Dragging a large suitcase along the edge of the road, Song Shi felt a deep sense of sorrow, as if she were homeless.
And in truth, she was homeless. In this seemingly prosperous world, rejection of her genes was everywhere.
Only one last apartment remained to be viewed.
Holding onto a sliver of hope, Song Shi headed toward the bus stop.
The last apartment was over ten kilometers away. Walking there would waste a lot of time.
After about five minutes, the bus slowly pulled into the stop.
Song Shi's heart started to grow uneasy.
What if she couldn’t even ride the bus?
"Face scan successful!"
The robotic female voice from the scanner sounded, without asking her to disembark.
Song Shi let out a sigh of relief.
She found a seat toward the back, set her suitcase by her feet, and turned her head to watch the scenery gradually move past.
Parallel to the bus’s direction, a floating tram whizzed by.
A massive airship overhead dragged a large banner that read, Tomorrow University Welcomes You.
Song Shi paused and looked down to search Tomorrow University on the web.
The official website's main page boldly displayed, Tomorrow University Welcomes Power Users from District 11 to Enroll.
Reading the description below, Song Shi learned that Tomorrow University was the only school for power users in District 11.
The Federation had 11 human bases in total, and each base was equipped with at least one university for power users.
The 11th base ranked among the lowest across the Federation; there weren’t many power users, and one Tomorrow University was sufficient. But in larger bases like the 1st and 2nd, there were over ten power-user universities.
She was currently a senior in high school. If she awakened any powers during this time, she could attend Tomorrow University.
If her powers didn’t awaken, she would have to attend a regular university, thankfully, District 11 had plenty of those.
Just as Song Shi was lost in thought, a loud bang suddenly echoed inside the bus.
The driver slammed on the brakes, throwing Song Shi forward and sending her suitcase rolling.
She quickly grabbed the seat in front of her with one hand while reaching for her suitcase with the other.
"Nobody move!"
A scruffy-bearded man brandished a gun, sweeping it across everyone on the bus, finally stopping at Song Shi’s hand holding the suitcase.
Song Shi used her foot to wedge the back wheels of the suitcase, then raised her hands above her shoulders in surrender.
Only then did the man point the gun at the driver.
"Keep driving! Head west of the city! If the city guards catch up, you’ll die with me!"
The trembling driver restarted the bus, and it shot forward like an arrow.
The passengers waiting at the stop, just about to board, stood dumbfounded as the bus disappeared.
They stared blankly in its direction before dialing the city guard in confusion.
"Hello, city guards? I think someone’s hijacked another bus..."
On the bus, the criminal waved his gun, going seat by seat to rob the passengers.
No one dared to resist. Or perhaps, they were simply used to situations like this, losing money wasn’t worth risking their lives.
When it was Song Shi's turn, she reluctantly pressed her light brain (a wearable smart device) against his.
[Payment successful: 34,030]
Song Shi felt like crying, he hadn’t left her a single cent.
That was three months of living expenses!!
"A kindred spirit, huh."
Instead of leaving after taking the money, the man stopped, lowering his eyes to stare at Song Shi.
Song Shi: ?
A thought occurred to her, and she tilted her head back, eyes wide: !
This guy had awakened into the berserker system!
Her payment screen would have shown her as a high-risk individual.
She had looked it up before, there was only one kind of high-risk individual in the Federation: Berserker system power users.
But that wasn’t the most pressing issue now.
What did he mean by saying that? What was he trying to imply by saying it in front of everyone?!
He was a berserker-type, and so was she.
If he was robbing the bus with a gun, how could she escape responsibility?
In this world that deeply rejected berserker genes, no amount of explanation could clear her name.
Sure enough, the other passengers were already casting suspicious glances her way, clearly lumping her in with the criminal.
The man obviously wanted to drag Song Shi down with him. He even patted her on the shoulder.
"What are you sitting there for? Help me out! We'll split fifty-fifty."
Song Shi’s lips twitched.
She stood up and, with difficulty, said, "Sure."
The man flashed a satisfied, crazed grin and walked toward the back of the bus.
