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No wonder Luo Yesheng blurted out those words; the pheasant clutched in that little girl’s hand was precisely the surprise he had stumbled upon earlier through sheer dumb luck, as if a blind cat had caught a dead mouse.
Yet before that surprise could be cooked and stuffed into his stomach, he was suddenly attacked. The assault was highly skilled—not a killing move, but a “restraint” that immobilized him completely, preventing him from even activating his abilities.
He never even saw who had attacked him. Thinking his life hung by a thread, he realized instead that no one was interested in taking his life; they had only stolen his surprise.
“…” He simply began to doubt the very meaning of existence.
When Luo Yesheng fled, he was severely injured and could pass out in his car at any moment. His car windows were already shattered; if he lost consciousness inside, zombies would quickly track the scent of fresh blood and devour him completely.
At the same time, fearing retaliation from a level-four zombie, he realized his large off-road vehicle was too conspicuous—he and the car had to be separated. Fortunately, he stumbled upon an underground parking garage and drove inside.
Dark places like underground garages are usually ideal hiding spots for zombies. However, any zombies nearby had already been summoned away by those two level-three or level-four zombies. Thanks to his car, he managed to shake off the horde.
In other words, all the zombies were outside, making the parking garage surprisingly safe.
However, the parking lot was not a good place to recover from injuries.
Luo Yesheng bit his tongue hard, using the sharp pain to maintain a sliver of consciousness. He quickly grabbed essential supplies from the car, stuffed them into a backpack, and then stumbled away from the parking lot.
His physical strength was utterly depleted; his blood-loss-ravaged body shivered with intermittent chills. He simply lacked the energy to run far. Catching sight of a rear door on a nearby building, he gritted his teeth and scrambled inside, only to discover upon entry that it was a kindergarten.
He hid cautiously within the kindergarten, slowly healing his wounds using crystal shards. Fortunately, his luck had always been decent; blessed once again by the God of Fortune, no zombies discovered his hiding place. He safely endured the initial critical period within this kindergarten, stubbornly surviving against all odds.
Subsequently, once his mobility recovered, he should have hastened his departure from this place. However, Luo Yesheng recalled the mysterious figure who had ambushed him, and an unquenchable fire churned relentlessly within his chest.
Having struggled and scraped through the apocalypse for many years, enduring countless setbacks before attaining his current strength, Luo Yesheng had in fact not suffered such a crushing defeat in a long time. Yet, he hadn’t even caught a glimpse of his enemy’s face.
He had originally only intended to fight a Level 4 zombie, hoping to break through his bottleneck in the process; who would have thought he’d nearly lose his life?
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
What if that ambusher is still in this area? He naively clung to such a thought.
If he leaves, I won’t know what the mysterious person looks like, what ability they possess, or their level… How will I ever find them to exact revenge?
After checking his supplies, he found that the food he had prepared could last for a few more days, so Luo Yesheng decided to stay at the kindergarten, tending to his injuries while continuing his reconnaissance.
During this reconnaissance, he discovered that the two high-level zombies remained in Jinxin Community without moving an inch. Not daring to approach for fear of being detected, Luo Yesheng only took a distant glance. Ultimately, for his own safety, he forcibly marked Jinxin Community as off-limits, preventing himself from venturing anywhere near it.
He certainly didn’t believe that, dragging along his body still recovering from severe injuries, he could survive an encounter with those two high-level zombies.
Then today, when his body was suddenly controlled by metal shards, leaving him unable to resist, Luo Yesheng’s immediate thought upon seeing the metal shards appear out of nowhere to ambush him was of that Level 4 zombie.
But the chicken that was quickly snatched away disproved this guess.
If it had been a level-four zombie, how could it have secretly ambushed him and stolen his chicken? Upon discovering him, it would have simply lunged at him driven by its instinctive craving for flesh and blood.
Zombies possess no consciousness.
At least, Luo Yesheng had never heard of any instance where a zombie regained awareness.
Luo Yesheng had no choice but to rule out the zombies, endlessly speculating about what could have stolen his pheasant.
He even wondered—could it be that mysterious attacker from that day?
Sure enough, it’s still here.
