Dimensional Supermarket - Chapter 28

On that hillside, Zou Ming has already set up a machine gun. The gun is all black and shows signs of wear, but the wear only enhances its brutal appearance. It looks even more vicious because of the damage it has sustained.

Others are curious about the machine gun, and Wu Yan and the others steal glances at it when no one is looking. Pistols are powerful, so this machine gun should be even more formidable, right?

Zou Ming adjusts the sight. After confirming everything is in place, he turns to Ye Zhou and says, “No problem.”

Ye Zhou looks at Li Si and the others. Li Si and his group carry burst crossbows, and Ye Zhou has equipped them with more arrows. Although the burst crossbow isn’t as powerful as a machine gun, it is still deadly in this era.

It has a long range, a fast firing rate, and doesn’t rely on the user’s strength. As long as it hits its target, it will definitely puncture the body. If it hits a vital area, it can kill instantly.

Li Si stands straighter than usual, not accustomed to being watched by someone like Ye Zhou. He quickly says, “We’re all ready.”

Ye Zhou nods at him, his eyes returning to the cave entrance. Now, he is waiting for the smoke bomb to take effect and for someone to rush out.

He gently runs his finger along the barrel of his gun, a mix of tension and excitement coursing through him, with fear and indifference battling inside him. This is the biggest challenge he has faced since arriving here.

Something rolls into the cave.

The bandits near the entrance sit in small groups, with nothing else to do. They spend their days bragging about their exploits and resting. They are reluctant to leave the cave to patrol and often delay the tasks assigned by the “chief.”

Occasionally, they go out for a short patrol but never stray too far, at most walking around for half an hour before returning.

“Did you hear that sound?” someone suddenly asks. “What was that rolling sound?”

The bandits who have been laughing and talking earlier go quiet. They strain their ears, trying to distinguish the sounds coming from the cave.

But there are too many people, and the noise inside the cave is too chaotic for them to hear clearly.

“It seems to have come from over there, but now it’s gone.”

“Maybe we misheard.”

“It’s probably just rocks shifting somewhere. Honestly, this cave shouldn’t be used for long. Even though there’s water, it’s too damp. I got a rash early this morning; it’s itchy and uncomfortable. Good thing we’re moving soon.”

“You think finding another place is that easy?”

“True. It’s not like everyone has enough water to drink, but you still complain there’s too much water.”

They laugh and are about to continue when someone suddenly asks in alarm, “Do you smell something?”

At that moment, a thick plume of smoke rises from nowhere and spreads through the cave.

“Fire! Where’s the fire?!” Someone shouts.

The cave guard snaps into action, fully awake now. He looks around, but the white smoke has engulfed the entire cave, blocking his view.

The smoke spreads fast, as though alive, rushing to every corner, leaving nothing untouched.

“Where’s the entrance?! Quick! We have to get out!”

The guard swallows hard.

No one sees him, right? The fire is inside—he has to run!

Gripping his large knife, the cave guard turns a deaf ear to the cries for help from inside. He runs, his disheveled hair flying behind him.

Almost there—he’s almost out!

He bursts into the sunlight. A dark shadow stretches out beneath his feet.

But before he can fully steady himself—

Bang!

A thunderous crack rings out.

His body stiffens. A chill spreads through his chest, and a familiar smell of blood reaches his nose.

He looks down blankly at his chest.

He doesn’t feel pain yet. He just stares, afraid to acknowledge the blood.

The blood drains his strength and warmth.

Since the drought, he has never felt this cold.

“Sixth Brother! What are you doing here?!” someone else comes running from behind, scolding, “Why didn’t you respond earlier? I almost cracked my head open in there!”

Sixth Brother’s lips move, but no words come out. He wants to say, “Run! It’s dangerous,” but he says nothing. Instead, he collapses to the ground with a thud.

As he falls, arrows rain down from the front, dense and relentless, turning all the bandits rushing out of the cave into pincushions.

Blood soaks the ground at the cave’s entrance.

“What’s happening outside?!”

“What was that sound?!”

Ye Zhou, standing on the hillside, also holds a crossbow. The pistol won’t be effective in this situation. Though he isn’t skilled at close combat, the crossbow can still serve its purpose, though its accuracy is uncertain.

When the bandits fall, Ye Zhou doesn’t feel the weight of killing them.

“How many?” Ye Zhou asks Zou Ming. He hadn’t counted earlier, but now, the bodies lie piled up.

Zou Ming answers, “Eight.”

Ye Zhou sighs. “Only eight.”

There are over four hundred more. He can’t imagine how long it will take to handle all of them.

He tries not to focus on the bodies at the entrance, thinking instead about the number of enemies left.

Cao’er and the others, however, seem unmoved by the sight of the dead. After all, they haven’t been the ones wielding the weapons, slicing open bellies or slitting throats—there is no emotional weight.

They’ve seen plenty of death along the road to escape the famine. Corpses are everywhere. They have witnessed hell on earth. What does the death of a few people matter?

As long as they aren’t the ones dying, it’s fine.

Inside the cave, chaos reigns. Everyone rushes toward the light. They can’t hear the commotion outside, only the roaring in their ears. Everyone thinks there is a fire somewhere, but they can’t see its source.

“My Lord!” Zhao Changsheng’s confidant calls out.

Choking on smoke, Zhao Changsheng covers his mouth and nose, shouting hoarsely, “Go outside!”

The confidant can’t hear him properly, so he continues shouting, “My Lord! Where are you?! I’ll protect you out!”

Zhao Changsheng stands still for a long time. Despite the turmoil, he is overweight, his steps slow, often tripping and bumping into people. He falls and hits his forehead but is eventually helped up, continuing toward the cave entrance.

“My Lord, could it be someone from the mountain?” the confidant wonders aloud. “The fire seems strange.”

It’s too humid in the cave to easily start a fire, let alone one this large. And what kind of smoke is white? Isn’t smoke from a fire usually thick and black?

Zhao Changsheng frowns. “We have guards. If they came, we would’ve known.”

The confidant doesn’t want to consider his earlier thought. If his suspicion were true, then they are trapped.

They walk on for what feels like an eternity. Zhao Changsheng, barely able to breathe, is close to collapsing when they finally reach the cave entrance.

Just a few more steps, and they will be out of the smoke.

Zhao Changsheng turns to his confidant and says, “You go first.”

The confidant doesn’t ask questions. Used to taking orders, he obeys without hesitation and walks out.

Zhao Changsheng hides in the last remnants of smoke and watches his confidant leave.

Then, he witnesses a scene he will never forget.

The rain of arrows comes like a dark cloud sweeping over a city. The sound of the arrows cutting through the air is real, and Zhao Changsheng can even feel the wind they create.

His confidant and everyone who has just left him now lie in a pool of blood.

Behind him, others rush to escape, unaware of what awaits them at the cave entrance. The smoke clouds their vision, and the noise inside makes it hard to hear anything.

They think they are fleeing for their lives.

In reality, they are running to their deaths.