Chapter 74: Escape

It wasn't that Xing Hai and the others hadn't planned meticulously; in fact, their preparation was commendable.

Leveraging Ye Fan's tactic of suppressing everyone, they successfully incited people's anger and exploited their greed to form a collective against Ye Fan.

Even with the departure of Qin Yumo and Dai Yu, the impact was not substantial.

The elevator plummeted suddenly as a group of people rushed in. Ordinarily, Ye Fan wouldn't have stood a chance.

Unfortunately, something went awry.

Ye Fan managed to secretly position a heavy machine gun in the bathroom beforehand, with his radar revealing their entire arrangement.

This kind of battle was unwinnable. Unless Ye Fan intentionally let them go, victory was impossible.

Xing Hai pulled Liu Long towards a window near the corner.

"Liu Long! Don't hesitate. This is the second route we planned. If we don't run, we won't have a chance."

Liu Long, awakening at this moment, witnessed the concluding battle in the hall, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

"Ye Fan! If I don't seek revenge for this, I swear I won't be human. Brother Hai, let's jump!"

Being on the third floor, regular individuals would break a leg if they jumped. Yet, both Xing Hai and Liu Long were evolutionaries, ensuring a fall wouldn't be fatal.

Xing Hai, a robust mutant, kicked open the window, and the two jumped out into the backyard of the Hardware Building, unnoticed by external survivors.

As they fled through the backyard door, they spotted soldiers under Ye Fan pursuing them.

"They're over there! Don't let them get away!"

Xing Hai, realizing the situation, urged Liu Long, "Run separately! We'll regroup when the time is right."

Without time for further discussion, Liu Long sprinted in one direction.

Their abilities differed; Xing Hai relied on pure strength, while Liu Long possessed unique skills, including remarkable speed and a three-meter-high jumping capability.

Liu Long maneuvered desperately, his corpulent form zigzagging, making it challenging for the Army soldiers behind to hit him.

Bullets whizzed past, occasionally creating white smoke trails on the ground. However, the pursuing warriors, with their superhuman abilities, maintained a relentless pace.

Liu Long, utilizing his remaining energy to the fullest, had a clear goal.

In front of him was a man-made river, ten meters wide and three meters deep, constructed for farmland water conservation.

There was no bridge, but a dead tree on the shore caught Liu Long's eye.

A mere meter in length, it was enough to shield him from gunfire.

Rushing towards it, Liu Long rolled on the ground and then leaped behind the dead tree.

The wood splintered from the impact of bullets, but none penetrated. Liu Long, buoyed by his enhanced evolutionary strength, easily picked up the dead wood.

Using it as a shield, he executed a powerful long jump. Before, he might have landed in the river after two meters, but now, he easily cleared seven to eight meters, surviving with the wood blocking bullets.

In mid-air, Liu Long turned, feeling a sense of control.

"Ye Fan, killing me will be quite a challenge, a light-gong fugitive!"

"Let's see..." he trailed off.

Unexpectedly, Liu Long noticed a soldier among his pursuers carrying a rocket launcher, its dark muzzle aimed directly at him.

A rocket streaked through the air, exploding into red fireworks, marking the end of another powerful figure in the Coal City area.

Su Mo, a three-star rocket launcher warrior, casually stowed his weapon, nodded to his companions, and returned with them.

Meanwhile, Xing Hai's escape went more smoothly.

Diverging from Liu Long, Xing Hai ran in a straight line, his enhanced strength allowing him to cover more than a kilometer.

Ahead lay a grassy area where an off-road warrior, acquired during the prosperous period of Meicheng, awaited.

Xing Hai, foresightful, had parked the car there as a contingency plan. The gold he and Liu Long had hidden was kept in a separate location.

Having survived the pursuit, Xing Hai drove to the edge of a cornfield and ignited a pile of dry firewood. The rising smoke served as a signal.

The sound of a vehicle approached—a large off-road convoy, with five or six people in each vehicle. Wearing camouflage uniforms and carrying steel guns, the leader, John, exchanged a brief greeting with Xing Hai.

"Hello! Sakadi! Are you John?"

"Hey! Xing, are you okay?"

"No, not at all. That damn Ye Fan forced Leader Liu and me into a corner. Leader Liu's hometown was seized by him, and everyone I brought was mercilessly beaten to death. You have to help us this time."

"Sure thing. Did you bring your things?"

"I did. I hid it well, afraid Ye Fan would find it. I'm giving it to you now."

John checked the bags and acknowledged, "That's a lot, Xing. You've executed the task perfectly."

"Shall we retaliate now?"

"Of course. Lead the way and show those people how formidable you are."

Excitedly, Xing Hai turned to drive ahead and guide the convoy. Abruptly, a gunshot rang out, freezing him in place.

Glancing down, Xing Hai saw his heart pierced.

At that moment, realization dawned—Ye Fan treated him and Liu Long as nothing more than a source of wealth.

"Ye Fan... lacks great virtue..."

His lifeless body lay in the wilderness until two zombies appeared, dragging him away.