Chapter 204: Tranquil Times

Chapter 204: Tranquil TimesFatty Xu trudged along the ice-covered Lujang River, heading back. Meanwhile, Zhang Yi drove back to Cloud Manor. He had a deeper purpose for telling Fatty Xu those words. Warning the people of Xu Jia Town? He wasn't that kind-hearted. They had attacked him twice; if they were wiped out one day, he wouldn’t feel a thing.

Zhang Yi knew that other groups might attack Cloud Manor in the future. Xu Jia Town, nearby, served as a natural shield. By instilling this mindset in Fatty Xu, anyone approaching would be seen as a potential enemy. This way, Xu Jia Town could help absorb some of the animosity aimed at Zhang Yi.

"Having such a tool is not bad at all," Zhang Yi mused, watching the clumsy figure on the ice. However, he knew he must remain vigilant. Fatty Xu sought his protection because of his displayed strength. Without it, he might have already been killed by Xu Dong Village.

From now on, Zhang Yi needed to continue strengthening himself to remain a formidable force. He turned away, feeling confident about his secure rear.

But there was one thing Zhang Yi hadn't anticipated: Fatty Xu, the strongest fighter in Xu Dong Village or Xu Jia Town, wasn't the one with the most power in the village.

Back at the village, Fatty Xu excitedly reported the good news to the current clan leader, Xu Dongtang. He believed that making peace with Zhang Yi meant safety for the village. However, Xu Dongtang's face darkened after hearing the report.

After a long silence, Xu Dongtang coldly said, "Who told you to act on your own?"

Fatty Xu expected praise, so Xu Dongtang's reaction felt like a cold slap. "Sixth Grandpa, but… I prevented our village from being attacked! You've seen Zhang Yi’s strength; we can't compete with him."

Xu Dongtang sneered, "You dare speak of yesterday’s events? Would we have lost so many people if you hadn't hesitated?"

Fatty Xu’s face paled, unable to retort. Xu Dongtang continued, "If not for you, would your third grandpa be dead now? You made peace without permission and think it’s a great achievement!"

"Your arrogance is astounding!"

Fatty Xu felt a stinging pain and deep disappointment on his face. "But… I promised Third Grandpa that I would protect the village. Peace is the best way..."

"Silence!" Xu Dongtang's sudden shout silenced Fatty Xu. His elder’s authority made him avert his eyes. "That was presumptuous and foolish! I am the clan leader now; you must seek my permission for any action! No more acting on your own!"

Fatty Xu looked down, feeling very wronged. He believed he had done the right thing.

Xu Dongtang’s tone softened, patting Fatty Xu’s shoulder, "Chunlei, I know you meant well, but you're young and inexperienced. Because of you, our family suffered greatly. I stood up for you, or they would have expelled you from the village."

He sighed, "You need to stay here and atone. Don’t do anything foolish again. Just follow the village’s orders. Understand?"

Fatty Xu, feeling like he had no choice, nodded. "I understand."

"Good, you can go now. Remember, no more unauthorized actions!"

Fatty Xu left Xu Dongtang's house, feeling despondent. Xu Dongtang watched him go, adjusting his glasses, and muttering, "Young people, you are so arrogant. Don’t think you can disrespect your elders just because you have some ability!"

He then took out his phone and messaged the heads of the village’s branches, "Don’t worry about Zhang Yi. I’ve contacted him, and he agreed to a truce. He won't threaten our safety anymore!"

The heads, who had been worried about Zhang Yi attacking, breathed a sigh of relief and praised Xu Dongtang.

"Sixth Grandpa, you're amazing! You settled that scoundrel immediately!"

"We should have made you the clan leader earlier. Third Grandpa was too old and confused, making such mistakes."

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"Having Sixth Grandpa leading us is a blessing."

Back at Cloud Manor, Zhang Yi discussed the situation with Fatty Xu and Xu Dong Village with Zhou Ke’er and Yang Siya, hoping to ease their worries.

Yang Siya patted her chest, "That's such a relief!"

Zhou Ke’er teased, "Really? You were that scared?"

Yang Siya huffed, "I wasn’t! I just… didn’t want to see such bloodshed again."

If the fighting had continued, Zhang Yi would have wiped out the entire village of a thousand people. Zhang Yi could definitely do it.

Zhou Ke’er smirked, "Yeah, yesterday you were vomiting like crazy."

