Most stores were looted, with supermarkets, convenience stores, and food shops being the hardest hit. Other stores, like clothing stores, seemed to have been looted as a side effect.
Another popular destination is the jewelry store and high-end luxury goods store.
The counters in these shops are almost completely destroyed, with bloodstains and gold mixed in with the scattered shards of glass, and broken gold necklaces carelessly kicked into crevices.
If it weren't for the fact that they really couldn't produce it, Xiao Jin believed that it definitely wouldn't have been 'skipped over'.
"Click-click-click!"
When Jason heard the sound, he turned around and saw Xiao Jin standing inside a store, her hand on the light switch.
She looked at Jensen: "The power went out. Judging from the extent of the food spoilage inside, it must have been there for more than six hours."
That means the power went out when Xiao Jin and the others were being robbed.
"Six hours is not a short time. Things must be in complete chaos here. Jensen, you'd better withdraw your men," Xiao Jin said directly to Jensen.
“I understand,” Jason nodded.
Just as it was about time to assemble, Jensen turned on the walkie-talkie: "Everyone, return immediately."
"receive."
"Captain, we've run into a problem here!"
It was Anlian who was speaking. His team had gone out to search for any survivors. At that moment, there was some noise on the other end of the walkie-talkie, and Anlian's tone sounded a bit off.
Jensen and Xiao Jin exchanged a glance.
Where are you? Can you come out?
"...We can't get out. We're in an underground parking lot 500 meters to the southeast."
Jensen looked at Xiao Jin: "Let's go."
Xiao Jin nodded, then walked to a car with its door open on the side of the road. The car key was still hanging in the car, but the windshield was completely shattered, though it didn't prevent the car from driving.
Jason was a step behind and saw that Xiao Jin had already sat in the driver's seat before him. She skillfully started the engine and then turned to look at him after a while.
Aren't you getting on the bus?
“Uh… get in!” Jason got into the passenger seat. Before he could even close the door, he felt a sudden push and his body leaned back involuntarily.
The buildings on either side of his eyes rushed past, and Jason silently gripped the seat beneath him, a hint of doubt rising in his mind.
When did Xiao Jin learn to drive while she was abroad? Also, does she... have a driver's license?
Anlian frowned, his hand gripping the gun was damp.
Looking at the group of people blocking the exit, Anlian involuntarily swallowed, a chill running down her spine.
My captain, when are you coming?!
Anlian was responsible for searching the surrounding area for any survivors. As they passed an underground parking lot, Anlian keenly noticed an unusual noise at the entrance, so he quietly led his men into the parking lot.
When Anlian entered, she discovered that because the parking lot was underground, the temperature was much lower than on the ground, suggesting that there might be someone inside.
As Anlian ventured deeper into the ground, he gradually came to see the scene below more clearly.
Because of the power outage, there were no lights in the garage, but the people inside turned on their phone flashlights, and others used their own small nightlights to barely illuminate the environment.
In Anlian's eyes, this place was like a temporary shelter. In the dim light, shadows flickered, and the ground was covered with messy bedding, with leftover food scattered among them. There were men, women, and children, mostly families occupying a spot.
In this parking lot, the most eye-catching figures are the guards wielding sharp blades and with crazed eyes.
There were mostly two or three men, of varying ages, who looked like fathers, sons, or brothers. They were squatting beside their own stockpiles of supplies, their blades gleaming coldly as they warily scanned their surroundings.
Their posture suggested that if anyone dared to cross the line, they would immediately rush over with knives. Even roommates living under the same roof did not trust each other at all.
It was in this tense atmosphere that An Lian and his men suddenly burst in.
An Lian's figure abruptly broke the silence of the underground parking lot. His appearance was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up ripples of vigilance.
The person sitting closest to the entrance spotted them first and cried out in alarm.
"who?"
"What? Someone's here?"
"Quick, honey, get up! Someone's trying to steal our things again!"
"Who the hell is trying to steal my things? Who the hell is he? Does he want me to live? I'll kill him!"
The once-silent parking lot suddenly erupted in a frenzy. Everyone there carried a heavy burden of painful memories.
First, the winter temperature rose inexplicably, and floods inundated the streets, causing considerable disruption to their lives. They initially thought it was just a rare, once-in-a-lifetime event, but little did they know that the world would change in just a few hours.
Extreme heat has occurred, and people all over the world are struggling to survive. Rivers have dried up, food has rotted, and power has gone out. How many people have been suffocated while they were still asleep?
After the water ran out, people started looting supermarkets, and when the supermarkets were emptied, they looted other people's homes.
In broad daylight, a group of burly men kicked down the door and entered. Since there was no electricity and the surveillance cameras were useless, who could know that it was them who did it?
If it were just for water, that would be fine; money would be given if money were asked. But the collapse of social order has stirred up the demons hidden deep in the hearts of some people, and the disaster has spread little by little.
Some people reacted quickly and hid with their families and supplies, but if they were found by people wandering the city, they would at least be beaten and have their supplies stolen, or at worst lose their lives.
The shadow of robbery, the grief of losing loved ones, and the despair of a shattered home have built high walls around their hearts, making them deeply wary of any sudden strangers.
Anlian stepped right on their tense nerves.
Among the crowd, the men responded quickly, a group of them brandishing steel pipes, kitchen knives, and baseball bats, glaring fiercely at Anlian and his two companions, while the elderly and women instinctively shielded the children tightly behind them.
Anlian's heart sank. He dared not move. The hostility surrounding him was so real that it could devour him at any moment.
But that wouldn't work, so Anlian took a deep breath and tried to make her voice sound calm and sincere: "Please calm down and listen to my explanation."
An Lian spoke slowly and deliberately: "We just happened to be passing by Chuanshui and came here to find out what was happening outside. We didn't mean to disturb you, and I can leave right away."
As she spoke, An Lian retreated, her movements cautious and careful.
After all, with so many people, each of them could easily crush him into a pulp.
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