Often, in the most perilous moments, a person's psychology undergoes a dramatic transformation. It's not necessarily a disillusionment with the world, but rather a sudden realization that life is but fleeting. Pursuits once deemed important lose all meaning in the face of imminent demise. Simply put, a dying man's words are kind.
One-Eyed Man was their leader, the strongest among them. If he had confidence in defeating the evil creatures, they would have absolute hope. But now, with their leader speaking like this, it meant there was truly no certainty of survival.
They looked at each other, the meaning clear. One-Eyed Man's words resonated deeply. At this juncture, what couldn't be said? Complaints once whispered behind his back could now be aired openly. He had given them this chance, their last chance.
Gu Ao, the weightlifting enthusiast, was doing push-ups, his hands braced against the ground. Seeing no one speak, he decided to be the first to seize the opportunity, ready to voice his grievances in front of One-Eyed Man.
"Boss, remember that time I came to talk to you?" Gu Ao asked.
"Yes, what about it?" One-Eyed Man replied.
Gu Ao scratched his head, offering an awkward smile. "Actually, I wanted to say, could you smoke less? The smoke gives you bad breath. That day, it almost knocked me out. Luckily, I can hold my breath. I held it for several minutes while talking to you. It was truly awful."
Under normal circumstances, Gu Ao wouldn't dare say such a thing. It would be suicidal.
One-Eyed Man chuckled. "I didn't realize my smoking had such an impact on you. I honestly hadn't thought about it. Well, I might not have the chance to smoke anymore."
After saying this, he silently lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled a thick plume of smoke towards the sky.
Gu Ao felt instantly relieved after voicing his thoughts. It felt truly liberating.
Seeing that One-Eyed Man wasn't angry, the other special department members grew bolder. This was their only chance; they might not even have the opportunity to speak later.
A female member couldn't resist chiming in, "Boss, you always said you're single because you want to dedicate all your energy to Yanhai City. But from a woman's perspective, you really don't have any appeal. First, you're a bit old, and you smoke constantly. Like Gu Ao said, excessive smoking leads to bad breath and has a significant impact on your health, especially that aspect. So, what you usually say is just covering up the fact that you're not capable."
The surrounding members burst into laughter. Usually, they would have suppressed their laughter, but now there was no need. The boss had said it himself: say whatever you want to say; he wouldn't blame them. Of course, if they weren't facing the arrival of a Heavenly King level evil creature, their survival would be uncertain. In the past, even if the boss had said this, they would have politely shaken their heads, feigning respect.
One-Eyed Man took a drag from his cigarette and smiled. "Is that so? So, that's what you all think?"
"Yes."
"I think so too."
"I wouldn't have dared to say it before, but now I wholeheartedly agree."
Everyone had completely let loose. They simply wanted to speak their minds.
Liu Ying was on the phone with his girlfriend.
"Honey, I've truly wronged you in the past. You wanted to buy something, and I would hesitate for ages. Now that I think about it, it was my fault. I earn money for you to spend; how could I be so stingy?"
"Also, you used to tell me to slow down, slow down, but I was like a bull, just charging forward, without considering your feelings. My fault."
"Gotta hang up. I'll send you some pictures of me. You can look at them when you miss me."
He hung up, took dozens of selfies, and sent them all to his girlfriend. Then, he transferred every last cent from his app to her.
"Lu Han, quickly return the money I lent you. I lent it to you years ago; you can't just not pay it back."
He had lent Lu Han 100,000 yuan, with the agreement that it would be returned within the month. But it had been dragged out for years.
Lu Han looked at Liu Ying, shaking his head. At a time like this, he was still thinking about money. Forget it. Money was useless anyway. He might as well return it. He promptly transferred the money to Liu Ying.
Upon receiving the money, Liu Ying immediately transferred it all to his girlfriend. He had now transferred his entire fortune to her, hoping to secure a good future for her, even if he wouldn't be there.
Hearing everyone complaining to the boss, he also chimed in, "Boss, I have something to tell you too. You're actually really easy to fool. Last time, I told you about my teeth. I confess, I fabricated that bill. I actually pocketed half the money. I thought you'd find out, but later I realized you genuinely hadn't."
