CHAPTER 359: CHAPTER 12: THE ENDGAME (3)

Time waits for no one. Zhou Qingfeng immediately selected a few trembling captives as guides and led thirty to forty armed personnel onto a modified pickup truck, heading straight for the nearest Bantu Town.

A long-winged, long-endurance drone hovered silently above the convoy, providing comprehensive aerial surveillance like a silent hunting falcon.

Knowing they were going to "snatch women," the accelerator of the modified pickup was slammed to the floor, the body speeding across the wilderness like a beast unchained, with everyone inside in high spirits.

In less than half an hour, this group of armed militants, like a pack of hungry wolves, fiercely charged towards Bantu Town, twenty kilometers away.

At this moment, the remaining survivors in Bantu Town were gathered inside the somewhat dilapidated church at the center of town.

An excited priest was leading about twenty young women in low prayers to a weathered Jesus statue, trying to boost morale.

On the altar at the center of the church lay a radio, maintaining a communication channel with the convoy heading to Avoni Town.

An hour ago, the news they received was all well, and the convoy had smoothly approached Avoni Town, about to storm into the yellow-skinned monkeys’ lair.

But in an instant, the calm radio waves suddenly erupted with piercing static, followed by chilling cries for help, wails of despair, heart-wrenching screams, and dull explosions.

These sounds intertwined like terrifying demonic voices from the depths of hell, shattering the last bits of hope within the church, replacing it with endless fear and despair.

For four or five minutes, the voices over the radio continued, then fell silent, with no response no matter how much they called.

The previously solemn prayer sounded abruptly ceased, the candle flames before the Jesus statue still flickering, but everyone’s mind was blank as if their thoughts had been vacuumed away.

The priest conducting the prayers seemed nailed in place, eyes glazed, the once devout expression now filled with bewilderment.

The women praying along resembled startled sparrows, lifting their heads in panic, glancing around anxiously, and the low sobs seemed particularly clear in the silence.

"Our brethren have already been called by the Lord, resting in the kingdom of heaven," the priest’s voice was low and hoarse as he lowered his eyes in sorrow, as if anticipating something. "Next, it’s our turn."

He shakily fetched a brown bottle from his robe pocket, rubbing the rough bottle surface, speaking with despair yet calm, "I’ve long known this day would come, so... I made some preparations."

He stumbled down the platform, tilted the bottle, and several white pills rolled into his withered palm, distributing them to every woman in the church.

A young woman fearfully asked, "Priest, what is this?"

"Child, Judgment Day has arrived, this world is too painful," the priest’s voice was so soft it was almost a whisper.

He circled around, finishing the distribution of pills, then returned to the platform, sweeping over the crowd with Eyes full of compassion, "Now... we are about to return to the Lord’s embrace."

The women clutched the pills tightly, their expressions varied.

Some were dazed, as if their souls had left their bodies;

Some looked around, hoping to find a sliver of hope;

Some had already burst into tears, silently surrendering to fate;

Others wore expressions of numb determination, as if they had lost the strength to resist.

Only the priest himself had empty hands, using a low, tempting voice to urge the women present to swallow the pills quickly, as if that was the only path to peace.

In this suffocating silence, a sudden screech of brakes outside the church startled the dazed women.

Immediately following, the thick wooden church doors were violently kicked open with a loud bang, wood chips flying.

Within a breath, a group of fierce-looking armed personnel flooded in like a tide, instantly occupying the church entrance.

The priest on the platform raised his voice loudly, shouting hoarsely, "This is God’s dwelling, no intruders allowed! You..."

Zhou Qingfeng, leading the intruders, raised his hand and fired a shot, disdainfully smirking, "I am God."