The scene descended into chaos. Gasps of alarm and desperate cries filled the air.
Seeing he couldn't break through, Chen An's resolve hardened. He turned back, gripping his heavy wood chopper.
Chen Chong and his brother followed close behind him.
When Li Chunlei and his two brothers saw this, they also gripped their Long Spears and moved to protect the men of the Chen Family.
There was no escape. They had to fight.
A few villagers had been about to shove the women and children aside to force their way into the tower.
But seeing the stand made by the Chen Family men and the Li brothers, they hesitated, then moved to join them instead.
Looking out for number one was understandable, but the ugliness of human nature can recede in the face of courage.
They could have shoved the women and children aside, sacrificed others to save their own skins.
But for the rest of their days, they would be scorned by the entire village.
They would never be able to hold their heads high again!
