Chapter 117 The Deterrent Power of the Sniper Rifle
Samuel and Owen, driven by their nicotine addiction, couldn't agree fast enough to Steven's terms, eager to secure their daily packs of cigarettes. Meanwhile, Caitlin's attention was entirely consumed by her discomfort from wet pants, preventing her from focusing on the negotiations.
Chase, recognizing the difficulty of the situation, had no choice but to voice his concerns. "These terms are indeed harsh. We can't make this decision on our own. Otherwise, the people in the other buildings won't agree."
Luke, with his arms crossed and his face set in a serious expression, wasn't known for his intellect. In his mind, as long as there was food—even a little—he, as the leader of Building 15, wouldn't starve.
Seeing Chase speak up, he decided to follow suit and acted as though he was deep in thought. "Yeah, we can’t make this decision lightly. We need to discuss it further!"
Steven's demeanor shifted abruptly, his voice dropping to a menacing tone. "Discuss further? Are you messing with me?"
He continued, his gaze unwavering. "If you five can't make decisions for the entire community, why did you come here claiming to represent them?"
Outside the door, Henry and others gripped their weapons tightly, their faces cold and serious. Samuel and his companions felt the pressure mounting. They realized how easy it would be for Steven to eliminate them, especially since he wielded firearms while they had nothing.
Samuel quickly reached out to stop Steven. "Don't be hasty. Who said we can't make the decision?"
He glared at Chase and Luke, saying, "Didn't we agree on this? The five of us will make the decision. The others have to listen."
He added, "If you ask me, Steven's terms are acceptable."
In his early twenties, Samuel's lack of social savvy was evident. Desperation led him to reveal his hand too early, a rookie mistake in any negotiation.
Chase and Caitlin were so frustrated with Samuel they wished they could strangle him. However, they couldn't retract what had already been said.
Owen, considering his own minimal leadership responsibilities, chimed in. The supplies for ten people were ample for his needs, and the promise of daily cigarettes sealed the deal for him. "We need to understand Steven’s situation. Let's not push too hard."
To endear himself to Steven, Owen beat his chest confidently. "Steven, I'll go first. I agree with your proposal!"
Samuel quickly followed. "Me too!"
Luke, still frowning, pretended to mull things over. Having never faced such a predicament, he was clueless about what to say but decided that pretending to be deep in thought might suffice.
Among the five, only Chase and Caitlin possessed any real intellect. However, Caitlin's current state left her mentally impaired, forcing Chase to bear the burden alone.
With internal conflicts brewing, the group fell into chaos. Steven, seated by the window, observed them with keen interest, occasionally glancing outside. Suddenly, his brows knitted together—something was amiss.
Outside, the group that had scattered from his initial grenade attack was regrouping and quietly advancing toward Building 25.
Steven's smile returned, wider and more sinister. He had anticipated such an underhanded maneuver during the negotiations. Observing the growing unease downstairs, Steven addressed the five building managers. "Did you arrange for an attack while we were negotiating?"
The five looked genuinely bewildered. Among them, Samuel chuckled dismissively. "What are you talking about? We're all here. If we sent people to attack, we'd be risking our own necks."
Steven smiled coldly. "I thought so too. But you'll need to investigate when you get back."
Steven suspected the attackers were acting independently of the five before him, knowing full well that he could easily annihilate them with his weaponry.
There were two plausible explanations: either the other building managers had forsaken them, using them as pawns to divert Steven's focus while executing their attack on Building 25, or their own subordinates had gone rogue, seizing the moment to assert control despite the inherent risks.
Chase was the first to grasp the gravity of the situation, his face draining of color. "They're attacking!"
Samuel, Owen, Caitlin, and Luke were aghast. "Those damn bastards, who told them to do this?"
Steven's expression remained icy. Without warning, he reached for a large-caliber sniper rifle.
"All of you, sit down!" Steven commanded, training the gun on the five before him. Henry and his men surged into the room, securing all exits.
The five managers were paralyzed with terror at the sight of the sniper rifle. "Steven, it wasn’t us. Please, don’t shoot!"
Samuel was drenched in sweat. Caitlin, losing control, collapsed to the ground, her pants now soaked through.
Steven paid them no heed, focusing instead on setting up the sniper rifle by the windowsill. Below, assailants had started to converge at the makeshift entrance of Building 25, poised to launch their attack.
Steven zeroed in on a tall figure within the throng and squeezed the trigger. The shot reverberated through the area as the building manager of Building 11 had his head obliterated, gray matter splattering onto the snow.
The assailants were stunned into silence.
A second shot rang out, claiming another head. Panic erupted; some fled, while others dropped flat onto the snow, hoping to evade death.
Steven, with the cold detachment of a reaper, continued his lethal barrage, deliberately sparing the runners and targeting those who played dead.
'You think you're clever?' his gaze seemed to say. 'That will be your undoing.'
Gunfire echoed through the community, and the bodies of those playing dead twitched and fell lifeless as their heads were blown apart.
In the negotiation room, the sight of Steven's cold-blooded efficiency left the five building managers in a state of profound shock. Witnessing firsthand the carnage Steven could unleash, they finally comprehended the true extent of his fearsome capability.
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