Chapter 53
With Chen Shuoshuo leading the way, a group of seven or eight children paid for their meals and eagerly started taking photos with Maomao, the food stall’s guardian dog.
“Moon Divine Beast! Look here, look here!”
“Ahhh, it’s so handsome!”
“Shuoshuo, does this mean I’ve absorbed the moon essence? Can I transform tonight?”
Their smartwatches could not only make payments, access WeChat, but also take photos, making the adults around them feel envious.
And surprisingly, the usually aloof Maomao didn’t show any signs of irritation. It tilted its head back, its golden eyes sparkling with moonlight, and posed along with the children, taking many cool photos.
Perhaps it was because the children showed such respectful attitudes toward it.
Unlike the adults, who had been worn down by society, children had a stronger instinct for danger and clearer instincts. While many adults didn’t notice, these children instinctively knew that Maomao was some kind of top-tier existence in the food chain, not to be provoked.
So, their tone when speaking to Maomao and even their posture when taking pictures reflected a natural, respectful deference toward the divine beast.
Soon, while they were all lost in their photos with Maomao, their orders of spicy hotpot were ready.
Chen Shuoshuo ordered a dry version of the spicy hotpot, a type he had liked since he was young. He didn’t like soupy dishes but preferred the dry, spicy hotpot with strong flavors that were more intense.
“I’m already a big brother in society. I can handle the storms for my brothers, of course, I need to eat something this intense!” Chen Shuoshuo proudly puffed up his chest and said.
Although Chen Shuoshuo was only eight years old, he already called himself a “big brother.”
Recently, Chen Shuoshuo and his friends had been frequently harassed and extorted by a group of thugs outside the community.
The thugs were all Alphas, strong and intimidating, with powerful pheromones and even knives. They threatened to stab them all if they told the adults.
To protect his friends, Chen Shuoshuo had forced himself to grow up and become stronger quickly.
…It would be even better if he could become the Moon Superhero.
Thinking of this, Chen Shuoshuo couldn’t help but move closer to the Moon Divine Beast, wanting to absorb more of its moon essence.
“Be careful, it’s hot,” Jian Yunlan said as he handed the dry spicy hotpot to Chen Shuoshuo. “If you like any condiments, you can add them yourself.”
Chen Shuoshuo pretended to act tough and nodded.
He wiped away the imaginary blood from the corner of his mouth and sat confidently in the chair—though he was so short that his feet didn’t reach the ground.
Chen Shuoshuo picked up a beef meatball with a fork, inspecting it with a scrutinizing look:
The beef meatball in the dry spicy hotpot was coated generously with a red oil and sesame paste, shiny and rich in color, smelling absolutely mouthwatering. Chen Shuoshuo couldn’t resist sniffing…
It smelled so good…
But.
Chen Shuoshuo had already decided that after taking a bite, he would immediately spit it out, just like the tough guys in gangster movies, saying, “I don’t have time, my brothers are waiting for me,” then dramatically putting the bowl down and walking away!
Lately, those thugs had been following them around.
If they saw them at the hotpot stall… they wouldn’t hesitate to flip the hotpot over.
Chen Shuoshuo didn’t want to cause trouble for Boss Jian.
“Ahh…”
Chen Shuoshuo took a bite of the beef meatball, and suddenly his eyes lit up.
—This beef meatball is so delicious!
The exterior of the meatball was chewy, covered in rich, fragrant spicy sauce. When he bit into it, the hot meaty oil immediately burst out, blending with the red oil and sesame paste, making it even more flavorful.
Chen Shuoshuo couldn’t help but chew, each bite was so rich and delicious. The hand-made beef meatballs had a very elastic texture, the meat was firm, and the longer you chewed, the more the beef flavor was released. The spicy red oil further stimulated the mouth, making it both spicy and irresistible.
To cater to the children in their tooth-changing period, Jian Yunlan had made sure the meat in their spicy hotpot was cooked a little softer.
