Invasion of America

Chapter 8 Remember to go through the main entrance

Raúl came with Toto.

After leaving the police station, he had far more information than Zhou Qingfeng. He carefully sorted out the list of all the people present last night and quickly identified Toto as the biggest suspect.

When Toto came out from the second floor of his house, Raul was sitting in the car on the street, quietly watching his cautious figure.

When Toto got on the creaky old bicycle, he sped towards the Scorpion Tavern.

Raul started the car calmly, took a small road, and arrived at the tavern faster than Toto.

He parked the car in the dark, turned off the engine and the lights, and disappeared into the darkness, like a lurking cheetah waiting for its prey to fall into his trap.

However, what Raul did not expect was that Zhou Qingfeng also got involved - the latter did not wear stockings before entering the bar, otherwise anyone who saw him would know that he was stealing.

At the moment of the shooting, Zhou Qingfeng immediately recognized Raul's voice and was also surprised. He thought Raul had been apprehended by the police, but he didn't expect him to escape so quickly.

Toto fell down, already dead. The lottery ticket worth billions was hidden in the waterproof plastic bag on his chest.

But a new fight begins immediately.

The bar was dark. The only source of light was the emergency light that Toto brought. Now it had fallen to the ground, and the beam of light could only illuminate one direction, marking a boundary for the fight.

Raul took advantage of the darkness to launch a surprise attack, raising the muzzle of his gun slightly and firing several shots in Zhou Qingfeng's direction. The sound of the bullets exploding was deafening in the narrow space.

However, the slight sound of footsteps still exposed Raul's presence, allowing Zhou Qingfeng to escape at the critical moment and hide behind the heavy bar.

After firing several shots, Raul paused for a moment, lowered the muzzle of his gun slightly, opened his eyes wide, and pricked up his ears, trying to identify Zhou Qingfeng's specific location in the dark, preferably to see his body.

But after waiting for a while, he saw nothing, so he simply turned towards the bar and asked, "Victor, answer me, how did you get here? Where did you get the news?"

Zhou Qingfeng, who was behind the bar, didn't answer. His back was pressed against the cold wall, his fingers groping rapidly in the darkness.

Soon, his fingertips touched a shattered wine bottle. The bottle was cold, with sharp edges, making it the perfect weapon for this moment.

He grabbed the bottle, took a deep breath, stood up from a half-squat position, and threw the bottle in the direction of the gunshot.

Raúl, confident of his absolute advantage with the gun in hand, did not move immediately after firing. However, he never expected the opponent's counterattack to be so swift and accurate.

With a loud bang, the bottle hit his chest hard. The edge of the already broken bottle was as sharp as a knife, instantly cutting through his clothes and piercing his skin.

The severe pain made Raul groan and stagger back.

The darkness magnified the pain infinitely, and fear surged into my heart like a tide.

Raul subconsciously pulled the trigger again and fired several shots, trying to use the gunshots to dispel the panic in his heart.

Bullets flew all over the bar, breaking the wooden boards of the bar into pieces.

But after pulling the trigger several times, the bolt made a "click" sound and entered the empty chamber state - there were no bullets.

Raul's heart sank. He wasn't a cop, wasn't a gang member, had little combat experience, didn't carry any extra magazines, and never considered the need to reload.

The psychological advantage disappeared in an instant, replaced by deep fear.

He glanced at Toto, who was lying in a pool of blood. His pale face looked particularly terrifying under the light of the emergency light.

Raul didn't hesitate, turned around and ran towards the bar door.

Zhou Qingfeng had been waiting for the moment of 'empty warehouse hanging up', and rushed out from behind the bar like a cheetah, with swift and brave movements.

His eyes were fixed on Raul. He caught up with him in a few steps and kicked Raul hard in the back.

Raul was caught off guard and fell heavily to the ground, his head hitting the floor with a dull thud. The pain made him black out and he almost fainted.

Before he could struggle to get up, Zhou Qingfeng had already pressed down on his waist and strangled his neck with his arms.

Raul felt suffocated, the shadow of death looming, his confidence shattered by fear. He squeezed all the air out of his lungs and shouted hoarsely:
"No, don't kill me! We can split it in half! Two billion dollars, that's more than enough money, enough for us..."

Zhou Qingfeng formed a V-shape with his left arm under Raul's jaw, and his right arm was across the back of his head. He used both hands to exert force and completed the naked choke without mercy.

Raul's voice stopped abruptly, his face quickly turned red, and he slapped Zhou Qingfeng's arms weakly with his hands, trying to beg for mercy and break free.

However, Zhou Qingfeng's strength was as solid as a rock, without any loosening.

"Do you know how I spent the next ten years?"

Zhou Qingfeng's voice was low and cold, like the devil's voice from hell, the waves rising from the sea of ​​suffering, and every word was chilling.

