[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times":3,"chapter-the-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times-the-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times-chapter-126":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Fiercest Man in the End Times",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2319364,4536,"Chapter 126: Great Vessels Require No Completion","the-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times-chapter-126",126,"\u003Cp>After getting out of the vehicle, Zhang Su took a deep breath of the cold country air, resealed the cigarette pack, and gestured to Lu Yubo to split up and circle around to the other side of the car.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yubo understood at once, tucked the cigarette behind his ear, drew his weapon, crouched low, and moved toward the opposite side of the vehicle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Lu Yubo reached the front of the car, Zhang Su spun around and swiftly circled to the other side from the rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, a scraping sound came from outside the RV window—a figure bolted to run, only to see someone approaching from the front, forcing him to turn, while another blocked all other escape routes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t move, or I’ll shoot you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su stood in a perfectly positioned spot, shining his flashlight along the barrel of his pistol at the teenager hunched beside the vehicle. He’d kept the gun on him all along, just without bullets—but it was more than enough for intimidation now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t shoot, please, I mean no harm!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy, seeing the black pistol, raised both hands in immediate surrender, not even considering resistance—given the group’s superior gear, he had no doubt the gun was real, and he couldn’t afford to gamble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Face the car, raise your hands onto the roof, stand still!” Zhang Su didn’t relax for a second, his eyes locked on the boy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could someone…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Wen, standing on the rooftop of the fertilizer shop, stared at Zhang Su and his group in shock: “Mr. Zhang, this is my fault…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher Yu, you’re definitely getting punished this time!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su had previously told Zhao Dezhhu, Yu Wen, and Yu Qing they could only take two portions of supplies from the group, but since Yu Wen had shown decent combat ability and Yu Qing had been making progress, he hadn’t enforced it—yet this oversight had to be punished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commotion outside the vehicle made everyone inside, who’d been watching cartoons, jump up and rush out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This… Brother Su, is this guy trying to sabotage us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Xinyu frowned at the suddenly appearing boy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I’m not!” Before Zhang Su could speak, the boy protested: “I was just watching the cartoon—don’t frame me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pfft…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several people burst out laughing—this guy had the nerve to sneak up and peek through the window just to watch cartoons?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then they all felt a chill: if he hadn’t been watching cartoons but plotting something malicious, they’d have been done for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, even Zhang Su hadn’t noticed someone approaching—the TV and the group’s laughter had drowned out the faint sounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop bullshitting—this excuse is too weak. Spill it—what were you doing? If you don’t talk, I’ll kill you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yubo jabbed the boy’s back several times with his grain sampler, even puncturing his clothes with a series of puffs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ow, hey, that hurts…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy squirmed desperately: “I really was watching the cartoon! Don’t bully me just because you’re many—dare you fight me one-on-one!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su waved a hand at Lu Yubo, who’d burst out swearing: “He really was just watching cartoons—he’s not lying…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing everyone’s skeptical glances, Zhang Su added: “If he hadn’t suddenly laughed out loud, I wouldn’t have noticed him. Kid, you’re quiet—come on, tie your hands and feet, come with me to the vehicle for a chat!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Zhang Su pulled two zip ties from his pocket and dropped them at the boy’s feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy turned and saw over a dozen men and women—he knew escape was impossible. He sulked, crouched down, and used his mouth and hands to bind his wrists, then said: “Don’t tie my feet—I can’t walk if you carry me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, let’s go,” Zhang Su sighed, gesturing to the boy, then turned back toward the fertilizer shop’s rooftop: “Teacher Yu, snap to it. Punishment: you’re on watch until midnight, and you miss tomorrow’s meal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Wen snapped to attention, solemnly replying: “I’ll complete the task!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just before boarding, Zhang Su paused and said to Wu Lue: “Lue, you’ll stand watch with Teacher Yu. We’re too many now, covering too much ground—one person can’t watch everything. One on each side, got it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, understood, Brother Su!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Lue answered seriously, then sprinted toward the stairs inside the fertilizer shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group returned to the vehicle and formed a circle around the boy—wearing a tattered cotton coat, his face streaked with black and yellow grime, a hardened clump of snot under his nose, matted hair, and mismatched, ruined cotton shoes—filthy from head to toe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, how old are you? What’s your name? Where are you from?