A slightly older girl tried to bypass Xiao Han, attempting to reach the half-bag of biscuits that hadn't been put away yet.
Xiao Han turned sideways, blocking the girl's path. He didn't look at the children, his gaze falling back on Wang Jianguo.
“Old Wang, your team management is quite interesting,” Xiao Han said slowly. “The young ones come out to scout, and the old ones wait behind to pick up scraps?”
His words were impolite. Wang Jianguo's face alternated between green and white, his lips moved, but he couldn't immediately refute. The adults behind him either lowered their heads or averted their eyes, no one came out to stop the children.
Lu Shiyan's gaze grew colder, sweeping over the children and settling on Wang Jianguo's embarrassed face. He didn't speak, but the silent pressure made the surrounding air heavier.
Su Wan watched the farcical scene before her, her sympathy completely replaced by annoyance. She quietly moved closer to Lu Shiyan, no longer looking at the children or Wang Jianguo.
Xiao Han kicked a small stone at his feet: “See? This is the trouble with bringing family along.”
“Old Wang, is it? To be honest, even if our group didn't have this car, we'd still be hesitant to travel with you,” Xiao Han stood straighter, his shoulders relaxed, his posture full of disdain.
“I've seen many teams like yours,” Xiao Han's voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for Wang Jianguo's people to hear, “Using children as a facade, as bait, pushing them out to feign pity, while secretly eyeing truly valuable things.”
“Brother, don't say such unpleasant things,” Wang Jianguo chuckled dryly, his eyes flickering.
“Unpleasant?” Xiao Han raised an eyebrow, “Just stating the facts. There are over twenty people in your team, but only a few children. I see these children are even thinner than the adults. What does that tell you?”
Wang Jianguo's face changed, and he bit the bullet: “In the apocalypse, no one has it easy…”
“Yes, no one has it easy,” Lu Shiyan suddenly spoke, his voice as cold as ice, “So we have no obligation to care about other people's lives or deaths.”
He looked directly at Wang Jianguo, his gaze stern. “Take your people and leave. Don't make me say it a second time.”
The children were so frightened by Lu Shiyan's aura that they retreated repeatedly, and the smallest one started crying. Wang Jianguo's fake smile completely vanished, and a hint of malice flashed in his eyes.
“Fine, we'll go. Who cares,” He snorted coldly, calling out to the children, “Don't waste time here, come back!”
Su Wan watched all of this silently, not interfering. In the apocalypse, everyone had their rules and bottom lines. Excessive pity often meant danger.
Wang Jianguo led his people away. He didn't go far immediately; the team lingered and stopped by the woods not far away. Several adults huddled together, whispering something, occasionally looking their way.
Lu Shiyan turned to Su Wan: “Are you alright?”
Su Wan nodded: “I'm fine.”
Xiao Han put away his dagger, sneering: “These people, who knows what they're plotting. If I had been foolish enough to humor them, I would have been tricked long ago.”
Lu Shiyan didn't reply, glancing at Su Wan's stomach. “Let's leave once you've rested enough. We can't stay here long.”
Su Wan quietly cleaned up the trash on the ground, thinking: In this world, human hearts are more terrifying than Mutants/Variants.
They quickly set off, continuing towards the Central Base. Su Wan leaned back in the rear seat, closing her eyes to rest.
Suddenly, the car braked sharply, and she almost hit the front seat.
“What happened?” she asked.
Lu Shiyan's voice was unusually calm: “There's an ambush ahead.”
Su Wan looked forward, her heart suddenly constricting. Not far ahead, several cars were horizontally blocking the road, forming a temporary roadblock. Behind the roadblock, more than a dozen people stood, holding various weapons. The children who had been begging earlier were also among the crowd, faint red handprints visible on their small faces.
“Is it that group from earlier?” Su Wan blurted out.
Xiao Han nodded, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes: “Indeed, the old fox.”
Lu Shiyan's gaze remained calm, but the air pressure around him was terrifyingly low.
“It seems they chose the stupidest path.”
Wang Jianguo stood in the center of the roadblock, the fawning expression gone from his face, replaced by naked greed.
“Gentlemen, no offense. It's the apocalypse, resources are tight, we can discuss…”
“Discuss?” Xiao Han scoffed, “To put it bluntly, it's a robbery.”
Lu Shiyan turned to Su Wan, his voice very soft.
“After we get out, you stay in the car. A Mo will protect you in the car. No matter what happens, don't get out.”
Su Wan nodded repeatedly like a pecking chick.
A Mo exhorted: “Han Ge, be careful!”
“It's nothing, a small scene,” Xiao Han smiled nonchalantly, but his hand was already on his weapon.
Lu Shiyan stared at the roadblock ahead, a cold light flashing in his eyes.
“Are you confident?”
Xiao Han shrugged: “Just these few people? I'm enough by myself.”
Lu Shiyan nodded and opened the car door.
“Remember, no matter what happens, don't get out of the car.”
Su Wan watched the two of them walk towards the people blocking the road, her heart pounding like a drum.
“It's okay, they can handle it.” Su Wan forced herself to stay calm, intently watching every movement ahead. When Wang Jianguo saw that only Lu Shiyan and Xiao Han had gotten out of the car, a hint of triumph flashed across his face.
“Just the two of you?”
“It's enough to deal with you,” Lu Shiyan's voice was as cold as ice.
“Brothers, don't be so hostile,” Wang Jianguo smiled amiably, his eyes filled with naked greed, “We just want some supplies, after all, you have a lot of goods in that car, don't you? And that beautiful girl…”
Before he finished speaking, a silver-blue electric light danced at Lu Shiyan's fingertips, and a faint ionized smell permeated the air.
“You're courting death,” Lu Shiyan's voice was like an abyss.
Wang Jianguo's face changed, and he bit the bullet: “Brother, don't be impulsive. Look how many people we have here, even if you are an ability user…”
Xiao Han suddenly burst out laughing: “Old Wang, Old Wang, you really don't know who you've provoked.”
He pointed at Lu Shiyan: “Do you know who he is? The one who can take down three Mutants/Variants at once.”
Wang Jianguo's face changed, and a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes, but the numerical advantage of his group still gave him confidence: “Stop trying to scare people! Even if he's an ability user, he…”
Lu Shiyan didn't wait for him to finish. He swung his right hand violently, and a condensed electric arc shot directly towards the ground at Wang Jianguo's feet. With a rumble, dirt splattered, and a burnt smell permeated the air. The thunderous explosion made the eardrums of those around them ache.
As the electric light dissipated, Lu Shiyan's voice was like a death sentence.
“Three seconds. Clear the way, or else…”
Wang Jianguo's face completely changed, and cold sweat seeped from his forehead.
“You…”
Lu Shiyan stopped speaking, only staring coldly at him, the electric arc crackling in his palm.
“Old Wang, what do we do?” someone behind him asked frantically.
Wang Jianguo gritted his teeth, finally giving in.
“Alright… alright, we'll go. But…”
“No buts,” Xiao Han sneered.
“You no longer have the right to bargain.”
Wang Jianguo glared at Lu Shiyan resentfully, then gestured for his subordinates to remove the roadblock. As he turned, he whispered something to his confidant beside him.
“Remember the license plate number, this isn't over!”
