Flames suddenly blazed outside the window. A moment later, someone outside smashed the glass to pieces!
The window had iron bars, and Wu Yingting didn't have time to block it before he saw the rioters' homemade Molotov cocktails come flying in!
Yu Yi and her daughter Yu Yu panicked. They hurriedly scooped up water in basins, trying to put out the flames.
But the gasoline-soaked Molotov cocktails spread fire incredibly fast. The flames soon roared to life, quickly igniting anything flammable inside the house!
Before long, a carpet of fire covered the floor. A second and third Molotov cocktail came flying in, setting the windows and walls alight as well.
"Bang!!"
"Bang!!"
Wu Yingting's eyes turned bloodshot. He raised his gun and fired at the people outside throwing the Molotov cocktails!
"He's got a gun! He's got a gun!!"
"Block the door! Burn him alive!"
"He's still got the nerve to fight back!"
No one dared throw any more Molotov cocktails into the house, but the fire inside was spreading. Thick smoke billowed up, quickly filling the cramped rooms.
"Cover your noses with wet towels and crouch down!" Wu Yingting shouted to his wife and daughter.
"Xiao Hen is still in the room..." Yu Yi rushed inside at once, trying to wake Wu Hen.
"Get him in the wheelchair. I'll go out and fight them. Take Xiao Hen and get as far away as you can!" Wu Yingting seethed with rage.
He never imagined that He Zhichou, the brother who had made his fortune alongside him, could be so cruel. He hadn't even left room for discussion—just to get a hundred thousand, he was willing to burn Wu's whole family alive!
Yu Yi and Yu Yu worked together to lift the unconscious Wu Hen into the wheelchair and push him out of the room.
Wu Yingting fired several shots at the door. Once he was sure no one outside dared block it, he immediately kicked it open.
"Hold the door! Don't let him out with that gun!" the hoarse-voiced man shouted.
The people outside had found a metal frame somewhere. They hid behind the door while using the frame to jam it in place, keeping the people inside from getting out.
The door was open, but Wu Yingting's family couldn't charge through. He had a gun, but couldn't hit the people hiding behind the wall.
It was clear that the Black Shirt Organization had come prepared. They knew that cornered animals would fight to the death!
"Cough, cough! Cough, cough!"
"Cough!"
The fire grew fiercer by the moment. Yu Yi and Yu Yu had started coughing violently, and poisonous fumes were filling the house. If they didn't get out soon, they'd surely suffocate.
The flames began to scorch their skin. Like a furious beast, Wu Yingting hurled himself again and again against the metal frame blocking the door.
"You'll all die horribly! Every last one of you!" Wu Yingting roared.
"Old man, toss out the gun and maybe the Black Shirt Organization will let you live," the hoarse-voiced man said.
"Old Wu, everyone knows how capable you used to be. Quit pretending and hand over everything you've got hidden away!" He Zhichou continued to taunt him.
Wu Yingting looked back at his wife and daughter, his eyes red as blood.
"We can't give it to them..." Yu Yi shook her head desperately.
They were willing to burn an entire family alive over that little bit of money. The Black Shirt Organization was utterly ruthless. If she handed over the gun, they would be at their mercy.
Rather than suffer such humiliation, she would rather die here with her family.
Wu Yingting was in pain and despair. He realized that he really was old and couldn't adapt to this world anymore.
He loaded his pistol and looked at his wife and daughter, both of them as stubborn as he was.
Rather than be roasted alive at the end of their lives, it would be better to end things quickly and cleanly. At least it wouldn't hurt as much.
Yu Yi looked at her husband and nodded.
Wu Yingting's whole body trembled as he raised his pistol...
In truth, what he wanted most was to shoot himself first. But as a man, he had to endure the cruelest act in the world and free his family before himself.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."
The flames raged hotter and hotter. Thick smoke poured from the windows and doorway, choking even the people outside.
Even so, they had no intention of backing down. Any sense of compassion had long since died when the world announced the arrival of the apocalypse.
The mother and daughter closed their eyes. They were afraid too, but all they could do was trust in the next life.
But Wu Yingting still couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger.
He wanted to fight for a way out for his family!
Wu Yingting handed the gun to Yu Yi, then walked to the wall and ripped down the burning curtain. He wrapped it tightly around himself!
His intentions were obvious.
He meant to turn himself into a human fireball and break through the people holding the metal frame at the door!
But that also meant that even if he got out, the flames on his body would be hard to put out. He would burn to death!
Yu Yi was furious too. Gripping the pistol tightly, she swore that once they got out, she would kill every last person outside!!
But just as she reached for the grip, Yu Yi suddenly felt her hand go empty. The gun that had been in her hand moments before was gone.
She looked down at once and saw that Wu Hen, who had been slumped unconscious in the wheelchair, had woken up at some point. The old pistol was now in his right hand...
"Dad!"
That one call made his father, who had been about to wrap himself in flames, freeze in place.
Wu Yingting turned around in disbelief and saw his son, Wu Hen, slowly getting to his feet.
