The armed guard was still waiting outside, clearly anxious about losing his gun. As soon as the door opened, he approached Song Shi, eyes fixed on the gun in her hand.
Song Shi tossed it back to him and walked toward the elevator.
The guard hugged his gun tightly and dutifully pressed it against Song Shi's back as he followed her to the elevator.
The two entered the elevator one after the other, with Song Shi standing in front.
The guard pressed the floor button. Song Shi glanced at him through the reflective glass. "Can I leave now?"
The guard nodded.
Song Shi held up the hem of her filthy, bloodstained clothes with two fingers. "Is there a place where I can change? I need clean clothes."
The guard hesitated for a moment. "Awakened individuals are usually sent straight to the hospital, and they have clothes prepared there. But for those who don't awaken…"
He looked into Song Shi's eyes and stopped mid-sentence.
Those who didn't awaken usually died on the mountain, so there was no need for clean clothes.
Song Shi: "…" So she had to parade through the streets in this mess of an outfit. Not to mention, she still didn't even know where her home was.
"However, I'll take you home. Chairman Qin instructed me to," the guard added.
Song Shi didn't let her guard down. She probed cautiously, "Did Chairman Qin send you my address?"
If he hadn't, she would expose the fact that she didn't know where her home was.
The guard glanced at his wrist and nodded. "He did."
Finally, Song Shi breathed a sigh of relief.
The elevator took them directly to the underground parking lot. Song Shi was ushered into the back seat. Only then did the guard lower his gun, letting it hang by his side as he opened the driver's door and got in.
The SUV reversed quickly, leaving the dim garage.
As sunlight broke in, Song Shi blinked against the brightness and briefly closed her eyes. When she reopened them, the vehicle was already winding its way along a mountain road.
The experimental base was located deep in the mountains, surrounded by barren, desolate peaks. Dust and sand stretched as far as the eye could see.
Off-road vehicles and occasional cargo trucks, their beds covered with black waterproof tarps, roared past in the opposite direction, all heading toward the experimental base.
The armed guard occasionally glanced at Song Shi through the rearview mirror. She sat sideways, looking out the window with a calm expression.
Satisfied that nothing was amiss, he refocused on driving.
Meanwhile, Song Shi was staring at her reflection in the window.
Earlier, during her brief exchange with the pink-haired woman, when their hands clashed, her entire right arm had gone numb. At that moment, a series of words had appeared in her mind.
The urgency of the situation had left her no time to process them. Now, as she recalled the moment, the text reappeared in her mind:
**[Abuse Value Unlocked]**
**[Abuse Value Progress: 1%]**
**[Counter-Abuse Value Unlocked]**
**[Counter-Abuse Value Progress: 1%]**
**[Do you want to survive in this cruel world? As an equivalent exchange for your arrival, you are gifted the chance to awaken. Seize it wisely.]**
She had a chance to awaken!
The reflection of her lips curled into a fleeting smirk, vanishing just as the guard glanced at her again through the mirror. By then, her expression had returned to normal.
Within half an hour, the barren mountain scenery gave way to towering skyscrapers. After passing a checkpoint, the vehicle officially entered the city.
Song Shi was immediately captivated by the towering buildings reaching into the clouds. Suspended railways crisscrossed the skyline, while small flying vehicles of various designs filled the air alongside colorful airships carrying massive advertisements. Even the narrow gaps between buildings were crammed with bright, eye-catching billboards.
After her initial shock, only one thought remained: **How oppressive it must be to live here.**
The SUV sped through the narrow streets, finally stopping in front of an old, run-down apartment building.
"This is the address Chairman Qin provided: 705 on the seventh floor," the guard said, turning off the GPS and looking back at Song Shi to confirm. "Is this the place?"
Song Shi nodded, opened the car door with her left hand, and hopped out.
"Alright, then I'll leave you here." The guard waved at her from the driver's seat before driving off.
Song Shi looked up at the dilapidated building, counting up to the seventh floor. Some windows were lit; others were dark.
She had no idea what kind of family awaited her.
Judging by the malnourished state of her body and the poor condition of the building, her original family was probably not well-off.
Not that it mattered to Song Shi. Her family in her previous life hadn't been wealthy either, yet she had managed to thrive and give her parents a better life.
She was about to climb the stairs when someone called her name.
"Song Shi?" A young woman in a pale green dress approached her, looking astonished.
She was stunningly beautiful and clearly familiar with the original owner of this body. Song Shi didn't respond immediately, choosing instead to let the situation play out.
The woman had been coming from the direction of the trash bins, evidently having just taken out the garbage. She must have seen Song Shi being dropped off from the SUV.
"You've awakened, haven't you?" the woman asked, glancing in the direction of the departing vehicle.
Song Shi didn't answer directly, still unsure of the woman's identity. "I'm tired. I'd like to rest."
"Oh, of course. I'm being too nosy," the woman said, her bright face softening into an apologetic smile. She reached out affectionately to take Song Shi's arm. "Let's head upstairs. My father just finished cooking, and it's perfect timing for dinner."
Song Shi allowed the woman to guide her, but the hand froze three centimeters from her arm. "Sister, your clothes…"
The blood- and dirt-stained outfit Song Shi wore hadn't been changed. The woman, focused on whether or not she had awakened, hadn't noticed her clothes until now.
