STB Chapter 160: Future

As the season changed in late May, the temperature rose sharply.

There was no delay in the rescue effort. Except for big problems like landslides, the national highways, and provincial roads have basically resumed smooth operations. Many cities had liberalized traffic control orders and restored order. Every day, trucks loaded with materials entered the city and traded in a market opened by the government. The price is set by the state, so anyone who tried to drive up the price are immediately arrested, then sent to the construction sites to work hard.

Reconstruction is also proceeding in an orderly manner.

The city was revitalized from the ruins. According to the principle of nearest allocation, after the completion of the new residential community, owners of the collapsed houses could directly move in. Now they lived in temporary partitioned buildings. The conditions aren’t good, and since summer is coming soon, the government officials responsible for management are overwhelmed.

Most didn’t believe it when the news pledging that “the disaster has passed and all ability holders had disappeared.” They’re still scared, but some believed the rumors, while there are also people who preached directly in refugee settlements.

Non-religious public places cannot be preached, but it’s usually unreported since there is no one to manage these places. The situation’s different now because they’re caught as soon as they appeared. They were warned the first time, fined the second time, then sent to the construction site the third time!

In fact, in an atheist country, engaging in health care products multi-level marketing and illegal fundraising is better than religious brainwashing. After all, everyone wanted to be healthy and dream of making a fortune compared to thinking about their suffering in this mundane world and going to heaven after death. Why? Isn’t a good person already good, so why do they have to be good even after death?

The ability holders lost their power at the same time. They panicked, and some people even decided to hide it, afraid of the people they’ve previously bullied to come back for revenge. However, paper can’t cover fire, and the fact that everyone has no ability will always spread.

This May, the days of the ability holders aren’t good.

Those who followed the army’s rescue teams are okay, while the others relied on their ability to make chaos. They occupied several sites, so the ability holders are the first ones to receive food and water. Now, they suffered mocking eyes, and some unlucky ones are directly covered with sacks.

Because of the void, A-class and S-class ability holders are unexpectedly sent on a trip, so Li Fei couldn’t control Black Abyss in these late stages. Zhang Tao, an ambitious person who got the opportunity, won over numerous ability holders, and struggle for power behind the scenes. It also caused human lives, and his group became a force that couldn’t be ignored.

Who would have thought that the organization they’re proud of disappeared in the blink of an eye?

Most ability holders are ordinary people. Perhaps a few of them are technical talents or had good martial skills, but against the country——they have absolutely no chance of winning!

In the new arrest warrant issued by the country, Zhang Tao was among them. Their crime was killing ability holders in the Abandoned World.

A few other wanted warrants had also been canceled, mainly the criminal gang involved in the bombing of the Huaicheng Pearl Hotel. The culprit’s body had been found because the book transmigrator disappeared and it’s not appropriate to charge the “original owner” with the crime.

The threat of the Abandoned World disappeared, and those troublemaking book transmigrators are gone. Everything is on the right track, but even the Red Dragon members part of the National Abilities Organization can’t help but miss their own ability.

“Water ability is so convenient. The most important thing when traveling is water! With a water ability, I could go all the way up the mountain. How strong is that ability, and just how far can I go! I’ll be fine even if the transport plane just dropped corned beef!”

“Fire ability is also good. You could use it during a rapid march, field training, or during missions……”

The talking Red Dragon member snapped his fingers, then regretfully looked at the palm of his hand. No more flames would come out of it again. Among other things, he can’t make girls think he’s cool!

“It’s obviously only been half a year……”

They sighed in despair. After living for more than twenty years without any ability, they didn’t feel anything. But now that they’ve lost their ability, they couldn’t adapt. An ability holder with wind attribute habitually skipped the stairs to save time and almost broke his arm.

“Power is addictive.”

Even Zhang YaoJin issued such a sigh.

His A-class ability is a semi-combat type and had no particular advantage against other ability holders. But against hot weapons, or even aircraft and tanks, Zhang YaoJin could be worth an army.

