Chapter 40 The Hidden Superpowered Individual

As consciousness gradually returned, Guan Shao's voice called out in her ears: "Jiang Rong, are you awake?"

Opening her eyes, she saw Guan Shao's face gradually becoming clear. He looked at Jiang Rong with concern, "How are you feeling?"

Jiang Rong asked, puzzled, "It's fine, what's wrong?" He had just subdued a Bloodthirsty Vine in his sea of ​​consciousness and felt great.

Guan Shaoze wasn't so relaxed. He wiped Jiang Rong's forehead with a damp towel: "You just fainted. How are you feeling now? Are you still uncomfortable?"

Jiang Rong had just used her supernatural power to envelop the Bloodthirsty Vine, then her body went limp and she collapsed, remaining unconscious for two hours.

Guan Shao looked worried: "You might still have a concussion. You should rest and lie down. I'll try to get you out later, don't worry."

Jiang Rong laughed: "I'm fine. You might not believe it, but I just subdued the Bloodthirsty Vine."

Guan Shao's pupils suddenly contracted: "You mean... subdue?" As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced at the measuring cup beside him.

The Bloodthirsty Vine in the measuring cup had turned into a pile of grayish-black. Not long after Jiang Rong fainted, the thin Bloodthirsty Vine suddenly changed color and then quickly dried up.

Has Jiang Rong gone mad from the explosion? The Bloodthirsty Vine is in such a state, how can it be subdued?

Speaking of this, Jiang Rong belatedly broke out in a cold sweat. He hadn't expected that the vines that split off from the Bloodthirsty Vine could also be controlled by the mother plant. It seemed that he had only used his supernatural power to wrap around one Bloodthirsty Vine, but in fact, he had already wrapped around the consciousness of the entire Bloodthirsty Vine outside the house.

After hearing Jiang Rong's explanation, Guan Shao asked incredulously, "You mean, the Bloodthirsty Vine outside can now be used by you?"

If someone else had said this, Guan Shao certainly wouldn't have believed it. However, thinking of the lively little fairy outside Jiang Rong's courtyard, he felt that it was indeed possible. After thinking for a moment, Guan Shao said, "I'll go outside and take a look."

Whether it's true or false, we'll know once we open the lab door.

Jiang Rong rolled over and stood up: "I'll go with you."

There were several large doors in the battery lab, and when they saw the outermost one, the two men looked at each other in dismay. The sturdy door was severely twisted, looking as if it had suffered a heavy impact. Without a doubt, only the Bloodthirsty Vine in the entire factory could have caused such damage.

Guan Shao's expression turned serious. "The laboratory should be able to withstand the force of an explosion, and the Bloodthirsty Vine shouldn't be able to break down the door." But how do you explain the damaged door? Could it be that the Bloodthirsty Vine possesses strength in addition to speed?

The gate was smashed open, and it was extremely difficult to open. As the gate slowly swung open, a piercing sound echoed throughout half of the factory area. Such a noise was enough to alert the Bloodthirsty Vine outside the gate, and if the Bloodthirsty Vine were nearby, it would certainly take action.

Guan Shao gripped the grenade at his waist once more; he would immediately throw it if anything went wrong. However, when the door opened, the outside was empty.

The two remained alert as they walked towards the door. As soon as they stepped out of the battery workshop, the scorching sun beat down on them. Jiang Rong, who had just come from an air-conditioned room, gasped, "It's so hot."

Suddenly, a shadow fell over the two of them. Looking up, they saw a cluster of red, bloodthirsty vines above the factory. The vines clung to the roof, extending forward and creating a shaded canopy.

The tangled vines completely blocked out the scorching sunlight, and the fawning voice of the Bloodthirsty Vine came from above them: "Be good...don't kill me..."

Guan Shao's pupils contracted violently. Was this really the Bloodthirsty Vine that had forced them to flee everywhere before?

With Bloodthirsty Vine now Jiang Rong's lackey, the journey became incredibly easy. The two no longer had to stoop and struggle forward with guns in hand; they strode confidently towards the warehouse. With each step they took, Bloodthirsty Vine followed closely, displaying the image of a devoted and obedient younger brother.

Guan Shao's feelings were complicated. Every few steps he took, he would turn back to look at the Bloodthirsty Vine following behind them. After being severely punished by Jiang Rong, the Bloodthirsty Vine was much smaller than before they entered the factory, curled up and only half a person's height.

