The Earth is Online

“In fact, in the beginning, Ningning was a member of our Nanjing Group. She has a powerful ability but she doesn’t like to talk much. I heard that she grew up together with Captain Xiao and Sister Xiao Tian and they were classmates.” Fu Wensheng opened the rear window, letting the cool spring breeze into the car. The child held his backpack and looked at Tang Mo. “After Sister Xiao Tian died... after she went missing, Sister Ningning joined the Strategy Group.”

Fu Wenduo got to the point. “She committed suicide?”

Fu Wensheng nodded. There were a pause before he realized. “Brother, Brother Tang, you have misunderstood. In the three days from November 15th to the 18th, a player who kills a person will become a stowaway. Players who committed suicide, they might’ve killed someone but they are dead, so they can’t become stowaways.”

“Then what did you just say?”

“Ningning really committed suicide and she died. However, her heart only stopped for a few minutes before she was found by Sister Xiao Tian.” Fu Wensheng continued, “Sister Xiao Tian... was an official player. Of the four main people, Captain Chai and Captain Xiao were reserves, Sister Ningning is a stowaway and only Sister Xiao Tian was an official player. Brother Tang, you are also an official player. What did you get after participating in the black tower game?”

Tang Mo already had an answer in his heart. “A weapon, the giant match.”

“Yes. Sister Xiao Tian got a prop. As long as the other person died within five minutes, she could save them. She only had that prop and Captain said that before the earth went online, Sister Ningning and Sister Xiao Tian were roommates. In those three days, on the first day, Ningning’s mother suddenly died. Her mother was in good health and there wasn’t a car accident. She just suddenly died at home. There was blood all over the place and she was killed, but the surveillance cameras didn’t show any murderer.

Once a person died, it didn’t mean that all their cells had died. The more oxygen that the cells consumed, the faster they died. In general, brain cells were the fastest to die. They would all die in around 3~4 minutes, followed by the heart cells.

With the magic effect of a black tower prop, it was truly possible to save a person who died five minutes ago.

Fu Wenduo asked, “Her mother entered the black tower game?”

The child nodded. “According to Captain Xiao’s speculation, this is likely the case. It is a pity that Ningning’s mother failed to survive the black tower game. Sister Ningning came from a single parent family. She lived with her mother from childhood and then this type of thing happened. She simply couldn’t accept it. She was going home to see her mother. But something else was happening at this time...”

Tang Mo and Fu Wenduo turned to look at Fu Wensheng.

The child put his bag aside and looked seriously at his older brother and Tang MO. Tang Mo understood that Fu Wensheng spoke so much because of what he was going to say next.

Tang Mo and Fu Wenduo had no relationship with the things that happened to Ningning. Perhaps she personally didn’t mind that her past was known by others. Therefore, all members of the Nanjing Group knew her experience. However, the reason why Ningning became a stowaway had nothing to do with Tang Mo and Fu Wenduo, who had left Nanjing.

Yet Fu Wensheng still said it.

Fu Wensheng wasn’t Chai Rong. Since he was saying this, he must have a reason.

Tang Mo looked at this child’s serious appearance and thought there was more to this naive child afraid of his older brother. He asked, “Then what are you trying to say?”

Fu Wensheng knew his mind couldn’t be hidden from Tang Mo and Fu Wenduo but he hadn’t expected to be found so soon. He didn’t play dumb and said it directly. “Previously, Captain Xiao told me that along with Ningning and Captain Chai, the two of you were likely to experience the heartbeat acceleration phenomenon before the earth went online.”

“Heartbeat acceleration?” Tang Mo’s eyes narrowed. “Ningning and Chai Rong’s heartbeats accelerated?”

“Yes. Captain Chai’s heartbeat reached a maximum of 210 while Ningning was higher at 308. Her heart was too fast and her mood was irritable. She even had a slight fever. Therefore, after the accident with Ningning’s mother, she couldn’t go to her hometown and had to stay at home. Sister Xiaotian wanted to accompany her but Ningning told her to go to work. Later, Ningning killed herself.” Fu Wensheng kept speaking, “Captain Xiao told me this matter but I don’t think Ningning is such a vulnerable person.”