With his metal control on the micro level, Zhang YaoJin could twist a gun like twisting dough, but this takes too much energy. He has a better way, such as destroying the internal structure of the gun.

There are too many precision constructed things in modern civilization. Needless to say, this included weapons, cars, and computers.

Zhang YaoJin is a professional soldier, so he’s familiar with things like guns and weapons. He could even disassemble and assemble some models with his eyes closed since he is very familiar with the structure of the parts. Zhang YaoJin couldn’t drive a tank, nor a fighter jet, but he is a Lieutenant Colonel, so he still knew the theory, but his general knowledge regarding weapons are yet to be tested.

This, in terms of his professional field, is an excellent ability, so he was most distressed after losing it.

Gun glitches don’t need to be repaired at all, Major Zhang just had to touch it, and it’d be fine. Then there’s the incident of rioters taking hostages. If Major Zhang wore a bulletproof vest and interfered with the mob’s weapons at a distance, whether it’s a gun or a knife, he could quickly disarm the other party……how much manpower and resources could be saved during the rescue operation?

“Everything has its pros and cons, but compared with the threat of the Abandoned World, everybody’s ability is nothing.” Zhang YaoJin thought as he gave work to the Red Dragon members.

Everyone knew the severity of the problem, so they issued a few more sighs. If the abilities would really come back, Abandoned World’s monsters would also come back to destroy the world. By then, absolutely no one would be happy.

“The world is back to normal, this is worth celebrating!” Some Red Dragon members argued noisily.

Guan Ling laughed with everyone, just a little bit reluctantly.

Zhang YaoJin noticed her reaction.

Half an hour later, Guan Ling and more than a dozen others who are originally ordinary people, meaning, the ability holders who only joined Red Dragon last year, was called into Zhang YaoJin’s office.

Guan Ling is still relatively calm, but some are restless, nervously waiting for Major Zhang to speak.

——they lost their abilities. It’s like mucking up a job, so how long could they stay in the Red Dragon base?

Zhang YaoJin let them all sit down, then looked around the crowd, “I think you’ve all thought about your future. Red Dragon belongs to a secret organization of the State, always performing dangerous tasks, so we select and recruit new members from the army, and the requirements had always been stringent.”

These people became even more nervous. According to the physical fitness test of the Red Dragon, not many people are qualified.

Their original job is gone. Even if they want to find another one, they can’t with the situation outside and with the economy still recovering. Being a customer service personnel is no problem, but white-collar jobs are a bit difficult to find.

“Some of you have submitted your resignation reports directly to me!” Zhang YaoJin pulled out a document. He smiled, “This is the first resignation application I received before I even signed the demobilization documents.”

Guan Ling squirmed then awkwardly tried to avert her eyes.

Fortunately, Zhang YaoJin didn’t say who submitted the application.

“In fact, things are not so bad. Red Dragon has many logistical positions, so if you have the skills, you could stay as long as you pass the assessment within three months. Even if you can’t, and really want to leave……I will, to the best of my abilities and following special regulations, find a civil servant job for you. Of course, everything you’ve seen and heard in Red Dragon is confidential, so you’re required to sign a special confidentiality agreement. You’re absolutely not allowed to leak anything to the outside world.”

That one sentence made everyone’s heart settle down.

Life is a real adventure, and poverty is the villain that needs to be defeated.

“You’re also ones who’ve been to the battlefield with me. Colonel Lu asked me to convey these words from headquarters, ‘To the people who sacrificed for their country, the country will remember them.’ In other words, you won’t be unemployed when you leave Red Dragon Base, and this crisis ushered in peace from the past, so all of you should be happy.”

Major Zhang patted everyone’s shoulder.

When it’s Guan Ling’s turn, she held out her hand and held Zhang YaoJin’s right hand.

——covered with calluses, very rough and dry, but it’s a little warm.

At first, they would always be a bit awkward when meeting each other.

Because《Outcast》mentioned one thing, Major Zhang YaoJin of China’s Red Dragon, within the ten years of the Abandoned World, married the B-class spatial ability holder Guan Ling.

