Water Man

Water Man

Hong Mo glanced at the guy. A professor—pretty much the same as a "beast," probably only good at seducing female students.

"What kind of look is that? I have a bachelor's and a master's degree, you know." Bai Cangye was provoked by Hong Mo's look and nearly challenged him to a fight.

"Bought them, probably." Hong Mo curled his lip disdainfully. He himself had only attended his sophomore year for a few weeks, yet this guy had somehow graduated with a master's degree. Hong Mo was jealous.

"Forget it, I can't be bothered explaining it to you. The school arranged for you is Chongqing Yucai Middle School. If you want to go, just show them your ID and they'll know. Still, it'd be best if you went within a month. Also, if mutated creatures appear in the city, you'll need to help deal with them. That shouldn't be a problem for you, right? Of course, try not to involve ordinary people. Lastly, if the little bat your daughter keeps needs blood, buy some from a hospital. If that really doesn't work, find a livestock farm—there are plenty of fat pigs. It must not drink ordinary people's blood. All right, that's it." After rattling all that off in one breath, Bai Cangye immediately took off.

Only after Bai Cangye had gone far away did Hong Mo pick up the ID card in his hand, feeling somewhat dazed.

This was changing far too quickly. Yesterday, he had been hunted down; today, he had been recruited, and they had even arranged a teaching job for him. Even now, Hong Mo still felt as if he were dreaming.

"Dad." Lingyin tugged at Hong Mo's clothes.

"Mm, I'm fine." Hong Mo shook his head. Whether it was real or not, it wasn't doing him any harm. "This is your ID. Keep it safe." Hong Mo handed the ID card to Lingyin. Lingyin took it, and the card suddenly flashed in her hand before disappearing.

Having her own Soul Space really was incredibly convenient. Seeing this, Hong Mo could not help sighing inwardly. He had possessed superpowers for more than a decade without awakening a Soul Space. Who knew why Lingyin had awakened one before even reaching seven years old?

Hong Mo pulled out his knockoff phone and opened the digital map. Mm, they were in Wanzhou, while Yucai Middle School was in Xiejiawan, Jiulongpo District, Chongqing. Hong Mo compared the maps a few times, then spiritedly waved a hand ahead.

"Let's go to Yucai Middle School. Your dad is going to be a teacher."

"Yeah~!" Lingyin raised her little fist as well and let out an adorably fierce shout, imitating her father. Then she suddenly turned around. "Dad, are we safe now? Can I change back into my old clothes?"

"Mm?" Hong Mo paused. "Your old clothes? You mean that Gothic lolita outfit? So you liked it?"

"Mm, I do." Lingyin nodded.

"Then go ahead. Wear whatever you like." Hong Mo nodded in agreement.

After receiving Hong Mo's permission, Lingyin released a huge swarm of bats with a flutter, completely shrouding the nearby area. Then she began changing clothes inside.

Hong Mo could not help rubbing his forehead. It seemed Lingyin liked that outfit more than a little.

After changing, Hong Mo took Lingyin to the roadside and hailed a taxi.

"Chongqing Yucai Middle School," Hong Mo told the driver.

"Yucai Middle School? That's quite far." The driver was somewhat surprised. After all, not many people took taxis across most of the city.

"Mm, I have something to do. Sorry to trouble you." Hong Mo was still very polite toward ordinary people.

The taxi started moving. Hong Mo leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and seriously considered the country's attitude.

Mm, it seemed unbelievable that the country had actually compromised with one person. Or perhaps it was seeking balance? After all, weren't there plenty of gangsters and corrupt officials in society? The country could not possibly deal with every last one of them.

At that thought, a cold smile appeared on Hong Mo's lips. So there were already plenty of people in society with special privileges; one more like him would not make a difference. Of course, he still had to know his limits and not truly go out stirring up trouble.

With the pursuit order withdrawn, Hong Mo relaxed slightly. Leaning against the taxi seat, he gradually fell asleep. During this time, he had constantly feared that the country might attack him at any moment, and he had not rested properly at all.

"Dad!" After an unknown amount of time—perhaps not much time at all—Lingyin suddenly shook Hong Mo awake.

"Mm?" Hong Mo abruptly opened his eyes in alarm and saw the driver frantically trying to accelerate, though he looked anxious.

Hong Mo immediately realized something was wrong. The driver was desperately trying to drive the taxi, but it seemed as though the vehicle had become trapped in something and was not moving forward at all.

"Friend inside, won't you come out for a moment?" A voice came from outside the car.

Who was it?

Hong Mo's heart jolted in alarm, and his superpower field instantly spread out. Ten meters from the taxi stood a man. From beneath that man's feet, surging clear water wrapped around the taxi's tires. Though the wheels spun wildly, the taxi could not move forward.