His eyes were cold and ruthless, staring at some distant, painful past. His arms were like iron clamps, tightly gripping Raul's neck, and the force did not loosen at all.

Raul's face turned from red to purple, his breathing became weaker and weaker, the scratching of his hands became weaker and weaker, and he was on the verge of death.

"I live like a dog." Zhou Qingfeng sneered at himself, expressing his long-suppressed anger and unwillingness. "No, even worse than a dog."

The memories made him suffer so much that his voice became hoarse and sharp, as if it was squeezed out from the depths of his throat.

"I originally just wanted to get a diploma, a job, a salary, and live a comfortable life."

"As a result, the apocalypse arrived... I had no choice but to become a wandering stray dog, learning how to rob, how to kill, and how to survive."

"I'm a fast learner in the apocalypse. What you're feeling right now is the fruit of my learning. I'm really good at doing dirty work."

A cruel smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, mocking Raul's powerlessness and his own cruelty.

"But if I could live my life again..." Zhou Qingfeng's voice suddenly became high-pitched. "I don't want to be such a coward anymore. I want to live like a human being."

"Your life ends here. Let me take on all your good luck." Zhou Qingfeng tightened his arms again, completing the final execution.

Raul's body twitched violently a few times, then completely collapsed, his hands hanging limply, and his eyes completely lost their luster.

After confirming that the target was dead, Zhou Qingfeng loosened his arms. The corpse slid to the ground like a broken doll, and its head hit the floor with a dull thud.

He slowly stood up and looked down at the corpse on the ground without a trace of pity in his eyes. He bent down and pulled the lottery ticket from Toto's chest, carefully confirming the numbers.

The bar returned to a deathly silence. Only the emergency light lay alone on the ground, casting a pale halo of light, putting a cold end to the bloody fight.

Zhou Qingfeng's figure was stretched out under the light, like a demon walking out of the depths of hell, emitting a chilling aura.

He did not leave immediately, but stood where he was, scanning the surroundings like a hawk, making sure no details were missed.

The clothes are clean, but there are blood stains on the soles of the shoes. This is unavoidable and will be dealt with later.

He squatted down and carefully examined Raul's body, especially between his fingernails.

When people are struggling to survive, they often scratch their opponents unconsciously, leaving behind skin fragments or clothing fibers.

These tiny pieces of evidence were enough for the police to identify the murderer through DNA. He would never allow himself to make such a low-level mistake.

After confirming that there were no traces, he stood up and scanned every corner of the bar again.

He had already destroyed the surveillance cameras in advance, but he still checked again to make sure that no equipment that might record his whereabouts was missed.

Next, he began planning his escape route.

The bar's back door led to a narrow alleyway with no streetlights and only a few scattered trash cans. Zhou Qingfeng had already walked this route and knew there were no surveillance cameras and few pedestrians. He crossed the alley quickly, his steps as light as a cat's, making no sound at all.

After escaping the scene, Zhou Qingfeng did not go home directly. Instead, he walked around several streets and discarded all the tools and clothes used in the hunt into different trash cans.

He dispersed the gloves, coats, shoes, and even a knife used to destroy surveillance cameras to ensure that no one would be suspicious.

The process was clean and smooth, without a trace of hesitation or delay. He had already rehearsed all of this in his mind countless times.

After finishing all this, Zhou Qingfeng looked at the watch on his wrist and it was almost three o'clock in the morning.

He then trotted towards Sheriff Conger's house, his figure moving silently through the darkness like a ghost.

The sheriff's garage was empty; the familiar Mustang police car was missing. The sheriff must be working overtime.

The townhouse was so quiet that it seemed to have been forgotten by time, with only the rustling of wind through the treetops.

Zhou Qingfeng stood downstairs and looked up at the window on the second floor. After confirming that everything was normal, he climbed up the rainwater pipe with ease.

The bedroom window is ajar and can be opened with a gentle push.

After climbing in through the window, he quickly took off the last of his dirty clothes, changed into a set of clean pajamas, and stuffed the clothes into a plastic bag that had been prepared long ago.

Tomorrow morning, he will take these clothes to a farther place for disposal.

Go to bed, sleep, restore your physical strength, and relax your mind.
-
A few hours later, the sky was just beginning to brighten. The morning light filtered through the gaps in the curtains and streamed into the room, leaving a hint of fresh coolness in the air.

It felt like it should be a beautiful day.

Zhou Qingfeng was still deep in sleep after a tiring night. Suddenly, the bedroom door was flung open, and a vibrant figure rushed in like a whirlwind.

"Victor!" Selina's voice was filled with suppressed anger, like a volcano ready to erupt.

She took a few steps to the bed and jumped on it without hesitation. The mattress shook violently with her movement.

Zhou Qingfeng was awakened by the sudden noise and opened his eyes in surprise.

"You sneaked out to play last night, and you dared not take me with you?" Selina lowered her voice and said through gritted teeth, her eyes full of grievance and anger.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed with excitement, her hair was messy and draped over her shoulders, and she had obviously just gotten out of bed.

