Tang Xiaoman first went to a rental agency and hired a pickup truck, then drove straight to Tianlai Villa Estate.

 

Even though the renovation company had an excellent reputation, she still needed to see the progress with her own eyes before she could feel at ease.

 

When she reached the two townhouses on the northern edge of the estate, the construction site was already buzzing with activity.

 

Tang Xiaoman was fairly satisfied with their efficiency. She called the manager again and gave a few additional reminders.

 

“…Money isn’t an issue. Quality is. If you cut corners just to meet the deadline, I’ll enforce the contract and demand double compensation.”

 

“Please rest assured, Miss Tang,” the manager replied quickly. “Our company’s reputation speaks for itself. We would never risk ruining our name.”

 

After hanging up, Tang Xiaoman was about to get back into the truck when suddenly—

 

A Tibetan Mastiff came charging toward her, barking furiously.

 

Years of surviving in the apocalypse had honed her reflexes to lightning speed. She yanked open the truck door and slipped inside.

 

Bang!

 

The door slammed shut just in time.

 

The mastiff’s attack missed. It planted its massive front paws against the door and began clawing and gnawing at the metal, producing harsh scraping sounds.

 

Cold sweat broke out across Tang Xiaoman’s back.

 

Tianlai Villa Estate was an elite residential area. Security had always been excellent before the apocalypse.

 

So where had this vicious, man-eating mastiff suddenly come from?

 

She grabbed a heavy wrench from the vehicle’s toolbox and held it tightly, ready to fight.

 

The mastiff might be ferocious, but its fangs and claws couldn’t tear through the truck’s steel body. Meanwhile, the commotion had already drawn a crowd.

 

“Whose dog is that? It’s so aggressive! What if it bites someone?”

 

“It’s already trying to bite someone! Luckily she got into the car. That’s terrifying!”

 

“Where are the security guards? Hurry up and capture it! What if a homeowner gets hurt by a mad dog!”

 

The wealthy residents valued their safety above everything else. In an instant, panic spread among the crowd.

 

Before the security team could arrive to deal with the dog, the owner appeared.

 

Through the truck’s window, Tang Xiaoman caught sight of him—and couldn’t help letting out a cold laugh.

 

Of course.

 

The owner was Su Ke.

 

Her half-brother.

 

Su Rou’s biological younger brother.

 

And the only precious son of their father, Su Cheng.

 

Su Ke had always believed Tang Xiaoman’s return threatened his sister Su Rou’s position in the family. Because of that, he constantly targeted her, pulling cruel pranks whenever he could.

 

In her previous life, Tang Xiaoman had tolerated the little tyrant again and again, hoping to be accepted by the family.

 

But all she got in return was escalating cruelty.

 

Several security guards arrived at a run, carrying tranquilizer guns and riot-control forks.

 

Su Ke quickly grabbed the mastiff’s leash.

 

“This is my dog.”

 

The guards looked him over and immediately plastered polite smiles on their faces.

 

“Oh—it’s Young Master Su. Your… dog is rather large. Please make sure to keep it properly leashed in the future to avoid injuring other residents.”

 

“Yeah, I know.”

 

Gripping the leash tightly, Su Ke shot a resentful glare toward Tang Xiaoman, who was still inside the pickup truck.

 

He hadn’t expected her to react so quickly—she had actually dodged the mastiff’s attack.

 

Hmph. She got lucky this time.

 

Tang Xiaoman gripped the heavy wrench in one hand and pushed open the truck door with the other, stepping out with a dark expression.

 

The mastiff, which had just calmed down, immediately bared its fangs again, showing obvious hostility toward her.

 

Tang Xiaoman didn’t even need to think.

 

This dog had been trained specifically by Su Ke to attack her.

 

Memories of the humiliation and suffering she endured in her previous life surged through her mind. Every member of the Su family had been complicit in her downfall.

 

Her eyes turned red.

 

Today, she would collect a little interest.

 

The mastiff’s eyes were red as well, straining against the leash as it tried to lunge forward and tear into her.

 

It remembered her scent.

 

Its master had trained it to attack her every time it saw her.

 

The onlookers gasped in alarm.

 

“My god, the dog’s gone crazy again!”

 

“Security—shoot it with the tranquilizer gun!”

 

Su Ke suddenly released the leash.

 

Freed from restraint, the mastiff immediately lunged toward the guard holding the tranquilizer gun.

 

The guard shrieked and dropped the weapon, running for his life. The surrounding residents scattered in terror.

