Chapter 94 - 87: The Resentful Soul
Looking at the mostly packed belongings, Li Yu thought for a moment, waved his hand, and said, "Get in the car!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than he immediately stopped, glancing at the two large trucks. Driving those over would be too noisy.
So he immediately said, "Take the electric cars, go slower, don't go straight there, don't get discovered. Stop nearby and we'll walk over quietly."
"Drive slowly later!" Li Yu added.
They had been to this city many times since the end of the world, and each time they found some new survivors. But this was the first time they heard gunshots.
They had to find out who was shooting, how many guns these people had. Why they were shooting wasn't important, what mattered was their strength!
Li Yu wouldn't allow any potential threats to arise around him; he at least needed to have a sense of what to expect!
This trip was to find out who exactly was shooting.
Li Yu and his group drove slowly in the new energy vehicle, and after just over a kilometer, Li Yu signaled to stop the car. The vehicle was too conspicuous, so they decided to go on foot.
Everyone got out of the car. Five construction workers, each holding some long knives and daggers; and Li Yu brought along Yang Tianlong, Zhao Dapao, and others. Since the end of the world, Li Yu and them had developed a good tacit understanding. Often, a single look could convey each other's thoughts.
They approached slowly, Li Yu leading with the quietest of steps.
Soon, they reached the wholesale food market.
At the corner, Li Yu took a step forward and immediately retreated.
Those behind him stopped, too.
Li Yu put two fingers up, signaling everyone to stop and keep quiet.
But the workers who were following him for the first time didn't seem to quite understand, looking confused.
Li Yu then placed his finger over his mouth and made a 'shush' gesture.
Everyone got the message.
Li Yu peered out a little and from his angle, he saw the backs of Song Min and her group.
Not 20 meters from them was a group of men, 16 in total.
It seemed like the men had captured a few girls.
And one of the men was holding a gun!
No other firearms were visible.
Li Yu slowly pulled back his head, signaling everyone to quietly step back a few paces.
A question arose in Li Yu's mind: Song Min?
Why were these two groups fighting here?
His questions began to unfold through the dialogue between the two sides, their voices carrying slowly over the open street...
"That plump little one there, yes, you, put down your crossbow, or I'll shoot," Big Gold Teeth said.
The chubby one next to Song Min looked at her, and she nodded.
Chubby sighed dejectedly and put down his crossbow.
Song Min saw Song Qi trampled underfoot and sensed he wanted to speak, so she shook her head.
Song Qi seemed to understand her; revealing their relationship would bring blackmail, making the situation even harder.
At that moment, Song Min, seeing Teacher Liu being held by Big Gold Teeth, felt some anger but then a thought struck her.
So she said, "Let them go!"
Unlike those two boys, Teacher Liu and the other two girls had barely met Song Min, so they didn't know she was actually Song Qi's sister.
But those two boys, often hanging out with Song Qi, were familiar with Song Min.
Upon hearing Song Min's words.
Big Gold Teeth laughed mockingly, "Let them go? Why should I? Do you think you have the strength to talk like that? Why don't you switch places with them? Heh heh!"
The refined-looking man and a few others also echoed with laughter.
Meanwhile, at the street corner, Li Yu was speechless.
Before the apocalypse, many men thought with what's below the waist;
After the apocalypse, the evil in human nature magnified to the extreme, with many men thinking with their lust, not doing actual work, just fooling around.
"Just another tremulous play," Li Yu cursed inwardly. "Damn unbelievable!"
Just as his patience was almost worn out, he suddenly heard the refined-looking man say to Big Gold Teeth, "Bro Gold, we're really lucky this time, stumbling upon so many women all at once. Last time in Xiang County, I wasn't satisfied yet!..."
Xiang County!
Xiang County!
Xiang County!
Li Yu heard this and instantly turned his head to look at Zhao Dapao.
He was afraid Zhao Dapao would get emotional and expose their position.
He saw Zhao Dapao trembling all over, gripping the gun tightly.
His eyes seemed to spew out fury, biting his teeth so hard. His face, filled with rage, resembled a lion.
But still, not a single sound was made.
