Volume One, Chapter 14: Human Nature
“How powerful is the Mischievous Demon Ape exactly?”
[The Mischievous Demon Ape’s strength far surpasses your imagination. It was born with a fourth-tier cultivation level. Within less than a month, nearly all the humans in Jiang City were devoured by the Mischievous Demon Ape. It wasn’t until the second year after the revival of spiritual energy, when Su Ran broke through to the sixth tier and returned to Jiang City, that the Mischievous Demon Ape was finally slain.]
Chu Ge took a deep breath.
A fourth-tier Mischievous Demon Ape.
If he wanted to match it, he needed to reach at least the fourth tier himself.
To cultivate to the fourth tier in one month—
It was a long and arduous journey.
Chu Ge came back to his senses and looked at Su Ran, his voice steady, “Go rest. In a couple of days, I’ll take you out to hunt some beasts.”
“Mm!” Su Ran glanced at Chu Ge meaningfully.
A hotel stocked with supplies... saved her at a time and place where no one should have appeared... deeply knowledgeable about the revival of spiritual energy...
All of it revealed that Chu Ge was no ordinary man.
But everyone harbors secrets to some extent. Su Ran wisely didn’t press further.
She only knew one thing: Chu Ge harbored no ill will toward her and could be trusted unconditionally.
The next afternoon.
Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the quiet hotel. Chu Ge snapped out of his cultivation, frowning slightly.
Su Ran, wielding the Azure Lotus Sword in the living room, heard the noise and stopped, looking at Chu Ge as she explained:
“This morning, a group of thugs stormed into the hotel. Most likely, they’re the ones causing trouble downstairs.”
“Let’s go down and take a look.”
Chu Ge had come to regard the Imperial Dynasty Hotel as his personal property.
One does not allow others to sleep soundly in one’s own bed!
These thugs must be dealt with.
“Er Gou, how many times do I have to tell you? Don’t let outsiders in! Are you even listening?”
As soon as he stepped downstairs, an angry roar rang out.
The chaotic hotel instantly froze, everyone trembling.
Er Gou hurriedly locked the hotel’s main door, then rushed toward the shouting man.
He was a burly, muscular man with a buzz cut, a tiger tattoo emblazoned on his chest.
He had just been released from prison.
He was the leader of this gang of thugs.
This morning, they stormed into the hotel, relying on their numbers and strength, daring to fight and clash. Before long, they took control of the hotel.
Er Gou approached the tattooed man and whispered in his ear, “Boss, don’t you want the young lady?”
After hearing Er Gou, the tattooed man glanced at the young woman standing at the lobby entrance.
She looked to be in her early thirties, exquisitely beautiful, her features like a painting, her skin tender and white like a ripe peach, extremely alluring.
She wore a white dress, seductive yet exuding an air of noble elegance.
Her ample bosom caught the eye immediately...
“You understand me, kid.”
The tattooed man took a deep breath, and his anger vanished instantly.
He shifted tone, speaking gravely, “Go gather all the usable stuff from these people.”
No one knew how long this disaster would last; they had to control all the food, drink, and supplies.
The tattooed man’s dozen or so henchmen brandished iron rods, fire axes, and similar weapons, surrounding everyone in the hotel’s lobby.
Chu Ge and Su Ran seized the chaos to blend in with the crowd.
Most were hotel staff and guests; the rest were passersby who had fled into the hotel to avoid beast attacks on the streets.
Many had grown accustomed to enduring hardship; unless forced into a corner with no escape, they would never resist.
Thus, the tattooed man’s gang easily subdued the fifty or sixty people.
Pay up, or give food and supplies; if you can’t, you’ll be thrown out to feed the beasts.
A few young men, relying on their strength, tried to resist.
They were beaten severely, and no one else dared to stand up again.
At that moment, a mocking voice rang out.
“Kid, you’ve got no food, no money, so hand over your girlfriend, or you know what’ll happen.”
A couple nearby heard this. The man didn’t hesitate and gave his girlfriend to the tattooed man.
Choosing between one’s life and one’s woman, many men would choose the former.
What was baffling was that the woman wasn’t despairing; instead, she smiled brightly, pressing excitedly against the tattooed man.
In her eyes, being with him was far better than being with her useless boyfriend — just a bit of hardship to endure.
The woman whispered something into the tattooed man’s ear; her ex-boyfriend ultimately met the fate of being thrown out to be devoured by beasts.
The revival of spiritual energy was a great era of contention for the gifted like Chu Ge and Su Ran.
But for the common folk at the bottom, it was a time of chaos.
Chu Ge’s gaze landed on the young man threatened by the tattooed man, curious what choice he would make.
The young man stood firm, shielding his girlfriend, glaring at the tattooed man: “Try touching one finger of my girlfriend, see what happens!”
At these words, the crowd’s looks turned complex.
Shock, contempt, ridicule, envy...
“Kid, you’re looking for death.”
The tattooed man swung his iron rod violently, knocking the couple to the ground.
“Taozi... Taozi...”
The girl struggled to her feet and embraced her boyfriend, tears streaming down her face.
“I’m fine... ugh!”
The tattooed man was strong, his iron rod unusually hard; the young man spat a mouthful of fresh blood.
The tattooed man sneered as he approached the couple: “Last chance. The girl comes with me, and both of you live.”
“You must be dreaming.”
The young man glared coldly, “You think I, Jiang Tao, am some spineless bastard to give my woman to a beast like you?”
“Kid, you’re brave, but brave people usually don’t end well… hmph.”
The tattooed man snorted twice, then turned to the girl, “You wanna die with him outside too?”
The girl trembled upon hearing this, as if seeing herself torn apart and devoured by beasts.
This reaction made the tattooed man inwardly smug.
He thought, where are all these chaste maidens? They only cry when the coffin’s in sight.
Unexpectedly, the girl suddenly spoke firmly, “If I betray my soul just to survive, then living would be nothing but an empty shell.”
“Taozi, I love you, I’ll love you forever.”
“ViVi, I love you too. I don’t regret dying with you.”
The young couple embraced tightly, then rose, hand in hand, resolutely heading toward the hotel door.
The crowd was moved, yet helpless.
The tattooed man smirked coldly.
First, he didn’t believe they’d die for some damn love.
In this age, what love was there?
The beasts outside were far more brutal than he was.
When they faced the beasts, they’d understand how precious life truly was.
Secondly, even if they truly loved each other and were willing to die, the tattooed man wouldn’t let them die so easily. At the very least, that woman was going to be his.
The woman he desired would only die beneath him.