A superpowered person—water control!

Lingyin, be careful. At this moment, Hong Mo communicated with Lingyin directly through his superpower field instead of speaking aloud.

Mm, got it, Dad.

The driver also realized something was wrong. He killed the engine and brought the taxi to a stop.

Hong Mo opened the door and stepped out with a grave expression. Who exactly was this person? Could Bai Cangye's message have merely been a ruse meant to lure him in?

The instant Hong Mo got out, the water beneath his feet seemed to come alive and coiled around his body.

You're courting death!

Anger flared within Hong Mo, and lightning burst from beneath his feet. The man opposite him shuddered, and the water suddenly split apart in the middle. The water that had been wrapped around Hong Mo instantly became ordinary water and splashed to the ground.

"Heh heh, it really is you." The man sneered as the water on the ground transformed into chains that wound around his body.

Lingyin handed the taxi driver two hundred-yuan bills. The driver immediately started the taxi and vanished in an instant. Clearly, he was no fool. Having discovered that both Hong Mo and the other man were superpowered people, people he could not afford to provoke, he naturally ran as far away as possible. He had not even intended to charge them the fare, but he had not expected the little girl Lingyin to give him two hundred-yuan bills.

Water control!

Hong Mo found the big man's vaguely familiar build and appearance somewhat familiar. Oh, so he was the guy by the Yangtze River whose eel had been electrocuted unconscious. He had not died after all.

Hong Mo's memory was very good now. Though it had not reached the point of photographic memory, as long as he thought carefully, he could basically recall any person or thing he had seen.

"Did you need something from me?" Hong Mo asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Of course I do! Damn it, you electrocuted me senseless without even knowing what was going on, then just ran off. It took me a lot of effort to find you." The man opposite him spoke furiously.

"I don't know you at all. If you hadn't led that eel toward me, I couldn't have been bothered with you in the first place. You should be grateful I didn't kill you while you were unconscious." The man was angry, but Hong Mo was in no mood to be pleasant either as he replied coldly.

"Hahaha!" The man opposite him covered his face and burst into laughter.

Hong Mo did not understand what the other man was laughing about, but he prepared himself for battle.

"What the hell, you think you're in the right? As an ability user, not only did you refuse to help me kill that mutated creature, but after I got caught in your electric current and passed out, you even wanted to kill me? I... I seriously don't know what to say to you. How could anyone be as cold-blooded as you?" The burly man across from him pointed at Hong Mo, looking utterly furious.

"Come on, follow me. Let's find somewhere, and I'll teach you a proper lesson." The man beckoned Hong Mo with a curl of his fingers.

Hong Mo was somewhat puzzled. It seemed this guy did not recognize him; he had only come looking for him because of the eel incident. And from his tone, it sounded as though Hong Mo had been obligated to help him kill that eel?

After gesturing to him, the man simply headed toward a sparsely populated area without bothering to see whether Hong Mo followed.

"Daddy." Lingyin tugged at Hong Mo's sleeve.

"Let's go. He's being ridiculous; I can't be bothered with him." Hong Mo took Lingyin's hand and headed directly in the opposite direction. Lingyin held up the hem of her clothes to keep it from getting stained by the filthy water on the ground.

"Hey, fuck!" The burly man panicked and immediately chased after them. Normally, ability users had some pride. In a situation like that, they would usually follow along. Who would have thought Hong Mo would completely ignore convention and pay him no attention at all?

A huge palm formed from flowing water reached out to grab Hong Mo. Hong Mo easily dodged it, then looked darkly at the guy who kept pestering him.

"Are you done? You want to fight? Fine, I'll oblige." Hong Mo was growing angry as well. He grabbed at the air with his right hand, and a ball of electric light appeared in his palm, crackling with a harsh, grating sound.

"Go to the riverside. It's open there, and it won't affect anyone else." The man's face turned cold as well, his chin raised.

"Didn't you want to fight? What, do we need to pick a special location for it?" Hong Mo sneered.

"I..." The man was clearly infuriated by Hong Mo. "Can you stop playing dumb? Ability users aren't allowed to fight inside the city, don't you know that? Do you have any idea how much damage that could cause? Don't get all full of yourself just because you have a little power. Don't forget that you have family members who are ordinary people too."

The man was plainly enraged, yet he still restrained himself.

Ability users were not allowed to fight in the city? Hong Mo truly seemed not to have known that. Judging by this burly man's reaction, the government appeared to have some kind of restrictions on ability users.

Ever since escaping the research institute, Hong Mo had spent his time hiding and running. He really had not had the time to learn about such things.

Hong Mo frowned. Had he really violated some rule?