Immediately following were several clean, sharp gunshots!
There were others! And they had guns!
This sudden turn of events startled everyone in the villa; even the servants forgot their fear, craning their necks to look outside.
Lu Shiyan frowned almost instantly, a harsh look of annoyance flashing in his eyes.
He quickly walked to the window and, peering through the curtain gap, swiftly observed the situation outside.
Several seemingly modified off-road vehicles were parked not far from the villa's main gate.
Several people in combat fatigues jumped out of the cars; they moved quickly and cooperatively, their firearms continuously firing, precisely clearing out the scattered zombies wandering near the wall.
Their target was clear: this seemingly well-defended and relatively safe villa.
Leading them was an exceptionally tall man, wearing a black combat vest, with bulging arm muscles and a hard, cold face.
He seemed to sense the scrutiny from the villa and abruptly looked up.
From a distance, his gaze precisely pierced through the window, clashing fiercely with Lu Shiyan's in the air.
The air seemed to solidify instantly, filled with a silent contest and an almost instantaneous burst of hostility.
Su Wan's heart immediately jumped into her throat.
This group was well-equipped and decisive in their actions; they clearly weren't to be trifled with.
Were they friend or foe? What would Lu Shiyan do? Let them in, or keep them out?
What made Su Wan even more anxious was that when the leading man saw Lu Shiyan's face clearly, a hint of surprise clearly flashed in his eyes.
Following that, the surprise turned into a kind of intrigued scrutiny, and... an even stronger sense of vigilance?
Did they know each other?
Or rather, did that leading man recognize Lu Shiyan's identity?
The arrival of these uninvited guests instantly shattered the fragile balance maintained by fear and coercion within the villa, bringing with it new, unpredictable dangers.
Lu Shiyan slowly curled his lips into a cold and dangerous smile, a bloodthirsty glint flickering in his eyes.
"It seems we have guests."
Lu Shiyan stood by the window, facing off against the leader of the uninvited guests outside, the air filled with silent tension.
Su Wan's heart was in her throat; this group was well-equipped and clearly not ordinary survivors. Their sudden appearance here was no coincidence.
Especially the way the leading man looked at Lu Shiyan—that complex mix of surprise, interest, and wariness—gave Su Wan an ominous feeling.
The servants in the living room were even more terrified, huddled together, afraid that the people outside would rush in, or that their "new master" inside would get angry.
"Open the door," Lu Shiyan suddenly commanded, his voice not loud but undeniably authoritative.
Zhang Ma and the other servants exchanged glances; no one dared to move.
The people outside clearly had ill intentions; opening the door would be inviting a wolf into the house, wouldn't it?
Lu Shiyan's gaze sharpened, sweeping towards a young male servant closest to the door: "Are you deaf?"
The servant flinched in fright, his face instantly turning ashen.
He practically crawled over, his fingers trembling uncontrollably, and painstakingly moved the thick metal bar propping the door.
Outside, the stern-faced leading man curved his lips into a meaningful smile.
He waved his hand, and with his people, strode inside, his boots making dull thudding sounds on the floor.
"Lu Shao, still well?"
As soon as the leading man entered, his gaze precisely locked onto Lu Shiyan, his tone carrying a deliberate familiarity, mixed with undisguised probing and mockery.
"I never expected to run into the esteemed Lu Da Shao here; what a huge 'surprise'."
Lu Shiyan scoffed, not even bothering to lift an eyelid at such a hypocritical greeting.
He looked at the newcomers with icy eyes, as well as the several equally formidable and wary subordinates behind him: "Xiao Han, cut the act."
So his name was Xiao Han. Was there such a character in the original novel? She didn't remember!
Xiao Han surveyed the interior furnishings of the villa with interest.
His gaze swept over the servants who were silent as cicadas, wishing they could shrink into the corners, and finally, as if he had discovered something amusing, it rested on Su Wan.
A hint of unconcealed playfulness flashed in his eyes: "Oh, Lu Shao, is this... even in times of trouble, you haven't forgotten to keep a beautiful woman hidden?"
His gaze roamed over Su Wan without concealment, carrying an impolite and offensive air, like someone appraising merchandise.
Su Wan felt a strong chill and discomfort, instinctively taking a small step back, wanting to avoid that unpleasant gaze.
Lu Shiyan's face instantly darkened, so much so that it seemed water could drip from it, the cold aura around him almost solidifying.
"Xiao Han, mind your eyes."
He took a step forward, his movement seemingly casual, yet he subtly blocked most of Su Wan's body behind him.
This subtle protective gesture made both Su Wan and Xiao Han pause.
A flicker of surprise quickly crossed Xiao Han's eyes, but that surprise quickly turned into even deeper mockery.
He laughed as if he had heard the greatest joke: "What? Our Lu Da Shao, actually knows how to cherish women now?"
"I remember you used to disdain even women who threw themselves at you."
He pointedly looked at Su Wan, who was blocked by Lu Shiyan, his gaze even more explicit.
"This young lady looks a bit familiar... Oh, I remember now!"
He made an expression of sudden realization, and his voice rose a few decibels.
"Isn't this the spoiled and willful eldest daughter of the Su family, who chased you, Lu Shao, until everyone knew about it? Tsk tsk tsk, what a small world."
Su Wan's heart sank abruptly, and half the blood in her body seemed to turn cold.
Xiao Han actually knew the original host!
The original host's reputation wasn't very good, especially those foolish things she did while relentlessly pursuing Lu Shiyan...
She almost immediately felt the sudden, almost uncontrollable violent aura erupting from the man in front of her.
She didn't even need to turn around to imagine the intense disgust and chilling murderous intent swirling in Lu Shiyan's eyes at this moment.
Xiao Han's words had perfectly stepped on Lu Shiyan's most hated and least desired sore spot; it turned out he had never forgotten.
And never forgiven.
She was indeed the page in his life's script that he most wanted to tear out.
"It seems Lu Shao has fallen on hard times, but Miss Su remains devoted, never abandoning him. Truly 'deeply affectionate and loyal'."
Xiao Han continued to fan the flames relentlessly, the mockery in his tone almost solidifying and dripping down.
He seemed to thoroughly enjoy seeing Lu Shiyan's current awkward state, enduring his anger yet unable to act immediately due to the circumstances.
"Get out."
Lu Shiyan's voice was terrifyingly low.
The few subordinates Xiao Han brought also clearly felt the chilling murderous intent, subconsciously gripping their weapons tighter and adjusting their positions. The atmosphere in the living room instantly became tense, as if blood would spill at any second.
Xiao Han, however, acted as if nothing was wrong, spreading his hands: "Don't get so agitated, Lu Shao."
"We're 'old friends', after all. We should help each other out on this escape journey."
"This house is quite spacious. It wouldn't be too much to let us brothers stay for a few days, would it?"
His words were a suggestion, but his expression clearly stated, "I'm in charge."