Chapter 171: Chapter 171: It’s Like Seeing My Former Self (Revised)
At Hequan Farm, Zhou Kai and his companion followed Old Wu, but the sheer size of the estate clearly surpassed their imaginations.
Zhou Kai’s eyes narrowed slightly, a habitual gesture of Lu Luo’s when he was skeptical. Whenever he encountered something uncertain, he would always think of Lu Luo, because Brother Luo always found a reasonable solution.
Zhou Kai sensed his Evil-Warding Qi; it hadn’t diminished, which at least indicated they were currently safe.
When the three of them reached the roadside restroom, Old Wu stopped.
"Wait for me a moment. I’m going to use the restroom; I’ll be right back," he said.
"Alright."
Xu Minglei nodded, then waited with Zhou Kai. But that wait stretched to twenty minutes.
Xu Minglei was rather speechless and whispered to Zhou Kai, "Brother Kane, taking a dump shouldn’t take that long, right? How about I go in and check?"
I guess he’s not in there anymore, Zhou Kai thought.
He glanced at his Evil-Warding Qi, silently drew his handgun, and handed it to Xu Minglei beside him.
"The company provided firearms training, and Fatty Ding usually taught you guys too. You should know how to use it, right?"
"Brother Kane, you...? I know how to use it."
Xu Minglei took the handgun and disengaged the safety.
Zhou Kai, meanwhile, opened the briefcase he had been carrying, took out a handgun and tucked it into his jacket, then pulled out a shotgun. This gun had been Gu Fangyi’s main weapon before he acquired a rifle. Now, retired from Gu Fangyi’s possession, it had become Zhou Kai’s weapon.
"Let’s go in and take a look now."
"Okay!"
Xu Minglei and Zhou Kai entered the restroom one after the other. It wasn’t large, so there wasn’t much to search.
Zhou Kai kicked open the door of one stall. Nothing.
Xu Minglei followed suit, kicking open another door in the same manner.
SCREECH!
A bat with a wingspan exceeding one meter suddenly flew out. Its sharp fangs and claws pierced Xu Minglei’s skin, injecting an unknown virus into his body.
"AARGH!"
Panicked, Xu Minglei could only scream, having even forgotten to shoot.
Zhou Kai immediately drew the dagger from his waist, rushed forward, and stabbed the bat multiple times, brutally killing it.
Judging by its physical strength, this was an unranked Exotic Species! Interesting.
Zhou Kai stood there, his face smeared with blood. He wiped the dagger on his trousers and casually tossed his cumbersome trench coat into the toilet bowl. This was no time to try and look cool. Anything that hindered action had to be discarded.
"Brother Kane, this is—!" Xu Minglei clutched his neck.
"Don’t talk. It’s too narrow in here. If we get trapped, we’re almost certainly dead. Let’s get out first and assess the situation," Zhou Kai said.
Rustling sounds came from the estate’s woods—fast-paced, not resembling human footsteps.
"Brother Kane, there seems to be something in the woods! Also, what the hell was that bat just now?"
"My guess is, it’s very likely an Exotic Species!"
"Has a mutation occurred here?"
"No, they were probably bred intentionally. They’re Crawlers. They’re coming."
BANG!
Zhou Kai blew the head off a Crawler rushing toward him with a single shot.
The moment he reloaded the shotgun, he drew his handgun, aiming in another direction.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
In a single exchange, firing four shots, Zhou Kai had already killed two Exotic Species.
This calm, formidable display left Xu Minglei, standing beside him, utterly dumbfounded.
"Brother Kane, you..."
Just then, a Crawler seized Xu Minglei’s leg, dragging him toward the woods.
"Brother Kane, save me! Save me, Brother Kane!"
"Damn it!"
Zhou Kai finally understood how he must have appeared to Lu Luo back then; Xu Minglei was acting just the same now. All he could do was scream for help and nothing else!
"Grab onto something! Quickly!"
