For a moment, the scene settled into a silent standoff.
Meng Fan looked at Su Fengzi, then at Pei Yanchuan, and sneered. "Why did you betray us? You were the ones who told us to take up arms and fight back in the first place. Why are you helping the Person-Eaters now? Why are you going back on your word?"
Su Fengzi's gun hand trembled slightly.
"I haven't gone back on my word. When you were enslaved, when you were at a disadvantage, we taught you to take up arms and reclaim your freedom. We wanted you to break this unfair system, not replace one kind of injustice with another!"
"They enslaved us for so long! They ate our flesh and drank our blood. Shouldn't they pay the price and atone for it?!" Meng Fan demanded indignantly. "So many Ordinary People died at their hands. Even ten lives apiece wouldn't be enough to repay that debt!"
"You won't even spare unarmed women and children?" For the first time, Su Fengzi felt how heavy the gun in his hand was. Only a few days had passed, yet he felt he no longer recognized the buzz-cut boy before him.
"I told you, they're Person-Eaters, and they should pay the price for being what they are!" Meng Fan abruptly raised his voice, speaking with righteous conviction. He waved a hand, and the two Ordinary Person guards beside Pei Yanchuan reached for the women and children behind him. One even tore a piece of fabric from Wen Yan's dress.
"Let go! I fucking said let go!"
Pei Yanchuan shoved the guards away, roaring with a hint of despair beneath his fury.
Ye Chu ran over and joined him in shielding the women.
There really hadn't been enough time. They hadn't had time to free