Chapter Four: Crisis

"Are you alright? Is your head hurting again?" Su Zhu asked with concern.

"It's nothing, much better than before," Xia Yan replied, unconcerned.

The two walked along the edge of the ancient city, continuing their exploration near Area C. The number of mutants in this region had dwindled, and encounters with other criminals were rare, making it relatively safe.

Meanwhile, at their base—the private suite on the seventeenth floor of the building—four men were searching every corner. A short man was the first to discover the suite, kicking open the outer door.

"My god, look what I've found! Brothers, hurry up!"

He shouted loudly, and his three companions rushed over. Inside, they found an astonishing quantity of food and water, more than they could believe.

The four, both thirsty and hungry, had endured days of sporadic meals, and water was a precious resource. Their team had nearly fallen apart in fights over these supplies.

"Wow, so much," the short man exclaimed, clutching a bottle of water and greedily gulping it down. The feeling of replenishment was exquisite. The others also began to devour the food and drink.

They ate ravenously and without restraint, consuming a quarter of the supplies meant to last over twenty days before finally feeling satisfied. Afterwards, they sprawled on the floor in comfort.

"Wu Zhi, why don't we take these supplies and leave now?" the short man asked a skilled, dark-haired man—the core of their group.

Previously, the team had nearly turned on each other, but thanks to Wu Zhi's intervention, they remained intact. The others respected him; among the hundred criminals, he was a standout in both strength and wit, and with him, they had a real chance at victory.

"Not yet," Wu Zhi instructed. "Search the area and determine their numbers. If there are many, we leave. If few, we stay, ambush, and kill them."

The three dared not disobey and quickly gathered intelligence.

"Should be two—a man and a woman," a teammate reported. "The empty cans and changed clothes indicate two people."

"Good. If there are only two, and we lie in wait, killing them will be easy. Plus, there's a woman to capture—everyone's been tense, and having a woman to relieve ourselves could help."

Their eyes gleamed. Though criminals, their desires weren't entirely forbidden. Since arriving, they'd been deprived, and the prospect of a woman stirred their cravings.

"Hopefully she's not ugly. I don't want to lose my appetite," the short man muttered.

...

When Xia Yan and Su Zhu ventured out, they were cautious. But returning to the seventeenth floor, Su Zhu relaxed, holding Xia Yan's arm and leaning on his shoulder.

With such a high floor, danger seemed unlikely, so vigilance waned.

"Wait," Xia Yan halted.

"What is it?" Su Zhu asked, puzzled.

"Don't return to the suite yet. Let's check the nearby rooms—I think someone has been here," Xia Yan warned.

They inspected the surroundings and quickly realized it wasn't a suspicion; someone had definitely been here, and likely more than one.

"What do we do?" Su Zhu asked anxiously.

Xia Yan closed his eyes, thinking. "Two options. First, we wait for them to come out. We have a sniper rifle; from a nearby high-rise, we can take them out one by one."

"And the second?" Su Zhu pressed.

"We lure them out," Xia Yan said. "If they plan to ambush us, they'll hide in the suite. If we draw them out, we can ambush them ourselves. With our E402 Land Leopard pistol, we could instantly kill two or three in a surprise attack."

One method was safer but passive; the other riskier but quicker.

"If we delay, they'll grow wary and things will get complicated," Xia Yan continued. "I recommend the second approach: one acts as bait, the other lies in wait outside, ready to strike with the pistol."

"And their numbers?" Su Zhu worried about the supplies.

"If there are fewer than five, we can handle it. If it's more, or Matthew's team, then we're in danger."

Su Zhu had previously warned Xia Yan about three dangerous individuals, one of whom was Number Seven, Matthew, whom Xia Yan had met.

Matthew's team had three people then, but according to Su Zhu's intel, he could rally over a dozen.

In the worst case, facing over ten would be extremely perilous.

"Su Zhu, how's your marksmanship?" Xia Yan asked, ignoring her worries.

"I'm not very good... not accurate," Su Zhu admitted, blushing.

"Then I’ll do it," Xia Yan said. "I’m a crack shot—almost never miss at this distance. The Land Leopard pistol holds ten rounds, enough to threaten ten people. If it’s Matthew’s group, we can at least negotiate for water and food."

"Are you confident?" Su Zhu hesitated.

"Yes. But the bait will be in danger," Xia Yan said. "I don't recommend using the sniper rifle—the building's too high, and it’s hard to find a suitable spot. Reloading takes too long; if we scare them, they'll flee with the supplies."

Supplies were crucial for survival; unless there was no other choice, Xia Yan wouldn’t abandon them. They could sustain the two for a long time, and losing them might mean starving later.

