LABMY CH101

In the third year of the apocalypse, as the pollutants grew increasingly powerful, the fortress bases built by humanity were being breached one after another. A base, rumored to be the world’s strongest, most secure, and eternally impenetrable, became the place where countless survivors yearned to reach.

On the journey to this place, each person envisioned different scenarios, but what remained the same was the sacred and hopeful image it held in people’s hearts.

Because that place had become synonymous with survival. It was said that those who reached there were almost immune to infection. In the apocalypse, this base symbolized hope, igniting desire and relentless pursuit.

Through word of mouth, this place was described as a warm and protective sanctuary where once people arrived, they would never want to leave.

The base had no official name. People only used words to describe it. For convenience, it was called “Utopia.”

After the Iron Fortress of S City was breached, the remaining survivors set off on a journey toward this legendary Utopia.

In the apocalypse, the dangers along the way were enough to claim lives. What’s more, the so-called Utopia was merely a rumor, making it difficult for people to fully commit to the journey. Only when there was no way back and the only option was to gamble with their lives, would most people who had heard of Utopia muster the courage to head toward it.

After the fall of S City’s Iron Fortress, Xu Tianguang and a group of ability users led the remaining ordinary survivors toward the so-called Utopia.

To help the group recover from the collapse and bloodshed of S City’s ruins and to keep everyone persevering through the arduous journey, stories about Utopia spread widely among the crowd.

“I heard that people there won’t get infected by monsters. Is that true?”

“I also heard that the relationships between people are very harmonious. They know each other’s names and chat every day, just like before the apocalypse.”

“They provide free heating for ordinary people and treat them with great respect. Even the ability users respond to whatever ordinary people say.”

“A base like that sounds too good to be true.”

With such hopes in mind, they crossed mountains and rivers, fought off countless pollutants along the way, and finally saw a massive base in the distance.

Just as the rumors described, the base had no name, but this was what people called Utopia.

After a simple registration, the weary and displaced survivors finally stepped into Utopia.

The atmosphere here was indeed different from other bases. Everyone was cheerful, talking energetically and warmly, without the cold indifference often seen in other bases.

While the ordinary survivors looked around with admiration, they failed to notice the strange expressions on the faces of ability users like Xu Tianguang, who possessed enhanced senses.

Thanks to their superior hearing, the ability users could clearly hear the conversations of the pedestrians on the street.

A pair of neighbors, greeting each other as they stepped out of their adjacent houses, enthusiastically said:

“Good morning, you piece of trash.”

The neighbor replied, “Trash? One day, you’ll pay for looking down on me!”

Then, after a brief pause, the neighbor added, “Good morning, trash.”

The person who greeted first immediately darkened his expression and said, “Do you even know who you’re talking to? How dare you call me trash?”

After exchanging a high-five, the two of them commented, “Today’s dialogue doesn’t feel intense enough. We should learn from how others do it.”

The newcomers to the base were stunned, staring in disbelief at this strange way of greeting.

“Why is the first thing they say after meeting each other not ‘Hello’ but ‘trash’?”
“Why do they have to insult each other twice in turns?”
“And what does ‘the flavor isn’t strong enough’ even mean? What flavor??”

At that moment, a public bus pulled up at the station. The driver, an ordinary person, looked at the boarding ability user and said, “Got money for the ride? If not, get lost.”

The base’s entrance was close to the station, so not only the newly arrived ability users but also the ordinary people could clearly hear it. Instantly, a wave of shock swept through the crowd. Some of the ordinary people even covered their mouths in horror as they stared at the driver.

“Is he tired of living? How dare he insult an ability user like that?”
“How does he even have the courage?!”

Amidst the crowd’s various expressions, they saw the ability user who boarded the bus clenching his fists tightly. After enduring the humiliation, he responded with a calm yet firm voice, “I may have no money now, but the tides will turn. One day, I will rise above this. Don’t underestimate me!”

Then, he suddenly smiled and boarded the fare-free bus. The driver, unfazed, repeated the same line to the next passenger.

The newcomers to the base were dumbfounded.

This place… was so strange.

Was this really the so-called Utopia that countless people dreamed of reaching?

Did they… come to the wrong place?

At a street corner, two people walking in a hurry accidentally bumped into each other. Without even raising their heads, one of them snapped, “How dare trash like you bump into me?”

The other retorted angrily, “Can’t see the road or your own status?”

Fuming with rage, the person shouted, “I may only be a fourth-tier ability user now, but that won’t be the case forever. One day, I’ll make you look up to me!”

With that, he turned to leave, only to be grabbed by the other person.

“Hey! Don’t leave! You haven’t insulted me back yet!”

The newcomers, whose worldview had just been shattered, stiffly turned their heads to look at this bizarre scene. It was their first time witnessing someone begging to be humiliated and even dragging the other person back to demand an insult.

If it weren’t for the fact that the man was clearly asking to be insulted, the newcomers would have thought he was demanding compensation for the collision.

Why… why would anyone beg to be insulted? Were they… masochists?

The man who was being pulled looked anxious. “I’m really in a hurry. Let me go.”

“Just one sentence! Just insult me once!” The person who grabbed him was equally dability userate. “Otherwise, wouldn’t I be losing out?”

This scene left the group of survivors who had struggled to reach this place wondering if they had somehow stumbled into some bizarre alternate reality.

Since when did not being insulted become a loss?

After much effort, the man finally squeezed out a line:

“Hmph, even trash like you dares to walk the same street as me? Get lost!”

The man who had been holding him frowned and said coldly, “I will improve my strength. One day, this street and you will be beneath my feet.”

Xu Tianguang and the others were utterly stunned by what they witnessed. He rubbed his eyes and looked up at the sky. It was indeed broad daylight.

