I will handle it

"This... is a dual thunder and fire mutation!"

Hannah Walsh was shocked, but she wasn't the only one. Even Liam Bennett hadn't expected Jack Sullivan to awaken two powers at once.

He quickly waved at Jack, who was still surrounded by heat and electricity.

"Brother Jack, hurry into the bathroom! Your powers might not hurt you, but they could injure people or damage everything around you. Since you've got fire as well, you can't go back to the bedroom. Get into the bathroom now!"

Jack was already feeling dizzy from the intense heat. The moment Liam finished speaking, he hurried towards the bathroom.

Liam followed him, turned on the shower and immediately stepped outside, closing the door behind him.

Standing outside, he called through the door.

"Stay calm! Water can put out fire and conduct electricity, so be careful with how you handle your powers. Brother Jack, keep your mind clear and stay rational. If you lose control, you could destroy the entire apartment or even damage the building!"

Offensive abilities could be terrifyingly destructive, especially rare dual mutations like Jack's.

Although Liam hadn't encountered many people with such abilities in his previous life, he had heard plenty of stories about them.

People with powerful offensive abilities were highly sought after everywhere. Even official organisations sometimes depended on them.

"Don't worry. I can control it. But you and Hannah should move away from the door. If things get out of hand, go downstairs first."

Jack sat beneath the showerhead, allowing the water to pour over him. Flames and lightning continued to surround most of his body.

Even with the water running, he felt as though he were burning from the inside out.

He had expected his hair to catch fire, but strangely enough, it remained untouched.

His mind was still clear, and he felt confident that he could maintain control over his powers. Nevertheless, he couldn't help worrying about what might happen if he lost control.

"No, I'm staying right here," Liam replied firmly.

He dragged over a chair and sat outside the bathroom door.

He believed in Jack.

Hannah had also calmed down by now. She pulled up another chair and sat beside Liam.

"We're both staying right here," she called towards the bathroom. "If you feel like you're losing control, remember that your partner and your right hand woman are waiting outside."

Liam blushed slightly at her blunt words but chose not to respond.

Instead, he took the opportunity to explain superpower awakenings to her. He showed her several strange news reports he had collected and told her about the nightmares he had been experiencing recently.

He kept the explanation brief, touching only on the most important details before concluding.

"They say there are always warning signs before a great disaster. I believe these strange events are one of them."

After witnessing Jack's superpower awakening with her own eyes, Hannah found it difficult to dismiss Liam's explanation.

When she remembered how Jack had tolerated Liam's excessive stockpiling and had even helped him gather supplies, everything suddenly made sense.

She nodded thoughtfully.

"I understand now."

Then she raised her voice towards the bathroom.

"Jack, the training exercise and all the supply stockpiling... this was all because of the coming disaster, wasn't it?"

Jack didn't deny it.

"Some things don't need to be said aloud. Hannah, I hope tonight's events, including Liam's dreams and everything we've done to prepare, stay between the three of us for now."

Hannah waved a hand dismissively.

"I understand. Whether the apocalypse happens or not, spreading this kind of information would only bring trouble. We need to look after ourselves first, respect other people's choices and help others only when we're able to."

The fact that Jack and Liam had trusted her enough to include her in their plans already meant a great deal to her.

"Exactly! I'm glad you understand, Sister Hannah."

Liam finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Smart people were easy to deal with. He had been worried about how Hannah might react because some people were too soft hearted. During chaotic times, misplaced kindness could easily get someone killed.

Hannah seemed to guess what he was thinking. She smiled brightly and waved her hand.

"Don't worry. I'm not some bleeding heart. Whether we're living in peaceful times or in the middle of a disaster, anyone who puts misplaced kindness ahead of their own priorities is asking for trouble."

"Exactly."

Liam chuckled in agreement.

He had nothing against kindness or compassion. What he couldn't stand were people who made reckless decisions and then guilt tripped others into sharing the consequences.

People could do whatever they wanted with their own lives. They could take as many risks as they pleased.

But as long as they didn't drag him or the people he cared about into their mess, he had no problem with it.

After that, Liam answered Hannah's remaining questions while they waited for Jack to finish merging with his new powers.

Inside the bathroom, the sound of running water mixed with the constant crackle of electricity. Occasionally, flickering flames could be seen through the gap beneath the door.

However, since Jack remained conscious and seemed to be maintaining control, neither Liam nor Hannah became overly worried.

After eating something, they returned to organising the supplies.

As they worked, Hannah remarked that they would need to visit the shops again the following day. She also urged the other team members to hurry with their own preparations.

Another two hours passed.

By the time midnight approached, Jack's condition had finally stabilised.

He asked Hannah to return home, gather as many supplies as possible the next day and then remain indoors.

