Intentions, Movements

Pang Xuejun had been employed by the Jian Family longer than anyone else. Before An Rongru married into the Jian Family, he had already served as her husband's bodyguard. After An Rongru's husband passed away, he became her bodyguard and driver. However, with a mature and alluring widow like An Rongru having a man constantly by her side, it was inevitably inconvenient and could easily invite gossip. That was why An Rongru transferred Pang Xuejun away from her side. Still, she did not treat him poorly, appointing him to oversee security throughout the villa district and granting him the authority of a manager.

"So that was it. Then, is he a decent person?" Mu Xiao asked while chatting with An Rongru in the room after hearing her brief introduction of Pang Xuejun.

"He is rather quiet, the sort who seems cold on the outside but warm inside. My husband trusted him greatly while he was alive, and I also feel that he is someone dependable." A gentle glow flickered in An Rongru's beautiful eyes as she gazed at Mu Xiao, her eyes clear and lustrous like glass. "Actually, I know he has some feelings for me. Back then, though, the difference in our status was too great, so he never dared to cross the line. But the world has changed now, and perhaps he no longer thinks that way. That is why I do not want to come forward and persuade him either, lest I owe him a favor. After all, I have always regarded him only as a reliable right-hand man..."

"Mm." Mu Xiao looked at her exquisite, elegant face, then reached out and gently stroked her jade-smooth cheek. In a calm yet domineering tone, he said, "You are mine. No one can take you from me. You do not need to explain so much to me, because I know you are not that kind of loose woman, and I am not some petty man."

"I just did not want you to misunderstand me." An Rongru's burning cheeks enjoyed Mu Xiao's tender caress, a gorgeous blush slowly blooming across her face.

Beneath her lashes, her beautiful eyes, like autumn waters, fluttered shyly. Amid her noble elegance and beauty was a mature, seductive charm that stirred one's heart and soul.

Seeing her bashful, love-struck allure, Mu Xiao gently pulled her plump, delicate body into his arms. As though she had anticipated something, a rosy flush spread across her lovely face. Cooperatively, she closed her shy, watery eyes. Her soft, full red lips parted and closed slightly, releasing a heady fragrance that intoxicated the senses. She looked utterly enticing, as though inviting him to savor her.

"Someone's here." Completely unromantic, Mu Xiao tapped her soft, moist red lips with a finger, signaling for her to compose herself. Then his expression turned serious as he listened to the sounds outside.

An Rongru's face flushed crimson, hot and burning. She felt utterly humiliated.

Jian Hanyao shared a trait with Mu Xiao: neither of them trusted others easily. In the past, it was because her family possessed extraordinary wealth, and countless people had designs on both her and An Rongru, which had fostered her vigilance. Now, amid the apocalyptic disaster, her distrust of human nature was only deepening. One dark incident after another in the villa district had made her clearly understand just how terrifyingly complex human nature could be.

Therefore, even when facing Pang Xuejun, a man who had once been loyal and dutiful to her family, Jian Hanyao still made all the necessary security preparations before opening the door and letting Pang Xuejun's group of three inside.

Pang Xuejun was a heroic, vigorous middle-aged man. It was not hard to tell that he must have possessed a handsome, resolute face in his youth.

Pang Xuejun wore a set of black mechanical inner armor. A gun and military knife hung at either side of his waist. He was broad and imposing, his eyes sharp and bright, his expression stern and upright. His entire body exuded a grave, steady air. Standing outside the door, he resembled an unshakable mountain.

Of the three, apart from Pang Xuejun, there was one man and one woman. Both wore different models of mechanical inner armor and appeared to be between twenty-five and thirty years old. Their features were proper, their expressions indifferent, and their armaments matched Pang Xuejun's: one ranged weapon and one close-combat military knife or shortsword.

Clearly, there were New Humans among them with the "Mechanical" ability. Otherwise, they could not possibly have repaired equipment containing mechanical components.

This little demon, Jian Hanyao, was not unprepared. She wore a set of blue-patterned "A-Class Swiftwalker - Mechanical Inner Armor," a high-speed, agile model. In her hand was an "A-Class Deep Blue Shield," a dark-blue, fist-sized device. Once activated, it formed a deep-blue energy barrier capable of resisting A-Class energy and even reflecting an opponent's energy—an exceptional shield. At her waist and in her other hand were an "A-Class Nuclear Energy Gun" and an "A-Class High-Temperature Shortsword."

She was armed to the teeth, fully prepared for battle.

However, those pieces of equipment could only display a small portion of their functions. They had been repaired for her by others, and it was impossible for them to put their full effort into repairing her equipment. Moreover, the New Humans with the "Mechanical" ability might not necessarily have been capable of restoring every piece of equipment completely.

Yet such high-performance equipment—whether Jian Hanyao's A-Class mechanical inner armor and weapons or the A-Class armor and weapons worn by Pang Xuejun's group—was not uncommon in this villa district. Before the apocalypse, these wealthy and high-status upper-class figures could buy high-performance equipment on the black market or through the military, provided they were willing to spend the money, in order to protect themselves.

Thus, after the apocalyptic disaster, some villa owners' collections of high-performance equipment were quickly seized by groups of New Humans and became their gear. The only problem was that these items required the "Mechanical" ability to be successfully repaired.

Since An Rongru's villa district had not officially opened and few owners had moved in, there naturally was not enough high-performance equipment to meet the needs of all the New Humans here. Otherwise, when Mu Xiao and An Rongru had first encountered those two New Human security guards, they would not have been wearing mere protective suits. Because high-performance equipment was in desperately short supply, even their weapons were only C-Class electric shock guns.

