The First Sequence #1-100
Author: Unknown
Date: 2025-10-26T03:38:20+00:00

Chapter 1: Something Wrong with His Head

Awakening from a dark chaos, the young man, Ren Xiaosu, wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at the thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy by the door.

“Liuyuan, is something wrong?” Ren Xiaosu asked.

The boy called Liuyuan was actually named Yan Liuyuan.

Yan Liuyuan had a harmless and innocent look, but he was guarding the door, clutching a bone knife. It was late at night, and though he looked exhausted, he hadn’t closed his eyes. He was on watch.

Yan Liuyuan shook his head. “Nothing’s wrong. But what’s going on with this sickness in your head? Can’t the doctors in the settlement figure out what it is?”

“Don’t you worry about it. It’s not a sickness,” Ren Xiaosu said decisively. “It’ll be dawn soon. I’m going out to hunt. You should get some sleep and go to school on time.”

“Oh,” Yan Liuyuan nodded, his voice low. “In this wasteland, what’s the use of studying hard…”

“If I say it’s useful, it’s useful,” Ren Xiaosu said in a tone that brooked no argument.

“I want to go hunting too,” Yan Liuyuan pouted.

“If something happens to you, who’s going to stand watch? Me, when I’m unconscious?” Ren Xiaosu stood up, preparing to fetch water from the center of the settlement. At dawn, the settlement wasn’t as dangerous.

Here, the night was a lawless land.

…

Dark clouds churned in the hazy sky. A drop of acid rain finally fell, swaying in the fierce wind before landing with a splat in front of Ren Xiaosu.

The young Ren Xiaosu was lying prone on the wilderness ground. He frowned, thinking to himself that his luck was a bit off today. The acid rain had arrived before any prey.

Some said that to survive in the wasteland, you had to be careful of wild beasts.

But Ren Xiaosu felt they hadn’t told the whole story. There were many other things in the wasteland that could kill you, and acid rain was one of them.

Still, Ren Xiaosu didn’t move. If he didn’t catch any prey today, he and that kid, Yan Liuyuan, would starve to death long before the acid rain could make them sick.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a bird’s wings beating the air. Ren Xiaosu’s eyes snapped open wide, but his breathing remained steady.

Not far in front of him, a blackened iron pot was propped up by a branch. Underneath it, he had scattered a few dark breadcrumbs.

A large bird landed beside the pot, watching warily, its gaze sharp. In terms of size, the bird wasn’t much smaller than the pot itself.

It stood there preening its feathers for a long time, while Ren Xiaosu continued to wait, motionless.

It seemed the bird had finally let down its guard. It began to inch towards the pot, its steps small and quick, like a thief’s.

But just as it moved under the pot and lowered its head to peck at the breadcrumbs, Ren Xiaosu suddenly yanked hard on the rope in his hand. The young man leaped to his feet and charged toward the pot like a wild donkey that had broken its reins. Before the large bird could flip the pot over, he threw his body onto it with all his might, pinning it firmly down!

“Hoo!”

Ren Xiaosu exhaled sharply. He had waited an entire night for this sparrow, but to his delight, his efforts had not been in vain. Opportunities like this didn’t come by every day.

The sound of the sparrow struggling came from under the pot, its hard wings scraping sharply against the iron. Just then, the melodious chimes of a clock tower rang out from the stronghold in the distance.

Ren Xiaosu glanced behind him, wondering when he would ever be able to take Yan Liuyuan inside that stronghold.

To Ren Xiaosu, the people inside the stronghold were fortunate. They didn’t have to face the dangers of the wasteland.

But it wasn’t a place that just anyone could enter.

At this point, the struggling inside the pot finally subsided. He sighed and double-checked that the ragged cloth strips were wrapped tightly around his hand, then slowly lifted the pot just a crack. Ren Xiaosu slipped his hand through the gap, trying to grab the large sparrow’s leg!

But life is never so smooth. The moment his hand went in, he cried out in pain.

Ren Xiaosu pulled his hand back and looked. The web between his thumb and index finger was bleeding. The ragged cloth hadn’t been enough to stop the large sparrow’s sharp beak.

Angered, Ren Xiaosu took off his tattered jacket and wrapped it around his hand, then thrust his hand forcefully into the pot. This time, he managed to grab the sparrow by the neck in one go.

He pulled the sparrow out cleanly, tucked it under his arm, and gave its neck a hard twist. With a crack, the sparrow went still.

At that moment, Ren Xiaosu suddenly felt a pang of regret. The large sparrow’s claws had torn several holes in his jacket.

Suddenly, with a dong in his mind, Ren Xiaosu fell to his knees. It was as if a giant bronze bell had been struck inside his head, plunging him completely into a dark chaos.

Damn it. The sickness usually only comes at midnight. This time, it’s early.

This wasn’t the first time his “sickness” had acted up. Almost everyone in the settlement knew there was something wrong with his head, that he would have fits of pain from time to time.

But Ren Xiaosu knew very well it wasn’t pain. It was pure chaos.

Wait, this time was different. The black mist in his mind actually parted, revealing a palace within!

Ren Xiaosu’s eyes snapped open. He stood up in disbelief and looked himself over. “I’m lucid this quickly?”

He could have taken the opportunity to get a good look at the palace, but he knew better than anyone that passing out in the wilderness was a death sentence. He had to get back to the settlement outside Stronghold 113 before the acid rain arrived in full force!

Ren Xiaosu tied the sparrow’s feet together and slung it over his shoulder. Then he hoisted up his large iron pot, inverted it over his head, and started running. Raindrops drummed against the pot with a tap-tap-tap.

At that moment, the iron pot was his umbrella.

However, he hadn’t run far when a figure blocked his path, holding a bone knife. “Give me the prey…”

But before the person could finish speaking, a huge iron pot appeared in their vision, moving from far to near, and slammed viciously into their face!

“Damn!” The robber fell backward. He never expected Ren Xiaosu to act so decisively, and with so much force!

In one fluid motion, Ren Xiaosu took off the pot, swung it, and put it back on his head as an umbrella before bolting away without the slightest pause. Before the robber had even hit the ground, Ren Xiaosu was already getting away!

The robber lay on his back, face up, as the acid rain stung his face with a faint, itching pain. There were some things he just couldn’t figure out.

Normally, wouldn’t there be some kind of discussion? How many times must this teenager have dealt with situations like this to have such an instinctual reaction?!

Wait, the teenager’s footsteps were getting closer again!

The robber scrambled to sit up and turned to look. He was shocked to see the teenager had turned back!

Ren Xiaosu hadn’t intended to come back. But he had clearly heard a voice from the palace in his mind: “Quest: Gift the prey to another.”

Who was speaking? Dubious, Ren Xiaosu walked back toward the robber.

The robber panicked. “We can talk about this… Wait, I’m the victim here…”

Ren Xiaosu sized up the robber carefully. There was no one else around.

“Do you want this sparrow?” Ren Xiaosu asked.

The robber’s eyes lit up. “Yes!”

“Here,” Ren Xiaosu said, thrusting the sparrow into the man’s arms without another word.

That strange, neutral voice sounded again: “Quest complete. Reward: Basic Skill Duplication Scroll. Can be used to learn another person’s skill.”

Ren Xiaosu froze. He could clearly feel that a piece of parchment had appeared in his mind!

A Skill Duplication Scroll… Did this mean he could use it to directly copy someone else’s skills? Hunting? Survival? Or something else?

The robber clutched the huge sparrow tightly to his chest, about to say words of thanks. “You’re a good person…”

Before he could finish, he watched, wide-eyed, as Ren Xiaosu snatched the sparrow back and took off.

The robber: “???”

He stared at Ren Xiaosu’s retreating back as he ran off… What the hell kind of person was that?! What was the point of all that?

Chapter 2: This World Doesn’t Believe in Tears

Because of the run-in with the robbers and his sudden collapse, Ren Xiaosu was late getting back. He glanced at the sky, which was about to be shrouded in darkness. It was extremely dangerous to pass through the Settlement with prey at this hour.

During the day, people from the Stronghold would come out to maintain order, but at night, they would return to the safety of the walls.

Of course, the people from the Stronghold weren’t doing this out of kindness. They were just worried that too much chaos in the Settlement would affect the refugees’ ability to work.

“Yo, Ren Xiaosu! Quite a haul today, huh!”

As Ren Xiaosu ran into the Settlement carrying the iron pot on his shoulder, someone greeted him. The man’s face was grimy, as if he hadn’t washed it since the day he was born.

Many people in the Settlement were like this. To trade for food, they would mine coal in the nearby mines on weekdays. This coal was then transported into the Stronghold, and in return, the workers would receive just enough black bread or potatoes to survive.

It wasn’t just coal mining; all the dirty, strenuous jobs required by the Stronghold were done by the people outside its walls.

Well water in the Settlement was rationed—everyone got a small, fixed amount each day, and no one could draw more. There were no other clean water sources nearby, or rather, the clean water sources were too dangerous, teeming with wild animals that gathered there to drink. As a result, everyone in the Settlement was so grimy their features were hard to make out, and Ren Xiaosu was no exception.

However, Ren Xiaosu never mined coal. He had his own ways of surviving.

This time, Ren Xiaosu didn’t respond to the greeting. He just wanted to get back to his shack as quickly as possible.

As Ren Xiaosu passed through the narrow paths of the Settlement, the towering walls of the Stronghold loomed not far away. Looking up, they seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky, creating an oppressive atmosphere.

There weren’t many earth and stone buildings in the Settlement; most of the dwellings were shack-like.

Ren Xiaosu, who had been relatively relaxed, suddenly became vigilant upon entering the Settlement. He even drew a bone knife from his waist. The atmosphere on the street grew tense, as if danger lurked within the shacks. But as soon as Ren Xiaosu drew his bone knife, the restless figures quieted down.

The first thing Ren Xiaosu learned from living here was to trust no one… except Yan Liuyuan.

Whispers came from a shack by the path: “Ren Xiaosu actually caught prey again.”

“What kind of prey is that? It’s just a sparrow.”

“This is no ordinary sparrow from the old textbooks. I reckon eagles before the Cataclysm were only about this big.”

“Don’t mess with him,” a voice ended the whispering. It seemed someone knew about Ren Xiaosu’s past.

Ren Xiaosu lifted the flap of his doorway. The warmth inside seemed to ease the stiffness in his body.

Yan Liuyuan, who was sitting inside the shack doing his homework, looked up and saw Ren Xiaosu return. His face lit up. “You caught a sparrow?”

“Why isn’t the kerosene lamp lit?” Ren Xiaosu asked with a frown.

Usually, Yan Liuyuan wasn’t so well-behaved, at least not in front of anyone other than Ren Xiaosu. But when facing his “older brother,” he always became surprisingly docile. “I wanted to save some kerosene for us.”

“What if you ruin your eyesight?” Ren Xiaosu said, setting down the sparrow.

Yan Liuyuan’s eyes brightened. “The teacher at the school said that before the Cataclysm, there was something called glasses. He said they still exist now, but only inside the Stronghold. With those, you don’t have to worry about becoming nearsighted.”

Ren Xiaosu scoffed at the idea. “I’ve seen people wear those things you’re talking about. But out here in the wilderness, entrusting your vision to an object that could fall off at any moment is suicide. Don’t listen to your teacher’s nonsense. Not everything he says is right.”

“Oh…” Yan Liuyuan nodded. “Then why do you still send me to school?”

Ren Xiaosu was at a loss for words. “Stop with all the questions.”

“When can I go hunting with you?” Yan Liuyuan pressed.

“You’re only fourteen. What are you going to learn about hunting? If you study hard at school, you won’t have to hunt,” Ren Xiaosu said. “Learn how to do accounts, learn some physics and chemistry. Won’t that be better than hunting?”

“But you’re only seventeen,” Yan Liuyuan retorted, unconvinced.

In this era, even the most barbaric people understood the importance of knowledge.

This was why the schoolteacher could survive in the Settlement. No matter what chaos erupted, the teacher was always the safest one. No one would dare to cause him trouble.

However, the tuition was expensive. Otherwise, Ren Xiaosu would have wanted to attend himself.

As he set up the iron pot, Ren Xiaosu skillfully butchered the sparrow. “What did the teacher talk about today? You can only have some of the innards from this sparrow. The rest has to be sold tomorrow.”

“You’re hurt?” Yan Liuyuan’s brows furrowed when he saw the wound on the web of Ren Xiaosu’s hand. It was a peck from the sparrow, and it was bleeding nonstop.

The large iron pot was propped up on sticks. The fire pit in the shack cast flickering light and shadows on Ren Xiaosu’s face. “It’s just a scratch.”

Silence fell over the room. After a short while, Ren Xiaosu fished the sparrow’s innards out of the pot and handed them to Yan Liuyuan. “Eat.”

Yan Liuyuan’s eyes suddenly reddened. “I won’t eat it. You eat. You need to recover from your injury.”

“I’ll just have some of the broth,” Ren Xiaosu said. “I still have some black bread.”

“I’m not eating it! That’s not just a scratch. A few days ago, I saw someone in the Settlement die because a small wound got infected. We don’t have any medicine here,” Yan Liuyuan said stubbornly, tears welling up in his eyes.

Smack.

Suddenly, without warning, Ren Xiaosu slapped Yan Liuyuan across the face. “Remember this, as long as we’re alive in this world, we can’t afford to cry. This world doesn’t believe in tears.”

Ren Xiaosu continued, “Look at the people around us. What if someone breaks in at night and stabs me to death while you’re too weak from hunger to do anything? I’m sending you to school so you don’t have to end up like me, just a hunter. You have a special ability. As long as you study hard, you won’t have to toil from dawn till dusk in the wilderness just to get by like I do. I’m sending you to school so you don’t become as savage as them!”

Yan Liuyuan suddenly took the sparrow innards from Ren Xiaosu and began to wolf them down. In the end, the tears didn’t fall. He had to learn to be strong, just like Ren Xiaosu.

“Cough, cough. When you’re done, get a clean cloth to wrap my wound,” Ren Xiaosu said.

“Okay,” Yan Liuyuan replied.

“You’re always so sharp and clever when you’re outside. Why are you such a pushover at home?” Ren Xiaosu mused. “Did anything happen in the Settlement today?”

“Oh, right,” Yan Liuyuan said while searching for a clean cloth. “A group of people came out from the Stronghold. They said they’re looking for a guide to take them to Stronghold 112. They want to go straight through the Jing Mountains.”

“To Stronghold 112?” Ren Xiaosu paused, then frowned. “And they insist on going through the Jing Mountains?”

“Do you think they’ll ask you? Everyone in the Settlement knows you’re familiar with the outside,” Yan Liuyuan said, blinking his eyes. “I heard they’re a band and some singers from Stronghold 113, invited to perform at Stronghold 112. I’ve never seen a singer before.”

“I’m not going,” Ren Xiaosu said, shaking his head. “That area around the Jing Mountains… Whoever wants to go can go. You stay away from them. There’s something strange about that group.”

Ren Xiaosu felt a bit conflicted. What kind of world was this, that there were still people who did nothing but sing for a living, and even had bands? What was it really like inside the Stronghold?

Suddenly, Ren Xiaosu felt a pang of longing.

Chapter 3: A Palace

Ren Xiaosu was asleep. He had waited in the wilderness for so long just to catch a single sparrow. Although he had spent most of that time lying motionless on the ground, anyone who knew what they were doing understood that lying still while having to remain constantly alert was the most draining thing of all.

Before falling asleep, he had instructed Yan Liuyuan again, “Make sure you stay far away from those people. They couldn’t possibly be unaware of the dangers in the Jing Mountains. Most people would choose to go around it, but they’re insisting on passing through. My gut tells me there’s more to this than meets the eye.”

“Mhm,” Yan Liuyuan nodded obediently. “Got it.”

Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan were an odd pair. A few years ago, they didn’t even know each other. Later, Ren Xiaosu decided to protect the still-young Yan Liuyuan, partly because he had accidentally learned Yan Liuyuan’s secret, and partly because his own headaches had troubled him for a long time, so he needed someone to keep watch at night.

Back then, Ren Xiaosu had made it clear to Yan Liuyuan that their relationship was one of mutual use. But after all these years, it was hard to say whether it was affection or utility that bound them.

Yan Liuyuan was always very clever when dealing with outsiders; only with Ren Xiaosu did he act like an obedient, well-behaved child.

Sometimes, Yan Liuyuan would say that Ren Xiaosu had saved his life at the risk of his own, but Ren Xiaosu never acknowledged this claim.

Now, Ren Xiaosu wanted to explore the change that had occurred in his mind. He had deliberately stayed up for a long time tonight, wanting to see if the “illness” that had plagued him would reappear. As it turned out, the chaos was truly gone.

It was as if that palace had been hidden in his chaotic mind all along, and now, the black, chaotic fog had finally dissipated.

Ren Xiaosu had to see what was inside this palace.

Yan Liuyuan glanced at Ren Xiaosu lying beside him, quietly picked up the bone knife, and sat at the entrance of their hovel. The hovel only had a thick flap for a door, and with autumn setting in, it was getting a little cold.

Just then, the rain stopped.

Footsteps sounded from outside the door flap. Boots squelched in the muddy path after the rain, making a unique, slick sound.

Someone lifted a corner of the door flap. However, before the person outside could lift it completely, Yan Liuyuan’s bone knife was already pressed against their neck.

It was a pretty face. A beautiful woman stood outside the door.

Yan Liuyuan frowned. The visitor wasn’t a stranger; she lived nearby.

The woman smiled. “Liuyuan, you’re still awake? Where’s Xiaosu? I heard he came back.”

“Sister Xiaoyu, he’s already asleep,” Yan Liuyuan said with a smile. “Why don’t you just tell me what you wanted to say?”

A slightly unnatural expression crossed Xiaoyu’s face. “He didn’t get hurt on this trip, did he?”

“A sparrow pecked the web of his hand. But Sister Xiaoyu, you don’t need to be so concerned about my brother. You’re eight years older than him, you know.” With Ren Xiaosu supposedly asleep, Yan Liuyuan faced outsiders with a maturity that belied his age. Regardless of whether he knew the person or what they said, the bone knife in his hand never left Xiaoyu’s neck.

Xiaoyu took a cigarette and a lighter from the bag she was carrying. It was a rolled cigarette. This kind of thing was only distributed by industries belonging to the Stronghold, like the coal mines and power plants.

Many able-bodied laborers went to work not just for money and food, but also for these cigarettes. One day of work earned you one cigarette.

That was why, when work ended in the evening, you could often see large groups of people puffing away. Ren Xiaosu had told Yan Liuyuan that the tobacco in those cigarettes likely contained other, more addictive substances.

And the cigarette Xiaoyu was smoking now was clearly not one she had earned from working.

Xiaoyu lit her cigarette and took two puffs, seeming to ponder something. “Such a little kid, but you act so grown-up. I just see you two as my little brothers.”

“Oh,” Yan Liuyuan suddenly asked, “Do you have a cold?”

Xiaoyu was taken aback for a moment. “I do. Is my voice a little hoarse?”

“No,” Yan Liuyuan shook his head with a smile. “I just noticed that when you smoke, smoke only comes out of one of your nostrils…”

Xiaoyu: “…”

For some reason, Xiaoyu always felt that Yan Liuyuan didn’t like her very much.

“I’ll head back then,” Xiaoyu said. “When your brother wakes up, tell him I stopped by.”

“Mhm,” Yan Liuyuan said with a broad smile. “I’ll be sure to tell him.”

Xiaoyu left, and Ren Xiaosu’s voice suddenly sounded from behind Yan Liuyuan. “Don’t always bully your Sister Xiaoyu in the future. Life isn’t easy for her either.”

“Brother, she’s not clean,” Yan Liuyuan said. “Besides, she’s only getting close to you because you can always bring back game from your hunts.”

“Who is?” Ren Xiaosu said calmly. “In this world, no one who wants to survive can stay clean. It’s all just to get by. Just keep her at a distance, there’s no need to tease her.”

In this Settlement, a woman on her own couldn’t survive if she were too “clean.”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said, “It’s not like she said she likes me or anything. Plus, are you sure she’s only interested in me because I can hunt? Couldn’t it be because of my dashing good looks?”

“Brother, no one’s washed their face in months. We all pretty much look the same…” Yan Liuyuan looked at Ren Xiaosu, speechless. “Brother, aren’t you supposed to be asleep? How are you still awake?”

“Just thinking about some things,” Ren Xiaosu explained simply.

Ren Xiaosu wasn’t asleep because he was exploring the secrets of the palace.

Inside the circular palace, the walls were lined with old wooden cabinets, like a vast showroom. However, the display shelves in this showroom were shrouded in a black mist, making it impossible to see what was inside.

In the center of the hall was a single table, and on it sat a brass typewriter, the kind that had been obsolete long before the Cataclysm. The kind that went clack-clack as you typed.

This typewriter had only twenty-four brass keys, and each key was engraved with a character: “Justice,” “Righteousness,” “Sincerity,” “Truth,” “Amity,” “Kindness,” “Prosperity,” “Strength…”

You could say it was all very positive.

The only thing was, the typewriter seemed to be loaded with an endless supply of kraft paper, and it would start clacking away on its own without anyone touching the brass keys. Right now, the two lines of small text that had appeared in the afternoon were on the paper: “Quest: Give your prey to another; Quest completed. Reward: one Basic Skill Duplication Scroll. Can be used to learn another person’s abilities.”

He couldn’t tell if this was something he was imagining or if it was due to some other reason. Legend had it that some people could create memory palaces, and within them, they could even reconstruct an entire fantasy universe based on the strength of their own mental will.

It was just that Ren Xiaosu felt his own palace… didn’t quite seem to match the descriptions of a memory palace…

But why would it ask him to give his prey to someone else? Did this typewriter want him to be a good person?

A good person, in a world where even mentioning morality was a luxury?

Not a chance.

At that moment, his consciousness stood in the center of the vast palace, looking around at the “display cabinets” surrounding him. Objects seemed to be floating inside the cabinets, but they were obscured by darkness. The dark mist prevented Ren Xiaosu from seeing what the floating objects were.

The display cabinets reached all the way to the palace’s dome, resembling a colossal museum. Ren Xiaosu walked up to one of the cabinets and tried to reach for the object floating in the black mist, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break through the resisting force of the mist.

This was a power he could not yet fathom.

To find out if the palace truly existed, Ren Xiaosu would have to prove it through his actions.

Chapter 4: Luck is Also an Ability

“I think I might have some kind of ability too,” Ren Xiaosu said.

Yan Liuyuan, who was sitting at the entrance of their shack parting the door flap to gaze at the starry, post-rain sky, froze. “You mean…”

“I’m not sure yet. I need to test it,” Ren Xiaosu said, sitting on the ground beside Yan Liuyuan. “Everyone in the Settlement says some people can bring a train from nothingness into reality. I never used to believe it. I only started to believe a little after I met you. Now, I might have a strange ability of my own. It’s a weird feeling.”

Yan Liuyuan’s ability was luck.

It was a baffling ability. When Yan Liuyuan wished for Ren Xiaosu to catch some prey, a sparrow might inexplicably fall right in front of him, even if Ren Xiaosu was just walking through the wilderness doing nothing.

However, the ability had a backlash, which usually manifested as a persistent high fever or some other minor illness after making a wish.

This was why Ren Xiaosu had to protect Yan Liuyuan in the first place. He hadn’t believed it at first, but later, he had no choice but to.

Suddenly, a meteor streaked across the sky. Yan Liuyuan instinctively brought his hands together to make a wish, but Ren Xiaosu stopped him. “Don’t make random wishes. Something bad will happen.”

Nowadays, Ren Xiaosu rarely used Yan Liuyuan’s luck. He claimed it was because he was now skilled enough to hunt prey on his own and no longer needed Yan Liuyuan’s ability. Yan Liuyuan never argued.

The scrawny Yan Liuyuan stared in a daze at the spot where the meteor had vanished. “Why do meteors fly so fast? What if no one has time to make a wish?”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said, “Maybe it flies so fast because it has no intention of listening to any of your wishes.”

Yan Liuyuan turned and stared blankly at Ren Xiaosu. “…”

…

Yan Liuyuan was Ren Xiaosu’s night watchman, but that didn’t mean he had to stay up all night. Ren Xiaosu would take over for a shift, especially since Yan Liuyuan had to attend school during the day.

It was an agonizing routine, and lack of sleep was a major problem. But for those surviving in this environment, neither Ren Xiaosu nor Yan Liuyuan had any other choice.

At dawn, Ren Xiaosu led Yan Liuyuan out. They carried all their valuables with them, even his large iron pot.

As expected, when they returned to their shack that evening, it had clearly been rummaged through.

“I hear that in the Stronghold, people don’t even lock their doors at night. Nobody steals,” Yan Liuyuan said, carrying their bedroll. He watched as Ren Xiaosu lugged the big iron pot wherever he went. It was practically all they owned.

Normally, Yan Liuyuan had to carry his bedroll to school. The other students did the same; everyone was used to it.

“Bullshit,” Ren Xiaosu said. Although he longed for life inside the Stronghold, he refused to believe there was a place in the world where people didn’t have to lock their doors. “Some people think that even the farts of those in the Stronghold smell sweet, that the very air is sweet.”

“But you can’t just carry that pot around everywhere,” Yan Liuyuan said.

“What do you know?” Ren Xiaosu explained. “I had a hard time finding this pot. It can be used for cooking and for trapping sparrows. How would we get by without it?”

With the iron pot on one shoulder and the huge sparrow dangling from his other hand, Ren Xiaosu walked down the road, drawing envious glances from many people.

After all, in the current hierarchy of species, humans were no longer at the top of the food chain.

People passed down stories of how sparrows used to be smaller than a person’s palm. And now? These things could kill a person with a single peck.

Not everyone had the skill to catch a sparrow, nor did everyone have the patience to lie in wait in the wilderness for a day and a night. These people hadn’t tasted meat in years; it would be a lie to say they weren’t envious of Ren Xiaosu.

Ren Xiaosu led Yan Liuyuan to the gates of the Stronghold. The towering walls exuded an immense sense of oppression.

Here, the architecture began to change. One could even see houses made of brick and stone.

The closer one got to the Stronghold, the cleaner, neater, and more affluent it appeared. The people who lived here all had connections, in one way or another, to those inside the Stronghold. Perhaps they were good at bootlicking, or maybe they still had relatives inside.

But regardless, refugees like them were collectively referred to as the “contaminated,” and they were forbidden from entering the Stronghold.

Ren Xiaosu walked into a building with the three words “General Store” written above the door. Inside, they sold cigarettes, matches, ironware, grain, and clothes, but everything was very expensive.

The old man inside was exceptionally happy to see Ren Xiaosu. “That’s a big sparrow you’ve got there!”

Ren Xiaosu tossed the sparrow onto the glass counter. “How much?”

“Hey, easy there! This glass is expensive,” Old Wang said with a pained expression. He then casually tossed the sparrow onto the iron scale next to him. “One point eight kilograms. Not bad, Xiaosu.”

At this, the abacus in Old Wang’s hands began to clatter. His withered, chicken-claw-like hands moved as if they were spring-wound, the beads of the abacus a constant rattle. “Today’s price is two hundred per kilogram, so let’s call it 700 for yours!”

“900,” Ren Xiaosu said decisively. “Winter’s coming, and sparrows are getting scarce. Can’t go any lower than 900.”

Old Wang was displeased. He pushed the abacus toward Ren Xiaosu. “This is all going to the dignitaries inside the Stronghold to eat. It’s true they’re short on meat in there, but there’s a price for everything. We have to follow the rules.”

The moment he finished speaking, Old Wang saw Ren Xiaosu pick up the sparrow and turn to leave. He quickly grabbed the sleeve of Ren Xiaosu’s tattered jacket. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m going to ask about the prices at Old Li’s general store,” Ren Xiaosu said.

Old Wang’s grip tightened. A manager from the Stronghold had specifically ordered some game today, and he wasn’t the only one who knew about it.

His face broke into a mass of wrinkles as he smiled. “How much do you want to sell it for?”

Ren Xiaosu still acted like he was leaving. “I’ll ask about the prices first.”

Old Wang’s smile was incredibly amiable. “Won’t that make Liuyuan late for school? 900 it is!”

“What did you say just before that?” Ren Xiaosu asked calmly.

“Won’t that make…”

“The one before that.”

“How much do you want to sell it for?”

“1200.”

Old Wang: “???”

After a long moment, Old Wang painfully counted out the money, licking his thumb to flick through the bills over and over again, terrified of miscounting.

The final price was 1198. Ren Xiaosu had also made his own concession…

A single sparrow selling for 1198 wasn’t because of hyperinflation, nor was it just because the sparrow was large. It was mainly because game meat was a rare delicacy in Stronghold 113.

Scarcity bred value. Old Wang wasn’t running a losing business, either. By selling this sparrow to a powerful family, he could make a small profit and curry some favor at the same time.

With a pained look, Old Wang shoved a large pile of small bills into Ren Xiaosu’s hands. Then, as if remembering something, he lowered his voice and said, “Xiaosu, next time you catch a sparrow, don’t kill it right away. A certain dignitary wants a live one. The price will be even higher!”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. “What for? To be killed and cooked fresh?”

“No,” Old Wang shook his head. “You wouldn’t understand. Someone wants to keep a sparrow as a pet!”

Chapter 5: The School

“Keep it as a pet? Not eat it?” Ren Xiaosu was puzzled. “What a waste, this is all good meat!”

“You don’t understand the world of the rich,” Old Wang laughed. “They say that hundreds of years ago, the rich used to train eagles for fun. Now, eagles are too big and dangerous, so as a second-best option, they train sparrows. Look how fierce this sparrow looks. The rich love this kind of thing.”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a long moment. So, at a time when most people couldn’t even get enough to eat, there were already people training sparrows for fun…

“But a live one will cost more,” Ren Xiaosu said. “When this thing is alive, it can scratch someone to death if you’re not careful! It’s too dangerous!”

At this moment, Ren Xiaosu suddenly wondered, The refugees outside are contaminated, so aren’t these sparrows contaminated too? Or is it that the Stronghold only needs these refugees to work for them, and this wall naturally divides the classes?

“Fortune is found in danger,” Old Wang said with a grin. “The fact that you can stay up all night to catch them shows you’re no ordinary person. If you put in a little more effort and catch a live one, you might not have to work for half a year. Besides, haven’t you ever thought about saving some money to marry a wife or something?”

“Marry my ass!” Ren Xiaosu retorted irritably.

Old Wang said, feigning mystery, “Old Li’s daughter from next door is in the same school as your brother Liuyuan. She’s a good, decent girl…”

“By that logic, shouldn’t I just sell this sparrow directly to Old Li? Why would I need you to introduce me?” Ren Xiaosu turned to ask Yan Liuyuan, “Is Old Li’s daughter your classmate?”

“Yes,” Yan Liuyuan nodded. “She’s built really sturdy.”

“Go on, get out of here,” Old Wang said, annoyed. “Just pretend I never said anything. No good deed goes unpunished!”

Seeing Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan about to start a comedy routine with their back-and-forth, Old Wang decisively cut them off. He changed the subject, “Remember, if you catch a live one next time, be sure to come find me.”

“Alright,” Ren Xiaosu nodded. Catching a live one was dangerous, but not impossible. He looked inside the General Store. “How much for a cotton-padded jacket?”

“The jackets just came in, 500 for one! You know the price. I paid 490 to get them, so I’m not making money on the jackets,” Old Wang said. “Just trying to keep one less person from freezing to death.”

“You’re quite the philanthropist,” Ren Xiaosu praised nonchalantly. “I’ll take one. See what size fits Liuyuan.”

“Brother, you should buy one too,” Yan Liuyuan said quickly.

“Don’t interrupt when adults are talking,” Ren Xiaosu frowned. “I’m not cold.”

Money was a good thing. The corporations that controlled the Strongholds issued currency to ensure the flow of goods. It was convenient, but without money, you couldn’t get anywhere.

The winters here were very cold, but he had to save his money for emergencies. Winter was still more than a month away. If he could catch another sparrow, Ren Xiaosu felt it wouldn’t be too late to buy a jacket then.

The crucial thing was, Yan Liuyuan’s school fees were due. They had to be paid monthly.

Ren Xiaosu glanced around the General Store again, and his eyes suddenly landed on the counter behind Old Wang. “How much for the antibiotic anti-inflammatory medicine?”

“You want to buy medicine?” Only then did Old Wang notice the bloodstains on the cloth wrapped around Ren Xiaosu’s hand. “Are you injured? You’d better get some medicine for that. If it gets infected, it could kill you!”

“I asked you how much it costs!” Ren Xiaosu said impatiently.

“210 for one pill,” Old Wang said. “With antibiotics, you have to take them for three days straight. I’ll sell you three pills for 620, and I’ll throw in a povidone-iodine application for free. I’ve only got ten pills left.”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said, “Round it down a bit…”

“If you’re asking me to drop the zero from 620, you can just shut your mouth right now,” Old Wang said irritably.

Ren Xiaosu smacked his lips and reluctantly looked away. “Forget it, I won’t buy any. Wounds don’t usually get infected in the winter.”

He turned and took Yan Liuyuan to school. On the way, they passed a grain store, and Ren Xiaosu went in to buy a long loaf of black bread. The bread was mixed with some unknown substance that scratched his throat painfully when he swallowed it.

Chewing on the black bread, Yan Liuyuan said, “Brother, why don’t you pay the tuition and go to school too? You want to so badly.”

“I still have to go out hunting,” Ren Xiaosu said. “From what Old Wang was saying, it sounds like there are quite a few female students from well-off families at your school. Don’t you go falling in love too early.”

“I heard people in the old days got married at thirteen or fourteen,” Yan Liuyuan retorted. Although he hadn’t really thought about such things between boys and girls, he enjoyed bickering with Ren Xiaosu.

Finding joy in hardship was probably one of humanity’s greatest strengths.

Ren Xiaosu feinted a slap on the back of Yan Liuyuan’s head. “How can you compare now to the past? You’re still young. Any girl you date now will just end up as someone else’s wife…” At this point, Ren Xiaosu smacked his lips. “Someone else’s wife… why does that sound kind of exciting…”

“Brother, what are you talking about? I don’t understand…” Yan Liuyuan said, blinking his eyes.

“Get outta here, stop playing dumb with me,” Ren Xiaosu said irritably.

…

The school was the cleanest and tidiest place in the entire Settlement, and also the only residence with its own private courtyard.

Walking in from the outside, one could see the courtyard was planted with a well-organized array of… green onions, garlic sprouts, potatoes, and cabbage…

Ren Xiaosu had originally thought a place like a school should have bamboo or something similar planted, but food was hard to come by these days. It was a true blessing to have a place to grow vegetables.

That was why Ren Xiaosu’s previous wish had been for Yan Liuyuan to grow up and become a teacher…

It wasn’t that he particularly respected teachers, but he felt that being a teacher was safe, came with your own courtyard for growing vegetables, and no one would steal from you.

What a wonderful thing that was.

Generally speaking, Ren Xiaosu’s wishes were usually very “down-to-earth.”

Yan Liuyuan took his tuition fees and went inside for class. Ren Xiaosu squatted on top of the wall, listening to the sounds of reading from within. He couldn’t afford the fees, so eavesdropping was his only option.

The teacher would sometimes tell the students how glorious human civilization once was. To be honest, the teacher himself had never seen that era; all that was left to teach were things passed down by word of mouth, which could easily have become distorted in the telling.

Even though it wasn’t very reliable, Ren Xiaosu listened with rapt attention.

Sometimes, Ren Xiaosu would ask Yan Liuyuan about the things he hadn’t understood or heard clearly. This troubled Yan Liuyuan greatly, because if he couldn’t answer, it meant he hadn’t been paying attention in class. So, whenever Ren Xiaosu was listening in, Yan Liuyuan paid extra close attention…

For some reason, Yan Liuyuan had to admit that his brother looked quite handsome when he was studying seriously. No wonder Sister Xiaoyu was so into him.

Inside the classroom, the teacher held a book and looked melancholically at some of the sleeping students. Then, his gaze shifted to Ren Xiaosu on the wall outside the window. He said to Yan Liuyuan, “Go back and tell your brother he can come listen in the courtyard from now on.”

“Alright!” Yan Liuyuan beamed.

Chapter 6: The Wall and Science

The School had only one teacher, a man named Zhang Jinglin, and he taught all the subjects himself.

Everyone else thought the Teacher was amazing and knew everything. But Ren Xiaosu always had his doubts. It was said that everyone has their own specialty, and a person’s energy is limited, so how could Teacher Zhang possibly be omniscient?

Ren Xiaosu had never been like the others. He liked to reflect when he looked at problems. Later, after listening to Teacher Zhang’s lectures, he learned that this was called looking at things with a dialectical perspective.

Yan Liuyuan was sometimes very confused, because Ren Xiaosu often refuted Teacher Zhang Jinglin’s views, yet he would still run over to listen to Teacher Zhang’s classes whenever he had the time…

When it was time for the afternoon class, Ren Xiaosu specifically took Yan Liuyuan to celebrate. Not for any other reason, but because he could now listen to the classes from the courtyard.

Usually, squatting on the wall was too far from the classroom, so it was always a bit hard to hear clearly. Previously, Zhang Jinglin liked to keep the doors and windows tightly shut during his lectures. This was to prevent outside noises from affecting the students and causing them to get distracted.

But later, after he discovered Ren Xiaosu eavesdropping, he would leave a window open.

And now, he had simply invited Ren Xiaosu into the courtyard.

In these chaotic times, many parents didn’t send their children to the School for the sake of knowledge. Instead, they sent them here to improve their marriage prospects, especially girls who had attended school, as they could usually find a good family to marry into.

In this day and age, being able to read and do three-digit arithmetic was already considered quite impressive.

Everyone was busy surviving. When they barely had enough to eat, who would care if you were educated?

So most parents didn’t have any long-term plans when sending their children to school. In this small Settlement, there were rich and poor, and wherever there were people, there would be competition and comparison.

Yan Liuyuan watched as Ren Xiaosu went to the General Store and bought a filtered cigarette. Old Wang even said smugly that the cigarettes he sold definitely didn’t have any strange additives and were very safe.

One for 20. Rarity makes things precious.

Yan Liuyuan asked in confusion, “Brother, why are you buying a cigarette?”

“Your Teacher let me listen to the class from the courtyard. It’s one thing that I don’t pay school fees, but I should at least show some appreciation,” Ren Xiaosu said with a smile. “I know this Teacher Zhang likes to smoke.”

In Ren Xiaosu’s view, when someone showed him kindness, he had to repay it.

During everyone’s lunch break, the two of them went to the School’s backyard. Teacher Zhang was in the middle of eating stir-fried cabbage. Ren Xiaosu proactively offered the cigarette to Teacher Zhang with a smile.

Zhang Jinglin didn’t refuse. Instead, he told Yan Liuyuan to stand further away. “You’re still growing. It’s not good for you to smell the smoke.”

Ren Xiaosu said gratefully, “Thank you, Teacher, for letting me listen from the courtyard.”

“Whew,” Zhang Jinglin lit the cigarette with a match he used for cooking and took a blissful drag, exhaling a puff of smoke. “There aren’t many students like you who love to listen these days. If you want to listen, then listen. From now on, you can stand by the door, but you’re not allowed in the classroom.”

“Alright,” Ren Xiaosu agreed. “Teacher, I have a question.”

“Go ahead,” Zhang Jinglin said. He probably rarely got to smoke a cigarette, so he didn’t mind whatever Ren Xiaosu asked.

“Teacher, you said that humanity had a lot of technology before the Cataclysm. Since humanity wasn’t wiped out, why haven’t we seen that technology reappear?”

Zhang Jinglin glanced at Ren Xiaosu. “In the period after the Cataclysm, humans themselves didn’t even have an accurate count of how many years they spent just scraping by. It was an achievement just to survive each day. Who was there to pursue scholarly knowledge?”

“But we should still have some records left, right? Couldn’t we just study them and quickly rebuild civilization?” Ren Xiaosu asked curiously.

“The chain of knowledge was broken,” Zhang Jinglin said with some regret. “Let me ask you, if I give you a full set of blueprints for building an airplane right now, could you build one?”

“I’ve never studied it. Even though having the blueprints would save a lot of time, I would still be starting from scratch,” Ren Xiaosu said.

“Exactly. Everyone now is starting from scratch.” Zhang Jinglin looked at his cigarette, which was only half-finished, and felt a pang of regret, as if hesitating whether to smoke it or not.

He wanted to save the other half for later, but he worried it would be a bit embarrassing to do so in front of Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan…

Ren Xiaosu was still puzzled. “In all those years, did no one really overcome the hardships and continue their studies?”

“No, they all starved to death,” Zhang Jinglin said.

“So all that knowledge is completely lost now?” Ren Xiaosu asked, unwilling to accept it.

This time, Zhang Jinglin looked at Ren Xiaosu seriously and said meaningfully, “It is controlled by a select few.”

…

“Alright,” Zhang Jinglin said as he stood up. “Don’t ask any more about this. It’s time for class.”

Ren Xiaosu pestered Zhang Jinglin with one last question, “Teacher, when was the wall of our Stronghold built? And why was it built?”

“After the Cataclysm, wild beasts ran rampant. It’s said there was even an insect swarm a long time ago. Humanity had no choice but to build high walls to keep the dangers out,” Zhang Jinglin explained.

“But most of the beasts, even if they’ve evolved, don’t actively attack humans,” Ren Xiaosu said curiously. “Monkeys are still herbivores, and sparrows still love to eat grain. They don’t go out of their way to eat people.”

Stronghold 113 was now located within the ‘inner circle’ of human habitation, and most of the more ferocious beasts had been pushed to the ‘outer circle.’

The higher the serial number of a Stronghold, the more dangerous it was. For example, the legendary Stronghold 178 suffered many casualties every year from fending off beasts.

But Stronghold 113 was considered part of the ‘interior.’

There were still many dangers, such as wolf packs, but they were not insurmountable. If that was the case, why did such a large human settlement still have towering high walls?

Zhang Jinglin smiled. “As long as there are dangers in the wilderness, the refugees will have to rely on the Strongholds to live. This provides the Strongholds with a large supply of cheap labor. Do you think the corporations behind the Strongholds don’t have the power to completely eliminate the dangers in the wilderness? Humanity’s thermal weapons are more powerful than you can imagine. But why would they eliminate them? The dangers don’t threaten them.”

Upon hearing this, Ren Xiaosu was lost in thought. Although he was mature for his age, there were some things he had never encountered and was thus bound to not understand. This was also why he longed for knowledge.

Zhang Jinglin continued, “They will never tear down the walls. How could the vested interest class inside the walls give up such a natural class barrier?”

As he spoke, Zhang Jinglin went to change his clothes. Ren Xiaosu asked curiously, “Teacher, why are you changing? Your other clothes weren’t dirty.”

Zhang Jinglin adjusted his collar and said, “The clothes I was just wearing smell of smoke. It wouldn’t be good for the students to smell it.”

Yan Liuyuan was filled with respect. But Ren Xiaosu suddenly became a little unhappy. “So it’s fine for me to smell it? Teacher, you didn’t tell me to stand further away just now.”

Zhang Jinglin thought for a long time. “Get lost.”

Just then, Ren Xiaosu suddenly heard the voice from the Palace in his mind speak again: “Quest: It is never a bad thing to thirst for knowledge, but what you learn must be taught to others.”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned for a moment. He really didn’t understand what this quest wanted him to do.

…

During the afternoon class, the students found it very novel. A boy a few years older than them, Ren Xiaosu, was standing outside the door, so much so that many of them turned to look at him.

Zhang Jinglin had to rap on the blackboard several times to get the students’ curious attention back. He said, “This afternoon, we’re having survival class.”

This was what was unique about the School in this era: it not only taught liberal arts and sciences, but also survival.

However, this class had always been a headache for Zhang Jinglin, because he really wasn’t very good at wilderness survival.

So most of the time, he could only read from the materials that had been preserved from the past.

Zhang Jinglin looked at the students in the classroom. “Pay attention. Don’t think that danger is far from you. Right now, you have your parents to protect you, but when you become adults, you must learn to protect yourselves. Today, we’ll be discussing what to do if you encounter a wolf pack in the wild.”

The students below actually liked survival class the most. The other subjects were a bit too dull for their age, but survival class sounded interesting.

At that moment, the classroom was silent. Zhang Jinglin looked at Ren Xiaosu, who was leaning against the door and listening. “You, tell us, what should you do if you encounter a wolf pack in the wild?”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said, “You should try to choose a spot on a hillside surrounded by trees, because a burial plot there would have better feng shui.”

Zhang Jinglin: “???”

Chapter 7: Substitute Teacher

While Zhang Jinglin was rendered speechless by Ren Xiaosu’s answer, he didn’t know that Ren Xiaosu himself was feeling puzzled. Haven’t I taught everyone what I know? Why isn’t the quest complete yet?

Could there be something wrong with the knowledge I taught?

“Teacher,” Ren Xiaosu said earnestly, “you’ve probably never seen how big the wild wolves are out there now. Even many people in the settlement haven’t seen them or had to deal with them. But I have. Forget a pack of wolves; even if you run into a lone one, you might as well just go pick out your own grave.”

Ren Xiaosu had expected Zhang Jinglin to refute him, as what he said could undermine the teacher’s authority and dignity.

However, Zhang Jinglin thought for a long moment before suddenly saying, “From now on, you can attend class in the classroom. You’ll also be the one teaching the survival lessons.”

The School in the settlement outside Stronghold 113 had a substitute teacher for the first time.

However, Ren Xiaosu never explained in class how he had managed to survive if he had seen lone wolves, or even a pack of them.

“Quest complete. Reward: 1.0 Strength.”

…

An entire day passed, and Ren Xiaosu still hadn’t found a chance to use the Skill Duplication Scroll. He went to the School because he loved to absorb knowledge, but the knowledge Zhang Jinglin possessed wasn’t of much help to his immediate survival.

Ren Xiaosu’s current priority was still survival.

Therefore, since he couldn’t use the scroll, he had no way of verifying whether everything in his mind was a product of his imagination.

But Ren Xiaosu was waiting, because he felt there would be another quest.

Now that he had completed another quest and gained 1.0 Strength, it was a very direct number, but Ren Xiaosu’s perception of his body was even more direct.

He could even feel the muscles beneath his clothes bulge slightly. This was a truly supernatural phenomenon; no one could gain additional muscle strength in a mere tenth of a second.

Now, Ren Xiaosu was certain that the Palace in his mind was indeed a unique ability.

This realization brought Ren Xiaosu a sense of ecstasy. In truth, he should have been joyful long ago, but he had been afraid it wasn’t real.

A person who hunts frequently must be intimately familiar with their own body. You have to know how much you can carry, and you have to know how fast and hard you can punch or slash with a knife.

So Ren Xiaosu immediately assessed his new strength. If a normal adult male’s strength was 3.0, then Ren Xiaosu’s had been 2.5.

He was only seventeen, so it was perfectly normal for him to be slightly weaker than a grown man. His survival in the settlement all these years wasn’t due to his strength, but because he was ruthless enough, and vigilant and calm enough.

Now, his strength had surpassed that of a normal adult, which meant his chances of survival in this Wasteland were even greater.

On the way home from school, Yan Liuyuan said excitedly, “Brother, now that you’re a substitute teacher, maybe you’ll take over from Teacher Zhang and become our settlement’s teacher in the future.”

Ren Xiaosu hesitated for a moment. “It does seem that way. Teacher Zhang also started as a substitute. He only took over the School after the old teacher passed away.”

“Exactly! Everyone in the settlement knows that whoever becomes the substitute teacher might just be the next teacher at the School. Think about it, Teacher Zhang let you attend class and made you a substitute teacher. He must want to choose you as his successor,” Yan Liuyuan said with a smile. “If everyone in the settlement finds out about this, they’ll be a little more polite to us in the future.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Ren Xiaosu said after some thought. “I reckon he’s probably just out of smokes.”

“…” Yan Liuyuan looked at Ren Xiaosu. “Are you serious, Brother?”

“Actually, it wouldn’t be so bad to be the School’s teacher,” Ren Xiaosu said. “When I become the teacher, I’ll pass the position on to you. Won’t you become the School’s teacher then?”

As for Ren Xiaosu, he had never really considered becoming the School’s teacher. It wasn’t that he looked down on the profession—if he did, he wouldn’t offer it to Yan Liuyuan.

Rather, he felt that he was completely unsuited for that kind of work. If there was truly no chance of getting into the stronghold in the future, then the wilderness was where he truly belonged.

As Ren Xiaosu walked, he imagined a future where he passed the position of School teacher to Yan Liuyuan, but he didn’t notice Yan Liuyuan slowly stopping. Staring at Ren Xiaosu’s back, Yan Liuyuan felt an indescribable emotion.

This youth, his hand still bandaged, might be sharp-tongued, but he always wanted to leave the best things for him.

Ren Xiaosu turned back and saw that Yan Liuyuan had fallen far behind. He said irritably, “What are you doing? Hurry up and follow me!”

“Coming!”

The factory chimneys outside the stronghold belched white smoke that billowed into the sky. The setting sun cast its glow on their backs, making it seem as though they didn’t have a care in the world.

…

On their way home, Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan suddenly saw the group that had come out of the stronghold. There were about thirteen or fourteen of them. Half were dressed in colorful, bizarre outfits, while the other half wore the combat uniforms of the mercenaries employed by the rulers of Stronghold 113. It looked like they had a military escort on this trip; no wonder they dared to go to a place like the Jing Mountains.

When these people looked for a guide, they didn’t actually need someone with combat skills, just someone who knew the way.

However, Ren Xiaosu didn’t think that the private mercenaries of Stronghold 113’s rulers were necessarily that formidable. In fact, he rarely saw these mercenaries come out. It was highly questionable whether these people had any real combat experience, or if they had even seen bloodshed.

Just then, Ren Xiaosu saw a few of the mercenaries smoking cigarettes—the kind with filters, which were a rare sight in the settlement.

As the faint smell of smoke drifted over, Ren Xiaosu detected a strange scent in it. It reminded him of what Old Wang had said about many of the cigarettes in the factories being laced with addictive drugs that could make people euphoric.

Ren Xiaosu was puzzled. Mercenaries were in a profession that required a clear head, yet they smoked this stuff?

He had seen people go crazy from smoking too much, and these mercenaries were just smoking what appeared to be a higher-grade version.

A small crowd from the settlement slowly gathered to watch, because the clean faces of these people stood in stark contrast to the residents of the settlement.

“Brother, do you think they have plenty of water in the stronghold? Can they wash their faces every day?” Yan Liuyuan asked, his eyes sparkling.

“No need to be envious. The grease and what-not on our faces protects our skin…” Ren Xiaosu comforted him half-heartedly.

But then his eyes fell on a unique individual in the group. A woman, wearing a baseball cap pulled down low, making it impossible to tell her age. Her clothes were relatively normal—loose, yet well-fitting.

Ren Xiaosu’s attention was on her because when he saw her, it was like encountering a wild beast in the wilderness.

There’s something wrong with this group, Ren Xiaosu trusted his instincts.

Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan stopped to watch from a distance. They could vaguely tell that the group was asking Old Wang, who bought sparrows at the General Store, about something.

They heard the loud voice of Old Wang say, “If you want to go through the Jing Mountains, you’ve got to find that kid Ren Xiaosu. You’ll never make it without him. Besides, the wilderness out there is full of wolf packs. I suggest you’d best not go through the Jing Mountains.”

A mercenary sneered, “The wolves will run off scared when they hear gunfire. Do we need to worry about wolf packs?”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. So wolf packs were afraid of gunshots? Perhaps it was an animal instinct. He had never seen thermal weapons, so he couldn’t be sure if the man was right, but he had his doubts.

Another mercenary asked, “Who is Ren Xiaosu? We don’t need him to be a good fighter, just as long as he knows the roads.”

“Oh, Ren Xiaosu is our settlement’s most famous hunter. He knows most of the routes, so there’s nothing wrong with looking for him,” Old Wang said with a grin. “You can’t go wrong with him. It’s just that the kid’s got a few screws loose…”

Hearing this, Ren Xiaosu turned to leave, pulling Yan Liuyuan with him. “Isn’t Old Wang’s son in your class? That chubby kid?”

Yan Liuyuan sucked in a sharp breath. “Brother, don’t bring the family into this…”

Ren Xiaosu frowned. He had wanted to stay far away from this whole affair, but he never expected Old Wang to go and recommend him to this bizarre band.

Chapter 8: Really Got Brain Problems

Night fell, and everyone in the Settlement returned to their residences. Those with houses tightly closed their doors, while those living in shacks securely covered their doorways.

Returning in the evening, Ren Xiaosu also heard that a man who worked at the glue factory had been stabbed to death that night. It was said that someone knew the man had a habit of saving money and had malicious intentions.

People in the Settlement liked to live together: friends, brothers, and couples taking turns keeping watch at night, as if it would make them safer. Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan initially came together in this way.

However, there were also some people who were actually harmed by those they lived with.

The perpetrators were usually short-sighted. They didn’t realize that after harming their companions, no one would ever trust them again.

Perpetrators who became loners generally didn’t have good endings.

Ren Xiaosu sat in his shack, unwrapping the cloth bandage on his hand. He frowned when he saw the condition of the wound; the area around it was red and swollen, a sign of inflammation. He looked up and saw Yan Liuyuan approaching, so he quickly re-covered the wound with the cloth.

“Brother, is your wound okay?” Yan Liuyuan asked.

“It’s fine,” Ren Xiaosu said calmly.

“I don’t believe you, let me see,” Yan Liuyuan said, trying to unwrap the cloth that Ren Xiaosu had re-tied.

“I said it’s fine, it’s fine,” Ren Xiaosu pushed Yan Liuyuan away. “If something’s wrong, I’ll buy medicine.”

“Don’t lie to me, you tried to tough it out last time,” Yan Liuyuan said, looking aggrieved.

Ren Xiaosu sighed. “Don’t worry, I won’t joke around with my life.”

In the animal world, beasts usually don’t hunt easily because they all understand one thing: injury can lead to death, even a small one.

Even beasts understand this, so how could Ren Xiaosu not?

“Oh, Brother, look, there are two potatoes hidden under the chair, and three pills, is this the anti-inflammatory medicine you wanted to buy today? It looks the same,” Yan Liuyuan said with pleasant surprise. “Did you put them here?”

“I didn’t put them there,” Ren Xiaosu shook his head, then examined the three pills. “They’re indeed ordinary anti-inflammatory medicine.”

“Then Sister Xiaoyu must have put them there. I only told her that you were injured,” Yan Liuyuan said with a grin, handing a pill to Ren Xiaosu. “Sister Xiaoyu is so good to you, why don’t you just go for it?”

Ren Xiaosu almost spat blood. “You really do change your face faster than flipping a book! You praise people when you have something to eat, and bully them when you don’t.”

“Hehe,” Yan Liuyuan munched on a potato. Usually, the two of them didn’t eat dinner. Ren Xiaosu said that breakfast should be good, lunch should be full, and eating at night was bad for the body.

This was a saying that had been passed down from before the Cataclysm. Actually, Ren Xiaosu knew in his heart that the reason they didn’t eat dinner was because they were just too poor…

“Brother.”

Ren Xiaosu turned his head. He suddenly saw Yan Liuyuan lowering his head, and his voice was a bit deep. He asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

“Do you still remember how you were attacked by wolves last year, and someone secretly gave us some medicine that saved your life?” Yan Liuyuan asked.

“I remember, I’ve been looking for this person,” Ren Xiaosu said.

“Those pills might have been given by Sister Xiaoyu too,” Yan Liuyuan said. “Back then, the place where the medicine was placed was exactly the same as today.”

Ren Xiaosu fell into thought.

Suddenly, Ren Xiaosu heard footsteps outside.

Many people.

It was rare for people to be walking on the streets of the Settlement at night, but Ren Xiaosu quickly guessed who they were and their purpose.

……

The band had to pass through the Jing Mountains this time because, as Ren Xiaosu had expected, those mercenaries did have another mission. For example, the rulers of Stronghold Number 113 had found some data proving that Jing Mountains was actually a mountain range formed after violent crustal movement, and there might still be some things left from before the Cataclysm.

They learned about Ren Xiaosu from Old Wang at the General Store. Although they had doubts about “brain problems,” they questioned some other people, and it seemed everyone thought Ren Xiaosu was the best choice for a guide.

Some people even wondered what was so special about this teenager named Ren Xiaosu that he was famous in the Settlement?

Out of curiosity, they continued to inquire and finally learned an uncertain answer: Ren Xiaosu seemed to be the only person in Settlement 113 who had survived an attack by wolves.

Last year, when Ren Xiaosu returned to the Settlement after hunting, he was exhausted and covered in blood from wolf claws.

Even the most ferocious people in the Settlement wouldn’t do anything to a dying teenager. Everyone just watched coldly.

But just when everyone thought Ren Xiaosu would die, he survived and was still living well.

The band members curiously asked how the teenager survived. Old Wang said with a smile that it was all thanks to Yan Liuyuan begging for food from door to door, and he really survived. It seemed someone had also sent some medicine, but no one knew who.