Yang Siya blushed with embarrassment, "Zhou Ke’er!"

"Hmph!" Zhou Ke’er, smugly holding Zhang Yi's arm, said, "Honey, you’re amazing!"

Zhang Yi shrugged, "Those villagers are just like stray cats and dogs, no threat to me. But if some underground forces show up, that will be troublesome."

Yang Siya comforted him, "You always think the worst. Since we’ve solved the immediate problem, let’s celebrate!"

Zhang Yi thought, trouble will come if you don't think ahead. But seeing their happy faces, he didn’t voice his concerns.

Zhou Ke’er walked to the bar, picking out two bottles of Burgundy wine, "Let’s have a drink tonight to celebrate!"

Yang Siya’s eyes gleamed mischievously, "I’ll cook my best dishes!"

Known for her social prowess and impressive drinking skills, she planned to teach Zhang Yi and Zhou Ke’er a lesson.

Zhang Yi chuckled, "Just a little. I’m not good with alcohol."

Zhou Ke’er and Yang Siya laughed even more. "Tonight’s special! We’ll drink just enough."

The three of them ended up drinking until they were senseless.

Late at night, Zhou Ke’er was the first to pass out. Yang Siya, who drank half a bottle more, also succumbed. Only Zhang Yi, supposedly a poor drinker, sat at the table, completely sober.

Watching the two women who tried to get him drunk, Zhang Yi smiled. "I forgot to mention, I used to work in the alcohol sales business."

But looking at them, his throat tightened. Both women, dressed in light pajamas, lay on the couch, their clothes in disarray. Yang Siya’s slip dress exposed her smooth shoulders and half of her bosom, while Zhou Ke’er’s disheveled pose exuded a wild allure.

Zhang Yi remembered Yang Siya’s earlier request and couldn’t help but smile wickedly.

...

After teaching Xu Jia Town a painful lesson, they never crossed the Lujang River again. Zhang Yi’s days were peaceful, enjoying time with two beautiful women. With ample supplies and entertainment, life was enjoyable.

On the other hand, Zhang Yi frequently received messages from Fatty Xu.

"Brother Zhang, I'm bored at home. When will you take me on a mission?"

"Brother Zhang, we should form a superpower team. Five members, each representing a color. You’d be the leader, Flame Dragon Hero, and I’d be Snow Mastiff Hero."

"Brother Zhang, why aren’t you responding? If you don’t like it, we could be the Rainbow Team. I’d be the Blue King, and you’d be the Colorless King. How about that?"

Since meeting Zhang Yi, Fatty Xu felt he had found a kindred spirit. Alienated in his village after the battle, he longed for Zhang Yi’s companionship and comfort.

To win him over, Zhang Yi chatted with him occasionally and gathered information.

Over time, Zhang Yi found it hard to keep up. Fatty Xu had too much energy with no girlfriend, sending hundreds of messages a day. Even without replies, he kept talking.

“Fatty, don’t you have anything better to do?” Zhang Yi asked, exasperated.

After a brief pause, Fatty Xu's shocked voice replied, "Damn! Brother Zhang, how did you know? Are you that calculating? Impressive, I’m convinced!"

Zhang Yi: "..."

Covering his face, Zhang Yi was speechless. He understood that people like Fatty Xu were often unappreciated. They’d give their all for someone who treated them well, even if it was for ulterior motives. Feeling pity, Zhang Yi used ChatGPT to respond to Fatty Xu. It only took a few “Oh,” “Hmm,” or “Really?” to make him happy.

Wait, am I acting like a jerk? Zhang Yi shook his head, dismissing the thought.

Days passed peacefully. Yang Siya tended to the garden, reviving many withered plants. She also planted vegetables, especially scallions, and peppers, which tasted best when fresh.

Zhang Yi inspected the shelter, eliminating many safety hazards. Yet, one problem lingered: cybersecurity.

Looking at the huge supercomputer in the control room, Zhang Yi frowned. This computer controlled the shelter, providing numerous conveniences. Without it, the shelter would be paralyzed.

If the shelter’s network were hacked, the consequences would be dire. "How to solve this problem?" Zhang Yi pondered.

He recalled Lu Fengda, who easily accessed his personal data. Even Fatty Xu found his phone number. Network security was a significant issue that must be addressed to prevent the shelter from falling to a top-tier hacker.