C20 Deterrence

Ah!

The man was cut off mid-sentence as he was tackled to the ground by another with a fierce glint in his eye, who proceeded to pummel his head with relentless punches.

The two immediately tangled in a vicious brawl, trading blows that drew blood with every fist, claw, and kick.

Chen Yu watched the fray with a detached gaze. Chu Chenhao and Liu Qiqi exchanged a look, and seeing Chen Yu's lack of concern, they decided not to step in.

Liu Xingzhong arrived with his crew, but upon witnessing the mayhem, he kept silent.

The others who had followed didn't bother to break up the fight; some even watched with a sense of satisfaction.

Clearly, the combatants were not well-liked, their usual behavior leaving much to be desired.

The man who had struck first, presumably having consumed more crystal nuclei, wielded extraordinary strength thanks to the gene energy's effects.

Having launched a surprise attack, he had the upper hand.

Consequently, his accuser was quickly overpowered.

In no time at all, the whistleblower was beaten into silence, his moans and cries fading into stillness.

Dead.

"Ptui!"

"What's the matter, huh? When you were hungry, you couldn't stop calling me 'Brother Wei'!" The ruthless man stood, delivering another kick to the corpse, then turned a cold, menacing gaze on Chen Yu and declared,

"I'm Xing Wei!"

"I'm taking what's mine!"

"We're all human here. Why can't I become a superman?"

Chen Yu's expression remained icy as he smirked, "Anyone can become a superman, an Evolver."

"Then why don't you kill the zombies yourself? Why steal? Why rob?"

Unfazed by Chen Yu's interrogation, Xing Wei retorted with conviction, "These things should be shared by all! Why should you hoard them?"

"I could be just as great a superman as you!"

"I could save even more people!"

"Is that all you've got to say?" Chen Yu asked coolly. "Then it's time to go."

With that, Chen Yu's fist rose slowly, a terrifying force gathering at its peak.

Thud!

"Bi..."

Boom!

Disregarding Xing Wei's sudden collapse to his knees, Chen Yu's fist came crashing down, and amidst a spray of blood and severed limbs, Xing Wei's plea was cut short, never to be heard.

He had a penchant for taking what he wanted by force, yet he was a coward at heart. He even tried to bluff his way through with a show of toughness.

Seeing that he couldn't sway Chen Yu, he was ready to drop to his knees and beg for mercy...

Did he really think Chen Yu was some fool who had simply slept his way through the last five years of the apocalypse?

He talked about saving more people?

Why didn't he ask those who died in front of the employee changing room how they met their end!

Chen Yu turned to the other three men.

To his surprise, aside from two who were so frightened they had wet themselves, the third man showed signs of source energy fluctuation within him—a precursor to awakening a superpower.

Boom!

Without giving the man a chance to awaken, Chen Yu swiftly ended him with a punch.

Such a person, even a rare mutant awakener, was of no use to Chen Yu.

He left the remaining two to Chu Chenhao and Liu Qiqi. As Evolvers, dealing with life and death was part of their new normal in the post-apocalyptic world. It was time they learned to handle it themselves.

Chu Chenhao and Liu Qiqi's actions pleased Chen Yu; they were decisive, showing no hesitation as they swung their blades.

Silence fell over the group as they witnessed Chen Yu's ruthless measures.

Liu Xingzhong and the other survivors behind him remained silent, not daring to oppose or question him. A tremor of fear at Chen Yu's resolute killing intent ran through everyone.

Even Liu Xingzhong, no stranger to tough situations, felt his heart racing and his temples pounding.

Swallowing hard, Liu Xingzhong couldn't help but think...

If the crystal nucleus wasn't found, Chen Yu might very well slaughter everyone present.

"Mr. Liu, sorry you had to see that."

Chen Yu turned back to Liu Xingzhong, unconcerned with his thoughts, and motioned for the group to head upstairs. He then instructed Chu Chenhao and Liu Qiqi to organize the defense of the floor.

He was effectively taking charge of the situation.

In the crowd, the faces of those following Liu Xingzhong shifted with unease. Yet, when Liu Xingzhong remained silent, they all quieted down.

Chen Yu observed this but didn't dwell on it.

In the apocalypse, formidable strength is essential for survival.

Without it, one must simply submit. Anyone with sense knows this.

Chen Yu was confident that Liu Xingzhong, who had managed to secure military aid for Rorerin and lead over a thousand survivors, understood this well.

Liu Xingzhong surely realized that the survivors would stand a better chance with a powerhouse like Chen Yu than with him.

Chen Yu's public execution of Xing Wei and his cohorts was a calculated display of power.

Beyond his fury at their audacity to cross him, he aimed to strike fear into the hearts of the survivors.

It was only day two of the apocalypse, and some still clung to delusions, expecting royal treatment after being rescued.

Chen Yu's harsh lesson was a warning shot, teaching them that recklessness now carried a far steeper price.

This approach was necessary for Chen Yu to maintain control over the survivors in the mall with minimal complications.

His primary goal was to save lives, but he had no patience for the annoyance of naysayers buzzing in his ear.

The deterrent worked wonders.

Previously, when Chu Chenhao and Liu Qiqi were organizing the zombie cleanup, there were those who resisted or ignored orders, some only heeding Liu Xingzhong. Now, they complied like well-behaved children, following Chu Chenhao and Liu Qiqi's lead without question.

The task of dispatching zombies and gathering crystal nuclei went off without a hitch.

No one dared to hoard; they surrendered their finds completely.

With Xing Wei's demise fresh in their minds, no one was eager to follow in his footsteps and squander their hard-won survival.

Chen Yu settled into a seat inside a luxury store, taking a moment to rest.

Liu Xingzhong entered, accompanied by a woman.

Chen Yu glanced up and recognized the woman following him as the one who had identified Xing Wei's hideout.

Without giving it much thought, Chen Yu pulled a watch from his pocket and extended it to Liu Xingzhong. "Mr. Liu, could you see if anyone recognizes this watch?"

"I'm here to rescue people on behalf of the watch's owner."

"Had he not informed me that there were survivors in the mall, your chances of survival would have been slim!"

"He was an Evolver too, but sadly... his injuries were too severe, and I couldn't save him with my limited abilities."

Chen Yu was merely speaking hypothetically, knowing full well the actual outcome.

Liu Xingzhong not only survived but also established a small camp and was eventually evacuated by the government forces.

"Zhen Hua!"

Before Liu Xingzhong could respond, the woman behind him burst into tears.

She dashed forward, seized the watch from Chen Yu's grasp, and then, clutching it to her chest, she crouched down, her sobs laden with despair...

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