However, everyone in the Settlement knew that Ren Xiaosu had survived, but he had developed brain problems ever since.

“By the way, Wang Fugui,” a person in the group said to Old Wang, who was accompanying them. “What do you mean by brain problems?”

“It’s nothing, it’s nothing, I was just saying it,” Old Wang said with a smile, his wrinkles squeezed together on his face. “It doesn’t matter, his illness isn’t serious. Look, we’re almost there.”

Old Wang only dared to go out on the streets at night with these dignitaries from the Stronghold. At this time, he deliberately raised his voice, as if intentionally letting everyone in the Settlement know that he, Old Wang, had a very good relationship with these dignitaries from the Stronghold.

“Xiaosu, come out quickly, we have esteemed guests,” Old Wang shouted with a smile.

Suddenly, the door curtain of the shack was yanked open.

Ren Xiaosu cheerfully grabbed Old Wang’s hand and said to Old Wang, “Congratulations, father and son are safe! Six pounds, six ounces!”

Old Wang: “???”

The band: “???”

The mercenaries: “???”

A staff member of the band pointed at Ren Xiaosu and looked at Old Wang: He’s this sick and you’re still saying it’s nothing?!

Also, what the hell is “father and son are safe”? Isn’t it supposed to be “mother and son are safe”?!

The staff member of the band said angrily, “Wang Fugui, do you know the consequences of lying to us? Is this what you call nothing?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the staff member of the band turned around and left. They had some expectations for the legendary Ren Xiaosu, but now they had actually encountered a lunatic.

No wonder everyone in the Settlement said Ren Xiaosu had something wrong with his brain; he really did!

Chapter 9: Just Ask If There’s Anything You Don’t Understand

Ren Xiaosu stood at the entrance of the shack, watching the band walk away. Old Wang was still beside them, apologizing profusely, “Although Ren Xiaosu has something wrong with his head, it’s not like this. Let me explain…”

The band’s staff couldn’t be bothered to listen to his explanation. “Wang Fugui, I’m giving you six hours to find me a suitable replacement. We wouldn’t use this kid even if there was nothing wrong with him. We’re setting off at dawn, so stop causing trouble for us!”

Ren Xiaosu stood cheerfully at the entrance of the shack, watching the commotion as if it had nothing to do with him. But just then, the girl in the baseball cap from earlier turned and glanced back at him. Ren Xiaosu instantly felt as if he had been seen through.

He couldn’t even see the expression under her baseball cap, yet his heart lurched inexplicably.

Ren Xiaosu subconsciously used his Skill Duplication Scroll. A voice echoed from within the Palace: “A random skill will be learned from the target.”

“Randomly learn?”

“The target’s firearm skill has been randomly selected. Learn?”

“Learn!” Ren Xiaosu saw that the Skill Duplication Scroll was already gone; it would be a waste not to learn.

“Learning successful. You have acquired Advanced Firearms Mastery.”

“Wait, didn’t I get a basic-level scroll? Why did I learn Advanced Firearms Mastery? Shouldn’t it be basic-level?” Ren Xiaosu asked curiously in his mind.

“There are only two types of Skill Duplication Scrolls. The first is the Basic-level scroll, which can be used to learn any skill below the advanced level. The second is the Master-level scroll, which can be used to learn master-level techniques from others, and it also offers a chance to learn the target’s supernatural abilities,” the voice from the Palace answered.

Ren Xiaosu was stunned. He could even learn someone else’s supernatural abilities?! Thinking of the girl, he suddenly asked, “Can you tell me the level of that girl’s Firearms Mastery skill?”

“Information can be provided for a target you have already learned from.”

“What’s her Firearms Mastery level? Master?”

“Perfect.”

…

A Basic-level Skill Duplication Scroll could randomly learn any of a target’s skills below the advanced level, while a Master-level scroll could, on the prerequisite of one already possessing the skill at an advanced level, learn the target’s master-level skill, and even potentially their supernatural abilities.

This level was determined entirely by the Palace. Although the Palace had said there was only a chance of success, Ren Xiaosu was still excited at the thought of being able to learn someone else’s supernatural abilities.

Previously, Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan had discussed something: Did supernatural abilities also have different tiers? Some were innately better for combat, while others were naturally weaker.

As someone who needed to survive in the wilderness, Ren Xiaosu naturally felt that combat-oriented supernatural abilities were more powerful. But Yan Liuyuan, who possessed the attribute of luck, was not a fighter. So he insisted that supernatural abilities simply had different uses and that there were no tiers.

But what about now? An ability that could copy the abilities of others—how would that be ranked?!

However, Ren Xiaosu was now thinking more about the girl in the baseball cap.

Upon receiving the advanced firearm skills, a vast amount of knowledge about firearms flooded Ren Xiaosu’s mind. It was like an epiphany, a sudden enlightenment that was ingrained directly into his instincts.

He had not only grasped the knowledge of various firearm models, their disassembly, maintenance, and use, but also an almost instinctual aiming ability for all of them.

Ren Xiaosu even knew the recoil of every type of gun. If he were given a gun now—as long as it was covered by his advanced firearm skills—he could use it like a veteran who had trained for ten years, without any difference.

In terms of accuracy, a score of 95 rings or more at a hundred meters seemed to be the standard for an advanced firearm skill.

All this was a pleasant surprise for Ren Xiaosu, but not enough to make him ecstatic, since he didn’t have a gun. What shocked him more was that the Palace in his mind had rated the girl’s firearm skill as “Perfect.”

Ren Xiaosu couldn’t even imagine how formidable the master level would be, let alone perfect.

Would someone like that be in a band?

It seemed that neither the mercenaries nor the band’s staff knew such a terrifying person was in their team. Ren Xiaosu had noticed earlier that everyone just treated her as an ordinary crew member.

The girl probably never expected that Ren Xiaosu had already uncovered her secret through some mysterious means.

Figuring out a way to not get involved with this group was indeed a wise decision. Ren Xiaosu felt a thrill from learning someone else’s secret.

“Brother, why are you staring at her back?” Yan Liuyuan asked, poking his head out of the shack.

Ren Xiaosu’s mood immediately turned joyous. He turned to look at Yan Liuyuan, and just as he was about to assert his authority as the older brother, the curtain of the neighboring shack was lifted. A female voice asked, “Whose back? Where?”

At this, both Yan Liuyuan and Ren Xiaosu froze. The person who came out of the neighboring shack was Xiaoyu!

Yan Liuyuan asked curiously, “Sister Xiaoyu, why are you in the shack next door?”

Xiaoyu smoothed her hair and smiled. “I’ve moved here. We’re neighbors now.”

“What about the family of three who used to live here?” Yan Liuyuan pressed. “Where did they go?”

“I traded my place with them,” Xiaoyu explained.

Yan Liuyuan pulled Ren Xiaosu aside and whispered, “Brother, Sister Xiaoyu really went all out. She used to live in a stone brick house!”

Ren Xiaosu didn’t say anything. He just lowered his head and ducked back into the shack. Yan Liuyuan smiled at Xiaoyu and then pulled his head back in as well.

“Brother, are you still a virgin?” Yan Liuyuan asked.

Ren Xiaosu glared at Yan Liuyuan. “Liuyuan, you’re not a kid anymore. I think we need to have a talk about your education in this area.”

Yan Liuyuan immediately sat up straight and looked serious. “Alright, Brother. Just ask if there’s anything you don’t understand…”

Before he could finish, Ren Xiaosu kicked him to the ground. But Yan Liuyuan wasn’t angry; he just kept chuckling.

“You’re getting bold, aren’t you,” Ren Xiaosu said as he made the bed. “Try not to bother Sister Xiaoyu. Don’t go playing matchmaker. We can barely take care of ourselves; we don’t have time to worry about others.”

“Oh,” Yan Liuyuan agreed meekly. “But she gave us potatoes and medicine, and she’s so concerned about you. Are you really going to just ignore her?”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment. “The most important thing is to act with a clear conscience. But if you do feel guilty, just convince yourself not to.”

Yan Liuyuan: “???”

When Yan Liuyuan heard the first half of the sentence, he had the look of someone listening to a lesson. The second half just left him stupefied.

Perhaps, this was the real Ren Xiaosu.

In this era, someone like Ren Xiaosu might live a better life. But Yan Liuyuan didn’t mind what kind of person Ren Xiaosu was at all. Every bit of Ren Xiaosu’s current shrewdness and caution was a lesson and a sign of growth left by every scar he had ever received.

But Yan Liuyuan also knew that Ren Xiaosu was hiding something more in his heart.

Chapter 10: Side Quest

Just then, a rough voice came from outside the shack. It was directed at their new neighbor, Xiaoyu. “Xiaoyu, I went to your old place tonight to look for you and found out you moved here. I brought you some cigarettes.”

Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan exchanged a glance, both of them frowning. They heard Xiaoyu say, “I’m not doing that kind of work anymore.”

“Haha,” the owner of the rough voice laughed as if he’d heard a joke. “If you don’t do that kind of work, what will you eat and drink? Who’s going to give you cigarettes to smoke?”

“Let go of me,” Xiaoyu said, her voice filled with anger. It sounded like they had started a physical struggle. With a tearing sound, it seemed someone’s clothes had been ripped.

Yan Liuyuan looked at Ren Xiaosu, who was still frowning deeply. He said in a low voice, “Brother, help her.”

Ren Xiaosu stood up, untied the bone knife from his calf, and walked out of the shack with it held in a reverse grip.

At that moment, in the Palace in Ren Xiaosu’s mind, the keys of the brass typewriter clacked down one by one, forming words on the parchment as the grand Palace’s voice intoned, “Quest: Help…”

He cut the Palace off with a cold laugh in his mind. “I’d help her even without your quest.”

Only a second or two passed from the moment Ren Xiaosu stepped out with his knife to when he rushed in front of the man.

Ren Xiaosu didn’t waste his breath on threats like “Let her go,” or “Try and move again.” He knew that any unnecessary action would lead to failure.

All he needed to do was solve the simplest problem in the simplest way.

As Ren Xiaosu’s lean but solid figure shot toward the man like a cheetah, the man quickly drew his own knife from his waist and slashed at him. In this Settlement, everyone carried a weapon for self-defense.

A mocking thought crossed the man’s mind. He was a full head taller than Ren Xiaosu, and his weapon was made of real iron, not some bone knife.

But in the next instant, his mockery died on his lips.

Iron was better than bone; this was common sense, even if the bones of the beasts these days were as strong as steel.

But being as strong as steel wasn’t the same as being steel.

Melee weapons weren’t banned in the Settlement, but getting one’s hands on a good iron weapon was harder than climbing to the heavens. Although some industries were slowly catching up to pre-Cataclysm levels, resources were still limited.

As Ren Xiaosu arrived before the man like a shadow, he landed on his left foot from his sprint. The muscles in his right leg, which supported his entire body weight, suddenly tensed, his foot gripping the ground firmly. The full force of his body, originating from the ground, shot up like an electric current through his waist and abdomen, and then into his arm!

Ren Xiaosu’s knife, like a ravine carved into the earth, slashed diagonally upward, seeming to tear a rift in the night.

Crack! The bone knife and the iron weapon collided. The people who had been secretly watching were stunned to see both knives shatter into two pieces at the same time. They had thought only the bone knife would break!

In the instant the man was stunned, Ren Xiaosu discarded the broken bone knife without a second thought. The motion was fluid, as if he had known all along it would break and had planned for it from the start.

He grabbed the man’s wrist, and his other fist smashed into the man’s undefended armpit like a sledgehammer, targeting the nerves there.

The man tried to struggle free, but he suddenly realized that the boy was a fair bit stronger than him!

How was that possible? How old was this kid? He only came up to the man’s neck!

But the man could see the sinews and muscles on Ren Xiaosu’s neck, taut as steel. That was strength.

The axillary nerve, located about three inches from the armpit along the upper arm. No need for precision, as a fist was large enough to cover any deviation.

This was one of the human body’s weak points. A powerful blow to the axillary nerve would cause it to misalign. If nerves were like electrical cables, this misalignment would cause the axillary nerve to generate a current and an uncontrolled release of electrical signals.

The brain’s receptors, overloaded, would send out pain signals. When the neural circuits overloaded, the limbs would receive chaotic signals.

The body would begin to secrete large amounts of calcium and potassium—a storm of electrical charges sufficient to briefly paralyze the entire system!

The man cried out in pain and collapsed, his limbs even twitching. By the time he understood what had happened, he no longer had any ability to fight back against Ren Xiaosu.

Ren Xiaosu stood over him quietly, seemingly lost in thought. The man gasped for a while before begging for mercy. “I won’t hold a grudge. Let me go, and I’ll forget what happened today.”

At a time like this, any smart person would know they were now the fish on the chopping block. The best thing to do wasn’t to continue acting tough, but to live to see another day.

Ren Xiaosu looked at Xiaoyu. “Who is he?”

“He’s a foreman from the coal mine. He was the one who led the group that stabbed that person to death in the Settlement last night. He heard the man had a habit of saving money, and he happened to owe the casino, so he got a wicked idea,” Xiaoyu said, repeating what the man had been boasting about yesterday.

Ren Xiaosu walked over and picked up the man’s broken iron weapon. Then he walked back to the man’s side and looked down at him. He calculated that the man had at most four or five seconds before he could move again.

Suddenly, the Palace, which had been silent for some time, spoke again. “Quest: Spare your enemy’s life.”

But the moment the Palace’s voice faded, Ren Xiaosu decisively knelt down and thrust the iron weapon into the man’s abdomen. The sound of the sharp weapon tearing through flesh like leather made the scalps of all onlookers and eavesdroppers tingle. Then, the man’s blood began to gush out.

“You have about three minutes now. If you can get to the clinic in the Settlement for stitches in time, you might have a chance of survival,” Ren Xiaosu said with a calm expression.

Hearing this, the man no longer cared about the pain. Without another word, he scrambled to his feet and ran toward the clinic.

“Quest complete. Reward: Basic Skill Duplication Scroll.”

“Quest complete. Reward: Basic Skill Duplication Scroll.”

“Due to your lack of a weapon, a side quest has been initiated…”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned before he could even hear the rest. The first quest must have been for saving Xiaoyu, so he could understand its completion. What he hadn’t expected was that the second quest was also considered complete.

What kind of judgment system did this Palace have?!

Yan Liuyuan asked curiously from the side, “Brother, you’re just letting him go like that? What if he gets stitched up at the clinic, recovers, and comes back for revenge? He’s not a good person.”

Ren Xiaosu looked into the night. “The crappy clinic in our Settlement? What the hell do they know about stitches…”

“Brother, seeing you be this ruthless puts my mind at ease…”

This was why Ren Xiaosu was amazed that it still counted as him completing the quest. The man was as good as dead. Even if he didn’t die from the wound, the iron weapon was covered in rust—a divine weapon for giving tetanus with a single strike. Even if he survived, he’d be crippled.

Although the man had an iron weapon, it was clearly the cheapest kind he could get. If it weren’t for that, Ren Xiaosu probably wouldn’t have been able to break it.

A person like Ren Xiaosu had only his own firm principles. Even with supernatural abilities, nothing could change his way of handling things.

If any changes were to be made, he would be the one to make them, not anyone else.

So, the criteria for quest completion weren’t that strict. What the Palace cared about… was just the attitude Ren Xiaosu displayed?

At this time, people in the shacks along the path were whispering among themselves. They had known for years what a ruthless person Ren Xiaosu was, but they were still shocked today.

The difference in size between the two had been too great, yet the strength Ren Xiaosu displayed was not the least bit inferior to the man’s, and had even surpassed it.

This was quite incredible.

Someone in a shack muttered in a low voice, “I told you not to mess with him.”

Ren Xiaosu walked over to pick up his bone knife. This knife had been with him for over a year and had finally reached the end of its life.

He turned to look at Xiaoyu. She looked a little frail in the dim light of the night. In truth, Xiaoyu was eight years older than Ren Xiaosu, but at this moment, she looked as if she were eight years younger.

Ren Xiaosu said bluntly, “Can you quit smoking?”

Xiaoyu nodded vigorously.

“The addiction isn’t that strong. It probably just has a bit of poppy husk in it. Old Wang said the ratio is very low, so you should be able to quit if you want to,” Ren Xiaosu said. As he spoke, he walked to the entrance of Xiaoyu’s shack, knelt down, and fiercely stabbed his broken white bone knife into the dirt, leaving only a small part exposed.

Some of the men along the road who had been harboring improper thoughts about Xiaoyu immediately lost their nerve.

In the Settlement, this half-buried bone knife was like a symbol of will. No one was willing to make an enemy of the ruthless Ren Xiaosu over a moment of foolishness.

Ren Xiaosu turned to Xiaoyu and said, “But I have to say this upfront. Even though I’m very handsome, and even though… it’s impossible between us…”

Xiaoyu’s expression was one of instant bewilderment. “I only think of you as a younger brother.”

Now it was Ren Xiaosu’s turn to be bewildered. “Hahahaha, how awkward.”

Ren Xiaosu immediately started walking back to his own shack, dragging Yan Liuyuan with him. As he walked, he glared at his brother. This is all your damn fault for spouting nonsense every day!

Yan Liuyuan secretly looked back and winked at Xiaoyu. Seeing his mischievous expression, Xiaoyu couldn’t help but laugh, and it seemed all her bad feelings had vanished into thin air.

She squatted on the ground and looked at the half-buried bone knife for a long time before finally going back to sleep with a smile on her lips.

As for Ren Xiaosu, he closed his eyes to carefully examine the Palace within his mind and the words the typewriter had just produced.

A side quest. This was getting interesting.

Chapter 11: Practically a Hundred Million

Two Basic Skill Duplication Scrolls. This thing was actually very useful. Ren Xiaosu was someone who craved knowledge, and a single scroll could let him learn someone else’s existing experience. Ren Xiaosu treasured them.

Although the skills were learned randomly, and he might end up with a useless one, learning the advanced firearm skill before had already given Ren Xiaosu a taste of its benefits.

But what had drawn Ren Xiaosu to the Palace wasn’t these two scrolls, but what the Palace had mentioned last… a Side Quest!

Since it was a Side Quest, it should be something peripheral and less important, or perhaps a short one.

However, Ren Xiaosu had clearly heard the Palace say at the time: “Because you lack a weapon, a special…”

So this quest had to be related to a weapon, right?

As someone who roamed the wilderness year-round, Ren Xiaosu understood all too well the importance of a good weapon. Old Wang had acquired a steel saber a while back and wanted to sell it to him, but even after saving for half a year, Ren Xiaosu couldn’t afford it.

In the end, Old Wang sold the saber to a manager at the chemical factory. Factory managers were usually leaders chosen by the Stronghold from among the refugees—the kind of people who got to drink the soup while the Stronghold ate the meat.

At that time, Ren Xiaosu had thought about how great it would be if he could have a good weapon someday. Then he wouldn’t necessarily have to lie in wait for sparrows in the wilderness every day. Those things were getting harder and harder to catch, and it was draining.

With a weapon, he could hunt other wild animals, like rabbits, voles, bamboo rats, and so on…

Nowadays, even rabbits were considered wild beasts…

The rabbits in the wilderness didn’t actively attack people, but a rabbit the height of a person’s calf was incredibly strong. Ren Xiaosu had once dug a trap over two meters deep. A rabbit did fall in, but just as he approached, it leaped out with a powerful kick of its legs. While in mid-air, it even kicked him in the forehead and almost gave Ren Xiaosu a brain hemorrhage…

Ren Xiaosu looked at the parchment on the typewriter: “Because you lack a weapon, a special Side Quest has been initiated: Obtain 100 sincere thanks to unlock a weapon. Thanks can also be used to exchange for items.”

A strange look appeared on Ren Xiaosu’s face. This Side Quest… why did it feel so odd?

Collecting thanks? And they had to be sincere.

It was easy to collect “thanks,” but the requirement for them to be sincere made it difficult.

And “thanks” could be used as currency? The key question was, what could he buy with them?

He continued reading the parchment and saw text refreshing there from time to time.

“Gratitude from Xiaoyu, +1.”

It seemed he hadn’t saved an ungrateful wretch. The Palace’s judgment was probably never wrong, Ren Xiaosu mused.

At this moment, another line of small text appeared on the parchment. Weapon Unlock: 1/100.

Ren Xiaosu felt it was a bit of a pity. It would have been great if he could collect negative emotion points instead. He could max out the negative emotions of everyone in the entire Settlement in minutes!

But he’d have to make do with what the Palace gave him. Ren Xiaosu was already starting to look forward to his future weapon.

Anything given by this mysterious Palace definitely wouldn’t be subpar.

Ren Xiaosu suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Yan Liuyuan. “Liuyuan, say ‘thank you’ to me.”

Yan Liuyuan was dumbfounded. “Brother, don’t be like this. I’m a little scared.”

“What’s there to be scared of?” Ren Xiaosu said irritably. “Hurry up and say it.”

Yan Liuyuan thought for a moment and said, “Thank you for always taking care of me.”

“Gratitude from Yan Liuyuan, +1.”

Ren Xiaosu beamed. It was that easy?

“Come on, say it a few more times,” Ren Xiaosu said.

Yan Liuyuan was speechless. “Thank you…”

This time, Ren Xiaosu was disappointed. It seemed he couldn’t just farm them repeatedly. The key was the word “sincere.” He looked up at Yan Liuyuan, dissatisfied. “You’re not being sincere!”

“No, no, that’s not the right emotion. Again.”

“Still not right. Brew up some emotion first. Come on, yes, yes, that’s the expression.”

“Try again. Sincerity is key…”

“One more time. Put some emotion into your voice this time…”

Yan Liuyuan was about to have a breakdown. His mouth was dry as he said, “Brother, is this your power? It’s a bit hard on the throat…”

That night, Ren Xiaosu spent half the night experimenting with Yan Liuyuan, but in the end, he only managed to get one “thank you.”

And those thanks had turned into two coins. One side of the coins was engraved with a heart, and the other side had a passage: “A grateful heart, thank you for being there, by my side my whole life, giving me the courage to be myself. A grateful heart, thank you, fate. As flowers bloom and fall, I will cherish it all the same.”

Ren Xiaosu smacked his lips. It was pretty cheesy.

At this moment, the display cabinets in the Palace that had been shrouded in black mist began to change. To the left of the typewriter, the black mist around one of the cabinets finally dissipated, revealing… a vending machine.

Ren Xiaosu stared blankly for a long while, wondering what this thing was for. It was the first time he’d ever seen one; there was nothing like it in the outside world these days.

But he could understand the words on the machine: “Coin Slot.”

There were no options, just the slot. No need to think about it. He just had to insert the coin.

With a clink, the coin engraved with a heart fell into the machine. The machine rumbled to life, and a small bottle, no bigger than his palm, rolled out.

Ren Xiaosu took it out and looked. There was only one word on the bottle: Medicine.

“Hey, couldn’t you at least tell me what this is supposed to treat?” Ren Xiaosu was stunned for a moment. When he opened his eyes, he willed it, and the medicine bottle appeared in his hand. With another thought, it vanished again.

Yan Liuyuan stared at this scene, stunned. “Brother, are you doing a magic trick?”

Ren Xiaosu ignored him and decisively tore off the cloth bandaging his hand, revealing the infected wound underneath.

The area around the wound had been bruised for a long time and was continuously seeping tissue fluid. Ren Xiaosu knew very well that if he didn’t treat it with medicine soon, a fever and a festering wound would be inevitable.

Seeing this, Yan Liuyuan immediately got up to go outside. Ren Xiaosu grabbed him. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to buy you medicine,” Yan Liuyuan said stubbornly.

“No need.” Ren Xiaosu picked up the medicine bottle and, using only his index finger, scooped out a tiny bit of the ointment inside and carefully applied it to his wound. The bottle wasn’t large and was quite shallow; there was probably only enough for three doses.

After applying it, Ren Xiaosu felt a pang of regret. The bottle only said “Medicine.” What if it was poison?

However, what he feared did not happen. As soon as the ointment was applied to the wound, Ren Xiaosu immediately felt the burning pain disappear.

He could save the anti-inflammatory medicine Sister Xiaoyu gave him. Ren Xiaosu did a rough calculation. If this bottle of ointment was used as an anti-inflammatory, he would have had to take the pills for three consecutive days. But this ointment was effective after just one application. A single anti-inflammatory pill cost 200, so the value of this bottle of ointment… if you rounded it up, it was practically a hundred million!

Ren Xiaosu suddenly turned his head to look at Yan Liuyuan and asked with determination, “Help me think, what can I do to quickly get thanks from others?!”

Chapter 12: A Grateful Heart, Thanks to You

Ren Xiaosu was seriously discussing with Yan Liuyuan how he could quickly earn some gratitude. He was a very “unassuming” person, so when he realized how valuable a sincere thank-you was, he knew he needed them…

Although Yan Liuyuan felt that Ren Xiaosu had used the word “unassuming” in completely the wrong way.

“Brother, I think you could go out and do good deeds,” Yan Liuyuan said. “Isn’t that the most direct way to get Sincere Thanks? Like giving food to the hungry and water to the thirsty.”

Ren Xiaosu’s eyes widened. “Am I that kind of person? If I give them my food and water, what will I eat and drink? What will you eat and drink?!”

With a look of profound sorrow, Yan Liuyuan said, “Then, Brother, you should just stop trying to get Sincere Thanks!”

“No,” Ren Xiaosu refuted Yan Liuyuan’s suggestion. “There has to be another way!”

Ren Xiaosu had known for a long time that this era was not kind to humanity. Or rather, it was difficult for humans to show any genuine kindness to other humans.

There used to be a beggar in the Settlement, and a kind-hearted girl would bring him something to eat every day.

But later, the girl got married and stopped bringing him food.

The beggar tracked her down to her home and asked, “Why did you stop bringing me food?” He was promptly kicked out; the girl’s husband wasn’t nearly as kind.

Everyone thought that would be the end of it. The people in the Settlement even went to laugh at the beggar, waiting to see when he would starve to death. But that very night, the beggar snuck into the girl’s home and killed both her and her husband.

Ren Xiaosu always felt there was some profound lesson in that story, but he was too young at the time. All he vaguely understood was that he had to be very careful when sleeping at night…

The next morning, a commotion arose from the street. Ren Xiaosu got up and pulled back the door curtain to take a look. He saw the band members walking toward the edge of the Settlement, accompanied by an acquaintance of his.

The man was an old hunter from the Settlement and was quite skilled. He seemed very happy to be walking alongside the band’s staff, as if he had finally gotten the chance he’d been waiting for to get to know some important people from the Stronghold.

In fact, many people in the Settlement had gotten their start this way. It seemed that if the dignitaries from the Stronghold let even a little something slip through their fingers, it was enough to make them rich.

This so-called “rich” meant opening a General Store like Wang Fugui.

Ren Xiaosu had asked Wang Fugui before why he always tried so hard to curry favor whenever people came out from the Stronghold. Surely, not everyone inside was a dignitary, right?

Wang Fugui had smiled mysteriously at the time and said, “It’s true that the Stronghold has both poor people and dignitaries. But anyone who can freely enter and exit the Stronghold is definitely a dignitary.”

According to Wang Fugui, it was also very difficult for the poor inside the Stronghold to get out.

Those towering walls blocked not only the people outside, but also the people inside.

At that moment, Wang Fugui was also walking with the band’s staff. As he passed by Ren Xiaosu, he kept glaring at him. Finally, he lowered his voice and said, “You ungrateful little wretch. Your Uncle Wang recommended such a good job to you, and you turned it down. Did you know? I heard from their staff that they were looking for a good guide from the Settlement to take into the Stronghold, someone they could use for future matters!”

Ren Xiaosu froze for a moment. He hadn’t realized this was that kind of opportunity.

If he had known earlier, would he still have refused?

He would have. Because if he went in, Yan Liuyuan certainly wouldn’t be able to. How could he possibly leave Yan Liuyuan outside all alone?

Yan Liuyuan whispered, “Brother, why don’t you go talk to the band members again? You’re much better than that Old Liu. He often comes back empty-handed from a hunt and has never dared to venture too far from the Settlement.”

“Cut the crap,” Ren Xiaosu frowned. It was impossible not to feel a pang of regret or be tempted, but he had made his decision. “Let’s go. Time to get you to school.”

When Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan arrived at the school’s classroom, Zhang Jinglin was already wiping the blackboard. He turned and nearly jumped when he saw them. Both of them had heavy, dark circles under their eyes, looking like a pair of ghosts…

“You two…” Zhang Jinglin hesitated.

“My brother insisted on…” Yan Liuyuan started to explain.

But before Yan Liuyuan could finish, Ren Xiaosu slapped him on the back of the head, cutting him off. “It’s nothing,” Ren Xiaosu said. “We just didn’t sleep well.”

“Oh,” Zhang Jinglin wasn’t in the mood to pry into their private affairs. He asked, “Have you thought about what you’re going to teach today? Today is your first day as a Substitute Teacher.”

“I have,” Ren Xiaosu nodded.

During the day, he would sit in the classroom as a student. But for the last period, the survival class, he would become the school’s Substitute Teacher.

When the last class of the day began, Zhang Jinglin, worried about Ren Xiaosu’s lack of teaching experience, sat in the last row of the classroom to provide some support.

Ren Xiaosu walked up to the podium, and the class monitor immediately shouted, “Stand!”

Then all the students said loudly, “Good morning, Teacher!”

To the students, Ren Xiaosu was a special case. He was their “classmate,” the oldest among them, and a well-known figure in the Settlement. So, having Ren Xiaosu teach them was an incredibly novel experience.

Just then, Ren Xiaosu suddenly said, “Do you all think it’s hard work for Teacher Zhang to teach you? You all get to sit down for class, but Teacher Zhang has to stand all day.”

Under the circumstances, with Zhang Jinglin right there, how could the students say it wasn’t hard work? They could only say that it was.

Ren Xiaosu continued, “Then shouldn’t we thank Teacher Zhang?”

“Yes!” the students answered in unison.

The color drained from Yan Liuyuan’s face. It’s happening, it’s happening! he screamed in his mind.

Ren Xiaosu nodded in satisfaction. “From now on, when class starts, you don’t have to say ‘Good morning, Teacher.’ Just say ‘Thank you, Teacher!’”

Zhang Jinglin was completely baffled by the whole thing. He had no idea what kind of stunt Ren Xiaosu was pulling!

“Alright, everyone sit down. Let’s try it once!” Ren Xiaosu said with a gentle smile.

“Stand!”

“Thank you, Teacher!” the students said in unison again.

Ren Xiaosu inwardly glanced at the typewriter in his Palace and was filled with regret… Not a single one of these little bastards had thanked the teacher sincerely!

Was it really so hard these days to sincerely thank a gardener who cultivates young minds?!

This wouldn’t do. He had to think of another way. The first attempt was a failure!

But for Ren Xiaosu, failure wasn’t a rare occurrence. Being able to calmly accept failure was already one of his greatest strengths.

Ren Xiaosu had once heard a saying: In life, nine out of ten things will not go your way.

He interpreted it as: Out of ten things in life, eighty-nine of them will not go your way.

But even so, does life stop? No way.

Chapter 13: This Is Reality

Originally, after thinking it over and over, Ren Xiaosu had concluded that being a teacher would be the easiest way to earn gratitude.

However, he had overlooked one problem. It was true that he was eager to learn, and it was true that he yearned for knowledge, but that was because he had grown up in a twisted environment. The past scarcity of knowledge was what fueled his desire for it.

The more you lack something, the more you desire it.

But the things he desired were not necessarily what the other students desired. The children who could attend the School in this day and age mostly came from well-off families, each one of them protected by their parents.

These children had been in school for a few years and were most annoyed by their teachers, who made them recite texts and do homework. In their youth, students and teachers were, for the most part, natural enemies…

Although Ren Xiaosu was teaching their favorite subject, survival, the students’ attitude towards him could hardly be described as sincere gratitude.

Ren Xiaosu thought, Perhaps if I teach a little longer, the students will be grateful?

The Settlement’s School normally ended at four in the afternoon. Inside the Stronghold, they would ring a bell every two hours starting from six in the morning to tell time. Under normal circumstances, Zhang Jinglin never let his classes run late.

Today, however, in his quest to earn the students’ gratitude, Ren Xiaosu shared virtually all of his wilderness survival experience. He lectured all the way until five o’clock…

It was now late autumn, and the sky was already growing dark at five. The students stared at him eagerly, thinking to themselves, This bastard can really talk, can’t he…

By this point, even Zhang Jinglin couldn’t take it anymore and had gone to the courtyard to chop a head of cabbage and start making dinner.

One student finally couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Bas— Teacher, if you don’t dismiss class soon, it’ll get dark. It’s not safe in the settlement then.”

The student was, after all, a little afraid of this notoriously ruthless person in the settlement, so he didn’t dare say anything too harsh to his face.

Ren Xiaosu was stunned for a moment. Fine, don’t thank me, but now you want the teacher to dismiss class? he thought. However, he was a sensible person and knew that safety came first. So after a glance at the sky, he waved his hand helplessly. “Class dismissed.”

“Thank you, Teacher!”

“Thank you, Teacher!”

The students swarmed out of the School. Among them, two students had said “thank you” to Ren Xiaosu for those two words: “Class dismissed.” They were truly grateful! If he hadn’t dismissed class, they would have thrown up!

Ren Xiaosu suddenly saw two more gratitude coins actually appear in his Palace. He was instantly overjoyed.

How could he have known why the students were thanking him? He just thought he had given a good lecture!

Ren Xiaosu thought to himself, Looks like my hard work wasn’t in vain. I lectured for so long, and the students are very grateful.

Yan Liuyuan said with a dark expression, “Can you not let your classes run late from now on?”

Before Ren Xiaosu could speak, Zhang Jinglin walked in, eating from a bowl of food. He chose his words carefully. “Xiaosu, I know you’re passionate about the education profession, but it’s really not good to let class run this late. Besides, what if you tire yourself out?”

Ren Xiaosu wouldn’t have it. Was he dragging out the class? No, he was dragging out money! He was dragging out the students’ sincere gratitude!

“No,” Ren Xiaosu said righteously. “I am willing to dedicate my life to the cause of education. It’s no problem to teach a little longer!”

“Ahem!” Zhang Jinglin nearly choked on Ren Xiaosu’s words. Looking at this display, he really couldn’t be bothered to say anything more. “Alright, then.”

Those two students who had expressed their thanks had no idea what a disaster they had just brought upon themselves with those words.

There’s an idiom that describes this kind of situation: Disaster issues from the mouth…

On the way back, Yan Liuyuan was sulking and ignored Ren Xiaosu. They could have wandered around the settlement after school, but now that plan was ruined.

As they passed the pawnshop by the town gate, Yan Liuyuan suddenly tugged on Ren Xiaosu’s sleeve. He pointed at the shop, and Ren Xiaosu saw Sister Xiaoyu inside, apparently talking to the pawnbroker.

Ren Xiaosu led Yan Liuyuan a little closer, and they heard Sister Xiaoyu say to the pawnbroker, “These earrings are very valuable. Can’t you offer a little more?”

The pawnbroker gave Sister Xiaoyu a frivolous smile. “Actually, you don’t have to pawn anything. Why go to such lengths…”

He trailed off and shut his mouth because he saw Ren Xiaosu walking into the pawnshop. The events of last night had already spread throughout the entire settlement, and everyone knew that this Xiaoyu now had a close relationship with Ren Xiaosu.

Just because it was an era of survival of the fittest didn’t mean everyone became ferocious. In fact, every era has its cowards and its ruthless people, and the ruthless ones generally get by just fine.

The pawnbroker was a coward, and cowards only dare to bully the weak and fear the strong. The man Ren Xiaosu had killed last night was himself a famously ruthless person in the settlement, which now made Ren Xiaosu the most ruthless of them all…

The pawnbroker’s gaze darted about as he pretended to take a sip of water, unsure if Ren Xiaosu had overheard what he just said.

Ren Xiaosu counted out 620 yuan from his pocket and stuffed it into Sister Xiaoyu’s hand. “You don’t need to sell anything. This is the money for the three anti-inflammatory pills from last night.”

Xiaoyu now had no source of income and was just living off her savings, but Ren Xiaosu couldn’t just watch her suffer like this.

Xiaoyu tried to stuff the money back into Ren Xiaosu’s hand, but he said, “I was going to buy medicine anyway, so just take it. It’s not that I don’t want to accept your kindness, but from now on, we don’t need to be so formal with each other.”

Xiaoyu was stunned for a long moment. “What do you mean by that…”

Last year, Ren Xiaosu had narrowly escaped from a pack of wolves. He had never told anyone how he managed to get away. But after he returned, he had truly only survived because of the medicine Xiaoyu had given him. Without those antibiotics and anti-inflammatories, he probably would have been long gone.

So what he owed Xiaoyu wasn’t just a few pills, but his life.

Ren Xiaosu said to Sister Xiaoyu in all seriousness, “Don’t worry. From now on, as long as I have meat to eat, you’ll have soup to drink!”

“Brother, you’re saying it wrong,” Yan Liuyuan whispered. “Don’t people usually eat meat together? Why is it that when it comes to you, she only gets to drink soup with you? Besides, we don’t have any meat at home right now…”

“Oh,” Ren Xiaosu nodded and rephrased it for Sister Xiaoyu. “From now on, as long as I have soup to drink, you’ll have a bowl to wash!”

Yan Liuyuan: “???”

“Pfft!” The pawnbroker, who was drinking water nearby, spat it all out in one go.

Yet Xiaoyu didn’t seem to mind. “Alright, I’ll wash your bowls and do your laundry from now on.”

When she said this, she didn’t even consider if they had enough water. She just agreed first.

The pawnbroker smacked his lips as he watched the three of them leave. He turned to his shop assistant and said, “Don’t provoke him, you hear me?”

Just as Ren Xiaosu and the others stepped outside, they suddenly heard a cry. “Doctor, I’m begging you, please save my husband! If he’s gone, our family won’t be able to survive.”

A middle-aged woman was kneeling at the entrance of the clinic, kowtowing to the settlement’s only doctor. But the doctor sneered, “No money, no treatment.”

“If you save him, our whole family will be eternally grateful for your great kindness,” the woman said through her tears. “The old doctor was such a kind, good-hearted man. Since you’re his son, you must be kind-hearted too, right?”

“My father’s kindness was his business!”

With that, the doctor turned and slammed the clinic door shut. Next to the woman lay a man, his abdomen bleeding continuously.

Ren Xiaosu didn’t step forward, nor did he try to be some kind of hero. He could already tell that the man had stopped breathing.

He simply watched the scene and said calmly, “Liuyuan, remember everything you’re seeing. This is reality.”

Chapter 14: The Art of the Scam

The sky had not yet fully darkened, but dark clouds were already drifting in from the distant horizon.

“The acid rain is coming. Let’s hurry home,” Ren Xiaosu said, his face devoid of expression. The woman was still wailing, but no one paid them any mind.

The man’s wound didn’t look like it was from an accident. Ren Xiaosu could easily tell it was a knife wound. That meant he certainly hadn’t been injured by accident in a factory, but had been killed outright during a brawl.

Back in their shack, the acid rain came as quickly as it went.

Yan Liuyuan, sitting on the bed, suddenly said, “Brother, you want to earn Sincere Thanks from others, right? Doctors seem to get thanked quite easily. Back when the old doctor was still around, everyone was very grateful to him. But I don’t suggest you become a doctor. First, doctors can easily find themselves in a dilemma. Second, you don’t know any medical skills at all…”

Ren Xiaosu turned to look at Yan Liuyuan, his face expressionless. “Then what kind of crap are you spouting!”

Wait!

Ren Xiaosu suddenly felt like he had missed something. Although he didn’t know medicine, he could learn!

He still hadn’t used the two Skill Learning Scrolls the Palace in his mind had rewarded him with. Wouldn’t he be able to learn the other person’s medical skills just by using one of them?

Then he could treat people. Or, taking a step back, if he or Yan Liuyuan got sick or injured, couldn’t he treat them himself?

When the old doctor was still around, he often went out to gather medicinal herbs. He had once mentioned to others with a smile that although the wild beasts had become more ferocious, the medicinal herbs had also become more potent.

So, relying on his ability to identify herbs and his solid medical skills, the old doctor had indeed cured many people. Moreover, he sold the herbs he gathered very cheaply.

Ren Xiaosu was, of course, no saint. He just felt that if he had such medical skills, he could handle emergencies in the future! And make money!

After all, most of the side effects Yan Liuyuan suffered after making a wish were just a cold, a fever, or a headache. While he didn’t want Yan Liuyuan to suffer the backlash from making wishes, what if a situation forced their hand?

“I’m going to be a doctor!” Ren Xiaosu said, a determined look in his eyes.

“Brother, are you okay?” Yan Liuyuan was stunned. “You don’t know any medicine. Don’t go and get someone killed trying to treat them. We may not go around saving people, but we don’t harm them either…”

Ren Xiaosu lightly tapped the back of Yan Liuyuan’s head. “You talk too much. When have I ever deliberately harmed anyone?”

By now, Ren Xiaosu was already calculating. If he became a doctor, he would definitely be able to make money. That would mean a stable income.

People in this Settlement were often injured, so treating illnesses and wounds was an essential service.

He was a man of action. The next day, as soon as Ren Xiaosu woke up, he skipped the School. He stuffed a couple of mouthfuls of black bread into his mouth and went to squat by the clinic’s door, waiting for it to open.

But the clinic was a piece of work. Ren Xiaosu waited all the way until noon, and it still hadn’t opened…

In the afternoon, when the two o’clock bell chimed from within the Stronghold, the young doctor finally opened the door languidly from the inside, stretching as he came out to bask in the sun. But before he could even finish his stretch, he was startled by Ren Xiaosu squatting at his doorstep.

“Are you here for a consultation? Did you bring any money?” the doctor asked.

The doctor didn’t even bother asking what was wrong with Ren Xiaosu; he only cared about the money.

Ren Xiaosu said with a grin, “I’m not here for a consultation. Go about your business.”

The doctor was completely baffled. If you’re not here for a consultation, what are you doing squatting at my door?

But just then, Ren Xiaosu silently used the first Skill Learning Scroll from his Palace!

In the Palace, the parchment-like Skill Learning Scroll spontaneously combusted without a flame, turning to ash in an instant.

“Randomly learning a skill from the target.”

“Randomly extracted the target’s Bragging skill. Learn?”

Ren Xiaosu was dumbfounded. Why the hell would I learn bragging?

He had almost forgotten that the Skill Learning Scroll randomly extracted a skill from the target for him to learn; it wasn’t a matter of choosing whatever he wanted.

But the problem is, why the fuck do you even have a skill like bragging? Can that even be considered a skill?! You’re fucking useless!

Ren Xiaosu sized up the doctor with a hostile gaze, thinking to himself, This guy is really disgusting. But he was here to steal the man’s livelihood. He couldn’t just steal his livelihood and then give him a beating; that would be too dishonorable.

The doctor felt a little uneasy under his stare. Just as he was about to say something, he finally remembered who Ren Xiaosu was!

Ren Xiaosu had never come to him for treatment, but they had both heard of each other. One was the only doctor in the Settlement, and the other was the Settlement’s renowned ruthless person. It was only normal that they would have heard of one another.

So, the young doctor immediately chickened out…

“What do you want?” the doctor asked weakly.

“Do you usually spend your free time bragging?” Ren Xiaosu said irritably.

The young doctor was flabbergasted. “The what now?”

Ren Xiaosu didn’t waste any more words on him. He definitely wasn’t going to learn the bragging skill; it was useless. He would just have to consider one Skill Learning Scroll wasted.

He used the second Skill Learning Scroll!

“Randomly learning a skill from the target.”

“Randomly extracted the target’s Deception skill. Learn?”

Learn my ass! What the hell is all this?!

Ren Xiaosu stared intently at the young doctor. “You’re so young, yet you have quite a collection of these bizarre skills…”

The young doctor was so scared he was about to cry. “What are you talking about?”

“You like to deceive people, don’t you?” Ren Xiaosu asked. “Who have you deceived? Tell me about it.”

“Don’t talk nonsense! Who have I ever deceived…”

Ren Xiaosu was a very rational person. After suffering this terrible loss, he seriously analyzed his current situation. He definitely had to learn medicine, and the Palace would surely give him more Skill Learning Scrolls in the future. He just didn’t know when it would issue another Quest.

So what Ren Xiaosu wanted to know now was how good the doctor’s medical skills actually were, and whether it was worth continuing to try and learn from him.

He asked in his mind, “What is the level of this doctor’s medical skills?”

“Target has been analyzed. Information can be disclosed.”

“Target possesses no medical skills.”

You motherfucker!

Son of a bitch!

Ren Xiaosu almost smashed the large iron pot he was carrying. He had carried the pot with him when he left that morning…

No wonder you fucking know the art of deception! So for all these years, you son of a bitch, you haven’t known a lick of medicine and have just been swindling people?

How could the old doctor have fathered such a good-for-nothing!

For all these years, this kid had been living off the old doctor’s legacy. Since there was no other doctor in the Settlement, he scammed people with a clear conscience. If the patients managed to pull through, they pulled through. If they didn’t, everyone was already used to matters of life and death anyway. After all, even when the old doctor was around, there were people he couldn’t cure.

Besides, before the old doctor passed away, he had left the kid a lot of herbs with their corresponding symptoms labeled, so all he had to do was prescribe them blindly.

Ren Xiaosu had learned his lesson today. The next time a skill extraction failed on the first try, he had to make sure the target actually possessed the skill he wanted…

Chapter 15: Self-Produced, Self-Sold

Ren Xiaosu left in a huff. He had wanted to give that young doctor a beating, but he couldn’t really justify it. After all, his initial goal was to steal the man’s business.

Becoming a doctor was a must. Ren Xiaosu strongly agreed with Yan Liuyuan’s point of view; being a doctor was indeed a profession where it was very easy to earn people’s gratitude.

But how could he be a doctor without any medical skills?

He pondered this long and hard after arriving at the School, and then he suddenly recalled the scene from the previous night when he came out of the pawnshop.

The woman had been wailing and screaming at the clinic’s entrance, while the man bled nonstop until his heart finally stopped.

Ren Xiaosu glanced unconsciously at the web of his hand. Huh? The wound, which had been infected, had already scabbed over today.

So that black ointment could not only reduce inflammation but also make wounds heal quickly?!

Ren Xiaosu had been injured before, so he was well aware of the human body’s self-healing capabilities. A wound as deep as the one a sparrow had pecked would need at least seven days just to form an initial scab.

Wait a minute, Ren Xiaosu thought he had an idea of how he could become a doctor. The doctor at that clinic could make a living with just deception and bragging. Now that he, Ren Xiaosu, possessed such a miraculous medicine, why couldn’t he be a doctor too?

Couldn’t he just open a clinic specializing in knife wounds? When a patient came in, he could just stitch up the wound, apply the black ointment, and be done with it!

Back when the old doctor was still around, he had said that he didn’t perform such suture surgeries because he lacked sterile conditions. The germs left inside the body could kill a person, so stitching the wound would be pointless.

The old doctor had been very clear-eyed about this.

But things were different for Ren Xiaosu now. He didn’t have to worry about that at all!

With this in mind, Ren Xiaosu had a plan. He could even see a role for Sister Xiaoyu in the future.

Sister Xiaoyu’s plan for the future was to see if she could get some sewing and mending work to make a living. But Ren Xiaosu felt this would be difficult. If they were inside the Stronghold, plenty of people would probably seek her out.

But out here in the Settlement, everyone was struggling. They would just mend their own clothes at home. Who would spend that kind of money for no good reason?

But Ren Xiaosu’s current idea was this: since mending clothes wasn’t an option, she could mend wounds instead. He just wondered if Sister Xiaoyu was squeamish about blood…

Ren Xiaosu even went to consult Zhang Jinglin, the teacher at the School, about the matter. After all, Zhang Jinglin was very knowledgeable.

Zhang Jinglin looked at Ren Xiaosu in surprise. “You want to open a clinic specializing in knife wounds? Do you have sutures?”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and asked, “What are sutures?”

Zhang Jinglin was speechless. “…Then do you have anesthetic?”

“What’s anesthetic?”

“…”

At that moment, Zhang Jinglin suddenly realized that Ren Xiaosu hadn’t prepared a single thing…

Zhang Jinglin said patiently, “Do you know why the clinic has never taken on this kind of business, despite all the knife wound patients in our Settlement? It’s not just the problem of bacterial infection, but also the scarcity of anesthetic and sutures. I’ve heard that those things are in short supply even in the Stronghold.”

Zhang Jinglin continued, “Administering anesthetic is a delicate matter. Too little, and it hurts; too much, and you could give someone permanent side effects. And sutures are even more complicated. You not only have to consider the thread’s tensile strength but also whether its friction coefficient is suitable for passing through human tissue.”

“Oh, is that so,” Ren Xiaosu said, waving his hand dismissively. “Those aren’t problems. If someone’s about to die, who cares about the pain? I’ll just use regular sewing thread to stitch them up.”

“What about sterilization?” Zhang Jinglin asked, stunned.

“I have a secret formula!” Ren Xiaosu said.

In truth, just as Ren Xiaosu had guessed, Zhang Jinglin didn’t know everything. He had his own areas of expertise, but his knowledge of other subjects was only at a “cursory” level.

So Zhang Jinglin suddenly found that he didn’t know how to refute Ren Xiaosu. In the end, he just waved his hand. “Go to your class. The next one is survival.”

Having gotten a taste of success on the first day, Ren Xiaosu decisively let his class run late until it was dark before dismissing them…

At that moment, there were still students who had not yet realized what kind of life they were about to begin.

As the students were leaving at the end of the day, Ren Xiaosu noticed that not a single one had said thank you. He couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you going to thank your teachers?”

The students shivered in fright and quickly turned back in unison to say, “Thank you, Teacher.”

However, when Ren Xiaosu looked inside his Palace, he was very disappointed to see that there wasn’t a single gratitude coin…

Zhang Jinglin had said before that it was normal for a teacher to be misunderstood by his students. Ren Xiaosu felt he still had a long way to go.

On his way home that evening, Ren Xiaosu saw a light in their shack from a distance. He quickly lifted the door flap and went inside to see Sister Xiaoyu sitting on their tattered chair, mending clothes for him and his brother. a pot of cooked corn porridge and wild vegetables sat beside her.

Clothes were usually left in the shack, as there was little chance of them being stolen.

If you stole them, you’d have to wear them out, and then you’d be recognized. It would be a wonder if Ren Xiaosu didn’t beat the thief to death.

When Sister Xiaoyu saw the two of them return, she smiled. “I came in without your permission. Your clothes were all torn, so I’m mending them for you. Hurry up and eat.”

Yan Liuyuan reached for the porridge. In the Settlement, this meal was already considered a luxury; they usually ate black bread or potatoes. But Ren Xiaosu smacked his hand on the spot. “Have you thanked Sister Xiaoyu?”

Yan Liuyuan was always well-behaved in front of Ren Xiaosu. “Thank you, Sister Xiaoyu.”

Sister Xiaoyu quickly said, “Don’t always hit Liuyuan.”

“I can spoil him, but no one out in the world will,” Ren Xiaosu explained. Then he said earnestly, “Thank you, Sister Xiaoyu.”

“You’re welcome,” Sister Xiaoyu smiled. “What do you two usually like to eat for dinner?”

Yan Liuyuan said, “We usually don’t eat dinner.”

“How can you do that? You’re both still growing,” Sister Xiaoyu said.

For some reason, Ren Xiaosu suddenly felt as if Sister Xiaoyu was meant to be their older sister. No one had ever said things like “you’re still growing” to them before.

“Sister Xiaoyu,” Ren Xiaosu asked, “you’re very good at sewing. When our knife wound clinic opens, will you come and help us?”

“A knife wound clinic?” Sister Xiaoyu was stunned. “Why the sudden idea to open one?”

“Because I have a secret herbal formula for treating knife wounds. It can reduce inflammation and make wounds heal quickly,” Ren Xiaosu said, showing her the scar on the web of his hand. Sister Xiaoyu looked and saw that his wound had indeed already scabbed over and healed.

Sister Xiaoyu thought for a moment and said, “But there are a lot fewer fights in the Settlement now. In the past, about ten people would get injured a day, but now it’s only one every few days.”

That was true. Apart from the man Ren Xiaosu had killed and the man at the clinic yesterday, there really hadn’t been many fights.

That didn’t count people who were ambushed in their homes at night, because those situations usually didn’t leave any survivors.

Ren Xiaosu pondered, “Should I go and cut them up myself?”

Yan Liuyuan was shocked. “Brother, that’s too ruthless! What would you call that? Self-produced and self-sold?”

The moment he said it, Ren Xiaosu quickly shook his head. “No, no, I can’t do that. I can’t let profit cloud my judgment.”

Chapter 16: I’ll Give You a Good Price

In the dead of night, Ren Xiaosu checked his gains. Yesterday, Sister Xiaoyu had given him one Gratitude Token, Yan Liuyuan had given him one, and the two students had given him two, for a total of four.

However, he had already used one, so now he only had three Gratitude Tokens left, along with a small vial of ointment that could be used twice. Ren Xiaosu decided to name this ointment Black Medicine—simple and easy to remember…

As Ren Xiaosu saw it, he could exchange one Gratitude Token for a bottle of Black Medicine, and one bottle of Black Medicine could treat three people. At a one-for-three exchange rate, he would always come out ahead.

Trading his Gratitude Tokens for Black Medicine to sell might seem to slow his progress in unlocking weapons, but the more Black Medicine he sold, the more Gratitude Tokens he would receive. It was exponential growth. He might even be able to unlock things faster!

Besides, he could make do with Yan Liuyuan’s bone knife for now. He wouldn’t need to go hunting in the immediate future, so earning money to support the family had become his top priority. Money came first!

That night, Ren Xiaosu had a dream. He dreamt he was standing in the wilderness, holding a black blade. The blade was as deep and mysterious as the night itself.

…

Ren Xiaosu went out early the next morning. Today, he wasn’t carrying his wok, only Yan Liuyuan’s bone knife.

With Sister Xiaoyu watching over their two shacks, it was unlikely anything would be stolen during the day. Besides, to be honest, the ne’er-do-wells in the Settlement preyed on the weak. Who in their right mind would try to steal from a ruthless person like Ren Xiaosu?

Not having to carry that wok around… it was such a relief…

Otherwise, it wasn’t a good look for a promising young man like him to be running around with a wok on his back every day…

He wasn’t going to the wilderness to hunt today, but rather to pretend to gather medicinal herbs.

Ren Xiaosu was a very cautious person. Since he claimed to have a secret herbal formula, he had to go through the motions of gathering herbs first to avoid suspicion.

Although Ren Xiaosu hadn’t heard of anyone targeting “supernatural ability users,” he understood a simple principle: if you want to protect yourself in a chaotic crowd, just pretend to be like everyone else.

The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. A tall tree catches the wind. Don’t flash your wealth. So many ancient adages were warnings against casually showing off.

It was only noon when he returned to the Settlement. As Ren Xiaosu came back carrying a large bundle of herbs, someone who knew him asked curiously, “Ren Xiaosu, what are you doing with that pile of weeds?”

“Are these weeds?” Ren Xiaosu said, glaring. “These are medicinal herbs!”

Medicinal herbs? The man who asked was baffled. As someone born and raised in the Settlement, how could he not know what these plants were? No one had ever treated them as medicinal herbs before.

Ren Xiaosu said mysteriously, “As long as you mix them in the right proportions, you can brew a medicine for treating wounds. How else do you think my past injuries healed so well?”

The questioner thought for a long moment. “…Didn’t you just tough it out?”

“Get lost,” Ren Xiaosu said without breaking his stride and headed straight back to his shack.

Sister Xiaoyu was still mending clothes for Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan. She looked up and saw Ren Xiaosu return with a large bundle of herbs and put down her needle and thread. “What is all this?”

“These are the herbs for my secret formula,” Ren Xiaosu explained.

Ren Xiaosu set up the wok, started a fire, added a bit of water, and began to make a show of brewing the herbs. In the process, the biggest cost was actually the water… Water was far more valuable than firewood and those weeds.

He even deliberately propped open the flap of his shack so the people in the Settlement could see what he was doing.

Many people saw Ren Xiaosu brewing medicine, but no one dared to approach and ask about it.

Ren Xiaosu grew unhappy. He had opened the flap specifically so people would come and ask questions. That would have been his chance to promote his medicine.

After waiting for a long time with no one approaching, his face darkened. He looked at a scrawny man who was peeking from outside. “You!”

The scrawny man pointed at himself. “Me?”

“Yes, you. Come here,” Ren Xiaosu said. Once the man had cautiously approached, he ordered, “Quick, ask me what I’m doing!”

The scrawny man: “…”

Sister Xiaoyu: “…”

“Go on, ask,” Ren Xiaosu urged.

“What… what are you doing?” the scrawny man asked.

