Chapter 20: The Welcoming Ceremony

When Chen Xiao returned with Dashan, the sky had already begun to darken. He decided that Dashan should also secure a room, so they headed to the welcome ceremony; he had full confidence in Dashan’s strength.

There was less than an hour until the six o’clock ceremony. Along the way, Chen Xiao chatted idly with Dashan, moving at a leisurely pace while killing dozens of "new humans"—though, naturally, none of them had evolved. By now, Chen Xiao’s evolution points had reached 600. He rarely initiated combat, so these were simply the result of steady accumulation. He wasn't in a rush to spend these points, as he felt these consumables weren't very significant. If the next Blood Moon required evolution points to unlock "opportunities for evolution," he could simply capture a few high-value targets to serve as keys.

Lost in thought, they arrived at the South City. He led Dashan straight toward the open-air restaurant.

The South City open-air restaurant was laid out like a pilgrimage path, with a long aisle flanked by neatly arranged small tables. The tabletops were set with exquisite cutlery and gleaming candelabras. The spacious walkway was covered in a luxurious carpet, and wall lamps on either side cast a warm, inviting glow. It felt like an oasis in the apocalypse, creating a surreal sense of contrast.

Around thirty people had already gathered. Tang Shirou and Jiang Chuxue were both present. Dressed as they had been yesterday—Tang Shirou in a black lace dress and Jiang Chuxue in a long white gown—these two devastating beauties were the center of attention, just as they had been before and after the apocalypse. They had been assigned VIP seats at the front, second only to the three founders. Because they were such magnets for attention, they were surrounded by people fawning over them with laughter and flattery.

"Miss Tang, you are so breathtakingly beautiful. I wonder if there’s a spot in your safe house? If I win the bid today, I would certainly invite you to stay!" a balding, beer-bellied man boasted, his face flushed.

Tang Shirou simply smiled and offered no reply. On the other side, a young man in sportswear chuckled, "Give it a rest, uncle. At Miss Tang’s age, she prefers young, handsome men, you know?"

"What? Are you some kind of young pup? Miss Tang never said she disliked older men!"

Just as the crowd was using Tang Shirou as fodder for their banter and Jiang Chuxue was on the verge of losing her temper, a cold voice cut through the air.

"Who Tang Shirou likes is her own business. Whoever dares to run their mouth again, I’ll cut off their manhood."

Hearing the familiar voice, a flash of joy crossed Tang Shirou’s eyes as she looked back. It was a slender, six-foot-two young man. Behind him stood a massive, imposing giant over six and a half feet tall. Her eyes filled with affection, and she took small, quick steps toward Chen Xiao in her black dress. Jiang Chuxue looked over with curiosity, recognizing Chen Xiao, and felt her favor for him rise.

It seemed he was quite protective of Sister Tang.

The two men who had been rebuffed looked displeased, but not knowing who the newcomer was, they suppressed their impulses.

"And who might you be?" the balding man sneered.

"She is my woman. What do you think?" Chen Xiao walked to Tang Shirou’s side, casually draped an arm over her shoulder, and tilted his head with a smile.

Tang Shirou, not expecting such sudden possessiveness, nodded shyly, her face flushing to the tips of her ears.

"Miss Tang has a boyfriend?" The balding man’s dreams were shattered. He had never seen a woman more enchanting, and he had even been fantasizing about how to "play games" with her in a room. Beside him, the young man in sportswear also frowned. Did that unremarkable guy deserve such a noble and elegant girl? They were green with envy; in the apocalypse, who wouldn’t want such a beauty?

The gazes of many other men shifted toward them upon hearing the words "Tang Shirou’s boyfriend." Their eyes were filled with jealousy, envy, and resentment. They scrutinized Chen Xiao, but saw only an ordinary-looking young man without any of the overbearing presence of someone like Boss Jiang. Some of her admirers even harbored dark thoughts: *So what if she’s taken? If he’s dead, she’s a widow.*

"Kid, my name is Wang Dayong. Who do you run with? What’s your name?" the balding man demanded, annoyed at being defied by a junior.

"I’m your father."

*Slap!*

In the next instant, Wang Dayong was blindsided by a massive palm! He hadn't expected things to escalate so quickly. The force of the blow was beyond his imagination. A sharp pain in his face, accompanied by a jolt to his brain, sent him into darkness as he was sent flying like a cannonball for over a hundred meters, landing like a dead dog. Whether he was alive or dead, no one knew.

"Holy shit, he just straight-up killed him!"
"Wang Dayong was an A-rank, how could he be slapped to death with one hit?"
"What the hell? Can a hand really be that strong?"
"That is insane!"
"No wonder Miss Tang is so well-protected; this kind of strength is top-tier even in South City!"

Chen Xiao ignored the shocked gazes and sat down, pulling Tang Shirou onto a chair beside him. Tang Shirou’s eyes were sparkling; she loved this domineering side of him.

Chen Xiao sat and began to survey the scene. Many people were watching the conflict, but no one dared to step out to confront him, which saved him a lot of trouble. Under the reach of his *Dragon’s Breath*, the entire open-air restaurant was laid bare before him. Chen Xiao focused on several men whose energy fluctuations were abnormal: a taciturn man in a suit and glasses, a thin man lounging with his legs crossed, and a burly, middle-aged man catching up on sleep.

It was as Jiang Yunhan had said—many powerful figures had arrived to compete for the rooms. Fortunately, Dashan’s strength was even greater.

Before long, a rustling sound came from the distance. Jiang Yunhan and his party had arrived. The South City Storage had sent over a dozen people: the three founders and ten squad leaders. They were here to welcome the guests, but also to watch the show.

Jiang Yunhan took his seat at the head of the path without hesitation, with Lu Xingji and Lang Fei seated on his left and right. Both of them looked to have recovered well, showing no signs of having been soundly beaten by him recently. The ten squad leaders sat along the sides, just like Chen Xiao and the others.

"Everyone, thank you for waiting." Jiang Yunhan stood at the head of the table and raised his glass. "On behalf of South City Storage, I thank you for your support and make this promise: as long as South City Storage stands, we will guarantee your safety!"

He drained his glass in one gulp.

"Well said!"
"With Boss Jiang’s word, we can safely entrust our lives to you!"
"Boss Jiang has the heart of a saint, a true hero for all!"

Applause erupted from the crowd. Many had not come to compete for rooms; they had simply offered up small supermarkets in exchange for a corner of safety in the apocalypse. They knew their place—they weren't the ones Boss Jiang would choose. That was why they were so moved by his promise.

But another group of people had entirely different thoughts. They wanted more—they wanted the core rooms.