The Post-Apocalyptic Big Farm Owner

Chapter 44: The Clash

“Qianqian, I really don’t want to go.” On the street, Han Xue looked thoroughly reluctant. Yet Ding Qianqian dragged and pulled her along, urging her forward. “Axue, we’re colleagues after all… Manager Li isn’t a bad guy. It’d be great to use this chance to clear up the misunderstanding!” Ding Qianqian said with a smile. She’d found out the night before last that Li Ba’s supply store was opening, and she’d agreed to show her support—not forgetting to drag her best friend Han Xue along to help resolve the misunderstanding between her and Manager Li. It was a truly thoughtful gesture. Han Xue was very reluctant. Although, after some reflection, she realized she’d handled certain things poorly, she still felt an indescribable aversion toward that lecherous, fat guy and didn’t want to have much to do with him. But she couldn’t resist her best friend’s pleading; after being practically dragged along, she finally came along, gritting her teeth. Bang! Just as Han Xue was wavering and unable to make up her mind, the sound of gunfire rang out from a nearby street. Within the settlement, armed fights were strictly prohibited. Daring to fire a gun within the city walls was a clear violation of public order regulations. “Huh, that looks just like the spot Manager Li told me about…” Ding Qianqian froze for a moment. Then, without another word, she dragged Han Xue along as they jogged over. Meanwhile, Ning Chunming was patrolling the streets with a group of his men. Upon hearing the gunshots, he licked his lips and muttered to himself, “It’s been a long time since I’ve come across someone this bold…” He then signaled his men to head briskly in the direction the gunshots had come from. “Which mercenary group are you from? How dare you resist arrest with violence!” Seeing Zhao Hongyun pull out a grenade and adopt a “let’s all go down together” stance, Zhao Shoudong was also startled. His men dared not come within a step of him. “These mercenaries are completely lawless! Team Leader Zhao, hurry up and send more reinforcements to wipe them out!” Li Chao fanned the flames from the sidelines. Though the wound on his head was still bleeding, he didn’t leave but stayed put. “Got it.” Zhao Shoudong knew that with the few men he had, he clearly wouldn’t be able to take down this bunch. He immediately pulled out his walkie-talkie, ready to call for backup. Today was the grand opening of his supply store. Everything had been going smoothly until that bastard Li Chao showed up to cause trouble—and brought a bunch of security squad members with him, who, without distinguishing right from wrong, had pinned all the blame on him. Li Ba was in a foul mood. Given the situation before him, things were unlikely to end well. “This guy’s name is Zhao Shoudong. He’s the squad leader of the East City Security Squad—and the nephew of that old bastard Zhao Laifu,” Zhou Yan said, stepping up beside Li Ba and whispering a few words. No wonder! Li Ba nodded. Without Zhou Yan needing to say more, he already had a good idea of what was going on. Just as the supply store was celebrating its grand opening, not only had his own rival come looking for trouble, but Zhou Yan’s troubles were piling up as well. “What should we do?” Zhou Yan’s face was full of worry. If this kept up, not only would the supply store be destroyed, but their lives would be in danger as well. “Don’t worry—I’ve got this!” Li Ba smiled at Zhou Yan. Then he turned to look for his step-niece. Given the current situation, only Luo Jianguo could step in to calm the storm. When the commotion broke out, Luo Huiqiong had already stepped out of the store. The moment she caught Li Ba’s gaze, she immediately understood and turned to jog away. “That girl’s pretty smart!” Li Ba praised her silently to himself. He hadn’t expected his niece—who usually blushed at the mere sight of him—to show such sharp judgment at a critical moment. As long as Luo Jianguo arrived in time—given his status as a mid-level manager in the settlement—even if he couldn’t completely resolve the matter, his presence alone would be enough to make these guys think twice and keep them from acting recklessly. Once Shitou and Feng Xiaoyang returned, all the trouble would be easily resolved. “If only I were an Evolver…” If he possessed great power, he wouldn’t be on the defensive all the time, needing others’ help whenever trouble struck. At that moment, Li Ba had never felt such a strong longing. Meanwhile, Zhao Shoudong used his communicator to call for backup. Soon, more than a dozen officers from the Public Security Brigade arrived. After getting the situation explained, one of them—a middle-aged man with a swarthy complexion—pointed at Li Ba’s group and shouted, “Drop all your weapons! Those who resist arrest by force will face harsher punishment!” Zhao Hongyun’s team of security guards—all mercenaries who’d faced life-and-death situations—were defiant and untamable. There was no way they’d fall for that! “I’ve never been in the habit of laying down my weapons. If you’ve got the guts, come at me!” Zhao Hongyun chuckled darkly. Even at this very moment, there was not a trace of fear on his face. “The Guyan Mercenary Corps and the Wind God Mercenary Corps have no cowards among their ranks!” Someone among the security guards shouted out the names of their respective mercenary groups. Whether it was Zhao Shoudong or Li Chao, both furrowed their brows upon hearing the names of the Giant Rock Mercenary Group and the Wind God Mercenary Corps. “That fat pig Li—he’s only been in town a few days, and already he’s hanging out with those two troublemakers!” Li Chao’s gaze toward Li Ba was filled with venomous hatred. As an Evolver, he had naturally heard of the famous names “Shitou” and “Feng Shao” within this circle. Both were psychic