Chapter 167

Chapter 167: Intimidation – The Door to Rebirth in the Apocalypse

This is a refrigerated ship, specifically designed to transport perishable goods like seafood, fruits, and vegetables.

“Too bad the apocalypse hit just as we finished unloading the cargo,” said Yu Dongyang, the shortest man on the ship, hence nicknamed “Shorty.” He chuckled, took a swig of red wine, and added, “Luckily, we stocked up on supplies for the return trip. And there are no man-eating monsters at sea.”

They had to dock periodically for supplies, which often resulted in casualties, but also brought new people aboard. Originally, only Shorty and the tall guy were part of the crew; everyone else joined later.

Anderson was no exception. As for how Anderson became the captain, they just smiled mysteriously.

It was clear they were cautious about certain matters on the ship, but Yi Shaoqing’s skillful probing managed to extract quite a bit of useful information.

The atmosphere seemed quite harmonious.

Gu Ning, however, was uneasy. Even though the person behind the glass had disappeared, she felt as if those dark, lifeless eyes were still staring at her, making her nauseous.

Zhuang Chen noticed Gu Ning’s discomfort and asked, “Gu Ning, are you seasick?”

Gu Ning paused, then nodded. “Maybe, I feel like throwing up.”

“Let me take you to the deck for some fresh air,” Zhuang Chen said, giving Gu Ning a subtle look. Gu Ning understood and followed her upstairs.

“I’ll join you! I’m feeling stuffy too,” Xia Yu quickly stood up and followed them.

The wind on the deck was strong. The three leaned on the railing, watching the waves split by the ship.

Zhuang Chen cautiously looked around before whispering, “Gu Ning, what’s wrong?”

“After eating human flesh, people emit a faint sour smell. Most people can’t detect it, but I can.”

Zhuang Chen suggested, “Maybe it’s because we haven’t bathed in a long time due to the lack of fresh water?”

“That smell is unique. I can’t be wrong,” Gu Ning frowned, looking at the distant car they had abandoned on the shore. She realized they had made a poor decision, but it was too late now. “Just be careful.” There were only five of them, with Director Zhong appearing frail, and Gu Ning and Zhuang Chen being women. To the others, they might just be an easy meal…

Gu Ning narrowed her eyes at the crew across the deck, who had finished cleaning and were now chatting. Their lewd gazes shamelessly roamed over her and Zhuang Chen. One man kept staring at Zhuang Chen, causing the others to laugh crudely. Gu Ning and Zhuang Chen knew exactly what those looks and laughter meant.

Xia Yu couldn’t stand it and was about to intervene, but Gu Ning was faster.

Gu Ning walked straight to the group. The man who had been speaking stopped abruptly, smirking at her. “What’s up, little girl?” The others grinned, waiting for her to blush under their gaze.

But Gu Ning’s face remained impassive, her eyes coldly fixed on the man as if he were invisible.

Then, they saw a blur of motion and heard a sharp “Crack!”

The man’s head snapped to the side, his dark cheek now red from the force of the slap. His ears rang, and it took him a moment to realize what had happened. He touched his swollen, burning face, staring in disbelief at Gu Ning, who was a head shorter than him.

Before he could react, another blur and another “Crack!”

Another slap, on the same cheek, the sound alone conveying the power behind it.

The deck fell silent except for the sound of the waves.

The men who had been laughing were now stunned, staring at Gu Ning, who had just delivered two slaps without a change in expression. They began to doubt their own eyes.

The man was completely dazed, his head tilted to one side, his mind filled with ringing. His left cheek was numb, the pain not even registering.

“Blood! He’s bleeding!” one man exclaimed, and everyone saw blood trickling from the corner of the man’s mouth.

The man’s jaw moved stiffly, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, along with a small object that clattered onto the deck. Someone with sharp eyes noticed it was a tooth.

The man’s face was now swollen, and he finally snapped out of it. Seeing the others still frozen, he roared, his speech slurred, “What are you waiting for?! Get her!”

The five or six men finally reacted, rushing towards Gu Ning and surrounding her.

The man clutched his face, snarling, “Grab her! I’m going to cut her into pieces and cook her!”

But before they could close in, Gu Ning had already pulled out a half-meter-long iron rod, though she hadn’t extended the blade.

Xia Yu, who had been about to step in, was held back by Zhuang Chen. He watched in shock as Gu Ning delivered two slaps, and now, seeing her surrounded, he panicked and tried to help, but Zhuang Chen stopped him again. “These small fries aren’t enough for Gu Ning to warm up with.” Unlike the simple-minded Xia Yu, she understood Gu Ning’s intent to provoke these men. Besides, Gu Ning was genuinely angry.

Someone lunged from behind, trying to grab Gu Ning. The heavy rod spun deftly in her hand, then struck backward, hitting the man’s soft abdomen with full force. The combination of his momentum and Gu Ning’s strength left him unable to scream, collapsing to his knees, clutching his stomach.

The rod spun again, sweeping horizontally to strike another man’s right cheek, knocking his head to the side.

Gu Ning ducked under a punch, then swept the rod at the man’s knees. The sound of a slight crack was heard as the man fell to his knees. Gu Ning stepped on his shoulder, using it as leverage to leap into the air, delivering a powerful kick that sent several men sprawling. As she landed, she leaned back, supporting herself with one hand, dodging a mop swung at her. She pushed herself up, her right leg kicking backward into a man’s chest, while her iron rod struck another man’s chest with a heavy thud.

Hearing a rush of wind behind her, Gu Ning spun around, positioning herself behind a man who was about to hit her with a stool. She pressed the rod against his neck, the blade at the tip popping out. A slight pull, and the cold, sharp edge touched his artery. The man froze, his hand holding the stool trembling.

All this happened in a flash. The men who had been so eager to capture Gu Ning were now on the ground, either kneeling or lying in pain.

Gu Ning’s cold gaze swept over them before settling on the man by the railing, his face swollen and filled with fear. Her eyes were filled with killing intent.

“Clap!” A single clap broke the silence, followed by a series of applause. Anderson emerged from the shadows of the ship’s entrance, clapping. Whether he had just come out or had been watching for a while, no one knew.

Gu Ning slowly withdrew the blade from the man’s neck and turned to Anderson. Their eyes met, Gu Ning’s narrowed, her killing intent still evident. Anderson smiled, his eyes showing clear admiration and… eagerness.

For some reason, Gu Ning felt a chill under Anderson’s intense green gaze.