"You always say you know a lot, like you're an encyclopedia, knowledgeable about everything. But I've discovered you're just pretending. You can talk about anything, but..."
Just as Liu Ying was about to continue, Jin He Li's voice came through their communication devices, delivering the latest news.
Jin He Li: Latest intel: The horde of evil creatures is retreating north. The Heavenly King level creature has withdrawn. The threat has dissipated. Yanhai City has returned to a safe state.
It was good news, a moment for jubilation, but suddenly, the scene fell silent. Everyone stared at One-Eyed Man, mouths agape.
"That's... that's what being erudite means..." Liu Ying stammered.
A calmness settled over the land. Yanhai City had never been so tranquil.
"Sigh!" One-Eyed Man smoked his cigarette down to the filter, tossed it on the ground, and extinguished it with his foot. He said calmly, "This is good news. The evil creatures have left, the crisis is over, and we're not going to die."
"Aren't you all happy?"
One-Eyed Man looked at his team members, a tight-lipped smile on his face, its meaning complex.
"Ha... Happy."
"I'm very happy."
"Boss, it must be because of you. The evil creatures were afraid of you and retreated. Long live the boss!"
The air filled with the awkward stench of flattery.
One-Eyed Man folded his arms and smiled. "Don't worry, everyone. We're all members of the special department, all good partners. I didn't take any of what you said to heart. Do I look like someone who holds grudges?"
"Liu Ying, am I right?"
"Gu Ao, don't look like that. I'm not going to eat you, am I?"
The members who had just complained exchanged glances, seeing fear and unease reflected in each other's eyes.
Damn it. Why did the news come so late? Why couldn't it have come sooner? If it had, this wouldn't have happened.
"Hahaha." One-Eyed Man laughed and waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. It was all just a joke. Tomorrow morning, those of you who just gave me your opinions, come to my office. I have some things to discuss with you. Don't be late; I have a busy schedule."
His words, seemingly calm, were laced with menace. The more tranquil, the more dangerous.
As One-Eyed Man left, he patted Gu Ao's shoulder. "You're in good shape."
"Boss, I didn't mean it that way," Gu Ao hurriedly explained, though there was no longer any need for explanations.
One-Eyed Man smiled. "No need to explain. I understand. Come early tomorrow."
Gu Ao stood frozen, as if struck by lightning. He looked up at the clear blue sky, tears of regret welling up in his eyes. He wanted to slap himself. It's your fault, your big mouth, your eagerness to show off. Couldn't you have waited?
Liu Ying stepped forward. "Boss, you know me. I'm really not that kind of person. What I said earlier, it wasn't me. I've been having cultivation problems recently, leading to a split personality. Those weren't my true feelings."
"Oh, what nonsense are you talking about? How could I remember such things? I really do have something to discuss with you tomorrow. Just come early." One-Eyed Man patted Liu Ying's shoulder, sighing. "With your mind, you could have been a rich businessman."
Then, One-Eyed Man opened the rooftop door and descended the stairs.
With his back to them, his smile vanished, replaced by a look of impending retribution.
Immediately, he contacted Jin He Li, ordering her to bring Heng Jianqiu back. Old Chen couldn't leave, and the fragment obtained from the Cockroach Demon couldn't be taken to headquarters. He intended to intercept them, likely before they even boarded the plane, while they were still on the road.
"Good lad, quite impressive. Bringing him back wasn't in vain." One-Eyed Man praised Lin Fan. Who else could have withstood the onslaught of the evil creatures? His distrust in them began to waver, replaced by a renewed sense of intrigue. He truly felt a sense of awe.
Meanwhile, Liu Ying frantically texted his girlfriend.
"Honey, I need to tell you something. I seem to owe someone money. Could you return the money I sent you so I can pay them back?"
"Honey, are you there?"
"Honey, I'm telling the truth. Please give me the money back."
Liu Ying's face was pale, sweat beading on his forehead. He had given his entire fortune to his girlfriend, leaving himself without a penny. He believed he was doomed, so he hadn't kept anything back.
Getting some pocket money back from his girlfriend wouldn't be easy.
Now, it wasn't just him who regretted his actions. Lu Han also wanted to die. Damn it, why did I return the money? He was filled with regret. If given another chance, he would definitely not have done it.