Not happening

"Man, we almost forced that captain kid to use his ultimate."

Green Radish watched the SUV following close behind in the rearview mirror, stuck her head out, and shouted back, "Kid, are you really not considering joining us? I think you've got talent."

"Can you help me shake off the Red-Clothed Opera Performer?" Lin Qi asked in return.

"Not happening." Green Radish answered decisively, without the slightest attempt to hide it.

Lin Qi chose to stay silent. Five thousand Ghost Cash was only the betrothal deposit. It was hard to imagine how much the actual bride price would be.

If he failed to scrape together enough before the Red-Clothed Opera Performer arrived, would the performer rip out his heart and lungs?

Literally rip out his heart and lungs!

"Ugh, this is a pain."

Lin Qi felt rather helpless. Troubles really did come one after another.

Rather than scrape together the bride price, he might be better off praying the system would refresh its offerings with something ridiculously powerful.

As Lin Qi pondered, he finally noticed that the little truck ahead had long since vanished. Perhaps they were in a hurry to get Niu Wudi treated. His SUV was the only vehicle still traveling along the road.

He had already left the village, so naturally, he was no longer afraid of any danger.

Lin Qi drove along the dirt road, but his right hand was already holding his machete, slicing open the packages.

He had grabbed five boxes from the cafeteria. The survivors back then had been no different from ravenous wolves and had given him no chance to pick his supplies.

Now that he had some free time, he was curious to see exactly what he had gained.

The first box was right on the passenger seat.

Rrrip.

The machete easily tore through the cardboard box.

The torn box opened wide, revealing all the supplies inside.

Three cases of milk were stacked inside the cardboard box on the passenger seat.

"Milk, huh."

Lin Qi was very satisfied. At this point, the milk generally had yet to expire, and every carton he drank meant one fewer left.

He briefly checked the road, controlled the steering wheel with one hand, and slashed toward the stacked cardboard boxes behind him with the other.

Rrrip...

The second cardboard box split open, revealing neatly packed bundles of all kinds of dried noodles. There were so many varieties that his eyes almost swam.

A whole box of dried noodles still left him very satisfied.

He was just about to cut open the third cardboard box.

Hiss!!!

A piercing sound exploded beside his ears without warning.

"Fuck! What's going on!"

Lin Qi was shocked. The vehicle lost control in an instant and began skidding wildly.

Crash!

Even though Lin Qi used every ounce of his strength to steady the steering wheel, momentum still dragged the vehicle into the ditch with a heavy crash.

Lin Qi rubbed his forehead in irritation. Since he had properly fastened his seat belt, and with the airbag as well, he had suffered no fatal injuries.

"Just my luck. Did a tire blow out?"

Lin Qi gathered his wits a little. The door had not been struck, so he easily pushed it open and clambered out on his hands and feet.

But the moment he emerged from the car, his confusion turned into a chill.

On the previously deserted country dirt road, several figures stepped out from cover with ill-intentioned smiles, closing in on him step by step.

Lin Qi crouched and retrieved his machete from the SUV, his cold gaze sweeping over the six people before him.

Weren't these six the very bunch who had plotted against him with that old woman?

Their leader was the burly bald man from that day.

The bald man rubbed his completely hairless head and smiled. "Didn't expect this, did you, kid? We meet again."

Lin Qi knew that since they had made their move, they had no intention of letting him return alive. Naturally, he had no intention of holding back either.

They clearly had plenty of combat experience. Even with six against one, they still held various blades as they moved to encircle him.

"Brother, do me a favor..."

Lin Qi put on a smile and walked toward the bald man.

The bald man was at the very front. When he first heard Lin Qi speak, his eyes still held mockery. A favor? Who the hell are you? You expect me to do you a favor?

But very soon, he discovered to his horror that he had lost all feeling in his body. He could only watch as Lin Qi approached step by step. He wanted to say something, but no matter what he did, he could not make a sound.

His accomplices behind him did not see the horror in his eyes. Seeing the bald man suddenly stop, they looked puzzled.

Did the two of them really know each other?

The others, who had been about to attack, could not quite decide what to do.

They watched the bald man, waiting for his next instruction.

Lin Qi drew closer and closer, until that friendly smile finally arrived before the bald man.

The bald man screamed desperately in his mind, What are you staring at? Cut him down! Kill him!

Yet all his screaming was futile.

Until...

Squelch!

The machete plunged into his heart.

"Y-you, you!" The bald man finally broke free of the control. He watched the blade's tip pull out and wanted to say something, but could only swallow the words back down along with his blood.

Thud.

The bald man toppled heavily backward, his end marked by such a dramatic death.

"Are you a fucking idiot, Baldy? He was killing you, and you didn't think to fight back? Get him, boys!"

The others clearly had no idea what had happened to the bald man. At the sight of his death, rather than being afraid, they charged at Lin Qi, brimming with murderous intent.

Seeing this, Lin Qi said nothing, picked up his machete, and rushed toward the fields beyond the ditch.

His ability could only control one person at a time. With five attacking together, he was no Superman. He could not possibly fight one against five.

But as long as he separated them and picked them off one by one, he was invincible.

After all, in a one-on-one fight, he had a cheat...

"Fuck, don't let that brat get away! After him!"

Another man with a face covered in stubble roared angrily, ordering the others to chase Lin Qi.

Naturally, the others were not about to let Lin Qi escape.

Yet unexpectedly, just as they crossed the ditch to pursue Lin Qi, the stubbled man began rummaging through the SUV's supplies, hauling things out one by one. He specifically sought out items that took up little space and frantically stuffed them into his arms.

One of the pursuers noticed something was wrong and turned to look. He immediately burst out cursing, "Motherfucker! We're out here killing someone, and you're secretly stashing things away!"

They were only a makeshift team to begin with, so they did not care at all whether the bald man lived or died. They had absolutely no grudge against Lin Qi.

What they wanted was the supplies in Lin Qi's car.

Now that someone was secretly hoarding them, how could the others tolerate it?

The accomplices who had been sprinting across the fields in pursuit saw the stubbled man snatching supplies and immediately changed direction. They rushed back to the SUV and began stripping it bare like locusts.

"Did you get my permission to take my supplies?"

Lin Qi's face darkened, and he seethed with anger at these men who had turned back to plunder his supplies.

You can come after me.

But touch my supplies, and you're messing with my lifeblood!