Chapter 23: Even Heaven Favors Me

Meng Ran set down her chopsticks. Was that the sound of a door being kicked in? Could it be Fang Weiwen coming for them?

"It doesn't sound like it's our place," Niannian whispered while sipping her porridge.

It was very close, but indeed, it was not their apartment.

Fang Weiwen had violently broken through a door and seized Grandma Liu and Qi Guangyao. Qi Guangyao struggled, kicking and punching under Fang Weiwen’s grip. Grandma Liu lunged forward, crying, "Please, don't hurt my grandson! I'll give you everything I have!"

Fang Weiwen sneered, "Back then, when I asked your family for a bucket of water, didn't you make me kneel and beg you?" He yanked Qi Guangyao by his short hair, drawing a howl of pain from the boy. "Now, you kneel and beg me, and I’ll let him go."

Without a moment’s hesitation, Grandma Liu knelt and grabbed the hem of Fang Weiwen’s trousers. "Please, I beg you, let him go! Everything we have to eat and drink, it’s all yours!"

Qi Guangyao looked at his grandmother with tear-filled eyes. He had never imagined that a brute like Fang Weiwen would return to their home.

Fang Weiwen shoved Qi Guangyao aside and led his men into the apartment. Grandma Liu and Qi Guangyao had been living on meager rations, and with so little food left, what remained was pitiful. Inside the refrigerator were only some slightly rotting vegetables. Fang Weiwen managed to find only one bucket of water and a few boxes of instant food.

"Is this it?" Fang Weiwen looked at Grandma Liu, clearly dissatisfied.

Grandma Liu’s eyes flickered. "I don't have much money to buy things, and with my son and daughter-in-law away, we don't have much food."

Fang Weiwen clutched the supplies and looked at Qi Guangyao, who was hiding in Grandma Liu’s arms. "Are you sure there's nothing else?"

"There really isn't." Grandma Liu lowered her head, clutching the shivering Qi Guangyao tightly.

Fang Weiwen stepped forward, forcefully dragged Qi Guangyao away, and crouched down, gripping the boy’s neck. "Really nothing left?"

Grandma Liu wept and begged, "There truly isn't. I'm just an old bag of bones; who would give me food? It’s already a miracle we’ve survived this long."

Fang Weiwen spat on the floor. Back in the elevator, he had seen Grandma Liu only buy a few vegetables. Now that there was no water or electricity, those vegetables were impossible to cook, so she was likely telling the truth. He let go and turned his gaze toward Meng Ran’s door.

Grandma Liu quickly retreated with Qi Guangyao, covering the boy’s mouth. "Stop crying! If you keep crying, we’ll really die!" She knew what Fang Weiwen was capable of and dared not provoke him.

Meng Ran’s security door collapsed under the assault. Fang Weiwen stared at the iron door, muttering, "To think she actually went to the trouble of installing this!"

The men behind him cracked their knuckles. "Brother Fang, let us handle this. You said there were only two women living here. You don't even need to lift a finger; we can take care of them easily." They only targeted households they deemed vulnerable; they never dared to provoke anyone truly formidable.

Listening to the commotion outside, Meng Ran heard a loud crash as the newly installed iron door was struck by an axe. She pulled the door open, slipped into her hidden space, and watched the vines coiled around her wrists. Since her affinity had reached 10%, her ability to manipulate plants had changed significantly.

"Why is it so dark?"

Meng Ran had drawn all the curtains. Someone pushed them aside, allowing light to flood into the room. Fang Weiwen scanned the surroundings vigilantly. Had the door opened by itself just now?

"You two, go check the bedroom."

Was Meng Ran not home? The room felt devoid of human presence, and the kitchen was covered in dust, appearing as if it hadn't been used in a long time. Everything felt off. As soon as the two men entered the bedroom, the door locked behind them.

Meng Ran appeared in a corner, watching the three men standing in the living room. As Fang Weiwen turned at the sound, he was met with a dozen thick, green vines. Meng Ran darted among the vines, a knife in her hand.

"What are these things?" Fang Weiwen struck the vines with his fire axe, only to glimpse Meng Ran hiding within the thicket.

Meng Ran’s movements were sharp, and the plants moved with lifelike intent, following her will. The other two men were tightly bound, and there was no sound from the bedroom.

"What have you done?" Fang Weiwen asked while fighting back. A door shouldn't have been able to stop his men, but the silence inside was unsettling.

Meng Ran did not answer. Inside the bedroom, slender, tough vines had wrapped the two men into cocoons. They writhed on the floor like giant green insects. "Mmph! Mmph!" Hearing Fang Weiwen’s voice, they tried to call for help through their gags, but Fang Weiwen was already fighting for his own life.

Meng Ran noticed that Fang Weiwen didn't seem surprised by the sudden appearance of the plants, which was curious. As vines coiled around him, Fang Weiwen freed one hand and severed them with his axe.

A dull ache throbbed in Meng Ran’s forehead. Using her powers on five people at once was pushing her mental limits. She wanted a quick victory, so she had poured all her energy into the initial strike. She had to finish Fang Weiwen off before her strength gave out.

"No wonder. So, this is your little trick." Fang Weiwen’s legs were bound, leaving him unable to move.

"Meng Ran, do you know what it means to be favored by the heavens?" Fang Weiwen grinned. Meng Ran sensed danger. She lunged with her knife, but Fang Weiwen didn't dodge; he blocked with his arm.

Goose down and cotton stuffing flew into the air, stained with blood. As his arm began to bleed, Fang Weiwen laughed even more excitedly. "Why do you think those people are so submissive to me?"

Blood droplets floated in mid-air. Meng Ran stared at them. "You awakened too?" Her suspicion was confirmed; it wasn't just her, Niannian, Mu Qiuyun, and Fang Weiwen—they were all the same.

Fang Weiwen opened his hand and clenched it. *Bang! Bang! Bang!* The blood droplets exploded. Meng Ran retreated rapidly, putting distance between herself and the blood. Fang Weiwen manipulated the droplets to pursue her. Meng Ran’s eyes flickered; she crossed her arms, and vines rose to shield her.

"Do you think a few vines can stop this? Meng Ran, you should be honored to die at the hands of someone with an ability like mine. Don't worry, you won't be alone on the road to the underworld."

"Then just how many people have you killed?"

Meng Ran’s figure appeared behind him, beads of sweat on her forehead. Fang Weiwen looked at the spot where the vines were shielding her, then back at Meng Ran. He had been tricked!

Meng Ran wouldn't give him a chance to react. Having restrained him again, she aimed her blade at his throat. If he died, he couldn't keep using his power.

Fang Weiwen gritted his teeth. Was he really going to fall to Meng Ran today? He tightened his arm, and the blood droplets exploded before her blade could strike. Because they were so close, Fang Weiwen was caught in the blast; his face was covered in blood, and blisters instantly rose on his skin. Pale and desperate, he used the force of the explosion to break free and fled.

Meng Ran’s vision was clouded in red. She quickly took off her gloves, seeing the back of her hands bright red, as if scalded. The space before her was empty; the heavily injured Fang Weiwen had vanished.

Meng Ran looked at the other men. She had little mental energy left. She opened the bedroom door, where the vines held the four men. She struggled to heave the window open, the howling wind and snow rushing in, and tossed them all out.

Only then did Meng Ran collapse, completely spent.