Twists and Turns

Yu Yue nodded reservedly, "After absorbing that Pan-Energy Crystal yesterday, I slept, and by this morning, I had become an Evolutionist. My core ability is 'Sonic Affinity,' which allows me to hear many strange sounds."

"To think you're a Manipulator." Su Huan was genuinely surprised.

He had originally assumed that Liang Kuan or Yu Jing would be the first to evolve; he never expected the timid Auntie Yu to be at the forefront of evolution.

Su Huan walked around the table and chairs to Yu Yue's side, examining her ears.

Becoming an Evolutionist always brought about more or less physical changes.

Just like the iron-colored hue in Qi Xiaoba's eyes, or the restrained light in Wan Xing's.

Su Huan's own changes were even more obvious, manifesting as either red light or lightning.

Yu Yue's ears had become more slender and were positioned noticeably higher, with the contours of the cartilage clearly defined. While not as exaggerated as elf ears, they appeared incredibly delicate.

Thanks to this evolution, the fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes had vanished, and her skin had become a shade fairer.

Although these were just minor adjustments accompanying the evolution, combined, they made her look at least ten years younger.

Seeming to sense Su Huan's gaze, Yu Yue self-consciously smoothed her hair, the tips of her ears turning red.

"The range of sound a normal person can hear is between 20 and 20,000 Hz, so you can hear many sounds we cannot. However, you will have to observe for yourself what these sounds signify."

"After all, we can't hear them." Su Huan explained while squinting, looking Yu Yue up and down.

Being able to hear special sound waves was merely an auxiliary ability; her primary power should be the ability to manipulate sound waves.

Otherwise, this type would not be classified as a "Manipulator."

"Is there anything else?"

"I seem to be able to gather some of the sounds I hear, and I can also emit some high-pitched and low-frequency sounds myself."

Su Huan picked up a glass shard from the table, then glanced at Auntie Yu's now fairer, more tender neck, saying with slight surprise.

"Did you do this?"

In his past life, he had encountered someone who could hear various sound waves, but hearing and utilizing them were two different things.

"Mm..."

The fine down on Yu Yue's ears stood on end, her thin, arched brows knitted together, and her fingers twisted together like a child's.

Facing Su Huan's gaze, she was always very nervous.

She stole a glance at her daughter sitting nearby, and her emotions finally eased.

Su Huan's gaze was filled with curiosity, "It seems there is quite a bit of offensive potential. To what extent can it reach?"

"Currently, the attack power is very weak; at most, it can cause someone to experience tinnitus for a moment."

"That's very good."

Su Huan said with satisfaction.

A complete team might not necessarily be a gathering of many powerhouses, but rather a group of people with various skills coordinating with one another.

Firepower suppression, area crowd control, long-range support, sensory tracking...

By utilizing different specialties, a reasonable squad is formed.

It was just that when Su Huan originally picked his people, he prioritized the Armed Train, with ease of control coming second.

Evolutionary abilities were like opening a blind box; he hadn't expected Yu Yue and the others to have particularly suitable powers.

To have drawn a sound-wave manipulator was already a top-tier result.

"Really?"

Yu Yue hadn't expected to hear the words "very good" from the demanding Su Huan. She lifted her rounded chin and gathered the courage to ask, "Then what can I do?"

Su Huan looked at Yu Yue's soft, gentle lips and fell into deep thought.

High frequency, vibration, perhaps...

"Could you be a sniper?"

"Ah, me?"

Yu Yue's brows unknitted, and she placed her hands behind her back in delight.

Suddenly remembering that her daughter and others were present, she quietly restrained her small movements.

Watching her mother look as happy as a little girl just from being praised, Yu Jing sighed inwardly and asked, "Is it because sound-wave abilities are better suited for long-range performance?"

Su Huan turned his head and said seriously, "Yes. If she can control sound waves, she can easily obtain battlefield information, such as terrain or enemy positions. Paired with a sniper rifle, she will be an important combat asset for the team."

Yu Jing thought about her mother's personality; if she were forced to take a knife onto the battlefield, she would surely be scared into hiding behind her.

Being a long-range sniper was actually quite good.

Important and safe.

"Huh?"

Yu Yue suddenly let out a soft exclamation.

The group looked at her, puzzled.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

Yu Jing went to her mother's side and took her hand.

Yu Yue tilted her head and said uncertainly, "I heard two explosions; the sound was about the same as the ones this morning."

Su Huan and Yu Jing exchanged a glance, and he raised an eyebrow, asking, "In which direction?"

Yu Yue extended a finger, pointing outside the left side of the carriage.

Su Huan's gaze turned cold in an instant.

That was exactly the direction of the water plant, something Yu Yue could not have known beforehand.

Su Huan narrowed his eyes. "Qi Xiaoba, go to the driver's cabin and tell Liang Kuan to speed up; keep an eye on the road conditions. Wan Xing, you go to the storage carriage. Yu Jing, stay here and tell me if your mother hears anything else."

After speaking, Su Huan walked toward the No. 2 sightseeing carriage.

He climbed the stairs to the second floor and looked out the window.

Because it was now morning, the mist outside had dissipated quite a bit; although it was still overcast, he could see things in the distance.

On both sides of the tracks were mostly low-rise buildings under six stories, surrounded by metal fences.

There weren't many cars on the road, which looked as if it had been cleared by someone.

There were also quite a few ruptured Corpse Cocoons, which he assumed must have been the work of that group from Star Property Management.

The glass was stained with mist, making things somewhat blurry, so Su Huan simply walked through the rear door directly onto the No. 3 carriage.

The hot, humid air surged toward him, quickly soaking the gray T-shirt on his back and making it stick damply to his skin.

Standing here, he could see the water tower under the gloomy sky in the distance.

The train beneath his feet continued to move, and after ten minutes—at 10:22—it finally came to a halt, shifting the water tower from the left side of Su Huan's field of vision to directly in front of him.

It was only about a kilometer away.

It had been 42 minutes since Gao Zhe had set off with four workers and two trusted subordinates carrying the explosives.

It wasn't that he didn't want to send his own people.

Liang Kuan was the driver and couldn't easily leave the train; Qi Xiaoba was a strategic asset, and with his bad leg, he certainly couldn't leave either.

As for the likes of Yu Jing and Wan Xing, it went without saying.

Sending them would be like throwing meat buns at a dog.

Not to mention the inherent risks, even without them, complications would inevitably arise.

When the apocalypse tore away the constraints of civilization, women were also a type of important resource.

That was why, even when Gao Zhe had repeatedly broken the rules, Su Huan had never dealt him a lethal blow.

Because he needed such a powerful, albeit distant, hired hand.

Suddenly, a figure stumbling back toward the train was reflected in Su Huan's pupils.

Footsteps sounded from behind him as Liang Kuan walked up, dragging Hu An along.

Su Huan draped an arm over Hu An's shoulder, pointed at the figure in the distance, and asked with a faint smile, "Tell me, what kind of news do you think he's bringing back?"

Hu An looked at the work uniform the man was wearing, his heart sank, and he swallowed hard.

"Brother Su, perhaps there's been some misunderstanding in there..."

The man saw Su Huan on the train and ran even faster, completely ignoring the mud splattered on his legs.

Arriving beneath the train, he gasped for air and shouted, "Boss Su, they've killed the hostages!"