Zhou Qingfeng didn't react for a moment, his mind still in a state of half-sleep and half-wakefulness. He rubbed his eyes, trying to sort out the situation before him.

"What...how did you know I went out?" he asked subconsciously, but his heart was already beating fast.

He thought his actions last night were cautious enough, so how come he was discovered so quickly?

Selina's expression changed quickly, she raised her chin proudly, and waved a key in her hand, the key gleaming in the morning light.

"Because I snuck into your room in the middle of the night." Her expression turned cunning. "You thought I couldn't get in just because you locked the door? You're so naive!"

Zhou Qingfeng was speechless and felt annoyed.

He had planned everything, but he had never expected this girl to sneak into his room in the middle of the night. He collapsed on the bed helplessly, feeling that he had no privacy at all in this house.

"Not only do I know that you went out, mom knows too." Selina supported Zhou Qingfeng's chest with both hands and looked down at him condescendingly.

"What...how did Julia know that I went out?" Zhou Qingfeng was completely confused. What secrets could he have in the future?

Selina, however, was not going to let her boyfriend go. She rode on Zhou Qingfeng, grabbed his shoulders with both hands, and shook him vigorously.

"I wanted to come and reward you last night, but you weren't in bed! I wanted to go out and look for you, but Mom stopped me!"

She groaned and asked angrily, "Tell me, are you dating someone? We've only been together for a few days, and you're already cheating on me?"

Selina's tone became more and more excited, and finally she simply grabbed the big pillow next to her and threw it hard at him.

The pillow fell on Zhou Qingfeng again and again. Although it didn't hurt, it made him feel quite guilty - this question was not easy to answer.

"I didn't! Don't guess!" Zhou Qingfeng dodged and tried to explain.

But Selena obviously didn't want to hear any explanation.

Her movements became faster and faster, the pillow drawing arcs in the air, accompanied by her dissatisfied mutterings, trying to vent all her grievances and anger.

Zhou Qingfeng could only helplessly shield his face with his arms, secretly groaning inwardly. Composing a smooth lie under the current circumstances was no easy task, even harder than trying to grab another lottery ticket.

God thinks Zhou Qingfeng isn't a headache enough.

The bedroom door was gently pushed open. Julia, wearing a light home tank top, leaned lazily against the door frame. "Stinky boy, you actually came back before dawn?"

"But you definitely didn't go in through the front door, otherwise the doormat would have been moved. So... climbing through the window, huh? What an old-fashioned trick."

With just one sentence, Zhou Qingfeng was like a primary school student caught red-handed by his class teacher, and all his excuses and cover-ups were ruthlessly exposed.

He opened his mouth, but found himself speechless. When it came to catching men, the housewife's experience was so rich that it was simply impeccable.

Selina turned to look at her mother, her eyes flashing with grievance and dissatisfaction, "Mom, what should we do? He must have gone out to do something bad!"

There was a hint of tears in her voice, and she was obviously extremely disappointed with Zhou Qingfeng's behavior.

Zhou Qingfeng wanted to cry, but he had no tears. He really had no experience in dealing with this kind of situation.

Especially when facing an "old hand" like Julia, he felt like he was stripped naked and had no secrets at all.

Julia remained calm, crossed her arms, and said in a relaxed tone, "Men also need personal space. There's no need to stare at them every day.

For example, your dad sometimes says he was on duty all night, but in fact he went to the bar with his colleagues to drink and watch the game.

Selina was stunned, obviously not expecting her mother to say that. She turned around and looked at Zhou Qingfeng suspiciously, "Did you go to the game?"

Before Zhou Qingfeng could answer, Julia continued, "If a man insists on lying, you won't be able to get the truth out of him no matter how much you ask.

But there is a way to verify it." She gently waved her hand, called Selina to her side, and whispered a few words in her ear.

Zhou Qingfeng felt a chill on his back and had a vague sense of foreboding.

Sure enough, after listening to her mother's "instructions", Selena immediately rushed back, gave her boyfriend a sly smile, and reached out to grab him.

The action was so fast that Zhou Qingfeng had no time to react.

(A few hundred words were deleted)
This means he didn't sneak out to eat in the middle of the night, so there's nothing wrong. As for where he went... forget it, let's give this kid some privacy."

Zhou Qingfeng hesitated to speak, then thought about it carefully and decided to keep quiet. He felt that he had been embarrassed enough today, and explaining further would only make things worse.

After 'actual verification', the 'misunderstanding' was resolved.

Selena's mood immediately brightened up, and she happily ran back to change her clothes.

Julia was not surprised at all and said lazily, "It's dangerous to climb through the window in the middle of the night. Remember to go through the front door next time you sneak out.

Besides, if you dare to steal my stockings again, I will be angry."

(End of this chapter)