CHAPTER 9 : SILENT CURRENTS
The night air was still, heavy with the damp scent of the lake and the distant, uneasy quiet of a world that had already begun to collapse.
Li Xuan moved like a shadow between shadows.
Each step was deliberate. Each breath carefully controlled. Even the faint crunch of dry leaves beneath his feet was minimized to near silence. His body, strengthened after awakening as a sequencer, allowed him to move with a precision that would have been impossible just days ago.
Ahead of him, a figure walked slowly.
That figure…
Li Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
It's him.
The same young man he had noticed earlier in the convoy.
At the time, nothing seemed particularly unusual. Just another survivor trying to stay alive. But now, seeing him sneak away alone in the dead of night…
That alone was enough to raise suspicion.
Li Xuan instinctively became more cautious.
His right hand tightened subtly around the handle of the sharpened butcher knife hidden behind his back. The cold metal pressed firmly against his palm, grounding him.
If anything happens… shout immediately.
He had already planned his escape.
The convoy wasn't far. If he raised his voice loud enough, the nearby sequencers would hear him. Even if they didn't come instantly, the noise alone could disrupt whatever situation he might find himself trapped in.
Still…
He didn't want to rely on others unless absolutely necessary.
Silently, he continued following.
Maintaining distance.
Watching.
Waiting.
The young man eventually stopped near the lake.
Moonlight reflected faintly across the water's surface, rippling gently with the breeze. The surroundings were quiet—too quiet.
The boy crouched down slowly.
Without hesitation, he extended his hand and placed it into the lake.
Li Xuan blinked.
Drinking water?
That was his first thought.
But something felt off.
The young man didn't scoop water.
Didn't bring it to his mouth.
Didn't move at all.
Seconds passed.
Ten.
Twenty.
Still nothing.
Then…
A faint smile appeared on the young man's face.
Not relief.
Not satisfaction.
Something else.
Something… unsettling.
Li Xuan's brows furrowed.
What the hell is he doing…?
At first, he tried to rationalize it.
Water-type ability? Maybe he's sensing something… or controlling it in a way I can't see.
That explanation made the most sense.
After all, ever since the apocalypse began, abilities had appeared in countless strange forms. Some were obvious. Others were subtle.
But as time passed…
That explanation began to feel weaker.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Nothing changed.
The lake remained calm.
No waves. No movement. No reaction.
Only the boy… standing there with his hand submerged, silently smiling.
Li Xuan's expression gradually shifted.
Is he… insane?
Or perhaps—
Am I missing something?
He exhaled slowly, his patience thinning.
For a brief moment, he considered leaving.
This is pointless…
But his instincts stopped him.
Wait.
There was something here.
Something he hadn't understood yet.
So he stayed.
Time dragged on.
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
The night seemed to grow heavier, pressing down on his senses.
Just as Li Xuan was about to turn away—
His eyes caught something.
A subtle shift.
So faint it could easily be dismissed as imagination.
But Li Xuan didn't blink.
His gaze sharpened.
…The water.
The level had changed.
Barely noticeable.
But it had definitely dropped.
If it were anyone else, they would have missed it entirely.
But Li Xuan's enhanced vision caught it clearly.
His pupils contracted slightly.
A realization formed.
Then solidified.
He's not controlling water…
He's taking it.
A quiet shock ran through him.
Space…
This is a spatial ability.
Or at the very least…
A spatial storage item.
The young man wasn't interacting with the lake.
He was transferring it.
Taking water and storing it somewhere else entirely.
Li Xuan felt his heartbeat subtly quicken.
For a moment—
A ridiculous, almost laughable thought surfaced in his mind.
Is this guy… some kind of protagonist?
Like the ones from the novels he used to read.
People who returned from the future.
People who awakened rare abilities early.
People who hoarded resources while everyone else struggled to survive.
People who built power, gathered followers…
And lived however they wanted.
A faint bitterness crept into his chest.
Lucky bastard…
His fingers brushed unconsciously against the jade pendant resting against his chest.
Cold.
Familiar.
Unchanging.
He had worn it for as long as he could remember.
Since the orphanage.
No matter how much he tried, he couldn't recall when it first appeared in his life.
He didn't know who gave it to him.
Did it belong to his parents?
Did he even have parents who cared enough to leave something behind?
Or was it just… coincidence?
He didn't know.
But one thing was certain.
It wasn't ordinary.
A memory surfaced.
Middle school.
A humid afternoon.
He had taken the pendant off before swimming and placed it inside his locker.
Afterward, in a rush to get to his part-time job at a grocery store, he forgot about it entirely.
It wasn't until that night, while changing clothes, that he realized it was missing.
At the time, he had simply sighed.
I'll get it tomorrow.
It wasn't the first time he had misplaced something.
But the next morning—
When he woke up—
The pendant was already back around his neck.
He had frozen.
Staring at it.
Touching it.
Removing it. Checking again.
For a moment, he thought he had imagined everything.
That maybe he never left it behind.
But something felt… wrong.
Influenced by the novels he read, curiosity got the better of him.
He tried everything.
Pricking his finger to drop blood on it.
Calling out for some hidden "master."
Even testing ridiculous ideas he had read online.
Nothing happened.
No light.
No response.
No change.
At first, he laughed at himself.
But then—
He tested something else.
He deliberately left it behind again.
Different places.
Different times.
Each time—
After he slept—
It returned.
Always.
Without fail.
That was when he understood.
This thing… is not normal.
But understanding ended there.
He didn't know how it worked.
