Under the suppressive fire of a machine gun and two submachine guns, the whole scene was like a turtle trapped in a jar. The once spacious and bright hall was now filled with smoke and a strong smell of gunpowder.

As bullets continued to strike, the glass of the display case made a crisp sound, the wooden tables and chairs made a dull sound, and the last remaining scavengers screamed in despair. This place no longer seemed like the human world, but rather a scene of horrific torture, as if they were suffering in the eighteenth level of hell.

After firing a burst of bullets, Ye Lei secretly estimated that there were probably not many survivors left, but he was not sure if the enemy leader was still alive.

After this thrilling and intense battle, he felt utterly exhausted and extremely tired. At that moment, the eastern sky gradually turned a pale white, and dawn broke.

"Are there any survivors? Step forward, surrender your weapons and you will not be killed!"

Ye Lei shouted sternly.

"No, don't shoot! Get out right now!"

"Drop your weapons, raise your hands, and slowly walk out!"

Ye Lei wasn't the kind of person who would be easily fooled. Soon, the boss appeared. The smooth pajamas he had been wearing were now tattered and barely covered his body, even revealing his thick layer of fat.

Under his leadership, only two scavengers remained, closely following behind him.

"Bro, you're ruthless!"

The eldest brother stared at the stranger who walked into the room, speechless with astonishment.

"Xia Yuhe, Bei Anna, you two thoroughly search this area. If you find anyone alive, kill them without mercy!"

Ye Lei didn't want to deal with this boss for the time being. He needed to ensure the safety of himself and his companions first, and then deal with the final issues.

Sure enough, sporadic gunshots soon rang out. It was Xia Yuhe and Bei Anna carrying out his orders to conduct a final encirclement and annihilation of any remaining enemies.

Ye Lei walked towards the leader unhurriedly. As for the two scavengers standing behind the leader, he didn't even glance at them. He directly swung the lightsaber in his hand, which was flashing with cold light. His movements were swift and decisive, and he instantly closed their eyes forever.

"Brothers, we've all surrendered, are you still going to kill us all?"

The eldest brother looked at his last two brothers with a pounding heart.

"How about we trade your life for theirs?"

Ye Lei placed the lightsaber against his neck.

"No, brother, stop joking."

The leader looked at the lightsaber emitting a blue glow and forced a smile.

"Tell me, who exactly are you people? Why are you committing murder under the guise of scavengers?"

"Brother, we really are scavengers!"

"Scavengers? They're about to die, and they still dare to argue!"

Ye Lei placed the lightsaber closer to his neck.

“Brother, we were forced into this situation. We heard there was a scavenger tribe that could exchange resources, and you only needed to pay 10% of the resources to participate. That's why we gathered a bunch of brothers and formed this scavenger alliance!”

After hearing what he said, it doesn't seem like a problem.

"Then why did you kill them?"

"Brother, the supplies we can collect are getting fewer and fewer. We have no choice but to do this for survival. But, about what you're talking about, I really don't know anything about it!"

This sounds reasonable, but considering they possess heavy weapons and a chainsaw killer, it's probably not that simple.

"Tell me about the scavenger tribe?"

This is what Ye Lei is most interested in.

"There's nothing to say!"

"Um……?"

Blood was seeping from the boss's neck.

"Okay, I'll tell you. Anyway, it's not a secret, just don't mess with them!"

"Then that's none of your business, hurry up and tell me!"

It turns out that this scavenger tribe was actually a criminal gang before the apocalypse!

After the apocalypse, they used ruthless and cunning methods to plunder a huge amount of survival supplies. However, due to the large number of people in the gang and their extravagant spending, these supplies were quickly exhausted.

Seeing that this apocalypse was not going to end anytime soon, a far-reaching conspiracy gradually surfaced under the secret planning of their core team.

Their first target was the 5A-level scenic spot, Yixiantian, located on the edge of the Shiwan Mountains!

As its name suggests, this place is famous for its steep cliffs, rugged rocks, and especially the narrow cave entrance that can only accommodate two people, yet it is more than ten meters high! Such unique terrain conditions undoubtedly make it a wonderful place to escape the scorching heat.

Upon entering the cave, you'll be surprised to find a hidden paradise inside, with a spacious interior that spans over a thousand square meters! The cave walls are covered with all sorts of strangely shaped stalactites and stalagmites, all formed by the accumulation of minerals deposited after the limestone dissolves.

Inside this magical cave, there are not only spectacular waterfalls and tranquil lakes, but most amazingly, there is also a clear, flowing stream. The fish living here have never been exposed to solar radiation and are still able to live safely.

With its pleasant climate and abundant resources, this place is like a treasure bestowed upon humankind by nature. Undoubtedly, for those living in a post-apocalyptic world of extreme heat, this place is simply paradise—it has become the best refuge from the scorching heat and disasters.

The criminal gang was well aware of the importance of this place, and they attached great importance to it, even going to great lengths to protect it.

To prevent other forces from seizing the territory, they went to great lengths to acquire a large number of heavy weapons and cleverly utilized the terrain to make the place impregnable. Despite numerous attacks by other gangs, none of them were able to cause any substantial damage.

As time went on, the effects of the apocalypse worsened, and available resources became increasingly scarce. So, this gang of criminals had a brilliant idea and decided to establish an organization called the "Scavenger Tribe".

They issued a call to arms to the survivors around them, encouraging everyone to bring their surplus supplies to Yixiantian to exchange for the items they needed. At the same time, they solemnly guaranteed the personal safety of all those who participated in the trade.

However, there is no such thing as a free lunch. After each transaction, the scavenger tribe would take 10% of the supplies as a so-called "protection fee." Although this may seem like a small percentage, over time, the accumulated amount was quite considerable, which allowed them to grow rapidly.

As trading activities flourished, more and more survivors naturally gathered together to protect their valuable resources from being plundered by others.

As the saying goes, unity is strength, and it was precisely because of this that the scavenger alliance of this castle was ultimately formed.