Chapter 12: Supermarket Robbery

Chapter 12: Supermarket Robbery

Cao Kun drove through Huayuan New Mansion, and although everything around was quiet, he could feel the prying eyes watching him from the surrounding buildings.

A moment later, one car after another followed behind him.

As the car entered the city, armed police officers lined the streets. The once crowded roads were now nearly empty, and the traffic lights didn't stay red for as long. Soon, the car arrived at the largest supermarket in the area.

The supermarket was located in the city center, making it the best place to gather information for those who had no idea what was happening outside.

The car was stopped by armed police officers at a roadblock about five hundred meters from the supermarket. Many other cars had already stopped there, with people getting out to undergo inspections.

Ahead, the crowd was bustling and noisy, a sea of people. Armed police officers stood guard all around, creating a tense atmosphere. Yet, this did not stop people from gossiping.

Cao Kun could vaguely hear that some people couldn't make phone calls, while others could. Everyone was talking about the new virus and the quarantined families.

Some shops near the supermarket were still open but had few customers. Even with their clearance sales offering fifty percent or ten percent discounts, no one seemed interested in buying anything.

Inside the supermarket, it was packed like sardines. Thanks to the armed police patrolling, the crowd moved slowly but steadily.

There were too many people inside, and it would take an hour just to get items from the shelves. Cao Kun wasn't in a rush to go to the food section; instead, he headed straight for the outdoor supplies area.

The outdoor supplies were limited, and when he arrived, a young man was already sweeping up the items. Fortunately, due to the quantity limits, there was enough left for Cao Kun to equip himself.

Following the crowd, his cart quickly filled up. He tossed a pack of tissues into the cart and looked up to see his new neighbor loading several bottles of strong liquor into his own cart.

After more than two hours, Cao Kun was finally in line at Checkout 5. He glanced around and saw that everyone's carts were overflowing, even though they knew they could only buy limited quantities. They still managed to fill their carts to the brim with other items.

Cao Kun looked down at his own full cart and smiled wryly.

It took another hour before it was his turn to check out.

Due to the limited supply of many items, to prevent repeated purchases, customers needed to show their ID cards or household registration books to buy certain things.

While scanning his items, a loud argument broke out at the neighboring checkout. It seemed someone had exceeded the purchase limit and was being stopped by the cashier. The person cursed at the cashier, claiming they were a customer and could buy whatever they wanted.

The scene was chaotic, but the person was quickly silenced by a gun pointed at them.

Although supplies were limited, the quantities were sufficient to ensure a normal diet for a grown man. The government's main reason for this measure was to prevent hoarding and maintain order.

Cao Kun watched the scene, his eyes narrowing slightly.

At each pair of checkout counters, an armed police officer stood guard. When the officer at Checkout 3 intervened, the crowd waiting behind immediately surged forward, overwhelming the officer. With no police presence at Checkout 1, the people pushed their carts through the checkout and rushed towards the exit.

Hundreds of people ran out with their loot, and those outside tried to join in, causing chaos.

The patrolling armed police officers rushed over and fired a shot into the air, shouting, "Everyone, get down!"

Most people reacted quickly, dropping to the ground, some even sitting down.

However, there are always a few who either dare to risk their lives or harbor a sense of false hope, attempting to emulate the robbers by either stealthily or brazenly trying to escape.

The next moment, the gunshot rang out without hesitation!

Someone screamed in fright, brushed lightly by the gun, and then immediately gasped, their face turning red from the effort.

Cao Kun stood among the crowd. It seemed that there were more than one group looting, and most of these gangs lacked a solid plan. They were quickly apprehended by the Armed Police that emerged from all directions. Those who were shot were dragged away, but this individual...

Cao Kun's gaze fell on a woman in shorts swiftly moving through the crowd.

The woman sped towards the door at an astonishing pace, her golden, wavy tresses billowing in the air. Several Armed Police officers, within arm's reach, could only graze the hem of her garment as she vanished dozens of meters away in the blink of an eye.

"What astonishing speed!" Cao Kun exclaimed. The next second, the blonde woman was tackled by an Armed Police officer who had suddenly rushed out from the corner. Contrary to her speed, the woman's combat ability was so weak it was exasperating.

Within less than five minutes, the scene was brought under control. Just as people's hearts, which had been pounding wildly, began to settle, one of the apprehended individuals suddenly started shouting loudly: "The apocalypse is here! The apocalypse is here! You foolish mortals know nothing. Only I can save you! Only I can rescue you! I am the savior of this world, haha! Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahahahahaha! Hah——"

An Armed Police officer knocked him unconscious with the butt of his gun.

After the robbery gang was apprehended, the procession continued as usual, but it was much quieter than before.

Most people have never seen a real gun, and perhaps they will never have the chance in their lifetime. Some even instinctively take a detour when they see a police officer, not out of guilt but out of an innate sense of reverence.

So even if it was just an empty shot a moment ago, it was enough to intimidate most people, while a small number began to whisper again when they saw that the Armed Police had no further actions.

