Cooking Gourmet Meals in the Apocalypse

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: The Dark Song Family

Watching Mrs. Hu and Hu Dawei’s frantic actions, the people in the lobby grew anxious and restless.

’They’re not saying a word, just trying to save themselves?’

’Escaping?’

It wasn’t until Mrs. Hu and her son had vanished from sight that everyone else realized the two were fleeing for their lives.

’Could there be monsters in the building? Or is something else terrible about to happen?’

’This building isn’t safe!’

Everyone scattered at once. Some ran to check the situation outside, while others rushed upstairs to pack their belongings.

Watching the lobby descend into chaos, Chen Xing felt she had still underestimated Song Yiguo’s power.

Judging by the expressions on Hu Dawei and Mrs. Hu’s faces, it was as if the sky were falling.

’And what about Hao Wenli?’

’Right now, she’s probably trying to figure out how to get close to me. Or perhaps, how to blackmail her own boss?’

Hao Wenli was, in fact, sitting stunned in the living room of Room 1902.

Just ten minutes earlier, a call had come in, ordering the Hu Family to leave.

Mrs. Hu, of course, refused. Alternating between sobs and threats, she shrieked, ”This apartment is ours! What right do you have to kick us out? My husband was already killed by that vicious woman, and now you want to throw us out, too? You know full well what it’s like out there! If you keep being so unreasonable, I’ll throw this old life of mine away and die right here for you to see!”

”Even if you die, your son Hu Dawei still has to get the hell out of this building!” The voice on the other end was as cold and lifeless as a machine. ”The moment you disregarded Young Master Song’s safety and refused him entry, you forfeited your right to live in this building. There’s a clause in the sales contract you should remember: the Song Family reserves the right to reclaim the property at any time. As for what you’ve paid—just the down payment and a few years of installments—we will add a substantial bonus and deposit the total into your account.”

Hearing there was money involved, Mrs. Hu’s eyes lit up. But after a prompting glance from Hao Wenli, she put on a tough front. ”At a time like this, what good is money to us? We’re not leaving, no matter what you say! I’d rather die in this building!” Mrs. Hu was no pushover. Normally arrogant and domineering, she had never backed down from a real fight. ”Don’t think money is everything. I’m not leaving. What are you going to do about it?”

”What are we going to do about it?” the voice retorted, before getting straight to the point. ”This is your final warning. Young Master Song will be leaving at 5 AM sharp tomorrow morning. If you haven’t left by then, we have no problem with blowing up the entire building.” And with that, the line went dead.

”Aunt Hu, they wouldn’t actually blow up the building, would they?” Hao Wenli asked, finding it hard to believe.

’It was just a small grudge over not opening the door. Would they really go so far as to plant a bomb?’

’Besides, Mr. Hu is already dead. Shouldn’t that have settled any score?’

Mrs. Hu was a nervous wreck. Hearing Hao Wenli’s voice, she flew into a rage. ”It’s all your fault, you little vixen! You’re the one who said it was the apocalypse and that we absolutely shouldn’t open the door for Boss Song! Now my family is ruined and my husband is dead because of you!” As she spoke, she slapped Hao Wenli hard across the face.

’That bonus was no small sum, and the loss of it stung.’

The slap was so hard that Hao Wenli nearly stumbled.

”Mom...” Hu Dawei rushed to support Hao Wenli, his heart aching for her. ”Why are you blaming Lili now? If anyone’s to blame, it’s those people upstairs! The one who killed Dad was that woman, Chen Xing! Lili was just trying to help us out of the goodness of her heart; she was afraid we’d be taken advantage of!”

Hao Wenli’s hands balled into fists in anger, but the expression she wore was one of pure grievance.

Mrs. Hu stomped her foot in fury. ”Who else is there to blame? It was all her idea, but we’re the ones getting kicked out!”

’My husband is dead, and my own son is defending an outsider!’

”This isn’t the time to be pointing fingers! We have to get out of here, fast!” Hu Dawei didn’t think for a second that the caller was bluffing.

He had heard whispers about Song Yiguo’s background.

He had powerful connections in both the corporate and political worlds, but his most terrifying influence was in the underworld. He was a man who never hesitated to kill.

While no actual crimes could ever be officially traced back to him, a little digging revealed that many major, unsolved cases were connected to the Song Family.

Take, for example, the village in a certain city that vanished overnight.

That was hundreds of human lives. Compared to that, two or three people like them were utterly insignificant.

Rumor had it the entire village looked like it had been hit by an alien attack, leaving nothing but a crater several kilometers in diameter.

”We’re really leaving?” Although Mrs. Hu was still angry at her son for defending Hao Wenli, his desperate expression told her this was no joke. ”They’ll really do it?”

Hu Dawei nodded emphatically. ”We have to go. Right now, immediately! Who knows if Boss Song will decide to leave early? If that happens, it’ll be too late for us to even try to escape!”

Mrs. Hu was terrified. ’All that talk about dying to make a point was just nonsense. My life is what’s important!’

She immediately ran inside to start packing.

When Hu Dawei saw Hao Wenli standing motionless, he urged her, ”I’m serious. We have to leave this place!”

’Why should I leave with you?’

Hao Wenli shook her head, putting on a pitiful expression. ”I can’t go! I arranged to meet my parents here. I won’t leave until they arrive!”

”It’s too dangerous here! We can always come back after things have settled down!” Hu Dawei, still convinced that Hao Wenli was in love with him, pressed on. ”The Song Family isn’t joking. What will you do if something happens to you because you stayed?”

”I’m not leaving until I see my parents!” Hao Wenli was growing annoyed that Hu Dawei was wasting time trying to convince her instead of packing, but she couldn’t show her true colors just yet. ”You two go on ahead. After I meet up with my parents, we’ll figure out a way to get in touch.” Her patience was wearing thin.

’I don’t believe the Song Family would actually blow this place up. Besides, I’m not the one who offended Song Yiguo.’

’As long as the Hu Family leaves, I can stay here without any trouble and find a chance to get close to Chen Xing.’

Seeing Hu Dawei still standing there, Mrs. Hu smacked him on the back of the head. ”She’s not going, so it’s useless to keep trying! Son, our lives are on the line! Hurry up and pack!”

Since he couldn’t persuade Hao Wenli, Hu Dawei had no choice but to give up. ”Then I’ll come back for you once I’ve found a safe place!” With that, he finally started to pack.

’Honestly, if it weren’t for Hao Wenli, I would’ve bolted instantly. It’d be best to disappear from the Song Family’s sight forever.’

With the bothersome Hu mother and son finally gone, she could now focus on how to approach her target.

First, however, she needed to contact her superiors.

She bolted the door and checked it three times before she felt at ease. Then, from her bosom, she retrieved a miniature phone, barely two fingers wide.

This was her first time using it. She studied it for a long moment before pressing the single button on its face.

A connection was made almost instantly, but the voice that came through was a synthesized, electronic tone. ”What is it?” The voice was as flat and inflectionless as a machine.

This was the second time Hao Wenli had heard her employer’s voice, and it still sent a chill down her spine. She took a moment to compose herself before reporting what had happened. ”The target is far too aggressive. I believe my life is in danger. The payment must be tripled, or I’m quitting.”

”Fine.”

Her employer’s easy agreement made Hao Wenli feel like she’d been short-changed, but the words were already out of her mouth, and it was too late for regrets. She tried a different angle, speaking cautiously, ”You’ve only instructed me to get close to her, without telling me the objective. It makes my job very difficult...” She was fishing for information, hoping her employer would finally reveal the purpose of the mission.