Expanding Network: Unexpected Connections

Chapter 18: Expanding Network:

Unexpected Connections

Back in his apartment, Alex reopened Twitch, surprised to see several new private messages alongside the one from Ladies' Man. A large population naturally meant a higher chance of awakened individuals and internet trolls. The internet's hot word function had effectively directed those searching for answers to his channel.

.....

Florida

A drenched figure emerged from the ocean, resembling a waterlogged ghost. Despite the dampness, his gaze burned with intensity as he focused on his phone screen. His search history revealed a frantic exploration: "magical talent," "delusional," "ability user," and "evolution."

This young man, Donald, had just experienced a life-altering event. He was the sole survivor of a capsized fishing boat, defying the odds. Now, a strange sensation pulsed within him. He reached out a hand, and droplets of water from the nearby sea coalesced into a shimmering orb.

The children playing nearby gaped at this spectacle. But the most baffling aspect was the attribute bar manifesting in his mind, a testament to his newfound abilities. Donald, still disoriented from his ordeal, didn't know what to believe.

He gazed at the vast ocean, a source of both livelihood and potential destruction. Now, he could manipulate this very element. A flurry of online searches led him to a peculiar website: "Ability Users Sticker."

The website's greeting resonated with Donald: "Congratulations to ability users who can find and enter this sticker and understand its meaning. I believe that in the next time, the ability users who can appear here will become extremely brilliant beings in the future!" Below it, a single name stood out – "Monarch of Lightning."

Donald's lips trembled. Condensing water and escaping the sea had left him shaken, but now, hope flickered in his eyes. This Monarch of Lightning might hold the answers he desperately sought. He sent a message detailing his experiences, his heart pounding with anticipation.

Within twenty minutes, a reply arrived: "[Monarch: click this link to direct you to chat group ability users]."

Chat group? He clicked, a wave of mental fatigue washing over him as he was welcomed into the fold: "[you have joined ability user chat group]."

Donald felt a surge of relief at finally finding others like him, a chance to understand his transformation. But to his surprise, there were only two other members besides himself. He refrained from speaking immediately, observing the group rules:

"This group aims to provide a communication platform for gifted talent/ability users! Members of the group are not allowed to insult each other at will (conflict can be realistically resolved)! Members of the group are not allowed to ask others for their real-world information! To become powerful enough to face what's to come, to protect yourself and those you want to protect in the foreseeable future! Please do your best to become stronger and live!"

These two short statements confirmed Donald's suspicions. The terrifying control over seawater wasn't a figment of his imagination.

Back in his apartment, Alex noticed another message and shared the link. He'd foreseen the possibility of non-ability users reaching out and taken steps to prevent it. His control over electricity, coupled with his talent tree's mental parasite branch, though not unlocked allowed him to create a link imbued with a miniscule electric shock. Upon clicking, it would scan the user's mental capacity. Talent users, like Alex, possessed a denser mental structure compared to ordinary humans. He'd focused his mental energy to code the scan and link them upon exceeding the threshold. A bead of sweat trickled down his face when he finished the complex process.

.....

Now, with three members, the group felt a little empty. Just then, his phone rang – Mayor Michael. Seems he'd recovered from the shock rather quickly.