Chapter 113: Does Having More People Make You Great?
After the neighbors had eaten, Stockholm syndrome made them feel grateful to Zhang Yi. When he mentioned the possibility of returning to normal life without constant fear, their spirits were immediately lifted.
"If that's the case, let's do it!"
"I'm sick of this life. If I can return to a normal life, I'm willing to risk my life!"
Seeing their morale boosted, Zhang Yi slowly stood up from his chair.
"Alright, let's assign tasks to everyone."
They were about to face the ruthless individuals from the other 29 buildings. To ensure Zhang Yi’s safety, preparations had to be thorough— even if everyone else had to die, they needed to buy enough time for him to return to his safe house.
Aside from Zhang Yi and Uncle You, there were 28 usable people on site. Zhang Yi instructed Li Chengbin and Jiang Lei to lead 18 people to guard the west entrance of the building. The entrance was booby-trapped, leaving only a narrow passage for one person at a time, surrounded by various appliances and equipment.
If anyone attacked, they would have to enter one by one, essentially walking into a death trap. A full-frontal assault would require removing the obstacles, which would take a considerable amount of time.
Uncle You was assigned to maintain order on the 13th floor with 10 people. Zhang Yi's remaining manpower mainly served as a façade. Even if 29 people came, Zhang Yi could kill them all in such an open space.
Everything was going according to his plan.
After setting up, Zhang Yi waited for their arrival. The agreed time was 2:30 PM, but given the urgency, people began emerging from other buildings after 2 PM.
It looked like a swarm of ants coming out of an anthill.
Black shadows dotted the snowy landscape, and the number of people kept increasing—there were at least five or six hundred, and the number was still growing! The central area of the community was packed, with almost no empty space.
"Playing tricks with me, huh?" Zhang Yi sneered, pulling out his phone to send a message in the building leader group chat.
"Have everyone back off. If you don't, don't bother coming today."
After sending the message, he pocketed his phone and took out a sniper rifle, hiding it under a table by his feet.
He shouted out the window, "Uncle You!"
Uncle You, holding a thick crowbar, entered. "Zhang Yi, what are your orders?"
Zhang Yi said, "There are too many people. I'm afraid the boys can't hold the line. Go assist them! Don't worry, I'll provide fire support from here."
Uncle You glanced outside, his pupils shrinking, but he nodded firmly. "Got it, I'll handle it!"
Even after Zhang Yi's message, the crowd didn't stop. They halted five meters from Building 25, blocking it so densely that the light was dimmed. Li Chengbin and Jiang Lei felt chills down their spines. If the crowd charged, even with the terrain advantage, they could only delay for a short time.
"How do we stop so many people?"
"They said they were coming to negotiate, but this looks more like an invasion!"
The guards at the west entrance felt a cold chill in their hearts, unsure how to respond.
A calm voice came from the stairs. "Why the panic? If they wanted to fight, they would have already charged."
Uncle You, holding a crowbar, calmly walked down. His presence reassured the others, knowing his combat prowess.
Li Chengbin frowned, "Uncle You, there are too many people! Did the entire community come? How do we fight?"
The others looked at Uncle You with fearful eyes, seeking guidance.
Uncle You reassured them, "No need to worry. Their target isn't you, but Zhang Yi, to pressure him in negotiations."
"And think about it, what do you have that they want?"
His explanation calmed the group. Realizing they had nothing of value, they felt less threatened. The real target was Zhang Yi, not them.
For the first time, they felt grateful for their insignificance.
Suddenly, the crowd parted, and five people emerged, flanked by subordinates. They were Huang Tianfang from Building 26's Tianhe Gang, Wang Qiang from Building 21's Wolf Gang, Li Jian from Building 18's Harmony Home, Chen Lingyu from Building 9, and Zhang Yunan from Building 5.
They approached Building 25 with confident expressions, especially Wang Qiang, the 22-year-old street punk, feeling invincible backed by a thousand men. Facing Zhang Yi seemed trivial.
"We're sure to win this negotiation!" Wang Qiang said smugly.
Huang Tianfang's sallow face twisted into a triumphant grin. "Zhang Yi is probably wetting his pants now. He has no choice but to comply with our demands."
With a thousand against thirty, they couldn't imagine losing. To them, Zhang Yi was just a small obstacle.
Li Jian adjusted his glasses, his demeanor calm yet proud. Organizing such a large group was a feat he had never imagined.
Chen Lingyu, arms crossed, said haughtily, "Stop dawdling in the cold. Let's go in and tell Zhang Yi our terms. He has no choice but to accept."