“Sis… let’s go back.”
Long Junlong glanced nervously toward the villa across the street, his voice shaking.
“Rong Yuxuan’s over there. He’s ruthless. We can’t afford to provoke him.”
Long Juanli shot him a vicious glare and lowered her voice.
“Shut up!”
“If we go back now, we’re both dead!”
“Zhao Hongbin made it very clear. If I can’t lure Lin Qingtang out within three days, he’ll throw both of us to the zombies.”
She clenched her teeth.
“Do you want those monsters tearing you apart bite by bite?”
Though anxiety filled her voice, her face quickly transformed back into the gentle, caring expression she always wore around Lin Qingtang.
“You just stand there and keep your mouth shut.”
“I’ll handle this.”
“Qingtang still treasures our friendship.”
“She’ll soften eventually.”
Long Junlong pursed his lips.
His face was ghostly pale.
Too frightened to argue, he quietly obeyed.
Long Juanli took a deep breath and wiped at her face.
Within seconds, her eyes had turned red.
Her expression became pitiful, helpless, and heartbroken.
She gently knocked on the villa gate.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The soft tapping echoed clearly through the silent night.
“Qingtang…”
“Are you inside?”
“It’s me… Juanli.”
Her voice was gentle, trembling with sobs.
Every word sounded heartbreakingly miserable.
“My brother and I were thrown out by Zhao Hongbin.”
“We have nowhere to go.”
“There are zombies everywhere outside.”
“We’re completely out of options.”
“Please…”
“For the sake of all the years we’ve been friends…”
“Open the door and let us stay inside.”
“Just for one night.”
“We’ll leave at dawn.”
“I promise we won’t cause you any trouble.”
Tears streamed continuously down her face.
Anyone watching would have found her impossible not to pity.
“What happened before was my fault.”
“I was blinded.”
“I shouldn’t have forced you to date my brother.”
“I know I was wrong.”
“I’m sincerely apologizing.”
“Please forgive me… just this once.”
…
Upstairs in the villa…
Lin Qingtang stood quietly behind the curtains.
Through a narrow gap, she watched everything happening outside.
At her feet, Abai sensed the malicious intentions of the visitors.
Its fur bristled.
A low growl rumbled deep in its throat as its front paws scraped against the floor, ready to leap forward and protect her at any moment.
Lin Qingtang lowered her head and gently stroked its fur.
“It’s okay, Abai.”
“I’m not going to let anyone hurt us ever again.”
Abai let out a quiet whine.
Though it calmed slightly, it refused to leave her side.
…
Across the street…
Rong Yuxuan stood silently by his window.
His eyes never left Lin Qingtang’s front gate.
Watching Long Juanli cry and put on her pitiful act, blue-white arcs of electricity crackled unconsciously around his fingertips.
Cold killing intent radiated from him.
He was worried.
Worried that Lin Qingtang might remember their old friendship…
Might soften…
Might fall into Long Juanli’s trap again.
Behind him, Li An gripped his sharpened steel spear tightly.
“Brother Xuan…”
“Should I go chase them away?”
“That woman is obviously up to no good.”
“If we let this continue, something’s bound to happen.”
Rong Yuxuan slowly shook his head.
His gaze remained fixed on the villa gate.
“No.”
“Qingtang can make her own decisions.”
“Let’s wait.”
…
Outside…
Long Juanli cried for a long time.
Yet no one opened the door.
Panic gradually crept into her heart.
She knocked harder.
Her sobs became even more desperate.
“Qingtang…”
“I know you’re still angry.”
“But you can’t just abandon me.”
“Can you really stand by and watch zombies eat me and my brother alive?”
“I truly know I was wrong.”
“Please…”
“Just give me one chance.”
As she cried, she reminisced about their university days.
The classes they had taken together.
The meals they’d shared.
Every memory was carefully chosen to stir Lin Qingtang’s emotions.
Beside her, Long Junlong stood with his head lowered.
Terrified.
Helpless.
Not daring to utter a single word.
…
Inside the villa…
Listening to Long Juanli’s fake sincerity…
Lin Qingtang felt nothing but disgust.
She walked slowly toward the window.
Then spoke coldly.
“Long Juanli.”
“You can stop acting.”
“I know exactly what’s going through your mind.”
Hearing her voice, Long Juanli’s heart leaped with joy.
Her face, however, remained pitiful.
Her tears flowed even harder.
“Qingtang…”
“You finally answered me.”
“I’m not pretending.”
“I really have nowhere else to go.”
“Please…”
“Open the door.”
Lin Qingtang laughed softly.
The sound carried nothing but ridicule.
“Nowhere to go?”
“Or are you upset because you couldn’t trick me into Zhao Hongbin’s hands?”
Long Juanli froze.
Panic flashed across her eyes.
She quickly forced another tearful smile.
“Qingtang…”
“How could you think that?”
“You’re my best friend.”
“I would never hurt you.”
“There must be some misunderstanding.”
“I’ve always been sincere with you.”
She looked utterly wronged.
As if she had suffered the greatest injustice imaginable.
“Sincere?”
Lin Qingtang’s voice instantly turned icy.
“So your sincerity was convincing your brother to steal my family’s fortune?”
