ã€ŠApocalypse Reborn: The Last Frontierã€‹


 Chapter 1: Woke Up

    In a classroom at Central Pennsylvania College in Harrisburg£¬ Pennsylvania£¬ USA.

    ¡°Sky-Shattering Energy Cannon!¡°

    John Booth£¬ sitting at the back of the classroom£¬ suddenly sprang up from his seat£¬ slapping his hand on the desk with a force that made the surface ring out loudly.

    Teacher Jenny£¬ who was writing on the blackboard£¬ instantly halted her chalk£¬ paused for a moment£¬ then furrowed her brows and turned to look at John Booth.

    The classroom fell into a sudden£¬ complete silence£¬ with all the students'' gazes instantly focused on John Booth£¬ as if the air had solidified.

    John Booth was also taken aback£¬ standing there dazed£¬ his eyes vacant.

    An atmosphere of embarrassment filled the classroom£¬ and John Booth instinctively lowered his head£¬ his feet unconsciously scraping the soles of his shoes.

    His deskmate£¬ unable to contain his amusement£¬ covered his mouth to stifle a giggle£¬ then slightly raised his head£¬ his lips forming the words clearly:¡°Sky-Shattering Energy Cannon.¡°

    John Booth did not retort; instead£¬ he hung his head even lower.

    ¡°John Booth!¡° Teacher Jenny suddenly raised her voice£¬ which pierced through the air like a sharp sword£¬ directly targeting John Booth''s eardrum.

    John Booth instinctively looked up just in time to see a piece of chalk flying towards him!

    With a slight tilt of his head£¬ he dodged it nimbly. The chalk grazed his gray hair tips and hit the wall next to the podium with a ¡°crack¡° sound.

    The students in the classroom could no longer contain themselves and burst into laughter.

    ¡°How dare you dodge?¡° Teacher Jenny was so furious that her face turned pale£¬ her eyes almost shooting flames£¬¡°Sleeping is one thing£¬ but making such a commotion£¬ do you think I don''t exist? Get out and stand outside as punishment!¡°

    ¡°Yes...¡° With his head down£¬ John Booth walked towards the back door and left.

    The laughter of his classmates continued to echo behind him£¬ but John Booth pursed his lips£¬ his mind completely elsewhere.

    Stepping out of the classroom£¬ John Booth leaned against the wall£¬ his gaze aimlessly fixed on the portrait in front of him£¬ with the sound of a few low winds in his ears.

    The sunlight inside the classroom was dim£¬ and the walls and floor seemed somewhat dull under the yellowish light£¬ as if everything was frozen in an unknown temporal tunnel£¬ and he£¬ standing on this land£¬ felt an unprecedented sense of isolation.

    In his mind£¬ that extreme sensation of explosion surged again like a tidal wave.

    The battle on Pluto£¬ that massive meteorite£¬ the impact that tore through the starry sky in an instant... everything was so real£¬ as if it were only yesterday.

    But now£¬ he had returned to his eighteen-year-old self£¬ back to Earth£¬ and to this classroom that was both familiar and unfamiliar.

    ¡°Didn''t I die?¡° John Booth whispered to himself£¬ his mind in turmoil£¬ his heart rate accelerating£¬ every nerve in his body screaming about the illogical reality.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    He remembered the explosion on Pluto£¬ how he seemed to be pulled into endless darkness at that moment£¬ unable to see or hear anything.

    And then... then£¬ he stood here£¬ back in the year he was eighteen.

    Looking around£¬ the classroom matched his memory perfectly£¬ with portraits of Donald Trump hanging on the white walls of the hallway£¬ seemingly staring at him£¬ and he at them£¬ followed by George Washington£¬ Abraham Lincoln...

    Inside the classroom£¬ the messy desks and piles of books also silently told John Booth that all of this was real. Whether it was the sunlight slanting in through the window or the stuffy air in front of him£¬ everything seemed so familiar£¬ as if nothing had ever changed.

    ¡°How could this be...¡° John Booth took a deep breath£¬ trying to force himself to calm down and recall everything he knew.

    In that future era£¬ technology had become extremely advanced£¬ and breakthroughs in time and space travel had long been achieved. However£¬ this did not mean that time travel could bring him back to the past. According to his knowledge£¬ the principle of time and space travel only allowed objects to be spatially transported within the same timeline£¬ and it was impossible to reverse time.

    Thus£¬ he naturally concluded that he had not traveled to another time and space£¬ but... had returned to the past£¬ to the year he was eighteen.

    All the reasoning in his mind seemed to offer him no comfort£¬ instead deepening his confusion. The destruction of Pluto£¬ the hostility of the Star Emperor£¬ he remembered it all clearly£¬ but what about this world£¬ what is it like now?

    Suddenly£¬ a wave of dizziness washed over John Booth£¬ and he couldn''t help but lean against the wall. His mind was like a fog£¬ with memories from the past and the current scene intermingling£¬ causing a headache.

    He closed his eyes tightly£¬ trying to break free from the sense of unfamiliarity£¬ but no matter what£¬ he couldn''t find a rational explanation for his existence.

    ¡°This isn''t a dream£¬ right?¡° he muttered to himself£¬ his gaze weakly sweeping over his classmates who were still busy in the classroom.

    Sunlight streamed in through the window£¬ warm and bright£¬ as if it was the only reality he could grasp at the moment.

    He placed his palm under the sunlight£¬ trying to absorb the warmth to gather strength£¬ but it only shone on his hand£¬ bringing waves of warmth.

    He began to doubt whether this was an illusion or a trick of fate. Was it possible that after his death£¬ he had traveled to a different space-time£¬ yet still bound to a reality that didn''t belong to him? Or had he entered some kind of reset cycle£¬ trapped within an unresolved enchantment?

    Gradually£¬ John Booth''s thoughts began to drift away from reality£¬ delving into a profound contemplation of the nature of time and life.

    ¡°What is this?¡° John Booth''s voice was almost swallowed by his own despair£¬ deep and filled with helplessness.

    ¡°Ring ring ring~~~~~~¡°

    Accompanying the sound of the school bell£¬ John Booth''s thoughts were pulled back to reality.

    As Teacher Jenny said£¬¡°Alright£¬ that''s all for today£¬ see you tomorrow.¡°

    The students replied in unison£¬¡°Have a nice day£¬ see you tomorrow.¡°

    ¡°Tap! Tap! Tap!¡° Teacher Jenny walked past John Booth in her high heels£¬ not even casting a glance back at him.

    John Booth frowned slightly£¬ contemplating his bewildering situation£¬ when suddenly he felt a heavy pat on his shoulder.

    ¡°Hahaha£¬ Brother Cannon is awake now£¬ that slap of yours gave me a start£¬¡° said the voice£¬ patting his shoulder again.

    John Booth turned his head abruptly and saw a chubby boy£¬ grinning with a sense of triumph.

    The boy was slightly overweight£¬ with a round face and a pair of bright eyes. The smile on his face was as mischievous as his expression£¬ looking very pleased with himself.

    He was John Booth''s deskmate for three years of high school and his best friend£¬ Joris Brown.

    Joris patted his own stomach£¬ chuckling£¬¡°That roar of yours when you woke up£¬ I almost thought the teacher was going to be scared silly by you.¡°

    Looking at his chubby face£¬ John Booth was in a daze. In his previous life£¬ they had planned to go online after class£¬ but an asteroid came crashing down£¬ turning Joris into a pancake and costing John a leg£¬ leading to his later recruitment and awakening as a warrior.

    ¡°Joris.¡°

    ¡°Why are you talking like old Lady Curie next door£¬ so indecisive? Just spit it out!¡°

    ¡°What is the date and time now?¡°

    ¡°Are you even listening to yourself?¡°

    ¡°Answer me!¡°

    ¡°Alright£¬ it''s 5:46 PM£¬ December 6£¬ 2024. We''re going online later£¬ and you said you''re treating. What''s up£¬ John? Is there something else you want to ask?¡°

    ¡°Let''s not go online.¡°

    ¡°The hell you say! You''re messing with me!¡°

    ¡°Follow me.¡° Leaving this£¬ John Booth headed straight for the school gate.

    ¡°Well£¬ you better be taking me to go online£¬¡° Joris said£¬ and he followed along.

 Chapter 2: Purchasing Supplies

    ¡°Hey£¬ hey£¬ hey! Where are you going?¡° Joris panted£¬ calling out.

    John Booth£¬ however£¬ replied with a smile£¬¡°To the end of the mountain£¬ beyond the sea.¡°

    Joris:¡°What the hell are you doing? Do you think you''re a Smurf or something?¡°

    The two walked down the pedestrian street£¬ with Joris grumbling behind and John Booth smirking ahead.

    At this moment£¬ John Booth planned to go to the mall to buy some supplies. He had no family; his parents had died in a car accident when he was in his first year of high school£¬ leaving behind an independent courtyard located in the core area of the southern part of the city.

    In fact£¬ John Booth could have become a rich man from land expropriation. The developers had offered five million for their 300 square meter plot of land£¬ but his father refused to sell£¬ saying that a fortune teller from China had told him that the land was connected to the family''s ancestral feng shui.

    After his father''s death in the car accident£¬ John Booth didn''t see any feng shui being preserved. Later£¬ when he wanted to sell the house£¬ the property value had soared to forty thousand per square meter£¬ and the surrounding area had been developed£¬ making it difficult to find anyone willing to take over the land. Eventually£¬ when the apocalypse struck£¬ a red meteorite smashed the place to smithereens.

    So for the past two years£¬ John Booth has been getting by on scholarships and working nights to make ends meet£¬ which also explained why he was sleeping in class.

    ¡°I say the world''s going to end soon£¬ do you believe me?¡° John Booth stopped in his tracks and turned around.

    ¡°I do£¬ so in the last moments£¬ let''s go to the internet cafe for a bit£¬ let''s enjoy every second of happiness we can£¬¡° Joris replied.

    ¡°Hahaha£¬ that''s the spirit£¬ come on£¬¡° John Booth continued walking towards the mall.

