“This means endless resources! It means we can establish a base here, recruit people, and even negotiate terms with those big shots in the Inner City!”
“That woman...” Viper licked his lips. “What’s her deal, exactly?”
Black Rat narrowed his eyes, recalling his earlier perceptions and observations. “I still haven’t smelled a ‘scent of danger’ coming from her.”
“Either she’s just an ordinary person who got lucky and stumbled upon this strange building, or... she’s hiding a depth ten thousand times deeper than we imagine!”
“Are we gambling or not?” Viper asked.
“We’re gambling!” Ferocity flared in Black Rat’s eyes. “But we have to test the waters first! Moving against her directly is too risky. If she really is hiding something strange, we’re finished.”
“How do we test her?”
Black Rat chuckled sinisterly. “Doesn’t she want rent? Five Level 1 Energy Crystal Cores? Hah... we’ll just say we didn’t bring enough and ask to owe it to her. We’ll see how she reacts.”
“If she backs down, or if she’s all bark and no bite, then we’ll push further. We’ll ask for food, water, and a better room! We’ll pressure her step by step to see where her bottom line is!”
“And in the process, we can observe her reactions and test her skills!” Viper chimed in, understanding Black Rat’s plan. “If she keeps yielding or shows any sign of weakness... then she’s dead meat!”
“Exactly!” Black Rat’s knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists. “When that time comes, this building and everything in that convenience store... will be ours!”
The two exchanged a glance, seeing the same burning greed and murderous intent in each other’s eyes.
The plan was set.
They adjusted their expressions, concealing the predatory glint in their eyes as much as possible. Replacing it with a look of reckless dissatisfaction and feigned grievance, they stepped out of Room 112.
“Boss Lady,” Black Rat spoke first, spreading his hands. “We looked at the room. It’s just an empty concrete shell with nothing in it. Asking for five Level 1 Energy Crystal Cores a month for that? Isn’t that a bit unfair?”
Viper chimed in from the side, “Yeah! Those two brats even have beds in their room! What’s the difference between our place and sleeping on the ground?”
Su Wan watched their performance in silence. On the system panel in her mind, the Malice Level of the two hadn’t dropped at all. Instead, after seeing the convenience store, it had risen by another point, both reaching 96.
“And?” Su Wan asked.
“And so... can we negotiate the rent?” Black Rat rubbed his hands together, adopting the posture of a haggler. “We left in a hurry and didn’t bring that many Crystal Cores with us.”
“Look, can we just owe it to you for now? We’ll pay you back once we find some more later. Or... we can trade something else? My brother and I are pretty skilled; we can work for you!”
As he spoke, his eyes involuntarily drifted toward the convenience store at the end of the hallway.
Su Wan took in all their little movements, a cold laugh echoing in her heart.
Probing? Pushing their luck?
Very well.
She was just worrying about not having an opportunity to establish her authority or a chance to further test the system’s control and punishment mechanism over the “tenants.”
These two reckless fools had delivered the opportunity right to her doorstep.
“The rules are the rules.” Su Wan’s voice remained calm, but it carried a hint of chill. “The rent must be paid. Right now.”
The expressions on Black Rat and Viper’s faces froze instantly.
After a brief moment of shock, a stronger sense of annoyance and offense took over.
In their eyes, Su Wan’s firmness seemed more like a bluff.
Black Rat’s eyes darted around as he decided to push the boundary further. He adopted a troubled, thuggish expression. “Boss Lady, look at you... why are you being so unreasonable? We’re really just short on funds at the moment.”
“How about this? we’ll definitely give you the rent, but you have to show us some consideration, right? It’s late, the Death Tide is coming, we’re nervous, and our stomachs are empty.”
“How about... you let us have some food on credit first? Not much, just some bread and biscuits from the convenience store to tide us over. We’ll get those Crystal Cores together immediately!”
As he spoke, he watched Su Wan’s face intently out of the corner of his eye, trying to catch any sign of wavering or fear.
Viper cooperatively rubbed his stomach, putting on a hungry expression, but his feet quietly shifted half a step toward the convenience store.
From the doorway of Room 104, Ah-Lan saw everything clearly.
Her heart leaped into her throat, and her hand tightened around the hilt of her blade.
She could see the two hunters were pushing their luck with their probing, and she could also see that Su Wan’s refusal was exceptionally firm.
A conflict seemed imminent.
Su Wan looked at the two men and their clumsy acting, feeling no anger.
A Malice Level of 96, and they were still trying to challenge her rules with lies and greed.
“No,” she uttered two words, decisive and final.
Black Rat’s face darkened as he tore off the last of his disguise, his voice turning threatening. “Boss, you should leave yourself a way out. Everyone has hard times in this world. Do you really want to force our hand?”
Viper’s patience was clearly worse, or rather, the temptation of the clean food on the convenience store shelves had caused his rationality to snap.
Seeing that Su Wan still showed no signs of making a move, his courage surged.
“Why bother talking to her!” Viper growled. A vicious glint flashed in his eyes as he suddenly lunged forward, charging toward the door with the 【Convenience Store】 sign!
His movements were incredibly fast, and his target was clear: the softest-looking bread on the shelves!
“Viper!” Black Rat cried out in alarm, instinctively wanting to stop him, but his outstretched hand froze in mid-air.
He also wanted to see exactly how this woman would react.
Could it be that she really had some hidden trick up her sleeve?
Ah-Lan’s pupils shrank, her body tensing as she prepared to rush out.
However, Su Wan stood where she was, not even blinking.
At the very moment Viper’s fingertips were about to touch the convenience store door handle—
Time seemed to hit the pause button.
No, it was Viper who had been paused.
He remained in a forward-leaning posture, his right foot stepped forward, his left hand reaching for the handle, and his right hand swinging slightly back. The greed and ferocity on his face were frozen in place.
He looked like a wax statue that had been suddenly cast, stiffening just centimeters away from the door handle!
Even his chest, which had been heaving from his rapid breathing, came to a complete standstill.
Absolute Control!
“Hah...” A short gasp escaped Black Rat’s throat, his eyes bulging nearly out of their sockets.
What was he seeing? Viper... couldn’t move?!
How was this possible?!
Ah-Lan was also frozen at the entrance of Room 104, her hand on her blade trembling slightly—not from fear, but from sheer shock.
She had finally witnessed with her own eyes the incomprehensible, law-like binding power that Ah-Hao had described!
Rate on N.U.