His wish granted, Ren Xiaosu’s expression immediately shifted to a benevolent smile. He said amiably, “I’m brewing medicinal herbs. I usually make this kind of medicine when I get injured. Not only does it reduce inflammation and stop the pain, but it also helps wounds heal quickly! I used to keep this medicine a secret, but I’ve realized the error of my ways and decided to brew it to share with everyone! Starting today, I’m opening a clinic specializing in knife wounds and other external injuries. Does anyone have an injury that needs treatment?”

Ren Xiaosu’s speech left the people outside stunned. However, after exchanging glances, they all dispersed. No one was buying it.

It was a joke. Sure, Ren Xiaosu was formidable, but for him to suddenly claim he could heal people was just ridiculous. All the neighbors knew he used to just tough out his injuries…

And now he was suddenly telling them he had medicinal herbs. Who the hell would believe that?

Ren Xiaosu was not pleased. He had to show everyone that the medicine worked. This was simple enough, as he had experienced it himself. The moment the medicine was applied, the pain and burning sensation would disappear, and the wound would scab over by the next day!

As long as he could prove it was effective, he would get business, right?

Ren Xiaosu took the small vial of medicine and went to the Settlement to find patients. And where was the highest concentration of patients? The clinic, of course.

When Ren Xiaosu arrived at the clinic, he was surprised to find it empty… The doctor here simply charged too much, and no one could afford it!

Ren Xiaosu shot the young doctor a glare and turned to leave. The young doctor had been leisurely sipping his tea, but Ren Xiaosu’s sudden glare, for some unknown reason, made him a little flustered…

With no other option, Ren Xiaosu could only search randomly in the Settlement. It wasn’t until the afternoon, after the various factories had let out, that Ren Xiaosu finally spotted a scrawny man on the road with a cut on his hand!

Ren Xiaosu was overjoyed. “Brother, did you hurt your hand at work? I’ve got a miracle drug here, want some?”

The scrawny man looked at Ren Xiaosu warily, feeling that there was something off about his tone. “No thanks.”

“Come on, just a little,” Ren Xiaosu said, stepping forward and grabbing the man. To promote his Black Medicine, Ren Xiaosu cast aside the last of his principles. “I’ll give you a good price!”

But the man still refused. After all, the black goop in Ren Xiaosu’s hand looked highly suspicious.

Ren Xiaosu gritted his teeth. “Just consider it a promotion. This time, the treatment is free!”

“Alright, alright, just put the knife away first…”

Ren Xiaosu had come out looking for patients… while carrying his bone knife.

Chapter 17: Never Would Have Thought

“Brother,” Yan Liuyuan asked Ren Xiaosu, “did you really give someone free treatment this afternoon? Is that really you?”

“Don’t ask. If you do, I’ll kill myself,” Ren Xiaosu said, grief-stricken.

To be honest, he was just too eager to promote the Black Medicine. It was his greatest asset for earning gratitude, and it was the core of his money-making plan for the foreseeable future.

So, Ren Xiaosu could only console himself with the thought that all beginnings are difficult, that those destined for greatness don’t sweat the small stuff, and that a man ought to be magnanimous!

Ren Xiaosu wasn’t simply a cheapskate; he was very clear about what he needed to do and when. It just pained him to do it…

Sister Xiaoyu smiled comfortingly. “Don’t worry, it will definitely be a success.”

After that, Sister Xiaoyu went back to her own shack to sleep. In the past, she could never sleep soundly at night, but now that she was living here, she could sleep peacefully every day.

The next morning, the bells in the Stronghold rang out, as if to remind everyone that it was time to go to work in the factories.

Ren Xiaosu went to fetch their water ration for the day. He figured the scab from the Black Medicine would form in about twelve hours, so he wasn’t in a hurry to see how the others in the Settlement would react.

Once everyone knew the medicine truly worked, people would naturally come to him.

However, what Ren Xiaosu hadn’t expected was that when he returned carrying the water bucket, Wang Fugui was already waiting at the door of his shack, grinning from ear to ear.

“Old Wang, what are you doing here so early? I haven’t been out catching sparrows recently,” Ren Xiaosu said slowly as he set the bucket down. He glanced inside and saw that the quick-witted Yan Liuyuan was warily holding the bone knife, watching Old Wang. Only when he saw Ren Xiaosu return did he put the bone knife down.

Wang Fugui’s eyes lit up when he saw Ren Xiaosu. “Oh, Xiaosu, you’re back! I came looking for you first thing in the morning!”

“What for?” Ren Xiaosu felt something was off. What could possibly make Old Wang this happy? He sized up Old Wang carefully. “You didn’t drink some bad moonshine, did you?”

Wang Fugui’s face immediately fell. “What drinking? Don’t you know there’s a prohibition on alcohol right now? People can barely eat their fill, who would dare to drink?”

“Last time, I smelled on you…”

Hearing this, Wang Fugui’s expression changed drastically. He quickly cut him off, “Don’t you go spouting nonsense!”

“Alright, alright, I won’t. What do you need me for?” Ren Xiaosu said.

“Did you treat that fellow, Iron Head, from the east side of the Settlement yesterday?” Wang Fugui said, winking suggestively.

“Oh, so his name is Iron Head… But his head isn’t made of iron. Why’d he get a name like that?” Ren Xiaosu wondered.

“Don’t change the subject,” Wang Fugui insisted. “Just tell me, did you or didn’t you?”

“I did!” A flicker of joy began to rise in Ren Xiaosu’s heart. A guy like Wang Fugui, who never shows up without a reason, must have been drawn here by the Black Medicine’s effectiveness. He must have seen profit in it; otherwise, why would he be so eager?

This was proof that the market for his Black Medicine was about to open up!

Hearing Ren Xiaosu’s confirmation, Wang Fugui was overjoyed. “That medicine… do you have any more? You can just leave it with me, and I’ll help you sell it!”

“You’ll sell it for me? Nope,” Ren Xiaosu shook his head. “No middlemen taking a cut… Besides, the Settlement is only so big. Can’t I just sell it myself? It’s not like I’m trying to flood the market in over a hundred Strongholds. Even if my business were that big, you wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

Wang Fugui was taken aback by his words. That was true; the Settlement was just a small place. Why would Ren Xiaosu need him to sell it on his behalf?

But Wang Fugui persisted, “Well, you can just sell some to me, then.”

“Oh?” Ren Xiaosu looked Wang Fugui up and down. “You’re not injured. What do you need it for?”

Wang Fugui let out a mysterious chuckle. “You don’t know about this yet, do you? After that Iron Head fellow went home yesterday, the more he thought about it, the more he felt something was off. He wanted to know what you’d applied on him, so he first gave it a sniff but couldn’t make anything out. Then, he decided to just give it a little lick to see what it tasted like, to figure out what herbs were in it. And guess what?”

Ren Xiaosu was completely baffled. What kind of habit was that, licking something to taste it…

The effects of the Black Medicine were, of course, undeniable. That night, Iron Head had observed his wound and knew Ren Xiaosu hadn’t lied to him. It was indeed good medicine. Spurred by curiosity, he wanted to know the formula of the herbal remedy.

Wang Fugui continued, “As a result, he was at it with his wife all night until this morning! Your medicine is way too potent!”

Ren Xiaosu was floored!

Inside the shack, Yan Liuyuan was also floored!

Ren Xiaosu had wondered before if the Black Medicine could be taken orally and whether it would have any effect that way. He thought it might be possible, but he had never dared to try it himself.

But now, he discovered that this was its oral effect?! At it until morning, what the hell kind of medicine was this?

Ren Xiaosu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Then what are you buying this medicine for?”

He asked this for a reason. He knew that Wang Fugui’s wife had passed away from an illness several years ago, so he had no use for it.

Wang Fugui was displeased. “Can’t a man have a second spring in his life? It’s just that my body can’t quite keep up anymore…”

“Oh? Found someone new?” Ren Xiaosu said with a cheerful grin.

“Not yet,” Old Wang said. “But I figure, no woman would want to marry a man who’s… no good in that department. So I want to have some of your medicine on hand.”

Ren Xiaosu laughed. “Atta boy, Wang Fugui! Still going strong in your old age! What kind of wife are you looking for?”

Wang Fugui said humbly, “Anyone who’ll have me will do.”

Ren Xiaosu pondered for a moment. “…That’s a tall order.”

Wang Fugui: “???”

“Who do you think you’re talking to?” Wang Fugui said, his face dark. “At the very least, I’m one of the richest men in our Settlement. Why wouldn’t anyone want me?”

“Sigh,” Ren Xiaosu said wistfully. “One of the richest men in our Settlement is a general store owner. It just sounds a bit pathetic…”

“Who are you trying to show off to? Cut the nonsense, are you selling it or not!”

“Selling!” Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said, “For an acquaintance, 600 yuan!”

“Why don’t you just rob me!” Wang Fugui snapped.

Ren Xiaosu currently had enough Black Medicine left for one more wound treatment. But if what Old Wang said was true and a simple lick was enough to produce that effect, then the remaining amount would be good for several licks…

However, this oral effect wasn’t exactly a necessity, so he couldn’t sell it for a price that was too outrageous.

“Are you buying or not?” Ren Xiaosu said, glancing at Wang Fugui.

“I’ll buy it!” Wang Fugui said and immediately counted out six hundred yuan for Ren Xiaosu without even haggling!

Ren Xiaosu never would have thought that the market for his Black Medicine would open up in such a way.

He also never would have thought that he, who originally planned to be a doctor who “practiced medicine to save the world,” would end up as a supplier of adult products.

Wang Fugui suddenly turned back to Ren Xiaosu. “Thanks for this!”

“Gratitude from Wang Fugui, +1!”

Ren Xiaosu: “…”

The number of Gratitude Tokens had finally returned to four, though the way he had earned this one was a little different from what Ren Xiaosu had imagined.

Chapter 18: Pretty Simple

“Brother, this isn’t so bad,” Yan Liuyuan said with a laugh. “No matter what effect it has, at least we’re making money.”

Ren Xiaosu was not happy. He lowered his voice and said, “Is this about making money? How many ‘Sincere Thanks’ can we even get this way?”

Ren Xiaosu had thought this through very clearly. The chances of receiving a Sincere Thanks for selling the medicine with this effect were far lower than for saving lives and treating illnesses. Only a withered old tree like Old Wang, desperate for a second spring, would offer his thanks.

Besides, was his goal just to make money? No, he needed the thanks. Without thanks, there would be no more Black Medicine.

Ren Xiaosu said with a hint of anger, “If I were a doctor saving lives, people in the Settlement would have to be polite to me. Look at that kid in the clinic—how many people has he killed, and yet no one does anything to him? Why? Because he’s the only doctor in the Settlement!”

“You’re right, Brother,” Yan Liuyuan agreed meekly. In truth, he didn’t really care. All he knew was… they were slowly starting to get rich!

“And most importantly,” Ren Xiaosu said, “if I save lives, people will see me and call out, ‘Doctor Ren.’ But if I don’t? What will they call me behind my back? ‘Hey, that medicine seller…’”

Clearly, the social standing was completely different!

Yan Liuyuan finally couldn’t hold it in anymore. He burst out laughing in the shack, doubling over. “Brother, you’ve got quite the inner monologue going on.”

However, what Ren Xiaosu didn’t know was that Old Wang hadn’t used the medicine he’d sold him. After all, Old Wang hadn’t actually found a mistress yet…

The bottle containing the Black Medicine was nothing special, just an ordinary small ceramic vial from the Settlement. The original bottle the Black Medicine came in was glass and of very high quality. Ren Xiaosu had been worried that it might arouse suspicion, since no one in the Settlement sold bottles like that.

The small ceramic vial passed from Wang Fugui’s hands to the Settlement’s administrators—the people who had come from the Stronghold.

Old Wang thought to himself that Ren Xiaosu didn’t understand the true value of this thing, but he did.

Who needed the oral function of this Black Medicine the most? Was it the men in the Settlement? No.

Although the men in the Settlement barely had enough to eat and some were thin, the problem was that they labored every day. Despite being thin, their bodies were very healthy.

As long as one exercised and maintained the body’s metabolic and organ functions, it was an easy thing to do. So the men didn’t really need this stuff.

The ones who needed this stuff the most were the “dignitaries” in the Stronghold.

Wang Fugui furtively handed the Black Medicine to the administrator sent by the Stronghold. The administrator was a man who knew quality. His daily job was to watch for any unusual activity in the Settlement, so he already knew about Iron Head licking the medicine the previous night.

However, the administrator didn’t use it either. Instead, he gifted it to his superior after returning that evening.

In the end, it was unknown just where the small ceramic vial of Black Medicine had gone.

Ren Xiaosu was completely unaware of this. He simply traded another Gratitude Token for a bottle of Black Medicine, then had Sister Xiaoyu get a piece of white linen from the Settlement. Using black thread, he had her embroider the two large characters for “Clinic” on it, and below that, the eight smaller characters: “Specializing in Blade Wounds, A Healer’s Benevolent Heart.”

And just like that, the clinic was open.

While she was embroidering, Sister Xiaoyu asked if she should add the four characters for “Miraculous Hands Bring Back the Spring.” Ren Xiaosu quickly refused. He was a little sensitive to the word “spring” right now…

Ren Xiaosu’s life gradually fell into a routine. In the morning, he went out to gather medicinal herbs. During the day, he held consultations at his own shack. In the evening, he taught the survival class, and after that, he would catch up on his schoolwork using Yan Liuyuan’s notes.

Although his clinic had no business, he couldn’t just not be there. What if a patient came and Sister Xiaoyu couldn’t handle it alone?

He longed to sit in a spacious, well-lit schoolhouse and study like Yan Liuyuan, but if he went to study, what would happen to Yan Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu?

In this family, someone had to sacrifice their own wishes.

The next day, Ren Xiaosu was sitting inside his shack with the door flap raised, resting with his eyes closed. Sister Xiaoyu was behind him, mending clothes. She sometimes marveled at how the brothers had never once patched the holes in their clothes before. How had so many accumulated…

Just then, someone came running quickly from the other end of the dirt road, one of his arms bleeding.

Ren Xiaosu’s eyes lit up. “If you don’t treat that wound, you could die.”

But the man didn’t even look at Ren Xiaosu. In that moment, everyone’s subconscious reaction was still to go to the clinic for injuries; it was more authoritative. And in everyone’s mind, the impression of Ren Xiaosu as “that medicine seller” was still stronger than “can treat blade wounds.”

Just then, the long-awaited voice of the Palace resounded in his mind: “Quest: Treat one patient.”

Ren Xiaosu stood up and said wistfully, “My apologies.”

After he spoke, Sister Xiaoyu saw Ren Xiaosu run out. Less than a minute later, she saw him return, carrying the man over his shoulder…

Ren Xiaosu said amiably to the patient, “The doctor in that clinic is a quack. I carried you over here to save you, you know?”

The man had been losing blood for a while and had no strength left. Pinned down by Ren Xiaosu, he was on the verge of a breakdown.

Just then, two more men came running from across the dirt road, also covered in blood. Ren Xiaosu was surprised. “Did you guys get into a group fight?”

Hearing this, the man being pinned down explained, “No, the boiler at the factory exploded! We’re the ones with minor injuries who could still run back on our own. Some of the others probably didn’t make it.”

Ren Xiaosu nodded silently. In this day and age, if you got injured at the factory, no one would be kind enough to take you for treatment. They’d be thinking that if you died, your belongings would become theirs.

“Come, Sister Xiaoyu, sterilize the needle first,” Ren Xiaosu said. Although he didn’t have to worry about infection, he still had to put on a show for the patient, right? As he spoke, he went out again. This time, he came back with two more men…

Ren Xiaosu used both his hands and one leg to pin the three of them down. The trio looked as if they had lost all hope in life. They were really at a disadvantage due to their injuries; otherwise, Ren Xiaosu wouldn’t have been able to hold them down.

In truth, they knew that Ren Xiaosu could treat wounds here, but they had run toward the clinic out of habit. Now that they couldn’t move, they simply gave up.

Then, the three men watched as Sister Xiaoyu put down her sewing, picked up the very needle she had just been using to mend clothes, and heated it in the fire. The needle was quite long, so she could hold it by the end without burning her hand.

“Do I just stitch it up?” Sister Xiaoyu asked timidly.

“Yes, just like sewing clothes,” Ren Xiaosu said with a smile. “It’s pretty simple.”

Sister Xiaoyu mustered her courage and moved to stitch up one of the men’s wounds. Suddenly, there was a sizzling sound, and the smell of burnt flesh wafted from the man’s skin…

The man asked with a tremble in his voice, “I understand you’re sterilizing the needle with fire, but could you please wait for it to cool down before you start stitching…?”

Chapter 19: Then Why Didn’t You Run Faster!

“My mistake, my mistake,” Ren Xiaosu explained with a smile. “Our nurse here is also on her first day, so she’s not too familiar with the procedure. Come on, let’s continue suturing. Here, Sister Xiaoyu, just pretend you’re sewing clothes.”

Sister Xiaoyu wasn’t afraid of blood. To be honest, everyone in the Settlement was used to seeing life and death, so what was a small injury? Besides, she really liked her current job. Not because she liked blood, but because she liked being a “useful” person.

The common wisdom in the Settlement was that in this harsh environment, everyone had to be useful. Useless people would be abandoned sooner or later. This was the most basic logic of human interaction.

Sister Xiaoyu wasn’t sure if Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan would abandon her for being useless, but she couldn’t allow herself to be lazy.

When she heard Ren Xiaosu say to treat it like sewing clothes, she knew what to do, and her hand movements became much more fluid.

Moreover, Ren Xiaosu kept the man’s arm pressed down without moving an inch, which made it even easier for her to work.

Just as she was about to finish, Sister Xiaoyu said to Ren Xiaosu, “Suturing a wound is a little different from sewing clothes. When you sew clothes, you try to keep the thread hidden inside so others can’t see it. But you can’t leave the thread inside a wound, so you have to sew it the other way around. It won’t look very nice.”

The three patients felt a mix of emotions upon hearing that. The more Sister Xiaoyu talked, the more panicked they became…

When Sister Xiaoyu finished sewing, Ren Xiaosu took out the small porcelain bottle and applied its contents to the first patient’s wound. “This medicine of mine is a real treasure. I won’t overcharge you. A flat price of 600, same as the clinic. You should be able to afford it.”

600 yuan was about the price of a cotton-padded jacket, while these workers’ monthly wages were probably between 2,200 and 2,800. The cost of living was relatively high, but what could they do when resources were scarce? The dignitaries in the Stronghold wished these people would never be able to save any money for their entire lives, so they would just keep working diligently for them.

And these workers couldn’t just up and leave, because they wouldn’t be able to survive in the wilderness. This was what the dignitaries relied on to exploit the refugees.

From the dignitaries’ perspective, they were already doing these refugees a favor by not charging them protection fees for living under the Stronghold’s protection. They just felt that collecting protection fees was too crude a method.

The reason Ren Xiaosu could get by without working at the coal mine was that he only needed to hunt three sparrows a month to be better off than most workers. Even if he didn’t catch three, he could still survive by tightening his belt.

It was a distorted environment for survival. Some had resisted at the beginning, but nothing came of it.

…

Ren Xiaosu was right; the three men could afford it. The man who was treated first felt his pain stop immediately after the Black Medicine was applied. He paid willingly, as it was the same price he would have paid at the Settlement’s clinic.

Just as the treated patient was about to leave, Ren Xiaosu said amiably, “Aren’t you going to say thank you after getting your wound treated?”

The man shuddered and quickly turned back. “Thank you!”

Ren Xiaosu nodded in satisfaction. However, when he looked at the Palace, he was shocked to find that no new Gratitude Token had appeared!

Ren Xiaosu mused, “Is the doctor-patient relationship this strained nowadays?!”

I fucking healed you, and you can’t even say thank you sincerely?!

Immediately after, Ren Xiaosu heard the quest completion notification: “Quest complete. Reward: 1.0 Strength.”

That must be the quest to treat one patient. It was finally done. He hadn’t expected the Palace’s quest reward to be another 1.0 Strength. This was one of the things he wanted most right now. After all, in this day and age, whoever had the bigger fist had the louder voice.

The voice from the Palace sounded again: “Quest: Treat 3 patients.”

Huh, it was a chain quest this time. A more difficult one appeared as soon as the first was completed.

But weren’t there three ready-made patients right in front of him!

Would the next reward be another 1.0 Strength? If so, he would become a muscle man.

That wasn’t actually a good thing, because that kind of strength would come at the cost of his speed. The greater the friction between muscles, the lower the speed one could achieve.

The fastest runners were always those with the most coordinated muscles, not bodybuilders.

Ren Xiaosu’s strength was now a huge chunk higher than that of a normal adult male. He deliberately checked and noticed that no one had seen his muscles bulge this time. It was late autumn, and his clothes covered him up quite well.

Just then, one of the patients seized the opportunity while Ren Xiaosu was distracted, got up, and fled outside. Sister Xiaoyu called out to Ren Xiaosu, “A patient is running away.”

Ren Xiaosu smiled. “It’s fine. He’s still injured, so he can’t get far. I’ll go catch him.”

Sister Xiaoyu: “…”

The remaining patient: “…”

When Ren Xiaosu went out to catch the patient, Sister Xiaoyu looked at the one who was left and said gently, “Are you going to run? If you’re going to run too, I’ll just wait and stitch you up later.”

“I’m not running,” the patient said, closing his eyes with a look of grim determination. “Stitch me up.”

This time, it wasn’t so strenuous for Ren Xiaosu to carry the patient back. He could carry him with one hand. It was just that the patient was in a bit of despair.

The rest of the treatment went smoothly. Ren Xiaosu held them down, one with each hand, and neither could move.

The two men being held down were actually quite surprised. They hadn’t expected to be so powerless against Ren Xiaosu, as if they were being completely dominated.

How much strength did it take to do that? Even if they were injured, they shouldn’t be this weak. They could at least struggle a little just now!

And most importantly, if Ren Xiaosu wanted to treat someone in the future, who the hell could possibly get away…

“Quest complete. Reward: 1.0 Agility.”

“Quest: Treat 10 patients.”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned when he heard this. He felt the muscles that had just swelled up suddenly deflate by a good amount.

The agility attribute actually worked by increasing muscle fiber density, thus reducing muscle volume while maintaining the same level of strength. This way, Ren Xiaosu didn’t have to worry about turning into a muscle man at all.

If Ren Xiaosu’s muscle fibers were like wooden sticks before, now they were like iron bars.

Yes, this was much more reasonable. The right path was to improve “quality,” not just “quantity.”

And his ability to take a punch would probably increase as well, right?

Ren Xiaosu looked at the patient who had tried to escape. “Now that I’ve applied the medicine, you understand its benefits, right? It stops the pain instantly and will prevent infection later. I just don’t get it. Why did you run?”

The patient mumbled for a long time, “I… don’t have enough money…”

Ren Xiaosu felt a headache coming on. He said in a grief-stricken tone, “Then why didn’t you run faster!”

Chapter 20: The Wolf Pack

When the patient heard Ren Xiaosu sigh about how he should have run faster, he felt extremely wronged. “I was already running as fast as I could! You’re the one who’s a freak!”

Ren Xiaosu clicked his tongue and said, “Everyone else has paid and left. What are you going to do about your situation? We’re a clinic, not a charity!”

“Then what do you think I should do?” The man was on the verge of tears. He couldn’t win in a fight, and he didn’t have enough money. He might just end up dead here today…

“How about this,” Ren Xiaosu said with a pleasant expression. “Think carefully. Do you have any money hidden at home?”

“No, who would dare to hide money at home these days? I can’t even trust my own wife,” the man said, close to despair.

Ren Xiaosu was getting impatient. “Don’t act so pitiful, you’re a grown man. Just tell me how much money you have left.”

“Payday is in four or five days. It’s the end of the month, and we laborers can’t save any money…”

“I asked how much you have!” Ren Xiaosu roared.

“432,” the man cried.

Letting him write an IOU was out of the question. In this day and age, if you let someone write you an IOU, they might be gone by the next day…

Ren Xiaosu wondered if the man had anything else of value on him.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. His eyes lit up as he said, “Look, I see it’s not easy for you. How about we waive the rest? Just give me the money in your pocket, and I’ll let you keep 32 yuan for food… on second thought, I’ll let you keep 2 yuan for food.”

Hearing this, the man was so moved he almost cried. “Thank you, thank you!”

“Gratitude from Dong Mingshuai, +1!”

Ren Xiaosu was ecstatic. He had finally figured out how to get Gratitude Tokens!

First, the pricing had to be reasonable. The clinic charged 600, so he charged 600. That way, people wouldn’t think he was ripping them off. Second, he had to put on a show. Even if it meant earning a little less money, he had to earn enough gratitude!

Making money wasn’t the main goal; gratitude was. With gratitude came money! In just a single day, Ren Xiaosu had already earned 2,230 yuan. This was much faster than catching sparrows, and there was no danger involved.

Now, Ren Xiaosu’s Gratitude Tokens were back up to four. It didn’t seem like much of an increase, but the important thing was that he had found a method through trial and error!

At this point, Ren Xiaosu was already happily thinking that he could buy Yan Liuyuan a new set of thermals. He glanced back at Sister Xiaoyu. Right, Sister Xiaoyu could also get a new cotton-padded jacket for the winter!

Sister Xiaoyu had already settled into her role as a nurse, and Ren Xiaosu couldn’t let her work for free, could he?

But there was no rush. He would first see how much he could earn in a month, then decide on Sister Xiaoyu’s salary.

…

News of the factory boiler explosion had spread to the Settlement, and many women were worried, afraid that something had happened to their husbands.

Ren Xiaosu sat in the shack all afternoon waiting for people to be carried back, but he didn’t see a single one.

The most frustrated person was probably the swindler at the Settlement’s clinic. He had been excitedly waiting for patients ever since he heard about the boiler explosion, but by nightfall, not a single person had come for treatment!

The young doctor went out to ask around. He had clearly heard that three men had run back in the afternoon, all of them injured. How was it that not one of them had come to his clinic to have their wounds dressed?

But his inquiries only left him frustrated. Someone had poached his patients!

He wondered who had the gall to poach his patients. One more question, and he had his answer: Ren Xiaosu!

The young doctor hesitated for a long time before gritting his teeth. So what if it was Ren Xiaosu? Did that give him the right to steal someone’s livelihood?

But the young doctor felt something was off. How had Ren Xiaosu suddenly learned to treat injuries and save people? When he first heard about the Black Medicine, he had dismissed it as some random herbal concoction Ren Xiaosu had thrown together and was a little skeptical. Now, he had no choice but to believe it.

He stormed off to confront Ren Xiaosu. Just as he reached the entrance of Ren Xiaosu’s shack, he saw him peeling a potato with a bone knife. With a flick of his wrist, Ren Xiaosu stabbed the bone knife into the potato, piercing it straight through.

Ren Xiaosu asked nonchalantly, “You looking for me?”

“No, nothing. Just wanted to ask if you’ve eaten,” the young doctor said with a dry laugh.

Ren Xiaosu glanced at him. “Yu Tong, you’re not a kid anymore. You’re about to use up all the goodwill the old doctor left behind. I suggest you go back and read the old doctor’s medical books right now, so you don’t die too horribly in the future.”

“What are you talking about?” Yu Tong said guiltily. “I read medical books every day.”

“That’s good, then,” Ren Xiaosu said, looking down to continue peeling his potato, ignoring him.

To be honest, Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan never used to peel their potatoes. They just ate them, skin and all, because peeling them would remove a significant portion. But things were different now. Ren Xiaosu had money; he could afford to be extravagant!

Suddenly, a few dozen people ran into the Settlement, shouting, “Bad news! Bad news!”

Ren Xiaosu frowned. He grabbed one of them and asked, “What happened?”

“The scent of blood from the factory’s boiler explosion attracted a wolf pack,” the man said in a panic. “We don’t know where this pack came from, but there are a lot of them!”

“How many is ‘a lot’?” Ren Xiaosu pressed.

“There must be over a hundred of them!”

This was indeed a serious matter. The workers who remained at the factory probably had slim odds of survival.

It had been over a year since the wolf pack had last appeared. In that time, people had almost forgotten the threat they posed. No one knew where they had gone for the past year, but now they had returned several times more numerous.

However, the wolf pack wouldn’t dare to raid the Settlement. It had high walls, and on those walls were thermal weapons.

This was precisely why the refugees gathered outside the walls to form a settlement.

“What are you looking at? Eat up,” Ren Xiaosu said to Yan Liuyuan.

He sat down and continued to eat, while Yan Liuyuan curiously glanced outside as he ate. “Brother, how did you survive back then? You’ve never talked about it.”

Ren Xiaosu looked at him but never answered the question. Beside them, Sister Xiaoyu also glanced at Ren Xiaosu, but she didn’t ask anything.

After Yan Liuyuan finished one potato, Ren Xiaosu handed him another. “Eat more so you can grow big and strong. That way, you’ll have a better chance of survival than others.”

“Brother, are you worried the wolves will come to the Settlement?” Yan Liuyuan asked, noticing that Ren Xiaosu’s brow was still furrowed.

“No,” Ren Xiaosu said, shaking his head. “They’re smarter than you think. They won’t risk coming here. If it weren’t for the casualties caused by the boiler explosion at the factory, they wouldn’t have gone there either. They aren’t drawn by the scent of blood; they’re drawn by death itself.”

“Then what are you worried about, Brother?” Yan Liuyuan asked curiously.

Ren Xiaosu thought for a long time. “But what if this wall falls one day?”

Sister Xiaoyu was taken aback. “Will the wall fall?”

“I don’t know,” Ren Xiaosu shook his head again. “But nothing in this world stays the same. I’ve actually seen the wolf pack twice. The first time, I ran away when I saw them from afar. The second time, I wasn’t so lucky. But I always get the feeling… that they’re getting stronger!”

In truth, Ren Xiaosu was also thinking about what the world would become if the stronghold fell one day.

Chapter 21: Status in the Family

One piece of surprising news followed another today, leaving the Settlement in a state of panic. Tonight, instead of hiding in their homes, everyone came out to discuss the matter.

Actually, a factory boiler explosion wasn’t that serious of an event. After all, the boilers were old and in disrepair, so it wasn’t the first or second time one had exploded.

But this time was different. When had a wolf pack ever dared to raid a human factory? Most factories had over a thousand workers. On a normal day, the roads outside the Settlement would be bustling when the factories let out.

Some workers returned to the Settlement to live, while others simply stayed in the factory dormitories. They worked in three shifts, so the factories ran day and night.

How could a wolf pack dare to attack a small human settlement so close to a Stronghold? It was an unbelievable thing in itself.

Just as the band’s accompanying mercenaries had said, Stronghold 113 was located within a vast network of strongholds, an area that had always been relatively safe. Initially, the Stronghold had stationed troops at the factories, but after realizing that beasts never attacked them, they withdrew the soldiers, leaving only a few guns with the factory managers.

As night fell, the gates of the Stronghold suddenly opened. The massive gate groaned with a rumbling sound, and then hundreds of fully armed soldiers marched out.

These were the private army of Stronghold 113’s administration, or rather, the private army of the Qing Consortium that backed the stronghold.

The school’s Teacher, Zhang Jinglin, had once mentioned offhandedly that the corporations were now the true rulers of the strongholds. They controlled humanity’s lifeline for survival and the weapons to fight against the dangers of the outside world. With money in one hand and weapons in the other, they held all the strongholds firmly in their grasp.

This was the first time Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan had ever seen so many soldiers come out of the Stronghold. Yan Liuyuan hid in their shack, secretly watching the private troops march out of the Settlement. He whispered, “Brother, are those guns they’re carrying?”

The black firearms looked cold and brutal. To his own lack of surprise, Ren Xiaosu found that he recognized all of them.

Moreover, he had a feeling… if he got his hands on those guns, he could use them well immediately.

The private soldiers’ marching formation was not orderly. An off-road vehicle led the way, but some of the soldiers behind walked haphazardly. Their formation could even be described as chaotic. Someone in the ranks complained, “So a few people died in the factory. Can’t we just go tomorrow morning? They really have to make us hunt wolves overnight.”

“Shut up, this is a mission from the higher-ups,” someone shot him a glare.

“What’s there to be afraid of? The big shots can’t hear us. They’re probably still warm in some woman’s bed,” the man grumbled. As he spoke, he lit a thin cigarette for himself. Ren Xiaosu again caught a whiff of that strange-smelling smoke.

Ren Xiaosu frowned. He was growing more and more distrustful of these private soldiers from the stronghold.

Just then, the smoking soldier turned and saw Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan staring at his automatic rifle. He cursed, “What are you two brats looking at? Do you even know what this is? Stop staring. You wouldn’t know how to use it even if I gave it to you.”

Ren Xiaosu lowered the door flap, but he didn’t agree with the last part of what the soldier said.

For some reason, he suddenly judged that the soldier’s marksmanship was probably not very good. The triangular area on the man’s right chest, used to brace for recoil, didn’t show the posture of someone who had practiced shooting for years.

In truth, what Ren Xiaosu didn’t know was that thermal weapons were quite precious even to the strongholds. On a normal day, the officers of the private army wouldn’t let these soldiers waste ammunition. They would rather spend the money on alcohol or women.

Alcohol was banned outside the Stronghold, but not inside.

Yan Liuyuan asked curiously, “Brother, how come it looks like you know about their guns?”

Ren Xiaosu glanced at him. “Don’t ask so many questions.”

Yan Liuyuan complained pitifully, “Do I have any status in this family anymore?”

As Ren Xiaosu was thinking about other things, he said nonchalantly, “Don’t overthink it. Your status in this family is to stay alive.”

Yan Liuyuan: “…”

After the sound of the private soldiers’ footsteps faded into the distance, Ren Xiaosu suddenly stood up. He said to Yan Liuyuan, “Go and stay with Sister Xiaoyu for a while tonight. Only come back after I return.”

“Brother, where are you going?” Yan Liuyuan asked, stunned for a moment.

But as soon as he asked, Ren Xiaosu had already silently lifted the door flap and slipped out. The streets were crowded with people at that moment, so no one noticed him leave.

Normally, no one dared to go out after dark, but today, everyone was outside. It was almost like a holiday celebration.

Ren Xiaosu moved through the darkness. Once he was outside the Settlement’s limits, he broke into a full sprint. The moonlight was dim tonight, but Ren Xiaosu had left the Settlement almost every day for years. He could walk these paths with his eyes closed!

The stronghold’s private soldiers were taking the main road, while Ren Xiaosu chose a smaller, parallel path to avoid running into them.

He had come here for no other reason than to see if an opportunity would present itself. As for what that opportunity might be, he couldn’t say for sure.

A gun!

It was the allure of a gun that had drawn Ren Xiaosu here!

Having acquired an advanced firearms skill, Ren Xiaosu knew full well how important guns were in this era. The band’s accompanying mercenaries had said that they had thermal weapons and that the wolf pack would flee in panic at the sound of gunfire.

Ren Xiaosu, who had encountered a wolf pack before, knew just how terrifying they were. And such terrifying creatures were actually afraid of the sound of guns?

Ren Xiaosu didn’t know what would happen when these private soldiers faced the wolf pack. He hadn’t thought about getting his hands on their guns, because his target was the factory. Everyone in the Settlement knew the factory managers were issued firearms.

According to those who had escaped, the factory was finished. Ren Xiaosu had been wondering about that since the afternoon. Weren’t the wolves supposed to be afraid of gunfire? If the managers had just fired their guns, wouldn’t the wolves have been scared away?

Perhaps they hadn’t expected the wolves to come and didn’t have time to get their guns. Or maybe the person with the gun was ambushed by the pack. There could be other reasons, but the guns were probably still there.

Ren Xiaosu ran at full speed. He was far more familiar with the area than the private soldiers, and while they were walking, he was sprinting.

Suddenly, a gunshot bloomed in the dark, followed by a torrent of fierce gunfire that echoed endlessly through the night, mingled with the screams of men.

Ren Xiaosu whipped his head around toward the source of the sound. This was clearly the private soldiers clashing with the wolf pack. And many of them were getting injured even after opening fire. Weren’t the wolves supposed to be afraid of gunfire? Wasn’t it a beast’s instinct to avoid danger?

Until today, Ren Xiaosu had always held one belief: although the beasts had evolved, they had never overcome their instincts. Rabbits still ate grass, and wolves were still afraid of gunfire.

Unless… all of that had changed.

Chapter 22: The Gun!

The battle in the wilderness was fierce. The private army hadn’t expected to encounter the wolf pack so soon. The wolves were ferocious and cunning, as if they had been lying in ambush.

At first, they thought firing their guns would be enough to scare the pack away, but they were wrong. This time, the wolves didn’t panic at the sound of gunfire.

By the time the wolves closed in, the private army soldiers were shocked to realize the animals were even larger than they remembered—as big as wild bulls!

Wait a minute. The wolves had attacked the factory first, then waited on the private army’s only route. Why did it seem as if the private army themselves were the intended target?

Still, the private army was well-trained. After the initial casualties, they quickly tightened their formation and began to defend. When comparing humanity’s thermal weapons to the fangs and claws of beasts, thermal weapons ultimately had the upper hand.

The private army had dealt with the wolf pack more than once. It was only in recent years that they had gradually relaxed their plans to encircle and destroy the pack on orders from above. Of course, this had also given the wolves time to recover.

Ren Xiaosu listened to the sound of gunfire. For some reason, he found the crisp reports rather pleasant. His adrenaline began to pump, and his entire body grew excited.

He didn’t sneak closer to watch the battle. All he knew was that with the wolves and the private army fighting, the factory would be safe.

Ren Xiaosu ran through the open country like a cheetah, fully experiencing his new Strength and Agility for the very first time.

His muscle fibers tensed and relaxed, over and over. The feeling could only be described as exhilarating.

As he neared the factory, Ren Xiaosu finally slowed down, approaching stealthily under the cover of night. It was then that he discovered the bodies of many refugees. They had seemingly tried to flee toward the Settlement, but the wolves had caught them one by one.

Only a few lucky ones managed to escape, at the cost of their companions.

Ren Xiaosu deliberately inspected their wounds. It seemed they had all been killed instantly by a bite to the neck. The wolves hadn’t eaten the bodies and appeared to have left in a hurry.

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment. Instead of going through the main entrance, he climbed up the pipes on the factory’s exterior. He cautiously peeked into each window he passed, checking for any survivors inside.

By the time he reached the top floor, his heart had gone cold. It looked like there was no one left alive. The wolf pack had swept through the entire factory, and no one had been spared.

Where are the guns hidden? Ren Xiaosu wondered. The factory manager certainly wouldn’t have kept them in a place where others could easily get them.

Ren Xiaosu smashed a window on the top floor and jumped inside. He looked around. The corridors were filled with bloodstains and corpses. The vast factory had become a living hell.

But Ren Xiaosu suddenly noticed something was off. All the bodies were facing the same direction, as if something had been guiding them.

In a moment of crisis, what would make people run toward the same place?

Ren Xiaosu came to his own conclusion: that place was either where the weapons were stored, or it was a safe place to hide.

He followed this route down, all the way to a basement level. This is… an emergency shelter?

The further he went, the more bodies he saw. Ren Xiaosu could picture the scene of everyone fleeing in panic from the wolves, desperately trying to reach a safe place, only to be outrun.

He arrived before a large iron gate. Just as he thought. The people had been trying to get inside. No matter how much the wolves had evolved, they were still flesh and blood. It would be difficult for them to easily break through an iron gate that was several inches thick.

Was there anyone still inside? Ren Xiaosu wondered for a long moment before raising his fist and knocking three times on the gate.

Just then, a man’s joyful shout came from behind the iron gate. “Is that the army? You’re finally here to save me! I’m opening the door right now!”

The knocking had a clear rhythm, which was not something a beast would do. That was why the person inside had mistaken Ren Xiaosu for the rescue troops.

With a creak, the iron gate swung open, revealing a middle-aged man inside. His leg was injured, his entire pant leg stained red with blood. He was supporting himself on one foot just to open the gate.

The instant the gate opened, both of them moved. Ren Xiaosu bent low, about to charge, while the middle-aged man, seeing that he wasn’t facing the army, reacted instantly by raising his pistol!

The air suddenly froze. Ren Xiaosu stopped in front of the man, the dark, gaping muzzle of the gun pressed against his forehead.

“Heh heh,” the middle-aged man chuckled. “So it’s a little thief trying to take advantage of the chaos. I know you. You’re that Ren Xiaosu from the Settlement.”

Ren Xiaosu recognized him too. The middle-aged man was the factory manager, Wang Dongyang.

“I know you too,” Ren Xiaosu said nonchalantly, straightening up. “Why are you the only one in here? No… you were the first one to get here, and you sealed the gate, locking everyone else out!”

As he said this, a chill ran through Ren Xiaosu. No wonder there were bloody handprints on the outside of the iron gate. They were from the refugees desperately pounding on it. Once the gate was sealed from the inside, it was impossible to open from the outside by normal means.

Wang Dongyang said with a smile, “Don’t worry about those things. Carry me back to the Settlement now, and I’ll spare your life.”

“And if I don’t?” Ren Xiaosu smiled back.

“Then I’ll just shoot you, lock the gate, and keep waiting for the army to come rescue me. I’m from the Stronghold. They have to save me,” Wang Dongyang said.

“You must be afraid I’ll tell everyone that you sold out everyone else to save yourself,” Ren Xiaosu continued to smile.

Wang Dongyang scoffed. The pistol gave him immense courage, and he was now brazen. “How did you know?”

Ren Xiaosu pondered, “A father knows his son best?”

Wang Dongyang: “???”

The factory manager instantly became furious. “You think I don’t have the guts to kill you?”

“I also know one more thing,” Ren Xiaosu said slowly.

“What?” An ominous premonition rose in Wang Dongyang’s heart.

“I know the safety on that gun is still on. And now, you don’t have time to take it off.”

Wang Dongyang’s pupils contracted sharply. A moment ago, he had assumed the army was outside, so he hadn’t given it much thought. But when he saw Ren Xiaosu, and Ren Xiaosu charged so decisively, he hadn’t had the time to flip the safety!

He had originally thought he could easily intimidate Ren Xiaosu, believing that a refugee like him had never seen a gun before and would know nothing of its mechanics, only fear.

As it turned out, Ren Xiaosu knew more about guns than most people from Stronghold 113.

Chapter 23: Boss Luo

Despair spread through the factory manager Wang Dongyang, creeping up bit by bit like a vine, seizing his entire heart. He never imagined he would be seen through. The only thing he couldn’t figure out was why the young man before him knew about guns.

The next moment, he suddenly retreated, trying to use the opportunity to flip off the safety. However, Ren Xiaosu would never give him that chance. He shot forward like a cannonball and slammed into Wang Dongyang, the impact breaking the man’s ribs and sending the gun flying from his grasp!

Having lost his last resort, Wang Dongyang lay on the ground, coughing up blood foam. “Let me go,” he wheezed, “and I’ll tell you where my assets are hidden.”

“You tell me first, and then I’ll let you go,” Ren Xiaosu said calmly.

“Do you take me for a fool?” Wang Dongyang knew his efforts were futile. How could this young man possibly let him go? If he did, would there be any place left for Ren Xiaosu near Stronghold 113? Besides, back when Wang Dongyang first heard of Ren Xiaosu, the boy had a nickname… Ren Xiaosu the ruthless person.

“Your broken ribs have already punctured your lungs, so you wouldn’t make it back to the Settlement even if you left now,” Ren Xiaosu said with a smile. He really wanted to get his hands on Wang Dongyang’s assets, but it was clear the man wouldn’t tell him at this point.

Ren Xiaosu didn’t dwell on it. He didn’t know when the battle between the private army and the wolf pack would end. If he delayed and either side showed up at the factory, he would be in deep trouble.

With the sharp sound of a weapon slicing through leather, Ren Xiaosu used his bone knife to carve wounds on Wang Dongyang’s chest, mimicking the marks of wolf claws. Only after confirming Wang Dongyang showed no signs of life did he pick up the pistol and walk out. He also took the two extra magazines Wang Dongyang had on him.

A total of thirty-six bullets.

When Ren Xiaosu left, not a single living person remained in the factory. He glanced back at the scene of carnage. The night was at his back, and this was the world he lived in.

…

“Brother, are you okay?” Yan Liuyuan asked anxiously as Ren Xiaosu lifted the door flap and entered. He insisted on circling Ren Xiaosu and only relaxed after confirming there were no bloodstains on him.

“I’m fine,” Ren Xiaosu said, re-strapping the bone knife to his leg. “Did anything happen in the Settlement while I was gone? Are those private army soldiers back yet?”

“Some of them are back. They brought back some of the wounded, along with the bodies of their teammates and the wolves. They said the rest went on to the factory,” Yan Liuyuan reported.

Ren Xiaosu figured this was expected. As formidable as the wolves were, they stood no chance against a private army that outnumbered them several times over and was equipped with firearms.

“How many wolf carcasses did they bring back?” Ren Xiaosu asked.

“Over thirty,” Yan Liuyuan answered. “Brother, those wolves are huge!”

Previously, whenever Yan Liuyuan asked Ren Xiaosu how big the wolves were, he would just say they were very big. Only today did Yan Liuyuan truly understand what “very big” meant.

Ren Xiaosu frowned. He was glad he hadn’t lingered at the factory for too long, or he might have run right into the private army soldiers heading there. It seemed the wolf pack had withdrawn after realizing their surprise attack had failed, so the private army hadn’t been delayed much.

No wonder the wilderness had fallen silent of gunfire by the time he took the long way back.

But the wolf pack was growing stronger and smarter. Letting them get away this time meant the people of the Settlement would face an even greater threat in the future.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside. Ren Xiaosu lifted the door flap to look and saw that a ten-man squad from the private army had returned early in an off-road vehicle.

An officer in the vehicle announced, “A generous reward for anyone who reports someone leaving the Settlement tonight!”

Ren Xiaosu’s heart sank. He knew they were looking for him!

They must have already been to the factory. Ren Xiaosu was confident an ordinary person wouldn’t notice the discrepancy in Wang Dongyang’s wounds, but there was one crucial problem he couldn’t solve: Wang Dongyang’s gun was missing!

If someone worked backward from that clue, it would be easy to spot something amiss. This was something Ren Xiaosu couldn’t avoid.

“Brother,” Yan Liuyuan said, looking at Ren Xiaosu with worry.

“It’s fine,” Ren Xiaosu said, pushing Yan Liuyuan’s head back inside the shack.

Ren Xiaosu carefully recalled his trip. He hadn’t taken the main road when he left the Settlement. As far as he could remember, no one except Yan Liuyuan should have known he had gone out.

The soldiers stood guard at the Settlement’s entrance. Before long, the rest of the private army returned. The townspeople watched as the soldiers began a house-by-house search, tossing everything upside down.

They were… looking for the gun.

Suddenly, a familiar voice shouted, “I know who went out in the middle of a night.”

Ren Xiaosu turned and saw the clinic’s doctor, Yu Tong, looking at him with a smug smile. Yu Tong stood far away, mainly because he was afraid Ren Xiaosu would kill him on the spot…

The private army officer slowly walked over. “Who?”

“It’s him! Ren Xiaosu! I saw him leave the Settlement with my own eyes,” Yu Tong said, gloating.

Ren Xiaosu didn’t bother arguing. He admitted, “The latrine over here was occupied by He Zong at the time. I had no choice but to go outside to relieve myself.”

“Who is He Zong? Is this true?” the officer asked loudly.

A bewildered He Zong, standing nearby, had no idea how he’d been dragged into this. He said weakly, “I did have diarrhea tonight. A lot of people can vouch for me…”

The officer turned back to Ren Xiaosu and sneered, “Search him.”

As he spoke, the soldiers under his command were about to rush into the shack when Wang Fugui suddenly scurried out. “Wait! He’s someone a dignitary from the stronghold specifically asked to be looked after. You can’t treat him like this.”

The officer paused. “What do you mean?”

“This afternoon, Boss Luo Lan from the stronghold sent a message asking us to take care of him. Ren Xiaosu doesn’t even know about it himself! As for why, you can go ask Boss Luo yourself. It’s not convenient for us to say,” Wang Fugui quickly explained.

“Boss Luo?” The officer seemed a little surprised. It was obvious to everyone that he knew this Boss Luo Lan, who appeared to be a major figure in the stronghold.

The officer pondered for a moment before saying, “It doesn’t matter if he’s one of Boss Luo’s men. This is a very serious matter. I will personally go and apologize to Boss Luo tonight and explain the situation.”

With that, his soldiers no longer hesitated and stormed directly into Ren Xiaosu’s shack to search it. Two others began to frisk Ren Xiaosu.

Two minutes later, all the soldiers shook their heads. They hadn’t found anything.

The officer looked at Ren Xiaosu. “Take me to the place where you took a shit.”

With a frown, Ren Xiaosu started walking out of the Settlement. He hadn’t expected the officer to be so meticulous and thorough! Behind him, Yan Liuyuan was about to rush forward, but Ren Xiaosu turned and commanded harshly, “Get back inside!”

Yan Liuyuan’s eyes immediately turned red.

Ren Xiaosu led the officer and his soldiers outside the Settlement and pointed to a pile of feces. “Here. Fresh. Definitely not from last night.”

The officer glanced at it, then ordered his men to continue searching the other households, paying no more attention to Ren Xiaosu.

Only then did Ren Xiaosu finally breathe a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he had been well-prepared. He had scouted his surroundings before leaving and had come up with an alibi on his way back. Not only had he buried the gun outside, but he had also provided the final piece of evidence to back up his lie… by taking a shit on the spot.

He turned his gaze to Yu Tong, who had been following behind them the whole time. Seeing Ren Xiaosu’s vicious glare, Yu Tong pissed himself on the spot…

Chapter 24: Ren Xiaosu the Medicine Seller

At first, Ren Xiaosu wasn’t sure if that clinic owner, Yu Tong, had actually seen him go out, or if he was just trying to frame him regardless.

Later, he carefully retraced his steps in his mind and couldn’t recall seeing Yu Tong at all. As someone like Ren Xiaosu, who knew he was stealing some of the clinic’s business, he would naturally be on guard against Yu Tong and wary of any attempts to harm him.

After all, in this world, one had to be careful of being plotted against in everything they did.

So, Ren Xiaosu figured that if he had no impression of this “dangerous target” in his memory, it meant the man truly wasn’t there at the time. This made it more likely that the other party was lying to deliberately persecute him.

As for whether Yu Tong had considered the consequences of a failed frame-up, Ren Xiaosu didn’t think he was that smart. He probably hadn’t thought that far ahead…

Previously, Ren Xiaosu had been tolerant of Yu Tong. He couldn’t bring himself to completely destroy the man’s livelihood after already taking his business. That’s why he had advised Yu Tong to go home and study his medical books. But not only had the man not listened, he had come back to cause trouble.

Ren Xiaosu looked at Yu Tong with a cold smile, and Yu Tong turned tail and bolted towards the Settlement, leaving a dark, wet patch on the ground behind him.

Wang Fugui chuckled beside him. “Looks like I worried for nothing. You’re fine.”

Ren Xiaosu turned to Wang Fugui and said a sincere thank you. In a situation like that, he would remember anyone who was willing to step forward and speak up for him.

“Hey, don’t mention it,” Wang Fugui’s smile was like a blooming chrysanthemum. “If Boss Luo didn’t appreciate you, I wouldn’t have dared to stand up and speak for you. Boss Luo specifically sent someone today to tell our Settlement’s administrator to look out for you.”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. “Who is this Boss Luo? Does he know me?”

Wang Fugui lowered his voice and said with a conspiratorial wink, “That medicine of yours… Boss Luo likes it very much!”

Ren Xiaosu was speechless.

It was only then that Ren Xiaosu realized Wang Fugui had taken the Black Medicine he bought and given it to someone inside the stronghold.

“Boss Luo said that as long as you deliver that same amount on time every month, he’ll guarantee your safety outside the stronghold,” Wang Fugui said with a grin. He had his own selfish motives, of course. As long as he could maintain his connection to Boss Luo through Ren Xiaosu’s Black Medicine, his own future would be secure.

A thought suddenly struck Ren Xiaosu. “Is Boss Luo very powerful inside the stronghold?”

“Now that’s something you wouldn’t know,” Wang Fugui said smugly. “He’s the representative of the Qing Consortium in Stronghold 113.”

“Why isn’t someone from the Qing Consortium surnamed Qing?” Ren Xiaosu felt something was off.

“I can tell you, but don’t you go spreading it around,” Wang Fugui whispered, “He’s supposedly the half-brother of some big shot in the Qing Consortium. An illegitimate son.”

“Then can you ask Boss Luo to get us into the Stronghold?” Ren Xiaosu thought. With Boss Luo holding so much power, his word must be law in the Stronghold. Getting them inside shouldn’t be too difficult, right?

“We’re all contaminated people, how could we possibly get into the stronghold?” Wang Fugui said with a troubled expression. “Besides, if you go in, who’s going to get the herbs from the wilderness for Boss Luo?”

The realization dawned on Ren Xiaosu. The second half of that sentence was the real reason, wasn’t it? From Boss Luo’s perspective, why would he bring Ren Xiaosu and the others inside? It was much better to keep them outside to supply him with the Black Medicine.

That night, Yan Liuyuan suddenly developed a high fever that wouldn’t break. Ren Xiaosu tried exchanging for a vial of Black Medicine and applying it to Yan Liuyuan’s forehead, but it failed to bring the fever down.

Ren Xiaosu sat by the bed, looking at the listless Yan Liuyuan, and sighed. “This wasn’t something you needed to make a wish for. From now on, don’t make any more wishes without my permission, understand? A fever like this can be fatal.”

Yan Liuyuan forced his eyes open and said weakly, “But what if something happened to you? What would I do?”

Ren Xiaosu looked down and thought for a long while. “Don’t be stubborn. I will definitely see to it that we live a good life.”

“Okay.”

…

The next morning, when Ren Xiaosu went to the Settlement to fetch water, he heard a surprising piece of news. Yu Tong had packed his money and fled in the middle of the night. The man would rather face the dangers of the wilderness than face Ren Xiaosu…

Some said Yu Tong had gone to Stronghold 114, as it was the closest to Stronghold 113 and in the opposite direction of where the wolves had appeared. As long as he stuck to the main road, he should be fine.

Ren Xiaosu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He had actually scared him away…

However, something even more unexpected happened. The administrator sent from the Stronghold, Chen Haidong, came looking for him. Chen Haidong asked amiably, “Ren Xiaosu, I hear you know how to treat illnesses and save people?”

Ren Xiaosu was startled. “I only treat knife wounds and other external injuries.”

“That’s fine, that’s fine,” Chen Haidong’s smile grew wider. “Treating anything is still treating. Our Settlement is in need of a doctor right now. What do you say, are you interested?”

Lying in the shack and still running a fever, Yan Liuyuan’s eyes shot open in shock. His brother had only wanted to earn some gratitude and money, so how had he suddenly become a proper doctor—and the only one in the Settlement at that! He hadn’t wished for this!

Could it be that what happened to Ren Xiaosu last night hadn’t required a wish, so the luck had been transferred elsewhere?

But Ren Xiaosu knew that the most important thing was that this administrator, Chen Haidong, also wanted to curry favor with that Boss Luo.

Power was something that made those around you serve you with meticulous care.

Ren Xiaosu was no fool. He agreed immediately. “About that clinic building, I was wondering if I could…”

“You can,” Chen Haidong said with a kind and friendly smile. “Of course, you can. You two can move in today. It’s empty now anyway.”

With that, Chen Haidong walked off with his hands behind his back, humming a little tune. Right after he left, Old Wang showed up with a wooden box tucked under his arm. Following him were some of the brick house residents, the ones said to be the wealthiest people in the Settlement.

There was the owner of the small casino, the owner of the cloth shop, the owner of the grain store…

Old Wang spoke first. “Congratulations, Ren Xiaosu! You’re moving into a brick house!” As he spoke, he handed the gift box to Ren Xiaosu. “I got a little something for you and Liuyuan. You’re both still growing, this will help you build your strength!”

Curious, Ren Xiaosu opened it and saw a clump of white stuff. “What’s this?”

“Ah, you wouldn’t know. This is bird’s nest I’ve treasured for many years,” Wang Fugui explained. “It’s very nourishing!”

Ren Xiaosu had only heard of this stuff before but had never seen it. However, he had always had a question. “Teacher Zhang Jinglin told me that a bird’s nest is built from a swiftlet’s saliva, but I don’t think saliva is sticky enough. So what it uses… should be phlegm.”

Wang Fugui was speechless.

There was no need to be so disgusting when someone gave you a gift, was there? He was displeased. “What about blood bird’s nest then? What’s that?”

Ren Xiaosu pondered. “Phlegm with blood in it?”

Chapter 25: A Silk Banner

“If you don’t want it, give it back. There’s no need to be so aggravating,” Wang Fugui said, about to come forward and snatch the Bird’s nest back.

Ren Xiaosu chuckled, closed the lid on the box of Bird’s nest, and tossed it into the shack. “I’m not being aggravating, wasn’t I just joking?”

He glanced at the people behind Old Wang. To be honest, calling these people “gentry” would be an insult to the word itself.

