Chapter 774 - 645: Death Wish

"It was him, Brother Su, it was really Huang Langcai’s suggestion. I never intended to steal anything. Please forgive me. I really didn’t mean it. I’m timid. If it weren’t for him leading me, I wouldn’t have dared."

Du Shi broke down, pointing at Huang Langcai, begging tearfully.

Huang Langcai, around thirty-five or thirty-six, faced with Du Shi’s repeated accusations, decided not to stay silent any longer and glared angrily, "Yes, I said gloves wear out easily, so take an extra pair just in case. What did you say? You said, ’I’ll take a pair too’, and that we’re running low on toilet paper, so let’s grab a couple of rolls. I was wrong, but you’re just as hypocritical!"

"You’re talking nonsense, you son of a... Brother Su, I didn’t do it, don’t believe him..."

"Shh, shh, shh."

Zhang Su made a gesture to hush everyone and said, "I hereby announce..."

Suddenly raising his voice: "Du Shi and Huang Langcai, for stealing supplies from the warehouse, each shall lose an arm. Du Shi and Huang Langcai, for deliberately harming camp members, lose another arm!"

Lose an arm, then another?

Wouldn’t that leave them with no hands?

Zhang Su wasn’t going to be lenient over the kind of crap Du Shi was spouting; it simply didn’t hold water. Did he think this was kindergarten? Claiming to be timid and following someone else into wrongdoing—what kind of excuses are these...

Du Shi was stunned. He was clearly an accessory, only agreeing because it was Huang Langcai’s idea. How could they receive the same punishment?

Huang Langcai wasn’t confused. He shut his eyes in pain, experiencing firsthand the camp’s iron will and ruthlessness. If you make a mistake, you must accept the consequences!

"This, that... ah, you, Brother Su..."

Liu Yao heard the punishment and felt mixed emotions—relieved yet frustrated, and also anxious.

Relieved that the "punish ten as a warning" approach wasn’t used, frustrated because losing both arms was still severe, and anxious because if truly executed, the two would basically be incapacitated!

"Given Huang Langcai’s admission of his wrongdoing and positive attitude, his punishment is halved!"

Zhang Su promptly announced another decree.

Huang Langcai’s bowed head suddenly lifted, his blood-streaked face trembled, and there was a glimmer in his eyes.

"Ah!" Du Shi broke down, yelling furiously: "Why? This isn’t fair, it’s not fair; it was his idea. Why does he get a lighter sentence—you’re biased!"

Zhang Su looked coldly at Du Shi. He hadn’t planned on speaking but then patiently explained, "You still don’t realize your mistake. You blame others for your faults, your heart is filled with resentment, and you’re completely unrepentant. Do you really think you can escape judgment like this?"

The emotions in one’s heart don’t lie, and Zhang Su could clearly sense Du Shi’s anger and resentment.

Upon hearing this, Du Shi was devastated, his face distorted, and he shouted, "I can’t live without my hands. I’d rather die than be without them, ah..."

"Ah!!"

"Oh my god..."

Liu Yao was about to step forward to restrain the berserk Du Shi, grateful to have hesitated. Otherwise, he would’ve been struck by the gleaming blade.

Yang Dongxin, standing to the side, was dumbfounded. He’d seen the slow transformation of the living into the undead but never a bloody scene with a single throat-slicing motion, which frightened him back several steps, until Yuwen steadied him by his shoulder.

"Don’t be afraid, Old Yang. In chaotic times, severe measures are needed." Yuwen patted Yang Dongxin on the shoulder.

Some things can be let slide by with a blind eye, but today’s matter was beyond ignoring. Du Shi and Huang Langcai not only stole but also assaulted someone, and now this incident had spread. Without a resolution, more imitators were bound to emerge!

Thud.

Du Shi was dead, eyes wide open, his gaze fixed on Zhang Su’s face, staring intently at the toadlike glasses as if trying to see through the dark lenses to the soul beyond. Was this really a man who would kill so casually?

"You all heard him; he said he’d rather die than accept punishment."

Zhang Su spread his arms, blood dripping from the edge of the Dog Leg Military Saber’s blade.

"Fool, you damn fool, don’t listen to me, see what happens!"