    ¡°Hey£¬ hey! Wait a minute!¡° Joris suddenly shouted.

    ¡°What''s up?¡° John Booth asked.

    ¡°Look over there£¬ the white-haired JK girl!¡° Following Joris''s gaze£¬ John Booth saw a girl£¬ about eighteen years old£¬ standing at the entrance of the mall.

    She was dressed in a typical JK uniform£¬ with a simple white blouse and a dark blue tie at the collar£¬ which was both formal and youthful.

    Her skirt had a plaid pattern£¬ the length just right to show off her slender legs£¬ the hem swaying gently with her movements.

    On her feet were a pair of delicate little leather shoes£¬ with a smooth surface that made her ankles look slender.

    Her white stockings were of a fine texture£¬ complementing her skin tone.

    Her hair was smooth and white£¬ not the golden blonde that was common among the local population. The white hair fell naturally over her shoulders£¬ swaying gently with her movements.

    Her face adorned with a light touch of makeup£¬ a pair of bright eyes seemed to speak£¬ and a faint smile played on her lips£¬ giving off a warm and approachable vibe.

    ¡°Hmm£¬ she''s quite pretty£¬¡° John Booth commented£¬ but he felt an absurd sense of familiarity. He was certain he had never met this girl before.

    Joris nodded£¬ a glint of appreciation in his eyes:¡°Yeah£¬ she''s really attractive£¬ way better than our class beauty£¬ Annie.¡°If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    John Booth pulled his gaze and thoughts back£¬ chuckling£¬¡°Let''s go£¬ your eyes are about to be glued to her shoe.¡°

    Joris laughed too£¬ and they continued into the mall£¬ passing by the girl who still stood there in a daze.

    After what seemed like a long while£¬ Anna came to her senses£¬ murmuring£¬¡°John Booth...¡° Then£¬ a sickly smile spread across her face.

    John Booth and Joris entered the mall£¬ with John heading straight for the shopping area on the first basement level.

    Although Joris was somewhat bewildered and puzzled£¬ he still followed quietly£¬ figuring his buddy wouldn''t sell him out.

    ¡°Here£¬ Joris£¬ grab a shopping cart for me£¬¡° John Booth said as they walked£¬ waving his hand towards a nearby cart. His tone was casual yet carried an air of authority that brooked no argument.

    Joris let out a resigned sigh£¬ took the shopping cart£¬ and said£¬¡°Alright£¬ what are you up to? Stocking up for a survival kit? Don''t tell me the end of the world is really coming.¡° He pushed the cart£¬ muttering under his breath.

    ¡°Not exactly£¬ just giving myself some leeway. You just pick out instant noodles£¬ compressed biscuits£¬ and that sort of thing£¬¡° John Booth''s answer was a bit vague.

    Then the two began to select supplies from the shelves.

    Joris suddenly picked up a pack of Sofy sanitary pads and shouted deliberately loud£¬¡°How about grabbing a couple of packs of these? Just in case you''ve got some issues later?¡°

    John Booth£¬ unflustered£¬ kept his focus on scanning the shelves:¡°Yes£¬ get two large packs£¬ and for the size£¬ you pick the extra-long overnight ones£¬ 410mm.¡°

    ¡°Huh?¡° Joris was taken aback£¬ his expression full of astonishment£¬¡°No way£¬ man! Do men need these too? Have you lost your mind?¡°

    ¡°Take it£¬ no more talking.¡° John Booth continued to select food without turning his head£¬ not even pausing in his speech£¬ as if this matter was not worth any further explanation.

    ¡°Alright£¬ alright£¬ I''ll get them£¬ I''ll get them£¬ stop talking about it.¡° Joris lowered his head£¬ his face filled with bewilderment as he went to grab two large packs of sanitary pads£¬ thinking to himself: I was just joking£¬ and you''re really getting them.

    For the rest of their shopping£¬ the two continued to buy a lot of food that could be stored for a long time£¬ such as dried food£¬ canned goods£¬ bottled water£¬ and so on.

    Every time Joris picked an item£¬ he couldn''t help but comment£¬¡°You''re not really preparing for a doomsday scenario£¬ are you? You''re acting like a mother hen.¡° John Booth£¬ however£¬ simply replied with a faint response£¬¡°Buy more£¬ it might come in handy.¡°

    Midway through£¬ John Booth went back to get another cart£¬ and the sight of three fully loaded carts was quite a spectacle in the mall.

    When it came time to check out£¬ the two stood in front of the cash register£¬ and John Booth£¬ searching his pockets£¬ had a slightly grave expression.

    Looking at the shopping list in his hand£¬ the total came to 1246.81 yuan£¬ and the cash in his wallet was only 800 yuan£¬ not enough to cover the cost of the items.

    ¡°We don''t have enough money...¡° John Booth''s voice was somewhat somber.

    Joris''s expression immediately became displeased£¬¡°Seriously? How do you shop without enough cash? I don''t have much on me either£¬ just a bit over 600.¡°

    ¡°It''s enough£¬ you lend me some£¬ and I''ll pay you back when we get home£¬¡° John Booth calmly pushed the shopping cart next to Joris.

    ¡°Man£¬ who do you think I am? A rich guy?¡° Joris couldn''t help but complain.

    ¡°Aren''t you?¡° John Booth raised his brow and said.

    Joris couldn''t hold back his serious expression any longer£¬ pointing at himself and saying£¬¡°I didn''t expect that you''ve found out my true identity after hiding so deep. Alright£¬ buddy£¬ I''ll cover the rest for you.¡°

    Joris pulled out 600 yuan in cash from his pocket and handed it to John Booth. The process was somewhat awkward£¬ but they managed to check out just barely.

    As they were leaving£¬ Joris couldn''t help but complain£¬¡°Can''t you properly prepare some money? Otherwise£¬ don''t drag me out for help next time!¡°

    ¡°It was sudden£¬ I didn''t even bring my phone£¬ and the money I had was meant for internet cafe£¬¡° John Booth said£¬ pushing the cart£¬ with a tone of helplessness.

    ¡°You have the nerve to mention it£¬ my hands should be on the keyboard and mouse right now£¬ but instead£¬ I''m pushing two shopping carts. Damn it£¬ John Booth!¡°

    Since they had previously discussed it with the mall staff about borrowing the carts£¬ the security at the entrance didn''t stop them.

    Upon exiting the mall£¬ John Booth£¬ almost on a whim£¬ looked at the spot where the girl had been standing£¬ but it was now empty£¬ with only a security guard standing there.

    Continuing to push his shopping cart£¬ Joris kept grumbling behind him. He hailed a taxi.

    The taxi driver rolled down the window£¬ lifted his sunglasses£¬ and with a troubled expression said£¬¡°Handsome guy£¬ it''s not easy to fit all this stuff in£¬ how about we...?¡°

    ¡°200 yuan£¬ to 1517 South Cameron Street£¬¡° John Booth said indifferently.

    ¡°At your service£¬ my friend.¡°

    In the end£¬ after they loaded up£¬ fastened their seatbelts£¬ and the Chevrolet set off.

 Chapter 3: The Doomsday Arrives Ahead of Schedule.

    ¡°Hey£¬ handsome guys. Why did you buy so many things? Are you playing survival on a deserted island?¡°

    ¡°Survival on a deserted island?¡° John Booth shook his head when he heard what the taxi driver said.¡°Not really. Just making some preparations for the future.¡°

    The driver shifted gears and waited for the red light£¬ saying£¬¡°Oh? You''ve prepared quite a lot.¡° As he spoke£¬ he looked at the shopping cart in the back seat through the rearview mirror. It was stuffed full and almost took up the entire back seat.

    Joris replied with a bit of helplessness£¬¡°Dude just wants to stock up on some supplies. In case the end of the world really comes one day£¬ we won''t starve to death£¬ right?¡°

    ¡°The end of the world?¡° The driver smiled£¬ clearly not taking it seriously. Instead£¬ he continued driving.¡°Who hasn''t heard a few doomsday prophecies in recent years? There was a big fuss in 2012£¬ but look£¬ we''re still alive and well. You young people are quite interesting. How long do you plan to survive on these things?¡°

    ¡°One day at a time£¬¡° John Booth said softly.

    The taxi driver looked at the two of them through the rearview mirror£¬ smiled£¬ and didn''t ask any more questions. He just focused on driving.

    The car was driving smoothly on the road£¬ and the street scenes outside the window kept receding. Joris leaned back on the seat£¬ still muttering complaints about John Booth under his breath£¬ glaring at him from time to time. But John Booth seemed not to notice£¬ his eyes fixed on the window.

    Before long£¬ the taxi arrived at 1517 South Cameron Street.

    John Booth and Joris got out of the car£¬ pulled the shopping carts out of the trunk£¬ paid the driver£¬ and then headed towards John Booth''s standalone courtyard home.

    John Booth''s single-family home was located in a prime spot in the south of the city£¬ with no tall buildings around to block the sunlight£¬ which filled the entire courtyard.

    However£¬ the perimeter of the courtyard was enclosed by a two-meter-high wall made of dark gray bricks and stones£¬ sturdier than the brick houses of the time.

    As soon as they entered the courtyard£¬ Joris couldn''t help but exclaim£¬¡°I mean£¬ John£¬ this place is in a good location£¬ but it''s just sitting empty. You might as well sell it and get some money£¬ instead of living so tightly.¡° He grumbled while moving the items from the shopping carts into the house£¬ panting from the effort.

    John Booth ignored his words£¬ silently moving the supplies. After everything was brought inside and neatly arranged£¬ he wiped the sweat from his forehead and said£¬¡°There are some things you don''t understand.¡°

    Joris rolled his eyes and plopped down on the sofa£¬¡°Fine£¬ fine£¬ you''re the mysterious one. So£¬ tell me£¬ why did we buy all this stuff? Is this apocalypse you''re talking about£¬ actually real?¡°

    John Booth smiled but remained silent£¬ going upstairs to retrieve 5£¬000 yuan from his safe£¬ which was a significant portion of his limited savings.

