Chapter 1 When Dawn Approaches

As dawn approached, a white sedan stopped in front of the bookstore, not too far in, as a police car was parked ahead.

"Looks like your bookstore's got some trouble," said Lawyer An, his hands on the steering wheel.

Zhou Ze, sitting in the passenger seat, rolled down the window and hailed a bystander, asking what was happening.

The woman was enthusiastic, or rather, she had been watching the drama for so long that someone finally asking her was a real treat.

"They say some thieves broke into this bookstore late last night, but it seems they were all caught. The police came."

Zhou Ze listened and breathed a sigh of relief.

When ordinary people hear that thieves have broken into their house, they worry about the loss of property or whether the people inside have been harmed.

Well,

Boss Zhou didn't have to worry about that.

On the contrary,

he was worried about the thieves.

Lawyer An chuckled upon hearing this. On the way, he had inquired about who else was in Zhou Ze's bookstore and what the situation was. Now, he silently took out a cigarette.

He said:

"《Ghost Blows Out the Light: Late Night Bookstore》."

The bookstore had a zombie and a living corpse.

Those petty thieves might be stealing in the city center, but the effect was much greater than those so-called tomb raiding gangs messing around in deep mountain tombs.

After all, not every big tomb has a zongzi (undead creature).

Zhou Ze got out of the car and walked a few steps forward, seeing Zhang Yanfeng standing there, eating a youtiao (fried dough stick) with soy milk while listening to a police officer next to him reporting the situation.

Three people breaking into a house to rob was no small matter.

Zhang Yanfeng saw Zhou Ze and offered him the half-eaten youtiao.

Zhou Ze shook his head. "Too dirty."

Zhang Yanfeng put the youtiao back in his mouth, not bothering to pay attention to Zhou Ze anymore.

"Is everything alright?"

Zhou Ze asked.

After all, it was his own store. It would be a lie to say he didn't care.

"Yeah, your employees are all safe."

"I'm asking about those three thieves."

"Oh." Zhang Yanfeng nodded, pointing to the two ambulances parked across the street. "One's not a big deal, just knocked unconscious during self-defense. The other two have extensive soft tissue contusions and multiple fractures. They'll have to go to the hospital for a check-up first. Don't worry, I won't sweep this under the rug. You don't have to pay for the medical expenses."

Zhou Ze nodded and walked into the bookstore.

"Boss!!!"

Bai Yingying, who had just finished giving her statement behind the counter, saw Zhou Ze return and cried out in surprise.

She immediately ran over,

throwing herself into Zhou Ze's arms,

like a little girl in tears.

"Boss, Yingying was so scared yesterday! Yingying was so afraid, afraid that she would never see you again, sob sob sob..."

"Stop acting." Zhou Ze reached out and ruffled Bai Yingying's hair. "It's good you didn't beat them to death."

Not beating them to death was already Bai Yingying showing restraint. Normally, sucking their blood dry wouldn't be a problem.

Although legally, it wasn't a capital crime, after all, it was just a burglary, but if Bai Yingying was really just an ordinary high school student facing that kind of situation at home,

what would the outcome be?

Oh,

there was also a man more beautiful than a woman at home.

The ending would be even more tragic.

"Boss, how could I be so violent? But that guy actually tried to steal my computer, so I couldn't play games! Yingying was so angry!"

Bai Yingying said, waving her little fists.

"Oh, that's really unforgivable."

Zhou Ze chimed in.

"Right? But I was afraid of causing trouble for you, Boss, so I didn't dare to go too hard. I only broke a dozen or so small bones in each of them.

If they recover well,

they can still sit in a wheelchair and watch the sunset!"

"Yeah, our Yingying is the kindest."

"Pfft..."

The old Taoist couldn't help but laugh.

Kind?

Yesterday, he and Xu Qinglang went downstairs and knocked out the lookout.

Then, they heard a series of "bang bang bang!!!!" from the second floor.

They quickly ran up and

saw Bai Yingying grabbing one person in each hand and slamming them against the wall,

like throwing sacks!

"What's wrong? You disagree?" Zhou Ze looked at the old Taoist.

Bai Yingying also squinted at the old Taoist.

Dare to say I'm not kind?

The old Taoist felt a chill rising from the soles of his feet, freezing his entire body. Then, he said very seriously:

"In this world, you can't find a girl more refined and kinder than Yingying."

………………

"Achoo!!!"

Lawyer An, who had just parked the car and got out, sneezed.

The little loli asked, "Got a cold?"

"No, just feels itchy in my nose."

………………

"Nothing major, these guys didn't break anything." Xu Qinglang said, walking over.

"Next time you encounter these petty thieves, just kill them and dispose of the bodies. There's no need to call the police and add to the police uncle's workload."

Zhou Ze said calmly.

Xu Qinglang was stunned, as if he was not used to the meaning in Zhou Ze's words.

"Isn't that inappropriate?"

"There's nothing appropriate or inappropriate. As citizens, we must be considerate of the government. Don't trouble the government with things you can solve yourself."

