At this moment, Scar had already returned to the house and was hastily gathering all the supplies he could carry.
Though he had ordered the members of the Scar Crew to risk their lives putting out the fire below, he secretly prepared to flee.
If the flames grew uncontrollable, he planned to abandon these disposable pawns and escape without hesitation.
Just then, he suddenly noticed a dark figure creeping up behind him.
Without thinking twice, Scar drew his crossbow and spun around to shoot.
But when he turned, his hands froze mid-motion.
Chen Du stood there, holding an M9 pistol pointed squarely at his forehead.
Scar dropped to his knees instantly, tossing the crossbow aside and forcing a shaky smile onto his face.
"Please, sir! Let's talk this through—no need for weapons! Whatever supplies you want, take them! Anything I own is yours!"
Chen Du didn't waste time. "Where's Tian Xiaoyu?"
Scar blinked, bewildered.
"Who's Tian Xiaoyu? I don't know her!"
Bang!
A sharp cry escaped Scar's lips as Chen Du shot him in the knee.
"Please! Please believe me—I truly don't know who she is! Spare my life!"
Chen Du frowned.
"Do you know Zhang Hao? Where's the woman he brought here?"
Scar's face twisted in despair, silently cursing Zhang Hao.
"Damn it, so that woman's name is Tian Xiaoyu? A disaster, nothing but trouble!"
Outwardly, however, Scar remained obedient.
"Listen, if I tell you where she is, will you let me live?"
Chen Du replied coldly, "Tell me the truth, and I might consider sparing you."
Scar kowtowed repeatedly, thanking him profusely before revealing her location.
"She's in the large warehouse to the right, just a hundred meters away from here."
Bang!
Once Chen Du had what he needed, he pulled the trigger again, shooting Scar in the head.
Scar's mouth hung open as he stared at Chen Du, then collapsed lifelessly.
Chen Du said calmly, "On second thought, I've decided to kill you."
With that, he hurried toward the warehouse where Tian Xiaoyu was being held.
In the abandoned warehouse, Zhang Hao commanded Junior to lift Tian Xiaoyu.
He was planning to use the chaos to slip away unnoticed.
Earlier, when the mysterious fire threw the Scar Crew's base into disarray, Zhang Hao seized the opportunity to flee with Junior.
He had believed that handing over Tian Xiaoyu to the Scar Crew would grant him luxury and comfort.
Instead, because Scar couldn't have her, he took his frustration out on Zhang Hao, forcing him to sleep in the communal quarters and eat stale bread.
How could he endure such humiliation?
Before, even during shortages, Tian Xiaoyu had managed to trade with Chen Du for delicious food.
Watching Tian Xiaoyu struggle, Zhang Hao sneered.
"Xiaoyu, stop resisting. Handing you over to Scar would be too kind for someone like you. I'll claim you first, then sell you off in the chat channels for supplies. Haha!"
Tian Xiaoyu spat back furiously, "Zhang Hao, you're a monster, a lunatic!"
Zhang Hao erupted into manic laughter.
"Am I crazy? No, I'm not! If I can't have your love, I'll ruin you completely! You think Chen Du cares about you? Do you really believe he'll still see value in you once everyone knows what you've become? Can't wait to watch you suffer!"
"Zhang Hao!"
A voice, both familiar and distant, echoed from behind him. Zhang Hao turned to see Chen Du standing at the entrance of the warehouse, his face darkened by rage after overhearing Zhang Hao's vile confession.
Chen Du stormed forward, raising his pistol.
Zhang Hao's blood ran cold as he saw the gun aimed at him.
"Chen Du!"
Chen Du raised the pistol, aiming it squarely at Zhang Hao as he closed the distance.
"Zhang Hao, you bastard!"
Bang!
Bang!
Two shots rang out.
Junior looked down at the two bullet holes in his chest, then turned with great effort toward Zhang Hao.
Summoning his last ounce of strength, he shouted, "Run!!"
In the instant Chen Du fired, Junior lunged forward, taking the bullets meant for Zhang Hao.
Zhang Hao hesitated briefly, glancing at Junior's fallen body.
Then, without a backward glance, he fled.
Junior lay in a pool of blood, his vision fading as he watched Zhang Hao disappear.
"Zhang… Zhang Hao… Such a pity… We couldn't… stay together…"
His trembling hand reached out toward Zhang Hao's retreating figure before falling limp.
He was gone.
Chen Du rushed to Tian Xiaoyu, helping her up. "Are you alright, Xiaoyu?"
Tian Xiaoyu nodded. "I'm fine."
She snatched the M9 pistol from Chen Du and fired a shot at Zhang Hao.
Panic-stricken, Zhang Hao ran blindly, not realizing the warehouse had only one exit—the same door Chen Du had entered through.
The bullet struck him, sending him crashing to the ground in agony, unable to stand.
Tian Xiaoyu approached slowly, raising the pistol.
Zhang Hao's face turned ashen as tears streamed down his cheeks.
"Xiaoyu, Xiaoyu! I wasn't in my right mind earlier! We were classmates, remember? Four years together in university!"
"Chen Du, Chen Du, please say something! I don't want to die! Please, spare me!"
Tian Xiaoyu let out a furious scream and pulled the trigger.
"Ah!"
Zhang Hao shrieked, wetting himself in terror.
But then, realizing he wasn't hurt, his eyes widened in disbelief.
I'm not dead?
Glancing back briefly, he ignored the pain in his leg and limped desperately toward the exit.
Tian Xiaoyu clenched her teeth in frustration.
Her aim was terrible.
The shot had missed Zhang Hao entirely, hitting a pile of sand instead.
Almost there, almost free!
As Zhang Hao neared the warehouse door, his eyes burned with a desperate will to survive.
Freedom was within reach.
Escape meant survival!
Bang!
Another gunshot shattered his hope.
Severe pain tore through Zhang Hao's chest as he collapsed just short of the warehouse door.
His fading gaze filled with regret.
"Just… one step away…"
Tian Xiaoyu lowered the pistol, turning her head away, her emotions swirling between guilt and resolve.
Killing a former classmate wasn't easy.
But she knew Zhang Hao deserved it. In this brutal world, mercy was a luxury no one could afford.
Witnessing this, Chen Du sighed quietly beside her.
"Let's go."
The two walked away.
Two others remained behind.
And soon, everything would be consumed by the spreading inferno.