"I've seen it in your eyes, I've met the one~"
The sound of the background music played in Zhang San's mind, and his heart fluttered.
Could this be what they call love at first sight?
He frantically thought back to lines from romance dramas he had occasionally watched, and then, with a devilish grin, he spoke:
"Woman, you've successfully caught my attention."
Zhou Yuan's snake tail swayed as he leapt into the air, aiming a punch directly between Zhang San's legs.
"***, I'm going to break your balls!"
Zhou Yuan, who had been addicted to games for years and loved fictional characters, was a true straight man. Hearing Zhang San's words, his anger shot up, making him seethe with rage. His snake-like hair flared up, with countless snakes hissing and flicking their tongues.
"As expected of the woman I have my eye on—she's hot!" Zhang San took two steps back, easily dodging the punch, and his smile grew even more wicked.
Zhang San was a slick, greasy character, his gaze sinister and unsettling. Zhou Yuan, while delivering verbal jabs, was aiming low, going for Zhang San's vulnerable areas.
Zhang San thought his flirting techniques were working, growing even more excited. "Hit me and curse me—it's all a sign of affection! As a mature man, of course, I have to play along."
...
The situation was starting to feel strange.
The onlookers fell into a collective silence.
While Zhou Yuan was indeed beautiful, exuding all kinds of charm, his voice and demeanor were unmistakably masculine. His flat chest and his obvious tone made it clear he was a man.
After spending just a few minutes with him, any illusion his appearance created would vanish, and no one would have the urge to develop any further feelings.
Even if occasionally, his smile electrified them, no one would dare speak the same kind of provocative, arrogant words like Zhang San did.
The two continued to clash, with Zhang San intentionally pulling back, exchanging blows with Zhou Yuan. Compared to the Rat King or the Big Fish, Zhang San had much better control over his strength.
He was a skilled fighter, unlike those mutants who lacked proper technique and couldn't use their abilities effectively.
The distance between them unknowingly increased, and Zhang San suddenly took a long step back, shaking Zhou Yuan off. He turned and flashed a smile at the others:
"See you next time, you bunch of scoundrels!"
His long legs, almost two meters in length, allowed him to leap far into the air. He was about to escape.
Zhang San's back was arrogant, his entire body radiating a sense of wild defiance.
Lin Ye Bai immediately threw several fangs, which transformed into white streaks in the air, chasing after Zhang San.
The others didn't even see what happened—only hearing the sound of the fangs cutting through the air as Lin Ye Bai raised his hand and launched them several meters away.
It seemed that throwing throwing knives was extremely exhausting, as Lin Ye Bai appeared more fatigued and pale, his illness becoming even more apparent.
"Is that it? Just this?" Zhang San sneered, dismissing the small fangs. His body was quite special, so regular attacks like these were nothing to him...
But the next second, Zhang San froze, a sharp pain suddenly shooting through his backside. The fang had deeply pierced him, blood gushing out immediately.
He panicked, clutching his rear, blood dripping through his fingers.
It was so close!
Just a bit more, and the fang would have pierced...
Shuddering, Zhang San froze at the thought.
[Truth Above All]: As his body trembled, everything seemed to lose its meaning.
[Literary Master]: The words "Is that it?" may seem rebellious, full of an emperor-like aura, perfectly embodying Zhang San's free-spirited, lawless nature. However, there's an underlying tragedy—it's a tragic realism wrapped in defiance.
[Dual Combat Supreme]: Where did the fang land? I can't see clearly.
[Leuwen Hook]: Just an inch off.
[Super Rich Orange Seat]: Cat sighs.
[Strong Man Locks Men]: Average Guy, what do you think of this Zhang San?
[The Ordinary Me]: All I can say is, those who understand, understand. I won't explain further. Some things you just know—think it over.
Zhang San shuddered, glanced cautiously at Lin Ye Bai, clutching his rear, and ran for his life.
Song Yao fired his gun, but the bullet hit Zhang San's back and bounced off, doing no damage.
