043 Always Need to Prove Something

The group of them returned to the entrance of the apartment, only to hear that person outside still chattering away.

"Catty Yu, you must be worried that I am a bad guy, right? Don't be afraid. I came here specially to bring you some things. I live right here in Building 2, Unit 2... But it's good that you're staying cautious. I'll just leave the bag at your doorway and go, remember to pick it up later."

At the doorway, Chongzi said with utmost sincerity. True to his word, he took off his backpack and left it by the door, then smiled and waved at the peephole, saying, "If you feel scared, you can come find me at Unit 602 in Building 2. I'm leaving now, stay safe."

With that, Chongzi turned and left through the fire door.

??

Zheng Xinyu looked back at Zhang Su with a face full of question marks.

Through a few days of living and breathing together, she had developed an inexplicable and blind trust in Zhang Su, yet she never expected his judgment to be wrong this time.

While keeping a distracted ear on the movements behind the fire door, Zhang Su spread his hands and said, "I stand by my original view. He is definitely no good. If you don't believe me, you can test it."

"Bu-but he left the things right at the door. What kind of mischief could he possibly pull?"

Seeing that Zheng Xinyu had not given it any serious thought at all, Zhang Su raised his chin and said, "Then why don't you go out and try picking up the stuff?"

"Hmph... He couldn't possibly have stuffed a bomb in the bag."

Zheng Xinyu felt that this time Zhang Su was simply being overly cautious and had wronged a good person.

"Some people won't learn until they get burned. Let me tell you, as long as you open the door and pick up that bag today, something bad is going to happen. Do you believe me?"

While talking with Zheng Xinyu, Zhang Su had already heard the plan between Chongzi and Brother Xiang crystal clear.

"Then... but we have to go out eventually anyway, and leaving a bag right by the doorway is just in the way." Zheng Xinyu completely failed to understand why a mere bag was anything to be nervous about.

"Do you believe that guy is hiding right behind the fire door, and the moment you open the door to grab the bag, he'll rush out and finish you off!"

Zhang Su put on a ferocious expression and spoke in a low voice.

Zheng Xinyu was startled by the look in Zhang Su's eyes, but her stubborn streak flared up as well. She stiffened her neck and said fiercely, "If it really turns out like you said, and he dares to rush out, I dare to bash his brains out with a bat!"

"Oh my, I really underestimated our little Catty Yu. That's a living, breathing human being, not a zombie. Would you actually have the guts to strike?"

Zhang Su taunted her with a mischievous tone.

"Why wouldn't I? Anyone attempting to ambush me will be treated the exact same as a zombie—bashed to death, every single one of them!"

Zheng Xinyu felt a fire burning in her chest. She felt that Zhang Su was always looking down on her, which made her very depressed.

"Then go pick it up."

Zhang Su suddenly dropped his weird expression, raised a hand, and gestured for Zheng Xinyu to open the door and retrieve the items.

"I'll pick it up then!"

Zheng Xinyu felt that this door simply had to be opened today!

Either to prove that her fan possessed a heart of pure loyalty, or to prove her own bravery and fearlessness—in short, something had to be proven.

Click, the lock turned.

Zhang Su's wrist rotated and warmed up as he gripped his axe tightly, shifting his body slightly to the side while simultaneously exchanging a glance with Zhong Xiaoshan to signal her to step back...

Unaware of Zhang Su's sequence of actions, Zheng Xinyu gently pushed the door open. The bag at the threshold was knocked over. Reaching out to grab it, she found she couldn't quite touch it, so she pouted and pushed the door a bit wider. However, just as she half-squatted and leaned her upper body out, the fire door was abruptly yanked open.

A bulky figure lunged fiercely toward the doorway, a firefighter's axe in hand thrusting like a spear right into the gap of Apartment 801's door. Once that firefighter's axe wedged into the doorway, even wanting to slam the door shut would be too late; the intruder would inevitably force his way in!

Yet, a flash of cold light moved even faster than the large man's advance...

