Right now, Chen Pingchuan only wanted one thing: to make a deal with the people on the other side.
Initially, he hadn't been satisfied with this real-life simulation. According to its information, a swarm of giant insects of unknown origin would soon attack Hantan City. The bad news was that even with the simulator, he didn't know how to find a way out, or rather, he couldn't find one with just a single simulation. The good news, however, was that if he could make a deal with them and open this bank vault, all the supplies inside would be his. The genetic serums might cost Simulation Points, and the super-weapons probably would too, but that wasn't important. He was a man with over a million Simulation Points now. And if Federation Coins still only cost one point to redeem his gains from the simulation, he would likely never have to worry about money again. With a branch of the Southern Alliance Bank, the wealth of an entire city would be his. Wouldn't he be able to buy anything he wanted?
The more he thought about it, the more feasible the idea seemed. The only problem was that the weapons and genetic serums were protected by a forcefield, one he doubted he could break. Even if he spent a great deal of time and effort to shatter it, there was no guarantee the items inside wouldn't be damaged. Under these circumstances, making a deal was the best option.
Ren Fei's neck stiffened as he replied firmly once more, "I told you, I won't trade with you. Give it up!"
Faced with Ren Fei's stubbornness, Chen Pingchuan didn't get angry. He simply gave a relaxed, soft laugh.
"Young man, don't be in such a hurry to refuse. Let me state my terms first," he said. "As long as you help me open the protective field around the genetic serums behind you, I'll have my men open the metal mesh you failed to get through. In other words, you'd be trading these inanimate objects for a chance for all of you to escape! What do you say? Of course, I'll give you time to consider. It's not like we have anything better to do right now, is it?"
I won't ask them to open the forcefields on my side, not yet, Chen Pingchuan thought. That would make them suspicious. They'd think I have ulterior motives. A more roundabout approach is better.
"Dream on!" Ren Fei's answer was still forceful. He was counting on people from the outside to open the vault door, rescue them, and punish Chen Pingchuan's group. How could he possibly agree to his terms?
Even if I let them drink the genetic serums, it wouldn't be much of a loss. There's a limit to how much a person can consume in a short period, after all. But why should I let them have any? They're all going to be dead soon anyway.
Suddenly, a light pierced the endless darkness once more. It was the young woman from before. She had moved past her initial panic and was now able to accept the current situation. Based on the conversation between the two groups, she felt she should use her partially recovered Spiritual Power to light the way for her fellow bank employees.
And so, the guards who had charged out so aggressively moments ago returned to the crowd with their heads hung low.
"No worries, my offer still stands," Chen Pingchuan said, his voice as calm as ever. His placid demeanor infuriated Ren Fei, who silently vowed that he would never, ever compromise.
Time ticked by, second by second. For the people trapped in the confined space of the vault, the ordeal was growing more severe. They were running out of water and food.
At first, the bank employees managed to endure the physical discomfort and internal terror. But as time wore on, their weakening bodies and primal desire to survive began to consume their sanity. An aura of unease and frenzy started to fill the air, like a volcano on the verge of erupting. At this point, the ugly side of human nature, usually hidden deep within, began to surface. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ NoveI★Fire.net
In a dark corner, a few male bank employees with malicious intent whispered amongst themselves. After a moment, they began to creep quietly toward their female colleagues. They planned to take advantage of the chaos and darkness to drag a woman away and satisfy their twisted desires. After all, given the situation, survival itself was uncertain. Moral shackles and social restraints no longer mattered.
The targeted female employee didn't sense the approaching danger. Suddenly, a large hand clamped over her mouth, while several other pairs of hands grabbed her arms and legs. They not only pinned her down, preventing her from struggling, but also began to grope her private areas.
The woman felt as if she had been plunged into an icy abyss. She tried to fight back in terror, but she was completely restrained, unable to break free from the evil hands holding her down. Perhaps to get a better feel, or perhaps because the others were getting impatient, the man covering her mouth grew distracted. His hand slipped for a moment, and the edge of his rough palm brushed against her lips. The woman seized the opportunity, opening her mouth and biting down hard on his finger.
"AHHH!!!"
Caught off guard, the man shrieked in pain. In the next second, a woman's sharp, tearful cry for help echoed through the sealed chamber.
"Help! Help me! Someone—"
Her mouth was covered again, but the sound had already spread, making the hearts of her attackers stop in their chests. Suddenly, a dazzling light flared to life. The woman with the light-based power had unleashed her ability again, tearing through the darkness.
Everyone turned toward the source of the scream. In a nearby corner, they saw four men furtively pinning down a woman whose clothes had been half-stripped off. Feeling the crowd's eyes on them, the men broke out in a cold sweat and immediately let her go.
The female employee quickly scrambled to her feet. Ignoring her exposed chest, she ran back into the crowd, trembling with every step.
Ren Fei's eyes were wide with fury. He roared at the men, "You scum! To think you'd still have something like that on your minds at a time like this!"
With nothing left to lose, the men lashed back. One of them, his face a mask of savagery, snarled, "Look at you, acting so high and mighty! Who do you think you are, some kind of saint? It's been this long and no one has come to save us. We all know what that means! Did you really think these idiots would just listen to you and wait here obediently to die if you didn't say anything? I'm telling you, it's impossible! Those giant insects have already wiped out the entire city! We're dead whether we get out or not. We're all going to die!"
"WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!"
Before Ren Fei could curse him for his shamelessness, the man himself broke down, sobbing loudly. It was the most primal human reaction to utter despair.