At first, Chen Shuoshuo kept urging himself to spit it out and then say the classic line before leaving…
But this delicious beef meatball was too hard to resist, he just couldn’t bring himself to spit it out. QAQ
The other kids were in the same situation.
Although they had paid without hesitation, it was mainly to take photos with the Moon Divine Beast. If their parents found out they secretly came to eat spicy hotpot after dinner, they’d probably be beaten until their butts were sore.
So, they initially just wanted to taste a bit and then leave.
But this spicy hotpot was just too good!
“I really like these meatballs…”
“Who has more quail eggs? Give me one, I’ll trade it for tofu.”
“My mom’s going to scold me…”
“You guys don’t understand,” Chen Shuoshuo saw one of the kids looking troubled and spoke up, “This isn’t sneaking a snack. This is how we absorb moon essence, understand? Eating delicious food helps us better absorb moon essence and prepare for our transformations!”
The other children suddenly understood.
So that’s how it is!
No longer holding back, the kids gathered around a table and dug into their spicy hotpot with enthusiasm, eating happily.
Some had already finished and were staring eagerly at the other kids’ bowls. They occasionally huddled together, whispering about where to climb trees, play hide and seek, or buy sodas next.
The adults nearby, watching these mischievous and clever little ones, couldn’t help but smile.
It was so nice.
It felt like they had returned to a time when they weren’t poisoned by the world yet.
Feng Danqing had just been struck by how wealthy these kids were and couldn’t help but open her Alipay balance, wallowing in self-pity. But as she watched the children, she was gradually infected by their simple joy.
Where had all her childhood playmates gone?
It had been a long time since they were in touch. She wondered… were they doing okay?
A wave of nostalgia swept through the lively spicy hotpot stall.
Everyone was enjoying the food while reminiscing about their innocent childhood.
Just then, an unexpected event occurred.
First, there was a loud crashing sound from the barbecue stall next door.
A group of young thugs with brightly colored “Shamate” hair were smashing things at the stall. The trembling voice of the barbecue stall owner could be heard, “We really haven’t seen him… you should go look elsewhere…”
The items at the stall were smashed, the tables and chairs overturned, and the customers had fled.
The stall owner quickly rolled up his things and rode away on his bike.
Seeing this, the other stall owners immediately packed up their things and left as well.
When the thugs got bored, they would come to the food stalls and cause trouble. Most of the food stalls near Hetang Community were operating without a license, with only three to five customers, and no one would care if they were smashed.
“Bunch of cowards.” The leader of the thugs, Pao Hui, disdainfully kicked over a table. “Did you see that little brat?”
“The owners of the food stalls around here said they haven’t seen him.”
“Why don’t we go over there and take a look?”
Recently, the thugs had discovered some fun here.
The group of elementary school kids was much wealthier than expected, especially the one leading them, a boy named Chen Shuoshuo. It was said that he had a powerful background. He was only eight years old but often carried tens of thousands of yuan on him and was very “loyal” to his friends.
When the thugs threatened him with his friends and brothers, he would quickly hand over the money, saving them a lot of trouble.
Seeing that most of the food stall owners had run off, the thugs turned their attention to the one stall that hadn’t closed.
“Maybe Chen Shuoshuo is hiding here,” said Thug One.
“A small spicy hotpot stall. If we flip the stall over, we’ll find him,” Pao Hui said with an evil grin.
The group of thugs walked toward the spicy hotpot stall.
They were all tall and strong, nearly 1.9 meters tall, armed with knives, and with potent Alpha pheromones. They could walk through the area with no one daring to stop them.
A small spicy hotpot stall was nothing to them.
Soon, they passed through the tree shadows, and the spicy hotpot stall appeared in front of them—
The thugs froze in shock.
“Small food stalls with only three to five customers, no one cares if they get smashed…”
But why were they now facing a huge crowd, with at least seventy to a hundred people, young and old, gathered around?
Why wasn’t this stall following the script?!
*
At the entrance of Yang’s Spicy Hotpot Stall.
Yu Ming tilted his head back, carefully sniffing the fragrant aroma drifting from the door. His dark, beautiful eyes were filled with confusion.
