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Thank you again, Melonpan, for the sponsorship
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Fu Shiwu held Tang Xuhai's heavy sword and suddenly remembered something. Then he said to Tang Xuhai, "Xuhai, I have a proposal. I wonder if you dare to give it a try?"
"What proposal?" Tang Xuhai glanced at him through the rearview mirror.
"Do you still remember the steel plate inside your body?" Fu Shiwu asked.
"How?" Tang Xuhai puzzled, "Of course, but it doesn't affect me now."
"If you can melt that steel plate into your body, could other iron items do the same?" Fu Shiwu said, "If it's feasible, you could hide weapons inside your body."
Tang Xuhai's eyes brightened. "Indeed, if that steel plate really melted into my bones, perhaps other metals could too!"
Horn Ting, listening in, was baffled. Steel plates could be melted into the body?!
Wen Zhaoming was harshly pushed into a prison cell. Without his wheelchair, he stumbled and fell to the ground, while Miao Jia was shoved in behind him.
The villains disregarded Wen Zhaoming's disability and became increasingly audacious.
One of them sneered, spewing insults: "Just a cripple, yet by some stroke of luck awakened as a fire-elemental? So what? A legless invalid!"
"Enough! Ignore him, just a useless waste, not even with a wheelchair, let's go drink," another said dismissively.
They burst into laughter and left noisily.
Wen Zhaoming glared coldly at their departing figures, fingers piercing into his palms. Miao Jia crawled over, cautiously helping him up.
"Wen Ge, are you okay?" Miao Jia looked at Wen Zhaoming's grim expression. "Don't mind their nonsense! I know how capable you are; you just hold back for others' sake."
Wen Zhaoming forced a smile, taking Miao Jia's hand to sit up. "I won't mind. If I cared about this idle talk, I wouldn't have left Tianjing Garden."
Leaving Tianjing Garden without any support, Wen Zhaoming was mentally prepared for mockery and discrimination due to his deficiencies. However, each time, it still hurt. He wasn't that strong to ignore people's stares.
"Right," Miao Jia sighed in relief, then indignantly added, "These people are despicable. Having more evolved individuals but still pointing guns at us—it's unfair!"
Wen Zhaoming pondered the morning's events.
It all happened suddenly. These people in cars surrounded them unexpectedly. Despite some precautions, they hadn't anticipated seven evolved individuals threatening them with their abilities. Moreover, some had guns aimed directly at them.
Liu Peiqi and Wu Shan got lightly injured in a moment of impulsiveness, and it was only when Wen Zhaoming sensed danger that he unleashed his fire abilities and intervened.
Clearly, these people intended to capture them for revenge. The group that came in the early hours was quite powerful within the Wolf Gang, yet they were wiped out. If their leaders didn't inflict severe punishment in public, their credibility would shake.
Wen Zhaoming sighed inwardly, sensed by the sensitive Miao Jia.
"Wen Ge, what will happen to us?" Miao Jia, not very courageous, faced anyone online but was immensely fearful in the three-dimensional world. "Will someone come to rescue us?"
Wen Zhaoming, resigned, patted his tightly held hand. "Don't worry, Tang Xuhai and Fu Shiwu will find a way."
He couldn't be sure if it was Liu Zhao and Horn Ting outside, but Tang Xuhai and Fu Shiwu—he believed, based on his understanding of them—wouldn't abandon their comrades willingly. They would act; they just needed to wait for the right moment.
Wen Zhaoming breathed out, surveying the surroundings.
This level of the prison remained unchanged, while other floors were modified into rooms. It seemed to be designed specifically for incarcerating dissenters, with painful moans occasionally breaking the silence, increasing the fear within.
Despite being built not long ago, the prison had a vast area and comprehensive facilities, including a library for leisure reading.
Shi Zheng didn't fancy the original police administrative building, so he took over the entire library, turning it into his current sanctuary.
Even in this post-apocalyptic era, he had lavishly decorated the library, making it a comfortable space.
At this moment, Shi Zheng sat in a vacant reading room. A complete tea set was arranged on the coffee table in front of a comfortable leather sofa, and Shi Zheng, with a relaxed expression, savored the aroma of the tea with closed eyes.