"Are you hurt, Sister?" The woman's delicate voice trembled, her eyes reddening slightly. Her innocent face made her look pitiful.
Song Shi, however, had become wary after her experiences at the base. Even if this person might be her body's sister, she couldn't let her guard down.
"I'm fine. I'll head upstairs first." Song Shi walked past her and into the building.
The elevator had a sign that read **Under Maintenance**, so Song Shi headed for the stairs.
On the seventh floor, apartment 703 was directly across from the stairwell. Song Shi rang the doorbell.
The woman claiming to be her sister followed closely behind, slightly out of breath from climbing the stairs.
"Your stamina has improved so much, Sister. You must have awakened. Berserk type, right?"
The moment she said the words "Berserk type," the door opened. The person inside clearly heard them.
Song Shi immediately felt a wave of malicious resentment washing over her. She looked at the person who had opened the door, only to see them lower their head.
"Chichi, change your shoes," the person said curtly before turning and heading back inside.
The so-called "sister" pushed past Song Shi and entered the house first. Her sweet voice came through the walls, "Dad, the food smells as good as always. Mom, look at Dad's nose—it's smudged with something! Haha…"
Song Shi stood at the doorway, contemplating. If this had been her family in her previous life, what would her parents' reaction have been if she'd returned from a life-threatening situation?
They would have likely bombarded her with questions—was she hurt? Was she hungry? Did she need to shower?
But now... Could it be she wasn't their biological daughter? Was she fostered here? Did she have another family?
Changing into house slippers, she stepped inside. Passing through the entryway, she was greeted by the sight of a family of three laughing together as they wiped the man's nose.
Song Shi's gaze fell on the man's face. His features gave no clear indication of age, but it was apparent that his daughter had inherited her good looks from him.
The man noticed Song Shi and quickly pushed his daughter aside, walking toward her with a smile. "Shi'er, you're back. Are you hurt?"
Song Shi glanced briefly at the checkered apron he was wearing. "No."
"That's good. Go change your clothes. Put the dirty ones in the laundry basket, and I'll wash them for you."
"There's no need to wash them. Just throw them out," the woman at the dining table interjected coldly.
The man turned to glance at her before hesitating. Looking back at Song Shi, he seemed uncertain. Song Shi nodded in agreement. "No need to wash them. They're just temporary clothes. Throwing them out is easier."
The man smiled. "Alright, we'll do as you say. I've prepared clean clothes for you. They're in your room."
Following his gaze, Song Shi spotted a closed door, identifying it as her room.
"After you change, come out quickly to eat. Your favorite meatball soup is ready, and it won't taste good if it gets cold. Chichi, don't touch the food yet. Wait for your sister."
Song Shi agreed and quickly headed to her room.
She surveyed the small bedroom, noting that it came with its own bathroom, complete with a shower and a dry-wet separation.
Without hesitation, she removed her dirty clothes and thoroughly scrubbed her body. Her hair was sticky and grimy, so she washed it three times before it felt clean.
Changing into the neatly folded clothes left on the bed, she found a bag tucked in the corner of the bookshelf. Stuffing her bloodied, filthy clothes into the bag, she tied it securely and placed it by the door.
Only then did she begin to examine the room in detail.
On the desk was a picture frame, facedown. Song Shi picked it up and flipped it over, revealing a family portrait of four—her and the three people outside.
In the photo, she was still a child, standing on the far right. The other three stood hand in hand, separated from her by a noticeable gap.
So, they were indeed a family of four.
Song Shi placed the frame back down and began searching the bookshelf for useful information.
She needed to understand not only this family but, more importantly, the world she now inhabited.
One book caught her eye: **"Human Differentiation Guide"** written in dark red letters on the spine. She pulled it out.
**"Human Differentiation Guide" — 27th Edition**
*"Between the ages of 13 and 18, humans may develop extraordinary abilities or talents, either inherited or through mutations."*
*"Differentiation is humanity's only weapon evolved to face harsh environments. Every individual with a differentiation rate above 25% is the hope of the Federation. Please comply with Federation laws, undergo regular genetic testing, train yourself, and strive to awaken as early as possible."*
Song Shi turned to the table of contents, skimming the list of numerous abilities—there were over a hundred.
She quickly located the section on the ability she was most curious about and flipped to the corresponding page.
**[Berserk Type:**
- Belongs to the enhancement class of abilities.
- Genes saturated with violent factors.
- Possess muscular strength comparable to that of beasts, exceptional reflexes, superior combat ability, extreme aggression, rapid regeneration, and extraordinary vitality.]**
The section also listed several notable Berserk-type individuals and their famous deeds.
Song Shi read through it quickly, gaining a basic understanding.
She was a high-probability Berserk differentiation candidate. The stimulation experiment hadn't triggered her awakening, leading her to believe she couldn't awaken.
However, the system had given her a chance. Yet, the system hadn't specified whether the ability she would awaken to would belong to the Berserk type.
The progress bars for **Abuse Value** and **Counter-Abuse Value** still lingered in her mind. Song Shi couldn't help but associate them with her future ability.
From the term "Counter-Abuse," it seemed to align with the Berserk trait: violence.
But "Abuse Value"? Song Shi couldn't make the connection. Perhaps it was related to the Berserk type's "extraordinary vitality" mentioned in the guide?
The more abuse she endured, the stronger her vitality became?
(End of Chapter)