…It felt like something was missing.
The spicy hotpot wasn’t that it didn’t smell good, but it just didn’t have the same rich, tempting aroma he remembered from Aunt Song’s place. It wasn’t as intoxicating, as alluring, and as satisfying.
People coming and going in the shop couldn’t help but glance at him.
— A handsome young man standing in front of Yang’s Stall, with such a thoughtful expression on his face.
It seemed so intriguing.
It was like a scene from a novel!
…It was like the male protagonist in a post-apocalyptic romance novel, who had just reincarnated back to the modern world and, before starting to stockpile, stood in front of the remnants of human civilization, reminiscing about the past and lamenting the drastic changes in the world.
A young man couldn’t help but ask: “Bro, the time you came from, was there no Yang’s Stall left? After the global disaster, did humans no longer have spicy hotpot? Can I take a look at your stockpile space?”
Yu Ming’s expression grew even more confused: “…Huh?”
The young man scratched his head. “Sorry, I got the wrong book.”
The young man walked away in embarrassment.
Yu Ming remained standing at the shop door. Normally, the shop manager should have come to hurry him along, but…
In just the time Yu Ming stood there, many people were drawn in by the handsome young man and walked into the shop to make purchases.
Recently, because of the booming business at the hotpot stall at the entrance of the neighborhood, the sales at this shop had been steadily declining.
Now, with such a living advertisement standing there, attracting people, why not take advantage of it?
“Manager, should we chase him away?” the staff asked cautiously.
“Chase him away? Just let him stand there, it’s not bothering anyone. Hehe,” the manager said happily.
However, the manager’s joy didn’t last long.
Suddenly, a food stall owner riding a tricycle, carrying various stall equipment, hurriedly passed by, almost as if running for his life.
Upon seeing Yu Ming, the owner stopped like he had seen a savior, grabbed his hand excitedly, and said, “Xiao Ming, Xiao Ming, you have to go over there and check it out… That group of knife-wielding thugs is back. I’ve seen them bothering a group of kids recently, and we’re all old folks, we can’t handle them!”
Knife-wielding thugs?
Yu Ming’s expression tightened, and the smile on his face vanished.
He quietly started rolling up his sleeves, revealing his smooth and powerful arm muscles: “How many are there? Where are they?”
— Others might not understand, but for the business owners near Lotus Pond Community, Yu Ming was like a protector.
Hetang Community was an old neighborhood with a good location, but that didn’t mean it was a safe area. It had been a chaotic part of town, with all kinds of thugs running rampant.
As long as it didn’t threaten the internal safety of the community, the security guards usually turned a blind eye.
But Yu Ming was different.
Yu Ming’s parents had been martyrs, and since he was young, he had made it his goal to protect his country. Therefore, he had always worked on his physical training and learned martial arts. Ever since he moved to Hetang Community, the thugs in the area had noticeably decreased.
However, after Yu Ming entered his senior year of high school and got busy with studies, some thugs realized they had a chance to cause trouble again.
The food stall owner quickly gave specific details: “There are about eight or nine of them, causing trouble at the food stalls near the entrance of the community.”
“They seem to be looking to extort a few kids, and they have knives…”
The owner was almost in tears: “The food stalls near the entrance only have a few scattered customers. They have no way to defend themselves against those tall thugs.”
“Hmm,” Yu Ming nodded seriously.
Once the owner finished speaking, Yu Ming began walking toward the entrance of the community.
The food stall owner anxiously shouted after him: “Xiao Ming, be careful, those thugs are all Alpha, and their pheromones are really strong!”
Yu Ming was in a critical period of his differentiation.
If a teenager in the middle of this key phase was subjected to high-intensity pheromone attacks from multiple Alphas, it could damage his underdeveloped glands and affect his differentiation.
The owner had already called the police, but they wouldn’t be here quickly. In his panic, the owner had turned to Yu Ming for help.
After all, the thugs had specifically targeted the kids, including Chen Shuoshuo and his group.
