Chapter 27: The Old Method
“…Chaoyang, with the way you drive, I never want to ride in your car again!”
Sitting in the passenger seat, Chaolu was clutching onto the handle for dear life, her face ashen.
The ride had been so bumpy she felt like throwing up.
Chaoyang: “…”
Chaoyang: “…………”
Could it be that she had forgotten—he was only eight years old?
The fact that he could even get the car moving was already a miracle. And she still expected him to have driving skills?
Because he was too short, he even had to stand up to reach the wheel. And he couldn’t drive too fast, or else he wouldn’t have time to step on the brakes.
So after wobbling and jolting all the way, the car finally made it near the abandoned factory.
Chaoyang and Chaolu climbed out, then slipped quietly inside.
Chaolu had already been in and out a few times these past days, so she was familiar with the place.
Originally, their plan had been to leave Chaolu behind. But after talking it over again the night before last, they realized that as long as they cut off communication between the two groups, they could take care of the arsenal first, then come back to handle the factory.
That way, the risk was lower, and things would be easier.
So Chaoyang volunteered to modify the walkie-talkies and tampered with them.
With just a small adjustment, he could cut off the signal, making them useless.
At this moment, the two little ones were crawling through the ventilation ducts. Through the gaps in the metal, they could vaguely see men patrolling not far away.
“There are six people left inside. Two at the entrance. Of the other four, two guard the prison cell, and the other two rotate shifts.”
Chaoyang narrowed his eyes slightly.
“We’ll have to take them out one by one.”
Beside him, Chaolu was eager to try: “What if I just shoot them all through with arrows?”
Chaoyang: “…”
How had he never noticed before that this cheap older sister of his was so violent?
But he had to admit—Chaolu was perfectly suited for the cruel environment of the apocalypse.
She was simply too well-adapted.
“But you can’t shoot four people at once.” Chaoyang reached out and grabbed Chaolu’s shoulder to calm her down. “If they get close, we’ll be like turtles in a jar.”
“Can you not compare me to a turtle?”
Chaolu was clearly dissatisfied with his choice of words.
Chaoyang: “…”
It was just a metaphor.
“…Anyway, we need to make sure there are no mistakes,” Chaoyang took a deep breath. “After all, they’ve got guns.”
Chaolu folded her arms. “Then what do you suggest? This setup is completely different from yesterday. Yesterday they were all sleeping in their rooms.”
But today, they were on high alert.
That meant last night’s plan had been scrapped completely. They had to start over.
“Use brains, not brawn.”
Expressionless, Chaolu said, “So what, you’re expecting your head to suddenly sprout a Gatling gun and mow them all down?”
Chaoyang: “…”
Right. Daytime naps really weren’t a good idea—they led to delusional daydreams.
“The old method—lure the tiger out of the mountain.” Chaoyang pulled out a walkie-talkie.
It might’ve been an old trick, but it worked.
——
Ergou actually didn’t like his nickname much; it really didn’t sound pleasant.
But the bosses he’d followed all seemed to like it. Maybe it gave off some kind of built-in loyal dog buff?
At the moment, he was yawning while playing cards with Ertiao. Their nicknames were oddly similar, so the two of them had developed a strange sense of camaraderie and got along better than most.
In another half hour, it would be their turn to swap shifts with the brothers outside. He wondered if the boss and the others were doing okay…
Bang bang bang!
The sudden knocking startled them. Ergou and Ertiao turned their heads toward the door, where one of the patrolling brothers was banging on it.
“Bad news! Boss just sent word—he says we’re short on manpower, we need to send more people over!”
The man at the door spoke urgently.
“I’m taking three others to back them up. You two stay at the entrance and keep watch—don’t let the zombies get close!”
After delivering the message, he rushed off in a hurry.
Ergou and Ertiao exchanged a glance, then quickly tossed aside their playing cards and bolted out.
Before leaving, Ergou even checked the lock on the “meat pigs’” room. Seeing nothing wrong, he followed Ertiao to stand guard at the gate with their guns in hand, while the other four brothers drove off.
And just like that, the abandoned factory had been neatly emptied.
Chaoyang and Chaolu crawled out of the ventilation ducts and immediately freed Mibao.
“Let’s go, time to bring back your brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunties,” Chaoyang said with a gentle smile as he ruffled her hair.
Mibao let out a cheer and dashed forward eagerly.
At that moment, the seven people who had been locked up inside were lying weakly on the ground. To the bald-headed thug and his gang, they were nothing more than backup rations and bait for monsters, so keeping them barely alive was enough.
For days, they’d barely been given any food. Now they were so starved they couldn’t even crawl.
At this rate… death might have been kinder.
But humans all have an instinct to survive. Who could truly harden their heart enough to take their own life like this?
Still, they were right on the brink of collapse…
Just as those thoughts swirled in their minds, faint noises came from outside the door.
None of them reacted.
It was nothing unusual—probably just those criminals again, coming to pass the time by ab*sing the women.
Just one more day… one more day, and then they’d end it themselves.
They really couldn’t hold on any longer.
Creak—
The iron door slowly creaked open, and then a crisp, childish voice filled the room—instantly making it feel brighter.
“Uncles, Aunties, get up, come with us!”
Eh?
That voice…
The seven people lying on the ground like corpses lifted their heads in shock, and immediately locked eyes with Mibao standing at the doorway.
“Mi… Mibao?” Li Xiangyu, who was closest, stared with wide, disbelieving eyes and rasped out in a hoarse voice.
Mibao nodded quickly, rushing forward to help Li Xiangyu up with all her little strength. “It’s me! Auntie Li, I came with Brother Chaoyang and Sister Chaolu to save you!”
Hearing that, the others finally noticed Chaoyang and Chaolu stepping in behind her.
This…
Three children—none of them even grown yet—had come to save them?
It felt surreal, almost like some hallucination before death.
“Keep your voices down, there are still two men outside the factory.” Chaoyang reminded them softly as he propped someone up. “You’re too weak right now. Let’s get you some food first.”
Otherwise, in their current state, they might not even make it past the factory gates before being bitten to death by zombies.
Chaoyang remembered where the food was kept, and led them straight to the place where Bald Man and his gang usually ate.
The seven starving captives pounced on the food like hungry ghosts reborn. Halfway through, one of them couldn’t stop the tears from falling.
Sob… sob…
Finally… food…
At that moment, even dying right then and there would have felt worth it.
At least they could die with full stomachs.
Of course, if they had the choice, staying alive was still better.
While they ate, Chaoyang and Chaolu started stuffing food into their packs.
Meanwhile, Mibao was busy comforting the traumatized adults.
“Uncle Wang, eat slower, don’t choke…”
“Cough, cough, cough!”
“See, Uncle Wang? I told you not to choke!”
“……”
After the seven had eaten until they were about eighty percent full and rested for a while, Chaoyang and Chaolu began preparing to take them out.
“There are only two men left now. I’ll just shoot them both with arrows and be done with it!”
Chaolu held her bow and arrow, itching to act.
The adults behind them: “……”
Wasn’t this girl a little too bloodthirsty?
Just as Chaolu was about to rush out, Chaoyang grabbed her arm.
Chaolu looked at him in confusion.
“Sister, don’t let your hands get soaked in blood,” Chaoyang said seriously, locking eyes with her. “You’re getting a little addicted to k*lling.”