When Duan Lang saw Guo Pinming appear, he was immediately terrified. He raised the gun in his hand and aimed it at Guo Pinming. "Bang," the bullet left the barrel, flying towards Guo Pinming.
The trajectory of the bullet in the air was invisible to ordinary people because the bullet's speed was too fast. Ordinary people's eyesight could not capture the bullet's trajectory.
However, just as the bullet was about to hit Guo Pinming, it was blocked by an iron plate that appeared out of nowhere. It appeared without any warning.
"Clang," the bullet was instantly deflected by the iron plate, failing to harm Guo Pinming.
"All of you, lie down!" Guo Pinming was angered by the sudden attack. These people were manufacturing firearms privately in the city, which was incredibly audacious. Mercenaries were not even allowed to carry guns into the city, yet these people dared to do such a thing, showing utter disregard for the City Lord's orders.
Guo Pinming was thoroughly enraged. Instantly, all the iron objects within a ten-meter radius of him flew up. From large vehicle parts to small ear-picking spoons, everything floated in the air, instantly melting into molten iron. Under Guo Pinming's control, all iron products within ten meters would be reshaped according to his will.
"Die!" Duan Lang knew that if he were caught, it would mean certain death. Therefore, no matter what, he could only resist to the end.
"Bang bang..." Duan Lang fired all the bullets in his pistol in one go, his face filled with ferocity.
Although Duan Lang appeared to be fighting for his life, he knew in his heart that this was a desperate struggle before death. Against an ordinary esper, bullets might indeed be fatal, but facing the battle-hardened Guo Pinming, his pistol was no match for him.
Indeed, in an instant, Guo Pinming's entire body was encased in thick iron plates. Bullets that hit them were easily deflected. Meanwhile, countless suspended iron objects in the air transformed into chains, which instantly shot out, binding everyone in the factory.
If Guo Pinming wished, he could turn these iron chains into sharp knives in an instant, killing all the scum in the factory. However, he did not wish to kill. His hatred was directed at zombies and mutated beasts, as countless families had been destroyed by them. As for humans, he did not wish to administer justice but rather to capture these scoundrels and hand them over to the City Lord's mansion for processing.
The chains rattled noisily. Many, after being bound, still tried to crawl away, wriggling forward like inchworms. Seeing this, Guo Pinming said coldly, "If you continue to run, I will sever your Achilles tendons, leaving you unable to move. All of you, stay put!"
Guo Pinming took out his phone and called the city defense forces: "I'm in the old city area. There's an illegal gang in a factory here. Bring your men to handle it. Also, contact the orphanage and have them receive twenty-odd orphans."
Guo Pinming placed Zhou Lili on the ground and pointed to a group of children in the distance. "Go stand with these children. Someone will take you to the orphanage later. You won't have to work until you're fourteen, and you can study and play in the orphanage."
Zhou Lili shook her head, stubbornly holding onto Guo Pinming's sleeve, and whispered, "I want to find my dad. I'm not an orphan."
Guo Pinming frowned and asked, "You say you want to find your dad. Do you know where he is? If you don't know where he is, then go to the orphanage obediently."
Zhou Lili then whispered, "I don't know where my dad is either. He said he was the City Lord's chef. Later, he said he was going to do something big and then we would have plenty to eat and wear. But he disappeared afterward. Before he left, he handed me over to these bad people."
When Zhou Lili thought of her father, she always wondered why her father would hand her over to bad people, causing her to suffer. Did her dad not like her anymore?
Guo Pinming's brow furrowed upon hearing Zhou Lili's words. He recalled the incident of the City Lord being poisoned a few months ago. It was said that the poisoner was a chef, and later, doctors found arsenic in the food. Simply put, someone had added arsenic to the food.
Guo Pinming looked at the pitiful little girl before him, unable to believe that this was the daughter of an enemy. Although the chef's body was later found in the sewer, Guo Pinming still found it troublesome to deal with the daughter of an enemy who had almost succeeded in assassinating Shen Feng.
Guo Pinming wanted to hand Zhou Lili over to Shen Feng to deal with the little girl. But upon careful consideration, he realized he might be overthinking. This was just an ordinary little girl, not a real enemy. There was a saying in the martial world: "Misfortune should not extend to family." How could the responsibilities of the parents implicate their family members?
