“What’s the matter?”

Pang Dakun sniffed and recounted his story with a sense of grievance. Perhaps due to his limited education, many parts were unclear, but Zhang Su and the others could still grasp the meaning.

Pang Dakun dropped out after junior high, didn’t go to work in the city, and lived in the village with his grandfather for years.

On the day before the disaster outbreak, Pang Dakun went to Qin City for some errands and got trapped there. Later, the survivors of Shuwa Village evacuated, leaving his grandfather behind. When he sneaked back days later, he found out the news, returned to the village and saw his grandfather dead in the yard…

“Those damned bastards aren’t human, they didn’t care if my grandfather lived or died, truly inhuman!”

Pang Dakun cried sorrowfully.

“How do you know your grandfather wasn’t infected and was still alive when the disaster broke out?”

Zhang Su asked.

“My little brother told me, he went home to check.” Pang Dakun answered quickly, wiping his face, making it even messier.

“Child, don’t cry, where are you living now?”

Tan Huajun pulled out a wet wipe for Pang Dakun to clean his face.

The group didn’t judge the villagers for not taking Pang Dakun’s grandfather when evacuating. According to him, his grandfather had a leg disability and was immobile, and everyone knew what a zombie attack entailed. While they struggled for their own survival, how could they care for a disabled elder?

It was tragic, helpless, and a regret beyond consolation.

“Thank you, Aunt. I live in the village…”

Pang Dakun wiped his face haphazardly, getting slightly cleaner, suddenly thought of something, and looked at Zhang Su: “Uncle, you guys are amazing, can you teach me how to fight? I want revenge for my grandfather!”

Zhang Su’s expression froze at the word “Uncle,” found it odd since he was called “Aunt” like Old Tan, but realized it made sense.

“Pang Dakun, I understand you’re angry those people didn’t save your grandfather, but why do you blame others for your mistake? What were you doing at the time? Your own kin, yet you don’t care, and you expect strangers to do that? Wishful thinking!”

Pang Dakun froze, his face changing colors, unsure of what to say.

“Hey, kid, you didn’t have a job, what were you doing in Qin City? Chasing girls?” Zhao Dezhu asked.

Pang Dakun’s eyes rolled, embarrassed and lowered his head: “I wanted to buy something, Grandpa had no money, so I…”

“Oh, you went to steal?” Zhang Su immediately guessed he didn’t go for something proper.

Sure enough, Pang Dakun remained silent with his head down, his explosive temperament confirmed the guess!

“Brother Su, this kid’s clearly annoying in the village, the kind who’s hated by everyone. Ignore him.” Lu Yubo gave Pang Dakun a scornful look, seeing him as a low-level delinquent, while he had a decent job and earnings.

“Who says I’m disliked? I’ve over ten little brothers; they all call me ‘Master Kun’. You can’t say that!”

Pang Dakun angrily pointed at Lu Yubo.

“Hmm?” Zhang Su raised a brow, asked sternly: “Where’s the zip tie on your hand?”

“Untied it!” Pang Dakun shuffled, kicked out the zip tie that bound his hands from behind.

Everyone exchanged glances.

“Whoa, kid, you’ve got skills…” Zhang Su rubbed his head, stood up and approached Pang Dakun: “Put your hands out properly.”

“Okay.”

Pang Dakun felt Zhang Su’s pressure, obediently stretched out his hands, which were tied again.

“Come on, untie it and show me.”

Zhang Su watched Pang Dakun with interest.

“This is my secret technique, I don’t teach my little brothers. You can’t watch!”

Pang Dakun said seriously.

Smack.

As soon as he finished speaking, he got a smack on the back of his head.

Lu Yubo glared sideways at him: “How are you talking to our big brother? Do it quickly, or I’ll tie your little bird!”

Poof.

The women couldn’t help but laugh, each looking at the shameless Lu Yubo with peculiar eyes.

Pang Dakun hated this fierce guy, reluctantly began showcasing his skills, his wrist and fingers bent in an exaggerated angle, somehow using his fingernails to fiddle a few times and indeed pushed the zip tie out bit by bit!

