Merely separated by a solitary window, those outside, braving the biting wind and swirling snow, were relentlessly striking the glass with contorted expressions. On the other side, Zhang Yi lay leisurely on his lounge chair, indulging in delectable sustenance. This stark contrast drove the neighbors outside to the brink of madness. Their mouths uttered curses, voices strained, and eyes reddened.
"Zhang Yi, mark my words, I will end you shortly!"
"Once I shatter this glass, you are finished, you selfish miscreant!"
"You don't have much time left to revel in your arrogance; today marks the end for you!"
"All those delicious treats and hot coffee, they will all be mine, all mine!"
Zhang Yi, in response, raised his coffee cup in a gesture of encouragement. "Keep it up, continue!"
Soon, the group outside began to struggle. After all, this was the 24th floor, and the strong wind, coupled with heavy snowfall, rapidly lowered their body temperatures. They had to rotate every ten minutes due to the harsh conditions. However, after half an hour, the glass only bore minor scratches. Their hearts sank further into despair.
Observing the scene from within the crowd, Zhang Yi spotted a few subordinates of Chen Zhenghao. Clearly, even Chen Zhenghao couldn't remain entirely uninvolved at such a juncture. Zhang Yi sensed it was nearly time.
He rose from his lounge chair, walked to the table, and picked up a bottle. The outer side of the glass was frosted, and initially, the neighbors were unaware of what Zhang Yi held, mistaking it for a beverage. However, in the next moment, they saw Zhang Yi pull out a lighter and ignite something.
Suddenly, a gap appeared overhead, and a ball of fire was thrown out. As a countermeasure, Zhang Yi's house had shooting holes both front and back, more than one.
The bottle traced a yellow arc through the air, landing on the ground amid astonished gazes. "Snap!" A crisp sound, followed by a roaring flame. It was Zhang Yi's homemade Molotov cocktail. Even in extremely low temperatures, gasoline could still burn vigorously and release heat. Gasoline splattered everywhere, and a blazing inferno erupted in an instant.
The balcony's space was already limited, and the down jackets and cotton pants worn by these dozen or so people were soaked in gasoline, immediately igniting a large area of flames. Zhang Yi's lips curled into a sardonic smile as he continued to light another Molotov cocktail and threw it outside.
"Ah!!! Fire, fire!!!" A dozen people crowded together, and the separated balcony made it challenging for them to jump to the neighboring one. They couldn't escape and were engulfed by flames. Zhang Yi witnessed them turning into burning, contorted fireballs.
Some tried rolling on the ground, attempting to extinguish the flames with snowflakes, but the effect was feeble. Gasoline could still burn even when in contact with water. Others attempted to climb to the neighboring balcony but, in their haste, lost their footing and plummeted from the 24th floor.
With a long scream, followed by a resounding "boom!" From the 24th floor, the height was such that it remained uncertain whether the snow below could mitigate the impact. However, according to the principles of physics, even if they survived, their bones would be shattered, and organs ruptured. In essence, they were as good as dead. Zhang Yi chuckled, "At least falling to death is better than burning to death!"
"Bang!" A grotesque face suddenly pressed against the glass, twisted and terrifying, glaring fiercely at Zhang Yi. "Save me, save me!" In extreme agony, he pleaded for help from Zhang Yi. Zhang Yi raised his coffee cup in acknowledgment. "Save you? Save your ass. Go die, you waste!"
The man emitted a sound of despair, completely consumed by the flames. On the adjacent balcony, another sixty or seventy people were waiting for their shift. Witnessing this hellish scene, they too paled in horror.
"Help, save me!"
"I don't want to die, please, I beg you!"
People engulfed in flames attempted to climb over seeking salvation, their hands gripping the railing. Just then, a man here mercilessly kicked his hand. "Get lost, quickly! You're beyond saving in this state; don't drag us down!" He kicked forcefully, the burning man refused to let go. The man gritted his teeth, exerted more force, and kicked repeatedly, even breaking his fingers. The man struggled for a while, then gazed at them in despair, slowly collapsing in front of the railing.
A familiar scent of burning wafted through the air, a smell one might often encounter during summer strolls along the street. Before long, these dozen or so people perished. Some initially lightly burned attempted to escape but were blocked by their neighbors from next door. Fearing the flames would reach them, they chose to let these people die. Others, tormented by the intense pain, jumped from the 24th floor.
The raging fire unexpectedly brought a hint of long-lost warmth to these individuals. Gradually, they moved forward, extending their hands to the flames, expressions revealing a smile, afraid of being noticed by others.
After burning for more than twenty minutes, the flames finally subsided. The neighbors gazed at the bodies on the ground, terror gripping their hearts. To deal