These people were all holding small introductory gifts. In truth, none of them were strangers to Ren Xiaosu. Their main purpose in coming this time was to exchange pleasantries with him, the subtext being, “We accept you into our circle. From now on, we’re all friends.”

Ren Xiaosu didn’t stand on ceremony with them either. Yan Liuyuan was still lying in bed recuperating, so why would he refuse nutritional supplements?

“Ren Xiaosu,” Old Wang pulled him aside and said, “you should hurry up and move into the clinic. There are two rooms behind it with a small courtyard of over ten square meters. A lot of people have their eyes on it.”

“Alright,” Ren Xiaosu nodded. He was being rather polite to Wang Fugui now.

“Also, Boss Luo had someone bring you some medicine from the stronghold. This stuff is worth a lot of money! I had them put it directly in the clinic. The most valuable are the anti-inflammatory medicine and anesthetics. You’d better keep a close eye on them,” Wang Fugui said in a low voice. “Some people, when they can’t find anything to smoke, will steal anesthetics to substitute for those addictive narcotics. I’ve suffered from that kind of loss before.”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned for a moment. He hadn’t expected anesthetics to have such an effect. But someone sending him gifts was a good thing. With lingering interest, he asked, “Did they send anything else?”

“And a silk banner.”

…

That morning, Ren Xiaosu and Sister Xiaoyu packed a few things and went to the clinic. Who would want to live in a shack when they could live in a clean and bright brick house?

He had it all planned out. Of the two back rooms, he and Yan Liuyuan would share one, and Sister Xiaoyu would have the other one to herself.

Sister Xiaoyu used to live in a brick house but had moved to a shack for these two “younger brothers.” Now, by letting Sister Xiaoyu live in a brick house again, Ren Xiaosu was fulfilling one of his wishes.

But the moment Ren Xiaosu walked into the clinic with Yan Liuyuan on his back, he was utterly dismayed.

Hanging right in the middle of the clinic wall was a silk banner: Miraculous Hands Bring Back the Spring. —Luo Lan.

According to Wang Fugui, as long as this banner was in the clinic, no one would dare to mess with Ren Xiaosu, provided he didn’t do anything to harm Luo Lan’s interests.

It was basically a protective talisman. A talisman that gave Ren Xiaosu a major headache. He didn’t know if Luo Lan had just casually ordered his subordinates to make the banner, or if he’d done it intentionally to poke fun at him.

The former was probably more likely. To someone like Luo Lan, he was just a refugee from outside the stronghold who sold medicine.

Ren Xiaosu settled Yan Liuyuan down. By now, Sister Xiaoyu’s heart was aching for him. Ren Xiaosu hadn’t told her what had happened last night for fear of disturbing her sleep, so she had only found out this morning.

Yan Liuyuan, enjoying Sister Xiaoyu’s meticulous care, suddenly remembered how he used to always tease her. He said weakly, “Sister Xiaoyu, I’m sorry about before.”

Sister Xiaoyu shot him a look. “What’s there to be sorry for with your big sister? You two are just a pair of little devils pretending to be adults. But if you weren’t more mature than other kids, you wouldn’t have survived this long.”

“It’s mainly because my brother is amazing,” Yan Liuyuan said with a smile.

“I can’t imagine how much that child, Ren Xiaosu, has suffered over the years,” Sister Xiaoyu sighed.

“Countless hardships,” Yan Liuyuan answered calmly.

Meanwhile, Ren Xiaosu was rummaging through the leftover medicine in the clinic, as well as the new ones Luo Lan had sent over. Perhaps someone had told this Boss Luo that he treated external injuries, which would explain why he had sent so many anesthetics and anti-inflammatories.

Suddenly, Ren Xiaosu spotted some detoxifying oral solution in the big box of medicine and was overjoyed. He took the anti-inflammatory medicine and the detoxifying solution to give to Yan Liuyuan. The main symptom of Yan Liuyuan’s illness this time was inflamed tonsils caused by excessive internal heat. Whether or not this was the perfect remedy, it would definitely treat the illness.

There were also some medicinal herbs in the clinic. The names of the herbs and the symptoms they treated were written on some of the cabinets. Ren Xiaosu lamented that Yu Tong truly had a good father but hadn’t cherished him at all.

That evening, Yan Liuyuan’s fever finally broke. Ren Xiaosu breathed a sigh of relief. He said to Sister Xiaoyu, “Go ahead and stew all those nutritional supplements the others brought for you two to eat.”

“Alright,” Sister Xiaoyu nodded and went to cook.

The three of them were now truly like siblings and no longer acted like strangers around each other. It had to be said that fate was a mysterious thing sometimes. Three people who seemed like they would never fit together had somehow ended up together.

When Sister Xiaoyu returned with plates of food and called for Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan to eat, Ren Xiaosu suddenly thought of something and said, “Sister Xiaoyu, the room next door will be yours from now on. You can even use it as your bridal suite when you get married.”

Sister Xiaoyu, who was about to hand Ren Xiaosu a rice bowl, had her expression change drastically. “Tired of me already? Do I eat too much? Or do I spend too much money?”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. “Sister Xiaoyu, that’s not what I meant…”

“Then what did you mean?” Sister Xiaoyu pulled the bowl back and said petulantly, “Ren Xiaosu, you’re so heartless. Trying to kick me out while eating the food I made. I’d rather feed this to a dog than give it to you.”

With that, Sister Xiaoyu shoved the rice bowl into Yan Liuyuan’s arms. “You eat it all.”

Yan Liuyuan: “???”

As soon as she said it, Sister Xiaoyu couldn’t help but be the first to burst out laughing. Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan laughed along with her.

Yan Liuyuan suddenly thought Sister Xiaoyu’s smile was so gentle. It was just a pity… she was born in the wrong era.

“Xiaosu, what are your plans for the future?” Sister Xiaoyu asked during the meal.

“No real plans. Just taking it one step at a time,” Ren Xiaosu said. The thing on his mind most right now was still that locked weapon.

Originally, Ren Xiaosu’s only wish was for him and Yan Liuyuan to live well. But now that he had discovered he also possessed supernatural abilities, he couldn’t help but feel a greater sense of longing in his heart.

He still hadn’t completed the Chain Quest: Treat 10 patients.

He wondered what the new quest’s reward would be. And that mysterious vending machine—would other items besides the Black Medicine appear?

So many unknowns were waiting for him to uncover.

Yan Liuyuan looked at Ren Xiaosu expectantly. “Brother, what are we doing tomorrow? Can I help you treat patients?”

Ren Xiaosu chuckled. “What, you’re all better now?”

“Yeah,” Yan Liuyuan was in pretty good spirits after eating. “I’m perfectly fine now.”

“Mm,” Ren Xiaosu nodded. “If you’re fine, then go to school.”

“Oh…”

Chapter 26: Save the Mother or the Child?

Ren Xiaosu opened the clinic door early in the morning and looked around. This was probably the first time in all his years in the settlement that he felt the morning air was quite fresh.

After the Cataclysm, the sky was usually shrouded in a strange haze. According to the school’s Teacher Zhang Jinglin, this was due to the vast amount of dust and smoke particles that had been thrown into the atmosphere during the Cataclysm. Not only did it block the sunlight needed for photosynthesis, but it also made the climate exceptionally cold and caused frequent acid rain.

The situation had only gradually improved in recent decades, and for most of the year, the sun was now visible.

Ren Xiaosu’s clinic was right across from the General Store. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Wang Fugui emerge from the opposite side, holding two freshly roasted sweet potatoes. “Xiaosu, have some sweet potatoes!”

Ren Xiaosu couldn’t help but marvel. Before this, it would have been difficult to get even a sewing needle from Old Wang, let alone a piece of thread.

And now, this cheapskate was actually offering him sweet potatoes of his own accord…

Seeing Wang Fugui’s cheerful expression, Ren Xiaosu felt that accepting a gift called for some form of reciprocation. He smacked his lips and said, “I don’t really have anything to give you in return. I do have a lot of anesthetic, though. How about I give you a shot of anesthetic?”

“A shot of anesthetic? Is that any way to talk?” Wang Fugui’s face immediately darkened. He asked, “By the way, you haven’t gone out to gather herbs these past few days. Do you still have any of that medicine…?”

“Of course. Anti-inflammatory medicine, anesthetic, cough and phlegm medicine, I have it all,” Ren Xiaosu said with a smile.

“I mean, do you still have that black-colored medicine?” Wang Fugui asked, looking slightly embarrassed.

“Didn’t you just buy some?” Ren Xiaosu asked, playing dumb.

“That was for a big shot in the stronghold. Stop playing dumb. If I hadn’t delivered the medicine for you, do you think you would have gotten a clinic for free?” Wang Fugui complained. “To be honest, I only gave it to Chen Haidong at first. I don’t know how it ended up in Boss Luo’s hands…”

At this point, Wang Fugui himself was a little puzzled as to how the Black Medicine had passed through so many hands. He had no idea how many uses would be left by the time it reached Boss Luo…

“Here,” Ren Xiaosu said, taking out two small porcelain vials. He had exchanged for a small vial of Black Medicine yesterday to treat Yan Liuyuan’s fever and still had two doses left, which he had already separated into vials. “1200. Not a single cent less.”

“One of these bottles is for someone in the stronghold,” Wang Fugui said, his eyes widening. “And you have the nerve to charge me so much?”

“Take it or leave it,” Ren Xiaosu said, preparing to put the Black Medicine back in his pocket.

But Wang Fugui did not hesitate. He grabbed Ren Xiaosu’s arm, and they exchanged the goods for the money. In the end, Wang Fugui even said thank you!

“Gratitude from Wang Fugui, +1!”

Huh? Ren Xiaosu thought to himself that this Wang Fugui was quite interesting. Two “thank yous” had earned him two Gratitude Tokens in a row!

But Ren Xiaosu felt it was a bit of a pity. How come his Gratitude Tokens were dwindling the more he used them? He still only had four…

However, he had weighed the pros and cons. To ensure Yan Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu lived better in the settlement, it was essential to build a closer relationship with the people in the stronghold.

Besides, he wasn’t giving this Black Medicine away for free, so why not?

Thinking of this, Ren Xiaosu sighed. He could only hope that with his new status as a clinic doctor, he would be able to earn more gratitude.

Ren Xiaosu’s immediate priority was to go out and gather herbs. He was a cautious person, and if he was going to put on an act, he had to do it properly. It wouldn’t be good to arouse suspicion.

Otherwise, whenever people mentioned him, they would say: So-and-so’s supernatural ability is to manifest an iceberg out of thin air to destroy a city, and so-and-so’s ability can cleave mountains. Ren Xiaosu’s ability is… to make that medicine. That would be way too embarrassing.

After entering the wilderness, Ren Xiaosu couldn’t resist going to the spot where he had buried his pistol to check on it. He was relieved to see that no one had touched it. This was his greatest safeguard now, and he couldn’t afford any mistakes.

Even with his 4.5 Strength and 4.1 Agility, a person was ultimately no match for a gun.

When Ren Xiaosu returned to the clinic with a bamboo basket on his back, he saw Sister Xiaoyu looking troubled as she faced a couple who had come for a consultation.

Upon seeing Ren Xiaosu return, Sister Xiaoyu immediately shot him a pleading look. “Xiaosu, hurry and see to the patients.”

Ren Xiaosu threw the bamboo basket on the ground and asked, “What kind of injury do you two have? Let me tell you, you’ve come to the right place…”

“That’s great,” the man said. “We’re not injured. It’s just that my wife is four months pregnant, and she felt a sudden pain in her belly this morning. We were worried something might be wrong, so we came to see if the doctor could treat it.”

Ren Xiaosu was instantly petrified. Although he was running a clinic, he didn’t know how to treat this kind of condition!

In this era, there was no distinction between men’s and women’s health. In the minds of the settlement’s refugees, if you were sick, you went to the clinic.

Ren Xiaosu was in a bind. He had just made a boast, and now he was faced with the couple’s expectant gazes. He couldn’t just eat his words on the spot, could he?

Ren Xiaosu tried hard to recall the lessons Teacher Zhang had taught at the school and the books he had read there, searching for a way to handle the situation. What would a normal doctor say to a pregnant woman and her family?

After a moment of contemplation, Ren Xiaosu asked, “Save the mother or the child?”

The couple: “???”

The man flew into a rage. “Are you a fake doctor? My wife just has a stomach ache, and you’re asking whether to save the mother or the child? Besides, she’s only four months pregnant! If you ‘save the child,’ where are you going to put it?!”

That’s a good point… Ren Xiaosu thought.

This time, he sighed. “I’m truly sorry, you two. I was wrong just now. Let me put it this way: I really don’t know anything about gynecology. It would be wrong of me to keep trying to fool you. The previous doctor didn’t either; he was just a quack.”

It had to be said, while he could kill someone who deserved it without batting an eye, Ren Xiaosu really couldn’t bring himself to lie to a pregnant woman against his conscience.

Ren Xiaosu continued, “My advice is for you to go to the school and borrow some books on this subject from Teacher Zhang. Make sure your wife eats and drinks well, and whether she can give birth successfully will be up to fate. I won’t take your money. Also, don’t buy random medicine from others. I know that you can’t take medicine during pregnancy, as there’s a high chance it could cause birth defects. If you don’t believe me, you can go and ask Teacher Zhang.”

The couple looked at each other, surprised that Ren Xiaosu would say such a thing. The man thought for a long while and said, “I think you’re a bit better than the last doctor. Last time I was sick, he was so desperate for me to buy his medicine. But after I took it, I didn’t get any better. I only pulled through on my own.”

The pregnant woman stood up and smiled. “Thank you, Doctor.”

“Gratitude from Qin Jiajia, +1!”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned. He had done almost nothing this time, yet he had received gratitude for free.

Chapter 27: Sweet Irony

Ren Xiaosu was suddenly a little puzzled. He had just told the truth, yet he had inexplicably received the other party’s gratitude.

In his and Yan Liuyuan’s worldview, you could only receive sincere gratitude if you gave someone something.

Back when Ren Xiaosu used to attend classes at the School, he would wonder why, if Teacher Zhang Jinglin described the past human civilization so wonderfully, it took humanity thousands of years to reach that height, yet its collapse was far faster than its construction.

Today, the couple had made Ren Xiaosu vaguely aware of something, but he couldn’t quite put it into words yet.

That same day, Ren Xiaosu asked Sister Xiaoyu to take down the clinic’s banner and embroider the two words “External Injuries” on it.

He’d done his fair share of swindling, but Ren Xiaosu was always selective about it.

Ren Xiaosu made a decision: from now on, he would only treat the illnesses he knew how to treat. For those he couldn’t, he would leave them be.

The result shocked Ren Xiaosu. Not a single patient with external injuries came in that day. Instead, everyone who came had minor aches and pains he didn’t know how to treat. But that wasn’t what shocked him. What shocked him was that he told all these patients the truth and, in the course of a single day, managed to raise his Gratitude Token count to 10 without using the Black Medicine even once!

Ren Xiaosu sat in the clinic, his thoughts in a confused jumble… What the hell is going on…

What he didn’t know was that perhaps everyone had held a grudge against the previous doctor, Yu Tong, for a long time. So when Ren Xiaosu acted this way, the people who had visited the clinic started promoting him of their own accord: “I think that ruthless person, Ren Xiaosu, is much better than that bastard Yu Tong! If he can’t treat an illness, he definitely won’t just prescribe random medicine to cheat you out of your money!”

When some idle folks heard this, they thought, “Oh? Is that so?” and came to the clinic to see what the fuss was about.

They were having fun, but Ren Xiaosu was frustrated. In just one morning, he had earned a few Gratitude Tokens, but the number of people who came to see him was ten times that amount.

There were people with headaches, people who felt their faces had suddenly gotten bigger, and what left Ren Xiaosu most speechless was that someone even came to ask him to tell their fortune…

But once Ren Xiaosu set his mind on something, he would see it through. Just as he had explained to the couple before, he persuaded everyone from the Settlement to leave.

Later, the people in the Settlement discovered that Ren Xiaosu really didn’t seem to charge randomly for his consultations.

Their previous impression of Ren Xiaosu was that he was ruthless. To establish a foothold in the Settlement, a much younger Ren Xiaosu, with Yan Liuyuan in tow, had to fight tooth and nail just to survive.

Later, their impression of him changed to… the guy who sells medicine.

Now, they all subconsciously believed that if they ever had an external injury, the first thing they should do was go to the clinic and get treated by Ren Xiaosu.

This reputation came so suddenly that it felt very strange to Ren Xiaosu. At noon, Sister Xiaoyu went to the Settlement with a basket to buy groceries. Ren Xiaosu’s little family had become more prosperous recently, with their savings reaching 3,400 yuan. As a result, their living standards had also improved, and they could now afford to buy better food in the Settlement.

Sister Xiaoyu would even occasionally buy some fine salt and pork skin. The taste of fine salt was quite different from coarse salt, and the pork skin was used to render fat for cooking.

There was a pig farm outside the Settlement. The domestic pigs there had also evolved, but as long as they were castrated when they were young, they would grow up to be very docile.

It had to be said that humans were indeed the species most capable of adapting to and utilizing their environment, bar none.

The best cuts of meat from these pigs were usually sent into the Stronghold. Only the scraps were left for the Settlement, and even those were very rare.

Previously, one of the biggest reasons Yan Liuyuan dreamed of entering the Stronghold was because he wanted to eat meat.

Sister Xiaoyu returned to the clinic with her grocery basket, beaming as soon as she walked in. “Oh, Xiaosu, you have no idea! The people in the Settlement are all singing your praises now.”

Ren Xiaosu was surprised. “Really?”

“Yes,” Sister Xiaoyu said, smiling as she started preparing the vegetables. “Our Xiaosu has become a doctor now. He’ll definitely be able to find the best wife in the Settlement. When you two get married and have kids, I’ll help you take care of them.”

Ren Xiaosu immediately felt awkward. “I haven’t thought about that kind of thing.”

Sister Xiaoyu was immediately displeased. “You’re old enough. You should start thinking about it. I also bought some peanuts today. I don’t know where the people in the Settlement dug them up from. I’ll boil some for you two to eat later.”

Yan Liuyuan came back from the School just then. Nowadays, he could come home for lunch like his other classmates. Before, he would just bring two potatoes with him in the morning and eat them at the School for his midday meal.

When he came in and saw the peanuts in the basket, he picked one up to peel and eat it, but Sister Xiaoyu slapped his hand away. “They’re still covered in dirt. You can’t eat them.”

Yan Liuyuan slammed his hand on the table in mock anger. “You’re already so pretty, why won’t you let me eat a peanut?!”

Sister Xiaoyu beamed again. “Go on, eat up.”

While peeling and eating peanuts, Yan Liuyuan said to Ren Xiaosu, “Brother, a lot of people were gathered outside the School today. Teacher Zhang wouldn’t let them in during class, but they all rushed in as soon as school was out. I don’t know what was going on. Do you want to go check it out?”

“Huh?” Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. A bad feeling suddenly welled up inside him…

Just then, a familiar figure stormed in from outside. It was Teacher Zhang Jinglin from the School.

Ren Xiaosu’s eyes lit up. “Teacher Zhang, you’re here! Care to join us for lunch?”

“Lunch, my ass!” Zhang Jinglin said angrily. “If you can’t treat an illness, then don’t! Why did you have to send them all to me!”

Previously, Ren Xiaosu had told the couple, “If you don’t believe me, go ask Teacher Zhang, or borrow some books about prenatal care from him.”

Ren Xiaosu later found this method to be quite effective, so he said the same thing to every patient that morning.

Zhang Jinglin said in great distress, “I could let the common illnesses slide, but you even sent someone with athlete’s foot to me?! You have no idea what it smelled like after that guy took off his shoes. It’s a good thing I ran away fast!”

Ren Xiaosu gave an awkward, apologetic laugh. “I just figured you were very knowledgeable.”

Zhang Jinglin was on the verge of a breakdown. “I’m a teacher! If you can’t cure them, what makes you think I can? If you ever send patients my way again, I’ll give Yan Liuyuan enough homework to last a lifetime!”

Yan Liuyuan, who was in the middle of peeling peanuts: “???”

What does a conflict between you two have to do with me!

Ren Xiaosu grabbed a handful of peanuts and stuffed them into Zhang Jinglin’s hand. “Don’t worry, it won’t happen again. I swear, it won’t! I promise!”

Zhang Jinglin thought for a long moment before finally heading back to the School, peeling a peanut as he went…

Chapter 28: A Retaliatory Strike

Night fell. Ren Xiaosu felt like everything in his life was heading in a better direction. He looked at the ten Gratitude Tokens he had accumulated in the Palace and wished he could unlock that weapon sooner.

Beside him, Yan Liuyuan was fast asleep. When Ren Xiaosu had been teaching class that afternoon, the students, still agitated by the recent wolf attack in the Settlement, had wanted him to tell them more stories about wolves—what to do if they encountered a wolf pack, for example, or how to escape with their lives.

However, Ren Xiaosu had no intention of talking about that. He continued to teach them about wilderness survival skills. He felt that if these children were to encounter a wolf pack in the wilderness, they would have slim odds of survival. The physical disparity between humans and the beasts of today predetermined such an outcome. That was something that couldn’t be taught.

Rather than teach them how to hunt beasts, it was better to teach them how to find water and food to sustain themselves when there were no wolves around.

Being killed by wolves was a tragedy born of helplessness, but starving to death would be a real shame.

The lecture content did not meet the students’ expectations. What was worse, not only did it not meet their expectations, but he also let the class run late. This left the students quite dissatisfied with Ren Xiaosu, so much so that they would even go home and complain to their parents.

What they didn’t know was, if they didn’t dare to provoke Ren Xiaosu, would their parents?

Just then, Ren Xiaosu suddenly heard an unusual noise from outside the courtyard wall. The source of the sound was being extremely cautious, but someone like Ren Xiaosu, who had spent years in the wilderness, had to be alert to the slightest rustle of leaves or blades of grass. Otherwise, it could cost him his life.

He decisively blew out the kerosene lamp in the house and crept silently into the courtyard.

Ren Xiaosu hid at the base of the wall, listening intently to the commotion outside.

He heard someone suddenly leap up from outside the wall, their hands gripping the top. Then, the person pushed up with their arms, and their entire body vaulted into the courtyard.

While in mid-air, the man looked down at the ground and happened to see Ren Xiaosu’s curious gaze fixed upon him.

The next moment, he saw Ren Xiaosu abruptly sink his waist and draw back his arm, as if gathering all his strength for a sudden, explosive burst of power!

The punch, seemingly capable of shattering mountains and cracking stone, shot straight towards the intruder’s crotch! The intruder wanted to dodge. His skills were decent; all he needed to do was bring his legs together and strike at Ren Xiaosu with his knees to easily resolve the crisis.

But to his utter surprise, Ren Xiaosu was far faster than he had imagined!

“Wait… Argh!” The intruder lost his balance and fell to the ground in agony, clutching his crotch and groaning without end!

At that moment, the sound of footsteps rang out from outside. It seemed more than one person had come. Ren Xiaosu calmly looked at the man on the ground. The man’s attire offered no clues as to his identity.

The next moment, two more figures jumped in.

“Wait… Argh!”

“Fuck!”

Two more people were now rolling on the ground.

Ren Xiaosu frowned. These people’s skills… they were passable, but not great. Yet, not a single one of them had managed to last even a single round against him.

A knock came from the outer gate, and a familiar voice said, “Open the door.”

Ren Xiaosu recognized the voice. It belonged to the officer who had previously led the private army in searching the entire Settlement.

It all clicked into place. These men were from the stronghold’s private army. But Ren Xiaosu couldn’t understand why they were so weak.

In truth, it wasn’t that they were weak. Although the private army in the stronghold was poorly trained, they weren’t people an ordinary person could easily push around.

These private army soldiers had heard that Ren Xiaosu was a known ruthless person, but they had thought, how formidable could a refugee be?

Sister Xiaoyu and Yan Liuyuan, who had been sound asleep in the house, got dressed and came out. “What’s wrong?”

“Go back inside,” Ren Xiaosu said and went to open the gate for the officer. He wondered why these soldiers had come in plainclothes and climbed over the wall.

This was clearly a retaliatory strike, a surprise return to search him again, the prime suspect in the “lost gun case.” Perhaps the private army was now anxious to report back to their superiors but were also wary of that Boss Luo.

If they found the gun, it would be one thing. Boss Luo wasn’t the only one who called the shots in Stronghold 113, and he might not even care that much about Ren Xiaosu. But if they didn’t find it, they would likely face Boss Luo’s wrath.

According to a normal person’s line of thinking, after being searched once and having Boss Luo intervene, most people would never expect the private army to launch a retaliatory strike and search again.

If he had actually brought the gun back with him from his herb-gathering trip, he would have been in grave danger this time. According to Wang Fugui, the family of the factory manager he had killed was a significant power within the stronghold.

Ren Xiaosu frowned. This was technically breaking and entering in the middle of the night, and it was the second time they had searched him. By rights, he was in the right, but outside the stronghold, who could he reason with?

Might was right, and his own fists weren’t big enough yet.

Ren Xiaosu had beaten up three private army soldiers in one go. He felt they definitely wouldn’t let this go. He had to admit that this incident served as a reminder to be even more cautious in the future and never underestimate anyone.

In fact, the officer standing outside with a dozen or so men was also fuming. He couldn’t accept that his soldiers couldn’t even handle a single refugee and that he had to come in and bail them out!

If word of this got out, what would become of his reputation? Therefore, this matter had to be settled today.

Just as he was about to order his men to kick the door in, the clinic’s gate opened on its own.

In the next instant, all the soldiers outside were plunged into a state of confusion. They saw Ren Xiaosu wrapped in a large silk banner. Written on it were the words: Miraculous Hands Bring Back the Spring, Luo Lan.

The officer was silent for a long moment, then inexplicably burst into an exasperated laugh. What was this? Was he being protected by a silk banner?!

Ren Xiaosu remained on high alert and carefully observed the officer’s expression. He was mainly afraid that the officer was too impulsive and would still seek revenge despite the banner…

But the officer walked right past him and headed inside. “Search!”

Ren Xiaosu followed behind him and said, “Didn’t you already search last time?”

When the officer saw his soldiers still rolling on the ground in the courtyard, his face darkened. “A bunch of useless trash.”

He turned his head to look at Ren Xiaosu. “My name is Wang Congyang. If you want to go crying to Boss Luo to get even, you can use my name.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t do that,” Ren Xiaosu said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “You haven’t done anything to me.”

Wang Congyang studied Ren Xiaosu carefully. His soldiers came out after searching for a few minutes and reported, “Nothing found.”

Without another word, Wang Congyang led his team away. As he was leaving, he turned and gave Ren Xiaosu a half-smile. “It’s a pity you weren’t born in the stronghold. If you were, you could come be a soldier under me. You’re much better than this bunch of good-for-nothings I have.”

Wait. Ren Xiaosu suddenly froze. The factory manager’s name was Wang Dongyang. Could he be related to this Wang Congyang?

No wonder the man was so fixated on finding the killer and had latched onto him.

Chapter 29: The Tragedy of an Era

When Ren Xiaosu learned the officer’s name was Wang Congyang, his heart skipped a beat. He was worried this guy would keep hounding him.

At dawn, Ren Xiaosu opened the door and saw Wang Fugui sweeping the front of the General Store with a broom. When Wang Fugui saw Ren Xiaosu, he put down his broom and came over. He lowered his voice and asked, “What happened last night?”

“Nothing,” Ren Xiaosu shook his head. “The private army from the stronghold still suspected me, so they searched the place again.”

“Pah,” Wang Fugui said indignantly. “They’re always treating us refugees like thieves. I already told them Boss Luo has you under his wing, yet they still dared to come and search a second time.”

“Alright, alright, stop acting,” Ren Xiaosu said, looking at Wang Fugui speechlessly. “What’s there for you to be indignant about on my behalf?”

Wang Fugui started laughing. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. I’ve already delivered the new batch of Black Medicine.”

Just then, a man came running over, his arm bleeding. While still a long way from the clinic, the man shouted, “Doctor! Help me!”

Perhaps it was due to the excessive bleeding that the wound scared the man, but Ren Xiaosu could tell with a single glance that his injury was nothing serious.

In the Settlement, “nothing serious” meant it wouldn’t kill you.

It had to be said that the refugees had a rather philosophical outlook on life. Anything that wasn’t a matter of life and death wasn’t considered a big deal.

Ren Xiaosu glanced at him. “Come in. Your wound isn’t serious; you won’t die. How did you get it?”

“I was heading to the factory, but on the way, I realized I’d forgotten something and turned back. I found someone stealing from my shack. When I tried to catch him, he stabbed me,” the man explained. “Doctor, are you sure it’s nothing serious? I’ve lost so much blood.”

“You’ll be fine,” Ren Xiaosu said calmly.

Hearing that he wouldn’t die, the man relaxed a little. Ren Xiaosu looked at his wound again and wondered. He hadn’t used the anesthetic he had just obtained yet. Should he give it a try?

Ren Xiaosu looked at the man and said, “We have anesthetic here. If you get a shot, treating the wound won’t hurt at all.”

“Really?” the man was taken aback. “Does it cost money?”

“Of course,” Ren Xiaosu said, annoyed. “Did you think we’d give you such an expensive medicine for free? Look at your wound; it’s at least four inches long. Getting a cut that long stitched up needle by needle—wouldn’t the pain kill you?”

Ren Xiaosu was telling the truth. The wound was so long that he would have to apply the Black Medicine very carefully, or one dose wouldn’t be enough to last. So, he was genuinely worried the man wouldn’t be able to bear the pain.

Just then, Sister Xiaoyu came out carrying a metal tray with a syringe and a small vial of anesthetic. The syringe was one that had been in the clinic since before.

Medical facilities were limited, and there were no disposable syringes. Therefore, it had to be thoroughly sterilized before each use. Logically, this was definitely not right, but what could Ren Xiaosu do? The best he could do was sterilize it well, for example, by roasting the needle over a flame for a little longer…

This time, Sister Xiaoyu waited for the needle to cool down before preparing the injection. But just as she was about to do it, she hesitated. “Xiaosu, do I inject the anesthetic around the wound or inside it?”

They had never used this anesthetic before, so Sister Xiaoyu wondered if injecting it directly into the wound would make it work faster.

Ren Xiaosu was stunned too. He hadn’t thought about that either. “I don’t know.”

The man listening to their conversation nearly wet himself. “You mean you’ve never administered anesthetic before? Do you guys even know how to treat injuries…”

The man had heard that Ren Xiaosu could treat external injuries, and since Ren Xiaosu’s reputation in the Settlement was exceptionally good right now, he had come to the clinic straight away.

But now it seemed like that wasn’t the case!

“So where should I inject it, Xiaosu?” Sister Xiaoyu urged.

Ren Xiaosu glanced at the patient’s face, then said thoughtfully, “How about we inject it into his leg? That way, he won’t be able to run off later.”

Patient: “???”

…

“Quest complete: Reward 1.0 Strength.”

“Quest: Treat 20 patients.”

However, over the course of the day, although Ren Xiaosu had completed the third part of the Chain Quest to treat 10 patients, his Gratitude Tokens had dropped from 10 to 8. Many people did not express their sincere gratitude even after being cured.

Nevertheless, Ren Xiaosu felt his life was particularly fulfilling now.

He treated patients during the day, taught classes in the afternoon, and chatted with Sister Xiaoyu and Yan Liuyuan in the courtyard at night. He had tilled the soil in the courtyard and was preparing to plant some vegetables. One of his greatest wishes had always been to have a courtyard where he could grow things like scallions, garlic sprouts, and green vegetables.

Now, Ren Xiaosu felt his strength had nearly doubled that of a normal adult male. His muscles had become firmer again.

Ren Xiaosu asked the Palace in his mind, “What are my current Strength and Agility attributes?”

The Palace replied, “Strength 5.5, Agility 4.1.”

Ren Xiaosu said nothing. It seemed his attributes were relatively balanced, so he probably wouldn’t suddenly turn into a muscle-bound man.

Yan Liuyuan suddenly asked, “Brother, why don’t you just treat all of those patients? That’s all money.”

Ren Xiaosu slanted a look at him. “I don’t know how.”

“The previous doctor didn’t know how to treat them either, but he treated them all the same,” Yan Liuyuan thought for a moment and pressed.

“We can’t be like him,” Ren Xiaosu explained. “Look at what happened to him. Did anyone help him when he got into trouble? A person has to have principles.”

“But it’s not like anyone will help us if we get into trouble,” Yan Liuyuan muttered under his breath, looking down. “They wouldn’t help us, so why should we be so kind to them? In this day and age, a lot of people probably wish for something bad to happen to us.”

Ren Xiaosu looked Yan Liuyuan straight in the eye. He knew that Yan Liuyuan was still young, and his worldview was still being formed. The environment Yan Liuyuan was in meant he was bound to be exposed to too much malice from the outside world.

Ren Xiaosu admitted that Yan Liuyuan was right. In this era, everyone was selfish. Selfishness was considered natural and right, and even having malicious intent seemed to have become natural and right. But Ren Xiaosu had to make Yan Liuyuan understand that other people were other people, and they were themselves.

“Liuyuan, you must remember this,” Ren Xiaosu said solemnly. “Don’t let the tragedy of the era become your own tragedy.”

Yan Liuyuan was lost in thought. Beside them, Sister Xiaoyu’s eyes sparkled as she watched the two brothers. She suddenly felt that as long as Ren Xiaosu was by Yan Liuyuan’s side, there was no way Yan Liuyuan could ever go astray in his life.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside. Someone exclaimed in surprise, “The band is back! Weren’t they going to stronghold 112? Why are they back?”

“Yeah, and the man who was their guide is missing!”

Ren Xiaosu looked up. He suddenly remembered the girl in the cap with the perfect firearm skills.

…

Chapter 30: That Crazy Ren Xiaosu

The band was back? Ren Xiaosu was a little puzzled. A round trip to Stronghold 112 should have taken over two months.

But by his count, the band had only been gone for about a week. So… they couldn’t have reached Stronghold 112. They probably hadn’t even made it to the foot of the Jing Mountains.

There shouldn’t have been any danger along that route; the only real threat was the wolf pack. But the wolves had arrived around here at a different time from when the band had left. If the band had really encountered the wolves, they probably wouldn’t have made it back.

After all, the wolves were no longer afraid of gunfire!

The thought of the wolves made Ren Xiaosu’s heart tighten. He had mentioned them to Wang Fugui yesterday, and Wang Fugui had revealed some news he got from the settlement administrator, Chen Haidong. The wolf pack had reportedly suffered heavy casualties when they ambushed the private army. The entire pack had retreated directly towards Stronghold 111 and hidden away in the Yangshan Mountains, and they probably wouldn’t dare to come back here again.

However, Ren Xiaosu didn’t think so. The wolf pack had left before, but hadn’t they just come back, even more ferocious than before?

What had caused these wolves to evolve again? Ren Xiaosu had no idea.

Ren Xiaosu peered outside through the clinic window. He saw the refugees in the settlement emerging from their homes one by one, gathering silently to watch. They had already been curious about the band, and now that they realized something might have happened, their curiosity grew even stronger.

When the band left, they had been in four off-road vehicles. Now, only one was left, driving slowly. The stronghold’s star, Luo Xinyu, and three private army soldiers were in the vehicle, while the others followed on foot, their clothes tattered and torn.

Yan Liuyuan said with curiosity, “They were all so fair and clean when they left. Now they’ve come back looking just like us.”

Although Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan’s lives had improved recently, water was still scarce. When it came to water resources, all the refugees were on equal footing, as the Stronghold was very strict about its management.

So, if they had any extra water at home, Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan would usually let Sister Xiaoyu use it to wash up. They only used a little bit to brush their teeth.

“Brushing their teeth” just meant scraping them for a good while with a willow twig dipped in coarse salt, then rinsing their mouths.

Now, seeing the members of the band looking as grimy as they were, the dark-skinned Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan felt quite happy…

The girl in the cap, the one with perfect firearm skills, was also walking behind the off-road vehicle. There were holes in her clothes, but as Ren Xiaosu observed carefully, he noticed that although she looked just as disheveled as the rest of the band, her steps were still light and steady.

From this point alone, the girl in the cap was much stronger than the private army soldiers with them.

Of course, this was within Ren Xiaosu’s expectations. After all, how could someone with perfect firearm skills be outdone by those private army soldiers?

In the off-road vehicle, the star Luo Xinyu ordered, “Report for entry into the stronghold immediately. Don’t let these refugees stare at us like we’re monkeys.”

After receiving the order, the private army soldiers raised the dark muzzles of their automatic rifles towards the onlookers. One of them said viciously, “Get back to your pigsties.”

Seeing the private army soldiers getting angry out of humiliation and preparing to get rough, the refugees immediately scurried back.

“Also,” Luo Xinyu said in a cold voice, “find that Wang Fugui!”

The noisy clamor in the settlement gradually died down. People only dared to whisper in their own shacks. If talking with family wasn’t enough, they could even chat with their neighbors through the shack tarps—it wasn’t like they were soundproof anyway…

Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan knelt by the window, watching the scene outside. They saw the band members split into two groups. One went to find the Stronghold personnel to go through the entry procedures, while the other headed straight for Wang Fugui’s General Store.

“Brother, why are they looking for Old Wang?” Yan Liuyuan asked, curious.

“Probably to settle a score. Old Wang recommended a guide, but the hunter who acted as their guide didn’t return with them. So it’s likely the hunter caused some trouble, which is why they returned so miserably and so early,” Ren Xiaosu surmised.

Ren Xiaosu smacked his lips, feeling a little wistful. When that guide left the settlement, he had even shot Ren Xiaosu a swaggering look. Who would have thought that one glance would be their last…

Ren Xiaosu watched as the group went to pound on the door of Wang Fugui’s General Store. Wang Fugui opened it unhurriedly from the inside, looking quite calm.

Ren Xiaosu had been a little worried for Wang Fugui, but seeing how composed he was, he figured he didn’t need to be.

The people in the off-road vehicle also got out. Luo Xinyu was wearing a white casual outfit… or rather, what used to be a white casual outfit. She stared at Wang Fugui and demanded, “What kind of guide did you find for us?”

Wang Fugui asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

He was genuinely curious. That hunter was supposed to be an old hand; he shouldn’t have made such a basic mistake. Why were these people so angry?

“What’s wrong?” Luo Xinyu’s voice was frigid. “He led us in the wrong direction before we even reached the Jing Mountains. We wasted a full three days and still couldn’t find the right place.”

It was possible to drive into the Jing Mountains; many people knew this because there was a gravel-paved canyon there. It was probably an old riverbed that had dried up for some reason.

Ordinary cars certainly couldn’t pass through that road, but it wasn’t difficult for an off-road vehicle.

In other words, the guide had failed to lead the band directly to that road…

“Then what? Where is he?” Old Wang asked, stunned.

“He disappeared before we even found the road,” a private army soldier said coldly. “As a hunter from around here, he didn’t even know there was danger in the water. He went to wash his face at the river in the morning, and something bit his face to shreds. He was already cold when we found him! And the path he took us on was full of so many vicious monkeys. We almost didn’t make it back!”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. Something was wrong, very wrong. He had never heard of the fish in the nearby river biting people… Was it even a fish?

Wang Fugui leaned against the doorframe of his General Store. “Oh, so that’s what happened. But I’m afraid I won’t have time to find a new guide for you anytime soon. I have to run some errands for Boss Luo Lan.”

In reality, Boss Luo hadn’t given him any errands at all. He just wanted to let them know that he was Boss Luo’s man!

The private army soldiers frowned, and even Luo Xinyu was taken aback. They hadn’t expected the person they wanted to deal with to be backed by Luo Lan.

Wang Fugui said leisurely, “I told you from the beginning. If you want to get through, you have to find Ren Xiaosu.”

“That crazy kid?” a private army soldier’s brows knitted together. “The one who imagines he’s a doctor?”

Wang Fugui suddenly felt a toothache coming on. He pointed towards the clinic window across the way. “You probably would have never guessed, but he’s actually a doctor now…”

Luo Xinyu: “???”

Private army: “???”

Everyone followed Wang Fugui’s finger and saw two grimy faces peering out of the clinic window, looking at them with curiosity…

To be honest, even Wang Fugui felt a little emotional at that moment. Right, how in the world did that kid become a doctor through such a strange twist of fate…?

Chapter 31: A New Door

“He’s… really a doctor?” someone in the band asked, their tone a mix of doubt and disbelief.

“Did we misunderstand him last time?!” Luo Xinyu was even more confused.

Wang Fugui thought to himself that they hadn’t misunderstood at all; he’d only become a doctor in the last two days…

But he wasn’t about to say that. He wanted to clear his name, after all. You said I introduced a crazy person to you, but I didn’t! See? He really is a doctor…

“No, no, no, let me get this straight,” a private army soldier said after thinking for a moment. “What did he say when we saw him last time?”

“Congratulations, the father and son are both safe and sound! 3.3 kilograms!” someone recalled.

“Right! Who the hell says the father and son are safe and sound?!” the private army soldier said angrily. “Someone like that can become a doctor in your Settlement?”

Seeing that they remembered Ren Xiaosu’s exact words, Wang Fugui explained, “Well, our medical facilities here are a bit poor. But it’s the real deal, he really is our Settlement’s doctor. If you don’t believe me, I’ll find someone for you to ask.”

With that, Wang Fugui walked a few doors down, knocked on a random door, and asked, “Is Ren Xiaosu our Settlement’s doctor?”

The person who opened the door was stunned for a moment. “He is.”

“How are his medical skills?” Wang Fugui pressed.

The person gave a thumbs-up. “Who in the Settlement doesn’t praise Ren Xiaosu these days!”

The people from the band fell into thought again. When they turned to look at the clinic, there was no one in the window anymore…

“You said only he can lead people through the Jing Mountains?” Luo Xinyu had calmed down.

“That’s right,” Wang Fugui thought for a moment and smiled. “Actually, I can’t say for sure if he can get you through. But if he can’t, then no one in this Settlement can.”

“You’re praising him to the high heavens,” Luo Xinyu sneered. “Tell him he’s been conscripted. We’ll set out again after we rest.”

“Whoa, don’t tell me that,” Wang Fugui said with an awkward smile. “If you want to conscript him, you’ll have to ask Boss Luo if he’s willing.”

“Boss Luo? He has connections to Boss Luo too?” Luo Xinyu was stunned.

“I don’t know the specifics, but in any case, you can’t just conscript him as you please,” Wang Fugui explained.

Luo Xinyu sneered. Just then, the person in charge of clearing their entry returned; they were permitted to pass. The stronghold’s gate was slowly raised by a winch from above, and Luo Xinyu led her team into the stronghold without another word.

Wang Fugui patted his chest. He had actually been afraid they would come to settle the score with him. Fortunately, he had established a connection with Boss Luo through delivering the Black Medicine. If he hadn’t been borrowing the tiger’s might today, he probably would have been skinned alive, if not killed.

In truth, Wang Fugui himself probably didn’t fully grasp how much power that Boss Luo wielded inside the stronghold. But every time he borrowed the tiger’s might, he felt a profound sense of just how damn useful that banner was…

Wang Fugui went to knock on the clinic’s door to discuss the matter with Ren Xiaosu, but no one answered even after he knocked for a long time. Wang Fugui muttered, “Don’t tell me he holds a grudge against me now?”

The next morning, Ren Xiaosu opened the clinic’s door on time to start business, only to find Wang Fugui standing there with a grin. Ren Xiaosu said irritably, “What is it?”

“Look, I had good intentions when I recommended you to them,” Wang Fugui said. “That was a chance to get into the stronghold! Do you know how many people out here want to get in? Everyone does!”

“If it’s such a great opportunity, why don’t you take it?” Ren Xiaosu was displeased. “I’ll draw you a map of the route. You can take them, and then you’ll be able to get into the stronghold.”

“I’m not going,” Wang Fugui said, shrinking his head back. “I don’t have your skills. Besides, if I go in, what about my daughter? At my age, I can still find a wife out here, just have to spend a little money. But inside, no one would give me a second look.”

Ren Xiaosu said, “You have a daughter, but I have Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu. If I enter the stronghold, what will happen to them? If you recommend me to them again, I’ll send Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu to live off you.”

“I’m doing this for your own good!” Wang Fugui said in a tone of frustrated disappointment. “If I were twenty years younger, I’d really go!”

“For my own good?” Ren Xiaosu sneered. “I’ll ‘thank’ your whole family!”

Wang Fugui got angry too. “And I’ll ‘thank’ your ancestors for eight generations!”

“Gratitude from Wang Fugui, +1!”

Ren Xiaosu: “???”

He roared at the Palace in his mind, This counts as gratitude?! And it’s even Sincere Thanks? I think you’re the one being ‘sincere’ here!

Ren Xiaosu never would have imagined that his ninth Gratitude Token would come this way. It was simply unbelievable!

However, Ren Xiaosu actually understood that while Wang Fugui had ideas about cozying up to that celebrity from the stronghold, recommending him first was indeed out of some degree of goodwill.

The problem was, Ren Xiaosu really didn’t want to go in. If the condition was for Yan Liuyuan to go in his place, he probably would have agreed.

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said seriously, “Old Wang, I’ll say this one more time, seriously. I can’t just abandon Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu to go in by myself. Please don’t recommend me to them again.”

Wang Fugui was mentally exhausted too. “Alright, alright, I get it. Don’t worry, as long as Boss Luo doesn’t say anything, they can’t take you. That trip takes over three months. If you’re gone, who’s going to supply Boss Luo with his medicine, right?”

“Alright, as long as you’re clear on that,” Ren Xiaosu said.

Just then, a man walked over and said to Ren Xiaosu, “Doctor, I need to see you.”

“I’ll talk to you later, a patient is here,” Ren Xiaosu said and turned to walk into the clinic.

Ren Xiaosu sat down behind his desk and said to the man, “Where are you injured? Let me see.”

“I’m not injured, I just have an ache in my balls,” the man said.

As soon as he said it, the nurse, Sister Xiaoyu, blushed crimson. Ren Xiaosu felt a bit awkward. Trying to sound more professional, he asked tentatively, “Is it your testes?”

The man was stunned. “Test these? Why? They hurt! That’s what I’m telling you!”

Ren Xiaosu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The things he had to deal with every day!

After he managed to talk the man into leaving, he unexpectedly received another Gratitude Token…

Oh well, he thought. As long as I get a Gratitude Token, I don’t care what the symptoms are.

Ren Xiaosu now had ten Gratitude Tokens in his possession. The day he could unlock the weapon didn’t seem too far away.

One of the reasons Ren Xiaosu didn’t want to be a Guide now was that it was much more convenient to get Gratitude Tokens in the Settlement. Out on the road with that band and private army, who would thank him?

For some reason, Ren Xiaosu was constantly looking forward to that weapon, eager to know what it would be like.

Sincere Thanks were so hard to come by, so the weapon definitely couldn’t be bad, right?

…

Chapter 32: Dreams Are the Opposite of Reality

Perhaps the band was in such a sorry state this time that they took a longer time to rest. They didn’t show up again for several days.

According to what they had said, the band and the private army were definitely going to make another trip to the Jing Mountains. It was just a matter of when.

What was in the Jing Mountains, exactly? Ren Xiaosu always felt that this group’s desire to go to the Jing Mountains was far greater than their supposed invitation to perform at Stronghold 112.

The Jing Mountains covered a vast area, and it was likely that no one had ever truly explored their depths. What kind of information had the stronghold’s administrators received?

In the early morning, Yan Liuyuan went to class with the new schoolbag Sister Xiaoyu had just sewn for him, feeling delighted.

But when he arrived at the School, he noticed something was off. Why did all his classmates turn to look at him as soon as he walked in?

Yan Liuyuan decided to ignore them and went straight to his seat. But then all his classmates surrounded him. Li Youqian, the sturdy daughter of Old Li from the General Store, was the first to speak to Yan Liuyuan. “Liuyuan, can you go back and tell your brother to stop letting class run late?”

“Yeah,” Wang Fugui’s foolish son also complained, “He lets class run late every day. We don’t have any time to play.”

Yan Liuyuan was also troubled by this matter. He said helplessly, “If it were any use for me to say something, he would have stopped letting class run late long ago.”

Hearing this, the students weren’t happy. Li Youqian sneered, “Teacher Zhang didn’t pay your brother a salary, did he? I heard your family isn’t short on money now, so why is he trying so hard? What, is he trying to take over the School already? He’s just a substitute teacher. It’s not his place to boss us around… Ouch!”

Li Youqian cried out in pain.

Yan Liuyuan had gotten up and kicked Li Youqian right in the hip. No one had expected him to flare up so suddenly. He scoffed, “The things my brother teaches you are skills that can save your lives in the wilderness. It’s one thing not to be grateful, but to talk behind his back? If anyone brings this up again, don’t blame me for getting rough.”

Yan Liuyuan was fourteen this year, while Li Youqian was already sixteen. They were about the same height, but Li Youqian was a good deal more heavyset than him.

Back when Wang Fugui wanted to introduce Li Youqian to Ren Xiaosu, Yan Liuyuan had said that she was very sturdy. He really hadn’t been lying at the time…

But at this moment, the other students looked at Yan Liuyuan and saw a miniature version of Ren Xiaosu. The ferocity erupting from them was practically identical.

Normally, although Yan Liuyuan often left people speechless with his remarks, he seemed much gentler than Ren Xiaosu. Why did he become like this the moment someone Psaid something about Ren Xiaosu?

It was only then that everyone realized that deep down, Yan Liuyuan also harbored a certain wildness.

Li Youqian had wanted to get up and fight back, but when she saw the look on Yan Liuyuan’s face, she gave up resentfully. “I wasn’t talking behind his back. I was just telling the truth.”

Now it was Yan Liuyuan who was feeling conflicted. After all, he was the one who most wanted Ren Xiaosu to stop letting class run late!

Teacher Zhang walked in from outside with his hands behind his back. “What are you all gathered around for? Get back to your seats and prepare for class.”

All the students scrambled back to their seats. After school, Teacher Zhang always seemed kind and approachable, but during class, he was stricter than anyone.

Wang Fugui’s foolish son, Wang Dalong, sat down next to Yan Liuyuan. He was also his deskmate.

Wang Dalong stole glances at Yan Liuyuan. Seeing that he was still sulking, he tried to think of a topic to break the earlier awkwardness. “I had a dream last night. I dreamt my dad found me a stepmom, and she was really mean to me.”

Yan Liuyuan glanced at him. “Don’t worry, dreams are the opposite of reality.”

Hearing this, Wang Dalong’s face lit up. “That’s true.”

Yan Liuyuan thought for a moment and said, “I think he probably found you a stepfather.”

Wang Dalong: “???”

…

That evening, Ren Xiaosu and the others were having dinner. They were planning to review Yan Liuyuan’s lessons for the day after they finished, but just then, a furious Wang Fugui stormed into the clinic, dragging a sobbing Wang Dalong with him. “Ren Xiaosu, get out here!”

Ren Xiaosu, holding his rice bowl, was stunned. “What’s wrong?”

“You ask your Liuyuan what he said to my son! He’s been crying and crying ever since he got home,” Wang Fugui seethed, thinking about what his son had just told him through his tears.

Ren Xiaosu looked at Yan Liuyuan, who was sitting obediently on his chair. “I said Old Wang might have found him a stepfather.”

Ren Xiaosu: “???”

With a wail, Wang Dalong started crying even harder.

Ren Xiaosu turned to Yan Liuyuan. “That’s where you’re wrong, Liuyuan. How could you say that to him?” He then turned to Wang Dalong and comforted him in a gentle voice, “Don’t worry, the most your dad will do is find you a stepmom. A stepfather would absolutely never happen.”

Wang Dalong paused. A stepmom was no good either! He continued to cry!

This infuriated Wang Fugui. “I really have to thank you for clearing that up for me!”

“Gratitude from Wang Fugui, +1!”

At this, Ren Xiaosu’s eyes lit up. Although getting this “gratitude” was a bit exasperating, it was still a Gratitude Token!

For some reason, Ren Xiaosu felt as though a magical door was slowly opening for him…

That made eleven Gratitude Tokens!

Suddenly, as if remembering something, Wang Fugui’s anger vanished in an instant. He reminded Ren Xiaosu, “Chen Haidong, our Settlement’s administrator, mentioned something offhand yesterday. He said strange things seem to be happening in the other strongholds, and it’s the same inside our Stronghold 113.”

“What kind of things?” Ren Xiaosu asked in a low voice.

“He didn’t seem too clear on the specifics,” Wang Fugui said. “I’ll let you know if I hear anything else. Anyway, be careful. These days, whenever something strange happens, it’s usually not a good thing.”

After Wang Fugui left, Yan Liuyuan asked curiously, “Why did Old Wang say that whenever something strange happens these days, it’s usually not a good thing?”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said, “Probably because our definition of ‘a good thing’ is too narrow. We only call something a good thing if it’s good for us.”

“So is it wrong for us to think that way?” Yan Liuyuan asked. Although he had more schooling than Ren Xiaosu, he honestly hadn’t worked as hard.

In the past, when he slacked off, Ren Xiaosu would always be reading books he had borrowed from Teacher Zhang. Sometimes, Yan Liuyuan would think to himself that since Ren Xiaosu was already so capable, there was no need for him to work hard.

Ren Xiaosu looked at Yan Liuyuan and said, “Remember this: it’s not wrong to think that way. Things that benefit us are good things. There’s nothing wrong with being a little selfish. I want you to be a person with principles, but I never told you to be some naive do-gooder.”

Chapter 33: What Are You Waiting For?

Whenever Ren Xiaosu was lecturing Yan Liuyuan, Sister Xiaoyu would watch quietly from the side. She suddenly found herself a little envious of Yan Liuyuan. If someone had taught her back then, maybe she wouldn’t have taken so many wrong turns in life.

“Brother, can you teach me more in the future?” Yan Liuyuan asked eagerly.

Ren Xiaosu glanced at him. “Don’t you always fall asleep when I’m trying to teach you? How am I supposed to teach you, in your dreams?”

“Well, I just won’t sleep from now on,” Yan Liuyuan said, glancing at Sister Xiaoyu before smiling bashfully.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the clinic door.

Ren Xiaosu frowned and turned around. Usually, no one came visiting after nightfall, because the Settlement wasn’t safe.

What was going on today? Could Wang Fugui have come back? In Ren Xiaosu’s mind, Wang Fugui was probably the only one who would show up at this hour. After all, their homes were extremely close.

If someone were to attempt a crime against Wang Fugui, he would probably be inside the clinic before they could even act.

As he went to open the door, Ren Xiaosu said, “I’m telling you, Old Wang, you really need to find a wife. Why do you keep knocking on our door every day?”

But when the door opened, Ren Xiaosu froze. It wasn’t Wang Fugui.

Ren Xiaosu recognized this person. It was Zhang Baogen, an idle young man from the Settlement who spent his days doing nothing, relying on his parents who worked at the factory to support him.

Ren Xiaosu asked, “What is it?”

He sized the other man up. There were no visible injuries on him.

So why was he here so late? If he was thinking of robbing the clinic, then he was truly out of his mind…

Ren Xiaosu now possessed 5.5 in Strength and 4.1 in Agility, and he had spent years fighting fiercely and ruthlessly. Against a young man like Zhang Baogen, Ren Xiaosu could probably kill ten of them.

Zhang Baogen said urgently, “Doctor, please take a look at me. You have to keep this a secret for me.”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and stepped aside. At this point, he was purely curious. “Go on, what’s wrong with you? Don’t be shy. I’m a man who’s seen it all. There’s no illness I haven’t come across.”

“One moment,” Zhang Baogen said, still speaking quite politely to Ren Xiaosu.

There were quite a few young people like Zhang Baogen in the Settlement who lived off their parents. They ganged up all day, getting into petty theft and causing trouble, and no one in the Settlement wanted to provoke them.

But Zhang Baogen wasn’t stupid. He knew he couldn’t afford to provoke Ren Xiaosu.

In fact, no one had ever willingly provoked Ren Xiaosu. It might seem like Ren Xiaosu was similar to their group of youths, but the problem was that everyone in the Settlement knew very well that if you crossed Zhang Baogen and his friends, you’d just face some retaliation. It wasn’t a big deal—just petty stuff.

But if you crossed Ren Xiaosu, you could end up dead…

Zhang Baogen closed the clinic door and turned around. “Doctor, something strange has been happening to me.”

Ren Xiaosu frowned. “I can’t treat impotence.”

“It’s not that,” Zhang Baogen said. “Let me show you. Please, don’t be alarmed.”

Ren Xiaosu waited expectantly.

Zhang Baogen opened his mouth and actually blew a saliva bubble!

Ren Xiaosu: “…”

That was it?!

But the next moment, the bubble that flew from Zhang Baogen’s mouth burst, and Ren Xiaosu felt a force erupt from it, actually pushing him backward.

The force wasn’t strong, but it was definitely not something a normal saliva bubble could do!

“Doctor? Doctor, what are you doing?” Zhang Baogen looked at Ren Xiaosu in confusion.

