VHBF -Chapter 136 The Bigshot Researcher Daddy (Extra 4)

The ability-user team on the right looked utterly dumbfounded. They had received two words from the Great Demon King: “useless.”

Meanwhile, the group on the left—the ones who were truly considered useless—received the Great Demon King’s satisfied nod, along with two words: “Not bad.”

???

The ordinary people who had been praised were overwhelmed by the favor, staring at the man on the high platform throne in disbelief.

What did he say?

What did he praise them for?

So he wasn’t going to make an example of them—he was praising them instead?

Mo Linqing said, “The Destruction Base accepts anyone who has skills and abilities. What I mean is ability and technical skill—not superpowers.”

“If necessary, I can prepare a serum for anyone to turn you into ability users. The premise is that you must satisfy me.”

The moment these words fell, the ordinary people erupted. A middle-aged man in his forties trembled as he mustered the courage to ask, “R-really?”

“Why? Y-you… what do you want us to do?”

At this moment, who cared that the man before them was the one who had single-handedly led to the destruction of the world? All they knew was that from today onward, they might be accepted by the Destruction Base—food, shelter, and, more importantly, the possibility of becoming ability users!

Abilities—since the apocalypse began, they had been the deepest desire in the hearts of ordinary people. They felt inferior because of their lack of power, yet desperately longed for it, envying those strong ones who possessed abilities.

So today, what had they heard?!

Mo Linqing grabbed the restless little kid who was crawling all over the place, lifted her onto his lap, pressed a hand to her little head, and said, “Don’t forget, the reason your bodies mutated in the first place came from my Z virus. So is it really strange that I can make you develop abilities?”

After an unknown length of silence, tens of thousands of ordinary people in the square erupted into cheers, casting aside fear and inferiority, screaming excitedly on the spot.

“Commander! Commander!”

“Long live the Commander!”

“We’re willing to join the Destruction Base—we’re willing!”

“Commander, I used to run a restaurant. I can cook all kinds of cuisines—does that count as having ability?”

“Commander, I can raise pigs!”

“I can make clothes! As long as you give me a sewing machine, I can make anything!”

“Wuwuwu… can I really join the Destruction Base and become an ability user?”

“From today on, do we really not have to be bullied anymore?”

Tens of thousands of people were cheering, shouting, and celebrating. The scene was extraordinarily heated and shocking.

The ability-user team stood there stunned.

Weren’t only those with abilities considered capable?

Weren’t they the strong ones?

Then why was Mo Linqing settling for these useless ordinary people instead?

And… could this Great Demon King really have a serum that could give ordinary people abilities?

Several high-ranking members of the base exchanged glances, all seeing the same disbelief and wariness in each other’s eyes.

When it came to Mo Linqing, no matter how highly they estimated him, he still managed to exceed expectations.

This day was a carnival for the majority of ordinary people across the world—the luckiest day they had had since the apocalypse began. They now had a chance to obtain work and protection without relying on abilities.

They even had a chance to possess those distant, unattainable abilities!

No more going hungry, no more being bullied—they, too, could become strong!

Watching the carnival of tens of thousands in the square, aside from the ability users present, the unhappiest people were the “original residents” of the Destruction Base.

They followed the Commander, unilaterally devoted, yet in truth they weren’t especially favored by him.

Now that the Commander no longer wanted to destroy the world and was suddenly taking in so many people into the city, would there still be a place for them in his eyes in the future?

Those who worshipped and followed Mo Linqing were never ordinary, normal people by conventional standards.

Among them were mad scientists from all over the world who fanatically idolized Mo Linqing; there were also people who had been struggling in desperate situations before the apocalypse—after the end of the world, they were instead liberated and reborn. There were even some outright eccentrics who pursued excitement and power, believing Mo Linqing to be incredibly cool—the king of the world.

Precisely because their worship of the Commander was so extreme it bordered on brainless fandom, watching helplessly as he was about to accept tens of thousands of alluring newcomers to compete for favor—and perhaps even more in the future—these lackeys were unhappy, gazing resentfully at the man on the throne.

Yinyin glanced around, covered her mouth, and snickered as she tattled to her dad, “Daddy, those uncles are looking at you so strangely!”

Her voice was small, but because of how the venue had been arranged, there were loudspeakers near the high platform and throne. Her words instantly carried across.

The lackeys: “……”

Sure, the kid the Commander had picked up did call him “Daddy,” but… she didn’t have to be this arrogant, right?!

