Chapter 350: Desperate Stand at Home

“Kid, stop yakking. I’ve counted dozens of times. If you don’t step out now, we’re busting in. I heard the children crying—you don’t want them all getting gunned down, do you?”

With that, the man roared, “One!”

Tang Zheng hesitated for a moment, unaware that a few people in front of the vehicle had already disappeared.

“Two!”

In these weather conditions, if a family of four abandons this shelter without a vehicle, there’s a one hundred percent chance they’ll perish on the road.

“We can leave—but only if we drive our own car.”

“Alright. Five!”

When Tang Zheng heard Big Beard’s count skip to five, he cursed inwardly.

“Back up fifty meters. I’ll leave with my family in the car.”

“Seven!” Big Beard didn’t budge; the armed crowd behind him remained in place.

“If you don’t step back, I won’t come out. And if I do, what if you open fire?”

“Nine!”

Big Beard skipped another number.

A bang rang out as a gunshot echoed from the living room, followed by the screams of two children and a frustrated, angry cry.

“Honey, they entered through the back window! I shot someone!” cried his wife.

Without hesitation, Tang Zheng fired at Big Beard just outside the door!

With a loud bang, Big Beard was propelled several meters away by the recoil, crashing in front of his armed comrades.

Soon, gunshots erupted all around.

Tang Zheng knew his entire family was doomed; these thugs would surely kill all four of them.

But dying without resistance was no better—so he resolved to take down a few more bastards on his way out.

Under a hail of enemy bullets, Tang Zheng was completely suppressed as the attackers began to spread out and close in on the house.

“Tang Zheng, come on!” His wife’s anxious cry resonated from the living room behind him.

Next, several more shots rang out, and the children’s cries grew louder.

“Mom, Mom—”

Tang Zheng dashed back inside and saw an assailant lying over on the second-floor staircase, with another collapsed at a door in a different room.

In the corner of the living room, a large sofa piled with several small ones and a few metal sheets offered makeshift protection.

He had hastily set this up as a shelter for the children in the event of a shootout with intruders.

A few steps behind the sofa, he found his wife leaning against the wall, her right shoulder drenched in blood and her firearm lying discarded nearby, sweat glistening on her face from pain.

“Honey, I’m fine—”

Her words were strained, and upon seeing their father, the children suddenly stopped crying.

Tang Zheng crouched down, retrieving a first aid kit from a corner, and quickly applied a makeshift bandage to his wife’s wound.

“Honey, it looks like our family of four won’t make it out alive. But before I die, I’ll take down a few more bastards. You and the kids hold on and keep fighting!”

With his shotgun at the ready, Tang Zheng kept a vigilant eye on both the front door and the upstairs.

At that moment, a dark figure burst from the kitchen doorway, and Tang Zheng fired a shot instantly. A man screamed in agony as he crumpled at the kitchen entrance.

Soon, the front door swung open—yet no one appeared.

Tang Zheng waited silently in his corner. Unless the ceiling collapsed, the attackers could only infiltrate from the kitchen’s front window or the guest room’s back window on the first floor. And the moment they stepped out, Tang Zheng would take them down.

Similarly, any who entered from the second floor via the staircase would be easily held at bay.

Finally, Tang Zheng had his eyes glued to the main door. Only if the enemy were armed with tear gas like the police might they attempt a sudden breakthrough.

At this moment, Tang Zheng felt an unusual calm. Dying side by side with his family in defense of their home would be a worthy end.

Minutes ticked by. Initially, gunfire could still be heard outside—with one burst, the shots grew intensely frequent, though none were aimed at Tang Zheng’s home.

A thought struck him, “Honey, did you call Old Zhuang’s family just now?”

“No…there wasn’t enough time. Someone stormed in through the guest room, and I had to shoot.” His wife’s voice was weak, clearly affected by her gunshot wound.

Before Tang Zheng could say more, a massive explosion shook the ground outside.

Then, a booming broadcast cut through the chaos.

“In light of certain Australians inciting racial hatred with despicable acts, the Dream Technology Earth Defense Fleet Command announces that any aggressive act will be defined as betrayal and will be shot on sight!”

“All civilians are to remain indoors. Anyone refusing to comply with the Defense Fleet’s orders will be shot without hesitation!”

…

Tang Zheng was dumbfounded. Dream Technology Earth Defense Fleet Command? Since when did such a fleet exist?

And Dream Technology had classified these terrorizers as traitors—could it be that they were truly under alien control?

After a moment’s thought, he listened carefully to the eerie silence outside. Perhaps the attackers had been eliminated by the Defense Fleet?

With cautious doubt, Tang Zheng didn’t rush outside but crept to the television in the living room and fumbled to turn it on.

This allowed him to view the latest Australian news—he wanted to know if what he’d just heard was on air.

He avoided using his phone to access the internet, fearing that online reports might be false.

When the television screen finally lit up, Tang Zheng was instantly stunned.

“Is this an alien invasion?”

On screen were images of two enormous prism warships hovering over the entire city of Xini—each stretching 1500 meters long, larger than the largest American aircraft carrier.

This colossal vessel loomed in mid-air, its presence oppressive beyond words.

Countless B2-like fighter jets circled the sky, sometimes descending like vultures and launching streaks of white light to bombard a spot on the ground.

The scene quickly shifted to show Australian military tanks and armored vehicles under heavy bombardment.

The announcer’s voice interjected, “Unbelievable! Dream Technology has invaded Australia. Their stated reason: to eliminate traitors selling out Earth’s people!”

He continued, “Top officials in the Australian Government have yet to speak out. The Dream Technology Earth Defense Fleet Command has just declared that these leaders have collectively surrendered to the aliens and have been executed. From now on, Australia will hold new direct elections within a week, including parliamentary and cabinet votes.”

The announcer warned, “Everyone must remain at home and vote online. For your own safety, do not resist.”

He read, “This is the full text of the announcement. Dream Technology has the audacity to take action against a sovereign nation…”

Suddenly, the screen filled with static, only to quickly show an image of a man in general’s uniform.

“Fellow Australian citizens, I am Hunter Sherman, Chief of Staff of the Australian Army. I urge all citizens and soldiers: do NOT engage the Earth Defense Fleet.

The fleet’s current operation is to root out traitors controlled by aliens—a crucial action to protect Earth from invasion.

Earth is a family of all races; we are bound by fate, not bitter rivalry.

Any act that incites internal strife or outright racial discrimination will be deemed betrayal and dealt with on the spot!

Australian military and police must ensure the safety of lives and property, and stop any acts of racial aggression immediately!”

…

Tang Zheng gaped at the news. Gripping his shotgun tightly, he cautiously stepped out the front door and saw massive craters scattered around the parked cars—craters filled with dismembered limbs.

He looked up to see several B2-like giant fighter jets silently streaking across the sky.

Clearly, the attackers who targeted his home had been dealt with by these machines.

After a moment of thought, he quickly tossed his shotgun aside. Just then, Tang Zheng sensed something. Turning around, he saw a giant fighter jet hovering mere tens of meters above him.

【Thank heavens I threw my gun away.】