C22 The Survivors Were Arrogant and Finally Got Their Revenge by Burning the Car.(2)

The commotion quickly caught the attention of the passengers on the bus, sending the female employees into a frenzy. Clueless about the unfolding events, they crowded around the windows to get a better look.

Meanwhile, the male employees rose to their feet, eager to disembark and check on their boss's situation. But Zhao Dagang, axe in hand, blocked their path and aggressively herded them back to their seats. Despite outnumbering him, no one dared to challenge Zhao Dagang; weakened by hunger and intimidated by the axe, they were all effectively subdued.

"Everyone, keep it down, or I won't hesitate to use this axe!" Zhao Dagang bellowed with a menacing presence that effectively quelled any thoughts of rebellion.

"Oh my God! What is he up to?" a female employee cried out in alarm. The male employees, too, scrambled to the window for a glimpse of the chaos outside.

They saw a mysterious figure in a motorcycle helmet wielding a large bucket of gasoline, dousing the fire truck as he circled it. The pungent odor of gasoline filled the air, putting everyone on edge.

"Director Zhang and the others are trapped inside! Oh my God! Is he trying to burn them alive?" another female employee shrieked in horror. "Hurry! We have to save them!"

But fear paralyzed the passengers; Zhao Dagang's menacing stance with the raised axe left them all courage-drained.

Inside the fire truck, the three occupants smelled the gasoline and, through the windows, saw the helmeted figure splashing fuel onto the vehicle. Panicked, they pounded on the doors and threw their bodies against them in desperation, but to no avail. Zhao Dali and Jiaang Hefei attempted to reach the driver's seat to escape, only to find the doors securely locked and the keys removed.

Their only option was to hammer at the windows, but the thick glass resisted their frantic efforts.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing? Let us out!" Zhang Tao's voice was tinged with terror as he pounded on the door, his face pale with fear. "Stop messing around! This isn't funny!"

Seeing no reaction from the other party, he turned around in frustration and bellowed, "You two useless idiots! Open the door, now!"

"We're trying, aren't we?" In the face of life and death, Zhao Dali and Jiaang Hefei couldn't afford to hold back, yelling in response.

At that moment, Tang Bing discarded the large oil drum he was holding and walked slowly towards the bus, his back to the fire truck. Casually, he removed his motorcycle helmet and tossed it aside, then fished a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket.

After lighting a cigarette and taking a drag, he immediately choked, tears springing to his eyes. "What's this awful taste? I knew it—smoking's no good at all!"

Qin Mengli, seated on the bus, watched as Tang Bing removed his helmet, her eyes widening in utter disbelief. She couldn't fathom meeting Tang Bing again, especially under these circumstances, and never imagined he'd do something like this.

Tang Bing exhaled a cloud of acrid smoke with a sigh, thinking it was indeed best not to start smoking. He couldn't grasp why so many people were drawn to such a harsh taste.

On the fire truck, Zhang Tao finally recognized Tang Bing and let out a shriek, "Is that you?!"

"Yes, it's me!" Tang Bing turned slowly to face Zhang Tao through the window. "Surprised, aren't you?"

"What are you planning to do?" Zhang Tao yelled, pounding on the window.

"Don't you get it?" Tang Bing taunted, brandishing the lit cigarette. "One flick of this, and boom!"

"You've lost your mind! Murder is a crime!" Zhang Tao shook with fear, his voice rising in panic. "Don't do anything rash! I know you're upset over Mengli, but think! It's just one woman. Why commit such a crime over her? Even if you kill us, you'll be executed!"

"Executed? Who's going to execute me?" A glint of menace flashed in Tang Bing's eyes. "Zhang Tao, remember what I once told you?"

"What... what did you say?" Zhang Tao's voice was parched, his body quaking with fear.

"I'm going to kill you!" Tang Bing's eyes narrowed as he spoke with an icy detachment.

The frigid edge in his voice sent an involuntary shiver down Zhang Tao's spine.

"Hey! If you're set on killing him, why drag us into it?" Zhao Dali and Jiaang Hefei pounded on the window desperately. "Just let us go! Taking him out should suffice!"

"You two!!" Zhang Tao seethed with anger at their words.

"Two days ago..." Tang Bing began, his voice devoid of emotion, "as we left the Bluestar Branch, you two ambushed me and beat me senseless without a second thought! Did you ever imagine it would come to this?"

