Lu Yin watched the scene unfold and casually ordered two dishes. A restaurant that could still stay in business at a time like this must have powerful backing. At the very least, no one dared cause trouble here. Punishment Camp soldiers patrolled the entrance every two minutes, clearly giving the place special protection.
"Your dishes. Please enjoy," the server said, setting three plates in front of Lu Yin before leaving without looking back.
Lu Yin took a bite and frowned. It didn't taste good, but compared to rat meat, it was far better than mutant dog meat. He took out the map and studied it as he ate.
He had barely eaten for a while when a dozen or so people entered the restaurant. The owner's eyes lit up at the sight of them. "Young Master Kang, welcome! Please come in. It's pouring outside—if there's anything you want to eat, we could have delivered it to you."
The man called Young Master Kang grunted and sat at a table not far from Lu Yin. He glanced at Lu Yin without paying him any mind, then tapped the table. "Bring him over."
With a crash, someone was thrown to the ground, smashing a stool. Trembling all over, he looked at Young Master Kang. "I'm sorry, Young Master Kang. I didn't know it belonged to you. If I'd known, I wouldn't have dared steal it even if I had ten times the nerve. I'm sorry. Please let me off this once."
Young Master Kang sneered. "Let you off? How would I face the men under me then? Do you know that thing was a gift for my uncle? You lost one of them. You have two choices: thirty Energy Crystals, or death. Pick one."
The man looked desperate. "Young Master Kang, I really didn't know it was yours. Please, let me go! I'll be your dog. Just let me go!"
Young Master Kang slapped the table, pulled out a gun, and pressed it against the man's head. "No crystals? Then this is goodbye."
The man's eyes contracted as he cried out in despair. Then he spotted Lu Yin nearby and pointed at him. "H-him! I gave it to him!"
Everyone turned to look at Lu Yin.
Lu Yin put down his cup of water and said nothing. He'd seen the man as soon as he'd entered: it was the shifty-eyed Evolver who had sold him the map. Back then, Lu Yin had bought it for three crystals, and the man had even given him a pill for virility. He'd found that odd at the time. Those pills were expensive, but now it seemed the man had stolen it—the very thing Young Master Kang wanted.
Young Master Kang stared at Lu Yin for a moment, then kicked the shifty-eyed Evolver. "Xu San, you dare try to fool me? You think you can just point to some random person and get away with it?"
Xu San hurriedly shouted, "It's true! It was him! He bought a map from me. Look, that map on the table is the one I sold him. There's a mark in the bottom-right corner."
Young Master Kang and his men looked over.
Lu Yin glanced at the map himself. There really was a mark.
Young Master Kang and his men dragged Xu San over and surrounded Lu Yin. "Brother, you took something you shouldn't have. Don't you think you should hand it over?"
"Get lost," Lu Yin replied flatly.
Young Master Kang's expression changed. The dozen or so Evolvers around him were furious. "You've got some nerve! Do you know what Young Master Kang represents in Jinling Gathering Place? You've got a lot of guts, kid."
As they spoke, one of them immediately lunged for Lu Yin.
Lu Yin flicked his chopsticks. They pierced the arms of several Evolvers before embedding themselves in the wall, which instantly cracked. Blood splattered across the table, and cries of agony rang out.
Young Master Kang went pale and hurriedly retreated. The Evolvers around him backed away as well.
The restaurant owner was so startled that he fled outside.
Young Master Kang pointed his gun at Lu Yin. "My uncle is the Punishment Camp Commander. Don't do anything rash. Hand it over, and we can settle this peacefully."
"I threw it away," Lu Yin said flatly.
Young Master Kang obviously didn't believe him. "I'll say it one more time: hand it over, or I'll show you what despair means. You can't afford to offend an Earth-level Expert."
Lu Yin suddenly grew curious. He looked at Young Master Kang. "If your uncle is an Earth-level Expert, why does he need a pill for virility?"
Young Master Kang's face twitched. Furious, he said, "You dare slander my uncle? You're asking for death! Fifth Brother, contact my uncle right now." He wasn't stupid; he knew a gun would be useless against Lu Yin.
Lu Yin's sharp gaze swept over Xu San, who was beaten half to death. He'd been wrong. Young Master Kang wasn't after the pill for virility, but something else. The man had deflected the blame onto him, leaving him to take the fall.
Xu San saw Lu Yin look his way and immediately lowered his head, not daring to meet his eyes.
Lu Yin smiled and didn't take it to heart. He didn't care whether he was being blamed or not. What interested him now was whatever could make a Commander of Ten Thousand care so much. Earth's evolution had brought forth many valuable things, which was one of the reasons students from various academies across the universe came here to undergo trials. Perhaps this Commander of Ten Thousand really had found something.
