“Woof woof woof!”
It was the first time Xiao Bai had shown such aggression. Normally it lay lazily in the yard basking in the sun, never even lifting its head no matter who came by.
“Ahhh, sir, there is a mutated beast!”
The two men were scared out of their wits and stumbled backward in retreat.
“Useless trash!” Pi San, who had seen Xiao Bai before, shouted angrily. “What mutated beast? You are scared of a dog? How did the base end up raising two wastes like you!”
Yuan Gaofei’s expression was so dark that even the woman clinging to him felt uneasy. He himself had been startled at first, then immediately felt as if he had been mocked.
How could he tolerate that? Gaofei Base was still under his command.
“San’er, you go.”
Pi San was startled by the order. He glanced at the squad behind him, unable to understand why Yuan Gaofei had singled him out.
Suppressing his humiliation, he cupped his fists and answered, “Yes.”
He clenched his teeth, restraining his emotions, afraid that his dissatisfaction might spill out if he lost control.
The woman cast him a strange look, then Yuan Gaofei pulled her close and asked, “What are you looking at?”
She giggled coyly. “Nothing. It is my first time seeing such a unique restaurant. I am just curious~”
Yuan Gaofei lowered his guard, though he still warned her, “Do not look at things you should not, understand?”
“I know. With you here, how could I look at anything else~” She coquettishly pecked his cheek, and only then did Yuan Gaofei smile in satisfaction.
Pi San had followed him out of prison during the early days of the apocalypse. His abilities were second only to Yuan Gaofei’s, making him a capable subordinate. Precisely because of that, Yuan Gaofei had always kept his guard up.
After all, none of them were good people. Betrayal was nothing unusual for men like them. He believed that if Pi San ever surpassed him in strength, he would not hesitate to seize everything from him.
People like them never truly trusted anyone.
“Sir, it is fine.”
Although Xiao Bai was still barking wildly, there were no other traps in the yard.
At that moment, Hua Yue came out. When she saw them, she sneered. “I was wondering why Xiao Bai, such a well behaved dog, was barking so happily today. Turns out it saw its own kind!”
“You bitch, what did you say?!”
There were no decent people in that group. Hua Yue’s single sentence instantly ignited their anger.
But Hua Yue was not the powerless slum resident who used to get driven out and swallow her words. Thinking of what He Lingyu had told her earlier, she straightened her back and asked, “You’ve all come in such numbers. What business do you have here?”
Yuan Gaofei cut in, “Enough nonsense. You’re not qualified to talk to me. Call your boss out.”
Hua Yue snorted. “Our boss says to let you in.”
In truth, He Lingyu had told them to come in from the start, but Hua Yue did not want these people dirtying the restaurant’s grounds.
Seeing how calm the restaurant’s people were, Yuan Gaofei could not read their intentions. But since they had come this far, not entering would make them look afraid.
“You’re their boss?” Yuan Gaofei was shocked. He did not show it on his face, but his heart surged like a storm.
He had not expected He Lingyu to be so young. Even though Pi San had mentioned it, Yuan Gaofei had not listened carefully or cared.
He also recognized the three beside her. He had seen them in the base before. He had even wanted to recruit them as subordinates to keep Pi San in check, but for some reason the leader, Mu Qingfeng, had been firm and left the base.
Yuan Gaofei had assumed Mu Qingfeng simply refused to bow to anyone.
Yet now Mu Qingfeng was here, in a small restaurant.
It seemed He Lingyu really was capable if she had managed to bring them all under her command.
He flexed his hand slightly, a fleeting trace of heat flashing across it.
He had great confidence in his own ability, and he did not think Pi San would lie about something like this. Both of them had sensed that the young boss had no powers. That meant she truly had none, unless her level surpassed both of theirs, which was clearly unlikely.
“I’ll give you a chance. If you hand the restaurant over to Gaofei Base, and you become my woman, I can consider sparing you all.”
Yuan Gaofei spoke with confidence. Even Pi San behind him widened his eyes in shock, clearly not expecting him to say something so outrageous after hearing his earlier description.
He Lingyu patted her ear, suspecting she had misheard. What did he just say?
Thinking that, she asked aloud, “What did you say?”
Yuan Gaofei actually thought she had not heard clearly and repeated himself.
Looking at his face, with a scar running from his forehead across his eye to the middle of his cheek, ugly enough to make even a bodhisattva weep, He Lingyu wondered how he dared say such words.
His woman? He Lingyu had lived more than twenty years and never once heard anyone speak to her like this. Her reaction was immediate and intense.
“What kind of nonsense are you spewing? You’re like a toad crawling onto someone’s shoe, you don’t bite, you just disgust people. And you’re like a toad burping, your mouth is full of rotten filth!”