    Before leaving£¬ he told Joris£¬¡°Take a break£¬ there''s cola in the fridge£¬ and there''s a computer in my bedroom. I''m going out to buy a few more things£¬ stay put at home.¡°

    Without waiting for Joris to respond£¬ John Booth closed the door and left.

    Joris£¬ who had also lost his parents at a young age£¬ was fortunate to have a relative who was the chairman of the school£¬ which is why he was able to continue his education without worrying about family concerns.

    Walking down the street towards the pharmacy£¬ which was conveniently less than 400 meters from his home£¬ John Booth was well-prepared for his next steps.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    According to his memory£¬ there were still three days until the first wave of red meteorite showers£¬ which gave him enough time.

    Exiting the pharmacy with a large bag full of medicines£¬ he returned home and placed them in the living room. Joris was nowhere to be seen£¬ likely upstairs playing on the computer.

    Without further concern£¬ John Booth went out again£¬ hailed a taxi with his phone£¬ and headed straight to the blacksmith''s shop to purchase a suitable weapon. In the early stages of the apocalypse£¬ having a good weapon would give him a significant advantage.

    Sitting in the back seat of the taxi£¬ his gaze was distant as his mind continuously pondered the series of arrangements he needed to make for the coming days.

    He needed to quickly acquire more supplies and further strengthen the defensive measures of his home; after all£¬ this was a matter of survival in the impending crisis£¬ and every detail had to be considered thoroughly.

    As he was immersed in his thoughts£¬ suddenly£¬ a deafening roar came from the sky£¬ and then the entire evening glow began to change rapidly£¬ the horizon dyed into a strong£¬ bloody red.

    John Booth''s expression changed instantly£¬ a sense of unease rising in his heart.

    He looked up sharply£¬ staring at the changing sky outside the car window.

    At that moment£¬ his mind flashed back to the countless red meteor showers he had experienced£¬ and his memory was not wrong; this was the prelude to a red meteor shower!

    [How could it be so early? It''s three days ahead of schedule£¬ the timeline is off£¬ because of my time travel?)

    At this moment£¬ the car also stopped moving£¬ halting in place without any sensation of jerking.

    ¡°Driver£¬ I''m getting off now£¬ the platform will handle the payment automatically.¡°

    However£¬ the driver seemed not to hear him£¬ still gripping the steering wheel rigidly£¬ staring straight ahead£¬ unmoving£¬ and completely unresponsive to John Booth''s calls£¬ falling into a state of stupor.

    John Booth assumed the driver was too shocked to react and didn''t have time to say anything more. He pushed open the car door and got out.

    The location where he got out wasn''t far from the blacksmith''s shop£¬ just two streets away. He gritted his teeth and sprinted towards the blacksmith''s shop£¬ running while praying in his heart that he would still have time to make some preparations.

    ¡°Ah¡ªsomeone''s dead!¡° At this moment£¬ a scream of sheer terror echoed from behind£¬ piercing and resonating through the streets.

    John Booth''s pace faltered slightly before he continued to run headlong towards the front.

    Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead£¬ trickling down his cheeks. His current physical condition was far from what it once was; he was still an ordinary person£¬ without prosthetic limbs or enhanced serums£¬ just an average college student.

    ''Run£¬ John Booth£¬ run faster£¬'' he urged himself.

    ¡°Whoosh~~~~¡°

    As the sky changed color abruptly£¬ the temperature of the entire city also changed drastically in an instant.

    The sky directly split open£¬ revealing a massive rift. First£¬ there was a distant red glow£¬ followed by red meteorites streaking across the sky like comets£¬ each with a long white tail trailing behind.

    The air was filled with a scorching heat£¬ as if the entire world was on fire.

    John Booth turned to look£¬ his expression grave; what lay before him was now irreversible.

    The meteorites were moving at extreme speeds£¬ with little to no warning£¬ turning the entire sky a fiery red within seconds.

    Each impact was accompanied by a deafening explosion£¬ causing the earth to shake violently.

    At that moment£¬ a red meteorite hurtled down from the sky£¬ heading straight for the 99-story Century Building that loomed high into the clouds ahead of John Booth.

    Like a fierce arrow£¬ the meteorite tore through the night£¬ leaving a blinding red streak£¬ carrying an unparalleled force of destruction£¬ and struck the top of the Century Building with a vicious impact.

    Instantly£¬ a violent tremor shook the entire city£¬ a massive explosion resounded through the skies£¬ followed by dazzling flames that illuminated the entire horizon as if the sun had exploded.

    Then£¬ starting from the point of impact£¬ cracks rapidly spread in all directions across the building£¬ like a giant spider web covering the entire skyscraper in an instant. With a series of dull and terrifying collapsing sounds£¬ the upper half of the building began to tilt and collapse£¬ dust billowing up£¬ obscuring the sky.

    Huge chunks of stone and rebar fell from the sky£¬ slamming into the ground£¬ the raised dust and smoke turning what was once a bustling area into an apocalyptic ruin in an instant.

    ¡°Boom!¡°

    Flames and smoke billowed into the sky£¬ forming a massive mushroom cloud£¬ with dust and debris scattering in all directions. The immense shockwave rolled out like tidal waves£¬ tossing buildings£¬ vehicles£¬ and pedestrians into the air. The red meteorites in the sky showed no sign of ceasing£¬ each one that fell brought even more intense tremors and waves of destruction.

    John Booth''s heart raced£¬ and it felt as if the pulse of the entire city had come to a halt£¬ with only the catastrophe before him taking center stage. The sky was a blood-red canvas£¬ and all the sights became nightmarishly blurred and distorted.

 Chapter 4: The Strange Woman

    ¡°Bang!¡°

    Spray of concrete blocks smashed into the wall not far from him£¬ creating a huge hole.

    John Booth hurriedly continued to run and finally arrived at the blacksmith''s shop£¬ which was not closed£¬ with steam emanating from inside.

    ¡°Boss!¡°

    John Booth rushed into the blacksmith''s shop£¬ the bell at the door rang lightly£¬ but there was no response.

    The air was filled with the smell of rust and charcoal£¬ the furnace fire flickered weakly£¬ and the room was dead silent.

    John Booth frowned£¬ a sense of unease rising in his heart£¬ and he quickly walked towards the back room.

    However£¬ the scene before him made him stop in his tracks.

    The blacksmith was lying on the ground£¬ his limbs stiff£¬ his face twisted£¬ as if he had suffered great pain.

    The ground was covered with splashed molten iron£¬ the hot metal dripping onto the ground£¬ making a series of ''sizzling'' sounds.

    John Booth immediately rushed forward£¬ reaching out to help the boss£¬ trying to pull him up from the ground.

    But to his astonishment£¬ his hand passed right through the boss''s body£¬ unable to touch any substance.

    ¡°What''s going on?¡° John Booth murmured in a low voice£¬ his mind constantly guessing what might have happened.

    He quickly squatted down£¬ reached out to touch the scattered ironware on the ground£¬ feeling the cold touch of the metal£¬ able to clearly hold them£¬ but the boss''s body£¬ still like a void£¬ no matter how he touched£¬ there was no response.

    ¡°Boss?¡° John Booth called out again in a low voice£¬ looking down at the boss on the ground£¬ a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

    He reached out to touch the twisted body again£¬ wanting to confirm if it was just an illusion.

    Suddenly£¬ a soft voice with a strange intonation came from behind£¬ the voice was alluring yet chilling:

    ¡°You don''t need to shake him anymore£¬ you''re already dead.¡°

    John Booth spun around abruptly£¬ quietly clenching a piece of iron in his hand. There was no one else in the room£¬ only he and the already stiff body in the empty blacksmith''s shop.

    The voice had no source£¬ yet it echoed in the silent room. John Booth clenched a forging hammer in his right hand.

    ¡°Don''t be so nervous£¬ I won''t harm you. You are now a soul; you died in that taxi just now£¬ hit by the red stone.¡°

    ¡°Show yourself and talk?¡° John Booth looked around warily£¬ tightly gripping the iron piece.

    ¡°Hehe£¬ I''m right in front of you~¡°

    John Booth''s gaze was calm£¬ and there was no panic in his heart.

    For him£¬ such sudden abnormalities£¬ although bizarre£¬ were not enough to plunge him into panic.

    He had experienced countless life and deaths£¬ and after being reborn£¬ he had long been fearless of the unknown horrors.

    Shaking his head gently£¬ John Booth let out a disdainful sneer.

    Death£¬ souls£¬ visions - in his eyes£¬ these were nothing more than unpredictable changes on another level.

    ¡°I''m telling you£¬ there''s no need to keep making these futile attempts£¬¡° the voice sounded again£¬ this time with a hint of provocation and disdain in its tone£¬¡°You are no longer alive£¬ and you do not belong to this world anymore.¡°

    John Booth''s face remained calm as he scanned the surroundings; the room was empty£¬ and the air around him was stagnant.

    ¡°Dead?¡° John Booth murmured to himself£¬ his voice showing no panic at all£¬ as if it was a matter of little consequence£¬¡°I''ve died once before£¬ so dying again is no big deal.¡° With that£¬ he swung his hammer towards the spot in front of him£¬ creating a howling gust of wind.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The imagined sound of impact did not come.

    ¡°Don''t be so angry£¬ John brother~¡° the coquettish voice still came from all around.

    At this moment£¬ John Booth''s usual expressionless face finally showed a crack.

    [This person knows me and is clearly capable of using supernatural abilities£¬ specifically of the soul variety. It''s not the right time for users of supernatural abilities to appear£¬ but since the end of the world has come earlier£¬ it''s normal for users of supernatural abilities to show up early as well.]

    At that moment£¬ a figure slowly materialized at the doorway.

    John Booth''s gaze fell on her£¬ wearing a pair of small leather shoes£¬ leaning against the door frame and leisurely swinging her white silk-clad feet£¬ her dark red eyes fixated on John Booth.