The red ball rolled behind the two, and whenever it saw them stop, it would secretly spread its vines to create a patch of shade. Seeing this servile, bloodthirsty vine, Guan Shao couldn't help but ask, "What exactly did you do to it?"

Jiang Rong said seriously, "I only asked it one question: 'Do you want to obey me or die?' And that's what happened."

Guan Shao: ...

Why doesn't he seem to believe it?

After passing several factory buildings, the two arrived at Jingyi Optoelectronics' warehouse. Pushing open the warehouse door, Jiang Rong took two steps back. The warehouse shelves and floor were littered with skeletons, both animal and human. The stark white bones filled half the workshop, resembling a scene from hell.

Jiang Rong felt nauseous and wanted to vomit immediately. He turned his head away and clenched his fists. Although he knew that the Bloodthirsty Vine was inherently violent, he still felt very uncomfortable seeing the scene before him.

Sensing Jiang Rong's emotions, the Bloodthirsty Vine Ball trembled, its vines shaking fearfully, and said, "I'll be good..."

Jiang Rong lowered his eyes and poked the little fairy in his sea of ​​consciousness: "Little fairy, you will be responsible for teaching the Bloodthirsty Vine the rules in the future. Especially remember, it must not kill people indiscriminately."

The fairy twisted her body: "There's a problem!"

These were probably people who infiltrated the company to get the solar panels, but instead of getting anything, they perished at the hands of the Bloodthirsty Vine. Jiang Rong couldn't step over the corpses of the victims to get the solar panels, so after thinking for a while, he gave the Bloodthirsty Vine an order: "Dig a hole and bury these bones."

The Bloodthirsty Vine responded and rolled into the warehouse. As the vines spread, they swept away every skeleton scattered on the ground. The Bloodthirsty Vine rolled back and forth several times until there wasn't a single bone left in the warehouse, then it rolled to Jiang Rong: "Be obedient."

Stepping through the warehouse gate again, Jiang Rong felt as if he were seeing the warehouse of HSBC Logistics Park. On the shelves in front of him were rows of packed wooden crates. Jiang Rong was familiar with these crates; there were similar crates downstairs from his house, and they contained solar panels.

The warehouse is huge, with dozens of forklifts just for moving things. Not to mention the equipment and raw materials in the factory area. With these things, as long as they can find employees who know how to operate them, they can restart the production line.

Looking at these things, Jiang Rong was both happy and troubled: "It's a pity that these things are too heavy, we can't take them with us."

The military off-road vehicle Guan Shao and his team were driving wasn't suitable for carrying these solar panels; they'd need a heavy truck. Jiang Rong sighed again, "If only one of us had a space-age ability user."

Guan Shao gently comforted him, "There will be." If Jiang Rong's plan continues, more people with superpowers will come to join them, and there will definitely be people with spatial abilities.

After touring the warehouse, Jiang Rong prepared to contact Chu Qiang and the others in the car. They needed to transport as many solar panels as possible before everyone else. As she walked, Jiang Rong instructed Bloodthirsty Vine, "You stay here and watch the warehouse. I'll come pick you up when I'm done."

The Bloodthirsty Vine obediently responded and then climbed up the factory roof along the drainage pipe. Jiang Rong and Guan Shao stood there watching for a while. The Bloodthirsty Vine had plant characteristics and was extremely good at hiding. If it didn't take the initiative, few people would notice its existence.

Guan Shao couldn't help but exclaim, "Mutant plants are terrifying!"

First came the fairy maiden, then came the bloodthirsty vine. He could only be thankful that Jiang Rong was a wood-type ability user who had subdued these two dangerous plants. If they were his opponents, they would be the most terrifying adversaries he had ever faced.

Guan Shao was once again lost in thought as he watched Jiang Rong communicate with the Bloodthirsty Vine. The more time he spent with Jiang Rong, the more he liked this handsome young man.

Jiang Rong was intelligent, calm, and rational, like a towering tree, deeply rooted in the wasteland, protecting those around her. He didn't want to let go of such a brilliant person.

Sensing Guan Shao's gaze, Jiang Rong turned around in confusion: "What's wrong?"

Guan Shao smiled slightly: "It's nothing, let's go back to the car."

