Doomsday Reboot: My Superpowers Absorb Everything

The subway station platform was filled with waist-deep sewage, with rotting cloth and plastic bottles floating on the murky surface, emitting a nauseating stench. Lin Ye and his two companions waded through the knee-deep water, their flashlight beams flickering in the darkness, illuminating the mottled graffiti on the walls and the desiccated corpse curled up in the corner—clearly, no one had been here for a long time.

"The purification station should be at the end of the platform." Lin Jianjun held up his rifle and scanned the water surface warily. "I came here once before when I was on a mission. I remember having to go through three sluice gates. The water tanks inside are explosion-proof, so they should still be usable."

Li Hu, carrying a rocket launcher and a machete tucked at his waist, splashed water with every step he took. "Damn, this water's freezing cold, even colder than Old Zhang's herbal soup." He suddenly stopped, pointing to the water to his left. "Look what's that?"

As the beam of light moved, a huge shadow was seen slowly shifting beneath the murky water, resembling a section of black iron pipe submerged in the water, at least five meters long. Occasionally, phosphorescence flashed along the edges of the shadow, making it particularly eerie in the darkness.

"They're mutated crocodiles." Lin Ye gripped the triangular dagger tightly, the dark purple energy in his palm quietly circulating. "There's more than one; I sense at least three, all holding their breath underwater."

These crocodiles had clearly spotted them long ago, yet they hesitated to attack. This patient lurking was more chilling than the rampaging carnivorous wolves. Lin Ye recalled what Old Zhang had said: the crocodiles at the purification station grew up drinking chemical wastewater; not only were their skin thick and tough, but their teeth were also highly venomous, and anyone bitten by one wouldn't survive more than three hours.

"Don't stop, keep going." Lin Ye lowered his voice. "They're waiting for us to get close to the sluice gate, where the water flow is narrower, making it easier for them to ambush us."

The three remained cautious, inching their way towards the sluice gate at the end of the platform. The first sluice gate was rusted beyond recognition, its iron railings crookedly stuck in the water like a row of jagged fangs. Shadows gathered underwater on both sides of the sluice gate, the phosphorescence growing brighter and brighter, and one could even see huge pupils flashing beneath the surface.

"Ready!" Lin Ye shouted in a low voice and rushed towards the gate first.

Just as his foot was about to step onto the sluice gate pedal, the water on the left suddenly exploded! A dark green crocodile leaped out of the water, its gaping maw emitting a foul stench as it lunged forward. Its two rows of serrated teeth gleamed coldly in the beam of light, and its saliva dripped like venom.

"Get out of the way!" Li Hu reacted quickly, his axe whistling as it cleaved towards the crocodile's snout. With a crisp "clang," the axe bounced back, leaving only a white mark on the crocodile's skin.

"This beast's hide is tough!" Li Hu cursed, dodging the crocodile's lashing tail. The tail struck a nearby iron post with a deafening thud, and rust fell off in a rustling sound.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lin Ye circled around to the crocodile's side, his three-edged spikes, imbued with dark purple energy, aimed at its eye—its only weak point. The crocodile seemed to sense the danger, abruptly turning its head and using its thick neck to block the attack. The three-edged spikes only pierced a layer of its skin, and green blood instantly stained the water's surface red.

"Roar!" The crocodile roared in pain, violently rolling around in the water, stirring the murky sewage into a boiling muddy mess. The other two crocodiles also seized the opportunity to attack, one charging at Lin Jianjun, while the other swam towards the sluice gate, clearly trying to block their retreat.

"Stop it!" Lin Jianjun raised his rifle, bullets hitting the crocodile's back, leaving only shallow dents. Thinking quickly, he pulled the pin on a grenade and threw it at the crocodile blocking his path.

The grenade exploded on the water's surface, the massive impact creating towering waves. The crocodile was thrown overboard, temporarily losing its ability to move. But this also thoroughly enraged the remaining crocodiles. The crocodile that had been stabbed by Lin Ye lunged wildly, its massive jaws almost swallowing him whole.

"Devour!" Lin Ye advanced instead of retreating, pressing his left hand against the crocodile's neck, and dark purple energy surged into it wildly. This crocodile's energy was even more violent than the mutants he had encountered before, carrying a strong chemical toxin that caused his meridians to throb with pain. However, the purification ability of the "Devour" seal was also operating in sync, gradually transforming the toxins into pure energy.

"Agh—!" The crocodile roared in pain, its massive body struggling violently in the water, but Lin Ye held it down firmly, unable to break free. Dark purple energy spread along its veins, and wherever it passed, the green blood gradually became clear, and even its violent aura calmed down considerably.

Just then, Li Hu suddenly shouted, "Brother Ye, watch out behind you!"

Lin Ye whirled around, only to see a third crocodile had somehow circled behind him, its tail lashing out like a steel whip. He instinctively dodged to the side, the tail grazing his arm, and a sharp pain shot through him. His sleeve was torn, leaving three deep, bone-revealing cuts on his arm, which quickly turned a dark purple—he'd been poisoned!

"You son of a bitch!" Li Hu roared as he pounced on the crocodile, pressing the rocket launcher against its side and slamming the trigger.

"boom!"

The homemade shell exploded at close range. Although not as powerful as military weapons, it was enough to blast a large hole in the crocodile's belly. Green entrails mixed with sewage gushed out, the crocodile twitched a few times, and then remained motionless.