Zhang San twisted his body and disappeared into the alley.
"Next time, aim at his ** and shoot. That would definitely work…"
Zhou Yuan sighed. He had always believed in eliminating threats completely. Zhang San, a lawless criminal, had to be killed to ensure peace.
He looked at Lin Ye Bai, his face filled with concern.
"Lin, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Lin Ye Bai replied, though he was clearly exhausted and a bit hungry.
The 500 points slipped away, and he felt a sense of loss.
Just then, the little raven returned, holding a piece of rope, seemingly attached to something. It landed near the golden-eyed raven, and the two cawed at each other.
The little raven, upon receiving a signal, flew over to Lin Ye Bai and handed him the object. The black rope was attached to a whistle, and though the material was unclear, it felt cold and hard, like a mix of metal and jade.
"If there's prey, can you summon it?" Lin Ye Bai asked the golden-eyed raven.
"Caw~" The golden-eyed raven nodded, its eyes full of authority. But the raven's cawing always seemed ominous, evoking the image of someone sweeping crows with a broom.
Once Lin Ye Bai received the whistle, the golden-eyed raven flapped its wings, and the other ravens followed suit, flying westward as one large mass, like a moving black cloud.
The dark raven feathers fell from the sky, casting a shadow over the land, turning the day as dark as night, the sun nearly impossible to see. The entire city was shrouded in an eerie silence.
"Today's a big harvest," Zhou Yuan said, his mood calming as he looked at the beheaded fish head.
"This big fish will last us for several meals."
"Yes, Mr. Lin. I'd like to take some back to the shelter, if that's alright?" Song Yao asked, seeking Lin Ye Bai's opinion.
"Of course," Lin Ye Bai nodded, allowing Zhou Yuan to move the previously cut fish meat.
Mutants fed on flesh, always craving fresh blood and meat after mutation. Those mutants with more rational minds, like Zhou Yuan, preferred to hunt mutated animals.
The shelter had a large population, so no matter what they caught, it was never enough. The remaining fish meat, hard to carry and preserve, would be perfect to donate.
"Zhang San likely has other mutants behind him. We don't know what they're planning, but delaying may cause problems. We need to leave soon," Song Yao said.
"Mr. Lin, the shelter would be happy to have you join us anytime," he added, eyeing the fish with growing desire to recruit Lin Ye Bai.
"Mhm," Lin Ye Bai nodded slightly. The sky had darkened rapidly, the blood moon flickering, making the days shorter than before.
"This one is?" Song Yao asked, glancing at the silent, eight-legged spider-man.
The man was rugged-looking, his muscular frame making his shirt bulge in places. Beneath the fabric, one could make out several spider-like bulges. At least five or six spiders moved inside, which was enough to make anyone's skin crawl.
Did he carry spiders inside his clothes for willpower training, or was it just a personal preference?
Occasionally, the spiders would crawl around inside his clothes, but he remained calm and unaffected, a true hard man.
"My friend, Coach Wang," Zhou Yuan introduced.
"Nice to meet you," Song Yao extended his hand.
Coach Wang shook it briefly, both men wary of each other.
To transport the fish meat, Zhou Yuan swapped to a larger truck and placed the fish's thick leg in the back.
"Brother Song, I'm leaving now. The night falls fast, you should head back soon."
"Alright," Song Yao waved him off.
This time, Zhou Yuan drove, and after a short distance, Coach Wang spoke:
"You can come out now."
The little spiders crawled out of his shirt, chattering excitedly:
"Mom, Mom! It's so stuffy in there!"
"Mom, the big monster was so scary! I'm not coming out again next time."
"Did the big monster die?"
"Yep." Coach Wang didn't want to expose the little spiders to the outside world. They could talk, and that was quite unusual.
"Mom, how did the big monster die?" The little spiders were curious, surrounding Coach Wang.
"Call me Dad," Coach Wang patiently corrected them.
"Okay, Mom. How did Dad die?" The little spider obediently changed its words.