"It was all Zhang Tao's orders! He's the one who told us to do it!" Zhao Dali blurted out in panic, "We're not to blame; we were just following his commands!"

"Exactly! Exactly!" Jiaang Hefei chimed in eagerly, "We had no choice; he's our boss! If we didn't do what he said, we'd be out of a job! Big brother, please, let us go! We'll follow you from now on and do whatever you ask!"

"Yes! Please, big brother, have mercy on us! Just kill Zhang Tao! He's the one who took your love, Qin Mengli, and he's the one who ordered us to beat you mercilessly! It's all his fault!"

"You two backstabbers!!" Zhang Tao was livid, hearing his trusted lieutenants turn on him. "Don't listen to them! Tang Bing, don't be rash! I confess, I was wrong. Spare me! Look, let me go! Do as you please with these two! The head of the military sanctuary is a close friend of my father's. If you let bygones be bygones, once we're there, you'll be like a brother to me! In the future, you'll never go hungry as long as I have food on my plate! This world has been overrun by man-eating monsters, and the military sanctuary is the only safe haven. They have ample food and water, though it's not enough for everyone. If you spare me, I guarantee you'll never want for sustenance, and we'll put this whole affair behind us!"

Upon hearing this plea, Tang Bing let out a contemptuous snort and lifted the lit cigarette in his hand.

"No! No!" The three passengers inside the car were desperately pounding on the windows, with Zhang Tao yelling at the top of his lungs, "Tang Bing! Don't do anything rash! It's just a woman, right? I'll give her back to you, I swear! That Qin Mengli, acting all high and mighty, won't even let me touch her! I'll give you Qin Mengli, and any other woman in the car you want! I mean it! I promise!"

"You jerk, Zhang Tao!" Qin Mengli, onboard the bus, screamed in fury, "What am I to you? I am not an item to be traded!"

"Shut up! You're the cause of all this trouble!" Zhang Tao bellowed back, "If it weren't for you, would we be in this mess? You tease, leading me on and then refusing even a touch! And now, look where your games have gotten me. Are you happy now?"

"Zhang Tao, you're despicable! I must have been blind to ever fancy you!" Overcome with anger, Qin Mengli doubled over, hugging her knees as tears streamed down her face.

"Tang Bing, man, my word is my bond!" Zhang Tao banged on the door forcefully, "Let me out, and I'll hand Qin Mengli over to you! I stand by everything I've said. For real!"

"Big brother! Please, let us out! We'll do whatever you say, just tell us what to do!" Zhao Dali and Jiang Hefei also pounded on the windows, pleading through their tears.

Witnessing the commotion, Sun Meng felt a twinge of compassion and approached to tug at Tang Bing's sleeve, "Bing, maybe we should just let this go?"

Tang Bing glanced back at her, his face a blank slate.

"What are you doing? What's going on?" Just then, Zhao Dagang's voice erupted.

Tang Bing turned to see Qin Mengli, tears still streaking her face, ignoring the fire axe in Zhao Dagang's grip as she strode past him. She stepped off the bus and confronted Tang Bing directly, "I am not an object, Tang Bing! And as of now, I am no longer his girlfriend! His words mean nothing! Do you realize that murder is a crime? You've changed; I don't even recognize you anymore! Let them go! I may despise them now, but seriously, don't resort to killing over something so trivial! Do you want to ruin your life? Do you honestly think that by doing this, I would ever come back to you?"

"Shut up!" Tang Bing snapped.

"What did you say?" Qin Mengli was taken aback. It was the first time in four years that Tang Bing had addressed her with such an icy tone. "Say that again?"

"I said, shut up!" Tang Bing's voice was frosty. "Who do you think you are?"

His coldness left Qin Mengli in disbelief. "Tang Bing?"

"You're saying I've changed so much you don't recognize me? The truth is, you've never really known me at all!" Tang Bing flung his cigarette butt forcefully behind him. "Because I've never mattered to you!"

"No—!!" Qin Mengli cried out as she saw the lit cigarette heading for the fire truck, desperate to intervene. But before she could act, Tang Bing seized her arm and yanked her toward the bus.

The sparks hit the gasoline and erupted into flames with a whoosh.

"Boom!" As Tang Bing dragged her onto the bus against her will, Qin Mengli watched in horror as the fire truck carrying Zhang Tao, Zhao Dali, and Jiaang Hefei was engulfed in a violent explosion amidst the blaze!