Taking advantage of this opening, Lin Ye pushed the energy of the "Devouring" seal to its limit. The crocodile that had been held down finally stopped struggling, and its massive body floated softly on the surface of the water, the scales on its neck even showing a faint golden hue—the purified energy had changed its constitution.

He released his grip, panting heavily. A piercing pain shot through the wound on his arm, the dark purple color spreading upwards along the veins. The deworming medicine Suya had given him was completely ineffective against this deadly poison; he could only forcefully suppress it by mobilizing his internal energy.

"How are you?" Lin Jianjun rushed over, tearing off a piece of his shirt to bandage his wounds with quick, steady movements. "Don't try to tough it out, let's get out of here first!"

"No." Lin Ye shook his head and looked at the passage behind the gate. "The purification station is inside. If we retreat now, what will happen to the people at the base?" He took out concentrated nutrient solution from his backpack and took a big gulp. The cold liquid slid down his throat, slightly relieving the dizziness caused by the toxins.

Li Hu hoisted his arm over his shoulder, pressing his weight onto himself: "I'll carry you inside! With me here, it'll be fine!"

The three of them, supporting each other, passed through the gate littered with crocodile carcasses and entered the purification station's passageway. The water was much shallower here, and the emergency lights on the walls were still flickering faintly, illuminating the second gate ahead.

The sound of flowing water came from behind the sluice gate, clearer than before. Lin Ye's senses penetrated the sluice gate and finally detected what they were looking for—a huge cylindrical water tank containing at least a thousand cubic meters of water. Although the water was murky, it was not poisonous and could be drunk after filtration.

"Found it..." Lin Ye breathed a sigh of relief. As his tense nerves relaxed, the dizziness caused by the toxin became more severe, and his vision blurred.

"Hang in there!" Lin Jianjun pinched his philtrum hard. "We'll get the water soon!"

Li Hu stepped forward and pushed open the second sluice gate, the rusted hinges creaking loudly. The sight behind the gate stunned all three of them—a person was standing at the valve of the water tank.

The man was wearing a tattered protective suit and a gas mask. He held a rusty wrench in his hand, seemingly fixing something. Hearing the sound of the gate opening, he slowly turned around, and behind the glass of his gas mask, a pair of cloudy eyes looked at them.

"You...have come to fetch water?" The man's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping, and filled with deep weariness.

Lin Ye and his two companions exchanged glances, all seeing surprise in each other's eyes. How could there be anyone here?

"Who are you?" Lin Jianjun raised his rifle, remaining vigilant.

The man didn't answer, but pointed to the water tank: "The valve was broken. It took me three days to fix it before I could barely get any clean water out." His movements were slow, as if he had exhausted all his strength. "But that's all I can do. I can only fill two buckets a day. Any more... and the tank will collapse."

Lin Ye's senses fell upon him; the energy reaction was as faint as a candle flickering in the wind, yet within him flowed an exceptionally pure water-based energy, slowly repairing the cracks in the water tank. He suddenly understood: "You're a water-based ability user?"

The man nodded, removed his gas mask, revealing a wrinkled face and lips cracked like dry tree bark: "I'm the guard here. I didn't have time to leave when the apocalypse broke out. This water... is for the living to drink."

His gaze fell on Lin Ye's injured arm, a flicker of emotion flashing in his cloudy eyes: "Crocodile venom? I have an antidote here, made from the purifying algae in the water tank, which can temporarily suppress the toxin."

Lin Ye didn't answer immediately. This person's appearance was too sudden, his identity and motives were unclear. But the poison in his arm had already spread to his shoulder, and if it wasn't treated soon, he probably wouldn't make it back.

"Trust him," Lin Jianjun suddenly said. "He doesn't have any murderous aura about him, and... he's repairing the water tank, not destroying it."

Lin Ye nodded, deciding to take the gamble. Li Hu helped him to the guard's side, who picked up a ceramic jar from a corner. Inside was a dark green ointment that emitted a faint fishy smell. He applied the ointment to Lin Ye's wound, and he immediately felt a cooling sensation; the spread of the dark purple bruise noticeably slowed down.

"Thank you," Lin Ye said sincerely.

The guard shook his head and put his gas mask back on. "You can have water, but only two buckets a day. No more. This water tank has been running for five years and is nearing its limit." He pointed to the depths of the passageway. "There's a filtration system there that you can use."

Looking at the mottled rust on the water tank, Lin Ye suddenly understood. This caretaker had been guarding this place for five years, not for himself, but to protect this water, to protect the hope of any survivors who might pass by. Just like they guarded the fields of the outpost, in the apocalypse, there are always people who, in their own way, protect a tiny glimmer of light.

"We'll help you fix the water tank," Lin Ye said. "There's a blacksmith and a metal manipulator at the base, which might help it last longer."

The guard stiffened for a moment, and his eyes behind the gas mask seemed to light up. He was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded: "Okay."

Li Hu excitedly ran to find the water bucket, while Lin Jianjun checked the filtration equipment. Lin Ye leaned against the wall, watching the water slowly swaying in the storage tank, and suddenly felt that all the previous hard work had been worthwhile.

Water is available, the antidote is available, and they might even be able to repair the water tank. Although the road ahead remains difficult, as long as there are people like this and as long as there is hope like this, they have a reason to keep going.

Outside the sluice gate, the stench of crocodile blood gradually dissipated, but the sewage remained murky. Inside, however, amidst the cool sound of the water, a new story seemed to be quietly brewing.