"To prevent any tricks or last-minute changes of heart... she stays with me the entire time."
Han Ning pointed to a woman with a distinctly mature aura standing near Zou Yu.
"What?!" Zou Yu's expression changed drastically, his voice turning urgent. "No! Absolutely not!"
"I'm not negotiating with you. I'm telling you." Han Ning cut him off.
A dark green vine silently shot out from Han Ning's side at blinding speed.
The woman only felt a sudden tightness around her waist before an immense force yanked her forward uncontrollably.
Just as the vine pulled her in, thick black qi as dark as ink suddenly erupted around her body, enveloping her completely.
Under Han Ning's slightly surprised gaze, the woman's silhouette rapidly blurred and turned translucent.
Her figure rippled like water, seemingly about to slip free from the dark green vine's grasp.
"Interesting. What ability is this now?" Han Ning raised an eyebrow.
The Molten Gold Tiger Head Mark between his brows flashed faintly, coating his eyes with a molten golden sheen.
Hum!
In his vision, the woman's energy form was now outlined in gold, clearly visible.
"Trying to escape?"
Han Ning's thoughts raced. The vines restraining the woman suddenly glowed with Nature's Blessing radiance.
The emerald-hued vine darted left, catching up to the woman.
"Mmmph—"
The woman groaned.
Her ethereal form fluctuated violently like a faulty transmission, forcibly "squeezed" back into physical form as the energy dispersed.
Seizing the opportunity, the vine tightened securely around her waist, physically dragging her away from Zou Yu's group and pulling her to Han Ning's side.
Sensing Han Ning's unfathomable presence and the terrifying power within the vines, the woman finally abandoned her futile struggles. She merely bit her lip, her eyes filled with complex emotions as she stared at Han Ning mere inches away.
The entire sequence happened in the blink of an eye—so fast that even an Awakened like Zou Yu only managed to take half a step forward, his hand barely raised before the woman was already "taken."
"You—!" Zou Yu's aura surged wildly, faint blue flames flickering in his palms as he barely restrained himself from attacking.
"Relax." Han Ning tilted his head, though it was unclear whether he was addressing the pale-faced woman or Zou Yu.
"I won't harm her."
"As long as you cooperate fully—until I've verified that agricultural expert's actual capabilities—I'll return her unharmed."
He could clearly sense this woman's energy fluctuations were the strongest in the entire group after Zou Yu himself.
In this lawless apocalypse, what was most valuable?
Not food. Not weapons. But Awakened with special abilities!
Taking a capable Awakened as hostage was like gripping their throat.
This alone would make them think twice before attempting any tricks or backing out later.
Leaning leisurely against the cold wall, Han Ning loosened the vines slightly—just enough to ensure she couldn't escape.
Using "agricultural expert" as an empty promise to get him to help first.
Han Ning naturally wouldn't comply with their wishes.
Then, his gaze swept over the shocked and angry faces opposite him: "Would you like to go back and discuss this again?"
"I'll be right here. I'll give you ten minutes."
Zou Yu's chest heaved violently, his expression constantly shifting.
"..."
"Brother Zou, we can't let him take Teacher Su away!"
"Let's fight him!"
Zou Yu closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his eyes had regained their calm.
He suddenly waved his hand:
"No more discussion."
"All Awakened, go back and prepare. Gather downstairs in ten minutes."
He didn't dare to look at the woman again, afraid he wouldn't be able to control his emotions. Turning around, he strode toward the stairwell.
The other Awakened exchanged glances, but in the end, they could only glare fiercely at Han Ning before following Zou Yu's lead, dispersing quickly with reluctance and helplessness to prepare for the upcoming operation.
In the corridor, only Han Ning, the woman bound by vines, and some ordinary students peeking from a distance with frightened expressions remained.
The sound of raindrops hitting the windows was unusually clear.
"What's your name? I just heard the students call you Teacher Su. Are you a teacher at the Agricultural and Forestry University?"
Han Ning paid no attention to the scrutiny of these ordinary students. While waiting for Zou Yu and the others to return, he asked the name of the woman with an elegant and mature demeanor beside him and dispelled the vines.
The woman snorted lightly, turned her head away, and ignored Han Ning.
"Heh, I haven't harmed any of you the entire time, and I even helped treat one of your companions. Is this the attitude you give me?" Han Ning chuckled, unbothered.
He was the dominant party here. The woman's petty tantrum wasn't enough to affect his mood, let alone anger him.
As the saying goes, when you're weak, even your anger just comes across as "adorable" to others.
"Your behavior was rude and reckless," the woman replied coldly.
"But effective."
"Your ability is quite interesting. Is it something like dark concealment?" Han Ning continued to ask.
"..." The woman lowered her head and ignored Han Ning.
At that moment, Han Ning spotted a girl peeking around the corner of the hallway and waved at her:
"You... your name is Lin Wei, right? Come here."
"Oh..."
Unlike the woman beside her, Lin Wei had been personally saved by Han Ning.
Hearing his call, she obediently walked over.
"What's her name? What's her identity?" Han Ning asked Lin Wei.
"Xiao Wei, don't tell him..." The woman glanced at Lin Wei.
"I... I'm sorry, Teacher Su. This young man isn't a bad person. He saved me and A Jun's lives..."
Lin Wei lowered her head, not daring to meet the woman's eyes, and answered softly,
"Teacher Su's full name is Su Mingke. She's a teacher in the Chinese Language and Literature department at our university."
"Chinese Language..." Han Ning had assumed Su Mingke taught something related to agriculture and forestry, but it turned out to be an unrelated field.
Though, given her delicate and fair complexion, she didn't look like someone who frequently conducted agricultural experiments outdoors.
"Oh, what's her relationship with your leader, Zou Yu?"
"Uh, I'm not too sure. Teacher Zou Yu... seems..." "Don't talk nonsense! There's no relationship between us!"
"Oh..." Lin Wei cautiously glanced at Su Mingke and didn't say anything more.
"Is Zou Yu also a teacher?"
"Yes! He's the PE teacher."
"Why are all the impressive ones teachers unrelated to agriculture and forestry..." Han Ning muttered to himself.
...
Ten minutes later, about twenty men and women wearing raincoats, carrying various homemade weapons and backpacks, returned before Han Ning under Zou Yu's leadership.
"We're ready, let's go!" Zou Yu said solemnly.
"Alright."
The group walked out of the dormitory building and advanced into the heavy rain curtain, leaving behind a crowd of ordinary people who hadn't awakened supernatural abilities, silently watching them depart.
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