Chapter 24: Friendship and Dignity Among Classmates

Leng Yebai was very diligent at Bai Xiqin’s home. His expression was always cold, but he never slacked off when it came to housework.

Just like in his previous life, Leng Yebai awakened his Thunder and Ice Abilities. Before the apocalypse arrived, he was already at the First Rank Superpower User level.

Superpower Users have ranks like First Rank, Second Rank, Third Rank, etc. A First Rank Superpower User can skillfully unleash their superpower, and it has considerable destructive power.

Before the energy surge hit, those who could reach the First Rank were very few.

Therefore, Leng Yebai’s status was firmly sixth in the Bai Family!

Every day, the family was busy with superpower training, martial arts, and jogging.

Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, Leng Yebai had been freeloading off Bai Xiqin’s family for over a month.

At this point, there were only five days left until the apocalypse.

Superpower energy in the air was becoming increasingly dense, just a step away from reaching a critical point and collapsing entirely.

Occasionally, some bloody videos would get posted online, only to be quickly censored.

Those bloody videos were typically similar.

Either animals would suddenly go mad and attack their owners or someone would have a rabies-like episode.

Even so, no one guessed that the apocalypse would arrive in five days.

The Bai Family decided to do what they could within their means.

"Hackers charge a lot. Let me do it instead!" Leng Yebai said calmly, "I studied programming and can dominate the network for a minute."

"Great! The family just happens to be out of money!"

Bai Anhai sat on the sofa with a smile, taking a sip of tea.

Seeing death and not trying to save might always bring a sense of guilt to one’s heart.

But you cannot put yourself in danger either.

The initial idea was to hire hackers to attack the network and inform everyone that the apocalypse was coming.

Sure, many people wouldn’t believe it.

But some would, and they would be prepared.

Even if only one person believes, their efforts wouldn’t have been in vain.

"I took a three-month leave. My teachers and classmates thought I had a terminal illness and even organized a donation. Although it wasn’t much, it was all their pocket money." Bai Yifan said sadly, holding a bunch of cash, "Will they get infected?"

The cash consisted of five and ten yuan notes, full of classmates’ love and care.

Bai Yifan also knew he couldn’t blatantly tell his classmates about the coming apocalypse, but doing nothing felt wrong.

"Do your classmates like gaming?"

Bai Xiqin suddenly asked.

"Yes!" Bai Yifan nodded, "We often play online games together at night!"

If someone isn’t good at studying, you can’t entirely blame the teacher.

"Then that’s it!" Bai Xiqin raised an eyebrow at Bai Yifan, "Invite them to play online at home. That way, they’ll be at home!"

"Yeah!" Bai Yifan’s eyes shone brightly but soon dimmed again, "But some girls don’t play games, and not all the boys might come online to play."

"I got it!" Bai Yifan had a sudden idea, "I’ll say I want to play one last game before I die; they’ll definitely agree!"

After all, everyone thought he had a terminal illness.

Who would refuse a dying wish?

"Wait, what if some classmates don’t have a computer at home?" Bai Xiqin asked.

Without a computer, going to a cyber café would pose a higher risk of infection.

Bai Yifan looked at Bai Anhai. "Dear Father, could you sponsor a few thousand for future society members to buy computers?"

"Our whole family is living off your grandparents’ pension. We’re broke!"

Bai Anhai spread his hands with a helpless expression.

As a lawyer, he exploited many legal loopholes.

He’s sold their house to multiple buyers.

If the apocalypse doesn’t come, he’d rot in jail!

Bai Yifan looked at Leng Yebai.

"The only possession I have is this." Leng Yebai calmly pointed at a second-hand bike in the living room corner.

Bai Yifan sighed deeply, starting to ponder with his phone. How could he get computers for those classmates lacking one at home?

Luckily, due to a homework assignment needing computer operations, the teacher had previously noted which students didn’t have computers.

But the money...

At night.

Bai Yifan secretly opened his eyes, glanced at the sleeping Leng Yebai, stealthily slipped on his slippers, and went to the balcony.

Very carefully closing the curtains, Bai Yifan held his phone, his face full of struggles.

Does a man’s dignity matter or not?

Ultimately, friendship won over dignity.

Bai Yifan shakily opened a certain QQ number he found online and sent a message.

’Fruit Loans, what’s the maximum loan amount available?’

...

The next day, Bai Yifan appeared with dark circles under his eyes, but his eyes gleamed brightly.

With four days left until the apocalypse, he purchased several computers online and had them sent directly to classmates who didn’t have one.

The sender: Santa Claus.

Three days later.

Bai Yifan posted a "will" in the class group chat, wanting to play an online game with all classmates.

The "will" also requested that classmates join from their homes since Bai Yifan wanted to feel the actual distance between him and his classmates one last time.

Given classmate Bai Yifan’s imminent "death," no one refused his request.

Some even wanted to come visit Bai Yifan, hoping to see him one last time.

But Bai Yifan said he wanted to host a farewell party in a week, so they shouldn’t come early.

Who would refuse a classmate with a terminal illness?

Therefore, everyone agreed.

It was one day before the apocalypse.

Leng Yebai calmly held a laptop, his long fingers swiftly tapping the keyboard, creating a clattering sound in the living room.

At 7:30 PM, all connected computers, phones, and televisions switched to a single screen.

It showed frenzied scenes of animals and humans worldwide, with large red text on top.

"The apocalypse arrives tomorrow. Please stay inside and keep doors closed."

A minute later, Leng Yebai quickly logged out, erased his location data, and shut down his computer.

Legend concealed and merit unproclaimed.

Simultaneously, the images and words posted by Leng Yebai spread madly online, prompting scenes of frantic food stockpiling across various locations.

Some still didn’t believe it.

Assuming it was merely a hacker terror threat.

Two hours later, the internet returned to tranquility.

Bai Xiqin watched the cleaned-up online world and sighed.

Yes, most people thought that with firearms, what was there to fear from zombies?

Though infections had appeared, they had either been shot or contained.

Currently, the situation was easily manageable.

However, when the energy surge arrives, no one will escape that baptism of energy.

Even Earth’s magnetic field would alter, disabling electronic devices.

At that moment, firearms alone wouldn’t suffice.

Humans, animals, plants, zombies—they’d rely not just on wit but on energy to compete for the top of the Pyramid.

Ding-dong~

Bai Xiqin’s phone chimed.

Zhang Yiming: Xiao Niu, have you finished your thesis? The defense is about to start!