"Do you still want your crystals back?"
Chen Jie raised his axe, aiming directly at Firefox.
If she uttered a single word of "want," the next second, Chen Jie would not hesitate to kill her.
"No, no, no! I don't… I want to become your subordinate, of course… recognizing you as my master is fine too!"
Firefox lowered her head, knowing how lowly she looked right now.
But to survive in this apocalypse, she had no choice but to attach herself to someone stronger.
"Forget it, you—"
"Xiao Jie, let her stay!"
Before Chen Jie could refuse, Xia Wanrou spoke, urging him to keep Firefox.
Originally, Chen Jie wanted to refuse Firefox because he feared Xia Wanrou might mind.
He didn't lack servants.
Since Xia Wanrou now wanted Firefox to stay, Chen Jie naturally said nothing and simply nodded, allowing her to remain.
As for why Xia Wanrou wanted Firefox to stay—she was thinking that in this dangerous world, having one more person with Chen Jie meant one more companion, one more helper.
Firefox immediately realized that her chance to stay by Chen Jie's side was thanks to Xia Wanrou's intervention.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have had the opportunity at all.
Delighted, Firefox grinned and hooked her arm around Xia Wanrou's.
"Thank you, sister, for taking me in!"
"No need. But since you're staying, you must be fully devoted. Otherwise, my Green-Scaled Longsword won't spare you!"
Xia Wanrou's tone was gentle.
On the surface, it seemed like a simple reminder.
In reality, it was an open threat: if Firefox dared to wrong Chen Jie in any way, Xia Wanrou would be the first to kill her.
"You… the rest of you—are you staying to wait for me to deal with you, or leaving on your own?"
Chen Jie turned to the remaining members of the Longyan Guild.
Hearing this, the remnants immediately scattered in panic.
At that moment, Xia Wanrou glanced at Firefox.
Firefox sensed the meaning behind her gaze.
She needed to show proof of loyalty!
Instantly releasing Xia Wanrou's arm, Firefox transformed into a streak of fire and charged out.
She pursued the fleeing remnants of the Longyan Guild.
"Shish!"
In no time, her claws pierced the chest of the nearest one.
It was one of her old guildmates—Crow!
Crow turned in disbelief toward Firefox, his voice hoarse, unable to make a sound.
After dealing with Crow, Firefox continued hunting the remaining fugitives.
Three minutes later…
Firefox, covered in blood, stood before Xia Wanrou and Chen Jie.
"You're clever, knowing Xiao Jie doesn't like leaving trouble behind and taking the initiative to kill these people! Let's head back and find somewhere to wash up first."
Xia Wanrou smiled, praising Huohu.
"I'll keep working hard!"
Firefox lowered her head and replied solemnly.
Killing her former guildmates weighed on her heart, but for survival, she had no choice.
…
In the abandoned hospital where they had slain the rat-men:
"Be a good little snack for me!"
A chilling, horrifying voice echoed through the hospital lobby.
Lin Yao and the students he had brought from school huddled together, back to back, eyes wide with terror.
"What kind of monster is this? Stop hiding and come out!"
Lin Yao shouted into the darkness.
As a third-stage awakened, he could still keep calm under such circumstances.
The other students, with weaker mental fortitude, were already wetting themselves.
"Why? We just went through the rat-men, and now there's another monster! When will this apocalypse end?"
"I don't want to die! I just want to live, boohoo!"
"Don't eat me, don't eat me! My meat is sour; I haven't showered in days!"
…
The students from school had descended into chaos.
Clearly, they were terrified, trembling at the sounds coming from the darkness.
"You lot are pathetic! The monster hasn't even appeared, and you're already screaming! The louder you scream, the faster you die!"
Lin Yao raised his sword, shouting at the students behind him.
Their panicked noise would only excite the mutated monsters further.
"Brother Lin, that's easy for you to say. You've awakened your super martial talent, so of course you're not afraid! If it were us, with no abilities, could we stay so calm?"
Lin Shiyu, though scared, was resentful of Lin Yao speaking without risk.
"The hunt begins!"
At that moment, a voice sounded again.
Almost simultaneously, a shadow flickered past.
Whoosh!
One student vanished into thin air!
"Ah! Ugh…"
A string of horrifying screams came from the darkness.
The sound sent chills down everyone's spines.
"If this continues, we'll all become its food. Rather than sitting and waiting, we'd better break out!"
A boy shouted and ran toward the hospital exit.
But after only a few steps…
Whoosh!
He disappeared entirely before everyone's eyes; no one saw how.
"What do we do? Where's my Chen Da Ge? Please come back and save me!"
Lin Shiyu clutched his bag, desperate for Chen Jie's appearance.
"I'll try you!"
The shadow, after dispatching the fleeing boy, turned its attention to Lin Yao.
He was the only awakened here, standing out and looking delicious to the shadow.
Whoosh!
The shadow lunged at Lin Yao.
But Lin Yao wasn't defenseless; he reacted immediately, swinging his sword at the incoming shadow.
"Clang!"
A crisp clash sounded.
Lin Yao's sword flew from his hands, leaving a black handprint on his super martial armor.
Without the armor, he would likely have been impaled.
Even Lin Yao couldn't match the shadow…
The students fell into deeper despair.
"Roar—"
Suddenly…
A dragon's roar shattered the hopelessness. A golden dragon charged into the hospital, lighting the entire building.
It also ignited the flame of hope in the students' hearts.
They knew their savior, Chen Jie, had returned!
"Chen Great Big Brother! My great big brother, you're finally back!"
Seeing Chen Jie, Lin Shiyu disregarded danger and rushed forward.
Plop! He prostrated himself before Chen Jie.
With Chen Jie there, his fear vanished instantly.
The others, seeing this, also rushed forward.
Who wouldn't grovel before Chen Jie?