Chapter 37: Storming the Gates

Driven by their hatred for Zhang Yi and their covetous desire for his home, the two "frenemies" temporarily formed a united front. However, they spent considerable time meticulously planning how to seize his property.

"If we just go to take the house, we might not be able to beat Zhang Yi. We need outside help." Even under normal circumstances, neither of them could best him in a fight, let alone now, when they were freezing and starving while Zhang Yi remained well-fed and in high spirits.

Lin Caining gritted her teeth. "Should we call some of the neighbors to join us?"

Fang Yuqing shot her a cold glare. "Are you stupid? Even if Zhang Yi has a massive stockpile, it won't be enough to go around if too many people get involved! The fewer people who know about this, the better."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Lin Caining asked anxiously.

Fang Yuqing said smugly, "We can call Zhou Peng!"

Zhou Peng was her loyal lapdog, obedient to her every whim. While Zhang Yi had also courted Fang Yuqing, he at least possessed some intelligence and couldn't be easily manipulated. Zhou Peng, however, was a complete fool; he would likely jump off a cliff if she asked him to. Thus, Fang Yuqing decided to use him to take Zhang Yi’s home.

Lin Caining clapped her hands with a smile. "What a great idea! That lapdog is always so useful."

Fang Yuqing immediately called Zhou Peng. At this moment, Zhou Peng was nothing but skin and bones from hunger. As a warehouse employee, he had originally had plenty of food at home, but most of it had been given to Fang Yuqing. He was completely oblivious to the fact that she was merely toying with him, instead wallowing in self-indulgent delusion, convinced that his sacrifices would eventually lead to marriage. Seeing her name on his phone screen, he forgot his hunger and cold, rushing over to her place with eager anticipation.

Once he arrived, Fang Yuqing immediately sidled up to him, acting deeply aggrieved as she recounted how Zhang Yi had supposedly humiliated her. "Wuwuwu, Zhang Yi is nothing but a beast! I only asked him for a little food, and he demanded that I sleep with him. Zhou Peng, you know me—I’m not that kind of woman!"

Seeing Fang Yuqing in tears and believing she had come to him first because she was being bullied filled Zhou Peng with immense pleasure. *Look at that,* he thought, *why would she come to me instead of anyone else? It proves I hold a special place in her heart! This must be true love.*

Zhou Peng felt it was finally time to show his mettle. Perhaps this was his chance to win Fang Yuqing over once and for all. He thumped his chest and declared, "That bastard Zhang Yi! How dare he treat you like that? I’ll kill him myself!"

Fang Yuqing and Lin Caining exchanged a glance, thinking, *This lapdog is so easy to trick.* They had prepared a long speech, but it wasn't even necessary; Zhou Peng had eagerly taken the burden upon himself.

Fang Yuqing grabbed his arm, gazing at him with an alluring look. "Zhang Yi has hoarded so much food, and his house has a fireplace—it’s incredibly warm. Why should a scumbag like him live in such a place? Zhou Peng, let’s find a way to take his home. We can live there together, wouldn't that be nice?"

Zhou Peng had always disliked Zhang Yi, who was better looking and wealthier than him. In the past, both men had pursued Fang Yuqing, and she had naturally treated Zhang Yi better. Now, feeling her arms pressed against his through his layers of clothing, a sense of triumph surged within him.

"Haha, alright! Don't you worry, Yuqing, leave this to me!" he promised.

Fang Yuqing cautioned, "But you must be careful. Zhang Yi is a selfish, shameless person. If we try to take his house, he might fight back. We need to bring weapons and strike first!"

Lin Caining added, "I say we should just kill him!" She hated Zhang Yi the most. After she had sent him her private photos, not only was he unimpressed, but he had even cruelly mocked her for being "too dark." If that ever got out, she would die of shame. Therefore, Zhang Yi had to die.

Zhou Peng hesitated slightly at this. Murder was easy to say, but they had all lived in a civilized society for over twenty years; crossing that line wasn't simple. Seeing his hesitation, Fang Yuqing immediately put on a cold face. "What? You don't agree? He bullied me so badly, and you're still soft on him? It seems everything you said about loving me was a lie. Hmph!"

Seeing her angry, Zhou Peng’s lapdog instincts kicked back in. "No, no, no! Don't be angry, Yuqing. I'll do whatever you say, okay?"

As long as he could have Fang Yuqing, he would commit murder. After all, it was the end of the world, and moral standards were slowly crumbling away.

"Good," Fang Yuqing said. "Then let's not delay. We go now. We'll trick him into opening the door, and as soon as he does..." She made a throat-slitting gesture.

Lin Caining gathered the tools: two kitchen knives and a steel pipe she had dismantled from a clothing rack. Zhou Peng took one of the knives and tucked it inside his thick down jacket. Fully prepared, the group marched toward Zhang Yi’s home, brimming with murderous intent.

Upon arrival, Fang Yuqing and Lin Caining hid on either side of the door, out of the line of sight of the peephole. They signaled for Zhou Peng to knock and lure Zhang Yi out. Zhou Peng nodded, feeling a surge of confidence as he touched the knife hidden in his coat. He knocked on the door.

"Zhang Yi? Are you home? It’s me, Zhou Peng!"

Hearing the voice from outside, Zhang Yi felt a flicker of curiosity. *Zhou Peng?* Although they worked at the same warehouse, they were never close, and their shared interest in Fang Yuqing had caused friction. There was no way this guy came bearing good news—not in the apocalypse.

Instead of opening the door, Zhang Yi turned on his monitor to check the footage. Sure enough, he saw the scene outside. Looking at the two women hiding on either side of the door, brandishing knives and a steel pipe with murderous expressions, a chill ran down Zhang Yi’s back. Even though he was fully prepared, the sheer malice of these women made him gasp.

"You want to kill me? You aren't even worthy!" Zhang Yi sneered, a cold, lethal intent spreading through his dark eyes.

*We'll see who kills whom.*