End of the World Crisis, My Husband is from Ancient Times

Chapter 166: Reputation changes, waves rise again

Fan Mengmeng's fingertips lightly touched Teng Junze's lips, and sweetness flowed between the two.

However, this warm atmosphere was like thin ice, and cracks began to appear in the quietly growing whispers.

At first, there were only a few vague doubts, like dust drifting in the wind, difficult to detect.

But soon, these tiny sounds merged into a stream, like undercurrents rolling beneath the calm sea, and gradually became clearly audible.

"Did they really save the world? Why do I feel a little bit..." A shrill voice with a doubtful tone floated into Teng Junze's ears.

Teng Junze's brows knitted almost imperceptibly, his deep eyes sweeping across the crowd, sharp as an eagle's.

Fan Mengmeng beside him also noticed something was wrong. The sweet smile on her face gradually faded, replaced by a look of deep thought.

She did not retort impulsively as she usually did, but instead observed everything around her with unusual calmness.

This abnormal calmness surprised Teng Junze. He turned his head and looked at Fan Mengmeng's face, only to see a glimmer of wisdom in her clear eyes.

He felt something in his heart and suppressed his outward emotions, instead listening quietly to the sounds around him.

The discussions in the crowd grew louder and louder, gradually evolving from initial suspicion to outright slander.

Some say they are seeking fame and reputation, some say they are just lucky, and some even say that all this is a scam they directed and acted out themselves.

The originally cheering crowd began to become agitated, and their admiring gazes were gradually mixed with suspicion and confusion.

The hero's halo seemed to be overshadowed at this moment, and a strange atmosphere filled the air.

Fan Mengmeng held Teng Junze's hand, squeezed it gently, and signaled him to be patient.

She turned to look at Teng Junze, a meaningful smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and she whispered, "It seems that someone doesn't want us to have an easy life."

Teng Junze shook Fan Mengmeng's hand, a cold light flashing in his eyes, "If you are a fox, you will always show your tail."

Suddenly, a voice broke the whisper between the two, "Stop pretending! We all know the truth!"

A man with a flabby face squeezed out of the crowd, pointed at Teng Junze's nose and shouted, "You're not heroes at all! I saw it with my own eyes. It was another man who saved us. You're just taking the credit for him!"

As soon as he finished speaking, someone immediately echoed him, "Yes! I saw it too! They are liars!"

More and more "witnesses" appeared, and there were many different opinions, pointing the finger at Teng Junze and Fan Mengmeng.

There was a commotion among the crowd, and the original praise and cheers turned into questioning and abuse.

Teng Junze's expression remained unchanged, with even a hint of sarcasm on the corner of his mouth, "Oh? Really? Then may I ask this 'witness', who did you see saving you? What was his name? What did he look like? And what method did he use?" His series of rhetorical questions made the man with a face full of flesh suddenly speechless. He stammered for a long time and couldn't say anything.

"And you," Teng Junze's eyes swept over another "witness", "You said you saw it too, so may I ask, what did you see?" He pressed on step by step, and although his tone was calm, it carried an unquestionable majesty.

Under Teng Junze's questioning, those "witnesses" all showed panic expressions. Their statements were full of loopholes and contradictions, and they were soon exposed.

The crowd began to waver, their originally incited emotions gradually subsided, and they began to re-examine the scene before them.

However, the mastermind behind the scenes obviously did not give up.

More people poured out of the crowd, accusing Teng Junze and Fan Mengmeng of their "crimes" at the top of their lungs. All kinds of lies were woven into a huge net, trying to swallow them up completely.

Feeling the increasing pressure, Fan Mengmeng held Teng Junze's hand tightly, and her palms were slightly sweaty.

Although she appeared calm on the surface, she was already burning with rage in her heart.

How dare these despicable people slander them like this!

She took a deep breath and was about to retort, but Teng Junze gently patted the back of her hand, signaling her to calm down.

He raised his head, glanced at the shouting crowd, and a cold smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"It seems that some people are determined to go against us." His voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone, carrying a terrifying pressure.

The crowd suddenly became quiet, and everyone's eyes were focused on Teng Junze, waiting for his next move.

At this moment, a familiar figure appeared at the edge of the crowd. He slowly walked over with a meaningful smile on his face...

"Long time no see, Brother Teng."

The friend who once stood firmly behind them now had flickering eyes and slowly withdrew from the crowd.

The gaze that was once full of trust and friendship is now filled with suspicion and alienation.

Fan Mengmeng's heart seemed to be tightly gripped by an invisible hand, and a sharp pain spread out.

