"...Urgent notice to all residents: There is widespread torrential rain and severe flooding across the country. The authorities are making every effort to provide relief, but the affected area is too vast for them to cover. We urge the public to organize self-rescue efforts and not to prioritize personal safety over financial gains..."
Another week has passed, and an official announcement came over the radio.
In the corridor of Building 3, the twenty-odd men and women who were listening to the radio together fell silent.
Although the official rhetoric was grand and righteous, those who heard it understood the underlying truth: the government was now powerless to rescue the people, and the social defenses had completely collapsed!
One month into the apocalypse, the authorities have completely abandoned rescue efforts!
"How could this happen! We pay so much tax every year, why won't they help us!"
"Oh God, what should we do?!"
"All my food was stolen yesterday, and now the authorities have abandoned the rescue effort! How am I supposed to survive?!"
"Someone, please save us!"
"What happened? What did the official statement say?"
"The authorities are telling us to save ourselves! They've abandoned us!"
"What!"
...
The announcement spread quickly, and almost everyone knew that they had been abandoned by the authorities.
Loud arguments, curses, and wailing erupted in the corridors of Building 3.
Lin Ruo sat with her knees drawn up on a cushion by the window, next to a radio, listening to the noise outside, remaining silent.
Outside the window, the water level had risen to the fifth floor, and the rain poured down like a waterfall, as if the sky had been torn apart.
This notice is nothing short of a death sentence for those who don't know how to resist, but it's good news for the villains who have become accustomed to the rules of the apocalypse. They are no longer bound by the rules and can do whatever they want.
This message was like a key that unlocked the evil in human nature.
After that, whether it was Zhao Hui or Li Wei leading people to the supermarket across the street to get supplies, they always carried knives for self-defense, and they would almost always get into conflicts with other people.
Bruises from fists and feet, fractures, broken bones, cuts from knives and swords... these people always have injuries on them.
That day, Zhao Hui returned from the supermarket with three people. Two of them were injured: one had a long cut on his arm and the other had a broken thighbone, both of which are considered fatal injuries these days.
This time, they got into a conflict with people from the nearby Huting residential area. The other side not only outnumbered them but also carried knives. If Li Wei hadn't been skilled, they probably wouldn't have made it back.
The uninjured team member helped the two wounded climb up from the 6th floor with great effort. Li Wei followed behind, pulling the raft and supplies. When they got up, they saw Zhao Hui and his men blocking the entrance to the building.
"Brother Li, we haven't been out for a long time and we're really starving. I wonder if you could lend us a hand?" Zhao Hui said with a smile, but the smile was no longer timid and was full of malice.
Li Wei tightened his grip on the bag in his hand. He glanced over and saw that Zhao Hui had brought more than a dozen people, all carrying knives. He could handle them himself, but he wouldn't have time to worry about the people and supplies behind him.
"How about it?" Zhao Hui smiled frankly, spreading his hands. "Brother Li, even the authorities aren't taking care of us anymore, it's truly admirable that you're still so selfless. I thought you'd take care of us too, right?"
As he spoke, his henchmen began to slowly move towards Li Wei, gradually surrounding Li Wei's group.
The man behind Li Wei shrank back; he was also afraid of the knife! The pain of his wounded companion was still fresh in his mind; he didn't want to die!
Li Wei scoffed, "If you want to rob me outright, just say so. Don't use 'brother' and 'little brother' stuff, it's disgusting."
"Damn it! They don't know what's good for them!"
Zhao Huifang, a blond man, cursed and swung his cleaver at Li Wei. As soon as he moved, several men behind him followed suit, their knives gleaming silver, all aiming at Li Wei.
Lin Ruo, sitting on the stairwell steps, crossed her arms and leaned against the handrail, watching the two sides clash without offering any help.
She only promised Li Wei to take good care of his wife and children; the deal didn't include her helping him fight.
She originally just wanted to come down to check the water level and take the supplies back. Before coming down, fearing something might happen, she asked Afu to guard the door of Li Wei's house. But she didn't expect to see this scene when she came down.
Li Wei dodged the blond man's knife by sidestepping, then with a deft movement, grabbed the man's wrist and used it to block the incoming blade. The man's arm was severed in two, and blood spurted out, splattering all over Li Wei's face.
"Ah!" the wounded man cried out, then stumbled back a few steps, fell to the ground, and wailed while clutching his severed arm.
Li Wei snatched the knife from the man with the severed arm, kicked him aside, and without pausing, slashed at the arm of the third man with lightning speed.
Lin Ruo nodded repeatedly. After all, he had received systematic training, and his attacks and blocks were very methodical, making him many times better than these men who were ruthless and had no method at all.
Suddenly her eyes turned cold; she saw someone about to run away with her supplies.
She flashed by with incredible speed; everyone only felt a gust of wind pass by.
Lin Ruo flashed to the man's side, snatched his supplies, and with a spinning kick, sent the traitor who had tried to steal his supplies into the water.
Lin Ruo's movements were fluid and incredibly fast. In just a few seconds, the person had already fallen into the water, leaving everyone watching stunned.
"What are you doing! Old Zhou is one of us!" Another injured man sitting on the ground frowned and shouted at Lin Ruo. He was also one of Li Wei's men.
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