Ch117 - Speechless-Staying In Was a Mistake
"Mr. Meng, what's going on?"
As Li Qiang retreated, Duan Yan and Cheng Yu gradually came into view.
The staircase entrance was near Duan Yan's group, so upon hearing the commotion, the two grabbed knives and opened the door to investigate.
Meng Ci had already opened the metal sliding door and stepped out.
Shen Que, who was training Eggplant, sensed something amiss outside and emerged, positioning himself behind Meng Ci.
Seeing its owner didn't stop it, Eggplant pushed its head against the door and squeezed through.
Li Qiang and the hat-wearing man swallowed hard, retreating step by step.
As the Hat Man retreated step by step, he suddenly felt something sharp press against his back. Instantly frozen in place, he dared not retreat further and even considered stepping forward.
"Freeze!"
The Hat Man took a single step forward only to feel the knife at his back press closer, even nearer than before.
Hearing the voice behind him again, he halted immediately.
"Big brother, big brother, we didn't recognize a mountain when we saw it."
"We'll never come back. Please let us off this time."
Though the temperature was below minus forty degrees, cold sweat beaded on the Hat Man's forehead.
Li Qiang pressed himself flat against the wall, his mouth also pleading for me mercy.
"We, we were just looking around."
"Please, big brothers, spare us."
Ignoring the two, Meng Ci spoke to Duan Yan and the others.
"Teacher Duan, Teacher Cheng."
"These two fellows tried to pick our door lock earlier."
"Luckily, I caught them in time before anything serious happened."
"Thank you both for your help. We'll handle the rest."
"It's freezing out here. You should head back."
Duan Yan nodded, adding with lingering concern before leaving, "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
Meng Ci agreed.
Shen Que spotted the man named Li Qiang attempting to flee after Duan Yan and the others left. He patted the dog named Eggplant crouching nearby.
Eggplant sprang up, sprinting on all fours toward Li Qiang. With a deep growl, he sent Li Qiang reeling, his legs trembling.
"Help! Help me!"
"I'll never do it again! Please, just let me go!"
Li Qiang never imagined someone would keep a wolf at this hour. Judging by its size, he stood no chance against it.
Meng Ci held his knife to the hat-wearing man, forcing him to stand beside Li Qiang.
"Spill it," Meng Ci demanded. "Why were you trying to break down our door?"
These two had come prying doors open for no apparent reason-something must have given them away.
If that was the case, they needed to know why, to prevent it from happening again.
Li Qiang's eyes darted between the eggplant before him and the knife in Meng Ci's hand. He swallowed hard before explaining.
"We... we just observe. Some apartments had people living in them before."
"But... but after no one entered or left for a long time, we assumed the people inside must have died."
"So we'd break into their apartments to take things."
Li Qiang and Hat Man lived in this building. After returning from the refugee settlement, they'd figured out twelve households resided here.
The seventeenth floor housed two families, while the sixteenth and fifteenth floors each had four.
The 14th floor housed only Li Qiang's group and one other couple.
Recently, that household hadn't left their apartment for five consecutive days.
Li Qiang and Hat Guy worried something might have happened to them. After discussing it, they decided to break in. If anything was wrong, they could report it immediately.
Hat Guy had learned lockpicking before the apocalypse, so he grabbed a piece of wire and began trying.
Snap.
Hearing the lock click open, both men rejoiced before pushing the door inward.
They searched the apartment for the couple, eventually finding them in the bedroom.
Their lips curled upward as the exposed skin turned blue-black.
Judging by the state of the bodies, they'd likely frozen to death several days prior.
Li Qiang recalled that five days. prior, temperatures had plummeted again overnight. They must have frozen to death
then.
In this apocalypse, they had long grown indifferent to birth, aging, sickness, and death.
They yanked open the door, ready to leave.
But spotting the firewood in the living room, their eyes lit up.
They made multiple trips carrying the firewood back to their own homes. Then, rummaging through the couple's belongings, they found several cans of rat meat, a small bag of rice, and plenty of rapeseed.
These supplies would last them several days, sparing them from venturing out into the freezing cold to chop wood or hunt rats.
Having gained this advantage, the pair began half-heartedly searching for supplies.
Instead, they focused on observing which homes hadn't seen movement in days. Once confirmed, they'd break in and loot.
As for houses with frequent comings and goings, they dared not touch..
After all, the military and security teams weren't pushovers.
Thus, Meng Ci and Shen Que, who hadn't left their home for ten consecutive days, caught the attention of Li Qiang and his crew.
The lock on the stairwell door of the seventeenth floor was easily picked by the man in the hat.
Seeing both the north and south doors closed, Li Qiang heard sounds coming from the southern apartment. He decisively led the man in the hat to the northern one.
Their spirits soared upon discovering an additional wall built on this side.
Such elaborate protection suggested valuable contents inside.
After listening at the door for two minutes to confirm silence, the Hat Man began prying it open.
Meng Ci found this turn of events utterly baffling.
He'd thought that by not flaunting wealth, trouble would stay away. Little did he know that rarely venturing out was also a mistake.
"Gentlemen, I promise we'll never do this again!"
"Please let us go. We swear we won't come back."
Meng Ci nodded. "I can let you off the hook."
"But if you want terms, you'll have to trade something in return."
"What do you suggest?"
Li Qiang quickly caught on. "We still have a few cans of cockroach meat at home. If you two need them, I'll bring them up right away."
Canned cockroaches-neither Li Qiang nor the Hat Man dared eat them.
And the taste was awful. They wouldn't touch them unless starving.
But if handing them over could save their lives now, they'd gladly do it.
Meng Ci nodded. "Agreed."
"But!" Meng Ci stroked his chin. "You say you can bring them up shortly? Can you really?"
"What if you don't come back after going home? Or if you run off, who would I hold accountable?"
Li Qiang suggested leaving the Hat Man as collateral or having him go downstairs to fetch them.
Recalling how the two had abandoned each other in their hour of need, Meng Ci naturally refused.
"You. Lead the way!" Meng Ci pointed his knife at Li Qiang.
"We'll follow you. We'll go to your place ourselves to get it."
Li Qiang and Hat Guy naturally weren't keen. What if they let the wolf into the house? What if they ended up getting more than just cockroach bait?
Meng Ci thrust the knife in his hand toward Li Qiang's throat.
"What? Unwilling?"
"Unwilling? Then die right here."
Though Meng Ci's blade hadn't cut Li Qiang, the cold steel still sent shivers down his spine.
"We're willing! Willing!" Li Qiang blurted out hastily.
"Lead the way!"
"Yes."