The house was not inhabited by just the man; Su Han's gaze shifted to the inside of the room and only then did she notice a woman standing behind him, sporting wavy long hair and thin lips.
"Are you going to protect us while we go downstairs? Just wait, I'll pack up some stuff."
The woman, seeing that the three people hadn't spoken for a while and vaguely hearing the half-sentence from Su Han earlier, "from this room...", thought they were rescue workers and started talking on her own.
"We've waited a day for someone to come, but at least someone's here to rescue us now."
"We are not rescue personnel"
Su Han interrupted the woman's non-stop chatter, causing both to be taken aback, and they responded, "Then who are you?"
"Upstairs neighbors. Have you really not grasped the situation after a whole day?"
Su Han spoke coldly, their impression of the couple not very favorable, detecting a sense of self-importance in their tone.
In fact, that was exactly the case. It was only now that the man with glasses and the woman took a closer look and realized that though all three were dressed in dark-colored windbreakers, indeed they were not uniforms, only similar in appearance.
The couple's expression subtly changed, revealing a hint less reverence.
The man said, "So you're the neighbors, then... did you bring these monsters yourselves, not sent by the state? So... is the 'Book of Blood Spirit' a real thing?"
He was calculating in his mind, "If these college kids can get a hold of monsters, maybe I could learn how as well. Then I'd be safe."
"Kill a monster yourself and you can make a contract."
Su Han didn't hide this fact; it wasn't a secret anyway. However, upon hearing this, the man's face showed difficulty; asking him to kill a monster was asking him to die, wasn't it?
His eyes darted around, and looking at Su Han, he suddenly thought, "College students are easy to fool. Rather than doing it myself, why not have him work for me."
"Young man, asking me to kill monsters is really putting me in a tough spot, isn't it? I'll give you five thousand bucks and a gold ring. How about you catch two monsters for the two of us?"
A cold smile flickered in Su Han's eyes; call the man smart, for knowing cash might not be as useful as gold, but call him stupid for really not understanding the situation, thinking anyone could be bossed around.
"Old Gan, let's do it by the book: collect the clean-up fee."
Gan Xinglei grinned and said, "Got it."
He walked over to the man and then said, "We cleaned up the flesh corpses on the fifth floor, ensuring your safety, so according to the rules, we need to collect a cleaning fee. Hand over half of the food and medicine, and if you don't have that, compensate with other useful things."
"What?!"
The man's voice suddenly rose by several octaves, his eyes widened in shock, pointing at Gan Xinglei, "You... you're robbing us! If you won't help, then don't, but how can you do this? Such a bunch of..."
He didn't dare finish the sentence, but his wife screamed shrilly, "The monsters were killed by you, not summoned by us, what does this have to do with us?"
The two argued but, sensing trouble, quickly started shoving to try to close the door and hide inside the house.
"Bang"
However, at that moment, Su Han's Angel Envoy, a flesh corpse, landed a hefty punch directly onto the door, indenting a sizable dent in the metal security door.
The man and his wife cried out in pain, knocked to the ground by the enormous force transmitted through the door.
"Go inside and take it yourself."
With Su Han's command given, Gan Xinglei nodded and, controlling his own flesh corpse along with Yan Meiyu, went in to collect resources.
This time, having witnessed the Angel Envoy's strength, the couple fell silent, as quiet as cicadas in winter, yet in the depths of their eyes simmered resentment.
Although Su Han's approach was aggressive, the fee he charged was reasonable.
With the flesh corpses cleared and a safe environment in exchange for half of their supplies, it was clear to anyone with eyes which was the heavier and which the lighter.
As for offending people, Su Han wasn't afraid.
He wouldn't kill without reason, but if someone was seeking death, he didn't mind strengthening his courage and then mastering a skill that could crush bones into dust.
"Click"
Suddenly, a faint sound of a door opening came through. Su Han's expression became serious as he turned vigilant. The Angel Envoy Flesh Corpse looked toward the direction of the sound—the door of room 7504.
Su Han, with the Angel Envoy Flesh Corpse, approached and indeed, he saw a crack in the door of room 7504.
"Brother, don't attack, I'm alive too."
A middle-aged man with a buzz cut poked out his upper body. He was smiling, wearing a black short-sleeve shirt, about 1.8 meters tall with a square face. Middle-aged plumpness made his face rounder, and a clear scar could be seen on his forearm.
"What's the matter?"
"Brother, my name is Zhu Xiong. I heard everything you guys were talking about just now and saw it all. You are quite capable, brother."
Zhu Xiong, having seen Su Han and the Angel Envoy's faces, didn't show fear but heaped on praise instead.
Before Su Han could speak, Zhu Xiong continued, "Those who are alive should be grateful for your help. We'll hand over half of our food and medicine. Though it's uncomfortable, it's what should be done. Those with small glasses and his mistress, they don't know what's good for them. I've got twenty kilos of rice and flour, along with six bottles of Maotai, all of which I can share with you. I also have some matters to discuss with you, if it's convenient."
Zhu Xiong spoke honestly, with his words exuding the message that though he wasn't happy about his stuff being taken, he had no complaints about turning it over.
'This Zhu Xiong has got something.'
The words of Zhu Xiong were pleasing to Su Han. Whether it was insincere or genuinely open, this way of speaking was definitely more comfortable than being imperious.
However, he remained calm and didn't let it get to his head, asking, "What do you want to know?"
Zhu Xiong's face lit up with joy when he heard Su Han's response. His cheeks quivered with his smile as he said, "I mean no disrespect, brother, please don't blame me. It's about those Contract monsters—besides killing them, is there anything else we need to pay attention to? To be frank with you, if there weren't three creatures in that corridor, I would have already gone at them with a crowbar."
Su Han: ...
"What do you do, elder brother?"
"I used to run transportation when I was young," Zhu Xiong stretched out his hand and pointed to the scar on it. "Later, when I couldn't compete anymore, I bought two trucks and became a small boss, cooperating with a logistics company."
To be able to do long-distance trucking, and especially as a former long-distance truck driver, one really couldn't manage without guts.
Su Han revealed a bit of realization, so that was it.
He also hid the details of the Contract, saying, "Killing them with your own hands will do."
Having received an answer, Zhu Xiong felt reassured and said, "Brother, I'd like to make a deal with you. I have keys to two trucks, and there are a couple of crowbars and some large wrenches in my room, which are better weapons than that kitchen knife of yours. I'll give you one truck and the weapons in exchange for a favor."
"To kill those Flesh Corpses?"
"Yes, to kill those creatures. I'm willing to take them on one-on-one, but you never know what might happen. I'm middle-aged now, and even though I take my goji berries daily, I'm not as strong as when I was young. So I'm asking you to protect me while I kill those creatures."
Zhu Xiong clasped his hands together in a salute and said, "I'm not being completely honest here; these items should rightfully be yours by half, so using them as a bargaining chip is somewhat underhanded of me. But I have my uses too, driving trucks. I know some things about the logistics companies in the city, bulk goods markets, warehouses, and if you need help gathering supplies, I'm definitely on board without a word."
"Alright, I'll find one for you later."
Su Han didn't ponder for long. The fairness of the deal aside, the fact that he knew about the bulk goods warehouses and markets alone proved his worth.
Helping out as a courtesy to retain a connection was no problem at all.
What's more, this man was an old hand, not the type to drag his feet easily.
"Su Han, the stuff is moved."
Gan Xinglei and Yan Meiyu came out with the items still in their hands and, with a bang, the man with the speedy glasses and his mistress hastily closed their door.