Chapter 12: Scorching Heat

Jiang Si wanted to call Jiang Linhai back, but he was already too fast—he had rushed into Qin Shen’s courtyard.

Through the binoculars, she saw the malnourished, zombie-like crowd climbing halfway up the hill. Her heart jumped. She put down the binoculars and dashed downstairs.

Grandma and Mom were discussing how to grow sweet potatoes in sacks, while Grandpa was reading a medical book. Hearing her hurried footsteps, he immediately stood up with alarm.
“What’s happened?”

Jiang Si quickly explained while pulling out weapons from her space:
“People from the city have found us. A few houses in the village were already broken into. They robbed and killed. Dad just went out—he might be in danger. You stay and guard the house. I’m going to save him. Here—crossbows, nail guns, firecrackers, explosives, Tang swords, and bulletproof vests. Grandpa, attack if necessary. Unless you hear me or Dad calling to open the door, don’t open it—understood?“

Jiang Chengwu’s kind eyes suddenly turned sharp. He picked up the Tang sword on the ground and tried to stop her.
“It’s too dangerous outside—let Grandpa go. You stay!”

Jiang Si didn’t want to waste time arguing about who should go in such a dangerous moment. She shouted firmly:
“Listen to me! Grandpa stays to protect Grandma and Mom—just like we planned!”

Jiang Chengwu’s tone was heavy:
“Be careful!”

“I will!”

Jiang Si rushed to the courtyard gate. Zhang Qingzhi and Shen Baoying, holding nail guns, were already in tears.

BANG BANG BANG—!

Before Jiang Si could open the gate, a frantic knocking came from outside.

Grandpa, Grandma, and Mom all held their breath and raised their nail guns, shouting:
“Si Si! Get back!”

Just then, an urgent voice called from outside:
“Si Si, don’t be afraid—it’s me!”

It was Jiang Linhai.

Jiang Si reacted faster than she could think. She opened the gate and pulled him inside.

The moment the gate slammed shut, the desperate crowd had already surged toward Qin Shen’s house.

Jiang Si’s pupils shrank—thankfully, Jiang Linhai had made it back in time.
Otherwise, they’d be trapped at the door.

Jiang Linhai threw the wild boar leg to the ground, panting hard:
“Si… Si Si… get the fireworks ready…”

Before he finished, the metal gate was slammed again, violently.

From the chaotic rhythm, it sounded like at least a dozen people were outside.

While Jiang Chengwu was getting the fireworks, the knocking grew louder—voices of men, women, and even children pleaded:
“Please… just give us a little food!”
“Open the door! We have three kids—the youngest is only three! We haven’t eaten in three days. Even if not for us, please—just feed the children!”

Jiang Chengwu froze, firecracker in hand. He couldn’t bring himself to act against a three-year-old child.

Soon, the weak cries of a little girl rang out.

Grandma’s heart clenched. She softened.
“Si Si… maybe we should give the kids some food?”

It wasn’t that Jiang Si was heartless—not even sparing a child.

But she had already scouted this group earlier. It was a huge family. If they gave even a little, more people would come and crowd their door.

Their courtyard wall had been raised by a meter, covered with broken glass and anti-theft spikes, but it wasn’t foolproof.

Jiang Si frowned:
“Grandma, if our door hadn’t been strong enough, they would’ve already broken in to rob—or even kill us.

“If we give food to the kids now, what’s stopping them from staying and demanding more later—or worse, finding a way to climb in?”

“Grandma, it’s not that I think the worst of human nature—
It’s because I lived through ten years of it in my past life!“

“Look at everything that’s happened in the village these past few days. Isn’t that enough proof?”

“Besides, they can still fish in the river, or scavenge the forest for food. They’re not at the point of no return—yet they’re already forcing us to give them ours. Haven’t you thought about what that says?”

Zhang Qingzhi had been kind all her life. Listening to the child’s wheezing cries outside, she lowered her eyes and sighed heavily.
“I understand now, Grandma does.”

She pitied the poor children. But she pitied her own family more. In the end, everyone was selfish—it only proved Jiang Si was right. The worst might still come.

The heat was unbearable. The sun-blasted front gate felt like standing in an oven.

No matter how much the outsiders begged and cried, this house remained silent.

Meanwhile, the people who had broken into Qin Shen’s house were likely already eating their fill.

Zhong Manting, holding her daughter, suddenly stood up. Her pleading expression twisted into venomous rage.
She ordered the men:
“These cold-blooded bastards won’t even give a crumb. Smash the door down and kill everyone inside!”

BANG BANG—!

The men, already eager to act, took turns slamming the door with kitchen knives.
But it was too solid—the steel door sent painful vibrations up their arms, and the locks didn’t budge a bit.

“Damn this door!”

Zhong Manting looked up and saw the tall courtyard wall with spikes and broken glass. Her expression grew even more vicious.
“Then set it on fire—burn them out!”

“Yeah! Burn it! Let’s see how they crawl out!”

Zhang Qingzhi heard their plan from inside and turned pale. She looked at Jiang Si in alarm.
“What do we do?”

Jiang Si’s expression hardened.
“We’ve coated the house with fireproof oil, and there’s nothing flammable near the door. Don’t worry—it won’t catch. Dad—get the nail gun. Aim through the peephole—shoot for their eyes!”

One pack of explosives could’ve ended it all. But Jiang Si still didn’t want to hurt any innocent kids.

They had sealed the gate’s lower cracks with cement and bricks.

Jiang Si and Jiang Linhai put on goggles and crept up silently.

The people outside had no clue—they were still gathering firewood, eyes bloodshot with hate, as if they wanted to burn the entire family alive.

From inside the layered anti-theft door, they mounted the nail gun.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—
Direct hits to the eyes.

Screams erupted one after another, echoing across the courtyard.

Zhong Manting’s husband screamed, covering his bleeding eye, not even knowing where the shot came from.

Of the eight men, four were blinded, one was killed instantly by a shot to the temple, and the other three were wounded to varying degrees.

Zhong Manting, holding her daughter, stood directly in front of the iron gate. Her pale face twisted with hatred, eyes like a demon from hell. She shrieked:
“Why won’t you just let us live! Why force us to die! We only wanted a little food—why won’t you give us even that?! Why?! WHY?!”

She slammed the door, as if begging Jiang Si to give her an end.

Just moments ago, Zhong Manting had vowed to kill the entire family—no pity was deserved.

Jiang Si aimed at the madwoman again.

But just then, the child in her arms weakly mumbled:
“Mama… hungry… so hungry…”

The child’s frail voice made Jiang Si hesitate.

Zhong Manting, sensing hope, leapt to the side, grabbed others and whispered quickly:
“Go! Let’s find another house—we’ve got numbers, we’ll get food somewhere!”