C22 The Direction of One's Heart

After her words, Urendir let out a laugh. It was a first for her, the first time she laughed with such abandon, so exaggeratedly.

Jiang Feng was taken aback, frozen in place for quite a while.

"Hey, didn't you ask me to smile at you before? Why no reaction now?"

"I... I am reacting," Jiang Feng quickly snapped back to reality.

"Well, then say something."

"Urendir, Jiang Wei, I promise I won't disappoint you."

"Good. Jiang Wei, let's go. We should let your dad get some rest."

Once outside the room, Urendir cast a final glance at Jiang Feng before gently closing the door.

Jiang Feng lingered on the memory of Urendir's smile. It wasn't conventionally beautiful, but to him, it was incredibly touching, even though it was clearly forced and overdone.

The faker the smile, the more reassured Jiang Feng felt, knowing Urendir was willing to do something she didn't want to, something she never would have considered before.

Some things had been anticipated by Jiang Feng, like getting answers from Su Kouye and Urendir.

He harbored a slight sense of regret regarding Su Kouye but accepted it deep down. As for Urendir, Jiang Feng realized he had been overly confident. He had intended to let Urendir make her own choice, without pleading.

Yet, inexplicably, he found he couldn't rein in his feelings for her. Maybe it was the rush of first love, the desire to wake up to Urendir's face every day. So he had spilled his heart to her prematurely, words that would have been more romantic if saved for later.

Now, there was no turning back. Perhaps there wouldn't be many romantic declarations in the future, but at least he could show his affection through his actions.

Looking at the gentle sunlight streaming through the window, Jiang Feng felt hopeful about the future.

With a sense of peace in his heart, he pulled the blanket over himself, closed his eyes, and settled in for a good sleep.

In his mind, he silently repeated her name like a mantra: Urendir... Urendir... Urendir...

Until sleep took him...

As he drifted off, his mind wandered through memories—before the apocalypse, after, and all the surreal, tumultuous events that had unfolded. It all felt like a dream, bizarre and full of unexpected turns.

Jiang Feng had a penchant for intrigue from a young age, his clever antics often giving his teachers a headache.

Despite his frequent blunders, Jiang Feng honed his wits and strategic acumen through years of practice.

Overwhelmed by sorrow after his parents passed away, Jiang Feng found himself in a deep funk.

With his support system gone, Jiang Feng knew life must go on, yet he had no desire to work. He craftily left an unused sum of 300,000 with Director-general Lee, secretly hoping Lee would pocket the money.

This act created an unspoken bond, leading Director-general Lee to believe he was indebted to Jiang Feng.

Before his parents' demise, Jiang Feng had barely interacted with Director-general Lee, yet Lee willingly provided a monthly stipend of 1,500 yuan. If not for the apocalypse, this arrangement might have persisted. Over two years, Director-general Lee became Jiang Feng's go-to problem solver, repeatedly securing him employment.

Eventually, Jiang Feng landed a job with a company led by a boss with a quirky psyche.

Little did anyone know, this temperamental boss, obsessed with anime and cosplay, harbored a simple, love-starved heart. Jiang Feng played along with the boss's moods publicly while privately maintaining a warm rapport. This allowed him to lazily dodge his duties with impunity, procrastinating on tasks and enduring the boss's rants with a smile, all while the boss couldn't bring himself to let Jiang Feng go, even tossing him an extra 100 yuan bonus each month.

For two years, Jiang Feng lived a worry-free existence, spending his modest monthly earnings without a second thought.

Yet, his restless spirit yearned for more, realizing his true passion lay beyond the lure of money.

Then, little loli Jiang Wei arrived, her approach to surviving the post-apocalyptic world sparking something within him, and Jiang Feng's restless heart began to transform into that of a true conqueror.

On the first day of the apocalypse, Jiang Feng wept. His tears were for Director-general Lee, for his boss, and for the life he had left behind.

Once the tears dried, a new future beckoned, and Jiang Feng was eager to embrace it.

He wasn't one to claim he had seen it all, but his knack for reading people was uncanny.

Taking cues from Director-general Lee's insights and the post-apocalyptic strategy, Jiang Feng's inaugural gamble was to share the strategy with Urendir, a gesture of absolute trust.

Urendir was straightforward in thought and character, with remarkable strength. Within days, Jiang Feng was convinced that she would become a cornerstone of the Jiang Feng Group.

Loyalty wasn't an issue with Urendir, but her disregard for others was.

Initially, with only Urendir and Jiang Wei at his side, Jiang Feng could overlook her dismissive attitude and individualism.

That was until he encountered Su Kouye.

Su Kouye's potential was formidable; he was destined to reach the rank of a national lieutenant general, surpassing Urendir's status as a colonel. Recruiting him could yield significant future benefits.

Yet, Su Kouye's voracious greed posed a real dilemma.

To employ him or not?

For Jiang Feng, the answer was clear: without taking a chance, how could he ever truly know?

As days passed, Jiang Feng observed Su Kouye's cunning ways. He was all flattery and compliance in Jiang Feng's presence, a stark contrast to Urendir.

Jiang Feng was well aware of Su Kouye's superficial charm and remained wary.

Later, he decided to present the strategy to Su Kouye alongside Urendir, probing deeper.

Su Kouye's response was unremarkable, akin to any ordinary person's.

But in truth, the test was flawed from the start; Urendir's palpable animosity had tainted the waters.

Her simplicity and open dislike for Su Kouye had made her killing intent all too clear, skewing Jiang Feng's assessment. Su Kouye's mundane reaction couldn't be trusted to reveal his true intentions.

Su Kouye's ostentation was precisely what convinced Jiang Feng of his potential. Su Kouye demonstrated an ability to adapt to circumstances, to advance or retreat as needed, suggesting that he would one day be capable of leading troops independently—a true talent.

Jiang Feng intended to mentor Su Kouye while he was still impressionable. Yet, Urendir's constant meddling and lack of cooperation instilled a fear of Urendir in Su Kouye.

The discord between the two was a headache for Jiang Feng, especially since Urendir's defiance was undermining his authority. Su Kouye was preoccupied with fear and resentment towards Urendir, leaving little room to absorb Jiang Feng's patient mentorship.

The situation was problematic. Jiang Feng struggled to gauge Su Kouye's loyalty, while Urendir's dismissive attitude was increasingly problematic.

An opportunity arose when Su Kouye reached his complete form. Jiang Feng was grateful to Su Kouye for saving his life, but he also recognized that Su Kouye's power now surpassed both his and Urendir's. The debt of gratitude had been repaid, and they were even. If Su Kouye were to defect, the time was ripe.

As expected, Su Kouye's behavior was off during the group selection for hunting mutated dogs, signaling to Jiang Feng his intent to betray.

Jiang Feng had no desire to live in constant fear of a proverbial tiger in his midst. He decided to confront the danger head-on.

On the 27th floor, Jiang Feng's interception of Su Kouye confirmed his suspicions: Su Kouye's greed was unabated, as he sought to seize the complete apocalypse survival guide and flee.

Yet, in that moment, Jiang Feng also understood Su Kouye's true nature. He wasn't evil; he must have known Urendir was out to eliminate him, but he never considered revenge or harming Jiang Feng and his allies. His only fault was excessive greed, desiring the entire survival guide for himself.

Given the situation, Jiang Feng decided to lay his cards on the table with Su Kouye. He promised to provide everything Su Kouye desired, offering him reassurance and a sense of security.

Jiang Feng intended to hand over the complete survival guide for the apocalypse to Su Kouye, using their combined acting skills to deceive Urendir into softening her dismissive attitude. However, Jiang Feng's plan backfired. Su Kouye's ambition proved untamable; he not only betrayed Jiang Feng but also resorted to murder.

Chen Ming was the epitome of self-preservation, with no grand plans of his own. Perhaps it was his instinct to flee that provoked Su Kouye, who ended up killing Chen Ming outright.

Jiang Feng's heart raced with panic when Su Kouye's lethal claws threatened Jiang Wei. But, to his relief, Su Kouye withdrew at Jiang Feng's cry.

Su Kouye spared both Jiang Feng and Jiang Wei. This was precisely why Jiang Feng was so insistent when Urendir arrived, urging her to hand over the apocalyptic guide to Su Kouye. Jiang Feng had seen through Su Kouye's character: a man of grand vision, rationality, and deep-seated loyalty and honor—traits that Jiang Feng found reflected in himself. He was convinced that giving Su Kouye the guide wouldn't endanger Jiang Wei.

Desperate, Jiang Feng pleaded with an angry Urendir to give Su Kouye the guide. Ensuring Jiang Wei's safety was the silver lining in the worst-case scenario for Jiang Feng.

In the aftermath, Su Kouye departed, leaving Jiang Wei unharmed and Jiang Feng alive, with the survival guide still in their possession. It seemed like nothing was lost, yet a new problem emerged: Urendir's opinion of Jiang Feng had plummeted.

Watching Urendir walk away, Jiang Feng was seized by a sense of urgency. Losing Urendir, a valuable ally, was regrettable. But with Jiang Feng's capabilities and the survival guide, attracting strong and devoted followers in the future wouldn't be a challenge.

Still, Jiang Feng found himself unwilling to let go. He had always held back, suppressing his feelings for Urendir. But in that moment, he realized his emotions were beyond his control.

However, Jiang Wei's mother wasn't Urendir. What would become of her in the future? Without Cui Wei, what would Jiang Wei do?

Jiang Feng's mind was in turmoil, his head throbbing with pain.

Ultimately, Jiang Feng resolved to take one more gamble. Rather than live in constant fear of Urendir gradually drifting away and enduring the agony of uncertainty, he decided it was better to face the truth head-on.

Better a brief pain than prolonged suffering. With a heavy burden of responsibility on his shoulders and a long road ahead, he knew he needed a definitive answer.

This gamble had no winners or losers; any outcome would provide Jiang Feng with the clarity he sought.

What was his plan? To go for broke, to fight with the desperation of a cornered beast.