    ¡°It''s you£¬ the one from the mall entrance!¡° John Booth''s voice was deep£¬ and his right hand holding the hammer did not relax.

    Gwen seemed to care nothing for John Booth''s cold response£¬ instead raising her hand to cover her face and sorrowfully saying£¬¡°Brother John Booth doesn''t recognize me anymore; it seems I am but a passer-by in brother''s life.¡° She even wiped the corner of her eye£¬ though there were no tears.

    John Booth tried to move£¬ but his body seemed to be firmly bound by an invisible force£¬ unable to budge£¬ suppressed into a half-kneeling position.

    His limbs felt as if locked by an invisible shackle£¬ and even the strength to move his fingers had vanished.

    The pressure was immense£¬ coming from every inch of his muscles£¬ leaving him no chance to resist.

    ¡°Stop struggling£¬ my dear John brother£¬¡° Gwen''s voice was soft and seductive£¬ yet laden with heavy sarcasm and hunger£¬ as if she was toying with a helpless prey£¬¡°You are now dead£¬ and as a soul£¬ you cannot escape my control. Just stay put£¬ wouldn''t it be nice to be my pet? I can even nourish you£¬ give you a chance to be reborn.¡°

    Gwen approached slowly£¬ her steps light and each one exuding charm.

    As she got closer£¬ John Booth''s face remained expressionless£¬ but his heart was far from calm.

    [The early apocalypse£¬ the early appearance of superpowered individuals£¬ it''s all so chaotic.]

    But Gwen''s steps grew closer£¬ clearly enjoying his helpless state£¬ the red glow in her eyes becoming brighter.

    ¡°You say£¬ if I reshape you into a complete physical body£¬ nothing lost£¬ no mechanical components£¬ just you£¬¡° she lowered her head£¬ gently stroking John Booth''s chin£¬ her eyes betraying an undeniable longing£¬¡°What do you think? Isn''t it tempting?¡°

    John Booth''s face remained stern£¬ his heart unmoved by her words£¬ his gaze firmly locked on her eyes£¬ offering no response.

    Gwen smiled faintly£¬ extending her index finger to lift John Booth''s chin£¬ forcing him to look up and meet her gaze£¬ her eyes seeming to hold an indescribable allure and pleasure£¬ as if she was savoring the despair of her prey.

    Gwen leaned even closer£¬ almost feeling every inch of John Booth''s body£¬ and whispered£¬¡°You don''t answer£¬ do you think you still have room to resist? Unfortunately£¬ as a soul£¬ you cannot break free.¡°

    John Booth''s pupils flickered slightly£¬ but he remained silent; indeed£¬ he couldn''t muster any energy to move.

    Then£¬ Gwen leaned down slightly£¬ her warm breath gently brushing across John Booth''s face.

    In her pupils£¬ John Booth saw an unfathomable desire and a mad possessiveness.

    Suddenly£¬ Gwen kissed him directly£¬ her lips soft and intoxicating£¬ yet carrying an overwhelming pressure. Her tongue met John Booth''s£¬ as if devouring every inch of his soul.

    It was not an ordinary kiss£¬ but an aggressively invasive and insanely stirring one.

    Her breathing gradually became rapid£¬ as if she had completely lost self-control. Although John Booth couldn''t move£¬ he still maintained a sliver of clarity. He could feel her intense longing and the suffocating possessiveness.

    The kiss lasted for a while£¬ until Gwen''s breathing became so labored that she could hardly breathe smoothly£¬ and only then did she slowly release£¬ pulling out a silver thread.

    Gwen''s lips curled up slightly£¬ the red glow in her eyes becoming even more fiery£¬ as if she was savoring the indulgence of that moment. Her smile was wolfish£¬ hungry£¬ with an undeniable fanaticism.

    ¡°I really want to devour you right now£¬¡° Gwen whispered£¬ her gaze as ravenous as a wolf''s as she stared at John Booth.¡°But it''s not the right time yet. Your soul is too weak£¬ too fragile to withstand much turmoil. Wait a bit longer£¬ until you''re completely dead£¬ until you''re fully submerged£¬ and then I can bring you back to life£¬ to become a part of me.¡°

    Her voice carried a hint of obsession£¬ yet it clearly revealed her interest. She licked her lips£¬ her gaze fixed on John Booth£¬ as if contemplating when to strike and completely claim him.

    John Booth''s heart remained unmoved. Although he was now restrained and unable to move£¬ his calm rationality was not lost. In his past life£¬ as a Star Realm War Emperor£¬ he had seen all kinds of women. It was just that now£¬ having been reborn£¬ his power had not yet awakened. Besides£¬ encountering a soul-based superpowered individual£¬ resistance would not be very effective£¬ and he did not sense any malice from her.

    ¡°What do you want?¡° John Booth finally asked in a low£¬ cold voice.

    Gwen''s smile froze£¬ as if she had heard an entirely unexpected response. She looked down at him£¬ a flicker of surprise in her eyes£¬ before her lips curved up again into a pleasing arc.

    ¡°I want you£¬ John Booth£¬¡° she said softly£¬¡°your heart£¬ your soul£¬ and your...¡° At this point£¬ Gwen''s hand moved downward and grabbed firmly.

    John Booth''s eyebrows flickered slightly£¬ his eyes showing a hint of confusion£¬ but he didn''t react further. No matter how seductive or intimidatory her words were£¬ John Booth maintained a level of calmness and vigilance.

    ¡°Once you truly understand the rules of this game£¬ you will know whether your current choice is the right one£¬¡° she chuckled.

    ¡°So£¬ am I really dead now?¡° John Booth still wanted to confirm this question.

    ¡°Mmm-hmm£¬ your physical body has been crushed into a pulp£¬ I saw it with my own eyes. The screams of the passers-by were for you and the driver. Who do you think they were screaming for?¡° Gwen squinted her eyes as she looked at John Booth.

    Then£¬ she pulled out a finger from a crevice in her chest and held it in her hand:¡°This is... your finger.¡° She put it in her mouth for a moment£¬ then pulled it out£¬¡°It''s all filled with your scent£¬ and it''s the only intact piece of your flesh left.¡°

 Chapter 5: The Past

    "..."

    It was indeed his ring finger. There was a mole on the left side of the second joint. His parents£¬ who believed in feng shui£¬ died in a car accident£¬ and he£¬ who was supposed to have good luck£¬ was killed by a red stone.

    When Gwen took out that finger£¬ John Booth had completely believed her words. He just hadn''t expected to die so inexplicably. He had died in a muddled way in his previous life£¬ and this time it was the same.

    John Booth felt a bit relieved at this moment. However£¬ he didn''t want to be controlled like this£¬ especially at a time like this.

    Gwen''s jade-like hands gently stroked John Booth''s cheek. Her fingers were warm as they slowly rubbed against it. There were complex emotions in her eyes£¬ a deep love as well as an almost overflowing possessiveness.

    Her voice was as soft as silk£¬ carrying an irresistible temptation: "Come with me. The doomsday has broken out ahead of schedule. I''ll grant you eternal life. Once£¬ you died so suddenly that I couldn''t even find your body. This time£¬ I won''t miss you again."

    Her voice echoed in the air. There was a hint of pleading and longing in her words. Her fingers gently slid towards John Booth''s lips£¬ soft and warm£¬ as if she wanted to gently stir up all his emotions and desires.

    John Booth''s gaze was calm. He didn''t respond immediately. Instead£¬ he just slightly lowered his head and bit Gwen''s finger that she had stretched out. The force wasn''t strong£¬ but it was enough to pierce her delicate skin. Blood instantly seeped out from the wound£¬ and the warm liquid slid between his fingers.

    Gwen''s expression remained gentle£¬ as if she hadn''t been hurt at all and was still as tender as water.

    She looked gently at John Booth£¬ her eyes full of tolerance and affection. That look was very much like the loving and tolerant gaze of a mother when she looked at her own child. Even if the child made a mistake£¬ she would still love and care for him unconditionally.

    The corners of her mouth lifted into an almost imperceptible smile: "You don''t have to resist like this£¬ John Booth. I''m always doing this for your own good. I know you''re in pain£¬ you''re lonely£¬ and you''re suspicious. But please believe me. Come with me£¬ and you''ll have endless time and endless happiness. All the pain and troubles will cease to exist."

    John Booth sucked hard on the wound and swallowed those few drops of blood. When he couldn''t suck out any more£¬ he pushed the finger away with his tongue£¬ indicating for it to be withdrawn.

    Gwen did take it out indeed£¬ and a thin thread of saliva was drawn out along with it.

    "How did you awaken your supernatural ability?"

    Gwen put the finger she had just bitten into her own mouth and cleaned it for a while before saying slowly£¬ "In the 20 years after your death£¬ the world has changed. The research on the red stones by some people has broken through to a new level. The ¦Á potion with 100% purity can directly stimulate all of a person''s potential£¬ and the potion is extracted from the red stones. I''m very familiar with this area. I remember the location where the first red stone fell. I was waiting there. I just didn''t expect that you would come by car."

    John Booth thought to himself secretly. There were too many loopholes in what she said. The time she remembered didn''t match his. The red stone rain had come earlier£¬ but she said she remembered it was exactly this time. Moreover£¬ humans couldn''t withstand the ¦Á potion with 100% purity. He himself had received the ¦Â potion with 60% purity back then.

    At that time£¬ the ¦Á potion was still in the initial stage of research and development. It was impossible to produce it in just 20 years. Besides£¬ so many people had died. Why was he the only one who showed up? What about the blacksmith shop owner? So there were only two possibilities. Either this woman''s timeline was in chaos and she came from another parallel time and space£¬ or everything now was an illusion£¬ a conspiracy. And the Star Emperor happened to be a powerful being in the spiritual department.

    At this moment£¬ the power that had been imprisoning him loosened. John Booth shook his muddled head and slowly got up£¬ saying£¬ "I can go with you£¬ but who on earth are you?"

