Chapter Twenty-Five: Killing Xiao Gang

With a thunderous crash, the car that Shen Lie had just started suddenly came to an abrupt halt. The front windshield shattered as it was struck by a luminous, gleaming white object. But in the instant the glass broke, Shen Lie swiftly pushed Zhang Jing out of the car and rolled out himself, smashing into the door.

"Who are you!"

Shen Lie leapt up from the ground, his face contorted with anger as he bellowed. Not far ahead, just to the side of the car, stood a pale-faced man with gold-rimmed glasses, gazing coldly at him.

The man looked refined and elegant, but his eyes were an unsettling shade of deep blue, and his neck was so exaggeratedly long it almost rivaled a giraffe's. In truth, Shen Lie didn't need to ask to guess the attacker's name; the shout was merely instinctive. The man's features were so distinctive—who else could he be but Xiao Gang, the ice-type awakened one?

"Your reactions are impressive," Xiao Gang replied with a faint smile, casting a disdainful glance at Shen Lie, his blue eyes glittering with contempt. "But your current posture is hardly dignified."

"Are you Xiao Gang?" Shen Lie ignored the mockery, waved for Zhang Jing to retreat, then stared at Xiao Gang with icy resolve.

"Hah, seems my reputation isn't insignificant. But I'm curious—when did you awaken? Are you local or from elsewhere? Actually, I'm not so interested in those answers. What truly intrigues me is why, after awakening, your body shows no abnormal changes. It seems different from us. And of course, I'd like to know the secret behind how you crossed the river."

Xiao Gang spoke slowly, but Shen Lie sensed a chill spreading through the air, realizing this was not a man to be trifled with.

What concerned Shen Lie even more was the figure emerging from behind a tree behind Xiao Gang—a man in his forties, wearing a fur cap in the heat of summer, his body hunched over. There was no need to ask; he must be one of the town's awakened, Wang Qingshan, the speed-type.

Both men appearing before him, with obvious malice, was one of the situations Shen Lie least wished to face. He had no certainty of victory against two awakened ones at once.

As for the possibility of peaceful negotiations, Shen Lie dismissed it. All peaceful talks are predicated on equal strength—between nations, between men, it is the same. In this lawless apocalypse, brute force rules. The stash of supplies behind him could drive most people mad, and the secret of crossing the river represented resources for half the town.

"You want to know my secret? Sure. Just defeat me!"

Shen Lie had no intention of compromise. He laughed heartily, raised his black spear, and charged like lightning straight at Xiao Gang.

Xiao Gang hadn't expected Shen Lie to act first. Since his identity was known, and Wang Qingshan's as well, he assumed Shen Lie would hesitate. To strike first against both of them—was he mad, or did he have some hidden advantage?

A dozen thoughts flashed through Xiao Gang's mind, but his hands moved swiftly. As Shen Lie shifted, an ice spike formed in Xiao Gang's hand. In the next instant, it split into three, forming a triangle, racing toward Shen Lie.

Shen Lie's main ability was strength; in speed, he had no advantage against Xiao Gang. The three ice spikes blocked all avenues of approach—his only option was to evade. Yet, if he dodged, he lost the element of surprise, and, once Wang Qingshan and Xiao Gang coordinated, he'd be in grave danger.

It was then that Shen Lie's ferocity burst forth. He didn't pause or make any large evasive moves, only twisted slightly to avoid two spikes, letting the third pierce through his left side.

The force of the ice spike nearly knocked him down, but Shen Lie gritted his teeth and stayed upright, his momentum unbroken. In Xiao Gang's astonished gaze, a black flash swept past, and a line of blood seemed to rise from nowhere.

Wang Qingshan saw Shen Lie's black spear strike Xiao Gang's head, crushing half of it like a rotten watermelon. One eye dangled from the mangled flesh; the other still held a look of bewildered confusion.

Xiao Gang's body collapsed lifelessly to the ground. Wang Qingshan screamed in terror, sprang up, and fled at astonishing speed, leaving phantom images behind him, vanishing into the woods in an instant.

Shen Lie's face was paper pale, sweat pouring from him, soaking his clothes. He clutched the massive wound in his abdomen with one hand, braced himself on his black spear, doubled over to keep from collapsing.

