Who said this card is outrageous?

Chapter 130 Guests at Home

When Zhong Huaiyuan left the city guard headquarters, he realized that Zhang Che's mental state was not very good. He quickly took out two bottles of alchemical potions from his body and gave them to him.

Zhang Che didn't ask any questions, unscrewed the bottle cap, tilted his head back, and poured it down.

The moment the medicine entered his throat, a warm energy spread from his throat to his whole body, and the torn wound in his mind began to slowly heal under the influence of that power.

Meanwhile, the minor wounds left during the battle during the day were also healing rapidly under the influence of another potion, and most of the purplish bruises subsided.

After taking two vials of the potion, the mental damage caused by the death of the Megalodon was completely repaired, and he could even faintly feel a slight increase in the strength of his mental energy.

As expected of the goods brought out by the Commander-in-Chief of the City Guard, both bottles of potion must be of excellent quality. However, having helped the City Guard so much, Zhang Che drank these two bottles of potion without any qualms.

Summoning the Megalodon once more, Zhang Che rode it through the skies above the city, flying from the base outside the city all the way home.

Night had fallen, and the streetlights cast a dim, yellowish glow. Occasionally, a few security vehicles and city guard trucks could be seen speeding by. A few flames still flickered on the distant horizon, but overall, the city had quieted down.

Zhang Che leaned against the dorsal fin of the Megalodon, looking down at the street scene that was gradually becoming familiar yet chaotic, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

The group that attacked Binhai City was not large in number, and their main targets were strategic locations such as the City Hall, the Adventurers' Guild, and the City Guard Camp.

Before they could cause any more serious consequences, a group of them were driven back by Zhang Che, and the rest had to leave the city ahead of time and go outside the city to attack the headquarters of the city guards.

This resulted in the damage to ordinary residential areas in the city not being particularly severe. Most of the city remained intact, and many shops on the streets were still open as usual. The lights in the residential buildings were still on one by one, as if the daytime riots were just a brief thunderstorm that would pass by in no time.

However, as the epicenter of the battle, Zhang Che's house and more than a dozen nearby houses suffered considerable damage, all of which were destroyed to varying degrees in the aftermath of the battle between Ke Yuanzhou, Fitz, and Megalodon.

Fortunately, the security team arrived in time and evacuated most of the residents before the building completely collapsed. As a result, apart from a few unlucky people who became disabled, the others were only slightly injured and no one was killed.

……

The Megalodon slowly descended at the edge of the ruins. Zhang Che jumped off its back, stood there, and stared at the house in front of him for a long time.

The house was mostly destroyed. What used to be the living room was now a pile of rubble and tiles. The walls of the kitchen and bathroom had also collapsed. Only the most sturdy card-making workshop and the bedroom furthest from the living room remained barely intact.

Master's room was on the other side of the living room. Standing at the edge of the ruins, Zhang Che could see that the room had completely collapsed. The roof tiles were broken all over the ground, and large pieces of plaster had peeled off the walls, revealing the gray bricks underneath.

A piece of the bedroom window was broken, and the curtains were blown out of the hole by the wind, like a limp hand.

Zhang Che stood there motionless, looking at the home he had lived in for so many years, a home that held so many beautiful memories with his master, now completely destroyed. It was impossible for Zhang Che not to be angry.

Unfortunately, things happened so suddenly that there wasn't much he could do. It was already difficult enough to protect himself and Ruan Ruoshi. As for something as important as a house, he had to put it on the back burner.

Zhang Che silently made a big grudge against Ke Yuanzhou and the forces behind him; in short, this feud was now irreconcilable.

They had better pray that they could eliminate Zhang Che before he grew up, otherwise they would definitely show those guys what cruelty was!

"Owner……"

Ah Li stood beside him and gently pulled Zhang Che's arm into her embrace, but she didn't say much, just quietly stayed with him.

Zhang Che closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them.

"Okay, it's alright." His voice was a little hoarse, but his tone had returned to calm. "Let's tidy up the house together first, and get through tonight before we talk about anything else."

He lifted his foot and had only taken two steps toward the house when Ah Li suddenly reached out and stopped him.