At this moment, the bound Duan Lang spoke, sneering, "Zhou Lili, I'll tell you now. I killed your father. Moreover, your father tried to poison Shen Feng, but he failed. You just wait to die. You are the daughter of a sinner, and you will never be forgiven in this life."
"I am the daughter of a sinner? What is a sinner?" Zhou Lili asked, bewildered.
Duan Lang sneered. He knew that being caught meant certain death, but he couldn't let others have an easy time of it before he died. If possible, he wanted to plant a seed in Zhou Lili's heart. Once her identity was known, she would surely be looked down upon, become cynical, and eventually do something to retaliate against the world!
Guo Pinming did not want to tell the little girl the truth; she was innocent. So, Guo Pinming found a piece of rag and stuffed it into Duan Lang's mouth, preventing him from spewing more nonsense.
"Alright, you'll follow me from now on. With me protecting you, you'll be fine. Your father is already dead, and as for how he died, you shouldn't investigate further." Guo Pinming suddenly made a decision to adopt the pitiful little girl before him.
Before this, Guo Pinming had visited the orphanage and found that the children there had learned to stick together at a young age. If Zhou Lili were placed in the orphanage, she would surely be bullied, especially by Wang Xi Qiang, a loyal follower of Shen Feng. At a young age, he had obtained an evolutionary fruit jelly, becoming an esper. At only nine years old, he was already a kingpin in the orphanage.
Once Zhou Lili's true identity was discovered, she would surely be bullied. All the children in the orphanage admired Shen Feng. If they learned that Zhou Lili was the descendant of an enemy, they would surely bully her openly and covertly.
Therefore, for Zhou Lili's safety, Guo Pinming decided to adopt her. At least under his care, she could grow up healthy.
Zhou Lili disagreed, tears streaming down her face again. She cried out, "I want to find my dad! My dad isn't dead!"
Guo Pinming shrugged helplessly, held Zhou Lili's hand, and stood at the doorway. When the city defense forces arrived, he handed over the scene to them.
"Take these scoundrels to prison for interrogation. Also, send these children to the orphanage. Additionally, next to building twenty-seven, there's another person I've pinned to the wall. He's also a bad guy. Make sure to capture him," Guo Pinming said to the captain of the city defense forces.
The captain nodded in agreement and then proceeded to carry out the orders.
Guo Pinming then carried Zhou Lili on his back and walked towards the depths of the old city. In this area, there were some children who survived by collecting bottles and scrap metal daily, eating only wild vegetables and corn gruel. Their parents were disabled and unable to work to earn money. Guo Pinming often provided for these children.
Guo Pinming had never told anyone about this. His salary was actually used entirely to help the less fortunate, while he himself lived quite frugally.
Guo Pinming gave his ration coupons to these self-reliant children and then carried Zhou Lili home. Guo Pinming lived in the city center, owning a large shopping mall and a tall building. Unfortunately, business was dismal after the apocalypse, and his mall could not be rented out. Otherwise, this mall would be worth billions, and he would never have to worry about food and clothing.
Guo Pinming brought Zhou Lili home and prepared a separate room for her. While tidying up the room, he said, "I'll hire a nanny to take care of you in a couple of days. You can live here with peace of mind. In the future, I'll also hire a tutor to teach you."
Zhou Lili stood by obediently, watching. She didn't know what the future held, but this uncle was a good person, and for now, she could only live with him.
Guo Pinming was chattering away, as if returning to his past life. He used to lecture his own daughter like this every day. However, this daughter now did not respond at all, offering no feedback.
After Guo Pinming finished arranging Zhou Lili's room, it was already afternoon. Judging by the time, it was time for dinner.
Guo Pinming went to the kitchen to start cooking. He didn't know many dishes. He made scrambled eggs with tomatoes, stir-fried pork with green peppers, and boiled a soup of green vegetables. He ate with Zhou Lili. Zhou Lili was very hungry and started shoveling rice into her bowl. When picking up dishes, she would always secretly glance at Guo Pinming.
After dinner, Guo Pinming cleared the dishes and said, "I'm going out. You can watch TV at home. There are discs in the drawer."
Zhou Lili obediently turned on the TV to watch. However, she didn't know how to use the VCR. After fumbling for a while, she finally figured it out. VCRs were already ancient relics, only useful in times like these. Otherwise, a year ago, they cost fifty yuan each and were still unsellable.