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su sat on the sofa and asked the boy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The filthy boy squirmed, defiant, neck stiff: “They used to call me Boss Kun…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll kick your ass, you little brat—speak properly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yubo instantly bristled—this kid was barely a teenager, barely an adult, and called himself “Boss”? Absolute audacity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My name is Pang Dakun. I’m seventeen. I’m from Shuipao Village…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Lu Yubo’s ferocity, the boy reluctantly, but obediently, gave his details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pang Dakun…” Zhang Su repeated the name, then frowned: “Weren’t all the survivors from this village evacuated to the other side? How are you still here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d heard clearly from the villagers across the river that all survivors from nearby villages had crossed over—so how had this half-grown boy suddenly appeared?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Zhang Su’s question, Pang Dakun’s face darkened. He pouted: “They’re not human—they killed my grandfather. A bunch of dogs—I’ll kill them all someday!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su exchanged glances with the others—there was more to this story!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dakun sniffled and told his tale, haltingly—his limited education made his account unclear, but Zhang Su and the others pieced together the meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dakun dropped out of junior high and never left the village—he’d lived with his grandfather his whole life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day before the disaster, he’d gone to Qincheng on some errand and got stranded there. When the survivors organized their evacuation, they left his grandfather behind. Days later, he snuck back and found his grandfather dead in the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those dogs weren’t human—they didn’t care if my grandfather lived or died—they’re monsters!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dakun wept bitterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How do you know your grandfather wasn’t infected when the disaster broke out?” Zhang Su asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My little brother told me—he went to my house and checked.” Pang Dakun answered quickly, wiping his face—making it even dirtier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Child, don’t cry. Where are you living now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Huajun pulled out a wet wipe and handed it to Pang Dakun to clean his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one judged the villagers for leaving Pang Dakun’s grandfather behind. According to his story, the old man had a leg disability—he couldn’t move. Everyone knew what the zombies were like. They could barely save themselves—how could they carry an elderly invalid?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was tragic. It was helpless. It was an unspeakable loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Auntie. I live in the village…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dakun wiped his face roughly, cleaning it slightly, then suddenly looked at Zhang Su: “Uncle, you’re so strong—can you teach me to fight? I want to avenge my grandfather!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su felt a vein throb on his temple—he thought, this guy really doesn’t know how to talk. He’d just called Tan Huajun “Auntie,” so calling him “Uncle” wasn’t entirely off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pang Dakun, I understand you hate those people for not saving your grandfather—but why blame them? What were you doing when the disaster hit? Your own family—you didn’t care for them, yet you expected strangers to? Are you dreaming?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dakun froze, his face shifting colors, unable to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, kid, you didn’t have a job? Why’d you go to Qincheng? Looking for girls?” Zhao Dezhhu asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dakun’s eyes darted, then he lowered his head shyly: “I wanted to buy something—my grandfather had no money, so I…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, so you stole?” Zhang Su guessed instantly—he knew this kid hadn’t gone for anything good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, Pang Dakun kept his head down, offering no denial. Given his explosive temper, Zhang Su knew he’d hit the nail on the head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Su, this kid’s clearly the village outcast—ignore him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yubo glared at Pang Dakun—he saw him as a lowlife thug. Someone respectable had a real job, enough to cover food and expenses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who says I’m not liked? I’ve got over ten little brothers—they all call me Boss Kun! Don’t you dare say that!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dakun pointed angrily at Lu Yubo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” Zhang Su blinked, frowning: “Where are your zip ties?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I undid them!” Pang Dakun shifted his feet and kicked the wrist ties out from behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone stared at each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Holy shit, kid—you’ve got some skills…” Zhang Su scratched his head, stood up, and walked to Pang Dakun: “Put your hands out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, damn, kid, you’ve got some skills...\" Zhang Su scratched his head, stood up, and walked up to Pang Dankun. \"Stretch out your hands and hold them still.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling Zhang Su’s presence, Pang Dakun obediently extended his hands—and was tied up again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, show me how you undo them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su watched Pang Dakun with interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is my secret technique—I don’t teach it to my little brothers—you can’t watch!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dakun said seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Slap.*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he finished speaking, he got a sharp tap on the back of his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yubo glared: “How dare you talk to our boss like that? Do it now—or I’ll zip-tie your dick!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yubo glared at him: \"How dare you talk to our big brother like that? Just do it, or I’ll stitch up your little bird!