"Master, be careful!" Her tone was initially wary, but quickly turned to doubt. "Is there...someone inside?"

Zhang Che stopped and looked at her.

"It's the girl you rescued during the day." Ahri tilted her head, as if confirming that her senses were correct. "She seems to be waiting for you at home."

"Ruan Ruoshi?" Zhang Che frowned.

He was a little puzzled, wondering why Ruan Ruoshi was here. Could it be to thank him for saving her life? But there was no need to come over so late at night; couldn't she have come during the day tomorrow?

Of course, thoughts like "I have no way to repay the life-saving grace" also crossed his mind, but they were all fleeting.

Reason and reality both told him that it was absolutely impossible.

But after all, it's his own home, and no matter what the other party wants to do, he can't be stopped from going home.

Zhang Che stepped over the collapsed courtyard wall at the edge of the ruins, with Ah Li following behind him.

Walking through the ruins feels completely different from looking at them from the outside. Under your feet are rubble and tiles that crunch under your feet, and every now and then you'll step on a loose brick.

Looking down at the ruins at his feet, Zhang Che's hatred for Ke Yuanzhou and the guys behind him intensified.

The only good news is that he usually follows his master's example and keeps valuable items in the most secure workshop, such as important card-making materials and his master's belongings.

So the actual loss is not serious; at most, it's just some old furniture and appliances.

Logically, it should have been replaced long ago, but Zhang Che kept it in mind because it was left by his master.

Suppressing his anger and calming his emotions, Zhang Che followed Ah Li's guidance and found Ruan Ruoshi in the location of the kitchen, which had been mostly destroyed.

Hmm, I'm fast asleep, nestled next to the stove...

The stove was made of stone, and it was the best-preserved item in the entire kitchen. Ruan Ruoshi used the stove as a table, her face buried in her arms, her breathing very even, indicating that she was sleeping very well.

Her clothes looked dusty, her hair was covered in dirt, and there were several stains on her face that she must have been busy all day.

But to be fair, this girl is really carefree. She actually managed to sleep in someone else's house, which is a dangerous building. Isn't she afraid of a secondary collapse that could bury her inside?

Chapter 131 The Girl's Feelings

Zhang Che stood in front of her, looking at her completely unguarded sleeping face, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

Although he really didn't want to disturb her peaceful sleep, Zhang Che couldn't let Ruan Ruoshi sleep there like that.

So he raised his hand and tapped the wok next to him. The wok was made of iron and made a crisp sound that sounded particularly clear in the quiet ruins.

"Clang clang clang—"

Ruan Ruoshi's body trembled violently, and she almost instinctively sprang up from the stove, her right hand reaching for the pistol at her waist.

At the same time, her gaze swept quickly around her, warily surveying her surroundings: ruins, rubble, broken walls, a roof that had collapsed halfway, and the helpless-looking man in front of her.

Her mind began processing the information rapidly, and then she finally realized what had just happened, her pretty face gradually flushing red.

"Um..." Ruan Ruoshi's voice was so soft it was almost a mosquito's buzz, her hands twisting together in front of her, "I was just too tired, I took a nap... I didn't mean anything by it..."

Seeing the sheriff's daughter's little gestures as she tried to explain her behavior, Zhang Che almost couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Fortunately, he managed to hold back, cleared his throat, and said seriously, "Thank you for watching over my house, Miss Ruan. However, it is getting late, and it is not convenient for us to be alone together, so please go home and rest first, Miss Ruan. We can talk about it tomorrow."

"Huh? Oh... okay..." Ruan Ruoshi seemed a little dazed, but she agreed repeatedly.

Then, as she got up to leave, she suddenly clapped her hands, as if she had remembered something important.

“Um, Mr. Zhang Che, thank you for saving me today.” Ruan Ruoshi turned around and bowed deeply to him.

Then he straightened up, turned around and rummaged through the cabinets, finally taking out two different lunch boxes from a well-preserved cabinet in the kitchen and handing them to Zhang Che.

"Um..." Ruan Ruoshi's gaze drifted across the ground, her tone somewhat hesitant, "I thought you might be hungry after you came back, so I prepared some food. I don't know if it suits your taste..."

