Chapter 24: Ye Nan the Saint

"It's true, I saw it with my own eyes," the lackey said.

"Only one person?" Brother Zang asked.

"Yes," the lackey replied.

"Does he have any food on him?"

"I don't think so," the lackey said, "but he's driving a Hummer. I'm not sure if there's anything inside."

Brother Zang’s eyes lit up. He signaled to his men, "Brothers, grab your weapons! We’ll take him down first. If he’s got food in that car, we’ve hit the jackpot!"

"Let's do it!"

"Yeah, let’s go!"

Several men with bleached hair grabbed steel pipes and iron bars, hiding behind the door to ambush Ye Nan.

"Is anyone here?" Ye Nan called out as he entered the restaurant. He heard no response, but he noticed signs of habitation. Clearly, people were inside; they were just hiding.

As a supernatural user, Ye Nan’s perception was sharp. He glanced toward a private dining room, smiled faintly, and walked over.

*Bang! Bang!*

Ye Nan knocked on the door. "I’m not a bad guy. May I come in?"

Still, there was no answer.

Ye Nan pushed the door open and walked in. Two middle-aged men were sitting on the floor, their faces filled with terror. They were Chef Huang and Chef Liu.

Ye Nan had eaten at this restaurant a few times before and recognized them. He was pleased; if they were still alive, they could cook him a mountain of food to store in his Thunder Tower, ready to eat whenever he pleased. It was a perfect arrangement.

Just as Ye Nan was about to speak, the men lying in ambush behind the door rushed out, surrounding him.

One of the lackeys swung an iron bar at Ye Nan, but Ye Nan kicked him down to the ground with a single strike.

"So, you're a fighter," Brother Zang sneered. "Kid, I suggest you surrender quietly unless you want to suffer."

"I think I’ll pass. What are you going to do about it?" Ye Nan tilted his head, looking at Brother Zang. He found the man’s messy, bird's-nest hairstyle so ridiculous that he couldn't help but laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Brother Zang snapped.

"I like your haircut," Ye Nan said.

Brother Zang touched his hair, looking smug. "Of course. Everyone calls me Brother Zang."

"If I played some upbeat music, would you start throwing sand and dancing in place?" Ye Nan mocked.

"Damn you, you're looking to die!" Brother Zang roared.

Ye Nan maintained his relaxed expression. "I think I remember you. You’re a somewhat famous 'non-mainstream' guy from the internet. You’ve done plenty of bad things and even served time in prison."

Brother Zang didn't care. "So what? This is the apocalypse. Surviving is what matters. Who cares if you've been to jail?"

"Good to know you're a villain," Ye Nan said. "That means I won’t have any psychological burden when I kill you."

*Haha!*

Brother Zang and his lackeys burst into laughter, doubling over.

"Kid," one lackey said, "don't think that just because you can fight, you can act tough in front of us. We have so many people here; you think we can't take you?"

"That's right! Kneel down and apologize to Brother Zang, or we'll break your legs."

"Kneel!"

Brother Zang stood with his arms crossed, looking arrogant. He lifted his chin and said, "If you want me to spare you, it’s not impossible. Come on, crawl through my legs."

In the corner, Chef Huang looked miserable and urged, "Young man, just do it. There are too many of them. You can't win. Your life is what matters."

"Sigh, we're all just suffering," Chef Liu sighed, joining in. "Even though we get beaten every day, it's better than being dead."

"What are you waiting for?" Brother Zang urged. "Crawl!"

"Crawl? Screw you!" Ye Nan shouted. He lunged forward and sent Brother Zang flying with a single slap.

The other lackeys were stunned. How could this guy just start fighting like that? And his strength was immense—it didn't seem human.

"Everyone, together! Kill him!"

"Charge!"

As they shouted, all the lackeys rushed forward, but they were immediately sent flying, landing on the ground and coughing up blood, unable to stand again.

Chef Huang and Chef Liu were shocked. They had thought Ye Nan only knew a few amateur moves, but he was a powerhouse who had wiped out Brother Zang’s entire gang in an instant.

