Chapter 008: Escape (Part Two)

Then, holding the crossbow, he slowly retreated to the vehicle, while the electric tricycle accelerated and drove away. The remaining individuals, though unwilling to let them leave so easily, found themselves powerless to act.

Indeed, upon hearing the sound of dismemberment and seeing large creatures resembling bats flying out from above the gate, as well as the occasional roar echoing through the air, Gao Ying's face turned pale, her eyes filled with fear. She obediently followed Li Li and quickly ran towards the ring road of the old city.

"Mom and Dad, Gao Ying, get in the car quickly." Li Li made a sudden brake on the side of Li Zhiguo and quickly stopped the electric tricycle.

Looking through the rearview mirror of the electric tricycle at the crowd that had not caught up, Li Li secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Despite his calm demeanor just moments ago, his nerves were already taut, and his back was damp with cold sweat. Even if those people charged forward, whether he would dare to pull the trigger and shoot the arrow was another question.

Five minutes later, Li Li and his companions finally arrived at the Ring Road in the old city. This Ring Road, constructed in the 1960s, is clearly not comparable to the Ring Roads built today. This old-style Ring Road is less than five meters wide, with the narrowest section measuring just over three meters. On both sides of the road are various low-rise buildings, constructed in different eras. Some are wooden houses built before the liberation, while others are brick-wood structured tile-roofed houses from the 1960s and 1970s, along with modern-style small villas featuring a full-frame design.

Li Li glanced at the crowd that had not yet dispersed and said softly to the two high school students beside him, "Get in the car"

Li Li fell silent for a moment, preparing to choose the less traveled old city ring road. This road was originally part of the ancient Tea Horse Road, and even small vehicles find it difficult to pass through. Additionally, the route to the Longhu Bridge out of the city requires a significant detour, unlike the main road which is a straight line. One section of this road is relatively close to the Forbidden Gate, which is precisely the direction from which the monsters enter the city. This has caused many who initially intended to take this route to change their minds, and due to the human tendency to conform, almost no one travels this road.

Not long after, Li Li rode his electric tricycle along the city ring road. He twisted the left handle of the tricycle to the maximum, with full power, speeding along the way, and soon caught sight of the backs of Li Zhiguo and the other two.

Upon entering the siheyuan, as Li Li had anticipated, there were three electric tricycles parked in the courtyard. He rushed to one of the fully metal-covered tricycles, thrusting a steel rod into the keyhole, directly damaging the plastic lock. Then, with agility, he reached his hand into the hole created by the steel rod, swiftly pulling out the red and green wires and began to tinker with them.

Li Li quickly led his parents downstairs. Upon reaching the street, they found themselves surrounded by a bustling crowd, some dressed in pajamas and barefoot, others with bare upper bodies, and even a few in just swimwear. There were no soldiers in sight on the street.

However, before Li Zhiguo and the others could get into the vehicle, several people who were fleeing nearby saw the electric tricycle and immediately rushed towards it. In no time, seven or eight people surrounded the tricycle, and the number continued to grow. At such a critical moment of life and death, anyone who saw this tricycle would instinctively think of claiming it for themselves

Li Li crossed the alley and arrived in front of a siheyuan. He glanced at the wooden door of the siheyuan, and without saying a word, he took a running start and kicked the door open. He had been here before; the families living here all made a living by pulling tricycles.

"Dad, don't worry, I know what I'm doing. You go back to the car first." Li Li pushed Li Zhiguo into the car with one hand while holding the bow with the other, his expression extremely calm, his eyes fixed on the crowd. Then, in a very cold tone, he slowly said: "This mountain vehicle can accommodate at most 2 more people. If there are more people than the vehicle's capacity, only two of you can get on."

"Uncle Li, Aunt Liu." Just as Li Li was ready to set off with his parents after making his choice, an anxious voice suddenly came from behind.

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately exchanged glances, as at that moment, everyone wanted to get on the vehicle. However, upon seeing the chilling crossbow in Li Li's hand, the initially rising fervor gradually cooled down.

Before Li Zhiguo and the others could respond, Li Li quickly dashed into a small alley by the roadside. Having encountered such a situation before with his parents, and being law-abiding and honest individuals, they had lost all sense of judgment and were subconsciously guided by Li Li. Thus, without any hesitation, they followed Li Li's instructions and ran straight down.

Especially the thin young man and the blond young man, their eyes were filled with unwillingness, and the muscles at the corners of their mouths were twitching slightly, yet they still lacked the courage to rush forward. The intimidation of Li Li's crossbow was indeed too great for them; no one wanted to die, especially not in the manner of a scapegoat.

"Just the two of you." Li Li pointed at two high school students in school uniforms from the crowd. The two high school students immediately showed a look of disbelief, and then looked at Li Li with grateful eyes, quickly running over.

