Apocalypse: the Most Ruthless Person

“Difficult?”

Zhang Su grinned, took out his walkie-talkie: “Hello, hello, Bozai, we’ve got a situation here. If we’re not back in half an hour, tear down that section of wall, and lead the zombies to the main gate. Copy that?”

“Copy that, hehe!”

Quickly, even faster than Old Li over there, came the reply.

“You! Don’t mess around!”

“You dare do that!”

That “hehe” full of madness made people wary, especially Wu Daqiang, Xiaoliu, and Gangzi, whose faces changed immediately.

“You talk to me about order, I adhere to the rules of the game, but if you try to play tricks on me, I’m not afraid to flip the table. Come on, Old Li, come up with a plan that satisfies me, but make it quick.”

Zhang Su tapped his watch and started the half-hour countdown!

The tense atmosphere instantly permeated the air.

“In this environment, you’re disregarding everyone’s safety and luring monsters to attack us. What’s your intention?”

Xiaoliu glared angrily at Zhang Su.

“Hey, comrade, don’t get excited. I look after my people’s safety, you look after yours. What’s the problem? You’re not going to ask me to have the awareness to save all humanity, are you? I can’t do it, hope you can!”

Zhang Su spread out his hands and said very seriously, clearly not just making excuses, but expressing his true inner thoughts.

“Got it!”

Old Li, seeing the situation potentially escalating, quickly intervened: “Younger Brother Zhang, Xiaowu, how about this!”

“We’ll still take just two shares. Xiaoliu and Gangzi are practically the masters of the camp now, made so many contributions, they should take the majority. They take half, the rest goes to you, Younger Brother Zhang!”

According to Old Li’s distribution, Zhang Su’s group could only take thirty percent.

“Impossible!”

Zhang Su decisively rejected it, sneering: “The two soldiers sorting out weapons deservedly keep some, but why only cut my share while yours stays the same? Seems like you’re still treating me like an honest man to bully!”

“Fine, we’ll also cut ours by ten percent, giving it to Xiaoliu and Gangzi, encouraging the two soldiers’ contributions, fair enough?” Old Li spoke very sincerely.

This meant the two soldiers would take sixty percent, Zhang Su’s share unchanged at thirty percent.

Zhang Su shook his head, sighing: “Old Li, oh Old Li, you’re truly cunning. Whether staying in the camp or Officer Wu recruiting the soldiers to your team, you’d all be a clique together, really, is this back-and-forth fun?”

If he couldn’t even see through these little tricks, then Zhang Su wouldn’t be fit to lead everyone in post-apocalyptic survival.

“You’re welcome to join us too!”

Old Li, not annoyed by Zhang Su exposing his scheme, actually rolled with it, talking about recruitment.

“Look at this camp, such a great environment, with fields nearby, an armory, high walls around us. We can establish a safe zone here, shelter survivors and grow together. The future is promising!”

A strange glint flickered in Zhang Su’s eyes. If it were just bargaining, he could accept it, but poaching right in front of him was a bit unkind.

“Faithless and untrustworthy, Old Li, you spoke grandly about order before our cooperation. Are you really fit to talk order? Fine! Since it’s come to this, let me ask, does anyone want to team up with someone like him?”

Silence, no one answered.

From Zhang Su’s perspective, getting the three soldiers into his team could significantly boost the group’s combat power. But clearly, the soldiers’ style clashed with his team.

Plus, with someone like Old Li who clearly won’t submit to others, it’s obvious they wouldn’t get along.

Old Li’s thought was to recruit more willing individuals to establish a safe camp. He was wary of Zhang Su but also quite eager for Zhang Su’s partners.

“Let me say something…”

Wu Daqiang suddenly spoke up, looking very conflicted. He was stirred by Zhang Su calling them faithless and untrustworthy, saying: “You guys wanted weapons, right? I did promise you, but I didn’t think any brothers would survive…”

“How about this? We have a competition. If you lose, you take twenty percent of the guns, ammo, and grenades. If you win… it’s fifty-fifty. This is our maximum concession.”

Xiaoliu and Gangzi wanted to say more, but given the order from a higher-ranked officer, they held back. After all, there was still a competition; winning it would solve everything!

Zhang Su calculated in his mind, a fifty-fifty split was much more equipment than thirty percent, an extra ten thousand bullets alone… but they’d have to win a competition first, losing meant only twenty percent…

“What’s the competition?”

“Shooting. You wanted guns, didn’t you? Let’s see your marksmanship! Beat me, fifty-fifty. Lose, take twenty percent, no gifts!”

Xiaoliu’s face showed anger as he patted the rifle on his shoulder.

“This is too unfair…”

“We’ve never used rifles, how do we compete?”

“Exactly, isn’t this obviously a trap, damn it, flip the table!”

Zhang Su’s side was indignant. Comparing soldiers’ shooting with ordinary people was a total mismatch.

However, Zhang Su wasn’t angry, his smile even more uncontainable than an AK-47, his expression strange: “Are you sure about a shooting competition? There are so many zombies nearby, gunfire would easily attract them, not worried about that?”

His strange expression baffled Old Li’s group.

“Of course, no guns!” Xiaoliu pointed at Zhang Su’s shoulder: “Using your crossbow. Three shots per person, highest score wins!”

Hearing this, most of Zhang Su’s group fell silent.

But this silence didn’t indicate speechlessness. Rather, it seemed like this competition wasn’t much to worry about.

“Alright, crossbows it is then. It’s a deal!”

“A deal!”

…

Indoor shooting range.

