Apocalyptic Flood: Sexy Beauty Neighbor's Midnight Plea for Food Chapter 1124 - 468: Light Elemental Body (Part 2)

"She is incredibly decisive and efficient. Once she sets her mind on something, it is nearly impossible to sway her."

Huang Guangzu gave his best account of Jiang Ziyin, relaying everything he knew about her.

Liang Yuan felt almost certain that this man had indeed encountered Jiang Ziyin.

This created a bit of a dilemma.

If Jiang Ziyin was truly heading toward Guangfu to locate a sanctuary, just as the man claimed, should he still pursue her there?

Guangfu was vast, filled with endless hills, making it nearly impossible to know where to begin his search.

He pondered the situation for a moment, then shifted his gaze to the middle-aged man with earth-attribute abilities he had addressed earlier. "What is your name?"

The middle-aged man shivered before quickly stammering, "My name is Liu Mountain."

"Liu Mountain, how many individuals currently occupy this building?"

"Uh, about one or two hundred, sir."

"And how many of those are residents of Xinghai Garden?"

"Quite a few, perhaps a dozen or so. Though, I am referring to Superpower Users; I have no idea about the ordinary people," Liu Mountain admitted.

It was clear that in the eyes of these people, the common folk were worthless and not worth tracking.

Liang Yuan spoke coldly, "Bring everyone up here, civilians included."

"Yes, sir." Liu Mountain did not dare delay, rushing downstairs to lead the entire group upward.

Soon, over a hundred souls were gathered on the floor, including the girl known as Yuan Weiwei.

The young girl was holding up a middle-aged woman whose complexion was a deathly gray, making her appear as though she might collapse at any second.

When Yuan Weiwei spotted Liang Yuan, she grew animated, her instincts urging her to greet him, but the presence of so many others forced her to suppress the impulse.

She whispered quietly to her mother instead.

Upon hearing her daughter's words, the middle-aged woman cast a sharp gaze toward Liang Yuan, a flicker of hope igniting in her eyes.

Liang Yuan scanned the assembly and asked, "Who among you originally came from Xinghai Garden?"

The crowd shifted nervously, eyes tracing each other’s faces, yet no one dared to step forward.

Liang Yuan squinted, considered his next move, and turned to Liu Mountain. "Go retrieve some food."

"Yes, right away."

Liu Mountain dashed into a nearby room, returning shortly with an armful of supplies.

Included in the haul were several packages of snacks and similar items. These goods possessed long shelf lives, remaining edible for years without rotting. Even if they had past their prime, they were too precious to discard.

After ordering Liu Mountain to pile the goods on the floor, Liang Yuan studied the crowd.

Every person present stared at the food with hungry, glowing eyes, gulping audibly.

Liang Yuan announced, "Any survivors from Xinghai Garden may come forward and claim a portion of food."

The moment he finished, a massive commotion erupted among the hundred-plus survivors.

A daring old man suddenly pushed forward, crying, "Sir, are you speaking the truth?"

Liang Yuan offered a thin smile. "Naturally. Are you one?"

"I am, sir! I definitely came from Xinghai Garden!"

The old man blurted the words out, careless of what Liang Yuan’s true intent might be, desperate only for the rations.

Liang Yuan nodded, then asked, "What proof can you offer?"

"Well..." The old man faltered, his expression growing vacant and his eyes shifting away.

Liang Yuan turned back to Liu Mountain. "Do you know this man?"

Liu Mountain shook his head. "There were many residents in Xinghai Garden; I am not familiar with everyone."

Liang Yuan turned his gaze to the old man again. "Describe the local streets surrounding Xinghai Garden, and I will accept your claim."

The old man stumbled through his words, unable to provide a coherent answer.

Liang Yuan’s smile vanished, his features settling into a mask of ice.

He looked at Liu Mountain. "Do I appear that gullible to you?"

Liu Mountain quickly shook his head, offering a wry, nervous grin. "Of course not, sir."

"Fine. I will leave him to you."

Liu Mountain nodded firmly, "Rest assured, I will handle this matter."

He signaled two guards, who promptly grabbed the wailing old man and hauled him away.

The man pleaded desperately, "No, please! I was just hungry, I was wrong, Boss Liu—ah!"

A moment later, a series of screams echoed through the space, fading gradually from desperate shrieks into soft, pained whimpers.

Liang Yuan felt no pity; he needed to establish absolute authority. If he did not, every person here would falsely declare themselves a Xinghai Garden resident just for the food, forcing him to verify each one. He lacked the patience and the time for such trivial nonsense.

Liang Yuan looked at the expectant faces again. "I shall say this once: only residents of Xinghai Garden are to step forward for food. If you are caught lying, do not blame me for the consequences."

The mixture of threat and reward worked. Finally, someone stepped up with confidence.

"Sir, it’s me. I am from Xinghai Garden."

Liang Yuan studied the man and nodded slightly. "Come closer."

"Liu Mountain, question him on the specifics of the neighborhood to ensure his legitimacy."

"Understood, sir."

Liu Mountain led the man aside for a moment, returning shortly to report, "Sir, he is indeed from that community."

Liang Yuan nodded and pointed to the pile of food. "Take your pick."

The middle-aged man grinned widely, snatching up the heaviest packet of instant noodles from the pile.

The sight rippled through the crowd.

Liang Yuan addressed the masses again, "There is only so much food. The weights vary, so those who come forward first get the advantage. If you wait, there will be nothing left."

As he spoke, the man began tearing into the dry, crunchy noodles, skipping the hot water entirely, the aroma of the seasoning drifting tantalizingly across the room. The scent broke the remaining residents of Xinghai Garden, and they rushed forward without further hesitation.

Liang Yuan smiled, efficiently filtering the crowd. He was surprised, however, to realize that Yuan Weiwei and her mother were indeed among the Xinghai Garden group!

After acknowledging the score or so of survivors from the Garden, Liang Yuan asked, "Of you, who is familiar with Jiang Ziyin? If anyone can provide specific clues about her whereabouts or where she might have fled, I will increase your share of food tenfold."

The group became visibly excited, though most shook their heads, having no information.

Suddenly, Yuan Weiwei raised her hand.

"Sir, I... I know something."

Liang Yuan looked at her, taken aback. The girl was busy licking her fingers after finishing a piece of bread, still looking famished.

Her mother grabbed her arm, casting her a warning look, then quickly intervened. "Sir, the child is just babbling nonsense. We do not know Dr. Jiang at all."

Liang Yuan alternated his gaze between the mother and the daughter.

"If you don't know her," he asked coldly, "how did you know she was a doctor?"

The mother’s face drained of color, panic rising in her eyes. "I... I just..."

Liang Yuan narrowed his gaze. "You know something, don't you?"

Just then, Liu Mountain, who had been listening intently to the woman, tapped his forehead and exclaimed, "Wait, are you Wang Ping?"

Liang Yuan turned to him sharply.

Liu Mountain quickly explained, "Sir, she was Jiang Ziyin’s neighbor. I recall they were quite close back then. It is incredibly strange that she didn't evacuate with her."

Liang Yuan’s heart raced, and he fixed his gaze firmly on the woman. She definitely held the key to the doctor's location.