2: Just when you are about to get rich, the zombie virus comes

Tian Ming took a deep breath and quickly calmed down, realizing he could see microscopic particles with his naked eye.

Water molecules consist of only two elements: hydrogen and oxygen. He still remembered his middle school physics class when his teacher used electrolysis to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water.

The physics teacher had said that whoever could invent a catalyst to produce hydrogen would become the richest person in the world.

This was because over seventy percent of Blue Star's surface was covered by oceans, which signified an endless supply of energy.

Tian Ming smiled, “If only I could spontaneously decompose water molecules. In that case, I would be the future richest person in the world.”

With a thought, the molecular bonds of the water molecules broke, and the water in the cup instantly boiled. In no time, the cup was completely empty.

“Holy crap, it really works?!”

Tian Ming was ecstatic; he could directly turn water into hydrogen and oxygen with just his mind, without any energy. This meant he would have endless money in the future.

Unable to hide his excitement, Tian Ming poured another glass of water and pulled out a lighter. He needed to verify if he could truly decompose water out of thin air.

The water in the cup began to boil violently again. Tian Ming excitedly reached out his hand towards the top of the cup and pressed the lighter!

A flame suddenly erupted. Hydrogen and oxygen mixed with fire could only result in one thing…

Boom!

A deafening blast directly sent Tian Ming flying.

The sudden explosion, mixed with glass shards, left Tian Ming’s face covered in blood.

A burning pain spread across his face, but the pain only lasted for a few tens of seconds before rapidly subsiding. His bloody and disfigured face was rapidly self-repairing.

In just over ten seconds, before he had even recovered from his shock, the wounds on his face had completely healed.

It seemed he could not only control microscopic particles but also possessed healing and regeneration abilities, much like Deadpool.

The wild joy in his heart could no longer be suppressed. Tian Ming excitedly shouted. He had been working alone for years, earning money, and had been bullied quite a bit. Tian Ming knew that it would never happen again; his hard days were over.

He had learned in textbooks that energy is conserved. But his ability to break molecular bonds with his mind already violated the laws of physics. Physics had failed him.

The most urgent task was to figure out what his matter manipulation abilities were. For several days, Tian Ming locked himself at home, experimenting with his abilities, forgetting to eat and sleep. After a week of experiments, he had a clear understanding.

His matter manipulation abilities could primarily be summarized into three points.

First, he could reorganize everything, but it required raw materials.

If there was carbon dioxide and water in the air, he could directly use the air to spontaneously reorganize simple things like alcohol, methanol, and methane. He could also change their states: gaseous, liquid, or even solid.

Second: He could change elements. Online alchemy claims that removing one proton from the nucleus of element 80, mercury, would turn it into element 79. Element 79 is gold.

To perform this experiment, he transformed the mercury from his household mercury thermometer into gold. With his mind, he pulled out one proton from the nucleus of a mercury element and then radiated it away.

Finally, there was item replication. After multiple experiments, this required physical contact with the sample to be replicated. However, it couldn't be replicated if there weren't enough raw materials.

For example, to replicate a kitchen knife, Tian Ming needed to have enough iron element and carbon around him. The main component of a kitchen knife is iron, and the handle is plastic. Plastic is mainly a high-molecular compound, with complex ingredients. This replication ability is very useful.

Tian Ming felt like an elemental manipulation mage. He also discovered that his control radius was five meters. All matter within a five-meter radius was under his control. However, living organisms could not be controlled, not even bacteria. Organisms that had completely lost their life force could be controlled. He didn't understand why.

Looking at the poop in the toilet, Tian Ming held a soft bun in his hand and began to replicate a soft bun using the poop as raw material.

Among all the abilities he had discovered, the speed of replication was the fastest. As long as there were enough elements within the five-meter radius, it could basically be replicated in the blink of an eye.

Moreover, once an item was replicated once, a sample was no longer needed.

During these days of experimentation, he stayed at home, not going out. He replicated a dozen bags of dried noodles, but he dared not eat the replicated ones, opting for those he had bought himself.

Tian Ming also found that changing elements, such as hydrogen aggregating into helium, did not produce a fusion energy reaction.

This was good, though; if such fusion had an energy reaction, he would surely be blown to smithereens.

Tian Ming was very excited. It was now confirmed that physics no longer applied to him. He would have a good night's sleep, and tomorrow he would go to the supermarket to accumulate samples. Then he would open a shop, no longer needing to stock inventory. It would be a zero-cost business, step by step towards becoming the richest person in the world.

Tian Ming was not a fool; his abilities could not be exposed for now. Otherwise, he might be caught and dissected. He would develop discreetly, and once he was powerful and had a say, no one would dare to capture him even if his abilities were exposed.

Tian Ming lay on his bed, closed his eyes, and fantasized about his wonderful future as a rich man.

Just as dawn was breaking, a commotion from downstairs woke Tian Ming. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and got up.

“Virus spreading, please self-isolate, do not go out. The neighborhood committee will ensure everyone’s supplies.” A loudspeaker downstairs was repeatedly broadcasting this message.

He opened the window and looked downstairs. There was a banner in the community, but not a single person was outside. In the distance, on the street, several armed personnel were patrolling with loaded guns.

“What’s going on?” Tian Ming asked, puzzled.

He turned on the TV, and several news reports were looping on the news channel:

“Areas around the world affected by the gaia ultraman fragments have seen a new type of viral infection. This virus is somewhat contagious. Residents in affected areas are advised to stay indoors and patiently await the all-clear notice.”

“This station reports that due to gaia ultraman being shattered and losing a significant amount of mass, global tides have been severely impacted again. Atmospheric circulation anomalies will persist for eight to ten years. Experts predict extreme weather in localized areas over the next decade.”

“Virus control in the Americas has failed. As of August 10th, the Americas have fallen into a state of paralysis. It is reported that this virus erodes the nervous system, turning people into walking corpses.”

Bang! Bang!

There was a heavy knocking sound at the door. Tian Ming opened it to find Granny Liu standing outside, her face sallow, as if she hadn't slept well.

“Tian Ming, I’m out of rice. I came to borrow some.”

Granny Liu seemed off. Her eyes darted around, and as soon as she finished speaking, without waiting for Tian Ming’s reply, she walked directly into the house and started rummaging in the kitchen.

Looking at the empty rice bucket, Granny Liu seemed a bit flustered, no longer having her usual arrogant demeanor.

“My grandson Xiao Yu is hungry, and he’s eaten everything in the house. Do you have anything else, could you give me some?”

The old woman’s face showed a pleading expression, and she tremblingly pulled out a hundred-yuan bill from her pocket.

Tian Ming wondered why the old woman had suddenly become so polite.

“Granny Liu, what’s going on downstairs? What virus outbreak? I saw people with guns patrolling the streets.”

“No, nothing. Tian Ming, I was wrong before. Take this money, just give me some food.”

Tian Ming opened the upper cabinet, which was full of the dried noodles he had replicated. Since he wasn't short on food, he gave Granny Liu a dozen bags of dried noodles.

Granny Liu’s eyes instantly reddened, and she quickly said, “Thank you, thank you!”

With that, she hugged the noodles and went downstairs, muttering distractedly as she walked, “Xiao Yu, Grandma will make you noodles. You can’t bite your own hand anymore.”

The protagonist's full ability spectrum will slowly be revealed. Don't rush. Don't skip chapters. The development of his abilities depends on the protagonist's understanding. Give him 30 chapters to grow.