    "Have you really forgotten me? Back on Earth£¬ in the lower district of Apocalypse City£¬ that little girl in the alley£¬ and that lemon!" Speaking of this£¬ the red light in Gwen''s pupils grew even stronger£¬ and her white hair began to gradually be dotted with red spots.

    "Gwen Ginny!" At this point£¬ John Booth finally realized who the person in front of him was£¬ and memories of the past emerged.

    Once£¬ when he was still an executive of supernatural abilities£¬ he went to the lower district of Apocalypse City to quell a riot.

    Apocalypse City was the core city of Earth''s Asia after the apocalypse and also the largest city in Asia. It was divided into the upper district and the lower district. The upper district was where people with identities£¬ statuses£¬ and legal citizen certificates lived. The lower district was a chaotic mix of all kinds of people£¬ filled with violence and disorder.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    After dealing with all the rioters£¬ he found a little red-haired girl in the depths of an alley. She was skinny and about seven or eight years old.

    She huddled in the corner. There were several corpses around her£¬ pierced by something£¬ with holes all over their bodies and a pool of blood flowing on the ground. John Booth sensed her breath. It was very weak£¬ and she was on the verge of death.

    He reached out and picked her up. Gwen had already passed out and was curled up in John Booth''s arms.

    The team members behind him saluted and said£¬ "Sir Executive£¬ all the rioters have been dealt with. The recorder has been turned off. If there are no further instructions£¬ we''ll return to the troops and stand by."

    "Go ahead." John Booth didn''t turn around. Instead£¬ he held Gwen in his arms£¬ took out a small bottle of ¦É potion£¬ and poured it into Gwen''s mouth.

    Then he took two steps and stepped on the walls of the alley£¬ leaping upward. He moved back and forth among the rooftops in the lower district and left towards the distance.

    When Gwen woke up£¬ she was on a clean bed£¬ wearing a large shirt that didn''t fit her body at all£¬ one that could even be used as a dress. She opened the shirt and found that all the wounds on her body had actually healed. She came to her senses and looked around£¬ trying to find something to defend herself with.

    The layout of the room was extremely simple. Besides the bed and the cabinet beside it£¬ there was only a table by the window£¬ on which were placed several books and a small lemon tree with a tiny lemon on it.

    At this moment£¬ there was a sound of footsteps outside the room. Gwen quickly pulled the quilt over and wrapped herself tightly in it£¬ looking uneasily at the door.

    "Click."

    As the bedroom door opened£¬ John Booth walked in with a hot meal in his hands£¬ a fried egg£¬ a bowl of plain porridge£¬ and a few slices of ham sausage£¬ simple and unadorned.

    However£¬ for a child from the lower city£¬ these things had a fatal attraction. Gwen''s stomach growled twice in an embarrassing way£¬ and the roots of her ears turned slightly red.

    Silently£¬ John Booth wondered if it was just his illusion. He always felt that the little girl''s hair wasn''t as red as it had been at the beginning. Had the color been washed off when he bathed her?

    Nevertheless£¬ he still said£¬ "Eat first. If you have any questions£¬ we can talk about them after you''ve eaten your fill."

    He put the meal on the bedside table and didn''t say much more. Instead£¬ he walked towards the table£¬ opened the window£¬ and let the slightly cool morning air seep into the room.

    He casually picked up a book and opened it£¬ his eyes scanning the pages as if he were completely immersed in it and no longer paying attention to Gwen behind him.

    Gwen sat on the bed£¬ clutching the quilt with both hands and wrapping herself tightly in it£¬ as if this could give her a sense of security.

    However£¬ her stomach let out another clear growl£¬ breaking the silence in the room.

    Gwen blushed slightly£¬ subconsciously lowered her head£¬ and secretly glanced at John Booth from the corner of her eye. Seeing that he didn''t even raise his eyelids£¬ she felt a bit relieved but also a bit uncomfortable at the same time.

    "What kind of person is this uncle?" Gwen thought to herself.

    The aura around him was completely different from that of those rioters. Not only was it powerful£¬ but it also carried an irresistible dignity. Although she was still young£¬ she keenly sensed that this was not something an ordinary person could possess.

    "Forget it. Since I''m here£¬ I might as well make the best of it." She simply comforted herself£¬ thinking that now that she had fallen into his hands£¬ even if he really had improper intentions towards her£¬ it wasn''t something she could resist.

    Since things had come to this£¬ she might as well eat first.

    With this thought in mind£¬ Gwen let down her guard£¬ moved her small body closer to the bedside table£¬ picked up the bowl of food£¬ and started eating it with big mouthfuls.

    The aroma of the fried egg and ham sausage whetted her appetite£¬ and the warm and smooth white porridge slid down her throat£¬ carrying a bit of soothing warmth.

    She had been hungry for too long and almost finished the meal in one go£¬ scraping the last grain of rice in the bowl with the spoon.

    After finishing the meal£¬ Gwen quietly put down the bowl£¬ secretly wiped the corners of her mouth£¬ and looked up at John Booth.

    He was still sitting at the table reading a book£¬ and the sound of turning pages occasionally rang out£¬ mixing with the gentle breeze blowing in through the window.

    His figure seemed lonely£¬ as if everything around him had nothing to do with him.

    This silence made Gwen feel uneasy and even a bit scared. Finally£¬ she couldn''t help but ask£¬ "Who are you? Why did you save me?"

    Hearing this£¬ John Booth gently closed the book£¬ put it back on the table£¬ turned his head to look at Gwen£¬ his eyes deep and with a bit of scrutiny. Instead of answering directly£¬ he asked£¬

    "Little girl£¬ don''t rush to ask me questions. I''d rather ask you this - how did those people die?" John Booth''s voice was low.

    Gwen was stunned for a moment£¬ confusion showing in her eyes£¬ and then she shook her head and said in a low voice£¬ "I don''t know..." There was a bit of panic in her tone. "At that time£¬ they chased me into the alley and beat me up... Later£¬ I remember I was almost beaten to death and then lost consciousness. When I woke up£¬ I was here with you."

    John Booth''s brows furrowed slightly£¬ and his eyes narrowed into a slit. His gaze was fixed on Gwen like a sharp blade.

    He sensed her heart rate and micro-expressions. It was almost an intuitive detection£¬ and he could confirm that the little girl wasn''t lying.

    However£¬ precisely because she wasn''t lying£¬ the whole thing seemed even more mysterious.

    John Booth thought for a moment and recalled the scene in the alley. The bodies of those rioters clearly had the girl''s aura on them. That was an inescapable fact.

    However£¬ although those rioters were only at the initial stage of being supernatural ability awakeners£¬ it was almost impossible for an eight-year-old girl with her size and condition to kill them.

    "What exactly happened after you lost consciousness..." John Booth''s murmur was barely audible.

    Gwen shrank her body£¬ with a hint of fear in her eyes£¬ but more of it was confusion: "I... I really don''t know. At that time£¬ I just felt that my whole body hurt terribly£¬ and then everything went black before my eyes£¬ and I couldn''t remember anything..."

    John Booth didn''t question her further. He stood up£¬ walked to the window£¬ and looked into the gray sky in the distance. From time to time£¬ two red stones streaked across the sky and hit the light curtain of Apocalypse City.

    "There''s something unusual about this little girl£¬" John Booth thought to himself.

    He could sense that there was an extremely weak power within Gwen''s body£¬ which was very similar to the aura of the holes on those rioters'' bodies. John Booth even felt a hint of threat.

    "Perhaps£¬ she doesn''t even know what she has done..."

    He looked back at Gwen and said calmly£¬ "Do you want to follow me and join the executive team? I''ll teach you how to use your power and how to protect yourself."

 Chapter 6: Awakening of Superpowers

    "I''m in!"

    Almost as soon as John Booth finished speaking£¬ Gwen agreed.

    The Execution Team was the top guards affiliated with the highest law enforcement agency in the Apocalypse City. They represented power and strength.

    Everyone wanted to join it£¬ let alone a wild child from the lower city district.

    John Booth smiled and remained seated in his chair as he asked£¬ "What''s your name?"

    "My name is Gwen Ginny! I don''t have any family£¬ so don''t worry that I''ll be a burden to you!" The weak voice rang out with extraordinary force.

    John Booth stroked his chin with his hand. "Gwen..." Then he took out a vial of potion and threw it to Gwen on the bed£¬ saying£¬ "I''m John Booth. Take it and follow me." John Booth got up and walked outside.

    Gwen took it in her hand. There was only a symbol "¦Ã" stuck on the vial. With the small hand gripping the potion£¬ she quickly got out of bed and followed John Booth.

    She walked out of the room£¬ passed through the living room£¬ left the house£¬ and trotted all the way behind John Booth to the rooftop terrace.

    "Go and sit there£¬ and then drink that potion." In the direction John Booth pointed was a square stone block£¬ about the size of a water tank. Gwen obediently sat on it.

    She pulled out the gel stopper and downed the potion in one gulp.

    Upon swallowing£¬ there was a faint sweetness. Gwen felt no particular sensation£¬ only a cool liquid sliding down her throat and into her stomach. But in no time£¬ her body began to warm slightly£¬ the heat spreading from her abdomen and gradually permeating her entire body£¬ as if a flame was raging within her.

    ¡°Ah...¡± Gwen couldn''t help but whimper£¬ her brows tightly furrowed and her face showing a pained expression. Immediately after£¬ her hands unconsciously clutched the edge of the stone pillar£¬ her fingers turning pale from the strain.

    Her body began to tremble uncontrollably£¬ and her hair£¬ which had receded to a light red£¬ started to turn red at a visibly rapid pace£¬ strand by strand£¬ as if soaked in blood£¬ exuding a bizarre and eerie beauty.

    As time passed£¬ Gwen''s condition became increasingly frenzied. Her eyes turned bloodshot£¬ her gaze filled with madness and chaos£¬ as if she had lost her sanity. She continuously emitted low growls from her mouth£¬ the sound not human but more like the roar of some beast£¬ echoing in the air above the rooftop£¬ sending chills down the spines of those who heard it.

