Rebirth before Apocalypse: My Whole Family are Bigshots!-Chapter 116:
"Captain Zhou, is all of this my reward?"
Bai Yifan looked at the suitcase in Captain Zhou’s hand with sparkling eyes.
This suitcase contained about three thousand crystal cores.
"Hmm, the reward for this mission is six thousand crystal cores. We’ve got two groups, so half and half." Captain Zhou adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses with a proud expression.
The two groups meant that Captain Zhou was part of the Iron Maiden Squad.
"Thank you, thank you!"
Bai Yifan accepted the suitcase from Captain Zhou without any hesitation, grinning as he shouldered it and ran towards the bus.
Not even bothered by the weight!
This was what he had worked hard to dig and scrape for!
These weren’t just crystal cores; they were the fruits of his labor.
Outside the bus, Captain Zhou didn’t leave immediately but instead leaned in to share some insider news with the Bai Family.
"Things outside have been unstable lately. Superpower users in the base have been disappearing one after another. You should be cautious and try not to go out alone." Captain Zhou lowered his voice.
To avoid causing panic, the base leaders hadn’t publicly announced this news. Only the higher-ups were aware of some details.
Superpower users were a significant force in resisting zombies in the apocalypse.
The disappearance of superpower users could easily cause panic.
Moreover, the manner in which superpower users were disappearing was unknown. Announcing it prematurely would make the base seem incompetent.
Not many people had noticed the superpower users disappearing one after another; if Captain Zhou hadn’t mentioned it, the Bai Family wouldn’t have realized it.
The apocalypse caused most families to be shattered and destroyed.
Who still had relatives or friends left? Just surviving was already an achievement.
For a family like the Bai Family, not a single person missing and even having one extra member, they were truly unique.
The disappearance of one superpower user was tough for others to notice; maybe that user was the only one left in his entire family.
In the apocalypse, simply maintaining a sense of humanity without deteriorating was already commendable; expecting others to remember you was a luxury.
The base would regularly assign tasks to those who joined the superpower squads. The first to notice their disappearance were only the base leaders.
"Disappeared? What rank are these superpower users?" Bai Xiqin was momentarily stunned.
So early on, had that research institute already started its sinister activities?
In her previous life, she was busy finding supplies to eat and never paid attention to such matters.
It was only after being captured that she realized there was such an organization specifically studying superpower users.
"They were all strong individuals who had reached the First Rank." Captain Zhou looked somber.
The ranks of superpower users were First Rank, Second Rank, Third Rank...
First Rank superpower users could use their powers to kill zombies.
Some people had superpowers but couldn’t exert their full strength, and those people were just called superpower users, not First Rank.
Some Fire Ability users could only control a flame as small as a lighter.
Killing zombies was impossible, but they could light a fire.
Within a few months of the apocalypse, First Rank superpower users were already considered strong in the base.
High Rank superpower users existed, but they were very rare.
Even if all the superpower users of the Fire Phoenix Safety Base combined, they might not be able to defeat the Bai Family.
"Do they have any special traits? Is it their superpower type that’s unique, or is there something else extraordinary about them?" Bai Anhai stroked his chin, carefully asking again.
It seemed the evil research institute that his daughter mentioned began operations two months into the apocalypse.
The Bai Family’s goal was to overthrow the research institute and topple the apocalypse.
They needed to analyze the Evil Research Institute’s activities thoroughly.
"They’re all First Rank superpower users. Isn’t that extraordinary enough?" Captain Zhou looked at Bai Anhai with slight confusion.
Why did he feel like Bai Anhai didn’t find First Rank superpower users impressive?
Bai Anhai touched his nose and said, "Oh, First Rank superpower users are indeed quite powerful."
You might not believe it. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
The Bai Family consisted of seven people in total. Except for Bai Yifan, the rookie First Rank superpower user, the rest were Second and Third Rank superpower users.
Bai Xiqin and Leng Yebai didn’t break through to Fourth Rank superpower users because they wanted to solidify their abilities further.
It’s not that they couldn’t, it’s just that they didn’t want to for now.
Improving basic skills would lay a better foundation for the future.
"Things have been very unstable lately, you really need to be more cautious." Captain Zhou looked around, confirming there were no bystanders, and then added in a low voice, "It’s not just zombies; sometimes humans are scarier than zombies. Watch out for those with malicious intents."
After saying this, Captain Zhou didn’t explain further and turned to leave.
He wasn’t supposed to disclose this information casually, but the Bai Family were Xiao Xuexue’s saviors, so he felt compelled to remind them.
Xiao Xuexue’s savior was his own savior too.
"What does this mean? Does someone have a problem with us? Is someone planning to get revenge on us?" Wang Yiyun frowned.
She didn’t quite understand the last part of what Captain Zhou said.
Bai Xiqin watched Captain Zhou’s retreating figure, her eyes flashing.
She knew what Captain Zhou meant.
More terrifying than the apocalypse was human nature.
The zombies, with their ferocious appearances, emitting a rotten odor, had beautiful crystal cores in their brains.
These crystal cores could help superpower users enhance their abilities.
Superpower users and zombies, they were once ordinary people.
Zombies had crystal cores in their brains.
Where did superpower users unleash their powers from?
The brain.
Superpower users also had crystal cores in their brains.
The energy in superpower users’ brain crystal cores was purer.
Zombies’ brain crystal cores were indeed beautiful, but the absorption process for superpower users was very slow. However, as their abilities advanced, their capacity to absorb crystal cores also strengthened.
But, the crystal cores in superpower users’ brains perfectly met human needs.
The energy contained in the superpower users’ brain crystal cores was purer, and when absorbed by a superpower user of the same type, the effect was even more significant.
Between a Third Rank superpower user and a Third Rank zombie, which was more dangerous?
The answer was the Third Rank zombie.
You had to destroy the Third Rank zombie’s brain to win, but just one scratch from the Third Rank zombie’s claws and you lost.
So, after the apocalypse, when more and more superpower users discovered that the energy in superpower users’ brain crystal cores was purer and more beneficial for enhancing their abilities,
human nature was gradually disappearing.
They feared the claws of Third Rank zombies but didn’t fear Third Rank superpower users of the same kind.
In their past lives, Bai Xiqin and Leng Yebai were captured by the research institute, constantly studied to explore the differences between superpower users and humans.
The researchers didn’t fear the death of superpower users; in fact, they preferred it, as it meant acquiring the crystal cores from their brains.
The Bai Family returned to the bus, sitting on the sofa, lost in thought.
How could they catch the Evil Research Institute’s people!
"Hahaha, I’ve become rich!"
Bai Yifan’s cheerful voice echoed from the bus, blinded by the crystal cores.
He didn’t notice the serious expressions on his family’s faces.
Bai Yifan poured the crystal cores out from the suitcase, checking them one by one, looking like a money grubber.
He was poor!
Whether before or after the apocalypse.
Before the apocalypse, his pocket money was pitiably small, often borrowed by his dad for a bit of spending money.
After the apocalypse, crystal cores became money, actual currency.
The crystal cores in the space were stored in sacks; he only had the right to absorb them, not to spend them.
But these three thousand crystal cores were earned by his own digging, he could finally shop on the black market!
Bai Yifan was happily counting crystal cores, not noticing his family’s expressionless faces watching him.
Was this the time to be counting crystal cores?