Before long, a middle-aged man entered the restaurant. He waved away all the Punishment Camp soldiers and looked around inside.
"Uncle, you're here!" Young Master Kang exclaimed delightedly, raising his gun even higher.
Lu Yin looked over. He knew the man. He was one of the Commanders of Ten Thousand defeated by Zhao Yu, and his name seemed to be Kang Dafeng.
Kang Dafeng nodded at Young Master Kang. "Did you find it?"
Young Master Kang said viciously, "I did. That guy took it." As he spoke, he pointed at Lu Yin.
Kang Dafeng followed his nephew's gaze. The moment he saw Lu Yin, his expression changed dramatically. They'd met just a short while ago. He still vividly remembered how powerful Snow Maiden Zhao Yu was, yet she hadn't been able to fight back against Lu Yin at all. Kang Dafeng had envied him and been wondering how he could learn a few moves from him. He hadn't expected to run into him so soon.
"So it's Brother Lu." Kang Dafeng walked up to Lu Yin, smiling ingratiatingly as he greeted him.
Lu Yin looked at Kang Dafeng with an easy smile. "What a coincidence. Are you here to eat, Brother Kang?"
Kang Dafeng replied, "This restaurant belongs to Brother Li. We often come here to get together. I must apologize to you for what happened today, Brother Lu. Please don't hold it against my nephew. He's still young and doesn't know any better."
Everyone stared at the scene in a daze. What was going on? Had they run into someone they couldn't afford to mess with?
Lu Yin smiled. "It's fine. I was only joking."
Kang Dafeng immediately glared sternly at Young Master Kang. "Come over and apologize to Brother Lu."
Young Master Kang wasn't stupid. He quickly put on a smile, bowed, and said with utmost respect, "I was blind to your stature. Please don't hold it against me, Commander Lu."
Lu Yin waved a hand. "It's fine."
Kang Dafeng motioned for Young Master Kang and the others to leave, then exchanged a few more words with Lu Yin before leaving as well. It wasn't a good time to talk, but before he left, Lu Yin made Xu San stay behind.
After Kang Dafeng and the others had left, the restaurant owner personally refilled Lu Yin's water and brought him several beautifully prepared side dishes, saying they were on the house.
Outside the restaurant, Young Master Kang asked in confusion, "Uncle, why were you so polite to him? Is he also a Commander of Ten Thousand?"
Kang Dafeng lowered his voice. "Remember, be polite if you run into him again. He's very strong."
"But you're a Commander of Ten Thousand too, Uncle. How much stronger could he be?" Young Master Kang muttered.
Kang Dafeng glared at him. "Shut up. I'm telling you, he's several times stronger than your uncle. In all of Jinling, no one except Saint of Punishment could beat him for sure. Perhaps even Li Hongliang, the strongest Commander of Ten Thousand, wouldn't be able to defeat him."
Young Master Kang's mouth fell open. He stared back at the restaurant, then quickly ran off. He knew he'd narrowly escaped death today.
Inside the restaurant, Lu Yin fixed a cold stare on Xu San. "You've got some nerve, framing me."
Xu San felt he'd had terrible luck. Not only had he stolen from Young Master Kang, but the person he'd framed was even more formidable, and even a Commander of Ten Thousand treated him with such respect. He felt he was finished, abandoned by the heavens themselves.
"What was Kang Dafeng after?" Lu Yin asked casually.
"A kind of red crystal. I sold it," Xu San said bitterly, slumping to the floor.
Lu Yin's eyes flickered. "A red crystal? Was it a little hot?"
Xu San stared at him in surprise. "How did you know?"
Lu Yin knew what it was: a Flame Crystal, a crystal that contained sealed fire energy and produced flames when touched. Many fire-based battle techniques required them. It served the same purpose as the external object Zhao Yu used to perform Ice Palm. Such crystals were hard currency in the universe, and naturally even more precious on Earth. No wonder Kang Dafeng had been so anxious.
"Do you know where it came from?" Lu Yin asked.
Xu San shook his head. "I don't know."
Lu Yin chuckled. "So you framed me, made me an enemy, and in the end I don't even get anything out of it? Is that what you're saying?"
Xu San's face turned ashen. All he could do was apologize in terror. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Lu Yin toyed with his chopsticks. "Do you think this chopstick could pierce your throat? Let's find out."
Xu San's eyes filled with fear. He hadn't forgotten how those Evolvers' arms had been pierced. He hurriedly begged for mercy, kowtowing until his forehead was swollen.
Lu Yin shook his head. He'd only been trying to scare him. In the apocalypse, people's nerves were already stretched too tight; that wasn't good. He took a sip of water. It was time to leave.
Before you continue