Yet a new doubt immediately arose: the mysterious attacker that day had lurked in the shadows, showing no intention of leaving any survivors. Why, then, upon encountering him this time, did they spare his life, only binding him when he was off guard and stealing his pheasant?
The actions before and after are completely inconsistent!
Unable to figure out what had snatched his pheasant, Luo Yesheng gave up guessing; his immediate priority was to regain his “freedom” and stop remaining in this helpless, vulnerable posture.
To be honest, being wrapped head-to-toe in metal sheets like a silkworm cocoon felt utterly miserable.
Unlike ropes, which one could at least attempt to cut through, these hard, cold metal sheets posed a different challenge—what could possibly cut them? Was he supposed to use his own fire ability to melt the metal?
Leaving aside the fact that his ability wasn’t functioning at all, even if it were, melting the metal with fire would mean that by the time he freed himself, he’d already be half-boiled alive.
Luo Yesheng was anxious, but no matter how urgent his feelings, it was useless; he had to calm down and carefully analyze the situation to find a solution. Just then, he heard a very faint sound coming from outside.
Was it a person, or something else?
Amidst his swirling thoughts, a delicately carved, jade-like little girl appeared before him, still clutching his surprise in her hand…
“…”
The adult and the child stared at each other. Luo Yesheng gaped at the tender, youthful little girl, his mind filled with a buzzing confusion that refused to coalesce into coherent thought. Helplessly, the two simply stared wide-eyed at one another.
Bianbian had no idea about the twists and turns in his mind; her impression of Luo Yesheng was simply “bad guy.” But how clever was little Bianbian’s mind? She quickly understood why Grandpa wanted her to carry the pheasant inside.
She remembered that when this bad guy attacked Grandpa, fire spewed from his hands. Since she couldn’t handle a chicken herself and wouldn’t get to eat any meat, and since neither Grandpa nor Uncle Zhu Yuan could deal with it either, the only one left who could was this big bad guy right before her eyes.
As for why Grandpa didn’t just bring the bad guy directly to Jinxin Community but instead seized the pheasant to lure Bianbian over… Bianbian naturally overlooked that detail. In her eyes, the big bad guy caught by Grandpa had become a chef capable of making roasted chicken!
“It’s me!” Bianbian admitted resolutely, with extraordinary spirit.
Facing the terrible villain who had hurt her grandpa, Bianbian showed no mercy at all. She tried her best to keep a stern face, her big eyes glaring accusingly at the bad guy. With Grandpa and Uncle Zhu Yuan outside, she wasn’t afraid in the least.
Luo Yesheng: “…”
The turbulent thoughts churning in his mind gradually settled. He had encountered young ability users before, but those who were both young and powerful were typically treasured assets of the base, nurtured with special care and never allowed to operate alone.
He took a quiet breath, replacing the shock and disbelief on his face with the standard gentle expression adults use when coaxing children, and asked in an almost tender tone, “Little sister, what’s your name?”
Bianbian was a polite child; even though the one asking was a villain she disliked, she still answered honestly, “My name is Bianbian.”
Bianbian?
That name sounds a bit familiar…” Luo Yesheng furrowed his brows, then introduced himself in a friendly tone before asking tentatively, “Are you here alone?
Seeing her shake her head, Luo Yesheng’s heart sank. Of course; she didn’t look like someone living by herself.
Luo Yesheng forced a smile, struggling to shift his body as an expression of discomfort spread across his face.
The young man who had been trying to elicit sympathy found his target completely unmoved; feeling suddenly stifled, he finally muttered in a low voice, “Bianbian, is it you who turned me into this?”
Bianbian thought for a moment. It was Grandpa who had tied up the bad guy, and since Grandpa had done it, it counted as if she had done it herself.
So the little girl nodded solemnly.
Sure enough, an ability user.
The reason Luo Yesheng believed so quickly was that he felt a child had no need to deceive him—he was now like meat on a chopping block; what could there possibly be to gain by lying?
And the little girl said she wasn’t alone…
“Bianbian, where’s the person with you?” Allowing a child to ambush him, snatch away his pheasant, while hiding herself away… This behavior reminded Luo Yesheng of the one who had first ambushed him.
The young man’s breathing grew noticeably heavier.
