Natural Disaster: Back to the End of the World

Part 16

Yao Ziqing's trip was quite successful. Although he donated half of the watermelons, the remaining half was enough to pile up into a small mountain in his space.

During the extreme heat of the apocalypse, standing in the sun was unbearable, as if it could peel off your skin in minutes. Rivers dried up, and both people and plants were always in a state of water shortage. Fruits were a luxury, let alone vegetables. Yao Ziqing wasn't sure what his second brother planned to acquire, but from his two years of experience in the apocalypse, he knew he had to secure whatever was most needed, ensuring his family's stability.

Water resources were the most critical in the apocalypse. He had tried to store water directly in his space but couldn't control its concentration. He had imagined that since time was constant in the space, the water should also be in a solidified state. However, the fact that water could flow contradicted this idea. Flowing water implied that the space wasn't static, yet storage seemed to defy natural time changes.

If someone had told him that these two forms could coexist, Yao Ziqing would have thought they were crazy. But now, facing reality, he had no words.

Yao Ziqing researched extensively and consulted various companies, preparing to start bulk purchasing water tanks after the new year. Now, he was even more focused on mental power. He scoured online resources and spent every day in the library looking for useful information. He discovered that there were many theories about mental power, with numerous institutions and research groups studying it.

Mental power, also known as thought power, is an invisible force released by the brain. Some believe it's just a psychological concept, similar to hypnotism. Others argue that mental power can be physically manifested, like sensing the gaze directed at oneself, which is a form of mental power.

Seeing these theories, Yao Ziqing felt that his ability to sense objects in his space without physical presence was a form of intangible mental intent. Now, being able to focus and 'see' the items stored in his space was transforming this mental intent into a tangible form.

Regarding enhancing mental power, Yao Ziqing found extensive literature, almost to the point of frustration. Practices like meditation, qigong, and magic seemed increasingly dubious. He believed that just as physical strength could be improved through exercise, mental power could be too. By reaching and maintaining a critical point, he hoped to gradually accumulate progress.

His schedule was very full now. He went to bed at 10 PM, not to sleep but to use his mental power to explore the space until he felt dizzy, then started sleeping. He woke up around 5 AM to check if there was any fog in the forest and then began his daily morning run. Persistent exercise yielded good results.

When a person has goals and plans and starts implementing them step by step, time flies. Before he knew it, the winter vacation arrived, and the annual Spring Festival travel rush began.

In their dormitory, Su Li had the best family environment and had booked his return flight early. Cheng Tao wasn't sure if his brother had a break this year. He had initially thought Yao Ziqing might not return home, so they could rent a place together for a month. However, Yao Ziqing had already started packing.

Cheng Tao lay on his bed, hugging a blanket, watching Yao Ziqing work and looked pitiful, like a dog abandoned. Since Yao Ziqing began systematically training his mental power, he felt his senses had improved significantly. Besides clearer vision, he became especially sensitive to gazes directed at him. After having Wu Wenqing help him zip up his suitcase, he turned to Cheng Tao, who had a forlorn expression.

"Just come home with me for the New Year. My family isn't big. My brothers are easy to get along with. We don't have many relatives visiting for the New Year, and you've probably never seen the process of building a house in the countryside. It's a good opportunity to see it. I didn't know the foundation was dug like that."