    Suddenly£¬ Gwen''s eyes snapped open£¬ and a powerful force erupted from within her£¬ radiating outward from her center£¬ sweeping across the surroundings.

    The force was invisible but had a powerful impact. Some odds and ends placed around the rooftop were instantly sent flying£¬ spinning in the air before crashing to the ground with a "crackling" sound.

    And the changes on Gwen''s body continued. Her hair had completely turned blood-red£¬ like a burning flame£¬ flaring wantonly.

    Behind her£¬ vines began to grow out slowly. Those vines were a strange dark red color. At the ends of the vines were four large-petaled flowers. They coiled and twisted around her body£¬ constantly wriggling and stretching as if they had a life of their own. They grew longer and longer£¬ spreading towards the surrounding space. Wherever they passed£¬ even the air seemed to be tinged with a blood-red hue.

    John Booth stood aside£¬ his brows slightly furrowed. His eyes were fixed on Gwen£¬ and there was a hint of solemnity in them.

    [This is the aura. The power that killed those thugs must have come from these vines piercing through those people. But what kind of superpower is this? There''s no record in the Federal Archives of a move that can make vines grow out of one''s body. Is it a summoning ability?]

    Suddenly£¬ a red vine split open its flower bud£¬ revealing the spikes inside£¬ and rushed straight at John Booth.

    [It seems to be out of control.]

    The awakening of superpowers wasn''t really a good thing for ordinary people. Many people accidentally awakened superpowers but couldn''t master that power. The power would then erupt inside their bodies and they would be dominated by the superpowers. In the end£¬ they would turn into some kind of grotesque creatures£¬ only attacking and destroying everywhere. At present£¬ Gwen was very close to this kind of situation.

    He turned his head to dodge the oncoming vine£¬ then reached out£¬ grabbed it£¬ squeezed it hard£¬ and yanked it forcefully towards himself.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Gwen at the end of the vine was pulled over. John Booth felt a slight stinging pain in his left hand that was pinching the vine. Looking at it£¬ he saw that the vine was covered with spikes£¬ but they didn''t pierce his skin. Thanks to his daily training£¬ his palms were already full of callused flesh.

    Gwen was also brought in front of him. John Booth stretched out his right hand and grabbed Gwen by the neck£¬ lifting her up. More and more vines grew out from behind Gwen and coiled towards John Booth. However£¬ within a distance of three centimeters around John Booth''s body£¬ the effect of the nano-particle protective suit came into play£¬ blocking all the vines outside and preventing them from getting even half a step closer to him.

    Looking at Gwen''s blood-red pupils£¬ hearing her constantly letting out low growls and seeing her feet kicking randomly in the air£¬ John Booth activated his superpower£¬ "Magnetism".

    In John Booth''s view£¬ all human beings were magnetic. Positive and negative magnetism were abundant in blood£¬ and everything in the world had magnetism. Thanks to this heaven-defying ability of his£¬ combined with his own insights£¬ he had become an executive at the master level even though he was just under 30 years old.

    At this moment£¬ the magnetic field in Gwen''s body was in chaos£¬ which had caused her to lose her sanity.

    "Come to your senses." John Booth''s voice was deep and powerful£¬ like a heavy hammer hitting the depths of Gwen''s soul.

    The magnetic field within his body spread out like an invisible large net£¬ firmly suppressing Gwen''s vines and calming down her chaotic nerves.

    Gwen''s pupils gradually regained their clarity£¬ and the blood-red light also faded away gradually£¬ replaced by a look of confusion and exhaustion.

    Her body gradually stopped struggling£¬ and the vines began to slowly retract. John Booth casually broke off a petal£¬ and finally£¬ the vines disappeared behind her.

    He let go of his hand£¬ and Gwen slumped weakly onto the ground£¬ gasping for breath heavily.

    "What kind of power is this?" John Booth crouched down and asked in a low voice£¬ "Do you know it yourself?"

    Gwen was stunned for a moment£¬ and then she said in a low voice£¬ "There was a voice in my head... It told me that this is called ''Abyssal Vines''."

    "Abyssal Vines?" John Booth repeated the unfamiliar name£¬ his brows slightly furrowed.

    The strangeness and power of this superpower exceeded his understanding of ordinary awakened individuals and was even completely different from all the superpowers recorded in the federal archives that he had mastered.

    Normally£¬ a person who had just awakened their superpower could only use its effects slightly. It was really rare for someone like Gwen to be able to launch a large-scale attack. This kind of talent was at least a superpower of Grade A. His "Magnetism" was at the level of S-.

    "Yes." Gwen''s voice trembled a little. She covered her chest as if she could still feel the pain as if the vines were tearing her body apart. "It''s like... an instinct£¬ something deeply rooted in my soul.

    I don''t know where it came from or how powerful it really is£¬ but I can feel that it''s a part of my body."

    John Booth was silent for a moment£¬ then slowly stood up£¬ looking down at Gwen and said£¬ "Control it. Don''t let it control you."

    Gwen raised her head and stared blankly at John Booth. It wasn''t until John Booth stretched out his hand and she took it and was pulled up that she said£¬ "I will." There was a bit of determination in her tone.

    John Booth turned around£¬ with his back to her£¬ and said coldly£¬ "You''re not a weakling and don''t need anyone''s pity. Remember that. I''ll personally guide you to grow and be your master."

    Gwen was stunned for a moment£¬ then nodded vigorously.

    "Follow me£¬" John Booth said faintly. "Since you''ve awakened your superpower£¬ it proves that you still have value."

    He said it casually£¬ without any superfluous emotions in his tone. "Don''t let me down."

    Gwen looked down at her own hands. The power of the vines seemed to still remain in her body£¬ and a restless aura faintly came from within.

    She gritted her teeth£¬ clenched her fists£¬ and then followed John Booth as they stepped off the rooftop.

    Along the way£¬ neither of them said much. Gwen tried hard to calm down the emotions in her heart£¬ recalling John Booth''s words just now.

    After returning to the room£¬ John Booth casually closed the door£¬ turned around and looked at Gwen. "Since you''ve already awakened your superpower£¬ you must learn to control it. Otherwise£¬ it will only destroy you."

    Gwen nodded and looked at him with a determined gaze£¬ as if waiting for the next instruction.

    John Booth walked to the center of the room and flicked his finger gently. Suddenly£¬ a slight buzzing sound came from the air£¬ and a light blue magnetic field barrier appeared on his palm£¬ emitting a faint glow.

    "Watch£¬" he said in a low voice. Then he gently pressed his palm down£¬ and the magnetic field barrier instantly spread out like an invisible large net£¬ enveloping the entire room.

    Gwen''s eyes widened. Feeling the powerful oppressive force brought by the magnetic field£¬ she could clearly sense that her "Abyssal Vines" were stirring restlessly inside her body£¬ yet they were firmly suppressed by this magnetic field.

    "Your ''Abyssal Vines'' are powerful£¬ but their power comes from within you. If you can''t control your emotions£¬ they will turn against you." John Booth''s voice carried an unquestionable authority.

    Gwen subconsciously clenched her fists and tried hard to concentrate and feel the power of the vines within her body. However£¬ that power seemed reluctant to be controlled by her and kept struggling£¬ trying to break through the suppression of the magnetic field.

    "Calm down£¬" John Booth said in a low voice. "Remember£¬ power is meant to be controlled£¬ not to control you."

    Gwen took a deep breath and tried her best to calm her emotions. She closed her eyes£¬ felt the restlessness of the vines within her body£¬ and attempted to suppress it with her own will.

    Gradually£¬ that restless aura began to subside£¬ and the power of the vines seemed to obey her call and slowly calmed down.

    Gwen opened her eyes£¬ looked down at her hands£¬ and gently stretched out her fingers. Several strands of dark red vines slowly grew out from the tips of her fingers£¬ dancing gently around her fingers as if obeying her orders.

    "I did it!" Gwen said in surprise£¬ with a touch of excitement in her voice.

    John Booth nodded£¬ a hint of gratification flashing in his eyes£¬ but soon regained his cold expression.

    "Remember£¬ this is just the beginning£¬" he said. "You still have a long way to go."

    Gwen gave him a deep look and nodded.

    "Next£¬ you''ll become a member of the Execution Team£¬" John Booth said coldly. "But before that£¬ you must prove yourself."

    Gwen didn''t reply but just nodded vigorously.

    "Training starts tomorrow." John Booth turned and left£¬ leaving behind these simple words.

    Gwen stood there£¬ looking at his back£¬ and a complex mix of emotions welled up in her heart. There was a longing for power as well as reverence and dependence on John Booth.

    She clenched her fists and secretly made up her mind that she must win her master''s approval. I will become stronger£¬ much stronger.

 Chapter 7 Farewell

    "Om~"

    John Booth£¬ sitting in the living room£¬ summoned his executive officer''s back end and added Gwen''s name to the team member registration. As an executive officer£¬ he did have the right to add one or two people.

    In the days that followed£¬ he took Gwen to train£¬ go on missions and be tempered. Sometimes when Gwen performed excellently£¬ John Booth would ask her what reward she wanted.

    She would say£¬ "Just keep it in mind. I''ll mention it when I think of something later."

    Before long£¬ many years had passed. The skinny and frail little girl back then had now grown into a graceful young woman. With her soft red hair and pretty oval face£¬ she was already taking on the look of a little beauty. People within the executive officer team called her Little Sun£¬ and she would just smile slightly at that.

    Her strength had already risen from being an ability awakener to an ability instructor.

    The classification of levels£¬ from low to high£¬ was as follows: ability awakener£¬ ability master£¬ ability instructor£¬ ability expert£¬ ability master£¬ ability grandmaster£¬ (title) supreme. If one''s strength was powerful enough to venture beyond the Earth and fight in the interstellar space£¬ then the levels would be£¬ in succession£¬ interstellar warlord£¬ interstellar war emperor£¬ interstellar war saint£¬ interstellar war emperor£¬ and finally reach the star god£¬ the pinnacle of the world.