Couldn’t she at least speak a little quieter?

After things dispersed, the survivors who hadn’t been allowed to stay were “escorted” out. Even when they stepped outside the city gates, they still hadn’t quite come back to their senses, instinctively turning to look back into the city.

Tens of thousands of people were still standing in the square—mostly ordinary people with skills—faces flushed with excitement, crowding together and unwilling to leave.

The ability users felt an indescribable bitterness. After being high and mighty for so long, they were suddenly told that ordinary people could also be useful—that those people had been accepted by the Great Demon King and even earned his appreciation.

And they were the ones being disliked and driven out.

The Great Demon King had even said that he was willing to provide serums to outstanding ordinary people, allowing them to gain abilities.

It was simply too fantastical!

Whether it was true or not, the ability users were unwilling to believe it.

Just like how they were willing to believe that Mo Linqing could produce a virus capable of destroying the entire world—yet were unwilling to believe that Mo Linqing could, just as easily, give ordinary people abilities.

Today was absolutely a carnival for ordinary people—absolutely!

They were so overjoyed that some even couldn’t help kneeling and bowing toward the now-empty throne, after the one holding Yinyin had already left.

“If this is real, I’m willing to forgive him! Truly!”

“How the world was destroyed—what does it even matter anymore? Right now I just want to eat one full meal!”

“I just want a superpower, any kind will do, so I can beat the living crap out of those bastards who bullied me back then!”

In truth, these ordinary people had genuinely envied the Destruction Base and Mo Linqing’s followers.

Everyone knew that although Mo Linqing was ruthless and terrifying, his notoriety was known worldwide. His lackeys and subordinates—though few—had all stuck to him of their own accord. Mo Linqing had never openly acknowledged them, but undeniably, those who followed him lived very well. When they went out, people feared them; what they ate, wore, and used was no worse than before the apocalypse—sometimes even better.

That was enough to make anyone jealous.

To live—arrogant and unrestrained—with food and drink—who wouldn’t want that?

Yinyin tugged on her daddy’s hair and protested unhappily, “I don’t want to!”

Mo Linqing laughed. “No—you do.”

“Come here.”

Yinyin put her hands behind her back and shook her little head hard. “No, no, no! Daddy, you’re bad!”

“You’re bullying Yinyin again!”

Mo Linqing’s smile turned roguish, his mood exceedingly good. Even when he’d successfully destroyed the world as he wished, he hadn’t felt this happy. Looking at Yinyin’s wary little eyes, waves of delight rose in his chest, and he couldn’t help letting out a low, pleased laugh.

“Come here—one little cake,” he coaxed. Seeing her hesitate, he raised the stakes. “Strawberry flavor. With filling.”

Yinyin cautiously took a small step forward, torn between drooling over the strawberry-filled cake and staying alert.

Just now Daddy had tried to snatch her little backpack—that was prepared by Uncle System, filled with Yinyin’s little treasures, her portable mini-warehouse.

The Demon King Mo Linqing smiled gently and coaxed her, “Let Daddy take a look.”

“I’ll give it back to you after.”

Yinyin hesitated. “Really?”

“Tsk, brat—would I lie to you over a lousy backpack?”

“Daddy’s bad! It’s not a lousy backpack—it’s Yinyin’s good backpack!”

Mo Linqing took the pink little backpack and flipped through what was inside. To his surprise, he found an old photograph.

He had only wanted to tease the kid, enjoying her nervous, bristling little expression—but he hadn’t expected to see this photo.

This… a family portrait.

Mo Linqing recalled the host personality’s family. This was a photo taken when the host personality was still around—taken with the whole family.

It was from when his little niece was one month old, with the entire family together.

Mo Linqing narrowed his eyes, looking at the chubby baby in the photo, just a month old and cradled in the old man’s arms. Then he looked up at Yinyin not far away, little hands raised, demanding her backpack back.

Though she looked a bit different from when she was a month old, her features hadn’t changed much—the same facial outline could still be seen.

But if Mo Linqing remembered correctly, after the host personality’s brother and sister-in-law met with disaster, this child had gone missing?

So how did she appear here?

Mo Linqing had thought the Mo family was completely wiped out. How could it be such a coincidence—for this child to appear here?

She’d called him “Daddy” the moment they met—was it some mysterious blood-bond instinct?

Yinyin, innocent as she was, had no idea that the system—afraid she might be lost by the villain—had deliberately prepared that identity proof, inadvertently exposing who she was.

