Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 453 - 391: The Survival Philosophy of a Stumbling Block_1

Just like that, in front of everyone, he boarded the carriage and rode off, head held high.

It wasn't until the ostentatious carriage disappeared from view that people snapped out of it, glancing at Wang Xu with a mix of embarrassment and sympathy.

In the past few days, he had spared no effort in speaking ill of Yuan Zhao due to personal grudges.

As expected, he finally messed with the wrong person.

"Tch... just showing off, right?" Wang Xu could hardly maintain his composure. He looked indifferently in the direction they had left, unable to resist shaking his head. "Looks like a scrawny bum, what's with all the airs?"

"I wouldn't recommend you say that to his face," Wood Cottage remarked softly. "I'm saying this for your own good."

Wang Xu turned and glared at him. "Am I afraid of him? He'll fall out with me just because I said a few words?"

"It's not about Ah Zhao," Lin Nineteen said, shaking his head and trying to reassure him. "If you've made Ah Zhao unhappy, at worst Yuan Yuan will come beat you—hey, Xiaoyuan, don't glare at me, I'm just making a comparison... But if you piss off the other one, it's not going to be just a beating."

"Pfft, some nobody beggar off the streets."

Wang Xu scoffed. "I'd give him a hundred thousand guts; would he dare lift a finger against me?"

Wood Cottage glanced at him with a smirk. "If my cousin were here, would you dare speak to her like that?"

"You're using Lin Yu to pressure me?"

Wang Xu's expression twitched, unable to hide his anger. "What, is that some toy boy your sister's keeping?"

"Hey, Lin Yu doesn't have that kind of pull." Wood Cottage's tone grew more sarcastic. "There's no need for you to be scared of her. Two months ago, during the rookie competition, he publicly humiliated her in a live stream in front of sixty thousand people until her soul was crushed. She's been lying in the Abyss ever since—you must have missed it, betting on horses in Copenhagen. While chasing my cousin, he killed two members of the Border Mercenary Group. Just him, alone with his horse. How do you think Yuan Zhao got to know him?"

"Who do you think you're dealing with?"

Seeing the color drain from Wang Xu's face, Lin Nineteen stepped forward. He gazed at Wang Xu's shocked expression and asked softly, "Did he ever tell you he's a formal Inspector with the Astronomical Society? He's seventeen this year. He's an S-level Military Officer with the Jurisdiction Bureau, a Disastrous Musician acknowledged by the Abyss Music Association, and the Abyss Kitchen Devil who drove Lin Yu insane with just one dish. Furthermore, his debut fight included slaying the Green Day Nemesis of the Red Gloves. As the Prince of Paradise, his popularity alone drove thirty-four billion in merchandise sales... What reason does he have not to chop you? Because of your dad? Your brother? Or is it because you think you're such a big shot?"

While speaking, Lin Nineteen abruptly turned his head and glanced at Zhao Xinya, who was about to speak. Her words of conciliation got stuck in her throat.

Turning back to look at Wang Xu's dilated pupils, Lin Nineteen sneered, "Do you think he'd care about the Wang family? Two months ago, the Yin family thought the same as you, and Old Master Yin died a dreadful death at his hundredth birthday banquet. Since then, at least eight Third Stage Sublimators who were preparing to defect have died at his hands, and even that got covered up by the Jurisdiction Bureau. What are you worth? If he had even the slightest dissatisfaction with me over Lin Yu today, I'd be prepared to apologize and make amends. If he wanted me to kneel, not only would I kneel, I'd be ready to lick his shoes, because I don't want to die as foolishly as that dumbass Lin Yu.

So, let me make one thing clear. The only reason he didn't chop off your head in front of us isn't because of the Wang family, nor because Yuan Zhao has more pull. It's simply because you haven't angered him. That's all. He couldn't care less about you, just like people don't care about a dog barking nearby."

Lin Nineteen leaned in close, whispering in his ear, "I'm not asking you to open your eyes, just please don't involve me the next time you're courting death. I'm only fifteen. I'm still young and haven't lived nearly long enough."

"..."

In the silence, Wang Xu's expression shifted, but in the end, he said nothing. He just turned and walked ahead with a livid face.

After speaking, Lin Nineteen slowed his pace with a strangely satisfied expression, trailing at the very back, seemingly in a good mood.

Only Yuan Yuan looked at him coldly, as if in warning.

He flashed an awkward, innocent smile and brought his hands together as if in prayer, promising not to do it again... but that was a lie. He would dare to do it again.

[Received 299 negative emotion points from Wang Xu]

[Received 210 negative emotion points from Zhao Xinyu]

...

Ah, if there were some strange system from a novel, such a notification would surely pop up in front of Wood Cottage, wouldn't it? But in reality, there was no need for such a system's alerts—he could feel the relentless grudges emanating from Wang Xu on his own.

It was as delightfully satisfying as a lavish and exquisite lunch.

In truth, Lin Nineteen had lied to Huai Shi.

While it was true that he "hadn't yet learned to offend others," this was because he... was self-taught.

After he turned six, there wasn't much his family could teach him. Aside from his astonishing talent, the kid was just too annoying!

Even in the Lin family, full of villains, Little Nineteen was a strange exception, a freak.