The Armed Police standing guard remained as straight as an arrow, motionless. Their faces were expressionless; unless an exceptional situation arose, they would not make any movements, nor would they interfere with others. As for their inner thoughts, that was beyond their jurisdiction.

After purchasing the items, Cao Kun drove to the pharmacy, where, as expected, a long queue had formed. The Armed Police were stationed there in force, and needless to say, the same was true at the gas stations.

"Ah." Cao Kun resignedly got out of the car to join the queue; after all, he was but a common man.

"Ah, sir, are you looking to purchase some medicine?"

Someone tapped on Cao Kun's shoulder from behind. Cao Kun dodged to the side, and the person seemed startled by Cao Kun's reaction but didn't get angry. They raised a knowing smile and said, "I have absolutely legitimate drugs, and the quantity is definitely more than what you're buying here. How about it, come and take a look?"

Cao Kun glanced at the long queue, then at the scalper who was grinning so wide his teeth were visible but his eyes were not.

The following day, the news reported numerous heinous incidents, many of which involved robbery gangs. Some of these groups had no prior criminal records and had spontaneously formed online to commit these crimes.

All these individuals were charged with multiple offenses, including robbery, endangering public safety, and fabricating and deliberately spreading false information. Additionally, due to the ongoing crackdown, their sentences were further intensified.

Another incident was even more tragic: a little girl with a persistent high fever and incessant coughing was burned alive by her neighbors!

The incident began after the police came to the door for a population census. The little girl then started to have a high fever and coughed violently, as if she was dying. Her parents were worried that their child had contracted the C1S9 flu and would be quarantined, with an uncertain fate, so they kept it a secret and didn't tell anyone.

The news somehow spread, and during dinner time, a large crowd burst in, forcibly snatched the little girl, followed by inhumane torture of her!

From the beginning of the incident to the moment the little girl was burned alive, it was only five hours. During this time, the only people she had contact with were her parents and the police and health officials who came to register, but everyone else was fine. Only she exhibited symptoms similar to the C1S9 flu.

The forensic pathologist confirmed during the autopsy that she had not contracted the C1S9 influenza virus; her physical frailty was merely a result of psychological stress, with fever and coughing being mere manifestations of that stress response.

And those who cruelly murdered the girl did so only due to psychological pressure and social influence, far from reaching the level of mental illness.

When the results came out, many people fell silent.

Humans can always exhibit extreme behaviors beyond their own imagination when their lives are threatened.

In the end, the police detained these individuals for intentional homicide. Within three days, the detectives gathered all the relevant evidence, and the suspects confessed without hesitation. The judge sentenced them to death, and within half a month, these dozen or so individuals were executed by firing squad.

It was swift and decisive, serving as a warning to others.

At the same time, the government reiterated that anyone suspected of being infected with the C1S9 flu virus must be urgently sent to local quarantine stations or directly handed over to the local police or patrol troops, firmly preventing such incidents from happening again!

For those who attempt to take advantage of disasters and commit evil deeds, the state will show no mercy!

After finishing a set of exercises, Shenchi took a break and grabbed a small stool, settling in a corner to finish grinding the steel he hadn't finished processing last time. Then, he assembled all the components into something resembling a cane.

Shenchi pressed a button on the handle and swung it out. With a light "zheng" sound, the cane extended, and a four-clawed hook suddenly popped out at the other end. In the next moment, the claws retracted, disappearing back inside.

Shenchi called this device a grabber, a product of the post-apocalyptic era, specifically designed to extract crystals from zombie heads. However, it only has the function of retrieval; its claws cannot penetrate a zombie's skull.

No one knows who invented it. When Shenchi first saw it, it had already been widely adopted on a small scale, and no one specialized in producing it. People made them using whatever materials they could find.

The grabber consists of three telescopic sections, ranging from 28 centimeters at its shortest to 80 centimeters at its longest, with a diameter of 1.5 centimeters. The handle is shaped like a "J," with a trigger at the bend. Pulling the trigger causes the sharp claws at the other end to retract, allowing the crystal to roll into the tube, where it is held by a barrier, ensuring it doesn't fall out during subsequent retrievals.

In reality, the grabber could be made even longer, up to three meters, allowing one to extract crystals from zombies while sitting in a vehicle. However, this requires high-quality materials that ordinary people do not easily obtain.

Shenchi put the grabber into his backpack, zipped it up, and just as he was about to stand up, he suddenly reached back and grabbed someone, slamming them onto the sofa. In the next moment, a sharp dagger pressed hard against the person's slender neck.

Shenchi's tone was unfriendly: "Repaying kindness with malice?"

Xia Yi was taken aback: "What?"

Shenchi's eyes narrowed dangerously, causing Xia Yi to break out in cold sweat.

Shenchi released him, playing with the pen he had snatched from the other's hand. He tossed it lightly, and as it landed back in his hand, he flicked it away!

The pen tip whistled through the air and embedded itself into the wall, wobbling before falling to the ground with a "thud."

Xia Yi stared in shock.