They were ecstatic. Now, they could escape Brother Zang’s control, regain their freedom, and no longer have to suffer beatings—or become food for the gang.

Ye Nan sneered, "I thought you guys were tough. Is this it? I hadn't even warmed up yet."

Then, pointing at Brother Zang, he said, "You... are pathetic."

Brother Zang was so furious he vomited more blood. "Kid, don't get cocky. I was just careless. Let's go again, and I guarantee I'll kill you."

Ye Nan shook his head and walked over. "Sorry, you won't have another chance."

"What are you doing?" Brother Zang asked warily.

"What do you think?" Ye Nan grabbed Brother Zang, walked to the window, and threw him straight out. A loud *thud* echoed below.

Brother Zang felt excruciating pain, as if all his bones had shattered. Soon, the zombies in the vicinity swarmed toward him, surrounding him completely.

"Aaaah!"

The screams that followed made the remaining bleached-haired thugs in the room tremble, their faces turning pale.

Finally, one of them couldn't take it anymore. He knelt before Ye Nan. "Big Brother, I'm sorry! Please spare me. I didn't want to hurt you; it was all that dog Brother Zang forcing us."

Another added, "Good riddance! Brother Zang made us do bad things every day, and we were already fed up. Thank you for killing him. You’re a great person."

Ye Nan smiled. "Then, as a great person, I’ll send you to join Brother Zang so you can criticize him to his face."

"No, please, no!"

The thugs trembled, and at the thought of Brother Zang's screams, they were so terrified they lost control of their bladders.

Ye Nan didn't show mercy. He threw them out the window one by one, and the swarm of zombies below quickly engulfed them.

Once finished, Ye Nan turned to the two chefs. "You two are the cooks here, right?"

Chef Huang nodded. "I'm the head chef. My cooking is pretty good. Everyone calls me Chef Huang."

"I'm Liu, the sous-chef," Chef Liu said. "Thank you for saving us, young man."

"I'm Ye Nan," he introduced himself. "No need for thanks. How about you do something for me?"

"A great kindness requires no thanks. I’ll agree to not just one, but a hundred things, as long as I can do them," Chef Huang said, feeling nervous. He guessed Ye Nan wanted food, but the restaurant didn't even have spices left, let alone ingredients.

Ye Nan said, "I have a large supply of frozen meat. I need you to cook it into finished dishes, pack them in boxes, and I'll take them back. Don't worry, I won't make you work for free. I'll share some with you."

What?

The two men’s eyes widened. They had expected Ye Nan to beg them for food, but he only wanted help cooking—and he was even offering a share as payment. In the apocalypse, he was a living saint.

"Um, Brother Ye," Chef Huang asked, not quite believing it, "are you serious? I don't see anything on you."

"My frozen meat is in the car outside. Wait here, I'll go get it." Ye Nan walked out, and once he was sure no one was watching, he opened the gate to his Thunder Tower. He pulled out two large crates filled with frozen meat and returned to the room.

"My god, it’s really frozen meat, and so much of it!"

Chef Huang and Chef Liu were stunned. They struggled to find a single full meal, yet Ye Nan not only had enough for himself but had such high-quality supplies. It was maddening to compare.

For a moment, they were speechless.

"Can you cook these into dishes for me?" Ye Nan asked.

"We can, but we have no seasonings or side dishes," Chef Huang said awkwardly. "Those thugs ate everything they could find. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, I have those too. Wait here." Ye Nan went back to the Hummer and retrieved various spices and fresh vegetables from the Tower. Having emptied an entire shopping mall and several convenience stores earlier, he was well-stocked.

Seeing him bring in so many supplies, the two chefs were once again shocked. Being able to secure such resources in the apocalypse was a true skill. If they stuck with him, they would never go hungry again.

"Alright, Brother Ye, give us a moment. We’ll fire up the stoves and let you taste the skills of top-tier chefs," Chef Huang said with a grin.

"Good, I'll be waiting."

