Disaster Apocalypse: Farming, Family, and My Hidden Secret Space

"Dad, don't move!" Seeing the blood flowing more, Wang Yichun shouted nervously.

"Yes, old man, you'd better behave..." Liu Cheng was also startled by the village chief's actions and quickly moved the blade in his hand outward a bit.

This old man was their talisman; threats were fine, but nothing could actually happen to him.

"...I'll give you the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea to get ready," Liu Cheng estimated the time and spoke, "Otherwise, don't blame me for being disrespectful to the elderly... At worst, we'll both lose out. It's still worth it for so many of us to exchange our lives for you Wang family villagers..."

"Yes... Brother Wang is right..."

The people from Liu's settlement echoed this sentiment. Many of them were indeed about to face a water shortage crisis. They didn't have time to wait anymore. They came today ready to not return unless they got water, even if it wasn't much, it would allow their families to hold on a few more days.

"You..." Wang Yichun looked coldly at Liu Cheng, then turned his gaze away at his father's look of refusal.

He knew what his father meant, but how could a son just stand by as his father was in danger and do nothing? Right now there was no time to think too much, saving his father was the priority.

Turning to his second brother, "Go prepare."

Wang Yixia glared at Liu Cheng fiercely, then headed towards the two carts that had already been pushed over with his people.

"That's right, time is running out, hurry up. I've been waiting too long, I'm afraid my hand holding the knife will tremble..." Liu Cheng continued to threaten.

"No..." the village chief shouted.

"Old man, I advise you to behave..." Liu Cheng, whose patience had been tried again and again, punched the village chief in the stomach, forcing his words back into his stomach.

"Liu Cheng, how dare you..." Wang Yichun took a few faltering steps forward but stopped abruptly when he saw the knife in Wang Cheng's hand.

"Hurry up and go..." Liu Cheng ruthlessly swept his gaze over the Wang family villagers pulling the cart, ignoring Wang Yichun's threats.

Wang Yixia quickly led his people to take over the cart, about to leave when suddenly a stone appeared, whizzing past right before his eyes. If it had been any slower, it wouldn't have just passed by; it was so shocking that Wang Yixia broke out in a cold sweat.

The stone flew directly toward the hand holding the village chief hostage, moving so fast that in the blink of an eye, Liu Cheng couldn't react in time. Overwhelmed by intense pain, he instinctively let go, and the machete fell to the ground. How could the village chief not seize the opportunity? He instinctively pushed the person and retreated back.

At the same time, Wang Datian and Wang Yichun also sprang into action, rushing towards the village chief. By the time Liu Cheng's people reacted, the village chief had returned to safe ground, and they were subdued again, pressed to the ground. Liu Cheng, with his painful wrist, was also forcibly pinned down, remaining trapped despite his sinister and fierce demeanor.

"Who? Who is it? Come out, hiding in the dark isn't how a hero acts..." Liu Cheng growled in the direction the stone came from, but saw nothing but darkness.

He had been so close to success, and yet, it failed because of a single stone. How could Liu Cheng not be filled with hatred?

His eyes were wide open, filled with blood vessels out of frustration, looking terrifyingly as if he wanted to devour someone.

In the shadows, Hua Jin pouted, secretly regretting not making the stone hit harder. This way, Liu Cheng wouldn't even have time to talk.

If Hua Jin hadn't seen no real intent to kill in Liu Cheng's eyes, the previous shot wouldn't have been a stone; it would have been a bolt from his small crossbow.

No matter how loudly Liu Cheng shouted, there was still only darkness, with no response from anyone.

At the same time, the Wang family villagers also looked in this direction. Unlike the disgruntled expressions of the Liu family settlement, they were elated.

If not for this suddenly appearing stone, the Wang family village would have been in a really passive position. To save the village chief, they would've had to give up water, and realizing this made them feel grateful.

They just didn't know who it was; most of the village's strong men with high combat power were here, and none of them were known to have such precise aim!

However, now wasn't the time to dwell on such matters; the priority was to quickly drive the people from the village.

They had already stayed outside for over half an hour; any longer and their bodies wouldn't be able to withstand the heat.

"Dad, are you okay? Can you hold on?" Both Wang Yichun and Wang Yixia stood by their father's side. Wang Yichun tore a piece of clean cloth from his clothes and pressed it against his father's neck. Seeing the blood stains, the brothers' eyes reddened, staring angrily at Liu Cheng, who was still restless on the ground.

If looks could kill, Liu Cheng would've been sliced into a thousand pieces by now.

"It's nothing, just a cut on the skin," the village chief said, looking at Liu Cheng, who was pinned to the ground.

This man certainly was clever, likely having planned this long ago, catching them off guard when capturing him. If not for that stone that appeared suddenly, they would've had to give up the water.

Seeing that his father was indeed okay, Wang Yichun, still filled with rage, was about to move forward but was held back by the village chief.

"Enough, any more and someone will die," the village chief said, looking at the exhausted Liu Chun.

Sigh! Blame it on the troubled times.

"But Dad, he..."

"I'm fine, let them leave the village." If they didn't leave now, these people would actually never get back home.

"But..."

"Eldest son..." The village chief sternly looked at his eldest son, knowing he was just worried about him, but unless necessary, the village chief didn't want to cause any deaths, especially when these people didn't truly have a killing intent.

"Got it," Wang Yichun nodded reluctantly since his father's words were final, even if he was unwilling. At most, he'd just kick Liu Cheng a few more times on the way out of the village.

"Take him away," Wang Yichun couldn't resist giving Liu Cheng a kick, signaling his men to pull Liu Cheng up. Then he twisted Liu Cheng's hands behind his back. The already injured wrist ached intensely, and sweat dripped down in large beads.

Liu Cheng glared at Wang Yichun with a dark look, yet chose to remain silent, knowing he was in their hands.

Wang Yichun chuckled coldly and was about to lead the people out of the village when suddenly footsteps sounded in the dark, causing him to tense up and retreat with the villagers back to their group.

As they watched the newcomers, they were all surprised, a few, including a woman, were only half-grown boys.

"Liu Cheng..."

Before they reached them, a voice had already arrived, calling out Liu Cheng's name.

From captor to captive, the change of roles happened in a moment. From initial defiance and anger to acceptance, Liu Cheng hadn't taken long. By now, he had composed himself, or at least appeared composed.

When he heard the voice coming through the night, his face changed abruptly, looking up sharply at the woman running through the darkness.