Chapter 4: Counterattack

A week later, the library's tranquility was shattered by the sound of an alarm one morning.

"Everyone get up! Emergency!" I shouted as I checked the messages coming through the walkie-talkie.

Marcus ran up from downstairs, pale-faced: "Ethan, there's a distress signal from the Taylor building!"

Taylor's Building is a dormitory building on the east side of the campus, about 800 meters away from here. As far as I remember, it should have been completely occupied by infected people.

"A distress signal?" I frowned. "Are you sure it's not a trap?"

"It sounds true." Marcus handed me the walkie-talkie. "Someone's calling, saying they're trapped on the top floor."

I took the walkie-talkie and heard a trembling male voice: "Is anyone there? We're trapped on the top floor of the Taylor Building! The area below is full of monsters! Requesting backup!"

That voice sounds familiar. It's Tommy Brown, a second-year football player. In his previous life, he was indeed trapped in that building, but not now, but three days later.

Someone changed the timeline.

"Ethan, we have to save them!" Madison rushed up the stairs, her eyes gleaming with a saintly light. "They're innocent!"

Here it comes. The third instance of moral blackmail.

"Madison, it's too dangerous there." I feigned hesitation. "There are at least a hundred infected people around Taylor's Building."

"So what?" Her voice rose an octave. "We can't just stand by and watch someone die!"

Others gradually gathered around. Sarah, Peter, Liu Feifei, and a few other survivors I didn't know very well. Tension and fear were written on everyone's face.

"Ethan, what do you think?" Sarah asked.

"I think this is a trap," I stated my judgment directly. "The timing is too coincidental."

"A trap?" Madison's eyes widened. "You mean someone deliberately set up this distress signal?"

"It's not impossible." I nodded. "In the apocalypse, humanity is the most untrustworthy thing."

This statement silenced everyone. The past week had shown them too much of the dark side, but Madison wouldn't give up easily.

"Even if it's a trap, we can't abandon those who truly need help!" She walked to the walkie-talkie. "Tommy, are you still there?"

"Yes! Thank goodness!" Tommy's voice came through the phone. "Who are you? Can you come and rescue us?"

"We are survivors of the library shelter," Madison glanced at me. "We'll find a way to rescue you."

"Thank you! Thank you!" Tommy's voice was full of hope. "There are five of us here, including two injured girls."

The injured girl.

Madison's eyes lit up immediately. This was her favorite script: rescuing the vulnerable and showcasing her own saintly aura.

"Did you hear that? A girl is hurt!" She turned to the others. "We must act immediately!"

"Wait," I said, raising my hand. "We need to make a plan. Acting blindly will only kill more people."

"A plan?" Madison's tone sharpened. "They could die at any moment! Is there even time to make a plan?"

"That's precisely why we need to be even more cautious." I remained calm. "If our entire army is wiped out, who will rescue them?"

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Peter interjected. "Are we just going to watch them die?"

I scanned everyone's faces and saw expectation, fear, anger, and moral pressure. This was the effect Madison wanted: to portray me as a cold-blooded selfish person.

"I can take two people to scout," I offered as a compromise. "If the situation allows, we can then organize a rescue operation."

"Reconnaissance?" Madison sneered. "By the time you've finished reconnaissance, they'll be long dead!"

"So what do you want?" I finally showed a hint of impatience. "Are you going to lead everyone to their deaths?"

"I want to be a person with a conscience!" Her voice echoed through the library, "not a cowardly schemer!"

coward.

This word is like a knife piercing my heart. In my past life, she humiliated me in the same way, forcing me to die in the name of morality.

"Alright." I took a deep breath, turned on the recording equipment, and said, "Since you're so brave, then you lead the team."

"What?" She was taken aback.

"You lead the team to rescue them," I repeated. "I support your decision."

This wasn't in her script. Her plan was for me to lead the expedition, while she reaped the reputation of a saintly figure from behind. If the rescue succeeded, she would be the moral leader; if it failed, she would be the innocent victim.

"I...I can certainly lead the team," she stammered, "but you have more experience..."

"Experience?" I interrupted her. "Didn't you just call me a coward? What experience does a coward have?"

Others began to whisper among themselves. The situation had developed in a way that surprised everyone.

"I didn't say you were a coward," Madison tried to explain, "I just felt..."

"What do you think?" I pressed on, "Do you think I should die for your moral ideals?"

"Enough!" Marcus suddenly stepped forward. "While we're arguing here, those people are waiting to die!"

He's right. But that's exactly the effect I wanted.

"Marcus is right." I nodded. "Then let's vote. Raise your hands if you agree that Madison should lead the rescue."

No one raised their hand.

"Raise your hand if you agree that I should lead the rescue team."

Seven people raised their hands, including Marcus.

"It seems everyone trusts me more." I looked at Madison's pale face. "Then I'll reluctantly take on this responsibility."

"Wait!" She suddenly grabbed my arm. "Ethan, I misspoke. I apologize."

Apologize?

I almost burst out laughing. This woman never truly apologizes; she's just trying to salvage her image.

"I accept the apology." I patted her hand. "Now let's work out a rescue plan."

Over the next hour, I meticulously analyzed the terrain of Taylor's building, the distribution of the infected, and possible evacuation routes. Every detail was carefully calculated to ensure the success of the rescue operation.

