Urban Powers After the Apocalypse

Winter nights always fell early. By the time the three left the bar, it was already past six in the evening. HeShang, eager to get home for the latest anime episode, hailed a taxi and left first. As usual, Xu Mo "conveniently" offered to walk Xu Bilin home.

After seeing Xu Bilin off, Xu Mo took the last bus back to the stop near First High School, planning to transfer to another bus home. However, before he could walk a hundred meters, a group of over a dozen young men in varied streetwear blocked his way.

Instinctively, Xu Mo turned to retreat, only to find that the road behind him was also sealed off by another dozen men, forming a tightening encirclement around him.

"Who are you? Do you want money? I can give it to you," Xu Mo said, sensing their ill intent but still attempting the simplest solution. After all, he wasn't confident he could take on so many people at once.

The encirclement stopped about seven or eight meters from him. A man with a comically expressive face stepped forward, lit a cigarette, and said, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Zou Xing, but everyone calls me Xingzai. Who we are isn't important—what matters is that we know exactly who you are..."

Seeing Xu Mo's confusion, Xingzai flicked the ash off his cigarette and recited as if reading from a file:

"Xu Mo, eighteen years old, resident of Liangyuan District, Shangshi City. Currently a senior in Class One at First High School. Ranked 37th in the class, 265th in the grade in last semester's finals. Father, Xu Nanshan, forty-five, warehouse director at Daxing Logistics Company in Shangshi City. Mother, Liu Shuxian, forty-three, former worker at the state-owned textile factory, laid off when it shut down..."

The more Xu Mo listened, the more shocked he became. Every detail Xingzai listed was accurate to the last bit, proving that this was no random ambush. They had thoroughly investigated him beforehand.

"You... you're from the Southern City Gang! You're here because of the Black Wolf incident!" Xu Mo said grimly, finally understanding why shady figures had been loitering near the school recently—it had all been for him.

"That's right. Glad you've figured it out," Xingzai sneered, flicking away his cigarette. He pulled out a half-meter-long machete from behind him and swung it twice in the air before shouting, "Brothers, grab your weapons! Let's cripple this kid and avenge Brother Lang!"

"RAAH!"

Over thirty Southern City Gang members brandished steel pipes and machetes, charging at Xu Mo with murderous intent, as if they would hack him to pieces.

Having survived deadly encounters before—with six lives already on his hands—Xu Mo was no longer the timid boy who used to tremble at the sight of a fruit knife. While still somewhat anxious about facing a gang fight, his mind remained composed.

Fighting head-on against over thirty gangsters was clearly unwise. Xu Mo quickly scanned his surroundings and, without hesitation, dashed toward the school in an attempt to break through.

There were always staff on duty at the school's security office at night. If he could reach them and get the police involved, he'd be safe.

"Damn it! He's trying to run! Stop him!"

Two gangsters closest to him quickly blocked his escape, swinging their steel pipe and machete at his head. Thanks to his enhanced reflexes, Xu Mo had ample time to react. He raised his backpack with his left hand to absorb the steel pipe's impact while activating "Demon's Hand," grabbing the machete blade mid-air. With a swift low kick, he struck one attacker in the groin, sending him crumpling to the ground in agony.

A whoosh of wind—another steel pipe swung toward him. Xu Mo instinctively blocked it with his enhanced hand, its supernatural durability causing the weapon to rebound violently, smashing into its wielder's own face. Blood splattered as the gangster collapsed, clutching his head and wailing in pain.

"Shit! This kid has a weapon!"

Since Xu Mo was wearing black wool gloves, "Demon's Hand" wasn't visible to the gangsters. They simply assumed he was using brass knuckles or some similar tool. Unfazed, they continued their assault.

Xu Mo knew he wasn't strong enough to take them all on at once, and opening fire in the streets was definitely out of the question. So, after incapacitating two of them, he abandoned his backpack and sprinted toward the school's iron fence, activating "Gentle Touch" to phase through the metal bars effortlessly.

The gangsters chased after him. Some of the thinner ones tried squeezing through the fence, only to get stuck, while a few bulkier ones were trapped completely, unable to move. Frustrated, the rest had no choice but to climb over, giving Xu Mo a hundred-meter lead.

"After him! If we let him escape, Southern City Gang will be a laughingstock!"

Xingzai was furious. He never expected a mere high schooler to be this troublesome. If he let Xu Mo escape despite bringing so many men, he'd face dire consequences when he returned.

The distance from the east fence to the school's security office wasn't far. Xu Mo covered it in seconds, only to find the office door locked despite the lights being on. There wasn't a single person inside.

Damn it! Did the old man seriously go to the restroom now of all times?

With over ten fast-moving gangsters closing in, Xu Mo cursed under his breath and turned to flee once more, pulling out his phone to dial the police.

"Hello, I need to report an emergency! I'm being chased by more than thirty gangsters—location is…"

Before he could finish, his phone screen suddenly went black. His call was cut off.

Shit! Dead battery at a time like this? Wasn't this phone supposed to have a seventy-two-day standby time? Could it be a knockoff?

There was no time to worry about his phone or luck. Aside from the two gangsters he had taken down, the rest had all climbed over the fence and were closing in fast—some already within fifty meters.

A flash of yellow light appeared in Xu Mo's hand as he instinctively retrieved his USP pistol from the Fragmented Space. He knew his shooting skills were lacking, and twelve bullets wouldn't do much against so many enemies. Moreover, firing a gun at school would certainly attract police scrutiny. But in a life-or-death situation like this, he had no other choice.

The cold weight of the gun steadied him. Staring at its sleek, black surface, Xu Mo suddenly remembered something he had nearly overlooked—

The military!

Yes! There was an entire platoon of armed soldiers stationed in the wasteland west of the school! They were on a different mission, but Xu Mo was certain that if he ran to them, they wouldn't stand by and watch a student get slaughtered by gangsters.

It was a matter of principle.

Relieved, Xu Mo put the USP back into his Fragmented Space and sprinted toward the western side of the school, leading the gangsters straight toward the military encampment.

The wasteland was just over two hundred meters from the school gate. In less than a minute, Xu Mo had reached the western corner of the school building. Though he couldn't yet see the soldiers, he could hear the hum of power generators and the beeping of various instruments.

Feigning the panic of an ordinary student, Xu Mo rushed around the corner toward the heavily guarded military perimeter.

"They're trying to kill me! Help—"

Before he could finish his plea, he froze in shock.

His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the empty wasteland ahead.

Everything—military vehicles, soldiers, scientists, and their equipment—had disappeared into thin air.

What the hell was going on?