C17 Shen Chen's Strength!

All eyes converged on him, including Blind Chung's sinister gaze from his one good eye and Baldie's mocking sneer.

Shen Chen took it all in stride, strolling over with a nonchalant touch to his nose and a warm smile. He cheerfully hailed Blind Chung, "Well, if it isn't Master Chung! What stroke of luck brings you our way?"

"Knew it was you, you little rascal."

Blind Chung had recognized Shen Chen, too. Once the deputy head of Han Iron Base, it was he who had cast Shen Chen out, watching with glee as zombies gave chase, tearing at him, while he enjoyed the spectacle from the safety of the ramparts, a woman in his arms.

What he hadn't anticipated was that the down-and-out boy, once as pitiful as a stray dog, was not only still alive but thriving. His previously decaying skin was now completely healed.

Hmph, all cleaned up, he almost looked human.

The sight of Blind Chung's mocking eye brought back a flood of past indignities, but Shen Chen simply offered a serene smile and turned to his brothers from Cloud Mountain Base, "Thanks for lending a hand, brothers. I appreciate the hard work."

"Mr. Shen, no need for formalities with us. We're just doing our part."

The brothers from Cloud Mountain Base closed in, forming a jovial circle around Shen Chen, their laughter creating a convivial atmosphere.

"Anything else I can help with?"

Shen Chen feigned curiosity as he addressed the Han Iron Base contingent.

They were only too eager for Shen Chen to ask, quickly spilling their concerns, "Shen Chen, we made a special trip here and ended up with not a single grain of rice. What are we supposed to do? You can't let us go back empty-handed."

"That's right, you've got to share a bit with us. Surely Boss Shen has plenty of stock left."

The Han Iron Base crowd raised their voices in protest.

Shen Chen chuckled, "Sorry folks, but with business booming recently, I'm running low on stock. I wouldn't have let friends travel all this way for nothing. If you're skeptical, feel free to check out the shop for yourselves."

With an innocuous expression, Shen Chen gestured towards the storefront.

The Cloud Mountain Base brothers were taken aback; Shen Chen was actually inviting these troublemakers to inspect the shop.

Yang Hanshuang's brow furrowed in silence. If this was Shen Chen's approach to problem-solving, it was quite the letdown.

"Perfect timing."

Blind Chung was here for the rice and had no intention of exchanging pleasantries with Shen Chen. He beckoned the Han Iron Base crew to flood the shop and scour for rice, their search as chaotic as bandits raiding a village.

They rummaged through every nook and cranny, but alas, not a single grain was found.

"Damn this rotten luck!" Blind Chung glowered at Shen Chen. "If Boss Shen's out of rice, doesn't that mean the Cloud Mountain Base brothers have wasted their time?"

"No worries. The big boss will have me selling rice again soon enough. I'll restock them when the time comes."

"Really now?"

Blind Chung's skepticism was palpable as his one good eye continued to sweep the shop. When he caught sight of the vault door, his pupil narrowed. "What's in there?"

"Could be money, but as of now, it's nothing but worthless paper."

Shen Chen remained unfazed as Blind Chung, with a hint of mischief, extended his hand. "Hand over the key, open it up. I want to see for myself."

"I don't have the key."

"Is that so?"

Blind Chung's look turned predatory, stepping closer to Shen Chen, his eye brimming with menace, his hand crackling with electric arcs. "Tell me, how does a level 1 earth-type paranormal stand a chance against a level 3 at their peak?"

The temperature in the shop seemed to plummet with Blind Chung's words.

The Cloud Mountain Base brothers were seething, witnessing Shen Chen being threatened right before their eyes.

Flames danced in Yang Hanshuang's gaze as she sensed Shen Chen's escalating tension and met his glance.

Caught off guard, Yang Hanshuang hesitated. Though she didn't grasp Shen Chen's intent, she refrained from moving closer, standing her ground but ready to spring into action. Should Blind Chung make a move, she was poised to ensure Shen Chen's safety in an instant.