They stood there at the entrance, unable to comprehend what was happening, while the staff member leading them remained completely unfazed and said:

“Now that you’ve arrived, you must follow the rules here. If you want to fight, there are designated areas in the base. Killing is prohibited, and you must not abuse ordinary people.”

“This place operates just like the pre-apocalyptic world. You must follow the rules and laws. Otherwise, you’ll be kicked out.”

“Here, take this. It’s the Base Survival Guide. One copy per person.”

Holding the freshly printed Base Survival Guide, the group stared blankly at their surroundings, feeling as if they’d stepped into some surreal world.

This… didn’t quite feel like how things were before the apocalypse either.

As they followed the staff member deeper into the base, their shock only grew.

There were streets filled with vendors, bustling crowds, and the lively shouts of street peddlers. For a moment, they almost felt as if they had truly returned to the world before the apocalypse.

Until a voice suddenly rose above the market noise:

“The latest ‘Long Aotian Speech Guide’! Only five points to take it home! The most comprehensive guide to mastering the art of arrogant, overpowered dialogue! Don’t miss out!”

A man holding what looked like a book was shouting enthusiastically. However, his stall didn’t seem very popular.

Until he added:

“Includes the Young Master’s latest iconic lines, complete with scenario reenactments! Just five points!”

At that moment, passersby who had been ignoring him all turned their heads.

In less than two minutes, the man’s stall was surrounded.

“Give me one!”
“I want one too!”
“Ten points for two copies!”

The newcomers were left in utter confusion.

“Long Aotian Speech Guide”? What the hell is that?
And… who on earth is the Young Master?

Before they could figure it out, the staff member who had been leading them hesitated for a few seconds and then said,

“Wait here for a moment. I’ll go buy one and be right back.”

He then dove headfirst into the crowd scrambling to buy the book.

The group left behind exchanged bewildered glances, completely dumbfounded.

They… really did arrive at the legendary Utopia base, right?
Not some gathering place for people with terminal cases of secondhand embarrassment syndrome, right?

On the second-floor balcony of a nearby building, a few people were watching this chaotic scene unfold.

Liu Xue’er crossed her arms, looking down at the frenzy with satisfaction. “As expected, as long as we slap Shen Nian’s name on it, this so-called ‘Ultimate Guide to Long Aotian Speech’ sells like crazy.”

She turned to look at Shen Nian with eyes full of anticipation.

Before she could speak, Shen Nian cut her off coldly: “No more. I won’t say another word. Don’t even think about it.”

Liu Xue’er let out a regretful sigh.

Once, she too was filled with shock and disbelief toward this absurd environment.

But now?

She had fully embraced the madness and even became the mastermind behind the book sales.

Shen Nian’s gaze drifted toward the crowd below, filled with both frustration and helplessness.

“No matter how many times I see it, it still drives me insane. Just spouting this ridiculous ‘Long Aotian speech’ won’t actually improve anyone’s abilities. How can everyone in this base genuinely believe in this nonsense for so long?”

Liu Xue’er replied earnestly, “But they did witness pollutants being purified after saying those lines. Isn’t it understandable for them to believe in it?”

She added with a serious expression, “Besides, words have power.

A person who constantly praises themselves and firmly believes they’ll grow stronger and succeed—this kind of invisible self-empowerment is immense.”

It was precisely because the entire base was thriving on this bizarre, delusional positivity, that Liu Xue’er, who was in charge of base management, was more than happy to play along and fuel the madness from behind the scenes.

Shen Nian couldn’t argue with her logic, so he simply turned and glared at the man next to him, emphasizing each word:

“From now on, don’t ever make me say those lines again.”

Jian Yuanbai coughed lightly, reaching out to touch Shen Nian’s flushed earlobe. He mumbled vaguely, “Mm… mm, I’ll try. I’ll try not to.”

But this wasn’t even his mission.

Jian Yuanbai couldn’t give a definite answer.

Besides… every time he saw Shen Nian blushing as he delivered those cringe-inducing, over-the-top lines, Jian Yuanbai couldn’t help but find it…

Incredibly cute.

In fact, Shen Nian’s so-called “Long Aotian speeches” didn’t sound out of place in this bizarre base at all.

But for Shen Nian himself, who knew deep down that this nonsense was completely ineffective, the sheer secondhand embarrassment was unbearable.

Especially when those lines would spread throughout the entire base…

And even get printed in a book!

This was no different from having your most humiliating moments recorded and broadcasted on repeat for the entire city to see.

Looking at the thick stack of “Ultimate Guide to Long Aotian Speech” that had been sold out in such a short time, Shen Nian felt a deep sense of despair.

He buried his face in his hands.

Just let the world end already.

Liu Xue’er patted him on the shoulder comfortingly. “I’ll make sure to give you a share of the profits.”

Shen Nian looked at her with an expression that was beyond words and spoke with exhaustion, “Should I… thank you for that?”

Liu Xue’er replied cheerfully, “No need to thank me. This is what I should do.”

Shen Nian: “……”

He fell silent.

Suddenly, Yang Jinhang, who had been standing on the balcony with them, pointed toward the crowd below and said,

“Hey, isn’t that Xu Tianguang down there?

S City’s Iron Fortress… has fallen?”

At that moment, a “ding” sounded in Jian Yuanbai’s mind.

A minute later, Jian Yuanbai gently took Shen Nian’s hand and hesitantly said,

“Wife…”

“Do you remember… three years ago, when Xu Tianguang mocked you for being just an ordinary person?”

“You… should probably go down and say a few words to him.”

Shen Nian slowly turned his head to look at him.

That beautiful face was filled with cold indifference.

“Don’t call me ‘wife.’”

You no longer have a wife.

Just let the world be destroyed.