The group consisted of several men in their thirties, all strong, robust, and wearing dark golden armor. Their tall, muscular frames radiated vitality, and a faint aura of murderous intent surrounded them. It was something that could only come from surviving countless life-and-death battles.
However, the energy fluctuations emanating from their bodies were not particularly strong, roughly equivalent to the Dao Union Realm. They were led by a two meter tall bald man. He wore a suit of dark golden chainmail over his bare, muscular torso. His exposed arms were thick with bulging muscles, covered in dense scars that seemed like he had been torn into by countless wild beasts. It was a sight that left a lasting impression.
The bald man’s features were reasonably well-proportioned, but a ferocious scar at the corner of his mouth disrupted any semblance of normalcy. It gave his entire demeanor an air of ruthlessness.
“So, you’re the lot who killed the fifteen Governors?” The bald man slightly raised his chin, his tone dripping with undisguised skepticism. “You think you’re capable of that?”
Li Xiaofei remained composed and replied calmly, “Yes, it was us.”
“My name is Zhang Mingjun. I’m one of the eight captains of the Grandpa Lakeside Camp in Taibai Mountains. You don’t need to know more than that. Just hand over the Governors’ corpses to me,” Zhang Mingjun declared arrogantly.
Li Xiaofei glanced behind him, and Li Junjie and the others stepped forward and handed over the ten Governors’ corpses. Zhang Mingjun gestured, and a young woman with short red hair, clearly an Extraordinary One, snapped her fingers.
The ten heavy Governors’ corpses suddenly floated into the air. They hovered in the air like feathers. The red-haired woman then turned to leave, the corpses obediently floating behind her.
“Until you’re granted permission, you’re not allowed to enter the camp. Otherwise, don’t blame us for being rude,” Zhang Mingjun warned coldly.
“What the hell is with your attitude?” Li Junjie couldn’t hold back any longer.
Daring to speak to our boss like that? Unforgivable!
“What about my attitude?” The bald Zhang Mingjun retorted, “I don’t care who you are or what your background is. Here at Grandpa Lake, if you’re a tiger, you’ll lie down for me; if you’re a dragon, you’ll coil up for me. If you’re not happy with that, then go back to wherever you came from. Don’t think our camp is some garbage dump that takes in all kinds of trash.”
“Damn it.” Li Junjie’s temper flared, unable to hold back anymore.
The loyal and fiery gangster rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight. He said, “Who do you think you’re messing with? You clearly haven’t been beaten by a real thug before!”
Li Xiaofei immediately reached out to stop him. Li Xiaofei had long surpassed the point of needing to argue or clash with small-time figures like Zhang Mingjun. Besides, it was evident that the bald man was deliberately provoking them to leave.
It seems clear that Zhang Mingjun wants us gone, but why?
Li Xiaofei’s priority was to meet the real decision-makers of this camp and gain a deeper understanding of the current situation on this broken Earth. That held far greater importance.
Li Junjie had no choice but to suppress his fiery temper, though inwardly, he made a silent vow. The next chance he got, he would beat the crap out of this bald man to vent his frustration for his leader. Thus, they waited outside the camp.
Before leaving, Zhang Mingjun turned around and barked orders at the Extraordinary Ones behind him, “If these punks dare trespass into the camp, shoot them on the spot. No mercy.”
“Yes, sir!” The Extraordinary Ones under his command responded loudly and firmly.
Zhang Zhihong sidled up to Li Xiaofei and murmured, “Brother Li, these guys aren’t strong, but they’re certainly putting on a big act. Why don’t we just make a move? Let’s turn this camp upside down and have a nice little chat with their leader first.”
Li Xiaofei gazed at the camp from afar. He observed the silhouettes of ordinary people going about their busy lives within, the faint trails of smoke rising into the air, and the simple traces of humanity that lingered in this apocalyptic world.
He shook his head slightly. “This is a rare haven in the midst of the apocalypse. If we destroy it, rebuilding it will be far too difficult... Let’s wait for now. We’re here to fight star beasts, Eden, and the Reapers, not to quarrel with our own kind. Let’s be patient.”
At that, the more impulsive members of the group, including Li Junjie, Zhang Zhihong, and Ximen Piaoxue, had no choice but to relent. They held their tongues, respecting Li Xiaofei’s decision.
Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait long. About ten minutes later, a commotion stirred within the camp. People started to emerge from the towering white structures that resembled palatial rock formations, hurrying in the direction of Li Xiaofei and his group. The entire camp appeared to be in a state of alarm.
“Ah, these must be the heroes who slew the Governors! My apologies, my deepest apologies for the disrespect shown to you!”
An elderly man with white hair and a long white beard approached swiftly, his face wreathed in warm smiles. Extending his hand, he said, “I’ve just finished my cultivation and immediately heard about Zhang Mingjun’s foolishness. Thankfully, you noble heroes didn’t stoop to his level, or I would truly have become the sinner of this camp.”
Li Xiaofei shook the old man’s hand.
“And you are?” he asked.
The elderly man beamed and said, “I am Song Shiyu, the third-in-command of Grandpa Lakeside Camp. I’ve heard about your incredible deeds and just saw the ten Governors’ corpses. Remarkable, truly remarkable! To achieve such strength at such a young age—what heroes of this generation you are!”
“So you are Commander Song,” Li Xiaofei responded politely. “You flatter us.”
Song Shiyu chuckled and said, “With the apocalypse upon us, our camp has only managed to survive by relying on the natural advantages of this land. Even so, we don’t know how long we can hold on... Your group, as young as you are, has accomplished a monumental feat by slaying the Governors. It gives us a glimmer of hope. I wonder, would you be interested in joining our Grandpa Lakeside Camp?”