"A’fei, what did dad say to you just now?"
Bai Feifei, who was standing behind Zhang Lifei, asked, noting his noticeably dejected mood.
Upon hearing Bai Feifei’s words, Zhang Lifei instantly glared at her.
"Don’t ask about things you shouldn’t know!"
The tone of his words was very stern.
At the same time, Zhang Lifei realized his current mood wasn’t quite right. He quickly composed himself and turned to speak gently to Bai Feifei.
"By the way, Feifei, are the cosmetics I brought back for you the other day working well?"
Zhang Lifei’s earlier stern tone had made Bai Feifei uneasy, but hearing his current gentle voice, it was clear he still had feelings for her. This affection was the very guarantee of her and her brother’s survival in this apocalyptic world!
Ignoring her earlier minor grievance, Bai Feifei clung tightly to Zhang Lifei, rubbing her ample chest against his arm, and responded tenderly and coquettishly, "Brother Fei, you’re really good at picking! You brought back all the brands that Feifei likes."
Hearing Bai Feifei’s deliberate flattery, Zhang Lifei didn’t show much emotion. He merely stretched out his hand, gently stroking Bai Feifei’s smooth cheek.
It was as if he were stroking a pet!
"By the way, Xiao’an, are you satisfied with the job I arranged for you? If not, your brother-in-law can find you a different one."
"I am very satisfied, brother-in-law."
Bai Xiao’an, who was standing not far off, took a few steps forward and replied to Zhang Lifei submissively.
"Yes, managing the warehouse supplies is a job I usually entrust to people I trust. If there’s anything you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to ask Uncle Shanlin for guidance!"
The Uncle Shanlin Zhang Lifei mentioned was, naturally, Zhang Wenhu’s confidant—Li Shanlin.
After all, no matter how young Zhang Lifei was, he wouldn’t let someone like Bai Xiao’an, a professionist with no combat power, manage the supply warehouse alone!
"Brother Fei is so good to us!"
Before Bai Xiao’an could react, Bai Feifei spoke first, pressing her body even closer to Zhang Lifei.
Zhang Lifei simply nodded noncommittally.
"By the way, Brother Fei, look, there seems to be a dark spot near the sun in the sky."
Zhang Lifei, preoccupied with his father’s affairs, didn’t even bother to lift his head and replied dismissively.
However, while Zhang Lifei didn’t see it, the professionists behind him saw it crystal clear!
"That’s a fucking mutant beast! Be careful!"
The one roaring from a short distance away was Sun Ruixing, who possessed the highest physical fitness among them!
With Sun Ruixing’s eyesight, he reacted immediately when he noticed something approaching from the horizon.
It was a Giant Eagle shimmering with an eerie blue glow!
Unfortunately, it was a bit too late. To be precise, the Giant Eagle was simply too fast!
When Zhang Lifei heard Sun Ruixing’s warning, he was instantly jolted. By the time he lifted his head to look at the sky, the Giant Eagle’s figure was growing larger and larger!
Icy killing intent and sharp talons swooped down towards Zhang Lifei!
This was the result of the Giant Eagle’s rapid assessment.
Given the Giant Eagle’s current remaining stamina, to ensure no accidents occurred, it was best not to provoke Sun Ruixing—the strongest among the crowd.
Moreover, low-level professionists wouldn’t provide enough energy to replenish its stamina!
Therefore, Sun Aotian or Zhang Lifei were the best targets for the Giant Eagle’s current hunt!
Compared to Sun Aotian, who was standing next to Sun Ruixing, Zhang Lifei was undoubtedly a good choice!
However, Zhang Lifei was by no means easy to handle.
Watching the Giant Eagle’s talons draw nearer, Zhang Lifei reacted swiftly!
I can’t dodge it, but there’s another way!
A flicker of cruel determination flashed in Zhang Lifei’s eyes. He yanked Bai Xiao’an, who was standing beside him, and hurled him directly into the Giant Eagle’s clutches!
This is the best solution I could think of!