Chu Qiang had installed a mobile radio in the SUV. The radio was easy to operate; simply pressing a button sent a message back. However, before Jiang Rong could speak, a black car was seen speeding towards them from ahead.

The black car quickly stopped in front of the SUV. After the door opened, Chu Qiang and Pan Pan jumped out. A series of words floated over: "Holy crap, Xiao Jiang, you scared the hell out of me! I sent you so many messages, why didn't you reply at all?"

Jiang Rong was surprised and touched: "Qiangzi, what brings you here?"

Chu Qiang looked the two up and down, and only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that they were alright. "Don't even mention it. I regretted it as soon as you left. I wanted to come back right then and there. It was almost noon, and my eyelids were twitching and my heart was pounding. I was so afraid that something had happened to you. Don't make me stay behind anymore. It's too nerve-wracking."

According to Jiang Rong's plan, they should be home by 1 p.m. at the latest. Chu Qiang waited at home until 1 p.m., but the two still hadn't returned. He didn't want to wait at home any longer, so he picked up Pan Pan to come over. In case Jiang Rong and the others encountered any trouble, he could help.

Jiang Rong chuckled and said, "We're fine, you don't need to worry."

Pan Pan peered towards the factory area and asked with concern, "Brother Jiang, Brother Guan, have you seen that mutated plant?"

If Pan Pan hadn't been lucky enough to run fast, he would have been dead here two weeks ago. The shadow left by that night was so deep that even standing at the gate, he felt a chill down his spine.

Chu Qiang clicked his tongue. "Is that even a question? Of course they ran into each other. Didn't you see how covered in dirt and grime they were?" Jiang Rong and Guan Shao were both clean people, and their clothes were filthy with bruises on their bodies, clearly indicating that they had been through a fierce fight.

Pan Pan's eyes suddenly lit up: "Then... Brother Jiang and Brother Guan, did you get rid of that mutated plant? Will we be safe entering the industrial park from now on?"

Jiang Rong gave a vague reply: "Yeah, more or less."

Just then, the back door of the black car opened, and Wang Chunlan and her daughter walked out. Seeing them, Jiang Rong was surprised: "Sister Chunlan? Leilei? What brings you here too?"

Wang Chunlan carried a small first-aid kit. "Seeing that you hadn't come back for a long time, I was worried that you might be injured, so I came with Qiangzi to check on you."

Jiang Rong and Guan Shao had some small wounds on their bodies. Seeing these wounds, Wang Chunlan frowned slightly. "Sit down quickly, I'll bandage you up."

Jiang Rong said gratefully, "Thank you, Sister Chunlan. We've already bandaged it up, so you don't need to worry about us. It's kind of you to go to all this trouble, making such a special trip in this heat."

Wang Chunlan reached out her right hand and grasped Jiang Rong's right wrist. There was an abrasion on her wrist. Although the two of them had treated it before, the wound was only simply covered with a band-aid, with most of the wound exposed outside the band-aid: "Look, you treated it too roughly. It might get infected if you're not careful."

Jiang Rong said nonchalantly, "It's alright, Sister Chunlan, you'll be fine soon."

Wang Chunlan's fingers slowly glided over the skin near the wound, a gentle force covering it. Jiang Rong felt a cool sensation from Wang Chunlan's fingertips, and within seconds, the pain in the wound subsided.

Jiang Rong looked over in surprise and saw that the wound near the bandage was healing rapidly. In less than half a minute, the wound was completely healed. He stared at his wrist in astonishment, then looked up at Wang Chunlan: "Sister Chunlan..."

Wang Chunlan took a step back and smiled slightly: "That's right, I am actually also a superhuman. I am a healing superhuman. I'm sorry, I lied to everyone before."

Chu Qiang was dumbfounded, and it took him a while to come to his senses: "No wonder, I was wondering why my wound healed so quickly." Everyone has seen how powerful the mutated wasps are; even superhumans don't often have the chance to escape unscathed.

While he was dazed and confused by the mutated wasps, he often felt a gentle force lingering near the wound. At first, he thought it was his imagination, but now it seemed that Wang Chunlan was healing him.

Chu Qiang was extremely grateful: "Thank you, Sister Chunlan." If it weren't for Wang Chunlan, he might have been dead long ago.

Wang Chunlan smiled and said, "Although I am a superhuman, my physical abilities are no different from those of an ordinary person. If I had revealed my superhuman identity before, it would have caused unnecessary trouble."

