Chapter 28: Have You Ever Thought About It?

Li Yu's words, one by one, were like knives cutting into Liu Huamei's heart.

If they were lies, she might have protested, but the facts Li Yu stated were undeniable. Suddenly, a sense of powerlessness surged from the depths of her heart.

How wonderful it would have been if she had listened to Li Yu back then! How wonderful it would have been if she hadn't saved those people! If—

Unfortunately, there is no regret medicine to buy in this world; everyone must pay the price for their own actions.

"But... but we were only blinded by our kindness! We acted out of good intentions!" Liu Huamei screamed, her voice raw with desperation.

Aside from a few zombies, the forest was already beginning to stir; some zombies were being drawn by the noise and were slowly approaching.

"What's that to me?" Li Yu said indifferently.

"Then... then we were indeed wrong. I beg you, let me in! Please, save my father! Are you just going to stand there and watch them kill people without doing anything?" Liu Huamei's face was contorted in agony, as if she were enduring unbearable pain.

"What's that to you!" Li Yu replied, his words sparing no breath.

Liu Huamei had suspected earlier that Li Yu might not help, but facing the reality before her eyes, she still could not accept it. Seeing that Li Yu was unyielding, she remembered what her father had said before she left—to beg Li Yu's uncle, as he might help.

A new spark of hope flashed in her eyes as she looked at Liu Jianwen. "Uncle Liu, I beg you! You've worked with my father for so many years. For the sake of all those years, please help us!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Jianwen's cigarette trembled in his hand. A wave of guilt washed over him, and he looked at Li Yu with a pleading expression. "Xiao Yu, how about we just let her in and go save Old Liu?"

As if thinking of something, he suddenly paused and said, "This... sigh, forget I said anything." His brow was etched with struggle.

Hearing this, Li Yu's mood instantly darkened.

His uncle likely didn't understand the true nature of humanity in the apocalypse yet. It was understandable that he wanted to save a long-time colleague out of a sense of justice. Perhaps after seeing more of the world, he would understand the reasoning behind Li Yu's actions.

But right now, Liu Huamei was using his uncle to put him on the chopping block. Was she trying to drive a wedge between him and his uncle? Was she attempting a coup?

Li Yu could not stand threats.

His face instantly turned ashen, and he stared at Liu Huamei with cold, piercing eyes, as if remembering something.

He said calmly, "There is a saying: 'He who carries firewood for the people must not be allowed to freeze to death in the wind and snow.' But this is a brutal apocalypse, and besides, you aren't the ones carrying the firewood for me. Instead, you are threatening me and trying to morally kidnap me?"

"Don't you think it's ridiculous? Or do I look like an idiot to you?"

"I save people, but I only save certain people. I don't save the foolish, nor do I save those who don't know when to retreat—those who are actually useful to me. Now get out of here! The zombies are coming." Li Yu's nonchalant words drifted into the ears of everyone present.

His uncle seemed to have a moment of realization, eventually letting out a long sigh. He turned his head away, refusing to look down at the wall any longer.

Below the wall, Liu Huamei saw her uncle turn away. The last shred of hope in her heart vanished, replaced by an infinite surge of despair.

And after despair comes an extreme form of resentment.

She hated. She hated everyone. She hated the village officials, she hated Li Yu, she hated Liu Jianwen—she hated everyone.

The transformation from justice to evil happened in an instant.

She now wished for everyone to die.

Suddenly, she laughed.

"Hahahahaha! Li Yu, I curse you to a miserable death! Liu Jianwen, you are nothing but a hypocrite, ha! Just another selfish bastard!"

She laughed wildly and recklessly, appearing almost manic.

The surrounding zombies were drawn by the laughter and began to swarm toward her.

But Liu Huamei didn't care about the zombies at all; instead, she reached out and turned on the riot vehicle's siren.

*BEEP!*

The massive sound of the siren pierced through the silent night sky.

"Fuck!" Li Yu stared at this woman who seemed to have gone completely insane.

Just as he was about to move, Liu Huamei drove the vehicle toward the gate, attempting to ram it open.

*THUD!*

The riot vehicle slammed into the gate with a massive impact.