"Yaoyao, you're still so guarded against us." Du Banxiang smiled faintly. "We are not your enemies. At the very least, we each helped repair the things you are wearing."

She was the woman among Pang Xuejun's group of three and had once been a management employee in the villa district.

"Hmph. I traded quite a few old-fashioned grenades in exchange for your help repairing my equipment. Besides, the 'A-Class Water Mirror - Mechanical Inner Armor' you are wearing and Wu Xiaoyu's 'A-Class Steelification - Mechanical Inner Armor' were equipment I gave you at half price—practically handed to you. So I do not owe you any favors. If anything, you owe me."

Jian Hanyao gave a cold snort, showing not the slightest appreciation as she maintained her proud, aloof attitude.

She had already become wary of Pang Xuejun's group. More than ten of their people had died under unexplained circumstances before. They must have noticed something was wrong, perhaps realizing that New Humans could absorb one another's abilities. Yet they had not revealed it, effectively concealing such a major matter from her.

A strong, mature man—Wu Xiaoyu, as Jian Hanyao had called him—also said mildly, "If we truly intended to be enemies with you, we would not have come with only three people every time."

"Enough. What do you want?" Jian Hanyao asked impatiently.

Du Banxiang and Wu Xiaoyu both shook their heads with bitter smiles. Even in the face of this world-ending disaster, this young miss still maintained such a terrible temperament, without the slightest humility. They truly did not know how she would survive in the future.

They shared the same sentiment as Mu Xiao.

"Miss Hanyao, may we go inside and talk?" Pang Xuejun asked, his stiff, unchanging face and neither servile nor overbearing attitude exactly as they had always been.

"Mm." Jian Hanyao nodded. She had a certain foundation of trust in Pang Xuejun, but then quickly pointed at the other two. "But those two cannot."

"Okay, okay." Du Banxiang was nearly defeated by this girl. If An Rongru had not possessed the virtue of treating capable people with courtesy in the past, she truly would not have wanted to bother with this arrogant brat.

Wu Xiaoyu likewise did not wish to stoop to Jian Hanyao's level. He said nothing, which showed that he was somewhat displeased.

Pang Xuejun had brought the two with him partly as a precaution against the security guards' group. After all, coming alone carried risks both great and small. One more person meant one more source of strength, and if they needed to flee, they could split the enemy's forces. Moreover, the two people he had brought were mild-tempered. He understood Jian Hanyao's bad personality well; if he had brought anyone else, they might have angered her and caused an unnecessary conflict.

The two entered the elegant, cozy living room one after the other.

As Jian Hanyao led the way, she remained on guard against Pang Xuejun behind her at every moment, treating him as though he were an enemy. If he launched any sudden attack, she was fully prepared to fight. Pang Xuejun, having once been an elite bodyguard, naturally saw her vigilance and understood that it was not easy for a young girl like her. Thus, every step he took remained at a safe distance, and the two maintained a balance between them.

"We are preparing to leave tomorrow. If you are willing to come with us, then for as long as I live, I will take your mother's place and take good care of you." Seated on the sofa, Pang Xuejun did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

"This is my home. I am not going anywhere." Jian Hanyao answered simply and decisively.

Pang Xuejun furrowed his brows, mistakenly assuming that Jian Hanyao was staying to wait for her mother and did not want to leave. After all, someone disappearing for several days in the face of this apocalyptic disaster... Though Pang Xuejun truly did not want to admit it, he did not believe An Rongru showed any sign of having survived.

"Madam's fate is unknown, but you will certainly be in danger if you remain here," Pang Xuejun said. "Those people in the security team are not good people, and the owners' side is no group of saints either. While we remain here, they are wary of us as a third party. But once we leave, you will be isolated and helpless. Unless you join one of their sides, they will not tolerate your presence."

"I know, but I am still not leaving." Jian Hanyao refused without hesitation.

If Mu Xiao had not come, she might have considered Pang Xuejun's suggestion. But with the appearance of the mysterious expert Mu Xiao, she had other thoughts.

"If you leave with us, we can look for your mother on the way." Pang Xuejun offered a highly persuasive bargaining chip.

Had An Rongru not returned, Jian Hanyao might have agreed without even needing to think about it. But life was often full of unexpected turns.

"I know what I'm doing." Jian Hanyao's pure, beautiful face was extremely serious, making her look like a little adult.

At that moment, Pang Xuejun could no longer see through the little girl he had watched grow up. He had no idea what she was truly thinking.

The two remained silent for a long while.

At last, Pang Xuejun said something that made Jian Hanyao pale in shock.

"We originally planned to tell you this only after you agreed to leave with us, because that would mean you were one of us. But for your safety, I'll tell you anyway. I hope you'll stay on guard against the others."

Pang Xuejun said, "The abilities that appeared in us can actually be absorbed from one another. In other words, if we kill other ability users, we can absorb their power and increase our own combat strength. More than a dozen of our companions were killed by Song Tianhu's group..."

He paused there. Seeing Jian Hanyao's "surprised," "shocked," and "unbelieving" expression, and having expected such a reaction, he continued, "So we decided that on the day before we leave—tonight—we'll kill Song Tianhu and most of his men. We'll avenge our companions, and absorb their power so we can survive better in this world."

Hearing that they intended to kill Song Tianhu, Jian Hanyao looked utterly stunned. Her earlier surprise had only been an act, meant to avoid arousing suspicion, but this time, she was genuinely shocked.