Her body trembled slightly, like a fallen leaf swaying in the wind and rain.

Teng Junze noticed her abnormality and held her hand tightly, his warm palm conveying silent comfort.

The air around seemed to freeze, so oppressive that it made people breathless.

But Fan Mengmeng was not defeated.

She took a deep breath and tried to calm her inner turmoil.

She closed her eyes, concentrated her mind, and activated her ability to connect the past and the present.

The boundaries of time and space blurred before her, and a strange energy flowed through her body.

Suddenly, a subtle image flashed through her mind—a vague figure, furtively placing something in a corner.

Although it was just a flash, Fan Mengmeng keenly captured this key information.

She suddenly opened her eyes, with a determined light flashing in them.

"I found a clue." She whispered to Teng Junze with a hint of excitement in her tone.

Following the clues provided by Fan Mengmeng, Teng Junze launched an investigation and soon found the key evidence of the frame-up.

He presented these evidences one by one in front of everyone. Those "witnesses" who had been shouting the loudest before were suddenly speechless, their faces turned pale, their eyes flickered, and their panicked expressions exposed their lies.

"Now, do you have anything else to say?" Teng Junze's voice was cold and majestic, like a thunder exploding in the crowd.

Those exposed "witnesses" looked at each other in bewilderment, unable to maintain their previous arrogance any longer. They lowered their heads one by one, not daring to look Teng Junze in the eye.

The original voices of doubt in the crowd gradually dissipated, replaced by an uproar.

They began to realize that they had been deceived and taken advantage of.

The eyes of admiration returned to Teng Junze and Fan Mengmeng, and the halo of heroes shone again.

Teng Junze curled his lips into a sneer, his eyes swept across the crowd, and finally landed on the "old friend" who had just appeared.

"Long time no see? I think you have ulterior motives." His tone was cold, with a hint of warning.

The smile on the "old friend"'s face froze...

The "old friend" was pale and his lips were trembling, but he couldn't say anything.

The several "witnesses" behind him also lowered their heads, not daring to look directly at the crowd.

Teng Junze did not miss this opportunity. He presented the evidence he had prepared in advance one by one, including evidence that the "witnesses" had accepted bribes and recordings of the mastermind behind the conspiracy.

The evidence is irrefutable and cannot be denied.

The crowd was in an uproar. They finally realized that they had been deceived and used.

Those who had slandered Teng Junze and Fan Mengmeng were now ashamed and bowed their heads to apologize.

The hero's halo shines again, and the cheers ring out again, warmer and more sincere than before.

Fan Mengmeng looked at all this, her heart filled with emotion.

She knew that although the storm was over, the real challenge had just begun.

At this moment, she suddenly felt a strange energy fluctuation. The fluctuation was extremely weak, but it made her feel inexplicably uneasy.

She concentrated her mind and carefully sensed the source of this energy.

Her expression gradually became solemn and her brows were furrowed.

Teng Junze noticed something was wrong with Fan Mengmeng and asked with concern, "Mengmeng, what's wrong?"

Fan Mengmeng did not answer. She stared at one direction in the crowd, with a hint of vigilance in her eyes.

She saw an inconspicuous man quietly leaving the crowd.

The man was dressed in ordinary clothes and had an ordinary appearance, so he could easily be overlooked.

But the faint energy fluctuations emanating from him made Fan Mengmeng feel extremely familiar.

She remembered that this energy fluctuation was exactly the same as the energy fluctuation she had felt from a member of a mysterious organization she had met in the apocalypse!

Is it...

Fan Mengmeng's heart sank suddenly, and an ominous premonition came to her mind.

She grabbed Teng Junze's hand and said hurriedly, "Junze, we are in trouble..."

As soon as she finished speaking, the inconspicuous man suddenly quickened his pace and disappeared into the crowd.

Fan Mengmeng's eyes became extremely sharp, and she whispered, "He must have gone to report the news."

Teng Junze's expression also grew serious. He held Fan Mengmeng's hand tightly and said in a deep voice, "It seems that our real enemy has just surfaced."

Fan Mengmeng's face was pale. She took a deep breath and tried to keep herself calm.

"I sense that a greater conspiracy is approaching..." She paused and looked at Teng Junze with a determined gaze, "We must be prepared."

Teng Junze nodded, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"Whoever dares to stop us will pay the price!"

Suddenly, Fan Mengmeng's eyes fell on the jade pendant on Teng Junze's waist. The jade pendant emitted a faint warm light, but it seemed particularly dazzling at this moment.

Her pupils shrank suddenly, and she grabbed the jade pendant, saying in a trembling voice, "This jade pendant..."