From a young age, he seemed to look down on his family members' ridiculously long criminal records, even snickering at them. To him, risking his own life over someone else's hatred and resentment was a poor deal, not worth the price.

He preferred a wide-ranging, low-yield approach—like a farmer enjoying the long-lasting joy of a harvest after a long season of sowing and toiling, rather than the intense feuds that promised quick riches.

Ignoring his contemporaries who had already started wreaking havoc and left him far behind, he had dawdled at the First Stage for a long time. He remained a half-baked practitioner, neither advancing nor falling back, refusing to improve and steering clear of any evil deeds that might endanger his life if exposed.

Instead, he focused all his effort on the kind of mischief that, even if discovered, would only earn him a beating.

Don't be a universally despised arch-villain; be a refined, self-serving stumbling block. That was his life's creed.

Even as a stumbling block, if someone tripped over him, he would at most get slapped or kicked a little.

A stumbling block remained a stumbling block, and it could even stick around to trip up the next person for fun.

Safe, harmless, annoying but not enough to incur deep hatred... Except for the Old Master's excessive attention and unrealistic expectations for him, Lin Nineteen's life was as tranquil as any other stumbling block's.

"Flagged a plagiarizing bitch, starting with the color palette comparison..."

"Trash author, what the hell is this garbage? I'm off to read 'Demon Slaying Expert' next door."

"...Myanmar has universal healthcare, free electricity, and the air of freedom and democracy! Do you idiots understand any of that?..."

Even during the brief time after getting out of the carriage, he hadn't forgotten to contribute to his grand project of getting on people's nerves—today, his account 'Take a Little Junior Brother,' with its nine hundred thousand followers, was also operating at full blast!

Every time he hit send, he could feel an endless stream of tiny wicked deeds emerging.

Little by little, many small things add up to something great; piling earth makes a mountain...

It almost moves me to tears, like an old farmer gazing at a pile of golden rice. This safe yet annoying way of doing bad things is just too wonderful! So, stay far from enemies, far from chaos, far from Huai Shi... I want to be a peacefully annoying person.

「. . .」

On the carriage, Huai Shi sneezed without warning.

"Caught a cold?"

Yuan Zhao instinctively scooted a bit to the side. Anything that could make a Sublimator catch a cold was no small matter; if he contracted some border flu, it would be troublesome.

"My body is super healthy, okay?"

Huai Shi shook his head, murmuring doubtfully, "I just feel like someone is talking about me."

"That's just an illusion from your inflated ego. Who has the time to be thinking about you..." Yuan Zhao rolled his eyes.

I've eaten a whole basket of lemons because of him today. I should have just ignored this bastard. My normal level of thick skin is no match for this oddball's. It's simply frustrating. I was worried Huai Shi might be down on his luck, but seeing how well he's doing, it's clear that even if he were thrown into Hell, this guy would thrive. Given his way of thinking, he could probably even buddy up to a manifestation of destruction...

A ludicrous thought suddenly rose in Yuan Zhao's mind, and he immediately quashed it.

Haha, even as a joke, that's too much. How could that be possible?

Just then, the carriage came to an abrupt halt.

Soon after, the old gentleman driving the carriage knocked on the door and said deferentially, "Mr. Huai Shi, we have arrived."

At the door, a group of apprentices guarded a profoundly transformed Master Chef Watanabe, who had been waiting for a long time.

Everyone seemed to have grown at least a size, and their voices were thunderously loud.

The uniform greeting nearly carried two streets away.

"It's been a long time, Huai Shi-kun!"

No sooner had Huai Shi stepped off the carriage than Master Chef Watanabe approached, warmly shaking his hand. "Such a rare fortune to meet you again!"

When shown such respect, Huai Shi naturally couldn't be rude and returned the courtesy in full.

After a long absence, Master Chef Watanabe—no, now Tengu·Ryuzanbo—was even more enthusiastic than before.

He firmly believed that Huai Shi had brought him good luck.

It was from Huai Shi's past cooking that Watanabe had drawn the rare inspiration to create the marvelous dish 'Tengu Blood,' which had helped him earn his promotion during the stringent evaluations at Tengu Mountain.

"Please accept this token of my appreciation."

With such words spoken, Huai Shi felt too embarrassed to even think of paying. He took his seat at the head of the table and watched as an endless stream of dishes was brought out by the sommelier, Caogene.

The standard for the feast was on par with the legendary Tengu banquet, said to satisfy even Evil Ghosts. There were fourteen small dishes, five seasonal vegetables, and six types of simmered dishes. As for the grilled items, wrapped dishes, and other courses that followed, Huai Shi lost count.

There were even seven types of Tengu's finest liquor. Although each serving wasn't large, they were all exquisitely satisfying. These were all floral wines, specially chosen for Huai Shi's Mountain Ghost physique.

It was difficult to refuse such hospitality, but Huai Shi truly felt he didn't deserve it.

After thinking for a long moment, he opened his saddlebag.

"Sorry, I haven't cooked in a long time."

Huai Shi took out three boxes and placed them before Ryuzanbo. "However, an elder from my home prepared a lot of food for me for the journey before I left. Although it's no Abyss delicacy, please try some."