His injuries had only healed halfway, and after being encased in metal plates for so long, some of his wounds had reopened from his earlier struggles, making his complexion look far worse than before.
Bianbian puffed out her cheeks and huffed angrily, “I’m not telling you!”
She had to protect Grandpa!
Luo Yesheng: “…”
Who said children are easy to coax?
Children in the apocalypse are just as difficult to deal with!
The small knife tucked into his belt was digging uncomfortably into his side; having freed her hands by tossing the pheasant onto the ground, she drew out the Jiushi Sword.
The moment the Nine Thoughts Sword was drawn, Luo Yesheng’s gaze instantly locked onto it. Immediately after, his temples throbbed violently, and a flicker of alarmed uncertainty danced in his eyes.
He actually sensed a terrifying danger emanating from the short sword. It was hard to describe the feeling; it was as if… what that pretty little bundle had pulled out wasn’t a blade, but a colossal beast with its eyes closed in slumber.
A series of electric currents coursed across the surface of his skin, stimulating a slight tremor throughout his body.
Luo Yesheng shook his head fiercely, forcibly tearing his gaze away. Once the image of the short sword vanished from his retina, the danger that had sent chills up the soles of his feet disappeared, and the fear filling his heart receded like a withdrawing tide.
Just a short sword?
Was he just afraid of a short sword?
Luo Yesheng’s throat went dry; as he looked at Bianbian again, a trace of fear involuntarily crept into his gaze. This fear did not stem from Bianbian herself, but from the person accompanying her.
She was only a little girl; no matter how formidable, her capabilities had limits. The reason he had fallen into her trap was twofold: first, his injuries had not yet healed, severely diminishing his strength and preventing him from detecting someone lurking nearby; second, the girl had launched a sudden surprise attack.
The fact that he could confidently send the little girl to meet him alone spoke not only of his trust in her abilities but also of the short sword she held in her hand.
Instinct told Luo Yesheng that this sword was far from ordinary.
For a little girl to wield such a short blade, which radiated menace and danger merely by its appearance, meant that the unseen person behind her must be even more powerful than he could imagine—perhaps even present right here.
Was their purpose in sending her out simply to snatch the mountain pheasant he had accidentally found?
Just as this thought crossed his mind, he saw the little girl push the pheasant toward him. Trying to appear fierce, she puckered her small face and said, “I’m hungry.”
However, her voice still carried a babyish lilt, which undermined its effect; instead of sounding like an order, it came across as a soft plea from a child, making it impossible for anyone to refuse her from the bottom of their heart.
Luo Yesheng snapped back to reality, gazing at the little girl. The fear in his eyes gradually faded, and he unconsciously asked, “Bianbian, how old are you?”
“Five years old,” Bian replied, then added, “I’m very capable. Don’t think I’m easy to bully just because I’m young.”
She casually waved the small knife in her hand.
Bianbian felt incredibly powerful at this moment.
Luo Yesheng thought to himself: I haven’t even “bullied” anyone yet, and here I am knocked down and made a prisoner by you. Who’s really bullying whom?
Yet, meeting the child’s clear black-and-white eyes, strangely enough, he didn’t feel angry at all.
Perhaps he figured getting angry was pointless anyway; since his skills were inferior, he couldn’t even defeat a little girl, let alone considering she had an even more formidable family member.
With his life in someone else’s hands, what could he do but accept his fate? Unless he no longer valued that life.
Luo Yesheng still cherished the life he had fought so hard to survive.
“Bianbian, tied up like this by you, I can’t roast this chicken properly.” If the child is hungry, then fill her stomach with food. Luo Yesheng said in a good temper, “You have to…”
Wait—
Luo Yesheng suddenly remembered something he had overlooked: the reason for snatching the pheasant was to eat its meat. A five-year-old child couldn’t possibly handle a whole chicken, and neither could the person accompanying her? Then why specifically seek him out, a prisoner?
Or was it intentional on their part!
Steal his chicken and then treat him like a free chef?
After all, cooking is incredibly convenient for a Fire-type ability user..
For a fleeting moment, Luo Yesheng wished he hadn’t been born with a brain.
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Congratulations, Mr. Luo. None of your earlier assumptions were correct, but your last guess was remarkably accurate~~