Zhou Kai’s roar snapped Xu Minglei partially to his senses. He hurriedly hugged a tree, trying his best to prevent the Crawler from dragging him away.
Meanwhile, Zhou Kai had already rushed over, gun in hand.
BANG!
Blood and gore flew everywhere.
"Brother Kane, you’re so strong! I’ve never seen you in action before. I had no idea you were this amazing."
Zhou Kai didn’t immediately respond. He pulled out a cigar, took a satisfying puff, and reloaded his gun.
"If your brothers were all freaks, one more over the top than the other, you wouldn’t find this surprising at all."
Indeed, compared to Zhou Kai, Gu Fangyi and Lu Luo were both freaks, each more outrageous than the last. Gu Fangyi was a natural-born genius, and Lu Luo was a cheat; there was no comparison. But after experiencing so much and maturing over such a long time, he, Zhou Kai, hadn’t been without progress either. At the very least, his fingers no longer trembled when he held a gun.
After killing three Crawlers in succession, Zhou Kai moved forward to deliver finishing shots—a good habit inherited from Lu Luo. When facing enemies, one must confirm their death, leaving them no chance to turn the tables.
"Brother Kane, what do we do now? Go back?"
"Do you think we can still go back now?"
Zhou Kai pointed in the direction they had come from. Where the path had been, an artificial wall now stood; there was no estate there at all.
They had been tricked, and they didn’t even know when the deception had begun; the methods used were incredibly cunning!
"Since they invited us to handle a commission, they must want something from us. Let’s go further in and see."
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Zhou Kai had already killed seven Crawlers, one even with his dagger. He too was a Transcendent, just one who had never stepped into the First Tier.
Looking at Xu Minglei beside him, Zhou Kai’s expression soured.
"Xu Minglei?"
"Brother Kane, I’m a bit cold!"
Xu Minglei’s face was pale, the wounds on his neck and leg festering. In his current state, without proper medical treatment, he would soon die.
Zhou Kai felt a wave of helplessness, but at that moment, he had no other choice; he had to ensure his own survival first.
"Hold on. You’ll get better."
"Mm, I understand."
Xu Minglei gritted his teeth and persevered. For a newcomer facing a surprise mutant Exotic Species attack for the first time, his performance was actually quite commendable.
And so, killing as they went, the two advanced deeper into the estate. Soon, they spotted a relatively modern building.
Just as they reached the entrance, an electronic door slid open automatically.
The corridor was metallic, illuminated by white fluorescent lights. At its end was a massive glass door, beyond which lay pitch darkness; nothing was visible.
"Brother Kane, something feels off!"
When they pushed open the glass door and entered the main hall, the lights suddenly flickered on.
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
Crisp applause echoed from within the room. Song Hana, tapping her little leather boots, slowly walked out, accompanied by a large number of guards.
People from Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals? That doesn’t feel right; they aren’t wearing Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals uniforms. If they were from Blue Sky, there’d be no reason to hide it.
As Zhou Kai was pondering this, two burly men charged directly at them.
Zhou Kai raised his gun to shoot, but the men were faster. His shotgun was sliced in two by a blade, and then a blade was pressed against his neck.
The other burly man kicked Xu Minglei to the ground and then used a thimble-sized injector to administer some drug to him.
"What did you give him?"
"A virus serum. Relax, we went to the trouble of inviting you here; it wasn’t for something as simple as killing you."
Indeed, after the injection, Xu Minglei’s complexion gradually recovered. At least he didn’t look as ghastly as he had moments before.
Song Hana, hands in her pockets, slowly approached the two, her high heels making a CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! sound on the floor.
"Long time no see, Zhou Kai! I still remember how pathetic you looked the last time you were chased by an Exotic Species. But even though you were in a sorry state back then, you looked incredibly cool when you turned down the 1,000 yuan compensation from the company!"
