Zhang Yi peered through the scope of his sniper rifle, slowly sweeping the snow-buried community. At night, most apartments were pitch-black—no electricity, no lights. Only the faint glow reflected off the snow revealed two figures sneaking toward the garage.
"They're after my snowmobile," he sneered. He'd deliberately left a decoy there. The real one was safely stored in his spatial storage.
Uncle You came over, staring at the case of White Elephant instant noodles on the table, eyes reddening. "You're… you're too generous."
Zhang Yi smiled warmly. "We're brothers. No need to thank me."
Inwardly, his thoughts were cold and precise: Keep him well fed, and he'll be my strongest fighter… and my best shield.Casually, he added, "Raising someone else's kid, though—that's a heavy burden in times like these."
Uncle You's smile stiffened. The resentment he'd buried for so long finally surfaced. He'd never truly accepted the responsibility of caring for Xie Limei's child.
That night, Huang Wei—Huang Tianfang's nephew—led eight members of the Tianhe Gang in a surprise raid on Building 25. But this time, things were different.
The guards, driven by the promise of "kill one, get five rations," fought like cornered beasts. Cleavers, steel pipes, bricks—anything could become a weapon. In just minutes, three Tianhe Gang members were down, bleeding out in the snow.
"Retreat!" Huang Wei shouted.
One unlucky worker was too slow. A cleaver came down hard on his backside, and he crawled away screaming, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
The neighbors erupted in cheers but didn't give chase. Night was dangerous, and survival mattered more than revenge.
High above, Zhang Yi watched the gang retreat through his scope. A grin spread across his face.
"Perfect," he murmured. "Time to test the sniper rifle."