The most despairing thing in the apocalypse is not zombies and mutated beasts. For ordinary people, the harm from the human faction is the most terrifying. In places like Yuzhou, assassination incidents have occurred. As long as someone exposes wealth that does not match their strength, and happens to be in a secluded place, it is very easy for murder and robbery to occur.
No one knows if someone will plot against them. Open attacks are easy to dodge, but hidden arrows are hard to guard against. Direct attacks appear formidable, but they can always be evaded. However, attacks from behind are impossible to defend against. If the person you trust the most suddenly ambushes you, and you are completely unprepared, then you will be the unfortunate one.
Therefore, when mercenaries in Yuzhou operate outside the city, they do so in groups, the larger the number, the better. The more people there are, the safer they are in the wild. If a lone wolf operates outside the city, they are easily robbed by powerful mercenaries. If they encounter particularly ruthless mercenaries, they will be silenced, which is more than just a simple robbery.
Yuzhou city is relatively safer, but in places where sunlight cannot reach, instances of betrayal and double-cross are also common.
Ability users are powerful, and ordinary people are no match for them. Therefore, ability users appear to be very safe. However, news has come from the southeast coast that an ability user was ambushed and killed on the spot, with their head severed. Needless to say, this means the ability user was targeted for their abilities.
With Li Keyi's new discoveries about abilities being announced, ambitious individuals immediately set their sights on the heads of ability users. As long as one can possess extraterrestrial elements, they can inevitably gain abilities. Therefore, assassinations targeting ability users have begun to appear. In the southeast region, ordinary people have even successfully assassinated ability users!
In fact, Yu Renshu had also learned the method of transferring abilities long ago. Although she did not understand the principle, after using certain methods, she had also transplanted abilities from ability users.
No matter how powerful ability users are, their bodies are still human bodies. Human bodies have limits, and they will die if they suffer fatal injuries. This is the constraint imposed by the human physique.
Therefore, some people specifically designed traps, finding lone ability users to attack. They deliberately spread rumors to lure ability users closer, but once the ability users entered the encirclement, hundreds of people around them would instantly open fire. No matter how powerful an ability user was, they could only perish under such a concentrated assault.
The occurrence of this incident deterred many lone ability users, who began to seek protection from factions or even form their own. In short, operating alone outside was too dangerous. Survival was paramount. With more people and the protection of other factions, it was less likely to be targeted by villains.
Chang Jianyi and Du Xinshi were discussing parenting experiences, but soon it was noon. Chang Jianyi quickly got up and said, "Sister Du, I'll go make lunch now. I won't be able to entertain you further. We'll eat in an hour. Please grace us with your presence in the cafeteria."
Du Xinshi quickly stood up and said earnestly, "How can such a small matter trouble you, Madam? If you don't mind, I can cook for you."
Chang Jianyi did not refuse, but Du Xinshi went to the cafeteria, where there was a kitchen specifically for her, and outsiders could not easily approach it without facing severe punishment.
Chang Jianyi held Little Dragon, playfully patting him, and explained, "Sister Du, it's not that I'm stingy and unwilling to hire a chef. It's just that I don't feel at ease entrusting the important task of cooking to others. We had a chef before, and he poisoned the food. Since then, cooking has been handled by Chu Chaoyan and me. At least, when we cook ourselves, we can eat with peace of mind."
Du Xinshi understood when Chang Jianyi said this. She realized that even with Shen Feng's high status, there were hidden dangers. Although he appeared to be in an infinitely glorious position, there were always people who wanted to assassinate Shen Feng.
However, Du Xinshi still had a different opinion and quickly said, "Then, why not have the chef taste the food after it's prepared? Or, specifically recruit tasters and food inspectors, wouldn't that solve the possibility of poisoning?"
"Inspectors can also be bribed. Moreover, if the chef were to use a slow-acting poison that is difficult to detect, and the inspector tastes it and appears fine, but then dies of poisoning a year or a half later, wouldn't that be useless?" Chang Jianyi said helplessly.
Chang Jianyi was not worried about being attacked, as there was sufficient protection in Yuzhou, and she also had ability users providing close protection, greatly increasing her safety. However, preventive measures against assassination methods like poisoning still needed to be taken. Therefore, matters like cooking and daily life had to be handled by trusted individuals.
While cooking, Du Xinshi said, "Madam, if you are worried about someone putting slow-acting poison in the food, you can change chefs and separate the supply of ingredients. This way, even if the enemy uses slow-acting poison, it won't be very effective."
It was evident that Du Xinshi was quite skilled in cooking, so she couldn't help but voice her opinion.
Chang Jianyi's heart stirred, and she said to Du Xinshi, "In that case, would you be responsible for our family's meals from now on? You are entrusted to us by Shen Feng's friend, and we absolutely trust you."
Du Xinshi was a little pleased upon hearing this. Cooking every day was indeed not a difficult task, but the responsibility was too great, wasn't it? If someone were to tamper with the food, wouldn't she be wrongly accused?
"Madam, wouldn't that be inappropriate? I've just joined Fengshen Palace, and on the first day, I'm becoming a personal chef. The responsibility is too great, and I might not be able to bear it," Du Xinshi quickly refused.
Chang Jianyi, however, shook her head stubbornly and said earnestly, "Actually, cooking consumes a lot of my time, and Chu Chaoyan also has important matters to attend to. I believe cooking must be entrusted to someone trusted. I trust you, Sister Du, so please don't refuse."
Du Xinshi then reluctantly accepted Chang Jianyi's suggestion, though she felt a sense of unease, always feeling that this position was not a good thing.
