Apocalypse: Grinding EXP through Hunting

A flicker of helplessness crossed Shui Yun’s calm eyes.

"I’ll leave when you’ve reached your father’s realm."

Aunt Lian had a fiery figure, but her voice was as cold as ice.

Tang Wen caught a whiff of her perfume and sensed something was off.

’This woman’s tone is cold, and she hasn’t spared the Gang Leader a single glance.’

’Besides, isn’t the Gang Leader her father?’

’The Gang Leader is right here!’

’Under normal circumstances, shouldn’t she have said "reach the Gang Leader’s realm"?’

’She’s being so blunt. Looks like those two have some history.’

He glanced at the hem of Aunt Lian’s dress one more time before decisively looking away.

’What a shame.’

’To think she’s the Gang Leader’s woman.’

’Or at least an old flame.’

Tang Wen kept his eyes fixed forward.

Shui Yun, seemingly unable to command this Aunt Lian, shook her head gently. "I’m not a child anymore."

"Until you reach the Divine Martial Realm, you’re still a child."

The two bickered for a bit, but Aunt Lian remained stubborn and insistent.

The Gang Leader said nothing the entire time.

His gaze was profound as he stared at the "Seven Kills Hall" plaque on the main wall, as if it were a landscape he could never tire of looking at.

’The Gang Leader is just burying his head in the sand.’

After Shui Yun tried to reason with her a little more, Aunt Lian, clad in black, turned her faint, cold gaze toward Tang Wen.

It was a placid gaze, yet laced with indifference.

Tang Wen cursed inwardly. ’Caught in the crossfire.’

After a moment’s thought, he stepped forward and spoke.

"Master, Master’s Wife, Senior Sister."

All three of them froze.

Aunt Lian’s elegant brows shot up as she glared at the Gang Leader. "Did you teach him to say that?"

Tang Wen pursed his lips. ’What’s with the act? Your face turned red the moment you heard me call you that.’

The Gang Leader secretly gave Tang Wen an approving look. ’This kid gets it. I didn’t take him as my disciple for nothing.’

He said, "Master’s Wife, are you saying you aren’t?"

"In any case, what I mean is that I’m preparing to enter seclusion. I don’t usually leave the city, so I don’t need an Extraordinary Powerhouse as a guard."

"Why don’t I just ask Senior Sister for help when I actually need to leave the city?"

In the Black Water Gang, Extraordinaries didn’t grow on trees.

As core members of the gang, each one had their own post.

There were even fewer Extraordinaries within the Seven Kills Hall.

It was perfectly normal that none of them wanted to be a bodyguard.

Tang Wen breathed a sigh of relief.

As an Extraordinary from Flame Camp—sent by the direct lineage of the Bai Family of Sanlian City to work undercover while hiding his true strength—he couldn’t be happier to have no one following him.

A smile appeared on Shui Yun’s face.

She was also pleased that Tang Wen had tried to play matchmaker for Aunt Lian and her father, the Gang Leader.

She mused aloud, "Junior Brother, you may not be aware, but Ganshan City isn’t exactly peaceful. It’s best if you have a way to protect yourself."

Tang Wen said, "Well..."

’Then I guess the three of you will have to figure out how you’re going to protect me.’

A few seconds of silence passed.

Shui Yun pulled a thin piece of jade from her waist and handed it to Tang Wen.

"Senior Sister, this is something you carry with you. I couldn’t possibly take it, could I?"

As he spoke, his fingertips brushed the surface of the jade.

’Two words: so smooth!’

"Just take it! I’m an Extraordinary, and I have Aunt Lian with me. I have no use for it."

Tang Wen looked to the Gang Leader, Shui Qianjun, who nodded.

Only then did he thank Shui Yun and solemnly accept it.

But he still didn’t understand what it was.

Shui Yun explained.

"To use this, aim it at your enemy and shatter it with brute force."

As she spoke, her fair, powerful hand took the jade from Tang Wen’s grasp to give a brief demonstration.

"It contains one of Aunt Lian’s Killing Moves. It’s incredibly powerful. If you time it right, it will maim if not kill an Extraordinary within thirty paces."

"Thank you, Senior Sister."

Shui Yun was a woman of few words.

After the demonstration, an awkward silence fell over the four of them.

Tang Wen peeked at the Gang Leader and Aunt Lian. Both were staring into the distance, seemingly lost in thought.

But on closer inspection, he noticed something unusual about Aunt Lian’s gaze.

’Could they be communicating via secret voice transmission?’

’How scandalous.’

