Hyperthermal Hell || Apocalypse Paradise #1 [Complete]

64: Mini Explosions & a Sob Story

"Lucky."

The same word was said at the same time by two different people in two different locations. One of them was Hu Changzai, who was facing Hai Tianqing, and the other was Fang Dan, who was facing the yuppie.

3:02 AM, northeastern corner of the Oasis.

"Twerp, you think you're lucky?" A blue vein on Hai Tianqing's forehead started throbbing as he held an axe. The blood vessels on the back of his hand also started bulging. He spat so hard on the floor that his spittle hit the ground like a bullet, raising a small cloud of dust. "Let's see if you still think so in five minutes," he threatened, looking down at Hu Changzai contemptuously.

Hu Changzai pushed up his glasses, pretending that he was calm, but he took two steps backward. His neck felt a little numb because he had to look upwards to see Hai Tianqing's face — this was his first time standing so close to someone of that stature. 'Can someone with such an enormous frame still be considered a human?'

Hu Changzai wasn't considered tall by any means, but he was at least 1.78m. Despite that fact, when he stood in front of Hai Tianqing, the top of his head barely reached his opponent's waist. The man's shoulders were so wide that it was thrice the length of Hu Changzai's, and the rippling muscles of his neck and back resembled a small mountain. At first glance, it was obvious that the man possessed an incredible amount of physical strength.

Even the axe in Hai Tianqing's hand was a marvel, as it was the same height as Hu Changzai. He wondered how Hai Tianqing even managed to find something like it.

"Well... Executive Hai," Hu Changzai called Hai Tianqing by his title, unable to immediately change his habit. "To be honest, I still haven't developed any physical enhancements," he confessed.

"What?" The man in front of him, who resembled a small mountain, fell silent for a second. "You're telling me that your physique is still that of a normal person?" he said in astonishment as he planted his large face beside Hu Changzai's.

Hu Changzai nodded grudgingly.

Hai Tianqing thought of a possibility. "So, are you planning to just surrender?"

"I can't. If I get captured, it would be troublesome for the others."

Hai Tianqing straightened his back. "Alright. Don't blame me for being merciless since you chose to side with those traitors of humankind." He lifted the axe and asked, "Do you have any last words?"

Hu Changzai shook his head; he could feel his calves trembling. As he watched the axe rise higher and higher, he clenched his teeth and rushed head first toward Hai Tianqing's waist. Hai Tianqing didn't even raise a brow. With his left hand, he grabbed Hu Changzai's neck and lifted him off the ground.

Hu Changzai kicked his legs as he hung in mid-air. He could literally feel the oxygen being squeezed out of him. His face turned purple in less than two seconds. He continued struggling, feeling his consciousness slowly fading. He tried to pull himself away by grabbing on to Hai Tianqing's muscular wrist — however, that bit of resistance was but a drop in the bucket, as it felt like nothing to Hai Tianqing.

A puzzled look appeared on Hai Tianqing's face; this was most likely because he could not understand why Hu Changzai would even bother struggling at this point. He heard the young man, who he held like a small sparrow in his hand, mumble something. He could not hear him clearly.

"What?"

"You lied yesterday," Hu Changzai said weakly through his gritted teeth.

Before Hai Tianqing could react, he felt as if there was something within his left wrist. A visible bump appeared under the skin of his arm, and it moved toward his shoulder, following his blood flow.