Zhou Ze didn't care, looked at Yingying, and said:

"Did you hear that?"

"Yes, Boss!"

The Deadpool beside him licked his lips, even starting to look forward to the next wave of petty thieves coming to visit. According to Godfather, the bodies of the petty thieves could be used as his fertilizer. How wonderful.

"Old Taoist, there's another lawyer coming later. Go clean up a room for him on the second floor. He might be staying here for a while."

"Um, okay, Boss."

"I'm going to take a shower."

Zhou Ze walked to the bathroom.

Bai Yingying immediately ran to the second floor to fetch shampoo, shower gel, and the boss's underwear and a clean set of clothes.

The bathroom door wasn't locked.

Bai Yingying pushed open the bathroom door and walked in.

Very consciously,

very obediently.

This scene

had become commonplace for the old Taoist and Xu Qinglang, and they were too lazy to take another look.

But Xu Qinglang was still a little puzzled and said, "During the time I was unconscious, did something happen to Lao Zhou? Why do I feel like his personality has changed a bit?"

"I don't know, but I don't think the former boss would say something like killing people and disposing of the bodies." The old Taoist shrugged.

The little loli had just walked in and heard the two's conversation. She smiled slightly, without explaining.

She still remembered how Zhou Ze, whose consciousness had awakened within her body, held the corpse pill back and forth near her mouth and Bai Yingying's mouth.

When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.

This influence

should not be one-sided.

"Come, let me introduce you. This is Lawyer An."

………………

After taking a shower

and sleeping for a while,

when he woke up,

it was almost noon.

Walking down from upstairs, Zhou Ze habitually walked towards his most familiar position, but stopped midway.

Because he saw Lawyer An leaning there, occupying Zhou Ze's "Iron Throne."

Looking at the coffee table again,

several cups of civet coffee were placed on it.

"Yo, you're awake?" Lawyer An greeted Zhou Ze. "Your store's coffee needs to be changed. Seriously, I haven't had such cheap and terrible coffee in a long time."

"…………" Zhou Ze.

"What about your business?" Zhou Ze asked.

"I've scheduled a prison visit, tomorrow morning. In the afternoon, I'll just read books in the bookstore."

"Prison?" Zhou Ze narrowed his eyes slightly. "Tongcheng Prison?"

"That's right."

"Oh."

Zhou Ze didn't continue chatting.

"Are you going with me tomorrow?" Lawyer An asked.

"We agreed that I'm only responsible for being a protective umbrella."

That prison,

Zhou Ze instinctively didn't want to get close to it.

"Oh, okay."

Lawyer An didn't think so much and continued reading his magazine.

"Boss, watch TV. There seems to be a case at Huaxi Kindergarten. They're broadcasting live."

The old Taoist pointed at the TV and shouted to Zhou Ze.

Zhou Ze walked to the counter and looked up at the TV.

A local TV reporter was broadcasting live, and you could see many police officers nearby, as well as many crying parents.

The scene was very chaotic.

"What happened?" Zhou Ze asked.

"It seems a robber broke into the kindergarten and took hostages." The old Taoist said.

"Oh, taking children hostage?"

"Yes."

"Have the police snipers arrived yet?"

"…………" The old Taoist.

Am I the commander-in-chief? You're asking me if the snipers have arrived?

"I'm not sure. Boss, you can call Officer Zhang and ask."

Zhou Ze shook his head. He wasn't that bored.

But in the next moment,

Zhou Ze's phone rang.

The caller ID was actually Officer Zhang.

"Hey, are you busy?" Zhou Ze asked.

Logically, Zhang Yanfeng should be at the scene, since such a big thing happened in Tongcheng.

"Yeah, did you see the news?"

"I'm watching it. You can walk in front of the camera and make a V sign or do a promotion, shout 'Late Night Bookstore' a few times."

"…………" Zhang Yanfeng.

"Tell me, what's the matter?"

"I want to ask you a question."

"Um, ask away."

"When a person dies, they don't know anything anymore, right?"

Zhou Ze immediately thought of the rows of souls walking numbly on the Yellow Springs Road, and nodded, saying:

"Yes."

"Then I'm relieved."

Zhang Yanfeng hung up the phone.

Zhou Ze looked at the phone and threw it on the counter.

"Boss, look quickly, Officer Zhang is on TV!"

The old Taoist pointed at the TV and shouted.

Sure enough,

Zhang Yanfeng's back appeared in the shaking camera of the TV. He was walking into the kindergarten with his hands raised.

The reporter was making a statement:

"Viewers, according to our latest news.

Captain Zhang of the Tongcheng Police Department's Criminal Investigation Team has agreed to the robber's request, entering the kindergarten unarmed to negotiate with the robber face-to-face;

The robber is very emotional right now,

but we believe that,

with the attention and efforts of the entire society,

and with the spirit of selfless dedication of the police comrades,

our children

will definitely be rescued safely.

This station will provide you with continuous coverage in the following segments..."