ATDIWR Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Necklace, Dual Space and Healing Abilities

Song Pengcheng happened to have just finished collecting his materials. Still resentful that Ji An hadn’t given him the Zombie Crystal Core, he came over and rebuked, “Ji An, can you stop being so unreasonable! It was agreed upon years ago that you wouldn’t take materials. If you didn’t want to, you should have said so earlier.”

The reason Ji An had agreed to such a request in the first place was entirely for Chen Chen.

At that time, Chen Chen was a Power User, and Ji An was an ordinary person. When they teamed up, if other Power Users were involved, they would look down on Ji An the ordinary person, thinking he would be a burden. But if Chen Chen were to team up with ordinary people, Ji An didn’t want that. That way, Chen Chen would be too tired, having to take responsibility for the ordinary people’s safety. The entire team would be a drag on him; they wouldn’t dare go to places with abundant materials for fear of encountering teams made up entirely of Power Users, who they couldn’t possibly beat, meaning they’d just be working for free.

Finally, Ji An proposed this method, believing that as long as he could prove he had the strength, his treatment would naturally change.

Later, Ji An’s skills indeed proved to be no less than any Power User’s. Some powerful Power Users even actively sought Ji An to team up, but because Ji An liked Chen Chen, he never joined a team without Chen Chen.

As for team compensation, it had always been negotiated by Chen Chen, and Ji An hadn’t paid attention to this aspect. Chen Chen had never mentioned it either. Ji An had thought his compensation had been changed long ago, never expecting it was still the same. With his outstanding ability, capable of hunting a Tier 3 Zombie that even Power Users found difficult to handle alone, how could he still be working for free?

Even if he didn’t have the ability to hunt high-level zombies, no one would approve of constantly following Power Users into life-or-death situations and doing tasks for nothing! Did they think their lives were too long?

“As for that Tier 3 Zombie, you snatched it from us, alright? If it wasn’t for you, we could have taken care of it too! Why don’t you mention that you hunted a Tier 3 Zombie and also got a high-level Zombie Crystal Core for free!” As soon as Song Pengcheng’s shameless words came out, the people watching the commotion around them looked at him with disapproval.

That was a Tier 3 Zombie! An existence even Power Users didn’t dare provoke easily. How could Song Pengcheng have the nerve to say it as if Ji An had gotten the better deal?

Song Pengcheng was only a Tier 2 Power User. Although he was at his peak, a one-level difference was still a difference. He really couldn’t necessarily defeat a Tier 3 Zombie alone.

“Brother Pengcheng, don’t say that.” Tang Tang, astute as she was, noticed the contemptuous looks from the people around them and quickly tugged at Song Pengcheng’s sleeve.

“Brother Ji An, no matter what, it wasn’t discussed before this mission, and everyone Defaulted there was no compensation for you. Going back on it now makes it difficult for Brother Chen.

How about this, let’s just let it go this time. Anyway, there aren’t many things. Next time we go on a mission, we can talk it over beforehand.”

Tang Tang sweetly and considerately tried to persuade Ji An, batting her innocent large eyes. “If you still feel it’s unfair, I’ll give you my compensation from this mission.”

Song Pengcheng became even angrier, pointing at Ji An and scolding, “Ji An, if you’re still a man, don’t shamelessly take Tang Tang’s materials! How could you be so low?”

Ji An looked at this despicable pair in front of him, feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit. Only after experiencing death did he remove his rose-tinted glasses and finally see clearly what kind of white lotus flower this young girl he had personally saved and raised was.

“Tang Tang is someone I risked my life to save from a pile of zombies, and I’ve been providing for her with the materials I’ve earned all these years. It’s only right that I take this little bit of hers.” Ji An glanced coldly at Song Pengcheng. These people seemed to have forgotten the fact that the girl before them was saved and raised by him.

Tang Tang lowered her head. “Brother Ji An, did you forget? For all these years you haven’t had any compensation, you’ve been working for free, so I wasn’t raised on the materials you earned. I was raised by Brother Chen, and even you, ordinarily, were provided for by Brother Chen.

However, you saving me is true. Even though you saved me under Brother Chen’s orders back then, it was still you who saved me, and I will remember it my whole life.

As long as you want them, I am willing to give you these materials unconditionally, as repayment for saving my life.”

It was truly laughable. Could one day’s worth of food be exchanged for a life?

Ji An only felt it was ridiculous.

