C25 Return to the Villa

Had she not been injured and immobilized, she would have leapt to her feet and delivered a punch straight to Qin Feng's face.

She had encountered her fair share of selfish, cold-hearted individuals, yet few in this world matched Qin Feng's level of ruthlessness.

Qin Feng remained seated, his demeanor icy as he awaited Zhong Yanan's response.

Despite his cold-blooded appearance, Qin Feng's true intentions remained a mystery to all.

In a past life, Qin Feng had aspired to be a hero, attempting to leverage his power to alter the apocalyptic endgame.

But reality had harshly demonstrated that the more benevolent one was, the less suited they were for survival in this harsh world. In contrast, those who were cold and merciless often thrived.

If cruelty was shown to him, he saw no reason not to return the favor.

As time slipped by silently, Zhong Yanan eventually yielded.

The proud, self-assured woman was forced to acquiesce to Qin Feng's demands. With a plea in her voice, she said, "I will consent to any demand you make, but I implore you—ensure my family's safety."

"I'll do everything within my power," Qin Feng replied, content with her concession. He nodded, his gaze shifting to the dissipating fog outside the window.

Dawn was approaching, the sun beginning to purify the scarred earth. It wouldn't be long before the Source Qi hovering in the atmosphere would be utterly dispersed by the blazing sun.

Moreover, the creatures that had been scouring the land for food would retreat back to the abyss.

Yet, the emergence of the first Abnormal Spot was poised to send shockwaves through the human world.

Qin Feng anticipated that the massacre at the holiday manor would soon become public knowledge.

The sight of the blood-stained corpses would be a jolt to everyone who learned of the incident.

The military would swiftly descend upon the scene, transforming the area into a tightly sealed military zone.

The handful of survivors would unavoidably fall under military surveillance, and during their interrogations, they would reveal details about the monsters.

This would mark humanity's initial brush with the news of the apocalypse.

But the information was too fantastical to grasp, and since the Blue Star world had never before faced such monstrous attacks, the military, despite being in the know, would likely keep the apocalyptic details under wraps.

The world of humanity was poised to enjoy a fragile peace for just a little over a month.

The dense fog gradually thinned, revealing the land bathed in sunlight. Qin Feng stowed the Dragon Bone and stood up, declaring, "We should get moving. It's time to leave, and quickly."

Wang Gang, puzzled, asked, "But where to? Aren't we going to wait for the police? It's still dark out. If we leave now, we might get attacked by those monsters."

Qin Feng shook his head. "The monsters haven't adapted to Blue Star's environment yet. They'll retreat to the abyss to hibernate at sunrise. Plus, the Source Qi will fade away. Staying here won't aid our evolution; without the Source Qi, the process slows to a crawl."

Humans could only evolve by absorbing Source Qi. As it grew scarce or vanished altogether, the pace of evolution would drastically slow.

"Alright," Wang Gang conceded, his trust in Qin Feng solidified by the previous night's events. He assisted Zhong Yanan to her feet, and together, the trio made their unsteady exit from the resort.

Dawn had broken, yet the air remained thick with the stench of blood. Stepping out from their shelter, they encountered a macabre scene of dismembered limbs. Nearly every step brought them in contact with the blood-soaked earth.

The Devil Eye Ratmen's rampage had claimed the lives of over ninety percent of those present. Banquet guests, resort staff, and even the guard dogs at the entrance had met with gruesome ends. Some bodies were left with necks savagely bitten through, others with chests hollowed out, surrounded by a grisly array of intestines, organs, and bile.

As they departed the resort, they came upon a man lying on the ground, desperately trying to drag himself away. His limbs had been devoured, leaving just his torso. Though he was still alive, his time was clearly short. Wang Gang intended to rescue him, but Qin Feng objected.

Carrying the wounded would only draw police attention, and Qin Feng wasn't ready to reveal himself just yet, so he dissuaded Wang Gang from the attempt.

Corpses littered the ground, each death more harrowing than the last. Some bodies were limbless and gutted, yet their heads remained eerily intact, their faces twisted in expressions of terror and helplessness.

Wang Gang couldn't stop vomiting, and Zhong Yanan dry-heaved a few times as well. But with nothing in her stomach, she couldn't bring anything up.

Qin Feng, on the other hand, was accustomed to the apocalyptic carnage. To him, such scenes were all too familiar.

After half an hour, the trio reached a secluded spot just outside the resort area. By then, the Source Qi's fluctuations had settled and vanished entirely.

Carrying Zhong Yanan on his back had taken its toll on Wang Gang, leaving him feeling weary. He voiced his exhaustion to Qin Feng, "Why didn't we just take a car?"

Shaking his head, Qin Feng replied, "That would've put us right in the police's line of sight, especially with all the surveillance on these roads."

"Do the police scare you that much?" Zhong Yanan asked sharply.

With an indifferent smile, Qin Feng responded, "I'm not scared of the police, but I'd rather avoid any trouble. Now's not the time for a showdown with them."

She scoffed, "If you're so keen on avoiding the police, why bother saving me? You do realize my uncle heads the city's police department, right?"

"I'm well aware," Qin Feng cut in, glancing at her injuries. "You should talk less. Evolution might have granted you resilience, but your wounds are severe. Conserving your strength will aid your recovery."

Interrupting, Wang Gang asked, "So, where to now?"

"We head back to the villa at Clouds Peak," Qin Feng replied, his tone cool. "It's got decent living conditions, perfect for recuperating." Without waiting for a response, he continued towards Clouds Peak.

The villa was his by agreement, following the disrupted engagement party, so Zhong Yanan raised no objections.

By one in the afternoon, they had made it back to the Clouds Peak villa. Battle-worn, Wang Gang's legs gave out as soon as he arrived. He wasted no time treating his wounds with medicine in his room. Zhong Yanan, too injured to move, was left in Qin Feng's care.

Qin Feng carried her up to the second floor of the villa and laid her down on the plush mattress. Without uttering another word, he ripped away her evening gown.

Her fair, smooth skin was now laid bare before him, without reservation.