It's important to understand that people with superpowers are not as rare as they used to be. Although Li Yang could extract superpowers from women before, he had very few targets to choose from. They were either hidden and unknown or rare treasures that everyone was interested in. If he made a move even once, it could easily cause public outrage.
Almost everyone has superpowers now. All Li Yang needs to do is wait for the fat sheep to grow up. Zhang Lei can imagine that Li Yang is probably like a hungry wolf who has been eating grass all day and has suddenly fallen into a sheepfold.
Zhang Lei's current thinking is still based on habit. He hasn't realized that his greatest advantage is no longer his superpower, but his internal strength. His daily growth rate is one-thousandth, and his annual growth rate is nearly double. What does this really mean?
Contrary to Zhang Lei's expectations, time proved to be his greatest friend. The longer the time dragged on, the more Li Yang resembled a lamb in his presence. If he were to cultivate in seclusion for ten or eight years and then emerge, the whole world would be lambs before him, provided that his internal energy didn't falter again.
Zhang Lei may be aware of this, but he really can't wait any longer. Moreover, Zhang Lei isn't that confident in his internal strength right now, and who knows what might happen if something goes wrong again.
Zhang Lei's self-assessment ability seems to be less effective in combat. But actually, it's not that its effectiveness has decreased; on the contrary, other abilities have become more important.
Take Zhang Lei himself as an example. In the past, the internal energy in his body was used in units of one hundred. If he did not examine himself, only seven or eight of those one hundred would actually obey and be of use.
But now, one reason is Zhang Lei's own improvement, which has enhanced his control over internal energy; the other is the increased concentration of external vital energy, which has significantly reduced the dissipation of internal energy during mobilization, allowing twenty to thirty units to be directly utilized.
Although the effectiveness of self-examination remains at 99%, the effect has decreased from more than ten times to only three or four times, so its actual usefulness has also been reduced.
Zhang Lei sat in the hall, sorting out his thoughts and organizing his years of combat experience, trying to digest and absorb it as quickly as possible. In any case, the experience he gained over the past eight years was still considerable, especially after his mind became simpler, allowing him to consider many combat methods that the old Zhang Lei would never have thought of.
Liu Ning was tidying up the room. It wasn't that she couldn't afford a maid, but it always felt strange to have an outsider in the house. However, with the man sitting on the sofa and the woman busy tidying up, it felt more like home.
"What kind of man buys breakfast?" Zhang Lei thought with a smug smile. Girls can't stand mess and dirt. With just a little fuss from Zhang Lei, Liu Ning would have no choice but to obediently tidy up the room.
This girl has been beaten so many times over the years that she's no longer afraid; threatening her with a spanking is futile. Zhang Lei is too soft-hearted to hit her hard now; compared to before, she probably sees it as a free massage. Those so-called screams are just for show, deliberately made for his benefit. Zhang Lei knows this, but it doesn't change anything. Eight years have made him feel indebted to Liu Ning, and now he can only bring himself to dust off little Ningning's bottom.
The sudden ringing of the doorbell interrupted the harmony in Zhang Lei's home.
"Sister Tianxiao, you're here!" Liu Ning's joyful voice came from outside the door. In the past eight years, especially in the later years, it seemed that among Zhang Lei's friends, only Tianxiao would still come to visit. Everyone else avoided this madwoman.
"Hmm, come see your brother!" Tianxiao lowered his voice. "He hasn't hit you these days, has he? It's hard for you to still be taking care of this crazy bastard!" From Tianxiao's angle, he could only see half of Zhang Lei's head on the sofa, so he naturally couldn't see any changes in Zhang Lei.
However, even if you can see the whole picture, you can't really tell anything. You couldn't tell anything from Zhang Lei's face before either; he wasn't really crazy.
"It's nothing, I'm used to it!" Tian Xiao didn't notice that a hint of wariness suddenly flashed across Liu Ning's face, and his tone seemed to suddenly turn cold.
Episode 4: An Eye for an Eye, a Blade for a Teeth - Chapter 75: What's Deserved to Return Must Return (Part 2)
"Yeah, you've suffered!" Tianxiao didn't notice the change in Liu Ning's face. So many years have passed, who would have thought that Zhang Lei would suddenly become better?
She walked in without taking off her shoes. "Is your brother feeling better? I might not be able to visit him anymore. My family is arranging blind dates for me. But Ningning, you look pretty good today. Is something good happening?"
Liu Ning tried to hold back, but the more she tried, the less she could. Finally, she couldn't suppress her smile and forced a bitter one. "No way, you know what good things could possibly happen to me. My brother even hit me last night!"
"Ugh, you stupid brother, even if he's stupid, he still doesn't forget to play SM and SP, how can you stand him!" She looked at the clean floor, "You just cleaned it today? Then I'll take off my shoes."
Liu Ning was actually quite conflicted. She had many things to worry about. She was worried that Zhang Lei would rekindle his old feelings for Tian Xiao and forget about her again; she was also worried that Zhang Lei would not be able to forgive Tian Xiao's betrayal and would take action against Tian Xiao. She had only heard about it before, but she witnessed it with her own eyes yesterday. Hearing and seeing are completely different impressions.