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several women burst out laughing, shooting odd glances at the shameless Lu Yubo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dakun hated this brutal brute. He groaned, then reluctantly demonstrated his technique—bending his wrists and fingers into an exaggerated curve, then using his nails to fiddle with the zip tie—until, slowly, it popped open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dankun was sick of this terrifying brute; he groaned and began showing off his skill. His wrist and fingers bent into an exaggerated curve, then, somehow using his nails, he fiddled a few times—and indeed, slowly pushed the zip tie out!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su had never known this—Pang Dakun’s skill shocked him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Su, he’s definitely a habitual thief…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Xinyu said, her expression strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su nodded. This half-grown boy, who’d been loitering in the village, wasn’t a fool—he’d actually developed some crooked skills. He continued: “Don’t tell me your whole skill is untying zip ties—that’s nothing. Pathetic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re the pathetic one—I know way more than that!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Zhang Su’s disdain, Pang Dakun instantly perked up—but as soon as he spoke, he ducked his head, knowing the blow was coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Pang Dankun heard Zhang Su looking down on him, he immediately perked up—but as soon as he opened his mouth, he ducked his head. Sure enough, a palm swung up from behind, whooshing past his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The slap missed—he’d dodged. Lu Yubo rolled up his sleeves to teach him a lesson, but Zhang Su’s glare stopped him cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Know more? Then tell us—let’s see how impressive you really are,” Zhang Su said with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dakun glanced around at everyone, stuck out his chin, and said, “My unique skill can’t be shown for free—I need payment!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you want?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dakun’s eyes darted around, then locked onto the Corgi squatting at Zhang Su’s feet: “I want this dog—my old dog died!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No way. Haoyun is part of our team, not just some dog. Pick something else,” Zhang Su waved his hand, rejecting Pang Dakun’s demand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, so dogs are all part of your team, oh…” Pang Dakun scratched his greasy head, then spotted the thermos on the windowsill: “I want that one. I’ve always wanted to give my grandpa a thermos—I was going to steal one from the city this New Year, oh no, buy one. Is that okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Tan, what do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su remembered the thermos belonged to Tan Hua.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Hua nodded without objection; there were many such thermoses on the vehicle, all taken from Yihe Auto.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, the owner agrees. You can demonstrate now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su told Pang Dakun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t actually demonstrate, but I can tell you—I can climb roofs and walls, pick all kinds of locks—mechanical ones, not electronic. My specialty, heh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dakun grinned sheepishly, then added, “I’m fast—I can steal things.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su looked at Pang Dakun skeptically and questioned, “You really know these skills?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Su, I think he’s just a braggart. A kid of sixteen or seventeen couldn’t possibly know all that,” Lu Yu shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just him—many others wore skeptical expressions. Mainly because Pang Dakun was so young; such skills required years of refinement. Take lock-picking—given his background and age, how many locks had he even seen?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, Pang Dakun merely smirked proudly at their stares.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I met my master at ten. He said I had extraordinary talent, that if I learned from him, I’d never go hungry. So I followed him. Heh—heh. Even when my parents refused to give me money, I still ate and drank!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su nodded thoughtfully. He knew well how terrifying talent could be—as the saying goes, great vessels are never finished; true talent needs no excessive training, like flawless jade needing no carving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Pang Dakun’s master’s words were worth pondering: learn this kind of thievery, and you either keep stealing—risk-free profit—or get caught and end up sewing seams in prison. Either way, you never go hungry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if you get killed during a theft—you still never go hungry…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kid, who said your skills can’t be demonstrated? The driver’s door is locked—open it for me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su pointed at the RV’s door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Dakun sneered. “Uncle, that’s too easy. Brother Kun—I’ll show you something today!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the bright moon and sparse stars, Yu Wen and Wu Lue watched curiously as Zhang Su’s group stepped down from the vehicle again, wondering what they were up to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, everyone gathered before the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing over a dozen eyes fixed on him, Pang Dakun chuckled, pulled a flexible wire from his sleeve, leapt lightly onto the tire, and began working under the flashlight’s beam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In barely thirty seconds, the RV’s driver’s door swung open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m back, haha. First thing I did was update—but my computer broke, system using 100% disk, I couldn’t even type, restarted it several times before it worked…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2410,"2026-06-20T15:15:14.526Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","648e14c7c10f8762f8a5a4ebf010780f96605d71105ff623f308ddc349bd3616","the-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times-chapter-127","the-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times-chapter-125",694,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times-cover.jpg"]