Li Yu sighed, gently patting Zhao Dapao on the back.
He knew that when Zhao Dapao first returned to Xiang County, it was the sight of his family's tragic deaths which had led him to ask many people, only to learn it was a group of outsiders who had passed through.
Since joining the base, every time Li Yu took the team out, whenever they came across survivors, he would ask if they had been to Xiang County or seen anyone go there.
But there had been no news at all, no word of Zhao Dapao's enemies.
Now, finally, they had heard something. Although it couldn't be confirmed one hundred percent, there was a very good chance they were the ones, from the conversation of that group just now!
Li Yu had once promised Zhao Dapao that he would help him find traces of his enemies and help him get his revenge. Li Yu had stuck to his word all along the way.
And now, they had finally seen a trace!
Elsewhere.
Upon hearing what Big Gold Teeth and the others had said, Song Min's face changed with uncertainty, conflicted.
Those people opposite had guns! Even though she had a crossbow, it was definitely not as fast as a gun.
Moreover, the opposition was composed of adult men; if it came to a fight, it was certain that her side would be at a greater disadvantage.
She could save her brother, but she couldn't gamble with her sisters' lives. Her sisters trusted her so much that even now, when the men opposite had guns, not a single one of them backed down. It was as if, with just one command from her, they would all be ready to die to save someone.
Her sisters trusted her, and the less they feared death, the more she had to consider their safety.
A trace of indecision appeared on her face, and for a moment, she didn't know what to say.
In her mind, thoughts flew at lightning speed, pondering how to break out of this situation.
...
Meanwhile, Big Gold Teeth, seeing that Song Min and the others were completely still, felt a growing sense of contempt.
He spat at the man who had run back and said, "Them? Killed Jiezi? Hahaha, you must be joking with me! Look at them; they don't dare to fart!
Women,
are just that... hehe, I'll do whatever I want to them...
Wait a bit, and I will... then... and you guys one by one...."
The man who had run back also looked at Song Min and her group with some confusion. He seemed unable to comprehend why the woman who was so decisive in killing before was now so quiet and hesitant.
The women beside Song Min, hearing their words, were filled with anger and wanted to step forward and kill them.
But Sister Song had yet to speak.
So the sisters beside her began to say, "Sister Song, we're not afraid, is it just a gun? We can die, but before we do, I'll tear a chunk off them."
"Sister Song, let's do it, these scumbags, doing such things again! They must be castrated!"
"Sister Song, I never wanted to keep living anyway. I can't stand this feeling of being suffocated."
"Sister Song, I'm not afraid, we've always been sisters and we always will be!"
"Sister Song, I've thought it through. People live on their pride; I have to prove that we are no worse than these rotten men. In this apocalyptic world, we as women can live just as well!"
"Sister Song! I want to kill them!"
"Death!"
...
The women, while talking, slowly moved forward.
Not a single one showed fear, not one was scared, not one was frightened.
What they displayed was resilience!
What was within them was an indomitable roar; they could not bear gender inequality, they could not bear being seen by men as mere tools to satisfy their urges!
The discontent, they could not bear it!
It was as if they were constrained by an invisible cage of the world, gasping for breath, their bodies whipped until they were covered in bloody wounds, an invisible force pressing down on them, preventing them from raising their heads!
It was like an invisible rope of social conventions tied around their necks, continuously pulling, leaving them unable to breathe.
They! Wanted to make these men never scorn them again!
They! Wanted to use their lives to roar at this world, to struggle vehemently:
Women are strong too! Women should not be treated as tools!
The sky was hot and dry, aggravating an already irritable mood. The oppressive hot air made it hard to breathe.
On the ground lay some zombie corpses or decaying bodies, unremarkable among the ruins of the streets.
But the stench they emitted was nauseating.
These women, with firm steps and determined eyes, showed not the slightest fear nor any sign of retreating.
Seeing her sisters like this, Song Min's eyes reddened, and she bit her lower lip until it bled, not caring about the pain.
Looking at her sisters, the emotions of being moved surged inside her like waves, making her want to cry!
But, she held it back.
....