Breaking through

Another "sun" vanished beyond the horizon, leaving only two in the sky. A murky haze emerged again, drastically dimming the sunlight.

The instant three suns became two, it was as though someone had "switched off the lights." A cold, sinister chill swept across the entire land.

The two remaining "suns" now looked more like cool-colored moons. Their light spilled through the forest, drawing roars from a few beasts.

The flood brought by the earlier downpour had receded. It had washed away the corpses and dumped sewage downstairs, but left behind plenty of yellowish-brown mud.

Even the iron gates of the residential complex opposite had been knocked down by the flood. Many survivors there were now busy securing them against any fierce beasts that might appear at night.

Several thick branches hung from the complex's perimeter wall, bearing witness to the flood.

At the apartment building, the floodwaters had risen above the second floor, and some had even entered the gym. Now that the water had receded, people were busily clearing the mud washed into the rooms.

"Hurry up! Get moving! Anyone who slacks off gets no food!"

"Once it's clean, organize a group to go to the Teleportation Point. Regular Evacuation should open soon, judging by the time. Bring some supplies back then."

"The nearby water source is polluted too. It's completely muddy. It'll probably take a few days to clear up. How many people collected water beforehand?"

"Tomorrow, find someone to talk to the residential complex and the mall. We need to lay down some rules and arrange for people to divert that stream over here. See if there's some way to filter it too. Going out for water every day is a pain. Those leeches are disgusting."

"Watch out! There's a snake!"

The chaotic bustle made the fitness club a noisy place.

Someone also spotted a venomous snake writhing in the mud. A crowd rushed over and beat it to death with sticks.

Chen Laohu sat on a clean piece of exercise equipment, coldly watching the scene without comment.

He had another room of his own on the third floor, but the club was their usual gathering place, so it needed to be cleaned up.

Besides, this spot offered the best view of the Teleportation Point. With the club's compound bows, they could easily threaten others into paying a toll.

"Laohu, there seems to be movement upstairs. Those people might be trying to come down while we're busy. What should we do?"

Just then, one of his underlings hurried over to report to Chen Laohu.

From the stairwell entrance in the fire escape, they could look straight up the stairs. There was no hiding the commotion of so many people coming down.

"They certainly know how to pick their moment."

Chen Laohu sneered.

They had been keeping an eye on the residents upstairs all along. Lately, quite a few who could no longer hold out had been forced to come down and pay to enter the Teleportation Point.

That had also made him realize there was still a group of fat sheep upstairs who had stripped most of the rooms of supplies!

Who knew how many supplies they had gathered from all those rooms!

Waiting for those fat sheep was precisely why their main force had kept putting off entering Great Qi.

So they finally couldn't hold out anymore...

They were only ordinary apartment owners. Even if they had lucked into some equipment, they were no match for his team.

After a month, Chen Laohu's core members now included his original security team, the gym's trainers, some muscular regulars, and a few thugs.

Every one of them could fight and was willing to go all out. Gathered together, they could scare a bunch of ordinary apartment owners senseless just by standing there.

Even with equipment, it still depended on who was using it!

An entire month had passed, and not a soul at the mall or the residential complex had dared object. They all obediently handed over food or supplies as a toll!

He refused to believe the people coming down from this apartment building would dare break his rules!

"Laohu, I heard that woman Zhao Xiaowen is with them too. Heh, give your buddy a chance with her later."

Just then, another man in a black tank top walked over, continuously squeezing a hand gripper. His knotted muscles seemed to twitch all over his body.

"The women trading themselves for food still haven't satisfied you?"

Chen Laohu snorted at the man in the black tank top. This was Xu Gang, the gym's star trainer and something of a business partner to him.

Although he coveted Xu Gang's good looks, he had refrained from making a move for the sake of harmony within the team. Hearing him talk about nothing but women naturally soured his mood.

"Come on, how can those scraps compare to her? Tsk... If I'd known this would happen, I should've forced myself on her before coming to this damned place. It's not like I'd have to worry about getting arrested. But then she stopped coming..."

Xu Gang still seemed regretful as he said this. Just thinking about the woman's face and figure made him itch with desire.

But just then, the crash of a bottle shattering suddenly came from outside. Someone looked out the window and shouted.

"Is that a fire?"

"What's going on?"

"How's the mud on the ground burning?"

"..."

A crowd ran to the windows. Chen Laohu and Xu Gang froze briefly, then followed them over.

On the mud-covered open ground directly in front of the apartment building, flames were burning beside fragments of shattered liquor bottles.

The flames burned over the mud, blackening and drying it while sending up black smoke. A faint stench of burning plastic drifted through the air.

"Sorry, my hand slipped."

As he spoke, Lin Hao emerged with a beer bottle in one hand, his backpack wrapped in a bedsheet on his back, and a wooden shield as tall as a person raised in his other hand.

The wooden shield looked as though it had been pieced together from flimsy plywood, but it was large enough to cover his entire body and had a small viewing slit.

It struck the best possible balance between size and portability.

Yi Feng and the others followed close behind. Several of them carried similar bottles.

These were Molotov cocktails they had learned to make from the broadcasts, using scavenged alcohol mixed with sugar, laundry detergent, and polystyrene foam particles in set proportions.

They could not only flare up explosively on impact, but also keep burning for a considerable time, lasting longer than cocktails made from alcohol or gasoline alone!

Lin Hao certainly would not pay any so-called toll, but a direct clash with the gym's people might leave them with heavy casualties.

Even Lin Hao himself had no confidence he could get away unscathed.

They were about to enter the Teleportation Point. Even an injury could have serious consequences.

With his cheat ability, there was no need to fight these people head-on right now. Deterring them enough to achieve his goal would do.

