Chapter 42: Even the Richest Heir is Helpless!

The words “using someone else’s knife to kill” slipped lightly from Zhang Qiqi’s lips, as if it were nothing.

After hearing this, Liu Dahong’s eyelids twitched, but he didn’t say anything right away.

He glanced up at the window of the security office, making sure no one was outside, then looked at Zhang Qiqi with suspicion and asked,

“‘Using someone else’s knife’? Whose knife? Kill whom?”

Zhang Qiming and the other property managers felt a chill run down their spines at those words, shooting the pair a startled glance.

Zhang Qiqi, still casual, gestured with her chin. “Them. Use their knife to get rid of the unlucky ones.” As she spoke, she pulled out her phone, opened the residents’ group chat, and scrolled to the conversation between Jiang Yan and the head property manager, handing it over.

Liu Dahong frowned. “I’m not quite following. Could you explain a bit more, miss?”

He’d worked at Shanshui Bay for years and could name almost every long-term resident. But the A-3201 from the group chat and the Zhang Qiqi in front of him were both unfamiliar.

He’d assumed, seeing her stick so close to Zhang Qiming, that she was his new girlfriend or something.

But people’s relationships weren’t his business to ask about.

“Let me see.” Zhang Qiming took the phone from her.

Seeing the chat between Jiang Yan and the property manager, he frowned, then pulled Zhang Qiqi aside and whispered,

“Qiqi, you’re not planning to drag Miss Jiang into this, are you? Didn’t you just say this afternoon you wanted to get closer to her when we all bunk together tonight? What’s this about?”

He changed his tune faster than flipping a page.

Besides, Jiang Yan still hadn’t replied to any of his messages.

He’d thought her phone was off and she’d reply when it was back on.

But now, she was clearly active in the group chat—just ignoring him completely.

And she was planning to go to the official shelter.

He’d gone out of his way to get her a good spot, even reassigned the three girls she was supposed to share with to someone else.

Suddenly, Zhang Qiming felt like his sincere efforts had been completely wasted.

The weather was scorching—almost sixty-five degrees Celsius.

But his heart felt like it had been doused with ice water, cold and bitter.

“Miss Jiang? Qiming, you sound awfully close to her!” Zhang Qiqi, oblivious to his inner thoughts, pouted, her words tinged with jealousy.

She didn’t answer his question.

After all, Zhang Qiming was her chosen temporary backer for now.

If he found out she’d once been Jiang Yan’s stepfather’s mistress, who knew how he’d react?

Zhang Qiming, feeling a bit guilty, could only say, “She’s worth over three billion. We’d better not mess with her.”

“Heh, Qiming, times have changed. Forget three billion—even if the richest heir in the country were here, he’d be helpless. I’d still dare to throw him under the bus! Haven’t you noticed how much the neighborhood has changed today?

This morning, someone tossed a corpse into the garden and got criticized and cursed out.

But by the afternoon?

Everyone was used to it—some even followed suit!

So, compared to those useless numbers in a bank account, what matters now is controlling resources and eliminating competition!

No one expected this heatwave to come on so strong. Do you really think that lovestruck heiress would have withdrawn all her billions and stashed it at home?

Anyway, I’m just offering ideas. Whether we act on them isn’t up to us.”

Zhang Qiqi sounded confident, but there was one thing she couldn’t figure out: why would Jiang Yan leave her nice villa to stay here?

Her logic was sound, and Zhang Qiming was left speechless.

She was right—the heatwave wasn’t ending anytime soon.

And this time, it was global.

Maybe the apocalypse really was coming.

All those dreams of marrying rich and living easy suddenly seemed meaningless.

Survival came first.

Having convinced himself, he sighed quietly and said nothing more.

Liu Dahong glanced at the two whispering in the corner. “Miss, you weren’t finished just now.”

Zhang Qiqi squeezed Zhang Qiming’s hand, then smiled and stepped forward. “Manager Liu, besides the heat and resource shortages, what else are people afraid of right now?”

“Blood mosquitoes?”

Liu Dahong shot her a look. “You mean, let the blood mosquitoes wipe out some of the residents?”

A cold glint flashed in Zhang Qiqi’s eyes.

She didn’t answer, but her meaning was clear.

“But no one dares go out into the garden now. We can’t just call everyone out, and as long as people keep their skin covered, the mosquitoes can’t get to them,” Manager A said.

No matter how the mosquitoes mutated, their mouthparts couldn’t pierce metal.

Zhang Qiqi smiled. “We’re all used to luring the enemy in and closing the door behind them. But what about opening the door and inviting them in? If no one goes out, then let the mosquitoes in!”

“But our job as property managers is to keep each building secure. The whole complex is safe from the blood mosquitoes because we’ve done our jobs. If we open the doors, isn’t that like betraying our own people? What if we’re held responsible later?” Manager B said, glancing nervously at Liu Dahong.

Even if no one blamed them, their own consciences would be hard to live with.

Zhang Qiqi snapped, “Who said you have to open the doors yourselves? Some residents go out and forget to close the doors behind them all the time. As for responsibility?

You’ve all seen the kind of people living here—their morals and bottom lines. Look at what they’re tossing out the windows!

People who can throw their own parents out—if anyone deserves punishment, it’s them! Honestly, we’re just doing what the law should have done! And do you really think this heatwave will end? Dream on!

Even if it does, the blame will fall on someone else!”

Manager C suddenly understood and chimed in,

“I think this lady has a point. You can’t catch a wolf without risking your child! The security cameras are down, so we can sneak over after dark and open the doors to let the mosquitoes in. No one will know. If anyone asks, we’ll say it was those people who went to the official shelter and didn’t close the doors properly.

Everyone’s moving downstairs tonight, and with nothing having happened in the buildings lately, people are letting their skin show to cool off. They won’t be as cautious as us. Those mosquitoes are starving—if they swarm in, half a pint of blood will be gone in one bite!

I bet we’ll lose at least half the population. If someone gets bitten, it’s just bad luck—no one else to blame.”

Liu Dahong stayed silent.

He frowned and thought for a few seconds, then finally said quietly,

“With fewer people, it’s not just about easier management.”

“????”

The others stared at him in confusion, all turning to look at him.

These two chapters are meant to set up the darkness of human nature at the onset of the apocalypse, so there’s a bit more focus on the supporting characters’ scheming~"