Seated calmly in his residence, Zhang Ye awaited the arrival of those frenzied neighbors. His countenance was serious, surrounded by an array of weapons. At this moment, he received a message from the doorman, Uncle You.
"Xiao Zhang, you should run! They're all coming with weapons for you."
Zhang Ye's heart warmed slightly at the unexpected decency in this chaotic world. He smiled, "Uncle You, don't worry. I can handle this."
Uncle You fell silent for a moment, seemingly understanding that running had no destination at this point. Resistance was the only option. He said, "Xiao Zhang, I hope you survive. I'm sorry, I might not be able to help you this time."
Zhang Ye responded nonchalantly, "Your choice not to join them already speaks of your kindness. It's okay; I don't need your concern."
Uncle You's decision was the most correct; coming over to assist Zhang Ye would likely result in being attacked by the mob of a hundred or so. After a brief chat with Uncle You, Zhang Ye, staying vigilant, refrained from disclosing details about his home. Trusting completely was out of the question, regardless of who the other party was.
Soon after, Zhang Ye felt a slight tremor under his feet. Outside, a deafening noise reverberated.
"They're here," Zhang Ye said calmly.
He knew it was the sound of over a hundred people climbing the stairs. However, Zhang Ye lived on the 24th floor! With the elevator out, those who took the stairs would be exhausted. Notably, people were not just coming from downstairs. Through the large screen showing the surveillance footage of the entire unit, Zhang Ye noticed his neighbor from 2402 was also approaching with a kitchen knife and a wrench. It was a young couple—the woman holding the knife, cowering behind the man. Their eyes emitted a green light, undoubtedly fueled by jealousy upon learning about Zhang Ye's seemingly paradisiacal life these past two weeks.
The crowd continued to surge, blocking the corridor outside Zhang Ye's door. Some people held umbrellas over their heads, preventing cold water from being poured by Zhang Ye. Before long, someone couldn't resist and rushed forward to pound on the door.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
"Zhang Ye, come out! This is your last chance if you don't want to die!"
"Don't wait for us to break in; otherwise, it'll be too late!"
Zhang Ye, monitoring through the cameras, didn't spot figures like Sun Zhichao and others, not to mention Chen Zhenghao. This action confirmed his suspicion—Sun Zhichao and Chen Zhenghao did not inform them of the actual situation in Zhang Ye's home. Their goal was to let other neighbors become cannon fodder, bearing the brunt of Zhang Ye's crossbow bolts and high-voltage attacks. Zhang Ye reciprocated without hesitation; he had an abundance of energy, and electricity was the least of his concerns.
He activated the high-voltage electricity directly. The man who had just angrily pounded the door was fiercely bitten by the current, his face contorting. The horrific part was that, due to the crowd, the electric shock extended to everyone behind him.
"Ah!"
"It's high voltage! Get away!"
The people behind him scattered like they were bitten by a tiger, desperately releasing their hands. If it weren't for their layered clothing, they wouldn't have had a chance to break free. Everyone was shocked by electricity, muscles twitching. The one who pounded the door and his accompanying group were the most unfortunate, electrocuted to a crisp without a chance to escape.
Not bothering to look at them, Zhang Ye severed the current after a dozen seconds.
Nine people emitted a blue smoke, the air filling with the scent of grilled meat and burnt clothes. A loud thud followed as they collapsed to the ground, blackened from head to toe. Though still breathing, in the current situation, they were essentially dead.
Everyone stared wide-eyed at this scene, horrified. They hadn't expected so many people to die suddenly and right before their eyes. Zhang Ye's neighbors had become jealous upon realizing how blissful his life had been for the past half-month.
"Knife in hand, come at me! Kill Zhang Ye, seize the resources!"
"Kill that shameless, selfish devil!"
The crowd roared angrily.
Only a few people remained silent, like Uncle You and Zhou Ker. Others, even those who had a relatively good relationship with Zhang Ye, had tossed aside any past favors. Nothing was more important than survival. They were willing to abandon all ethical and moral considerations to stay alive.
Zhang Ye, wiping his gun at home, was familiar with this tool from frequent use in the shooting club. A month before the apocalypse, he had even intensified his training. Shooting someone at close range posed no pressure.
At this moment, Zhou Ker sent a message, "They intend to come to your place."
Seeing the message, Zhang Ye replied with a simple "Oh, understood." Zhou Ker, sitting on her sofa at home, frowned upon seeing Zhang Ye's calm response. She tightened the two layers of blankets around her and curled her snowy feet inside.
"They probably went to every household. After watching your video, they've gone crazy," she said, "Aren't you thinking of a solution?"
Zhang Ye smiled without explaining much, only saying, "Remember, don't come over this time. I'll remind you once, then just watch the show."
Frowning, Zhou Ker's eyes were full of curiosity. She didn't understand where Zhang Ye's confidence came from to face over a hundred people alone.
"Is he a madman?" she muttered to herself.
Nevertheless, it was Zhang Ye's choice, and she had no way to change it. Following Zhang Ye's advice, she didn't join the group attacking Zhang Ye's home. She was a person with moral bottom lines, refusing to indulge in brutality, be it Zhang Ye's or the other neighbors'.
Zhang Ye had no time for explanations. The situation had reached a critical point, and he had to deal with the impending threat.