Chapter 68

Norton quickly loaded his shotgun and checked that his bulletproof vest was intact. Then, he aimed the gun at the surviving captive below him and shouted into the checkpoint:

"Listen up in there! You know the situation. If you don't want this man to die, you better surrender quietly. Otherwise...!"

He smirked and lifted his foot, stomping down fiercely. The force was great enough that even the Wilfred's group lurking nearby could faintly hear the stomping.

The survivor immediately screamed in agony as the pain surged through his body, struggling in the snow, tears welling up in his eyes. He cried out for help from his companions:

"Lev! Lucy! Help me!"

"You!"

Lucy, the woman among them, saw the gruesome scene but didn't seem too affected. This person they encountered only recently on the road. Nonetheless, she gritted her teeth and said, "You despicable bastard!"

"Haha!" Norton laughed heartily at her words. He loved to see the expression on someone's face when they realized their loved ones or companions were in danger while he tortured them.

"So, what's your choice...?"

Before he could finish his sentence, Norton suddenly noticed the female survivor aiming a gun at him and fired.

The bullet narrowly missed his head, but it startled him. Norton was taken aback. He hadn't expected her to dare such an act, completely disregarding the safety of the man beneath him.

However, before she could fire again, the two hunters hiding near the truck noticed her movement and immediately started shooting at her, suppressing her.

"Damn it! Did I tell you to shoot?!"

Norton was furious. If it weren't for his quick reflexes, these people would have been dragged into the park. He wouldn't tolerate such incompetence.

He led his men to guard the checkpoint, expecting few survivors to arrive. Even when there were many, he usually didn't have to act. But now, there were gunshots, and they were in a standoff with the survivors, alarming him.

"No, I have to deal with these guys quickly."

Norton decided to avoid shooting the survivors if possible. Otherwise, he'd leave immediately. After all, he could always take the truck and run away.

He glanced fiercely at the two hunters who had fired without permission. If he didn't need enough manpower to intimidate, he would have killed them already!

Norton led his group to guard the checkpoint, but unexpectedly, trouble arose as soon as he left. The boss had strictly instructed against any gunshots to avoid alerting the military inside. But now not only were there gunshots, but they were also in a standoff with the survivors, alarming Norton.

"Damn it, I have to deal with these guys quickly."

Norton had decided not to shoot the survivors unless absolutely necessary. If he couldn't avoid it, he would leave immediately. After all, the truck was here, and he could escape.

With that in mind, he fiercely glanced at the two hunters who had fired without permission. If he didn't need enough manpower to intimidate, he would have killed them already!

Norton continued to think about how to resolve the situation while keeping an eye on the survivors and preparing for any unexpected moves.

As Norton pondered his next move, he suddenly heard a faint sound from behind. Despite being subtle, it caught his attention.

Turning his head abruptly, Norton was shocked to see a man and two women suddenly appear behind him. They were holding guns, with the middle-aged man's firearm aimed directly at him.

Almost instinctively, Norton lunged sideways, diving behind a stack of supply crates to evade the bullets heading towards him.

Just as he moved, a gunshot rang out, hitting exactly where he had been standing moments before.

Simultaneously, there was a flurry of gunfire from the checkpoint area. Some bullets hit where Norton had just moved from, while others targeted the two hunters ahead.

The two hunters, focused on the checkpoint, didn't anticipate bullets coming from behind and were struck from the rear. The bullets tore through their bodies, causing them to fall to the ground, writhing in pain.

"Darn it!"

Wilfred hadn't expected the sudden turn of events. The attackers had reacted swiftly and effectively, thwarting his plans for a quick kill. He had already aimed at his target, ready to eliminate the perceived threat, but then the man had suddenly moved.

At the same time, a cry of alarm came from the checkpoint area, indicating that the two attackers had successfully launched their ambush.

Following his instincts, Wilfred reached for a grenade, intending to end the confrontation swiftly. But before he could act, he noticed the bald man who had hidden before suddenly throwing three green, ball-shaped objects towards them. They were the grenades Brian had brought earlier.

"Watch out!"

Wilfred hadn't expected the enemy to counterattack with grenades. Feeling the imminent danger, he shouted a warning and quickly moved away from the blast zone, lying flat on the ground to minimize the damage.

Sylvia and Anna, who had been providing cover fire from a distance, also noticed the incoming grenades and hastily retreated.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The grenades detonated simultaneously, engulfing the area in smoke and shrapnel. The blasts sent fragments of grenades flying, accompanied by shockwaves that hit nearby objects.

At the same moment of the explosions, Norton, Wilfred, and their respective groups found themselves lying low to avoid the blasts, their senses heightened by the chaos.

As the smoke cleared, a figure dashed out from cover at the checkpoint, continuously firing a shotgun towards Wilfred's group, keeping them pinned down and unable to rise.

Norton, realizing he was now alone with no backup, felt a surge of adrenaline. He couldn't afford to stay put and wait to be killed. His only principle now was to act.

Having recognized the perfect opportunity after noticing the situation at the checkpoint, he didn't hesitate any longer. With all three grenades thrown, he had already decided that once he dealt with these people, he would immediately drive away. The US was vast, and with his skills, he could survive anywhere.

The shotgun's intermittent blasts kept suppressing Wilfred's group, preventing them from getting up. Norton sprinted towards the lone black woman he had seen earlier. He had noticed that the other man and woman were too close to each other, making her the easier target.

As he closed in, Norton realized he had only a few bullets left in his shotgun. He wouldn't have time to reload once he reached her, so he needed a hostage. And the black woman was his best choice!

Norton continued his advance, firing his shotgun as he moved, determined to reach the woman and seize her as a hostage.