Chang Jianyi sat with the one-year-old infant, watching Du Xinshi move around the kitchen. She was a natural housewife, moving methodically while cooking. In the blink of an eye, soup was simmering in the kitchen, and other dishes were quickly prepared, either fried or stir-fried.
"This is a suitable candidate, especially with a hostage in hand, so there's no fear of her betraying us," Chang Jianyi thought to herself.
In reality, at Chang Jianyi's level, it was impossible to casually trust someone's loyalty, because historical treacherous officials often appeared more loyal than loyal ministers. Therefore, judging a person by their appearance was not advisable; even Confucius could misjudge someone.
Thus, Chang Jianyi's primary method of trusting someone was to obtain a hostage. As long as the loved ones of others were kept close, these individuals would have to consider their loved ones' safety even if they were to betray. The method was crude, but it was definitely effective.
Du Xinshi, now an orphan with an infant, was staying in Yuzhou without relatives or friends. Her only child was an infant. As long as the infant was controlled, she would have to obediently work for Chang Jianyi. Moreover, to survive in Fengshen Palace, she had to rely on Chang Jianyi. Therefore, although Chang Jianyi entrusted the important task of cooking to an outsider, she did not worry about betrayal.
The current Chang Jianyi was unrecognizable from a year ago. At that time, Chang Jianyi was easily deceived, and her judgment on many matters was too simplistic. But now, Chang Jianyi's scheming was very deep. Sometimes, seemingly simple arrangements were already thought out to a great extent.
Besides detaining hostages, Chang Jianyi also liked to bestow favors. Relying solely on coercion was not advisable. Only by combining authority and kindness could people truly be made to fear. The saying "all blessings and punishments are heavenly grace" actually meant this.
When the food was ready, Chang Jianyi called Shen Feng and Chu Chaoyan to inform them to come home for dinner.
Shen Feng returned home but did not go directly to the cafeteria. Instead, he first went to the garden to find Chang Haojie. He was still concerned about his brother-in-law's romantic life and wanted to know the progress between Chang Haojie and Zhang Xixi. There was no need for rapid progress, as they were both young, but as long as they didn't dislike each other, that was enough.
As a result, when Shen Feng arrived at the garden, he saw Chang Haojie sitting under an apple tree playing games. As for Zhang Xixi, who was supposed to be with him, she was nowhere to be seen.
"Whoosh," Shen Feng appeared before Chang Haojie like a phantom, as if he had materialized out of thin air in the blink of an eye.
"Little Jie, where is Zhang Xixi? Where is she?" Shen Feng asked first.
Chang Haojie did not look up. He knew his brother-in-law was very fast, so the person who could suddenly appear now could only be Shen Feng. While playing the game, he said, "She's meditating in the rockery over there. If you're looking for her, go to the rockery."
"Meditating? What does that mean?" Shen Feng was full of questions. This term, which only appeared in novels, how could it appear in reality? He was already a fifth-tier ability user and had never heard of getting stronger through meditation.
In fact, meditation is a Buddhist term, meaning to achieve a state of enlightened wisdom through silent contemplation. However, later online novels had overused the term "meditation," so when Shen Feng heard it, he first assumed Zhang Xixi was a chuunibyo girl who studied meditation in her spare time, which was truly inconceivable.
Immediately, Shen Feng said to Chang Haojie with disappointment, "Didn't I ask you to take her around the house? Why did you leave Zhang Xixi alone and go play games yourself? Have you no ambition?"
Chang Haojie quickly defended himself, saying, "I intended to do as you said, brother-in-law. But when I asked Zhang Xixi what she liked to do, she said she liked meditating. I didn't even know what meditation meant, and she sat down in the rockery to meditate. What could I do? I naturally stayed here playing games and waiting for her."
Shen Feng gradually understood the truth upon hearing this explanation. He now roughly understood the reason. It seemed that his brother-in-law was not incompetent, but rather Zhang Xixi found it boring. Perhaps Zhang Xixi was deliberately avoiding Chang Haojie, what a clever girl.
Shen Feng shook his head and said, "Alright, go eat quickly. I'll go see how Zhang Xixi's meditation is going."
Shen Feng soon arrived near the rockery. It was a large area of rockeries, with jagged rocks adorned with many flowers and plants, looking very serene. The caves between the rockeries were interconnected, making it the best place for children to play hide-and-seek. Hiding among the rockeries, it would be difficult for others to find them.
Zhang Xixi had fallen asleep leaning against a rock. In the scorching sun, finding a shady spot to meditate was a comfortable thing, and once people felt comfortable, they liked to sleep.
Zhang Xixi had deliberately chosen a strange excuse to avoid Chang Haojie's pestering and had gone to meditate in the rockery. However, she felt sleepy after sitting for a while and couldn't help but fall asleep, thus failing her meditation.
Seeing this scene, Shen Feng decided not to expose Zhang Xixi's little trick and coughed heavily outside the rockery: "Cough, cough..."
Zhang Xixi was instantly startled awake, immediately sat up straight, and entered a meditative state.
Shen Feng walked over and asked, "Xixi, still meditating? Let's go eat first. You'll have more energy to meditate after a full meal. Also, the prison has apprehended some lawbreakers. You have time to go to the prison at noon."
Zhang Xixi quickly nodded, agreeing to this. At the same time, Zhang Xixi was secretly rejoicing, "It seems my act hasn't been exposed. If this continues, I can indeed reduce the chances of being pestered by Chang Haojie. I'm truly a genius."
Zhang Xixi was happy about her own cleverness. The excuse she found not only saved Shen Feng from losing face but also provided a reason to stay away from Chang Haojie. After some time, when Chang Haojie lost interest, wouldn't she have completely escaped the fate of marrying a foolish landlord's son?