Jing Shu half-opened her eyes and said lazily, "Everything Xiao Liu said is exactly what I wanted to say."
The air in the private box seemed to crystallize, turning brittle and cold. The classmates sitting behind her held their breath, their eyes darting between Jing Shu and the trembling Lan Shao. No one expected her to slap him down so bluntly in front of everyone. She didn't even give Lan Shao a sliver of face.
In their narrow world, Lan Shao was the undisputed king of campus—a man who possessed money, status, and the kind of power that actually mattered. He ran the local power grid, which meant he held an iron rice bowl that never ran dry. Who in Wu City dared go against him? Where did Jing Shu get the guts to treat him like an annoyance?
These past few years, Lan Shao had become more than just a classmate to many of them; he was their livelihood. He was their boss, their backer, and the one person who kept the lights on in their homes.
"Lan Shao already lowered himself and apologized. Jing Shu, why are you still acting like this?"
"Exactly. I thought you had something impressive going on, but it's just a pile of bugs. Why are you acting like you own the world?"
"Right? You really think you are some big shot. Who in Wu City doesn't need electricity? Who hasn't gone begging to Lan Shao before?"
Lan Shao's face turned from a sickly green to a mottled purple, the veins in his neck standing out like cords. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, and jabbed a finger in her direction. "Good. Very good, Jing Shu. Just you wait."
He didn't dare flare up too much in the open hall, however. Wu City was starving, and everyone knew that food mattered far more than dignity when the stomach was empty.
Jing Shu didn't even bother to look at him as he fumed. She didn't sit up or shift her posture. She just stayed reclined in her chair like he wasn't worth a single glance.
Jin Baba watched the show with a plate of snacks in his hands, his jaw moving rhythmically as he enjoyed the drama. He even shook his head after finishing a dried fish snack, muttering that it was barely edible, but it'd do for now. He would love nothing more than for these two to tear each other apart while he watched from the sidelines.
While the tension twisted the air into something thick and suffocating, the heavy doors of the box suddenly burst open.
A fat man stumbled into the room, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath. "Baba, Baba, hurry, you need to come with me right now!"
Jin Baba frowned, his mouth full of crumbs. "Uncle, what are you panicking for? What happened? Is someone coming to rob the place?"
Just saying the word got him excited, his eyes brightening. After all these years in the apocalypse, didn't someone really dare pull something that stupid? This event wasn't a small gathering; they had hidden guards stationed at every corner. If anyone came looking for trouble, there'd be a magnificent show.
As if to prove the fat man's panic, the entire building shuddered. A deep, tectonic rumble rolled across the outside walls, vibrating through the metal floor and making the coffee in Jing Shu's cup ripple in concentric circles.
The hall outside erupted into uneasy murmurs that quickly grew into a dull roar. Even the auction on the central stage stopped.
Xiao Shuai tried to calm the crowd through the speakers, his voice cracking slightly. He told them to stay put and remain in their seats. The red alarm light blared overhead, casting a rhythmic, bloody glow over the room as he spoke in a steady, practiced voice. "Don't panic. No matter what is happening outside, there's heavy armed security on guard. What we need to do is stay calm…" His voice went on and on, but it was drowned out by the rising noise.
Jun Jia was sweating like a waterfall, the moisture soaking through his collar. "For the love of god, can you stop causing trouble and just move? We need to go now. If we miss the window, we are done for!"
The people sitting in the rows behind them finally realized something was seriously wrong. If someone like Jin Baba was being evacuated first, it wasn't for anything good.
Jin Baba however, didn't seem to care. He had seen every kind of storm and thought he was untouchable. Besides, the town's military troop was stationed here today—a troop that worked directly under his father. What was there to be afraid of?
"Fine, fine, let's go. What about the people I brought? They should come too, right?" Even on his way out, he didn't forget to maintain his image by taking care of his lackeys.
Lan Shao's face eased a little at that invitation. He was tensing up, his eyes darting toward the exits. If someone really came to rob the place, the safest spot was right next to Jin Baba's protection.
Jun Jia practically dragged Jin Baba out of the room. Jin Baba protested the whole way, his boots scuffing against the carpet. "At least let me bring someone! Lan Shao, come on. Hurry. You are the only one here who knows how to talk nicely to the guards. You are useful."
Lan Shao took the chance to observe the situation as they ran. Jing Shu seemed incredibly close with Jin Baba's family. Otherwise, why would Jin Baba's uncle choose to bring her along during an evacuation? Just what was Jing Shu's real identity? She used to be a nobody in school, barely even a small influencer with a few thousand followers. What was she hiding behind that calm exterior?
Jing Shu kept sending more snakes out through the gaps in the walls to scout ahead. It didn't take long for her to understand exactly what was happening through their primitive eyes.
Outside the New World Building, chaos exploded across the street. It wasn't a robbery or a riot. Jing Shu finally let out a thin, sharp breath. She wasn't afraid of people, but she really didn't want to expose any of her combat abilities if she didn't have to.
Then she swore out loud, the sound muffled by the roar from outside. If she had to describe her feelings in two words, it'd be: holy shit.
"We are too late. It's completely separated! You brat, you are always dragging your feet!" Jun Jia snapped at Jin Baba as they reached the heavy glass doors of the lobby.
Jin Baba was dumbfounded, his mouth hanging open. "Separated? What separated? What are you talking about? Why are you all worked up?"
Jun Jia yelled, "The mudslide. It's here!"