“Just checking if you got any spit on me,” Ren Xiaosu said, straightening his clothes. “When did you get this ability? This isn’t an illness, and I can’t treat it.”

“But my parents say I’m sick. They even said I’m crazy,” Zhang Baogen explained. “They won’t be at ease unless I come to see you. My parents really like you…”

Ren Xiaosu felt that last part sounded a bit strange, but he thought for a moment and said, “From what I can see, this isn’t an illness. You’ve probably heard the rumors that some people now have strange abilities.”

Ren Xiaosu wasn’t just making this up. It had been rumored for a long time that there were supernatural ability users in this world who could summon a train out of thin air.

The people in the Settlement spoke of it with such detail and relish, as if it were a proven fact.

But when something similar happened to one of their own, why did they call it an illness?

When Zhang Baogen heard that even Ren Xiaosu said he wasn’t sick, he immediately thanked him happily, “Thank you, doctor! I’ll go tell my parents right away.”

“Gratitude from Zhang Baogen, +1!”

With that, Zhang Baogen turned and left. Ren Xiaosu thought to himself that the kid was actually quite polite when interacting with people.

However, Ren Xiaosu had no fondness for idle young men like Zhang Baogen. After all, in this era, you couldn’t survive if you didn’t fight for your life. The only reason these loafers could live so freely was that their parents were still around.

It was a sad truth about parents; some were willing to sacrifice their entire lives for their children’s.

The next morning, Wang Fugui slipped into the clinic. He pulled Ren Xiaosu aside and whispered, “I heard something. That Chen Haidong just found out what happened. Apparently, in another stronghold, someone with supernatural abilities suddenly attacked a stronghold administrator. Now all the strongholds are screening for the presence of supernatural ability users. So people like that really exist!”

“Really?” Ren Xiaosu asked, his face a mask of shock. “You don’t think there are any supernatural ability users around us, do you?”

“Who knows,” Wang Fugui chuckled. “It doesn’t have much to do with us.”

“True,” Ren Xiaosu laughed along, but his mind was on what happened last night. He wondered if Zhang Baogen had told anyone else.

Having a gossip like Wang Fugui around had its benefits. The man was close to people inside the stronghold, so he always got news faster than anyone else in the Settlement.

It was no wonder Wang Fugui lived better than most people in the Settlement. One could only say that this was probably what he excelled at.

Suddenly, Wang Fugui let out a silly laugh. “Xiaosu, do you think it would be easier for me to find a wife if I had some kind of supernatural ability?”

“Give me a break,” Ren Xiaosu said irritably. “Look at your idiot son, he’s about to cry his eyes out. You’re still thinking about this?”

“Don’t talk nonsense, my son isn’t an idiot,” Wang Fugui said, displeased. “He can’t tell me what to do. Besides, I was just saying. When I get a supernatural ability…”

Ren Xiaosu cut him off. “If you were going to get one, wouldn’t you have gotten one by now? What are you waiting for?”

Wang Fugui was speechless for a long time. “…”

Chapter 34: The Misfortune of Others

“Not to be rude, Old Wang, but why are you so obsessed with finding a wife?” Ren Xiaosu was bewildered. “It’s not like our settlement is short on women. There are plenty who would throw themselves at you as long as you give them a meal every day.”

Ren Xiaosu had seen this happen quite a lot. It wasn’t just women; it was the same for men. Several women had tried to actively pursue Ren Xiaosu just to get some food, and there had even been men. When Yan Liuyuan found out about it back then, he nearly threw up. That was why he had been so wary of Sister Xiaoyu at first.

Sometimes, the stories of real life were far more bizarre than those in the storybooks Teacher Zhang had at the School.

Wang Fugui flicked his greasy, shoulder-length hair and said haughtily, “You think I’d settle for that indecent kind of person? Someone of my status has to find a respectable woman, don’t you think?”

“Right, right, you’re the gentry of our settlement…” Ren Xiaosu said insincerely.

Just then, two girls walked past the clinic together. Wang Fugui’s eyes lit up. “Look, what do you think of those two?”

Ren Xiaosu sized up the two girls. “One has a pretty face but a so-so figure, the other doesn’t have a pretty face but has a great body. So, my question is, what do either of them have to do with you?”

Wang Fugui: “???”

The comment truly left Wang Fugui speechless. Fuming, he turned to head back to his general store to attend to customers, but just then, something unexpected happened!

The gate of the Stronghold slowly began to rise. The grating sound of steel, wood, and ropes grinding together was enough to set one’s teeth on edge. The heavy gate lifted, bit by bit, its weight so immense it was almost suffocating.

Chen Haidong emerged from the Stronghold with a squad of his private army. This time, the officer leading them was not Wang Congyang, whom Ren Xiaosu had dealt with before, but a complete stranger, a new face who had never appeared in the settlement.

Where had Wang Congyang gone? Could he have been punished by that Boss Luo?

“What are they doing?” Ren Xiaosu asked curiously.

“No idea,” Wang Fugui said, looking茫然. He left Ren Xiaosu and walked towards Chen Haidong. Due to the distance, Ren Xiaosu couldn’t hear what they were discussing.

He watched as the squad from Stronghold 113’s private army ran into the settlement. A moment later, they returned, dragging a person with them. The man was shouting frantically, “Why are you arresting me? Let me go!”

Ren Xiaosu watched in silence. The person being dragged away was none other than Zhang Baogen, who had come looking for him last night.

Seeing the private army arresting someone like that, Wang Fugui quickly tried to intervene. “Sirs, what’s going on? This kid might be a little mischievous, but surely he hasn’t committed any serious crime.”

“Get lost,” the private army officer said coldly.

Faced with the cold, black muzzles of their guns, Wang Fugui had no choice but to back down. Otherwise, they really would have opened fire!

Wang Fugui then pulled the settlement administrator, Chen Haidong, aside and talked to him for a long time, but Zhang Baogen was still taken into the Stronghold.

That teeth-grating sound echoed once more as the mountain-heavy gate closed, separating the two worlds again.

Ren Xiaosu walked over to Wang Fugui’s side and asked, “What’s the situation?”

He had to get a clear answer. He knew Zhang Baogen must have been arrested because of his so-called “supernatural abilities,” and both he and Yan Liuyuan possessed such powers.

Wang Fugui sighed. “It’s over for him. That kid is finished.”

“What do you mean?”

“Chen Haidong said that the kid showed off his supernatural ability to his cronies last night. In turn, one of those ‘friends’ sold him out. Right now, all the Strongholds are rejecting supernatural ability users. If it weren’t for the incident where a supernatural attacked a Stronghold administrator, things might be different. But now? The administrators are probably most wary of these people. If you were wary of someone, what would you do?”

“Kill them,” Ren Xiaosu said, his voice calm and resolute.

“See, that’s where you and the administrators in the Stronghold differ,” Wang Fugui said with a troubled expression. “Their first thought upon discovering a potential danger isn’t to kill, but to understand them! Chen Haidong said they’ve cleared out a courtyard and a large building inside the Stronghold to temporarily set up a mental hospital. They’ve even brought in a lot of medical equipment.”

“They’re going to treat these supernatural ability users?” Ren Xiaosu was taken aback.

“Treat my ass,” Wang Fugui said. “Chen Haidong said that equipment isn’t for treatment. It’s the stuff they used to use for scientific research in the stronghold. They’ve already captured three supernatural ability users in a single day. The odds of survival for those three are slim.”

A chill ran down Ren Xiaosu’s spine. He couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to be trapped in a mental hospital and studied like a lab rat.

“Old Wang, do you still want supernatural abilities now?” Ren Xiaosu asked.

Wang Fugui thought for a moment. “I still wouldn’t mind having them. I just wouldn’t be stupid enough to let anyone know. You too, Xiaosu. If you or Liuyuan ever gain any supernatural abilities, you must never let anyone find out.”

A strange expression crossed Ren Xiaosu’s face. “Yeah, okay.”

That night, a major incident occurred in the settlement. In the middle of the night, Zhang Baogen’s father snuck into the home of his son’s crony—a shabby shack just a few square meters in size. There, Zhang Baogen’s father went on a rampage, killing the entire family of four before dying from blood loss himself.

Meanwhile, Zhang Baogen’s mother hanged herself from a dead tree at the settlement’s entrance.

Zhang Baogen was their only son, the apple of his parents’ eyes. They doted on him so much that he never had to work; they provided for his every need. Now that he was gone, his entire family could not go on living.

In the settlement, some felt sympathy, while others whispered snide remarks behind their backs: Serves him right for showing off. What’s so great about having a supernatural ability? And that father of his, if you were so tough, you should have charged into the Stronghold.

At that moment, Ren Xiaosu recalled the image of Zhang Baogen blowing bubbles. “This goddamn world.”

The high and mighty dignitaries in the stronghold seemed to hold the power of life and death over everyone. But Ren Xiaosu believed that this kind of life would one day change.

He just didn’t know when that day would come.

A crowd of people stood at a distance, gawking at the dead tree from which Zhang Baogen’s mother had hanged herself. Ren Xiaosu saw that Teacher Zhang from the School had also arrived.

Zhang Jinglin turned to some of the people around him. “When you were in the School, did I teach you to stand around and gawk like this? The misfortune of others—is it not your own misfortune as well?”

After he spoke, several able-bodied young men standing near him lowered their heads. Zhang Jinglin sighed and said, “Go and bury the husband and wife together.”

“Teacher, we have to go work at the factory,” the young men hesitated.

Wang Fugui, who was nearby, said, “I won’t let you work for free. I’ll pay 800 yuan.”

“Alright,” the young men agreed. “We’ll go right now.”

Chapter 35: Raking in the Gratitude Tokens!

The incident with Zhang Baogen cast a gray pall over the mood of everyone in the Settlement. They had long grown accustomed to living under the stronghold’s rule, but when they realized the power over their own lives was not in their hands, their hearts suddenly grew heavy.

Ren Xiaosu spent the entire day thinking about it. According to Wang Fugui, Zhang Baogen’s odds of survival were slim now that he had been taken away.

After the stronghold was done with its “research” on him, even if he survived, he would be put through hell. More importantly, Zhang Baogen had lost his freedom forever.

As for Ren Xiaosu himself, the secret he carried was far greater than Zhang Baogen’s.

The Palace in his mind had already unlocked many functions, yet there were still many more for him to explore. Even Ren Xiaosu himself didn’t know where the limits of this Palace lay or how powerful it would eventually make him.

If his secret were to be exposed, it wouldn’t be surprising if the stronghold captured him for brain dissection.

Ren Xiaosu went to the School early. He found Yan Liuyuan and earnestly instructed him to never, under any circumstances, reveal his secret. This was a matter of life and death.

The two brothers did not have the strength to fight the stronghold.

The factory chimneys both inside and outside the stronghold spewed thick white smoke into the sky, and the stronghold’s bells still chimed on time, as if nothing had ever happened.

Teacher Zhang also seemed a little down today. At times, he would get distracted during his lecture. Whenever a student brought him back to his senses, he would sincerely bow and apologize to them.

Finally, Teacher Zhang said, “I’m sorry, students. For personal reasons, I haven’t been able to teach well today. You can have a study hall. We’ll stop class for now.”

Today, Ren Xiaosu didn’t head straight back to the clinic. He too wanted to quiet his mind in a “pure” place like the School and think about the future—for himself, Yan Liuyuan, and Sister Xiaoyu.

When Ren Xiaosu took over the class in the afternoon, he didn’t teach anything new. To be honest, his mind was not on it at all.

When it was time for school to end, Ren Xiaosu, for a rare change, did not let the class run late. He was more concerned with taking Yan Liuyuan home early.

Ren Xiaosu said, “Class dismissed. I won’t be teaching you any other knowledge today.”

“All rise!” the class monitor said.

“Thank you, Teacher!”

“Gratitude from Li Youqian, +1!”

“Gratitude from Wang Dalong, +1!”

“Gratitude from…”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned. There were only twenty-four people in this damn class, but with that one “class dismissed,” he had somehow reaped twenty-three Gratitude Tokens!

The only one who hadn’t given him a Gratitude Token was Yan Liuyuan. Liuyuan could also see that Ren Xiaosu was a bit distracted today, so he was more worried about what was wrong with his brother than thinking about going out to play after school.

Ren Xiaosu stared blankly as the group of little bastards vanished in a flash. So, it turned out they didn’t like his lectures after all?!

You little bastards, just you wait. What part of my lectures was so bad?!

It was a strange day. Ren Xiaosu had worked his butt off for nearly half a month to save up twelve Gratitude Tokens, but today, he had gained twenty-three in a single day.

His total number of Gratitude Tokens had reached thirty-five. It seemed he was another step closer to unlocking a weapon…

After carefully weighing the pros and cons, Ren Xiaosu decided that it was fine if they didn’t like his teaching. As long as they gave him Gratitude Tokens…

The next day, Ren Xiaosu, who was supposed to be seeing patients at the clinic, didn’t even bother opening up. He ran straight for the School. He had thought it through clearly. Why did he open the clinic? Was it just to make money? Of course not!

Now that he had found a way to quickly earn Gratitude Tokens, how could he possibly miss it?

The School’s teacher, Zhang Jinglin, hadn’t even finished his class when he saw Ren Xiaosu already waiting outside the classroom. The students followed Zhang Jinglin’s gaze, and for some reason, the moment they saw Ren Xiaosu, a chill ran down their spines.

Today, Ren Xiaosu wasn’t teaching wilderness survival. He was teaching which parts of the body to strike for a fatal blow, or how to instantly incapacitate an opponent.

Ren Xiaosu himself had never received any formal training in this area—there was nowhere in the Settlement to get such training. This was all experience he had accumulated over many years of having to fight fiercely and ruthlessly.

When Zhang Jinglin heard that Ren Xiaosu wanted to teach about fighting people, he frowned. He didn’t like teaching students how to fight each other. In his past lessons, he had focused more on how to face the natural environment.

There was a sort of psychological suggestion at play: when you teach students how to fight against humans, they will naturally begin to see humans as their hypothetical enemy. Likewise, if you teach them how to face a wolf pack, they will see wolves as their hypothetical enemy.

From the bottom of his heart, Zhang Jinglin never wanted his students to become violent. But for some reason, after thinking about what happened to Zhang Baogen, he let out a sigh and ultimately allowed Ren Xiaosu to teach whatever he wanted.

Ren Xiaosu stood at the front and said to the students below, “What are the most vulnerable parts of the human body? To explain this, we have to proceed in order. Let’s start with the most well-known… the neck.”

“However, this is actually not an easy spot to hit when you’re fighting someone, because the human body subconsciously protects this area the most. The entire area around the windpipe is made up of nearly twenty pieces of fragile cartilage. If you shatter any one of them, you can instantly render your opponent unable to fight. The shattered fragments will quickly block the airway, and your opponent might then suffocate to death.”

At this moment, the classroom was completely silent. Ren Xiaosu looked at everyone. “Any questions?”

Wang Dalong asked weakly, “How do you know the neck has nearly twenty pieces of fragile cartilage…?”

The School had no books on the subject, and no one in the Settlement studied such things. If Ren Xiaosu hadn’t actually counted them, how could he possibly know something like that?

But how could Ren Xiaosu have counted them? And on whom? At this thought, everyone started to panic a little…

Ren Xiaosu did not answer the question. He glanced at the sky. Just then, the four o’clock bell rang from within the stronghold. Ren Xiaosu said to everyone with a pleasant smile, “Class dismissed.”

“All rise!”

“Thank you, Teacher!”

“Gratitude from Wang Dalong, +1!”

“Gratitude from…”

Ren Xiaosu suddenly frowned. The number was wrong. Shouldn’t he have gotten another twenty-something Gratitude Tokens? Why were there only nine?

Had these little bastards gotten used to him not letting class run late so quickly? Not even a single Sincere Thanks?

It seems you all have yet to be beaten down by the real world!

Just as the students were about to rush out, Ren Xiaosu’s sinister voice sounded from behind them: “All of you, get back here. Today, I’m going to tell you exactly how I know how many pieces of cartilage there are…”

Wang Dalong: “…”

Li Youqian: “…”

The entire class: “…”

Chapter 36: The White-Haired Burying the Black-Haired

Since Ren Xiaosu had told them to return, how could the students dare to refuse?

The students had all gone home to complain to their parents about Ren Xiaosu’s transgressions, but their parents’ reactions had been unanimous: “It’s a good thing for the teacher to teach you more. You should be grateful, not complain, understand? And whatever you do, don’t complain! Especially not to that substitute teacher of yours…”

The students were bewildered. Their parents had always been on their side before, so why were they all taking Ren Xiaosu’s side now?

Besides, there was something strange about their parents’ tone…

The students felt something was off about their tone and pressed for more. Li Youqian’s father, Li Facai, said to her gravely, “Don’t ask anymore, daughter. Just focus on your studies and don’t cause any trouble for your Teacher Ren Xiaosu, alright? Your father doesn’t want to be the white-haired burying the black-haired…”

The sturdy girl, Li Youqian, was terrified. How the hell did “the white-haired burying the black-haired” even get brought into this?!

So now, the students were exceptionally well-behaved in front of Ren Xiaosu. As soon as he finished speaking, they scrambled back to their seats as if they’d been spooked.

He taught on and on, until it grew dark.

Watching the sky get darker and darker while Ren Xiaosu only seemed to get more enthusiastic, Li Youqian finally couldn’t hold back any longer. She said weakly, “Teacher, it’s getting dark. It won’t be safe if we don’t go home soon.”

Previously, when the students had said this, Ren Xiaosu would dismiss the class. So, after Li Youqian spoke, all the students looked at Ren Xiaosu with anticipation.

But Ren Xiaosu just smiled pleasantly and said, “It’s alright, you’ll be safe.”

That day, Ren Xiaosu taught straight until eight o’clock in the evening before finally dismissing the class. The sky was completely dark by then. He didn’t receive a single Gratitude Token when class ended, but he didn’t mind.

It was a classic case of “praise after criticism.” Without a little oppression, where would the gratitude come from, right?

“Let’s go, I’ll walk you home,” Ren Xiaosu said, his expression growing even more kindly.

The students looked at each other. They suddenly realized that this substitute teacher, Ren Xiaosu, seemed to have mastered some incredible new skill…

Before, Ren Xiaosu had to let them go home before dark because it would be unsafe for them any later.

But now, Ren Xiaosu felt that wasting a little of his own time was nothing, as long as the students learned something useful! They had to understand how cruel this society was!

An ordinary person might have found it a little unsafe to lead a large group of children, but now, in the Settlement, Ren Xiaosu, whose physical fitness was nearly double that of a normal adult, could simply ignore the issue of safety.

As long as someone didn’t have a gun, Ren Xiaosu had no reason to be wary of them.

Ren Xiaosu escorted the students home one by one in order of distance, personally handing them over to their parents. Some of the neighbors saw that Ren Xiaosu not only went to great lengths to teach the students but also personally escorted them home for their safety. What a good teacher!

The parents had no idea what Ren Xiaosu’s motives were; they just assumed he was truly that kind-hearted. From that one trip of walking students home, Ren Xiaosu received Gratitude Tokens from six parents…

Ren Xiaosu thought to himself that he hadn’t been making full use of his own initiative. He had worked so hard treating patients at the clinic only to get twelve Gratitude Tokens. But by changing his mindset and his methods, his Gratitude Token count had immediately jumped to fifty.

The only price he paid was Yan Liuyuan giving him the silent treatment all evening…

To be honest, class during the day only lasted about five hours in total. Before Ren Xiaosu became their substitute, the students would never have imagined that a single survival class could last a full five hours!

The next day, Ren Xiaosu couldn’t wait to get to the School. However, it was the School’s teacher, Zhang Jinglin, who couldn’t hold back first. He pulled Ren Xiaosu aside and said, “You can’t let class out so late anymore. Studying requires a balance between work and rest, and a gradual approach. Even if you want to cram all your knowledge into them, you have to take it slow!”

Ren Xiaosu humbly accepted Zhang Jinglin’s advice. “Don’t worry, Teacher. I absolutely will not let class run late today.”

Yan Liuyuan, standing nearby, listened to their conversation with a cold expression. Of course, he knew Ren Xiaosu wouldn’t let class run late today. He had maxed out the class time yesterday precisely so he could reap a wave of gratitude today!

Yan Liuyuan knew Ren Xiaosu’s playbook inside and out!

Just as Yan Liuyuan had expected, the moment the four o’clock bell from the stronghold rang in the afternoon, Ren Xiaosu smiled kindly. “Does everyone want to end class?”

The classroom was deathly silent. No one knew why Ren Xiaosu was asking this. If they said yes, wouldn’t that imply his teaching was poor? But if they said no, they were afraid Ren Xiaosu would actually grant their wish not to end class…

So, they kept their mouths shut.

Ren Xiaosu smiled. “We need to balance work and rest. I crammed a lot of knowledge into you all yesterday, so I won’t let class run late today. On one hand, it’s to let you digest what you’ve learned. On the other, it’s so you all can relax and have some fun today…”

Hearing this, the students were so moved they nearly burst into tears…

“Class dismissed!” Ren Xiaosu said.

“Stand up!”

“Thank you, Teacher!”

“Gratitude from Li Youqian, +1!”

“Gratitude from Wang Dalong…”

“Gratitude from…”

Just as had happened two days before, Ren Xiaosu once again received twenty-three Gratitude Tokens from everyone except Yan Liuyuan. His Gratitude Tokens were almost maxed out within three days!

Seventy-three tokens! The day he could unlock a weapon was just around the corner!

But just then, through the open classroom door, Ren Xiaosu saw Wang Fugui jogging into the School.

“Old Wang, what are you doing here?” Ren Xiaosu asked curiously. His first thought was that something might have happened to Sister Xiaoyu at the clinic alone, and he prepared to take Yan Liuyuan and hurry home.

But Wang Fugui said, “You should get ready. That band is about to come out of the stronghold. Someone just brought me a personal letter from Boss Luo. I don’t know how they did it, but Boss Luo actually agreed to let you be their guide!”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned. His first reaction was relief that nothing had happened to Sister Xiaoyu, but then his heart tightened. He realized this band must have a more hidden and important objective. Otherwise, how could they have possibly convinced Boss Luo to let him go?

Was it because they had offered Boss Luo a sufficient trade-off, or could it be that Boss Luo himself was behind the band’s plan to go to the Jing Mountains?

Either way, it seemed Ren Xiaosu would really have to make this trip.

Ren Xiaosu turned and walked toward the School’s backyard. Wang Fugui asked anxiously, “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to find Teacher Zhang to discuss something. I want Yan Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu to board at the School, at least until I get back,” Ren Xiaosu said with determination.

Only then could Ren Xiaosu leave without any worries.

However, if this group thought Ren Xiaosu would still be at their mercy once they were in the wilderness, they were sorely mistaken.

Chapter 37: The World Outside

“Teacher Zhang,” Ren Xiaosu said politely to Zhang Jinglin, “I hope that while I’m away, you can allow Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu to stay at the School.”

Zhang Jinglin looked at Ren Xiaosu with a questioning expression. “Are you sure you have to go?”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said, “I’m afraid there’s no way to refuse them anymore. You saw what happened to Zhang Baogen. The power over our lives and deaths is now in the hands of this group from the stronghold. If I go with them voluntarily, I can avoid danger in time if it comes, or even sacrifice others to protect myself. But if I stay here and refuse them, I’m afraid they’ll resort to despicable methods to deal with us.”

“Isn’t there a better option?” Zhang Jinglin asked.

“I’m afraid not,” Ren Xiaosu shook his head. “But don’t worry, Teacher Zhang. They might all die, but I’ll probably be fine.”

In fact, Ren Xiaosu initially just didn’t want to get involved in this mess. Now, with his physical abilities and past experience surviving in the wilderness, Ren Xiaosu wasn’t worried he wouldn’t make it back.

Besides, the rewards they offered didn’t satisfy him. It might have been a different story if he, Yan Liuyuan, and Sister Xiaoyu were offered three spots to enter the Stronghold. Otherwise, it was meaningless.

He did want to enter the Stronghold, but he couldn’t just abandon Yan Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu to go in alone.

What Ren Xiaosu didn’t tell Yan Liuyuan was that for some reason, after gaining his powers, there were nights he would toss and turn, yearning for the bigger world outside.

This Settlement was too small. So small that he could see its entirety from a high vantage point, so small that from the east side of the Settlement, he could hear a widow on the west side cursing out some hooligans.

He had also wanted to go out and see it for himself.

The only thing Ren Xiaosu couldn’t set his mind at ease about was what would happen to Sister Xiaoyu’s and Yan Liuyuan’s safety if he left.

If Zhang Jinglin didn’t agree to let Sister Xiaoyu and Yan Liuyuan stay with him, Ren Xiaosu would not have gone with the band, no matter what.

“It seems you have a plan. Have Sister Xiaoyu and Liuyuan come over tonight. I’ll get a room ready for them,” Zhang Jinglin nodded. In the wilderness, Zhang Jinglin felt that no one in the entire Settlement was more experienced than Ren Xiaosu. So, when the School’s teacher saw that Ren Xiaosu had his own confidence, he didn’t say anything more.

Seeing Zhang Jinglin agree, Ren Xiaosu breathed a sigh of relief. “Teacher, I’ve recently saved up 5000 yuan. Please take it. Consider it boarding fees for Sister Xiaoyu and Yan Liuyuan.”

“Take it back,” Zhang Jinglin said, shaking his head. “I’m a teacher at the School. I only accept school fees.”

“Teacher, don’t refuse. You can use it to buy some cigarettes,” Ren Xiaosu said.

Zhang Jinglin hesitated for a moment. “Ahem, well, I’ll take one thousand, then. Just as rent.”

Ren Xiaosu didn’t argue further and immediately counted out one thousand for Zhang Jinglin. He was usually stingy, but he never dithered on important matters. Ren Xiaosu would never hesitate to spend money that needed to be spent on Yan Liuyuan.

He planned to give the remaining four thousand-plus yuan directly to Sister Xiaoyu.

He couldn’t give the money to Yan Liuyuan. If Sister Xiaoyu had any designs on the money, she could at worst take it and leave, but she wouldn’t harbor any ill intentions toward Yan Liuyuan.

But if the money were on Yan Liuyuan, his safety would be at risk.

Even now, Ren Xiaosu still maintained a trace of caution toward Sister Xiaoyu. This line of thinking might be wrong and a little unfair to her, but it was undoubtedly the choice least likely to lead to regret and pain.

To be honest, Ren Xiaosu still felt they hadn’t known Sister Xiaoyu for long enough. It wasn’t that he suspected her of having ulterior motives now.

It was just that he had struggled so hard to survive in this Wasteland for so long. Every day of his life was one he had fought for with his own hands, and it felt as though every step he took could draw blood from the ground.

With a life like that, how could he possibly entrust his fate to someone he had only known for a few days?

Ren Xiaosu took Yan Liuyuan back to the clinic to pack. He hadn’t expected the “new home” he had just acquired would be left vacant again so soon. Wang Fugui was standing nearby and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll look after this yard for you. I definitely won’t let anyone else move in.”

“Alright, thanks in advance then,” Ren Xiaosu said.

“Actually, you don’t have to make them stay at the School. With me around, what are you afraid of?” Wang Fugui laughed.

“It’s you I’m guarding against too,” Ren Xiaosu ruthlessly rejected Wang Fugui’s suggestion. In this Settlement, the only truly safe place was the School.

Wang Fugui didn’t get angry. He knew what kind of person Ren Xiaosu was, so it was only to be expected that Ren Xiaosu would be wary of him as well.

Sister Xiaoyu and Yan Liuyuan didn’t say a word the entire time, just quietly packing their things. It wasn’t until everything was packed that Yan Liuyuan asked in a low voice, “Do you have to go?”

“I’ll be back. As long as you take the right path, it’s not dangerous. If there’s real danger, I’ll ditch them and run back,” Ren Xiaosu said. He didn’t answer Yan Liuyuan’s question, but instead stuffed all the money into Sister Xiaoyu’s hands. “Anyway, I have no place to spend money in the wilderness. You take this.”

“Mhm,” Sister Xiaoyu agreed. “You should bring more rations. It’s too hard to rely on luck to find food in the wilderness.”

“No need,” Ren Xiaosu shook his head. “If you don’t care about taste or what your stomach can handle, food is actually easy to find once you get past the first few dozen kilometers.”

But Sister Xiaoyu’s words reminded Ren Xiaosu of something. Since he could recall the medicine bottle to the Palace in his mind anytime, could he do the same with other things?

Since the medicine bottle was a real, physical object with mass, it meant that the Palace was also a strange kind of space.

If that were the case, Ren Xiaosu even felt like secretly taking the well from the Settlement with him. After all, the water sources outside were not very trustworthy.

He thought about the idiom for “leaving one’s hometown,” which literally translated to “carrying the well on one’s back.” Perhaps this was what it really meant?

Thinking of this, Ren Xiaosu secretly tried to store a steamed cornbread bun he had on hand into the Palace. But in the next moment, something magical happened: the bun didn’t move…

A voice echoed from the Palace: “Storage permission not granted.”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned for a moment. So it was really possible to store things in the Palace; he just wasn’t qualified yet!

He asked in his mind, “How can I obtain storage permission?”

“No permission to answer.” The Palace fell silent and did not answer Ren Xiaosu’s question.

Ren Xiaosu suddenly felt that this Palace didn’t seem to have a consciousness of its own. It was just issuing him specific quests based on some kind of logic. Its purpose… seemed to be merely to guide the direction of his actions.

…

After settling Sister Xiaoyu and Yan Liuyuan at the School, Ren Xiaosu turned and left without any hesitation. Sister Xiaoyu and Yan Liuyuan stood at the entrance of the School, watching Ren Xiaosu’s back disappear into the night. Yan Liuyuan suddenly asked, “Sister Xiaoyu, you know why he gave all the money to you, right?”

“Mhm,” Sister Xiaoyu replied calmly.

“Do you blame him for it?” Yan Liuyuan looked at Sister Xiaoyu.

“No,” Sister Xiaoyu smiled.

Ren Xiaosu walked a long way before he finally turned back to look in the direction of the School. At that moment, the river of stars in the sky above was vast, a sea of celestial bodies.

He turned and walked resolutely toward the clinic to await the arrival of his guests.

Often, it is only when people look back on their lives that they understand. Perhaps at some point in time, they made just a small decision, but that decision might have been the fork in the road where their destiny changed dramatically.

Whether to go left or right was decided in a single thought. Then, once the decision was made, they would rush headlong and without regret toward that unknown future.

It was just that at the time, they thought it was nothing more than an ordinary day in their lives.

Chapter 38: Making Conditions

Ren Xiaosu was resting with his eyes closed in the clinic’s backyard, waiting for the band to arrive. However, it wasn’t until dawn that he heard the grinding sound of the stronghold’s gate slowly being raised.

What a pity for the vegetables he had just planted in the yard—the scallions, the garlic scapes, the leafy greens…

What was coming would come eventually. Ren Xiaosu opened his eyes, walked to the consultation room at the front, and sat upright in his seat.

Knock, knock, knock. Three knocks on the door.

“Come in, the door’s unlocked,” Ren Xiaosu said without looking up, as if he were writing a medical chart…

The door opened, and the early morning sunlight instantly shone on Ren Xiaosu’s face. He looked up and was greeted by the sight of a meticulously dressed girl standing at the door, wearing clothes he had never seen in the settlement.

Ren Xiaosu had seen her before from his window. This girl was none other than the famous singer from the stronghold, Luo Xinyu.

So flashy, Ren Xiaosu thought to himself before shifting his gaze to the people behind Luo Xinyu. Standing there were the band’s staff and the stronghold’s private troops. This time, the private troops had actually sent twelve men, even more than last time.

But what Ren Xiaosu was most focused on was the girl in the duck-billed cap… the one who possessed a perfect-level firearm skill.

The girl was still wearing the cap with the brim pulled down low, dressed in a dark blue tracksuit. She seemed to sense Ren Xiaosu’s gaze lingering on her and slightly raised her face.

Ren Xiaosu could see her delicate chin but still couldn’t see her eyes, which were shrouded in the shadow of the cap.

And behind this group, a large crowd of students from the school had gathered…

In fact, the members of the band were also a bit puzzled. Why had these children suddenly gathered here? Li Facai’s sturdy daughter, Li Youqian, quietly asked the girl in the duck-billed cap from behind, “Are you guys going to take Ren Xiaosu away?”

No one answered Li Youqian. It seemed the girl in the duck-billed cap was not one for conversation.

But just then, Ren Xiaosu suddenly heard the Palace in his mind say, “Quest: Refuse to accompany them to the Jing Mountains.”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned. Why was the Palace getting involved in this? Logically, the Palace should be acting in his best interest, so why didn’t it want him to go to the Jing Mountains? What was really there?

Ren Xiaosu himself had been to the Jing Mountains before. It was certainly a bit more dangerous than the settlement, but not so dangerous that the Palace would need to warn him, right?

Could something have changed?

At this thought, Ren Xiaosu began to have second thoughts. He wanted to go out and see the world, but he wanted to see the vast world outside, not to find out just how dangerous that world could be…

Luo Xinyu sat down across from Ren Xiaosu. She smiled and said, “You must be Ren Xiaosu.”

Ren Xiaosu looked at Luo Xinyu and began to muse, “My father’s father is called grandpa, my father’s mother is called grandma…”

Luo Xinyu: “???”

Was he really that mentally ill?

Just then, an officer from the private troops walked in from outside. He looked at Ren Xiaosu and chuckled, “Stop pretending. We’ve met before.”

When Ren Xiaosu looked up and saw who it was, his mood soured. Wasn’t this the same Wang Congyang who had searched him twice?!

So much for playing dumb. Besides, Ren Xiaosu knew very well that he might have to go on this trip whether he wanted to or not.

His previously straight posture slumped back against his chair, his entire demeanor suddenly becoming languid. “I’m not going!”

“Quest complete. Reward: Basic Skill Learning Scroll. Can be used to learn another person’s skill.”

Ren Xiaosu’s eyes lit up. The quest was complete!

As he thought, the Palace’s criterion for quest completion wasn’t the final outcome, but simply Ren Xiaosu’s attitude!

At that moment, a bold idea suddenly surfaced in Ren Xiaosu’s mind…

Wang Congyang was saying, “How can you not go…”

“I’ll go,” Ren Xiaosu said earnestly.

Wang Congyang: “???”

However, to Ren Xiaosu’s great disappointment, the Palace did not issue a new quest. On second thought, that made sense. Quests like the one with the sparrow were also a one-time opportunity. How could the Palace let Ren Xiaosu farm quests like this?

At this point, Luo Xinyu smiled. “It’s for the best that you’re willing to go. I’m sure someone has already delivered Boss Luo’s personal letter. If you don’t go, there will be no place for you in this settlement.”

“I can go,” Ren Xiaosu said, “but I have a few conditions.”

Luo Xinyu watched Ren Xiaosu with a smile. She felt that communicating with him was much smoother now. “Go on.”

“I want a reward of thirty thousand yuan.”

“No. Ten thousand.”

“Fine, then add ten bags of salt, ten cartons of cigarettes, one hundred kilograms of rice, and…” Ren Xiaosu began counting on his fingers.

Luo Xinyu said calmly, “Stop, don’t say another word. I’ll give you thirty thousand yuan.”

“Alright. I have another condition,” said Ren Xiaosu.

“Can’t you say them all at once?” Luo Xinyu was getting impatient.

“You’re the one who interrupted me,” Ren Xiaosu retorted. “I can go, but Wang Congyang can’t.”

This Wang Congyang was clearly a relative of the dead factory manager, Wang Dongyang. He had already abused his authority to search him twice. If they set out together, who knew what kind of trouble he would stir up on the road.

Therefore, Ren Xiaosu couldn’t just stand by and let a time bomb be planted next to him.

Huh, wait a minute. Could it be that Wang Congyang angered Boss Luo by searching me twice without permission, and that’s why he’s been sent out on this assignment?

That was a very real possibility. Who in the private troops would normally want to go out into the wilderness? Were they tired of the good life in the stronghold?

So, if Wang Congyang was indeed being ‘exiled’ here, his resentment towards him must have grown. That was even more reason not to let him come along.

Some people said the thing to worry about most in this wasteland was the increasingly powerful wild beasts, but Ren Xiaosu disagreed. He had encountered and killed some beasts, but the most dangerous thing in this wasteland had never been the beasts. It was people.

Luo Xinyu turned to glance at Wang Congyang. She hadn’t expected there to be bad blood between the two.

Then, Luo Xinyu turned her head to look at the girl in the duck-billed cap. The girl gave a subtle nod, and Luo Xinyu said, “Fine. Wang Congyang, you can go back.”

Wang Congyang looked at Ren Xiaosu, who smiled. “You didn’t really want to go either, did you?”

The corner of Wang Congyang’s mouth lifted. “Interesting.”

With that, Wang Congyang turned and left.

Just then, Ren Xiaosu said, “Actually, I have one more condition…”

But Luo Xinyu had already risen to her feet, her smiling face replaced by a cold mask. “Young man, my patience has run out.”

Ren Xiaosu thought to himself how moody these people from the stronghold were. She had been all smiles just a moment ago. How could she change her attitude faster than flipping a book?

Chapter 39: Yang Xiaojin

The group couldn’t set off just yet. They had to wait for a new private troops officer to be sent from the stronghold.

The fact that an officer, no matter how junior, could be replaced at a moment’s notice was enough to show Luo Xinyu’s influence within the stronghold. However, Ren Xiaosu had also caught the subtle glance Luo Xinyu had given the girl in the duck-bill cap.

Who exactly was this girl?

Ren Xiaosu suddenly spoke up, “Since we’re all going to be teammates, I should probably learn everyone’s names.”

A member of the band’s crew sneered, “We’re not teammates with a refugee. You’re just a guide, so don’t get too familiar.”

Ren Xiaosu sized up the crew member, seriously contemplating whether there would be a suitable place on the road to get rid of him…

There was a stark contrast between the refugees of the Settlement and the residents of the stronghold. Compared to the fair-skinned and refined people from within the walls, the refugees were visibly dirty and brutish. But there was an even more fundamental difference between them.

It was their attitude towards life.

How had Ren Xiaosu survived all this time? And how had these people been living in comfort and privilege within the stronghold? A person’s environment shapes everything about them: their way of thinking, their personality, and so on.

Just then, an officer walked out of the stronghold and headed straight for the clinic. When he reached the group, he announced, “Second Lieutenant of the External Affairs Division, Xu Xianchu.”

Only then did everyone begin to introduce themselves. Ren Xiaosu didn’t bother remembering anyone else’s name; he kept his eyes fixed on the crew member who had mocked him.

The man introduced himself, “I’m Miss Luo Xinyu’s manager. My name is Liu Bu.”

Ren Xiaosu mentally added the name “Liu Bu” to his little black book.

Suddenly, the girl in the duck-bill cap said, “Yang Xiaojin. ‘Jin,’ as in the hibiscus flower.”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. So the girl’s name was Yang Xiaojin. For some reason, he thought the name was very beautiful.

It had to be said, another difference between the Settlement’s refugees and the people from the stronghold was their names.

Look at the names from the stronghold: Xu Xianchu, Liu Bu, Luo Xinyu, Wang Congyang, Yang Xiaojin…

Now look at the names from the Settlement: Wang Fugui, Wang Dalong, Li Facai, Li Youqian…

The names in the Settlement sounded so carelessly chosen.

Ren Xiaosu now had a clear idea of the division of labor within the group. As Luo Xinyu’s manager, Liu Bu was in charge of the band’s practical affairs, such as managing their living supplies.

They had five SUVs and one pickup truck for the trip, and the trunks were all filled with their daily necessities.

Xu Xianchu was responsible for managing the convoy and overall security.

Ren Xiaosu had assumed Yang Xiaojin would also have some responsibilities, but as he listened to all the introductions, he realized she seemed like an outsider to the group, not in charge of anything.

According to Luo Xinyu’s introduction to Xu Xianchu, Yang Xiaojin was her friend who was just tagging along for fun on the way to stronghold 112.

Ren Xiaosu felt like saying, Yeah, right!

After the introductions, everyone found their assigned vehicles and got in. There were nineteen people in total, making it twenty with Ren Xiaosu. The five SUVs, each seating four, should have been a perfect fit.

But just as Ren Xiaosu was about to get into a car, Liu Bu said, “You’re so dirty, don’t sit in the car. Go ride in the bed of the pickup truck.”

Ren Xiaosu didn’t argue. After all, what was the point of arguing with a dead man?

As Ren Xiaosu sat in the truck bed, the roar of the engines sounded in his ears, and the Settlement began to recede from view.

In this moment of departure, Ren Xiaosu felt a pang of reluctance. No matter how dirty or broken this place was, it had been his home for all these years.

Just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly heard a chorus of cheers from the side. “Ren Xiaosu’s finally leaving!”

“We’re free at last!”

“Hahaha, the hard days are over!”

Speechless, Ren Xiaosu turned his head to see Li Youqian and Wang Dalong leading a group of school students, all high-fiving each other in celebration…

The other townspeople didn’t feel much. Even though Ren Xiaosu was now the only doctor in the Settlement, his leaving was just that—him leaving.

But for the students, it was different. They knew their lives were about to get much better!

In that moment, they had forgotten the terror of being ruled by Ren Xiaosu…

A middle-aged man suddenly rushed out from the crowd of onlookers. It was Li Youqian’s father, Li Facai.

Li Facai grabbed the sturdy girl, Li Youqian, and started dragging her home. “Have you got a death wish?”

Li Youqian was confused. “Dad, what are you afraid of? Ren Xiaosu is gone!”

Li Facai said, deeply distressed, “But he’ll be back!”

“What if he doesn’t come back?” Li Youqian argued. “Doesn’t everyone say the wilderness is dangerous?”

“You don’t know a thing,” Li Facai said, his grip on his sturdy daughter’s hand tightening. “Even if none of them make it back, he will! And another thing, stop wishing for others to die, you hear me!”

When Li Youqian suggested Ren Xiaosu might not return, the subtext was that he would die out there.

The people of the Settlement were mostly numb to life and death; they saw death as a normal occurrence.

But if such a seed was planted in a child’s heart, one could only imagine what kind of fruit it would bear when it blossomed in the future.

In the SUV, Luo Xinyu and the others also heard the cheering. They rolled down their windows and looked back. Although they didn’t know what grudge these people held against Ren Xiaosu, they understood it was a celebration of his departure…

Sitting in the front passenger seat, Liu Bu muttered, “What kind of person has to be so unpopular that people celebrate him leaving…”

Luo Xinyu, in the back seat, smiled. “When we get back, we should ask around about him. I want to know what he did in this Settlement.”

“Xinyu, why would you ask about him?” Liu Bu said dismissively. “He’s just some little thug from the Settlement. If we didn’t need a guide, would someone like him ever get to interact with people like us? This is the good fortune he’s accumulated from his past life, and yet he doesn’t even cherish it.”

In the car, only Yang Xiaojin remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.

…

At the school entrance, Sister Xiaoyu leaned on the fence, gazing at the end of the Settlement’s road. She could only watch as Ren Xiaosu and the vehicles slowly shrank into tiny black dots.

She turned and went back to the school’s courtyard, wet a towel with some water, and then walked into a room to wipe the forehead of Yan Liuyuan, who had suddenly come down with a fever and fallen unconscious.

Teacher Zhang had gone to Old Wang’s General Store to help buy some fever medicine, while Sister Xiaoyu stayed by Yan Liuyuan’s side to take care of him.

Just then, Yan Liuyuan’s brow furrowed as if he were having a nightmare. Sister Xiaoyu gently smoothed his forehead and whispered, “Don’t worry, Liuyuan. He’ll definitely be back.”

Chapter 40: I Want to Be With My Biscuits!

The road to the Jing Mountains was a difficult one, mostly consisting of dirt tracks.

From time to time, as Ren Xiaosu sat in the truck bed, he would spot stretches of concrete road. But those roads had long since shattered for unknown reasons, and were now in a state of disrepair.

Ren Xiaosu had heard Teacher Zhang from the school mention before that these concrete roads were leftovers from the era before the Cataclysm. Now, countless years later, their foundations had failed, and most of their surfaces were buried under soil.

The so-called “main roads” connecting the strongholds were in a similar state. The only difference was that they saw slightly more traffic, which made the dirt tracks a little smoother.

In reality, there wasn’t much traffic between the strongholds anyway. Seeing an outside vehicle arrive at Stronghold 113 ten times a year was considered a lot for them in the settlement.

The wilderness was not desolate. On the contrary, once they were a few dozen kilometers from the settlement, lush greenery stretched out as far as the eye could see. The vegetation had grown especially vigorous in recent years.

Ren Xiaosu didn’t think this was a bad thing. Food was usually scarce in the settlement, so if they couldn’t eat meat, they could at least eat more vegetables. He had noticed that even the cabbages Zhang Jinglin grew were taller than before.

Ren Xiaosu had even specifically asked Zhang Jinglin if he had used any fertilizer, but Zhang Jinglin said he hadn’t.

This was a good sign. Maybe in the future, a single potato would be enough to feed a family of three…

When Liu Bu made Ren Xiaosu sit in the back of the pickup truck, he probably never imagined what Ren Xiaosu would do.

The truck bed was filled with the food and water they had brought from the stronghold. There was no need to lock it up; it was simply covered with a tarp.

Sitting in the truck bed, Ren Xiaosu curiously lifted a corner of the tarp and saw the word “Biscuits.” He lifted another part of the tarp and saw bottled water…

Due to the bumpy road, the vehicles were moving slowly. The band’s biggest fear wasn’t encountering wild animals—after all, they were accompanied by twelve fully-armed private troops. They didn’t really have to worry about beasts.

It was true there had been trouble with a wolf pack before, but the pack had long since fled. The mountain where they had taken refuge was several hundred kilometers away, so there was no fear of them suddenly returning.

Based on the Stronghold’s experience, it would be at least a year before the wolves recuperated and returned to this area to hunt.

Therefore, the convoy’s biggest worry at the moment was what to do if a vehicle broke down.

Half of the private troops had learned vehicle repair, but they couldn’t possibly carry a full set of spare parts with them.

Going slow was still better than walking.

At one point, Ren Xiaosu insisted on getting out to relieve himself, forcing the entire convoy to stop and wait. This made the others even more annoyed with him, but Ren Xiaosu didn’t care. He acted as if nothing was wrong, completely ignoring their resentful glares.

The convoy continued on until noon. When they stopped, Liu Bu was the first to jump out of his vehicle. He smiled cheerfully. “After being cooped up in the stronghold for so long, it feels great to get out and see this wide-open scenery.”

One of the private troops laughed. “Isn’t that the truth? It gets stifling being in the stronghold all the time.”

In truth, everyone was like this at the beginning of a long journey. They were in the mood to enjoy the scenery and chat, but that wouldn’t last for more than a few days.

When Ren Xiaosu used to go out hunting, he always felt quite comfortable on the first day too…

Liu Bu called for everyone to get out. “Let’s all get out and have a bite. After we eat, we’ll hit the road again. Let’s try to get past Yunling Ridge before dark. We’ve been there last time; there’s a clearing that’s good for making camp.”

The people in the SUVs got out, talking and laughing. A few of the private troops gathered to smoke, expressions of contentment on their faces.

Liu Bu motioned for the staff to head toward the pickup with him. He couldn’t order the soldiers around. Hiring twelve private troops for this trip wasn’t because he and Luo Xinyu had influence, but because their band was just a cover for the private troops’ mission!

In a situation like this, others might think he and Luo Xinyu were important, but they themselves had to know their place.

As Liu Bu walked toward the pickup, he said to a band member beside him, “Later, pass out some of the cigarettes we brought to those military gentlemen.”

“Alright. How many should I give them?” the staff member asked.

“Get out a carton for now. Didn’t we bring ten? We’ll give it to them slowly, no rush,” Liu Bu said with a smile. “There are some new faces this time. It’ll be easier to get along once everyone gets to know each other in a few days.”

Just then, Liu Bu reached the back of the pickup. He turned his head and froze in shock. “Holy shit! Ren Xiaosu, what are you doing?!”

Ren Xiaosu looked at Liu Bu. “Don’t be so dramatic. I’m not doing anything! Burp!”

He’d eaten a little too much and couldn’t help it. Ren Xiaosu stood up to stretch and casually brushed the biscuit crumbs off his clothes…

Liu Bu peered into the truck bed, and his heart ached at the sight. “Are you a pig?! How can you eat so much? You ate five packs of biscuits by yourself in one morning!”

To be honest, it had been a long time since Ren Xiaosu had eaten his fill. In their poorest days, he always made sure Yan Liuyuan had enough to eat first. They had only become better off in the last few days, so he hadn’t had a chance to indulge…

Besides, the biscuits these people brought were delicious. There were sweet ones and savory ones.

In the settlement, salt and sugar were luxuries. Usually, Ren Xiaosu and the others ate things like plain boiled potatoes. When would they ever get to eat such flavorful food? And there was so much water to drink on the truck…

“Look what you’ve done to your stomach!” Liu Bu roared. “You look like you’re four months pregnant! Don’t you feel uncomfortable from stuffing yourself so much?”

Ren Xiaosu retorted irritably, “Weren’t you the one who made me sit in this truck bed? But now that you mention it, it does feel a little uncomfortable.”

With that, Ren Xiaosu jumped out of the truck and ran off into the distance. “You guys go ahead and eat. I’m gonna go take a dump.”

As Ren Xiaosu ran off, Liu Bu and the others were left standing there, dumbfounded in the wilderness wind.

A member of the band’s staff hesitated for a moment before saying, “Should we just let him ride in the car with us?”

Liu Bu glared. “Why should he ride in the car? What right does a refugee have to sit with us, huh?”

The staff member’s confidence immediately wilted, but he still muttered, “If we let him stay in the back of the pickup for another two days, I’m afraid our food won’t last until we reach Stronghold 112…”

Hearing this, Liu Bu roughly calculated Ren Xiaosu’s appetite and sighed. “You’re right, it wouldn’t last…”

In the end, they all came to a consensus: they would have Ren Xiaosu ride in the car.

However, when Ren Xiaosu returned and heard he was to ride in the car, he was not happy. “I’m not riding in the car! Why should I sit with you all? I’m a refugee!”

“Let go of me! Let me be with my biscuits!”

“Are you even human?!”

In the end, it took everyone’s combined effort to stuff him into the car before the matter was settled…

Chapter 41: Fend for Yourself

There was a reason the band’s staff disliked Ren Xiaosu. As “important figures” from the Stronghold, they couldn’t believe someone would be so reluctant to be their guide in the Settlement, as if it were some shameful affair.

In their eyes, shouldn’t you, Ren Xiaosu, have come crawling to them like the first guide did?!

So many people hoped to have some special connection within the Stronghold, because Wang Fugui was right—whatever scraps the important figures in the Stronghold let fall through their fingers were enough for a refugee to live very well in the Settlement.

But Ren Xiaosu’s reaction? He was simply avoiding them.

So, everyone’s already poor impression of Ren Xiaosu worsened after the biscuit incident. This was especially true for Liu Bu, who was now even trying to persuade Luo Xinyu to return to the Settlement and find a new guide.

“Xinyu, we’ve only been on the road for half a day,” Liu Bu said. “It’s not too late to go back to the Settlement now. We’d only be wasting a single day.”

“But it’s still a waste,” Luo Xinyu said, looking out the window.

“But think about it,” Liu Bu continued. “This kid seems very unreliable. What if he becomes even more unreliable later? Then we’ll waste more than just one day. I’ve heard before that the refugees in the Settlement are of low character, but I never expected them to be this low!”

Luo Xinyu shook her head. “Wang Fugui said that if he can’t guide us through the Jing Mountains, then no one can.”

“I refuse to believe that,” Liu Bu said scornfully. “The whole Settlement is so large, are you telling me there’s not a single person who can guide us through the Jing Mountains? We were only asking around the Settlement before. There are actually more people in the seven major factories nearby. Some of them even live in the factories, so we might find someone new if we ask there.”

“It’s six major factories now,” Luo Xinyu corrected him.

Not long ago, one had been destroyed by a wolf pack, so only six remained.

“Then let’s go check the other factories,” Liu Bu said, embarrassed.

“Alright, this matter is not up for discussion,” Luo Xinyu said dismissively. “It was already difficult enough to get twelve private troops to escort us this time. Let’s not complicate matters further.”

Liu Bu fell silent. The outside world thought that because Luo Xinyu was still young, many decisions were made by him, her manager. But Liu Bu knew best in his heart that Luo Xinyu was a girl with a very strong mind of her own, and he was merely her executor.

There were celebrities like Luo Xinyu in all the major strongholds, commonly known as “stars.”

But these stars basically only had a following within their respective strongholds, and it was difficult for them to break out of those confines.

After all, the outside world’s transportation wasn’t as developed as it was before the Cataclysm. Moreover, people’s hearts were unpredictable; stepping outside the stronghold meant taking a risk.

Previously, a star from Stronghold 89 had wanted to travel to other strongholds to increase his influence, but he disappeared after leaving. His manager and accompanying bodyguards vanished without a trace. It wasn’t until two months later that someone found what was suspected to be the star’s remains in the wilderness. The bullet embedded in his bones clearly indicated he had died from a gunshot wound, and that someone had shot him in the back.

This made others even more vigilant.

But Luo Xinyu was never content with shining in just one stronghold. Even knowing the dangers, she was willing to take the risk. For a girl, this required tremendous guts.

Luo Xinyu looked at the silent Liu Bu. “You can target him, but don’t affect our journey. Just make sure he guides us well. Once we’re back from Stronghold 112, you can deal with him however you want.”

“Alright,” Liu Bu agreed.

The vehicles颠簸起伏. The soldiers of the private troops acted as drivers. They were already driving as steadily as possible to avoid irreversible damage to the suspension, chassis, tires, and other parts, but the road was just that rough, and there was little they could do.

Ren Xiaosu sat in the back of the lead vehicle, giving the driver directions from time to time. Originally, the group, including Ren Xiaosu, consisted of twenty people, a perfect fit with four to a car. But because Liu Bu didn’t trust Ren Xiaosu, he had specifically assigned two of the band’s staff to sit next to Ren Xiaosu and watch him, crowding the lead vehicle with five people.

The two staff members sat in the back, their faces cold. It should have been a spacious back seat for just the two of them, but with Ren Xiaosu’s arrival, everyone was uncomfortable.

And so this expedition, which was supposed to cross the Jing Mountains, suddenly looked as if it were specially escorting Ren Xiaosu as a prisoner to Stronghold 112…

However, Ren Xiaosu found Liu Bu a bit childish. In this car, one soldier from the private troops was driving, and the other three were the band’s staff.

If he really wanted to cause trouble, he could probably ensure that he was the only living person left in the vehicle within three seconds.

So, these people from the Stronghold really had no idea about the refugees’ living conditions. All they knew was that it was harsh and dirty; their understanding was basically limited to that.

The staff member next to Ren Xiaosu glanced at him and said arrogantly, “You’d better behave yourself and not do anything unnecessary.”

Ren Xiaosu was not pleased. “Is all this really necessary just because I ate some of your biscuits?”

The band’s staff member raised his voice. “Was that just ‘some’? Let me tell you, now that you’re out here with us, you don’t belong to yourself anymore, understand? Don’t try to strike a stone with an egg!”

The staff member in the front passenger seat laughed. “Kid, do you know what breaks when an egg hits a stone?”

Ren Xiaosu pondered for a moment. “A heart breaks.”

The staff member was stunned for a moment. “Whose heart breaks?”

Ren Xiaosu answered, “The mother hen’s heart breaks.”

Ren Xiaosu was quite pleased with his answer. It was witty, and it even contained a touch of humanistic concern…

That evening, the convoy successfully passed through the mountain pass of Yunling Ridge, and the scenery suddenly opened up. Behind Yunling Ridge was a vast forest. Ren Xiaosu stared out the window, mesmerized. The masterpiece of nature had carved up the flat land, forming a series of well-proportioned ravines.

Teacher Zhang from the School had said this was a unique landform created by tectonic plate movement. Ren Xiaosu sometimes thought about how insignificant humans really were.

The trees here grew tall and straight. Only a few muddy paths proved that humans had once been here. This was where the band had first gotten lost on their previous trip. Ren Xiaosu had heard Teacher Zhang say that the trees in tropical rainforests were so dense it was almost impossible to pass through. However, the forest here, located in the north, was relatively sparse, though the grass grew a little high.

As night was about to fall, the convoy finally reached the clearing Liu Bu had mentioned. Liu Bu jumped out of the car and laughed loudly, “We’ll camp here for the night! Everyone, hurry up, rest, and get something to eat!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ren Xiaosu started walking towards a pickup truck, but Liu Bu stepped forward to block him. Ren Xiaosu asked, surprised, “What is it?”

Liu Bu sneered. “We didn’t bring any food or water for you. You can fend for yourself.”

Chapter 42: Their Home Was Gone

It seemed like Liu Bu was extremely displeased with Ren Xiaosu because he had eaten the biscuits.

