Global Mutations:I Built a Safe House

An alarm buzzed insistently, and Luo Qingtian’s eyes snapped open. She was back in her familiar classroom, surrounded by familiar faces. What was going on? How was she still alive? July 2, 3050 AD—she had been reborn. Not long ago, in the forest, she’d thrown every ounce of strength at her attackers but couldn’t break through. Mutated beasts and ravenous zombies swarmed her until her body was torn apart and eaten alive. In her final moments, she’d stared up at the towering walls, watching a man and woman locked in a passionate kiss—were they celebrating her death? A spine-chilling agony had coursed through her, and her entire body trembled. “Are you all right, Qingtian? You look pale—do you feel unwell?” A gentle male voice floated down from the podium. Luo Qingtian blinked away the nightmare haze. She was in class. She turned her eyes toward the teacher. Han Shuo—her teacher, and in the apocalypse her worst betrayer. They had survived the first ten years together, only for him to sell her out in that fateful battle. Now here he stood in front of her, startled by the icy glare she fixed on him. Outside of class they’d been a secret couple—she’d followed his every wish—but just now her eyes had blazed with a murderous chill. “Qingtian, if you really don’t feel well, you can—” Before he could finish, Luo Qingtian shot to her feet and dashed for the door. Bursting into the hallway, she gulped in greedy lungfuls of fresh air. The sunlight was warm. Students chatted amicably as they walked by. No zombies. No mutant beasts. No creeping toxic vines. Everything around her felt dreamlike—yet she knew this was real. She had been given a second chance at life. She hurried out of the school, flagged down a passing taxi, and instructed the driver to take her straight home. With only three months before the apocalypse, she had to prepare. Having been reborn, she vowed to survive this time. Thirty minutes later, Luo Qingtian arrived at her apartment. She grabbed her deed and dialed her agent. “Hello, Manager Zhang? You mentioned a buyer offered thirty million for my place?” Her agent hesitated at first, then laughed in relief. “Yes, Miss Luo—and he said if you agree quickly, he’ll up it to thirty-two million!” “Deal,” she said. “Full payment, wired directly. As soon as the funds clear, I’ll sign over the deed.” The agent whooped with delight. “Right away, Miss Luo!” He hung up and rushed off to seal the deal. Luo Qingtian sat at her kitchen table and began listing everything she needed to do. Her three-bedroom apartment in the city center was prime real estate—but time was short. In her last life, this district had fallen first to acid rain, which heralded the apocalypse. Survivors mutated with powers or turned into mindless zombies. Even cockroaches and rats became deadly. Staying here was a death sentence. She recalled that the government’s first secure zone lay on the outskirts of West District. That would be her new foothold. Selling this apartment would buy her the resources she needed to relocate there—and build her fortress before the end arrived. As a child, she’d lived with her grandmother until high school. On her deathbed, her grandmother had pressed a warning into her hand. “If you ever face impossible odds, take this jade talisman from my study—and let your blood activate it. Then your path truly begins.” Luo Qingtian rose and crossed to her study. She pressed her fingers along the bookshelf until she found a hidden button. With a soft click, a secret compartment slid open. Inside lay a glossy black jade talisman. She remembered her grandmother’s words in a whisper: “When all seems lost, let your blood bind you to this jade—and forge your own destiny.” In her previous life’s desperation, she’d foolishly confided in Han Shuo—and even handed him the talisman, thinking it a burden. He’d worn it next to his heart ever since. Now she understood: the talisman held secrets she’d never known. This time she wouldn’t be naive. She would take back what was hers—and seek vengeance for the agony she’d endured. Clenching her fist, she drove her thumbnail into her palm. Dark blood welled and dripped onto the jade’s surface. The moment it touched the stone, it vanished. Instantly, Luo Qingtian found herself standing in an open expanse the size of a football field. One half was piled high with neatly packed supplies—rice, flour, cooking oil—all fresh and plentiful. The other half was rich, black soil, lush with green vegetables. At the center stood a modest wooden cabin. So this is the talisman’s secret… she thought. She strode inside the cabin to a simple wooden table. Atop it lay a small crystal shard and an