The Heist Begins
The city was eerily silent as Xu Lian adjusted the straps on her backpack, her pulse steady despite the weight of what they were about to do. The night was thick with shadows, the faint glow of distant streetlights flickering as if the city itself was dying.
She exhaled slowly. No mistakes tonight.
Guo Chen finished checking his gear, tightening the silencer on his pistol. Yu Xian stood beside him, loading his rifle with calm precision, while Jiao who still had his arm wrapped from the last fight gave a lopsided grin.
"This is either the dumbest or the smartest thing we've ever done," he muttered.
Lian glanced at the others. "Let's make sure it's the second one."
Chen smirked. "No promises."
They moved out, disappearing into the night.
---
Approaching the Warehouse
The warehouse loomed ahead like a fortress. It was heavily guarded, just as they had expected. Armed men patrolled the perimeter, their boots crunching against the gravel. Floodlights swept the area in slow arcs, illuminating sections of the fence.
Lian crouched behind an abandoned car, scanning their entry points.
Chen's voice was low. "Three on the north side, two on the east. The rest are probably inside."
Yu Xian's eyes narrowed. "They're spread out just enough to be a problem. If we take one out, the others will notice."
Lian's mind raced. They needed a distraction.
Jiao tapped his fingers against his knee. "If we can get them to move, even for a minute, we'll have an opening."
Lian thought for a moment before whispering, "I have an idea."
She reached into her backpack and pulled out a small, homemade explosive. It wasn't powerful enough to cause real destruction, but it would be loud.
Chen gave her a sideways glance. "You've been holding out on us."
Lian smirked. "A girl's gotta be prepared."
Yu Xian nodded. "Set it near the east fence. When they move to check it, we slip in from the north."
She moved quickly, placing the device near a pile of rusted metal before retreating to cover.
Chen pulled out a remote trigger, pressed a button—
BOOM!
A sharp explosion shattered the silence, sending debris scattering.
The guards reacted instantly, shouting to one another as they ran toward the disturbance.
Yu Xian was already moving. "Go!"
---
Infiltration
They scaled the north fence, landing silently on the other side. Lian could hear the confused voices of the gang members as they searched for the source of the explosion.
Chen signaled them forward. They moved fast, sticking to the shadows, slipping past a guard smoking by the loading dock.
Yu Xian pressed against the metal siding of the warehouse. "We need a way in."
Jiao pointed. "Side door. Locked, but nothing a little persuasion won't fix."
Lian pulled out a crowbar from her bag, wedging it between the door and the frame. With a sharp jerk, the lock snapped.
They slipped inside.
The interior was dimly lit, rows of metal shelves stacked high with crates of supplies. Food, medicine, ammunition.
Chen exhaled. "Jackpot."
Lian wasn't celebrating yet. "We need to move fast."
Yu Xian took point, sweeping the aisles for threats. Jiao started checking crates, stuffing what he could into his pack.
Lian opened her space, discreetly transferring as many supplies as possible before closing it.
They moved quickly, grabbing medical kits, antibiotics, protein bars, bottled water. Lian estimated that she had stored enough supplies to last at least a few months.
But just as they were about to move to the weapons section, a voice echoed from behind them.
"Who the hell are you?"
---
Caught in the Act
They spun around. A guard stood near the entrance, gun raised, eyes wide with confusion and anger.
For a split second, there was silence.
Then—
Crack!
Yu Xian fired. The bullet slammed into the guard's chest, dropping him before he could fire.
"Shit," Jiao hissed. "That was loud."
Lian's heart pounded. They had seconds before the rest of the gang was on them.
Chen grabbed a duffel bag, stuffing extra ammunition inside. "We move now!"
Yu Xian led the way, but the moment they stepped into the corridor, footsteps thundered toward them.
More guards.
"Split up!" Lian ordered.
She and Chen darted left, while Yu Xian and Jiao went right.
Gunfire erupted. Bullets ripped through the metal shelving, shattering glass bottles.
Lian ducked behind a crate, firing two quick shots. One man dropped, but another took his place.
Chen moved like lightning, closing the distance, slamming his knife into an attacker's throat. Blood sprayed, but he didn't stop moving.
Lian turned just in time to see another gunman take aim at Jiao.
She didn't hesitate.
Her knife flew through the air, burying itself in the man's neck.
He gurgled, collapsing.
Jiao shot her a wild grin. "Remind me not to piss you off."
She ignored him. More were coming.
"We need an exit!" Yu Xian shouted.
Chen scanned the warehouse. "There—loading dock!"
They sprinted toward the massive garage door, but—
More gang members were already there.
"We're cut off," Jiao cursed.
Lian's mind raced. Think. Think.
Then she saw it a forklift, parked near the shelves.
"Cover me!" she yelled.
She dashed forward, vaulting into the driver's seat. The keys were still in the ignition.
"Hang on!"
She slammed the gas.
The forklift lurched forward, crashing into a stack of metal barrels. The impact sent them tumbling right into the gang members blocking their exit.
They scattered, diving for cover.
That was their chance.
"Move!" Chen shouted.
Yu Xian fired a few covering shots before they raced through the loading dock, disappearing into the night.
---
Aftermath
They didn't stop running until they were miles away, deep into the city's abandoned district.
Finally, they collapsed behind an old warehouse, panting.
Jiao let out a breathless laugh. "That was insane."
Lian wiped sweat from her brow. "But we got what we needed."
Yu Xian nodded. "Enough supplies to last us through the first months of the outbreak."
Chen turned to her. "And they don't know who we are."
For now.
Lian exhaled, looking at the stars above. They had won this battle.
But the war was just beginning.
---