Having already learned of Brother Xiang's plan, Zhang Su had prepared himself well in advance. Even before the fire door was fully pulled open, he had already taken aim. The moment Brother Xiang lunged into the eighth-floor hallway, the axe-hammer in Zhang Su's hand flew out from the door crack with blinding speed!

Squatting down, Zheng Xinyu was completely oblivious to the lethal axe flying right over the top of her head!

"Not good!"

Brother Xiang possessed sharp reflexes. When danger descended, his heart tightened violently, but in the split second of a lightning flash, forget about executing a counter-move or parry—even braking or dodging was already too late. In the brief, slow-motion stretch of time, he could only watch helplessly as the axe hurtled straight toward his face.

He had a fleeting illusion that this axe seemed to have anticipated his movements beforehand, waiting right there, dead-on and unerring.

His brain knew it needed to dodge, but his physical reflexes completely failed to keep up!

Thud!

How immense was the merciless force behind Zhang Su's reckless, all-out throwing axe? Whether the blade side slashed into Brother Xiang or the hammer side struck his skull, it was bound to seal his doom right here!

Clang...

Taking the heavy blow full force, Brother Xiang flipped backward onto the floor. His head slammed against the tile wall, sending blood splattering across the wall, while the firefighter's axe fell to the floor with a crisp clatter.

"Ah!"

Two terrified screams rang out—one from the clueless Zheng Xinyu, and the other from Chongzi, who had just stepped one foot past the fire door.

Both of their gazes landed on Brother Xiang's twitching face on the ground. A lethal axe was buried diagonally into his cheek, embedded deep in the bone, vibrating with every spasm of his dying body. Blood gushed from the wound like it was free, staining his cheek before trickling down onto the floor tiles. It was clear he had no hope of survival.

Zhong Xiaoshan darted over to Zheng Xinyu's side, clamped a hand over her mouth, and frantically shook her head to signal that she must not scream.

Rule number one: upon seeing anything at all, screaming or shouting is strictly forbidden!

"Mur—murder! Murder! Someone's mur—"

"Shut up!"

The high-pitched, hysterical screams of Chongzi caught in his throat the moment he saw a tall man step out from the doorway. His entire body shook uncontrollably, and the terror in his eyes looked almost tangible.

"We'll settle the score for your screaming later. First, take a good look at your wonderful fan, your 'family member,' who brought a big guy and a firefighter's axe just to pay a visit to his beloved fan!"

Zhang Su said expressionlessly to Zheng Xinyu.

Only now did Zheng Xinyu realize that wanting to strike with a baseball bat in her mind and actually executing the striking motion were two entirely different things!

When real danger struck, her muscles simply failed to support her in making the appropriate reaction. Her entire mind was completely blank, stunned to the core.

Gulp.

Zheng Xinyu swallowed hard, stealing another glance at the slowly-stilling body of Brother Xiang on the floor, her heart a complex mix of emotions.

"Brother Su, I'm sorry... It was my fault. I caused you to kill... to kill him..."

Zheng Xinyu pointed tearfully and apologetically at Brother Xiang on the floor. She knew she was in the wrong, and her admiration for Zhang Su deepened immensely.

Zhang Su's blood was churning inside. He had beaten quite a few people in the past, but taking a human life was a first—or a second, if Zombie Brother Li counted as a different kind of humanoid creature.

Yet, recalling the plans these scumbags had hatched, coupled with the current situation, he quickly let it go. There was no need to show mercy to those who intended to harm him and his companions.

"This is our second account, remember that you owe me for both! As for how to deal with this skinny monkey here, I shouldn't need to teach you, right?"

Seeing the tall man they called Brother Su turn his head to look at him, Chongzi was so terrified he nearly pissed himself, collapsing hard onto his knees.

"Brother, big-big-big-big-brother, I was forced into this! Brother Xiang forced me, I'm innocent! Don't kill me, please don't kill me!"

Thud, thud, thud.

Chongzi wept with theatrical emotion, kowtowing incessantly.

He had thought he was coming to squeeze a soft persimmon, only to find out he had stepped on a live landmine. The regret tearing at his guts was absolute!