Chapter 446: Do You Want to Feel It Yourself?

Liu Tianji arranged for men to collect the bodies of the three unfortunate brothers, and the group returned to the highway.

"Let's say my three men were unlucky—why the hell did they split off from the main group to rest? But you claim you came alone last night and took them all down one against three? I don't believe it!"

Liu Tianji shook his big head vigorously; in plain terms, he was dissatisfied because this matter brought him no benefit.

"Commander Liu, whether it was one man or eight, the facts are clear: the situation was unmistakably hostile. Yan Luo Wang acted without fault. Even if our Bodyguard Corps' brothers were killed, we'd have to accept it—why are you still dragging this out?"

Zhang Xin said impatiently; the freezing cold made him eager to get to Tianma Yu and warm up.

"Since Yan Luo Wang intends to resolve our misunderstanding, of course I should voice my doubts—is there anything wrong with that?"

Liu Tianji naturally didn't give a damn about the temporary leader of the Survivors' Alliance.

"Then you can leave. Yan Luo Wang didn't stop you—why are you loitering here causing trouble?"

Yang Xin saw that Liu Tianji wasn't intimidated by Zhang Xin and chimed in to support him.

Liu Tianji realized he was about to become the target of everyone's ire, stuck out his neck, and said: "I never said I'd leave—I just remain skeptical about what happened last night. My three men aren't weak; no one can easily take on three at once unless they see it with their own eyes!"

"So you're saying you want to test it?"

Zhang Su regarded Liu Tianji with a knowing look.

In the earlier battle, he had acted decisively, ending the fight with a lightning strike. But now that the conflict was winding down, he couldn't rush—he needed these people to truly accept him. As soon as he spoke, eighty percent of those present showed interest. Zhang Su had used the Flame Zombie as a weapon, not his own strength; they genuinely wanted to see Yan Luo Wang's martial skill.

Liu Tianji licked his lips, glanced up at Ju Wuying, and said: "Surely Yan Luo Wang isn't weaker than a woman?"

"I can make you shut up right now."

Ju Wuying sensed Liu Tianji's intense hostility, lifted her eyelids, and spoke calmly.

"I look down on men who hide behind women!"

Liu Tianji tugged at his bullet belt, shook his head with a strange expression, and ignored Ju Wuying's threat.

"Hah." Zhang Su smiled. "You're just doubting whether I have the strength to take down your three men one-on-three. If so, come feel it for yourself."

"That's exactly what I had in mind!"

Liu Tianji stepped forward, puffed out his chest, his gaze sharp—his martial prowess had always been his pride. Xiao Ying Hui was the smallest of the Four Tigers of Beicheng, yet he was its strongest individual warrior!

"Fine, I'll verify it—but there must be stakes. Otherwise, I've got better things to do than play with you."

Seeing Liu Tianji ready to fight, Zhang Su seized the moment to set the terms—this was his true goal; otherwise, why waste time talking?

Liu Tianji was channeling his Qi when he heard this and nearly choked. He growled: "What do you want to bet?"

"Just find something of equal value…" Zhang Su glanced around, pointed at the Flame Zombie's cargo truck guarded by Wu Lue and Pan Guoliang, and said: "That's my spoils—I'm putting it up as the stake. You provide something of comparable worth."

One sentence instantly silenced Liu Tianji.

The crowd around them was equally speechless.

What kind of being was the Flame Zombie? Undeniably a heavy weapon—its value even surpassed that of a tank; properly used, it could hold back tens of thousands of zombies. With Xiao Ying Hui's pitiful resources, they simply couldn't match it with anything of equal worth.

"You're deliberately making this hard. If you don't want to fight, just say so—admitting you're not up to it isn't that hard, pfft!"

Liu Tianji took a deep breath, furious.

"I think you just can't think of anything to bet. Let me suggest it then: bet your entire Xiao Ying Hui. Dare you?"

Zhang Su spread his arms and asked. Liu Tianji spun around to face him, his eyes serious: "You mean—if I win, the Flame Zombie is mine; if you win, Xiao Ying Hui joins Tianma Yu?"

"Exactly. You're smarter than you look."

Zhang Su nodded, even complimenting Liu Tianji.

Instantly, the crowd began whispering among themselves, all discussing the stakes—except Xiao Ying Hui's members, who stayed silent. But if you looked closely, some of their expressions weren't firm—they clearly longed to join Tianma Yu.

It was only human nature: who would willingly stay low if they had a chance to rise? But the final decision rested with their leader. Losing and joining Tianma Yu was one thing; defecting and then applying to join was another—the other side might refuse, and they'd be branded traitors.

"Brothers, what do you think?"

Liu Tianji turned to the members of Xiao Ying Hui behind him.

"Whatever the boss decides!"

"Yes, we follow the commander's orders…"

Anyone who survived the apocalypse wasn't stupid. Xiao Ying Hui's members quickly weighed the pros and cons. Being the stake sounded humiliating, but as the stake themselves, they stood to win either way: if their boss won, they'd return home with the Flame Zombie in triumph; if they lost, they'd naturally join the other side—and as members of Xiao Ying Hui, they'd become absolute winners.

Liu Tianji was impulsive by nature but not foolish—he understood what his men were thinking. Seeing no objections, he immediately unslung his heavy bullet belt and handed it to a comrade, rolled his shoulders, and said to Zhang Su: "Fine, let's go. Don't you dare back out later!"

"I won't back out!"

"Alright, find a place—this spot's too narrow to fight properly!"

Liu Tianji looked around and thought the open ground behind the convoy looked good.

Zhang Su shook his head, drew his steel rod from his belt, and casually drew a circle on the ground. "It's freezing out here, and dozens of brothers are waiting. Let's not waste time—this small circle is enough for us two. Whoever steps out loses. Deal?"

Liu Tianji looked down—the circle was barely two meters in diameter. Pure close-quarters combat, no room to dodge at all…

After a moment's thought, he nodded firmly: "I don't hold back. I won't kill you, but if I injure you, don't blame me!"

"I'm tough. Don't worry about that."

Zhang Su handed his weapon to Zheng Xinyu, stepped forward, and entered the circle before Liu Tianji.

"Oh oh oh! Su Ge is dueling the leader of Xiao Ying Hui! Come watch, everyone!"

Lu Yu saw the rules set, immediately shouted loudly. In an instant, everyone except the few guarding the Flame Zombie surged over to watch.

"Come on, everyone, make way! Fists and feet don't know mercy—move back, move back!"

Qi Xiaoshuai and Pang Dankun cleared the space, nudging the onlookers slightly outward.

The atmosphere was electric. The earlier heavy, deadly tension had vanished like smoke with the deaths of Liao Youzhi and Gong Chengming. Whoever they belonged to, everyone now craned their necks toward the two fighters.

"Boss, win! Xiao Ying Hui's future rests on you!"

"The Flame Zombie! Once we get it, we're invincible!"

"Boss, go! We've got your back!"

Xiao Ying Hui's members stood behind Liu Tianji; their true thoughts were their own, but they still cheered for their leader.

On the other side, though Zhang Su had more people behind him, it was eerily quiet—even the usual loudmouths had shut up. This actually made Liu Tianji more confident, because silence meant lack of confidence!

(End of Chapter)