“My goodness, Xiao Yu really doesn’t speak until she explodes, and when she explodes it’s huge,” Fatty whispered to Jun Buyan, sounding like he had just witnessed something new.
Mu Qingfeng watched with interest as He Lingyu’s face flushed with anger. It was obvious the girl did not even know how to curse properly.
She was actually rather adorable.
But Yuan Gaofei was truly an eyesore. Seeing him reminded Mu Qingfeng of his mother.
People from the lower district had said his mother was driven out of the city by Yuan Gaofei. Being expelled into a horde of zombies meant certain death for an ordinary person.
Yuan Gaofei.
Mu Qingfeng silently repeated the name twice, then exhaled, looking at him as if he were already a corpse.
For now he needed to endure. The girl needed to vent her anger first.
“You little slut, do not refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!” Yuan Gaofei had never failed to get any woman he wanted since the apocalypse began. The more He Lingyu resisted, the more interested he became.
Was it not more entertaining to break the wings of something that could fly? He stuck out his tongue, staring at her, then licked his lips.
He Lingyu was thoroughly disgusted. Enough was enough.
She rushed forward and, with lightning speed, slapped him hard across the face.
Smack!
The restaurant fell silent. Whether it was Mu Qingfeng and the others, who had not reacted yet, or Yuan Gaofei’s group, who were stunned, not a single person spoke.
Only after the slap did the blood rushing through He Lingyu’s head slowly calm. This bastard’s mouth was truly foul.
Two seconds passed. Both sides snapped back to their senses and immediately took stances as if about to fight.
Yuan Gaofei touched his cheek where she had struck him, then brought his hand to his nose.
“Smells nice. Since you hit me, you are coming with me today no matter what. Otherwise everyone in this room…”
The threat was obvious. But would He Lingyu fall for that?
Right now her mind held only one thought, make this disgusting man disappear from her sight as quickly as possible. So she moved.
She lifted her leg and kicked him right where every man could not bear pain.
“Ah! You bitch, I will kill you!”
Yuan Gaofei was completely enraged. One hand clutched himself while the other gathered power, launching an attack at He Lingyu.
His ability was fire based, highly destructive. That was why he had managed to seize the position of leader.
He Lingyu stood there without even blinking, then kicked again.
The fireball vanished before it could touch her, yet her foot landed solidly against him.
But He Lingyu was just a homebody with little strength. The kick did not hit a vital spot, and Yuan Gaofei barely felt it.
His pride, however, was utterly crushed. Furious with humiliation, he shouted behind him, “Are you all dead? What are you standing there for?!”
Only then did the people behind him react. Yet after reacting, they were even more afraid to step forward.
If even Yuan Gaofei had ended up like this, would they not be beaten to pulp if they attacked?
He Lingyu crossed her arms and sneered as they shoved one another without daring to advance. “So the ability users of Gaofei Base are all cowards. As expected, like leader, like subordinates.”
“Sister He has completely enraged. Looks like today won’t end without blood,” Jun Buyan commented, unusually willing to speak.
Fatty nodded hard. “Yeah. I didn’t expect Xiao Yu to be this fierce. I love it!”
Jun Buyan shot him a look. “Stop grinning and get ready.”
Ready for what? Fatty raised his head and saw the men from Gaofei Base glaring with furious eyes.
No man could accept being called a coward.
If earlier their battle stances had been for show, now they truly looked ready to fight to the death.
“Today I’ll use your flesh to give everyone a taste of meat!”
Yuan Gaofei did not even bother thinking about why his attack vanished, or why He Lingyu, supposedly an ordinary person, could face his power without fear.
He was like a crazed ape, thinking only of swinging his fists.
“Brother Mu, you know what to do, right?”
He Lingyu turned her head and smiled at Mu Qingfeng, as if telling him his revenge could be carried out today.
Mu Qingfeng nodded. In his dreams, he had imagined Yuan Gaofei’s death countless times.
He Lingyu stepped back. “Don’t worry. As long as you’re inside the restaurant, no one can hurt you.”
“My goodness, she’s just a young girl, but her words are so reassuring,” Fatty muttered, genuinely amazed.
Then Mu Qingfeng spoke, his voice cold.
“Yuan Gaofei. Do you remember Lan Qing, the one you drove out of the base?”
Yuan Gaofei barely thought before answering. “Ridiculous! So many useless trash get thrown out every day. How would I remember?”
“Heh. Is that so? I’ll make you remember.”
Mu Qingfeng’s face turned completely cold. The murderer did not even remember his crime. He deserved to die.
Mother, today I will avenge you.
Mu Qingfeng’s ability was also fire. The two flames collided, dazzling everyone nearby.
Then Yuan Gaofei’s eyes widened.
“How is this possible? What did you do?!”