Standing before the stoves, the two chefs seemed transformed. Their skill was undeniable, and after preparing everything, they began to cook. Before long, plates of exquisite dishes were ready, which Ye Nan packed neatly into boxes.

Braised intestines, stir-fried intestines, spicy intestines, red-cooked intestines, vinegar-glazed intestines, steamed intestines, dry-fried intestines, green pepper intestines, potato-stewed intestines, home-style intestines...

Don't ask why it was all intestines—because they were delicious.

Ye Nan looked at the finished meals with great satisfaction. The Donglin Restaurant truly lived up to its reputation as the best place for intestines in Donghai City.

After the cooking was done, Ye Nan invited the two chefs to join him for a feast.

The two men hadn't eaten a full meal in ages. Seeing the food, their eyes glowed. They dug in without hesitation, never having tasted their own cooking like this before. They couldn't stop eating.

Ye Nan praised their craft endlessly. Knowing he could have this every day once he took it back made him genuinely happy.

After the meal, Ye Nan smiled. "Big brothers, let's have a long-term partnership. Every time I bring food, you cook it for me, and I'll share some with you. How about that?"

"Of course! We’d love to," Chef Huang agreed immediately, as if afraid Ye Nan would change his mind.

"Brother Ye, you're a capable man," Chef Liu said. "Your skills are incredible, taking out those thugs all by yourself, and you have so much food. Compared to you, we're nothing."

"Right, let me get you two something," Ye Nan said. He went outside, retrieved a crossbow and several bolts, and handed them to the chefs. "Take this. If you run into trouble, you can handle it with this."

Chef Huang’s eyes lit up. "Great stuff."

"It may not have the stopping power of a gun, but it can kill someone by surprise," Chef Liu said. He loaded a bolt, pulled the trigger, and *whoosh*—the bolt flew out instantly.

A glass bottle was pierced through, showing the weapon's terrifying power.

"Amazing!" Chef Liu played with the crossbow, liking it more by the second.

Chef Huang retrieved the bolt and tested it himself, piercing another glass bottle.

"With this, we can protect ourselves," Chef Huang said. "Thank you, Brother Ye."

"Oh, and I have blades, too." Ye Nan fetched two alloy long-swords and gave them to the men.

"Now we're fully equipped! If anyone tries to mess with us, I'll take them out," Chef Huang said excitedly.

"Make sure you stay alive," Ye Nan said. "Otherwise, who's going to cook for me?"

"Brother Ye, whenever you need us, just say the word. As long as it's within our power, we won't refuse," Chef Liu promised.

"Agreed," Chef Huang added, giving a thumbs up.

"You're too kind," Ye Nan laughed.

He then went back to his car to bring in more supplies: frozen meat, rice, flour, and bottled water—enough to last the two men a long time.

"I’ll come by every few days," Ye Nan reminded them. "After I leave, be careful. Keep the food hidden so it doesn't attract trouble."

"We understand," they promised in unison.

"Alright, goodbye." Ye Nan waved.

"Goodbye."

After the Hummer drove away, the two chefs were filled with emotion. Everything felt like a dream. They had been in despair, being abused by Brother Zang’s gang, but then Ye Nan arrived, saved them, and left them with weapons and enough food to survive.

He was a saint come to life.

"Brother Ye is a truly good man," Chef Huang sighed. "Next time he comes, we must make the food even better to show our gratitude."

"True. It's rare to meet someone like him in this apocalypse," Chef Liu said.

"We were lucky," Chef Huang remarked. "Otherwise, we would've been dead by now."

"Those who survive a disaster are destined for good fortune," Chef Liu smiled. "Let's live well from now on."

"Right," Chef Huang agreed, though his voice grew heavy. "My daughter is still at school. It's too far, and I can't reach her. I don't know how she is. If she's still alive... she and Brother Ye would make a perfect match."

"Next time, you can hint at it," Chef Liu suggested. "With Brother Ye's skills, he might just be able to save her for you."

Chef Huang thought about it and felt a glimmer of hope light up his eyes.