Chapter Thirty-Eight: Could You Do Me This Favor?

"Wanqing! Look at those uncles and aunties in front of us arguing. Do you believe your brother can make them stop fighting?"
"Really?" Luo Wanqing's large eyes widened, clearly skeptical.
"Just watch your brother~"
As he spoke, Long Yu had already stepped forward, appearing before the crowd.
"You all, stop quarreling. If you really can't resolve things, then hurry up and fight! Whoever wins gets the final say. The rest of us are tired of waiting."
Long Yu suddenly broke into the group and blurted out these words. For a moment, both sides were stunned, the same thought flashing through their minds: "Who is this guy? Is there something wrong with him?"
But since no one knew the strength of this peculiar man, everyone hesitated to speak, and the atmosphere abruptly froze.
Li Guangjin and the others clearly didn't recognize Long Yu either. Yesterday, he had been wearing the distinctive clothes from the secret realm, but now he was in Earth attire. Besides, they had only met once, so it was natural they didn't recognize him.
Seeing that no one spoke and everyone looked at him as if he were a fool, Long Yu felt a bit awkward. His little joke had fallen flat.
"Ahem, my name is Long Yu. I know Li Guangjin and his group. Could you give me some face?"
Long Yu looked at the bald man and his companions as he spoke.
Only then did Li Guangjin remember that this was the Long Yu he had met yesterday.
Relief washed over him. Although he didn't know Long Yu's true strength, he knew full well he wasn't someone to provoke. Since such a formidable person was willing to help, Li Guangjin and his group were safe.
On the other hand, the bald man's group felt even more baffled. Was this guy a fool? He wanted all of them to give him face, just because he asked? Who did he think he was?
"And who do you think you are? Why should we give you face?"
The bald man barked in his dialect.
Only then did Long Yu realize he had forgotten something important. Right, what reason did he have?
In the next instant, Long Yu was already in front of the bald man, smiling broadly. "Let me show you why you should give me face."
He lifted the bald man effortlessly with one hand, and as the others tried to rush over, Long Yu kicked them away with casual ease.
"Now do you understand why you should give me face?"
"Yes, yes, I understand! Sir, I won't dare again!"

The bald man begged for mercy repeatedly. His group was no match for Long Yu, so all he could do was plead.
"Good, as long as you understand. Now get lost."
Long Yu had no intention of killing anyone, especially with his little sister watching. That wouldn't do.
Besides, he had only met Li Guangjin and his group once, so helping them was one thing—killing for them wasn't worth it.
The bald man's group scrambled away as fast as they could.
Long Yu turned to his sister and said, "See? Your brother made them stop fighting."
The little one didn't really understand what happened; she only knew her brother had actually made them stop fighting. Her brother was amazing.
"Yes, brother, you're really amazing." Luo Wanqing looked up at Long Yu with adoring eyes.
Li Guangjin and the others watching this scene were speechless. What kind of person was this? Is this how you teach children?
"What a lovely girl! Such a pity she has a brother like that."
Li Guangjin thought to himself.
Still, despite his opinions, he was very grateful to Long Yu. For someone to stand up for acquaintances met only once was rare indeed. Though Long Yu was a bit unorthodox, he had genuinely helped them.
"Thank you, Brother Long Yu. If not for you, we'd have been in real trouble."
Everyone surrounded Long Yu, showering him with thanks.
"Don't mention it, really, it was nothing." Long Yu basked in their gratitude, relishing the feeling of being admired and respected.
It was the same reason he aimed to become the commander of the safe zone—he enjoyed this sensation.
When bored, Long Yu often divided the things one did in life into two categories:
The first was to satisfy basic survival needs, like food, clothing, shelter, and transportation.
The second was to satisfy spiritual needs, like realizing ideals, being respected and admired, feeling the thrill of leading others, or, more simply, the pleasure of showing off.
Long Yu had already fulfilled the first kind, thanks in large part to the disaster. Otherwise, as an ordinary person, he would have struggled there all his life.
Having satisfied his first needs, he naturally set his sights on the second.
Thinking about it, these things seemed trivial, but as long as one lived, they couldn't escape them. Could you really not get angry if people mocked you? Could you be happy if you were too poor to marry?

We are all ordinary people, inevitably bound by these worldly ties unless we die—who could truly let go otherwise?
Having shown off and accomplished his goal, Long Yu left, satisfied under the grateful and envious gazes of the crowd.
After leaving, Long Yu wandered around aimlessly with his little sister. To any outsider, it looked like they were out on a spring outing, completely unconcerned with the dangers outside.
They played the whole day before Long Yu finally took his sister home.
When they returned, their parents had already eaten. Long Yu endured another round of scolding: always running around, spoiling his sister too much, and being old enough yet still without a girlfriend.
Long Yu just laughed it off. "Not listening, not listening, I won't listen and that's that."
If he didn't love his own sister, who would? Why should she suffer? As long as he was around, she wouldn't have to.
As for finding a girlfriend, shouldn't that be a matter of mutual affection? It couldn't just be any random woman, right?
Honestly, Long Yu didn't care much about offspring. Passing on one's genes—wasn't that just a joke? Was he supposed to live his whole life just to transmit his ancestors' genes? If so, what was he? What was the point of his existence?
He laughed at such notions.
I am Long Yu.
I don't live for any particular reason,
Only because I was born into this world by accident,
And I don't dare end my life.
I'm willing to work hard,
Because I can't rise above the world; I, too, want to stand out.
But I don't do any of it for the sake of future generations,
Just for the pleasure of being on top.
Not a slave to genes, not a slave to morality, not a slave to anyone or any rules—this was Long Yu's philosophy of life, and he was content to live that way, following his heart and living as he wished, until his final day.
So, naturally, Long Yu could not live as his parents imagined. This, too, could be seen as a kind of rebellion—against society, against family.