 

Su Ke whistled sharply.

 

The mastiff instantly changed direction and charged toward Tang Xiaoman again, barking wildly.

 

Tang Xiaoman sidestepped the attack and swung the wrench, smashing it hard against the back of the dog’s skull.

 

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

 

An ordinary person wouldn’t have been able to react.

 

But Tang Xiaoman had survived four brutal years in the apocalypse. She had fought countless battles.

 

She knew exactly how to strike for a killing blow.

 

And when she attacked, she showed no mercy.

 

In the apocalypse, showing mercy to your enemy was the same as being cruel to yourself.

 

She had learned that lesson well.

 

“Graaah! Aooow! AOOOW!”

 

The mastiff howled in agony, seeing stars.

 

But it was a massive breed, its skull thicker than that of an ordinary dog. It wasn’t knocked down.

 

Seeing his beloved dog injured, Su Ke’s eyes flashed with vicious fury.

 

He pulled out a switchblade and charged at Tang Xiaoman.

 

Tang Xiaoman turned sharply, kicked the knife out of his hand, and raised the wrench to smash down on his wrist.

 

She wanted to kill him.

 

But this wasn’t the lawless apocalypse yet.

 

She had no intention of ending up in prison.

 

So today she would settle for breaking one of his hands in self-defense.

 

Just a little interest from the Su family.

 

The rest of the blood debt would be repaid—with interest—in the future.

 

Su Ke hadn’t expected her reactions to be so fast. He froze in shock.

 

Tang Xiaoman seized the opportunity and swung the heavy wrench straight at him.

 

At that moment, the mastiff sensed its master was in danger. It stopped howling and leapt at her from behind.

 

Its massive jaws opened wide, aiming straight for her slender neck.

 

A Tibetan Mastiff’s bite force was terrifying.

 

If it sank its teeth into her properly, she could die on the spot.

 

Tang Xiaoman smelled the rancid stench from the dog’s mouth behind her and knew the beast was already upon her.

 

She immediately withdrew the wrench meant for Su Ke and swung it over her shoulder.

 

The iron wrench struck the dog’s head.

 

But the rushed angle made the blow land off-center—it wasn’t a killing strike.

 

The mastiff took the hit head-on.

 

Instead of retreating, it became even more vicious, launching a frenzied assault on Tang Xiaoman.

 

Using the wrench as a weapon, she narrowly dodged its attacks again and again.

 

But for the moment, she couldn’t finish the beast off.

 

If only she had a knife.

 

After four years in the apocalypse, she had mastered blade fighting.

 

But after being reborn, she hadn’t had time to buy a proper weapon yet.

 

Su Ke, who had just escaped disaster, stared in disbelief.

 

He couldn’t believe Tang Xiaoman was actually holding her own against a Tibetan Mastiff.

 

When had she become this fierce?

 

The surrounding residents were stunned as well—so stunned that they forgot to even call for the guards to rescue her.

 

The more Su Ke watched, the more uneasy he felt.

 

The more he watched, the more certain he became.

 

Tang Xiaoman was a threat.

 

She couldn’t be allowed to live.

 

He pulled a miniature handgun from his waistband and chambered a round.

 

Click.

 

Tang Xiaoman had survived countless deadly battles in the apocalypse.

 

She was extremely sensitive to the sound of a gun being cocked.

 

She instantly realized Su Ke was about to shoot her.

 

But with the mastiff still attacking, she had no time to retreat.

 

So she took a gamble.

 

She turned and lunged directly at Su Ke.

 

Su Ke had already raised the gun.

 

Before he could even aim, Tang Xiaoman charged toward him.

 

Startled, he reflexively pulled the trigger.

 

Bang!

 

The gun fired—

 

But the weapon flew out of his hand.

 

A swift figure burst from the crowd of onlookers.

 

A long leg snapped upward, kicking the gun away. The bullet shot off wildly.

 

Before the gun could even hit the ground, the newcomer caught it.

 

Bang!

 

Another gunshot rang out.

 

“Wooo—!”

 

The mastiff chasing Tang Xiaoman let out a final agonized howl. Its massive body collapsed to the ground, twitching a few times before going still.

 

Blood flowed from one of its eyes, pooling onto the pavement.

 

Tang Xiaoman’s lashes trembled slightly.

 

Such speed.

 

Such precise marksmanship.

 

Su Ke saw his beloved dog shot dead on the spot and was just about to explode in rage—

 

When the gun was suddenly pressed against his forehead.