28: Fang Guofeng, showing off

Ai Yue's gaze turned cold. She didn't think they were here for tea after the crisis had passed, so she quickly headed downstairs.

Ai Guosheng opened the small twenty-square-centimeter iron window on the main door. Looking at these uninvited guests, he had no intention of opening the door. "Is something the matter?"

Fang Guofeng was very displeased to see only Ai Guosheng's face. "What's the meaning of this? Is this how you treat guests? Open the door and let us in for a cup of tea."

"Why should I let you in? Besides, if you have something to say, say it here. There's no need for tea; we aren't close," Ai Guosheng said indifferently, ignoring their arrogant posturing.

"You..." Fang Guofeng hadn't expected this attitude from Ai Guosheng. He was currently the savior of the entire residential area. If it weren't for him, the Green Water Villa District would have been bathed in blood today.

Fang Guofeng tried his best to suppress his temper and sneered, "What, it feels pretty good being a coward, doesn't it? Do you know that the reason you can stand here safely and your wife and daughter weren't dragged away and ravaged is all thanks to me?"

"Oh? Your credit? Pfft, you certainly have a thick skin! Tell me, what exactly are you here for today?" Ai Yue's voice came from behind Ai Guosheng. She wanted to hear what kind of tricks Fang Guofeng was trying to pull.

Hearing Ai Yue's voice, Ai Guosheng stepped aside to let her through.

Seeing Ai Yue's fair and tender round face, Fang Guofeng's mood improved considerably.

Clearing his throat, he said, "This time, everyone except your family provided food. Now that the villains have been persuaded to leave by us and you are safe, shouldn't you show some appreciation?"

"Appreciation? What kind of appreciation?"

"How about this: there are three people in your family, so give us... three bags of rice, three bags of white flour, and three barrels of oil, and we'll call it even."

Seeing the calculating looks on Fang Guofeng and the people behind him, Ai Yue felt disgusted. Did they have any idea how scarce food was now? People outside were fighting, selling their sons and daughters just for a bite to eat, yet he had the nerve to demand so much, coming to extort her. He truly was tired of living.

Ai Yue rolled her eyes and said, "Instead of wasting your time calculating against us here, you'd be better off going back to discuss how to prepare your defenses. Do you really think those people were that easily persuaded to leave?"

"What do you mean?" a man behind Fang Guofeng asked.

"What do I mean? Exactly what I said. You'd better go home and wait to fight a hard battle."

"Stop your alarmist talk. They left, so they're gone. It's impossible for them to come back. You're such a fair and clean-looking Little Girl, how can your heart be so wicked as to curse our neighborhood!" Fang Guofeng exploded upon hearing this, retorting immediately. He didn't dare, nor did he want to believe that what Ai Yue said was true.

Ai Yue looked at the balding man who was deceiving himself and was speechless. To pin the hope of survival on the mercy of others was simply ridiculous!

"Regardless, the truth will be revealed tomorrow. If you have any sense of safety left, take everyone and guard the neighborhood gate." After saying that, Ai Yue closed the small iron window with a "thud," ignoring the person jumping in anger outside.

Ultimately, the more Fang Guofeng thought about it, the more afraid he became. He felt that for the sake of his own life, he should organize people to guard the neighborhood gate. Only then did he manage to sleep soundly.

The next day, the sun rose high, but there was no sign of the Dragon Tiger Cooperative. Fang Guofeng immediately felt he had been fooled by Ai Yue and couldn't help but blame himself for being intimidated by a Little Girl.

His resentment toward Ai Yue grew exponentially. He cast a gloomy glance toward Villa 35, deciding in his heart that he must eventually take that Little Girl down for lying to him. Thinking of Ai Yue groveling beneath him gave him a surge of dark satisfaction.

While he was lost in his fantasies, he suddenly heard someone nearby cry out in terror, "Old Fang, come here and look! Am I seeing things?"

Fang Guofeng was unhappy at being called "Old Fang"; they should be calling him District Head Fang.

He said impatiently, "What are you shouting for? Don't make such a fuss."

As he spoke, he looked in the direction the man was pointing and was instantly drenched in a cold sweat.

He shouted tremulously, "They really came! Go get people, hurry! What are you standing there for?"

The man who had just been startled finally snapped out of it and ran off, shouting as he went, "Someone come quickly! The Dragon Tiger Cooperative, they... they're back! Someone come quickly!"

The man shouted at the top of his lungs throughout the neighborhood. Soon, strong men from various villas came running out in a panic, carrying kitchen knives, golf clubs, and other weapons.

Ai Yue and the two others also heard the shouting.

"Dad, Mom, to survive in the Apocalypse, one must eventually get their hands bloody. In that case... let's start today."

Ai Guosheng and Li Shilan looked solemn and nodded heavily.

Ai Yue helped the two elders put on bulletproof vests, equipped them with Swiss military knives, and tucked handguns into their waists.

Looking at their gear, she felt their safety shouldn't be a major issue. While her parents familiarized themselves with the knives, she quickly geared herself up and led them toward the neighborhood entrance.

At the main gate, Fang Zhongguan and his group had already arrived, looking at the fuming Fang Guofeng with beaming smiles.

"President Fang, I didn't expect you to go back on your word."

"Director Fang, don't talk nonsense. How have I gone back on my word?"

"You said you'd let our neighborhood go, yet here you are again today. Is that not going back on your word?"

"No, no, no, don't wrong me. I said I'd let you go yesterday, but I never said I'd let you go today. I kept the promise I made you, so I haven't gone back on my word."

"You... you... that's just sophistry!" Fang Guofeng stomped his feet in anger but was helpless.

"Haha, it's the Apocalypse, and yet there's still someone as foolish as you who believes I'm a gentleman. This is too funny." Looking at the other's angry and desperate expression, Fang Zhongguan felt a wave of satisfaction.

The villas were built on a mountain. Considering the wild animals, the developer had specifically built the perimeter walls three meters high, and the gate was also three meters high. Thus, Fang Zhongguan's gang of thugs couldn't get in for the time being.

Fang Zhongguan didn't believe he couldn't kick down this lousy gate, so he said:

"Brothers, don't you want women? Don't you want food and supplies? What are you waiting for? Charge!" Fang Zhongguan gave the order to attack with an evil smile.

The lackey leader beside him shouted excitedly, "Except for the prettiest women and the food, whatever you grab is yours!"

The thugs behind him were like they'd been injected with chicken blood, each excitedly running forward to smash at the neighborhood gate.

Unexpectedly, after their violent bashing, the gate was only slightly bent and showed no other changes.

The panic-stricken owners finally regained their composure and breathed a sigh of relief, secretly glad that the villas they paid so much for were sturdy. The materials used were genuine, and they silently gave the developer a thumbs up.

Fang Zhongguan's gang of thugs was stunned; they hadn't expected to encounter such a tough nut to crack.

"Keep smashing! Let's see how long this lousy gate can hold out," Fang Zhongguan barked.

The thugs grew furious and began to smash even harder.

The "clang-clang" sounds were incessant. All the owners were tense, their grips tightening on their weapons.

The owner of Villa 21 was a young man. Seeing them about to break in, he was anxious. He had a beautiful new bride at home; if they were allowed in, his wife's fate was easily imaginable.

At that thought, his eyes turned bloodshot. He angrily swung his golf club and shouted, "What is everyone waiting for? Are we going to wait for them to smash the gate and slaughter us all?"