She chose to speak out now because, after observing them for some time, she had completely trusted Chu Qiang and Jiang Rong's group.

Now that's all right, she has no more worries. Wang Chunlan frankly extended her hand to Jiang Rong: "Xiao Jiang, can I become the sixth member of the superpower team? Although I can't charge into battle like you guys, I will try my best to improve myself and provide logistical support for everyone."

Jiang Rong gratefully extended her hand: "Sister Chunlan, welcome to the team."

Wang Chunlan turned to look at her daughter beside her and slowly nodded. Leilei, abandoning her usual aloof demeanor, nodded back to Wang Chunlan. The little girl smiled sweetly, "Uncle Jiang, Uncle Chu, Uncle Guan, Uncle Pan."

Everyone was stunned. After a long while, they exclaimed with joy, "Leilei, you've recovered? That's wonderful!"

Everyone assumed that Leilei's recovery must be related to Wang Chunlan's special abilities. However, Leilei explained, "Actually, I've always been fine; I was just pretending before."

Chu Qiang asked, puzzled, "Huh? Why are you pretending?" This is a perfectly fine young girl; isn't this good enough? Why pretend to be so dazed and worry people?

Leilei smiled and said, "Actually, I'm also a superhuman. I'm a space-type superhuman."

A tremendous surprise descended upon Jiang Rong, leaving her stunned and speechless.

Wang Chunlan said slowly, "Leilei and I, one is a healing-type ability user and the other is a space-type ability user. Compared to other ability users, our physical strength is not strong."

Both of these abilities are support-type abilities, and revealing them too early could easily attract the covetous eyes of those with malicious intentions. Especially for Leilei, she is a delicate young girl who is easily controlled.

When fleeing City C, Wang Chunlan devised a plan: she had her daughter pretend to be mentally impaired after a traumatic experience, and the two of them posed as ordinary refugees. This combination was a troublesome hindrance, and only those willing to accept them deserved their genuine kindness.

Jiang Rong praised, "That's a great idea." Being cautious is never a bad thing.

Wang Chunlan sighed, "It is in adversity that true feelings are tested. Many people avoid us when they see our situation. Only our godparents and Qiangzi's family are willing to help us along the way. It is our good fortune to have met Qiangzi's family and all of you. I think it would be too much of a shame if we kept hiding it."

During this time, the mother and daughter received meticulous care, and now that it's time for the superpowered team to provide services, they also want to contribute their own strength.

Leilei gave Jiang Rong a bright smile: "Uncle Jiang, can I become the seventh superhuman in the team?"

Jiang Rong smiled and extended her hand: "Welcome, welcome, welcome to join us."

Chu Qiang was both amused and exasperated: "Leilei, you've been acting so well! You haven't given yourself away for so long."

Leilei flashed her white teeth: "I used to be in the school drama club, and the teacher said I had a talent for acting." After a pause, she said shyly, "Actually, I gave myself away a long time ago. The first time I saw Xiaoheng, I couldn't help but speak. But Xiaoheng was very well-behaved. I told him not to tell anyone, and he didn't tell a single person."

Jiang Rong: ...

Ever since Jiang Xiaoheng first saw Leilei, he had taken a liking to this young lady. Sometimes, when he came back from Chu Qiang's house, he would happily tell himself: Leilei had given him something.

However, Jiang Rong never considered the possibility that Lei Lei was a superhuman. If Wang Chunlan and her daughter hadn't revealed their identities today, he would never have guessed that they were also superhumans.

Jiang Rong had always thought he could spot superhumans in a crowd at a glance, but now it seems he can only identify a very small number of them.

After learning that Leilei was a superhuman, Jiang Rong tentatively asked, "Leilei, how big is your spatial dimension?"

After thinking for a while, Leilei said, "I don't know how big it is, but I think it can hold a lot of things."

Wang Chunlan suggested, "Why don't we go to the warehouse first and see how much we can move? We can take some back first, and then make a few more trips."

The group chatted and laughed as they walked towards the gate of Jingyi Optoelectronics. However, just as they reached the office building, Pan Pan's expression changed, and he pointed upwards: "Mutant...mutant plant!"

Jiang Rong looked up and saw two red vines hanging from the roof. Pan Pan screamed, and the vines retracted as if electrocuted. The next moment, the red, bloodthirsty vine ball rolled down from the roof and quickly rolled towards the warehouse to the north.

