Volume One, Chapter 27: You Filthy Bitch, I’ll Fight You to the Death

Zhang Wei did not turn his head at Han Xiao’s scream, acting as if he had heard nothing. Seeing that he had no intention of stopping, Han Xiao chased after him, tears welling in her eyes. She could not let him just walk away. After what had just transpired, she had come to some realizations of her own.

By the time she caught up to the ground floor, Zhang Wei had not gone far.

"Zhang Wei! Is this because of her? Is it all because of her?" Han Xiao shouted, pointing at Lin Qianying as she ran.

Zhang Wei still did not stop. However, Lin Qianying grabbed him, forcing him to turn around with a look of helpless resignation.

Soon, Han Xiao arrived, breathless and trembling with a mix of anxiety and rage. "Tell me, is it her?"

"What do you want?" Zhang Wei’s tone was icy, as if he were truly a machine devoid of emotion.

"It must be that she said something to you, right? She must have been poisoning your mind against me, right? You used to like me so much—I told you I liked you back, but after just one night, you changed. It’s her doing, isn't it?" Han Xiao glared at Lin Qianying, as if she could devour her alive. In her mind, all of Zhang Wei’s changes were solely due to Lin Qianying.

"Heh, that’s not what you were saying a moment ago," Lin Qianying remarked with a cold, mocking laugh. She had seen and heard everything that had happened just now.

"Shut up, you green tea bitch! If it weren't for your meddling, why would Zhang Wei treat me like this?" Han Xiao’s hatred for Lin Qianying was genuine.

Why was Zhang Tao so obedient to Zhang Wei? What kind of man was Zhang Tao, anyway? And why, in the span of a single night, had someone as beautiful as Lin Qianying become Zhang Wei’s girlfriend? There was only one explanation: Zhang Wei was powerful—incredibly powerful, to a degree beyond Han Xiao’s imagination. Because of this, she convinced herself that Lin Qianying had realized Zhang Wei liked her and had orchestrated this entire scene to sow discord and test her. Unfortunately, she hadn’t passed the test, but rather than look for faults in herself, she blamed everything on Lin Qianying.

"You are truly ridiculous," Lin Qianying said, her patience nearing its breaking point.

"Tell me, was it you?" Han Xiao’s eyes burned with fury.

"It was me. And what are you going to do about it?" Lin Qianying admitted. There was no point in denying it; Han Xiao had already decided on the narrative in her own mind.

"What am I going to do? I won't let you get away with this! I admit I had my faults, but are you any better? You latched onto Zhang Wei only a day after meeting him—what does that make you? Did he buy that mecha for you, too?" This was the true source of Han Xiao’s anger. She and Zhang Wei had known each other for a long time, and he had once admired her. If it weren't for Lin Qianying interjecting herself, that beautiful mecha would have been hers. In her eyes, Lin Qianying hadn't just stolen Zhang Wei; she had stolen what belonged to her. "You are so calculating, you schemer."

Lin Qianying was genuinely incensed. She tightened her grip on Zhang Wei’s arm. As a bright, righteous, and attractive woman, she was accustomed to praise wherever she went. This was the first time anyone had called her a "green tea" or a schemer.

"Answer me! Why are you silent?" Han Xiao demanded loudly, mistaking Lin Qianying’s lack of response for a sign that she had gained the upper hand.

Lin Qianying suddenly looked up at Zhang Wei. "I want to do something."

"Do whatever you want," Zhang Wei replied indifferently. He had already guessed her intentions. To him, Han Xiao was a complete stranger; he didn't care what Lin Qianying did to her.

"Good."

Lin Qianying detached from her mecha. Under the surprised gazes of Zhang Wei and Zhang Tao, she walked toward Han Xiao. The invisible aura radiating from Lin Qianying instantly crushed Han Xiao’s arrogance.

"Your mouth is filthy. It needs cleaning." Lin Qianying walked up to Han Xiao and slapped her across the face without hesitation.

Han Xiao was stunned. She hadn't expected Lin Qianying to dare strike her first. Wasn't Lin Qianying the one in the wrong?

"And your heart is even dirtier!" Lin Qianying swung again, balancing out the marks on both cheeks.

"You bitch! I’ll kill you!" Recovering from the shock, Han Xiao lunged at her, claws bared. But she had no idea who she was dealing with. Lin Qianying was a soldier—the kind who could hold her own against three or four grown men at once. A woman who only knew how to throw tantrums and pull hair was no match for her.

As Han Xiao lunged, Lin Qianying simply stepped aside, leaving Han Xiao to crash face-first into the ground. A shrill scream erupted from her. When she looked up, her face was a bloody mess.

"Zhang Wei, are you just going to watch while she bullies me?" Han Xiao looked up at him, her eyes streaming with tears.

"If you want to die, I won't stop you," Zhang Wei said, his tone as cold as ice, his heart completely unmoved. Compared to the horrors he had endured in his past life, these minor scrapes and pains were nothing.

Zhang Tao glanced at Zhang Wei, silently noting his attitude. In his view, Han Xiao must have deeply wounded his boss for him to go out of his way to target her. *I’ll have to make sure someone looks after these two properly,* Zhang Tao decided in secret.

"You really won't help me?" Han Xiao’s voice was shrill and desperate, like a woman ruthlessly abandoned.

Zhang Wei felt a surge of annoyance. The scene felt strangely familiar.

"Even if you don't care about me, what about Han Xu? He’s your best friend! You destroyed his mecha—give him another one!"

Hearing this, Zhang Wei finally understood why it felt so familiar. He burst into laughter. The demands Han Xiao had made in the past echoed in his ears.

"I told you before: don't court death. Isn't it better to just stay alive?" Zhang Wei leaned in.

The oppressive presence of his massive mecha bore down on Han Xiao, silencing her completely. Although the mecha’s eyes were a calm, cerulean blue, Han Xiao felt as though she could see the murderous intent within them.

Lin Qianying frowned at Zhang Wei. She knew it wasn't true malice, but rather an aura of slaughter. Yet, where did it come from? She knew Zhang Wei was at most twenty years old; how could someone so young exude such a dense, chilling bloodlust?