The Red Dragon members saw this information from the Penguin chat group and couldn’t wait to gossip. After Guan Ling entered Red Dragon, many people looked at her with wide eyes.

Guan Ling has experienced being under society’s eyes, and Zhang YaoJin was a veteran of the army. They are not impulsive young people. For this “fated” arrangement, their level of disgust is not as deep. Without hearing it, there wouldn’t be any explosions nor anger toward each other, because it’ll be too childish and immature.

They’re not lovers, but the book said they’ll get married, is it really certain that they’ll get married just from that? However, it’s not their own business, right? If it’s on the level of wanting to destroy the world and rule the earth, even if they don’t do it, they’d still be bothered!

Zhang YaoJin is very calm, so Guan Ling is affected and also became very calm.

What the gossipers say in public is not their business, so no pink bubbles formed. After that, Red Dragon didn’t talk about it in private, because they felt that these two people aren’t fun anymore.

Guan Ling is very fond of Zhang YaoJin, but it’s only goodwill. They didn’t have the time to get along, and they can’t talk about unrelated things. Not every woman has a love brain, and goodwill is one thing while love is another matter. Although there aren’t many good men to grab in the world, it’s not like they can’t live if they don’t have one.

“I guess you won’t stay in Red Dragon.” Zhang YaoJin looked at Guan Ling.

“I don’t want to go back to work as an office girl so if you have a job like an assistant police officer, I’d like that very much.” Guan Ling has been drifting in the north for many years, so there aren’t that many savings. Now that even her rented house is gone, life would indeed be difficult.

“Would you mind a similar job like a bodyguard? You need to train for a while, then be hired to personally protect some female……public figures.” Zhang YaoJin coughed drily.

Guan Ling is a bit confused.

“Star Entertainment Media is relatively lacking in female bodyguards who are engaged in this kind of work.”

Rich pay and very little exposure outside. Guan Ling had good martial skills, but assistant police officers are generally not established. If she tested for other civil servant positions, her qualifications are not enough.

Guan Ling belatedly remembered that Zhang YaoJin has familiar relationship with Star Entertainment Media’s CEO, she laughed, “Sounds good.”

Seeing everyone leave the room one after another, Zhang YaoJin couldn’t help but whisper, “I have a better idea.”

“……”

“Do you mind a boyfriend or a future husband who’s not home all year round?”

“I mind very much.” Guan Ling blurted out.

Zhang YaoJin did not respond and actually continued to follow the original script, “Military people don’t have much private time, but as long as there is, he is with the other half. And so……ah, I mean, it doesn’t matter, you’re not at home.”

The two looked at each other. Guan Ling can’t help it, turning her head and trembling suspiciously.

Finding that things are not the same as what he thought, Zhang YaoJin could only say dryly, “Or let’s fall in love first.”

“No time to meet up then, so it may take ten years to have results.” Guan Ling was very practical.

“We can talk about it for a lifetime.”

Zhang YaoJin has no pressure in saying those words, not at all aware that “intimate interactions without the premise of marriage is the act of a rogue.”

“Although our world is a ridiculous book, there are things in the book that are always right.”

Major Zhang had met only a few likable women, and Guan Ling is one of them. How is it related to fate? He just happened to meet such a person and liked her not because of her looks or her intelligence.

“For example……” Major Zhang’s love IQ is not high, so he couldn’t say any nice words. When he needed an example, he can’t think of anything, so he just casually said, “For example, the Devourer had an extraordinary trusting relationship with the Fire Demon.”

Guan Ling: ……

Those two guys are always in contact with each other, you still need to use such high-sounding words!!

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Footnotes:

paper can’t cover fire, the truth will come out

demobilization documents, documents telling their discharge from military service to transfer to civilian work

Those two guys are always in contact with each other, 那两个家伙都负距离接触了, when I was translating this phrase, my mind came up with nasty images, especially when Uncle Google spit out ‘negative distance”. I can’t help but think that if skin to skin contact is zero distance, what is negative distance. But well, I probably butchered the meaning behind it.