Thick smoke billowed and flames roared, yet they seemed to have no effect on Wu Hen at all. He stood tall, his eyes shining brightly, and gave Wu Yingting the feeling that he had been reborn!
Wu Yingting had only felt that way around those "superpowered beings."
Wu Hen was back!
And he had transformed!!
"Dad, leave it to me." Wu Hen walked over to his father, snatched away the burning curtain, and tossed it deeper into the house.
Wu Yingting was overjoyed. He nodded emphatically.
Wu Hen said nothing more. He listened for just a second, using his ears to pinpoint everyone in the hallway.
He walked to the broken window. Someone was guarding it too; if Wu Yingting dared stick his hand out to fire, an iron rod would come down on his wrist!
But Wu Hen didn't need to reach out.
He walked to the window and coldly hurled the pistol outside!
The old pistol flew out into the hallway, arcing toward the floor below.
The hoarse-voiced man thought the people inside had finally surrendered. A smug smile spread across his face. With a gun in this ruined world, he could do whatever he pleased!
But what happened next left him stunned.
The gun, which should have fallen to the floor below, hung in the air like a black bird!
Its dark muzzle pointed straight at the gang of arsonists in the hallway!
"Bang!! Bang!! Bang!! Bang!!!"
Four shots rang out in quick succession.
The four people in the hallway collapsed almost simultaneously!
The bullets tore through their bodies, leaving a series of scorched marks on the old wall.
Blood splattered across the hallway. The arsonists didn't even have time to cry out before they hit the ground, their bodies twitching uncontrollably!
The hoarse-voiced man fell at the doorway.
He'd been shot in the abdomen. He wouldn't die immediately, but blood was already pouring out of him like a spring.
He stared at the gun that could fly on its own, his eyes wide with disbelief.
He'd spent all these days strutting around because he'd joined the Black Shirt Organization early. He never imagined he'd run into one of the rumored Awakened today. How could he be so unlucky...
Regretting it now was useless. The bullet had already torn through his guts.
He'd died before he could enjoy himself in the chaos. He couldn't accept it!
"Clang!"
Someone kicked the metal frame aside.
Wu Hen led his family out of the smoke-filled house.
He glanced at the people writhing on the ground and saw that three of them were dressed in black.
Why did those matching black clothes look so familiar? They were all cut from the same cloth as that cockroach.
"Don't... don't kill me... I was only trying to scare you. Nephew, I'm your Fifth Uncle!" He Zhichou lay on the ground, begging in terror.
Wu Hen saw that He Zhichou had been shot in the left thigh.
He couldn't help giving Xiao Yi a big thumbs-up. So Xiao Yi was that considerate! It even knew that scum like him shouldn't be allowed to die so easily!
"You and Xiao Yu go downstairs first," Wu Yingting told his wife and daughter, who had escaped.
Yu Yi and Yu Yu immediately ran downstairs.
Fortunately, they hadn't been burned. They'd inhaled some smoke, but should be fine.
"Take some supplies with us." Wu Yingting went back and forth into the burning house, carrying out bundles of daily necessities.
He had prepared all this in advance. He just hadn't expected the whole family would have to take to the road so soon.
Wu Hen helped shoulder a large hiking pack, then beckoned, and the pistol flew back into his palm. He aimed it at He Zhichou, who had dragged himself across the floor, leaving a trail of blood.
Just as he was about to finish He Zhichou off, Wu Yingting stopped him. "Don't waste bullets, and don't get your hands dirty. I'll deal with him."
Wu Hen nodded, put away the gun, and headed toward the stairwell.
As he reached the stairs, Wu Hen still felt a little uneasy.
He wanted to tell his father that in this world, they couldn't afford to show too much mercy.
But when Wu Hen turned around, he saw a father he barely recognized...
He saw his father's back as he wielded an iron rod, smashing it down on He Zhichou's knees, again and again!
He Zhichou's left knee was already injured. Now his right knee was smashed to pieces, and his screams echoed through the entire building.
"I was wrong! I was wrong, Brother! I was wrong, I really was!!!" He Zhichou sobbed and begged.
Wu Yingting didn't stop. Only after He Zhichou's right leg was completely wrecked did he finally drop the iron rod.
"We were brothers once. This is the last mercy I'll show you as your big brother," Wu Yingting said coldly.
With that, Wu Yingting slung the backpack full of daily necessities over his shoulders and ran toward the stairwell.
The fire spread even more fiercely through the house. The old building's layout had never been built to withstand a disaster, especially a fire. There were wooden windows, piles of junk, cardboard boxes, and frayed wires everywhere. Once a fire started, it could only spread faster and faster.
Before long, flames were licking through the hallway, and thick smoke was rolling through the entire building...
A man with mangled legs crawled little by little toward the stairs.
Snot and tears ran together down his face as he struggled in despair.
He was trying as hard as he could, but he crawled so, so slowly.
The smoke and flames kept swelling, like a vicious beast dragging him into the fire!
Recommended: a new book by the great urban fantasy author Lao Shi.
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