Zhou Yang estimated the time; he should be meeting Lin Fan soon.
He hadn’t expected Zhu Zhen to come so quickly. It was early in the morning, while others were still dreaming, yet he had brought his men over.
"Damn it, it’s like being sick. I really want to know whether my gun is fierce or your body is hard," Zhu Zhen said, looking at the stupid sand sculpture he had shot and flown, uninterested in dealing with it.
With this move, he completely dominated the scene.
The bodyguards staying by He Qing’s side likewise didn’t expect it to turn out this way.
He Qing, having figured out Zhu Zhen’s character, realized the man had no ideas, no principles, and would do exactly as he pleased. No rules could bind him anymore.
He knew the apocalypse was cruel.
But from ancient times to now, regardless of the presence of rules, all conflicts were based on interests, and negotiations often took place during conflicts before the final outcome was determined.
This guy had skipped negotiations and went straight for the results.
He Qing whispered, leading his bodyguards to kneel.
"Haha..." Zhu Zhen laughed wildly, "Damn it, look at this. This guy was once a tycoon known in Yellow City for both his wealth and connections, and now he kneels just like that. Truly pathetic. Brothers, now you believe me, right? Follow me, and I’ll lead you to dominate the apocalypse, we could even attack the moon."
The underlings shouted excitedly, thrilled and overjoyed, witnessing the impossible unfolding before their eyes.
"Damn it, it’s boring. Time to send you on your way."
Zhu Zhen couldn’t be bothered to spare He Qing anymore; he had just wanted to play, and now the game was over, it was time to end the other’s life.
He Qing’s body trembled slightly; he was in despair.
He had truly miscalculated.
He had thought he could delay Zhu Zhen through communication, who could expect the other would not play by common rules, showing a crazy and confident side that he had not anticipated.
As He Qing slowly got up, Zhu Zhen stared in astonishment. For He Qing, since it had come to this, there was no need to kneel. If he was to die, he would die standing. He had not expected to fall at the hands of a young punk in the end.
The bodyguards also stood up.
They understood Boss He’s thoughts, but there was no need for that now. Suddenly, a bodyguard burst out, tackled Zhu Zhen to the ground with a swift motion, drew a dagger from his waist, and fiercely put it against Zhu Zhen’s throat.
"Put down your weapons."
The bodyguard yelled, holding Zhu Zhen hostage and barking at the people around.
Joy flashed in He Qing’s eyes, feeling hopeful, as his bodyguards were all professionally trained.
Zhu Zhen laughed, not showing any fear of being hijacked.
Zhou Yang, observing from afar with binoculars, muttered that if this guy hadn’t awakened such power, he’d have damn well gotten himself killed by now. Damn, the heavens really aren’t fair, letting such an idiot awaken such domineering power.
Zhu Zhen grabbed the dagger with his bare hands, snatched it away, and as everyone looked on in shock, he used the dagger to hack at his neck, making a screeching noise.
The scene was horrifying, shocking.
"Are you trying to tickle me with this thing?"
He loved seeing the shocked looks on these fools’ faces; that feeling was so thrilling, just like the brazen scenes in the novels he often read—relishing the feeling of being worshipped in everyone’s shocked gazes.
Of course, he enjoyed it even more when others plead before him in fear, especially the higher their status, the more satisfying it felt.
Now that he had shocked them, it was time for the pleasure of their begging.
"He Qing, do you find it incredulous? What stands before you now is a god of the apocalypse. If you kneel and beg me, I might let you live," Zhu Zhen declared.
He Qing clenched his fist, facing yet another non-human.
He had never felt so powerless.
He Qing’s eyes brightened as he saw a figure appear—the one he had desperately hoped for.
"Has someone already been sacrificed?"
Lin Fan, seeing several bodies killed by firearms, felt regret. He had spent his days clearing out zombies in the hope of providing everyone with a safe environment. In the absence of a zombie threat, the survivors could live.
Yet where there were people, there was strife.
This was an unavoidable reality.
Zhu Zhen, hearing the noise, turned his head to see the sword-carrying stranger and frowned, "Who the fuck are you?"
"Lin Fan, just an ordinary citizen," Lin Fan replied.
A familiar name indeed.
Zhu Zhen thought about it, suddenly recalling the person Zhou Yang had mentioned before.
"Damn it, I don’t care who you are. Meddle, and you die," said Zhu Zhen, a decisive man who would not ask another question. Holding his gun, he aimed directly at Lin Fan and fired, not wasting words on an unknown person.
The moment he fired, Lin Fan instantly appeared in front of Zhu Zhen, swinging his sword, and the blade gleamed.
Zhu Zhen, with a crazed look on his face, kept the same expression he had just a moment ago.
Suddenly, something terrible happened.
His head split open, and his body was cleanly split in two.
He was decisive, and Lin Fan was just as decisive. When it came to self-defense, he never hesitated; keeping his own life safe was always paramount.
He had often encountered such situations and had gradually become accustomed to them.
He Qing knew Lin Fan was strong, but even so, he was shocked by what he saw now.
Before him stood an Awakener.
He had just witnessed the man scratching at his neck with a dagger.