    Skills were ranked from high to low in the order of S+£¬ S-£¬ A+£¬ A-£¬ B+£¬ B-£¬ C+£¬ C-£¬ D+£¬ D-£¬ E+£¬ E-.

    And John Booth£¬ relying on his S- level ability and his grandmaster-level strength£¬ had obtained the title of the Magnetic Supreme. Last year£¬ he had officially broken through and become a true supreme powerhouse£¬ standing at the top of the Earth.

    Just yesterday£¬ he received an order from above£¬ requiring him to go to Jupiter to support the garrison troops there. Recently£¬ the Zerg of the Tyranids had been growing stronger and stronger. Surprisingly£¬ they were not afraid of the erosion of the redstone and were constantly evolving by relying on the power of the redstone. Now they had already occupied three-fifths of Jupiter.

    Coincidentally£¬ the magnetic field strength of Jupiter was approximately 20£¬000 times that of the Earth''s magnetic field£¬ where his abilities could be infinitely magnified. Now that he had reached the strength to venture into the interstellar space£¬ a secret order from above required him to set off for Jupiter tonight. The shuttle ship was already ready.

    It all happened so suddenly£¬ and he was required to keep it confidential and not disclose it to the outside world.

    When he returned home£¬ he planned to pack his things. Well£¬ when it came to packing£¬ there wasn''t really much to pack. The main purpose was to come back and say goodbye.

    When he said that he was going on a long trip£¬ Gwen immediately rushed over and hugged him£¬ her face full of excitement as she said£¬ "Master£¬ Master£¬ are we going on a mission? I want to go with you this time!"

    John Booth smiled and rubbed her head vigorously. He looked at her deeply for a while and then shook his head£¬ saying£¬ "I won''t take you with me this time. Your strength isn''t enough yet. Wait until you surpass me. I''m not going away forever£¬ after all."

    Who would have thought that Gwen directly hugged him tightly and said while rubbing against him£¬ "No£¬ no£¬ I want to go with you."Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    The 18-year-old girl had already grown into a charming young woman£¬ but John Booth remained unmoved. He gently activated the magnetic force in Gwen''s brain£¬ and her body£¬ which was hugging him£¬ went limp.

    John Booth bent down£¬ picked her up in his arms like a princess£¬ placed her on the bed£¬ helped cover her with the quilt£¬ and then looked at her for a while.

    He walked towards the windowsill£¬ picked the lemon from the small lemon tree£¬ and a short laser blade shot out from the tip of his finger. He cut the lemon in half£¬ put one half on the bedside table£¬ and put the other half into his mouth and started chewing. The juice burst out in his mouth.

    "Um... sweet."

    After saying this£¬ John Booth pushed open the door and left.

    When the shuttle ship cut through the night sky and set off towards the horizon£¬ on the roof of a building in the upper city£¬ a red-haired girl was sitting on a stone pier. Watching the stream of light in the sky£¬ after eating a small piece of lemon£¬ she murmured£¬ "Liar. It''s clearly sour."

    Gwen had never mentioned that she was extremely sensitive to emotions. She felt the reluctance and knew that John Booth was lying to her.

    Thinking about John Booth''s current strength£¬ it was impossible for him to stay on Earth any longer. They would make use of every resource available.

    Sure enough£¬ in the days that followed£¬ John Booth never returned to Earth again. He carried out various missions in the interstellar space until he died£¬ and he never went back to Earth or that house again.

    The perspective returns to the present.

    "So this is how you treated your teacher?"

    "It seems that the teacher has remembered me." Gwen sat on the chair£¬ twirling the long red hair beside her ear with her hand. However£¬ she didn''t look that happy on her face.

    "What happened after I died?" Instead£¬ John Booth thought of more things.

    "Teacher doesn''t want to catch up on old times with me but cares about other things instead. I''m really sad." Gwen put on a pitiful look.

    John Booth looked at Gwen in front of him with a bit of complexity in his eyes. After all£¬ he had promised to come back back then.

    He raised his hand and gently rubbed his brow£¬ then asked in a deep voice£¬ "Your current abilities should have long surpassed the system on Earth£¬ right? Tell me£¬ what have you experienced? Stop beating around the bush."

    Gwen gently turned the chair. Her long red hair slid down her shoulders like flowing water. She slightly raised her chin£¬ and there was a hint of teasing in her eyes. "Teacher''s tone is still as cold as it was back then."

    "Answer me." There was a bit more pressure in John Booth''s tone.

    Gwen smiled and murmured softly£¬ "Teacher is still so impatient. Well£¬ it doesn''t matter if I tell you. In the third year after your death£¬ I was assigned to go to Pluto. But in the end..." Her voice suddenly stopped£¬ the smile on her face gradually disappeared£¬ and a deep pain emerged in the bottom of her eyes.

    "I failed." Gwen lowered her eyelids and tightly grasped the armrests of the chair with both hands. "I watched the entire fleet being wiped out with my own eyes. Everyone died one by one£¬ and yet£¬ I survived."

    "Did the Abyssal Vines protect you?" John Booth asked.

    Gwen nodded£¬ a bitter smile appearing at the corners of her mouth. "Yes£¬ it saved me£¬ but it also changed me. Since that day£¬ my ability is no longer just about vines. It has become something on a deeper level... I can hear the voices of the dead£¬ feel their pain£¬ and even use their power."

    John Booth frowned slightly. "The power of the dead?"

    "Yes£¬ the Abyssal Vines are connected to the ''Abyss Realm''£¬ which is the destination of all souls." Gwen''s voice was low£¬ carrying an indescribable chill. "Through it£¬ I can summon the souls of the dead to fight for me£¬ or even¡ªresurrect them."

    John Booth didn''t say anything. He just quietly stared at Gwen£¬ trying to find more information from her expression.

    "Teacher£¬ do you know?" Gwen suddenly raised her head£¬ a fierce light flashing in her eyes. "My biggest wish at that time was to find you. Whether in the past or now£¬ I''ve never stopped looking for you."

    John Booth was silent for a moment and finally said£¬ "So£¬ you''ve been staying in the Abyss Realm just waiting for me to come back?"

    "Waiting?" Gwen sneered. "No£¬ teacher. What I was waiting for in the Abyss Realm wasn''t you£¬ but power."

    "Power?" John Booth was slightly taken aback.

    Gwen stood up and slowly walked towards John Booth. The red vines behind her began to grow slowly£¬ and an indescribable sense of oppression filled the air.

    "Yes£¬ power." Her voice was low and firm. "I was too weak back then. I was so weak that I couldn''t even make you stay. But now£¬ I won''t let you leave again."

    Vines grew out from behind Gwen and slowly extended towards John Booth.

 Chapter 8 Accident

    "Boom!"

    You never know which will come first£¬ tomorrow or an accident. Just like right now.

    A meteorite fragment as big as a car happened to smash towards this blacksmith shop.

    John Booth only felt the ground shaking a little. He didn''t receive any substantial harm. The flying pieces of broken stones and steel passed right through his body. Instead£¬ Gwen disappeared in the scene.

    Although his apprentice wouldn''t harm him£¬ her current state was clearly somewhat abnormal and he couldn''t do anything about it. If she was caught and taken back£¬ she would surely be made into a Xinnu. It wasn''t the time for that kind of situation yet.

    Come to think of it£¬ he was in a soul state now£¬ immune to any attacks of physical properties. Even the redstone wouldn''t have any impact on him. And he could still pick up things.

    There was a rustling sound coming from the smoke. Two vines rushed straight towards him.

    John Booth did a side flip and hid beside the redstone. Gwen''s vines indeed couldn''t get close to the redstone. Gwen''s current strength should just have reached the stage of an ability wielder and her resistance to redstone wasn''t very high.

    John Booth leaped sideways and disappeared from Gwen''s sight in an instant with the help of the barrier of the redstone.

    The dust and fog caused by the redstone hadn''t dissipated yet£¬ and the vision was blurry. His figure was like a residual shadow and quickly disappeared behind the broken walls of the blacksmith shop.

    Gwen''s voice came from the dust and fog£¬ "Teacher~£¬ where are you going again?" Her tone was so soft that it seemed almost harmless.

    "Damn it..." John Booth muttered to himself while quickly calculating in his mind.

    In his current state£¬ no matter what£¬ it couldn''t last long. The soul state couldn''t be maintained for a long time. He had only read about it in books before and had never experienced such a situation.

    There were two ways to solve this situation. The first was to choose to ascend£¬ undergo technological transformation£¬ stuff himself into a battle armor£¬ and become a fearless warrior.

    The other was to find a person with strong mental attributes and lodge in that person''s body to eke out a living.

    He quickly jumped onto the roof beside him. Taking advantage of the superiority of the soul state£¬ like the invisible wind£¬ he passed through the dilapidated buildings£¬ and his figure flashed in the air and disappeared in an instant.

    The intense magnetic field emitted by the redstone shielded everything around it£¬ hindering Gwen''s vines from getting closer. However£¬ this wasn''t enough to make him completely let down his guard.

    Suddenly£¬ a shrill sound of wind cut through the air. John Booth instinctively turned sideways. Several vines stabbed through the air like ghosts£¬ aiming straight at his side abdomen.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Although he dodged in time£¬ he still felt a cold touch. These vines could directly erode the spirit.

    "You can''t escape£¬ teacher." Gwen''s voice rang out again. This time£¬ there was a bit more coldness and a sense of oppression in her tone. Obviously£¬ she was no longer the weak little girl she used to be.

    John Booth quickly jumped out from behind a collapsed brick. He adjusted his posture and looked down at his hands that were gradually losing the ability to hold things. The side effects of the soul state had already begun to show. Every movement would intensify his dissipation.

    "There''s no time left." He thought to himself. Concentrating all his strength on his legs£¬ he gave a sudden push and rushed towards the open ground in the distance at an astonishing speed.

    He had already judged that although Gwen''s supernatural ability was powerful£¬ she hadn''t fully grasped the ability to contend with the redstone yet.

