Chapter 249: The Foolish Ones
On his way back to Xu’s Town, Fatty Xu couldn’t stop thinking about the warnings Zhang Yi had given him. The more he thought about it, the heavier his heart grew. Zhang Yi was his only confidant—no one else was willing to listen to him ramble on, though he didn’t realize that Zhang Yi often used AI to chat with him. Zhang Yi had always treated him well, and Fatty Xu didn’t want to do anything that would betray him. However, the villagers of Xu’s Town harbored a deep hatred for Zhang Yi.
“If another organization showed up, the villagers would probably wish for nothing more than to see Zhang Yi wiped out,” Fatty Xu thought, scratching his head in frustration. The situation was too complicated, even for someone like him, a so-called "chosen one," who usually didn’t worry about such things.
Upon returning to the village, Fatty Xu found his friend, Xu Ping, who he trusted.
“Xu Ping, have any outsiders come to the village recently?” Fatty Xu asked, trying to sound casual.
Xu Ping laughed. “You really should get out more, Spring Thunder! How could you not know about such a big event?”
Fatty Xu felt a chill run down his spine. “What big event?”
Xu Ping explained, “Yesterday, two high-ranking officials visited our village. They were big shots, supposedly from the military. We don’t know much about them, but Sixth Uncle was incredibly hospitable, ensuring every household brought out their best to entertain them.”
Fatty Xu’s eyes widened, and a cold sweat broke out on his back. These two must be the people Zhang Yi warned him about—enemies scouting for information.
Xu Ping shrugged. “How would I know? I’m not important enough to ask. But I did hear that Sixth Uncle has been in a great mood since then, even saying he’s now the mayor of Xu’s Town.”
Fatty Xu felt panic rising as Zhang Yi’s words echoed in his mind. “If they run out of food, Xu’s Town is just a giant grain warehouse, ripe for the taking—though they’ll call it ‘requisitioning.’ When that time comes, what can you do?”
“I need to talk to Sixth Uncle!” Fatty Xu decided, ignoring Xu Ping’s calls as he ran to Xu Dongtang’s house.
At that moment, Xu Dongtang was basking in the glory of his new title. He had just announced to the other village leaders of Xu’s Town that the higher-ups had appointed him as the town’s mayor. Although it was just a verbal promise from Xie Huanhuan, Xu Dongtang took it as a serious promotion. The other village leaders, wary of Xu’s Town’s strength—especially Fatty Xu’s Superhuman abilities—didn’t dare to object. Xu’s Town was already the dominant force in Xu’s Town, so it made sense for Xu Dongtang to assume the title of mayor.
As the leaders began addressing Xu Dongtang as “Mayor,” he felt immense pride, believing he had brought honor to his family and would be remembered in the family records. Just then, Fatty Xu barged in, looking panicked.
“Sixth Uncle, did you meet with two outsiders? What did you tell them?” Fatty Xu asked, his voice filled with urgency.
Xu Dongtang’s face darkened at Fatty Xu’s lack of respect. “Xu Chunlei, is that any way to speak to your elders? Where are your manners?”
Fatty Xu, still somewhat intimidated by his elders, quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, Sixth Uncle, but this is important. Please, just tell me what happened.”
Xu Dongtang, who held little regard for Fatty Xu despite his abilities, looked at him with disdain. “Yes, it’s true. Two high-ranking leaders visited us to inspect Xu’s Town. They were very pleased with our situation.”
Puffing his chest with pride, he added, “And they appointed me as the mayor of Xu’s Town!”
Fatty Xu, however, was not concerned with titles. “Did you tell them about our food supplies?” he asked anxiously.
Thanks to Zhang Yi’s warning, Fatty Xu realized how crucial it was to keep their food stores a secret.
But Xu Dongtang just laughed. “Why would we hide our achievements from our superiors? Our food reserves are a testament to our village’s success!”
Fatty Xu’s heart sank—Zhang Yi had been right. Clenching his teeth, he asked, “Did you mention anything about Zhang Yi?”
At the mention of Zhang Yi’s name, Xu Dongtang’s expression twisted with anger. “That demon! He killed 128 people from our village—he deserves to die a thousand times over! We can’t take him down, but some people can. I’ve already reported everything about him to the higher-ups. They promised to deal with him severely!”
Fatty Xu’s legs suddenly gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground. “It’s over. We’re doomed!” he muttered, his face ashen.
He knew Zhang Yi did not tolerate betrayal, and Xu Dongtang’s actions would surely provoke his wrath. Zhang Yi had already massacred over a hundred people in Xu’s Town; he wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.
Seeing Fatty Xu’s pitiful state, Xu Dongtang snorted in disgust. “What are you so afraid of? Zhang Yi is nothing against a trained army! Once the troops arrive, he’ll be wiped out in no time. Then, the deaths of those 128 people will be avenged!”
Fatty Xu’s face grew even paler. He realized there was no point in arguing—Xu Dongtang’s arrogance might lead the entire village to disaster. Xu Dongtang didn’t understand how powerful Zhang Yi was nor understood what a Superhuman truly meant to ordinary people. Xu’s Town still existed only because Zhang Yi found Fatty Xu useful and the villagers posed no threat to him. However, if Zhang Yi decided to kill them, none would survive.
“Stop with the nonsense and go home. Forget everything you’ve said to me today,” Xu Dongtang ordered coldly, glaring at Fatty Xu. “Just do as you’re told and follow my orders. You don’t need to have your own opinions!”
Fatty Xu could only nod weakly, knowing he was trapped between his loyalty to Zhang Yi and his ties to Xu’s Town.