"Boss, these few people aren't that formidable. We barely acted before being captured," a man, dismissive, said. "A bunch of weaklings, just like quails. It's probably Li Jixian's group; they've been too relaxed these days, got careless, and got wiped out. That fire ability guy is just a useless cripple, easily subdued under threat. But their car modifications are impressive, with plenty of food inside. There's even jerky; I've handed it to the kitchen. How about a hearty lunch today, boss?"
Shi Zheng, opening his eyes impassively, glanced at the man who was incessantly chattering. The middle-aged man beside him, seeing the boss's cold demeanor, immediately elbowed the talkative man in the stomach, silencing him.
"Found Li Jixian?" Shi Zheng set down his teacup.
"No." The middle-aged man standing beside the talkative one shook his head. "We've searched everywhere back and forth, no trace of him."
"Hmph! Useless," Shi Zheng's eyes flashed coldly.
The talkative man smirked briefly, sneaking backward. Since they joined the Wolf Gang, life had been luxurious, with women, food, and pleasures. However, the boss's rules were strict. If missions failed, mutants or those with abilities faced dire consequences. Li Jixian's superior died on the spot, and he was the sole survivor. Shi Zheng wouldn't show mercy; instead, he'd call Li Jixian "useless" and likely send him to join the deceased.
The middle-aged man quivered, hastily adding, "I've increased the manpower for the search. He shouldn't be able to get far without transportation. We'll find him."
"Hmm," Shi Zheng grunted noncommittally, then coldly scanned the middle-aged man, "I hope to see him by tomorrow, dead or alive."
The middle-aged man breathed a sigh of relief, replying quietly.
Another man entered, dressed casually in a shirt, his face shrouded in gloom.
"Boss, I've managed to gather what you wanted. Here's the testimony," he handed Shi Zheng a folder.
Shi Zheng smiled at him, "Excellent."
While Shi Zheng had no major complaints about rising to power in these troubled times, he was dissatisfied with the people around him.
These criminals from different areas of Pingnan City lacked significant figures. The only one he was relatively satisfied with was the inmate in his cell, Jiang Hao.
If it weren't for the presence of mutants outside, the uncertain situation, he would've taken Jiang Hao back to his stronghold in East Asia, leaving
behind this group of worthless individuals.
As Shi Zheng perused the folder, his initially indifferent expression changed. He sat up, eyes brightened, murmuring to himself, "Turns out it's an old acquaintance. Interesting."
A bloody smile spread across Shi Zheng's face, "This requires proper reception."
Wen Zhaoming and Miao Jia were unaware of the surveillance cameras in their prison cell. Their behaviors were closely observed. Those whose determination wavered or were easily swayed were silently isolated for interrogation.
It was a straightforward trap. When alone, people often let their guard down and inadvertently disclose unexpected information during conversations.
"Someone!" Shi Zheng swept out of the reading room like a gust of wind, enthusiastically instructing, "Prepare properly. I have an important guest visiting today!"
Tang Xuhai, Fu Shiwu, and Horn Ting disregarded eating, abandoning their car near Pingnan City, then moving into the wilderness to conceal themselves.
All actions were orchestrated by Tang Xuhai. Whatever he instructed, the two complied.
Tang Xuhai left for a while, returning with a plump wild rabbit, which he grilled quickly for food.
While eating, Fu Shiwu asked, "When are we going?"
"When it's almost dark," Tang Xuhai replied, observing the sky.
"What if they're tortured or killed during this time?" Horn Ting couldn't help but ask.
"They won't be. If Shi Zheng knows I haven't been captured yet, Wen and the others won't be harmed for the time being. Shi Zheng loves having leverage and seeing opponents surrender. Before he sees me, he won't let the hostages become worthless," Tang Xuhai said gravely.
Fu Shiwu frowned. He suddenly thought about Tang Xuhai's plan. If it weren't for him and Horn Ting accompanying, would Tang Xuhai have charged in so directly? He imagined the scenario and couldn't figure out any possible escape for Tang Xuhai.
"Do you have a plan?" Fu Shiwu couldn't help but ask.
He wasn't giving up, but the situation seemed likely to lead to total failure. It was hard to accept.
Tang Xuhai's mood was heavy. He glanced complexly at Fu Shiwu and said, "Right now, we can only hope that Miao Jia's speculations from the forum are correct. Tonight, the sky will open again, and this time, evolved aliens will be released."
Fu Shiwu was taken aback.
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