Unit 801, Building 8, Unit 2.
Xue E sat on a stool, facing a simple stove made of stones with a pot of boiling water on it.
Hearing the screams coming from the hallway outside.
A flash of satisfaction crossed her eyes.
She had met Gao Qiang through a drift bottle before.
The results of their first meeting left her somewhat dissatisfied. Gao Qiang was the complete opposite of his name in that aspect, even worse than Liu Changgen. She wondered if men tended to name themselves after what they lacked the most.
Later she didn't want to deal with Gao Qiang anymore, but who knew he had secretly taken photos during their first meeting.
He used the photos to threaten her into meeting several more times.
In this regard, she was quite clever. She felt problems would eventually arise, so she threatened Gao Qiang with calling the police, and that's how they cut contact.
After her husband died, as a widow with a child, she wanted revenge against Qin Ziwen and had to reconnect with Gao Qiang.
In her heart, she held resentment toward both Gao Qiang and Qin Ziwen, and even bore grudges against Deng Guang.
She believed if Deng Guang hadn't insisted on dealing with Qin Ziwen, things wouldn't have come to this.
Whichever of these parties died, she would clap her hands in joy.
"Beep—"
The door lock made a sound.
The lock cylinder turned, and the living room door handle was pressed down.
Xue E sharply turned her head toward the door, "Who's there!"
The door was pushed open.
Gao Qiang, wearing a baseball cap, stood outside the door, looking at Xue E with complex emotions in his eyes.
A bad premonition rose in Xue E's heart: "You... why are you here."
If Gao Qiang was visiting normally, he would just need to knock.
"I need to talk to you." Gao Qiang said and quickly approached.
His right hand was in his pocket, and as he got close, he pulled out his right hand, gripping a small knife and thrusting it forward violently.
The knife stabbed into Xue E's chest, but was blocked by the thick fat on her chest, failing to directly pierce her heart.
Xue E retreated two steps, grabbed the boiling iron pot, and splashed it fiercely onto Gao Qiang's face.
Gao Qiang swung his arm to protect his face, the scalding hot water landing on his arm and cheek.
The burning pain made him hop on his feet.
Xue E took the opportunity to run toward the kitchen to get a knife, but after just two steps, pain shot through her chest.
Although Gao Qiang's stab wasn't fatal, it had damaged her blood vessels and muscles.
Bearing the tearing pain, she gritted her teeth and staggered forward a few more steps.
However, the wound in her chest made her movements sluggish.
Behind her, Gao Qiang's heavy panting was already approaching.
Xue E grabbed the kitchen knife placed on the cutting board, and almost simultaneously, a large hand grabbed her shoulder.
"Bitch!" Gao Qiang's voice contained rage, "It's all your fault, all your fault!"
A knife stabbed into her lower back from behind.
Xue E's vision went black, nearly fainting.
The cold blade rubbed and churned inside her kidney.
All strength in her body dissipated like a receding tide.
She involuntarily opened her mouth, her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground.
"Ah—don't touch my mom!" A explosive shout came from behind.
"Bang!!!"
Gao Qiang suddenly staggered.
Liu Zhuang stood with both hands raised holding a small stool, his eyes red, the fear on his face not yet faded.
Gao Qiang touched the back of his head, his fingertips stained red, then turned to look at the teenager who was about his height, his expression gradually turning ferocious.
"You little bastard, I gave you face, didn't I?"
Gao Qiang rushed over, grabbed Liu Zhuang by the collar, and slammed him hard against the wall.
Although they were about the same height, Gao Qiang was clearly more built than Liu Zhuang.
In terms of strength confrontation, Liu Zhuang was directly at a disadvantage.
One kill, two kills—it made no difference.
Gao Qiang's eyes turned red.
The small knife in his hand kept stabbing into Liu Zhuang's stomach.
Liu Zhuang tightly gripped Gao Qiang's sleeve, staring fixedly at him.
The stare made Gao Qiang increasingly uneasy.
"Little bastard, stop looking at me. Blame your mom for offending someone she shouldn't have."
Gao Qiang closed his eyes and stabbed the knife into Liu Zhuang's neck.
Liu Zhuang's body stiffened.
Xue E, lying on the ground, witnessed this scene with eyes wide with rage. From somewhere surged a burst of strength, and she felt her body wasn't in as much pain anymore.
She got up from the ground, grabbed the kitchen knife from the cutting board, and swung it down at Gao Qiang's neck.
Gao Qiang sensed movement behind him—how could he step in the same trap twice?
He twisted to dodge, but Liu Zhuang's hands gripped him like iron clamps.
He only managed to tilt his head slightly as the knife landed on his shoulder. The single slash sent such pain through Gao Qiang he nearly fainted.
He turned his head in disbelief—how could you still stand after being stabbed like that?
...
The slightly ajar door was pushed open.
Qin Ziwen walked into room 801.
Gao Qiang, Xue E, and Liu Zhuang were all lying on the ground.
The floor, the walls—everywhere was splattered with blood.
Gao Qiang opened his blood-caked eyes, his lips moving.
"Save, save me, I completed..."
Qin Ziwen crouched down, reached into Gao Qiang's clothes pocket, and pulled out the small black box.
Gao Qiang tremblingly raised his blood-covered hand, trying to grab Qin Ziwen's leg.
The boot moved away, his fingertips brushing past Qin Ziwen's pant leg.
Walking out of the blood-filled room, Qin Ziwen lifted his head and breathed the fresh air of the hallway.
The smell in that room was too fishy.
In room 802, Xiao Meixue, who had opened the door upon hearing the commotion, covered Deng Wen's eyes.
Deng Wen complained quietly, "What's the big deal? It's just dead people, it's not like I haven't seen them before. But where did that man who broke into Liu Zhuang's house come from?"
Qin Ziwu quickly came out from inside the room and whispered in Qin Ziwen's ear, "Brother, it's all cleaned up."
Qin Ziwen patted his younger brother's shoulder.
Deng Guang looked somewhat worried: "This incident today was too big, probably can't be kept secret anymore."
Qin Ziwen remained calm about this: "We act justly and sit upright, what is there to worry about? If you're not tough enough, others will always think you're easy to bully.
Just like this time, why didn't they steal from others, but specifically came to steal from my home? Does Huang Tao not have food? Does Renhe Hall not have things? It's because they thought we were easy to bully.
Since it can't be kept secret, then let's not hide it."
Deng Guang took a deep breath. He thought of the person he had knocked down with a stick—when he came up earlier, that person seemed to have already stopped breathing. He didn't know if he had been the one who killed him with the beating, and the thought still made him apprehensive.
Qin Ziwen said: "Let's clean up the scene, but there are quite a few bodies, and it won't be easy to move them with just us few."
The hallway was very quiet. Residents on each floor, perhaps aware of the commotion outside, were all hiding in their homes.
"Xiao Wu, go knock on doors and ask our neighbors in Unit 2 to come out and help clean up the scene. Sister-in-law, please go to room 201, Unit 2, Building 6 and invite Guo Xiaochun over."
Deng Guang sharply turned his head—wait, isn't this too bold? Calling neighbors out to clean up the mess.
Qin Ziwen explained: "Brother Deng, I have two considerations. First, the cause and effect of this matter need to be publicized first. Controlling the narrative is crucial—if we don't take it, others will. We mustn't let people with ulterior motives slander our reputation. This time we were also victims—someone tried to break in and rob us, and we were forced to fight back.
Second, we can use this opportunity to get familiar with our neighbors in Unit 2. As for the things in room 801, if our neighbors see anything they like, they can take it freely. Once they take things, they'll be on the same side as us."
...