Just one more row, and he would have it all.
Song Shi turned and casually gripped the back of her seat, pretending to make conversation.
"Are you even an adult?"
His face was covered with a messy beard, his hair long and unkempt, making it hard to tell how old he was. He looked dirtier than even the most destitute vagrants.
"No, I’m only seventeen."
"Oh, same age as me. I guess you haven’t awakened yet, either?"
The criminal was so wrapped up in his delight from the money, and the thought that this woman was about to share his risk, that his mind went fuzzy.
"Of course not."
Suddenly, veins bulged on the back of Song Shi’s hand as she gripped the seat tightly. She sprang up, bending her legs and delivering a fierce kick to his gun arm.
The gun flew out of his hand, and the man was thrown backward.
Because he was in the last row, close to the rear of the bus, his back slammed into the compartment wall, stopping him from falling further.
He quickly grabbed onto the seatbacks on either side of the aisle and pushed himself up.
"Driver, stop the bus! Everyone, get off now!"
Song Shi shouted as she jumped from her seat. The gun had fallen nearby, and she hooked it with her foot, grabbing it into her hand.
The driver reacted quickly. The bus came to a screeching halt, and both the front and rear doors opened.
Before the bus had even fully stopped, the passengers were scrambling to escape.
Song Shi staggered backward from the inertia, grabbing onto the handrails to steady herself.
The man had already stood up. Furious at being outwitted by Song Shi, his eyes gleamed menacingly from beneath his bangs. He pulled a knife from his pocket.
Song Shi knew he wouldn’t have only brought a gun to hijack a bus.
Though she’d never used a gun, that didn’t stop her from putting on a show.
"Don’t move!" Song Shi aimed the gun at his forehead.
But he suddenly laughed. "Ha! There’s only one bullet in that gun! I already fired it. What you’re holding is an empty weapon. You’re dead!"
He lunged at her with the knife, completely unfazed by the gun.
Song Shi pulled the trigger repeatedly, but no bullet fired, just as he had said.
He was almost upon her, the tip of his knife barely a few inches away.
"Damn it!" Song Shi cursed, kicking her suitcase into his path while retreating.
Caught off guard, the man tripped, falling forward and landing on top of the suitcase, his hands slamming onto the floor.
It was the perfect opening for a counterattack.
Just as she was about to flee, Song Shi noticed the knife in his hand was now pointing directly at him.
Her temple throbbed as she hesitated for a split second before changing her mind about escaping.
She rushed forward, grabbed his hand, and drove the knife toward him.
He was hunched over so low that she couldn’t see his face clearly. It was almost a blind strike.
Pop!
His eyeball burst, fluid mixed with blood dripping down the knife, onto Song Shi’s hand and wrist.
Her hand trembled, she almost let go, but her rationality held, and she pushed the knife even deeper.
"Ahhh!"
The man screamed in agony, shoving Song Shi away.
Before leaving, Song Shi yanked the knife out.
With the knife still lodged in his wound, the bleeding had been slow. But now that it was out, a gush of viscous fluids of varying colors poured out.
The man’s screams echoed as he clutched the gaping hole where his right eye had been, writhing in pain.
If he were an ordinary person, he would’ve fainted by now.
Song Shi ignored him, turning to find her suitcase, which had been knocked to the very back of the bus.
To retrieve it, she would have to step over him.
Given how much he now hated her, Song Shi hesitated, pulling back her leg.
She could wait until the city guards arrived.
"You’re coming to die with me!!" The man suddenly shrieked. Song Shi sensed something was wrong.
When she turned around, she saw him clutching what looked like a grenade, his blood-covered hand trembling as he pulled the pin.
Song Shi: !!
Taking three steps in two, she cursed herself for not running faster, abandoning her suitcase.
She leaped out of the bus, sprinting as far as she could.
Boom!
A scorching wave of heat surged over her back, and the huge shock wave threw Song Shi up and down before she could run to a safe area.
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T/N: Gahhhh, I forgot to update yesterday! So I'll update today.
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