Chapter 37: Taking the Initiative

Xie Ning pressed her temples against the throbbing pain in her head and forced a smile at her uncle. "Uncle, it looks like you’ve awakened a Power-type Superpower."

"Did you feel unwell before? Run a high fever?"

Song Youzhi nodded quickly. "I don’t think I felt much of a fever, but my head was all groggy for about half an hour. Oh, right, and my hands were burning up!"

"I just thought it was because I felt suffocated from being shut in that small conference room."

"Let’s get out of here first. We can talk on the way."

Song Youzhi quickly pulled Xiao Zhu up from the floor, picked up the hanging rope, looped it a few times, slung it over his shoulder, and ran after his niece.

It was strange, though. No one knew where that big coil of rope had come from, but it had appeared at the critical moment and saved Xiao Zhu’s life.

Xie Ning, Song Youzhi, and Xiao Zhu climbed a nearby ladder up to the roof and opened the safety door.

There were no zombies. The three of them made it down to the first floor without any trouble.

Just then, an elderly zombie with a face full of liver spots swayed to its feet from behind an office desk.

"It’s the old building’s janitor," Xiao Zhu whispered, covering her mouth.

Just as Xie Ning was about to step forward, Song Youzhi stopped her. "Ningning, let your uncle give it a try."

Xie Ning nodded and pointed to a long toolbox under the old desk. "See if there’s anything useful in there."

Song Youzhi went over and rummaged through it, pulling out a rusty fire axe from the toolbox. "Where do I hit it?"

’Seeing his niece slice through zombies as easily as dicing vegetables, how could he, a grown man, always let a young girl rush ahead of him to fight?’

Xie Ning pointed at the zombie slowly shambling toward them and made a demonstrative gesture. "The head. A little lower."

"THWACK!" With a single swing of the axe, Song Youzhi actually lopped the elderly zombie’s head clean off its neck.

The clerk, Xiao Zhu, was so scared she covered her eyes and turned away, hugging her own cold, trembling body.

A head rolled across the floor.

The elderly zombie’s mouth was still open, a rasping sound issuing from it.

Song Youzhi was stunned. "How can it still open its mouth when its head is off?"

"Uncle, you didn’t destroy its brain stem—the center of life." Xie Ning stepped forward and thrust her blade straight through the zombie’s head. "You have to do it like this."

"With a bit more practice, you should be able to grasp the right amount of force. Focus on control." Xie Ning swung the long, black blade in her hand. "The most advanced Superpower Users can precisely control their superpower output. They don’t waste even a shred of excess energy."

"Every bit of your superpower is crucial. It’s what will save your life when it counts."

"Got it!" Song Youzhi took her words to heart, nodding seriously.

"Then let’s get out of here. It’s quiet around this building. We can take the shortcut outside; it’s only a three-to-five-minute walk to Culture Park. Mom and Song Kexin must be getting anxious."

"Then let’s hurry," Song Youzhi urged, turning and grabbing the long, semi-new toolbox.

Seeing Xie Ning look over at him, Song Youzhi grinned. "A lot of the tools in here look pretty useful. Let’s take them. Besides, your uncle has plenty of strength now."

Xie Ning grunted in acknowledgment, then turned to look at the still-shaking Xiao Zhu. "Let’s go."

"Uncle Song, I’m so worried about my husband and Qiqi," Xiao Zhu said, tears streaming down her face. "I’m worried something will happen to them."

’How did the world become so terrifying?’

’Overnight, everything had changed!’