Will Drawing the “Wife Card” Turn Me Into the Group’s Favorite? 46

Chapter 46: Disfigured?

After the impact, Tang Yu’an slowly regained consciousness.

His mind gradually cleared, but his body was unresponsive, as if trapped in a wooden shell.

He struggled to regain control, unable even to open his eyes. A buzzing sound filled his ears, perhaps a hallucination.

The stinging pain from the scrapes and cuts on his body confirmed he was still alive.

The hatch opened, and he tumbled out, hitting the ground hard, unable to raise his arms to protect himself.

Then, he felt rough hands searching his body, emptying his pockets, then moving across his waist and abdomen.

A gruff voice echoed: “Hee hee, I love dead bodies. Let’s see what valuables you have… Nothing? Your clothes don’t look cheap, but you don’t even have a laser gun?”

He felt his wristband being removed.

“Let’s check your account balance… Damn it, my universal key doesn’t work? What kind of security is this? So inconsiderate, even in death, not letting others benefit…”

The man tried a different method, pressing Tang Yu’an’s finger against the scanner, but it required a security code, making him curse the designers.

You won’t be able to open it, Tang Yu’an thought. It’s a Bureau-issued wristband.

The man cursed some more, then pocketed the wristband: “Forget it, I’ll have someone crack it later.”

Seeing nothing else of value, he turned to leave. Tang Yu’an felt a surge of panic. In his current state, abandoned in this desolate place, he would either starve or bleed to death.

He tried to call out, but the footsteps only grew fainter.

But after a few seconds, the man returned.

Hope flickered back to life. His eyelashes trembled.

Then, the man started taking off his jacket.

“This jacket is nice, what a waste to leave it here… No offense, buddy, but my beliefs dictate that resources should go to those who need them. Think of it as your contribution to society…”

This seemed to jolt Tang Yu’an back to reality. He managed to raise his arm slightly, touching the man’s arm.

Startled, the man released his grip, and he fell again, his head hitting the ground.

I shouldn’t have moved, he thought. I almost died in the crash, and now this, like adding insult to injury. A few more hits, and I’ll really die here.

“He’s not dead?!”

The man hadn’t noticed the slight rise and fall of his chest, his face covered in dirt, assuming he was dead.

But it didn’t matter. He continued taking off the jacket.

If he wasn’t dead, he would be soon. Not his problem.

Tang Yu’an forced out a few words: “Help… help me…”

The man ignored him, putting on the jacket, replying calmly to his plea: “Why should I? I’m not a charity.”

He stood up, dusting himself off, and turned to leave.

Tang Yu’an had his own way of dealing with greedy people.

He shouted: “I have… three hundred thousand star coins in my account!”

The man stopped, then turned back without hesitation, as if his mind was made up.

Tang Yu’an finally saw him clearly—

Average height, not particularly muscular, but his movements revealed toned muscles, a sign of regular exercise.

His weathered, tanned skin was slightly rough, a noticeable scar at the corner of his eye, his features sharp, his hair slicked back with gel, his mud-caked shoes suggesting a carefree attitude.

He looked down at Tang Yu’an, his arms crossed, skeptical: “Three hundred thousand? Don’t lie just to save your life.”

“I can show you my balance.” Tang Yu’an extended his hand. “Give me back my wristband.”

The man hesitated, then placed the wristband in his hand.

Tang Yu’an opened his account, and the man’s eyes widened.

So many zeros, he wasn’t lying!

Tang Yu’an said, if you help me, I’ll pay you one hundred thousand star coins.

He had heard that people on the surface struggled to survive, so three hundred thousand must be a fortune.

“Really? But… I don’t like this deal.” The man sneered, pressing his laser pistol against Tang Yu’an’s forehead. “How about a different offer? Transfer the three hundred thousand to me now, or I’ll shoot you.”

Tang Yu’an blinked slowly, blood from the wound on his head trickling down his cheek.

“Then shoot.”

“Smart move… wait, what?”

Tang Yu’an’s indifference surprised him. He thought this kid must want to live, otherwise he wouldn’t have called out to him earlier.

Did he… not believe he would actually shoot?

His face darkened: “I’m not joking. I’ll count to three, if you…”

Before he could finish, Tang Yu’an collapsed, motionless.

…I haven’t even done anything yet, are you trying to scam me?

