The Chef Rules the Last Days
Chapter 369 - 368: Dispute

Chapter 369: Chapter 368: Dispute

The silent acquiescence slightly chilled Lu Chen’s face. He turned to look toward Su Mo and just happened to see Li Qian passing a can to Zhao Changsheng.

"She’s not suitable for you."

As soon as he spoke, Jianxiong’s already awkward and embarrassed expression darkened in an instant, his sun-darkened face now bearing an indescribable heaviness.

"I didn’t think..."

Lu Chen patted Jianxiong’s shoulder. Although he felt some regret, there were things he had to say, "The one who has been with her all this way is Li Qian, you are too late."

Lu Chen and Su Mo had early on noticed the hints of Zhao Changsheng’s feelings for Su Mo, but it puzzled Lu Chen why Jianxiong, who hadn’t been with them for some months, suddenly developed feelings for Zhao Changsheng.

However, he wouldn’t ask about such matters.

After a long silence, Jianxiong finally spoke with some difficulty, "I understand."

Lu Chen looked at him, his voice carrying a rare hint of warmth, "If you hadn’t gone to Southern Island, maybe there would have been a chance. This is my fault."

Jianxiong shook his head hurriedly, his face turning serious, and he spoke in a low voice, "These two matters shouldn’t be mixed together. No matter what, I couldn’t just watch my sister and boss get hurt. Even if I could do it all over again, my choice would remain the same."

In his heart, Su Mo was like a sister who would make delicious food for him and help him, and Lu Chen was more than a boss—He was a brother with whom he had shared life-and-death experiences.

In the face of love, friendship, and loyalty ranked first for him.

Jianxiong was very clear about this. However, when he looked up at Zhao Changsheng again, his eyes still carried a deep regret. Until now, the memories that lingered most in his mind were the times he had spent clowning around with Zhao Changsheng in prison and while scavenging for supplies.

Was it too late? He didn’t know.

While the two were talking, something happened on Su Mo’s side.

She had chosen a can of peach preserve, but as soon as her hand extended toward it, it was slapped away with a smack.

Having drunk ginger tea, the skin on the back of her hand was very tender. The harsh slap left a red mark that immediately appeared.

Su Mo retracted her hand, unconcerned about the slight pain, and her sparkling, moist eyes fixed on the woman who slapped her, "Can’t I eat?"

"People from the Devil’s side don’t deserve fruit. Get lost!" The woman’s voice, as she pointed and spoke, was both shrill and unpleasant, as if she hadn’t brushed her teeth for many days; even at a distance of a meter, one could smell the indescribable foul odor emanating from her.

Zhao Changsheng had just opened the can halfway when she quickly put it down, took Su Mo’s hand, her face layered with anger, "How dare you hit her!"

At this moment, Su Mo also didn’t want to argue. She pulled her hand back, still smiling, but her smile now contained a hint of coldness, "It’s okay, it’s the same if I take another."

She reached out again to grab another can of sardines, but the woman tried to slap her hand away once more.

Su Mo’s wrist was pulled back at the same time by someone, and she wasn’t idle either; she kicked the woman’s buttocks, and nearly half the cans on the table were knocked over by her.

Some of the cans used for fruit preserves were made of glass, and now they all shattered into pieces, scattering across the floor with a crashing noise.

Fruit and syrup spilled out, the fruity aroma wafting richly through the hall.

Such a loud commotion drew everyone’s attention.

Seeing those fruit cans scattered on the ground, some people directly knelt and dove in to lick them, angrily exclaiming, "Why waste so much! These are fruit cans."

Su Mo, acting as if it were none of her business, grabbed a box of sardine cans and followed Lu Chen to the side, while Zhao Changsheng also showed a relieved expression and walked to the edge with Li Qian.

"Bring those who waste the gifts here," the Empress on the throne ordered upon seeing the can scraps all over the floor, her heart aching, her tone laced with a chill.

The woman was lifted from the table and forced to kneel at the bottom of the steps.

Now realizing the trouble she’d caused, she knelt there wailing like a madwoman, her hand pointing at Su Mo, who was opening cans to eat fish. The saliva spewing from her mouth flew out far, "It’s the Devil! The Devil did this!"

Lying down but still getting hit by stray bullets—that must be what this felt like. As Su Mo ate her fish, she casually clinked her chopsticks, showing no concern for the commotion in front of her. However, the woman’s words resonated with many others.

To them, weren’t Su Mo and Lu Chen the very Devils? Now all the blame for the scattered can scraps was placed on both of them.

"A bunch of lunatics," Zhao Changsheng muttered under his breath, already standing protectively beside Su Mo.

It was already an exception to allow Su Mo and Lu Chen to stay here, a promise the Empress had made to Ling Ye. There was no taking back words once spoken, and as she grimaced, preparing to speak, suddenly a man in a panic, dressed in black combat gear, rushed into the hall.

"Trouble! The Demons have arrived! The Demons are here!"

The man rushed into the hall, his face stricken with fear.

Being the Gatekeeper stationed at the foot of the mountain, the Empress sat up straight, her heart racing with a bad premonition, "What happened?"

"Demons! Swarms of Demons have appeared in Hua City, detected by our Spiritual Power Users. They have been crushing all living things in their path, devouring everything! They’ll be here soon! Several of us have died in their mouths!"

His legs trembled with the overwhelming fear provoked by their incalculable numbers.

Upon hearing this, Su Mo’s heart sank. Crushing all in their path... Her plea in the pit for it not to harm people—it was indeed unrealistic to expect a zombie to listen.

Her expression turned ugly; it had positioned itself against her. Between them, there would be no room for negotiation. She absolutely couldn’t allow it to harm her companions. A single probing sentence in the pit had made Su Mo give up on any lingering thoughts she knew she shouldn’t have entertained.

The woman still kneeling on the ground, as if having found an outlet, her eyes bulging, screamed at Su Mo, "I said it! It’s her! She brought them here! The Demons are all her fault!"

"The envoy of Demons has brought the Demons here! We should burn her!"

"Burn her! Burn her!"

The near-mad chants found increasing consensus among the crowd, even the Empress on her throne seemed to sense some connection with Su Mo, who had peacefully coexisted with the Spiritual Zombie for a night.

Now, every gaze turned towards Su Mo and the others, filled with intense murderous intent.

Calming the rage of the people was what the Empress needed to do now. She glanced at Ling Ye, who was seated and staring back at her, and called out loudly, "Kill the Demons, seal off the mountain; they won’t come up here."

This decision caused Su Mo to drop the can she was half-eating. The can hit the granite floor in front of her, splashing soup everywhere. She unsheathed her Tang Blade and activated her commanding aura, while Lu Chen was surrounded by an icy air, his superpower gathering strength formidably.

Old Dao and the one injected with Ling Ye’s blood were eager to try, making their way towards them, their demeanor clearly aiming to be the first to claim their heads.

Seeing this, Jianxiong stepped forward, blocking Old Dao, gripping his hand holding the short blade, and warned in a hoarse voice, "Don’t do this, given the few months we’ve spent together."