Gao Teng had never been one to take things lying down. How could he let an insult pass without firing back?
He said sarcastically, "I'm a killing machine, and you're a natural-born sword."
"Next time, don't use a knife. I think you've got more talent for wielding a sword."
Zhang Meizhu was momentarily speechless, then glared at him in annoyance.
Gao Teng chuckled, feeling thoroughly pleased with himself.
Zhang Meizhu bit her lip. She'd really brought this on herself. If only she hadn't joked around in the first place.
She gave a huff, turned around, and started walking away.
Tonight had been dangerous, but everything had gone smoothly. They'd suffered only minor scrapes and driven off the mutated creature.
Now all they had to do was wait for the Public Security Bureau to arrive.
"Hey, why are you leaving? I haven't even—"
"I don't want to hear you talk!"
Gao Teng laughed aloud and hurried after Zhang Meizhu.
At the same time, he brought up his status panel for a look, his eyes settling on [Merit Points].
"2,885."
Gao Teng was completely satisfied. Tomorrow, he'd be able to steal cultivation twice more.
"Let's wait here."
Zhang Meizhu didn't leave the sewer. She stopped beside a shack. "If the mutated creatures attack again, we can respond right away."
Gao Teng nodded and stood quietly to one side.
After a brief silence, Zhang Meizhu couldn't help asking first, "Why are you so quiet?"
Gao Teng curled his lip. "I'm afraid if I talk too much, you'll think I like you again."
Zhang Meizhu: "..."
Gao Teng put on an exaggerated tone. "Oh, dear, oh, dear. I wouldn't want to cause you so much trouble."
Zhang Meizhu felt the blood rush to her head. Her face grew redder and hotter by the second...
"Shut up!"
Gao Teng spread his hands. "When I don't talk, you say I'm too quiet. When I do, you tell me to shut up. You're so hard to please."
Zhang Meizhu ground her teeth. What an irritating guy!
Gao Teng smiled faintly, pulled out his phone, and started scrolling through short videos.
He'd watched only a few when Zhang Meizhu called out, "Hey, are you really short on money right now?"
Gao Teng looked up. "I'm getting by. Why?"
Zhang Meizhu grew serious. "I can lend you some."
Gao Teng froze, disbelief written all over his face.
For martial artists, money was as important as their lives. Zhang Meizhu was treating him like a real friend.
"...Are you serious?"
Zhang Meizhu frowned. "Do I look like I'm joking? How much do you need?"
"A hundred million."
The air fell silent in an instant.
After several seconds of dead silence, Zhang Meizhu shrieked, "Gao Teng, what's wrong with you?"
Gao Teng chuckled, then said seriously, "I appreciate the offer, but I have a way to sort out the money."
Zhang Meizhu looked him up and down. "Is your plan to hunt monsters and risk your life?
"I don't want to see you end up like Tang Chao. If you're in trouble, just tell me. I'll help as much as I can."
Gao Teng pressed his lips together, touched by Zhang Meizhu's sincerity.
He was about to thank her when a ringtone suddenly sounded.
Zhang Meizhu took out her phone. It was a call from the Public Security Bureau.
She answered, described what had just happened, and gave them their exact location.
Before long, four members of the Public Security Bureau, all in black uniforms, walked in.
The man leading them was broad-shouldered and burly, his body covered in bulging muscles and his expression fierce.
The team members behind him were of various ages. Some had seasoned, composed faces, while others were young and green.
Gao Teng and Zhang Meizhu exchanged a glance, then went forward to meet them.
"You two are the ones who reported this, right?"
As Wang Xianglong spoke, he gestured for his team to inspect the scene.
The three team members immediately got to work, taking photos with their phones.
Wang Xianglong stood to one side, covering his nose as he disdainfully surveyed the shacks. "This place stinks like hell. It's worse than a pigsty. I can't imagine how anyone lives here."
Gao Teng and Zhang Meizhu exchanged a glance but said nothing.
Wang Xianglong shook his head. "You two have had it rough. Cleaning sewers is a miserable job.
"But, well, only those who endure hardship can rise above the rest. This might not be a bad thing."
Gao Teng and Zhang Meizhu nodded in agreement.
Wang Xianglong got chatty and started making small talk.
He asked which high school they attended, how they were doing in martial arts, what their family situations were like...
After he'd talked for a while, the three team members had finished their work, too.
"Captain, we've checked everything. Nothing unusual. The threat has been completely dealt with."
"Mm."
Wang Xianglong said, "Let's pack it up."
"????"
Gao Teng and Zhang Meizhu stared at him, bewildered.
That was it? They weren't going to investigate further into the sewers?
"Kid, miss, be careful while you're working. If anything happens that you can't handle, give us a call."
Wang Xianglong waved and left with the three team members, without looking back.
As she watched them walk away, a mocking smile appeared at the corner of Zhang Meizhu's mouth. "Those guys sure know how to take it easy."
Gao Teng curled his lip. "The sewer's filthy and stinks. Who'd want to crawl around in there?
"If I weren't short on money, I wouldn't come to a dump like this."
Zhang Meizhu said, "That's true, but there was a mutated creature rampage. We still don't know what's going on in there."
Gao Teng raised his flashlight and shone it into the pitch-black tunnel, feeling a little uneasy.
Continuing to work was dangerous, but quitting would mean facing a hundred-thousand-yuan penalty. This wasn't easy to deal with.
What should they do?
Gao Teng came up with an idea. "How about I grab someone? If we run into a monster, we can throw him out to buy ourselves a chance to escape?"
Zhang Meizhu stared at him, speechless. "Are you serious?"
Gao Teng was, of course, serious. Take the gambling addicts living in the sewers, for example. Many of them barely deserved to be called people.
To gamble, they'd sell their wives and children. They were capable of all kinds of disgusting things.
No one would mourn if people like that died. If they died saving someone, at least their lives would have some value.
Thinking this, Gao Teng explained what was on his mind.
Zhang Meizhu wasn't one to get hung up on niceties, and she agreed with him.
Not every resident of the sewers deserved to be saved. Some people really deserved to die.
She was kind, but clear-eyed.
The two immediately got to work. They grabbed a vicious gambling addict and ventured back into the sewers.
Fortunately, though, this trip didn't bring a monster attack like they'd imagined. The whole way passed without incident.
After six hours of this, they finally finished work and emerged from the lightless sewers.
"Big brother, big sister, can I leave now?
"I swear I'll turn over a new leaf and never, ever, ever gamble again!
"I'll work hard and make it up to my family. I absolutely, absolutely, absolutely will be a good person!"
As soon as they emerged from the sewers, Fan Haiwei swore through his tears, every word heartfelt.
The past few hours had been the darkest, longest, and most agonizing of his life.
He'd thought he was as good as dead, but then he'd gotten another chance to see the light of day.
After coming within a hair's breadth of death, he'd finally come to his senses and realized what a bastard he'd been.
He was going to change and become a good person.
Before you continue