Chapter 57 Presidential Election

The large gate slowly swung open, revealing the scene within—primitive and crude.

This sanctuary was, in reality, a new utopia forged for humanity after all the monsters in a high-end residential complex from the old world had been completely slaughtered.

"This is Zone A, where ability users and important personnel reside," Cheng Yuan said, raising her head with a proud expression. "Ordinary people live in Zones B and C."

The jeep came to a halt in front of a building.

Cheng Mo turned to look at Li Luyan. "Let's get you registered first, and then we'll arrange your living quarters."

Li Luyan cast a thoughtful glance at the excited Cheng Yuan, then looked toward the registration desk ahead and nodded.

"Let's go," she said, stepping forward.

……

The residents of this building were exclusively high-profile figures, including professors from certain research institutes and high-tier ability users.

With the elevators out of service in the apocalypse, Cheng Yuan led the group up several flights of stairs and stopped outside a door at the very end of the corridor.

Intermittent groans and pants drifted from inside the room. Anyone could guess what was happening in there.

Accustomed to the sight, Cheng Yuan knocked on the door. To reassure Li Luyan, she blinked and whispered, "It's probably just an ordinary person trading sex for supplies with Professor Diao. But since you're a high-tier ability user, you don't need to be afraid of him."

Li Luyan frowned slightly, but her composure quickly returned.

Order had collapsed, and that girl trading her body for supplies was merely making a desperate choice in a hopeless situation. There was no high or low, no noble or base. Under absolute pressure, what was reputation worth?

She could not afford to be a saint. In the current circumstances, only by continuously enhancing her strength and growing stronger could she protect herself.

An impatient bark came from behind the door: "Who is it?!"

Cheng Yuan cleared her throat and adopted a respectful tone. "Professor Diao, it's me, Cheng Yuan. I've brought a newly arrived ability user who needs to be registered."

After a brief silence, the door was pulled open abruptly.

A short, middle-aged man with a potbelly appeared in the doorway, his clothes somewhat disheveled.

Behind him, a young woman with a bowed head hurried past, faint red marks still visible on her neck.

Upon seeing Li Luyan, the man let out an exclamation of surprise before casting a malicious, sweeping gaze over her entire body.

Professor Diao pushed up his glasses. "An ability user? What's your power?"

"Mental type," Li Luyan replied briefly, meeting his gaze with calm eyes. She was not intimidated by his look.

At the very least, as a mental-type ability user, she could sense that the energy fluctuations coming from Professor Diao were extremely weak.

His ability tier was definitely below level three.

A flash of surprise crossed Professor Diao's eyes. He withdrew his greasy stare and put on a genuinely appreciative smile. "Mental type? Not bad, not bad. Come in."

Li Luyan glanced casually around the room. The bedroom door was half-open, a chaotic mixture of odors hung heavy in the living room, and a crude desk was piled high with documents and supplies.

Professor Diao casually shoved several cans into a drawer and motioned for Li Luyan to sit down.

"Mental-type ability users are very rare," he opened a thick ledger. "Have you taken an ability tier test?"

"No," Li Luyan answered calmly, her peripheral vision catching Cheng Yuan's slightly nervous expression.

Professor Diao paused his recording and gave her a meaningful look. "I'll give you an ability assessment first."

"Zone A happens to be lacking in ability users like you."

Cheng Yuan could not help but interrupt, "Professor Diao, Miss Li is extremely powerful. She single-handedly restrained a monster estimated to be above level three!"

Professor Diao did not even raise his head. "Cheng Yuan, step outside first."

"Professor Diao..."

Before Cheng Yuan could finish, Professor Diao cut her off with a stern reprimand: "Get out!"

"Oh..." Before leaving, she gently patted Li Luyan's shoulder to signal her not to worry.

Professor Diao chuckled softly, eyeing Li Luyan with greasy desire, much like a butcher looking at a cut of meat. He spoke, "Young lady, wait just a moment while I get the testing rod for you."

Li Luyan nodded slightly, though her gaze closely followed his movements. She noticed that as he turned around, his right hand stealthily reached deep into the drawer.

The corners of Li Luyan's lips curled upward. As she had said before, in the face of absolute strength, all schemes and plots were nothing more than floating clouds.

She actually wanted to see what this big winter melon was trying to pull.

With his back to her, Professor Diao's voice suddenly turned chillingly cold: "Mental-type ability users are indeed rare... especially ones as pretty as you."

"But beauty is completely useless in the apocalypse..."

He spun around abruptly, a silver weapon clutched tightly in his hand.

"Don't move!" Professor Diao sneered hideously. "This is a high-voltage stun device specifically designed for ability users. Even a level three user will—"

Before he could finish, his expression suddenly froze.

The stun gun dropped to the floor with a sharp clatter. His hands rose uncontrollably, and he began to slap his own fleshy face, hard and fast.

"You... you!" His voice suddenly turned terrified, muffled by the rhythmic sound of slaps, making the scene both absurd and comical.

Li Luyan remained quietly seated in her chair, as if she were not the one manipulating the ability.

"Professor Diao, you seem to have misunderstood something." Her voice was soft, yet it sent a chilling shiver through him, reminiscent of a venomous snake about to strike. "I really did want to have a nice chat with you..."

Outside the door, Cheng Yuan heard the noises coming from within and grew terrified that something might happen to Li Luyan. After all, she was the one who had brought her here, and she knew what kind of person Professor Diao was.

With that thought, she made up her mind to push the door open. Even if Professor Diao banished her to Zone B or C, it didn't matter—Li Luyan was someone she had brought in.

At worst, she would just wait until her brother successfully ran for president and made a comeback. Once he became one of the Four Presidents, why would she need to fear any Professor Diao or Professor Wang?

She pushed the door open, and the sight inside made her draw in a sharp breath. Professor Diao was kneeling at Li Luyan's feet, his hands continuously beating his fleshy face while babbling incoherently.

"I was wrong!"

"This humble person is blind and failed to recognize a true master."

"Miss Li!" Cheng Yuan cried out in alarm.

Only then did Li Luyan withdraw her ability.

Professor Diao collapsed onto the floor like a puddle of mud, gasping heavily for air.

"He... he tried to attack me," Li Luyan said calmly. "Self-defense."

Cheng Mo cast a complex look at Professor Diao and said in a deep voice, "I will report this incident to the higher-ups."

"Miss Li, let me handle your registration. There is no need for a tier test."

"We all know you're level three." How could they not? When she broke through, she released such a powerful flash of light—how many level three ability users could possibly be in the entire base?

As they walked out of the room, Cheng Yuan whispered apologetically, "I'm sorry... I... I thought since you were so strong, Professor Diao wouldn't dare."

Li Luyan shook her head. "In the apocalypse, the weak are meat for the strong. I understand." She paused. "But I can only ever be a hunter."

Hearing this, Cheng Mo paused, turned to give her a deep look, and the corners of his mouth curled up in an imperceptible smile. "Interesting. Would you care to join the race for the presidency?"