What would happen if something happened to the kids?
The only thing the owner could do was silently pray for Yu Ming’s safety.
The food stall owner watched Yu Ming’s retreating back with worry.
In the livestreams from the Multiverse, many viewers were also watching anxiously.
On many of the screens, the same back view was displayed —
The boy’s figure was slim, but incredibly upright.
He walked along the desolate street, following the warm lights ahead, heading toward the place where the light gradually faded, toward the endless silent darkness.
No matter which timeline, which space, Yu Ming always chose the path of saving people without hesitation.
Save people, get hurt, fall into the abyss.
Again and again.
In the Multiverse live stream, a barrage of comments erupted like a tidal wave, all from the audience and fans who were emotionally tortured.
[Oh my god, do you even see what you’re doing!!!!]
[I can’t watch this anymore, I can’t watch, I can’t watch!]
[Recently, he’s been running around looking for Liang Liang, trying to save up money to work, and Ming Ming hasn’t eaten properly for days. He’s even been running a low fever during the critical period of his differentiation! He knows the consequences, but he still goes without hesitation QAQ]
[Ming’s fans are already crying]
[Did you notice, even the lights in this scene are a sign. Yu Ming is walking from a place with lots of people to one with fewer people, so the light is gradually dimming, and it’s leading into the deep, silent night…]
[…It’s just like Yu Ming’s life trajectory from here on out]
[TT-TT Please stop talking, if you say more I’m really going to jump—]
In the midst of all the wailing in the live rooms.
In one live stream, the audience suddenly paused, staring blankly:
[…]
[Hey…]
[Did you guys notice that in this timeline of Boss Jian, the lights around Yu Ming are getting brighter as he walks?]
On the screen, Yu Ming also seemed to freeze for a second.
He had made up his mind to be isolated and to bear all the consequences alone.
Having grown up as an orphan, Yu Ming knew since childhood that many things couldn’t rely on others. He had to depend on himself, only on himself.
As long as he could protect the defenseless children, no matter the consequences, whether it was gland injury, permanent disability, or anything more severe, he could accept it.
In Yu Ming’s memory, the road leading to the food stall at the entrance of the community was always getting darker, with fewer people as he walked.
The food stalls were mostly unlicensed and dared not set up in obvious places. Although they were at the community entrance, they were mostly hidden in places where the shadows of trees could cover them, tucked away.
But why…
The further he went, the brighter the lights became, and the more people gathered?
Soon.
Passing through the tree shadows, the spicy hotpot stall appeared in front of Yu Ming—
Yu Ming was stunned.
The “few scattered customers, with no ability to resist”…
Based on the boss’s description, Yu Ming had pictured in his mind a scene where tall, strong, fierce-looking thugs with knives were blocking the road, surrounding the weak food stall owners and customers, bullying them.
And in order to save them, Yu Ming had already decided to give up everything and fight to the death.
But what actually appeared before his eyes was—
Tall, strong, fierce-looking customers, surrounding the weak, trembling thugs. The thugs were scared, shivering, and already starting to retreat.
…Yu Ming was completely stunned.
You call these dozens or even hundreds of people, “a few scattered customers, with no ability to resist”???!!!
At first, the customers at the food stall, including Jian Yunlan himself, were still enjoying the food, unaware of the uninvited guests.
It was Chen Shuoshuo, with his sharp eyes, who was the first to spot the little thugs.
Upon seeing the leader, Pao Hui, Chen Shuoshuo shrank back, hurried to Jian Yunlan’s side, and tugged at his sleeve: “Boss, you should run, those little thugs are coming to smash your stall…”
“Little thugs?” Jian Yunlan froze for a moment, then looked up, and indeed saw eight or nine colorful figures at the end of the group, not far away.
“Yeah, they’re really scary, all big Alphas, their pheromones are strong and overbearing,” Chen Shuoshuo swallowed nervously, fear visible in his eyes.
But he quickly gathered his courage, stood up straight.
“I’ll stay behind,” Chen Shuoshuo said firmly, “Boss Jian, you hurry and pack up!”