envelope. Carefully lifting the talisman, she opened the letter. Its heading read: To my dearest Qingtian: And with that, a new chapter of her fate began. “Qingtian, if you’re reading this letter, it means you’ve activated the talisman. There’s something you need to know: the apocalypse is coming. This space is the last protection your mother and I could leave you, and the supplies here were gathered in the shortest time we had. It’s not everything you’ll need, but the money we’ve provided should be enough to buy more. We’ve also prepared another gift for you: activate the chip, and it will help you survive what lies ahead. My brave girl, grow strong. Your mother and I will be waiting for you at the Future Base.” —Mom and Dad The letter was brief, yet as Luo Qingtian finished reading, a swirl of emotions tore through her. She’d lived so long as an orphan, and now—suddenly—she knew her parents were alive. Joy, sorrow, resentment, and hope all jostled in her chest. She hadn’t been abandoned. She wasn’t truly alone. And her parents had known about the apocalypse all along? In her previous life she’d never heard of this “Future Base.” Had she missed something? Her thoughts stumbled to the small crystal shard on the table. It pulsed with a soft light. Qingtian reached out to touch it—and in an instant it shot into her forearm. A surge of energy flooded through her veins. She felt every nerve ignite with power, and her senses sharpened until she could almost see in every direction at once. “Power awakened: Hunter!” The words echoed in her mind, and her heart hammered. Hunter? A superpower? In other survivors’ lives, elemental abilities reigned—wind, lightning, earth, fire. Others woke to brute strength or lightning speed. Some powers were downright useless: vacuum-like “dust-sweeper” skills, “make-them-cry” glares, even the humiliation-inducing knack for giving someone diarrhea just by thinking about them. So what was a Hunter? An information box flickered before her eyes: Precision Shot – Three arrows at once, deadly accuracy at a hundred paces (attributes TBD) Trap – Lay ambushes for unwary prey Psychic Sense – Detect living beings by their mental signature Excitement bubbled up. Not elemental—but far from weak. She stepped out of the hidden space, raised an imaginary bow at the far wall…and released. Three translucent arrows flew, striking in perfect formation. Moments later they vanished, leaving three tiny holes in the plaster. Her jaw dropped. She leaned forward to touch the holes with trembling fingers. This is my power? Before she could test anything else, her phone rang. “Miss Luo, it’s the buyer. He’s agreed—thirty-two million, and he’ll wire the funds tonight. He’ll give you five days to move after the deed is transferred. How does that sound?” Qingtian hardly believed it. “Perfect. Once the money’s in, let’s set up the transfer.” Her agent stammered with excitement. “How about ten tomorrow morning?” “Works for me. And after the sale, can you help me find a rental out in West District’s safe zone? I’ll need a place until I graduate—something spacious, deposit plus three months’ rent.” He rattled off details of a three-story villa with a large yard. “It’s available and affordable. Want to tour it tomorrow?” “Absolutely. See you then.” She hung up and raced through her apartment, sweeping every dish, every book, every piece of furniture into the talisman’s space—leaving only her bed behind. Then the funds pinged into her account. She grinned. The buyer was desperate. In high spirits, she decided on a little celebration: the night market. It had been ten years since she’d tasted real food. Settling at a bustling stall, she ordered plate after plate—spicy skewers, steamed buns, sweet tea—and devoured them with gusto. Mid-feast, a familiar voice called out: “Hey, isn’t that Qingtian? Didn’t expect to see you here!” She looked up to find Liu Shiqi—the so-called best friend who’d betrayed her with Han Shuo in the old life. Her lips curled in controlled disgust. Liu Shiqi slid into the seat across from her, Han Shuo trailing behind. “Qingtian, are you upset? You bolted in class, and Han Shuo and I were worried…” Han Shuo’s voice was tentative: “Any misunderstanding between us?” Qingtian raised an eyebrow. “Misunderstanding? Like you two sneaking off for dates at night? Or did you already know I’d be here? I never told anyone I’d come.” Her words were icier than the night air. They clearly thought she was as oblivious as before—but not this time. Without another word, Qingtian skewered a piece of meat and took a bite, her eyes fixed coldly on them. The girl who ran terrified through the dark woods was gone. This time, she held all the power.