Chapter 31: Giving You a Chance to Serve Me

The color drained from Zhou Kai's face at a speed visible to the naked eye.

He froze in place, like a statue instantly flash-frozen, his brain going completely blank from extreme fear.

"It's over! I've been exposed! How could he know it was me?!"

Countless thoughts exploded wildly in Zhou Kai's mind.

He felt as if his heart were being gripped by an invisible, massive hand, making even breathing incredibly difficult.

Su Ze watched his terrified expression, the playful smile on his face deepening.

He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet it clearly reached Zhou Kai's ears.

"You deliberately spread the news on the Public Channel that resources would respawn, leading away all those people waiting in line."

"Then, you came over alone, wanting to take advantage of the time when my place was 'deserted' to bargain for my goods."

Su Ze paused, leaning forward slightly to stare into Zhou Kai's dilating pupils.

"Your plan was well-calculated—cunning and smart."

"However, have you ever thought about one fundamental question?"

"If resources in the school were really that easy to find, why would you share such fantastic news with everyone?"

"We're in the apocalypse now, everyone is struggling to find resources, and yet you... what, are you a living Bodhisattva reincarnated, here specifically to save all living beings?"

Of course, perhaps there really are brainless saints like that, but the problem is that Su Ze himself knows the true situation regarding resources.

Every word Su Ze spoke felt like a heavy hammer, smashing fiercely against Zhou Kai's defenses.

"That's right... it was the simplest logical flaw!"

But at the time, blinded by greed and his own cleverness, he hadn't realized this at all! He had only thought about muddying the waters so he could fish in them!

"Thud!" A muffled sound rang out.

Zhou Kai's knees went weak, and he fell straight down onto the cold, hard floor, slamming his forehead against it.

"Boss! Boss Su Ze! I was wrong! I was truly wrong!"

He no longer cared about any dignity, his voice thick with a sobbing, trembling tone.

"I was blinded by greed! I'm not even human! I'm just trash who wanted to take advantage of the situation! Please, Boss Su Ze, be the bigger person and let me go like a fart!"

As he spoke, he scrambled to pull something else out of his backpack, holding it high above his head with both hands.

It was a gear with a metallic sheen, looking quite complex in its craftsmanship.

【precision gear】【Quality: fine】【Note: A core component of some machinery, perhaps it can be used to craft more complex items.】

"Boss Su Ze! This is the last rare item I have! I'm giving it all to you! Please spare my life!" Zhou Kai's voice was filled with sobs, his body shaking like a sieve.

Beside them, Su Meier, who had just walked through the gates of hell, saw this scene and felt her heart clench uncontrollably again.

This man... his mind was terrifyingly deep.

Su Ze casually took the precision gear into his hand.

He weighed it; it was indeed good material, perhaps useful later.

He put the gear away but didn't react immediately, instead observing the kneeling Zhou Kai with great interest.

"Kneeling so readily? I thought you might struggle a bit, or turn around and run."

Hearing this, Zhou Kai shuddered, burying his head even lower, his voice carrying a sycophantic tremor.

"Run? Where would I run to, Boss Su Ze!"

"Since you dare to openly trade so many weapons and resources at a time like this, it means the trump cards in your hand are definitely countless times stronger than these common goods!"

"Besides, you were able to instantly pinpoint my identity based on a single Public Channel message, and you exposed me just by using such a simple, brutal tactic to bluff me... This proves your brain is a hundred times better than mine!"

As he spoke, Zhou Kai stole a glance at Su Ze. Seeing that he didn't seem to intend to attack immediately, his courage grew a little, and he spoke faster.

"Going against a boss who is stronger, smarter, and more ruthless than me—if that's not courting death, what is?"

"I... I just have a little bit of petty cleverness, but I'm not truly stupid!"

These words actually surprised Su Ze a little.

He had originally thought this was just an opportunistic petty person, but he hadn't expected the other party's ability to read the situation to far exceed his expectations.

A playful smile reappeared on Su Ze's face.

"Seeing as you have a bit of cleverness and know how to read the room, how about I give you a chance to work for me?"

Zhou Kai suddenly raised his head, a Burst of ecstatic light erupting in his eyes!

This was a chance! An excellent opportunity to turn from an "enemy" into "one of his own"!

"Just say the word, Boss Su Ze! As long as you give the command, even if it's climbing a mountain of blades or descending into a sea of fire, if I, Zhou Kai, so much as frown, I'm not human!"

He immediately declared his loyalty, wishing he could rip his heart out to prove it.

