Chapter 36 | The Apocalypse Landlady

“Useless trash!” Li Bao cursed.

He spat on the ground and waved his hand. “Move out! Get in there! Find that bitch Su Wan! If anyone dares to play tricks, I’ll make sure they become a real ghost today!”

The group marched straight toward the gate of the unfinished building’s construction site, carrying an aura of menace and the faint clinking of metal tools.

A Biao and Punk Chen looked at each other. They gritted their teeth and followed at the very back, their legs feeling like jelly.

Leading his men, Li Bao stepped onto the gravel and weeds, entering the silent area.

He immediately spotted the grey, twelve-story unfinished building and the fire door on the side of the first floor.

What caught his attention even more was a figure standing quietly on the concrete steps in front of the fire door.

It was Su Wan.

She was dressed in simple sportswear, her face expressionless. Her gaze was calm as she watched the group approach; there was no panic, no flinching—she was almost scrutinizing them.

Li Bao’s heart skipped a beat for no reason.

Something was wrong.

In the few days since he’d last seen her, the aura surrounding this woman had undergone a world-shaking transformation.

During previous debt collections, even over the phone, he could hear the fear in her voice and her forced stubbornness.

But the Su Wan before him was too calm.

Where did she get this confidence from?

Li Bao suppressed the strange feeling as his aggressive nature took over once more.

He stopped a few meters from the steps. His lackeys spread out behind him, forming a loose encirclement. A Biao and Punk Chen shrank back at the very rear, their terrified eyes darting around as if they were guarding against something invisible.

“Miss Su, I trust you’ve been well?” Li Bao forced a sneer, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Living quite the peaceful life hiding in this dump, aren’t you? It seems you didn’t take my words to heart.”

Su Wan looked at him, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly—it might have been a smile, or it might not have. “Didn’t we agree on three days?”

“Today is only the second day. Brother Leopard, you’re so impatient to bring your men to my door. Is it because you don’t trust me, or is it because in your line of work, your word is as worthless as a fart?”

Her tone was flat, almost devoid of emotion, but the sarcasm in her words stung like a needle.

Li Bao’s face darkened. “Cut the crap! Three days? I gave you three days to raise the money, not to hide in this haunted hole and play tricks!”

“Pay up! If you don’t hand over the money today, I’ll make sure you can’t even stay in this shitty nest!”

“Money? I don’t have any right now,” Su Wan replied bluntly.

“However, looking at the way you came today, Brother Leopard, it doesn’t seem like you’re actually here for money. It looks more like you’re here to pick a fight and vent your frustrations.” Her gaze pointedly swept over the fierce-looking thugs behind Li Bao before finally landing on the bruised and battered A Biao and Punk Chen.

“How did these two brothers sleep outside my construction site last night? Why did they run away like they’d seen a ghost the moment they saw me this morning?”

These words hit Li Bao’s sore spot and reignited the horrific memories for A Biao and the other man, causing their faces to turn even paler.

“Stop your goddamn mocking!” Li Bao roared in embarrassment and anger. He hadn’t actually planned to resort to extreme violence today, as he still needed Su Wan to pay the debt, but her dismissive attitude had completely enraged him.

He felt his authority was being seriously challenged, especially in front of his subordinates.

He didn't dare to truly lay a hand on Su Wan yet, but surely he could destroy her only shelter and humiliate her, right?

“Since you want to do this the hard way!” Li Bao gave a sinister laugh and pointed at the window of Room 102 behind Su Wan.

“Smash it! Smash her windows and doors to pieces!”

“And where’s the red paint? Write ‘Pay Your Debts’ on the door and the walls! Make it big! Let everyone see what kind of kennel the great Miss Su is living in now!”

“Yes, Brother Leopard!” Several lackeys had been waiting for this order and immediately sprang into action.

Two of them walked toward the window of Room 102 with clubs, while another pulled a bucket of red paint and a brush from the van.

Su Wan’s eyes turned cold, but her heart was racing with anticipation.

She had practiced Psychokinesis for half a day and had achieved some success, but she hadn’t tried Consciousness Interference yet.

The willpower of these lackeys was clearly not very strong, making them the perfect test subjects.

Su Wan watched Lackey A, who had reached the window first. He had already raised a steel pipe high, ready to smash the glass with all his might.

Concentrating her mind, she locked her intent onto him. A cool wave of mental energy, like an invisible tentacle, instantly invaded the surface of his consciousness, which was currently filled with violence and the drive to follow orders.

There was no complex instruction, just an extremely simple and direct thought implanted like an instinct:

【Hit the person next to you!】

The moment Lackey A swung his arm down, his mind seemed to blur for a second. The window in front of him appeared to shift, and somehow the figure of Lackey B seemed to be “blocking” his way.

He didn’t have time to think—or rather, he couldn't think at all. The implanted thought drove his muscles.

THUD!

A heavy sound rang out.

The steel pipe didn’t hit the glass. Instead, it landed squarely on the shoulder of Lackey B, who was bending over to pry at the window frame!

“AAARGH! Fuck! Are you blind?!” Lackey B screamed in pain. His shoulder throbbed, and his tool hit the ground with a clang. He glared at Lackey A in shock and rage.

Lackey A was stunned himself. He looked at the vibrating steel pipe in his hand and then at his companion, who was clutching his shoulder and glaring at him. He was completely bewildered.

“I... I didn’t... I just...” He couldn't understand what had happened and instinctively tried to apologize. “Sorry, brother, my hand slipped...”

Before he could finish his apology, Su Wan’s intent moved again.

This time, her target was the grimacing, furious Lackey B.

The same simple command was implanted:

【Hit him back! Hit his head!】

Lackey B felt a surge of irrational rage and resentment rush to his head. The pain in his shoulder and the belief that his companion had hit him “on purpose” caused his reason to snap instantly. He swung his crowbar and slammed it toward the head of the still-apologizing Lackey A!

“Gah!” Lackey A was caught off guard. Blood immediately bloomed on his forehead, and stars danced before his eyes. The pain and unbelievable anger made him see red as well.