Evolvers and possessed extremely powerful abilities. The authorities and the city’s major factions had attempted to recruit them on more than one occasion, but these two, with their eccentric personalities, refused to join any side, preferring instead to form their own mercenary groups. Zhao Shoudong also felt a certain degree of apprehension. However, with his uncle Zhao Laifu from the main family backing him, he wasn’t exactly afraid. “No matter who it is, anyone who violates the law of the settlement will be apprehended and brought to justice!” He spoke with apparent impartiality. In reality, his actions told a different story. “What’s going on?” Just as the two sides were locked in a standoff, another security squad arrived. Leading them was Ning Chunming, a Level 2 Fire-type Evolver and the current deputy commander of the Public Security Brigade. “Deputy Captain Ning!” As soon as he appeared, all the security officers immediately stood at attention and saluted. Even Zhao Shoudong, though reluctantly, saluted. “Deputy Captain Ning, you’ve arrived just in time!” Li Chao hurried over, a sycophantic smile spreading across his blood-stained face. He began gesturing wildly as he described how Li Ba had beaten him, as well as the violent resistance to law enforcement by Zhao Hongyun and several other mercenaries. After listening, Ning Chunming didn’t even glance at Li Chao; instead, he turned to Zhao Shoudong and asked coolly, “Is this account accurate?” “It’s true.” Zhao Shoudong naturally sided with Li Chao. Besides, even without Li Chao, he intended to follow his uncle’s orders and ruin this supply store. “Deputy Squad Leader Ning!” Zhou Yan stepped forward at that moment. She walked straight up to Ning Chunming and said calmly, “Our family’s supply store opened today, and we’re swamped with business. How could we possibly have the time to assault this esteemed Evolver?” Ning Chunming had spotted her long ago. Now, smiling, he asked, “Sister Zhou, I’d like to hear the details from you.” At the sound of “Sister Zhou,” both Li Chao and Zhao Shoudong furrowed their brows, silently thinking, “We’re in trouble.” Zhou Yan knew exactly what was going on; it seemed Deputy Squad Leader Ning still remembered their past connection. She immediately recounted the entire incident. “…A grown man—and an Evolver, no less—actually tried to harm a young girl. Deputy Squad Leader Ning, if it were you, wouldn’t you have stepped in to stop him?” Zhou Yan, quick-witted as ever, turned the question back on Ning Chunming. “You’re making this up!” Li Chao’s face flushed red as he denied it. “We didn’t just make this up out of thin air!” Li Ba strode forward, glancing at the crowd of onlookers in the distance as he bellowed, “With so many neighbors here, I, Li Ba, might falsely accuse you, but they certainly wouldn’t lie!” “That’s right! It was this guy who bullied that little girl!” “He thinks he can bully us ordinary folks just because he’s an Evolver… People like that are the worst!” “Beat that coward to death! Kick him out—don’t even give him a tissue to wipe his face!” Most of the onlookers were customers. Li Chao had come to cause trouble, preventing them from shopping, and they’d already been seething with anger. Now, incited by Li Ba, their emotions ran high, and they spoke out in righteous indignation. Some even began to hurl insults. “Li Chao, listen to this—this is the voice of the people. How genuine it is!” The crowd cheered him on. Li Ba, smug with pride, kept clasping his fists in a gesture of thanks to everyone around him. Li Chao was so furious his lungs felt like they were about to explode. Although he’d been the one to strike first, he hadn’t harmed a single hair on the young girl’s head. On the contrary, that fatso had cracked his skull open—he’d come out way worse off. Seeing Li Ba’s smug expression, his rage boiled over, and he could no longer contain himself. He roared, “Fat pig Li, go to hell!” Then, he swung his arm—his muscles bulging and veins throbbing—and sent his fist hurtling toward Li Ba’s face with a piercing whistle. Li Chao was no ordinary survivor—he was a Level 1 Strength Evolver. That punch possessed five times the strength of an ordinary person, packing a force of a thousand jin! Boom! Li Ba was sent flying by the single punch. Fortunately, his reflexes were quick enough to raise his hand to shield his face. Even so, the immense force sent him flying three or four meters, and he landed with a thud on the ground. His right arm was throbbing with excruciating pain and had swollen significantly. After knocking Li Ba back with a single punch, Li Chao wasn’t about to let it go. He pushed off with both feet, leaping high into the air, and swung his fist toward Li Ba’s head—his most vulnerable spot. This punch was even more ferocious than the last. He was determined to kill Li Ba on the spot. “Stop!” “How dare you!” The first shout came from Zhao Hongyun. Seeing Li Ba in danger, he bellowed, raised his gun at Li Chao, and pulled the trigger. The second came from Ning Chunming, who hadn’t expected Li Chao to be so brazen as to commit an act of violence right in front of him. In a fit of rage, he flickered his right hand, and a flash of fire flickered. Bang! A gunshot rang out. Boom! A fireball slammed into Li Chao’s back. Given Zhao Hongyun’s marksmanship, combined with the furious strike from Ning Chunming—a fire-type Evolver—Li Chao wouldn’t stand a chance of surviving, even if he’d blown Li Ba’s head off. Just then, a figure darted toward Li Ba like a bolt of lightning. Without any visible movement, Li Chao, who had been charging forward, let out a strange scream as his body was flung far away like a kite. At the same time, ice crystals swirled, forming a vortex that instantly blocked the incoming bullets and fireballs, preventing them from getting any closer.