Knock, knock, knock!
Just as Wang Zhi was feeling dejected, a knock suddenly sounded on the room door!
A flicker of hope ignited in his heart, and he hurriedly got up to open the door, only to be disappointed again almost immediately.
Standing at the door was a young, stout man.
"Excuse me, is this the room for the Sunset Glow?" the stout man asked from the doorway.
"Yes, I am Captain Wang Zhi. What can I do for you?"
As he spoke, Wang Zhi sized up the stout man outside. He was slightly shorter than Wang Zhi, weighing perhaps 160 jin (about 80kg), and didn't look excessively fat.
"So you're the Captain! My name is Li Feihong. I just arrived today and saw your team is one person short, so I wanted to ask if I could join?" Fatty immediately stated his purpose to Wang Zhi.
While Wang Zhi was thinking, he noticed... five suitcases behind Fatty?!
This guy is even more formidable than me! My arms still ache from dragging just two suitcases here; how did this person manage five without collapsing on the road?
For him, who currently possessed nothing, these supplies were extremely important. If they could go out, that would be one thing, but this place was under lockdown—in only, no out.
Based on these supplies alone, it seemed everything else no longer mattered....
Thinking this, Wang Zhi threw the door wide open and stepped aside.
"Welcome aboard, come in."
Wang Zhi smiled warmly and even bent down to help carry the luggage into the room for him.
"Sure thing, thanks, Captain Wang!" Seeing that he agreed, Fatty also became happy.
Wang Zhi looked at Fatty, who was completely unguarded and even humming a little tune, and quietly shook his head. This one hadn't experienced the harshness of society yet. Maybe he should just pocket the supplies later on, so this guy could taste what the harshness of society was like?
However, this was just a fleeting thought; he wouldn't do something so stupid, as Dawn Tower was small, and they couldn't leave. If they were living under the same roof, they were bound to run into each other again.
But it was different for Old He and Ying; they could pretty much do whatever they wanted. Even if he encountered them later, he could only stand by, and might even have to call her Sister Ying...
"Li Feihong, give me your Magnetic Card. I'll handle the procedure for you to join the team," Wang Zhi said to Fatty, who was arranging his luggage.
A team member joining required the Captain to handle the paperwork personally, and he also had to take the person's Magnetic Card to the administrative office on the first floor to process the entry procedure.
Fatty didn't think much of it and casually handed the Magnetic Card over to him.
As expected, this Fatty truly had no defenses whatsoever. Here, a Magnetic Card was equivalent to a wallet, and this person just handed it straight over?
Wang Zhi pocketed the Magnetic Card, thinking to himself that it was a good thing he was the one they met; otherwise, letting someone else have the chance to run off with the funds would be a huge loss.
Leaving the room, many people hurried through the corridor—men and women, some dragging various luggage, some empty-handed. Some, like Fatty, were soliciting teammates at doorways, while others, small and frail, seemed unwanted by any team.
Wang Zhi also hurried past, unwilling to pay much attention to those people, because his own situation was not much better than anyone else's.
When he passed through the corridor into the lobby and was about to take the elevator down to the first floor, Wang Zhi suddenly spotted Ying sitting in the lounge area of the lobby?
At the same time, there was an unfamiliar man beside her, seemingly talking to Ying about something.
Seeing this, Wang Zhi felt very uneasy. He initially intended to pretend he hadn't seen anything, but unexpectedly, Ying, sitting some distance away, had also spotted him....
The two exchanged glances. Ying smiled and beckoned towards him, signaling him to come over.
Wang Zhi froze for a moment, but eventually walked over obediently. Even though he knew this might lead to an open confrontation, avoiding it forever was not a solution.
When he reached Ying's side, what happened next began to make Wang Zhi's scalp tingle.
Ying stood up, leaned close to him, and said to the unfamiliar man opposite them, "This is my Captain, Wang Zhi. If you want me to join your team, you'll have to get our Captain's approval first."
Good heavens! Did Ying want to provoke a fight between them men? Or was she deliberately using him as a human shield?
Wang Zhi looked at the unfamiliar man opposite him. The man wore glasses, appearing somewhat refined, and though not tall, his physique was considerably more muscular than Wang Zhi's.
The refined man opposite him gradually looked at Wang Zhi with provocation and hostility.
As expected! Before he had even spoken a word, Ying had effortlessly maximized the animosity directed toward him.
At this moment, he had two choices: either back down and agree, or stand his ground and refuse.
A shrewd woman like Ying must have recognized that the refined man opposite held ulterior motives for her. Therefore, Ying's current move was very likely an attempt to use him as a human shield. If he backed down now, Ying would still refuse the man later, meaning he would have drawn the hostility for nothing and lost his masculine dignity in the process.
Given this analysis, confrontation was the only path. Wang Zhi concluded internally and then stated without hesitation, "I am the Captain of the Sunset Glow. She is my team member."
Seeing Wang Zhi stand firm, the refined man sneered, "Newcomer, go ask around about the influence my Scarlet Flame Captain holds here. Some things cannot be taken just because you desire them."
Wang Zhi mused that this guy was naive, daring to try and control even a dignified assassin?
"Thank you for your concern, but I am perfectly clear on the situation. Furthermore, she is *my* person, not an object."
Wang Zhi spoke in a cold voice and was about to turn and leave. He wasn't worried about a sneak attack because the Dawn Tower had clear regulations prohibiting malicious harm to others.
The feeling of showing off was intoxicating! If it weren't for the rule against hurting people, he really wouldn't have dared to act so boldly.
After he left, Ying followed closely behind him, leaving only the refined man standing there, clenching his fists tightly as he watched their retreating backs.
"Where is little brother heading?" Ying casually wrapped her arm around Wang Zhi's neck and asked.
Seeing this, Wang Zhi felt confused. Ying's demeanor suggested nothing had happened. Could it be that Old He had taken the food?
"Going down to the first floor to handle something. By the way, where did the food on the table go?" Wang Zhi finally couldn't help but ask.
"The food? That uncle tidied it up and put it in the cabinet."
Ying said, her eyes darting around: "Huh...? I was wondering why you seemed a bit off just now. You didn't think I stole your food with that uncle and ran off, did you? Oh dear, you gave Captain a fright."
Hearing Ying's explanation, Wang Zhi's heart fluttered; it turned out he had overthought things...
"I see, I was too hasty...." Wang Zhi realized there was indeed a cabinet in the corner.
"That cabinet has a thermostatic function; it keeps the food from spoiling easily."
"Mhm, got it."
Only then did the tension in Wang Zhi's heart finally ease. Since everyone hadn't left, he was the one who benefited the most.
Ying couldn't stop laughing at how hard he tried to appear nonchalant.
"Why do you always keep such a straight face like an old man? Give Sister a smile."
"Alright, Sister Ying, I need to take care of some real business first."
Ying tilted her head: "Huh? What real business?"