Chapter Sixty-Seven: Turmoil

“Let us in! What are you doing, luring us here and then refusing to open the door? Are you plotting something sinister?”
“They’re worthless, claiming they want to help people.”
Xiao Fu was at a loss for words.
He had only invited the others because Wu Gang kept thinking about those soldiers, and he’d asked if anyone wanted to join—they weren’t forced at all.
“You took them away, so you’ve taken our lifeline! Idiot! How are we supposed to survive without them?”
“You have hands and feet—why can’t you survive?”
“Then send us back!”
As the argument heated up, they broke through the door, trampling over several people in their rush, brandishing their shabby weapons as they surged forward.
A confrontation erupted instantly.
Someone shouted through a loudspeaker, calling everyone down to defend against the intruders.
Others pleaded for help in the group chat, asking what they should do.
Desperate cries and hoarse curses echoed throughout the community—though Wu Gang had left, the chaos remained.
Jiang Huan checked her firearms, ensuring both her pistol and rifle were fully loaded, which soothed her anxiety.
There was no need for hesitation.
When the lips perish, the teeth follow.
She notified everyone in Building Six to prepare—those who could fight should come down.
Dragging several steel bars downstairs, she handed them to those without weapons.
A dozen people followed behind Jiang Huan, and they approached together.
The mob didn’t take them seriously until Jiang Huan fired her gun—
Bang!
The shot froze everyone in place.
All eyes turned to Jiang Huan.
Seizing the moment, Jiang Huan made a decision: she lent a pistol to Wu Gang, placing it firmly in his hand.
Wu Gang understood instantly, raised the gun at the crowd, and shouted, “Those from Star City, step forward!”
Xiao Fu, battered and bruised, retreated with the others.
For a moment, the appearance of two guns brought rare calm to the scene.

The wind made people want to shiver.
Wu Gang took a deep breath: “There must be some misunderstanding here. Since you’re all here, of course we won’t ignore you. There’s an official base nearby recruiting workers; once you get there, food and shelter won’t be a problem.
This could have been settled from the start—no need for all this chaos. Bullets don’t discriminate, and if someone gets hurt… I don’t want that happening in our community, do you?”
The crowd of over three hundred jostled, and someone shouted, “But you locked us outside earlier! Your people are so irresponsible!”
“Exactly!”
“They only have two guns! Don’t be afraid—rush them and we’ll overwhelm them!”
Perhaps emboldened by these words, the crowd began to stir again.
Jiang Huan had kept silent, observing.
She took a few steps forward and spoke directly to a man near the front of the crowd: “Why don’t you try it—see if my gun’s faster, or if your life ends quicker!
Everyone’s here to negotiate and solve your problem, but you hide behind others, stirring up trouble. What, are these people your mortal enemies, and you wish they’d all die under our guns?
Seriously, is anyone foolish enough to catch a bullet for you?”
With sharp reflexes, Jiang Huan fired at the man’s feet—the bullet tore through his shoe.
Startled, he jumped several steps away from his original spot.
“Aaah! Aaah!” The area around him cleared instantly, leaving him sitting on the cold ground, removing his boot.
As the stench spread, blood oozed from his sock, proof that Jiang Huan’s shot had hit its mark.
Pain travels through the nerves, toes included—he was so stricken he couldn’t speak, only gasping and crying out.
“It’s the apocalypse. If you’re not focused on surviving and keep playing games, this is what you get.” Seeing the troublemaker exposed and the crowd subdued, Jiang Huan handed the next steps to Wu Gang.
She kept watch, ready for any further mischief.
Wu Gang thanked Jiang Huan, then arranged for everyone to rest in the hall before taking turns to get on the bus to the base.
The community residents, changed by several ordeals, came down to help Wu Gang.
Jiang Huan noticed a few people avoided her gaze; when she looked, they quickly turned away.
Wu Gang was speaking kindly to several people in green uniforms. As Jiang Huan turned to leave, Wu Gang stopped her, hoping to trade some building materials for food.
Jiang Huan glanced at the tired, thin yet upright and righteous young men, and sighed: people fight people, but people also help people.
“Send two men along.”

Wu Gang quickly agreed, assigning two to follow Jiang Huan upstairs.
On the fifteenth floor, Jiang Huan packed a twenty-pound bag of rice, two cases of dried noodles, two five-kilogram bags of flour, a few seasoning packets, a one-kilogram bag of vegetable mix, two bottles of white spirits, and had Bai Weishuang bring some medicine downstairs.
“Prioritize cooperating with Captain Wu—treat the soldiers first.”
“Alright!” Bai Weishuang grabbed the medicine box and headed down with the two men sent by Wu Gang.
Downstairs, some were receiving treatment, others eating; it was lively.
Jiang Xi watched the bustle for a while and noticed a man about his height whose finger was blackened. He ran over and asked if he wanted to wash his hands.
“Oh, this? It’s frostbite—it won’t wash off.”
“Can you see a doctor and take medicine?”
“This will have to be amputated. We don’t have the resources for hospitalization now.” The man, noticing Jiang Xi seemed special, softened his tone and explained their medical system had collapsed; they’d come because they heard there was a hospital here: “We brought some mountain goods to exchange for treatment at the hospital.”
When Jiang Xi went upstairs, he asked his sister whether Bai Weishuang could treat blackened fingers.
Learning the background, Jiang Huan saw her brother’s distress and remembered something.
Bai Weishuang could handle minor injuries, but if the weather worsened or more severe cases arose…
If her followers in Building Six were felled by illness, it would be a heavy loss.
“Then let’s set up our own hospital, so people we know won’t have to face this situation.”
Huh?
Jiang Xi watched as his sister packed some things and went downstairs.
Jiang Huan headed straight to Wu Gang. “Is someone going to the hospital for surgery?”
A young man, about nineteen or twenty, stepped forward—two of his fingers were blackened.
“I’ll go with you. The ingredients you brought won’t even get you a few bandages.” Jiang Huan said. “My name is Jiang Huan; my brother chatted with you earlier, and sympathized with your situation. This is a small token from us as siblings.”
Jiang Huan explained the hospital’s fees: “I’ve seen your mountain goods—at most, they’ll fetch a hundred contribution points, which isn’t enough to cover even the ward costs.”
With that, she handed over the snakeskin bag.
(End of chapter)