Molotov cocktails were an extremely cost-effective option at present.

He had his concerns, but so did the other side!

The bottle smashed in the middle of the open ground was still burning stubbornly, and the sight immediately darkened Chen Laohu's and Xu Gang's faces at the window.

Fuck!

If those things came flying in here, they'd be lucky to escape with their lives!

If this were truly a fight to the death, Chen Laohu would have had some confidence. They could charge out under covering arrow fire. The other side only had so many bottles.

But in their current circumstances, burns and infections could easily cost them their lives!

Besides, humans had an instinctive fear of fire. To get everyone to charge now, he would probably have to lead the way.

His authority currently extended only as far as "Follow me!" He was still a long way from being able to say "Get them!" Otherwise, why would anyone follow him?

Even though the gym had an archery range and plenty of compound bows, it was already growing dark, and they could not stop the others from throwing bottles up at them. They would inflict heavy losses only at a terrible cost to themselves. Both sides would suffer!

For a moment, they felt as though they had strength but nowhere to use it.

"Those bastards!"

Chen Laohu stared at Lin Hao's handsome face, his eyes full of malice. If that brat fell into his hands, he would make him suffer!

"All right, everyone, go ahead. Stick to your own teams. We're all residents of this building. Don't worry."

Lin Hao waved his hand, and the apartment's survivors began heading toward the Teleportation Point, carrying bags of every size.

Everyone kept their heads down and hurried along, seemingly afraid of being singled out.

Seeing people begin to enter the Teleportation Point, which he had always regarded as his private preserve, Chen Laohu finally lost his patience. He stood at the window with a compound bow and said in a low voice,

"You're breaking the rules! Do you think you can stay over there forever without coming back? Do you think you can pull this every time? Sooner or later, you'll be alone!"

His words did make quite a few residents hesitate, fear stirring in their hearts.

"No one's forcing you to go."

Lin Hao remained calm. Helping the others get through was merely something he could do along the way. It was entirely up to them.

Seeing that his threats had some effect, Chen Laohu barked again,

"I'm setting rules for all of us here. If you're really short on supplies, you can submit a request. We're not unreasonable. But if you force your way through, don't blame us for-"

Before he could finish, there was a crash.

A Molotov cocktail shattered beside the gym's window. Flames splashed out and clung to the wall, even breaking the window glass.

"I'm a nervous sort. I can't stand threats. What exactly do you want? Either give it your best shot or shut up."

Lin Hao and the others each raised a Molotov cocktail, looking ready to throw at any moment. Lin Hao also prepared to charge with his shield.

He did not want to take risks or face a confrontation at a time like this, but he also knew he absolutely could not compromise now!

If he gave an inch, they might take him for a pushover.

At worst, we fight it out!

Hit a person in the head, and they die just like a Madman!

I'm only afraid of getting hurt, not of being unable to kill you...

Peace through struggle-that was a truth their forebears had learned!

His uncompromising attitude and the flames right beside them left the gym's leaders looking grim, as though they wanted nothing more than to start shooting.

But looking at the bottles in the others' hands, feeling the heat by the window, and smelling the acrid stench of burning foam, they gradually calmed down and fell silent.

With no one speaking up to stop them, the apartment survivors kept their heads down and entered the Teleportation Point. Finally, only three groups remained.

One was Lin Hao's team. Another was Zhou Feng's family and the kindhearted Qian Tong. The last consisted of Zeng Yi, Wang Cheng, Sun Qian, and her husband, Gao.

Since those remaining knew one another relatively well and got along, Lin Hao offered them another reminder.

"Be careful when you come back. If necessary, pay to teleport straight into your rooms. Don't take risks. It'll be hard for us to return at the same time, so protect yourselves until everyone's back. As long as you're alive, you can always rebuild."

"Yes. Stay safe, everyone."

"Safe travels."

"Safe travels!"

Bottles in hand, Lin Hao and the others waited until everyone who wanted to go had entered, then approached the Teleportation Point themselves.

The Teleportation Point had no markings or glow. It looked no different from ordinary ground, just a flat patch in front of the apartment building.

Yet everyone could sense, somehow, that this was the Teleportation Point!

But the instant Lin Hao's group of four finally stepped inside, something whistled through the air toward them. Lin Hao, who had been watching the gym the whole time, hurled his Molotov cocktail without hesitation, then gripped his shield firmly and held it in front of the group.

Clang!

An arrow from an eighty-pound bow struck the seemingly flimsy plywood. Its head shattered completely, and the shaft snapped!

Lin Hao had felt even an iron pot would not be safe enough, so he had specifically switched to a dumbbell to enchant the shield. Sure enough, it stopped the powerful bow's shot!

Meanwhile, Lin Hao's Molotov cocktail flew through the window and instantly erupted into flames. The splashing mixture of foam particles stuck to several people nearby, drawing howls and screams.

After entering the area, Lin Hao and the other three mentally confirmed their party and joint teleportation.

The next moment, the world spun, and they vanished...

"Stat equipment! Fuck! You've gone too far!"

Watching the flames spread around the window, and several of his elite men who had been drawing attention to themselves burning as they fell into the mud and rolled about screaming,

Chen Laohu, who had fired the sneak attack, let out an enraged roar. Then he grabbed a delicate-looking young man and dragged him toward the changing room despite his terrified expression.

"What are you staring at? Go put out the fire!"

Xu Gang spat in disgust too. Fuck, that pretty boy got off easy!

How was he lucky enough to get such a huge piece of protective equipment?

Chen Laohu's heavy bow could shoot through a car door. Seeing a mere wooden board, they had thought piercing straight through it would be easy. Instead, even the arrow had shattered!

"Hmph. You'll have to come back sooner or later. Just wait and see what we do to you then!"