Su Ze didn't answer immediately; instead, he reached out and pulled the dazed Su Meier into his arms.

Su Meier's body stiffened, and she subconsciously wanted to struggle.

But feeling the strength in the man's arms and his emotionless gaze, she instantly became docile again, leaning obediently in his arms, not daring to move.

"You know this landlady, right?" Su Ze asked Zhou Kai indifferently, stroking Su Meier's smooth back.

"I... I know her! The landlady Su Meier from the supermarket, who doesn't know her!" Zhou Kai nodded quickly.

"She is currently a tenant of someone else, but I want her."

Su Ze's tone was as flat as if he were talking about a trivial matter. "However, her landlord is that group of sports students, and they have formed an alliance with that guy named Wang Meng on the Third Floor."

Zhou Kai's expression changed slightly; Wang Meng's name was thunderously famous among the survivors.

"I don't expect you to help me deal with them." Su Ze looked at Zhou Kai and said slowly,

"Your task is very simple: use every possible means to find out the intelligence of that group."

"How many people there are, who the landlords are, what their overall combat power is, what grade of gift pack they received, what weapons they opened, what skills they have... I want to know everything."

"If you do well, not only regarding Wang Meng's group, but from now on, you will be my eyes and ears."

As he spoke, Su Ze took ten bottles of water, ten packs of compressed biscuits, and ten hemostatic bandages from his backpack and tossed them in front of Zhou Kai.

"These are your operating funds. Whether you use them to buy people's hearts or to purchase intelligence, I don't care. As long as you complete the task well, if you do a good job, there will be more rewards."

Zhou Kai stared at the supplies on the ground, his eyes wide. These were the hardest currency right now!

"But..." Su Ze's voice suddenly turned cold, and a chill instantly enveloped Zhou Kai.

"If the task isn't completed, or... if you dare to pull any more tricks..."

"Then we will settle the punishment for the failed task, along with that account of you plotting against me."

"Your Dormitory number is 527 on the 6th floor, if I recall correctly?"

Zhou Kai's heart contracted violently, and a cold shiver shot from his tailbone straight to his scalp!

He didn't doubt for a second that if he messed up, let alone whether Su Ze himself had the strength, just by using enough food and water, he could put a bounty on his head that would ensure he had nowhere to die!

"Rest assured, Boss Su Ze!"

Zhou Kai kowtowed heavily again, picked up the supplies from the ground, his face full of the determination of someone burning their bridges.

"From today on, I, Zhou Kai, am your dog! Whoever you tell me to bite, I will bite! I guarantee I will complete the task!"

After saying this, he didn't dare stay for another second, scrambling to his feet and sprinting toward the stairwell.

The corridor returned to silence.

Su Meier leaned in Su Ze's arms, her body still somewhat stiff. After hearing everything just now, her heart was in turmoil.

This man... what terrifying methods! Coercion, inducement, intimidation, division... In just a few minutes, he had subdued a shrewd petty person and conveniently laid out a pawn to deal with the Wang Meng alliance.

She steadied herself, lifted that pitifully beautiful face, her eyes shifting, carrying just the right amount of worry.

"That... Wang Meng and his group are indeed quite strong, and the sports students all stick together, with strength in numbers. We... we must make absolutely perfect preparations."

She wasn't truly worried about Su Ze. She was just afraid that if Su Ze lost, the fate of her, a "traitor," would definitely be worse than death.

"Hmm, you're right." Su Ze actually nodded in agreement. "It is time to prepare properly."

Su Meier felt a surge of joy, thinking her "concern" had worked.

However, the next second, she saw Su Ze take a yellowed blueprint from his backpack. 【Blueprint: Shoddy Wooden Chair】

Su Ze didn't even look at her, choosing to use it directly. 【Ding! Consumed Wood material * 20, successfully crafted Shoddy Wooden Chair * 1!】

A rickety, old wooden chair that looked like it would fall apart at any moment appeared out of thin air in front of them.

Su Meier: "???"

Before she could react, Su Ze performed another operation. 【Ding! Consumed Wood material * 50, Shoddy Wooden Chair upgraded to Normal Quality · Lv.1 Normal Wooden Chair!】

A faint light flickered over the old wooden chair; the originally rough surface became smooth, and the loose structure became stable, turning into a quite sturdy-looking normal wooden chair.

Then, under Su Meier's dazed gaze, Su Ze sat down on it, stretched comfortably, and let out a sigh of satisfaction.

He leaned back against the chair, crooked his finger at Su Meier, who was still frozen in place, with a lazy smile on his face. "Come here. Massage my shoulders."