Published: January 31, 2025
“I will pave the way forward, bearing most of the pressure. You all follow behind me, taking on a smaller share of the burden.”
Wen Yu stared into Li Quan'an’s eyes, noticing the astonishment reflected in them, and continued, “The more people there are, the more the vines will be dispersed. The more of us there are, the less pressure I will have at the front. As for who can make it out alive, that all depends on individual ability.”
Wen Yu took a calm sip of white liquor, quietly awaiting Li Quan'an's reaction.
In fact, it made little difference to Wen Yu whether he was at the front or at the back of the group; regardless of position, he would face attacks from the vines. However, saying he was at the forefront sounded more appealing, and more importantly, it was a way to make these cannon fodder more willing to comply.
“Well, Brother Wen Yu, can I say no?” Li Quan'an had yet to grasp the severity of the situation, believing instead that Wen Yu's proposal was the more dangerous option. Moreover, if many people died, would he still have his current status?
“You cannot say no. Besides, we don’t have much time. At most, two days. I must get out. If Mayor Li doesn’t recognize the situation by then, it would mean the death of everyone, including me.”
“People nearing death can become desperate.”
Seeing the hesitation on Li Quan'an's face, Wen Yu directly issued a threat.
Li Quan'an's expression shifted between uncertainty and contemplation, even considering whether to mobilize everyone to eliminate Wen Yu.
“However, I believe Mayor Li is a wise person. Once the people you send out to scout return, Mayor Li will know exactly what the situation is.”
Wen Yu finished the remaining liquor in his cup and said to Li Quan'an, “Mayor Li should arrange a place for me to stay first.”
Li Quan'an did not want to delve deeper into this issue, waving his hand to call over Bai Xiao'an, who was not far away. “Go, arrange a better room for Brother Wen Yu and his battle pet.”
“Understood, Mayor Li.” Bai Xiao'an took Wen Yu and headed upstairs, while the one-eyed beast finished a whole basin of mutated beast meat, licking its lips and following Wen Yu upstairs.
...
On the quiet stairs, Bai Xiao'an walked closely beside Wen Yu, and in the silent corridor, the sound of their footsteps was the only noise.
“Um, Brother Wen Yu, my name is Bai Xiao'an. I’m Mayor Li’s secretary.”
Bai Xiao'an took the initiative to speak.
“Hmm.” Wen Yu responded indifferently.
With Wen Yu's experience, he could tell at a glance that this young boy was trying to get closer to him on purpose, but what could he say to an ant?
Perhaps Wen Yu's response gave Bai Xiao'an some courage, as he spoke again, “Brother Wen Yu, I heard you came from Mudanjiang City. Can you tell me about the situation there?”
Only then did Wen Yu turn around and carefully examine Bai Xiao'an. The boy appeared to be about 13 or 14 years old, with a fair, delicate face and a thin body. More importantly, Wen Yu noticed from Bai Xiao'an's breathing and footsteps that the boy had not undergone a job change.
“The situation in Mudanjiang City isn’t good. You don’t need to worry about it too much. It’s already quite impressive that you can survive in Birch Forest Town.”
Wen Yu's words were harsh, and as soon as they left his mouth, Bai Xiao'an's face turned pale.
Seeing Bai Xiao'an fall silent, Wen Yu couldn’t be bothered with the thoughts of a stranger and impatiently asked, “What floor?”
“Sixth floor.” Bai Xiao'an replied, a bit flustered.
“Hmm, hurry up.” Wen Yu noticed that his tone was somewhat off; the pressure from the mutated vines was too great, so he slightly softened his tone. He would still release a bit of kindness in special situations involving women and children.
Before long, Bai Xiao'an led Wen Yu to an office on the sixth floor. It was clear that Mayor Li had put effort into arranging this room for Wen Yu.
The spacious area had a large sofa that was sufficient for Wen Yu to rest on. In addition, the office included an independent bathroom. Although it was uncertain whether the bathroom would be of any use at such a time, it at least provided a private space. Behind the huge desk was a genuine leather chair.