But in truth, Ren Xiaosu had long since understood that Liu Bu’s attitude towards him would have been just as awful whether he had eaten those biscuits or not. So Ren Xiaosu had already anticipated whether the convoy would provide him with food; he just hadn’t expected them to be so direct about turning hostile.

This was good, too. Ren Xiaosu actually felt quite relieved. This way, he wouldn’t have to hold back either.

Ren Xiaosu was mentally prepared for the current situation.

He turned and started walking towards the forest. To his surprise, Liu Bu became anxious, “Where are you going? If you run off now, you’ll never be able to get back to the settlement outside Stronghold 113!”

If Ren Xiaosu left, they would have wasted another day. Without a guide, it would be impossible for them to cross this forest and find the path to the Jing Mountains.

It had to be said, Ren Xiaosu was quite impressed by this group. They were still about a five-day journey from the Jing Mountains. Last time, they were lucky to get lost early on and eventually find their way out. If they had gone two or three days deeper, they probably would never have made it out of the forest.

This wasn’t just a matter of wasting a day. These big shots from the Stronghold, accustomed to a life of comfort and privilege, hadn’t realized at all whose home turf they were on now…

Of course, Ren Xiaosu could understand. People were creatures of habit. The big shots in the Stronghold had been looking down on refugees for a long time, so it was normal that they couldn’t change their mindset right away.

Ren Xiaosu turned back, grinned, and said, “I’m going to find some food. What are you panicking about?”

“I’m not panicking,” Liu Bu explained awkwardly. “I’m just reminding you, the last guide died around here. Don’t you go and die inexplicably like him and waste our time.”

The last time, the guide had brought them here and taken a wrong turn. After walking for several days, everyone felt they were going in the wrong direction, so they turned back to start over from Yunling Ridge. But then the guide had an accident one morning when he went to the river to wash his face.

Just as they were talking, a staff member suddenly said, “There are animal tracks on the ground over here!”

Ren Xiaosu frowned. What kind of beasts could there be here? Very few wild animals lived on the edge of the forest. Besides, when humanity built these strongholds, the larger beasts had long been kept outside the perimeter. It was rare for a large beast to get through the outer stronghold’s defenses and make it all the way here to Stronghold 113.

For example, the wolf pack that had attacked the factory was a very rare occurrence.

Everyone crowded around to see what the tracks looked like. The private troops were swaggering; they had guns, so what was there to fear?

But one look, and they were all stunned. A line of tracks led into the forest, and each print was probably half the size of a human head.

Seeing this, all the soldiers immediately raised their guns and nervously aimed at the forest’s depths. For some reason, these private troops suddenly felt that even with guns, they didn’t feel very secure.

“We didn’t see these tracks last time we were here, did we?” someone said, their voice trembling.

“No,” someone else replied, shaking their head.

Ren Xiaosu glanced at the tracks and immediately knew what kind of creature had made them. He instantly relaxed.

Then he glanced at the clearing where the band was preparing to set up camp and noticed some trash left behind from their last visit, including a lot of food scraps. He suddenly said in a serious tone, “It’s a bear. It was drawn here by the food scraps you left behind last time.”

Liu Bu questioned him, “Nonsense. Do you think I’ve never seen a bear’s paw before?”

Ren Xiaosu started following the tracks into the forest. He wasn’t kind enough to tell the band and the private troops everything. “Ahem, well, it could be a wild boar…”

The group behind him watched wide-eyed as Ren Xiaosu entered the forest, seemingly unafraid of the tracks or any of the hidden dangers within.

“This kid’s got some nerve,” Liu Bu gasped. “Does he have a death wish?”

The soldiers of the private troops lowered their guns. If there really was some terrifying beast, it wouldn’t be too late to raise their guns again when they heard Ren Xiaosu’s screams.

These private troops looked nonchalant, as if they weren’t afraid at all. However, their earlier trembling voices had exposed them as all bark and no bite.

As Ren Xiaosu walked through the forest, he had actually recognized them at first glance: they were the tracks of a deer.

He was following the deer tracks because, in the forest, following large wild animals like this could usually lead to a source of water, like a river. Like humans, they needed to stay hydrated.

Besides, he also wanted to go to the riverbank and see for himself why that guide had died.

According to Liu Bu’s description, the guide had washed his face in the river, and then his face was mauled by something unknown, killing him on the spot.

What an idiot, Ren Xiaosu thought to himself. It was common knowledge that the biological order was evolving, but it was also basic knowledge that herbivores still ate plants and carnivores still ate meat.

This guide, probably like many people in the settlement, must have thought that fish survived on things like aquatic plants. But Ren Xiaosu had read in a well-preserved book at Teacher Zhang’s that while there were carnivorous freshwater fish like snakeheads and catfish, most were omnivorous, and almost none were purely herbivorous.

When you stick a big piece of meat like your face right in front of their mouths, how could they not take a bite?

Ren Xiaosu was glad he understood the power of knowledge and had always been seeking to learn more. Otherwise, he might have ended up like that guide, falling into a trap without even knowing when or how.

He continued following the tracks. Deer were relatively gentle creatures of the forest; as long as you didn’t provoke them, you would usually be fine.

Just then, Ren Xiaosu saw something like wood shavings on a tree. It was clearly the mark left behind by termites. He looked towards the base of the tree and, sure enough, saw an unusually large mound of earth covering the roots.

Ren Xiaosu was delighted. He kicked the mound open in a few swift moves. Inside, brown termites were scurrying about. These things were about the size of the tip of a little finger. They didn’t taste great, but they were packed with nutrients.

It was worth noting that many people in the settlement suffered from chronic malnutrition and often ate termites and their eggs as nutritional supplements. Finding a termite nest could make someone happy for days…

But termites couldn’t be eaten raw for fear of the formic acid they secreted. Besides, Ren Xiaosu hadn’t sunk so low that he had to eat them.

The termites were bewildered, scurrying aimlessly on their shattered nest. Before they could even figure out how their home had collapsed, Ren Xiaosu had already torn off a large leaf and wrapped up a small chunk of the nest along with the termites on it.

He broke off a branch, trimmed it a little with his bone knife to make a simple fishing spear, and prepared to go catch some fish…

He hadn’t gone far before he turned back. He poked around in the termite nest with his bone knife for a while until he found the plump, white queen and took her with him as well…

The termites had suffered a catastrophic disaster. If one were to ignore biological ethics and put it simply: their home was gone, and so was their mom…

Chapter 43: A First in His Life

Ren Xiaosu hadn’t dug up the termite nest just for food. He continued following the deer’s tracks and, within minutes, heard the sound of running water.

The closer he got to the river, the more vigilant Ren Xiaosu became. Although the evening hour when most creatures came to the river to drink had passed, he still had to be cautious. What if some beast was running late because it had matters to attend to at home? It would run right into him…

But to his relief, he wasn’t that unlucky.

Ren Xiaosu unwrapped the leaf holding a small piece of the termite nest and tossed the entire chunk into the river. The current wasn’t strong; otherwise, he would have had to find a way to build a small enclosure with rocks.

Next, he used his bone knife to slice the palm-sized queen termite in half and threw it into the river as well. Then, holding a sharpened branch, he began to wait patiently.

The moonlight was exceptionally bright tonight; otherwise, Ren Xiaosu likely wouldn’t have been able to see anything in the river.

The queen termite and the nest slowly drifted downstream, and Ren Xiaosu followed along the bank. Suddenly, a dark shadow swam up from beneath the nest. As ripples spread across the surface, a large fish opened its mouth, intending to swallow the nest and the queen in one gulp.

But just as it opened its mouth, Ren Xiaosu’s sharpened branch struck!

Ren Xiaosu had used this method to catch fish before, but his speed and strength back then were far inferior, so it would take many attempts to succeed even once.

It was different now. In the past, he was slower than the fish, but now, he was faster than the fish!

Ren Xiaosu retracted the branch like a bolt of lightning. A large black fish struggled on its tip, but to no avail. Cautiously, Ren Xiaosu backed away from the riverbank. It seemed the fish’s blood had attracted something unpleasant; a dense mass of dark, writhing shadows was gradually gathering in the water below.

Ren Xiaosu was a little spooked. Were those shadows fish? He gutted the large black fish right there on the bank and simply threw all the entrails back into the river.

He couldn’t take the fish back to camp to gut it, as that would inevitably leave the scent of blood around their resting spot.

If leftover biscuit crumbs could attract a giant deer, who knew what the smell of blood might bring? Although there probably weren’t any bears or similar creatures here, it was always better to be cautious. And after he was done eating, the leftover cooked fish and bones would also have to be thrown far away.

The next moment, the river seemed to boil over. Countless fish scrambled over each other, fighting for the bloody entrails, even tearing at one another.

Once a fish was bitten and wounded, it would immediately become food for the others.

What a cruel river. What would happen if a person fell in?

Suddenly, Ren Xiaosu froze. He saw the school of fish scatter in a panic. Without a second thought, he turned and left. Whatever could frighten that school of vicious fish was probably something he couldn’t afford to provoke either.

On the way back to the camp, Ren Xiaosu kept thinking: What changes were happening in the wilderness now?

Why were all the beasts evolving, yet humans showed no obvious differences?

No, there were differences!

Zhang Baogen, who had once demonstrated his supernatural abilities to him, or for instance, himself and Yan Liuyuan—weren’t they different from before?

When Ren Xiaosu returned to the camp, the band and the private troops were eating dinner: canned food and congee.

Everyone stared when they saw the fish in Ren Xiaosu’s hand. That afternoon, they had been waiting to see him make a fool of himself. They all knew he hadn’t brought any rations; he was only wearing a loose-fitting jacket, so it was obvious at a glance.

So when Liu Bu told Ren Xiaosu to sort out his own food, everyone was gloating. They were all annoyed with him, feeling an inexplicable discomfort around this boy from the refugee settlement, though they couldn’t articulate why.

But now? While they were making do with canned luncheon meat in the wilderness, the aroma of Ren Xiaosu’s grilled fish was wafting over…

On this trip, Ren Xiaosu had only brought an iron mug, a bone knife, and a box of matches. These were his essentials for survival in the wilderness.

Of course, he didn’t necessarily need the matches, as he had his own ways of starting a fire, but if having them made things easier, who would want to torture themselves? And a matchbox wasn’t exactly bulky…

Liu Bu wrinkled his nose at the smell of grilled fish. “Heh, it’s just a fish.”

Suddenly, Ren Xiaosu heard the Palace’s voice in his mind: “Quest: Good things must be shared with others.”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned for a long moment. He picked up the branch skewering the fish and walked toward Liu Bu. Liu Bu’s eyes lit up as he said with a touch of condescension, “What, offering us some fish? I suppose we could accept…”

“What are you thinking?” Ren Xiaosu said. “I’m just letting you have a look, to share in my joy.”

Liu Bu: “???”

“Quest complete. Reward: 1.0 Agility.”

Nice, nice, Ren Xiaosu thought, amused. There were many ways to share!

Humiliated, Liu Bu flew into a rage. “Ren Xiaosu, do you really think I’d eat your fish?”

Ren Xiaosu looked at the fish. It was nearly half a meter long, definitely too much for one person. He looked at Liu Bu. “Half a fish for three bottles of water.”

Liu Bu answered without hesitation, “Deal!”

Ren Xiaosu was trading for water because getting it himself was now a problem. He had originally planned to get water from that river, but he’d been spooked and gave up on the idea. He could also squeeze water from pine needles, but that was a slow, drop-by-drop process. It was more convenient to trade something he didn’t need for water.

Three bottles of water. He’d drink one tonight and save two for the road.

“Come on, everyone, fish is here,” Liu Bu announced, placing the half of the fish Ren Xiaosu had cut for them in a pot they had brought. But to his surprise, before he, Luo Xinyu, or Yang Xiaojin could even get a bite, the soldiers from the private troops had already divided the fish among themselves!

“This…” Liu Bu looked at Luo Xinyu, embarrassed. He hadn’t expected the soldiers of the private troops to be so selfish!

At that moment, Ren Xiaosu was sitting alone by the fire he had built, while everyone else was gathered around a large bonfire. The two sides were like people from two different worlds, a clear line drawn between them.

But suddenly, the girl in the duck-billed cap, Yang Xiaojin, stood up and sat down opposite Ren Xiaosu. She said calmly, “Fish.”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. Her tone was unnervingly calm, yet he found himself at a loss for a reason to refuse her.

The firelight flickered across her features, and Ren Xiaosu wondered if all the girls in the strongholds were this beautiful.

However… miss, could you please move the gun in your hand first? A Perfect-level Marksman like you pointing a gun at me is making me a little freaked out!

In the past, Ren Xiaosu had never robbed anyone, nor had he ever been robbed. This was a first in his life!

“You can have two bites, just two!” Ren Xiaosu said, trying to hold his ground.

Chapter 44: Allowed Only Two Bites

The firelight flickered erratically, and the rustling of wind through the trees echoed through the forest, a symphony of leaves brushing against each other.

This blackfish was indeed a bit large, so much so that even half of it was more than Ren Xiaosu could finish on his own.

But just because he couldn’t finish it didn’t mean he could let someone rob him at gunpoint…

Yang Xiaojin pulled a small salt shaker from the pocket of her athletic jacket, raised a black pistol in one hand, and sprinkled salt on the fish with the other, not holding back at all.

Before, Ren Xiaosu had been wondering what kind of person Yang Xiaojin was. This girl rarely spoke, and seemed very calm.

Ren Xiaosu had guessed that the girl must have a cold personality, but he hadn’t expected her to be so… impulsive.

Yang Xiaojin had only said the word “fish” from beginning to end after she sat down. This impulsiveness was like a wild undercurrent hidden beneath a calm sea, making one’s heart skip a beat.

Ren Xiaosu watched as Yang Xiaojin evenly sprinkled salt all over the fish, and he couldn’t sit still any longer. He looked at Yang Xiaojin, “Got any cumin?”

Yang Xiaojin glanced up at him. “No.”

At this time, Ren Xiaosu carefully examined the gun in Yang Xiaojin’s hand. It was an M9, a simple and durable weapon. It seemed that among his advanced firearms skills, he was most familiar with the M9 pistol.

Did that mean Yang Xiaojin used the M9 the most often?

Yang Xiaojin’s hands weren’t large, but she held the gun tightly without even a hint of tremor. So when she held the M9, there was a strange sense of beauty. The gun weighed only 0.96 kilograms and was made entirely of aluminum alloy, which might be why Yang Xiaojin chose it.

After Yang Xiaojin finished salting the fish, she turned to Luo Xinyu and said, “Come eat fish.”

Ren Xiaosu: “???”

Two bites are about enough for you, why are you inviting others?

As she spoke, Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu happily got up and walked over. But Yang Xiaojin pointed the gun at Liu Bu: “You go back, the owner of the fish doesn’t welcome you.”

Liu Bu awkwardly stood there, unsure whether to sit or stand. He hadn’t expected Yang Xiaojin to say that!

Ren Xiaosu was stunned. He couldn’t quite understand Yang Xiaojin’s way of doing things. It seemed a little interesting.

Yang Xiaojin turned to look at Ren Xiaosu. “We each take two bites, no more.”

Luo Xinyu sat down and curiously sized up Ren Xiaosu. The atmosphere seemed to have livened up a bit. She laughed, “I won’t eat your food for nothing. Here, you can have two bites of this chocolate too.”

As she spoke, Luo Xinyu pulled out a large bar of chocolate from her pocket and handed it to Ren Xiaosu, seemingly intending to exchange.

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and took the chocolate. This was the first time he had seen the real thing. He had only heard Teacher Zhang mention it before, that its high caloric content could quickly replenish energy.

But the General Store of Old Wang in the Settlement only sold ordinary white sugar, and it was particularly expensive. There was no such thing as chocolate at all.

Two bites seemed to have become a tacit agreement between everyone, and no one was allowed to eat more.

Ren Xiaosu unwrapped the chocolate and opened his mouth as wide as possible, stuffing all the chocolate into his mouth in one go…

Luo Xinyu was dumbfounded, and even Yang Xiaojin stared blankly at Ren Xiaosu.

After Ren Xiaosu slowly chewed the chocolate in his mouth, he pondered for a moment and said to Luo Xinyu, “You still owe me a bite.”

Luo Xinyu: “???”

Yang Xiaojin: “…”

It had to be said that this chocolate was quite delicious. Ren Xiaosu thought to himself that even the food in the Stronghold was different from that in the Settlement.

The biscuits were so sweet and delicious, and this chocolate also had a strange fragrance, first bitter and then sweet.

Ren Xiaosu felt that he had to find a way to exchange some similar food with Luo Xinyu and the others on the road so he could bring it back to Yan Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu when he returned to the Settlement.

Luo Xinyu originally wanted to interact with Ren Xiaosu because she saw that he had unique survival skills, so that if anything happened on the road in the future, she would have someone to rely on. People like Luo Xinyu were always worldly-wise, otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to get those real “big shots” in the Stronghold wrapped around her little finger.

But Luo Xinyu didn’t expect Ren Xiaosu to be so difficult to get along with…

Or rather, she always felt that there might really be something wrong with Ren Xiaosu’s brain…

Luo Xinyu casually ate two small bites of fish and turned to go back to her own campfire. She took another bar of chocolate from the car and gave it to Ren Xiaosu. Ren Xiaosu didn’t eat it and stuffed it into his pocket.

At this time, Ren Xiaosu turned to look at Yang Xiaojin, only to see that Yang Xiaojin had also opened her mouth as wide as possible, nearly eating a quarter of the remaining fish in one bite!

Ren Xiaosu was shocked. You’re a girl, can’t you be a little reserved?

Even Li Youqian, the sturdy girl in the Settlement, wouldn’t eat like that!

Originally, Ren Xiaosu only had one-half of the fish left after exchanging half of it for water, and after Yang Xiaojin’s two bites, only one-quarter remained…

But for some reason, Ren Xiaosu didn’t think Yang Xiaojin felt pretentious at all. Everything she did was straightforward, much better than that starlet Luo Xinyu.

However, when Ren Xiaosu saw Yang Xiaojin cast her gaze over, he quickly licked all the fish in his hand. “Want more?”

Yang Xiaojin left expressionlessly, “Don’t put chocolate on your body, it will melt.”

That night, everyone set up their tents for the night. These people had brightly colored tents in their trunks, just right for two people to sleep in. Only Yang Xiaojin and Luo Xinyu had separate tents.

Ren Xiaosu, on the other hand, focused on throwing all the fish bones and leftover fish meat a hundred meters away before returning to prepare his makeshift bed.

The others sat in their tents, curiously watching Ren Xiaosu fussing around, thinking that this was a field survival skill, and he seemed very skilled at it.

Ren Xiaosu moved the original campfire and started another one, adding a lot of pine branches and other slow-burning firewood. The original campfire had been extinguished and cleaned by Ren Xiaosu, and the warmed earth had been covered with many pine needles by Ren Xiaosu.

These pine needles were very easy to find in the forest, and there was a thick layer in many places.

“That kid even made himself a bed!” Liu Bu saw Ren Xiaosu comfortably lying on the pine needles. It was already late autumn, and the place where the campfire had been burned must be very warm, and there was still a campfire burning next to it.

It seemed very cozy…

Looking back at them, the private troops’ tents had completely surrounded the campfire, and the band members could only endure the cold on the outermost edge, but fortunately, they still had blankets to cover themselves, otherwise, they wouldn’t know how to survive this dark night.

And Yang Xiaojin… had already set up her tent next to Ren Xiaosu’s campfire, not holding back at all.

Ren Xiaosu opened his eyes and looked towards Yang Xiaojin’s tent, only to see that the curtain of Yang Xiaojin’s tent was not drawn, making it easier to observe the surrounding movements. Moreover, the gun in her hand was always pointed in Ren Xiaosu’s direction…

No, the other hand actually had another gun, pointing in the direction of the private troops’ tents!

Chapter 45: What Kind of Doctor Are You?

Compared to Yang Xiaojin’s caution, Ren Xiaosu found that the other members of the group seemed far too lax. There were twelve private troops here, yet they didn’t even have a single person on night watch.

Thunderous snores came from every tent, a clear sign they were all dead asleep. It was true that the large wild animals had been kept outside the strongholds’ perimeters, but weren’t they being a bit too reckless out here?

Yang Xiaojin, on the other hand, had steady and shallow breathing, clearly not in a deep sleep.

Ren Xiaosu felt his own caution was only natural, as he had seen many people get stabbed to death in the night. But what kind of environment had Yang Xiaojin lived in to develop such a habit?

He believed that a person’s past experiences determined their current mindset and habits. This Yang Xiaojin must have gone through some extremely dangerous situations.

At dawn, before anyone else was up, Ren Xiaosu went to check the spot where he had tossed the fish bones. He had intentionally left some fish meat there the previous night, just to see if any wild animals would be drawn to it.

Many people feared wild animals because they thought such ferocious beasts wouldn’t be afraid of humans. However, wild animals were not that reckless. In fact, most of them were extremely wary. An ordinary lone animal would probably turn away at the sight of so many tents, but the fish bones and meat were far from the campsite, so it should have been enough to attract some animals and leave a few traces.

Ren Xiaosu cautiously approached the area where he had left the fish, constantly scanning his surroundings for any signs of an animal’s presence, but he found nothing.

But when he arrived, he was surprised to find that all the fish meat and bones on the ground had vanished, yet there were no animal tracks anywhere nearby!

Ren Xiaosu instantly drew the bone knife from his sleeve and stood on high alert. He backed away carefully, remaining vigilant. Did ants carry the bones and meat away? It was possible. The ants these days were as big as the pad of a finger. If there was an anthill nearby, it would be perfectly normal for them to clean the place out overnight.

But Ren Xiaosu still had his doubts. By the time he returned to the camp, everyone was already preparing to pack up and leave. They were all folding their tents and stuffing them into the back of the off-road vehicles.

Liu Bu was still complaining to Luo Xinyu, “Xinyu, you shouldn’t have traded the chocolate with him. How can a refugee be worthy of eating something like that?”

Luo Xinyu ignored him. She hadn’t expected to lose two chocolate bars either!

The convoy set off. Following the route Ren Xiaosu had indicated, they finally began to head deep into the woods. The sunlight filtered through the canopy, making the entire forest seem particularly pleasant.

By now, everyone had long forgotten the fear the giant deer tracks had instilled in them the night before. Ren Xiaosu could even hear singing coming from the car behind them, as well as a group of private troops telling dirty jokes and laughing heartily.

It was as if they were all here for a picnic.

There was a short stretch of road that ran quite close to the river. Ren Xiaosu said to the driver, “Try to stay as far away from the river as possible.”

He didn’t actually know what dangers lurked in the river, but the scene from the previous night had left a deep impression on him.

But the driver was dismissive. “We’re still a long way from that river. Besides, what’s in there but some fish? Are they going to jump out and bite you? Just don’t go for a swim.”

Ren Xiaosu said nothing more. He had made his decision: if a crisis did arise, he would definitely ditch this bunch of idiots and get away quickly.

Just then, the lead vehicle Ren Xiaosu was in slammed on its brakes. The driver from the private troops said in a panic, “Up ahead!”

Ren Xiaosu turned to look and was shocked to see a giant red deer.

The red deer is the second largest deer species after the moose and is naturally large-bodied. They are gregarious by nature, feed on grass, leaves, tender shoots, bark, and fruit, and are fond of licking salt licks.

And the red deer in front of them had to be over two meters tall. It was standing quietly on the road, watching the convoy.

A tense atmosphere fell over the group. The private troops all raised their automatic rifles and switched off the safeties. Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the woods, and two smaller red deer emerged. They looked to be the first one’s young.

Xu Xianchu’s voice came over the vehicle’s intercom, “Do not open fire!”

The red deer didn’t seem aggressive. It just looked at the convoy, as if to ask, What the hell is this?, and then prepared to leave. Everyone in the convoy let out a sigh of relief, the tension easing slightly.

A soldier from the private troops laughed. “It’s just a herbivore. Look at you all, so scared. There won’t be any large carnivores here.”

At that, the others started teasing each other as if they hadn’t been the ones on edge just moments ago.

But just then, the red deer suddenly charged at the convoy. It lowered its head, aiming its huge antlers right at the lead vehicle!

The driver of the lead vehicle cursed and slammed on the accelerator, swerving into the woods. At this point, he didn’t care if he would crash into a tree or flip the car.

Fortunately, the lead vehicle managed to turn just in time as the giant deer approached, its antlers grazing past the car. But the vehicle behind them was not so lucky. The antlers were incredibly tough. Like the prongs of a forklift, they pierced the car’s hood, and with a flick of its head, the deer sent the entire vehicle flying!

Then, before the private troops in the other vehicles could even get out, the giant deer had already run off into the woods with its two young, giving off the distinct impression of a hit-and-run!

Someone fired wildly at the retreating deer’s back, but they couldn’t hit it at all. Their marksmanship was surprisingly terrible.

The vehicle carrying Ren Xiaosu had crashed into a tree on the side of the dirt road during its sharp turn. The hood was crumpled, and a large amount of white smoke was billowing from it!

Just then, someone from the convoy shouted, “Come and help! We need help!”

Liu Bu’s voice rang out, “Isn’t that refugee the doctor from the settlement? Get him over here to help!”

Ren Xiaosu got out of the car and walked toward the convoy. When he got there, however, he saw that the driver of the second vehicle only had a scraped arm. What was there to get so worked up about?

Death was a companion to every refugee from a young age, like a trivial matter in daily life. A scrape like this was truly not worth mentioning.

Ren Xiaosu frowned. He had no intention of treating this guy at all. These so-called private troops weren’t worth wasting his Black Medicine on. He was just surprised why the giant deer had suddenly become aggressive.

Liu Bu shoved Ren Xiaosu and yelled, “Aren’t you a doctor? Hurry up and help him!”

“Oh,” Ren Xiaosu replied and began to chant at the driver’s wound, “Heal quickly, heal quickly, heal quickly…”

Liu Bu was dumbfounded. “Is that how you treat an injury? What kind of doctor are you?!”

Ren Xiaosu pondered for a moment before venturing, “A witch doctor?”

Chapter 46: Mysterious Death

Due to their preconceived notions, the group had never really believed that Ren Xiaosu was the only doctor in the Settlement. The first time they met him, he was still living in a shack. How could he have become a doctor after just a few days?

If you were really so skilled, what were you doing before?

Right now, they were simply in a panic. An old saying perfectly described their situation: a desperate patient will see any doctor.

But Ren Xiaosu’s reaction truly stunned them. What the hell was a witch doctor…

“Get up,” Liu Bu said, shooing Ren Xiaosu aside. He then went over to the injured driver and asked with concern, “Are you alright? Does it hurt?”

Ren Xiaosu looked around. There had originally been five SUVs and one pickup truck, a total of six vehicles, but now only four remained.

It seemed the two broken-down vehicles would be very difficult to fix. But Ren Xiaosu didn’t know much about cars, so he had to wait and see what the private troops’ soldiers had to say.

The officer, Xu Xianchu, led his men to inspect the vehicles. The one flipped by the giant deer was definitely beyond repair; its engine had several holes in it.

However, the giant deer hadn’t escaped unscathed either. Ren Xiaosu saw a small piece of an antler on the ground, apparently broken off during the collision.

Liu Bu went over to Xu Xianchu and asked, “Can they be fixed?”

“We’ll have to check the one that was flipped over,” Xu Xianchu said after inspecting the vehicles. “That one is a definite goner. This one that hit the tree wasn’t going fast, so the damage isn’t too severe. Right now, our only option is to strip parts from the other vehicle to repair this one into a usable state.”

“We can only fix one vehicle?!” Liu Bu was taken aback. “What are we going to do? There are so many of us!”

Xu Xianchu thought for a moment and said, “People can still ride in the bed of the pickup truck…”

Ren Xiaosu raised his hand. “I’ll go!”

“The hell you will,” Liu Bu said irritably.

At this point, Liu Bu would rather ride in the pickup bed himself than let Ren Xiaosu do it!

Xu Xianchu had his men hurry and grab their tools to repair the vehicle. During this time, Xu Xianchu frowned and ordered his soldiers, “Everyone, secure the perimeter. If any unidentified creatures approach, shoot to kill on sight.”

The private troops might have a bureaucratic streak, but Xu Xianchu didn’t seem like an idiot. If they didn’t heighten their alert now, it would be too late. If another giant creature approached while they were fixing the vehicle, many of them would likely die.

Ren Xiaosu squatted by the vehicle the whole time, watching the private troops work, wanting to understand the principles behind how it operated. He had always been an eager learner, and a “large machine” like an SUV held a unique kind of beauty in his eyes.

Civilization had rebooted, and every last bit of this was a crystal of human achievement.

Liu Bu stood nearby, arms crossed, and sneered, “Do you even understand what you’re looking at?”

Ren Xiaosu turned to ask him, “I don’t. Do you?”

Liu Bu was taken aback. In truth, he didn’t understand it either….

“See, I don’t understand it, and you don’t understand it,” Ren Xiaosu said slowly. “So why are you running your mouth?”

After that, Ren Xiaosu ignored him. The repairs continued from morning until afternoon, while Liu Bu and the others discussed how to reassign seating in the vehicles and their daily security measures.

Someone suggested they should open fire immediately upon seeing such a creature in the future. Someone else argued, what if shooting it startled it? Given the giant deer’s size, a bullet might not even penetrate its skull unless you aimed right for its eye. But who among them had that kind of marksmanship?

That would at least require the skill of consistently hitting the 9-ring on a moving target, right?

At this, Ren Xiaosu secretly mused that these people probably didn’t know Yang Xiaojin was a Perfect-level Marksman. While others might not be able to do it, Ren Xiaosu was now about sixty percent confident he could hit the giant deer’s eye with a pistol from fifty meters away. Therefore, he believed Yang Xiaojin must have a ninety percent chance, or maybe even a hundred percent!

Ren Xiaosu covertly observed Yang Xiaojin’s reaction. As the others discussed how to deal with these wild beasts, she remained silent, as if it had nothing to do with her.

However, everyone felt a small measure of comfort in the fact that the giant deer was still a herbivore. If it had come looking for food, at least three or four people in their group would probably have died.

Xu Xianchu said, “Most of the large animals in these woods should be herbivores. Otherwise, the strongholds would have designated them as priority targets for elimination when the perimeter was established. If we encounter such a creature again, we should first raise our guard and avoid provoking them. If we encounter a carnivore, open fire immediately. Alright, the vehicle is fixed. Let’s get ready to leave.”

Liu Bu chimed in, “Well, we’re one vehicle short, so we need to reassign the seating.” He said to a band staff member, “Xu Xia, you and Cheng Donghang will have to ride in the bed of the pickup. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

The two staff members, Xu Xia and Cheng Donghang, shot a resentful look at Ren Xiaosu. Ren Xiaosu could have been the one riding in the pickup, but because Liu Bu was worried he would eat all their crackers and other food, he had his own people watch over the supplies instead…

Xu Xia and Cheng Donghang grumbled as they climbed into the truck bed. But suddenly, Xu Xia let out a blood-curdling scream and tumbled out. Ren Xiaosu looked over in shock to see Xu Xia clutching his neck and wailing incessantly.

Xu Xia’s face had already turned red and swollen, as if he were experiencing the greatest pain of his life. In just over ten seconds, before anyone could react, he was lying motionless on the ground, foaming at the mouth, his face rapidly turning a purplish blue.

Xu Xianchu cautiously approached with his gun raised. After confirming there was nothing out of the ordinary nearby, he reached out to check Xu Xia’s breathing. He turned his head and said grimly, “He’s not breathing.”

For a moment, everyone stood frozen on the spot. How could a perfectly healthy person just die like that?

Liu Bu asked Cheng Donghang, his voice trembling, “What happened?”

Leaning against the truck bed, Cheng Donghang said in terror, “I don’t know. We were getting on together, and then he suddenly screamed. It scared me to death. I didn’t see anything strange.”

The rustling in the woods suddenly seemed eerie. The trees were the same, but everyone’s mood had completely changed.

This was the first death on their journey. Liu Bu roared at Ren Xiaosu, “What kind of route did you lead us on? Why didn’t something like this happen last time? Is there something wrong with the path you chose?”

“There’s nothing wrong with the path I chose,” Ren Xiaosu said, looking calmly at Liu Bu. “But even in the stronghold, you all should understand that the wilderness is becoming increasingly strange. I’m not entirely sure why you’re going into the Jing Mountains, but I advise you to turn around and head back to Stronghold 113 right now.”

“No,” Xu Xianchu said coldly. “We were given a do-or-die order this time. If we don’t complete the mission, we don’t go back. And you all can forget about going back either!”

Something’s not right, Ren Xiaosu thought. A mere quest wouldn’t make someone like Xu Xianchu risk his life like this. There had to be another reason!

Chapter 47: The Eerie Woods

Seeing there was no turning back, Liu Bu said to Ren Xiaosu, “You ride in the bed of the pickup by yourself. Cheng Donghang, you get in the cab.” He sneered, “Since you claim you didn’t lead us astray, you can be the one to face the danger.”

At this point, he couldn’t be bothered with whether Ren Xiaosu ate the biscuits or not. After all, nobody wanted to die. Compared to losing a few biscuits, life and death were obviously more important.

Ren Xiaosu ignored him and walked over to check Xu Xia’s wound. He moved the man’s hand away from his neck and saw a long stinger lodged there. Ren Xiaosu recognized it at once… a hornet!

With his back to the others, he silently pulled the stinger out, not wanting anyone else to know how Xu Xia had actually died. The atmosphere in the team was growing stranger by the minute. Sometimes, making these people fear the wilderness was more advantageous for him, the “Guide.” Ren Xiaosu had never considered himself a good person, and he was under no obligation to tell the others everything. His own survival was what mattered most.

However, Ren Xiaosu did breathe a sigh of relief. As long as it wasn’t some mysterious species attacking humans, it was fine. He, too, had been startled just now.

By Ren Xiaosu’s reckoning, a hornet must have been resting in the bed of the pickup. The commotion of Xu Xia climbing in must have disturbed it, prompting it to strike.

He just hadn’t expected a hornet sting to be so lethal nowadays. Was it death by suffocation from the swelling of the neck? No, no, that wasn’t right. If it were suffocation, it wouldn’t have been an instant death in a dozen or so seconds; there would have been at least a short delay. It must have been the venom.

Ren Xiaosu had been stung by a hornet once as a child, but it had only caused half of his face to swell up for a few days. He certainly hadn’t died.

This wilderness was becoming more and more dangerous.

At times, Ren Xiaosu felt a deep sense of conflict. On one hand, he was drawn to this mysterious wilderness, wanting to uncover its secrets. On the other hand, he knew full well that too much curiosity could get him killed.

People were multifaceted, and their thoughts were always complex. That’s what it meant to be human.

The shadow of death loomed over the entire convoy, and right now, the most relaxed person among them was Ren Xiaosu. Xu Xianchu came to examine the wound but could only see a small red dot on the neck. Ren Xiaosu observed everyone’s reactions. Yang Xiaojin also feigned a casual glance at Xu Xia’s wound, and her brow furrowed as well.

Only Ren Xiaosu knew that Xu Xia had simply been stung by one of the wilderness’s evolved hornets…

“What do we do with Xu Xia’s body? We can’t just abandon him in the wilderness, can we?” someone asked.

“What else can we do?” Liu Bu’s face was clouded with worry. He had planned to just leave Xu Xia here. Burying him would take time, and he didn’t want to spend another second in this godforsaken place.

Luo Xinyu spoke up, “Let’s put him in the bed of the pickup. We’ll leave this place first and find a suitable spot to bury him later.”

As the band’s leader, if she were to abandon Xu Xia here, what would the others think of her? If word got out, it would be a stain on her reputation.

Hearing this, Liu Bu immediately made a decision. “Ren Xiaosu, you carry Xu Xia to the truck bed. You’ll ride back there too!”

Ren Xiaosu didn’t mind. He hadn’t had any biscuits in over a day and was quite looking forward to them…

As for staying with a corpse, he felt no psychological pressure at all. He hadn’t been scared when the wolf pack attacked the factory and left so many bodies behind.

The people from the stronghold held both respect and fear for death, but Ren Xiaosu only respected it. He did not fear it.

The convoy set off again. Ren Xiaosu sat in the truck bed, eating biscuits and drinking bottled water, muttering to Xu Xia’s body, “You know, if you people hadn’t insisted on coming out here for no reason, you’d still be alive, wouldn’t you?”

“Hey, what’s it really like inside your stronghold? A lot of us out here are about to starve to death, yet you people still have the luxury of listening to music and fawning over celebrities.”

“All the pork gets shipped to you, and we don’t even get a taste.”

Ren Xiaosu was purely trying to kill time, but the two guys in the driver and passenger seats of the pickup didn’t see it that way. As they drove, they faintly heard the sound of Ren Xiaosu’s voice. The driver’s scalp went numb. He asked his partner in the passenger seat, “Who is he talking to?!”

“I… I don’t know. Maybe he’s talking to himself…”

“Do you think he’s right in the head…?”

That night, the convoy couldn’t find a particularly suitable place to camp and had to make do with a small clearing. No one was in the mood to chat or brag today; there was only silence.

The next morning, Ren Xiaosu got up and stretched. He hadn’t gone looking for food last night, as he had eaten his fill of biscuits.

The chocolate had also been in the truck bed, but that shrewd old fox Liu Bu had vigilantly moved it to his own vehicle. Since their car had no space for the box, Liu Bu had ended up holding it in his lap all afternoon…

Ren Xiaosu’s plan was perfect. He wouldn’t need to eat breakfast; once the convoy was on the road, he could eat all he wanted in the truck bed.

But just then, he heard a scream. He whipped his head around toward the pickup truck. A soldier from the private troops was shouting, “Where’s the body of that guy, Xu Xia? Has anyone seen his body?”

Everyone froze on the spot. “Wasn’t it on the truck?”

“The body is gone!”

This time, even Ren Xiaosu’s scalp went numb!

What was going on? The body had been lying securely in the truck bed. How could it have just disappeared?

A normal adult man weighed between seventy and ninety kilograms. It would be incredibly difficult for one person to carry a corpse without making a single sound.

With so many people present, how could no one have heard anything? Who had moved Xu Xia’s body?

Suddenly, Ren Xiaosu remembered the fish bones and flesh he had discarded earlier. They had vanished in a similar way: without a trace, with no way to determine what had taken them.

At the time, he had guessed ants, but it couldn’t be ants this time, could it? No matter how much ants had evolved, they couldn’t carry away a whole corpse overnight.

Now, a shadow of dread fell over Ren Xiaosu’s heart. He frowned in thought. What on earth could have done this?

Liu Bu, trembling, looked at Xu Xianchu. “Sir, let’s just go back. This is too bizarre.”

Xu Xianchu raised his rifle, scanning their surroundings. “I’m just as scared as you are, but my brothers and I absolutely cannot go back without completing our mission. If we do, we’ll become refugees. We can’t go back, and you can’t either.”

“But this forest is just too strange!” Liu Bu was on the verge of tears.

“Everyone, get in the vehicles! Let’s get out of this damn place now!” Xu Xianchu roared.

From that moment on, Ren Xiaosu kept his bone knife clutched in his hand. His mind was fully alert, braced for the arrival of any danger.

Chapter 48: All Human Motivation Stems from Death

Why had Xu Xia’s body disappeared, and where had the missing body gone? These two questions lingered in everyone’s mind like a persistent shadow.

Meanwhile, Ren Xiaosu was pondering a question: if the culprit could make such a large corpse vanish without a sound, why didn’t they attack the living?

With their capabilities, they could have definitely inflicted extremely heavy casualties on the entire camp in the dead of night.

Something was strange about this.

Everyone was sitting inside the vehicles, with only Ren Xiaosu in the bed of the pickup truck. On the way here, everyone had their windows down, laughing, talking, and even singing!

But now, they all had their windows shut tight, terrified that some unclean thing might suddenly get in and take their lives.

They seemed to think that an extra layer of glass could make them a little safer.

As for Ren Xiaosu, sitting in the truck bed, he watched the forest recede from view. The shadows of the swaying leaves seemed to hide murderous intent. It had to be said, even Ren Xiaosu was a little scared.

But what could he do about it? He might as well eat a biscuit to calm his nerves…

Every time Ren Xiaosu thought of a potentially terrifying theory, he ate a biscuit to calm his nerves…

In reality, Ren Xiaosu felt that sitting inside a car was just as unsafe as sitting in the pickup. In fact, with his current physical fitness and the open view from the truck bed, he’d be the first to find an escape route and a countermeasure if danger appeared.

After all, aside from Yang Xiaojin, whose strength was unknown, no one else in the entire convoy could outrun him.

Ren Xiaosu hadn’t considered whether he should save others when danger struck. He wasn’t stupid!

This group of people hadn’t provided him, their guide, with any food and had made him ride in the truck bed. It was already a kindness that Ren Xiaosu hadn’t sought revenge on them!

The convoy fled onward as if a real monster were chasing them from behind. Inside one of the vehicles, Liu Bu was still trying to persuade Xu Xianchu, “Sir, let’s go back and explain things clearly to the stronghold. Your superior wouldn’t really be so merciless as to kick you out of the stronghold, would he?”

But Xu Xianchu didn’t answer. If it were someone else, their superior might not have been so ruthless, but he was different.

Both Wang Congyang and Xu Xianchu, officers in the private troops, had offended their bosses. In fact, Ren Xiaosu had figured this out long ago.

When something happened in the wilderness in the middle of the night, the first person sent out was Wang Congyang. And after Ren Xiaosu and Luo Xinyu requested Wang Congyang be replaced, they sent out Xu Xianchu.

The officers who knew how to curry favor were all living comfortably back in the stronghold. Only the outcasts were pushed out to the wilderness to carry out missions. Otherwise, who would want to leave home in the middle of the night to fight?

The soldiers from before the Cataclysm all had a sense of honor, but these private troops, Ren Xiaosu believed, had no such thing.

In reality, both Xu Xianchu and Wang Congyang were in an awkward position within the private troops. Their superiors already wanted to suppress them, and now they had a legitimate reason. If they failed to complete the mission, they probably wouldn’t be able to go back for real.

But Ren Xiaosu still had doubts. He glanced to his side and finally whispered to Yang Xiaojin, “Are these troops really reliable? The stronghold depends on them for defense, but they look like a disorganized mob whenever they face danger.”

Yang Xiaojin glanced at him and said something that baffled Ren Xiaosu, “The corporations’ armies are the corporations’ armies, and the strongholds’ armies are the strongholds’ armies. The corporations don’t want these strongholds to have powerful armed forces.”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned for a long moment. What were the corporations’ armies like then? Xu Xianchu was clearly more astute and capable than the other soldiers. Throughout the journey, Ren Xiaosu hadn’t even seen him smoke or slack off. His back was always ramrod straight.

Who were the ostracized officers? There were at least two that Ren Xiaosu knew: Wang Congyang and Xu Xianchu. Setting Xu Xianchu aside, even Wang Congyang had displayed meticulous logic when searching Ren Xiaosu, which was completely different from these other private troops. Wang Congyang had even shown his contempt for the private troops in front of Ren Xiaosu.

So, were Xu Xianchu and Wang Congyang ostracized because they were unwilling to compromise their principles?

Ren Xiaosu even made the most malicious speculation: maybe even the cigarettes were provided by the corporations. Had the corporations meticulously plotted for years to finally turn the strongholds’ armed forces into complete wastes? Ren Xiaosu couldn’t be sure if his speculation was correct, but Teacher Zhang had said that technology was in the hands of a few, so it stood to reason that armed forces would be too.

However, he still had doubts about Xu Xia’s case. Was it that living people wouldn’t be attacked? Otherwise, why was everyone who was alive unharmed?

Why was the Stronghold so interested in the pre-Cataclysm ruins hidden in the Jing Mountains? Could it be that the dangers they were now encountering all originated from these ruins?

Xu Xianchu said coldly, “I am now taking over wartime command of everyone. You no longer have the right to question any future plans.”

Liu Bu opened his mouth as if to speak but then stopped. He realized Xu Xianchu was serious.

At noon, the convoy took a short break at a place called Rainbow Cliff. The formation of this cliff was related to tectonic movement; plate compression had formed an escarpment, and the rock layers on the cliff face were a myriad of colors. It had been named years ago when the private troops came to the forest to clear out wild beasts.

Leaning against the cliff to wipe his sweat, Liu Bu said, “It’s almost winter. Why is it getting hotter the further north we go?”

Ren Xiaosu, sitting to the side, burped and said, “There are several volcanoes in the Jing Mountains ahead, and they aren’t extinct ones either. Their internal activity is very frequent.”

Many in the group had never been here before and were surprised. They had always thought of volcanoes as something very distant, never expecting there to be several right here in the Jing Mountains.

However, Xu Xianchu was clearly aware of the Jing Mountains’ geography, so he wasn’t surprised. After all, the private troops would have certainly given him some information before sending him on a mission. The private troops had been here in the past, so it was only natural they had seen the volcanoes.

But Xu Xianchu was puzzled. How unprofessional had his predecessors in the private troops been? After clearing out the beasts in the Jing Mountains, they hadn’t even bothered to survey a map.

To this day, there wasn’t even a single, accurate, comprehensive map of the areas between the major strongholds!

Liu Bu went to the pickup to get food to distribute to everyone, but when he saw how many biscuits were missing, he nearly fainted. He asked Ren Xiaosu with a trembling voice, “How could you have eaten so many biscuits!”

“Burp,” Ren Xiaosu patted his chest. “I’m sitting all alone in the truck bed. What’s wrong with eating some of your biscuits to calm my nerves?!”

Suddenly, a howling sound came from the north. The sound was incredibly eerie, and all the private troops raised their guns and aimed them at the road to the north. But all they heard was Ren Xiaosu saying, “Quick, help me up. I need another biscuit to calm my nerves…”

Liu Bu: “…”

Luo Xinyu looked at Ren Xiaosu. “You definitely know what that sound is.”

Xu Xianchu pointed his gun at Ren Xiaosu. “Don’t hide anything!”

Ren Xiaosu raised his eyebrows and said, “That’s the sound of the Old Wind Gap. The great canyon pass leading to the Jing Mountains isn’t far now. When the strong winds blow across the canyon, they make that sound. Nothing to make a fuss about.”

It was only then that everyone began to realize how useful it was to have an experienced guide on the team. And it was only at this moment, amidst their inner fears, that they suddenly started to recognize Ren Xiaosu’s value. At the very least, they weren’t as frightened by the howling sound anymore.

The original plan was to reach this canyon in three to five days. However, the power of fear had made the convoy speed up. If nothing unexpected happened, they would reach the front of the Old Wind Gap canyon tonight!

Teacher Zhang from the School had once said in a lecture that all human motivation stems from death.

People eat because they don’t want to die; they desperately fight to survive because they don’t want to die.

And now, they were all in a mountain range where death could come at any moment. This threat of death was like a shot of adrenaline, making everyone sharper and more desperate to get out alive.

Chapter 49: No Entry for the Living

The convoy was now moving quickly. On one hand, this stretch of road was indeed a bit smoother. On the other, everyone felt that if they just drove fast enough, they could leave the danger behind.

By evening, as the setting sun cast its slanted rays across the sky, the convoy finally emerged from the forest. Ahead, they saw towering stone cliffs and a canyon.

The stone cliffs were like a step suddenly raised from the earth. After getting out of their vehicles, they had to crane their necks until they ached just to see the top, and looking left and right, they couldn’t see an end to it at all.

This was nature’s staircase, as if climbing it would lead one to the heavens.

From a distance, the Old Wind Gap canyon had looked as narrow as a black line. But as they drew closer, they discovered it was wide enough for five or six vehicles to pass through simultaneously.

A powerful mountain wind howled through the canyon with a mournful wail. When someone stood at the canyon’s entrance, they could barely keep their footing, almost pushed over by the wind.

The marvel and majesty of nature were on full display at this moment.

Suddenly, Liu Bu shouted, “Everyone, come look at this!”

Liu Bu was standing beside the Old Wind Gap canyon, pointing at a spot on the cliff face. “There are words here!” he yelled.

Everyone walked over. Carved into the stone were four characters, each as large as a human head: No Entry for the Living.

Xu Xianchu looked at Ren Xiaosu. “Who carved this?”

Ren Xiaosu shook his head. “These four words weren’t here when I came last year.”

“Why would you come here?” Liu Bu shrieked. “This place is so far from the settlement! Even for hunting, you shouldn’t have come to a place like this! Who are you really? You must be hiding your identity!”

Ren Xiaosu nodded. “Yes, there’s something I haven’t told you all. I’m actually… a Descendant of the Dragon.”

Liu Bu: “…”

Xu Xianchu: “…”

Luo Xinyu: “…”

“There are too many suspicious things about you now,” Xu Xianchu said, pointing his gun at Ren Xiaosu. “You must clearly explain why you came here last year. This place is already remote, and Stronghold 113 hasn’t sent anyone here for many years. This is the road from Stronghold 112 to Stronghold 113, but no one from Stronghold 112 has come our way this past year. So, in the last year, it’s very likely you were the only one to have been here. Did you carve these words?”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said, “The words are carved quite high up. At my height, I couldn’t have reached it without standing on a rock. And honestly, I’m just as surprised as you are to see these four words here. I’m also wondering who did this.”

Ren Xiaosu wasn’t lying about this. He really hadn’t carved the four words.

“You still haven’t said why you came here!” Liu Bu roared. “Have you calculated how far this is from the settlement?”

Everyone looked at Ren Xiaosu. Although they had been driving slower than a person could run, the three-day journey was still a long one. There was no reason for Ren Xiaosu to have come this far.

Ren Xiaosu was silent for a moment before saying, “Last year, I ran into a wolf pack at Yunling Ridge. They chased me here.”

This was also the truth.

“Nonsense,” Liu Bu retorted. “How could a kid like you survive a wolf pack? Tell me, why would the wolves let you go?”

“I wasn’t their target at the time; I just happened to be there. I fled into the woods in a panic, thinking they would leave me alone, but I didn’t expect them to chase after me. As for how I survived… after I entered the Old Wind Gap canyon, they stopped chasing me. I hid inside the canyon for two days. I only came out after they were gone. I don’t know the way further in, and I’ve never been.”

Everyone was stunned. Even the wolf pack wouldn’t follow someone in here? Could there really be some great terror beyond this canyon?

And the words carved on the cliff might have been left by some kind soul who went in, discovered the secrets of the Jing Mountains, and then warned others not to go any further.

Everyone believed what Ren Xiaosu said. This time, however, Ren Xiaosu hadn’t told the whole truth. He had indeed been chased into the canyon by the wolf pack, but the wolves hadn’t stopped there; they had continued the pursuit.

As for how Ren Xiaosu survived, he couldn’t explain it either. The moment he encountered the wolves, he had lost consciousness. When he awoke, he was covered in wounds, but the wolf pack was gone.

By the time he struggled back to the settlement, he was on the verge of death. It was this incident that made him realize how terrifying the wolves were, but it was also after this encounter that the black mist had appeared in his mind.

For the past year, Ren Xiaosu had been pondering the connection between the black mist in his mind and that period of unconsciousness. What exactly had happened while he was passed out?

Someone suddenly said, “Do you guys know about those supernatural beings? Maybe one of them left these words. Some of them have long since transcended the bounds of normal humans. It wouldn’t be strange for them to be able to roam the wilderness freely.”

The speaker was a soldier from the private troops. Xu Xianchu glared at him. “That’s a military secret.”

“Who are you kidding? Weren’t we all just pushed out?” the soldier sneered. “How much longer do you think you’ll get to be an officer? Even if we complete this mission, do you really think Ma Xin will let you off the hook when we get back?”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. The internal order of this private army was so chaotic that soldiers dared to talk back to their superior officer so casually? Unconsciously, his impression of these private troops soured even further. In Teacher Zhang’s descriptions, the pre-Cataclysm armies were strictly disciplined, their collective will like steel.

Xu Xianchu looked at the soldier who had spoken. “He might not let me off, but before I go, I’ll make sure you’re kicked out too. You’d better shut up now, or I’ll deal with you as a deserter.”

The soldier fell silent, but Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu’s curiosity had been piqued. “What about those supernatural beings? We heard you caught three of them in our stronghold a while back?”

Xu Xianchu considered for a moment before saying, “That has nothing to do with you. We were just following our superior’s orders.”

“So, are we still going in?” Liu Bu suddenly pleaded. “Sir, let’s just go back! It’s too dangerous in there!”

Xu Xianchu finally started to waver. He glanced at the sky and sighed. “In any case, it’s getting late. We’ll camp here for the night and discuss whether to stay or go. What do you think?”

Liu Bu and the others of course agreed. As long as they weren’t heading forward, nothing else was a problem.

Ren Xiaosu gazed into the depths of the canyon. The sheer cliffs on either side seemed to reach the sky. A sliver of light shone down from the gap above, but it seemed to exhaust itself before reaching the canyon floor. The deeper one looked, the darker it became.

Chapter 50: Terror in the Canyon

Ren Xiaosu no longer needed to go out and look for food. Gripped by the fear of death, Liu Bu had even forgotten about Ren Xiaosu and the food supply. What they were thinking about now was how to survive the night—or rather, how to get out of there alive—not what they would eat for dinner.

That night, some people didn’t even bother to set up their tents, afraid that being inside would slow down their escape. But Xu Xianchu stopped them, “Everyone, set up your tents. It’s late autumn. If you don’t even have a tent to block the wind and you get sick, you’ll really never make it out of the Jing Mountains!”

They built a large bonfire, and everyone sat silently around it. Although they hadn’t dared to stray far while gathering firewood, nor had they dared to enter the woods again, they had managed to collect quite a lot by working together. It seemed the larger the flame, the safer they felt.

This time, Ren Xiaosu didn’t build a separate fire because Xu Xianchu had asked him to join their discussion.

“What right does he have to sit here?” Liu Bu said with displeasure. “How can we sit with a refugee? Ren Xiaosu, move back a bit.”

No one contradicted Liu Bu, as they saw no need to offend someone like him over a refugee.

Originally, everyone was sitting in a circle, but Liu Bu was essentially forcing Ren Xiaosu to sit outside the group by himself, as if he were just an observer.

They did need Ren Xiaosu’s opinion on some things, but in Liu Bu’s view, Ren Xiaosu could just answer from the back whenever they asked him something.

However, Xu Xianchu was far more rational than Liu Bu. “Let’s not talk about irrelevant things anymore. We need to seriously discuss whether we should stay or go.”

Xu Xianchu had been the one to insist on heading into the Jing Mountains, as he had to consider his future and his position within the stronghold. But now, even he was having second thoughts. Even if he were kicked out of the Stronghold to become a refugee, it was still better than dying here.

The private troops trusted the cold steel of the guns in their hands. But when they realized that the things they were facing might not be solvable with firearms, an immense fear began to grow.

Their greatest source of security could no longer provide them with any sense of safety.

Seeing that everyone had quieted down, Xu Xianchu said, “We’re now facing a dilemma. One option is to pass through this canyon, but it holds unknown dangers. It might even contain creatures that those supernatural beings would have trouble dealing with. Otherwise, it’s hard to explain who could have come here single-handedly and carved the words, ‘The living should not enter.’”

“On the other hand,” Xu Xianchu continued, “the woods also harbor hidden dangers. Xu Xia’s mysterious death and the mysterious disappearance of his body are both unsolved mysteries. So, if we head back, we can’t be sure what we’ll encounter on the way.”

Luo Xinyu suddenly spoke up, “Although there were dangers in the woods, it’s unlikely to wipe us all out. After all, so many of us are still alive after making it this far. But the dangers beyond the canyon are much harder to predict. I think it would be better to face the woods again.”

They had only lost one person while crossing through the woods. Even if another person died on the way back, it wouldn’t necessarily be them. Therefore, turning back was probably their best option.

However, Xu Xianchu was still somewhat hesitant. Do we really go back? If they did, he had no idea what kind of trouble his superiors in the stronghold would give him.

Everyone fell silent again. Ren Xiaosu looked at Yang Xiaojin and noticed she still had a very calm expression, as if she didn’t care whether they stayed or left.

Wait, could Yang Xiaojin be one of the legendary supernatural beings?

Ren Xiaosu couldn’t be sure, but for some reason, he suddenly felt that Yang Xiaojin’s purpose for being here seemed different from everyone else’s. Back when they were eating fish, Ren Xiaosu had thought she might be a friend of Luo Xinyu’s, there to protect her.

But the problem was, Luo Xinyu and Yang Xiaojin didn’t act particularly close. Theirs was simply the relationship between an employer and an employee.

Ren Xiaosu felt a certain longing for the supernatural beings Xu Xianchu and the others spoke of, but he wasn’t jealous. He himself was also a so-called supernatural being, just one who hadn’t fully developed yet…

Observing Xu Xianchu’s expression, Luo Xinyu said, “Sir, are you worried about your situation back in the stronghold? You don’t have to be. When we get back, how about I find someone to help you transfer out of the private troops? You could even take a desk job.”

