Lord Su

Although Su Ren had paid little attention to the people sent by the Floating City after showing them the way, he was still the shelter's second-in-command. If a Contamination Source was discovered, he had to be ready to be summoned at any time.

Even though he knew the Contamination Source was already gone, he could not look too idle. So after watching Su Shijie finish injecting the potion, he headed out again.

Apparently, he would not be leading the Advanced Class students today either.

Since Su Shijie had reached the Awakened Rank, Su Ren simply reported it through the proper channels and arranged for Su Shijie to be one of today's team leaders. That also made it easier to account for the five guns, putting them on the books.

That was why, when Su Shijie showed up for breakfast in his Combat Suit, Bai Xinxin immediately dissed him.

"You're actually dressed this flashy today?"

The astonishment on her face made Su Shijie want to hit her again. You can't beat me now!

"Awakened Rank, got it? I'm one of today's big-shot team leaders."

"No way, you broke through already?"

Bai Xinxin knew Su Shijie had recently been leveling up under his father's guidance, but how long had it been? Even knowing from his past performance that Su Shijie was highly talented, this was still absurdly fast.

Though she often bickered with Su Shijie, Bai Xinxin knew that since Third Brother had made up his mind and endured so much hardship these past few days, he would not use a potion to break through. That was why she was so shocked.

"That's what being a genius means. Can't help it."

Seeing Bai Xinxin's stunned expression, Su Shijie felt his spirits rise again. He also realized that this felt even better than beating her up.

Fortunately, he had not forgotten his father's warning. He then reminded her, "But Dad said not to tell anyone. Just say I awakened using a potion."

"You think we love showing off as much as you do?"

Bai Xinxin stuffed two pieces of meat into her mouth and replied indistinctly.

Their family was already considered rather high-profile in the shelter. Even the commander's family only had the commander himself at the Transformation Tier and his eldest son at Awakened Rank Level Six. His eldest daughter and second son had both used potions.

The entire family had agreed on their story the day Su Ren returned: Su Shijie had broken through using a potion.

"Third Brother is amazing."

Compared to Bai Xinxin's words, Bai Congcong's admiring tone gave Su Shijie an even greater sense of satisfaction. He could not help putting a piece of meat in his bowl.

"Eat more. Grow taller than your sister."

Amid their usual bickering, the three of them packed up and headed for the gathering point.

The students from the other grades who had gone on rotation to experience work over the past few days had come too. More than thirty people had gathered at the entrance, chattering away.

Still, they stood in neat lines, like schoolchildren crossing the road after class.

"Brother Su, why are you wearing a Combat Suit today? Didn't you always say it was uncomfortable?"

He Lei, the student closest to Su Shijie, naturally found the outfit rather surprising.

"Heh, didn't you notice? Only Auntie Chen is leading the team today."

Su Shijie spoke with an intentionally profound expression.

Dad said he had to act naturally. This was how he would naturally react, right? Nothing wrong with that. A little showing off could only help.

"Are you looking for death? Am I that old? Call me Sister."

Chen Hui, pretty-faced but with a scar at the corner of her eye, glared at Su Shijie.

She was in her early thirties and at Awakened Rank Level Two. Other than her more mature bearing, time had left no visible mark on her.

"Come on, you're nearly twenty years older than me. Sister? Don't make me sound old."

With all those endlessly devoted wives from the game keeping him company, Su Shijie had no intention of indulging anyone else.

What, are you prettier than my wives?

"Heh~"

Chen Hui was so choked up that her chest felt tight. If this brat had not been protected by the instructor, he would have been knocked unconscious long ago.

Why hasn't that idiot Uncle Xiong died and come back from the Floating City yet? Don't tell me I have to team up with this brat continuously?

"Oh, so you used a potion and became Awakened Rank?"

He Lei's face filled with envy.

Without external help, everyone's talent had its limits. Reaching the Awakened Rank already meant being one in a hundred.

Looking across P-314 Shelter now, Su Shijie could be considered one of the elite.

Well, with his father and siblings backing him before, he probably already had been.

"From now on, you may call me Lord Su."

Su Shijie deliberately affected his tone. This was all for the disguise; he had official permission to act in character.

With that groundwork laid, it was completely normal for Su Shijie to wear a Combat Suit and carry guns on him.

Su Shijie's father was Instructor Su Ren, after all. Having a few extra guns was no big deal.

After that little episode, the group headed to the subway passage entrance, entered the tunnel, and made their way through without incident.

But gossip-loving He Lei soon shared some news about Residential Zone 2 with Su Shijie.

