novelburst
Chapter 398: Stop Daydreaming, Accept Reality
Chapter 398: Stop Daydreaming, Accept Reality
Chapter 398: Stop Daydreaming, Accept Reality
?
Yao Ran raised an eyebrow at the man's words and retorted, "What exactly has the Ji family done to protect the central district? I recall that we and the soldiers defended this district before, and now the Xu, Mu, and Hua families are holding the outer district."
"This is the first time I have heard about the Ji family. Where are they now, and what have they contributed to this community to justify demanding security fees from us?"
Hearing this, the men hesitated, unable to respond to her pointed questions. Their leader, realizing they couldn't win a verbal battle, opened his palm and summoned a ball of flames.
He looked at Yao Ran and spoke with a threatening tone, "Young lady, just obediently pay the security fees, or else—"
Before he finished speaking, Long Yu snapped his fingers, used his wind element energy to control the oxygen in the air, and extinguished the flames in a second.
Surprised, the leader tried summoning his fire again, but each time, it vanished immediately. After countless failed attempts, the leader turned to Yao Ran and the others, fear clear in his eyes.
He pointed at Yao Ran and asked, "What did you do to me? Why can't I use my ability?" Yao Ran shrugged lazily. "How should I know? Maybe that is all you are capable of." The other men, seeing their leader rendered powerless, exchanged confused looks.
Meanwhile, some villa owners cautiously approached Yao Ran and her group, standing on their side with some distance between them.
Noticing their small movements, Yao Ran ignored them and said to the leader, "Tell your master that I won't pay anything to the Ji family. If they continue to harass me and my family, don't blame us for being rude."
When the group didn't immediately leave, Shi Xuan waved his hand, using his space ability to twist the space around the leader's finger.
Crack!
"Ah!"
The leader screamed in pain as his pinky broke. His face paled as he glared at them before speaking through gritted teeth, "I will report this to the Ji family."
With those words, he left with his subordinates. As they disappeared, the villa owners collectively sighed in relief.
A woman in her thirties, dressed in an expensive winter coat, glared at Yao Ran and said, "Young lady, since you are so capable, you should protect us. Why do you only come after we have all suffered from those people? Are you doing this to show off your strength to us?"
Yao Ran's expression darkened when she heard that woman's words. Sneering, she asked, "Why should I protect you?"
The woman, taken aback by her question, stammered, "Isn't your responsibility to protect the weak?"
Yao Ran let out a laugh when she heard that woman's ridiculous words.
After laughing for a while, she coldly asked, "Who are you? Do I owe you anything? If you want protection, hire bodyguards. I have no obligation to protect any of you."
Looking at that woman's ashen face, Yao Ran added, "Also, do you think the world is still the same as before? Do you think you can morally kidnap me now? Madam, you should stop daydreaming and accept reality."
With that, Yao Ran turned to Long Yu and Shi Xuan. "Let's go back. I'm hungry," she said. The woman stood there, stunned, as the three walked away without a second glance. When she came back to her senses, she stomped her foot in frustration and muttered angrily, "Who does she think she is? How dare she talk to me like that?"
The other villa owners exchanged knowing glances at her outburst.
It had been almost 14 months since the end of the world, yet this woman still clung to the beliefs of the old world. With her inflated sense of self-worth, it was only a matter of time before she lost her life.
Sharing the same thought, the villa owners quietly distanced themselves from her and returned to their homes.
On their way home, they resolved to maintain good relations with the young lady who lived in the high-wall villa. In this chaotic world, having a powerful ally was far more valuable than clinging to past social hierarchies.
As the woman continued to vent her frustration, she eventually noticed that everyone else had left. Huffing indignantly, she flicked her hair and rushed back to her villa, ready to complain to her husband.
Meanwhile, the situation in the villa's outer district had finally improved.
After hours of fierce fighting, the Xu, Mu, and Hua families finally drove the rioters away from the villa area. In a short time, they erected high barricades around the entire villa community and organized patrols to guard the perimeter.
At the same time, when they returned to their villa, Yao Ran and Long Yu took a long bath to wash off the blood and grime before joining Shi Xuan for lunch.
Sitting around the dining table, Yao Ran pulled out ingredients for a hot pot. "Hot pot is perfect for cold weather," she said in a good mood.
With two electric heaters nearby, the trio enjoyed their meal while the distant sounds of gunfire and shouting echoed outside.
After lunch, Shi Xuan returned to the living room with Long Yu to monitor the situation through the drone while Yao Ran headed to the kitchen. She spent the afternoon cooking to replenish the empty shelves in her space.
By evening, the gunfire and screams had finally ceased. After storing the freshly prepared food in her space, Yao Ran cleaned the kitchen and joined the others in the living room.
"It's finally quiet outside," she said as she sat on the couch.
Long Yu looked up from the laptop screen and nodded. "The Xu, Mu, and Hua families built high barricades and organized patrols. For now, the villa area should be safe. But conditions in the surrounding areas are worsening."
Shi Xuan sighed and added, "Thankfully, Brother Ling managed to leave this base with the others before things escalated. Otherwise, it would be hard for us to protect Brother Chen and those from the slums."