Grotesqueries of the Old Domain

Chapter 29: Acquisition

Zhang Wenda spoke while glancing toward the bookshelf over there and indeed found more books of the same style as the one in his hand.

Just as he was about to reach out to grab one, he was stopped by the person.

“Hey hey hey, you kid, don’t touch if you’re not buying. If you damage it, you can’t afford to pay.”

The other party’s attitude already confirmed Zhang Wenda’s suspicion—there were definitely stronger special abilities here, just not ones you could get for 10 yuan.

“So, the method Rabbit mentioned is a more powerful special ability?” Zhang Wenda wasn’t sure, but he wanted to try.

He didn’t believe all the special abilities here were so lousy.

At the very least, Rabbit’s ability to instantly heal a severed hand was countless times stronger than these bizarre abilities.

Glancing at the time again, Zhang Wenda knew he couldn’t delay any longer.

Even if the special abilities were terrible, he had to pick one at random, or else the trip would be for nothing.

He flipped through once more and, after a difficult decision, finally chose "telekinesis" as a barely usable one.

“You’ve chosen? No changing your mind now. Wait for me a moment.”

The person said as he walked to the large iron door in the back and started fishing out a key.

Before long, Wang Shaojie returned.

He pulled out a steel syringe as thick as a baby’s arm and began drawing from a gray test tube emitting cold air.

Seeing such a long syringe needle, Song Jianguo’s face instantly changed, her whole body bristling like a frightened cat.

Zhang Wenda wasn’t afraid of injections, just a bit puzzled.

“This thing’s probably for livestock, right?”

“Cut the crap, lift your shirt.”

Zhang Wenda complied.

Very quickly, he saw the person pick up the syringe and stab it directly into his spine.

The intense pain came with a powerful thrust, as if the needle had been driven into his bone.

“Receiving a special ability doesn’t end here. Just because you’ve received it doesn’t mean you’ve mastered it. You still need training…”

At this point, Zhang Wenda no longer paid attention to what the person was saying.

He was instead watching the red scar on his arm slowly stretch as the injection went in.

After the injection, the person asked Zhang Wenda, “Do you feel anything special? Like seeing things you couldn’t before?”

“Special feeling? Nope.” Zhang Wenda shook his head.

“No? That’s impossible.”

The person leaned in and pried Zhang Wenda’s eyes open to check.

“Huh? Strange, really nothing? Expired, maybe?”

He turned around, looking baffled, and went back to the large iron door, receiving another test tube from inside.

With another injection, this time Zhang Wenda clearly saw the red scar on his arm gradually lengthen, as if his forearm were slowly splitting open.

He didn’t know what was happening, but it seemed that the special ability he was supposed to receive had somehow enhanced his red scar instead.

“Nope, still don’t feel anything. Maybe it’s expired again? Give me another one,” Zhang Wenda said, feigning calm.

“Doesn’t make sense, why would that be?”

The man in the white coat scratched his head in confusion, wrote another report, and again walked to the iron door.

With yet another injection, Zhang Wenda noticed the red scar on his forearm had grown significantly longer.

“Still no sensation. Maybe this sequence is faulty? How about trying one that lets me identify colors with my belly? I’m not picky,” Zhang Wenda said, holding back laughter.

“Get lost! We’re out!” Wang Shaojie stood up angrily and shoved Zhang Wenda out, preparing to lock the door.

“I’ve figured it out—do you know what you are? You’re that guy in martial arts novels whose meridians are all broken! What’s that called again? The one who can’t learn anything!”

“You made me write so many reports. Don’t mess with special abilities again. You’ve got no talent. Study hard instead! Studying can also contribute to society.”

Driven out, Zhang Wenda once again returned to the street.

Looking at the red scar on his arm, which had grown by a quarter compared to before, he couldn’t help feeling a bit pleased.

Although he didn’t achieve his goal, he still gained quite a lot—this trip wasn’t a waste.

Glancing at the square clock, he saw it was already 5:40.

Zhang Wenda headed home.

“But why can my red scar convert other special abilities to strengthen itself?” Zhang Wenda wondered as he walked.

A preliminary judgment could be made that the red scar was something similar to a special ability, otherwise it wouldn’t be able to convert them.

“If the person in charge of this stuff doesn’t even know what it is, then it must be quite mysterious. Is this my bonus for transmigrating here?”

Zhang Wenda had just smiled at the thought, but it faded immediately upon remembering the penalties of the rules.

Compared to this thing, he’d rather trade the red scar for the disappearance of those rules, and go back to a normal childhood for a fresh start.

But since he was here, Zhang Wenda didn’t feel like complaining.

After all, how many people would dream of regaining their youth?

As long as he kept going step by step, he would one day break free from those rule punishments.

“For now, the special abilities from Xinhua Bookstore are somewhat useful. I need to find a way to get more. More importantly, I need to know what the higher-level abilities are.”

But thinking about how even the most basic special ability cost 10 yuan, the more powerful ones would definitely be more expensive.

He had to figure out a way to earn money steadily.

While thinking, Zhang Wenda’s eyes drifted over to the listless Song Jianguo beside him, and a boss-like benevolent smile appeared on his face.

“Jianguo~~”

“Hmph!” Song Jianguo, arms crossed, jerked her head away with a face full of disgust.

“You did a good job. Earning 11 yuan in such a short time was beyond my expectations. So as a reward, I’ll allow you to rest tonight. How about it? I’m pretty nice to you, right?”

Although Song Jianguo cursed Zhang Wenda furiously in her heart a thousand times, she didn’t dare say it aloud.

“Tomorrow I have to go to school, so I can’t be with you. But you can’t slack off—exterminating pests is still serving the people. When you wake up tomorrow, remember to keep at it.”

“What?! I still have to work?!” Song Jianguo’s near-screaming voice drew the attention of all the workers around who were getting off work.

“Who ever heard of a job that lasts only one day? Doesn’t that make sense? I’m doing this for your good—so you’ll adapt to society faster when you grow up.”

“No way! My cats are too tired. They need rest!”

“Your cats are too tired, huh? Fine. Although I’m called Mouse, I’m a cat lover. How about this—tomorrow they get half a day off, and you take care of all their tasks. Settled.”

“Ahhh! I’m going home to sleep!” Extremely frustrated, Song Jianguo was about to leave, but Zhang Wenda stopped her.

“Nope. You’re coming home with me, and sleeping at my place.”

Zhang Wenda spoke firmly.

He didn’t want Song Jianguo running around.

What if she took this chance to find a way to remove the collar?

“I… you…” Song Jianguo didn’t want to say anything anymore.

Her head was groggy, and she didn’t have the strength to argue.

At the exact second before 6 o’clock, Zhang Wenda stepped into his house precisely on time.

The TV was on.

A fish tail hung on the screen, but there was no one else around.

A bowl of noodles sat on the table.

Despite her resistance, Song Jianguo helplessly followed him inside.

“Eat.”

Zhang Wenda pushed the bowl of noodles over.

Song Jianguo thought she’d misheard, but when she saw he really meant for her to eat it, she didn’t hesitate and lunged forward, hand diving straight into the bowl to grab noodles.

Stuffing a huge lump of noodles into her mouth, Song Jianguo’s expression immediately froze.

She forced herself to swallow with great difficulty, then frowned tightly and looked at Zhang Wenda.

“It tastes awful.”

“Tastes bad, right? Good. That means it’s working.”

Unfazed, Zhang Wenda unpacked his school bag, putting his books and pencil case back inside, preparing for school the next day.

Song Jianguo squatted there, glancing around, then hesitantly asked, “Where are your mom and dad?”