"Hai! You have to understand! This is the Mo Shi (end of days)! It's not the same as the world we knew before!"

Amidst the sounds of gunfire, Lin Qiang said calmly. He didn't look at Zhao Hai, but stared ahead at the humans being slaughtered.

"Mo Shi! There's a lack of resources, food, water. These things seem sufficient for now, but they are all leftovers from before the Mo Shi. In a year or two, these resources will be exhausted.

"Food will spoil, and water sources will be contaminated by zombie viruses. Human life will become increasingly difficult. Therefore, only the elite are qualified to survive. This is the law of the jungle!

"People like them, even if they don't die today, won't live long because they are weak, without courage. They only want to live under the protection of others.

"But I am not their father, and I have no obligation to protect them. I need elites, I need warriors, I need anyone who can help us in our Mo Shi life!

"The Mo Shi is a world for the strong. The weak will eventually be eliminated, and all I'm doing now is bringing forward the time of their elimination!"

Having said that, Lin Qiang turned his head and looked at Zhao Hai.

"Hai, you are a capable person. This world is suitable for you, but you must pay attention to one thing: I need people who can bring help to my Mo Shi life! Do you understand?"

"Yes!"

Zhao Hai took a deep breath, looked seriously at Lin Qiang, and nodded heavily.

Of course, he understood. Those who are useful to Lin Qiang's Mo Shi life naturally meant those who are capable and obedient—that's who Lin Qiang really needed!

Having witnessed Lin Qiang's ruthlessness, Zhao Hai was already intimidated. To hell with being the protagonist! First, there was Li Chenzhou, and now Lin Qiang, each more formidable than the last. Whoever wants to be the protagonist can have it; I'm out. I just want to live!

Moreover, deep down, Zhao Hai felt that someone like Lin Qiang was best suited for the Mo Shi—ruthless enough, decisive enough, and surrounded by a bunch of loyal followers!

Lin Qiang's confidants had been with him since before the Mo Shi, some even from when he hadn't yet made his fortune, so their loyalty was beyond question.

With such subordinates, coupled with his own talent as a枭雄 (xiāo xióng – ambitious and unscrupulous person), Lin Qiang should be able to go far in the Mo Shi. Following such a person would naturally be a good choice.

If he could develop on his own, Zhao Hai certainly wouldn't want to be someone else's subordinate, but now that he had met Lin Qiang, Zhao Hai knew clearly that he only had two paths: either follow Lin Qiang or… die!

Since Lin Qiang recognized his ability, he would definitely not let him leave, leaving behind someone who might become an opponent in the future!

Zhao Hai had a protagonist dream; he felt that he could definitely make a name for himself in this Mo Shi, even establish a super-large survivor base.

But now, he felt that his dream had been shattered, because he knew in his heart that after meeting Lin Qiang, he was destined to either be someone's lackey or leave this world!

With Lin Qiang's ability, he certainly couldn't contend. As long as Lin Qiang didn't die, he would always be suppressed!

Zhao Hai sighed in his heart. No matter what, he had to live on. Never mind being a lackey; even being a grandson, he would have to endure it, because once a person dies, they have nothing!

So, Zhao Hai chickened out. In order to survive, he decided to follow Lin Qiang for now, pretending to follow him wholeheartedly, staying by his side, and waiting for an opportunity.

And at this time, tens of thousands of surrendered people had suffered countless casualties, including the soldiers. Especially the soldiers; they never imagined that their own team would disregard their presence and open fire directly.

The area between the mountain village and the convoy had become a hell on earth. The surrendered people had no way up to the heavens and no way into the earth. Behind them was the mountain village's heavy machine gun blockade, and in front of them were more soldiers attacking with guns and cannons.

They suddenly realized that, for some reason, they, these surrendered people, had simultaneously become enemies of both the mountain village and Lin Qiang, the two opposing sides!

"Hahahaha! We deserve it! We are guilty and deserving of this! We're fence-sitters, always going with the wind, always going to whoever is stronger. How could people like us gain anyone's trust? How could anyone accept us! Hahaha! Die! All of you die!"

One of the surrendered people seemed to suddenly understand. He no longer scurried around, trying to find a way out. Instead, he raised his arms and laughed madly at the sky.

"Boom!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a shell landed at his feet. He didn't even let out a scream before he was directly turned into a shower of red fragments…

On the mountain village side, the warriors were all shocked. No one had expected that the people on the opposite side would be so ruthless, not only forcing the surrendered people to charge the mountain village base but even slaughtering them in droves.

"It seems that the people on the other side are much more ruthless than I imagined! This battle won't be easy for us!"

Duan Lei said softly, looking at the battlefield ahead filled with the roar of artillery fire.

"Brother Lei, the other side is probably thinking the same as you. He's trying to compete with us in ruthlessness. He wants those people to know that charging towards them will also lead to death, forcing them to come back!"

Tian Ya also said.

"They can't come back!"

Duan Lei shook his head.

"That person isn't competing with us in ruthlessness; he's purging—purging all the people he doesn't need! Including their own soldiers!

"This person is much more ruthless than the boss, and he has already lost his humanity. For him, as long as he can do things according to his own ideas, he completely disregards the consequences!"

Sure enough, before the words had finished, Lin Qiang's troops began to extend the mortar fire forward, constantly reaping the lives of the surrendered people. It was as if Lin Qiang had never said anything about saving ammunition.

The surrendered people were now in complete chaos. The rain of bullets and artillery fire left them no room to think, and they only knew to run around instinctively, unable to distinguish directions.

On this side, Duan Lei and the others showed no mercy. As long as the surrendered people ran towards them and entered their range, they would be shot and killed!

The number of surrendered people in the middle was rapidly decreasing under the double-teaming of the two camps. Especially the mortars; each shell could reap several lives!

In less than twenty minutes, the sounds of gunfire on the battlefield gradually ceased. The tens of thousands of surrendered people were basically dead or wounded. Even those who were not dead were covered in blood and rolling and wailing in the piles of corpses…