Some people might seem mighty and could never be defeated when in fact, they were missing their most important thing.

Fu Wensheng was very precocious. According to Fu Wenduo, the child could’ve directly skipped to middle school but his parents didn’t want him to be out of touch with his peers and kept him in primary school. However, he was still a child. For him, he lost his parents after the earth went online but he survived. Therefore, he believed that Ningning, who was stronger than him, should be able to survive the difficulties of losing her mother.

Fu Wensheng wasn’t able to experience her emotions. No one knew what was going on in her heart at the time. It was like how everyone’s degree of pain tolerance wasn’t the same. Tang Mo was actually very afraid of pain. He grew up afraid of needles from an early age. He would cry whenever his parents took him to the hospital for a shot. This didn’t mean that he was weak. Everyone just had different degrees of pain perception.

The sting of an ant might be pain in another person’s heart.

Tang Mo tried to think of something that could destroy himself. He thought for a moment and couldn’t find the answer. Now he had experienced the deaths of his parents and his close friends. Nothing could destroy him anymore. He just wanted to live.

Tang Mo put aside this topic that wasn’t suitable for a child and asked, “In the Nanjing Group, Chai Rong and Ningning were the only ones whose heartbeat accelerated?”

Fu Wensheng nodded. “Captain Xiao told me this before I left and told me to tell you. He guessed that you might’ve experienced something like this and asked me to remind you that the heartbeat acceleration phenomenon doesn’t determine whether a player’s ability is strong or not. Still, there is no doubt that for every player who experienced this, as long as they are alive, they seem to be a top player.”

Xiao Jitong didn’t take the initiative to talk about this with Tang Mo so he was likely to be hiding some information. His access to information was limited so he likely knew less than Luo Fengcheng. Tang Mo remained silent as he started to think about all the players he knew who experienced the heartbeat acceleration phenomenon.

So far, it was him, Fu Wenduo, Chai Rong, Ningning and Nie Fei from the Attack organization. Five people experienced the heartbeat acceleration. Luo Fengcheng had named it the ‘black tower selection.’

Both official players and stowaways must have abilities but people who experienced the heartbeat acceleration would be more than ordinary official players and stowaways. Chai Rong was a reserve but he also experienced it.

“There is no direct relationship between the black tower selection and the black tower players.” Tang Mo analyzed. “Luo Fengcheng also said that among the four people selected by the black tower, not one of them survived. None of them became players. But those who survive will likely be the most powerful players.”

Fu Wenduo speculated, “The abilities might have nothing to do with the black tower. Perhaps the black tower is just a catalyst. Everyone’s abilities are different and this might come from the humans’ themselves. So... it is possible that the black tower selection isn’t the will of the black tower. Perhaps there is something special about those people?”

Tang Mo’s eyes were bright. “You mean, the ability or heartbeat acceleration has nothing to do with the black tower. Is it something we already have?”

“It is just a possibility.” Fu Wenduo looked at Tang Mo. “Then what are the similarities between all of us? This is the most important key.”

Tang Mo had an interest in this idea.

Long ago, he studied with Luo Fengcheng about why official players, stowaways or reserves have an ability. The reserves had no ability but after the clearing a black tower floor, the reserve players would gain an ability and become an official player. Therefore, did every human have an ability or was it something that the black tower gave humanity?

If so, how did the black tower choose what to give humans? Tang Mo’s cheap book, Fu Wenduo’s ability to transform his body into metal and Fu Wensheng’s mineral water. Was it because Tang Mo was a librarian who loved to read books, Fu Wenduo loved to watch Iron Man and Fu Wensheng loved water?

Tang Mo shook off this strange idea.

...Well, he wouldn’t ask Fu Wenduo if he liked Iron Man.

That certainly wouldn’t be the reason.

Most likely, the ability was hidden in every human but it was evoked due to the catalyst of the black tower.

Then the heartbeat acceleration phenomenon might not be directly related to the black tower.