Xu Xianchu was stunned for a moment. “Are you serious?”

Luo Xinyu said earnestly, “I’m serious. I, Luo Xinyu, still have some influence in the stronghold.”

This sentence seemed to help Xu Xianchu finally make up his mind. “Alright, then we’ll set off first thing tomorrow morning and head back to the Stronghold!”

Just then, the wind in the canyon died down. The deafening noise vanished abruptly, and the entire forest fell silent.

In the quiet, everyone suddenly heard a chewing sound coming from the pickup truck. The hair on everyone’s skin stood on end. Liu Bu trembled and asked, “What’s that sound?”

“It sounds like it’s coming from the truck bed!”

Everyone looked over in terror. They couldn’t understand it. Weren’t there only supplies in the truck bed? Ren Xiaosu was right here with them, so where was the sound coming from?

After his initial fear, Xu Xianchu’s expression quickly turned grim. “I refuse to believe anything can stop a bullet!”

With that, he signaled the private troops, and they slowly advanced toward the pickup. The chewing sound must have been going on for a while; they just hadn’t heard it over the loud canyon wind.

Ren Xiaosu also stood up. It seemed that as his physical fitness had improved, he no longer felt too cold wearing just a thin jacket in this late autumn season.

He kept his bone knife in his hand. When he turned his head, he saw that Yang Xiaojin had also placed her hand on the pistol she carried with her.

As Xu Xianchu and his men slowly approached, a dark figure suddenly leaped out from the truck bed. Startled, they opened fire without a second’s hesitation.

The dark figure was met with a fierce volley of gunfire in mid-air and was blasted backward by several bullets. Another noise came from inside the truck bed, and without thinking, they all unleashed a crazed barrage of fire into it.

Click, clack!

The sound of empty chambers clicking was heard. The private troops had fired off their entire magazines. The pickup truck was riddled with holes, a sorry sight. The gas tank began to leak fuel; someone had actually shot the tank, leaving a bullet hole in it.

However, Ren Xiaosu wasn’t worried that the vehicle would explode. His Advanced Firearms skill included relevant knowledge: unless you used incendiary rounds, it was very difficult to make a gas tank explode just by shooting it.

Xu Xianchu slowly approached to check on the dark figure that had jumped out. But when he saw it, he was infuriated. The dark figure that had terrified them was just a rat that had come to steal food!

“How did this rat get so big?” Liu Bu said, still shaken. “It must be the size of two human heads.”

Xu Xianchu set aside his fear and looked into the pickup truck. Inside was another rat, which had already been shot to pieces.

It turned out to be a false alarm. Their nerves were stretched too thin, and the slightest disturbance made them paranoid.

They had to go back. If they didn’t, no one would be able to withstand this immense psychological pressure.

But just then, Ren Xiaosu abruptly turned his head to look back the way they had come. In the distance, a silver wolf stood on a hilltop, gazing toward them. It was the wolf king!

We’re done for. How did they get back so quickly?

Chapter 51: Fair and Reasonable

The silver wolf king glimmered brightly in the moonlight, the pale light coating its fur making it seem as though it was glowing from within.

On the cliff, the wolf king’s silver fur swayed in the wind, making it look like an exquisite work of art.

However, Ren Xiaosu had no intention of admiring it. Right now, all he wanted to do was run!

Weren’t the wolves supposed to have left the territory of Stronghold 113? Weren’t they supposed to have entered a mountain range hundreds of kilometers away? Why would they suddenly appear here?

The cliff was not far from them. It would probably only take the wolf pack about ten minutes to reach them. What worried Ren Xiaosu the most was that the other wolves were not yet in sight. What if they were already closing in?

Ren Xiaosu shouted, “Move! Into the canyon!”

Liu Bu was stunned. “Into the canyon? Are you crazy? Isn’t that suicide?”

“If we don’t go into the canyon, we’ll die right now!” Ren Xiaosu rushed to the pickup truck, grabbed the one large rat that was still relatively intact, and ran towards the canyon. He was the one who had the most experience dealing with wolves, so he knew exactly what kind of terrifying opponent they would face if they didn’t run.

Perhaps the Stronghold’s operations to clear out the wilderness had eliminated the wolves’ natural predators, allowing them to roam freely without fear.

Ren Xiaosu glanced back and was shocked to find that the people behind him actually still had the presence of mind to grab their luggage from the bonfire and load it onto the vehicles! It seemed that because the wolves looked to be a great distance away, not everyone was particularly panicked.

Moreover, Ren Xiaosu’s claim that the wolves wouldn’t dare to enter the canyon had given them a sense of confidence: as long as they got into the canyon less than ten meters away, they would all be safe.

These people really aren’t afraid of dying, Ren Xiaosu thought. At a time like this, they’re still grabbing their clothes? Shouldn’t they at least be grabbing food and water first?

At this moment, Ren Xiaosu realized that the most level-headed people in the entire group were himself, Yang Xiaojin, and Xu Xianchu.

Xu Xianchu had immediately retrieved firearms and ammunition from a vehicle, while Yang Xiaojin was forcing a driver to get in and start the car at gunpoint…

But what could Ren Xiaosu do? He couldn’t just die with them. As he ran into the canyon, he scanned the sheer cliffs on both sides. They were steep, but it seemed they were not completely without handholds for climbing.

The reason Ren Xiaosu was observing the cliffs was that he knew full well he had lied to the others when he said the wolves wouldn’t enter the canyon. He had done it to hide the truth of how he had survived before, but he knew for a fact that the wolf pack had pursued him into the canyon without a moment’s hesitation!

So the wolves would definitely follow them in, and a major problem then would be how to escape.

Vehicles were indeed a good way to travel, but it was debatable whether they could even outrun the wolf pack on flat ground, let alone on the gravel road inside the canyon.

A few days ago, the private troops had clashed with the wolves, and several hundred well-armed soldiers had suffered dozens of casualties. This group of a dozen or so people really didn’t stand a chance.

There was a saying: You don’t have to run faster than the wolf, you just have to run faster than everyone else. But a dozen people were not nearly enough to slow down the pack. If they were to die, they would all die.

That was why Ren Xiaosu hadn’t tried to get into a vehicle and had instead run into the canyon. It wasn’t that he was panicking and running blindly; he knew from the start that getting in a car wouldn’t save them. He had to find another way.

If it came down to it, he would have no choice but to climb the sheer cliffs. No matter how incredible the wolves were, they couldn’t possibly climb walls, right?

Ren Xiaosu wasn’t sure if he had the stamina to climb all the way to the top, but it was his only path to survival.

Just then, someone started a vehicle and floored the gas pedal, driving into the canyon. There weren’t enough seats now, as the pickup truck was completely wrecked.

By now, they could see the wolf pack appearing at the edge of the forest. Everyone’s face was filled with terror. The wolves were probably as tall as wild oxen and seemed unhurried as they walked step by step toward the humans.

Liu Bu screamed in fright, and even many of the private troops’ soldiers had turned pale.

The people who had been busy packing their luggage now realized how foolish they had been. If it weren’t for their belongings, they probably would have already been inside the canyon by now!

“Wait, don’t close the door!” someone shouted. “We can squeeze in!”

But before the person who had spoken could get in, Liu Bu kicked him out of the vehicle and slammed the door shut with a bang!

“Drive! Drive, quickly!” someone roared.

At this moment, Ren Xiaosu was incredibly calm. In the wilderness, there was no right or wrong. To live was right, and to die was wrong.

All he could do was ensure he was the last one left alive. That was it.

The four intact vehicles drove into the canyon one after another, at the cost of leaving two people behind who couldn’t get on in time. Suddenly, two blood-curdling screams echoed from outside the canyon. Ren Xiaosu’s heart skipped a beat. He realized the wolves were even faster than he had imagined.

As the vehicles passed Ren Xiaosu, one of them unexpectedly stopped. He saw Yang Xiaojin in the backseat, pointing a gun at the driver’s head. She then turned to Ren Xiaosu and said, “Get in.”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. He never thought Yang Xiaojin would threaten the driver with a gun to make him stop. Besides, he hadn’t even planned on getting in a car! In a place like this, could a car outrun the wolves?

Seeing that Ren Xiaosu wasn’t moving, Yang Xiaojin seemed to pull out another black M9 pistol with her other hand and pointed it at him. “Get in.”

Ren Xiaosu: “…”

He turned to look outside the canyon, but the sight stunned him. Yang Xiaojin followed his gaze and looked back. She saw that the wolf pack had stopped just outside the canyon. Dozens of massive wolves stood at the entrance, silently watching them, their fur still stained with fresh blood.

From his vehicle, Liu Bu stared at the wolves and said blankly, “So they really don’t dare to enter the canyon. We’re saved!”

Everyone present felt the relief of having survived a disaster, of escaping from the jaws of the wolves!

Someone even started crying. “We’re saved!”

Liu Bu muttered under his breath, “I can’t believe that refugee kid wasn’t lying.”

But at this moment, Ren Xiaosu’s heart was anything but light. He had lied to them earlier, but he never expected the wolves would actually stop…

What did this mean?

It meant that something in the Jing Mountains had truly changed within the past year, which was why the wolves had suddenly stopped here.

It also meant that the Jing Mountains beyond the canyon were definitely more dangerous than imagined. The words “No Living Shall Enter” were absolutely not a lie.

What now?

Someone got out of a car, looked at the wolves outside the canyon, and said, “Why don’t we camp here and turn back once the wolves are gone?”

Ren Xiaosu thought to himself that he had never heard a dumber suggestion. He said, “You can go back if you want, but I’m definitely not turning around.”

Xu Xianchu nodded grimly. “That’s right. There’s no turning back for us.”

In this situation, the forest was the wolves’ home turf. Wait for them to leave? Where did they expect them to go? They should know it was still a three-day journey back to the Stronghold. Three days was more than enough time for the wolf pack to hunt them down and toy with them as they pleased…

Of course, werewolves were impossible; it was just a figure of speech…

No one answered Xu Xianchu, because they all knew very well that heading back meant certain death, no matter when they tried. The only way to survive was to get to Stronghold 112!

There was no turning back!

Just then, Liu Bu looked at Ren Xiaosu and asked, “Why are you carrying that rat?”

“To eat, of course,” Ren Xiaosu said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Should I save it for New Year’s?”

Liu Bu almost threw up. “Eat that?”

Ren Xiaosu said, “The food was on the pickup truck, and the pickup is gone now. If we don’t eat them, what do we eat? Besides, they ate my biscuits, so it’s only fair and reasonable for me to eat them.”

Liu Bu: “…”

Come to think of it, that did sound pretty fair and reasonable!

In reality, Ren Xiaosu knew that one of the biggest problems the group now faced was the lack of food and water.

However, although Ren Xiaosu had grossed Liu Bu out, he didn’t actually intend to eat the rat himself.

Chapter 52: Human-Faced Insects

To people from the stronghold like Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu, rats were synonymous with filth. In their traditional view, rats were creatures of the sewer, representing plague, disease, and stench.

Although Ren Xiaosu didn’t eat rats either, it was only because he had once seen them feeding on a rotting corpse, which had left a very bad impression on him. But to the other refugees in the Settlement, their natural view was that rats from the wilderness were food. These rats stole human grain and even preyed on other creatures, no different from any other wild animal.

Resources were scarce in the Settlement. They even ate termites, so why not rats? In their eyes, a rat was just a piece of walking meat.

Compared to the influential figures in the stronghold, the refugees had a fundamentally different understanding of food. To a refugee, anything that didn’t kill you was food.

Now that the pickup truck was destroyed and the food had been shot to pieces by the private troops, no one dared to retrieve what little might be left with a wolf pack waiting. So, for the time being, enduring hunger would inevitably become the norm.

Ren Xiaosu, however, wasn’t afraid. No matter who else starved out here in the wilderness, he wouldn’t.

At that moment, Ren Xiaosu looked at Yang Xiaojin. When the girl had pointed her gun at the driver earlier, he had thought she was trying to save him. It was only when she aimed it at him as well that he understood she just needed a guide to learn about the wilderness environment.

Or perhaps Yang Xiaojin had also realized from the start that food would be hard to come by, and since Ren Xiaosu had already demonstrated his talent in that area, she wanted to bring along someone who could find food…

As the saying goes, everyone has their own specialty. Being an expert with firearms didn’t necessarily mean one was an expert in wilderness survival. And wilderness survival was precisely what Ren Xiaosu excelled at.

Ren Xiaosu wondered what level his wilderness survival skills would be if they were quantified.

He asked in his mind, “What’s my wilderness survival level?”

“Can be assessed. Master-level,” the Palace answered crisply.

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. It could actually be assessed? He hadn’t expected his wilderness survival skill to be Master-level. That sounded impressive…

For some reason, Ren Xiaosu was growing more and more puzzled by Yang Xiaojin’s identity. As someone from the stronghold, her actions were decisive and ruthless, never hesitating for a moment.

It was still nighttime, and everyone was exhausted. The wolf pack dared not enter the canyon, so they walked a few more kilometers before stopping to rest.

They stopped partly to discuss their future plans, and partly because they were afraid of what lay beyond the canyon. If they could delay passing through it for a while longer, they would…

“We can only move forward now,” Xu Xianchu said, standing inside the canyon. “This canyon is called Old Wind Gap. It seems calm now, but you’ve all seen how powerful the winds can get. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone got blown right out of the canyon.”

“But there doesn’t seem to be any wind at night,” Liu Bu said, confused. “It’s been calm since evening. And if we park the vehicles side-by-side as a windbreak, it should be fine.”

“That won’t work either. We must leave this place before dawn. We can rest for a little while now,” Xu Xianchu denied the idea. “Besides, we’re out of food. The urgent task is to get out of this canyon and find something to eat. This place doesn’t look like it has any food.”

“Now that you mention it, I’m starting to feel hungry,” Liu Bu muttered under his breath.

Earlier in the evening, they had been gathered around the campfire, too scared to have much of an appetite. But now, five or six hours had passed since dinner, and their escape had consumed so much stamina and energy that everyone was feeling hungry.

“We should have gone for the food earlier,” someone complained. “Even though the pickup was shot to hell, there must have been something left to eat.”

“So what do we do now? We still have nearly half a month’s journey ahead of us. What are we going to eat and drink?” Liu Bu asked.

At this question, everyone turned their gaze to Ren Xiaosu. In their minds, Ren Xiaosu was an expert at wilderness survival, wasn’t he? Hadn’t he been the one to catch that large fish before?

However, Ren Xiaosu just pointed to the rat at his feet. “You guys eat this?”

The others remained silent. In truth, if it really came to a desperate situation, they would have to eat rats. That was the reality.

In fact, everyone in the convoy knew that Ren Xiaosu certainly didn’t want to help them find food. After all, the convoy had previously denied him food, not only isolating him but also deliberately mocking or embarrassing him. And now they expected him to find food for them?

Some people suddenly began to blame Liu Bu in their hearts. What was wrong with sharing some of the food on your truck with Ren Xiaosu? Look what’s happened now.

It never occurred to them that while they hadn’t said anything at the time, they had all been laughing when Liu Bu refused to give Ren Xiaosu food.

Ren Xiaosu smirked inwardly. Let everyone fend for themselves.

“Rest for a bit. We’ll go through the canyon at dawn,” Xu Xianchu decided. “Once we’re out of the canyon, everyone stay alert. We’ll confirm there’s no danger before we worry about food. No one’s going to starve to death in a day or two.”

When the Settlement was short on food, Ren Xiaosu had seen people eat tree bark and roots. After they finished the bark and roots, they ate dirt, and eventually died.

Ren Xiaosu knew very well what people became in the face of starvation. They wouldn’t eat a rat now, but in two days, they’d wish they could even eat dirt.

Just then, Yang Xiaojin walked over to Ren Xiaosu and handed him a dagger. Ren Xiaosu was stunned. “For me?”

“Lending it to you,” Yang Xiaojin said.

“The condition?” Ren Xiaosu asked. Both of them were very direct. There was no such thing as love or hate without reason in this world. There had to be a reason for Yang Xiaojin to lend him her personal dagger.

“Food,” said Yang Xiaojin.

“Just lending it won’t do,” Ren Xiaosu shook his head. “You have to give it to me.”

“Alright,” Yang Xiaojin said and turned to walk away.

This caught Ren Xiaosu by surprise. She had probably intended to use the dagger as a bargaining chip all along. Saying she was lending it to him at first was just leaving some room for negotiation…

Ren Xiaosu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He would have to think carefully when dealing with this Yang Xiaojin in the future.

He examined the dagger. Even without being an expert, he could tell that this dagger was of better quality than any of the ironware he had ever seen at Old Wang’s General Store.

Ren Xiaosu sheathed the dagger and hid it up his sleeve. But suddenly, his expression changed drastically. He looked up at the cliff face above, and the others followed his gaze. “What’s up there?”

As soon as they spoke, a dense scraping sound of carapaces echoed through the canyon. Xu Xianchu shone his high-powered flashlight upwards and was horrified to see a countless black tide crawling down the cliff face.

No one had ever seen these insects before. The patterns on their carapaces resembled human faces. The black insects’ mandibles opened and closed as if they had received some command, and they swarmed madly towards the people below. Some even leaped directly from the cliffs onto Ren Xiaosu and the others.

Ren Xiaosu drew the dagger and sliced a huge insect that was pouncing on him in half, then roared, “Run!”

“What are these things?!” Liu Bu was so terrified he was about to lose his mind!

Chapter 53: A Clear Conscience

Ren Xiaosu had spent so many years in the wilderness, but he had never even heard of these Human-Faced Insects, let alone seen them.

He was usually calm when facing ants and termites, because the giant ants of today wouldn’t take a special interest in you unless you smelled of blood.

But these Human-Faced Insects were terrifying. It was obvious they wanted to eat people!

The wind in this canyon was usually so strong; he had no idea where these Human-Faced Insects usually hid. Now, upon seeing prey, they had swarmed out of their nest.

Were the wolves afraid of these things? If Ren Xiaosu had known there were so many Human-Faced Insects in the canyon, he wouldn’t have come in even if it killed him. This time, he didn’t even care about the rats anymore.

He had been thinking of climbing the cliff face earlier. Now, he was grateful he had been a little slow. Otherwise, if he had encountered these things halfway up the cliff, he would have truly died!

“Get in the cars!” Xu Xianchu shouted to everyone.

Ren Xiaosu hacked down two Human-Faced Insects that lunged at him. The insects opened their mouthparts in mid-air. Their claws weren’t particularly sharp, but their mouthparts were like the hooks of a soul-reaper, capable of snatching away a person’s life.

This time, Ren Xiaosu didn’t run away, because the cars were the safest place to be. So while everyone else was panicking, he had already gotten into a vehicle. Not only did he get in, but he was also carrying a driver.

Ren Xiaosu couldn’t drive himself, so he couldn’t leave without a driver.

He threw the driver into the driver’s seat and shouted, “Drive, hurry up and drive!”

The driver turned around helplessly. “This isn’t my car. I don’t have the key…”

What the hell… Ren Xiaosu felt he was really at a disadvantage for never having driven before. He didn’t even know the common sense from the strongholds that one car needed one specific key!

But he didn’t hesitate. He grabbed the driver and got out of the car again, roaring, “Which one is yours?!”

The driver was dazed from being hauled around by Ren Xiaosu. Amidst the chaotic crowd, he pointed at a vehicle. “That one!”

Ren Xiaosu rushed toward that vehicle with the driver in tow. At that moment, everyone else was frantically trying to escape. Some made it to the cars, while others didn’t even try and just ran forward through the canyon. Some even ran in the direction of the wolves.

In a life-or-death situation, the untrained members of the band had never seen such a terrifying scene. They had long since lost their ability to think rationally.

Just then, the voice from the Palace echoed in Ren Xiaosu’s mind: “Quest: Rescue at least 10 people and escape the canyon!”

“Rescue my ass!” Ren Xiaosu continued dragging the driver toward the vehicle. It wasn’t like there was a penalty for not completing the quest. My life is more important! I don’t need this one quest!

It was only then that he suddenly realized someone was following him.

He looked back and saw that it was none other than the Perfect-level Marksman, Yang Xiaojin. She seemed to be carrying something, but Ren Xiaosu didn’t have time to get a good look.

The girl was dead set on following Ren Xiaosu to escape. It seemed that in her eyes, sticking with him was the only way to survive!

Ren Xiaosu couldn’t be bothered with that anymore. He reached the vehicle and pulled open the door. A soldier from the private troops was cowering in the driver’s seat, trembling. Ren Xiaosu irritably yanked him out of the car. What’s the point of hiding in here if you don’t have the key?! Are you waiting to die?

In that brief moment, two Human-Faced Insects tried to crawl up Ren Xiaosu’s pant leg, but they were blasted to smithereens by two shots from Yang Xiaojin before they could even get close.

Ren Xiaosu jumped into the back seat of the off-road vehicle, and Yang Xiaojin followed. Ren Xiaosu roared at the dazed driver, “Drive! What are you waiting for?!”

The driver was in a completely numb, mechanical state. Only when Ren Xiaosu yelled at him did he hastily insert the key and start the ignition. He floored the gas pedal, but the car barely moved. It was then the driver realized he hadn’t released the handbrake. He quickly disengaged it and drove forward.

Ren Xiaosu finally breathed a sigh of relief. The car might not be able to outrun the wolves, but it could outrun the Human-Faced Insects. Two vehicles up ahead had already put some distance between them, but several people behind them were swarmed by the insects. A black tide of bugs covered the fallen, who writhed and struggled in vain.

Chewing sounds came from the black tide, as blood and flesh were ground into a pulp by the sharp mouthparts.

Ren Xiaosu was silent. So this was the true wilderness. This was the world humanity would have to face in the future!

The bizarre Human-Faced Insects were drawn to the flesh and blood and stopped chasing the vehicles. Ren Xiaosu sank weakly against the car seat, panting. He had exerted himself quite a bit just now and was feeling drained.

Even for him, it wasn’t easy to run around carrying a grown man.

Ren Xiaosu glanced at Yang Xiaojin, who was sitting calmly in the car. “You’re quite strong,” she said.

Ren Xiaosu ignored her and asked the driver, “The bugs aren’t chasing us anymore, are they?”

“No, they’re gone,” the driver, having survived the ordeal, was slowly coming to his senses. The numbness faded as awareness returned. He kept repeating from the driver’s seat, “Thank you. I really might not have survived without you.”

“Gratitude from Sun Junzheng, +1!”

Ren Xiaosu thought to himself that his Gratitude Tokens had finally reached 74. It seemed lugging a person around hadn’t been a complete waste. He thought for a moment and said, “No need to thank me so much. I only did it so you could drive.”

“It’s fine. No matter the reason, I have to thank you. I’m sorry for what happened before. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely repay you,” Sun Junzheng said.

“Gratitude from Sun Junzheng, +1!”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned. Could you farm Gratitude Tokens from the same event? It was probably because he had saved the man’s life, and Sun Junzheng was still in a state of shock, so each “thank you” was sincere.

Ren Xiaosu tested the waters, “How about you say ‘thank you’ again for me to hear?”

“…” Sun Junzheng was speechless for a long moment. The flow of his emotions was instantly broken!

Yang Xiaojin’s gaze toward Ren Xiaosu turned strange. They weren’t even out of danger yet, but this teenager was already so carefree.

Ren Xiaosu waited for a long time but didn’t get his 76th Gratitude Token. He felt he might have been a bit too hasty…

If he could have held back and been a bit more reserved, he might have harvested a few more. But one shouldn’t be too greedy. It was best to quit while he was ahead…

Suddenly, Ren Xiaosu caught Yang Xiaojin’s unusual expression out of the corner of his eye. He cleared his throat. “Ahem, I was just joking. We should hurry and get out of the canyon to meet up with the cars ahead before those Human-Faced Insects catch up.”

At this point, Ren Xiaosu suddenly remembered the quest the Palace had just issued. He didn’t feel the least bit ashamed. In that kind of situation, there was no way he would sacrifice himself to save others.

It was just as he had told Yan Liuyuan: If you feel guilty, just convince yourself not to!

Besides, he had a clear conscience about this matter.

But suddenly, Ren Xiaosu heard the Palace’s voice in his mind: “Quest complete. Reward: 1.0 Strength.”

What was going on? Did it mean that as long as he had performed the act of saving someone, and more than ten people from the group ultimately survived, the quest would be considered complete?

This Palace of yours is really casual…

Chapter 54: The Escape

Ren Xiaosu was surprised that he had completed the quest. In his heart, he had no intention of completing it at all. It seemed the Palace simply wanted him to become stronger. Otherwise, how the hell did Wang Fugui thanking his ancestors eight generations back count as a Sincere Thanks?!

Ren Xiaosu’s Strength had now reached 6.5, officially more than double that of a normal adult. Of course, the scope of “normal” here was probably just an average, and certain individuals who had undergone high-intensity training did not fall into this category.

The convoy quickly passed through the canyon and drove forward. In the earlier chaos, some people had fled headlong toward the wolves and were mauled to death. The pursuing Human-Faced Insects were also rather peculiar; they seemed unwilling to step even an inch out of the canyon. Upon reaching the canyon’s edge, they slowly retreated.

The wolf pack and the Human-Faced Insects, two species of the wilderness, coexisted in a unique way, as if they had an agreement to mind their own business.

The wolves looked to their king, and the wolf king turned and slowly walked back into the woods. It seemed that once it confirmed its prey was lost, it would not linger in the slightest, acting with clean decisiveness.

The driver, Sun Junzheng, said as he drove, “I wonder how many people made it out alive this time?”

“As long as we survived, that’s what matters,” Ren Xiaosu replied. Whether others lived or not was not his concern.

In a place like the wilderness, it was actually better to have more people. After all, there was strength in numbers, and people could look out for one another in a crisis.

But from what Ren Xiaosu had just witnessed, the actions of those private troops and the band’s staff proved that they were absolutely not people he could trust. Not only could they not be trusted, but a moment of carelessness could even get him killed by one of them.

“Look, there are so many skeletons here!” Sun Junzheng suddenly shouted.

As the vehicle passed through the canyon, they saw dozens of human skeletons by the roadside, scattered throughout the canyon in grotesque poses.

“This must be the work of those Human-Faced Insects,” Ren Xiaosu said calmly.

Thinking back on the Human-Faced Insects, Ren Xiaosu realized he had been one of the calmest people there. So, as he retreated toward the vehicles, he’d had the presence of mind to observe the creatures carefully.

He recalled that not every Human-Faced Insect had a human face on its carapace. Was it because they hadn’t fully developed? Or did the insects only grow a human face on their shells after eating a human?

In such a strange place, Ren Xiaosu’s thoughts subconsciously drifted toward the most horrifying possibilities.

A cold sweat broke out on his back at the thought. It felt as though the Human-Faced Insects had devoured the very souls of their victims, and those souls were now grimacing from the insects’ carapaces.

The convoy had started with six vehicles, but now only three remained. It took them over ten minutes to completely cross the canyon. The moment their vehicle emerged, Ren Xiaosu, Yang Xiaojin, and Sun Junzheng all froze.

It was still nighttime. Inside the canyon was a gloomy darkness, with light only existing within the range of the headlights.

But outside the canyon, the starry sky was like a painting hanging overhead, seemingly within arm’s reach. The vegetation on the ground was unusually dense, and countless fireflies flitted about in the woods. The surrounding mountains seemed to have intentionally enclosed this area, creating a vast garden that was like a fairyland.

They slowly got out of the vehicle, gazing at the night scene. Sun Junzheng involuntarily started walking toward the woods, a look of fascination on his face.

Just then, Ren Xiaosu slapped him across the face. “How dare you just walk into an eerie forest like this?”

To these influential people from the strongholds, “beauty” was alluring. But to Ren Xiaosu, beauty in nature was inherently fraught with danger.

To survive in the wilderness, one had to understand that the more beautiful a snake was, the more dangerous it could be. The prettier a mushroom, the more poisonous it might be. The more vibrant a spider, the more lethal it could be.

Therefore, Ren Xiaosu had a natural aversion to beautiful things. He called this kind of beauty in the wilderness “eerie.”

Everyone else had gotten out of the vehicles. Ren Xiaosu looked around and saw that Xu Xianchu, who had been the first to react, had indeed survived. To his surprise, Liu Bu had also made it out alive.

It wasn’t that Ren Xiaosu had been hoping for Liu Bu to die; he was just puzzled. How had this guy, who could only scream and panic when frightened, managed to survive?

Luo Xinyu had also survived. Ren Xiaosu recalled that the moment the Human-Faced Insects appeared, she had immediately moved closer to Xu Xianchu. She had probably survived under his protection.

Xu Xianchu’s face was grim as he did a head count. “There are only eleven of us left.”

They had started with twenty people, but now, before even reaching the Jing Mountains, there were only eleven. There was no telling what might happen on the road ahead. It was truly uncertain how many of them would make it out of the Jing Mountains alive.

“I told you all we should have turned back! You just had to enter this canyon! A supernatural being clearly said ‘The living should not enter,’ so why wouldn’t you listen?” Liu Bu complained.

“Shut up,” Luo Xinyu said coldly.

Liu Bu seemed to have found a bit of courage and even started taunting his boss, Luo Xinyu. “I told you not to venture outside the stronghold. You wouldn’t listen. Are you satisfied now?”

Luo Xinyu’s face turned ashen. “You were the one who said you supported it with both hands!”

“Did I dare to say I didn’t?” Liu Bu retorted.

Xu Xianchu frowned at Liu Bu. “What’s the use of saying all this now? Why don’t you go back and find that wolf pack? We were forced to enter the canyon. We’re all lucky to be alive, so stop arguing. The most important thing for us now is to work together to overcome this crisis!”

Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu fell silent. Ren Xiaosu felt he needed to find another way out for himself. The group’s morale had shattered; this talk of “working together” was nothing but empty words.

The vehicles could go no further. No one had expected the plants here to grow almost as densely as in a subtropical rainforest, making the path completely impassable.

“Let’s rest for a bit,” Xu Xianchu said wearily. They hadn’t had a proper rest all night. One danger had followed another, and everyone was truly on the verge of breaking down.

Ren Xiaosu feigned exhaustion and sat on the ground, far away from the forest. At this point, not only did they have no food, but they had also lost their tents and blankets.

Ren Xiaosu suddenly felt a pang of regret. He had forgotten to bring that rat of his into the vehicle. He wondered if the Human-Faced Insects ate rat meat, would they turn into Rat-Faced Insects?

Thinking about it that way, it didn’t seem so heartbreaking anymore. There was even a hint of anticipation…

“Sir,” Luo Xinyu said, looking at Xu Xianchu, “what exactly is your mission in the Jing Mountains?”

Ren Xiaosu looked at Xu Xianchu. This was the same question that was on his mind!

Xu Xianchu hesitated but still did not reveal everything he knew. However, Ren Xiaosu noticed that Xu Xianchu himself seemed to be harboring some doubts.

Chapter 55: A Temporary Alliance

From beginning to end, Xu Xianchu never said what their quest was. The band’s crew, like Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu, clearly didn’t know either, otherwise, they wouldn’t be questioning Xu Xianchu like this.

Ren Xiaosu was a little puzzled. Did Xu Xianchu’s quest objective have something to do with the changes in the Jing Mountains?

Xu Xianchu suddenly said, “To be honest, we didn’t expect such a drastic change here either. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have come with only twelve people. What I can tell you for certain is that we also have no idea what’s happening here.”

“Right now, it’s not even certain if any of us will get out of here alive. Why can’t you share your secret with us?” Liu Bu was on the verge of a breakdown. He just wanted to know what kind of situation he was in, so he was unwilling to let go of any clue. He ground his teeth at Xu Xianchu. “We’re all in the same boat now. If you don’t tell us, this secret might just get buried in the grave with us!”

Liu Bu’s face was getting so close to Xu Xianchu’s that spittle was flying everywhere.

Xu Xianchu shoved Liu Bu away. “Are you blaming us for something you yourselves got into? I heard you’ve always wanted to go to other strongholds. Even without our quest, wouldn’t you have gone anyway? And now you’re trying to wash your hands of it, acting like we led you here to die!”

Ren Xiaosu was enjoying the show; all he needed was a handful of peanuts to complete the scene. But then, Yang Xiaojin, who was beside him, suddenly said, “I’m hungry.”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback by her words. Why are you telling me you’re hungry?

Yang Xiaojin said, “Dagger.”

“Oh, oh, oh!” Ren Xiaosu nodded hurriedly. “Please, have a seat. I’ll go get you something to eat right now! Do you have any dietary restrictions?”

“No,” Yang Xiaojin said, sitting down directly on the ground. Unlike Luo Xinyu, who had to spread a piece of clothing underneath herself before sitting, she wasn’t particular at all.

However, Ren Xiaosu was now in a bit of a pickle. He had lost the rat he’d been carrying. At the time, he’d had to carry the driver with one hand and hold his dagger with the other, so there was no way he could have held onto the rat. Finding food now was going to be a little difficult.

The dense forest before them was too strange, and it was impossible to see what was inside at night. He would have to wait until daytime to observe it carefully before daring to enter in search of food.

But just as he was starting to worry, Yang Xiaojin suddenly said, “I threw the rat in the trunk.”

Ren Xiaosu froze. He vaguely remembered Yang Xiaojin carrying something in her hand during the chaos, but everything had happened so quickly that he hadn’t gotten a good look. So it turned out to be that large rat…

It had to be said, Yang Xiaojin’s foresight had saved Ren Xiaosu a lot of trouble. In the past, Ren Xiaosu had always roamed the wilderness alone. He never sought out help, so he had to face all dangers and difficulties by himself.

In fact, people from the settlement had approached him before, wanting to hunt together, but Ren Xiaosu had refused them all.

It wasn’t that they weren’t capable enough, but rather that he couldn’t trust them. It was easy to get tired in the wilderness. In those moments, being with other people was more dangerous than being with wild beasts.

Ren Xiaosu had once considered training Yan Liuyuan to help share the burden, but he eventually gave up on the idea. Ren Xiaosu didn’t want Yan Liuyuan to put himself in harm’s way.

Now, for the first time, Ren Xiaosu had the feeling of “having a partner.”

But he quickly cast the thought aside. The two of them were just in a transactional relationship. They had formed a temporary alliance in the wilderness because they trusted each other’s abilities or resources. This alliance was merely a silent agreement; they didn’t actually trust each other. They were just each taking what they needed.

Ren Xiaosu went to the car and retrieved the large rat. By now, everyone else was famished, but not so hungry that they would eat just anything. When they saw Ren Xiaosu carrying the rat, the thought of him eating it made their stomachs turn.

While the others were heatedly discussing what to do, Yang Xiaojin had already returned with firewood and was preparing to start a fire. Ren Xiaosu instructed her in a low voice, “When you back out of a forest, always make sure you’re facing it.”

Yang Xiaojin raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Because it can trigger the predatory instincts of large felines. I feel like they can’t even control themselves—it’s their nature,” Ren Xiaosu explained. “There are actually a lot of wildcats in the wilderness. Teacher Zhang said those cats are probably descendants of house cats from before the Cataclysm. Without owners, they started living freely in the wild and grew more and more feral. And these wildcats are getting bigger and bigger; they’re incredibly dangerous.”

“Are they that dangerous?” Yang Xiaojin asked.

“Yes, very. But they won’t necessarily attack you if you’re facing them. So never turn your back to the forest. You never know what’s hiding inside,” Ren Xiaosu said.

Perhaps it was because Ren Xiaosu also wanted to maintain this temporary alliance to increase his own chances of survival that he said a few more words to Yang Xiaojin.

Ren Xiaosu began to carve up the rat with his dagger. To be honest, he had originally intended to use the rat meat as bait for centipedes. Compared to rat meat, Ren Xiaosu felt that roasted centipedes tasted much better.

But he had no choice now. After the incident with the Human-Faced Insects, Ren Xiaosu was genuinely worried he might bait something else bizarre…

He quickly sliced off the rat’s two thick hind legs and handed them to Yang Xiaojin to roast over the fire. In less than ten seconds, the aroma of cooked meat drifted over ten meters away.

Liu Bu and the others had been in a fervent discussion, but the moment they smelled the meat, they all swallowed their saliva in unison. They completely forgot what they had been talking about…

Everyone quietly turned to look at Ren Xiaosu, only to see him toss the rest of the rat meat into the forest with a flick of his wrist. Ren Xiaosu felt as if he possessed boundless strength now; the remaining meat disappeared from sight in the blink of an eye.

Liu Bu became agitated. “Why did you throw it away?”

“It’s not like you’re going to eat it. You want to leave it here to attract wild animals?” Ren Xiaosu shot them an annoyed glance. “If you want it, go get it yourselves.”

Liu Bu was stunned for a long moment, then sneered, “I would never eat something so disgusting.”

Ren Xiaosu said calmly, “That’s because you haven’t eaten anything more disgusting…”

Wait, that’s not right. These people have clearly eaten more disgusting things. In Ren Xiaosu’s eyes, you people from the stronghold even ate stuff like bird’s nest soup. What was a little rat meat in comparison…

Previously, Ren Xiaosu had heard from Teacher Zhang at the School that many of the big shots in the stronghold enjoyed eating bird’s nest soup. He couldn’t figure out where the swallows got so much phlegm. Maybe they had tuberculosis? No wonder there was that saying about ‘tubercular swallows scattering to the winds’—so this is what it was about.

However, he didn’t bother saying much more to them. The plump, skinned rat meat quickly roasted to a crisp golden-brown over the fire. Liu Bu and his group stopped their discussion and just stood by, swallowing hard.

Everyone had been through a harrowing night. They hadn’t had much of an appetite at dinner due to fear, and now, after a whole night of fleeing, their stamina was nearly depleted. Every single one of them was starving.

Someone did consider going into the forest to retrieve the rest of the rat meat, but the problem was, Ren Xiaosu had thrown it way too far!

Chapter 56: A New Skill

With a flick of his wrist, Ren Xiaosu threw all the remaining rat meat away. It seemed he had no intention of sharing it with anyone, nor did he feel it was a pity to discard it.

Liu Bu thought to himself, Even if you don’t give it to others, don’t you have to eat tomorrow?

Ren Xiaosu, however, thought differently. He would rather find food again tomorrow, or even go hungry, than keep the heavy scent of blood around.

At that moment, Yang Xiaojin was quietly gazing at the roasting rat meat, a small salt shaker in her hand. Looking at her now, one would never imagine she was a marksman who would let her gun do the talking at the drop of a hat.

Wait a minute. It suddenly occurred to Ren Xiaosu that when he completed the quest to refuse passage into the Jing Mountains, the Palace had rewarded him with a Basic Skill Duplication Scroll. He still hadn’t used it!

Back in the settlement, there hadn’t been any suitable targets for learning. But wasn’t there one right beside him now?

Although his scroll was only at the basic level and could no longer help him improve his marksmanship, a person like Yang Xiaojin must have other extraordinary skills, right?

The Basic-level scrolls didn’t seem too difficult to obtain. Ren Xiaosu felt he could definitely learn a few more life-saving skills from Yang Xiaojin.

Ren Xiaosu suddenly asked in his mind, “Can you list all of Yang Xiaojin’s skills for me?”

He wanted to see what other highly valuable skills Yang Xiaojin possessed before making a final decision.

“Authorization to display denied,” the Palace replied stiffly.

“Huh? Haven’t I already learned a skill from her?” Ren Xiaosu asked, curious.

“Authorization to display denied,” the Palace repeated stiffly.

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and rephrased his question. “What is the level of her combat skill?”

“Advanced,” the Palace said.

Ren Xiaosu understood now. He could only ask the Palace about specific skills, for instance, whether she had combat skills or medical skills, and the Palace would answer.

But if he directly asked the Palace to list all of the target’s skills, it would ignore him… This whole thing was a guessing game.

“Then what’s the level of my combat skill?” Ren Xiaosu pressed.

“Intermediate,” the Palace said.

His own combat skill was just the experience he had gained from years of fighting fiercely and ruthlessly. It had never been carefully analyzed or structured into a theory. What he knew best was where to strike someone to deal a fatal blow. But compared to Yang Xiaojin, what he possessed was not “scientific” or “concrete” enough; it was all based on instinct.

Therefore, her skill was Advanced, while his was Intermediate.

But in a real fight, it would still depend on their physical attributes. If Yang Xiaojin’s Strength and Agility were lower than Ren Xiaosu’s, or if there was a large gap, her one-level-higher combat technique would be useless.

Ren Xiaosu observed Yang Xiaojin. She didn’t look particularly strong, so she probably wasn’t as powerful as he was, right?

The Advanced Combat Skill was very tempting to Ren Xiaosu because he understood its importance.

Once he learned the Advanced Combat Skill, not only would he be more confident when facing humans, but if he ever encountered someone with a Master-level Combat Skill, he could directly use a Master-level Skill Duplication Scroll. This was because mastering an advanced skill was the key to using a master-level scroll.

Without that key, he wouldn’t be able to learn a master-level skill even if someone had one.

“Use the Skill Duplication Scroll!” Ren Xiaosu said to the Palace in his mind and waited surreptitiously, praying over and over, Please be Advanced Combat Skill, please be Advanced Combat Skill!

The next moment, the Palace said, “Randomly extracted the target’s advanced skill: Chinese Jump Rope. Learn?”

Ren Xiaosu: “???”

Ren Xiaosu stared blankly at Yang Xiaojin. He never would have thought that a beautiful, elegant, Perfect-level Marksman like her would possess a profound skill like Chinese Jump Rope…

What the hell is Chinese Jump Rope? How could I have drawn a skill like this!?

Yang Xiaojin seemed to sense Ren Xiaosu’s gaze and turned to look at him calmly. “When will the meat be ready?”

Ren Xiaosu’s mood soured completely. Ready my ass! Could this Skill Duplication Scroll of his be any more unreliable? He could live with Deception and bragging, but now Chinese Jump Rope? And how could a skill like this even have a level!

Could you tell me how one plays Advanced Chinese Jump Rope? Do you do a backflip while jumping!?

Ren Xiaosu said with a dark expression, “When you eat in the wilderness, you have to cook things for a while longer. Same with water, it has to boil for more than ten minutes before you can drink it.”

Just then, Ren Xiaosu saw Yang Xiaojin raise her wrist, revealing a watch. Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. He had seen watches before, but he also knew that even in the stronghold, they seemed to be worn only by influential people.

Ren Xiaosu asked, “Aren’t you afraid of getting sick from eating things from the wilderness?”

Yang Xiaojin said calmly, “You have to survive first to get the chance to be sick.”

After speaking, she picked up her small salt shaker and sprinkled salt on the rat meat. Nearby, Liu Bu and the others were already drooling.

They hadn’t felt particularly hungry while discussing their plans earlier, but now, as waves of the savory aroma wafted over, Liu Bu and the others felt as though their stomachs had been sucked into a vacuum. They were empty!

“Did anyone bring any food?” Xu Xianchu asked.

“No,” everyone shook their heads.

Ren Xiaosu chuckled to himself when he heard this. He had clearly seen some of them tucking away food earlier, but now, those very people were all tacitly denying it.

It seemed everyone present understood that the food they had hidden on their persons could save their lives!

How could one share something that could save their life?

Moreover, Ren Xiaosu suddenly noticed that many of the soldiers from the private troops had lost their guns. How could they have discarded such life-saving tools in the chaos? Was it just to run faster?

How foolish.

The celebrity from the stronghold, Luo Xinyu, became unhappy. “How are we supposed to survive without food? Why didn’t you bring any?”

One of the private troops’ soldiers sneered, “You didn’t bring any either, did you?”

At that moment, Luo Xinyu subconsciously took a step back. She noticed an indescribable malice in the eyes of some of the men around her.

She was a celebrity in the stronghold. Not only was Luo Xinyu exquisitely beautiful, but she also had an excellent figure. When summer arrived in the stronghold, she loved to wear short skirts, exposing her long, straight legs to the air.

The people in the stronghold could only watch from a distance, and watch was all they could do, because civilization still existed there.

But now, she was in the wilderness, and many in the group had suddenly fallen into a kind of despair: they didn’t know if they would make it out alive.

Under these circumstances, the evil in their hearts began to magnify.

Here, there was no civilization, no law, no morality… and perhaps no one would ever know what happened here.

Luo Xinyu subconsciously shuffled closer to Ren Xiaosu. She hadn’t even realized it herself, but when fear rose in her heart, her first instinct was to trust the “refugee” who looked most like a wild beast, not her own teammates.

Chapter 57: Supernatural Being!

Seeing the atmosphere in the team grow increasingly strange, Xu Xianchu said coldly, “Look at what you’ve all become. The most important thing for us right now is to find food and then get out of here. Do you all want to die here?”

Liu Bu forced a laugh and said, “That’s right, we need to work together now.”

Just a moment ago, a malicious thought had flashed through Liu Bu’s mind. But he suddenly realized he didn’t really have any teammates. If something dirty really happened here, and they all managed to get out alive, the soldiers from the private troops would definitely kill all the survivors who weren’t one of them.

“Where are we supposed to find food?” someone complained. “Do you dare to go into this forest now? I’m not going in, that’s for sure!”

Xu Xianchu looked at Ren Xiaosu. “You’re the expert on wilderness survival. You can help everyone find some food.”

Suddenly, the Palace in Ren Xiaosu’s mind announced, “Quest: Help the team find food.”

Find food?

Ren Xiaosu pondered for a moment, then pointed at a private troops soldier next to Xu Xianchu and said, “I saw him grab food from the pickup truck before we entered the canyon. It should be in his backpack.”

The soldier was stunned. We asked you to find food in the wilderness, what the hell is this about finding it on me?!

“Quest Complete. Reward: Basic Skill Learning Scroll.”

Ren Xiaosu was delighted. The Palace had just said to find food, not where to find it, right? Anyone’s food was still food!

He was really starting to love the way the Palace judged quests…

Xu Xianchu looked at the soldier beside him. “Take out the food.”

“Why should I be the one to give up my food?” The soldier immediately became hostile. “What were all of you doing when I was grabbing food? You were getting clothes, getting tents, and that celebrity even grabbed her makeup bag. Why should I have to give my food to you now?”

Ren Xiaosu said, “He’s got a point.”

Everyone turned to look at him in silence…

To be honest, Ren Xiaosu was on the soldier’s side. On one hand, he also felt that the others hadn’t been doing anything productive at the time. They hadn’t grabbed any food themselves, yet now they were trying to guilt-trip someone else into sharing. That was just moral blackmail. On the other hand, Ren Xiaosu was just enjoying the show and didn’t mind if things escalated. After all, none of them were good people…

No one paid any attention to Ren Xiaosu. Luo Xinyu had just tried to sit next to him, only to be pushed away…

So Luo Xinyu sat down next to Yang Xiaojin. But their relationship seemed to be merely that of employer and employee. By now, Yang Xiaojin had dropped all pretense, completely ignoring Luo Xinyu as she focused on eating her rat meat.

She kept her gun in hand the whole time, acting as though none of this had anything to do with her.

Xu Xianchu looked at the soldier hoarding food and said, “Hand over the food. Since we’re meant to be working together to overcome this crisis, you can’t be so selfish. We’ll be able to find more food after daybreak. You won’t starve.”

“Who knows if we’ll even be alive tomorrow,” the soldier said. “Besides, I wasn’t the only one who took food. Li Maoxian and Jiang Yang took some too. Why am I the only one who has to give it up?”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback when he heard the name Li Maoxian. Even in the stronghold, people just got saddled with such careless names?!

But the most important thing at that moment was that the atmosphere within the team was turning icy. To think that these comrades, who had just survived a disaster together, would immediately start fighting amongst themselves over a little food.

Xu Xianchu tried to reason with him. “I’m doing this for the good of the team.”

Another soldier sneered, “Still trying to pull rank, even out here? You have a gun, and so do I!”

As he spoke, he reached for the gun at his waist. But Xu Xianchu suddenly lashed out with a kick, striking the man square in the chest and sending him flying several meters.

No one had expected Xu Xianchu to attack so suddenly, much less to practically disable a man with a single kick!

Ren Xiaosu roughly estimated that with his current physical prowess, he could probably do the same, perhaps with even more strength than Xu Xianchu. The thought put him a little more at ease.

The soldier who’d been kicked probably wouldn’t make it out of the forest alive. Xu Xianchu’s kick had been incredibly powerful and had certainly caused internal injuries.

From this day on, he would have to make his way through the forest with those internal injuries, which would drain his energy and eventually lead to his collapse.

It seemed Xu Xianchu was making an example of him to establish his authority, even at the cost of losing another member of the team.

But before Xu Xianchu could even retract his leg, another soldier behind him attacked. This soldier drew a military spike from his waist and lunged at Xu Xianchu, apparently trying to take advantage of the distraction to kill him!

This time, even Yang Xiaojin stopped eating. If that blow landed, Xu Xianchu would surely die.

Wait!

Ren Xiaosu saw an identical “shadow” split off from Xu Xianchu’s body. The gray shadow was like a perfect duplicate of him.

At first, Ren Xiaosu thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, but then he immediately realized, “A supernatural being!”

Xu Xianchu was a supernatural being!

No wonder Xu Xianchu had insisted on pressing forward after encountering all those bizarre things earlier. It turned out he had an ace up his sleeve all along!

Ren Xiaosu had long felt something was off. No matter how desperate Xu Xianchu was to complete his mission, or how much he feared being exiled as a refugee, he shouldn’t have been so willing to throw his life away.

It turned out Xu Xianchu wasn’t being reckless; he just had a secret.

As the military spike came at him in a sneak attack, the gray shadow spun around. Like a corporeal being, it caught the thrusting spike in a tight grip. The gray shadow was faster and stronger than Xu Xianchu’s physical body!

Moreover, the gray shadow seemed impervious to sharp weapons, catching the spike with its bare hands. In that split second, the soldier holding the weapon was thrown into chaos. He’d never imagined he would be facing a supernatural being, let alone one that would dare to catch a military spike with its bare hands!

In the soldier’s moment of distraction, the gray shadow snatched the spike with both hands and viciously plunged it into his abdomen.

An eerie silence fell over the camp, broken only by the sound of everyone’s ragged breathing. The soldier collapsed slowly to the ground. In the darkness, his purple blood turned black as it soaked into the earth.

But the wound was not instantly fatal; the soldier on the ground was still gasping for air.

The soldier who had been kicked earlier struggled to pull out his pistol and began firing. But then, a shocking scene unfolded: the gray shadow moved in front of Xu Xianchu, completely blocking all the bullets!

The gray shadow’s form rippled, and the bullets that had struck it dropped to the ground, one by one.

Some wanted to condemn Xu Xianchu for brutally attacking his own comrade, but they didn’t dare to make a sound!

Everyone stared at Xu Xianchu in shock. Was this his ability—to create an identical shadow? But the shadow was clearly even more powerful than Xu Xianchu himself.

And what’s more, the gray shadow was impervious to gunfire!

Was this what a true supernatural being was like?

Ren Xiaosu wondered. He noticed that Xu Xianchu’s expression had turned grim. Did this mean that the shadow blocking the bullets still affected his real body?

The two “Xu Xianchu”s scanned their surroundings. Then, the gray shadow slowly walked back toward Xu Xianchu’s body, stepping into his back and disappearing.

Chapter 58: I Brought Money!

Along the way, Ren Xiaosu had guessed that if anyone in the team was most likely to be a supernatural being, it had to be Yang Xiaojin.

But what he hadn’t expected was that Xu Xianchu was the one with the deepest secret.

Regarding Yang Xiaojin, Ren Xiaosu at least knew a little about her and was aware that she was a dangerous person. But as for Xu Xianchu, Ren Xiaosu hadn’t paid him much mind before.

However, this was also because Xu Xianchu’s supernatural abilities were easy to conceal. Although that gray shadow was extremely powerful, Xu Xianchu himself was still an ordinary soldier, which made it impossible for Ren Xiaosu to judge.

What a pity. If only he had a Master-level Skill Learning Scroll right now, he could have used it on Xu Xianchu immediately!

If he were lucky enough to copy Xu Xianchu’s skill, Ren Xiaosu would have more aces up his sleeve for the rest of the journey.

But the Palace had been open for so long, and Ren Xiaosu had never even seen a Master-level Skill Learning Scroll. They must be extremely rare.

At this moment, Xu Xianchu sighed. “I just wanted to lead everyone out of here. I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”

Ren Xiaosu watched from the side, unable to judge whether Xu Xianchu’s words were sincere.

Actually, he held no ill will toward Xu Xianchu. Previously, when Liu Bu and the others had isolated him, Xu Xianchu hadn’t joined them. Of course, it wasn’t like Ren Xiaosu had any particular fondness for him either.

If that soldier hadn’t tried to draw his gun during the argument just now, Xu Xianchu probably wouldn’t have acted.

Ren Xiaosu turned to look at Yang Xiaojin and found that she had regained her usual calm demeanor, as if she wasn’t particularly interested in supernatural beings.

“Aren’t you curious?” Ren Xiaosu asked.

“I am,” Yang Xiaojin said calmly.

Ren Xiaosu was speechless. That was the most half-hearted “curious” he had ever heard.

Suddenly, Xu Xianchu looked at Ren Xiaosu. “Aren’t you a doctor? Go take a look at their injuries. Wang Congyang told me about your situation before I came, so you can drop the act.”

“Oh,” Ren Xiaosu patted his butt and stood up. He walked over to the soldier with the knife wound and squatted down, then turned to Xu Xianchu and said, “But we’re in the middle of nowhere, and I don’t have any medicine. His injury looks pretty serious.”

At this, the pale-faced soldier asked, “How much longer do I have?”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment. “10…”

“10 minutes?” the soldier asked, stunned.

Ren Xiaosu looked at him earnestly. “9… 8… 7…”

The soldier was speechless.

“I avoided his vital organs. Don’t scare him,” Xu Xianchu said. “I heard from Wang Congyang that you have a very effective medicine specifically for wounds. I don’t believe you’d come into the wilderness without bringing it.”

Ren Xiaosu was displeased. “My medicine is very expensive, you know. Are you paying? I’m your Guide, not your personal doctor. If you want me to be a doctor, that’ll cost extra.”

As a matter of fact, Ren Xiaosu was indeed carrying two small porcelain vials filled with Black Medicine.

Xu Xianchu was taken aback. “I lost my money on the road.”

He turned his gaze to the others, intending to suggest they pool their money to save their teammate’s life. Xu Xianchu truly hadn’t meant to kill anyone; he only wanted to intimidate the others.

But everyone next to them averted their eyes, unwilling to help, especially Luo Xinyu. The injured soldier had been eyeing her with ill intentions earlier.

Seeing that no one was willing to pay, Ren Xiaosu was about to suggest they forget it when a weak voice came from the ground beside him. “I brought money…”

Your will to live is pretty strong… Ren Xiaosu thought.

He asked, “Which pocket is your money in? Left or right? I’ll tell you now, I don’t know how to do stitches. Whether the wound heals after I apply the medicine is all up to fate.”

Everyone else was stunned. Would it even work to just apply medicine without stitching the wound? Luo Xinyu spoke up, “I have a sewing kit, but I faint at the sight of blood.”

“I’ll do the stitches,” Xu Xianchu said.

By this time, Ren Xiaosu had already pulled a wad of cash from the soldier’s pocket. “I won’t overcharge you. 1,200 yuan.”

“Alright,” the soldier said, his mood improving significantly now that he knew he wasn’t going to die. He said to Ren Xiaosu, “Thank you.”

“Gratitude from Wang Lei, +1!”

Ren Xiaosu’s eyes lit up. His Gratitude Tokens were on the move again. With Wang Lei’s thanks, he had finally reached 77 tokens, bringing him one step closer to unlocking a weapon.

The atmosphere in the camp eased somewhat. On one hand, Ren Xiaosu’s antics had helped defuse the tension. On the other, everyone realized that although Xu Xianchu had injured someone, and his actions were swift and decisive, he wasn’t a truly vicious and cruel person.

If Xu Xianchu had a violent nature, they would all have to be more careful. After all, having a supernatural being like that around was extremely dangerous.

As Xu Xianchu stitched up the soldier’s wound, he said, “There’s no need for me to hide it from you anymore. The people in the stronghold only discovered that there were supposed to be ruins of a pre-Cataclysm civilization somewhere in these Jing Mountains. They sent the private troops here just to map the area and survey the routes to make it easier for the main force to explore later. In fact, we had no idea what was happening here before we came.”

“After arriving, I realized there was something strange about the Jing Mountains. I started thinking, if the secret within these mountains could even cause wild animals to evolve, could it also be useful to humans? Could it also help supernatural beings like us? That’s why I insisted on pressing forward.”

“Didn’t you say you were giving up on the mission before?” Liu Bu asked.

“At that time, I felt this place was too dangerous. To avoid exposing my identity as a supernatural being, I decided to give up. At worst, I could just come back with the main force from the stronghold. That would have been a safer bet,” Xu Xianchu replied.

Ren Xiaosu understood. So Xu Xianchu really had considered giving up before.

