Published: February 5, 2025
Looking down from the second-floor window, Cheng Ze moved somewhat unsteadily.
For losers, being able to leave alive was already a form of luck. The unfortunate ones had all become corpses, decapitated corpses, like Wang Zhen.
Just a few dozen minutes earlier, Xia Lei had shot him from behind, shattering Wang Zhen's heart and obliterating the hazy hopes of this middle-aged man in the apocalypse.
The people following Wang Zhen were also stunned, and the sudden emergence of the earth yellow pill bit the most loyal one to death. The other two left with Cheng Ze.
In this house, now charred beyond recognition by fire, only six people remained. Mo Ye and Little Tiger looked complexly at the back of the instructor outside, as well as at Ye Zhongming, who stood firm like a mountain.
Two men, two silhouettes, yet the meanings they represented were drastically different at that moment.
One represented failure, while the other represented success.
The successful one retrieved the card, while the failed one faced exile.
In his past life, Ye Zhongming would have chosen to kill anyone who dared to encroach upon his interests. But in this life, he wanted a different identity, and naturally, he had to be more thorough in his actions. Killing Cheng Ze was simple, but it would lead to Mo Ye's estrangement, which was not what he desired.
"Take this meat and this bottle of immunity potion to him," Ye Zhongming suddenly said, shoving these items into the downcast Mo Ye's hands. "Although what he did was somewhat wrong, after all, you are master and disciple. With the immunity potion and some salted meat to increase his constitution, I believe Instructor Cheng will survive."
Mo Ye's eyes immediately lit up, her lips trembling as she bit down, unsure of what to say.
This female armed police officer was clearly more suited to wielding a gun than saying thank you.
Watching Mo Ye leave happily, Xia Lei glanced at Ye Zhongming and slightly mocked, "You’ve sent him away. Don't you think that’s hypocritical?"
"Show me how you are hypocritical," Ye Zhongming retorted.
Xia Lei opened her mouth to respond but found nothing to say. Indeed, if this was considered hypocrisy, then perhaps the survivors outside would all be crying out for more hypocrisy to come.
Ye Zhongming glanced at the beautiful young woman beside him and handed her something.
Seeing the One-Star Evolution Elixir in Ye Zhongming's hand, Xia Lei smiled bitterly, "What is this? A consolation prize for killing my colleague?"
"No," Ye Zhongming adjusted his posture, squinting as he said, "At the moment the apocalypse arrived, everyone's relationships in this world changed. Wang Zhen is no longer your colleague, but a man who threatened you by exploiting your greed. You owe him nothing, and even if you kill him, it is he who deserves to die."
Xia Lei shook her head, "I killed him because I needed your help. Even if he deserved to die, it shouldn't be me who killed him."
"I advise you to give up such thoughts early, or you might find a knife blade piercing your chest one day, and you will never know who stabbed you."
"Do you always look for a reason to justify your killings?"
Ye Zhongming laughed, "Because I never consider myself noble, I kill without needing a reason."
Xia Lei felt a chill run down her spine, sensing that this smiling young man harbored a red demon inside him, a red that was stained with blood.
"I'm not noble either. I used to kill for justice and law, and just now... it was for personal gain."
The once-dominant woman struggled with her own conscience.
Ye Zhongming did not try to persuade her; some things had to be understood on one's own. He had said what needed to be said.
"I hope you can keep your promise to take me there."
Ye Zhongming nodded, "Though I’m not a good person, I will certainly fulfill my promises."
A potential large-scale bloody conflict thus faded away, leaving Liang Chuyin and Park Soo-young feeling that Ye Zhongming had a skill for turning the tide.
In truth, Ye Zhongming was just better at discovering things that could be utilized within a crowd.