In her previous life, Lin Yao had also attempted to charm Su Bai. However, as a special police officer with decent willpower, the charm effect had only lasted for a few hours.
Lin Yao now clearly understood that Xia Qing had awakened the exact same Charm ability, but due to physical constitution and other factors, Xia Qing’s was much stronger.
Although she was deeply unwilling to accept this, there was nothing Lin Yao could do.
Xia Qing hadn’t yet exposed that her ability was Charm, because the moment she did, men would naturally put their guard up against her.
After all, no one wanted to be mentally controlled by someone else.
It was completely different from Jin Chao, who had awakened a mental-type ability for telekinesis and perception.
Lin Yao ran over to show her concern for Xia Ran.
“Cousin, I’m just glad you’re okay, otherwise I’d be really worried.”
Xia Ran replied, “It’s fine. Now that I’ve awakened an ability too, you should follow Captain Jin and help them complete their mission. You’ll definitely reach North City safely.”
Jin Chao’s entire squad consisted of ability users who were also special forces soldiers.
Xia Ran’s mother had repeatedly urged him to make sure he escorted Lin Yao safely to North City.
Suddenly thinking of something, Xia Ran glanced at Xia Qing standing not far away.
Sometimes, he really couldn’t understand it. Qingqing was his mother’s actual biological daughter, yet their mother cared so much more about Lin Yao.
The panicked phone call he had received back then was exactly this: “Xia Ran, hurry to Jiangcheng University! Yaoyao has a fever, and there are monsters roaming around now. You must bring Yaoyao back safely!”
The call hadn’t even mentioned Xia Qing’s name.
Lin Yao suggested, “Brother, why don’t you come with us to Tianjin City?”
In their past life, Tianjin City was exactly where Xia Ran had died.
Lin Yao felt uneasy; if things didn’t follow the sequence of her past life, she feared something would go horribly wrong.
Now that Xia Ran had awakened an ability, Xia Qing had someone powerful to rely on.
Before Xia Ran could speak, Xia Qing walked over and declared, “We’re not going to Tianjin City. We’re heading straight back to North City.”
“After all, we’re still dragging along a vulnerable group of one adult and one child.”
Wu Fang: “…”
Wu Fang was genuinely afraid whenever she looked at Xia Qing now—a lingering terror from watching her casually slaughter a mutant with her own eyes.
Hearing Xia Qing say this, Lin Yao seemed to confirm in her heart that Xia Qing might truly be just like her: someone who had awakened the memories of their past life.
Clenching her fingers tightly, Lin Yao said, “I just meant well. After all, you’re my family too. Wouldn’t it be better if we returned to North City together?”
Xia Qing replied, “I’m afraid Captain Jin might see us as a burden. It wouldn’t be good to drag down your mission.”
“Besides, other than my brother who is an ability user, the rest of us have zero combat power.”
Wu Fang carefully stole a glance at Xia Qing.
Zero combat power? Who was the one digging out mutant brains single-handedly earlier?
Lin Yao said defensively, “Forget it then. I was only trying to help you out of the goodness of my heart.”
“Qingqing, I’m your older cousin, we are sisters.”
Xia Qing maintained a cold expression and gave her a deeply meaningful look.
Xia Ran felt that the relationship between Xia Qing and Lin Yao had become rather delicate.
Xia Ran interjected, “Yaoyao, now that I have an ability, I can definitely bring Qingqing back to North City safely. We’ll have a proper reunion once we get there.”
Seeing this, Lin Yao decided to stop probing. In short, Xia Qing was completely different from before and was no longer someone easy to fool.
To be more precise, Xia Qing had become cold and ruthless.
Lin Yao walked away.
Su Bai had finished cooking the instant noodles. Xia Qing was genuinely hungry. To be honest, she was indeed quite indifferent when it came to emotional attachments.
But Xia Ran was truly good to this younger sister of his.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have died so early in her past life—sacrificing himself to save Xia Qing…
As expected, kind-hearted people never lived long.
Su Bai offered, “Miss Xia, please eat.”
Xia Ran frowned. “Su Bai, I think there’s something wrong with you, kid. Why are you acting so overly attentive to my sister?”
As the saying goes, a girl changes eighteen times as she grows up. Right now, Xia Qing’s skin was fair and rosy…
It was even more flawless than that chubby kid’s skin, soft as a baby’s.
Su Bai scratched his head awkwardly. “No, I’m not…”
He didn’t know what was wrong with himself either…
Having awakened an ability, one desperately needed to consume high-calorie foods.
The chubby boy whined, “Mommy, I want to eat too.”
Wu Fang was also quite hungry, but her backpack only contained dry items like biscuits.
“M-Miss Xia, could you spare us some instant noodles? I don’t need to eat, it’s just for the child.”
“Look how small he is, and his dad just died.”
Xia Qing couldn’t be bothered to listen to her tearful guilt-tripping.
Xia Qing said flatly, “Trade it for the chocolate in your backpack.”
The chubby kid loved sweets, so he had secretly stuffed a large stash of chocolate into the bag.
His mother didn’t even know. Because the child was too fat, she had strictly forbidden him from eating sweets.
But considering the boy was fat, if he were to awaken an ability, his baseline energy reserves might be incredibly high…
Every fat person was a high-potential asset.
Not going to lie, looking at the chubby kid right now, Xia Qing felt like she was looking at a premium stock.
Child. Male. Conditions met.
If she could successfully charm him, he would be a useful tool.
She was in desperate need of helpers right now.
The chubby kid burst into loud wailing tears.
In the end, one pack of instant noodles was handed over to the chubby kid, and the chocolate became hers.
She tore open a wrapper, broke off a tiny piece, and extended her sleeve to feed the little mouse.
“From now on, you are Mouse Number One.”
A mouse’s sense of smell when it came to food was incredibly sharp.
Xia Ran asked, “Qingqing, did something happen between you and Yaoyao? Weren’t you two on good terms before?”
Xia Qing knew that Xia Ran could be rather stubborn. If she didn’t spell things out directly, she was afraid he might try to morally guilt-trip her later on.
Xia Qing answered, “When we were hiding in the apartment, she deliberately made me attract the mutants’ attention so she could escape. That’s why I got scratched.”
It was only the foolish Xia Qing from the previous life who hadn’t seen through it.
Although Lin Yao had also ended up getting scratched later, one could only say she completely deserved it.
Xia Ran was shocked. “Really? Is this true?”
He still couldn’t believe that Lin Yao was capable of doing something so malicious.
Xia Qing deliberately lowered her tone. “Sigh, you don’t believe me. If I hadn’t experienced it myself and seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it either.”
“Growing up, our family wasn’t as well-off as Lin Yao’s. Her dad was a big boss, but our mom never bought me a single piece of new clothing. She always made me wear Lin Yao’s hand-me-downs.”
“And on Lin Yao’s birthday, Mom bought her such an expensive gift, while I didn’t even get a two-hundred yuan red envelope for mine.”
On her birthdays, it was always her brother Xia Ran who sent her a one-thousand yuan red envelope.
At the time, his monthly salary had only been three or four thousand.
“I really don’t want to accommodate her anymore.”
Xia Ran fell utterly silent for a long time, seemingly digesting everything Xia Qing had just revealed.