Chapter 5. Fire Element

Jacob chuckled cheerfully. Hubert wandered around the clothing shop, picking out a set of more appealing clothes for Jacob and incidentally grabbing a few extra scenes, just in case they got dirty.

“Do you want to take a quick shower?”

Hubert followed Jacob’s pointing finger to a water faucet in the staff toilet.

Hubert twisted his lips: “Bro, we’re not on vacation, are we? The groans of zombies surround us, and you’re here wanting to shower? Isn’t that too laid-back?”

Even though Hubert thought that, but he decided to take a bath, the smell from the meteorite that fell last night still lingered on his body.

“You go first.” Hubert said.

Jacob took the clothes Hubert handed him and went in. While waiting outside, Hubert fiddled with his phone and discovered the lost signal. This meant that communication was impossible, and he would need to find a place that provided communication devices and get a few walkie-talkies, just in case he and Jacob got separated.

However, walkie-talkies had a limited range. It would be great if he could find a satellite device. Hubert thought to himself how foolish he was not to bring the satellite phone when he was at the assembly point.

“I’m done.”

Hubert looked over, and Jacob was wearing a tight-fitting white t-shirt, or maybe it was just because Jacob was so tall that the clothes were a bit tight. He wore athletic pants that hugged his long model-like legs. Hubert was momentarily stunned before walking over and, without hesitation, pushed Jacob back into the bathroom.

“What are you doing?”

“The apocalypse has come. Who knows how long we will live? Shouldn’t we take advantage of the time and do something interesting?”

“What do you mean?”

“Help me to cultivate. If we become stronger, we won’t have to fear the zombies anymore.”

Jacob didn’t understand Hubert’s intention and was about to ask when Hubert continued: “According to what happened in the apocalypse two thousand years ago, two ability users can exchange energy and help each other level up.”

“But how can we exchange energy if I don’t even know I’m an ability user?”

Hubert didn’t answer but forced Jacob to sit cross-legged on the floor, raising his hands before him. He then sat opposite him, his hands in front of him, pressing them to Jacob’s, and began to circulate the energy within his body.

“We must try it to know whether you’re an ability user.”

Although he already knew that Jacob was an ability user through the system. The moment he met Jacob, the system displayed a line of text on the control panel.

“Name: Jacob Tremblay.

Age: 30.

Identity: Ability user.

Ability system: Unknown, not activated.

Level: 0.”

Jacob, however, thought that what Hubert said made sense and agreed to try.

***

At the Wang residence

“Quickly, hurry down to the tunnel and head to the assembly point.”

“Dad, what about my elder brother!”

“Theodore has turned into a zombie, and we can’t stay near him. I’ve locked him in his room, but it won’t be long before he comes after us.”

“But.. Huhu! My elder brother..!”

Stella Wang was pushed by her father, Edward, into the tunnel. She was Edward’s only daughter. Canis Wang and Aidan Wang were also forced inside.

“Theodore evolved to a level two apex immediately after his transformation. Do you understand? When zombies first form, they are all level zero, but Theodore, as soon as he transformed, was level two, equivalent to a level four ability user. We can’t fight him.”

“S… so powerful… how?”

Stella Wang withdrew her ice element variant ability, and she was just a level zero ability user. She wondered how long it would take to train to level four. By that time, who knew what form Theodore would have evolved into? The thought sent shivers down her spine, and she quickened her pace.

The apocalypse had happened. Was Jacob Tremblay, the guy she secretly liked, become a zombie or not? If he became a zombie, could she bring herself to fight him?

***

Four hours had passed by the time Hubert and Jacob finished their “duo cultivation.” Their energy accumulated in the fashion shop’s bathroom, attracting over a dozen zombies outside the door.

Zombies lack senses, but they are susceptible to the scent of living humans and energy. Hubert and Jacob, being first-timers in energy exchange, did not know how to control it, making it impossible to hide from the zombies.

Hubert was surprised that after only three exchanges of energy with Jacob, his ability level was approaching the mid-level zero stage. In contrast, Jacob, who had just discovered his ability, was now aware of the reverse energy flow in his body.

Jacob was a fire element.

“Your talent is excellent. Although fire isn’t a rare element, it’s considerably stronger than the others. This type of offensive element gives you an advantage in both close and distant combat.”

“Really? And what element do you have?”

“I’m just a normal person who needs your protection.”

Hubert winked, earning himself a glare from Jacob. Why was this kid so lively and clever?

“You’re crazy!”

Hubert pouted. The situation was different now. There were many zombies, and who knows how many ordinary people were left. If Jacob went, he would be done for. At least Jacob was an ability user, capable of accompanying him.

“There are over a dozen zombies outside now, and you can’t defeat them all at once.”

“We can’t hide in here forever either. They’re weak now, but in a few days, we might not be able to fight them.”

“Show me your ability.”

Jacob released his ability as Hubert instructed, and a red flame appeared on his palm. Hubert frowned, shaking his head.

“Not good. Your fire hasn’t been cultivated yet, so its quality is too low. It’s just like ordinary fire, and it can’t pose any threat.”

“How should the fire be then?”

“I read in an ancient book passed down by the Wang family during the apocalypse thousands of years ago, and our ancestors saw an ability user with a white flame. That flame could incinerate a whole city into ashes in an instant.”

“That’s terrifying. Can it be like that?”