But he would never have imagined that he wouldn't even get that chance.
Early the next morning, various bases began to leave one after another.
Sun Jian, Liao Yongchang, and others also drove their vehicles out of the Western Base.
"Huh, that car behind us looks like it belongs to Yun City, doesn't it?"
A man looked puzzled as he glanced at the rearview mirror, where a peculiarly shaped RV was visible.
Hearing this, Sun Jian turned his head to look behind.
Then, he snorted.
"Why bother with them? They go their way, we go ours. We're not on the same path anyway; we'll split up at the next intersection."
"Yeah, you're right."
But a few minutes later, when their car turned into a side road, they realized something was off.
"This isn't right. Why is Yun City's car still following us? They should have taken another road, right?"
"Maybe... they want to try a new route." Liao Yongchang also frowned.
Even he didn't quite believe what he just said.
At that moment, the RV behind them suddenly accelerated and overtook them.
It then stopped a short distance ahead, blocking the road in front of them.
"Screech!"
The sound of emergency braking rang out sharply.
Sun Jian and the others, caught off guard by the sudden stop, slammed headfirst into the front seats.
They looked disheveled.
"What are they... trying to do?"
The man who had earlier exclaimed quickly looked up and peered through the windshield at Yun Xiaoxiao and the others who had gotten out of the RV.
The group stood in different positions, leaning against the car.
Yun Xiaoxiao, however, sat leisurely on the hood of the RV, sucking on a lollipop and playfully teasing a black scorpion in her hand.
Her demeanor and stance were eerily reminiscent of the scenes in TV dramas where hoodlums block the road to rob passersby.
Liao Yongchang immediately realized that the other party might not be coming with good intentions this time.
He glared at Sun Jian.
"Look at the mess you've caused!"
As the base leader, he couldn't just let Sun Jian face this alone.
Otherwise, his authority in front of his subordinates would be compromised.
Though angry, he still had to get out of the car.
He approached Yun Xiaoxiao and the others, forcing a strained smile.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I ask why you've blocked our vehicle?"
"What would you do if someone kept trying to find opportunities to kill you behind your back?"
Yun Xiaoxiao smiled sweetly, answering with a question instead.
Her demeanor was like that of a diligent student eager to learn.
Liao Yongchang frowned deeply.
He didn't believe for a second that Yun Xiaoxiao was genuinely seeking his advice.
Intercepting them on the road and asking such a question made the implication quite clear.
"Little girl, the misunderstanding from before has already been cleared up, and you've had your revenge, haven't you?"
"Yes, but would you leave a ticking time bomb by your side?"
Yun Xiaoxiao licked her lollipop and raised an eyebrow.
Liao Yongchang's eyes flickered, then he pushed Sun Jian forward.
"Apologize now!"
He knew that if they didn't resolve this today, not only would Sun Jian suffer, but the rest of them might not leave easily either.
Previously, he hadn't fully understood Yun Xiaoxiao's group's strength.
But after the zombie siege, he had come to realize that Yun City was not to be trifled with.
Sun Jian resisted.
He stiffened his neck. "Why should I apologize? Dream on if you think I'll apologize to a brat like her!"
He hated her so much that he wanted to kill her; how could he possibly apologize?
"Bang!"
Before Sun Jian could finish his words, a bullet shot through his forehead without warning.
No one had expected this to happen.
The scene fell into a momentary silence.
Even the air seemed to freeze.
It wasn't until Sun Jian's body fell heavily to the ground that Liao Yongchang and the others snapped out of their shock.
They widened their eyes and looked toward the source of the bullet.
Their gazes met Lu Chen's ice-cold stare.
Their hearts skipped a beat.
That gaze was too cold, as if just a glance could freeze one's soul.
"Well, do you want to avenge him?"
A childish voice, tinged with mockery, slowly rang out.
Liao Yongchang and the others turned to look at Yun Xiaoxiao, who appeared relaxed.
For some reason, despite her smile, her beautiful eyes seemed even more dangerous.
Liao Yongchang's gaze flickered.
Though he hated to admit it, he felt a chill in his heart.
The people from Yun City were too dangerous!
He cared about his pride, but he cared more about his life.
He immediately shook his head.
"Oh~"
Yun Xiaoxiao's gaze was long and contemplative.
"But he was from your base. His death—don't you want to seek justice for him?"
"This matter was entirely Sun Jian's fault.
I had advised him before to let it go.
But he was stubborn and hot-tempered.
Now that the matter is settled, I will make it clear here.
We will not pursue this matter.
If you don't mind, we would like to make friends with Yun City."
Yun Xiaoxiao studied Liao Yongchang for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
"You're quite 'clever.'"
Though she looked down on such people, having another 'friend' was always better than making another enemy.
With more people to help her gather crystals, she naturally wouldn't refuse.
After Yun Xiaoxiao and the others left, Liao Yongchang's subordinates looked at Sun Jian's corpse and asked, "What should we do now?"
"What do you mean, what should we do?"
Liao Yongchang frowned.
"Bury the body to honor our previous camaraderie.
From now on, you must be careful with your words and actions. Don't be like Sun Jian and act foolishly, provoking those you shouldn't, harming yourself and dragging the base down. Do you understand?"
"Yes!"
Yun Xiaoxiao and the others returned to the main road and continued their journey.
Zheng Xin'er, leading the people from Yangcheng Base, caught up from behind.
"You guys are fast! I just went to the bathroom for a moment, and when I came out, you were gone."
Zheng Xin'er rolled down the passenger window and chatted with Yun Xiaoxiao and the others, smiling.
The two cars drove side by side.
Yun Xiaoxiao noticed that on the way back, Zheng Xin'er didn't actively talk to Lu Chen but instead communicated more with Zheng Yuner.
"Chen Ge, you really don't like Zheng Xin'er, do you?"
Nie Yizhou turned his head with a mischievous grin, clearly curious.
"If you like her, go chase her yourself." Lu Chen glanced at him indifferently.
Nie Yizhou immediately protested, "What? I don't like her!"
He was just showing concern; how did it turn into his business?
"Then what kind of girl do you like?" Ling Jing lazily teased.
Nie Yizhou thought carefully, his face filled with dreams.
"Of course... a top-heavy, angelic face, devilish figure, gentle personality, understanding, and extremely strong beauty!"
"Tch." Xiao Feng, who was driving, scoffed lightly.
"What are you scoffing at?" Nie Yizhou glared.
Xiao Feng raised an eyebrow. "I know where you can find one. Want to know?"
Nie Yizhou's interest was immediately piqued. "Where? Where?"
"In your dreams."
Nie Yizhou: ......
