Rotting Land: Survive

Chapter 747 - 733: Testing (Part 2)

So that’s how it is... Old Xu deliberately dragged his tone, allowing himself a moment to ponder the next steps.

His brain raced through calculations. According to what Liu Fugui just said, the group holding him didn’t seem too formidable; otherwise, how could Liu Fugui have easily escaped so many guards and taken his son with him?

It was He Lei who needed attention. This person’s violent temper and tendency to anger, combined with the fact that he must have some force to have taken over the Factory, made the merging of these two forces something not to be underestimated.

"Mr. Liu, how many men do you think they have?"

"Less than 20!" Liu Fugui responded without hesitation.

He was very clear about the purpose of the question: to weigh the balance. The number of men the other side had was like the weight on one side of the balance. The more he added, the more the balance tipped against him, which meant his chances of staying at the villa would greatly diminish.

Liu Yunpeng looked at his father suspiciously, wondering how he could be so confused about such an important matter. Naively, he just thought Liu Fugui had misspoken and hurried to correct him, "Dad, those bastards have more than..."

"Yunpeng!" Liu Fugui’s authority suddenly radiated from him, instantly cooling the room. Liu Yunpeng was silenced by his father’s roar.

"Hot water, get it yourself, don’t always trouble others. You know where the kitchen is. Things are different now. You need to grow up and learn to take care of yourself, understand?"

Liu Yunpeng felt aggrieved. His father’s sudden change in demeanor was unsettling. He wanted to say something, but the look on Liu Fugui’s face deterred him.

"Come on, Mr. Liu, see how easy it is to get hot water? No need to get so angry at Yunpeng!" Old Xu turned to Shen Lian behind him and said, "Xiao Shen, go get the hot water bottle from the kitchen."

"Captain Xu, you don’t understand. It’s my fault for spoiling him too much since he was young. Now he must learn to be independent. Otherwise, what will he do in the future? He can’t rely on me forever." Liu Fugui rubbed the acupoint at the corner of his eyes, as if physically pained.

"Hmph!" Old Xu snorted inwardly. Liu Fugui really was a cunning old fox, trying to play them for fools. Even though Liu reacted quickly and blocked Yunpeng’s attempt to reveal the real number of Spring Xiu’s men, Old Xu, who was prepared, still detected the truth.

He realized that the total number of people Liu Fugui faced might be more than he imagined. Combined with their force, Old Xu began to reconsider letting the Liu father-son duo stay.

"That’s the situation, Captain Xu, you should understand. Do you have any decisions on us staying here with you?"

"Well..." Old Xu looked down at his teacup, rubbing it constantly.

Noticing Old Xu’s hesitation, Liu Fugui quickly added, "Captain Xu, if I’m not mistaken, you’re a man of affection and loyalty. Back when you were in trouble and needed a place to stay, didn’t I offer the villa without hesitation? Now, I understand providing shelter for us would inconvenience you, but it’s not just me. Yunpeng is with me, and I can’t bear to let him suffer."

Liu Fugui’s words were indeed touching and struck Old Xu at his core. Everyone knew Old Xu was sentimental and loyal, but the harsh experiences had taught him he wasn’t a savior to all.

The endless lessons in blood made him realize that in such an end-time world, some sacrifices were necessary. He had already decided to refuse Liu Fugui’s accommodation request, as he couldn’t let the villa get caught up in Liu Fugui’s battle with Spring Xiu and He Lei.

However, outright refusal was difficult. Caught in a dilemma, he could only say with a sigh, "Mr. Liu, I understand your words, but this involves more than just me. I need to discuss it with my brothers before I can give you a final answer. So..."

"Old Xu, you’re not being fair. Do we need to discuss Mr. Liu’s matter? I overheard bits as I came down, and back then, he helped us without hesitation. Besides, for his immense parental love, we can’t refuse him!"

"Old Lin!" Lin Junfu left Old Xu speechless: "But, the specific situation..."

"I know the specifics, no need to stress it. I think this is feasible. It’s just two more mouths, what’s the big deal? In a world like this, we must maintain integrity and loyalty. Although morality has collapsed, we should uphold these standards. Didn’t you always remind me, Old Xu, nothing should be cast aside, especially not the virtues of our ancestors?"

Not just Old Xu, but Lei Tong and Shen Lian behind him also felt bewildered.

Old Lin had suddenly agreed to Liu Fugui moving in, seemingly unaware of the consequences it would bring to the villa.

One bandit was trouble enough, let alone inviting more of Spring Xiu and He Lei’s group. That would be a disaster.

Liu Fugui sensed the need to win over Old Lin as an ally. He quickly asked, "Old Xu, who is this?"

"Oh, my surname is Lin, Lin Junfu. Mr. Liu can just call me Old Lin," Lin Junfu introduced himself before Old Xu could speak.

"Mr. Liu, nice to meet you! Your views on loyalty were truly admirable!"

"Oh, not at all. I had long heard of your reputation, Mr. Liu!"

"That was all in the past. Look at me now, in this sorry state, without any reputation. I just hope everyone could offer us a place to stay considering my past help."

Both Old Lin and Liu Fugui’s eyes fell on Old Xu, as if he had no choice but to agree.

Old Xu wanted to persuade Old Lin to reconsider, as this was no trivial matter and risked bringing disaster upon the villa. But seeing Old Lin’s determined expression...

What a headache. Just then, Hu Xiaodong’s voice came from the staircase: "Hello, Mr. Liu."

"Hey, hello, Xiao Hu. You seem to have grown stronger in the past days."

Hu Xiaodong smiled and nodded: "Mr. Liu, I overheard about the Factory incident upstairs. It’s surprising what He Lei is capable of, but concerning your plan to stay at the villa, Old Lin is right. We should let you stay, but don’t forget we haven’t resolved our own issues. If we also invite trouble from He Lei, life will become unbearable for all of us. Mr. Liu, I’m blunt, but why don’t we first find nearby accommodation for you and Yunpeng. We’ll try to provide food, but about staying here..., I hope you understand our predicament." (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for it and support us, it’s our greatest motivation. Mobile users please read on m.qidian.com.)