"Huh? You’re Miss Song from Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals?" Xu Minglei, who had recovered slightly, asked in surprise. He wasn’t aware of the history between Lu Luo’s group and Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals, but he recognized Song Hana. As a supervisor at Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals, she had frequently appeared in advertisements in the Fourth Ring. The scar on the bridge of her nose was particularly memorable.
"Oh, Zhou Kai’s friend recognizes me. All who come are guests. Someone, take this..."
"My name is Xu Minglei."
"Oh, take young Mr. Xu Minglei for a drink, some entertainment. I have some matters to discuss with your Brother Kane."
Xu Minglei opened his mouth to say something, but Zhou Kai stopped him. Song Hana daring to act against them like this clearly meant she wasn’t holding anything back. Xu Minglei was, after all, a rich second-generation kid. Although only moderately wealthy, his father still had some status in the Fourth Ring. As long as he wasn’t dragged into Blue Sky’s affairs, Xu Minglei had a chance of survival. If he got further involved, he would undoubtedly die. In the current situation, Zhou Kai could only take things one step at a time.
After Xu Minglei was led away, Song Hana moved even closer to Zhou Kai. She placed her hands on his shoulders and gently massaged them. Her technique was very skilled; Zhou Kai felt so comfortable he almost moaned.
It had to be said, when it came to seduction, Song Hana’s methods were far more potent and subtle than those of many women who merely flaunted their figures. Her allure wasn’t about blatant visual impact or provocative actions, but rather a kind of physical and verbal insinuation. Such insinuation could easily stir a man’s inner desires—just like Brother Kane right now, who had gotten hard.
"Zhou Kai, you’ve managed Circle Studio so meticulously lately. Truly an extraordinary talent. It was truly my oversight not to have recognized your talents last time."
"Supervisor Song, you’re too kind. I’m just an ordinary person with mediocre abilities. The vision and development of Circle Studio are all orchestrated by our boss, Lu Luo. I just help out."
"I, Song Hana, am also just ’helping out’ at Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals. So, Zhou Kai, no need to be overly modest. I overlooked your talent and failed to retain you, causing a loss for the company. That is a mistake. And mistakes must be acknowledged."
If it were anyone else, they might have said something like, "I knew from the start you were destined for great things," but Song Hana was different. She chose to proactively admit her mistakes and shortcomings, then proceed with more profound, gentle persuasion.
"However, while Circle Studio may be developing well now, this platform is still too small for someone like you. Are you interested in a larger platform? Say, Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals? I’ll offer you an attractive contract, a house in your name, a car in your name, and a woman at your disposal. Of course, you can choose her appearance yourself. These terms should be quite appealing, wouldn’t you say?"
Appealing? This was practically ascending to the heavens, wasn’t it? That bastard Lu Luo only paid him a 200-yuan monthly salary; it was outrageous! However, as the financial manager, Zhou Kai knew that Lu Luo’s own salary was also just 200 yuan and had never increased. It was just that Lu Luo liked to spend lavishly; only recently, with Bai Yuetong joining, had he reined it in somewhat.
"The terms you offer are too good. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to live up to them. So, let’s just forget it."
Zhou Kai, for once, wasn’t glib. In such a situation, facing an irresistible enemy, being slick was not a good choice.
"Zhou Kai, you truly are loyal. I admit Circle Studio’s development momentum is strong, but you also face many crises! Don’t you agree, Zhou Kai?"
"Oh? Circle Studio’s development curve is indeed quite good at the moment; all indicators are rising sharply. Our high-end business is already integrated with the Hunters. As for the crises you mentioned, I haven’t encountered any. Such as?"
Zhou Kai remained composed. He knew he couldn’t panic now. Song Hana was no ordinary character; she was a hungry wolf! If I panic, I’ll easily make a misjudgment and end up dead.
"For example, the ’Little Red Bottle’ infringement. As a senior member of Circle Studio, Zhou Kai, you should be aware of this, right?"