But to Yinyin, it made no difference. Because no matter what, in her heart, Daddy was Daddy!

Mo Linqing stared at the photo for a long while, then suddenly smiled. He’d never been one for conventions—whether she was a Mo or not, what did it matter?

If she was, then even better. Looking at Yinyin’s chubby little face, which shared some resemblance with his own brows and eyes, he thought—it wasn’t bad at all.

Kids—your own are always more fun.

As for the people who were left behind, arrangements were made for them to move into the residential area inside the city.

Rows upon rows of clean, spacious apartment buildings stood empty there. Each person received a home based on their skills. Even minors under eighteen—as long as they had corresponding skills—could obtain residency rights.

In the Destruction Base, there was no age, no gender, no distinction between ability users and ordinary people.

They only needed to serve one person—their supreme commander.

Before leaving, the lackey in charge of arrangements cast them a warning glance. “Behave yourselves. The commander likes capable people. Those who prove useless will be expelled. Don’t think that once you’re settled here, everything’s fine—there’s no such thing.”

“Rest assured, sir! We’ll work hard and contribute to the commander!” the crowd replied hurriedly, brimming with fighting spirit.

The lackey grew even more annoyed!

These damn fools!

The first thing Mo Linqing did was have his lackeys gather skilled tailors to form a garment factory—dedicated solely to making clothes for the kid.

Tsk. The padded jacket wrapped around the kid had been hacked together from his own clothes, crudely cut and altered. It was an eyesore.

Since she was a Mo family kid, how could she wear rags?

As the first garment factory of the Destruction Base was established and put into operation, the second, the third, and countless more factories followed.

Without exception, all were related to food, clothing, housing, and daily necessities. Even more oddly, their main business revolved around what children ate, used, lived in, and played with. Whatever adults could eat or use was just a byproduct.

This strange phenomenon puzzled many—until one day, when the commander toured the factories holding a child and proudly showed off his achievements.

Only then did everyone realize…

So the commander was willing to accept them, willing to develop the Destruction Base into such a flourishing, bustling place—comparable to pre-apocalypse times, with factories running smoothly and everyone having their own job—not for power or ambition…

But to raise a child?

The discovery left everyone laughing and crying at the same time.

And inevitably thinking—

Back then, the commander had once said he intended to release the legendary “Ten-Day Kneel” virus and take everyone down with him. Later, he changed his mind and led them to development instead.

Was it because of the commander’s daughter—the three-year-old little princess of the Destruction Base?

Some thoughts shouldn’t be dwelled on. Once your mind goes there, fear and relief follow.

Relief that such a child existed. Relief that because of her, the commander found joy in raising a child instead of tormenting others—so the world was spared. They didn’t have to die. They could live properly. And because of that, they were taken in, given jobs, food to eat—and slowly, their lives became no worse than before the apocalypse.

This child’s existence was truly wonderful.

People couldn’t help feeling grateful.

The Destruction Base thrived, bustling and prosperous. In just over half a month, ordinary people who had first entered with sallow faces and dead eyes now bustled with work, light and hope returning to their gaze.

With clear rewards and punishments, and scarce job opportunities, everyone worked hard—busy, fulfilled, and living well.

More than half a month had passed since that meeting. Although the ability users and top leaders from various bases who attended, for unspeakable reasons, hadn’t disclosed what happened at the ten-thousand-person conference, there’s no such thing as a wall that doesn’t leak.

Gradually, the news spread.

The king of the Destruction Base—Commander Mo Linqing—had opened the city gates to accept anyone with skills. Not just ability users—ordinary people had a chance too!

Those ordinary people lucky enough to attend the punitive assembly had already been retained, assigned jobs early on, and were living lives with housing, food, and drink!

There was even explosive news: Mo Linqing possessed a potion that could turn ordinary people into ability users. As long as he was willing, he could instantly turn you from a bullied, powerless nobody into a powerful ability user!

Mo Linqing had said it himself—work well for him, satisfy him, and he would bestow that miraculous potion.

Ordinary people around the world went mad upon hearing this, rushing toward the Destruction Base.

Whether it was true or not didn’t matter—such a chance couldn’t be missed!

Rather than struggle on the brink of death every day, better to gamble once!

Every day, countless people lined up at the gates of the Destruction Base. The guards couldn’t finish checking everyone even in a full day. If you wanted to enter the city the same day, you had to start lining up in the middle of the night—otherwise, you’d never reach your turn.