mengxue walked toward the front desk. The male receptionist sitting behind it looked to be in his late twenties.
He had neatly combed hair and sharp eyes. The nameplate before him read: Ou Yang.
Ni Mengxue calmly said, "I would like to rent a laboratory room."
Ou Yang looked up. The moment he saw her, his eyes brightened. His gaze unconsciously lingered on her face before a smile appeared.
A slightly lecherous smile. "Miss, do you know the price?"
He leisurely leaned back in his chair. "Renting a laboratory costs twenty thousand zombie crystals per hour. Or two thousand kilograms of coarse rice."
Ni Mengxue was slightly surprised. That expensive?
However, she didn’t think too much about it. Instead, she calmly replied, "I have pure rice."
Ou Yang’s eyes narrowed slightly. "I can provide up to five hundred kilograms. Will that be enough for a week’s rental?"
"..."
Ou Yang’s smile froze. Five hundred kilograms of pure rice? For a moment, he wondered if he had misheard.