Ch90 "Stop!" Meng Ci's Voice Was Arrogant
"Meng Ci, Shen Que, people are approaching from the south!"
Meng Ci was curled up on the sofa when the shout from the walkie-talkie jolted him awake.
He jolted awake instantly and quickly responded.
"Got it, Teacher Yun."
To be safe, fearing trouble might also arise from the north, Meng Ci dared not delay a moment and rushed toward the balcony.
Upon reaching the balcony, he swiftly pulled back the curtains and scanned the area.
Sure enough, just as he'd anticipated, another group of people was approaching from the north.
However, after observing them closely, Meng Ci felt puzzled. No matter how he looked at them, these people didn't seem like a threat.
Filled with confusion, Meng Ci picked up the binoculars nearby and peered at the group.
Through the eyepiece, he was astonished to see not only men and women, but even children among them.
Even more surprising, each person carried an enormous bundle on their back. Could... could these be the original residents of this place?
Suddenly, a familiar figure entered Meng Ci's field of vision -it was Zhang Mingtian!
At that moment, Zhang Mingtian was leading his elderly mother and wife through the crowd.
"Teacher Yun, they seem to be the residents who were previously evacuated to the refugee settlement."
"Yes, I recognized some faces in the crowd," Yun Jingcen replied.
Hanging up the walkie-talkie, Meng Ci sat back down on the sofa.
He couldn't quite grasp why these people would suddenly return.
After breakfast, Shen Que went out to chop wood.
Meng Ci, however, had forgotten to refill the generator with diesel last night, so his electric blanket stopped working in the middle of the night.
This meant he woke up sneezing repeatedly.
Consequently, Shen Que left him at home and went out alone to gather timber.
Fearing these returnees might target Shen Que if they saw him alone, Meng Ci dressed and headed downstairs.
When the returnees spotted Meng Ci, their eyes betrayed more surprise than anything else.
They were likely also curious-could someone who hadn't gone to the refugee settlement actually survive?
But they quickly realized that anyone who had survived must be ruthless. It was best to keep their distance.
Thus, each person who saw Meng Ci scattered like startled birds, hastily making way for him.
Meng Ci found their reaction quite satisfying-finally, he wouldn't need to kill to intimidate them.
When Shen Que left that morning, he'd mentioned heading to the old logging site, so Meng Ci made his way north.
As he neared the spot, Meng Ci spotted several figures huddled together from afar. They held knives and axes, glaring viciously at a man in a military overcoat standing in their midst.
Meng Ci swiftly drew the long knife he always carried.
Damn it. Just because he didn't accompany Shen Que out once, how did he get tangled up with these people?
Tsk tsk tsk. Seems Shen Que really can't manage without me.
Someone in the group spotted Meng Ci and quickly alerted the others.
"Hey, little brother, if you're here to chop wood, could you please find another spot? We've got some personal business to settle here," a man in a mink coat spoke up.
Meng Ci didn't stop, continuing forward.
"What if I don't?" Meng Ci's tone was defiant.
The man in the marten fur coat who had spoken earlier turned grim, his face hardening with malice as he spat on the ground.
"Damn it, since you refuse to take the hint, don't blame us for taking you down together."
Shen Que had been facing away from Meng Ci, but upon hearing his voice, he spun around immediately.
"Meng Ci, what are you doing here?"
"Didn't I tell you to stay in today because you have a cold?" Shen Que frowned.
"What if your cold gets worse?"
Meng Ci showed Shen Que his layers of clothing. "Relax, I'm bundled up. I'll be fine."
Seeing the two chatting as if no one else existed, Brother Huang snorted coldly.
"Fine. Since you know each other, die together."
As Meng Ci approached, the group slowly closed in, trapping Shen Que and Meng Ci together.
Meng Ci and Shen Que stood back-to-back with practiced ease, their eyes darting warily around the perimeter.
"What's going on?" Meng Ci asked, turning his head.
Shen Que explained, "After I felled a tree here, these men showed up. They claim this forest belongs to them and ordered me to leave the tree behind."
Shen Que was truly unlucky today. Meng Ci hadn't accompanied him, and neither had Yun Jingcen or the other villagers who usually came to chop wood.
Seeing Shen Que alone, these men naturally harbored thoughts of easy gain.
Brother Huang spoke with brute, unreasonable force: "I say this forest is ours, so it is ours."
"If you want to cut trees here, fine."
"Cut three to hand over, and take one for yourself."
Meng Ci rolled his eyes dramatically. Was this guy seriously delusional?
"If you're daydreaming, go bang your head against a tree to snap out of it."
"Stop spouting nonsense that makes people laugh."
Brother Huang's crew numbered only nine men. They looked average at best, each gaunt and sallow-faced. For Meng Ci and Shen Que to walk away unscathed would be simple.
Brother Huang, enraged, ordered his men to charge forward and capture the pair.
Meng Ci and Shen Que worked in perfect sync, ensuring their backs remained unharmed.
Meng Ci felt a slash on his arm and sighed inwardly.
Thankfully, he was wearing layers. Otherwise, how much blood would have spilled from his wounds?
Ouch! The bastard had actually slashed through his warming pad, spilling the iron powder and activated charcoal inside onto his pants.
How despicable!
Meng Ci locked onto the man who'd slashed his pad and swung his blade down, severing the man's hand.
"It hurts! It hurts! It hurts like hell!" The man rolled on the ground, screaming in agony.
Without hesitation, Meng Ci stepped forward and finished him off with a single blow.
These people had all struggled through the apocalypse.
Witnessing this scene didn't fill them with fear; instead, they fought with increasing ferocity.
"Brothers, avenge Old Five!"
"Yes."
They charged forward as one.
Meng Ci and Shen Que showed no fear whatsoever. They just fought.
Surprisingly, though they looked gaunt and weak, these men proved fiercely brave in combat.
Meng Ci began weighing his options: should he pull out his gun and take them down one by one, or use his grenade for a single, decisive strike?
But then he remembered-this grenade was meant for Shen Que. He couldn't waste it here.
Thus, Meng Ci drew a pistol from his spatial pocket.
Bang!
Before Meng Ci could fire his pistol, a sudden gunshot rang out nearby.
Amidst the chaos, he spotted a squad of soldiers approaching. Quickly stowing his pistol back into his spatial pocket, he
shouted, "Everyone over there, stop fighting!"
The gun didn't discriminate. Even though the men were furious, they still stopped fighting.
When Meng Ci saw the leader among the soldiers, his eyes lit up.
Oh, an old acquaintance.