Derek noticed the movement. He turned his head, dropped the cigarette butt on the ground, and crushed it out with his toe, then leaned down close to Clara’s face. Their faces were only a few inches apart. His scent, mixed with tobacco and blood, washed over her.
“Awake?”
“You...”
Clara’s mind went blank.
How is that possible?! How did he find me? I clearly had him...
Derek seemed to see right through her thoughts, a mocking curve tugging at his lips.
“Surprised? Let’s just say your guard isn’t good enough.”
As he spoke, his gaze drifted to Clara’s chest. Because of the way she was tied up, the full curve of her breasts looked even more obvious. Derek swallowed hard, but he quickly looked away, forcing himself to stay calm for now. This woman... no rush.
Clara noticed his gaze too, her eyes filling with humiliation and fury. She knew exactly what might happen next. Men know men best. Derek seemed to relish that look in her eyes. He lifted her chin gently with his fingertip, a playful smile on his face.
“Nice look. Like a pissed-off panther. Too bad your claws aren’t sharp enough.”
“Don’t touch me!” Clara turned her head away in disgust.
“Heh.” Derek withdrew his hand and straightened up. “Let’s talk.”
“I have nothing to say to you.” Clara snapped. “If you have the guts, just kill me quick.”
“End you?” Derek shook his head. “Killing you would be a waste, and besides...”
His gaze returned to Clara’s chest, and he flashed a wicked smile. That look made Clara’s face burn. Extreme shame and fury tangled together. That bastard. He didn’t just...
“You... you fucking... touched me?”
Derek shook his head. “Don’t worry. I won’t touch you now, and I won’t hurt you. I want to know what your talent is. Why do you look so weak, yet always manage to catch people off guard?”
Clara let out a breath of relief, then raised an eyebrow and smiled.
“Want to know? Kneel down and beg me. Maybe if I’m in a good mood, I’ll tell you.”
“Still talking tough.” Derek scoffed. “You don’t seem to understand your situation.”
“Now, you have three choices. One, obey. Two, die. Three, I play with you until you die.”
Hearing that, Clara gritted her teeth and cursed.
“If you’ve got the guts, kill me. I’d rather die than be your tool.”
“Oh, really?” Derek grinned and pressed the entrenching tool a little harder. Bright red blood seeped from her neck.
Feeling the cold and stinging pain, Clara’s pupils contracted. She had never imagined the man in front of her would actually go for the kill.
“W-wait... wait a second.” Clara shouted hurriedly.
She didn’t want to die. She wanted to live. She had just arrived in this world and hadn’t even begun to pursue her ambitions. How could she die like this? Looking at Clara’s face go pale, Derek knew the timing was right.
“Now, are you going to obey?” He smiled coldly. “Obey me well, and I can keep you alive through the zombie tide seven days from now. Now, answer me. Be my tool, or... die?”
Clara stared at him hard, but inside, she smiled faintly.
Heh. You think I’m a milk-producing tool? Dream on. I’ll soften up first, and the second I get a chance, I’ll kill you.
A few seconds later, she snorted coldly and turned her head away.
“Fine.”
At the same time, the corner of her mouth curled into a barely noticeable smile. Derek felt a flicker of doubt. This little firecracker agreed just like that? Still, he smiled like a victor. She was just a woman. So what if she had some control ability? Besides, teaming up would stop her from attacking him. More importantly, her talent was pretty good. She could heal, control, and...
As long as he kept intimidating her while also offering protection and sharing supplies, she would surely learn to obey him.
“Good.”
Then he used the entrenching tool to cut the ropes binding Clara. The instant they came loose, Clara sat up sharply and aimed a kick straight at his crotch. But Derek, already prepared, dodged it easily and frowned.
“You want to go back on your word?”
Seeing the kick miss, Clara snorted, rubbed her numb wrists, and spoke in a cold voice.
“I’m driving my own car. I don’t like being with men. Even if you kill me right now, I’m not getting in your car.”
Derek looked at her prickly attitude and actually found it somewhat amusing. After all his years working as a mercenary, this was the first time he had met a woman like her.
“Fine.”
He sent a team invite. Clara accepted, said nothing more, just gave him a cold glance, then stood up and got ready to leave. Looking at the car nearby, she didn’t know if it was hers. If it wasn’t, she would want to die. Read this novel at novelping(.)com for the best experience.
Then Derek spoke up.
“Give me a cup of that milk you’re selling. I’ll trade you 30 Iron Ingot for it.”
He had seen the chat in the Chat Channel, but he still wasn’t sure if the High-Energy Milk sold on the Trading Platform was hers. Clara whipped her head around and glared at him. A deal was a deal, no matter who it was with. And how could she pass up a chance to screw him over?
“30? In your dreams. At least 60.”
“Deal.”
Clara paused. He agreed that easily? She didn’t think twice. She opened her friends list and traded over 3.4 ounces of milk. Looking at the cup icon on the Trading Platform, Derek grinned.
“So the milk sold on the Trading Platform really is yours, Big Red!”
Hearing that, Clara paused, then quickly figured it out.
“You tricked me?”
Derek put up the supplies, clicked accept, took a sip of milk, and spoke unhurriedly.
“You said it yourself. All’s fair in war.”
“You fucking...” Clara’s cheeks flushed. “Fine, you win,” she said angrily.
Watching her angry back as she left, Derek laughed inwardly.
She really is a little hedgehog. This milk is pretty good, too. Still, that counts as step one.
A moment later, he felt a faint itch at his wound. He uncovered it and saw the wound healing fast. It didn’t hurt as much anymore, but it would still take a while to fully heal.
“A really nice skill. No wonder she’s so careful.”
Leaning against the car, Derek lit a cigarette, his gaze following Clara’s back while he replayed the past few days in his mind. In the supermarket, when she faced that man and woman, she was vicious and ruthless, wiping them out root and branch without a second’s hesitation. But out on the highway, she clearly had a chance to kill that woman, and after the trade she just let her go. Derek blew out a smoke ring, a flash of understanding and appreciation in his eyes.
“This woman... Her rule for who lives and who dies has nothing to do with good or evil. It’s about how much hostility someone has toward her.”
“I’m probably just a bad man in her eyes. But then, I am one. After all, women love a bad boy.”
Watching Clara’s back, Derek muttered,
“What a waste. A bombshell like that, but her personality’s like a guy’s. Still, her body... damn...”