’Right in front of her daughter, too?’

Tang Wen said quietly, "Would you mind showing me around the Seven Kills Hall, Senior Sister? I’ve never been here before."

He finished with a wink at Shui Yun.

Then, he turned and walked out of the room.

Shui Yun got the hint and strode after Tang Wen on her long, shapely legs.

"Junior Brother, follow me."

They exchanged a knowing glance and a small smile, then went out to the martial arts training grounds.

"Junior Brother, how did you figure it out about Aunt Lian and my father?" Shui Yun asked, looking down slightly at Tang Wen.

Tang Wen had a good impression of Shui Yun.

As the gang’s future heir and the Hall Master of the Seven Kills Hall, she was second only to one person and above tens of thousands.

Yet she was neither arrogant nor eccentric.

Her actions were competent, and she spoke calmly.

Just like her name suggested, she carried no malevolent aura.

"Everyone, fall in!"

At Shui Yun’s command, everyone—from Peak Martial Artists to regular Martial Artists—...man or woman, sparring or training...instantly stopped what they were doing and fell into formation from all corners of the training grounds.

Within a few breaths, over a hundred people stood perfectly aligned.

The vast training grounds, which had been buzzing with activity just moments before, were now utterly silent.

Over a hundred Martial Artists, men and women, all well-built or curvaceous and radiating powerful auras, stood silently in five rows.

Tang Wen met the gazes of over a hundred pairs of eyes, and an overwhelming pressure washed over him.

Most of the women, their eyes bold, brazenly scanned him from head to toe.

Their gazes lingered on certain... key areas.

They were even bolder than the old perverts on the street corner leering at legs in the summer.

A hand clapped down on Tang Wen’s shoulder. It was Shui Yun’s, slender yet powerful.

She slung an arm around him, just like a big brother would with his younger brother.

Tang Wen tilted his head slightly, caught a glimpse of her profile, and cursed inwardly.

’This woman is taller than me, too.’

With Shui Yun’s movement, the gazes of all hundred-plus people fell on Tang Wen.

"This is the Seventh Young Master—Tang Wen! From now on, he is our Vice Hall Master!"

The moment her voice fell.

All hundred-plus people moved as one.

In perfect unison, they dropped to one knee, cupped their fists, and shouted, "We greet the Vice Hall Master! We greet the Seventh Young Master!"

In that instant, for the first time ever, Tang Wen felt like a real big shot.

The overwhelming wave of vanity even made him dizzy for a couple of seconds.

He felt a little giddy.

’This!’

’So this is what it feels like to have people kneel before you.’

’No wonder so many people scramble over one another, willing to pay any price just to climb the ladder!’

’It’s a rush that’s every bit as good as making love to a woman!’

"Senior Sister, this...?"

The power and status of a Vice Hall Master of the Seven Kills Hall were nearly on par with an Elder’s.

Could she just appoint him like that?

Shui Yun’s calm, ladylike demeanor vanished, replaced by an air of unquestionable authority.

"Junior Brother, you’ll do as I say!"

"In that case... thank you, Senior Sister!"

He cupped his fist to Shui Yun, then turned to the crowd still kneeling on one knee and announced in a clear voice:

"Brothers and sisters, from this day forward, I, Tang Wen, will work wholeheartedly with our Senior Sister and all of you to build our future together! Everyone, please rise!"

"Thank you, Vice Hall Master! Thank you, Seventh Young Master!"

RUSTLE~

The crowd rose to their feet.

Tang Wen felt a pang of loss.

His free trial of power had expired, and he felt a sudden urge to subscribe.

Shui Yun waved her hand, dismissing the members.

Seven men and three women remained. These ten were the team captains.

All were at the level of Peak Martial Artists.

Although their title was "Captain," their pay and benefits were the same as a regular Commander’s.

Tang Wen was introduced to the captains.

Shui Yun then took Tang Wen on a tour.

"Besides you and me, the Hall has four other Vice Hall Masters.

They’re all at the Extraordinary Level and are currently away on missions.

Outside the main hall is the training ground. Inside, there are secret cultivation chambers exclusive to the Vice Hall Masters.

I’m on the verge of a breakthrough, so more hard training is useless for me right now. You can just use my chamber from now on."

"Thank you, Senior Sister."

As they walked and talked, Shui Yun gradually learned more about Tang Wen’s background.

"Junior Brother, your bearing and speech... you don’t seem like you’re from some backwater town." Shui Yun’s gaze turned profound.

Tang Wen’s heart skipped a beat.