“Or pushing me straight into Zhao Hongbin’s bed?”
“Long Juanli…”
“You’re still pretending?”
“Everything you’ve done…”
“I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
“Do you honestly think I’d ever trust you again?”
Long Juanli truly panicked now.
She couldn’t understand why Lin Qingtang spoke as though she already knew everything.
But she could clearly feel it.
Her schemes…
Had been seen through completely.
“I… I didn’t…”
“Qingtang…”
“You’ve misunderstood…”
“I never wanted to hurt you…”
Even her excuses became weak and unconvincing.
Lin Qingtang had no interest in wasting another second on someone so utterly hypocritical.
“Long Juanli.”
“This is the last time I’ll say it.”
“Take your brother.”
“Leave.”
“And never appear before me again.”
“Otherwise…”
“Don’t blame me for what happens.”
Seeing that pleading no longer worked, Long Juanli grew increasingly frantic.
She looked at the tightly shut villa gate.
Then at her trembling brother.
Hatred flashed through her eyes before disappearing once more.
Still unwilling to give up, she tried one final time.
“Qingtang…”
“I really never wanted to hurt you.”
“Please believe me…”
Lin Qingtang had already stopped listening.
She turned away.
Walked to the nearby table.
Picked up the hunting rifle she had prepared in advance.
With practiced ease, she chambered a round.
Lin Shaoan watched his daughter quietly.
He didn’t stop her.
Instead, he spoke calmly.
“Qingtang.”
“Do what your heart tells you.”
“Dad will always support you.”
She nodded.
Her expression was resolute.
Returning to the window, she pulled the curtain fully aside.
Then calmly raised the rifle.
Aimed straight outside.
Long Juanli was still begging.
Completely unaware that danger had already found her.
The next second…
Lin Qingtang pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Bang!
The deafening gunshot shattered the silence of the night.
Its echo rolled throughout the entire villa district.
The bullet sliced through the darkness.
It narrowly passed Long Juanli…
Before striking Long Junlong squarely in the thigh.
“AAAAAH!”
His scream tore through the night.
He collapsed to his knees instantly.
Blood burst from the wound, rapidly soaking his pants crimson.
It streamed down his leg…
Dripping onto the ground.
Long Juanli stood frozen.
For several seconds…
She couldn’t even process what had happened.
She stared at her brother writhing in agony.
Then slowly turned toward the villa.
The pitiful expression she’d been wearing completely shattered.
Only disbelief remained.
She had never imagined…
That Lin Qingtang would actually fire.
That she would truly shoot them.
“Lin Qingtang!”
“You shot us!”
“Do you have no conscience?”
“You’re trying to kill your best friend!”
Lin Qingtang lowered her rifle.
Her expression remained ice cold.
Without the slightest hint of regret.
“That shot…”
“Was only a warning.”
“If you still don’t know when to leave…”
“The next bullet…”
“Won’t hit his leg.”
Long Juanli looked at her brother’s agonized face.
Fear and hatred surged together inside her.
But she didn’t dare linger.
She knew today’s plan had completely failed.
Staying any longer would only make things worse.
Hands trembling uncontrollably, she crouched beside Long Junlong.
“Junlong!”
“How are you?”
“Don’t scare me…”
Long Junlong convulsed from the pain.
His face was deathly pale.
Cold sweat covered his forehead.
He couldn’t even answer.
Only continuous screams escaped his mouth.
Struggling to support her wounded brother, Long Juanli slowly stood.
She cast one final venomous look toward the villa.
Hatred burned deep within her eyes.
Yet she didn’t dare stop.
They were no match for Rong Yuxuan or Lin Qingtang.
For now…
Running was the only option.
Just as she was about to leave…
The roar of approaching engines suddenly echoed through the night.
Blinding headlights cut across the darkness.
Several SUVs sped toward them at high speed.
It was Zhao Hongbin.
He had arrived with reinforcements.
…
At almost the exact same moment the gunshot rang out…
Rong Yuxuan burst from his villa.
He sprinted straight toward Lin Qingtang’s gate.
Without hesitation, he planted himself firmly before it.
His body became a shield protecting the entrance.
His cold gaze locked onto Long Juanli and her brother.
The murderous aura surrounding him exploded outward.
Only after confirming that Lin Qingtang was unharmed did he turn toward the approaching convoy.
His expression darkened further.
Moments later…
Several SUVs screeched to a stop nearby.
Zhao Hongbin climbed out first.
More than a dozen men followed him, carrying machetes and steel pipes.
Their faces were full of hostility.
Zhao Hongbin immediately spotted Long Junlong lying on the ground, clutching his bleeding leg.
Then his eyes shifted to Rong Yuxuan standing protectively before the villa.
His face darkened instantly.
Spitting the cigarette from his mouth, he glared viciously.
“So…”
“It’s you again.”
“You’ve got some nerve.”
“You keep hurting my people.”
“I think you’re tired of living.”
Rong Yuxuan slowly lifted his eyes.
There wasn’t the slightest trace of fear.
Blue-white lightning crackled around his fingertips once again.
The pressure radiating from him intensified.
An unavoidable clash…
Was about to begin.