Zhang Yi had moved the neighbors to tears and sent them back to work with red eyes.
Only Uncle You stayed behind. He walked up to Zhang Yi and studied him suspiciously, as if seeing him for the first time.
"Do I have a dà nǎi wife on my face?" Zhang Yi asked with a laugh.
Uncle You looked embarrassed and shook his head. "No. I just think you're acting weird today. Not like yourself."
Zhang Yi already knew what he was thinking. He smiled faintly, eyes half-lidded. "You're wondering why I agreed to their terms, aren't you?"
Uncle You nodded. "Exactly. That's not your style at all. Three hundred rations a day—that's no small amount. You'll be hauling supplies back and forth on the snowmobile by yourself. How many supermarkets do we need to dig out just to feed them?"
In Uncle You's eyes, Zhang Yi might not be a good man, but he was certainly not soft-hearted.
Zhang Yi didn't answer immediately. He glanced toward the door and asked, "Anyone outside?"
Uncle You went to check, then came back and shook his head. "No one."
Zhang Yi nodded. Some things had to be kept secret. If anyone overheard, the whole act would be ruined.
"This is only temporary," he said. "I originally planned to bring all the building leaders here and kill them in one shot. That would leave every building leaderless, and the whole complex would fall into chaos. Then I could pick them off one by one."
He paused.
"But today they only sent the five strongest leaders. Killing them wouldn't help much. The others have already formed an alliance."
"So I had to hold back, pretend to be weaker, and make them think I'm too afraid to challenge all twenty-nine buildings. That's why I compromised."
Uncle You's eyes widened. He gave Zhang Yi a thumbs-up. "Now that makes sense. I knew that wasn't your style."
Zhang Yi nodded, relieved. "You get it?"
Uncle You scratched his head. "Not really. But it sounds smart."
Zhang Yi sighed inwardly.
Fine. In simple terms: lull them into complacency, then strike when they relax.
He let a crooked smile appear. "And I've already set two traps for them."
Uncle You leaned in immediately. "Tell me."
Zhang Yi glanced at the door again. "Go check if anyone's there."
Uncle You hurried over, looked around, and came back. "No one. What are you so cautious about?"
Zhang Yi shrugged. "Just checking. What if someone wandered in while we were talking?"
Clearing his throat, he continued. "First trap: limited rations. Only ten portions per building. It won't be enough for everyone. There's a saying: people fear not scarcity, but inequality. Once the food is distributed, the leaders will take the best for themselves. What do you think happens then?"
Uncle You's face changed. "They turn on each other."
"Exactly." Zhang Yi's smile deepened. "The people who get nothing will fall from hope straight into despair. Worse than death. Before, everyone was starving equally. Now, some get to live while others are left to die. That kind of unfairness is enough to drive people crazy."
He looked out the window toward the five leaders and the crowd behind them. "Soon, every building will be tearing itself apart. When people are desperate enough, they stop fearing death. Before they go down, they'll drag someone with them. That's when things get interesting."
Uncle You stared at him, admiration and fear mixing in his eyes. "You're brilliant. And terrifying. I'm glad I'm not your enemy."
Zhang Yi shook his head. His gaze was as cold as the snow outside. "I'm not some genius manipulating people with brilliance. I'm just calmer than they are. I eat well, sleep well, and never worry about food or cold. I have firepower, I have a fortress, and I have no reason to panic. But they're starving, freezing, and looking over their shoulders every minute. They can't think straight."
He gave Uncle You a sidelong look. "Even a world-class boxer would lose to me after starving for thirty days, right?"
Uncle You blinked. "Thirty days? He'd be dead."
"Exactly," Zhang Yi said with a grin. "What chance does a dead man have against me?"
At first, Uncle You thought it was just a joke. But after a moment, he realized it was a brutal truth.