If I just buy a little time, the professionists behind me can react and provide support!
How am I going to buy this little time? With a life! Of course, it absolutely cannot be my own!
The Giant Eagle paused for a moment, then swiftly tore Bai Xiao’an’s body apart and, with undiminished ferocity, lunged at Zhang Lifei again.
Fortunately, Sun Ruixing, who was behind him, had already reacted.
He instantly drew the shield slung across his back, the muscles in his right arm bulging as he hurled it straight at the Giant Eagle’s forehead!
The immense force generated by his Peak Level 2 physique caused the shield to emit a piercing shriek!
A sound like a striking gong echoed, and the Giant Eagle was momentarily staggered by the immense force!
From this, it was clear that the Giant Eagle, after its battles with monsters, was indeed at the end of its tether!
The Giant Eagle’s brief delay also brought Zhang Lifei a glimmer of hope for survival!
Seeing the Giant Eagle’s talons closing in, Zhang Lifei instantly activated his ability!
Chilly Ice Armor (B-Class, Active Ability): The power of ice envelops the body, forming a battle armor suffused with frigid air, possessing excellent Physical Defensive Capacity!
As the Chilly Ice Armor activated, the Giant Eagle’s talons made direct contact with Zhang Lifei’s body.
The sharp talons rapidly shredded the Chilly Ice Armor, inflicting five deep gashes on Zhang Lifei’s body in the process, but that was as far as they got!
Numerous professionists launched ranged attacks at the Giant Eagle. Although their attacks were weak, they still had some effect on it.
Seeing the numerous professionists below, and the figures of a man and a dog sprinting towards it from the direction it had come, the Giant Eagle no longer bothered with the professionists on the ground. It seized the already mangled Bai Xiao’an in its talons and took to the skies.
Blood rained down from Bai Xiao’an’s mangled corpse, drenching Zhang Lifei and Bai Feifei.
Unbeknownst to anyone, a Black Light shot out from the black crystal on the Giant Eagle’s forehead. Mingling with the falling blood, it struck Bai Feifei directly in the forehead.
Fresh blood obscured Bai Feifei’s vision. She forcefully rubbed her brother’s blood from her eyes. When her sight cleared, she looked again towards the receding Giant Eagle, and at her brother, Bai Xiao’an, already lifeless in its talons.
By now, Wen Yu had also returned to the camp. He looked at Zhang Lifei, who was drinking a healing potion, and the dazed Bai Feifei, and asked, "Are you two okay?"
Zhang Lifei’s face was pale; the pressure from the Giant Eagle had been immense!
This was Zhang Lifei’s current thought. As for Bai Xiao’an—well, Zhang Lifei wasn’t one to feel regret for the dead.
"That was my brother."
Bai Feifei, standing nearby, dazedly watched the Giant Eagle disappear over the horizon before turning to Zhang Lifei and saying this.
Zhang Lifei nodded. Taking the towel handed to him by a nearby professionist, he carefully wiped the bloodstains from his body.
Hearing Zhang Lifei’s reply, Bai Feifei stared at him and said gravely, "That was my brother!!!"
Zhang Lifei handed the towel back to the professionist, looked at Bai Feifei who was staring intently at him with a serious expression, and nodded again.
"I know he was your brother. That’s why I apologized. His death was valuable; he saved my life. I owe him for that! And I will repay this debt to you in the future. I think Xiao’an would be happy about this!"
Bai Feifei gently wiped her face, where tears and blood mingled.
The tears were Bai Feifei’s; the blood was Bai Xiao’an’s!
"That was my brother, the only family I had left! And you just pushed him out there like that! He saved your life? Then who was there to save him..."
Bai Feifei’s voice was flooded with despair.
Seeing Bai Feifei on the verge of collapse, Zhang Lifei sighed. He stepped forward, gently pulled her into his embrace, and said softly, "I’m truly sorry, to you and to Xiao’an. But Xiao’an is gone now. You still have me. I swear, I will treat you better in the future."