Relying only on natural light, it wasn’t quite bright enough, but the overall environment was clean, thanks to the disaster erupting in the morning, with no one practicing at the indoor range then, though due to the flooding, there was still a faint damp and putrid smell in the air.

“You pick the event, moving target, thirty-meter target, fifty-meter target.” Xiaoliu stood tall, gesturing inside the range.

“How can you move it without electricity? Are you going to drag the targets yourself?” Zhang Su asked, a bit speechless.

Xiaoliu felt embarrassed: “Then it’s the thirty-meter target and the fifty-meter target, you choose!”

“To show how seriously we take this competition, our Divine Archer will participate. Old Tan, you choose.”

Zhang Su nodded at Tan Huajun.

Zhao Dezhu and a few elders who knew the situation watched with concern, worried that an unnatural smile might give away unnecessary suspicion, while the newcomers looked slightly surprised.

Old Li and his group, along with three soldiers, all frowned in unison. A chubby woman?

Is this a deliberate insult, hoping our emotions will be disrupted and affect our performance?

All strategies are paper tigers in the face of absolute strength!

Several people felt disdain towards Zhang Su’s behavior.

“Huh?”

Tan Huajun was a bit surprised and nervously said, “Brother Su, I, my psychological strength isn’t good. This is important, why don’t you do it instead?”

“I trust you!” Zhang Su patted Tan Huajun on the shoulder. It was more about trusting the Insight Label than trusting Tan Huajun. He continued, “Look, everyone’s pitching in to rescue Uncle Tan and Lanlan, why not show some true skill to contribute to the team?”

Speaking of this, Tan Huajun was indeed grateful, her eyes sweeping over everyone, she nodded heavily, “I’ll do my best!”

Then she took the crossbow off her shoulder and said, “Let’s choose the thirty-meter target. It’s too dark, can’t see clearly from far away.”

Old Li slightly furrowed his brow. Being as sharp as he is, he sensed something might be off, but it was too late to say anything.

Xiaoliu nodded and said, “Okay, but for fairness, we have to use the same crossbow, and alternate shooting, meaning you shoot once, I shoot once, to avoid discrepancies due to different fatigue levels!”

“No problem. To make it fairer, let’s not use mine, let’s use Brother Su’s crossbow instead.”

Tan Huajun handed the crossbow to Zhang Su, indicating they could start.

“Sister Tan, go for it, you’re the best! Oops, I mean the best!”

Zheng Xinyu waved her fists in a humorous way to cheer Tan Huajun on.

“Go, Old Tan!”

“Sister Tan, one shot to take the soul!”

“Go, Xiaotan!”

Everyone cheered for Tan Huajun.

A row of thirty-meter targets was set up in front. Xiaoliu took the crossbow from Zhang Su and marveled as he hefted it up, “What a fine piece, too bad it’s with the wrong person!”

“Where did you get so much nonsense, hurry up and start!”

Zhang Su retorted directly, leaving no face, but then he had a second thought, asking, “Hey, Big Soldier, any thoughts on raising the stakes?”

“What do you mean?” Xiaoliu frowned, looking at Zhang Su as he put down the crossbow.

“The original bet stays, but if you win, this crossbow goes to you. If you lose, we take an extra portion of your weapons, how about it?”

Zhang Su suggested slyly.

“Agreed!”

“No way!”

Xiaoliu answered quickly, but Old Li firmly rejected Zhang Su’s proposed raise of stakes.

“That’s inappropriate, Xiaoliu, let’s stick to the original plan!”

Old Li had already sensed something was off, but with things at this point, there was no rolling back, yet they needed to avoid digging deeper!

“Xiaoliu, I also think there’s no need! Just focus, don’t get distracted, you’re the marksman of the third squad!”

Wu Daqiang didn’t doubt his soldier’s abilities but trusted Old Li’s judgment.

Xiaoliu scratched his head, feeling slightly reluctant. He really liked the crossbow but still nodded, “Okay, no raising stakes then!”

“What a shame…”

Zhang Su shrugged, unfazed, standing aside with his arms crossed.

Xiaoliu wasn’t sure what the other regretted, as he held up the crossbow to aim at the target.

“Go!”

With a soft call from Xiaoliu, the crossbow bolt shot out with a whoosh.

“9.5 points!”

Gangzi ran quickly to the target and announced after checking.

Zhang Su also went up to the target, and with a blank expression said, “Now tell me, where’s the 0.5 point?”

“In the middle of the nine-ring area, more towards the bullseye, it’s naturally 9.5. If it were an electronic target, it would be at least 9.7!”

Gangzi earnestly explained, pointing at the place where the crossbow bolt hit.

“Alright, alright, impressive.”

Zhang Su wasn’t bothered to argue further. His confidence in Old Tan wasn’t limited to single digits, he leisurely walked back to the firing line with Gangzi.

Tan Huajun had already loaded the crossbow. She sighted it briefly and felt it wasn’t much different from her own. Raising the crossbow to aim at the target, and after a moment of sighting, with a light noise, the crossbow arrow shot out!

To others, Tan Huajun seemed extremely casual and relaxed, with four words to describe: calm and composed.

Old Li’s group had doubts whether she even aimed, but soon there was an answer.

Thud!

The crossbow arrow embedded itself in the target. This time, even from thirty meters away, everyone could see, it was dead center!

“This…”

Xiaoliu and his group were stunned, exchanging looks in disbelief!

Zhang Su and Gangzi ran to the target once again. Zhang Su pointed at the bolt stuck in the red center circle, “What is this, ten something? So close to the center, ten point ten!”