"Your thinking is wrong. Abilities and physical fitness have nothing to do with each other, or anything else. In your human terms, this is called being born with it, this is called talent."
"It's like in nature, survival of the fittest. You are the chosen ones. It doesn't matter about your genes or physical fitness; you are people whose bodily functions have been changed. And the rats are the people who were not chosen."
Xu An vaguely understood.
"You mean we evolved abilities because we are the chosen ones, and those not chosen are destined to be eliminated?"
Ze Yuan nodded firmly, indicating that this was his meaning.
However, Xu An, changing her usual demeanor, retorted, "Nonsense."
Having abilities doesn't necessarily mean being chosen by heaven, and not having abilities doesn't necessarily mean being eliminated.
Ze Yuan said nothing more; time would prove everything.
Some things are not about momentary verbal arguments, but about the long term.
As more and more people discover the crystal cores in zombie brains, people who awaken abilities will surely emerge one after another.
At that time, the order of the entire world will be changed.
Even the power structure on the lighthouse might be changed.
Ze Yuan looked at Xu An. If you called her cold and ruthless, she also possessed a trace of kindness and innocence. If you called her a good person, her decisions were filled with self-serving thoughts.
In short, Xu An was a very contradictory person.
"As more and more ability users awaken, what do you think will happen to the ordinary people who haven't awakened abilities?"
Ze Yuan knew it was meaningless to argue with Xu An.
It was like when Xu An first obtained her spatial ability.
At that time, she clearly knew that the apocalypse was coming, so she got the space in advance and could use ample time to stockpile supplies. This could be considered divine favor or a cheat she possessed beforehand.
It was like Xu An's awakened ability now. Because she awakened her ability before others, Xu An had enough time to connect and learn. By the time others discovered abilities, Xu An would have already soared to a height no one else could reach.
Zhou Haimei saw Xu An sitting silently in the corner, not saying anything. She patted Xu An's shoulder. Seeing Xu An turn her head mechanically, Zhou Haimei sensed something was wrong with Xu An.
"What's wrong?"
Xu An smiled, "Maybe I'm hungry?"
Zhou Haimei was speechless. She had been very worried about Xu An just now. "Can you be more serious?"
Xu An smiled playfully, "I learned it from you."
Zhou Haimei was utterly speechless.
"Let's talk business. The lighthouse is holding a "Extreme Cold Competition." Should we go?"
Xu An became interested. "What is the Extreme Cold Competition?"
"The weather is too cold now. Haven't you noticed that the lighthouse has been docked and stationed here?"
Xu An nodded. Of course, she had noticed.
It had been almost two months since they finished their competition, but the lighthouse had not taken off. It was still parked in these mountains.
Xu An had thought the lighthouse could no longer fly.
"I don't know why, but the weather has been getting colder recently. Someone detected that there might be a small-scale beast tide near the lighthouse. The military has gone to investigate."
"Not enough troops?" Xu An sat on the table and scooped a piece of braised pork into her mouth.
Zhou Haimei nodded speechlessly.
"Before, when Qin Chuan led the soldiers out, his demeanor made me think the lighthouse had millions of troops. But this time, when trouble arose, after some people went to transport supplies, it was discovered that there were less than a hundred thousand left. The lighthouse isn't undefended, so the people upstairs turned their attention to mercenaries."
Xu An's eating speed did not slow down; on the contrary, it accelerated. Recently, that feeling of a greatly increased appetite seemed to have returned. Her current food intake had increased to three times her usual.
Xu Yan looked at Xu An with a headache. "Why do you eat so much but don't gain weight? Such a waste of food."
Xu An was speechless. It was probably because of her awakened ability that her appetite suddenly increased again.
"Would the mercenaries agree?"
Zhou Haimei watched as the braised pork on the table was almost entirely eaten by Xu An alone. She quickly scooped the last piece of meat, her tone carrying a hint of smugness.
"Some are willing, and some are not."
Xu An understood. "So, some agreements were reached on price, and some were not."
Zhou Haimei gave Xu An a look that said, "You're quite savvy."
"But, if we go, will it delay our main task?"
Zhou Haimei knew that Xu An's main task was to rescue Yueyue.
"It won't delay. In fact, if we all leave, it will be a good opportunity. Once we are gone, those people will definitely lower their guard. If we find a reliable person to contact them, perhaps the matter can be settled."
Xu An nodded. Seeing the last piece of braised pork go into Zhou Haimei's bowl, she looked at Xu Yan with resentment. "Mom, she's stealing my meat."
Of course, the result was only Xu Yan flicking her forehead. "Have you no shame?"
Xu An rubbed her head aggrievedly, feeling like she wasn't their biological daughter.
The next second, a plate of rich, fragrant braised pork was placed on the table again.
"You eat slowly. Eating too much can cause indigestion."
After cooking, Xu Yan returned to her room.
She didn't understand much of what her daughter and Zhou Haimei were discussing. Sometimes she would subconsciously avoid these matters.
She didn't want to become her daughter's burden.
"Mom, aren't you eating?"
"I already ate. You all eat."
Zhou Haimei watched Xu Yan's retreating back. "Auntie seems a bit unhappy lately."
Xu An nodded and continued to bury her head in eating.
They all knew the reason, but rescuing Yueyue still required time, and they couldn't act rashly.
"It will be fine once Yueyue is back."
Zhou Haimei also nodded. Although they were all working to achieve this goal, Xu An's confidence that she could rescue Yueyue made Zhou Haimei suspicious.
"Are you hiding something from me?"
"What are you hiding?"
Xu An swallowed the last bite of meat and looked at Zhou Haimei innocently. "What could I be hiding?"
"Then why are you so confident?" Zhou Haimei was suspicious.
Xu An smiled smugly. "Confidence leads to success."
Zhou Haimei: "..."
Xu An turned serious. "Let's talk about the Extreme Cold Competition first. How many people can the officials deploy?"
"Less than five thousand." Zhou Haimei shook her head helplessly, as if the lighthouse was about to be destroyed the next second.
It wasn't Zhou Haimei's fault; even Xu An was stunned when she heard the number.
"Did they miss a zero?"
In the extreme cold weather, fighting a beast tide, even a small one, was a huge risk.
Even fifty thousand individual soldiers might not be able to resist it, and now there were only five thousand people?
Was this not a joke?