From Apocalypse To Entertainment Circle (BL)-Chapter 23: The Siege

The prisoner trembled violently, struggling to breathe. He knew that his survival and escape from this forest were nearly impossible, especially after betraying the organization. It was only a matter of time before they caught him. Once they extracted the information they needed from him, they would surely kill him.

Approaching these people and surrendering to them was his last chance at survival. He had discovered that there were soldiers among them, so he felt a slight glimmer of hope, believing that he might survive. He didn’t want to die, and he prayed to the gods for his survival. Who would have known that these people, who were supposed to be powerful soldiers, didn’t even have firearms? No weapons, nothing, just a group of rusty knives.

He couldn’t stop himself from speaking: "Are you trying to fight the Wolf Clan with these rusty knives? They’ll obliterate you! How can you be a soldier when you don’t even have a proper weapon? No, no... it’s over, it’s over. I’m going to die, we’re all going to die." The prisoner went mad, shouting hysterically.

Wu Hao, who had been watching, could only move forward and strike the prisoner on the neck, knocking him unconscious. He would only be a hindrance, and if he continued screaming, it would only heighten the fear of the other participants.

Lan Qisheng looked around the living room, which had fallen silent after everyone learned about the impending attack. He surveyed everyone in the room, where everyone was gathered. Yang Chen had brought Marco and the other three who had been on the upper floor. There was no way to let them hide up there anymore—it was a closed space, useless to defend, and escape would be impossible if the need arose.

Lan Qisheng spoke in a calm, reassuring voice: "We will survive this together. My team and I will protect you with all our strength. So don’t panic, and try to stay calm. I know this request is difficult, but I ask that you at least try rather than letting fear control you and surrender to death in a cowardly way. Hold on to that lifeline and do your best to live."

Lan Qisheng’s words were few, but they sank deep into the hearts of everyone in the room. Yes, they would try to survive. Even if they failed, it was better than giving up and waiting for death with open arms.

Lan Qisheng went to his team members, who had gathered just like they had in the forest earlier. After a few minutes, they stood up. Sian looked on, his eyes wide open as the soldiers pulled small weapons from inside their boots, concealed beneath their long coats.

...

Meanwhile, the live broadcast was boiling over with tension and fear. This broadcast had been live for 24 hours, so no one could forget it. Millions of viewers were watching, even foreigners. The situation was explosive, drawing much attention from governments. With so many hostages, terrorists, and a powerful criminal organization involved, it was no surprise that it garnered so much attention. Just moments ago, the livestream comments were filled with insults towards Sian for his deception, his words, and even his mannerisms... but when the situation suddenly became dangerous, and then the audience learned of the impending attack on the participants, they forgot all those trivialities. Everyone was glued to the screen, afraid of missing any moment. The families of the participants were crying, praying for their loved ones’ safety.

A heavy silence fell over the livestream comments. No one had the strength or clarity to comment anymore. They were watching as Lan Qisheng and his team prepared their weapons.

---

No one dared to move. Sunlight danced on the glass windows, but it brought no warmth to the hearts of the people inside. Everyone waited in silence, searching for any signs of movement outside the house.

People were either hiding under tables, on the staircase, or lying behind the small kitchen bar, as Lan Qisheng had instructed, preparing for any gunfire. His instincts had proven correct.

Sian knelt by the window, staring intently outside. His gaze fell on Liang Zu, who was holding a small pendant—a necklace containing pictures of his wife and daughter. Liang Cuo pressed his lips against the image, his fingers trembling.

Sian sighed quietly. He recognized this feeling well—the dense air of death, the heaviness of the final moments pressing on every soul in the room. He had seen this before and felt it creep under his skin like an unwelcome, forgotten memory.

Why? Why must people die like this?

Suddenly, the sound of gunfire shattered the silence.

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!

The bullets tore through the white walls, sending plaster and wood flying in all directions. Sparks flew when metal hit metal, and the bullets scattered randomly. The room became a storm of dust and chaos.

"Damn it!" Ren Yi hissed, rolling to the other side and firing through the window. His shots were sharp and precise, but the enemies were well-hidden.

Lan Qisheng took cover behind another window, his mind racing. Their weapons were limited—simple Type 92 pistols against automatic rifles. This wasn’t a fair fight.

A brief pause in the gunfire. Then, a voice came from outside.

"Our leader says—hand over the man. Now. Or everyone dies."

Zhao Ling let out a dry laugh. "Right. As if you’ll bid us farewell and wish us a safe trip if we do that?"

The voice outside laughed deeply, mockingly.

"Well, maybe not all of you will die. That pretty boy with you—what was his name again? Shan? Swan? That pretty face doesn’t deserve to be wasted. Perhaps we’ll enjoy him first."

Laughter erupted from the enemy ranks.

Lan Qisheng sweated. His hands gripped his gun. Bastards.

Without hesitation, he stood and fired through the shattered window.

The shot rang out like thunder. The captain’s body jerked back, a blood hole bursting in his chest. Blood sprayed through the air as the captain collapsed dead before he could touch the ground.

A moment of silence. Then—chaos.

"Fire!" someone shouted from outside.

The attackers immediately responded, unleashing a barrage of bullets at the house. Lan Qisheng barely managed to dive for cover before a storm of bullets tore through his previous position.

Bang Wang gasped in terror. Mark curled up in the corner, shaking uncontrollably. Everyone in the room knew—this was no longer just an attack. This was an execution.

Outside, the terrorists quickly reorganized. Their slain leader was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. They had one goal: eliminate everyone and capture the escaped prisoner.

The room was filled with stagnant air, thick with smoke and fear. Sian clenched his jaw. He hated this. The smell of blood. The sound of breaking. He hated the feeling of helplessness.

After noticing the state of everyone, how they were surrounded with no escape or enough strength to defend themselves...

Sian’s eyes gleamed with coldness and murderous intent. Then, he closed his eyes, as if all his senses had detached from reality for a moment. After taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes again—his decision was made.