30: A sturdy gate

The mobsters, each holding a machine gun, were firing at the resisting homeowners.

It was unknown where they got machine guns in just three days; this left Ai Yue completely hesitant to act.

Although she had a submachine gun, she couldn't fight against so many hands.

If this group of thugs hadn't had guns, Ai Yue would have been confident in fighting and had a high chance of winning, but... as long as she dared to move rashly, the result awaiting her would be a body riddled with bullet holes.

Just as she was about to retreat unwillingly, Ai Yue saw an unexpected person standing in front of Fang Zhongguan, smiling obsequiously.

Ai Yue's eyes turned cold; she understood everything. It was him! It was that Owner Number 5, Li Luo, who appeared out of nowhere; he opened the main gate and let them in—this traitor!

Ai Yue hated traitors most in her life.

In her previous life, the reason she was captured and dismembered was precisely because a friend she considered close as life drugged and betrayed her to that group of devils, all just to buy a spot in the Safety Tower.

Ai Yue suppressed the surging bloodthirsty thoughts in her heart and signaled her parents to go back first.

The two parents didn't ask further questions and turned to leave without a word.

They understood that staying would be useless and would only mess up Ai Yue's plans. Besides, she had her spatial ability for protection, so they were very relieved about her safety.

Only when her parents' figures disappeared did Ai Yue raise her pistol and aim at the refined-looking traitor, Li Luo.

With a 'bang' of the gunshot, Li Luo's beaming face was pierced through the forehead, dead as one could be.

After firing, Ai Yue immediately flashed into her space. In the next second, the spot where she had just stood was riddled with holes.

"Who was it?" Fang Zhongguan reached out, wiped the blood splattered on his face, hid fearfully behind someone nearby, and shouted angrily.

"President, someone just fired from behind the bushes," a mobster ran over to check the situation and quickly reported upon hearing Fang Zhongguan's question.

"Are they completely dead?"

"Th-this... there's no one there." This mobster stammered in fear while looking at the enraged Fang Zhongguan; even the machine gun in his hand couldn't bring him a sense of security.

"What?"

"The person fired and ran away."

"Ran away? Useless! Search!"

Veins throbbed visibly on Fang Zhongguan's forehead. He casually slapped the mobster, who lowered his head in humiliation and repeatedly said, "Yes."

Leaving a few people behind for cleanup, the others, guns in hand, searched the entire complex but found nothing at all.

They then began breaking down doors one by one. Those who obeyed were kept alive and incorporated into the group; those who didn't were shot dead immediately. All the women were rounded up, presumably for later venting.

Ai Yue quietly reappeared at the original spot. Two men holding guns stood guard at the villa entrance not far away. Ai Yue dared not make any rash moves and quietly retreated when she saw no one around.

Hearing screams coming from other villas, Ai Yue tightened her fingers. She had to admit she was still not strong enough; in this Apocalypse, she could barely protect herself and her family, but she was powerless to help others.

As Ai Yue quietly passed Villa Number 21, she saw the passionate young man embracing his wife, both lying dead in the garden with their eyes wide open... After watching for a moment, Ai Yue secretly warned herself: this is the Apocalypse. No one can save anyone. In this man-eating world, the only reliable person is oneself.

The previous peaceful prosperity was ultimately just fleeting smoke. One shouldn't let compassion run rampant, or they wouldn't live long.

Ai Yue averted her gaze and safely returned home, avoiding the mobsters along the way.

Seeing her return safely, her parents finally let their hearts rest completely.

Parents everywhere are largely the same; no matter how capable their children are, they can't help but worry incessantly.

In just one night, eighteen villas were broken into by these villains. The remaining twenty-odd villas, built before the Apocalypse with the best materials due to the owners' wealth, momentarily stalled Fang Zhongguan and the other thugs.

However, it was only a matter of time before they were breached.

Fang Zhongguan looked at the abundance of food, supplies, and women gained overnight. Initially, he planned to take all the villas in one go, but then he changed his mind and hatched a new scheme.

"Sun Ergou!"

"Coming, Boss, what is it?"

"Come here..."

Sun Ergou approached Fang Zhongguan with some confusion, and Fang Zhongguan whispered a few words to him.

Sun Ergou's eyes widened the more he listened, and he happily gave a thumbs-up, saying, "Boss is truly the Boss; this idea is brilliant! We can set up our base here so the brothers can have a good place to live too, and we can raise those people like pigs, slaughtering one whenever we feel like it..."

"Alright, go do it. Oh, and gather everyone, collect all the guns, and bring them to my room. After collecting the guns, then go carry out the rest," Fang Zhongguan glanced at Sun Ergou and said calmly.

Sun Ergou stiffened and immediately agreed.

Half an hour later.

In Fang Zhongguan's room, he alone satisfiedly closed the door of a large iron box, applied a super lock, carefully tied the key with a rope, and placed it preciously inside his embrace.

These guns were obtained by him risking his life to rob them, sacrificing over twenty brothers in the process. These were life-saving things and he would only feel at ease if they were under his nose.

He patted his chest with a smile before walking towards the door.

At this time, Sun Ergou was leading men to knock on doors one by one.

In front of Villa Number Nine.

Two men inside the door held kitchen knives, vigilantly staring at Sun Ergou and his group outside.

"Don't be nervous. I'm here today to tell you that in this complex, the Dragon Tiger Cooperative calls all the shots. It's not hard for you to stay alive; you just need to pay protection fees daily."

"How about this: pay ten catties of rice every day, or offer up one woman, which counts as half a month's protection fee. Decide for yourselves. If you don't pay this fee..."

Sun Ergou pointed to Villa Number Seven and continued, "...that will be the fate of your entire family."

The two men inside were shocked and furious, followed by deep despair... Afterwards, he visited every remaining household. The reaction of each homeowner was different: some looked like they had survived a disaster, some knelt down weeping, cursing heaven for being unfair that evil people lived well while all suffering was borne by good people.

Some had already secretly cast their eyes on their own daughters, and two households firmly refused, looking ready to fight them to the death.

Sun Ergou just sneered and threw out a parting shot: "Fine, you just wait." Then he left.

Ai Yue stood at the third floor window with her telescope, clearly seeing everything Sun Ergou was doing.

At this moment, Sun Ergou swaggeringly led his men to Ai Yue's door.

"Hmph, this is the first time I've seen someone build a wall this high. They certainly have foresight. Hmph, but it's useless. Brothers, smash it!" Sun Ergou said, taking the lead by swinging a large sledgehammer, which struck the door with a 'clang'.

Sun Ergou cried out 'Ah,' but the massive gate showed no mark whatsoever. In contrast, a trace of blood appeared on the web of Sun Ergou's thumb.

He threw down the hammer, shook his numb wrist, and started cursing profusely.

"Brother Sun, what do we do? This gate is too sturdy, and the wall is too high; we can't climb it at all. There's even barbed wire strung on top, completely sealing us out."