In recent years, Tianxiao has been practically the only friend she interacts with in this family. With less direct jealousy, Liu Ning's relationship with her has warmed up rapidly. The two are not far apart in age and can already be considered very good confidantes. Liu Ning has not yet learned to wish her best friend would die for a man.
What I hope for most is that Zhang Lei neither forgives nor hates Tian Xiao, but simply treats him with a cold shoulder. That would be perfect. Women are human too, with emotions and desires, and they also have possessiveness and jealousy. Even the best of friends can't share a husband.
"If you have something to say, say it here. What are you whispering about over there?" Zhang Lei's voice came from the other side of the sofa.
"Huh?" Tianxiao turned his head sharply. These words didn't sound like something Zhang Lei would say, especially not something someone who had practiced martial arts to the point of knowing nothing but killing.
"Are you all better?" Tianxiao was slightly excited, but quickly calmed down. "It's a pity it's too late, too late!"
“It’s not too late, it’s not too late. Even if you’re already married, it’s not too late!” Zhang Lei finally stood up from the sofa and leaned close to Tian Xiao. “Tian Xiao, you’ve become more and more beautiful over the years, but… your breasts seem to have gotten smaller.”
A blush crept across Tianxiao's pretty face. "It's too late, I mean it's too late. I have no feelings for you anymore, so it's all too late!"
Liu Ning stood behind Tian Xiao, her upper teeth biting her lower lip tightly, leaving several small teeth marks. She wanted to speak, but she didn't know what to say, or rather, she didn't know what to say without hurting Tian Xiao, or what to say without making Zhang Lei think she was too jealous, or rather, she didn't want to anger Zhang Lei.
She didn't want to anger Zhang Lei not because she was afraid of what he might do to her—that wasn't her concern—but because she feared that Zhang Lei might be provoked and revert to his old ways.
She was genuinely afraid, so even though she didn't show it, she was actually very cautious when flirting with Zhang Lei.
Zhang Lei seemed to have noticed her as well. Liu Ning felt that Zhang Lei's eyes seemed to speak volumes. The way he looked at her was distinctly different from how he looked at Tian Xiao. When he looked at her, there was tenderness in his eyes, but when he looked directly at Tian Xiao, there was only naked possessiveness in his eyes.
Over the years, Liu Ning could guarantee that no one but her could understand Zhang Lei's eyes so well. Suddenly, she felt a sense of satisfaction, even more so than when they had just done it once.
"I said it's not too late, and that means it!" Zhang Lei said with a smug and confident smile.
"I said it's too late, and we're over a long time ago! It's none of your business!" Tianxiao yelled at Zhang Lei like a little wildcat whose tail had been stepped on. She should have hit Zhang Lei to match her tone, but she didn't dare. She had been burned before. If she hit Zhang Lei, that fool Zhang Lei would instinctively retaliate. He had even spanked her after they broke up. Who knew what Zhang Lei would do now?
As it turns out, Zhang Lei now is not much different from him back then. The difference is that back then, Zhang Lei acted on instinct. If she didn't make a move after the breakup, Zhang Lei wouldn't make a move. But now, even if she doesn't make a move, Zhang Lei will still launch a preemptive strike.
"Little girl, I'll teach you to talk back to me!" Zhang Lei pressed her down onto his lap. "Ningning, get me a ruler!"
"Yes!" Liu Ning replied and walked into the house.
"No, that's yours. It's in the study. There's another thick one. Take that one and give it to this brat!"
Tianxiao struggled desperately, kicking her long, slender legs up and down with all her might, "Liu Ning, don't listen to him, he's a madman!"
She didn't realize that her words touched a nerve with Liu Ning, only making him walk faster and more resolutely. In fact, after hearing her words, Liu Ning practically ran inside.
"Tianxiao, you're still so outspoken. Besides me, who else can tolerate you like this!" Zhang Lei's way of tolerating her was naturally a bit special. The buttons on Tianxiao's short skirt were quite unique and difficult to undo, so Zhang Lei simply ripped them off.
No matter what kind of fabric it was, it was barely more durable than a piece of paper to Zhang Lei, while Tian Xiao let out a pitiful "Ouch!"
"What are you yelling for? You were yelling from behind!" Zhang Lei gently patted the familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar buttocks.
"Brother, here!" Liu Ning handed Zhang Lei a bamboo ruler that was obviously much thicker and heavier than the one she had used on her yesterday, her face full of the kind of pride that seemed to be superior to others.
"Little Tianxiao, today I'll let you savor this feeling!" With that, Zhang Lei swung his arm, and the bamboo ruler, accompanied by the sound of it cutting through the air, lashed out at Tianxiao's plump buttocks.
"Zhang Lei, stop! I'm no longer your woman! What right do you have to hit me!" Tian Xiao struggled desperately, but she realized that the gap between her and Zhang Lei hadn't narrowed in recent days; on the contrary, it had widened. She wanted to use her special abilities, but she was worried about suffering even more severe retaliation, especially since such retaliation was imminent.
"Smack!" "Ouch, it hurts! Stop!" Tianxiao's resistance was far inferior to Liu Ning's. After all, Liu Ning was used to being beaten. In just two blows, two deep red welts rose on her round buttocks.