But how could such a gate be broken so easily? Li Yu had considered the possibility of a ramming attack when he built it. He had spent a fortune reinforcing the gate, and the adjacent walls were made of concrete and red brick, thickened to a staggering degree.

Seeing the gate remain unmoved, Liu Huamei reversed the vehicle, intending to ram it again!

*WHOOSH!*

Without a moment's hesitation!

Li Yu took the crossbow from his second uncle and fired an arrow.

The arrowhead struck Liu Huamei squarely in the head.

A fatal blow!

The vehicle came to a halt, but the siren continued to wail. Li Yu glanced at his uncle, who was stunned by the entire sequence of events.

How... how could a person change so quickly? She was pleading just a moment ago, and now she was seeking revenge.

Thank God he didn't let her in!

But what about the siren? The continuous noise would attract more zombies. Although the zombies likely couldn't break through, the thought of being surrounded by so many at the base of the wall was a massive headache.

It had to be turned off!

Without a word, Li Yu switched on the ultra-bright searchlight, aiming it at the zombie swarm.

He jumped down from the watchtower, and his uncle, seemingly jolted awake, hurried after him.

"Second Uncle, stay up there and watch. Don't come down; use the crossbow from above! Dad, help us open and close the gates in a moment," Li Yu said, seeing them attempting to descend.

Fortunately, in addition to the main gate, a small door only 1.5 meters wide had been built nearby.

Because they had worried about the gates being breached last time, they had used leftover construction materials to build a small square corridor behind both the large and small doors, creating a "door within a door" system for extra security.

After the three of them opened the inner door and approached the small gate, they looked up to signal the second uncle. For the moment, there were no zombies directly outside the small gate.

In an instant, Li Yu charged out.

With a submachine gun on his back and two knives in his hands, he swung them wildly; wherever he passed, zombies fell. Bullets were too precious, and there weren't enough zombies to justify wasting them unless it was a critical moment.

Following closely behind, his uncle hacked at the zombies with unusual vigor. This was a mistake he had made, and he wanted to make amends!

Up on the tower, the second uncle used the crossbow to continuously pick off zombies in the distance.

Before long, the two men below reached the riot vehicle. Li Yu climbed in while Liu Jianwen hacked at the zombies rushing toward them. Li Yu quickly turned off the siren and pulled out the car keys.

It was a good vehicle, but it couldn't be driven inside right now because there were too many zombies. They would wait until the crowd thinned before driving it in.

After pulling the keys, Li Yu lunged out of the car like a leopard and slammed the door shut.

The two fought their way back, quickly reaching the small gate. Li Hongyuan opened the small door, and they slipped inside instantly.

*BANG!*

Li Hongyuan hurriedly slammed the door shut!

Only then were they finally safe.

Uncle Liu was drenched in sweat, which dripped onto the ground. What had happened in just over a minute felt like an entire century.

Having witnessed such extreme efficiency, his uncle looked at Li Yu with pure admiration. Li Yu's reaction speed, movements, and even his physical conditioning were far superior to anyone he had seen in real life.

The night sky seemed to grow quieter. The zombies outside the wall initially let out angry roars, but after failing to find their target, they slowly dispersed into silence.

Li Yu led his uncle through the inner door and then sat down on the ground.

Their clothes were soaked with sweat. Li Yu pulled a cigarette from his pocket, gave one to his uncle, and lit it for him.

The smoke drifted out slowly, dissipating into the air.

The night seemed much more peaceful.

Suddenly, Li Yu spoke: "Have you ever thought about it?

What would have happened if we let the village official in?

What would have happened if we saved that woman?

What if the gate hadn't been so sturdy?

What if you or I had been bitten just now?"

Hearing this, Liu Jianwen, who had kept his head down since entering, thought of the consequences. Cold sweat instantly poured down his face.

The cigarette in his hand trembled so violently that he could no longer hold it.

"Xiao Lue would have died, Aunt would have died, Grandpa and Grandma would have died, I would have died, you would have died—everyone might have died!" Li Yu said mercilessly, tearing away the shroud of denial.

It was like ripping open a wound, exposing it completely and vividly!