"Got it. Call me if anything happens, Liam."

Now that the situation was under control, Hannah knew there was little point in staying any longer.

After reminding Liam to be careful, she gathered her belongings and left.

The apartment became quiet.

Still surrounded by occasional flickers of fire and electricity, Jack turned towards Liam.

"Nian Nian, go and sleep in the room next door. There's no need to wait for me."

"No. I'm not tired."

Liam refused to budge.

His boyfriend had awakened superpowers, and not just ordinary ones. He had become a dual ability user!

Liam was far too excited to sleep.

"Fine."

Jack finally gave in.

"Rest if you get tired. Otherwise, tell me more about those dreams of yours."

"Alright. After the zombies appeared, more disasters followed. The first was extreme cold..."

Liam found some snacks and settled down to explain everything he could remember from his previous life.

He described the disasters he had witnessed, the rumours he had heard and the terrible experiences he had endured.

Since Jack already believed his prophetic dreams were genuine, there was little reason to hide the details any longer.

Jack listened attentively until his eyelids began to droop.

Eventually, he told Liam that he was going to rest for a while. Leaning against the bathroom wall, he closed his eyes.

Despite the sparks and lightning still travelling across his body, the initial discomfort had gradually faded.

Instead, he felt an unusual sense of comfort, as though every part of his body were being strengthened and refined.

It reminded him of the body tempering described in cultivation novels.

Liam dragged an armchair closer and settled into it.

He hadn't intended to sleep, but exhaustion eventually caught up with him.

When he woke again, it was already past five in the morning. The first light of dawn was beginning to appear outside.

He glanced towards the bathroom.

It was completely silent.

The shower had been turned off, and there were no more flames or sparks of electricity.

His sleepiness disappeared instantly as he jumped to his feet.

"Brother Jack! How are you feeling?"

After a brief pause, Jack's voice came from inside.

"I'm fine. Bring me some clothes from the bedroom."

"Okay! Just a moment!"

Liam hurried into the room next door and fetched a suit and shirt.

Jack's wardrobe was fairly monotonous because of his work. He usually wore formal clothes, so choosing an outfit was easy.

Just as Jack was getting dressed, Hannah burst into the apartment carrying breakfast.

"Damn it! I was so worried about you last night that I barely slept. Come out and let me see you, Jack!"

Jack stepped out of the bathroom.

Apart from looking slightly sharper and more energetic, he appeared almost exactly as he had before.

However, his gaze seemed more intense, and there was an unmistakable change in his overall presence.

Hannah looked him up and down before clicking her tongue.

"I honestly thought you'd come out of there completely bald."

Liam couldn't help laughing at the image of Jack losing all his hair.

"Even if Brother Jack went bald, he'd still be handsome."

Hannah rolled her eyes.

"Jesus! Is there anything you won't praise him for?"

She had assumed that Jack was the only one completely smitten with his partner.

Now she realised the two of them were equally hopeless. They really were a perfect match.

Under their astonished gazes, Jack turned his right palm upwards.

A small flame appeared above it.

With a thought, visible lightning spread across his entire hand before twisting together with the fire.

The two powers merged seamlessly, creating a spectacular display.

"Holy hell, Jack! That's incredible!"

Hannah's eyes practically sparkled.

If Liam hadn't been standing there, she probably would have abandoned every trace of her usual composure and shouted something along the lines of, "Mate, you're ridiculously overpowered!"

Liam was equally thrilled.

He had never expected Jack to be among the first people to awaken superpowers, much less to possess such a rare dual element mutation.

No wonder Jack had become so successful in their previous life!

Liam was so happy that he nearly teared up.

With a boyfriend this powerful, nobody would be able to bully him anymore.

More importantly, they wouldn't have to worry nearly as much about protecting their supplies.

After demonstrating his abilities, Jack began explaining the changes he had experienced since awakening.

His senses had become sharper, he no longer seemed sensitive to heat, and his body felt as though it were filled with an entirely new source of strength.

Hannah stared at him with undisguised envy.

"Jack, when you start ruling the streets, take me with you!"

She was practically drooling with excitement.

After witnessing a superpower awakening firsthand, she felt as though she had secured herself a valuable advantage before the apocalypse even began.

Jack nodded.

"Alright. But your priority today is gathering supplies before dark. Tell the others to hurry as well, and make sure you get extra cold weather clothing."

His expression became serious.

"Once the rain begins, nobody goes outside unless I give permission. You know what to do. Liam and I have other things to take care of, so we'll discuss everything else later."

"No worries, Jack. I'll handle it!"

Hannah immediately pulled out her phone and began calling the other team members.

As a capable assistant, organising the team's preparations was well within her abilities.