Under the moonlight, on the gray hazy island, the palm trees on the shallow beach swayed with the wind. Countless figures gathered everything that could burn, piling them together. Everyone was silent; occasional cries were hushed by the comforting words of those around. Each face bore the marks of grief and worry, along with a yearning for life. Faced with a desperate situation, no one knew what to do, but Luo Zheng's arrival brought everyone's hearts together, and they saw a glimr of hope.
Before long, a bonfire was ignited by Luo Zheng using the fire plow thod. Seeing the flas light up the surroundings, hope kindled in everyone's hearts, and their spirits were boosted. They continued to gather combustible materials while the children, won, and the elderly were brought together to tend the fire.
With united hearts ca high efficiency, and soon several more bonfires were lit, and the stockpile of burnable materials grew considerably. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. After delegating the task of maintaining the fire to others, Luo Zheng found Lan Xue to discuss the water issue. They were on an island, where seawater was abundant but undrinkable. Finding fresh water was crucial, especially for the tourists who had started to develop fevers. If they didn't find water soon, it would beco troubleso.
"Big brother, so people have sat down and stopped moving," a crisp female voice spoke up nearby.
Luo Zheng turned his head to look and was surprised to see a girl about thirteen or fourteen years old. Following her gaze, he indeed spotted several people sitting by the bonfire and warming themselves; they looked like wealthy businessn, with several bodyguard-like figures standing around them. Luo Zheng was furious. After exchanging a glance with Lan Xue, he walked over.
At a ti of life and death, so people dared to freeload and take advantage of everyone else. Luo Zheng would not allow that, for it could undermine the stability and morale of the group. He approached the well-fed middle-aged man and reprimanded, "You are all strong n, not collecting firewood but choosing to sit and rest, setting a bad example. What is the aning of this?"
"We worked quickly and have already collected a lot, enough for our own use," replied a bodyguard who seed to be the leader, after exchanging a glance with the middle-aged man. Taking two steps forward and blocking the path to the middle-aged man, he added discontentedly.
Luo Zheng could not take drastic asures as the other party had not broken any laws. After pondering briefly, he said coldly, "Fine, take care of yourselves. Besides, you got your fire from elsewhere—I'm confiscating this bonfire. Start your own fire."
"Young man, don't take things too far. How about this, I'll give you one million after we get back?" the middle-aged man voiced his dissatisfaction and slowly stood up.
By this ti, many people had gathered around, watching curiously. Luo Zheng knew that if he didn't handle this situation well, the recently united spirit of the group would dissipate, and their chances of survival would vanish. Although the lives of others were not of great importance to him, as a military man, Luo Zheng didn't want to give up on anyone. His expression stern, he said coldly, "I won't repeat myself. This bonfire is confiscated, find your own way."
"Looking for trouble!" Seeing that Luo Zheng showed no respect for his boss, the lead bodyguard's face fell, and he coldly uttered, taking a few steps forward.
At that mont, Ghost Hand, Snow Leopard, and Mountain Eagle also quietly closed in. Ghost Hand saw the man daring to cause trouble and was imdiately angered, ready to take action. Luo Zheng, already incensed, charged out from the crowd like a cheetah and fiercely delivered a kick.
The bodyguard, who had so skill, tried to block and retreated two steps to widen the distance between him and Luo Zheng. Sensing the force from the man's hand, Luo Zheng felt reassured. Observing the man's retreat and his manner, he detected a hint of military bearing, which infuriated him even more. A soldier, even if retired, shouldn't stoop to being a personal bodyguard, and if one were to beco a bodyguard, they should still possess a sense of right and wrong.
In a rage, Luo Zheng's body twisted strangely, and he unleashed a whip kick with a crackling sound like rolling thunder. The bodyguard's face changed drastically. He tried to counter with his elbow, but he misjudged Luo Zheng's speed. With a thud, the whip kick struck the waist, and the bodyguard was sent flying.
After a series of unpleasant experiences, Luo Zheng was filled with pent-up anger. Having gained the upper hand, he rushed forward to the middle-aged tycoon and slapped him across the face. Accustod to living in luxury, the tycoon stood no chance against Luo Zheng's furious blow and was sent tumbling to the ground, his cheek swelling, and he fainted.
Luo Zheng had held back, considering the consequences; otherwise, he would have used a fist instead of an open hand. His fist, hard as a hamr, would have been terrifying if used with full force; the tycoon undoubtedly wouldn't have withstood it. The other bodyguards wanted to react, but seeing Luo Zheng pull out his handgun, they all took two steps back, not daring to make a move.
With both the boss and the lead bodyguard unconscious on the ground, the remaining bodyguards looked at each other, unsure of what to do. One of them hesitantly walked forward two steps, speaking in a flustered manner, "Brother, please show rcy."
"Hmph, if anyone dares not follow orders, I'll wipe you all out," Luo Zheng said coldly, feeling his frustration sowhat released as he put away his gun. The gun had no bullets left, but its deterrent power remained. Looking around coldly, he ordered, "Everyone, follow my instructions and work together; there's still a chance. Anyone who dares to disobey will not just get a beating—it'll be straight into the sea to feed the sharks."
His domineering words gradually cald the panicked crowd. In tis of crisis, everyone needed a strong figure to lead them through. Although Luo Zheng's actions were rough and even illegal, everyone chose to overlook that and continued to disperse and work. After this incident, no one dared to cause trouble.
Watching everyone disperse, Luo Zheng let out a silent sigh of relief. Ghost Hand ca over and whispered, "There are two Assassins still hidden among the crowd, unfortunately, we haven't seen their real faces. Be careful, I'm worried they'll take the opportunity to strike at you. Also, we haven't seen any drinkable water around; we need to figure sothing out quickly."
"I'll keep an eye out for the Assassins, but the water is a bigger issue," Luo Zheng replied, looking around. The land was a flat alluvial plain, with mountains on one end and the sea on the other, covered in wild grass and not looking like it had any water. He frowned deeply, saying in a low voice, "This is indeed a big problem. It looks like we'll have to dig a well."
"That's what I was thinking too. Find a sandy area and dig down. The sand will act as a filter. As long as we can find water, it should be potable and a lot better than seawater. I'll take so people over," Ghost Hand suggested.
"Good, let these bodyguards go with you," Luo Zheng said softly.
Ghost Hand looked at the bodyguards, nodded, and replied, "Hmm, they seem to be in good physical condition. They can handle it."
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