Guo Pinming arrived at the City Lord's mansion. Shen Feng was still in his office handling documents, and Feng Shicheng, as Shen Feng's special advisor, was also helping.
"City Lord, do you have time?" Guo Pinming asked in a low voice.
Shen Feng shook his head and pointed to the documents on the desk. "No time. My wives are all resting these two days, so I have to handle all the documents myself. I still have two hours before I can finish reviewing these files. Do you need something?"
Guo Pinming hesitated for a moment and said, "May I speak with you in private?"
As he spoke, Guo Pinming glanced at Feng Shicheng. Shen Feng also reacted and looked at Feng Shicheng.
The two espers looked at Feng Shicheng simultaneously. Although they said nothing, their meaning was clear. Feng Shicheng was already a man of the world, otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to make a living writing novels. Now, he immediately understood.
Feng Shicheng couldn't help but stand up, muttering as he walked, "Really, you ask for a private word, and I'm the one who has to leave."
Feng Shicheng left the office, closing the door behind him and hanging the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door.
Shen Feng put down his pen, stretched his wrists, and asked, "So, what important matter do you want to discuss?"
Seeing that only he and Shen Feng were in the room, Guo Pinming quickly found a chair and sat down, saying seriously, "City Lord, well, I've adopted a daughter."
Shen Feng looked at Guo Pinming's serious expression and suddenly slapped his forehead, realizing. "I understand, I understand."
Guo Pinming looked surprised. He hadn't said anything yet, and the City Lord already understood everything? Could it be that Zhang Xixi from the prison had reported this matter to Shen Feng? Was the efficiency that high?
Shen Feng opened a drawer, took out a stack of ration coupons, and handed them to Guo Pinming. "I understand. It's time to give a gift. It's just a small token of my appreciation. Take it, don't be polite with me."
Guo Pinming took the ration coupons but remained stunned. Did the City Lord really understand?
Shen Feng said earnestly, "I heard you went to borrow money from Lu Xian. I shouldn't say much about this, but now that you've adopted a daughter, your expenses will inevitably be very high. If you need money, come to me. I'll lend you some."
Guo Pinming couldn't help but smile wryly. "City Lord, I didn't come to borrow money. I really have adopted a daughter."
"Isn't this just to congratulate you?" Shen Feng said indifferently. Whether Guo Pinming truly adopted her or not, he felt that giving a gift now was the right choice.
Guo Pinming explained helplessly, "City Lord, I adopted a daughter, but she is the daughter of an enemy. Do you remember the chef who poisoned you before? After he was silenced, he still had a daughter. I have now adopted her, and I ask for your understanding."
Shen Feng's expression changed. He didn't expect Guo Pinming to adopt the daughter of an enemy. Although he didn't believe in collective punishment, it was not good if the daughter of an enemy was adopted by his good brother, and then the girl grew up seeking revenge.
"City Lord, your expression seems off," Guo Pinming said, seeing the smile disappear from Shen Feng's face, and he felt a little worried. Could it be that the City Lord couldn't let go of his hatred?
Shen Feng came back to his senses, nodded, and said, "It's nothing, it's nothing. Just make sure you discipline your daughter well from now on. I'm not a vengeful person. As long as she forgets the past, I'll pretend I don't know. I'll block this information."
"Thank you, City Lord. I will definitely discipline the child well. The child doesn't know anything yet, and I will let her grow up in carefree happiness." Guo Pinming was suddenly filled with gratitude. He had thought it would take a lot of effort to persuade Shen Feng, but now it seemed the City Lord was always reasonable.
Shen Feng shrugged and said nothing. Guo Pinming felt it inappropriate to disturb him further, so he left immediately after conveying the news.
After walking out the door, Guo Pinming casually took out the thick stack of ration coupons to count them. However, upon closer inspection, he discovered that all the coupons were for one jin. There were two hundred of them. Although the quantity seemed substantial, their value was the same as the twenty coupons Lu Xian had lent him.
"I thought they were for a hundred jin each, but they're only for one jin," Guo Pinming said, feeling disappointed and shaking his head.
Although Guo Pinming was not a person who liked to quibble over details, he truly felt that the City Lord was a bit too stingy. Others gave ration coupons starting from ten jin, but when it came to him, the face value was only one jin. Could this even be considered a gift?