"Brother Su, did you know? The Floating City sent a Task Force here before dawn. They're supposedly investigating the Contamination Source."

He Lei spoke in a mysterious tone.

"I know. My dad and I were the ones who found it. We might even get a reward for the lead."

Su Shijie replied in a restrained tone.

He Lei's eyes turned red with envy. A lead on a Contamination Source!

Once confirmed, the reward alone would be enough to buy a house in the Floating City.

He Lei knew his own limits. Although he was considered a favored child of heaven in the eyes of people outside the Advanced Class, the two final exams over the past few days had already been difficult enough.

At most, he could obtain eligibility to purchase an Awakening Potion. He would still have to continue his studies in the Floating City to earn the remaining quota, and his family would need to subsidize part of it.

He did have a chance to live in the city, but even after careful budgeting, the cost of city life was still an overwhelming figure. His family was already struggling just to cover some of the price difference for the potion. They probably could not afford anything extra.

Yet Su Shijie and his father had merely gone out for a stroll at night and received so many rewards. What kind of luck was that?

And with Su Shijie's family circumstances, it truly was enough to make someone die of envy.

They had all the advantages.

Meanwhile, he had not even been to the Floating City yet. Sigh...

"But you really are incredible. Not only did you get a reward like that, you even got yourself an Awakening Potion. I'm the one in trouble. I don't even know if I can survive this round of final exams."

He Lei's words were filled with envy and bitterness.

"Haha, want me to go easy on you?"

"You're ranked below me, aren't you? But sure, since you don't need a quota anymore, leaving one open would make things safer."

"No way. Awakening Potions are worth a lot of money."

"..."

They quickly finished the familiar route and arrived outside the shelter as usual, using their Personal Terminals to scan themselves through.

Su Shijie's Combat Suit drew greetings and congratulations from many people who knew him.

Congratulations rang out without end.

Before, they might have been doing it for the sake of Su Shijie's father and siblings.

But this time, many genuinely valued Su Shijie himself. Whether he had used a potion or not, he was Awakened Rank. Being qualified to use a potion was itself a form of capability.

At least in P-314 Shelter, no one could ignore their family's four Awakened Rank members. Bai Congcong and Bai Xinxin were also on the verge of awakening.

It was no wonder Su Ren wanted him to remain "low-key."

Today should originally have been the turn of one of their final exam subjects, but when they arrived at the classroom, they heard that the exam had been canceled.

"...That's the situation. Today's final exam is temporarily canceled. You may use the knowledge stored in your neural computers to study. Given your learning progress, you have more than enough material to work with. However, the communications antenna is undergoing maintenance, so you cannot connect to the network. Any students wanting to play games will need to wait patiently for a few days."

A broad and sturdy man with brown hair and blue eyes, built like a brown bear, stood before the Advanced Class and explained the situation.

Afjeblin, Sergei's eldest son, was also the most stereotypically Russian-looking member of their family. However, unlike his father, he seemed not to have inherited the bloodline of his ancestors.

He was around the early stage of Awakened Rank Level Six and served as captain of the shelter patrol, mainly responsible for internal security. His status was slightly higher than Su Shijie's older brother and sister.

As he spoke the last part, he gave Su Shijie a teasing glance, prompting a burst of good-natured laughter from the students.

Su Shijie was fairly famous in the Advanced Class. At first, some people had mocked him behind his back for playing games, but after he kept playing every day without falling behind and persisted all the way to this final stage, such voices had gradually dwindled. It had even started to feel a little frightening.

Especially after he had earned an Awakening Potion through the game and now entered the Awakened Rank, it was even more so.

His father was capable, his siblings were all impressive, and he had even earned an Awakening Potion himself to become Awakened Rank. He was already on a completely different level from most people in the shelter and the Advanced Class.

Communications antenna maintenance had happened before.

But Su Shijie felt it might be related to the Floating City Task Force's arrival. Was it to prevent rumors from spreading?

Because of his own abilities, Su Shijie had recently specifically searched for information and news about Contamination Sources.

However, all he found was standardized information with no detailed explanations. Even news reports were merely standard press releases issued after a Contamination Source had been dealt with.

Perhaps that was also because his clearance was insufficient. But based on his ability to grow stronger by absorbing emotions, Su Shijie suspected that Contamination Sources might have a similar effect. If word of an unresolved Contamination Source spread widely, then under the accumulation of fear and other emotions, it might strengthen the Contamination Source itself.

The boost from emotions was indeed far weaker than directly absorbing souls and the like, but there was no shortage of quantity...