Liu Yao jumped in frustration. He repeatedly warned them not to try evading responsibility. This wasn’t an era concerned with evidence anymore, especially since there had already been witnesses. King Yama was enough to convict them, yet they stubbornly stuck to their ways. Now look, one is dead.

"Old Liu, things aren’t over yet, don’t butt in! Are you doing Huang Langcai’s punishment, or should I?"

Zhang Su asked Liu Yao, holding the saber.

"I’ll do it myself!"

Huang Langcai gritted his teeth and tightened his jaw, standing up from the ground.

"Ah Huang, you... let me do it then!"

Liu Yao was exasperated. Given the situation, the best outcome was each losing an arm. It was a relatively good result in these times, but now it’s become one dead, one crippled, upsetting.

"No need."

Huang Langcai took a deep breath, mustering the courage to face Zhang Su: "Brother Su, thank you for reducing my punishment. Could I carry it out myself? Consider it cutting off my past mistakes and starting anew!"

"Tsk..."

Zhang Su smacked his lips. He couldn’t sense any negative emotion from Huang Langcai, which was unexpected. Earlier, Du Shi was full of venom and hatred, nearly exploding from his skull, yet Huang Langcai only showed a resolute determination.

Liu Yao heard Zhang Su’s exclamation and thought he was angry, quickly saying, "Ah Huang, stop hesitating, let me do it."

"Don’t bother."

Zhang Su waved Liu Yao off and said to Huang Langcai: "Alright, I can see you’re sincerely intending to change. I’d love to let you off, but I can’t. Hundreds of eyes in the village are watching the outcome!"

"I understand, Brother Su. No matter how this turns out, I was wrong, and I accept the punishment without complaint. Just... I hope I can still join the Elite Corps."

Huang Langcai requested with some difficulty.

"Alright, I promise you. Come, which is your dominant hand?"

Zhang Su rotated his wrist, the blood-stained blade gleaming under the lights.

Huang Langcai gritted his teeth and raised his right hand.

Almost simultaneously, the blade flickered—quick, very quick—so fast the surrounding people barely reacted, save for Ju Mumio standing at a distance, instinctively tilting her head.

Snap.

"Hss..."

The hand fell to the ground, and in a moment of shock, Huang Langcai’s arm swayed with the force, feeling the crippling pain, lifting his left arm to find his wrist cleanly severed.

"Thank, thank you, Brother Su. Much appreciated, Brother Su."

"Thanks, thanks... Brother Su is still merciful; he’s truly a benevolent leader."

Liu Yao came to his senses, surprised to find Zhang Su merely cut off Huang Langcai’s hand; there’s a significant difference between that and losing an arm. He hurriedly picked up the warm hand, rolling it in clothing, hoping for a miracle.

Sweat beaded on Huang Langcai’s forehead. He quickly treated the wound, tightening a bandage around his arm to prevent dying from excessive blood loss.

"Leave it be!"

Zhang Su brushed off Zhong Xiaoshan, who rushed over with a medical kit, and then said to Liu Yao, "Du Shi received punishment for stealing and deliberately injuring a companion, later refusing the sentence, clashing with leadership, leading to this. Let everyone know the outcome, understand?"

"Got it, got it. Take Du Shi’s body away, show the severity to everyone, and... what about Ah Huang?"

Liu Yao supported Huang Langcai. Although their crimes were similar, the degree of punishment was worlds apart. How to explain that?

"Huang Langcai confessed, showed sincere remorse, and demonstrated determination to change, warranting a reduced punishment."

Zhang Su didn’t expect Liu Yao to craft a detailed explanation and offered an official answer.

"Determination... punishment..." Liu Yao mumbled before nodding vigorously, "Alright, I got it. I’ll announce the result now!"

"Yang, the Warehouse Manager, today’s events were our fault, and I apologize. We’ll cooperate with you from now on."

Before leaving, Huang Langcai bowed to Yang Dongxin, drops of blood trickling from the severed wrist.

"It’s over, it’s over. Go tend your wounds, hurry."

Yang Dongxin waved them off repeatedly. He’d seen many similar incidents, never expecting it could escalate to this extent—one dead, one crippled. In the Survivor Alliance, such outcomes were unimaginable.