Chapter 136: Threat
The night breeze swept through the plantation, drying the dust that had settled on the leaves during the day.
Rows of corn stalks rustled softly, sounding like countless people whispering in secret.
Li crouched on the edge of a field, pretending to tie his shoelaces while quietly observing his surroundings.
The barbed-wire fence gleamed silver beneath the moonlight.
Every few dozen meters, wooden poles supported hanging lanterns whose flames swayed gently in the wind.
There weren't many guards.
But their positions were carefully chosen.
One guarded the crossroads.
One stood at the warehouse entrance.
Another patrolled near the fence.
They smoked, chatted, and occasionally yawned.
Yet their eyes never stopped scanning their surroundings.
"Thinking about escaping too?"
Li suddenly turned his head.
An Asian man had appeared behind him without making a sound.
Li hadn't even noticed his approach.
The man wore the same gray work clothes as everyone else in the fields, but his eyes were different.
Sharp.
Alert.
Like a cat stalking prey.
Li remained silent and slowly stood up.
The man glanced toward the far side of the plantation.
"Come with me."
"It's not safe to talk here."
After a brief hesitation, Li bent down and picked a handful of green beans, placing them into a basket as if he were delivering produce.
The man walked ahead at an unhurried pace.
As they passed workers still laboring in the fields, he casually nodded to them in greeting.
Eventually, they arrived at an open clearing deep within the plantation.
Several palm trees leaned to one side.
Beneath them sat a group of men gathered around piles of discarded tires.
All of them were Asian.
Their gazes lingered on Li for a moment before shifting away.
"Qin Ming, why did you bring a Black guy here?"
A middle-aged man sitting atop a stack of tires frowned.
His hair was cut extremely short, and a thick beard covered his face.
Qin Ming stepped aside and pointed toward Li.
"He's looking for a chance to escape too."
"He might be useful."
Li silently observed the group.
Although they spoke quietly, the tension among them was obvious.
A tall, thin man leaned against a palm tree.
A dagger spun between his fingers.
The look in his eyes was anything but friendly.
"Kong Dexiang, have you lost your mind?"
"What use is bringing in a Black guy?"
"Can he help us escape?"
"Kong Dexiang" glanced at him coldly.
"Li Hanfu."
"What Bamboo Union does is none of 14K's business."
Li Hanfu stopped twirling the dagger.
His grip tightened around the handle until his knuckles turned white.
Just as the atmosphere became hostile, a young man wearing glasses quickly stepped forward.
"Come on, come on."
"We're here to discuss a plan, not start a fight."
"Don't forget."
"Wang Yukun of the Fuqing Gang is still out there."
"If we want to survive, we need to get out of here first."
The young man adjusted his glasses and smiled.
His name was Li Hua.
He even gave Li a friendly wink.
Li Hanfu snorted and tucked the dagger back into his waistband.
"Fine."
"Then tell me why we need him."
Li Hua turned toward Li.
The smile never left his face.
"Brother, we need your help stealing the armory key."
Li looked directly at him.
"Why me?"
Li Hua spread his hands.
"Because your skin color is the perfect disguise."
He pointed around at the others.
"Look at us."
"We're all Asian."
"The moment we get close to the warehouse, people notice."
"But you're different."
"The Latino gangs have Black members too."
"You can blend in."
"You'll attract far less attention than we will."
Li remained silent for several seconds.
Then he shook his head.
"I'm not doing it."
The next instant—
Li Hanfu pulled out his dagger and pressed it against Li's neck.
The blade was cold.
Li could clearly feel the chill of the steel against his skin.
"You know our plan now."
"If you refuse, you'll die."
Li Hua quickly pushed the knife downward.
"Brother Fu."
"Relax."
"Let's talk this through."
Then he looked at Li again.
This time, his voice became softer.
"The little girl who washes dishes works with our people."
"At night, everyone sleeps in the gymnasium."
"If you refuse to cooperate..."
His smile remained unchanged.
"...I can't guarantee her safety."
Li's fists clenched instantly.
His nails dug into his palms.
Li Hua continued calmly.
"But if you help us, I promise no one will touch her."
Li stared at his smiling face.
Then he looked around.
Some people watched silently.
Some calculated their odds.
Others simply waited for his answer.
After a long moment, he slowly relaxed his fists.
"Where's the key?"
Li Hua's smile widened.
"Now we're talking."
"Every night, the guards lock the armory key inside the security office near the dormitory."
"There are ten guards stationed there."
"But don't worry."
"We'll provide some local specialties."
A knowing smile appeared on his face.
"Find an excuse to deliver them."
"When they're distracted, we'll handle the rest."
He pulled a crumpled map from his pocket and handed it over.
"After you get the key, leave through the back gate."
"Cross the palm grove."
"Wait by the road."
"Someone will meet you there."
Li folded the map and hid it inside his shoe.
Without another word, he turned and walked away.
The voices behind him gradually faded into the night wind.
---
Later that night.
At a checkpoint outside Tampa.
Several guards sat around a fire beside a sentry post constructed from shipping containers.
The massive metal gate remained closed.
Moonlight reflected off the barbed-wire fence.
A bald guard yawned and rubbed his eyes.
He walked to the gate, unzipped his pants, and relieved himself outside.
Then he froze.
Two headlights had appeared on the distant highway.
Growing closer.
And closer.
The rumble of tires echoed through the darkness.
The guard narrowed his eyes.
A pickup truck.
He could make out the silhouette now.
The vehicle had been modified.
Someone stood in the truck bed holding a rifle.
Something felt wrong.
"Alert!"
The bald guard shouted.
Everyone around the fire instantly stood up and aimed their weapons.
The pickup truck stopped directly outside the gate.
Its headlights remained on.
Blindingly bright.
Then suddenly—
The engine roared.
The truck accelerated straight toward them.
Gunfire erupted immediately.
Bullets shattered the windshield.
But the truck never slowed down.
BOOM!
The metal gate exploded inward as the vehicle smashed through it.
The pickup overturned onto its side.
The guards cautiously surrounded it.
Inside sat a white man.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
A strange smile appeared on his face.
Then he died.
One of the guards climbed onto the wall and looked beyond the gate.
The moment he did, his face turned pale.
His entire body froze.
Beyond the shattered entrance...
Tens of thousands of Walkers were advancing.
---
The stadium erupted into chaos as gunfire echoed from outside.
Li sat up immediately.
Beside him, Clementine woke up and grabbed his sleeve.
People were already rushing toward the exits.
Some screamed.
Some pushed.
Others cried.
In the darkness, panic spread like wildfire.
The guards assigned to the stadium had already left to reinforce the outer defenses.
Li grabbed Clementine's hand.
"Let's go."
Together, they pushed through the crowd.
People from the Special Economic Zone.
Workers.
Families.
Women from the red-light district.
Everyone surged toward the exits at once.
Several people were knocked down.
Their screams vanished beneath the chaos.
Li pulled Clementine through a dark corridor and shoved open the rear exit.
Bright moonlight illuminated the palm grove beyond.
Long shadows stretched across the ground.
Behind them came countless footsteps.
Not pursuers.
Other escapees.
At the front ran Kong Dexiang.
Behind him were Li Hanfu, Qin Ming, Li Hua, and several others whose names Li didn't know.
Originally, they had planned to steal the armory key.
But the sudden collapse of Tampa had changed everything.
In the chaos, they had already obtained weapons.
Now they had only one goal left.
Kill Wang Yukun of the Fuqing Gang.