At nine in the morning, the team got up on schedule, packed everything they needed, and headed straight out.
Wumei Supermarket...
"Old Five, you guys hold down the supermarket. Don't let anyone get close. We're heading out to kill zombies." Qin Wei addressed the group in front of him.
"Relax, Boss. We've got it locked down. Besides, nobody on campus has the balls to mess with us anymore." Old Five said confidently.
"Mm. We're off then."
Qin Wei turned to lead his people out, but froze when he spotted several figures walking toward them.
He squinted, studying the approaching group. Recognition hit fast, and his expression darkened instantly.
"Them!?"
Moments later, Yang Bin and his crew strolled up to the crowd. Yang Bin looked at Qin Wei with mild confusion. "Huh. Have we met somewhere before?"
"Brother Bin, we definitely have," Chen Hao said. "That day we switched dorms, we ran into them. They even tried to recruit us."
"Oh, right. Now I remember. No wonder you looked familiar."
Qin Wei's expression cycled through several shades before settling back into a forced smile. "My apologies, Captain Yang. That day I had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai-didn't realize who we were dealing with. What brings Captain Yang here today?"
"Nothing major. We're out of food, figured we'd swing by the supermarket and grab some." Yang Bin smiled.
The smile on Qin Wei's face froze. He recovered quickly. "Captain Yang might not be aware-this supermarket was claimed by us a while ago. Perhaps you could try somewhere else?"
"Pretty sure your family doesn't own this place."
"Captain Yang jokes. It's the apocalypse now-who cares about original ownership? Whoever holds it, owns it. I'm sure Captain Yang understands that logic."
"I do. So you're saying this supermarket belongs to you now."
"Mm. That's right."
"Then lend us some food. Nothing crazy-just fill up these backpacks." Yang Bin gestured at the packs his team carried.
"......"
The crowd behind Qin Wei bristled immediately. They were all stressing about their own dwindling supplies, and now these people wanted to help themselves? Absolutely not.
Several of them were ready to start cursing, but a tall student near the front silenced them with a look.
Qin Wei took several deep breaths to push down his anger, keeping the smile plastered on. "Captain Yang, you're too late. We've got nothing left in there either. In fact, we were just about to head out and scavenge."
"Oh, then go ahead. We'll pop in and have a look ourselves. If there's really nothing, we'll leave." Yang Bin said lightly, already moving toward the entrance.
Qin Wei stepped into his path. The smile was gone. His voice dropped cold. "Yang Bin. Don't push it."
"Push it? I don't see how. Just asking to borrow a little food. Why so stingy?"
"We've got a hundred, two hundred people here waiting to eat. There's nothing to spare. You should leave."
"Since you won't lend it-" Yang Bin shrugged. "Then I'll just have to declare this place mine. Like you said: whoever holds it, owns it. So. You leave. We're occupying this now."
"......"
"Heh." Qin Wei's eyes went hard. "Everyone says your crew is the one team on campus nobody should provoke. Today I want to see-with just a handful of you-exactly what makes you so untouchable."
"Surround them!"
The moment the order left his mouth, his people closed in around Yang Bin's group.
"See, you could've just lent it." Yang Bin shook his head. "Why make me take it by force? I'm not a bandit."
"Attack!"
Qin Wei moved first, swinging at Yang Bin. The rest surged forward.
Thud.
One dull impact. Qin Wei's body launched backward, bowling over seven or eight people on the way.
Chen Hao and the others moved simultaneously. A single sweep of the Barbell Rod sent bodies scattering-nobody could even get within arm's reach.
"Tier 4!?"
Qin Wei dragged himself off the ground, staring at Yang Bin in disbelief.
He was Tier 3. To get kicked that far by a single blow-it could only mean a Tier-4 Evolver.
But everyone was still grinding to reach Tier 3. How could anyone already be at Fourth?
The evidence was right in front of him. No room for denial.
His gaze swept to the other fights. Completely one-sided.
The shock on Qin Wei's face deepened. Every single one of them was Tier 3 or above.
"Stop!" Qin Wei shouted.
What the hell was there left to fight?
Those still preparing to charge heard the call and pulled back.
They'd figured it out too. This group was a pack of monsters. Unbeatable.
"Old Three." Qin Wei's voice was tight. "Go get them food."
"Yes, Boss."
Old Three didn't hesitate. He disappeared into the supermarket.
Minutes later, he emerged carrying several large boxes of bread and biscuits.
"See? Would've been so much easier if you'd just done this from the start. No need for all the drama." Yang Bin smiled.
Qin Wei said nothing. How could he have known these people were freaks of this caliber?
"Fill the packs for us. One bottle of water on each side of every backpack." Yang Bin tossed the bags over.
Old Three scrambled to comply, waving others over to help.
Shortly, every backpack was stuffed full.
Old Three handed them back, cautious. "...This good enough?"
"Thanks."
Yang Bin flashed a grin, and the six of them strolled off with loaded packs slung over their shoulders-not a care in the world.
The crowd watched them go. Relief mixed with bitter resentment. All those people, and six guys had just walked in and taken what they wanted.
"One day," Qin Wei said through gritted teeth, "I'll settle this score."
Sijie, the strategist at his side, glanced over with a frown. "That kind of thinking is dangerous. It could drag our entire team into Beyond Redemption."
"What-you think we can't match them?" Qin Wei's tone was dark.
"Correct. Not even close." Sijie didn't soften it. "A handful of people, and they've reached that level of strength. Forget us-I'd bet there aren't many teams on the entire planet that compare. Tier 4. Think about it. Give yourself five more days-could you get there?"
Qin Wei went quiet.
"Let it go," Sijie continued. "It's just some food. A few backpacks-that's one meal for a few dozen people at most. How much damage does that really do? Don't gamble the whole team over a bruised ego. You're the captain. Everything you do has to serve the bigger picture."
"But I can't swallow this."
"Swallow it even if you can't."
"......"