In the apocalyptic world, night fell much faster than in the real world.
The survivors sighed in relief, grateful to have made it through another day.
But when darkness came, what frightened them most wasn't the zombies—it was the other survivors.
No one could guarantee that, aside from their own teammates, there weren't strangers lurking in the shadows.
Even within the same group, it was common for people to abandon each other without hesitation when faced with life-threatening danger.
The villa district where Chen Du had taken refuge was eerily quiet, as if everything had fallen into a deep slumber. Inside the room, only the faint sounds of Chen Du and Xie Li's breathing could be heard.
The Fortress Wall was not lit by candles or torches.
The two of them were lying in ambush on the first floor, waiting to see if any uninvited guests would arrive tonight.
Under the pale moonlight, Xie Li gently tugged at Chen Du's sleeve and whispered, "Chen Du, do you really think they'll attack us tonight? It's been so long…"
Chen Du brushed his ear, which was tickling from Xie Li's warm breath, and whispered back, "Wait. These past few days, we've had to stay alert. They'll come eventually."
"But I'm also testing whether they're impatient enough to fall into our trap tonight."
…
As Chen Du had predicted, Ethan's team was already preparing for battle.
Ethan loaded his crossbow and distributed the remaining melee weapons among his team.
"Gear up and grab your weapons. Tonight, we take them down!"
The others grinned confidently, clearly convinced of their impending victory.
"Boss, with so many of us, we'll storm their house in one go. It's late—they're probably asleep. Heh, we'll catch them off guard!"
Others nodded while polishing their weapons.
"Yeah, yeah, this time, he's done for! He's been too cocky—can't blame us for being ruthless!"
Ethere waved his hand, signaling them to stop talking.
Then, he licked his lips nervously.
"We'll talk after the job's done. Now, let's move out quietly. Don't mess this up."
The team nodded and whispered, "Yes, boss. We won't fail you."
Ethan nodded in satisfaction.
"Good. Let's go."
Under the cover of darkness, Ethan led his men silently to the edge of Chen Du's villa, ready to scale the Fortress Wall and launch their attack.
Inside the villa, Chen Du received a system alert and murmured, "Speak of the devil. They're already at the Fortress Wall."
Unbeknownst to Ethan and his team, the Fortress Wall had a feature: if unfamiliar survivors approached, the system couldn't stop them but would send a warning to the owner.
Thus, Chen Du had already been alerted to their movements, while Ethan and his team remained oblivious, believing their plan was flawless.
At that moment, Ethan and his team leaned against the corner of the wall, pulling out the extended ladders and ropes they had prepared for this operation.
These tools had cost them precious supplies, and Ethan had hesitated before making the purchase. But he knew it was necessary.
He set up three extended ladders against the Fortress Wall and signaled three of his men to climb up and scout the area.
The three climbed swiftly and quietly, careful not to make a sound.
Once they reached the top of the wall, they surveyed the villa.
The high wall blocked most of the view, leaving the villa shrouded in darkness.
But it seemed there were no defenses in place.
The three gave an "okay" signal to the others below.
Ethan and the rest nodded in response.
Then, the three threw down ropes and slid down the wall into the villa's courtyard.
As they had expected, the villa was silent, and Chen Du seemed to have let his guard down, with no protective measures in place.
He must have thought the Fortress Wall alone was enough to keep him safe.
Ethan's team consisted of eight people. After the three scouts, the remaining five climbed the Fortress Wall and retrieved the ladders.
Then, using the system, they transferred the ladders into the backpacks of the three teammates in the courtyard.
After tossing them over, Ethan and the others caught them silently from above.
Soon, all eight of them were inside Chen Du's villa courtyard.
Ethan couldn't help but smirk at how careless Chen Du seemed to be.
The Fortress Wall might keep zombies out, but for survivors who could use tools and supplies, it was practically useless.
Not setting up traps or mechanisms in the courtyard—how could that possibly stop them?
How laughable.
Ethan waved his right hand, signaling the team to move forward.
Everyone cautiously advanced toward the villa.
"Ah!"
At that moment, a scream erupted from behind.
Ethan instinctively turned to cover the person's mouth, only to find them clutching their right leg.
Blood gushed from the wound, and a cold, gleaming metal bear trap was firmly clamped around their leg.
At the same time, another teammate cried out.
"Ethan, look! It's Chen Du!"
Ethan followed the direction his teammate was pointing.
On the balcony of the second floor stood Chen Du.
By the moonlight, his calm, composed expression was barely visible.
That look of effortless control sent alarm bells ringing in Ethan's mind.
"This is bad! Retreat!"
Ethan's heart raced.
He had assumed Chen Du was careless and easy prey.
But now it was clear—they had walked straight into a trap, and Chen Du had been waiting for them all along.
Just as he spoke, a strong smell of gasoline filled the air.
Then came the sound of explosions.
Molotov cocktails burst into flames, surrounding them in the courtyard in a perfect square.
The intense fire left them nowhere to step, forcing them to huddle together.
As the flames rose, Ethan and his team finally got a clear look at Chen Du's face.
Standing on the second-floor balcony, Chen Du appeared every bit the master of the house, smiling faintly.
"Since you've come all this way, don't rush off just yet," he said calmly.
Ethan's fury boiled over. Acting on instinct, he raised his crossbow and fired.
Chen Du stepped back into the shadows, denying him a clear shot.
Among Ethan's team, those capable of ranged combat kept their eyes peeled for an opportunity to retaliate.
But what happened next shattered their morale completely.
Through the flames, one teammate suddenly screamed and collapsed.
The others rushed to his side, only to discover a bullet-sized hole in his head.
Chen Du had a gun!