The customers: “?”
If Boss Jian runs, what are they going to eat?
What little thugs, daring to interrupt their spicy hotpot and force Boss Jian to leave?!
They must be out of their minds!
Hearing Chen Shuoshuo’s words, many of the customers frowned and looked toward the back.
They spotted the group of suspected thugs, and all the customers smiled ‘kindly.’
Being stared at with smiles by dozens or even hundreds of people was like a scene from a Chinese supernatural horror story.
The thugs immediately froze, shuddering.
Are these really just ordinary spicy hotpot customers? Why do they all look like they’re radiating murderous intent?!
…Who are the real thugs here?!
Especially the group of gym-goers who had sneaked out, all with muscular bodies, one hand holding a hotpot bowl, the other casually picking up a wooden stick. Their well-developed arm muscles were intimidating.
The leader of the gym-goers, Tian Dajian, a muscle-bound man over 1.9 meters tall, weighed the wooden stick and flashed a ‘gentle’ smile: “So, you guys are the thugs, right?”
Among the gym-goers, a powerful-looking girl, Duan Qiongzhi, was also stretching her strong legs, showing off her solid thigh muscles, while casually smiling and saying:
“You guys… want to cause trouble for Boss Jian?”
Several other muscular men and women gathered around, speaking in a very gentle tone:
“No need to trouble Boss Jian, let the older brothers and sisters keep you company first, okay?” “Yeah, yeah, we work out every day, we won’t let you get bored.” “Come on, come on~”
The thugs: “…”
Thug #1, trembling under the overwhelming pressure, asked Pao Hui in a small voice: “Boss, should we… flip the stall?”
“The kid is inside,” Pao Hui was also a bit scared, but he had already spotted Chen Shuoshuo in the crowd. How could he let the lamb to be slaughtered slip away so easily? “We can’t back down.”
“You’re afraid of them? We’re all Alphas, most of them are Betas, their muscles may be exaggerated, but that’s just from protein powder, their punches are for show—”
Bang!
Duan Qiongzhi kicked the nearby streetlight.
The steel streetlight pole bent at an angle.
“Little brother, what did you just say?” Duan Qiongzhi smiled as she poked her ear, “I didn’t hear you clearly.”
The thugs: “…”
Tian Dajian walked over to the streetlight, tilted his head to look, and helplessly said, “Little Duan, why are you so hot-headed? This is public property, if you break it, you’ll have to pay for it.”
With that, he reached out and forcibly straightened the bent streetlight pole.
The thugs: “………”
“Ahhhhhh, they’re monsters!!!” Thug #1 screamed in terror.
The remaining seven looked just as scared.
What kind of superhuman strength do these people have?
Is there protein powder in this hotpot or is it laced with Popeye’s spinach? This doesn’t make sense at all!!
A few thugs, all nearly 1.9 meters tall, huddled together in fear. Almost instinctively, they shakily pulled out knives from their pockets: “You… you better not come closer…”
Seeing the shiny blades in the thugs’ hands, Yu Ming, who had just arrived at the scene, tensed up.
He rolled up his sleeves, preparing to bravely charge forward and fight, shouting, “Stop!”
The young boy’s voice was clean and sharp.
Upon hearing his voice, the other customers finally noticed Yu Ming’s presence.
…They looked at the skinny, somewhat malnourished 17-18-year-old boy, Yu Ming.
A thought flashed through the customers’ minds:
He’s just a thin, weak kid, yet he’s trying to protect us, hundreds of strong customers, from these eight or nine thugs.
We’re so touched.
But.
The gym buffs, the aunties doing square dancing, the office workers—
Dozens or even hundreds of well-fed, strong, and energetic customers, having just finished their spicy hotpot, all rushed over and pushed Yu Ming aside.
They all wore broad, powerful smiles, their voices like thunder:
“Little friend, step back, it’s not your turn yet!”
“This is our job now.”
—“We’ll protect Boss Jian’s hotpot stall!!!”