However, Zhang Che's attention was completely drawn to the unassuming lunchbox—he recognized it all too well, having seen it countless times since he was a child!

"Miss Ruan, may I ask where you got this lunchbox?" Zhang Che asked urgently.

“Ah, this…” Ruan Ruoshi looked down at the lunchbox in her hand, “It was delivered by an uncle in the evening. He said he was worried you hadn’t eaten, so he made something and brought it over. But when the uncle saw that I was also waiting for you, he left the lunchbox behind and left in a hurry.”

She paused for a moment, then continued with a hint of uncertainty, "I don't know why, but that uncle seemed quite happy when he left. But my senses tell me he probably didn't mean any harm, so the food in the lunchbox should be safe. You can eat it without worry."

After hearing this, Zhang Che couldn't help but chuckle.

He then took the simple lunchbox and said with a smile, "Don't worry, that uncle won't hurt me."

Opening the lunchbox, Zhang Che found it was indeed Uncle Wang's cooking: braised pork, stewed ribs, and a small side dish to cut through the richness—all dishes Zhang Che loved.

Although he can't compare to the late Aunt Wang, Uncle Wang's cooking skills have reached about 70% of hers over the years.

The food had gotten a little cold, but the aroma still whetted Zhang Che's appetite: he had been busy all day, and the only thing he had done was replenish his energy with the medicine Zhong Huaiyuan had given him just now.

But that only made him feel less hungry; his stomach was still empty.

Before going home, he went to Uncle Wang's shop to take a look. He found that the shop door was closed and the lights were off. Fortunately, the glass windows were intact and there were no signs of tampering on the door. Everything looked normal.

Zhang Che then returned home relieved, never expecting such a turn of events.

It's a pity Sister Xinran isn't here; her cooking skills are much better than Uncle Wang's...

At times like these, people will subconsciously think of those closest to them.

Zhang Che took a deep breath and suppressed the emotions that surged up. He hadn't forgotten that there was another person in front of him, so he didn't immediately start eating from the lunchbox.

Meeting Ruan Ruoshi's expectant gaze, Zhang Che ultimately did not refuse and reached out to take the other lunchbox from her hand.

He didn't open it in front of Ruan Ruoshi; he just quietly looked at her for a while.

Ruan Ruoshi felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, and her eyes began to wander again. Then she quickly realized that she seemed to have no reason to stay any longer, and a sense of loss inexplicably rose in her heart.

However, she made one last attempt before leaving.

“Um, Zhang Che, given your current situation at home… how about we stay at the police station for the night?” Ruan Ruoshi’s voice was a little tense. “I remember there should still be some empty seats there.”

"Let's forget it." Zhang Che waved his hand, politely declining her offer. "With such a big incident in the city today, there must be people who need a place to stay more than I do."

"Besides, I still feel more at ease living in my own home."

Ruan Ruoshi opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, but she was interrupted by a sudden voice as soon as her lips moved.

"Master, the room has been prepared. You can come and rest now."

As Ahri spoke, she quickly walked over from the direction of the studio.

She came to Zhang Che's side, naturally took his arm, then looked at Ruan Ruoshi and tilted her head: "Oh, Miss Sheriff, you haven't left yet?"

Ruan Ruoshi's gaze shifted back and forth between Ali and Zhang Che.

"Master?" Her voice was slightly unsteady. "Wait, Master?!"

The sheriff's face turned red again, and she hesitated between Zhang Che and Ali, feeling completely at a loss.

However, this cannot be blamed on Ruan Ruoshi. Humanoid cards only appear at the mid-level transcendent level, which is common knowledge among transcendent beings.

Even though she had seen Ahri earlier that morning, she only regarded her as a fourth-tier superhuman of a demi-human race and did not think of her as a card player at all.

Moreover, this is not just Ruan Ruoshi's opinion; even everyone who has met Ahri today would not consider her a card.

On the contrary, it would be more convincing if it were a demi-human superhuman.

Zhang Che looked at Ruan Ruoshi's helpless expression and felt a headache coming on.