Chapter 417: Are Past Grievances Wiped Clean?

"When the time comes, show them your strength and state your purpose. If they are still unwilling, then let it be."

After all, it is hard to persuade someone who is determined to seek their own death; he cannot force others, can he?

Furthermore, even if he were to relocate everyone from the Zhais within a hundred miles into the city, it would be but a drop in the bucket for the overall situation.

To put it bluntly, he himself is not even sure if he can hold this city.

"Understood." Hai Qiong responded, then asked, "President, apart from this, do you have any other instructions?"

"That is all for now. If there are any new developments, report to me at any time."

"Yes, President." Hai Qiong said respectfully, then hung up the phone.

After hanging up, Hai Qiong reached out and rubbed his temples, which were throbbing with pain.

Relocating all the people from the two Zhais outside the city is no easy task!

Fortunately, the most difficult part has already been completed; the rest just needs to be pushed forward step by step.

"For the President to do this, it seems he is genuinely wanting to save people," Hai Qiong muttered to himself.

Originally, he had thought the President proposed this plan merely as a pretext to reap benefits. As it turns out, the facts prove otherwise.

However, by doing this, the President is effectively removing the residency threshold, which will likely attract people from even further away to swarm in. When that time comes, how will Yongan City handle such a situation?

"Forget it, I'd better just do as the President intends for now." Hai Qiong shook his head helplessly, temporarily casting these worries to the back of his mind.

At that very same moment, in a row of villas on the north side of the mountain peak, many people had gathered together, launching a fierce verbal attack against Lu Yu and Hai Qiong.

Yet everyone present knew in their hearts that all they could do was vent their frustrations with words.

Even if they were unwilling or unconvinced, didn't they still end up honestly signing their names and pressing their fingerprints?

In this apocalyptic world, it has always been the strong who are respected; whoever has the bigger fist holds the right to speak.

In a bedroom upstairs, Yan Hua sat quietly by the bed, gripping his phone tightly, his eyes full of struggle.

But soon, as if he had made up his mind, he gritted his teeth and dialed a number from his contacts.

"Beep, beep, beep..." The sound of the phone ringing echoed in the stifling bedroom, adding a layer of gravity to the already oppressive atmosphere.

Yan Hua was so nervous at this moment that he could even clearly hear the "thump, thump, thump" of his own heartbeat.

After about ten seconds, the call was finally answered, and a gruff voice came through the receiver: "Hello? Who is this?"

Yan Hua took a deep breath, trying his best to make his voice sound as calm as possible: "Brother Meng, it's me."

"Who are you?" The person on the other end seemed to be struggling to recall.

"I am Yan Hua," Yan Hua said.

"Yan Hua? Yan Hua? Yan Hua! You are Yan Hua?!!!"

A voice grinding its teeth came instantly from the other end of the line, as if filled with endless hatred for Yan Hua, wishing to swallow him alive.

"It's me, Brother Meng." Yan Hua clenched his fists, his tone carrying a hint of resolve.

If it hadn't reached a point of no return, he really would not have wanted to make this call.

But what happened today made it impossible for him to swallow this bitterness.

Since that is the case, then let everyone perish together! No, perhaps his Yan Family still has a glimmer of hope; at least, it would be better than the current situation.

"Good for you, Yan Hua!" Meng Rang cursed through gritted teeth: "That good brother of yours, in collusion with Guli and that bunch, blinded one of my eyes and drove us out of Yongan City.

It has been three years; do you know how I survived these three years?

Now, you actually have the guts to call me?

What, do you think driving us out wasn't enough, and you want to finish us off? Then go ahead and bring it on! I am waiting right here for you; whoever is afraid is a coward!!!"

Meng Rang's tone sounded very tough, as if he feared nothing under the sun.

But if one paid close attention, they would notice he never explicitly stated where he was waiting. Clearly, even after three years, deep down, he still harbored fear toward Yan Hua and the others.

Yan Hua took a deep breath and said with a choked voice: "Brother Meng, my eldest brother and the others, they are, they are already dead."

"What!" Meng Rang almost jumped up in shock, "What did you say? Say that again?"

"My brother, Brother Gu, Shangguan Xu, they are all dead," Yan Hua said, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably.

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!" A burst of wild laughter came from the other end of the phone.

Meng Rang slapped his thigh while saying: "Good riddance! Good riddance! Yan Hua, your brother and that bunch should have died long ago! Tell me quickly, how did they die? Did they die in the mouths of Fierce Beasts, or at the hands of other Awakened?"

"Brother Meng, the dead are to be respected. Even if my brother and the others wronged you in the past, now that they are all dead, shouldn't the past grievances be wiped clean?" Yan Hua said with grief and indignation.

"Wiped clean? That is absolute nonsense!" Meng Rang cursed angrily: "He drove me out of Yongan City back then, forcing my family to wander and suffer immensely. My child died under the claws of a Fierce Beast.

Now, with one sentence that he is dead, this hatred can just vanish into thin air? Do you think that is possible? No, that's not right!"

As if Meng Rang had suddenly thought of something, his expression changed instantly, and he said vigilantly: "If your brother and the others are really dead, why would you tell me this news? I understand now, your brother and the others aren't dead at all, right?

Yan Hua, you two brothers really haven't changed a bit; you are still so insidious and cunning.

You called me just to set a trap, wanting to trick me into coming over and then ambush me, right? Let me tell you, don't you dream of it! I, Meng Rang, am not so easily fooled!"

Having said that, he hung up the phone directly.

"???" Listening to the busy signal coming from the phone, Yan Hua was stunned, his face filled with disbelief.