Didn't know what it did.
So he kept it a secret.
From everyone.
Even after the apocalypse began, he tried again.
On the third day, while others panicked and searched for food, he sat quietly, experimenting with the pendant.
Still nothing.
No reaction.
Eventually, he stopped trying.
Maybe… it's not time yet.
But now—
Watching the young man before him—
The contrast was unbearable.
He has it…
A real ability.
A real advantage.
Envy rose again.
Stronger this time.
His grip on the knife tightened unconsciously.
A dangerous thought surfaced.
If I kill him…
Can I take it?
His breathing slowed.
His eyes sharpened.
He began to evaluate.
Distance.
Position.
Timing.
But just as quickly—
He forced himself to stop.
No.
That path was too reckless.
If it was just an item…
He might have a chance.
But if it was an ability—
He wouldn't even have the chance to escape.
Spatial abilities weren't simple.
They weren't limited.
They weren't predictable.
They were powerful in every aspect—offense, defense, escape.
Second only to time itself.
This isn't some badly written novel…
Reality doesn't work like that.
His gaze shifted slightly.
That was when he noticed it.
Sweat.
Soaking the young man's back.
His breathing was uneven.
His arm trembled faintly where it remained submerged.
He's reaching his limit…
Li Xuan's eyes flickered.
Good.
That made sense.
No ability came without a cost.
Endless stamina didn't exist.
Endless energy didn't exist.
Everything demanded something in return.
The young man was pushing himself.
And nearing exhaustion.
For a moment—
Li Xuan hesitated again.
Now… would be the best chance.
But logic prevailed.
I don't know enough.
Acting now is suicide.
Slowly, he loosened his grip on the knife.
The tension in his body eased.
Stay low.
Grow stronger.
Then act.
Without making a sound, Li Xuan turned away.
Step by step—
He disappeared back into the darkness.
Back at the camp, he returned to his tent without drawing attention.
The familiar sight of scattered supplies and exhausted survivors did little to ease his thoughts.
He lay down quietly.
Staring at the ceiling.
The image of the young man lingered in his mind.
Spatial ability…
Lucky bastard…
His hand moved to the pendant again.
Cold.
Silent.
Unresponsive.
Li Xuan closed his eyes.
Tomorrow…
I need to be ready for anything.
Soon, exhaustion took over.
And he fell asleep.
What Li Xuan didn't know—
Was that the moment he left—
The young man at the lake slowly withdrew his hand.
The faint smile on his face disappeared.
His expression turned calm.
Cold.
He stood up.
Then walked back.
Step by step.
Returning to the exact spot where Li Xuan had been hiding.
Long Aotian stopped.
His gaze swept across the darkness.
"So… someone was here."
His voice was low.
Thoughtful.
Not panicked.
His name was Long Aotian.
Nineteen years old.
A college student.
And on the fifth day of the apocalypse—
He had awakened something extraordinary.
A spatial sequence with two ability.
The first—
Spatial Storage.
A completely independent space where time stood still.
Food didn't rot.
Water didn't evaporate.
Everything remained exactly as it was when stored.
At Level 1—
The space already measured one hundred meters in length, width, and height.
An enormous volume.
More than enough to store massive amounts of resources.
Food.
Water.
Medicine.
Tools.
Even vehicles.
He had already taken advantage of it.
Carefully.
Cautiously.
He had entered supermarkets, pharmacies, and electronic stores.
Avoiding danger.
Taking what he could.
Stockpiling everything.
Preparing for the future.
The second ability—
Spatial Perception.
It allowed him to sense everything within a radius of ten to fifteen meters.
Though still rough.
Blurry.
Incomplete.
It was enough.
At first, he didn't use it in the camp.
Too many unknowns.
Too many potential threats.
What if someone could detect him?
What if someone had a counter ability?
So he waited.
Until he reached the lake.
Alone.
Isolated.
That was when he activated it.
At ten meters—
Nothing.
So he pushed further.
Fifteen meters.
That was his limit.
And that was when he saw it.
A figure.
Hidden.
Watching him.
Blurry.
Unclear.
But real.
A flicker of killing intent appeared in his eyes.
Someone saw me.
For a brief moment—
He considered eliminating the threat.
If it's an ordinary person… I can deal with it.
But another thought followed immediately.
What if it's a sequencer from the convoy?
If a fight broke out—
He would lose.
He had no offensive abilities.
No combat experience.
Only utility.
So he suppressed the killing intent.
Instead—
He acted.
He slowed his movements.
Let his breathing grow heavy.
Pretended to struggle.
Feigning exhaustion.
All while staying alert.
If he attacks…
I'll drop a truck and run.
He had already prepared for that.
Inside his storage—
Heavy vehicles.
Construction materials.
Enough mass to crush someone instantly if used correctly.
Time passed.
But nothing happened.
Eventually—
The hidden observer left.
Long Aotian frowned slightly.
He didn't attack…
Why?
He considered chasing him.
Tracking him down.
Finishing the problem.
But he stopped himself.
Too risky.
Instead—
He made a decision.
Stay with the convoy.
For now.
He had seen what existed outside.
The creatures.
The horrors.
He lacked the power to face them.
But that wouldn't last forever.
A faint smile formed on his lips.
Once I reach Level 2…
Everything would change.
Power.
Control.
Survival.
Maybe even more.
But for now—
He would endure.
He would wait.
He would grow.
Long Aotian turned back toward the camp.
His expression calm.
But his eyes—
Burning with quiet ambition.
For now… stay low.