CHAPTER 42: THE FIRST GOLDEN CHEST

"Please, Miss, my future life is on the line, and didn’t you already agree? You can’t renege on your words." The man clung onto her leg like an octopus for his dear life, not budging an inch while pleading.

"Miss, didn’t you also say that kindness is better than building a seven-story pagoda? Although I don’t know what a pagoda is, whether it’s a relic or a giant sculpture, you already promised me."

"If you don’t fulfill it, Miss, I will be kicked out of the base, and at worst, I’ll end up dead."

"Miss please..."

Li Chunhua couldn’t pry him off without using strength, but she refrained from doing so after constantly witnessing her abnormal strength, making her fall into a dilemma.

Gong Panli kept rumbling about his miserable situation and he tightened his hold around her left leg more. Even when she shook her leg to the point where he was dizzy and was spitting out white foam from his mouth, the man wouldn’t let go, as if his life depended on it.

Li Chunhua had a feeling that unless she gave him her words, this guy would stay as a leg pendant forever, and even when she went to the latrine, she reckoned he would not mind following along.

Succumbing to the exhaustion of her heart, she nodded, and the guy, renewed with vigor and brimming with happiness, withdrew from her leg, stood up, and kept thanking her with tears in his eyes.

Li Chunhua rubbed her face tiredly. She never expected that just to fulfill her mission, she would need to fight someone.

Though there was still something bothering her.

If this gentleman was as prosperous as he proclaimed himself to be, with that amount of compensation for the proposal, anyone from the base where he lived would instantly flock to him and accept it, but why does his expression and action imply that it was not going smoothly?

Gong Panli’s mind played the scenario earlier where she easily slashed two Undead’s waists in half, the scene where she sent three of those monsters flying with her kick, and the three men’s conversation.

The more he recounted it, the more he was glad that he was emboldened by stupidity this dawn to set off outside the base, even against the advice of his sick father.

The three men remained silent throughout and only stood by the side of Sister Li while observing this man, surnamed Gong. While at it, bits of distant memory sprang to their brains, finding him familiar by the seconds.

The five people’s thoughts were disrupted when someone called Gong Panli’s name. "Sir Pan, there you are!"

Gong Panli, Li Chunhua, and the three men simultaneously traced the source of the noise, and they saw a car coming from the opposite direction. A woman, with her head sticking outside the window, waved at Gong Panli.

A bitter expression appeared on Gong Panli’s face, which only stayed briefly before a standard business smile was plastered on his lips.

The car, a Ford Raptor model with thickened glass windows, armor, and extra seats on the back, was parked just a few meters from them.

A woman got off the car and approached Gong Panli. "Sir Pan, your father had asked out team for a favor this morning to escort you safely back to the base. I kindly ask you to go with us."

Gong Panli nodded before asking the woman, "Captain Liang, these are new friends I made. I wonder if they can come board your car as well. I’ll compensate you with 20% of the mission rewards."

Liang Er craned her neck and observed the three men and one girl behind Gong Panli before agreeing, seeing they did not seem to be any trouble. "No problem with me."

Gong Panli and the three men sighed in relief.

Inside, Li Chunhua, who had never driven such a car before, was marveling at the interior. She only saw this thing in the original’s memory. Although it couldn’t beat the speed when she used sword flight skills, it was much more stable and even better than riding a carriage. She spent a few minutes admiring the weird but ingenious contraption and tools before recalling an important matter.

"Ah, if you don’t mind, Gentleman Gong, can I ask you if you just wanted someone to fight with all those great conditions? Isn’t it easy to invite someone from within the base, and you wouldn’t need me?" After Li Chunhua asked this question, both Fin and Liang Er in the front seats had their eyes widened.

Fin was about to open his mouth, but Liang Er quickly nudged him, sending him an eye signal to be quiet.

Fin grumbled under his breath and glanced at the girl through the mirror.

No matter how he looks at her stature, she doesn’t seem to have a slight chance of winning against the number-one mercenary team, especially their leader, Lightning Fist. Sir Gong Panli must be insane to invite her to the match!

Liang Er was relieved that Fin had listened to her.

Gentleman Gong is paying them an extra 20%. They could use that extra to pay the rent for the month and the water bills. After being paid, they will warn the girl in private.

Li Chunhua noticed the short exchange between the people sitting at the front. The more she analyzed it, the more she was doubtful.

Gong Panli answered her truthfully, though he concealed some parts about her opponent being the most powerful ability user in the base.

He told her the matter about the match set by the directors of the base because of the dispute of succession between him and his half-brother. He also told Li Chunhua why those people at the base didn’t want to get involved with him because some were bribed and others were threatened. Thus, he could only try his luck recruiting outside.

But he never expected that, within two miles from the base, he couldn’t spot a single living person and only occasional Undead. The fuel in his car eventually ran out, and he needed to leave it and search for a gasoline station. Unfortunately and fortunately for him, he was chased by the undead and afterwards encountered them.

Li Chunhua listened attentively to his story, and at the end of it, some parts weren’t clear, especially the part about people being bribed and threatened. But before she could even ask...

She saw something ahead in the middle of the road.

w(°ｏ°)w

It was a golden chest exuding a faint light.

Woah!

She’s so lucky.

These things are normally hidden from plain sight.

(A/N: I will be updating two Chapters daily on December. I hope you continue to support Little Baozi until then. Have a great and blessed weekdays dearies. (⁠つ⁠✧⁠ω⁠✧⁠)⁠つ*sending hugs*)