Tang Mo thought about it. “First of all, we must rule out the most basic point. Ningning is a woman so that common point is gone. Secondly, in terms of intelligence, Fu Wenduo and I should cross the line and Nie Fei is also very rational. Ningning meets the standards but Chai Rong... he doesn’t meet it.”

Fu Wensheng agreed. “The captain is really stupid.”

Tang Mo and Fu Wensheng listed many similarities between the five people but they were all rejected. Among the five people, there was always one that didn’t meet a certain requirement. As the sky gradually darkened, Tang Mo sat in the backseat and asked Fu Wensheng more questions about Ningning and Chai Rong to find a common ground.

A loud horn sounded and the two of them looked at the front seat.

Fu Wenduo raised an eyebrow. “We are at a service station. Do you want to take a break?”

Tang Mo looked out the window and found that the sky had long turned dark and the crescent moon was high in the sky.

The trio got out of the car and rested at the deserted service station.

Fu Wensheng was very afraid of his older brother, probably because he was bullied as a child. Then Fu Wenduo joined the army and got a high reputation, so Fu Wensheng didn’t dare get close to Fu Wenduo. Fu Wenduo looked at him and the child immediately sat down with Tang Mo. Tang Mo secretly thought, ‘Am I not terrible?’

Fu Wensheng looked at him. “Brother Tang, it doesn’t matter if you don’t sleep all day. I’m curious about you and Brother’s... the Strange Circus incident.” Once Fu Wenduo stared at him, Fu Wensheng whispered, “The two of you and the 21 black tower players were pitted against each other. What is going on? Then there was the tower attack game in the Queen of Heart’s Gem Corridor. That strange person who always laughed, how was he beaten? I thought about it for a long time and never figured it out. So can you tell me?”

Tang Mo, “...”

He didn’t dare disturb his brother but came to Tang Mo?

Tang Mo’s eyes narrowed. However, he wasn’t going to sleep tonight so it wasn’t bad to talk to the child. They would be teammates in the future and Tang Mo couldn’t let it go. Of course, before he spoke...

Tang Mo smiled. “Put out your hand. We will shake hands.”

Fu Wensheng was surprised. ...“Eh?”

Tang Mo didn’t explain all his abilities to Fu Wensheng, only telling him a small part. The child reached out his hand. Tang Mo grabbed it and started talking about the Gem Corridor. There was no need to tell the story of the turkey egg. Tang Mo just made up a reason to fool the child.

Once Tang Mo finished talking about the Strange Circus, he saw that Fu Wenduo was at the counter of the breakfast store, quietly looking down at them. The moonlight shone through the window onto the handsome man whose expression was unable to be seen.

Tang Mo asked, “You aren’t going to sleep?”

Fu Wenduo gazed at the hands of the two people and he changed the topic. “Did you see the ability?”

“Not yet...” Tang Mo’s voice stopped. He released Fu Wensheng’s hand and said, “I have it.”

The next moment, Tang Mo pressed a hand on the ground and a blue light sphere appeared on the palm of his other hand. This blue ball was the size of half a head. It quickly escaped from Tang Mo’s hand but Tang Mo caught it really quickly. The sphere of light was caught and Tang Mo crushed it.

Five seconds later, Tang Mo’s face became rosy.

Fu Wenduo saw his expression and smiled with a meaningful look. Fu Wensheng heard that Tang Mo knew his ability and also felt curious. “Brother Tang, what is my ability? All I know is that I can produce a certain amount of water every day and it has a relatively powerful healing effect. Is there any other role?”

Clear water flowed from Tang Mo’s palm.

‘Don’t try to hide a dime’. In addition to knowing the effect of other people’s abilities, it allowed him to copy the ability. Of course, the effect was greatly reduced. After seeing Tang Mo use this ability, Fu Wenduo took a dagger out of his pocket and didn’t hesitate to slash his own palm.

Tang Mo was stunned but quickly reacted, placing his hand over the injury.

Some of the spring water fell on the wound on Fu Wenduo’s palm. The wound healed at a rate visible to the naked eye.

“I can help small injuries and the healing speed is probably 20% faster.”

