"It's simple, forty people in a group, stand apart." Brother Feng scanned the people around him, "Not many have died in this mall, which is good news."
His cryptic statement only heightened the fear among the already panicked crowd, who huddled together, not daring to move.
Seeing them procrastinating, Brother Feng scoffed and fired a shot into the air, "You have five minutes. After five minutes, anyone extra will be killed!"
The mall erupted into chaos, as people scrambled like frightened rabbits, grouping with both acquaintances and strangers, some loudly calling out numbers. If there was a shortfall, they dragged others in from nearby; if there were too many, they pushed people out. In no time, the two hundred or so people split into five groups. Unable to come up with forty, the remaining people yanked women and children out of pre-established groups to make room for themselves, creating an even more chaotic scene than before.