    And in this area full of redstone£¬ his soul energy could also be further strengthened.

    As long as he could find a temporary safe zone£¬ he would be able to turn the current situation around.

    However£¬ he knew that his current state was already very bad. His body became even more transparent£¬ and even the sense of touch of objects began to become blurred.

    Suddenly£¬ a strong pulling sensation hit him. Gwen''s vines pierced through the dust and fog and suddenly wrapped around John Booth''s ankles£¬ instantly pulling him towards the ground.

    With the pull of the vines£¬ John Booth felt as if his soul was being torn apart in an instant. Even in the form of a soul£¬ he could still feel that bone-piercing pain.

    "Teacher£¬ I don''t want to lose you again..." Gwen''s voice rang in his ear£¬ carrying indescribable sadness and obsession.

    She stood in front of him£¬ with tears glistening in her eyes. She held the vines tightly with both hands£¬ as if she was restraining him and also as if she was begging him not to leave again.

    At this moment£¬ John Booth smiled and said£¬ "Gwen£¬ didn''t I teach you that you shouldn''t be influenced by emotions during a battle?"

    John Booth raised his hand and pinched the air. The air in the middle part of the vines wrapped around his ankles was compressed£¬ and the vines were crushed on the spot.

    Then he raised his hand again. Gwen was stunned for a moment. She didn''t expect that John Booth could use his ability. She was pulled and lifted into the air. John Booth threw her forcefully into the distance and then controlled his body to float away£¬ quickly fleeing the scene.

    This move was actually a characteristic of the Tyranid Zerg. They could absorb the superpowers of the Awakened they devoured and transform them into their own evolutionary genes.

    When John Booth killed a Norn Emissary£¬ he was seriously injured. While lying on its corpse and waiting for his teammates to rescue him£¬ he absorbed its blood. With his own understanding of this race£¬ he comprehended such an ability. The blood of the superpowered individuals was like a tonic for him.

    Previously£¬ when John Booth drank a few drops of Gwen''s blood£¬ he had been absorbing it all along. It was only just now that the transformation was completed completely£¬ and he was barely able to use this superpower once.

    At this moment£¬ he hadn''t completely shaken off the pursuer yet. If he didn''t want to become someone else''s pet£¬ he had to find a host or awaken his own superpower. However£¬ the potion hadn''t been developed yet. If he couldn''t find a way out£¬ he would be caught by Gwen and taken back to be a slave.

    Suddenly£¬ a piece of redstone streaked across the sky and smashed straight into a position just a hundred meters ahead of him£¬ sending up a large amount of flying sand and rocks.

    Even though he was in a soul state now£¬ he could still feel the intense air current.

    John was thinking about whether to take a detour and escape in another direction. But somehow£¬ something was luring him to move forward towards the area where the redstone had fallen£¬ just like a streetwalker beckoning passing men with her hand.

    And the voice responding from the bottom of his heart was getting stronger and stronger. He had to go£¬ he must go to the redstone area. There was something he needed there.

    "Teacher! I''m going to catch up with you!"

    At this moment£¬ Gwen''s shrill shout came from behind£¬ giving John£¬ who was still hesitating£¬ the final push. He lifted his feet and ran towards the redstone area.

 Chapter 9 Spatial Ability

    After making his way through layer upon layer of obstacles£¬ John reached the center of the Redstone Area and laid his eyes on the redstone in front of him.

    The redstone emitted a faint warmth£¬ exuding an air of both danger and allure. John stood not far from it£¬ gazing at the redstone that gave off an ominous aura. The longing within him grew ever stronger.

    In his previous life£¬ he had attempted to study the redstone up close. However£¬ every time he got within 10 meters of it£¬ his special ability couldn''t contain the forces of time and space. His body would start to act on its own£¬ gradually veering towards a state of wild frenzy.

    This time£¬ as he stood observing the redstone from a distance of less than 5 meters£¬ his body showed no signs of rejection. Instead£¬ he felt a sense of eagerness.

    He approached the redstone and gently reached out to touch its surface. His hand passed right through the outer layer and made contact with the interior.

    The palm on the inside felt a slight suction£¬ like a magnet attracting a piece of iron. That pulling force was palpable.

    "Teacher~~£¬ you''re being naughty~~~"

    Gwen''s ghostly voice came from behind. Even in his soul form£¬ John couldn''t help but feel a shiver run down his spine.

    [Damn it! There''s no time left!] John told himself in his heart that he had to act right away.

    Without hesitation£¬ he launched his soul forward and plunged headlong into the redstone.

    After John entered the red stone£¬ the whole stone emitted a strong light. Winnie watched helplessly as John walked in. Although she had awakened her special ability£¬ she didn''t have the ability to directly touch the red stone and could only watch John disappear in front of her.

    "Teacher£¬ you escaped last time. This time£¬ I will never make the same mistake again!" Gwen''s eyes flickered with red light.

    At this time£¬ inside the red stone£¬ John looked at the surrounding space. It was completely empty. There was only a crystal floating in front£¬ emitting a pale blue light.

    John couldn''t see what he was stepping on£¬ but he could just stand in this empty world. There was no direction£¬ and he could only slowly walk towards the blue crystal.

    As John got closer and closer£¬ the faint call became more and more intense.

    When he walked up to the crystal£¬ he could hear more clearly. It was like someone was speaking in his ear£¬ "Grab me£¬ grab me£¬ grab me."

    The crystal kept repeating these three words. John shook his head£¬ trying to get the voice out of his head£¬ but covering his ears didn''t make it any weaker.

    He reached out a hand and touched the crystal. The closer his palm got to the crystal£¬ the stronger the sense of heat and attraction became. When he stopped at a distance of less than 3 centimeters from the crystal£¬ the heat burned his palm a little painfully.

    John stared straight at the crystal at this moment£¬ thinking to himself£¬ "There''s no turning back for me. No matter how difficult the path I''ve chosen is£¬ I have to keep going."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Making up his mind£¬ John reached forward and grabbed the crystal in his hand.

    Instantly£¬ a violent burst of light erupted from his palm£¬ piercing through the center of his palm and shining onto the space around.

    "Ugh!"

    At this moment£¬ John felt a sense of fullness. The previous feelings of weakness£¬ fatigue£¬ and lack of balance all disappeared.

    "Am I... getting my body back?"

    John spread his hands in confusion and then clenched his fists tightly. The sense of power was unmistakable. The crystal was still in his hand£¬ but its light was growing dimmer as the energy inside was pouring into his body.

    ''Crack!''

    John heard a cracking sound coming from within his body. This sound was very familiar to him£¬ and it was exactly the sound he had been hoping to hear right now.

    His genetic lock had broken. In the past£¬ whenever a warrior awakened their special ability£¬ they would hear a cracking sound like a mirror breaking. This represented that the person had transcended the category of ordinary humans.

    He just wasn''t sure if the ability he awakened this time was still "magnetism". Previously£¬ it was activated through a potion£¬ but this time it was through the red stone.

    John closed his eyes and carefully felt his own state. Then£¬ his body trembled slightly£¬ and he shouted excitedly.

    "Damn it! I actually awakened an ability! And this... this is a spatial ability!"

    John awakened his special ability in this situation without going through any painful process. He simply became an ability user.

    This ability was even more powerful than "magnetism". Even in his previous life£¬ in the entire federal archives£¬ there was only one person with a spatial ability. That was the then director of the Federal Bureau. With his own power£¬ he redirected a red stone half the size of the moon that was about to hit the Earth£¬ making it fly towards a place outside the Milky Way.

    As long as he had a clear destination and direction in mind£¬ he could use his super - space ability to blink. It was said that if one practiced the spatial ability to the extreme£¬ they could comprehend time and no longer just jump through spatial dimensions£¬ but could freely shuttle through time dimensions.

    John stretched out his right hand£¬ pointed it forward£¬ and tried to activate his ability. He stirred his heart and started to exert force.

    Suddenly£¬ ripples appeared in the space ahead£¬ just like when a stone was thrown into a calm lake. Circles of waves spread out in all directions.

    A circular passageway emitting a soft blue light slowly emerged. Starting from an apple - sized dot£¬ it spun and expanded outwards£¬ gradually growing larger.

    Finally£¬ it formed a passageway the size of a baby. The scenery of his courtyard appeared inside the passageway. A rhombus - shaped red stone as big as a basketball hoop was stuck straight into the lawn of his home. Not far away£¬ Joris was taking pictures of the red stone with his phone£¬ and from time to time£¬ he would take selfies as well.

    Subconsciously£¬ John touched his pocket£¬ trying to find his phone. Then he suddenly remembered that he had died once£¬ and his phone should still be in that taxi. He tried to mobilize more of his special ability to make the spatial passageway wider.

    However£¬ no matter how hard John tried to activate his ability£¬ he didn''t get the desired result. The passageway remained the same size.

    The light of the crystal in his hand was also getting dimmer and dimmer.

    "Are you kidding me!" John''s face showed some annoyance£¬ and he continued£¬ "Even if I can''t reach my home£¬ there should at least be a spatial passageway that can let me run out of here. Trapping me in this damned place£¬ how am I supposed to get out!"

    ¡®Dong!¡¯

    Suddenly£¬ the space he was in shook violently£¬ and John suddenly had an idea.

    [Although I''m in an unknown space right now£¬ I should still be inside the red stone. The only things that could create such a commotion are either another red stone crashing into this one£¬ or it''s the vibrations created by Gwen outside.]

    When John awakened his special ability£¬ outside the red stone£¬ Gwen was struggling with how to get John out of it.

    Unexpectedly£¬ the light and magnetic field emitted by the red stone were weakening. Gradually£¬ the red stone completely lost its light and became an ordinary huge rock.

    Gwen couldn''t help but say happily£¬ "Even God is helping me. Master£¬ you''d better stay in there obediently."

    Then she activated her special ability. Four thick vines of the Abyssal Vine burst out from the ground. The vines£¬ about three meters thick£¬ suddenly slapped towards the red stone that had lost its red glow.