Li Li furrowed his brow and hurriedly said, "We must leave quickly; the gate may soon be breached. If we don't leave now, we will have no time left. Once the monsters enter the city, we will be torn to shreds, and there will be nothing left of our bodies."

"In the alley behind, there are still a few electric tricycles; it is not too late to go and get them now." Li Li pointed to the alley not far ahead, hoping to give those who had not boarded the vehicle a glimmer of hope, as hope would prevent them from taking overly reckless actions. He then quickly pulled out a military knife from his leg and handed it to one of the two high school students who had run up to him.

"Everyone, don't listen to him. He is deceiving us, trying to escape while we leave them behind." A thin young man in the crowd glared at Li Li, attempting to incite these people to seize the tricycle, unwilling to let Li Li leave so easily

A deafening explosion echoed from the Forbidden Gate Fortress, followed by a series of howls and cries of agony, though the cries of anguish were clearly those of humans experiencing immense pain and suffering

The continuous roar coming from the direction of the Forbidden Gate is incessantly pricking the nerves of those present, who are engaged in a difficult psychological struggle

"Xiao Li, what are you doing? Killing someone is against the law." Li Zhiguo's expression changed drastically upon seeing Li Li holding a crossbow. He hurriedly rushed to Li Li's side and grabbed him, fearing that Li Li might act impulsively and accidentally discharge the weapon, leading to a grave mistake

The crowd on this road is clearly much less than on the main road, and the speed has naturally increased significantly. However, Li Li understands that if he relies solely on running from the west of the city to the Longhu Bridge in the east, which is at least 5 kilometers, he can persist without carrying a load. Even with a load, he can grit his teeth and endure, but Liu Qun and Li Zhiguo, being older, simply cannot keep up.

Li Li turned around and saw that it was his neighbor Gao Ying from downstairs. They often played together when they were young. Gao Ying was one grade younger than Li Li and graduated from a normal school last year. She is now a teacher at Quancheng Second Primary School.

While running, Li Li maintained his speed without any reduction. He was currently carrying a total weight of approximately 30 kilograms, with the specially made spear alone weighing over 10 kilograms. At this moment, the advantages of his childhood experiences working physically alongside his father at construction sites became evident. Coupled with the strong endurance he developed from frequently helping his mother carry corn up the mountain, he felt relatively unexhausted during the run.

One of the young men with dyed yellow hair reacted the fastest; he quickly turned his small eyes, pushed aside the two people next to him, and rushed into the car. However, he slowly backed out again, raising both hands and wearing a face full of terror.

"Xiaoying, why are you alone? Where is your father?" Li Li's mother, Liu Qun, asked with concern. Liu Qun had watched Gao Ying grow up since childhood. Gao Ying's mother passed away shortly after her birth, and since Gao Ying had always been likable, Liu Qun was very fond of her. Now, seeing Gao Ying in this state, she couldn't help but feel worried.

After a few seconds of silence, several people in the crowd immediately ran towards the alley pointed out by Li Li. Seeing a few individuals rushing into the alley to search for the mountain wheel vehicle, Li Li let out a sigh of relief, knowing that once someone took the lead, they would be unable to unite in seizing his mountain wheel vehicle

Just now, some of you saw me drive the tricycle out of that alley. Moreover, you must know that the alley is home to the majority of those who make a living with tricycles. " Li Li said to the crowd with an expressionless face, then he drew his spear from the vehicle, pointing the spearhead at the crowd. At this moment, he held a crossbow in one hand and a spear in the other, exuding a considerable aura of menace.

Mom and Dad, you continue along the road, I will be right back. Li Li glanced at a small alley by the roadside and turned back to the three who were panting.

Li Li's statement is aimed at exploiting the fact that when people are confronted with fear, they instinctively choose to evade it, thereby dissuading Gao Ying from continuing her search for her father

As the young man with yellow hair slowly emerged from the mountain bike, a drawn crossbow gradually came into view for everyone. The arrowhead on this crossbow emitted a chilling gleam, and the taut bowstring revealed its immense potential for explosive power. People had no doubt that once the crossbow was fired, it could easily pierce the young man's head.

Perhaps your father has already left the city Liu Qun comforted Gao Ying while holding her hand

The reason for choosing this route is that, first, his parents are getting older and cannot push through the crowd; second, he believes that having more people is not necessarily a good thing, as the more people there are, the more attention it attracts from monsters; third, although the main road has four lanes, the crowd is too congested to increase speed

There are reasons why he chose these two high school students to get in the car. First, it can help to divide the people in front of him; if he does not choose anyone, these individuals might become desperate. Second, high school students possess nearly the strength of adults, yet lack social experience, making them easier to control. Third, the two high school students will become temporary allies with Li Li for their own interests, working together to protect the rights they have obtained

This morning, I heard the sound of gunfire, and my father went out. I haven't seen him since, and I have been looking for almost an hour. Gao Ying's eyes were red, and she was on the verge of tears; she was very concerned about this only family member.