The truck's engine capacity was ultimately too small. Even though Lin Fan floored the gas pedal, it was still no match for the powerful Mercedes off-road vehicle.
What made it worse was that after rounding a corner, Lin Fan spotted two heavily modified off-road vehicles blocking the road ahead. Their front and rear bumpers, as well as both sides, were reinforced with solid steel bars. They looked fierce and imposing, parked side by side, completely sealing off the already narrow path.
With a blockade in front and pursuers behind, and nearly one-meter-deep ditches flanking both sides, trying to force a way through would almost certainly end in a deadly crash!
Two people and one vehicle had been driven into a dead end.
Gritting his teeth, Lin Fan suddenly turned the steering wheel and slammed the brake with his right foot.
The back of the truck fishtailed violently as the vehicle skidded sideways, tires screeching against the pavement. It drifted forward for five meters in a cloud of smoke before finally coming to a halt.
Screech!
The pursuing Mercedes off-road vehicle also braked hard, blocking the way back. At the same time, four muscular men jumped down from both the front and rear vehicles. Each had a sharp military dagger on their waist and marched aggressively toward the truck.
Eight men surrounded the truck, eyes gleaming with the cold and cunning light of wolves cornering their prey.
Click!
Lin Fan yanked Xiao Tian down from the driver's seat, using him as a human shield, then looked up calmly.
"Heh… Lin Fan, right?" the cold-faced man with the earpiece chuckled after seeing Lin Fan exit the truck. Hands in his pockets, he walked over. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Chen Nan, from Tianrun Pharmaceuticals. We used this special method to invite you out not to cause trouble, but because we know you have medicine that can treat acute poisoning. We want to cooperate."
"You provide the medicine, we provide the muscle, and we split the profits—everyone wins!"
Lin Fan leaned against Xiao Tian, eyeing the eight burly men warily. His voice was cold: "And if I refuse?"
"There are only two options in front of you now," Chen Nan said as he pulled out the military dagger and began cleaning his nails with it. "One, you cooperate with us willingly, and we make money together peacefully. Or two…" He smirked, "we kill you and take the medicine ourselves."
As Chen Nan's blatant threat rang out, Lin Fan's eyes grew increasingly cold.
———
32 hours earlier.
While Lin Fan was driving the truck with Xin Xin through the outskirts of South City and negotiating with a shady grain seller, Xiao Tian, who had been critically ill, slowly regained consciousness at Uncle Nan's home.
"Son! You're finally awake! You scared the hell out of me!" Uncle Nan, who had been watching over him at the bedside, broke into tears of relief.
"Dad… what happened to me?" Xiao Tian looked confused, but slowly became alert. Looking down at his hands, he muttered in disbelief, "I remember being so hungry I couldn't stand it anymore, so I ate an apple from the cellar. After that, I started vomiting blood and had trouble breathing. I thought I was going to die… but now, I'm completely cured?"
Uncle Nan's heart ached. He opened his hand, revealing the half-eaten carrot Xiao Tian had consumed. "You remember that paper ball someone threw and broke the window about an hour ago? Inside was this thing—and there was writing on it. After I gave it to you, your symptoms disappeared… I believe it was divine intervention! A god took pity and saved your life!"
Xiao Tian stared at the carrot in shock, holding it and examining it for a long time. Then he murmured, "If there really were gods, this kind of catastrophe wouldn't happen. This must've come from someone… someone who didn't want to reveal their identity."
"Son, you must be hungry! I'll cook you something!" Uncle Nan was overjoyed and didn't notice Xiao Tian's muttering.
With his son miraculously cured and food delivered by a good Samaritan, this was the happiest day Uncle Nan had had in a long time.
Soon, a bowl of steaming vegetable noodles topped with a poached egg was brought in. Though it lacked soy sauce and salt, Xiao Tian, who had been starving, devoured it eagerly, even drinking the broth clean.
"Dad, didn't we run out of food before? Where did these come from?" Xiao Tian asked, setting down his bowl.
"Well… the instant noodles were a gift from your old boss at the farm, young Lin. As for the vegetables, I honestly don't know. They just appeared in the yard," Uncle Nan said, rubbing his hands.
Xiao Tian thought for a moment. "So, the person who gave us food might also be the one who saved me."
"Who knows? Probably!" Uncle Nan sighed. "There are still good people in the world."
Uncle Nan's thoughts were simple—he was just overjoyed his son was well and grateful to their benefactor.
But Xiao Tian's thoughts were far more complicated.
His eyes flickered with hidden emotions. After a while, he climbed out of bed and said, "Dad, I'm heading out."
"So late? You just recovered! Where are you going?" Uncle Nan was surprised.
"Don't worry about it. I'll be back soon!" Xiao Tian threw on his coat and hurried out the door.
"This kid…" Uncle Nan sighed as he watched his son's disappearing figure.
Outside, Xiao Tian used a flashlight to examine the area around the yard. Soon, he noticed messy footprints near the wall facing their window—this confirmed his suspicion.
No gods—someone had deliberately saved him.
Scanning the empty, pitch-black street, Xiao Tian spotted a house with lights still on at the corner.
It was an old, shady internet café. A dusty 360-degree camera hung above the entrance, conveniently covering the alley near his home.
Xiao Tian's eyes lit up, and he ran over.
Knock knock knock!
He banged on the door until a sleepy, yellow-haired youth in a military coat opened up with a cigarette dangling from his lips. "Oh… Xiao Tian? We're closed, man."
"Miao-ge, I'm not here to play. We were robbed recently, and I want to check your surveillance footage," Xiao Tian explained.
The yellow-haired man raised an eyebrow and grumbled, "Then hurry up. I was about to sleep!"
Xiao Tian quickly nodded.
Soon, Xiao Tian was seated at the monitor and skillfully pulled up the footage from that night.
He didn't see any people coming or going, but he did spot a truck passing by their alley—and ten minutes later, the same truck returned.
Besides that, no one else had come near their alley that night.
Xiao Tian's breathing grew rapid. He felt he was close to the truth.
He paused the footage, eyes locking on the truck's license plate:
Nan-A668S2!
His pupils suddenly contracted.
He recognized that license plate.
Five minutes later, he returned home.
As he opened the door, Uncle Nan asked, "Where'd you go?"
"Dad, I know who saved me," Xiao Tian said seriously.
"Who?" Uncle Nan asked immediately.
"It was… Boss Lin!" Xiao Tian took a deep breath. "I checked the surveillance—his truck's arrival and departure perfectly matched the time I was saved!"
"Wow… Boss Lin is such a good person! Not only did he give us food, he saved your life too! We must repay him!" Uncle Nan said emotionally.
"Dad!" Xiao Tian suddenly interrupted. Under the dim light, his face twisted slightly with a sinister expression. He gritted his teeth. "Since Boss Lin was able to save me, that means he must have a lot more medicine that can cure acute poisoning… I want to take that medicine from him!"
"If we get it, we'll never have to worry about starving or freezing again in this dark world! We'll become people who stand above others!"
Uncle Nan's eyes widened in shock. His hand trembled as he pointed at Xiao Tian. "You… you ungrateful brat! You want to repay kindness with betrayal?!"
"No," Xiao Tian said coldly. "I'm just doing what anyone would—survival comes first, even if it means stepping on others."