Chapter 215: One Wave After Another
They shouted a full three times. Even though there were only four of them, their voices were so loud it felt like they could overturn the RV. Lily Hart couldn’t help but cover her ears.
The other customers shot them suspicious looks. ’Poisoned? How is that possible? We’ve bought plenty of water from the convenience store these past couple of days. Why are we fine after drinking it?’
Since it involved the convenience store, Frost Shaw naturally stepped forward to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Lily Hart.
He jutted out his chin and asked bluntly, "Where’s the water bottle? The purchase record? What time did you buy it? I’ll check the surveillance footage."
With all this evidence at his disposal, he wouldn’t stand for any baseless accusations.
The leader, a man with a square, righteous-looking face, spoke up. "Sometime between three and four yesterday afternoon, I believe. I can’t recall the exact time."
Frost Shaw glanced at the person on the stretcher, opened his Light Brain, and started checking the surveillance footage from three to four o’clock.
Meanwhile, Lily Hart was asking, "What makes you say he ended up like this from drinking water from the convenience store?"
The surrounding customers also chimed in. "Yeah! We’ve drunk plenty of it, and nothing’s happened to us!"
"Are you guys just jealous that Boss Hart’s business is doing so well that you have to keep coming back to cause trouble?!"
"It was people from the research institute this morning, and now you guys this afternoon. We have no idea what you’re trying to pull!"
The square-faced man hadn’t expected Lily Hart to have so many loyal customers. Their words left him momentarily speechless. ’We’re just doing a job we were paid for...’
So the entire group fell silent, their faces stony and serious.
Lily Hart pursed her lips. ’These people truly have nothing better to do than cause trouble for me all day! How annoying!’
"Found it," Frost Shaw said. He turned his Light Brain around for them to see. "This is him, right?"
The square-faced man squinted, studying the image for a moment before nodding. "That’s right, that’s him. He went back, drank the water right in front of us, and ended up like this!"
"Then why did you wait until today to come find us?" Lily Hart asked, blinking innocently.
"..." ’Because that’s what our employer told us to do, of course.’
The square-faced man said expressionlessly, "Whatever. He drank your water and ended up like this! Pay with your money! Pay with your life!"
The four men carrying the stretcher, plus the dozen or so people they brought with them, shouted in unison, "Pay with your money! Pay with your life!"
Frost Shaw pulled up the man’s purchase history. "Pal, he didn’t buy any water. If you’re going to cause trouble, at least do your homework, will you?"
The square-faced man scanned the receipt from top to bottom. There really was no water on it. His face gradually turned ashen.
’I don’t quite get what the employer is playing at. What were the instructions again?’
’Ruin Lily Hart’s reputation. Oh, right, right, right!’
’Doesn’t matter how, as long as it gets ruined!’
He started spouting nonsense. "Then it was this bread! This instant ramen! That’s what did this to him!"
The man looked so righteous, but everything he said was complete bullshit.
The other customers could see it now, too. The guy was just here to make trouble. They all shook their heads and sighed.
’They just can’t stand to see Boss Hart succeed...’
Lily Hart had just finished gnawing on a fried chicken leg. With a WHOOSH, she tossed the bone.
It landed squarely on the square-faced man’s forehead—greasy, and still coated with a bit of Lily Hart’s spit.
THWACK! The bone slid all the way down his forehead before falling forlornly to the ground.
The square-faced man was stunned. When he came to his senses, he shrieked with anger, "Lily Hart! Lily Hart!"
He reached up to wipe his forehead, his hand coming away greasy. Yet, it carried a meaty fragrance, mingled with the unique aroma of fried food.
He gulped shamefully, and a good portion of his anger instantly dissipated.
The square-faced man kicked the chicken bone on the ground, but he kicked his leg too high and lost his balance.
He went straight into a full split...
With a loud RIP, his crotch tore open. Then, with a THUD, the man slammed hard onto the ground.
There happened to be a protruding rock on the ground, which met the man right between the legs. "AHHH—" he shrieked.
The series of movements was incredibly smooth. Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought he was performing acrobatics.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
This was followed by an explosive burst of laughter. It was chaotic, but sounded quite pleasant.
Lily Hart couldn’t stop laughing. She leaned on Frost Shaw’s arm, doubled over in hysterics. What a delightful scene.
’Free entertainment! Who doesn’t love to see it?’
A smile touched Frost Shaw’s eyes as well. He could feel the warmth of her touch on his arm, and his heart fluttered.
He fought the urge to look at her, simply gazing ahead with smiling eyes, the tips of his ears turning red.
The square-faced man, still sitting on the ground in a split, felt a piercing pain shoot from his crotch all the way up to his brain.
His lackeys watched the spectacle for a moment before they snapped out of it and rushed forward to help him up.
His balls having been injured, the square-faced man didn’t dare bring his legs together. He held them straight out, as any contact sent a jolt of piercing pain through him!
"Quick, quick, quick, I need to go back! I need to go back and see a doctor!" the square-faced man roared.
He completely forgot that Lily Hart had caused all this. All he could think about was getting a doctor to check on his balls. ’I don’t even have a son yet!’
The group of men yanked the man lying on the stretcher off, then carefully helped the square-faced man onto it.
"Lie back, sir. We’re heading back right now."
With that, the four of them skillfully lifted the stretcher and sprinted back to the base.
The others casually grabbed the ashen-faced man who had been on the stretcher and hauled him back to the base with them as well.
And just like that, a farce that had begun in confusion ended in confusion.
The onlookers expressed their concern. "Boss Hart, you have to protect yourself."
"That’s right! Don’t let people like this ruin your day. They just can’t stand to see you making money and living a good life. It makes them feel bad!"
"Yeah, there are too many people like that. Just focus on selling your lottery tickets and don’t let it affect you."
Lily Hart smiled, "I’m fine. You guys carry on, don’t let it affect you either."
’It’s just so funny,’ she thought. ’These people came to cause trouble without getting any of their facts straight.’
’They really underestimated me.’
She composed herself and turned back to her meal. The drumstick was gone; now it was time for the wings!
It had been a rather eventful meal, but Lily Hart wasn’t fazed in the slightest.
But after the meal, someone else arrived...
’How many groups of people are going to show up today? Can’t a girl get a break?’
But this new arrival... he looked a bit like Frederick Shaw?
Her interest piqued, she led the way to a storage room next to the kitchen. It was relatively soundproof, so she usually used it for important discussions.
She had rearranged it a bit inside. The clutter was piled in a corner, and a small tea table was placed in the middle.
It was a place to chat, drink tea, and the like.
"Sit," Lily Hart said.
He was an old man, but still hale and hearty, with sharp, bright eyes. The tunic suit he wore was clean and tidy.
He was just a little... thin.
He sat down slowly and took a sip of hot tea, his eyes squinting in comfort. The lines on his face deepened as he praised, "Excellent tea. It’s been a long time since I’ve had tea this fine. The aftertaste is simply divine..."
Lily Hart began to wonder if she’d grabbed the wrong tin. ’Isn’t this just ordinary black tea?’