"We've arrived!"
Li Depiao was at the forefront, coerced and threatened into guiding the group to Chen Wei's home.
"What's this? An iron wall?"
"Li Depiao, are you messing with me? Do you have a death wish?"
Behind Li Depiao, a gang of over a dozen followed, led by a notorious boss, flanked by several of his menacing henchmen.
The others were there hoping to score some loot.
Upon reaching Chen Wei's courtyard, they were confronted by an imposing iron barrier. A five-meter-tall wall of iron loomed before them.
Silver-white steel rose in massive blocks, resembling a formidable steel fortress from a distance, daunting to all who beheld it.
The system had not only renovated the farm but had also fortified Chen Wei's courtyard in the process.
"Brother Liu, I beg you, spare me!"
Li Depiao, his neck in someone's grasp, was panic-stricken, pleading desperately.
In this post-apocalyptic world, hunger had driven people to madness.
"And what's this supposed to be?"
The one called Brother Liu was Liu Kai, the town's gang leader.
"I... I have no idea. None of this was here last time I came!" Li Depiao was on the verge of tears, as Chen Wei's house had undergone a drastic transformation in no time at all.
"Do you take me for a fool? Are you trying to say he fortified all this after you left? Look at the size of it. Could he have finished it so quickly?"
Liu Kai, reaching for the soft knife at his waist, was about to act.
Li Depiao, in a state of terror, cried out, "Wei, save me! Brother Wei!"
Inside the courtyard, Chen Wei stood before a screen displayed by the system.
He had been watching Li Depiao and the others closely.
"System, open the gate. I'll handle these people," Chen Wei commanded.
"Strength is forged through relentless challenge," the system encouraged. "Host, go for it!"
Boom!
With a thunderous noise, the steel gate ascended skyward.
With an icy gaze, Chen Wei stepped forward and emerged from the courtyard.
Fifteen people stood guard, awaiting him.
"Hmm?"
"He's coming out!"
The abrupt opening of the gate seized everyone's attention, and in that instant, all eyes were fixed on Chen Wei.
"Wei, save me!"
Upon seeing Chen Wei, Li Depiao clung to him like a lifeline, scrambling desperately in his direction.
Liu Kai ignored Li Depiao, concentrating solely on Chen Wei.
Squinting, he drew his soft knife, balancing it in his hand as he approached. "So, you're Chen Wei?"
"Yes, I'm Chen Wei. And you are?"
Chen Wei's gaze was icy, betraying no fear.
In this post-apocalyptic world, mercy made you a doormat. As the system said, strength was honed through relentless struggle.
Fear made you a Li Depiao, helpless and at others' whims.
"There's no need for such hostility, Brother Wei. I'm Liu Kai from the town. Surely, you've heard of me?"
Liu Kai's demeanor shifted to a grin as he addressed Chen Wei.
"Liu Kai? Sorry, doesn't ring a bell."
Chen Wei's response was frosty, "You approach me, knife in hand, and expect courtesy?"
"Hmm?"
Liu Kai's brow creased at the response, but he quickly regained his composure, a cold smirk playing on his lips. "We've come to buy food from you today, Chen Wei. Or rather, to requisition it."
"The town's starving. Many have died from the virus, others from mutants and beasts."
"Those of us left are on the brink of madness, with nothing left to eat."
"I've heard you have plenty of food, so I'm here on behalf of the townspeople to request some. You wouldn't refuse, would you?"
Positioning himself as a paragon of virtue, Liu Kai leveraged the lives of the townsfolk to coerce Chen Wei, all to indulge his own greed.
Disgusted by the man's shamelessness, Chen Wei scoffed, "If you want food, just ask. Why the charade?"
"Oh? So you're saying you'll share your food with us?" At Chen Wei's words, Liu Kai's expression brightened with anticipation.
"No way!"
Chen Wei responded instinctively.
"You... Alright, alright, alright. You decline the toast, now you must face the consequences! Today, I'll finish you off first! Then I'll take all your food!"
"Attack!"
Liu Kai let out a cold snort and signaled his men to move in.
Charging ahead, Liu Kai was at the forefront, lifting his soft knife high, ready to bring it down on Chen Wei.
"Hmph!"
With a cold grunt, Chen Wei's eyes flashed sharply. He lifted his foot and kicked with force.
Bang!
Chen Wei's physical condition was now ten times that of an ordinary human, and having reached the Nirvana Stage, his reflexes, strength, and speed were overwhelmingly superior to those before him.
His kick was swift; before Liu Kai's knife could strike, he was sent flying, toppling the men behind him.
"Pfft..."
Liu Kai's throat soured as blood spurted from his mouth. His head lolled to the side, and he passed out.
That single kick had broken at least eight of Liu Kai's ribs.
"Utterly clueless!"
Chen Wei looked down at the unconscious Liu Kai and uttered these cold words.
The onlookers, stunned by Chen Wei's might, involuntarily stepped back.
At that moment, Li Depiao, standing behind Chen Wei, watched in awe as Chen Wei sent a man flying seven or eight meters. His eyes bulged.
"Gulp..."
His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed the dryness in his throat.
"Still want to challenge me?"
Chen Wei glared at the crowd before him, his voice stern. He felt not an ounce of sympathy for them.
The crowd stirred, retreating yet filled with reluctance.
"Wei, I'm from the town—"
Bang!
Before another could finish pleading for mercy, he too was sent flying by Chen Wei's kick, ending up just like Liu Kai, motionless on the ground.
____
Your support means a lot. If you can, consider supporting here:
https://ko-fi.com/utdn