The bearded middle-aged man moved with lightning speed, lunging at Xu Mu.
Fan Shiyu stood right beside Xu Mu; seeing this, she immediately released Gang Qi outward.
Bang!
The Qi projected from her body slammed into the bearded man.
He staggered back, but after only two steps he steadied himself.
He laughed loudly. "What I just drank—was it yours? There's even an aftertaste!"
Boom!
The ground shattered under his feet as he rushed at Xu Mu again.
Only then did the crowd understand his plan.
He had dared to trade a seventh-grade Blue Sunflower so his body could recover faster—then he'd take the treasures back and grab that half-bottle of mineral water too.
Besides, what he'd just drunk was the beauty's.
Not much psychological pressure there.
Xu Mu snatched the half bottle of mineral water from the ground and sprinted away.
The bearded man sneered and gave chase.
Fan Shiyu and Dai Xingluo attacked from left and right.
Rumble!
The bearded man blasted his Qi outward.
The earth split into fissures; both Fan Shiyu and Dai Xingluo were shaken back.
Fan Shiyu's face tightened. That strength—mid Gang Qi, maybe higher?
If he intended to kill Xu Mu, even the two of them together couldn't stop him.
"Hahaha! Ladies, after I kill this brat, I want another drink—this time straight from the source!"
He threw his head back and laughed.
Bang! Bang!
Two sharp reports rang out.
The bearded man was still frozen in that laughing pose when blood spurted from his brow and his heart almost simultaneously.
He stared at Xu Mu in disbelief. "You little—"
Thud!
He collapsed on the spot.
"Buddy, times have changed," Xu Mu said, walking back with a backpack in one hand and a Desert Eagle in the other.
He crouched, rifled the bearded man's pack, and found a trove of good items—then transferred them all to his own.
Everyone around was stunned.
They hadn't expected the kid to be carrying a firearm.
Many present were killers familiar with guns—but that was for overseas jobs.
Inside the country, with layer upon layer of security checks, carrying one was a nightmare.
Yet he had one on him.
Right then, Dai Xiao spotted the other bottle of urine on the ground and rushed over, tipping it straight into his mouth.
He only wanted to live; he could settle accounts with Xu Mu later.
He already had an idea—once they got out, he'd tie Xu Mu up and make him drink some.
Then it would be fair.
"You two did well," Xu Mu said.
Shielding prying eyes with his backpack, he opened his spatial storage and took out two unopened bottles of mineral water—tossing one each to Fan Shiyu and Dai Xingluo.
They saw the seals untouched and lit up with joy.
[Favorability +6]
[Favorability +5]
They cracked them open and downed half a bottle each before their bodies finally calmed.
"Xu Mu! You still had water? Why the hell didn't you take it out earlier?" Dai Xiao nearly fainted with rage.
He'd just chugged urine, and now Xu Mu produced two fresh bottles.
"Young Master Dai, that's on you," Xu Mu said mildly. "Even if I have water—what's that got to do with you?
Also, you drank my urine. I haven't even charged you yet."
Dai Xiao's face darkened. He walked over to Dai Xingluo. "Xingluo, you still have half a bottle—let me have some."
"You've got some nerve," Dai Xingluo snapped. "Where are my three bottles from before?"
She had no intention of handing over precious supplies.
They were trapped with no idea when they could leave.
Why give away her lifeline?
"My water was taken by that old man," Dai Xiao said, pointing at the bald elder in sunglasses.
Dai Xingluo's gaze turned icy and she strode toward the old man.
Dai Xiao grinned—he couldn't beat the guy, but Dai Xingluo might.
"Old man, hand over my water—or I'll kill you!" Dai Xiao barked first, posturing in front of the elder.
"Ant," the sunglasses-wearing elder sneered, thrusting out a palm.
Boom!
Dai Xiao's body convulsed.
His front was untouched, but the back of his shirt exploded into shreds; his back split as if torn open, spraying blood mist.
Whoosh!
He shot backward and crashed into a distant tree, falling limp and motionless.
Xu Mu's heart jolted. He stared at the elder's palm.
Because dusk had fallen, it was easy to see—
there were specks of golden light in the man's palm.
Mystic Art Realm.
Dai Xingluo, who had been about to act, halted immediately.
She loved the thrill of battle—but she wasn't stupid.
At early Gang Qi, challenging someone in the Mystic Art Realm was a fantasy.
Fan Shiyu also understood suddenly—no wonder she hadn't been a match before.
No one dared eye the Golden Divine Wheat now, even though it shone brighter in the deepening dark.
Instead, everyone watched Xu Mu's water.
Some of them must already have guessed the old man's level.
Fan Shiyu hurried to Dai Xiao, taking out her phone to record video.
She needed evidence uploaded to count the mission as complete.
Even if she wasn't the one to kill him, as long as Dai Xiao died, it counted.
Xu Mu felt a twinge of irony—so this was how Dai Xiao would go.
But whether he lived or died didn't matter to the Dai family; as an early-arc antagonist clan, their strength went far beyond him.
Night deepened, and the Golden Divine Wheat's glow grew stronger.
Yet Xu Mu still hadn't seen Xu Ningbing.
A bad premonition crept over him.
He shook his head. He couldn't sit and wait—he had to keep searching.
"Brother!" Dai Xingluo immediately followed.
She'd witnessed the elder's power and didn't dare try to snatch water anymore.
But Xu Mu seemed to have enough—sticking with him meant she wouldn't die.
Fan Shiyu followed as well.
Her mission was complete; now the main goal was to find an exit and leave this cursed place.
"Your man just died, and you don't seem sad at all," Fan Shiyu said coolly to Dai Xingluo.
"I have nothing to do with the Dai family. A person like him—dead or alive—has nothing to do with me," Dai Xingluo replied evenly.
"Helping him is kindness; not helping is my right."
Xu Mu didn't ask—he knew the story.
Dai Xingluo's mother had been a servant in the Dai household; only after becoming pregnant with Dai Xingluo did she become a concubine.
Even then, the two proper wives ordered her around like a maid.
How could the daughter's childhood have been any better?
After one humiliation too many, Dai Xingluo ran away and was missing for years; the Dai family didn't care.
Later, her mother fell gravely ill. The family sent her to the hospital as a formality.
When treatment failed, they simply gave up—she died.
About half a month later, Dai Xingluo returned.
Only then did they learn she'd been taken by a sect and made an outer disciple.
She raised hell at home, cursing her father: the clan had healing treasures but never used them on her mother.
She even tried to kill his two wives but was injured by her grandfather.
She left again, vowing revenge.
"Brother, why do you keep letting her tag along?" Dai Xingluo clasped Xu Mu's arm, shaking it. "She's only following you for your water."
"Aren't you?" Fan Shiyu asked mildly.
"I'm a match made in heaven with my brother. What are you? I can bear his children—do you dare?" Dai Xingluo shot back.