Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Fierce Beating, Enemies Meet Again

As soon as Gu Sha spoke, the faces of everyone present changed. Liu Song was especially furious; he stepped forward, sneered coldly, and declared, "You have no sense of your own insignificance. Today, I'll teach you what it means to show reverence!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Liu Song struck. The tiles beneath his feet shattered as he launched himself forward with astonishing speed, his fist gleaming faintly as he aimed a blow at Gu Sha. Many could only see a blur; Liu Song's fist was already before Gu Sha.

Everyone seemed to witness Gu Sha's blood splattering on the spot in their minds.

Liu Song was famous within Fortress C. He ranked among the top warriors in the Association of the Extraordinary, already at the third tier. There were fewer than ten people who could defeat him, earning him the title of one of the fortress's top ten champions. His reputation was precisely why Lin Meifeng, his lover, dared act so arrogantly.

And yet, the next moment stunned everyone.

Gu Sha caught Liu Song's fist with ease.

A wave of shock swept through the crowd. Liu Song's eyes widened in disbelief—he had thrown his full strength into that punch, and yet it was caught.

Instantly, Liu Song's qi and blood surged. He raised his leg to kick at Gu Sha.

Gu Sha snorted coldly and kicked out, moving faster than Liu Song. His foot struck Liu Song's calf, and with a sharp crack, the sound of bone breaking echoed.

Liu Song screamed in agony.

But in the next instant, Gu Sha pulled gently on the hand gripping Liu Song's fist.

With a sickening rip, Liu Song's entire arm was torn from his shoulder, blood gushing wildly as his cries filled the air.

Gu Sha slapped Liu Song across the face, sending him flying to the ground with a crisp smack.

Liu Song writhed on the floor, howling in pain.

At that moment, the city guards panicked and raised their guns.

"Stop! Stop!" Director Chen, distinguished by his receding hairline, hurriedly ordered the guards to lower their weapons, shouting, "Put down your guns! All of you, put them down!"

He then instructed his men to carry Liu Song away.

Director Chen turned anxiously to Gu Sha, addressing him with utmost respect, "Comrade, this is all a misunderstanding. The Association of the Extraordinary would be honored to have you join us; you don't need to undergo any tests. I—"

"No need," Gu Sha waved him off, sneering. "If the Association of the Extraordinary is like this, you aren't worthy of my membership."

With that, Gu Sha shouldered his backpack and looked to Ma Yue, the city guard. "Guard Ma, please arrange for me to enter the fortress as a regular survivor."

"Ah? Ah!" Ma Yue was still in shock, nodding blankly.

Gu Sha pushed past Director Chen and strode away. At the door, he glanced at Lin Meifeng, whose face was pale as death, then turned to Director Chen and said, "The Association of the Extraordinary—I'm very disappointed."

Director Chen glared angrily at Lin Meifeng, then quickly chased after Gu Sha, calling, "Comrade, comrade, let me explain—"

Gu Sha walked outside the steel shed and suddenly stopped, turning to Director Chen. "That man's name was Liu Song, wasn't it? He attacked me first. I believe I acted in self-defense. If the Association of the Extraordinary doesn't accept that and seeks retribution, you know where to find me. But I suggest you think carefully."

He stamped the ground lightly and strode away.

Director Chen wiped sweat from his brow, forcing a smile. "How could that be, comrade, you—"

His words trailed off. His mouth hung open, eyes wide with disbelief.

Because the spot where Gu Sha had stamped his foot now bore a crack, spreading outward like a spiderweb. With a thunderous crash, the ground collapsed into a pit at least two meters deep.

Cold sweat broke out on Director Chen's forehead. The city guards swallowed in awe.

The chief guard stammered, "Director Chen... does... anyone in the Association of the Extraordinary have such power?"

Director Chen's mouth twisted. "Not a chance. Even the president couldn't do that. And that man only stomped lightly..."

"He's a walking bomb!" the chief guard exclaimed.

"This is trouble!" Director Chen gritted his teeth and spun to glare at the terrified Lin Meifeng inside the steel shed. "Lin Meifeng, isn't it? Very good. You've just chased away a man who might have saved countless lives. You're finished—no one can protect you now." He turned to several staff from the Association of the Extraordinary and barked, "Arrest her and bring her back for investigation!"

Lin Meifeng collapsed to the ground in terror.

…

Meanwhile, Gu Sha boarded a truck and entered the fortress.

Outside, he thought the earthquake earlier hadn't greatly affected the fortress. But once inside, he saw that many houses had collapsed.

Fortunately, there were no skyscrapers here. Most of the buildings were makeshift shanties, so the earthquake's damage was limited.

The fortress was vast, like a city in itself.

But with so many survivors gathered, the place was crowded. People squeezed together in shanties, and everywhere Gu Sha passed, he saw faces gaunt and sallow, a clear sign that supplies here were desperately scarce.

Soon, the truck carrying Gu Sha and the others arrived at a shantytown.

They disembarked, and a middle-aged man wearing a work badge came over for the handover, then addressed them, "Inside the fortress, safety is guaranteed, but accommodation, food, and water are provided for only three days. After that, to continue eating and staying here, you'll need to find work at a community service station and earn new coins. The service station will explain the jobs available. New coins are the fortress's universal currency, just like money used to be. You can buy things at the goods center with them—accommodation, food, and much more. Any questions?"

No one spoke.

The middle-aged man continued, "One more thing—fighting, brawling, and theft are strictly prohibited inside the fortress. City guards patrol twenty-four hours a day. Anyone caught breaking the rules will be expelled and left to fend for themselves."

He led Gu Sha and his group to a temporary steel shed—a large open room with only beds, two small tables, and a faucet.

A staff member began explaining the fortress's rules and regulations.

Gu Sha leaned against the tin wall. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice from the adjacent room.

To his surprise, it was the monkey-faced man who had taken a packet of food from him earlier that day.

Gu Sha raised his brows—what a narrow world indeed!

(End of this chapter)