Shen Chen was pivotal to the destiny of Cloud Mountain Base.

Blind Chung took in the reactions of everyone present. "It looks like Boss Shen and Cloud Mountain Base have quite the rapport. You must have invested heavily. Since you're so open-handed, how about extending the same opportunity to Han Iron Base?"

"What opportunity?"

Despite the sweat beading on his forehead, Shen Chen's handsome face remained smiling, though inside, a stampede of frantic thoughts raced through his mind. Why hadn't that damned crawler shown any sign of life yet?!

"Are you absolutely certain you don't have the key?"

Blind Chung squinted his solitary eye and slowly lifted his hand, crackling with electric arcs.

Shen Chen clenched his jaw, ignoring the sparking hand, and rapidly strategized a way to keep Blind Chung talking, to buy more time. Just then, a cacophony erupted from the street outside—clamor, chaos, screams, and the roars of beasts filled the air.

The patrons in the shop froze for a moment before bolting outside.

...

On the street, a muscular crawler was savaging people from Ocean Mountain Base, its gaping, bloodied maw shredding victims into unrecognizable bits. Guts and blood painted the pavement in a horrific tableau.

Yang Hanshuang recognized it as the crawler that Shen Chen had helped capture, one that had taken considerable effort by a team of Cloud Mountain Base experts to subdue. How had it mysteriously broken free?

Shen Chen subtly pressed her hand, signaling her to keep still and watch.

The street was engulfed in pandemonium. The crawler had targeted Ocean Mountain Base first. Level-2 superhumans hastily mounted a counteroffensive, but the crawler's massive claws swiped through the air, rendering their elemental attacks into oblivion.

"Such fearsome power. It's truly a level-three zombie."

The faces of those from Han Iron Base blanched. Blind Chung kept his eye narrowed, holding back from the fray. Meanwhile, Baldie was directing Ocean Mountain Base's response. He nearly choked with rage upon seeing the bystanders from Cloud Mountain Base and Han Iron Base merely observing.

The battle raged on. The crawler's reach was extensive, and Ocean Mountain Base's hastily formed defenses were no match. The crawler's swipe flung another one of their number against the bank's wall, leaving him plastered there, blood streaming down like a broken doll.

This continued onslaught would lead to catastrophic losses for Ocean Mountain Base.

Naturally, for Cloud Mountain Base and Han Iron Base, this was an advantageous turn. As regional rivals, they wouldn't mind seeing Ocean Mountain Base suffer even more casualties.

Shen Chen remained a detached observer.

Baldie was enraged. As a level-three superpowered individual, he refused to let his men continue to be cannon fodder.

"Earthquake!"

With a bellow from Baldie, the street trembled violently. As the crawlers lunged, a wall of earth erupted from the ground. The crawlers slammed into it with a resounding clang, collapsing onto the pavement, their wails almost as pitiful as a dog's.

The masters from Ocean Mountain Base breathed a sigh of relief seeing Baldie thwart the attack, but their relief was short-lived. The downed crawlers, in a sudden burst, tore through the earthen wall and lunged at Baldie with lethal intent.

Caught off guard, Baldie scrambled backward, barely erecting his ochre shield before being flung away like a kicked ball.

"This crawler is extraordinary, stronger than the average level-three superpowered being. Baldie might just be out of luck," Blind Chung said with a cold laugh. Shen Chen arched an eyebrow, "He's my guest. I can't just watch him die in front of my shop; that would be bad for business."

With that, he nonchalantly pocketed his hands and strode toward the rampaging crawler, drawing shocked stares from the crowd.

"Has he lost his mind? He's only a level one. Is he seeking death?"

The folks from Han Iron Base exchanged bewildered looks, while those from Cloud Mountain Base wore enigmatic expressions, particularly Yang Hanshuang, who fixed her gaze on the slender young man with wide eyes.

Just how powerful was Shen Chen, really?