Madness After the Apocalypse-Chapter 25: The neighbors’ attitude

Chu Peipei lifted her head, her gaze cold and piercing. "When my husband fell into the water, where were you?"

Sun Peng was taken aback. "Little sister, it was indeed my failure as the leader, I didn't take proper care of him."

The neighbors, hearing this, felt she was being unreasonable.

"How could you blame anyone? Your husband fell from the building on his own, what does that have to do with Mr. Sun?"

"Exactly, maybe he lost his mind from hunger and threw himself into the flood to end it all."

"Captain Sun was out there helping us find supplies, and he wasn't getting paid for it. It wasn't his duty to look after your husband."

Seeing that the neighbors were speaking in his defense, Sun Peng couldn't help but feel a sense of pride, though he maintained a humble demeanor.

"Everyone, please, let's not say such things. It's understandable for the family to be emotional during such a tragedy. It's my fault, and I promise to take better care of every member of the team going forward."

"Old Sun, you're too kind."

"Yes, Captain Sun, you've done a great job. Without you, we wouldn't have found all this food."

Sun Peng felt satisfied inside, though he remained modest. "Oh no, it's all thanks to everyone's efforts."

Chu Peipei, unwilling to listen to more mutual flattery, approached Sun Peng, her eyes sharp as she spoke coldly:

"I know it was you. Do you think killing him will let you rest easy?"

Then, suddenly, she raised her voice to the others, "This man conspired with his mistress to kill his wife, turning her into dried meat and hiding her at home. My husband accidentally discovered it."

"That's why my husband had to be silenced."

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"Now that you all know, take it to heart."

She shot one last deep, knowing look at Sun Peng before turning and walking upstairs, leaving the crowd in stunned silence.

The crowd erupted in a frenzy.

"My God! Captain Sun killed his own wife?"

"He was discovered by the buzz cut? No wonder they always stayed at the back of the group, keeping their distance from Captain Sun."

"I haven't seen Captain Sun's wife in a long time."

"I always wondered why there was that smell of meat coming from his house..."

"I smelled it too! I thought I was just hungry and imagining things!"

"Are you saying... he really ate..."

The room was filled with gasps and whispers as everyone took a few steps back, afraid.

Sun Peng's face turned ashen. "Everyone, don't listen to Chu Peipei's nonsense!"

He forced a smile, trying to regain control of the situation. "The loss of the buzz cut was sudden, and Xiao Chu, as a family member, was overwhelmed with grief. She's disoriented, speaking without thinking. I understand."

He looked each person in the eye, his voice low and firm. "We've all had a tough day. It's time to go home and rest."

While everyone had their doubts, they still kept their distance. No one could act openly in a world like this, especially when there was no way to report it to the authorities. If they angered Sun Peng, who knew what would happen?

Besides, they weren't close to the buzz cut family, and standing up for justice wasn't their concern. Their priority was survival.

They quickly decided where their loyalty lay. After all, the buzz cut's wife was already gone, and Sun Peng was still standing strong.

Anyone who voiced further objections was swiftly silenced by their families.

"Captain Sun's right. We all know your character. You would never kill anyone."

"Exactly, Xiao Chu's just grieving too much."

"Let's go home. We'll need to keep looking for supplies tomorrow."

With a few casual words, the crowd dispersed, returning home in a hurry.

Wei Wenbin and his sister lingered at the back, whispering:

"Sun Peng is really ruthless."

"Yes, cousin, in this chaotic world, only by following the ruthless can you eat," Qian Ying'er replied with an indifferent expression.

"Honestly, I'm really curious about what that special dried meat tastes like."

Once the crowd dispersed, An Nan slowly stepped into the scene, carrying her inflatable boat upstairs, reflecting on the situation.

It was truly ironic—murderers and cannibals, once condemned in a prosperous world, now became the ones everyone followed in the apocalypse.

Human nature's inclination to follow strength had shifted with the arrival of the apocalypse.

No longer were people chasing wealth and power, but surrendering to bloodshed and violence.

The shift had only just begun.

Back home, Chu Peipei, tears welling in her eyes, couldn't stop herself from crying out loud.

She and her husband had originally avoided joining the group to stay away from Sun Peng.

But after being robbed several times with no success, they had reluctantly joined the neighbors' group to avoid starvation. While in the group, she had always kept her distance from Sun Peng's unsettling presence.

Unfortunately, despite her precautions, she had still fallen victim to him.

Now, she was left alone, pregnant, with no one to rely on, and the future looked grim.

Her tears flowed as she clenched her fists.

Meanwhile, Sun Peng had just entered his home when his mistress, Wang Xiaoyu, greeted him.

"Sun, how did the hunt go today?"

"It went well. Found three packs of instant noodles and two bags of millet," Sun Peng said smugly. "But the most important thing is, I took care of the buzz cut next door."

"Really?!" Wang Xiaoyu's eyes lit up.

Sun Peng pulled her into his arms. "Of course, when I'm involved, there's no problem too big."

"We found an office building, and during the task division, I had him and Lao Wang search the top floor. Once everyone was in position, I slipped upstairs, pushed him out the window when he wasn't looking."

"That Lao Wang is a coward and a heavy smoker. He hadn't had a cigarette in days and was about to snap. I gave him a pack, scared him into silence, and that was that."

Wang Xiaoyu kissed him on the cheek. "You're incredible. Now we can rest easy!"

"But there's still a problem," Sun Peng said with a dark expression. "The buzz cut's wife has been troublesome. I should've dealt with her too, instead of sending her away."

"Does she know it was you?"

"You'd better believe it. She was just telling the neighbors about it!"

"What?" Wang Xiaoyu said, her expression tense. "What should we do? Did the neighbors believe her?"

"It doesn't matter," Sun Peng said with a smug smile. "What can believing or not believing change? These cowards are all on my side."

"The world's in chaos now. Let them fear me a little more. That damned Chu Peipei, I'll deal with her soon enough."

"Ah, she's just a widow. Killing her is no big deal," Wang Xiaoyu said dismissively.

"You're right, darling." Sun Peng's smile turned lecherous. "Let's go inside, and I'll reward you for your support."

Wang Xiaoyu flashed a flirtatious look. "You're naughty~"

...

Back in the building, each household closed their doors, quietly discussing today's events.

But whatever the truth, it didn't matter to most of them anymore.

What they cared about now was their own survival.

The available resources outside were dwindling, and the food they found each day barely lasted. Many people returned empty-handed or with only a few bags of snacks that weren't enough to feed a family.

Thinking of the road ahead, a heavy gloom hung over every household.

On the 14th floor, An Nan sealed the doors and windows, setting up a copper pot. She prepared sesame paste and chili oil.

Having slept outside for the past few days, tonight she planned to enjoy a hearty hotpot to warm herself up.

The water soon began to boil, and An Nan dipped lamb slices into the pot, calling for Fu Gui.

"An Fu Gui, dinner time!"

Usually, the dog would be first to come running at the smell, but today, it lay listlessly in its bed.

Noticing something was off, An Nan hurried over and picked up Fu Gui, only to find bloodstains in its bed.

Her heart skipped a beat. "Fu Gui's injured?!"