“This thing can be undone without cutting it…”

Zhang Su had never known zip ties weren’t one-time use, Pang Dakun’s technique amazed him.

“Brother Su, he’s definitely a habitual thief…”

Zheng Xinyu said with a strange expression.

Zhang Su nodded, realizing this village rogue wasn’t a greenhorn after all, but had indeed learned some mischievous tricks, so he continued, “Don’t tell me your skill is just untying zip ties, that’s nothing, it’s worthless.”

“You’re the one worthless, I know plenty more!”

Pang Dakun, hearing Zhang Su belittle him, immediately got spirited, but after cursing, he shrunk his head, and sure enough, a slap swung from behind him, blew over his head.

“Whoa, still trying to dodge!” Lu Yubo missed the swing, rolled up his sleeves ready to teach Pang Dakun a lesson, only to be stopped by Zhang Su’s decisive glance.

“Know more, huh? Come, tell us then, let’s see how impressive you are.” Zhang Su smiled.

Pang Dakun glanced at everyone around him, stiffened his neck and said, “My secret skills aren’t free to show, there must be compensation!”

“What do you want?”

Zhang Su asked.

Pang Dakun’s eyes wandered, fixed on the Corgi sitting by Zhang Su’s feet: “I want this dog, the dog at home died!”

“No, Good Fortune is part of our team, not just a dog, pick something else.” Zhang Su waved him off, declining the request.

“Ah, so the dog is one of you, alright…” Pang Dakun scratched his greasy head seeing the thermos on the windowsill, said, “I want that, I’ve always wanted to give Grandpa a thermos. I planned to steal – uh – buy one in the city for Grandpa this New Year, okay?”

“Old Tan, what do you think?”

Zhang Su recalled the thermos belonged to Tan Huajun.

Tan Huajun nodded, not objecting, there’re plenty more on the car brought from Yihe Car Shop.

“Alright, the thermos owner agreed, you can perform now.” Zhang Su told Pang Dakun.

“Can’t really perform, but I can explain, like climbing roofs, scaling walls, opening all kinds of locks, mechanical ones, not electronic. My best skill, heh, is…”

Pang Dakun grinned awkwardly, continued, “I’m quick-handed, good at stealing.”

Zhang Su looked at Pang Dakun skeptically, doubting: “You really know these skills?”

“Brother Su, I think he’s bluffing. Sixteen, seventeen-year-old boy can’t know all that.” Lu Yubo shook his head.

Not only him, many others eyed suspiciously, mainly due to Pang Dakun’s age, many skills require years of honing, like locksmithing, how many locks could he have seen in his living environment?

Unexpectedly, Pang Dakun saw everyone’s look and just smiled arrogantly with curled lips.

“I met my mentor at ten, he said I was talented, let me learn from him, said once learned I’d never worry about meals, so I learned, huh, even if parents didn’t give money, I still had food!”

Zhang Su nodded thoughtfully, knowing how terrifying talent is, as the saying goes, great things don’t force themselves, true talent doesn’t need much training, like a flawless jade needing no carving.

However, the mentor’s words bore thought, mastering stealing must either continue stealing perpetually, free profits, or land in trouble, end up sewing, either way doesn’t worry about meals.

If killed during theft, still won’t worry about meals…

“Kid, who says you can’t showcase that skill, try unlocking the driver’s door and show me!”

Zhang Su pointed at the motorhome door.

Pang Dakun sneered, said, “Uncle, your challenge is too basic, Master Kun – no, today I’ll show you something!”

Under the sparse moon and stars, Yuwen and Wu Lue curiously watched Zhang Su’s group get off the car, unsure what they were doing.

Soon, the group reached the car door.

Pang Dakun saw over a dozen eyes on him, chuckled, pulled out a flexible wire from his sleeve, lightly leaped onto the tire, began working in the flashlight beam.

Click.

In less than half a minute, the motorhome driver’s door clicked open.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep