Chapter 27: Joining Forces
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When Meng Ran appeared, Chang Yan smiled. “It’s naturally for the best that you’re willing to cooperate with us.”
Meng Ran’s gaze fell on the young boy beside her.
“This is my younger brother, Chang Xingwen. He’s also an Esper.”
Chang Yan bore no ill will, and Meng Ran could sense that. She had been preparing these past few days to leave the residential compound.
“Compared with finding one ordinary person, wouldn’t it be more worthwhile to work with two Espers?” Chang Yan said with a smile.
“How did you know I had an ability?”
Meng Ran was genuinely curious. She had hidden it well. Although Mu Qiuyun knew about it, she had no idea what kind of ability Meng Ran possessed.
Besides, Meng Ran had never met Chang Yan or Chang Xingwen before, which was why she found it strange.
“That’s all because of me!” Chang Xingwen lifted his head proudly, only for Chang Yan to pinch him from behind.
Chang Yan’s expression did not change. “We used certain methods to find out, but we have no ill intentions. We simply want to find people to cooperate with. We can discuss the details later.”
After glaring at her loose-lipped younger brother, Chang Yan felt utterly helpless, but she still chose not to tell the truth.
Meng Ran frowned, but ultimately said nothing.
“When?”
Chang Yan immediately straightened. “Tomorrow morning, after daybreak, I’ll be waiting downstairs at your building. Come down when you see me.”
Meng Ran nodded and closed the door.
Since they knew she had an ability, what about her space?
Could they have seen that too?
Meng Ran touched her ring. Compared with Chang Yan, the ability of the boy called Chang Xingwen was even more intriguing.
“Mom, are you really planning to cooperate with them?” Niannian asked curiously as she touched the tiny watermelons that had just emerged from the soil.
“If we want to leave the compound, the zombies will certainly come running as soon as they catch our scent. Having help will make everything much easier.”
Meng Ran had already thought it through. Breaking out would inevitably come at a cost, so she had not stopped exercising these past few days, hoping her physical strength would be enough to keep up.
Now that Chang Yan and Chang Xingwen had appeared, they had provided a way to break the deadlock.
As for Mu Qiuyun, Meng Ran had no intention of going out of her way to inform her for the time being. Mu Qiuyun came and went freely, appearing and disappearing without a trace; she likely had her own plans.
Everything in the house had already been packed. Meng Ran had nothing she needed to take with her. All she had to do was wait for the next morning.
“I wonder what Chang Xingwen’s ability actually is.”
Niannian went to wash her hands. “Mom, do I still have to stay here tomorrow?”
“Yes. The snow outside is almost as tall as you are. It’s too dangerous. We’ll talk about it after we break out.”
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No one knew what the area outside the compound had become. There had been no reliable news reports online before, so once they went out, they would truly have to take things one step at a time.
While the compound had not yet fallen into complete chaos, they should leave first and worry about the rest later.
At daybreak, Chang Yan and Chang Xingwen appeared downstairs in fresh gear. Meng Ran lifted the curtain, saw them below, and went downstairs at once.
As soon as she stepped outside, Grandma Liu emerged with Qi Guangyao.
Meng Ran went around them and intended to leave, but Grandma Liu suddenly fell to her knees.
“Meng Ran, I know you’re capable. I’m begging you—please take my grandson with you.”
Qi Guangyao had grown much thinner. The chubby boy’s face no longer had any flesh on it. He could not stop crying, clutching at Grandma Liu while looking beseechingly at Meng Ran.
“I apologize for what happened before. You only need to take Guangyao with you.”
When Fang Weiwen had ransacked their home, Grandma Liu had managed to hide a few supplies, which was how they had survived the past several days.
But now, they truly had nothing left.
The day before, Grandma Liu had heard what Chang Yan said. Meng Ran and Chang Yan were both powerful and would surely be able to protect Qi Guangyao. If he could leave with them and find someone to rescue him, she would have peace of mind.
“I’ll kowtow to you.”
Meng Ran held her down. “There’s no need. Even if you begged me again, I still wouldn’t take him with me. Looking after Niannian already leaves me stretched to the limit. I don’t have the strength to spare.”
She had already done everything she could when she drove Grandma Liu out to buy food on the first day of the extreme cold. She would not bring any further trouble upon herself.
Meng Ran turned and left without pausing.
Grandma Liu scrambled to her feet and continued pleading. Only after Meng Ran’s figure disappeared into the stairwell did she begin cursing angrily in frustration.
“Do you think we should leave too?”
The people in the same building heard the commotion and could not help beginning to consider this matter they had always ignored.
“I don’t know either. Going outside now would probably just mean certain death.”
Meng Ran went downstairs and joined Chang Yan and Chang Xingwen.
Chang Yan glanced behind her.
“What are you looking at?” Meng Ran asked, tightening her palm.
Chang Yan was fairly forthright. “Where’s your daughter?”
Meng Ran tugged her mask higher. It seemed they knew about her spatial ability.
“She’s somewhere safe.”
Chang Yan said nothing more. She merely pointed toward the property management office. “They should be here soon. There’s a zombie with an ability inside. Be careful.”
Having caught the scent of living people so close by, the zombies came running through the snow.
Chang Yan glanced at Chang Xingwen. “Let’s go.”
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After hearing that one of the zombies possessed an ability, Meng Ran wondered whether it could be Fang Weiwen.
“Speaking of which, Sister Meng, you actually know that zombie with an ability,” Chang Xingwen said with a beaming smile.
“It’s Fang Weiwen, isn’t it?”
Meng Ran was now certain.
Chang Xingwen nodded.
“Shh.” Chang Yan pressed down on Chang Xingwen’s head. “Something’s coming.”
Crunch, crunch—the sound of something stepping onto the snow.
Meng Ran looked up and saw several zombies crawling out of the snow in the distance before rushing toward them at incredible speed.
Among them were several zombies whose bodies had been torn into pieces and crudely pieced back together. They approached while bleeding profusely.
Chang Xingwen’s scalp prickled, and he hid to one side.
“Big Sis, you have to protect me.”
He crouched in a pit with his arms over his head, waiting for Chang Yan to deal with the zombies.
Meng Ran surveyed the area. “Fang Weiwen isn’t here.”
Chang Yan tossed aside the weapon in her hand. “Then let’s deal with these minor underlings first and force him out.”
She placed her hand on the snow, and Meng Ran clearly felt the gravity before them change.
The altered field of gravity avoided Meng Ran and Chang Xingwen, while the zombies were crushed into the snow.
Meng Ran raised her hand. Thorns burst forth, dragging the zombies out of the snow before stabbing straight into their heads.
Only a strike to the head could kill a zombie completely.
After her affinity had reached eleven percent, her abilities involving plants had changed slightly as well. Meng Ran could now use thorns with far greater destructive power.
The spikes pierced into the zombies’ brains. Without Meng Ran needing to approach, the few zombies had already collapsed and fallen silent, reverting to the state they had been in before death.
“Impressive.” Chang Yan gave her a thumbs-up.
Chang Xingwen had told her about Meng Ran’s ability, but this was the first time Chang Yan had witnessed it herself.
“Your ability isn’t bad either.”
With Chang Yan’s gravity manipulation assisting her, Meng Ran had not needed to expend much mental energy at all while dealing with the zombies.
Only four had fallen. Several others had yet to show themselves, and no one knew where they were hiding.
“Chang Xingwen!” Chang Yan called.
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