Chapter 80: The Art of Gift-Giving

It was previously unspoken because, after all, how could a girl's family think of such vicious methods?

But after yesterday's tragic incident involving Wang Xuemei, the family no longer objected; the proposal passed unanimously.

In the blink of an eye, a happy family of three was devastated—two members dead. Not only does Wang Xuemei have to face a cruel life ahead, but her ordeal, violated by so many men and recorded on video shared in WeChat groups, makes it unimaginable for her to face her community neighbors again.

When Wang Qiqi and others arrived, they found Wang Xuemei tortured beyond recognition, tied to a sofa but still alive. Afterwards, she sought death, feeling her life was now meaningless.

Jing Shu sent a video of Gou Yi Tian being tortured to death to Wang Qiqi without comment.

Living or dying is a personal choice. If one can't get past their mental barriers, it might be easier to end it all, considering the ongoing natural disasters and human calamities to come, where one encounters countless people and myriad ways to die without knowing which will claim them.

"I think it's still dangerous if some fish slip through the net. Can we add another wire fence? That way, we could shoot arrows from the front," suggested Wu Youai.

Jing Shu casually approved Wu Youai's idea, "Just a wire fence isn't enough; it lacks lethality. Our advantage is that we have electricity at home. Let’s convert it to an electric fence. It doesn’t need to be high but must be wide enough to cover the entire yard, forcing them to break through it to reach us, buying us more time."

The family decided to upgrade the villa's traps in this manner. Jing Shu would ‘acquire’ the necessary materials, while Jing Ba and Jing Ye began preparations with the materials already on hand.

It took the family two days to clean up the villa thoroughly, a task complicated by the need to conserve water. San Gu, a doer, spoke little but worked tirelessly throughout, proving why she could remain a cook in the government facility, adding a ‘systematic’ aspect to her credentials.

In the half-year since they began living together, Jing Shu found that San Gu was a strong-willed and efficient Virgo, obsessed with cleanliness and order—traits of a 'doer, not talker.'

In contrast, Wu Youai was a laid-back Libra, who preferred intellectual over physical exertion.

Some of the villa's vegetables were ruined and fed to the livestock. The front door needed a new lock, but fortunately, there was no significant damage otherwise.

After assessing the damage, they learned that during the 'Day Barrier' raid, three households were killed, and two women were assaulted—one of whom Jing Shu knew from the neighborhood chats, Zhang Bing Bing.

Three days after the incident, the community was terror-stricken, unwilling to even step out to the local restrooms.

Meanwhile, all supermarkets in Wucheng had closed, causing those without stored food to run out. This chaos led some to consider robbery, adopting the mindset of 'attack those who have.'

People with minimal food reserves were also panicking as their supplies dwindled, prompting protests within the community over the dwindling rations.

Online forums exploded with complaints and fears about the impending apocalypse, accepted by everyone as they huddled at home, posting updates about which neighborhoods were being looted or controlled.

The news channels, meanwhile, continued to report on state affairs:

*May 2, 2023: Companies like Master Kong have joined the central government's corporate sector to introduce dehydrated vegetable products, aiming to restore food supplies to the public soon.*

*May 3, 2023: Mobile operators like Mobile, Unicom, and Telecom have merged into a single state-owned enterprise, leading into the 6G era with plans to abolish call charges within a year, ushering in a new era of free data for all.*

*May 4, 2023...*

A recent significant event in Wucheng involved the 'Cover the Sky' gang attacking the New District police station to steal guns. Using grenades, they breached the station and killed several officers before attempting to access the weapons vault. However, their efforts were thwarted by a locked safe that they couldn't open, leading to a retreat after a deadly standoff.

This is why Jing Shu had never encountered anyone with guns in her previous life; if it were that easy to raid a police station, shootouts would be as common as in America, where having a gun makes you "the boss."

Days after the incident, Jing Shu, her father, and her mother brought gifts to thank Commissioner Niu, ensuring they were fully armed for safety. The price of security doors and bars had skyrocketed, but these measures were scant protection against determined robbers.

Deciding on the perfect gift involved considerable discussion. "You have to cater to Commissioner Niu’s tastes," said Jing Ba.

Jing Ma suggested, "It's best to provide what he lacks most. Offering essentials is more appreciated than luxuries."

Jing Shu shared an incident involving Niu's son, which might provide a clue to an ideal gift.

Jing Ba empathized, recognizing a fellow "sufferer."

"If his wife loves strawberries, let's give them some, complete with soil so they can grow more. They won't lack electricity to maintain them," Jing Ma brightly suggested.

"But then you're giving away too much at once. How will they remember you if you don't keep providing? If every visit brings strawberries, wouldn’t each visit be appreciated?" Jing Shu sighed, highlighting the strategy behind incremental giving.