Tang Mo nodded. “The effect of my ability after using it once is only 10%.”

Fu Wensheng asked, “Brother Tang, what is my ability?”

Tang Mo stared blankly at Fu Wensheng for a long time before saying in a calm voice, “Your ability can produce a lot of water with a healing effect and it can be upgraded. However, the ability isn’t as effective after I copied it. I only know part of your abilities and your ability is currently level 3. Abilities can be upgraded and I’ve seen people with level 5 abilities.”

Fu Wensheng noticed Tang Mo’s strange expression but didn’t ask. He thought there might be something wrong with Tang Mo’s own abilities. If there was something wrong with Fu Wensheng’s own ability, Tang Mo wouldn’t hide it from him.

Tang Mo sighed with relief when he saw the child didn’t ask again. He looked up and saw that Fu Wenduo was looking at him with raised eyebrows.

Fu Wenduo: What’s wrong?

Tang Mo: ...Your brother’s ability is very interesting.

Fu Wenduo: How?

Tang Mo: Let’s go for a walk and I’ll tell you.

The two people left the service station through a tacit agreement and Tang Mo finally said what he saw from the light sphere.

[Ability: Aristocratic 100 year Baisui Mountain Water]

[Owner: Unknown]

[Type: Unknown]

[Function: Produces mineral water with a healing effect.]

[Level: 3]

[Restrictions: Unknown]

[Note: Unknown... Your sister! I am the aristocratic 100 year Baisui Mountain water!]

Tang Mo’s expression didn’t change when he said these words. He had long been accustomed to the abilities book but he didn’t expect a similar effect when using this ‘Don’t try to hide a dime’ to view other people’s abilities. Tang Mo calmly said, “This ability can really see other people’s abilities and also use them. But the information shown isn’t complete. Fu Wensheng’s ability is a blue sphere so it should be a genotypes, dimensional or atomic type.”

Due to the concealed information, Tang Mo couldn’t determine what type of ability the blue represented. He said, “If there is a chance in the next few days, I will keep copying his ability to determine if the information changes and to try and find out his real limitations and ability type.”

“Okay.”

Tang Mo asked, “When we will arrive in Beijing?”

“The earliest is two days and the latest is four days as long as there is nothing unexpected.”

This timing was acceptable. Tang Mo started to recall his friend’s home address. Before the earth went online, he had only been to Beijing once. Now his memory had improved so perhaps he could remember the location of his friend’s house. The problem was that Beijing was so big. Tang Mo thought for a while before turning to enter the service station.

Then a low voice was heard behind him.

“Does everyone’s abilities have such an interesting name and... note?”

Tang Mo’s footsteps stopped as a bad feeling rushed into his heart. He turned his head and saw Fu Wenduo looking at him with a smile. “Your ability, does it also have such notes and names when collecting other people’s abilities.”

Tang Mo looked calmly at Fu Wenduo while Fu Wenduo smiled back at him. The eyes of the two people met in the air and no one spoke.

As long as Tang Mo didn’t say it, no one would know what was written in the abilities book. He believed that even Chen Shanshan wouldn’t be able to guess that the serious Tang Mo had an ability like this.

Tang Mo calmly said, “Of course not.”

Fu Wenduo opened his mouth in preparation to speak again. The next second, there was a loud sound above their heads. Tang Mo and Fu Wenduo raised their heads at the same time, warily staring into the distance.

At almost the same time, in the base of the Nanjing Group, Xiao Jitong paused while planning his next strategy with Ningning. In the underground parking lot of a mall in Shanghai, Luo Fengcheng and Chen Shanshan stopped their actions and looked at each other.

The loud sound was heard in every part of China and the black towers gave off a colourful glow. Countless players went out into the open and looked up at the mysterious black tower with astonishment. Once everything was over, it calmed down. It was just like three months ago at Christmas. All players had sighed with relief when the black tower sent a surprise gift to players all over the world.

Now, at this moment, countless childlike voices shouted in unison.

“Ding dong! A version update notification. March 15th, 2018, the Black Tower’s version 3.0 will come online.”