Otherworldly Desert Dust

Previously, boundaries were clearly drawn with the old man from the Ling Family.

The other floors of the Tropical Pavilion were all occupied by relatives of the Ling Family, while Wu Hen's family lived in a very tightly secured multi-level area.

Wu Yingting also understood that human nature was hard to predict, so he never had any contact with the Ling Family group.

However, since the third and fourth floors were vegetable growing areas, if Wu Hen's family wanted to eat vegetables, they had to come out of the strictly controlled safehouse to pick fresh ingredients.

"Mom and Dad haven't gone out of the safety door, right?" Wu Hen asked.

"Don't worry, they're very steady," Yu Yu replied.

"Where is the smell coming from?" Wu Hen inquired.

"The fourth floor," Yu Yu said, holding up four small, jade-like fingers.

"You go back first, I'll go up and take a look," Wu Hen told Yu Yu.

"Alright." Yu Yu nodded her head.

...

Following the stairs, Wu Hen walked towards the third floor.

At the third floor ventilation area, a strong smell of blood had already wafted out, prompting Wu Hen to heighten his vigilance.

He listened carefully for noises on the fourth floor, hearing a "rustling"—like mice gnawing on wood inside the walls.

But strangely, Wu Hen's ears couldn't lock onto its precise location, only knowing that it was on one side of the fourth floor.

The entire fourth floor was actually very spacious, originally designed as a large exhibition hall open to the public.

Inside the exhibit windows, there was not only an advanced tropical ecosystem but also artificial large-scale landscapes; there were even many rare species of butterflies, lizards, colorful snakes, spiders...

Unfortunately, the fourth floor was now pitch black, with only the weak glow of emergency lights flickering.

Considering the entire Tropical Pavilion could produce food and water, Wu Hen still planned to clear some nearby threats.

"Dad, hold on…"

"You have to hold on!"

The voice of the female housekeeper, Ling Shaomei, came from the bathroom in the corner.

Wu Hen heard her words from a distance and walked in that direction.

In the mother and baby room of the bathroom, Ling Shaomei tensed up as she heard Wu Hen's approaching footsteps, grabbing the only mop in the room as a weapon, as if ready to fight whatever was coming.

However, her hands shook uncontrollably, and she was drenched in sweat!

"It's me, your young master." Wu Hen stood at the door and said calmly.

After speaking, Wu Hen pushed open the door, only to see Ling Shaomei kneeling on the ground, drenched like a drowned rat, staring at Wu Hen in terror and pity...

"Didn't you listen to my earlier instructions? I told you, the main door must not be opened for anyone." Wu Hen stared at the female housekeeper, Ling Shaomei, his tone unfriendly.

"It was my male colleague; I couldn't just stand by and watch him die…" Ling Shaomei tried to argue.

"Oh yes, and now your father is like this," Wu Hen replied, exasperated.

Old Man Ling was covered in blood, as if bitten by something, with several blood-soaked wounds.

He could no longer speak, his eyes full of pleading, begging Wu Hen to let them into the safehouse for the sake of his years of service to the Wu Family.

"'Good fences make good neighbors,' that's what you said. Now that something's happened on your end, you come begging us?" Wu Hen said.

Old Man Ling pointed to his daughter, Ling Shaomei, and then knocked his head on the floor, indicating that Wu Hen must take her in and give her a way out.

"Taking you in is impossible," Wu Hen coldly refused.

Wu Hen and his family had reached a consensus that in this environment, the safehouse would only ever admit the four of them and no one else!

"My father is dying, you have medicine, right?" Ling Shaomei asked.

"Yes, but why should I give it to you? I told you to guard the main door; you couldn't handle such a trivial matter and even put my family in danger. Not throwing you out is already very kind of me, and you still expect me to give you medicine?" Wu Hen said.

Ling Shaomei fell silent, staring at Wu Hen with eyes filled with indignation and humiliation.

Her exquisite silver glasses were broken, her sweat-soaked hair scattered messily across her chest, and her face was pale as paper from fear, her body trembling slightly…

Yet, in this situation, there was still a glint of stubborn pride in her eyes.

Wu Hen didn't understand where her pride came from, a typical end-times Holy Mother. If not for their previous familiarity, he would have thrown them both out by now.

"Alright, get up from the ground and take me to see what it is." Wu Hen said impatiently.

"You can't handle it; white worms grew on him. They attack anyone they see, slicing them up before biting…" Ling Shaomei said.

As Ling Shaomei spoke, another set of footsteps sounded.

Strangely, the sound didn't come from the floor but from above.