He frowned, checking Tang Yu’an’s pulse. He was dead!

He couldn’t let him die now, not with three hundred thousand star coins in his account!

No, he couldn’t let this fortune slip away. He took out a syringe from his all-purpose kit and injected it into Tang Yu’an’s chest.

Tang Yu’an gasped, his heart jolting, and he sat up abruptly.

His blood seemed to surge through his veins, his senses heightened, the world spinning.

A rush of euphoria filled him; he felt like he could run a marathon.

“What… what did you inject me with?”

The man tossed the empty syringe aside: “Hormones, hallucinogens, and stimulants. Don’t underestimate it, it’s good stuff, I rarely use it myself.”

Seeing him alive, he grabbed his collar: “Now, what’s your transfer password?”

Even after almost dying, Tang Yu’an didn’t back down: “Help me, and I’ll pay you one hundred thousand.”

The man raised his fist, then hesitated, afraid of killing him and losing the three hundred thousand.

“You really think I won’t kill you?”

“Is there anything you won’t do?” Tang Yu’an retorted. “But even if I give you the money, I’ll still die here. If I’m going to die, I’ll die with my money.”

And the system hadn’t issued a warning, so he decided to gamble.

The man narrowed his eyes, studying him for a few seconds, then started bargaining: “Three hundred thousand.”

You’re not giving me any leeway, Tang Yu’an thought.

“One hundred thousand.”

“Two hundred fifty thousand.”

“One hundred thousand.”

“…Kid, that’s not how bargaining works. At least try to meet me halfway.”

Tang Yu’an remained firm: “One hundred thousand.”

“Fine, fine, I’ll be charitable, just this once. I’ll take you to the nearest medical center.”

Tang Yu’an shook his head: “No, I want you to take me back.”

“Back? Where?”

Tang Yu’an pointed up: “I fell. It was an accident. I have to go back.”

Wei Langxing was waiting for him.

He had expected the man to refuse, but he readily agreed: “Fine.”

He looked around, picking up a piece of metal and handing it to him.

Tang Yu’an: “?”

Was this some kind of token of agreement on B172?

“What’s this for?”

“Simple. Slit your throat, and you’ll be back in heaven. Then transfer the money.”

Tang Yu’an: “…”

He was definitely being mocked.

“What do you mean? You don’t want to help, or you can’t?”

Provoked by his look, the man chuckled: “Are you playing dumb? You think you can just go back to the sky city after falling down here… Take it from someone who knows, just take some drugs and enjoy yourself. You might even hallucinate the sky city.”

Tang Yu’an knew it would be difficult to return. There was almost no traffic between the surface and the sky city. Useless people and objects were thrown down, not sent back up.

But he still had to try: “There’s no way at all? You’re so resourceful, you must have heard something.”

Pleased by the compliment, the man’s tone softened: “There are rumors about a mysterious person in Future City who can get people back up… But it’s just hearsay. I’ve never seen anyone actually do it.”

“Then take me to Future City,” Tang Yu’an said firmly. “One hundred thousand star coins. I won’t go back on my word.”

His tone was resolute. The man sighed, replying: “You said it yourself. I’ll take you to Future City, and that’s it.”

He told Tang Yu’an to wait, then went to retrieve his modified motorcycle.

He tossed two tissues at Tang Yu’an: “Wipe your face. Don’t get my new jacket dirty.”

While Tang Yu’an wiped the blood and dirt from his face, he introduced himself: “I’m a renowned scavenger here. You can call me Jinshan. I might not be much, but I keep my word. Don’t worry, I’ll get you where you want to go…”

His name truly fits his greedy personality, Tang Yu’an thought, “Jinshan” meaning “gold mountain.”

After cleaning his face, he looked up at Jinshan, who suddenly froze.

“What’s wrong?”

Was he going to change his mind…?

Jinshan stared at him: “What the hell happened to your face?!”

Tang Yu’an: “?”

Was his face that strange? It was just a normal face, wasn’t it?

He panicked, wondering if he had been disfigured in the crash. He didn’t want his appearance to cause trouble, quickly touching his face. Aside from the wound on his forehead, his skin seemed intact.

Jinshan, however, couldn’t stand it any longer: “Stop touching yourself! This isn’t a porn shoot!”

Tang Yu’an: “!!!”