Chapter Four: Dog Eat Dog

"Where on earth is Yunxuan? Wuwuwu..."

"Stop crying! That ungrateful brat tricked us into the D-class carriage and ran off on his own, and you still have the nerve to cry!"

"It’s impossible, Yunxuan wouldn’t do that. Could something have happened to him? Wuwuwu..."

Jiang Ran felt speechless.

Could this be the butterfly effect of her rebirth? He actually ended up right near her.

It saved her quite a bit of health points—after all, the cost of locating each additional player doubled.

Putting away her safe house, Jiang Ran shoved her hands into her pockets and strolled leisurely toward the sound of their voices.

Rounding the corner, she saw them: Xu Tian and Song Churou, that pair of scum.

It was no wonder Jiang Ran felt no father-daughter bond with Xu Tian. He had watched all along as Xu Yunxuan used their blood connection to curry favor with her. Not only did he not stop it, he had actively created opportunities for Xu Yunxuan.

In her previous life, it wasn’t until she was dying that Jiang Ran learned Xu Yunxuan was not only her half-brother but also only three days younger than her!

Their words revealed a terrifying truth—the meeting between Xu Tian and Jiang Ran’s mother might have been a meticulously planned scheme to drain her family’s wealth from the very start. Jiang Ran even suspected her mother’s death was linked to them.

The only thing Xu Tian hadn’t accounted for was that before her mother died, she regained her senses and drew up a will. She left everything to her daughter, stipulating that Jiang Ran could only take control after turning eighteen. If anything happened to Jiang Ran, everything would be donated to charity. Otherwise, it was doubtful Jiang Ran would have even survived into adulthood.

The arguing duo suddenly spotted someone. They were startled at first, but when they saw Jiang Ran’s face, Xu Tian’s fury erupted instantly.

"You beast! How dare you show your face in front of me!"

He lunged forward, intending to slap her.

But Jiang Ran was now a "numerical freak"; there was no way she would be hit. She casually raised a hand to catch his wrist and smiled. "I know you’re in a hurry, but don't be in such a rush. After all, once you see this, you might be even more desperate."

With that, she projected her game interface. The footage of Xu Yunxuan kneeling like a dog and begging for his life before Jiang Ran appeared before them.

Song Churou let out a piercing wail: "No! Yunxuan!! My Yunxuan! You bitch, why didn't you just die with your mother!! Aaaaah!"

Jiang Ran kicked Song Churou, who had lunged at her, sending her flying. Her expression turned cold: "How did my mother die?"

Stung by the sight of Xu Yunxuan’s miserable end, Song Churou only wanted to inflict the same pain on Jiang Ran. She laughed maniacally: "That old bitch Jiang Man—if it weren't for her money, would Brother Tian have ever looked at her?! One word from him and she rushed to her death; wasn't she pathetic? What’s even worse is that she dared to secretly leave all the money to you!

"My poor Yunxuan had to spend all these years humoring a little brat like you! You liked him, didn't you? You clearly liked him, so how could you do this to him! My Yunxuan!" She broke down into desperate sobs.

Xu Tian, his wrist nearly crushed, finally cooled his rage after witnessing Jiang Ran’s combat strength. He suppressed his anger and said, "Ranran, don't listen to her! I am the only family you have left in this world. Your mother died of an illness, and before she passed, she told me to take good care of you. Have you forgotten?"

Seeing Xu Tian’s cowardice, Song Churou’s eyes turned bloodshot. "Xu Tian, you spineless wretch! She killed your son!! Kill her, kill her! The supplies—yes, Yunxuan said she took all the family money to trade for supplies. Kill her, and we can survive!"

Xu Tian cursed inwardly. Was this stupid woman blind? His hand was turning purple! If he could break free from Jiang Ran’s grip, he would have attacked long ago.

He roared to silence her: "Shut up! Ranran is my daughter; how could I ever lay a hand on her!" He turned back with a fawning expression. "Ranran, don't listen to your Aunt Song. We are a family. Don't you remember your mother saying, 'As long as a family works together, there is no obstacle we cannot overcome'?"

The mention of Jiang Man only fueled the murderous intent Jiang Ran had been struggling to suppress. She suddenly released Xu Tian, shoved him to the ground, and tossed a dagger between them. She smiled sweetly: "You’re right. We are a family. How about this: you kill Song Churou, and we can still be father and daughter. How does that sound?"

Xu Tian looked at the dagger, then at Jiang Ran, his face darkening with dread. He opened his mouth to speak, but his pupils constricted!

Out of nowhere, Jiang Ran was now holding a gun!

Cold sweat poured down Xu Tian’s face, and even Song Churou’s wailing grew faint.

The muzzle of the gun swept between the two of them. Jiang Ran’s voice sounded troubled: "Look, someone has to pay the price for my mother’s death. If it isn't Song Churou, then it has to be you, Father."

Song Churou looked at Xu Tian in disbelief: "Brother Tian, you can't trust her! She hates you; she’ll definitely kill you!"

Xu Tian snarled: "I am her biological father!" Before Song Churou could react, he lunged for the dagger!

But Song Churou had been wary of him. Seeing his move, she didn't care about anything else and slammed into him. She was already in pain from Jiang Ran’s kick, but she knew that a man as heartless as Xu Tian would never let her live if he got his hands on that blade.

Instead of grabbing the dagger, she clawed at Xu Tian’s eyes!

Xu Tian was caught off guard, his eyeball nearly gouged out. While he screamed, Song Churou kicked him hard in the crotch and snatched the dagger.

But the person she hated most wasn't Xu Tian; it was Jiang Ran, who had killed her son and forced her to turn against her lover. Even with the gun in Jiang Ran’s hand, Song Churou charged at her with bloodshot eyes!

Jiang Ran didn't fire; she simply kicked her away again. Watching Song Churou struggle to crawl toward the dagger, Jiang Ran lowered her eyes: "You couldn't bear to hurt him, but what about him?"

Jiang Ran didn't need to say more. Xu Tian, having finally recovered and grabbed the dagger, rushed toward Song Churou with a twisted expression: "Bitch! You dare attack me?! If it weren't for me all these years, where would you have gotten the money to live so well! Ranran, don't be afraid, Daddy will kill her right now, she won't be able to hurt you!"

Song Churou looked at Xu Tian, who now resembled a demon, and laughed while crying: "Yunxuan, Xuanxuan, Mommy was wrong, Mommy was wrong! I’m coming to find you now, don't be afraid. I’m bringing your father with me!"

As she spoke, she pulled a fruit knife from her pocket. Xu Tian thought victory was certain, never expecting her to have hidden another weapon!

As the dagger plunged into Song Churou’s chest, she gritted her teeth and buried the knife into Xu Tian’s stomach.

Song Churou glared at Jiang Ran with resentment, refusing to close her eyes even in death.

Xu Tian, sobbing and leaking fluids, scrambled toward Jiang Ran, snot and tears streaming down his face: "Ranran, save Daddy, Daddy doesn't want to die!"