Chapter 113 So What If There Are More People
The neighbors were full after their meal, and Stockholm syndrome made them grateful to Steven. At this moment, Steven's promise of a return to normalcy without constant fear elevated their morale instantly.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get moving!" someone shouted.
"I can't stand living like this for another day. As long as I can live a normal life, I'm willing to risk my life!" another added with fervor.
Seeing that the morale was sufficiently raised, Steven slowly stood up from his chair. "Alright, next, I'll assign tasks to you all!"
They were about to face formidable enemies from the other 29 buildings in the neighborhood. They had to be fully prepared to ensure Steven's safety—even if they would perish, they needed to buy time for Steven to retreat to the safe house.
In the building, besides Steven and Henry, there were 28 people available. Steven had Dennis and Walter lead a team of eighteen to guard the entrance on the fourth floor. The entrance was rigged with traps, leaving only a narrow passage for one person at a time, the rest cluttered with appliances and equipment. If anyone attacked, they'd be forced through this bottleneck, essentially a death sentence.
A direct assault necessitated a sizeable effort to clear debris blocking the windows, a process that would consume valuable time. Hence, during any sudden attack amidst negotiations, Steven could eliminate everyone present and then retreat unscathed.
Henry, meanwhile, was tasked with leading ten people to maintain order on the thirteenth floor. These men were primarily for show; Steven expected little resistance. Even if the delegation consisted of 29 people, Steven was confident he could dispatch them all in the open space.
With tasks assigned, Steven waited for the others to arrive. The agreed time was 2:30 PM, but anxiety caused people to emerge from the other buildings after 2:00 PM. It was as if a swarm of ants had begun pouring out of an anthill. On the white ground, black figures appeared—growing in number with every passing moment.
The wind and snow continued; today, the snowfall was lighter, but the wind was fierce. The howling northern gusts cut through the buildings, creating a piercing screech.
Steven sat by the window on the 7th floor, watching the scene below. People, so many people! They approached from all directions—at least five or six hundred at first glance, their numbers continually swelling.
The central area of the neighborhood teemed with people, leaving almost no empty space. Addressing the crowd forming below, Steven coldly smirked. "You think you can play tricks on me?"
He took out his phone and sent a message to the building managers. [Tell everyone to get the hell away, or you won't need to come today.]
After sending the message, he put away his phone, took out a sniper rifle from his space, and placed it under the table to hide it.
Then, he shouted outside, "Henry!"
Henry came in with a large crowbar in hand, "Steven, any orders?"
Steven said, "There are too many people coming. I'm afraid those guys can't hold the fort. You go down and have a look! Don't worry; I'll provide fire support from here."
Henry glanced outside, his pupils shrinking at the sight of the thronging crowd. Yet, he nodded firmly, "Alright, I'll handle it!"
Despite Steven's warning message, the crowd didn’t disperse. Instead, they halted 16 feet away from Building 25. The dense assembly, donned in thick clothing with hats and scarves obscuring their faces, gathered so tightly that the light on the fourth floor dimmed.
Dennis and Adam Nelson, guarding the entrance, felt a chill down their spines. If such a mass surged forward, even their strategic advantage could only delay the inevitable for a while. They knew a real fight would result in their deaths.
"How do we stop so many people?" someone wondered aloud.
"They said they were coming to negotiate, but they look like they're here to kill us!"
"They're clearly here to kill us!"
The neighbors on the fourth floor, feeling the daunting pressure, were at a loss on how to respond. Just then, a steady voice emerged from the shadows of the staircase.
"Don't panic! If they wanted to fight, they would have rushed in already." Henry calmly walked down with the crowbar.
His calm demeanor provided a semblance of reassurance. Dennis frowned, still unconvinced. "Henry, there are too many people! It looks like the whole neighborhood is here. How do we fight them?"
Others stared at Henry with fearful eyes, seeking some glimmer of hope. Henry reassured them, "You don’t need to worry. Their target isn’t you, but to force Steven into concessions during the negotiation. Besides, think about it, what do you have that they want?"
Henry's practical perspective eased their anxiety. Realizing they had nothing worth fighting for, they recognized the true target was Steven. For the first time, they felt fortunate for their insignificance.
At that moment, the crowd outside stirred. Faces turned to see five individuals emerge, flanked by their subordinates. These were the leaders of the neighboring buildings: Owen from the Rapids Gang in Building 26, Samuel from the Crazy Wolf Gang in Building 21, Chase from the harmonious Building 18, Caitlin from Building 9, and Luke Bennett from Building 15. They approached Building 25 with confident expressions.
Among them, Samuel, a 22-year-old unemployed man, appeared particularly pleased. With a thousand people at his back, he reveled in a sense of superiority. Facing Steven, he saw him as a mere figurehead.
Samuel said smugly, "Did you see their people? They're almost scared to death just by seeing our numbers."
Owen, with his thin, old face, mirrored this smugness. "Steven is probably changing his pants right now. He won't dare to refuse any of our conditions!"
A thousand against thirty—victory seemed inevitable. In their eyes, Steven had no choice but to comply with their demands.
Chase, adjusting his glasses, maintained a modest expression, though pride shone in his eyes. Orchestrating a thousand people was something beyond their wildest dreams. They felt like generals commanding a grand army.
Caitlin crossed her arms and said arrogantly, "Don't just stand there, it's cold outside. Let's go in and talk to Steven, inform him of the decisions we made yesterday, and make him accept them."
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