Everyone could clearly hear Bloodthirsty Vine Ball's panicked voice: "I'll be good! I'll listen to you!"

Jiang Rong: ...

If the Bloodthirsty Vine had any guts, it would have been terrified by Jiang Rong today. It cowered behind a pillar in the roof beam, occasionally sticking out its vines to observe Jiang Rong and his group.

Pan Pan's expression twisted and his face was a jumble of emotions: "That night, I was actually chased by this thing?"

This is so illogical! He was beaten to a pulp when he saw it that night. But now that he sees the mutated plant in its true form, he feels like it's a pushover.

Chu Qiang, hands tucked in his pockets, tilted his head and looked at the Bloodthirsty Vine. Seeing it peeking out, he beckoned, "Come here, let me see you." Perhaps it was because Chu Qiang looked too fierce, but upon hearing his voice, the Bloodthirsty Vine immediately shrank back and curled into a ball.

While Chu Qiang and Pan Pan were studying the Bloodthirsty Vine like it was a monkey, Jiang Rong and Guan Zhao were surrounding Lei Lei on the other side.

In front of Leilei was a wooden box filled with solar panels pressed together with tempered glass; the box was surprisingly heavy. Jiang Rong asked with concern, "Do you need us to open the box? Or can you pack them one by one?"

Leilei's small frame was only slightly taller than the box, and Jiang Rong thought she probably couldn't fit many battery panels in it. However, the little girl casually placed her hand on the box: "Don't worry, Uncle Jiang, there's no problem."

As soon as he finished speaking, the wooden box vanished into thin air. Jiang Rong and Guan Shao exchanged a glance. What an amazing space-type ability user! With just a light touch, he was able to collect such a large box of solar panels.

However, Guan Shao was still worried: "Leilei, if you feel unwell, you must tell us."

They had never seen a space-type ability user before, and they didn't know if the things stored in their space would have a negative effect on the ability user's body. If they damaged Leilei's body just to install more solar panels, it would be a losing proposition.

Leilei laughed heartily: "Uncle Guan, don't worry. If I sense anything is wrong, I'll stop immediately."

As Leilei spoke, she slowly walked past the shelves, her hands constantly reaching out and retracting, until soon an entire shelf of solar panels was stored away. When the little girl reached the second shelf and began to collect items, the box remained still.

Leilei said frankly, "Uncle, the space seems to be full."

Chu Qiang was dumbfounded: "My god, they carried so much stuff! Spatial ability users are amazing!"

Jiang Rong nodded slightly and praised, "Very good."

He just counted, and Leilei had put a total of twenty wooden crates into her spatial storage. This was much more effective than a heavy truck, considering that a regular truck could only carry seven or eight crates at a time.

With Leilei, they essentially have two heavy trucks.

After Leilei finished packing her things, Jiang Rong said, "The solar panels are quite important, so let's put them in my yard first. Chunlan, I'll take Leilei to put her things away in a bit, and then we'll make a few more trips today. Is that alright?"

Wang Chunlan smiled and said, "You're the captain, of course I'll listen to you."

Chu Qiang felt more and more that they needed a large warehouse. As he walked, he said, "Xiao Jiang, let's discuss it later and see if we can build a large warehouse near our home."

Chu Qiang previously worked at an engineering bureau. Although his workplace was in City C, he maintained contact with other units in City D. He roughly knew where their equipment and materials were stored. If he could find the right person, they should be able to start using the equipment to build a warehouse.

Pan Pan was somewhat annoyed: "If only I were a little stronger." Earth-type ability users can manipulate soil, but unfortunately, the amount of soil he can manipulate is currently limited. If he were stronger, he might be able to help.

Jiang Rong gently reassured her, "It's alright, everyone starts from weak and grows stronger. Let's progress together."

As they chatted idly as they walked toward the car, they heard a "putt-putt" sound behind them. Turning around, they saw the red, bloodthirsty vine struggling to drag a wooden crate toward them; the sound they heard was the crate hitting the ground.

Jiang Rong raised an eyebrow. Was the Bloodthirsty Vine helping to transport things? This guy was pretty savvy.

Seeing everyone looking at him, the Bloodthirsty Vine curled into a ball: "I'll be good... I'll listen... Don't kill me..."

Author's Note:

Chu Qiang: This little rascal is quite something. Come on, let me take a look.