To survive to the end, maintain peak condition, and even win the gene serum, they needed enough supplies.

"Alright, I’ll do it," Su Zhu decided.

"Be careful. There might be traps," Xia Yan cautioned.

Su Zhu nodded and cautiously entered the suite.

At first glance, everything seemed normal, except their supplies had noticeably dwindled.

She dared not venture too far, taking only a few careful steps.

Danger!

A sudden intuition warned her. She rolled aside, dodging just as a wooden round table beside her was smashed to pieces.

Wu Zhi 'descended from above,' iron rod in hand, striking at Su Zhu. Though his ambush failed, he was undeterred, his iron rod weaving a barrage of attacks, forcing Su Zhu into a corner.

A single exchange revealed the vast difference in their abilities—she had no chance.

This man, though not as infamous as the three most dangerous figures, was extremely strong. Who was he?

Wu Zhi gave her no time to think, striking her waist with the rod. Blood spurted from her mouth as she collapsed in the corner.

"She's a beauty. Wu Zhi, don’t kill her," the short man said, moving forward.

"Luck’s really on our side—a gorgeous girl. Let’s make the most of it," another exclaimed.

The others were equally excited. They’d expected a woman, but not one so beautiful.

Su Zhu's face was ashen, filled with guilt. Xia Yan had warned her, yet she'd been trapped.

The ambush was overwhelming; the man's fighting skills left her no chance even to draw her blade. In an instant, she was helpless.

"You idiots, don't rush," Wu Zhi snapped, stopping their advances. "She probably has a partner. Watch out for someone lurking outside."

As if on cue, a rustling sounded from outside.

All four faces changed.

"What do we do, Wu Zhi?" the short man asked anxiously.

"You three, pursue him and kill him. I’ll guard the girl," Wu Zhi ordered.

The three exchanged glances and ran outside, thinking the intruder had fled upon discovering their presence.

They couldn’t let him escape; he knew they possessed so much food and water, and if he spread the word, they would be in danger.

They ran, but Xia Yan stood motionless just outside the door.

He raised the Land Leopard pistol, aiming at the side entrance.

His eyes narrowed, nerves taut.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

As the three emerged, three bullets flew. Xia Yan quickly lowered the gun.

The three—short man and his companions—froze in place. As their eyes blinked, their bodies collapsed, blood streaming from their heads, each struck in the brain.

Three killed in an instant.

In their final moments, a single thought flashed through their minds, identical and astonished—

How is he so strong!

At that moment, in a channel monitored by the organizers, viewers could watch everything unfold.

Many witnessed Xia Yan fire the three shots—

Instantly killing three enemies. The shock was indescribable.

Among criminals, few possessed such marksmanship; their backgrounds made it unlikely. Xia Yan’s skill, even among normal humans, was of the highest caliber. Such sharpshooter talent could not be achieved by mere practice—only extraordinary aptitude could bring such results.

With his marksmanship, his strength ranked among the absolute elite, easily within the top five of the hundred criminals.

Yet he was barely fifteen—how could he reach such heights so young?

Remarkable!

Viewers began placing bets on Xia Yan; his odds dropped sharply.

They believed he had a chance at victory. The champion’s reward mattered little to them; what they cared about was the profit if Xia Yan won.

...

Xia Yan walked slowly into the suite, alert at every step, until he faced Wu Zhi, who was holding Su Zhu hostage.

Wu Zhi had already seen the corpses of his three companions, and his heart was gripped with fear.

Though his allies weren’t the strongest, they weren’t weak, yet their lives ended in a single second.

In that instant, Xia Yan fired three bullets, hitting each in a vital spot—deadly, precise.

Such marksmanship was unheard of. Wu Zhi was terrified; if he fought Xia Yan, what were his chances?

This young man was simply too strong.

Dangerous—extremely dangerous. Fighting him meant likely death.

Not worth the risk—especially not now.

Even Wu Zhi, a formidable fighter, chose to retreat. He wouldn’t take the risk, not for someone else’s benefit.

Wu Zhi pressed a knife to Su Zhu’s throat, threatening, "Her life is in my hands. These supplies are mine. Let me leave."

"So shameless—using her life to bargain," Xia Yan replied, his voice cold enough to chill the bones.

Wu Zhi felt the icy dread. For reasons unknown, his usual fearless self dared not challenge Xia Yan.

"If you want her dead, I don’t mind killing her before fighting you."

Just then, Xia Yan’s expression changed—his head throbbed painfully again.

Damn, why now!

He knew that if he mishandled the situation, and Wu Zhi noticed, both he and Su Zhu would be killed.