It wasn't to save Tommy, but to completely expose Madison.

"The plan is perfect," Sarah exclaimed. "You're truly professional."

"It's just being cautious," I said modestly. "Then let's get ready to go."

"Wait a minute," Madison spoke up again, "I think we should bring all the weapons and medical supplies."

"Why?"

"In case of an emergency, we need sufficient equipment," she reasoned, "and the injured girls may need immediate medical attention."

here we go again.

She wanted to deplete the shelter's supplies, leaving those remaining in dire straits if the rescue failed. This was her usual tactic: using morality as a pretext to maximize her own interests.

"Madison, this is too risky," Marcus objected. "What will happen to the others if we fail?"

"Failure?" A flash of annoyance crossed Madison's eyes. "Why are you always thinking about failure? Don't you believe we can succeed?"

"I'm only considering the worst-case scenario," Marcus insisted.

"The worst-case scenario is that we do nothing!" Madison's voice turned hysterical. "Those people will die! They will die because of our selfishness!"

Selfish.

That word again. She always uses this method to label her opponents and force them to submit to moral pressure.

"Okay," I said suddenly, "Let's bring all our gear."

Everyone looked at me in surprise.

"Ethan, are you sure?" Marcus asked.

"I'm sure." I nodded. "If we're going to save people, we need to be fully prepared."

A victorious smile spread across Madison's face. She thought she had won again, but in reality, she was heading towards the abyss.

I've confirmed that the recording equipment is still working. The entire conversation of the past hour has been recorded, including every instance of her moral blackmail and emotional manipulation.

The rescue operation went more smoothly than expected. Three hours later, we brought Tommy and his four companions back to the library safely.

After returning to the shelter, I called a meeting with everyone.

"After today's events, I feel we need to re-examine our management system." I stood in the center of the library, looking around at the seventeen faces. "Some issues must be discussed openly."

Madison sat on the sofa, looking tired, but her eyes remained alert.

"What's the problem?" Sarah asked.

"Regarding the decision-making mechanism," I said, taking out my recording equipment, "today's rescue operation was successful, but we need to analyze the decision-making process."

"What's there to analyze?" Madison asked, puzzled. "We saved people, isn't that a good thing?"

"Of course, that's a good thing," I said, looking at her. "But perhaps we need to understand each other's motivations more deeply."

I held up the recording equipment: "This contains some conversations from the past two weeks. I think everyone should listen to it."

Madison's face turned pale instantly.

"Ethan, what are you doing?" She tried to stand up, but exhaustion prevented her from moving.

"I'm revealing the truth." I pressed play.

Madison's voice came through the device: "If it's really dangerous, you can leave first. Don't worry about the others."

Everyone fell silent.

"When was this recording made?" Tommy asked, puzzled.

"Before the first rescue operation," I explained, "Madison pretended to be concerned for my safety, but in reality, he was trying to absolve me of responsibility."

The recording continued playing. Segment after segment, Madison's every act of moral blackmail and emotional manipulation was exposed to everyone.

"He's dead, so be it, but don't let anyone realize it was our doing."

This is Taylor's voice, on the first day of the virus outbreak.

Marcus was the first to erupt, jumping up and pointing at Madison: "You actually want him dead?"

Tommy retreated in fear, silently moving away from Madison and standing next to Ethan.

Peter wanted to say something for Madison, but faced with the evidence, he couldn't speak and ultimately bowed his head.

"Wait a minute," Tommy said, shocked. "What does this mean?"

"What I mean is, from the very beginning, Madison and Taylor were using me," I said calmly. "They treated me like a tool they could discard at any time."

Madison tried to argue, "That's not...we didn't..."

"Nothing?" I interrupted her and continued playing the recording.

The recording continues to play. More and more evidence is emerging, including conversations about the theft of Marcus's medication.

"Liu Feifei, tell everyone the truth," I commanded.

Liu Feifei blushed, startled, and readily admitted, "I...I really didn't have a fever. Madison told me to pretend to be sick."

boom.

These words exploded like a bomb in the crowd. Everyone stared at Madison in shock.

"You made her fake being sick?" Sarah asked incredulously, "To steal Marcus's life-saving medicine?"

Sarah immediately turned to Ethan, her eyes conveying her loyalty.

The recording finished playing. The library was deathly silent.

Everyone looked at Madison with complex emotions. There was anger, disappointment, disgust, and fear.

"Now, what do people think of our 'Holy Mother'?" I asked.

"I feel disgusted," Marcus was the first to speak. "She almost killed me."

"I feel disgusted too," Tommy chimed in. "She doesn't care about our safety at all."

"Now, let's vote on her fate." I looked around at everyone. "Raise your hand if you agree that Madison should stay in the shelter."

No one raised their hand.

Even Liu Feifei didn't raise her hand.

"Raise your hand if you agree to expel Madison."

Sixteen hands were raised.

Madison herself did not raise her hand because she had lost her right to vote.

"The result is clear," I announced. "Madison Green, you are expelled from the Library Sanctuary."

"No!" Madison cried, "You can't do this to me! It's dangerous outside!"

"Danger?" Marcus sneered. "Weren't you supposed to be very brave?"

"Please!" she began to plead, "I'll change! I'll do better!"

"It's too late." I shook my head. "Pack your things and leave in an hour."

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