Chapter 70: Women, Ah, Women

In the blink of an eye, the once vigorous and imposing natives were riddled with bullets, each body pierced by a dozen holes, blood spraying everywhere.

Paul stared at the scene before him, frozen in place, a faint fear rising in his heart; his gaze at Ye Nan was filled with unspeakable terror.

“Hey yo!…”

Paul wanted to say something, but the words stuck in his throat. Just moments ago, his own kin had been talking to him—now they were all dead. He looked at the spears littering the ground, then at the black muzzles of the mercenaries’ guns, and suddenly felt a deep sorrow.

The Shur people had lived for generations in the primordial forests of the Yamaxunhe River, isolated from the outside world, believing themselves safe—never imagining that when external civilization encroached, their supposed barrier was far weaker than they’d imagined.

A tribe, hundreds of strong warriors, perished beneath those black muzzles, leaving behind only endless hatred.

“Our Shur people must change. We must leave the Yamaxunhe River. We must embrace modern civilization.”

Paul made up his mind within. He had originally been drawn by the glittering outside world, but now Ye Nan had shown him the raw power of modern civilization—and he suddenly realized the Shur were nothing at all, at least before these people, merely laughable infants.

“You’re too cruel,” Ge Er suddenly pointed at Ye Nan. “Who gave you the order to kill? Don’t you know they’re human beings, living creatures? How can you just slaughter them?”

“Who brought this idiot woman here?” Ye Nan didn’t answer Ge Er directly, but asked Paul and Jack.

“Sorry, Mr. Ye Nan, she’s always like this,” Jack made an apologetic face, then scolded Ge Er: “If it weren’t for Mr. Ye Nan, we’d all be dead by now. Those Shur are cannibals—they wanted to kill us.”

“Yet you still defend them. What are you thinking, woman?”

“What am I thinking? If he hadn’t refused to leave and seized their land, why would they have attacked?” Ge Er pointed at Ye Nan and shouted.

“You…” Kenneth stepped forward to argue with her, but Ye Nan held him back.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You just said I seized their land?” Ye Nan looked at Ge Er, speaking slowly, each word heavy with unspeakable killing intent.

“I….” Ge Er’s lips trembled, trying to speak, but found she couldn’t. The killing intent in his eyes was too overwhelming—especially after he’d just casually slaughtered a hundred people, turning now into pure terror.

“Why am I afraid of him?” A thought suddenly flashed through Ge Er’s mind—and it spread uncontrollably, not only dispelling her fear but filling her with righteous indignation: “What can he do to me? I’m a citizen of the United States of America, not some savage. I have the protection of the Lianbangzheng Prefecture. What can he do?”

With this thought, Ge Er’s resolve hardened. She looked at Ye Nan, lifted her chin, and said: “You did seize their land, didn’t you? Others fear your wealth—I don’t fear your wealth.”

Ye Nan heard her words and suddenly laughed. “Fine. Since this is their land, Madam, please leave.”

“What? You’re kicking me out?” Ge Er shrieked, her voice piercing enough to rupture eardrums.

She knew exactly what lay outside—everywhere were poisonous insects. No one knew how many venomous creatures and plants infested the Yamaxunhe River. Worse, she couldn’t go back: the boat was destroyed, and she had almost no food. If she left here, she was dead.

Fear overwhelmed her, yet she still stubbornly said: “On what grounds do you make me leave? Isn’t helping others the American moral code?”

“Who told you helping others is an American virtue? Who I help or refuse to help is none of your business,” Ye Nan said coldly, a strange sense of satisfaction rising within him.

“America is a land of freedom. If I want to kick you out, I will. If you won’t leave voluntarily, my guns will make you leave.”

This feeling of superiority, of looking down upon all others, made Ye Nan slightly intoxicated. He finally understood why so many, once rich and powerful, still clawed upward—for this posture of being above everyone else.

Since the dawn of humanity, people have always been divided into ranks. Tribal chiefs of the primitive age, emperors, kings, and nobles of medieval Europe, to today’s presidents and corporate leaders—

All of them divided people into hierarchies, pinning the lowest to society’s bottom. The only difference was the strength of the chains—and even then, they offered a sliver of hope to climb upward.

After injecting himself with Godzilla’s cells and gaining power, Ye Nan’s mindset had subtly shifted. He believed he had transcended, evolved, become a being superior to others. He looked down on everything—because strength had given him that confidence.

“You can’t do this! You’re deliberately trying to kill me! You’ll face societal condemnation!”

“Just now, some universalist was lecturing us about not seizing others’ land. Now, that same universalist is begging for mercy. Did I misunderstand? Or did I misremember?” Ye Nan mocked Ge Er loudly, ridiculing her hypocrisy—she was a whore trying to wear a mask of virtue.

“Listen to me: I’m thinking of the entire team’s safety. As you understand it, it’s far too dangerous outside at this hour. The insects of the Yamaxunhe River are a massive threat—and there are giant snakes out there. One misstep, and we’re all dead.”

“Do you understand now, woman? Don’t think being a woman grants you special treatment. If your actions endanger the team’s safety, I will kick you out without hesitation.”

“Understood.” Ge Er looked at Ye Nan, not daring to speak a single loud word, only nodding. She was terrified of him now. She suddenly realized she was no longer the team’s leader—the real leader was this man who looked only eleven, yet carried the aura of an adult billionaire.