Chapter 23: What Must Come Must Be Faced

The sky began to brighten, and the faint light of dawn filtered through the dilapidated window lattice, casting a glow upon our tense yet determined faces.

Xu Hanfeng’s gaze was like a torch as he began directing us to deploy our defensive measures.

"Listen up, everyone," Xu Hanfeng’s voice was low and powerful. "Given our current situation—we have more people than our previous four-man team, plus a newborn—evacuation is definitely not the best strategy. We have no choice but to hide in Old Man Sun’s old house for a couple of days and wait until the infant’s condition stabilizes before making further plans."

I nodded, fully aware of the gravity of the situation. Yet, every time I thought about how the Jiang Group would eventually track us down, I couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.

"We cannot just sit here and wait for death," Xu Hanfeng continued. "We must plan ahead, or we will all end up meeting our demise here. Linyu, you are responsible for driving the zombies from the entrance and exit of the village to wander in front of Old Man Sun’s door to create some chaos."

"Understood!" I replied, and immediately stepped out of the house. I drove the zombies about until they were scurrying in every direction, eventually guiding them to gather and roam in front of Old Man Sun’s threshold.

Upon returning to the house, I found Jiang Hanchuan and Luo Yucheng busy preparing flour and chili powder. Their faces were covered in white dust, making them look both comical and earnest.

"This stuff will surely give them a run for their money!" Jiang Hanchuan said with a laugh, the bag in his hands rustling.

Luo Yucheng chimed in, "Once they arrive, we’ll let them taste the 'fiery' sting!"

At that moment, Mu Wanqing leaped nimbly down from the roof, her eyes sparkling with resolve. "I’ll lie in ambush on the roof. As soon as they step through the door, I’ll catch them completely off guard!"

Xu Hanfeng nodded, looking at us with satisfaction. "Excellent. Everything is ready; we are just waiting for the prey to take the bait. Everyone, remember, this is a last stand. We cannot afford to be lax!"

We all nodded. The rest of the group retreated into the house, filled with tension. Time ticked by second by second, and the house was so silent that we could only hear our own breathing and the growls of the zombies outside.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps broke the silence, and my heart jumped into my throat.

"They're here," I whispered, gripping my weapon tightly.

Xu Hanfeng made a gesture for silence, and we all held our breath, waiting for that very moment. A heart-stopping battle was about to begin.

***

Several figures moved in a rush, like phantoms in the night, sliding swiftly down from the shadows of the mountain ridge.

"Captain, there is a village ahead!" one of the team members whispered, pointing forward, his eyes wary.

The leader took the binoculars handed to him and carefully scouted the movement ahead. The lens swept slowly across rows of houses, which were perfect for hiding. "They must have fled into the village," he said in a low voice, his tone laced with unquestionable certainty.

When the focus of the binoculars landed exactly on Old Man Sun’s house, the leader’s body jolted. "Wait, this is it! The exterior wall of this house seems to have some protective measures installed. It stands out against the gray, dusty appearance of the other houses, like a deliberate anomaly hidden in plain sight."

He quickly ordered his soldiers, "When we enter the village, be careful. Everyone, equip your silencers. Don’t alert the 'prey' inside; we are going to catch them in a jar." With that, a cold, sharp smile curled at the corners of his mouth, like a blade in midwinter.

The group crept into the village like ghosts, their footsteps light, barely raising a speck of dust. Armed with suppressed assault rifles, they silently took out the few zombies they encountered along the way, their movements clean and efficient, without making a sound.

Each of them was a well-trained soldier, appearing like natural-born hunters as they silently approached the gate of Old Man Sun’s old house.

However, the house remained deathly silent, with no movement at all, as if it were abandoned or hiding some unknown secret.

"Base 9 Command, this is Team 2. We have located the hideout of the defectors!" The leader picked up his radio, his voice low and firm as he reported the latest situation.

From the other end of the radio came a cold, decisive voice: "Command received. No need to take survivors. Ensure the mission is executed flawlessly."

Hearing this, the leader’s eyes grew even colder. He carefully observed the surroundings. The perimeter wall was high, covered in spikes and barbed wire, making it extremely difficult to scale. Moreover, opening fire would inevitably alert the targets.

After a moment of contemplation, he decisively issued the order: "Everyone, breach the front door directly! Shoot on sight—no hesitation!" His voice was firm and cold, like a death sentence pronounced from the underworld.

At his command, the soldiers moved quickly. They surged toward the gate like a tidal wave, ready to shatter this final line of defense in one fell swoop. And the "prey" inside were waiting for them just as quietly.

***

"Are they coming in?" I muttered to myself, my nerves as tight as a bowstring, ready to react to any sudden turn of events.

Suddenly, a deafening "BOOM!" erupted. Old Man Sun’s gate seemed to be torn apart by a furious giant, sending wood splinters flying everywhere.

Xu Hanfeng gestured like lightning, a sharp slash through the air. Luo Yucheng and Jiang Hanchuan understood instantly. Working with seamless synergy, the pair swiftly flung the pre-prepared bags of flour mixed with chili powder toward the doorway.

In that instant, the group at the door was shrouded in a sudden "snow mist." Each of them was covered in "white snow," unaware that the powder concealed a deadly, searing sting. The power of the chili powder exploded instantly; their eyes turned bloodshot, tears streamed down like fountains, and screams erupted one after another, creating a scene like hell on earth. In the panic, some fired blindly, gunfire rang out, and bullets flew in wild, disorganized paths.

"Fire!"

Seeing the chaos, Xu Hanfeng shouted.

Mu Wanqing, perched on the roof, moved with the agility of a panther in the forest. "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!" Three arrows were released in rapid succession, each finding its mark with pinpoint accuracy, striking the enemies right in their faces.

I charged out from the corner with Xu Hanfeng like tigers descending a mountain. We brandished our blades, cutting down the remaining enemies with clean, swift strokes.

For a time, the air was thick with the scent of blood and the stinging, pungent odor of chili powder.

"Cough! Cough!"

I covered my mouth and nose, stunned by the lethality of the flour; even getting a little bit of it had made me choke and tear up. I looked at Xu Hanfeng, who was faring no better, his face flushed red with tears welling in his eyes.

"Come out quickly and rinse your eyes with water!"

Luo Yucheng ran over with a bucket of water like a savior. As I rinsed my face, I joked, "Yucheng, your 'magic attack' is truly terrifying!"

When the flour finally settled and everything returned to peace, six corpses lay on the ground, well-equipped, with assault rifles scattered everywhere.

"It seems they found us after all," Xu Hanfeng said, staring quietly at the bodies, his tone heavy.

Immediately after, he changed his tone: "Don't just stand there. Strip them of their gear. This is a gift delivered right to our doorstep."