Chapter 0026: The Chaos of War

Di Ping shook his head. The woman had started crying as soon as she entered the room, her sobs overwhelming her to the point where she was disoriented. Still uncertain of the situation, he checked the peephole again and confirmed that there was no immediate threat outside. He walked into the living room and sat down on a chair facing the woman.

Her crying had ceased, and she was now wiping her eyes with a tissue that Yu Shujie had given her. However, her shoulders still trembled, a sign that she had not yet fully recovered from her grief. Yu Shujie sat beside her, gently holding her hand and offering comfort. Upon seeing Di Ping sit down, the woman seemed to suddenly realize something and sprang to her feet.

"Hello… please… please help me!" she pleaded, nearly falling at Di Ping's feet as she grabbed his hand. Her eyes were filled with desperation and entreaty.

The woman's sudden emotional outburst startled Di Ping. He instinctively reached for his sword but stopped himself just in time. He calmly sat back in his chair, looking at the woman as he gently withdrew his hand. Only then did she realize her mistake and quickly withdrew her hand, her face flushing in embarrassment.

"Why do you need my help?" Di Ping asked, leaning back in the chair and calmly watching the woman.

"I… I need you to help me save… save my two friends!" she said, suddenly shedding her embarrassment and answering his question in a hurry.

"Your friends? What happened to them?" Di Ping asked, surprised. He hadn't expected her to come seeking help for her friends. Was one of them her boyfriend? He quickly exchanged glances with a few others, then asked further.

"I…" The woman began to speak, but tears streamed down her face again. After sobbing, she managed to explain the situation.

It turned out that the woman's name was Ye Lu, and she lived in Apartment 2 on the eighth floor. She had bought the apartment herself, and being single, she invited her two close friends to live with her for company and safety. The three women had a very close and intimate relationship. When the crisis began, they were all at home, sleeping, but when they learned about the situation, they rushed to get food. The supermarket had already been looted, but fortunately, they had stocked up on some supplies, enough to last for a few days.

They thought the chaos would pass in a couple of days, but the situation only worsened. Eventually, they ran out of food, and they dared not go outside. The chilling screams from the building and neighborhood at night nearly drove them insane.

Then, yesterday, someone knocked on their door and delivered some food. They said that many people had gathered on the fourth floor, in Apartment 401, and it would be safer for the three women to join them for protection. Although hesitant, the three women did not dare to refuse. The strangers left after dropping off the food, and the women, starving, devoured it hungrily. But the food didn't last long, and by the next day, they could no longer bear the hunger.

They decided to secretly go downstairs to knock on the door of Apartment 401. They were cautious, with one woman knocking and the other two waiting on the upper floor in case anything suspicious happened. After all, they were three beautiful women, and in such a world, they had to learn to protect themselves.

To their surprise, the door opened, and one of the women was allowed inside. They quickly saw two men following them in. The women were apprehensive but relieved when the door was closed behind them, thinking the men were kind-hearted. They were about to head downstairs to meet their friend when they heard a piercing scream.

"Run!" came the desperate cry of their friend from within, followed by another scream of agony. The men had grabbed her by the hair and pulled her inside, tossing the food onto the floor. One of the men cursed and rushed upstairs.

The two women froze for a moment, but then one of them snapped into action. She grabbed Ye Lu and they started running up the stairs. They knew what the men intended to do, and their only chance was to flee.

But their speed couldn't match that of the men. Just two flights of stairs up, one man had already caught up with them.

"Ye Lu, run!" her friend screamed, pushing Ye Lu upward and throwing herself at the first man. The two collided and rolled down the stairs, crashing into the men following them.

"Ah! Xiao Nan!" Ye Lu cried out in shock and turned to run downstairs, but her friend shouted at her to keep going, her voice filled with pain and determination as she held off the attackers.

Terrified, Ye Lu ran up to their apartment, slamming the door behind her and collapsing beside it, crying quietly, feeling utterly helpless.

The men pounded on the door, cursing loudly. After a while, they seemed to think the noise was too much and left. Ye Lu was left alone, her mind overwhelmed with guilt as she mourned the sacrifice of her friends.

Suddenly, an idea struck her. She remembered seeing a man recently who had killed several mutated dogs to save others. He seemed to be strong and capable of helping. Maybe he could save her friends. Driven by hope, she ventured out to find him.

"How are you so sure I will help you save them?" Di Ping asked, his gaze sharp as he looked into her eyes, searching for any hint of deception.

"I… I believe you're a good person," the woman said, wiping away tears and speaking softly, almost in a whisper.

Di Ping's expression darkened. He thought to himself, So I'm being given the 'good guy card' now.

"Di-ge!" Yu Shujie called out softly, looking at him with hope. The other women in the room, too, looked at him with expectation in their eyes. Ye Lu stared at him, her eyes filled with tears and longing.

Seeing their desperate hope, Di Ping knew they all wanted him to save her friends, and despite his initial reluctance, he decided to act. He wasn't a cold-hearted person.

"Can you lead me there?" Di Ping asked, his voice calm yet commanding.

"I can!" Ye Lu said, her voice steady with determination.

"Alright, let's go," Di Ping replied, standing up with satisfaction. He was impressed by her courage. In such a world, it was rare to find someone willing to act on their convictions.

Without hesitation, Di Ping led Ye Lu and the three men down the stairs. Yu Shujie stayed behind, watching over the children. Di Ping moved quickly, his eyes scanning the surroundings like a hawk, his ears alert to every sound. His confidence came not only from his sharp senses but also from his immense strength.

The group arrived at the entrance of Building 2. The glass doors were shattered, and there were traces of dark blood on the ground, suggesting that a terrible event had taken place. The hallway was open, and they made their way up the stairs to the fourth floor.

After signaling the others to wait on the third floor, Di Ping quietly ascended, listening carefully for sounds from inside the room. Using his enhanced hearing, he could clearly make out the breath of several people inside—at least seven or eight. The sounds of low laughter and muttered curses reached his ears.

Anger surged in Di Ping's chest. He had not expected that only a few days into the chaos, some people's darker sides would begin to surface, prompting them to commit vile acts. Standing upright, Di Ping took two steps back, then suddenly gathered his strength and launched a powerful side kick.

With a loud bang, his kick hit the door with the force of a hurricane, shattering it like paper. The door flew off its hinges, crashing to the ground.

"Ah!"

One unlucky soul, standing just behind the door, was sent flying, crashing into the wall and splattering blood everywhere. The room was thrown into chaos as the people inside stared in disbelief at Di Ping, their mouths hanging open in shock.

"Who's making all that noise?" a voice suddenly called out from behind a closed door. A man poked his head out, looking ready to curse at whoever had caused the commotion.