Chapter 11: Other Awakened Ones

The next afternoon, the rain continued to pour relentlessly, as if the sky had been pierced with countless holes.

Han Ning wore a relatively loose jacket, tucking his usual kitchen knife inside, and headed to the fourth floor.

The scene at the stairwell entrance on the fourth floor was completely different from the familiar seventh floor.

As he approached, an unusual odor filled the air.

It was a mixture of sweat, mildew, rotting food, and a faint metallic scent of blood.

The stairwell entrance was piled high with discarded furniture, wooden planks, and even twisted metal security doors.

These piled-up obstacles completely blocked the way to the third floor, leaving only a narrow passage barely wide enough for a person to squeeze through sideways.

Two men armed with makeshift weapons stood guard there.

Seeing Han Ning approach, one of the men seemed to receive instructions and stepped aside to let him pass.

Han Ning slipped through.

The fourth floor had clearly been transformed into a large survivor stronghold.

Most of the suite doors lining the corridor were wide open.

Passing by, he could see men and women sitting or lying inside.

Yet, the atmosphere was far from harmonious.

Some relatively sturdy men gathered near the stairwell and in front of several room doors, talking quietly with a sense of idleness, much like the petty toughs who used to loiter outside school gates.

Meanwhile, weaker women and children sat inside the suites.

Most appeared listless, their faces marked by the dazed expression caused by long-term hunger.

A few children nestled in their mothers’ arms, having lost the lively spirit typical of childhood.

Han Ning observed all this silently.

The concentration and unequal distribution of resources were normal in any crisis.

Liu Feng had managed to gather so many people and establish a relatively organized base — an impressive feat.

But with limited food, the priority supply surely went to the able-bodied adults.

“Brother Han Ning, I knew you’d come!”

Reaching mid-corridor, Liu Feng emerged from one of the suites, warmly greeting him.

“You came just in time; the other two brothers arrived not long ago.”

“Another two awakened?” Han Ning asked.

“Yeah, follow me.”

Liu Feng led Han Ning down the corridor, ignoring the curious glances from others inside the rooms, and stopped before a suite at the far end.

Pushing open the door, the living room was lit by seven or eight candles, richly decorated—clearly owned by a wealthy person.

Han Ning guessed the renovation cost of this room was at least five times more than his own high-end apartment.

On the solid wood coffee table, a cassette stove and gas canister were used to brew a pot of tea.

Two men were already seated nearby.

One was exceptionally burly, sporting a fashionable middle part hairstyle, wearing a tight black tank top that revealed knotted muscles and bizarre tattoos on his arms.

His aura resembled that of a regular at upscale gyms, skilled at charming women.

He was chewing on a compressed biscuit like it was a rock, expressionless.

He barely glanced at Han Ning as he entered, his eyes cold and distant, warning strangers to keep their distance.

The other man was relatively slim, dressed in a gray hoodie with the hood pulled low to cover most of his face, leaving only his chin visible.

He sat quietly on a carved wooden chair, slowly savoring his tea.

Outside, the other survivors looked pale and weak, yet this man could still enjoy expensive black tea.

He showed no reaction upon Han Ning’s arrival, not even lifting his head.

“Come, come, Brother Han Ning, let me introduce you,” Liu Feng said enthusiastically, inviting Han Ning to sit.

“This is Mr. Chen Yan. His awakened ability is strength—his skin is incredibly tough, and his power immense. He lives in building C-3 next door.”

He pointed to the burly man with the middle part.

Chen Yan snorted through his nose, acknowledging the greeting.

“This is Mr. Lu Minghu. His awakened ability is speed—he’s exceptionally agile and can scale walls with ease.”

Liu Feng then looked toward the slimmer man.

Lu Minghu paused his tea, lifted his head, revealing a relatively young face.

He nodded slightly to Han Ning. “Hello.”

“As for Brother Han Ning… he can control vines, excellent at binding and attacking, possessing strong control abilities.”

Han Ning’s main attack method was firing vines, so Liu Feng’s description was accurate enough, and no further explanation was needed.

Liu Feng briefly introduced Han Ning to the others, then took the initiative to talk about himself:

“Lastly, there’s me. I can use telekinesis to manipulate objects offensively or defensively—something like the powers seen in movies.”

“Greetings to you both.”

Han Ning nodded to the two men in return and sat down on the south side of the coffee table.

“Oh, and there’s more good news.”

“I found the last awakened one, and she agreed to join us. She has ultra-long-range observation and targeting abilities, a rare scout. She’s delayed by something but should arrive soon.”

Hearing Liu Feng’s introduction, Han Ning remained silent outwardly but felt puzzled inwardly.

The others’ abilities seemed to focus on a single direction.

For example, physical enhancement, speed increase, or super vision.

His own was more like a profession—vines for attack, healing wounds, accelerating plant growth.

Plus, he recently acquired a new ability to form contracts with animals.

He was practically a versatile all-rounder.

“Could it be that they didn’t awaken professional abilities, but only single, specific powers?”

Han Ning wondered but didn’t voice the question.

While they conversed, the door quietly opened.

A bespectacled woman, looking scholarly and in her early thirties, stepped in.

Her appearance was ordinary, with a neat ponytail; a few strands of hair, dampened by rain, clung to her temples. She wore a fitted raincoat.

“Sorry, I was held up with some matters and am late,” she said calmly.

“No worries, just in time!” Liu Feng clapped his hands.

“Everyone’s here now; let me introduce you all to each other.”

Through Liu Feng’s introductions, Han Ning learned that the calm woman was Zhou Wan, a nearby resident.

She was previously unknown to Chen Yan and Lu Minghu.

“All right, now that everyone knows each other, let’s get straight to the point,” Liu Feng’s smile faded, his expression turning serious.

“I plan to set out around noon tomorrow when the light is brightest and visibility best.”

“The target is the road leading to Egret Port, primarily for reconnaissance.”

“The purpose of gathering today is to get acquainted and finalize the division of labor and cooperation.”

He moved to the coffee table, spreading out a roughly hand-drawn map that marked the apartment building’s location and the route to Egret Port.

By candlelight, the five of them examined it carefully.