Robbers, Jumping from the Bus

The burly man's towering frame made Xu Qing look like a child.

Yet he acted like a little quail.

The bystanders around them immediately burst into laughter.

"Yes, yes, yes, I was wrong. I got carried away and shouldn't have done that. Please spare me!"

The man clutched his head and spoke in a low voice.

Xu Qing did not want to make a big deal out of it. "Are you going up there to apologize yourself, or should I call the police?"

"I'll apologize!"

The man was sensible enough and hurriedly climbed to his feet.

He quickly walked over to the frightened Sister Liu and Zhou Tong, bending at the waist and apologizing repeatedly.

Only after the two women nodded did Xu Qing say to the man, "All right. Don't do this kind of thing again. It's too embarrassing."

The man finally clutched his stomach and fled with a grateful expression, supported by his companion.

The surrounding onlookers cheered and applauded.

Embarrassed, Xu Qing pulled Zhou Tong and the others away from the mall.

"Thank you, thank you so much, Xu Qing. When we get back, tell me what you want to eat, and I'll make it for you!" Sister Liu wiped away tears of gratitude as she smiled at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing readily agreed, remembering Sister Liu's famous Braised Chicken Pot. Though she had only just turned thirty that year, it was renowned throughout the company.

Even the boss, Zhou Yu, said it was delicious.

After returning to the meeting point.

Xu Qing stopped outside the parking lot and let Sister Liu return to the bus first.

Then he pulled Zhou Tong aside and said, "Don't tell anyone about what happened today, understand?"

Zhou Tong was immediately confused. "Why? You were so amazing! You drove that bad guy off with just a few punches and kicks. If word got out, who knew how many single girls in the company would go crazy over you?!"

Xu Qing was completely speechless.

Still, he understood.

This girl had been protected by her father since childhood and had basically never had any contact with society outside.

Xu Qing, on the other hand, had lived two lives, so he understood far more.

He patiently explained, "What happened today wasn't something honorable. If word gets out, it won't be good for Sister Liu.

"Sister Liu has a family. There are too many people in the company, and gossip spreads fast. I think you understand how public opinion can destroy someone."

"Oh!"

Only then did Zhou Tong come to a sudden realization.

After nodding, she looked at Xu Qing in surprise. "I heard my dad say you're only fifteen this year. Should a fifteen-year-old really understand things like that?"

Xu Qing turned and walked toward the bus. "Not everyone is as lucky as you, able to grow up in a greenhouse. Once life has beaten you up enough, you naturally understand more."

Zhou Tong stared blankly at Xu Qing's back, turning his words over in her mind.

Once she came back to herself, she muttered unhappily, "Damn it, I got lectured by some little brat. What exactly has he been through?"

Even so.

Zhou Tong had developed a strong curiosity about Xu Qing.

What kind of life experience could make a fifteen-year-old boy say such things?

And how had he become so powerful?

"Hey! Xu Qing! Wait for me!"

Thinking of this, Zhou Tong chuckled and quickly chased after him.

Xu Qing had not expected this woman to latch onto him.

While they waited to regroup and head back that afternoon.

Xu Qing sat bored on the bus, listening to Zhou Tong chatter endlessly beside him.

From his birth and family.

To his martial arts training.

From his preferences to his future dreams.

The girl questioned him nonstop like a detective.

Eventually, Xu Qing became so annoyed that he simply closed his eyes, leaned against the window, and pretended to sleep.

He did not say a word in response to her questions.

Zhou Tong was so angry that she kept glaring at him.

In the end, she could only sit there and play with her phone in boredom.

Once he sensed that the bus had quieted down, Xu Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He had gotten what he came for. Now, all he wanted was to get back, take the Gene Potion, and train properly.

The pressure of his short lifespan left him with no interest in anything else.

As for Zhou Tong's overflowing energy and curiosity, Xu Qing had no interest in satisfying them.

Soon, it was six in the evening.

The employees had all arrived on time, and the convoy promptly set off, heading back even faster than it had come.

Xu Qing, who was pretending to sleep, could sense the driver's nervousness.

On the way there that morning, the driver had slowed down and avoided most of the potholes.

But on the return trip, he did not slow down at all and simply drove straight over them.

As if he were afraid of something.

The violent jolting made the employees who did not know what was happening complain one after another.

Yet the driver ignored them completely and showed no intention of slowing down.

Even Xu Qing, who had been feigning sleep, grew tense.

After becoming a Gene Martial Artist, his five senses and awareness of his surroundings had become exceptionally sharp.

Could there be danger on the way back?

However, very soon.

What happened next confirmed Xu Qing's guess and caught everyone on the bus off guard.

Screech!

With a harsh burst of braking.

The bus came to a hurried stop on a desolate stretch of highway.

As the employees on the bus complained and wondered what was going on.

A member of Celestial God Company's Security Department rushed onto the bus and sternly told everyone, "Quick, there are highway bandits blocking the road! Everyone, hide anything valuable on you!"

"Women! Smear some dirt on your faces and wrap yourselves up tightly!"

"No matter what they do, if you don't want to die, don't resist!"

After saying that quickly, the man hurried off the bus with a pale face.

The employees on the bus immediately panicked.

Zhou Tong, beside Xu Qing, froze.

She hurriedly wrapped up her clothes, let all her hair down, and then did not know what to do.

"Xu Qing! What do we do? What do we do?!"

Zhou Tong was truly terrified.

She had heard her father say that public safety on Blue Star was terrible, but she had never expected people to rob travelers in broad daylight!

She truly regretted coming out on this trip.

But it was too late for regrets.

Just as Zhou Tong was at a loss, Xu Qing suddenly reached down and rubbed the sole of his shoe.

Then, while Zhou Tong stared blankly, he smeared all the dust across her face.

"Don't be afraid. Bare your teeth later and make yourself look ugly, but don't overdo it."

Then Xu Qing unscrewed the bottle of mineral water beside him, quickly mixed it with the dust on his hands, and smeared it over Zhou Tong's face, ruining all her makeup.

Then, under Zhou Tong's confused and shocked gaze, he took off his smelly socks.

"Quick, rub them on yourself."

As Xu Qing watched the men outside walking toward the bus with two knives, he stuffed the socks into Zhou Tong's hands.

Suddenly, Xu Qing spotted a casually dressed man ahead, with a black, firewood-stick-like object slung around his neck. His heart immediately tightened.

A gun!

They were done for.

Seeing that the two men were about to board the bus.

Xu Qing hesitated for a moment, then quickly got up, squeezed through the aisle, and walked to the door.

Bang!

The bus door was kicked open.

The two men sneered and swaggered straight onto the bus.

Xu Qing turned and saw that Zhou Tong had not finished yet.

Many of the female employees were still scrambling in a panic.

An idea flashed through his mind. He dropped to the floor with a thud, pretending to fall and blocking the doorway.

"Ow! Fuck."

"Damn it!"

The two men were startled by him.

Just as they were about to lose their tempers.

They saw Xu Qing scramble to his feet in panic, wearing a terrified expression as he forced a smile at them. "Sorry, sorry, big brothers! Don't kill me! Don't kill me!"

The two men cursed before grabbing Xu Qing and yanking him aside.

"Get lost!"