Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The Fungus Actually Gave Her a Space
Ye Nai was now so preoccupied that she couldn't pay attention to what wonderful things her spores had consumed in the danger zone; she just prayed that the bus could safely make it to the station without any accidents, otherwise the cramped passengers would crush each other to death.
Just as the bus was about to leave the bounds of Danger Zone 1, the scalding energy fed back by her spores finally stopped.
Within her, a slight cracking sound that only she could hear emanated, and the thing that had been brewing finally revealed its true nature.
A small rectangular Space, formed entirely of pure white Fungus, precise dimensions to be measured at home.
All six sides, top, bottom, left, and right, were made of white Fungus, but it did not trigger anyone's fear of cluster; instead, there was a sort of fuzzy cuteness to it.
With a thought from Ye Nai, the keychain carrying her ID and pass in her left pocket, and the cell phone in her right pocket, both ended up in the Space.
The tiny keychain and cell phone dropped inside it, like falling into a long plush carpet, vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
This filled her with ecstatic joy.
The Awakened superpower was not only super-strong spores but also a small Space; heaven really favored her!
But as happy as she was inside, now was not the time to laugh out loud. Ye Nai gingerly withdrew her arms, crossed them over her chest, and further protected herself from suffocating in the crowded bus.
The great joy also must wait until she safely got off the bus.
After the bus completely left the bounds of Danger Zone 1, the energy feedback from within the danger zone ceased. During the hour-long journey, her classmates' faces grew worse and worse, occasionally interspersed with the sounds of carsickness-induced retching; Ye Nai prayed along the way that no one would vomit near her.
They safely made it back to the city without incident. As soon as the bus stopped at the station and the doors opened, the crowd surged out with a buzz.
Ye Nai stood on the ground taking several deep breaths, successfully absorbing the Fungus energy feedback from the city that calmed her somewhat churning stomach.
Surprises kept coming from nearby.
"Wow, what's that on you?"
"Don't ask, someone vomited on me, covered me in it."
"Ugh, so disgusting, there's a public toilet over there, go wash up quickly."
"Hmph... "
"Ah, someone vomited again."
"It's okay, it's okay, managed to hold on till we got off."
Ye Nai held her breath, carefully avoiding the chaotic crowd, cautiously not stepping on any vomit on the ground, and walked out of the bus station towards a nearby bus stop.
After waiting at the bus stop for a while, groups of students from various schools congregated. Ye Nai also stood with her classmates, chatting about the day's work while waiting for the bus.
"Ah, I can't do it, my muscles are so sore and uncomfortable, I might not make it tomorrow."
"Same here, if you ask me to walk a few more steps now, I can't even lift my legs."
"My muscles are all stiff, look at me walk, I'm like a puppet."
"So, many people can't make it tomorrow?"
"If you're tired, just rest. It's only the first day, how can you expect us to go from newbies to experts in one day?"
"Exactly, exactly, these two months are for us to adapt. If we handle it, we keep going; if not, better to find another way early."
"Yeah, right."
"Ye Nai, are you coming tomorrow?"
"Depends if I can get out of bed tomorrow." Ye Nai was fine herself but still made a wry face to fit in.
"Hahaha, same here, I'm just powering through; looking forward to diving into bed as soon as I get home, no one disturb me."
While they joked, various buses arrived one after another, and the students said their goodbyes as they parted ways.
Ye Nai took the bus to a large supermarket two streets away from home, having earned a bit of money today, which was perfect for buying some personal daily necessities.
It wasn't just about shopping, but also about delaying her return home.
Due to an unexpected event, she finished work early. By the time she reached the bus station, it was just past four. If she went straight home, she would definitely face a day's worth of chores waiting for her.
She really didn't want to go back and do chores.
This nationwide chain supermarket offered plenty of member-priced goods, which actually just encouraged customers to register as members. Previously, supermarket shopping was mainly her mother's responsibility, but this time Ye Nai was getting a membership for herself for the first time.
She first went to the large counter to get a membership and received a small card with a barcode tied to her mobile number, then entered the supermarket to wander around. She strolled for over an hour, purchasing new toothbrushes, towels, underwear, and sanitary products, as well as some groceries.
The vegetable money her mother gave her during the two days her father was in the hospital still had a balance, and of course, she intended to use it up. That money was meant to be spent on the household. Public matters were public, and private matters were private; she was clear about that distinction.
She even bought a sturdy canvas bag from the supermarket to use as a shopping bag.
As she took a shortcut home after leaving the supermarket, and passed through an area without surveillance, she pulled a slightly yellow, curled-up leaf from the bag into her Space to see if the Fungus inside would decompose it.
If it indiscriminately decomposed any organic material put into it, then she could not place any unwrapped food in this Space.
On her way home, while waiting for the elevator at her building, Ye Nai organized her items, placing the canvas bag and other personal things she paid for into the Space, and sneakily checked inside; the leaf was still perfectly intact, not missing even a corner.
Ye Nai felt a surge of happiness as she stepped lightly into the elevator.
Upon arriving at her front door and opening it, she first scanned the shoes on the floor—everyone was home—then immediately heard her mother's voice from the kitchen, scolding someone while she worked.
"Your big sister is back!"
There was no one in the living room; her father and two brothers were out, only her younger sister was there peeling beans. Hearing the commotion, she looked up, saw her big sister, and cheerfully flung herself at her.
"Hey, sweetie, take this."
The younger sister took the items from Ye Nai's hands and quickly ran into the kitchen and back out, not wanting to stay even a second longer.
"Ye Nai, as soon as you're back you need to start working!"
From the kitchen, her mother's voice roared like a lion. Ye Nai quickly changed into slippers while rolling up her sleeves and headed to the kitchen to wash her hands and take over from her mother.
Her mother, Yu Qing, came to the living room, instantly in a better mood, and said nothing even though her youngest daughter had only peeled half a bowl of beans. It seemed like her earlier anger in the kitchen had vanished. She sat down, opened her phone, and started peeling beans while browsing short videos.
Ye Nai glanced at the vegetables being washed in the sink and mentally planned the menu for dinner. In one hour, the family would be seated for dinner; the beans she had just finished peeling would be put in the fridge for tomorrow's meal.
At the dinner table, her younger siblings excitedly questioned their big sister about what the danger zone was like.
"The danger zone is just like what you see in the news, surrounded tightly by layers of electric fences, with armed warriors standing guard at every gate. But we ordinary people only work on the periphery, dragging garbage bags full of waste from the Awakeners to the garbage truck. Only Awakeners can enter the real danger zone."
"Big sister, is that work tiring?"
"Extremely tiring. Each bag weighs about a hundred kilos. We young adults who just came of age don't have that kind of strength. It takes two or three of us to lift one bag onto the trailer."
"Wow, that's so tiring. Are you going back tomorrow?"
"Of course. Carrying one bag earns two dollars. No matter what, I can make twenty dollars a day, and once I get used to it, I can earn even more."
"Doesn't that mean you have to go every day, without a single day of rest?"
"I'll definitely take breaks; I'll arrange them myself."
Ye Nai wasn't foolish. She had scheduled days off for herself based on her physiological needs, resting on those specific days each month and working the other days.
"Rest when you are tired. You young people have never done such heavy physical work before. If your body can't handle it and you force yourself, you'll just get hurt. Getting hurt means you can't earn money," her father Ye Yu chimed in.
"Okay, Dad." Ye Nai nodded obediently.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone