C21 Chapter 21

They all nodded in agreement and cautiously made their way through the woods, wary of stirring up any unnecessary trouble. The trek took over two hours, and by the time they returned, dusk had already settled in.

Upon seeing that Jiang Ruan had indeed led them back safely, Zeng Qiang and his companions breathed a collective sigh of relief. Zeng Qiang approached them with an animated expression, "You're finally back! If you hadn't returned soon, we were about to set out to find you. Seeing everyone unharmed puts my mind at ease."

Jiang Ruan offered a cold smile, unwilling to echo Zeng Qiang's sentiments. The others also disregarded him, having realized today just how despicable Zeng Qiang and his crew were. Jiang Ruan, of course, was not included in their disdain; she was one of their own.

Zeng Qiang's smile stiffened as Zhu Zhengyan stepped forward to back him up. "You must have taken down quite a few zombies to make it back. That means you've got a good haul of crystal nuclei, right? We're all on the same team, so shouldn't we share?"

Liu Dajun held back his rage. When the zombies had appeared, it was Zeng Qiang's group that had abandoned their team to flee. Now, having survived, they had the audacity to demand crystal nuclei. Liu had seen shameless behavior before, but this was beyond that; their skin seemed too thick for even a bone knife to penetrate.

Hu Lang, with his more diplomatic demeanor, wasn't as blunt as Liu Dajun. He emerged with a look of sorrow, "We barely escaped with our lives. How could we be in any state to collect crystal nuclei? Besides, who's to say more zombies won't be drawn here?"

"Brother Zeng, we've stared death in the face today, and our legs are still shaking. Could you maybe ask the two ladies to cook us up something to eat? We're practically starving." They were entitled to their share of the food found earlier that day, and it would be foolish not to take advantage of it.

Lu Ming gave them a scornful look and whispered under his breath, "They come back empty-handed and still have the gall to eat." He leaned back in his chair with a sneer, exuding an air of disdainful entitlement.

With a "click," Fang Yu's door swung open, and he stepped out, looking rejuvenated. Noticing everyone gathered in the hall, he wore a smile of contentment.

Zeng Qiang was the first to rush over, tossing aside any thoughts of dinner. "Brother Faang Yu, come on, show us what your special power is!"

Faang Yu, sensing the group's eager anticipation, didn't hold back. He extended his right hand, focusing his energy into the center of his palm. A spike of ice materialized and stabbed into the ground, its sharpness and precision on full display.

"Wow, an ice-based power? That's incredible!" Hu Lang was beside himself with excitement, seemingly more thrilled than when he discovered his own abilities. It was clear at a glance that Faang Yu's power was formidable, a stark contrast to Zeng Qiang's rather lackluster ability.

A flicker of annoyance and anger passed through Zeng Qiang's eyes, unnoticed by the others. Zhu Zhengyan and Lu Ming exchanged glances before stepping forward.

Their faces were lit with congratulatory grins. "Brother Fang, your power is phenomenal. If only we could all have such abilities," Lu Ming remarked, as if gaining superpowers was the easiest thing in the world.

Faang Yu and Zeng Qiang's faces turned grave. They knew all too well the agony that came with these powers. Having endured it once was enough to terrify them; the mere thought caused their bones to throb with pain.

"Dinner's ready, everyone. Come and eat," Du Jianghong announced, setting a large platter of potatoes and sweet potatoes on the table. After the men had their fill, the remaining laughter belonged to her and Quan Sisi.

The men devoured their meal with a ferocity as if they were in a race against each other. Once they had finished, night had fallen, and it was time to rest.

But Zeng Qiang had other plans, making his way to Jiang Ruan's room.

"What do you want?" Jiang Ruan caught the calculating and ingratiating glint in Zeng Qiang's eyes. She rolled over and sat up, ready to confront him.