Chapter 258: A Mind of His Own
Translator: Insignia Editor: Svjohn
Luo Yuan cleaned himself roughly and walked to the master bedroom on the first floor. He noticed that Huang Jiahui had placed the mat properly and brought a bucket of water.
"Why don’t you shower in the bathroom?" Luo Yuan asked while picking up the stack of old newspapers by the headboard.
"There are too many people in there. I can’t get used to it." Huang Jiahui glanced at Luo Yuan before she started taking off her clothes, revealing her plump body as she cleaned herself slowly.
"Be patient, things will get better in the future," Luo Yuan said, reading a newspaper.
"I’m grateful that we can stay here. Compared to the outside, this is like Heaven," said Huang Jiahui, full of emotion. "Hey, do you remember how long it has been since we last slept together?"
Luo Yuan did not say a thing. Huang Jiahui turned around and saw him frowning. His attention was still on the newspaper.
...
"New agricultural products harvested; reconstruction area is bidding famine farewell."
"We stand firmly before the darkness of twilight."
"Humans dictate their own destiny in unity!"
"New biocomposite research has been successful; there’s hope of replacing steel completely!"
"Long March rockets have been launched successfully; they are to replace all satellites paralyzed by the magnetic storm."
"Xunlong-2 CPU is officially in production; locally produced CPU is now on par with Intel."
Luo Yuan was reading quickly. Most of the time, he would just take a glance and then flip to the next page. He would only pause to look for more details if he saw something interesting, but that did not last more than 10 seconds usually either. Considering the processing speed of his brain, it was no exaggeration to say that he could read 10 lines at one glance.
Most of the content of the newspaper was encouraging and passionate, yet at the same time also serious and oppressive. One could not relax while reading it. A battlefield was the best catalyst for technology. The threat of the mutated beasts had resulted in a big technological outbreak in the reconstruction area, which was developing rapidly. Almost a quarter of the newspaper’s content was about discoveries of new materials, new technology or new techniques.
Human perseverance was beyond imagination. Although humans had been defeated by unimaginable natural disasters, beasts, and accidents, they were still standing tall. As time passed, they only seemed to become stronger. Many thought that the technology used in the military was 20 years more advanced than the technology civilians had access to, but that was inaccurate.
During times of peace, besides cutting-edge weapons, the technology used by the military was usually less advanced than that used by civilians. The military required high-reliability for the devices they used, and the latest technologies were usually the most unreliable ones. Moreover, the nuclear threat before the apocalypse had brought the world to a standstill as a whole, so there had been no hurry for any military upgrades.
This didn’t just apply to China. Even in America, some military electrical devices were still using technology from the 80s. Due to its cost, technology in the military was unsatisfactory. Only during times of war, when society entered a state of emergency, did that statement become true. All the advanced technology used by civilians would then flood into the military, and all the wisdom of human beings would be exploited by the army.
This war was a hundred times more devastating than World War II. After all, World War II had been a war between humans, so there had still been room for negotiation. This time, it was a war between races. Failure was unacceptable, and there was no such thing as compromise. Failing meant dying.
…
Huang Jiahui got out of the shower and looked at Luo Yuan. There were tears rolling in his eyes. She sat on his lap and patted his back, saying flirtatiously, "Don’t read anymore. You can read tomorrow. It’s time for bed now."
"Wait, let me read a little more," Luo Yuan said.
…
The morning in the Desert City was quiet and peaceful. Luo Yuan held his sword in his hand as he stood on the balcony, not moving an inch. His body was exuding an oppressive vibe, but his skin was fair and smooth. There was a dim glow radiating from him. It wasn’t just his skin. Even his hair, the Zhanmadao, and his clothes had a unique shining glow about them.
Will surrounded his entire body. As time passed, he suddenly noticed a strange phenomenon. His Sensory Perception was expanding quickly. He could even control all senses within three meters. There was not much improvement on the ground, though.
Luo Yuan was completely awake. If his Sensory Perception could be imprinted on his Zhanmadao, then it could naturally be imprinted on other objects as well. The massive movement of his Will could affect air molecules, and the diffusion of the air molecules could help expand his Sensory Perception. Luo Yuan did not seem to care at all, though. He was deep in thought.
Suddenly, he realized that the way he managed his Will was crude. He lacked imagination, and his application methods were limited. He did not fully explore the system. Since the attribution of his Will was infinite, it could be applied anywhere.
Just like leaving a mark, he could imprint his Will on someone else’s shirt so that that person could never escape from him. It was like the curse he had encountered before, the one that had caused unreasonable death. Although these powers were not applicable in the wilderness and were limited when it came to mutated beasts, they could be immensely helpful in the reconstruction area and human society in general.
The rules and laws in the reconstruction area were extremely strict, unlike in the wilderness, where anything could be settled by violence. In the wilderness, if you did not like someone, you could just kill them. That did not apply there, though. Violence could not solve any problems, only cause even more. No matter how confident Luo Yuan was, he did not dare offend the country. After all, it had taken them so long to earn that peaceful life. He wasn’t going to keep wandering around like a savage forever.
Unlike his destructive power though, his Will left no trail. It could kill without drawing any blood.
Lin Xiaoji yawned and walked towards Luo Yuan lazily. "Boss Luo, what about our training?"
Luo Yuan looked at him and nodded. Even since they had entered the reconstruction area, there had been a change in his attitude. The old Lin Xiaoji had been afraid of Luo Yuan like a mouse afraid of a cat. Now he could talk to him like it was nothing, though. There was also something unnatural about his expression. He always avoided eye contact when Luo Yuan was looking at him. It seemed like he had an agenda of his own ever since they had entered the reconstruction area.