Despite the dire situation, Shen Lie felt a measure of relief. His judgment had not failed him, and Li Cheng's assessment of Wang Qingshan's character was spot on. If Wang Qingshan had lingered a minute longer, Shen Lie's fate would have matched Xiao Gang's.

Yet, killing Xiao Gang wasn't solely due to surprise. Shen Lie realized that as his spear was about to strike Xiao Gang's head, Xiao Gang's long neck twisted unnaturally—ordinarily, the blow would have missed. At that moment, however, the mark on Shen Lie's brow flashed, and his spear seemed to be energized by some force; a black aura appeared at the tip. Xiao Gang dodged the spear but couldn't evade the aura, leading to his death.

"Brother Shen!" Zhang Jing rushed from the car, not giving Shen Lie time to think.

She had only just gotten in the car, wondering if conflict would erupt, and now found herself facing this bloody scene. She could hardly believe this student-like Shen Lie could be so ruthless, striking without mercy. But she had witnessed countless confrontations before; though frightened, she didn't lose her head. She half-supported, half-dragged Shen Lie back into the car and sped away from the scene.

"Are we heading back to the compound?" Half the town was small; a few presses of the accelerator and the compound was already in sight. Zhang Jing, uncertain of Shen Lie's injuries, asked anxiously. She feared that if Shen Lie collapsed at the compound, those inside might be tempted by greed; in this world, anything was possible.

"Let's go back." Shen Lie hesitated briefly at Zhang Jing's question, then decided to return to the compound. His wounds were severe and needed immediate treatment; there was no time to look for another place. Besides, what place was truly safe now?

Zhang Jing said no more, driving swiftly to the compound gate and helping Shen Lie out.

"No need, I'll manage myself." Shen Lie saw Li Cheng and others emerging from the compound, took a deep breath, straightened his clothes to conceal the bound wound, and refused Zhang Jing's support, gritting his teeth as he stepped from the car.

"Brother Shen, you've returned!" Li Cheng and the others hurried out to greet him. Every small settlement was unsafe now, always on alert, so Shen Lie's car was quickly spotted.

Nearby, other small teams noticed as well, watching from afar. News of an awakened one in the area had spread since yesterday; several team leaders had already contacted Li Cheng, hinting at their desire to follow Shen Lie. But Li Cheng, uncertain of his own standing with Shen Lie, dared not accept rashly.

He walked quickly to Shen Lie, casting a complicated glance at Zhang Jing, who stood motionless beside Shen Lie, marveling at her cunning. She had seized the opportunity to become Shen Lie's confidant, a spot that had been his. Zhang Jing had been just his subordinate, someone he could have easily seduced had he wanted.

Suppressing these thoughts, Li Cheng reminded himself that even Ma Zanlin had failed to best Shen Lie, who now had a foothold in the town. He must nurture this relationship carefully.

"Brother Shen, Sister Zhang, where have you two been?" Li Cheng addressed Zhang Jing as "Sister Zhang," then glanced at the cargo bed of the small truck, which was piled high with bags and boxes, bulging with supplies.

Shen Lie didn't reply. He was in poor shape; the jostling ride and the strain of getting out had made it hard for him to stand. If not for the cold from the ice spike sealing his wound and preventing heavy bleeding, the ground would likely be soaked in blood by now.

"All these are supplies. Li Cheng, handle them—keep everything safe for Brother Shen to deal with, no unauthorized use! Also, bring some food to Brother Shen's room; he and I are both hungry." Seeing Shen Lie's condition, Zhang Jing immediately issued orders to Li Cheng, then, ignoring the others' gazes, slipped her arm around Shen Lie, feigning intimacy as she helped him to his room.

"Damn it, if I'd known, I would have bedded her a hundred times when I had the chance!" Li Cheng, unaware of Shen Lie's injury, glared furiously at their retreating backs, gnashing his teeth in envy and rage.

"Ah!" As Shen Lie entered the room, he collapsed onto the bed, startling Zhang Jing into a cry.

"Don't shout, I'm not dead yet. Help me get my clothes off." Shen Lie glared weakly at her, barely able to speak.

"Oh, yes." Zhang Jing had lost all her earlier composure, trembling as she climbed onto the bed to help Shen Lie undress. At his gesture, she unwound the bandage from his wound. It had been hastily wrapped in the car and came loose easily.

Both gasped as the bandage came off.