Ling Shaomei looked up, and through the emergency light, saw something crawling on the ceiling, scaring her out of her wits!

"Hiss~~ Shaomei, why do you keep hiding from me?"

"We agreed to view the art exhibit together. No matter how busy you are, you should make time!"

"Our relationship has come this far, yet you still keep your distance. I didn't expect you to be so conservative after studying abroad…"

"Hiss~~ No problem, I'll just blend you into my body!"

On the ceiling was a man in a suit, his limbs covered in white fungal filaments, making him look like a white tropical lizard, his tongue constantly flicking from his large mouth.

"You… behind you…" Ling Shaomei pointed in horror to the ceiling behind Wu Hen.

Wu Hen stood still, not moving an inch.

"Who is this man?"

"Is he the young master you often complained about?"

"Times have changed. I'll kill him for you, and then we'll enjoy our happiest time together!"

On the ceiling, the man drooled immensely, the thick saliva dripping down and corroding the marble tile floor.

"Die!"

The Insect Eyes Man lunged down, his entire head splitting open to reveal a terrifying maw aimed to rip Wu Hen's head off completely.

At the moment he attacked, Wu Hen raised his right hand, and a golden Cold Stab, sharp as a scorpion's tail, flashed and pierced the Insect Eyes Man's head!

The Insect Eyes Man instantly stiffened, hanging like a thick human-hide cloak on Wu Hen's golden Cold Stab!

Wu Hen shook his hand, tossing the white Insect Eyes Half-man into the bathroom cubicle!

A lot of white steam rose, the Insect Eyes Man quickly vaporizing into a muddy liquid that splattered inside the cubicle.

Ling Shaomei covered her mouth with both hands, eyes wide open. A moment before she was immensely terrified, but now she was filled with disbelief.

Throughout the entire process, Wu Hen didn't even turn around, dealing with the extremely brutal monster as casually as tossing a bag of trash!

Was this still the rogue young master she knew??

Could he be the Desert Dust Pioneer, one of the few humans capable of fighting these formidable creatures, as reported back then?

"This guy came from the commercial complex, right?" Wu Hen asked calmly.

Ling Shaomei momentarily lost her ability to speak, only nodding repeatedly.

She had only let this one person in, as he had crazily pursued her, and she was contemplating accepting his pursuit.

Unexpectedly, after he entered, something seemed off, and when he tried to force himself into her room, she slapped him hard. Suddenly, white fungal filaments began growing on his body…

After calming down a bit, Ling Shaomei honestly told Wu Hen the situation.

"He had been parasitized. Extreme emotions triggered the insect eggs inside him. There are many such things outside Li City now," Wu Hen explained.

Wu Hen had only dealt with the parasitic threats within the campus; he couldn't handle those beyond.

"Wu Hen… my father is really dying; I beg you, give us some medicine. I'll do whatever you ask," Ling Shaomei said, seeing her father had passed out, completely panicked, tears streaming down her face.

"I do need a female housekeeper for the Tropical Pavilion, but with your professional competence, you're far from meeting my standards. Your brains are all in your looks." Wu Hen insulted without mercy.

This female housekeeper was utterly useless apart from her alluring appearance, and she was overly proud!

"I'll do well, I promise. I'll do well, just save my father," Ling Shaomei begged.

"Oh? Show me how you'll do well. Lower your head," Wu Hen mocked, looking down at her, his cold smile dripping with ridicule.

Meeting Wu Hen's aggressive gaze made Ling Shaomei shiver.

As an adult, she understood men's thoughts very well.

Looking at her half-dead father and then at the elevated Wu Hen,

Ling Shaomei bit her lip, finally making a decision.

She crawled closer to Wu Hen, lifting her hand, hesitant but trying to be compliant, while unbuttoning and moving her face forward.

"What are you doing?" Wu Hen suddenly asked, looking down at her.

"I… I…" Ling Shaomei couldn't speak clearly.

"I told you to tie my shoelaces; why are you unbuckling my belt?" Wu Hen said, shaking his shoe.

Ling Shaomei lowered her head further, finally noticing that his right shoe's lace was untied.

In the elite circles, some top-tier female housekeepers had to tie their master's shoelaces, even in public!

"I… I'll take care of it," Ling Shaomei said nervously, moving her hands to his shoelace.

Just a single shoelace, yet she had to redo it no less than five times.

She was completely disheartened.

Finally, the lace was tied, but it looked like a dead knot, drawing Wu Hen's disapproval, and he frowned.

"Sorry, sorry, it's my first time…" Ling Shaomei stammered.

"Honestly, I still liked your rebellious attitude from before," Wu Hen said.