From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show

"You don't know?" Lin Zhi asked in disbelief. "How the heck don't you know? Are you saying that they attacked you right then and there without a reason?"

Stan scratched the back of his head. However, he forgot for a second that both his arms were injured, so he exclaimed in agony before he responded.

"It did seem like that," Stan muttered. "They literally came out of nowhere. As far as I know, they weren't part of the group that was guarding the kid's house."

Steve nodded in agreement. "Those three—they seem more skilled than an average guard. Almost as if they were hitmen," he said, shivering with the thought of getting killed.

Lin Zhi sighed in frustration. "That doesn't matter. You still should have finished your objectives instead of getting caught up with a bunch of skilled strangers."

"I don't think they're mere strangers. They told us something related to the kid before we left," Steve said.

Lin Zhi narrowed his eyes. "Which is?"

Stan and Steve shivered as they recalled the words of the largest guy that beat them up.

"Don't you try and do anything to the little kid from now on," Stan started off.

"You're lucky that we're letting you go. However, the next time that we see you, we'll make sure that you won't see the light of day," Steve continued.

"Tell that to the people who ordered you to do this, too."

Lin Zhi's frown deepened. "How do they know that this has been planned?"

"Look, we're more lost than you," Steve said. "We were lucky that we didn't die in their hands. However, we could have really died back there."

"I can't even see out of my right eye," Stan muttered.

Lin Zhi shook his head in disbelief. He wanted to scream at their incompetence. Now, it was going to show that he was incompetent, too.

He held back his anger and settled on throwing a vase to the wall instead, which made the two stooges startled.

They looked at the covered guy with wide eyes before Steve spoke.

"We apologize," Steve said. "We couldn't do it. This must be the toughest task that we've encountered in our entire careers."

"How difficult could it fucking be?" Lin Zhi spat. "You're going against an 8th-grader!"

Steve clicked his tongue. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but I'm not exaggerating."

"Whoever this kid's parents are—they must be a great deal. It seems like the kid isn't a normal one, too. They have more connections than you would expect."

Lin Zhi shook his head, having talked enough with them. He walked to the door, feeling frustrated about the situation.

"Whatever," Lin Zhi said. "If you can't do it, then I'll do it myself."

"Watch yourself," Steve said, causing Lin Zhi to halt in the doorway. "It seems like you're battling against bigger opponents this time."

Lin Zhi chuckled in amusement, shaking his head at Steve's statement. He wasn't aware that Laohu was by his side.

"Sure," he sarcastically said. "Just know that you wouldn't get paid for any of this."

Stan shook his head despite his neck brace. "It's alright. I just hope you don't contact us any more about this."

Steve nodded in agreement. "Even if you pay us 10,000 dollars, we won't agree to it."

Lin Zhi shook his head as he opened the door and slammed it close.

"Why the fuck did I even hire those guys?" he muttered angrily as he walked away from their room.

It felt like he was blinded by anger, so he didn't notice that he had already bumped into someone.

"Watch where you're going!" Lin Zhi angrily exclaimed.

The old woman, who was being accompanied by a nurse, stumbled but was fortunately caught by her nurse.

Lin Zhi glared at her, still in a bad mood, but he raised his eyebrows in surprise when he recognized the old woman before him.

It was the same old woman that June had visited the other day.

"Oh, goodness," the old woman said. "The sun is out, and the day feels great, but why is a handsome young man in such a bad mood?"

Lin Zhi's frown lightened after the old woman complimented him.

"Well, we do have our bad days, so I quite understand," Grandma said. "However, you seem healthy enough to be living your life well. Don't take out your anger on feeble old women like me."

Lin Zhi, feeling something tug at his heart, bowed at the old woman.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "You're right—I was just having an awful day."

Grandma smiled up at him and brought something out from her bag—a small orange.

"Here," she said, walking up to him and placing the round fruit on his palm before enclosing it with her own hands.

"Have this treat. I can't have fresh fruits and vegetables, but people keep bringing me some whenever they visit. Why don't you take one so it doesn't rot, hmm?"

Lin Zhi looked at the orange and pursed his lips. This was his favorite fruit of all time.

"There's a smile," Grandma said.

Lin Zhi straightened his posture and let himself be expressionless.

"You can't even see my face," Lin Zhi muttered.

"But I can see your eyes, handsome young man," Grandma complimented. "A smile suits you much better than a frown."

Lin Zhi pursed his lips, not allowing himself to smile.

Why was this old woman so kind and sweet?

Almost all of the women in his life did nothing but shun him out of their lives!

"So, what's gotten you in such a bad mood? Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

"Why are you so curious?" Lin Zhi asked. "We haven't even met before."

Grandma shrugged. "Well, I don't have anything to do. I'm stuck here until I finish my treatment for my disease. So, Grandma has plenty of time to talk."

"Even with a stranger?" Lin Zhi asked.

"Much more to a stranger," she happily said, coughing at the end when she felt her throat drying up.

The nurse quickly gave her some water, to which she nodded in gratitude.

"Did you know?" she continued despite her dry throat.

"Opening up to a stranger is sometimes better than talking with people whom you know."

"Because there's less judgment," she smiled. "You also don't have to worry about them talking about your problem with other people!"

Lin Zhi's breath got caught in the back of his throat just as he thought of a brilliant idea.

"I guess I have some time," he finally said, causing Grandma to smile.

"Well, then, let's go to my room," she said in a friendly tone. "I have some snacks ready for you there."

Lin Zhi nodded and went after her, watching her figure from a short distance.

Then, a small smile appeared on his lips.

If those two stooges couldn't do anything...

Then, Lin Zhi would just take matters into his own hands.