Chapter 27 – Scorching Heat, The Rescue Team

Jiang Si was right—shelters couldn’t possibly protect everyone.

Lu Zhifeng also feared that if they went, their guns for self-defense might be confiscated, and he and his daughter would spend the rest of their lives at others’ mercy, with no real security.

Jiang Si had already given them enough food to last the two of them three years if rationed properly.

As long as they could find a water source, they could figure out a way to grow some food from the watchtower.

Life would slowly get better.

After serious thought, Lu Zhifeng asked, “Niuniu, do you want to stay?”

Niuniu smiled, her eyes bright like a radiant moon.
“Wherever Daddy is, that’s where I want to be. And I like our home better!”

Lu Zhifeng patted her head with a smile and looked at Jiang Si. “We’re staying too.”

Qin Shen, from beginning to end, had shown zero interest in the rescue team.

Now that everyone was in agreement, he finally spoke: “Let’s go.”

But after only a few steps, he stopped, his gaze darkening. “They’re coming.”

A surge of footsteps approached. Jiang Si quickly said, “Into the house!”

She led everyone, carefully avoiding the traps set around the yard. Just as they stepped into the house, a group of men and women in uniform appeared at the broken front gate.

Jiang Si shouted, “Don’t come in!”

Team Leader Song Hui stopped, and so did the people behind him—just a step short of the traps.

Before Song Hui could speak, Lin Zu’s voice rang out, breathless:
“Captain Song! It’s them! They’re hiding guns and ammo! They shot my grandfather and killed many others! You have to give us justice—make them pay!”

Jiang Linhai exploded, roaring back:
“You’re full of crap! We acted in self-defense! What were we supposed to do, wait to be murdered?!”

“You still killed people!”

Song Hui shot Lin Zu a glance. “We’re only responsible for rescue.”

Lin Zu jumped in frustration. “They’re murderers! If you don’t deal with them, who will?! Don’t tell me you’re bringing them back to the shelter!”

“Yeah! You’re on government salaries—why won’t you stand up for the people?! They killed others and now they’re living free and easy. They should be executed!”

In times like these, it wasn’t so easy to tell who was right or wrong.

Song Hui remained expressionless, calmly repeating, “We’re here to rescue people. That’s it.”

His bland tone, combined with the raised rifles behind him, left no room for dispute.

Lin Zu shut up, grinding his teeth in frustration.

Song Hui shouted toward the house, “We’re the Nancheng Rescue Team. Come out if you want to go to the shelter—we can’t waste any more time.”

Jiang Linhai’s voice boomed back, “We’re not going!”

Since the people inside refused to go, Song Hui didn’t bother arguing.

If they didn’t reach the shelter before daylight, there’d be nowhere to hide from the deadly sun radiation—it would be extremely dangerous.

Suddenly, several survivors collapsed to the ground.

Luo Yong picked up his weakened wife and daughter, sobbing, “Captain, please! My wife and daughter haven’t had water for two days! Give us some water!”

“My husband is dying too! If he doesn’t eat something soon, he’ll starve!”

“You’re supposed to rescue us—where’s the food?! Where’s the water?! We can’t even walk, carry us if you have to!”

“Water… water… please, water…!”

Some fell to the ground, mouths agape, hallucinating that they were drinking water.

The crowd grew increasingly emotional. Even those who had held on so far began shouting for food and water. It looked like if Song Hui didn’t hand something over, they’d snatch the canteens right off the soldiers.

The higher-ups had strict orders: no one in need of rescue should be abandoned.

Song Hui ordered his team to take off their canteens and hand out compressed biscuits.

Those who weren’t truly starving faked it better than the ones who were, stealing the food and water from the soldiers.

As a result, some people were now full and energetic, while others were clinging to life by a thread—truly on the brink of death.

They’d survived this long. Now, hope was right in front of them—who would be willing to just die?

Emaciated hands gripped Song Hui’s ankles, sunken cheeks like skulls, pleading,
“Cap… Captain… please save us…”

Song Hui couldn’t magically produce food. Just as he was about to order the team to carry the weakest survivors to the shelter—

A sly gleam flashed in Lin Zu’s eyes as he pointed at Jiang Si’s house.
“I saw it myself! They hoarded tons of bottled water and food! If they hand it over, everyone here will be saved!”

His words were like a stone thrown into a still pond—causing instant chaos.

“They killed and robbed, and now they get to live in luxury while we kneel and beg? You won’t save us?! This isn’t fair!”

“Make them hand over the food and water! Now!”

“If you don’t care if we live or die, we’ll file a complaint the minute we reach the shelter!”

Song Hui frowned. Deputy Captain Jiao Weisong checked his watch and said urgently,
“Captain, judging by yesterday’s nightfall time, if we don’t leave now, we won’t make it. How about… we ask the people inside to share some food and water?”

Song Hui glanced at him, then at the agitated survivors, and finally nodded.
“Alright. Go talk to them.”

Inside the house, Shen Baoying scowled.
“So much for being righteous. He actually believed those liars!”

“They tried to kill us and rob us. If we hadn’t fought back, we’d be dead by now!”

Losing their supplies wouldn’t be good for Lu Zhifeng either. He raised his gun and asked, “Are we giving it to them?”

Jiang Si’s eyes turned cold.
“Hell no.”

She wanted to see if they dared try and take it by force.

Jiao Weisong stepped forward—and the ground collapsed beneath him. Song Hui grabbed his belt just in time and pulled him out.

Jiao Weisong stood up, shaken, and looked down into the pit to see sharp metal spikes gleaming inside. One wrong step and he’d have been skewered.

Song Hui examined the carefully disguised ground. There were probably more traps hidden around. Negotiation was no longer an option.

He shouted, “I’m Song Hui, leader of the Fifth Rescue Squad from Nancheng. We’re asking to borrow some food and water. We’ll definitely send someone to repay you tomorrow night.”

Hearing this, everyone turned to Jiang Si again, waiting for her decision.

She shook her head.
“Trying to get something for nothing—who can guarantee they’ll pay us back? I don’t care if they’re official or not—I don’t trust them.”

“And why should we be the ones they exploit just because we still have supplies? We’re disaster victims too.”

“So what now?” someone asked. “They’ve got more guns. If it turns into a fight, we might not win.”

Jiang Si looked toward the stairs.
“We’ll retreat through the attic. If we’re not here, let’s see what they plan to ‘borrow.’”

Everyone’s eyes lit up.

“Good idea!”