“I never take what doesn’t belong to me.” Ji An’s gaze fell on Tang Tang’s long, fair, swan-like neck, where a Jade Necklace was worn.

The jade was of high purity and transparent texture. Looking at it, it was as if seeing lush, verdant forests; seeing the peaks of snow-capped mountains; seeing clear, murmuring streams.

This necklace was a thank-you gift given to him by a pair of professor couple he rescued from the jaws of zombies.

Tang Tang liked it very much and had asked for it more than once, but Ji An had never agreed.

The last time, Tang Tang proposed to borrow it. By then, Ji An had developed feelings for Tang Tang from raising her and found it hard to refuse. Thinking it was just a loan, he agreed. However, this loan lasted for several years and was never returned to him.

Ji An pointed at the necklace on Tang Tang’s neck and said, “That necklace is mine. Miss Tang borrowed it from me some years ago. Isn’t it time to return it now?”

Ji An even changed his address for Tang Tang, directly calling her “Miss Tang” in a distant manner.

Tang Tang’s expression instantly changed drastically. She covered the necklace with her hands in panic and horror, her reaction not like Ji An was asking for a necklace that wasn’t worth much in the Apocalypse, but as if he was asking for her life.

Realizing her reaction was too extreme, Tang Tang forced herself to calm down, but her eyes still betrayed her unease and fear.

“Brother Ji An, I know I didn’t stand on your side and that made you unhappy, but I really didn’t mean to. I just simply felt that we shouldn’t break the base rules. You are also the lover of Brother Chen, the Base Commander, so you should set an example even more. Please don’t blame me because of this, okay?”

Tang Tang skirted the issue, her body already swaying as if she might collapse, like a little white flower trembling in the wind, very cute and pitiful.

Ji An knew that this was all an act.

Tang Tang’s appearance like this wasn’t because Ji An had hurt her heart, but because he had hit her weak spot.

Within this necklace, there was a spatial dimension, and in that space, there was a spiritual spring with healing capabilities.

Tang Tang’s Dual Space and Healing Abilities came from this. In reality, she was just an ordinary person who hadn’t awakened any abilities.

Ji An sneered, “Tang Tang, don’t act as if I’ve done something to you. I just want to get back my own things. Why are you bringing up those useless things?”

Tang Tang bit her lip, looking pathetically fragile, and didn’t answer Ji An’s question. She just said pitifully, “Brother Ji An, I’m sorry, please don’t blame me, okay?”

Song Pengcheng couldn’t stand it anymore and roared, “Ji An, I truly look down on you. How can you be so low? You want back something you gave away! How can there be someone as low as you in this world!”

Ji An was utterly speechless. Did Song Pengcheng not have ears? Couldn’t he hear that he had just said it was a loan?

Ji An realized that perhaps he wasn’t unable to hear, but simply didn’t want to hear. No matter what he said, no matter how sufficient his reasons, they simply didn’t want to return it, and thus were deliberately being unreasonable.

Ji An stopped bickering with the two of them and decided to act himself.

He quickly stepped forward, reached out both hands, and was about to pull the necklace from Tang Tang’s neck. Just as his hand was about to touch the necklace, it was intercepted by a large hand from the side.

“Ah An, don’t be like this. Tang Tang grew up under your watch. Don’t you think you’re being too harsh on her?” Chen Chen held Ji An’s arm, his dark eyes looking at Ji An with pain.

Even now, Chen Chen looked at Ji An with deep affection in his eyes, coupled with the pain, making it seem like he was suffering from heartbreak, possessing a particularly moving depth of feeling.

Ji An was unmoved. After being a ghost for so long, he knew what kind of heartless and faithless interior lay beneath this seemingly affectionate facade.

He didn’t withdraw his hand, but asked coldly, “Chen Chen, I ask you, are you trying to stop me from getting back what belongs to me?”

Chen Chen’s expression became even more bitter and difficult. “Ah An, please don’t be so unreasonable, okay?”

Just as the atmosphere was tense to the point of ignition, Tang Tang forcefully pushed away Chen Chen, who was blocking her, quickly wiped her tears, and ran off, sobbing as she ran, “It’s all my fault, isn’t it? I’ll leave, I’ll leave now!”

“Tang Tang!” Song Pengcheng yelled anxiously, but he couldn’t stop the person who was sprinting away. He stomped his foot hard, erupting in anger. “Ji An, if anything happens to Tang Tang, I won’t let you off!”

After roaring, Song Pengcheng chased after her.

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