Chapter 73: The Crisis Arrives, Unity in the Face of Danger

"Boom!"

With a loud crash, the last obstacle blocking the underground mall's entrance was pulled down by three workers using ropes. This caused a chain reaction, and the obstruction collapsed entirely. A beam of light filtered through the opening.

"Woof! Woof!"

The moment the barrier fell, intense barking from outside could be heard. As soon as the workers heard the sounds of the dogs, they screamed and immediately turned, sprinting toward the passage with extraordinary speed.

"Woof! Woof!"

By now, the growls of the mutated dogs could be heard right outside the door. A large shadow blocked the incoming light, and the passage was plunged into darkness. A massive, menacing dog's head pushed through the gap, its bloodshot eyes glowing fiercely. As it spotted the group behind the framework, it threw its head back and let out a long, piercing howl.

"Awooo..."

The echo of the howl reverberated through the underground mall, vibrating everyone's ears. The sound was so intense that many people screamed in terror, while others clasped their ears. Those behind the framework instinctively started retreating, their faces turning pale.

The plan had seemed simple enough, but facing such a terrifying mutated dog, the courage that had been stirred up quickly began to fade.

"Awooo..."

More howls followed, seeming to answer the first, growing louder and closer, as though the dogs were swiftly moving toward them.

"What should we do? How can we fight this?" someone stammered, stepping back cautiously.

"Should we run? Hide?" someone else murmured, their face ashen.

"Where can we run to?" a woman, her face drained of color, leaned against the wall, eyes vacant.

"I told you not to do this! It was useless!" someone muttered, blaming those who had insisted on the plan, resenting being dragged into this life-or-death situation.

"Right! It's them! They don't care whether we live or die; they just want to kill these mutant dogs!"

"We're done for! We can't hold them off!"

As the panic spread, the crowd recoiled, with some dropping their weapons, shouting in confusion. There were complaints, regrets, and many lost the will to fight, their faces pale and hopeless.

The police officers were no better off. Though they held their guns, their hands trembled, and if not for the last shred of rationality, they would have retreated by now.

"Brothers and sisters! Calm your fears and listen to me!"

Suddenly, Han Zhongguo leapt onto a table, shouting at the panicked crowd, his voice cutting through the chaos. When he saw their desperate eyes fixed on him, he raised his voice even louder.

"Brothers and sisters, let me tell you the truth—we have no food and no water left. Our only way out is to kill these monsters! If we don't, we'll starve to death down here. The door is open, and we must fight! The space underground is limited, and if we don't fight, we will die. Do you want to be torn apart by these dogs?"

Han Zhongguo's voice was powerful and impassioned, his arms waving forcefully to emphasize his words. He was determined to reignite the courage of the people around him.

"Yes! We have no food! Where can we hide? We have to fight!"

"Right! If we kill one, we'll survive. Kill two, and we'll be better off..."

"Damn it! Who's afraid of a few wild dogs? I'm fighting! Tonight we're eating dog meat!"

Hearing Han Zhongguo's stirring words, the crowd slowly stopped retreating, their eyes flickering with a spark of courage. They had been terrified, but now, emboldened, they were ready to fight.

Han Zhongguo sensed their resolve and seized the moment.

"Tell me! Do you want to be eaten by these ugly dogs?"

"No!" came the unified shout from the crowd.

"Do you want your parents, wives, and children to be killed by them?"

"No!" came the even louder response.

"Then, are we going to kill these dogs?"

"Yes!"

The energy of the crowd had been completely ignited. Weapons were raised, and the eyes of everyone, including the police, were filled with fiery determination. Han Zhongguo, overjoyed, raised his arms and shouted:

"Then today, we will fight! Kill! Kill! Kill!"

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

The entire group roared, their voices filled with ferocity as they raised their weapons, screaming with primal fury.

Below, Ge Zhongping watched, his eyes burning with hatred. He hadn't anticipated Han Zhongguo's ability to incite such fervor. With just a few words, he had rallied the entire group. But now, there was nothing Ge Zhongping could do but watch.

"Awooo..."

The mutated dogs, apparently enraged by the shouts from within the mall, howled and tore through the barricade. With a powerful leap, one dog surged through the entrance, charging straight toward the passage. Behind it, another mutated dog followed closely.

"Quickly! Get into position! We're fighting the mutated dogs!"

Seeing the first dog charge in, Han Zhongguo pointed urgently and shouted, his passion igniting the crowd. The people, fueled by adrenaline, forgot their fear and rushed toward their designated positions. They raised their weapons, eyes burning with determination, breathing heavily as they locked onto the mutated dogs.

The first dog slammed into the framework, causing it to shake with a loud thud. But it held firm, only slightly bent where the angle iron had been impacted. The crowd's spirits soared—this framework was holding up.

The first dog continued to howl and ram against the structure.

Meanwhile, the second dog entered the gap but did not charge the framework. Instead, it scanned the area before darting toward the passage, seemingly more intelligent than the first one, as it realized it could get through the narrow opening.