"What ’Little Red Bottle’? I only know our company recently developed a healing potion with outstanding effects. You suing over a ’Little Red Bottle’ infringement has jack squat to do with our company’s healing potion!"
Zhou Kai maintained an air of unyielding obstinacy.
However, Song Hana wasn’t flustered. The Little Red Bottle was a minor issue. What truly concerned her was the ’Little Purple Bottle’ of Exotic Species power; the Little Red Bottle was merely a pretext.
"Since Zhou Kai refuses to admit it, I’ll have to bring out the witness. Bring him in."
A witness? While Zhou Kai was puzzled, Quan Pu—bruised, battered, and covered in wounds—was dragged in. His face was smeared with blood, looking like he could die at any moment, and he was thrown down in front of Zhou Kai.
"This man is Quan Pu. After some investigation and questioning, he told us that the unmarked Little Red Bottles came from none other than your boss, Lu Luo! Even with this, are you still going to deny it, Zhou Kai?"
"Alright, alright, I get it, your network is strong. So what? We admit we sold the potion, and we’ll continue to sell it. But we never said it was called ’Little Red Bottle’! It’s just that last time we sold it, we hadn’t decided on a name for the new drug yet. If you want to sue, go ahead. Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals may be rich and powerful, but have you forgotten? This is the Fourth Ring!"
SLAP!
Song Hana suddenly struck Zhou Kai across the face. He felt a surge of anger but suppressed it. Learning to endure is a crucial trait on the path to becoming strong—Brother Luo said that.
"You ask what I can do? Well, I just slapped you. How does that feel, Zhou Kai?"
Zhou Kai clenched the pistol in his pocket, then suddenly raised his hand to attack, but Song Hana was prepared.
BANG!
A bullet from the darkness instantly struck Zhou Kai’s palm. The searing pain made him unable to hold a gun, and his hand drooped uselessly.
"Naive fool!"
Song Hana slowly walked to a nearby table and lit a ladies’ cigarette for herself. Then she picked up an ashtray.
SMASH!
Blood trickled down from Zhou Kai’s brow bone.
"Now tell me, what can I do to you? Are Hunters so impressive? Well, where are the Hunters now?"
A nearby guard forced Zhou Kai to the ground. Song Hana planted one foot on the back of Zhou Kai’s pierced hand, the tip of her high heel twisting in the bloody wound.
"Speak, won’t you? Zhou Kai?"
Song Hana picked up the ashtray again, smashing it down on Zhou Kai’s hand repeatedly.
SMASH! SMASH! SMASH!
She kept smashing until Zhou Kai’s fingers were mangled, bones shattered, yet he didn’t utter a sound.
He closed his eyes, cold sweat pouring down his face, but he remained silent.
He stared at Song Hana’s foot, somewhat perplexed. Why would she go to such extremes over the Little Red Bottle, something that could be resolved with a lawsuit? Circle Studio now had the Hunters backing them; it wasn’t the fledgling operation it used to be. It wasn’t just Hunter Team 13; other Hunters collaborated with them too—they had secured authorization from four Hunter teams. Song Hana wasn’t from a major Inner Ring family; Lu Luo had already investigated her background. She was merely a supervisor in the Fourth Ring. For Song Hana to disregard the Hunters and make such an audacious move against him made no sense. There had to be something else, something far more valuable than the Little Red Bottle, valuable enough for Song Hana to ignore the threat of the Hunters and act so recklessly, disregarding all rules.
Calm down. What would Brother Luo do in this situation? Think calmly—identify the key points—then find the breakthrough... Damn it, I can’t figure it out! I don’t have Brother Luo’s brains.
Yet, even now, Zhou Kai didn’t yield, nor did he relinquish control of the conversation—something Lu Luo had taught him.
"What the fuck are you on about?! What do you want to know?"
He knew saying this here would definitely get him beaten, even tortured, but as long as he didn’t break, he wouldn’t die! Confess and be lenient, rot in jail; resist and be punished severely, go home for the New Year!