Xu Xianchu paused for a moment before continuing, “But it’s impossible for me to return to the stronghold now. You’ve all seen how the stronghold treats supernatural beings. My odds of survival would be slim if I went back. So I’m going to explore deeper into the Jing Mountains. If you want to go to stronghold 112, we’ll go our separate ways. I won’t stop you.”

The depths of the Jing Mountains and stronghold 112 were in two different directions—one to the northeast, the other to the northwest. The group now faced a choice: either let Xu Xianchu leave the team, or follow him.

No one in the camp spoke, seemingly waiting for someone else to decide first.

“I’ll go with you,” Yang Xiaojin said calmly. “This place is too dangerous. The best way to get out of here alive is to stick with a supernatural being like you.”

Ren Xiaosu thought back. This was probably the most Yang Xiaojin had ever spoken at one time.

But he felt that Yang Xiaojin wasn’t telling the truth, because her original goal had likely been the depths of the Jing Mountains all along!

At this point, Ren Xiaosu grew even more suspicious that Yang Xiaojin was also a supernatural being.

Chapter 59: A Pig Ran into a Tree

Yang Xiaojin’s decision to follow Xu Xianchu into the mountains surprised everyone. No one had expected a girl to be the first to speak up.

However, what Yang Xiaojin said made a lot of sense. The area was fraught with danger, and having a supernatural being around was reassuring.

Without the protection of a supernatural being, they might not even reach Stronghold 112 safely, let alone venture deep into the Jing Mountains.

After a brief silence, someone else spoke up, “I’ll go too.”

“Me too.”

In an instant, everyone had decided to follow Xu Xianchu into the Jing Mountains. It seemed no one was a fool.

Just then, Luo Xinyu whispered to Ren Xiaosu, who was beside her, “Are you going?”

Ren Xiaosu was clearly taken aback. “Why are you asking me?”

“If you go, I’ll go,” Luo Xinyu said.

Ren Xiaosu was baffled for a moment. Lady, we barely know each other, so why are you acting like we’re close?

He ignored Luo Xinyu and turned to Xu Xianchu instead. “I’ll go with you too.”

Suddenly, a white glow illuminated the sky from a distance. Xu Xianchu glanced at the sky and said, “Everyone, get some rest. Since you’ve all decided to follow me, we’ll set off at dawn. But let’s be clear beforehand: the entire team must follow my command. If anyone feigns compliance again, I won’t be so courteous.”

With that, he and his private troops went to gather branches to fashion a stretcher. The soldier he had kicked could still walk, but the one who had been stabbed could not.

Xu Xianchu was actually planning to bring the wounded man along. With the sudden appearance of this dense forest, everyone had to abandon their vehicles. Carrying a person would be a significant burden.

Surely no one in the group would be willing to carry a stretcher. A normal adult man is quite heavy. Forget men, some adult women are heavy too…

At this moment, Ren Xiaosu was a little puzzled. Was Xu Xianchu genuinely such a good person, or was he deliberately trying to win people over?

The injured Wang Lei looked moved to tears, constantly telling Xu Xianchu, “Thank you, Sir.”

Hearing those words of thanks, Ren Xiaosu suddenly had a bold idea…

Once the stretcher was made, Xu Xianchu asked, “Who’s willing to help me carry him?”

“I’ll carry him!” Ren Xiaosu volunteered, stepping forward.

Everyone around him was bewildered. Ren Xiaosu, you? Being this kind?

Xu Xianchu thought for a moment and said, “You’re the most familiar with the wilderness, so it’s better if you lead the way. Besides, you’re still young. I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle carrying a grown man.”

Ren Xiaosu grew anxious. “No way, I must carry him today! I’ll kill anyone who tries to take this from me!”

Everyone: “…”

They were all completely baffled. Did you have to make threats when trying to do a good deed these days…?

…

Half an hour later, Ren Xiaosu and Xu Xianchu were carrying the stretcher, one at the front and one at the back. Ren Xiaosu didn’t find it that heavy; after all, his strength was now extraordinary.

After Ren Xiaosu applied the medicine for Wang Lei, Wang Lei thanked him. Gratitude Token +1. When they lifted Wang Lei, Wang Lei thanked him. Gratitude Token +1. Along the way, Ren Xiaosu meticulously cared for Wang Lei, asking if he was hungry or thirsty, and Wang Lei thanked him again. Gratitude Token +1.

Ren Xiaosu truly hadn’t expected to find such a “divine tool” for farming Gratitude Tokens out here!

In just half an hour, Ren Xiaosu’s Gratitude Token count had reached 82!

Xu Xianchu found it a little strange. In his impression, Ren Xiaosu was clearly the type to mind his own business and not get involved. How had he suddenly turned into such a good person?!

He didn’t believe it!

But as they traveled, Xu Xianchu pondered it for a long time. If Ren Xiaosu had an ulterior motive, what could he possibly be after…?

He couldn’t figure it out, no matter how he thought about it.

This dense forest was not easy to traverse. The sheer density of the trees was something Ren Xiaosu had never seen before.

He had last been here only a year ago, but looking at the forest before him now, he felt as if he hadn’t been back in decades. The change was just too drastic.

Ren Xiaosu chatted idly with Wang Lei, but his eyes were constantly scanning their surroundings. As they walked, he deliberately glanced at the spot where he had discarded the rat. He found that after only a few hours, its carcass had been reduced to a skeleton.

This meant there must be carrion-eating insects nearby, perhaps ants.

As they advanced, Luo Xinyu hovered around Xu Xianchu, seemingly having developed a great interest in him.

Ren Xiaosu saw Luo Xinyu practically press herself against Xu Xianchu several times, but Xu Xianchu deliberately responded with cold words each time.

At that moment, Ren Xiaosu saw in Luo Xinyu a shadow of the women from the settlement…

So some women from the strongholds also subconsciously seek someone to rely on in dangerous situations.

Ren Xiaosu then looked toward Yang Xiaojin, only to see that the muzzles of her two guns were always pointing in the direction of the others…

Luo Xinyu and Yang Xiaojin were like two opposite extremes…

At noon, Xu Xianchu asked Ren Xiaosu, “Can you find some food for everyone?”

Ren Xiaosu said distractedly, “I’m not a god. I can’t just find food on command. If I say a wild boar is going to run into a tree right now, is a wild boar actually going to run into a tree?”

The words had barely left his mouth when a loud crash echoed from a few hundred meters ahead, followed by the sound of snapping branches. It sounded as if something had really crashed into a tree!

Everyone turned to look at Ren Xiaosu with strange expressions. Xu Xianchu led them to cautiously approach the sound, and to their astonishment, they found a wild boar had indeed crashed into a large tree and broken it. The boar was now lying beside the tree, struggling to get up. But it had knocked itself silly and couldn’t stand at all.

The gray shadow separated from Xu Xianchu’s body. It kicked off the ground and leaped several meters into the air. As it descended, it smashed a heavy fist onto the boar’s head, and the animal collapsed with a thud!

However, no one was paying attention to the gray shadow. They were all staring at Ren Xiaosu, dumbfounded.

Liu Bu laughed. “Looks like we’re having game for lunch. Ren Xiaosu, you’re amazing! You get whatever you ask for!”

Everyone started laughing. Having food was a good thing, after all. But in the midst of the crowd, only Ren Xiaosu wasn’t smiling. He turned to look back in the direction of the settlement, a hidden unease in his heart. Liuyuan…

Only Ren Xiaosu knew that this must have been Yan Liuyuan making a wish again. And right now, Yan Liuyuan must be suffering from the pain of the backlash. He could only hope that Sister Xiaoyu and Zhang Jinglin were able to take care of him.

Ren Xiaosu fell silent. He decided to avoid making such speculative remarks in the future. Otherwise, the more good luck he received, the more danger Yan Liuyuan would be in.

Ren Xiaosu sighed in his heart. So stubborn.

At this moment, more than ever before, Ren Xiaosu wanted to go back to the settlement. He wanted to see if Yan Liuyuan was all right.

Chapter 60: I Like You

The dense forest looked eerie. No one dared to enter it last night, but after a morning’s walk, they hadn’t encountered any danger.

The only thing that could have posed a threat to them, a wild boar, had conveniently crashed to its death against a tree.

Ren Xiaosu had been trying to spot signs of large predators along the way, but to no avail.

However, Ren Xiaosu didn’t relax his vigilance, because he still didn’t understand how the fish meat, fish bones, and Xu Xia’s body had disappeared.

The group found a small clearing in the woods and gathered a lot of firewood to camp for the night. Everyone had been awake all of yesterday, so they needed to rest early today, or no one would be able to endure it.

Xu Xianchu was beside them, butchering the boar meat with his military knife. The stench of blood permeated the clearing. Ren Xiaosu reminded him, “Don’t even think about trying to save what you can’t finish for tomorrow. Most of the dangers in the wilderness are attracted by the smell of blood.”

As he spoke, Ren Xiaosu pointed at the ground, where swarms of black ants had arrived. Each of these ants was the size of a fingertip, looking exceptionally terrifying. “They won’t attack you during the day when you’re active. They’re just looking for food and the source of the blood, but at night, if you sleep within the range of the smell, you’ll be their food. Just one bite, and the formic acid they secrete will make you wish you were dead.”

Xu Xianchu nodded. “Understood, thanks for the reminder.”

“From Xu Xianchu’s gratitude, +1!”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. This Xu Xianchu was quite sincere.

At noon, everyone held roasted pork and devoured it, they were just too hungry. While Ren Xiaosu was eating, Luo Xinyu actually sat down next to him.

Luo Xinyu said with an innocent and romantic expression, “I feel like you can live a flavorful life in the wilderness. It looks so romantic.”

Ren Xiaosu shook his head and said, “This is survival, not romantic at all.”

In the wilderness, Ren Xiaosu had never heard the word “romantic.” The things that happened in the wilderness could never be associated with such a word.

Sometimes Ren Xiaosu felt that there was a huge chasm between his way of thinking as a refugee and the thinking of those in the strongholds.

Luo Xinyu ignored Ren Xiaosu’s rebuttal and suddenly said to him, “You know, you’re very charming.”

Ren Xiaosu frowned. Did she get rejected by Xu Xianchu, so she came looking for him?

He pretended not to hear, but Luo Xinyu actually stayed put beside him.

In fact, Luo Xinyu had her own plans. Following Ren Xiaosu here guaranteed that she wouldn’t go hungry.

Others might not have noticed, but Luo Xinyu had long realized that Ren Xiaosu was definitely not an ordinary person. How could an ordinary teenager carry a normal adult male while escaping for his life? Even Xu Xianchu himself probably didn’t have that ability.

Therefore, Luo Xinyu thought that young men were most easily swayed during their youthful, confused period, and this was probably the same whether in the Settlement or in the strongholds.

She only needed to show a little goodwill, and this teenager named Ren Xiaosu would definitely go through fire and water for her. Actually, she wouldn’t mind letting Ren Xiaosu take advantage of her.

Didn’t things like that happen often in the strongholds? They happened all the time.

In short, she lacked a sense of security now and wanted to find someone she could use.

In fact, Luo Xinyu could also show goodwill to Xu Xianchu, but in the journey before this, Luo Xinyu had tried to chat with Xu Xianchu more than once, but she had been given the cold shoulder every time.

In Luo Xinyu’s impression, Xu Xianchu was a relatively firm-minded adult. He knew what he wanted, and if danger occurred, Xu Xianchu would likely abandon her at any time.

As for Liu Bu, there was no need to mention him. He was useless…

Moreover, she could tell that Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin might have formed a temporary alliance. Pulling in Ren Xiaosu would be the same as pulling in Yang Xiaojin.

Many people thought that Yang Xiaojin was her assistant, but in fact, Yang Xiaojin had no employment relationship with her at all. On the contrary, Yang Xiaojin had given Liu Bu money, saying that she wanted to go to stronghold 112.

Luo Xinyu didn’t know Yang Xiaojin’s identity, only hearing Liu Bu say that Yang Xiaojin was an ordinary little girl who was going to stronghold 112 to find relatives.

However, after entering the wilderness, Luo Xinyu also slowly realized that Yang Xiaojin was gradually getting out of control, and when Yang Xiaojin took out a gun and pointed it at Ren Xiaosu, she knew that there was no way she could be an ordinary little girl.

Now, Luo Xinyu’s idea was to join this alliance and form a small group with Yang Xiaojin and Ren Xiaosu.

In her opinion, how could Ren Xiaosu, a refugee who had never seen the world, resist her temptation?

In fact, Luo Xinyu and Liu Bu had an inherent arrogance when facing refugees. They thought that refugees were appendages of the strongholds, not people, but objects.

Ren Xiaosu considered his tone and said to Luo Xinyu, “Lady, stay away from me.”

“…” Luo Xinyu decided to be more direct. She smiled and said, “There may have been some misunderstandings on the road before, but actually, I…”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. “What’s wrong with you?”

Luo Xinyu moved closer to Ren Xiaosu, as if whispering, and even her body was almost touching Ren Xiaosu’s arm. She said with a fragrant breath, “I like you.”

Ren Xiaosu’s expression changed drastically. “Keep your mouth clean!”

Luo Xinyu: “???”

Pfft! Yang Xiaojin, who was drinking bottled water next to them, spat out the water in her mouth in one gulp. It seemed like she realized that her reaction was a bit off, and she quickly pretended to be nonchalant.

But Luo Xinyu never expected that Ren Xiaosu would react like this! Was this a normal person’s reaction? Whose mouth wasn’t clean!

Is he crazy!

At this time, Luo Xinyu began to suspect whether she had made a wrong decision.

In fact, what Luo Xinyu didn’t know was that Ren Xiaosu had seen a lot of so-called seduction in the Settlement. From the age when he could hunt, he didn’t know how many women wanted to stick to him, which was also why Yan Liuyuan was initially very wary of Sister Xiaoyu.

So Luo Xinyu thought he might not have seen the world, but in fact, the world that Ren Xiaosu had seen would scare her if he spoke of it.

Ren Xiaosu sneered in his heart. Women like Luo Xinyu, he wouldn’t even take her for free. What a waste of food!

He used to think that everyone in the strongholds should be smart, after all, Teacher Zhang from the School said that most of the books were stored in the strongholds, so Ren Xiaosu thought that the more books people read, the smarter they should be.

As a result, Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu refreshed his understanding.

Of course, there were also smart people in the strongholds, such as the two officers, Wang Congyang and Xu Xianchu.

Luo Xinyu calmed down and said, “You help me get out of here and return to stronghold 113, and I’ll get you three places to enter the stronghold.”

Ren Xiaosu got up and left. “Who are you drawing a pie in the sky for? As if you have the final say in the stronghold.”

Ren Xiaosu wasn’t stupid, he thought that if he used the Skill Learning Scroll on Luo Xinyu now, he might get the Advanced Bragging skill.

…

Thanks to Radish Xi for becoming the new Alliance Master of this book

Chapter 61: Faster Than Flipping a Book

How difficult was it for a refugee to enter a Stronghold? According to Wang Fugui, in his forty-plus years of life, he had only ever seen four people successfully enter the stronghold, and they were all “distant relatives” of some big shots inside.

These people had come to the stronghold to seek refuge with their relatives but were denied entry. And so, they could only live in the Settlement, slowly waiting for an opportunity.

If it was so difficult for even the distant relatives of some big shots to get into the stronghold, how could Luo Xinyu just promise three spots like that? If she were truly that powerful, she wouldn’t have had to freeload on the private troops’ mission to get to Stronghold 112. Wouldn’t it have been better to just have the private troops escort her there directly?

In this world, anyone who treats others like a fool is a fool themselves.

Ren Xiaosu felt that Luo Xinyu was trying too hard to be clever. Although he was a refugee, he was not lacking in judgment. Any other guide might have actually believed her, but Ren Xiaosu did not.

If Ren Xiaosu agreed to her terms, where would he even go to find her once she was inside the stronghold? Luo Xinyu could easily burn her bridges once she crossed them.

And to be honest, Ren Xiaosu didn’t have a good impression of Luo Xinyu or Liu Bu at all.

After eating the pork for lunch, everyone was very thirsty. But their bottled water and food had been left on the pickup truck. Or rather, most of the bottled water had been shot to pieces by Xu Xianchu’s group.

Xu Xianchu looked at Ren Xiaosu. “How do we find a water source around here?”

At this moment, the Palace issued a quest: “Quest: Explain how to find a water source.”

“We can only look for a river or collect dew from the leaves,” Ren Xiaosu said without holding back. “But I don’t recommend you go to the river. From what I can tell, the nearest river is still quite a ways off. We won’t die of thirst if we just endure it for a bit. Let’s collect dew tomorrow morning.”

Xu Xianchu nodded. “Thanks.”

“Gratitude from Xu Xianchu, +1!”

Ren Xiaosu waited for a while. He asked curiously in his mind, “Where’s my reward?”

But the Palace still didn’t respond. Ren Xiaosu was puzzled. What was going on?

It was as if this was the first time the Palace had seen Ren Xiaosu complete a quest properly without any ulterior motives, and there seemed to be a glitch in its judgment system!

After a long while, the Palace’s voice sounded in Ren Xiaosu’s mind: “Quest complete. Reward: 1.0 Strength.”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned for a moment. The quest was completed, but it wasn’t what he had expected. He was rewarded with Strength again.

Previously, Ren Xiaosu had been wondering if the Palace would balance his Strength and Agility rewards. But now, his Agility was still at 4.1, while his Strength had reached 7.5.

With a few more quests, Ren Xiaosu’s Strength would probably exceed three times that of a normal adult.

Ren Xiaosu still had two bottles of water on him that he had traded half a fish for. It was impossible to hide them, as the pockets of his jacket were only so big.

Suddenly, Liu Bu walked up to Ren Xiaosu and said, “One thousand yuan a bottle. Sell them to me.”

Ren Xiaosu glanced at him. “Not for sale.”

“Two thousand yuan!” Liu Bu said urgently. “How about two thousand? I’m really thirsty!”

Ren Xiaosu thought that Liu Bu was a real idiot. He looked at Liu Bu and said, “Money is useless out here. The value of food and water is incalculable. If you want a drink, go find the river yourself.”

At this moment, Liu Bu wanted to lash out, but he no longer had the arrogance he’d had when he first came out of the stronghold. He understood that Ren Xiaosu’s usefulness on this journey was far greater than his. If the two of them got into a dispute or an irreconcilable conflict, Xu Xianchu’s personality was such that he would definitely abandon him, Liu Bu, not Ren Xiaosu.

When he first left the stronghold, Liu Bu had thought that the refugees existed to serve the stronghold’s residents and that people from the strongholds could always act superior. But he had sobered up quite a bit by now.

Ren Xiaosu cleaned his hands with some leaves at the side. After he was done, he decisively went back to fawning over Wang Lei to farm for Gratitude Tokens.

But it was impossible to farm Gratitude Tokens indefinitely. After being fawned over by Ren Xiaosu, Wang Lei also noticed that something was off about his attitude. As a result, the next few times he said “thank you,” there were no Gratitude Tokens…

When Ren Xiaosu saw that there were no more Gratitude Tokens to be farmed, he decisively gave up on Wang Lei. By then, he had accumulated 84 Gratitude Tokens.

In the afternoon, Xu Xianchu glanced at the sky. “This place isn’t suitable for camping. We must find a less open area to guard against wild animals. Everyone, let’s push on and keep moving.”

Ren Xiaosu agreed with Xu Xianchu’s suggestion. After they had slaughtered and roasted the pig, this spot had become a dangerous place. Some venomous snakes, insects, and ants were nocturnal. It might seem fine right now, but it could become a disaster for everyone at night.

Hadn’t they seen that the previously discarded rat had already been reduced to a pile of white bones?

Xu Xianchu walked over to the stretcher and said to Ren Xiaosu, “Come on, let’s carry him together.”

Ren Xiaosu was displeased. “Why should I carry him?”

Xu Xianchu: “???”

Wang Lei: “???”

Ren Xiaosu looked at Liu Bu and said, “You go carry him. If you don’t, I’ll chop you.”

Liu Bu almost had a breakdown right then and there. Is he a psychopath?!

This scene left everyone else in the camp stunned. They thought to themselves, Is this kid a schizophrenic or something? How can he change his tune so quickly? Didn’t you say this morning that you’d chop anyone who tried to take this duty from you?

At this point, Xu Xianchu didn’t want to waste any more time. He said, “Except for the women, everyone will take turns carrying the injured. You could get injured too. If you don’t want to die then, you’ll have to help each other out now.”

Ren Xiaosu suddenly felt that this Xu Xianchu was quite rational. No matter what happened in the group, he always did his best to get everyone back on track.

On the way, some of the restless private troops soldiers began to deliberately or ‘accidentally’ get close to Luo Xinyu. They would even pretend to brush against her with their arms when passing by. However, Luo Xinyu always noticed in time and dodged them, after which several of the private troops soldiers would snicker lewdly.

Logically, Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu should have a good relationship, but Liu Bu didn’t dare to say a thing when he saw this. How could he dare to provoke these private troops soldiers!

After being rejected by both Xu Xianchu and Ren Xiaosu, Luo Xinyu seemed a little lost and didn’t know what to do. She could only passively avoid them.

Meanwhile, the soldiers, in this perilous situation where they might not live to see tomorrow, seemed to be unleashing the beasts within them.

However, Ren Xiaosu had no intention of meddling in others’ business. As the group continued forward, he remembered that he had obtained another Skill Learning Scroll. He wondered if he could draw Yang Xiaojin’s Advanced combat skill this time.

Just as Ren Xiaosu looked up to search for Yang Xiaojin, he saw her pointing a gun at a soldier’s head. Yang Xiaojin turned to Ren Xiaosu and said, “His gun is yours now.”

Chapter 62: Preserving Dignity

The soldier Yang Xiaojin was pointing at happened to be the one who harassed Luo Xinyu the most frequently. So, Ren Xiaosu thought to himself, Is Yang Xiaojin going to step in and help Luo Xinyu?

Previously, Ren Xiaosu had thought Yang Xiaojin was the type to mind her own business and not get involved in things that didn’t concern her. He hadn’t expected her to be unable to stand by and watch Luo Xinyu be harassed. Perhaps it was a line she wouldn’t cross as a woman.

Everyone in front turned around to watch the commotion, wondering if Yang Xiaojin would get into a serious conflict with the private troops.

Ren Xiaosu glanced at Xu Xianchu, only to find that Xu Xianchu was merely frowning and did not intervene. It seemed even Xu Xianchu felt that these soldiers had gone a bit too far.

As for the other soldiers, not a single one dared to step forward and speak up for their comrade. It was clear at a glance just how disunited this team was.

However, Ren Xiaosu had no intention of being polite. He walked straight up to the soldier and drew the pistol from his hip. During their escape, these soldiers had found their rifles too heavy, so they had tossed them aside, keeping only their handguns.

The soldier said in a cold voice, “Do you know how serious the crime of seizing a firearm from the private troops is?”

Yang Xiaojin said calmly, “Threaten me again, and you might die right now.”

Ren Xiaosu almost wanted to applaud when he heard that. What a decisive girl…

As he was taking the pistol, the soldier had desperately clutched it at his waist with his right hand, trying to silently resist. However, Ren Xiaosu’s current strength was far beyond what he could imagine. He pried the man’s fingers away by brute force. If the soldier hadn’t given up halfway, Ren Xiaosu could have broken his fingers.

It was a gun. Ren Xiaosu could finally hold a gun openly. Ever since he had acquired the Advanced firearms skill, he hadn’t had a chance to use one out in the open!

The disarmed soldier looked at Ren Xiaosu. “Didn’t you already take the gun? What are you still feeling around for?”

“Where’s the magazine?” Ren Xiaosu asked.

“…” The soldier was speechless. “Left side of my combat fatigues.”

As he let Ren Xiaosu search him, he sneered at Yang Xiaojin, “Even if you give him the gun, does a refugee like him even know how to use it?”

The others also thought the soldier had a point. Only Yang Xiaojin looked a little puzzled when she saw Ren Xiaosu’s grip on the handgun.

Of everyone present, Yang Xiaojin was undoubtedly the most knowledgeable about firearms; otherwise, the Palace wouldn’t have evaluated her as Perfect.

So while everyone else assumed Ren Xiaosu wouldn’t know how to use the gun, she clearly noticed that his grip was extremely natural and practiced. Even the angle at which his arm hung was perfect for raising the weapon at a moment’s notice!

This was not a skill a refugee should have. The others couldn’t tell, but Yang Xiaojin could!

However, she didn’t dwell on her doubts for long. She just said to the soldier, “Get lost.”

Being disarmed was probably one of the greatest humiliations for a soldier. His face ashen, the man walked to the side. Seeing the matter resolved, Xu Xianchu said, “Let’s keep moving. We need to find a suitable campsite before sunset.”

It was clear Xu Xianchu didn’t want to get involved in the team’s messy internal affairs. Right now, he had only the Jing Mountains on his mind, and nothing else.

On the road, a clear divide formed between the private troops and the group of Luo Xinyu, Yang Xiaojin, and Ren Xiaosu. The two sides kept a great distance from each other.

However, Ren Xiaosu was considering something. If Yang Xiaojin insisted on helping Luo Xinyu, and even wanted to help her get out of the mountains, he would probably have no choice but to abandon this temporary alliance.

Just then, Luo Xinyu spoke to Yang Xiaojin. “Thank you for helping me. I hope we can work together to get out of these Jing Mountains.”

But Ren Xiaosu clearly saw Yang Xiaojin pause for a moment. Then she said to Luo Xinyu, “I’m not helping you for free. First, give back the money I gave you.”

Luo Xinyu was struck speechless for a moment. She took out ten thousand yuan from her bag and handed it to Yang Xiaojin. “You gave me five thousand back then. I’ll give you ten thousand now as a thank-you.”

Yang Xiaojin gave an indifferent “mm,” and casually stuffed the ten thousand yuan into her pocket without the slightest hesitation.

Seeing Yang Xiaojin accept the money, Luo Xinyu smiled. “So you’ll help me along the way, right?”

“Let me correct you,” Yang Xiaojin said to Luo Xinyu. “I never intended to help you get out of the Jing Mountains. I can only guarantee that you’ll still have your dignity when you die.”

Luo Xinyu: “…”

Hearing this, Ren Xiaosu understood what Yang Xiaojin meant. She was only guaranteeing that Luo Xinyu wouldn’t be violated by those soldiers from the private troops. As for whether she lived or died, she didn’t particularly care.

Actually, Luo Xinyu was quite pitiful. She had willingly left the stronghold, only to find she still didn’t have a single person she could trust.

A fork in the road appeared ahead of them. There were two mountain paths, each leading in a different direction.

The high canopies of the trees here nearly blotted out the entire sky. No one could even tell which direction the sun was in, and even their sense of where the Jing Mountains were had become vague.

Xu Xianchu turned and asked Ren Xiaosu, “Which way should we go?”

At that moment, Ren Xiaosu heard a voice in the Palace. “Quest: Point the way.”

Ren Xiaosu pondered for a moment and said, “Left.”

“Quest complete. Reward: 1.0 Agility.”

Ren Xiaosu felt his muscles grow denser once more. He finally confirmed something: Strength plus Agility equaled true muscle strength. Just adding Strength or Agility alone wasn’t enough.

Just then, the disarmed soldier said coldly, “Didn’t you say you’ve never been deep in here before? I remember you saying you hid in the canyon for a few days and then came out. How do you know the way?”

Ren Xiaosu said calmly, “I don’t know the way.”

Xu Xianchu: “…”

Yang Xiaojin: “…”

Everyone was speechless. If you didn’t know the way, why were you pointing randomly?

Ren Xiaosu, however, felt no pressure at all. The quest from the Palace was to point the way. It didn’t specify which way, did it? So whether he knew or not, all he had to do was point…

He really didn’t know the way, but the quest had to be completed!

Xu Xianchu hesitated for a moment and said, “Then why did you point left?”

Ren Xiaosu said, “I may not know the path, but I know the Jing Mountains are to our front-left…”

“Alright,” Xu Xianchu nodded. “Then we’ll go left. Let me know if you see a suitable place to camp.”

When making decisions in the wilderness, Xu Xianchu had gotten into the habit of asking for Ren Xiaosu’s opinion, and as it turned out, Ren Xiaosu’s opinions were usually not wrong.

Along the way, whenever Ren Xiaosu saw a pine tree, he would climb it to pick some pine cones and plump pine needles. The others were a little confused. It was understandable that he was picking pine cones, since those were edible.

But what was he picking pine needles for? They watched as Ren Xiaosu squeezed a pale green juice from the pine needles, one by one, and then licked the juice clean with his tongue. He said to the others, “If you don’t want to die of thirst, you can copy me.”

Some people hesitated, unsure if they should follow suit. But in the end, it was Yang Xiaojin and Xu Xianchu who climbed up a pine tree without a second thought.

Chapter 63: Everyone Went Missing

When it came to survival instincts, besides Ren Xiaosu, Xu Xianchu and Yang Xiaojin were the most pragmatic people in the group.

When Ren Xiaosu said the juice squeezed from pine needles was drinkable, the two of them climbed a tree without the slightest hesitation to find suitable needles, even snapping off many pine cones in the process.

In truth, only someone like Ren Xiaosu, who had spent years traversing the wilderness, understood that nature was generous. It didn’t care who took what from it. As long as you were attentive, you could always rely on nature to survive.

Someone lamented, “Humans have it worse than animals. If only I could be reborn as an animal in the next life.”

Ren Xiaosu glanced at him. “Animals don’t live as freely as you imagine. I’ve heard that for giraffes, the tallest land animals, their height helps them fend off enemies, but mating is very complicated. Before courtship, a male giraffe has to drink a female’s urine to determine if she’s in heat. If something unexpected happens then, he’d have drunk the urine for nothing…”

The others in the group suspected Ren Xiaosu was deliberately trying to gross them out…

No, this refugee boy was definitely doing it on purpose…

Now that Ren Xiaosu had a gun, he was much more confident. The entire team was down to nine people with seven guns, three of which were in the hands of Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin.

Furthermore, with Ren Xiaosu possessing an Advanced firearm skill and Yang Xiaojin a Perfect-level one, unless they went head-to-head with Xu Xianchu, their little alliance would completely dominate anyone they encountered.

While everyone was gathering pine needles and pine cones, Ren Xiaosu, with nothing to do, thought of the Skill Learning Scroll he had yet to use. He glanced at Yang Xiaojin and decisively said in his mind, “Use Skill Learning Scroll.”

“Randomly extracting target’s Advanced Skill: Bomb Making.”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. He decisively learned the skill, but he couldn’t quite figure out what kind of training Yang Xiaojin had undergone. Why were all her skills so violent?

Moreover, placing skills like Firearms Mastery and Bomb Making next to Chinese Jump Rope seemed so incongruous. Were these skills really from the same person?

A sudden curiosity struck Ren Xiaosu. He casually asked in his mind, “Does the target have an assassination skill?”

“Target has been learned. Information available. Assassination Skill: Advanced.”

An idea suddenly occurred to Ren Xiaosu, and he asked, “Does the target have a nursery rhyme singing skill?”

“Target has been learned. Information available. Nursery Rhyme Singing Skill: Advanced.”

Ren Xiaosu was speechless. What a bizarre collection of skills…

For a moment there, he felt he must have been crazy to ask such a question. But to his utter surprise, she actually knew how, and at an Advanced level too…

By now, the large group had finally finished gathering pine cones and needles. Ren Xiaosu sighed, “Couldn’t you guys have switched to another tree? You had to crowd around one and strip it. You’ve almost stripped it bald!”

Hearing this, everyone looked up and saw that the tree was indeed nearly bald…

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said, “I’m teaching you how to survive in the wilderness. Shouldn’t you at least thank me?”

The others were momentarily stunned. Then, a few people sporadically thanked Ren Xiaosu. In the end, Ren Xiaosu discovered that only the thanks from Xu Xianchu and Yang Xiaojin were sincere.

With 86 Gratitude Tokens, Ren Xiaosu’s desire for the ununlocked weapon grew stronger. So he set his sights on the people around him.

Just then, Ren Xiaosu noticed Luo Xinyu’s hands were empty. Even Liu Bu was holding several pine cones.

When Luo Xinyu saw Ren Xiaosu looking at her, she said with difficulty, “I can’t climb up…”

How could a celebrity from the stronghold like Luo Xinyu have ever climbed such a tall tree? So she was the only one with empty hands. What was the loneliest moment in life? It was when everyone else had something, but you didn’t…

For example, when everyone else has money, but you don’t…

For example, when everyone else has pine cones, but Luo Xinyu doesn’t…

At this moment, Luo Xinyu hesitated for a second before saying to Ren Xiaosu, “I’ll give you ten thousand yuan. Can you help me pick some?”

Ren Xiaosu’s eyes lit up. He immediately stuffed the pine cones and needles from his makeshift shirt pouch into Luo Xinyu’s arms. “From now on, you’re a brother to me, Ren Xiaosu!”

Luo Xinyu was stunned for a long moment. “Thank you.”

“Gratitude from Luo Xinyu, +1!”

Previously, Ren Xiaosu hadn’t sold his water because bottled water was too precious—it was clean and easy to carry. But pine cones and needles were different; they could be gathered anywhere.

Besides… Luo Xinyu was paying well! What could you do with ten thousand yuan? You could live a good life in the Settlement for more than two years without worrying about food or clothing!

In truth, before you gave Ren Xiaosu money, you could never know if you would become his brother. This principle came to be known as Schrödinger’s Brother!

Luo Xinyu accepted the pine cones and needles, but she noticed Ren Xiaosu didn’t go to pick any more. She asked curiously, “Aren’t you going to get more pine cones? What will you eat tonight?”

Ren Xiaosu smiled. “I’ll be eating chocolate.”

Luo Xinyu was speechless.

He was still carrying the chocolate she had traded to him. It was just as well. The chocolate had been in his pocket for days and had indeed melted a little. Even though it was late autumn, his body heat was enough to soften it.

At first, when Yang Xiaojin said the chocolate would melt, he didn’t believe her, having never eaten it before. He had originally planned to bring it back for Yan Liuyuan, but it seemed that wouldn’t be possible now.

It was just that the gratitude in Luo Xinyu’s heart suddenly vanished into thin air. That was the damn chocolate he’d scammed off her!

…

Before dusk, Ren Xiaosu finally found a large rock cave suitable for camping. The rock jutted out like a massive canopy, forming a natural, semi-open shelter beneath it, much like a grotto.

When Ren Xiaosu had passed by an open area earlier, he had noticed scale-like clouds in the sky. Though he didn’t understand the scientific principle, he knew it was a precursor to rain.

Therefore, having a rock like this to shelter them from the wind and rain would allow them to rest peacefully.

Just as they settled down under the rock face, a downpour came crashing from the sky. Xu Xianchu turned to Ren Xiaosu and asked, “Can we drink this rainwater?”

“No,” Ren Xiaosu shook his head. “It’s acid rain. Drinking it can kill you. Even if the acidity of the acid rain isn’t as high now, you still can’t drink it.”

Ren Xiaosu wasn’t exactly clear on the causes and technical indicators of acid rain, so he could only crudely use “acidity” to summarize its level of danger…

Suddenly, a strange sound came from the woods outside the cave, but it quickly faded away, not even giving Ren Xiaosu and the others time to react.

Right at that moment, someone at the very back of the cave suddenly said, “Look, someone carved some words here.”

Ren Xiaosu and Xu Xianchu walked further in and were stunned to see several lines of words crookedly carved on the cave ceiling: “We saw a strange black shadow in the woods.”

“They’re gone. Everyone went missing.”

Chapter 64: Satellite

When everyone saw the two lines of text, the atmosphere in the entire cave plunged to a freezing point.

After entering the forest today, they hadn’t actually encountered any danger. Other than being extremely tired from a sleepless night, nothing else strange had happened.

This gave everyone a false impression, as if this place was safer than the canyon and the previous leg of their journey. They had even almost forgotten the warning outside the canyon: “The living should not enter.”

But at this moment, they all remembered.

The missing body of Xu Xia, the terrifying Human-Faced Insects, and those four big words: The living should not enter.

“Has anyone gone missing on our way here?” Xu Xianchu’s first reaction was to do a headcount, and he found that, indeed, no one was missing.

“Could this be a prank someone carved here?” Liu Bu asked doubtfully. “There are no signs of a struggle in the cave, and we haven’t even seen a single animal or human skeleton on our way.”

Wait a minute. Liu Bu’s words were a wake-up call for Ren Xiaosu. In fact, that was the strangest thing: a normal forest would definitely have animal skeletons, whether from birds, snakes, or larger beasts. That was perfectly common.

But the eeriest thing about this forest was that Ren Xiaosu truly hadn’t seen a single skeleton, except for the mouse he had just discarded.

At that moment, Ren Xiaosu even wanted to go back and check if the mouse’s bones had also disappeared. After all, he had only discarded it a short while ago. Perhaps it would have been just a skeleton if he’d checked in the morning, but it might have already vanished by now.

Just like Xu Xia and the fish flesh and bones.

This vast forest concealed a chilling secret. A soldier asked, “It looks like a group of people came here within the last year, and quite a few of them, too. But no one from our Stronghold 113 has ever come to the Jing Mountains.”

“Perhaps it was people from Stronghold 112 trying to get to our stronghold, and they met with an accident,” Xu Xianchu said after a moment of careful thought. “But we’re all from the lowest rung of the private troops, so there’s no way for us to know who has come here.”

Xu Xianchu was right. They were the most marginalized figures in the private troops. Why would the higher-ups share any intelligence with them?

Someone said, “Could it be that we were sent here because this group met with an accident, and the stronghold’s high command found out and sent us to investigate? If that group had a satellite phone, they should have been able to send a message to the stronghold, right?”

This was the first time Ren Xiaosu had heard the term “satellite phone.” Even Teacher Zhang at the School had never mentioned it.

He had wondered for some time how the strongholds communicated with each other, but he never knew how. Now it seemed the answer was satellite phones.

Ren Xiaosu quietly asked Yang Xiaojin, “What’s a satellite phone? I heard Teacher Zhang say there are phones in the stronghold, but what’s a satellite phone?”

Yang Xiaojin glanced at him and said, “Humans took control of several pre-Cataclysm satellites, which allows the various strongholds to maintain communication.”

Someone said indignantly, “If the higher-ups knew they went missing, then sending us here is just sending us to our deaths. Are they trying to use our lives to confirm whether the information is true? If we die here too, it’ll prove this place is really dangerous. No wonder they didn’t even equip us with a satellite phone this time. It seems they want to minimize their losses. Are our lives worth less than a satellite phone?”

Xu Xianchu glanced at him. “Don’t make wild guesses based on a scrap of information. Your speculation isn’t logical.”

In his fear, the soldier was already speaking incoherently, which was why Xu Xianchu didn’t agree with his guess. Meanwhile, Ren Xiaosu was carefully examining the two lines of text. “What did he use to carve these words on the cave wall? It must have been something like a military spike. An ordinary person wouldn’t be able to carve such deep marks with anything they’d normally carry.”

Xu Xianchu nodded. “It was probably the private troops from Stronghold 112.” He turned to everyone and said, “Get a good rest tonight. If you need to go out to relieve yourselves during the night, you must go in groups of three or more.”

This arrangement was to prevent any sudden “disappearances.” Even if they encountered danger, it was unlikely that three people wouldn’t even be able to cry for help.

Xu Xianchu continued, “Also, we must have people take turns on watch tonight. I’ll take the first watch, and the others will rotate after me. The girls are exempt.”

Ren Xiaosu agreed with the arrangement, though he felt the watch was of little significance. He didn’t just have to be on guard against dangers from the outside, but also from within the group.

After all, he and Yang Xiaojin had just taken a pistol from one of the private troops. It was entirely possible the owner would try to ambush him in the middle of the night.

Just then, Yang Xiaojin said to Ren Xiaosu, “You take the first half of the night, I’ll take the second.”

“Alright,” Ren Xiaosu nodded. Their temporary alliance was based on one simple fact: neither of them had any reason to harm the other.

“I’m going out for a bit,” Yang Xiaojin said.

Ren Xiaosu thought to himself, Aren’t you afraid something might happen? “Should I go with you?”

Yang Xiaojin paused for a long moment before saying in a low voice, “No need.”

Ren Xiaosu was a little puzzled. This girl was far too bold. What was it she was relying on?

Luo Xinyu, who was beside them, stood up and said, “I’ll go with you.” Then she turned and glanced at Ren Xiaosu. “You really don’t understand anything, do you?”

Ren Xiaosu’s face instantly burned. Only now did he realize what was going on!

The two girls went out into the rain. Xu Xianchu glanced at them but said nothing.

Someone from the private troops whispered sarcastically, “It’d be a real shame if those two girls went missing.”

However, less than five minutes later, Yang Xiaojin and Luo Xinyu returned to the cave as if nothing had happened.

What was going on? Could it be that the so-called “strange black shadow” in the forest hadn’t targeted their group?

Seeing this, two soldiers from the private troops also stood up. “We’re going to relieve ourselves too. We can’t hold it in anymore.”

These grown men had actually let two girls test the waters before they dared to go out themselves. Overcome by fear, the two were on the verge of wetting their pants; they simply couldn’t hold it any longer.

They had actually planned to urinate in the cave, but since nothing had happened to Yang Xiaojin and Luo Xinyu, they could only muster up the courage to go outside.

Xu Xianchu nodded. “Go and come back quickly. Don’t waste time smoking outside.”

“Don’t worry, don’t worry,” the two soldiers said, draping their clothes over themselves as they went out.

While eating a piece of chocolate, Ren Xiaosu watched Yang Xiaojin dry the rain from her body inside the cave. He asked curiously, “You didn’t run into any trouble?”

“No,” Yang Xiaojin replied curtly.

Someone in the cave started a bonfire. After tossing some pinecones into the fire, they began squeezing pine needles and licking the juice inside to quench their thirst.

The pinecones crackled and popped in the fire. As the warmth of the bonfire spread to everyone, they felt as if they were coming back to life.

But just then, Xu Xianchu suddenly looked outside the cave. “Those two… why aren’t they back yet?!”

Chapter 65: Withdrawal Symptoms

The two private soldiers who still hadn’t returned had only dared to venture out after seeing that nothing had happened to Yang Xiaojin and the others. They had even gone as a pair, so one could say they were fully prepared.

But now, nearly ten minutes had passed, and the two of them still hadn’t come back.

Xu Xianchu stood at the edge of the cave, surveying the forest outside. Due to the rain, the sky had already turned completely dark, even though it was just past dusk.

“Could something have happened to them?” someone asked.

“But there wasn’t any sound at all,” said someone huddled in a corner of the cave. “It’s not possible that both of them were attacked at the same time without even making a sound, right?”

Logically, that should be the case. But wasn’t that the most terrifying part? Xu Xianchu had insisted that those who went out must go in pairs, yet an accident had still occurred.

Xu Xianchu said, “Don’t overthink it. Maybe they were just held up. It’s only been ten minutes.”

The cave fell silent. Although Xu Xianchu had tried to comfort everyone, as the minutes and seconds ticked by, the two men truly never appeared again.

Xu Xianchu said, “Who’s willing to come with me to look for them?”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. Xu Xianchu was actually willing to brave the unknown dangers and the acid rain to search for his subordinates in the forest.

But no one in the entire cave responded. Who would be willing to go out and die at a time like this? A few of the private soldiers had even urinated in the deepest part of the cave, making the whole place reek of piss.

Ren Xiaosu and the others could only sit at the outermost, well-ventilated part of the cave. It was a little colder, but at least they didn’t have to endure the smell.

Xu Xianchu sighed. “If you won’t save others, then don’t blame them for not saving you when it’s a matter of life and death.”

Ren Xiaosu didn’t really care. He never expected anyone to save him. Even his supposed ally, Yang Xiaojin, would probably abandon everyone without hesitation if faced with danger.

They were all strangers with no ties to one another. It was a blessing they weren’t trying to sabotage each other.

The sound of the rain outside washed over the entire forest. Ren Xiaosu said to Yang Xiaojin, “I’ll take the first watch. You should get some rest. After this rain, the road tomorrow will be incredibly difficult and will drain a lot of our energy and stamina. Be careful of those private soldiers. They’re up to no good.”

Ren Xiaosu had noticed earlier that ever since the two of them had seized the guns, these private soldiers had been huddling together from time to time. This was a potential threat, but Ren Xiaosu hadn’t figured out how to deal with it yet.

“Mhm,” Yang Xiaojin nodded and leaned against the cave wall to rest with her eyes closed. But even then, the muzzle of her gun remained pointed at everyone, including Ren Xiaosu.

Ren Xiaosu smiled, not minding it. If he were in her shoes, he would have done the same.

A team of eleven had inexplicably become a team of nine. Ren Xiaosu looked at the remaining private soldiers deeper inside the cave. Someone was sitting there smoking, and the smell of the smoke still carried that nauseating scent.

He found it hard to imagine that soldiers from a stronghold had started using this kind of psychoactive substance to stimulate themselves. How fragile must the stronghold’s defenses be?

Was it just Stronghold 113, or were the private troops in most strongholds like this?

The private soldiers had originally brought a lot of cigarettes, and Liu Bu had also prepared ten cartons for them. However, they had lost most of them during their escape. Now, each person only had half a pack or a full pack left, while some had none at all.

This group sat inside, puffing away, filling the entire cave with foul smoke. Fortunately, Ren Xiaosu, Yang Xiaojin, and Luo Xinyu were at the very entrance, so the effect on them wasn’t as great.

A soldier was heard saying to the others, “Lend me one. I’m all out.”

“I’m out too. This is my last one,” the soldier next to him said, shuffling away. In reality, he still had more than half a pack in his pocket, but who knew how long they would be out here? He didn’t even have enough for himself.

The private soldier looking for a smoke turned to the others. “Lend me one, and I’ll give you a whole carton when we get back to the stronghold!”

By now, his addiction was kicking in. He was willing to make such a grand promise just for a single cigarette. After all, these cigarettes weren’t cheap inside the stronghold either.

“Who knows if we’ll even make it back,” someone sneered. “What will you pay us back with then? Your life?”

Ren Xiaosu sighed. These private soldiers were truly a disorganized mob. Two of their teammates were out there, their fates unknown, and yet these men were already starting to fight amongst themselves over cigarettes.

Unable to bum a cigarette, the soldier suffering from addiction could only sit inside the cave. Ren Xiaosu observed him closely. He began to tremble, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Although the cigarettes these private soldiers smoked were better than the ones the workers in the settlement had, the withdrawal symptoms were also much more severe.

If any danger were to strike now, this addict probably wouldn’t even be able to stand up, let alone fight back.

Ren Xiaosu turned to Luo Xinyu, who was still awake. “What’s it… actually like inside your stronghold?”

This was actually one of the questions Ren Xiaosu was most curious about. He had always yearned for life in the stronghold because all the best supplies produced in the settlement were sent there. The people inside didn’t have to eat steamed cornbread buns, they could wash their faces every day, and he’d heard they even had electricity.

At one point, both Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan had thought it must be paradise. But now, it seemed it wasn’t as wonderful as they had imagined.

Luo Xinyu was happy that Ren Xiaosu had initiated a conversation with her. She would have to rely on him a lot on this journey. She explained in a low voice, “Actually, someone intentionally guided the private troops down this path. There was once a mutiny by private troops in another stronghold, and the administrators in other strongholds gradually grew suspicious of their soldiers. The bigwigs want protection, but they also want their armies to be forever loyal and without ambition. And these cigarettes are the best way to crush ambition.”

Ren Xiaosu asked, “Are there no side effects from smoking too much of this stuff?”

“Of course there are,” Luo Xinyu said. “Some retired soldiers in the stronghold are like living zombies… Some even have their wives leave them for other men.”

“It’s really chaotic in your stronghold,” Ren Xiaosu remarked with a sigh.

“That’s nothing,” said Luo Xinyu. “I’ve even seen a sixty-year-old woman keeping more than ten boy toys. A real cradle robber!”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned for a moment. “Sixty years old? ‘Cradle robber’ doesn’t even begin to describe it.”

Luo Xinyu was also taken aback. “Then what would you call it?”

Ren Xiaosu said thoughtfully, “Having a child in her old age?!”

Luo Xinyu: “…”

Luo Xinyu realized that Ren Xiaosu’s train of thought was truly different from other people’s. No wonder everyone in the settlement said he was not right in the head!

He was clearly not sick, yet he naturally gave off the air of a madman. How on earth was his mind wired?

Just then, someone inside the cave cried out in alarm, “What’s that! It’s wet!”

As they spoke, a group of people scrambled out of the cave as if they had received a great fright. Ren Xiaosu looked inside but was puzzled. There was nothing there.

Chapter 66: A Merchant

Ren Xiaosu didn’t believe in ghosts or monsters, so after finding nothing there, he took a closer look. Wait, he figured out what it was.

Water droplets were seeping from the ceiling of the grotto, falling to the ground with a drip.

It was probably because of the rain outside; the water was filtering slowly through the rock layer above. The man who had panicked earlier must have been on edge, mistaking the dripping water for some imaginary enemy, like monster drool…

But when Ren Xiaosu saw this, it was as if he had found a treasure. He said to the others, “You can collect water directly from here. The rock layer acts as a natural filter, making the water even cleaner than well water. Of course, you can boil it first if you’re not comfortable.”

Xu Xianchu asked seriously, “Really? This water is drinkable?”

“Yes,” Ren Xiaosu said. “This is probably one of the cleanest water sources in the wilderness. Sometimes, even water from a spring isn’t as safe as this.”

Hearing this, Xu Xianchu took out his canteen to collect the water. Although the pine needles could replenish some of the body’s water, the amount was far too small.

That had only been enough to ensure they wouldn’t die of thirst.

Xu Xianchu didn’t monopolize the water source for too long. He placed his canteen over the bonfire and said to the others, “You guys go get some too.”

The others weren’t like Xu Xianchu, who had brought a canteen to boil water. They could only catch the drops with their mouths, let alone boil it.

A group of people pushed and shoved under the water source, taking turns drinking. The few men from the private troops were more orderly, taking turns, but Liu Bu was out of luck. No one would make way for him.

After a short while, one of the private troops’ soldiers snapped, “Who can drink anything with these single drops? That Ren Xiaosu still has two bottles of water hidden in his pockets. He has us licking rock walls and pine needles while he drinks bottled water. Who knows if this water is even safe?”

The expressions on the faces of several private troops’ soldiers turned ugly, but with Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin holding guns, they didn’t dare to say anything to their faces.

Ren Xiaosu watched this scene, thinking it would be great if his Palace could store things. Then he could secretly put the bottled water into the Palace tomorrow and tell the others he accidentally lost it. That way, no one would be after his water anymore.

Otherwise, seeing how they were nearly going mad over water, someone might risk attacking him for it.

The two bottles of water were in his jacket pockets, one on each side. He reached into his pocket, gripped a bottle, and tried once more to store it in the Palace.

Immediately, the Palace’s voice echoed: “Storage permission not granted.”

Ren Xiaosu was extremely annoyed when he heard this. At least tell me how to get permission! Why can I store and retrieve the Black Medicine freely, but not a water bottle?

What, did the water bottle not give its consent?!

Ren Xiaosu stepped aside. Luo Xinyu glanced at him. “Why aren’t you drinking?”

Ren Xiaosu saw the suspicion in her eyes. It was obvious she didn’t believe he would be so generous…

Ren Xiaosu smiled. “I’m drinking bottled water.”

Luo Xinyu: “…”

At that moment, Luo Xinyu realized that Ren Xiaosu truly had a talent for infuriating people at any time and any place.

But she didn’t know that Ren Xiaosu had given up the water source out of careful consideration. Firstly, everyone was very thirsty, and this dripping water source was definitely not enough. As a supernatural being, Xu Xianchu could monopolize it for half a day and no one would dare say a word, but Ren Xiaosu wasn’t a supernatural being.

The fact that he already had two bottles of water on him had made some people envious. He didn’t need to be greedy for everything.

One of the survival rules in the wilderness was not to be too greedy. Moreover, Ren Xiaosu now needed to make Xu Xianchu understand that if they wanted to survive in the wilderness, he, Ren Xiaosu, was the most indispensable person in the group.

Since there was a supernatural being like Xu Xianchu to rely on, why wouldn’t Ren Xiaosu take advantage of it?

And besides, the smell inside the grotto was really strong…

In this tense atmosphere, Luo Xinyu was very scared, so she was talking to Ren Xiaosu to alleviate her own fear. After all, having someone to talk to was better than nothing.

In fact, this method was highly effective. When Ren Xiaosu had mentioned “Having a child in old age,” Luo Xinyu felt she wasn’t scared at all anymore. Her mind was just filled with ellipses…

Ren Xiaosu asked curiously, “Do you know where these soldiers get their cigarettes from? I don’t think there are any places near Stronghold 113 that grow this stuff.”

“You don’t know?” Luo Xinyu asked doubtfully. “Wang Fugui said that Luo Lan looks out for you. How could you not know about this?”

“What does it have to do with Luo Lan?” Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. Although he had received a silk banner from Luo Lan, the problem was that he hadn’t had any other dealings with that Boss Luo.

“Boss Luo is the Qing Consortium’s representative in Stronghold 113,” Luo Xinyu explained.

“What’s his position in the stronghold?” Ren Xiaosu asked curiously. He heard Wang Fugui mention “Boss Luo” every day, but he realized he actually knew nothing about the man.

“Boss Luo doesn’t have a position,” Luo Xinyu said, looking at Ren Xiaosu in surprise. “Alright, it seems you really don’t know. In Stronghold 113, he just controls the metallurgy, water supply, and chemical factories. If you have to ask what his status is… strictly speaking, he’s just a merchant.”

“A merchant can wield that much power in the stronghold?” Ren Xiaosu said after thinking for a moment. He had previously assumed Boss Luo was the administrator of the stronghold.

“They no longer need to hold any positions themselves,” Luo Xinyu said helplessly. “They’re like the sky looming over the stronghold’s administrators. When things are peaceful, everyone gets along. But when something happens, the decision-maker in the stronghold is definitely that merchant.”

“He has an army?” Ren Xiaosu asked after some thought.

Luo Xinyu glanced at him and said, “Yes, an army. One that’s countless times stronger than these private troops. The combat brigade he has stationed in Stronghold 113 is beyond your imagination. They’re nothing like the private troops you see now.”

So there were two military forces stationed in one stronghold. Although the stronghold had a nominal administrator, that administrator’s power probably existed in name only. As long as you didn’t resist, they would let you be a puppet and enjoy a life of luxury.

“But there’s one thing I don’t get,” Ren Xiaosu said, puzzled. “Why don’t they just take direct control and be the administrators themselves? Isn’t propping up a puppet just making things needlessly complicated?”

“Because the Qing Consortium isn’t the only corporation in the world,” Luo Xinyu said.

At this point, Ren Xiaosu understood. Across the hundred-odd Strongholds, several corporations held sway. They worked together to control the strongholds while also keeping each other in check, extracting resources through a strange model of cooperation.

“So the Qing Consortium supplies the tobacco to Stronghold 113?” Ren Xiaosu asked.

…

Chapter 67: You’re Not Left with Nothing

“The tobacco the private troops get is all shipped in by the Qing Consortium from other places. You’ve probably seen the truck convoys, right? The supplies they bring aren’t anything else; they’re tobacco,” Luo Xinyu said. “Actually, it’s pretty much the same in other strongholds. Although the stronghold administrators know they’re puppets, there are always a few who want to break free from their shackles…”

Ren Xiaosu nodded. It seemed he couldn’t measure the strength of the corporations by the private troops alone. He had already gotten enough information from Luo Xinyu today and needed some time to process it.

“One last question,” Ren Xiaosu asked curiously. “Why would you choose someone like Liu Bu to be your manager?”

Luo Xinyu wasn’t exceptionally stupid, so why did she pick Liu Bu?

Luo Xinyu explained, “He’s the younger brother of a section chief in the stronghold’s logistics department.”

Ren Xiaosu roughly understood some of the reasons, but he still didn’t grasp what kind of power a logistics section chief held.

At that moment, Luo Xinyu felt as if she had grown closer to Yang Xiaojin and Ren Xiaosu. She hesitated for a moment and said, “Can you get me out of here alive? I have nothing left in this wilderness. You’re the only ones I can rely on…”

Ren Xiaosu shook his head and said, “You’re not left with nothing.”

Luo Xinyu was stunned. “What do you mean?”

“You still have the nerve to ask me to get you out of here alive,” Ren Xiaosu said, then ignored her.

In the dark and rainy night, Ren Xiaosu left Luo Xinyu reeling in shock. You’re not left with nothing… You still have your nerve…

What the hell kind of wordplay was that? Were they even speaking the same language?

It was only then that Luo Xinyu realized her so-called feeling of closeness was all just an illusion.

Actually, Ren Xiaosu did find Luo Xinyu quite pitiful. A girl, all alone in the wilderness, unable to trust anyone, with no one willing to help her, and surrounded by thugs from the private troops who were after her.

But who wasn’t pitiful? Wasn’t Yan Liuyuan, who was suffering from the backlash of his wish back in the settlement, also pitiful?

If Ren Xiaosu agreed to bring someone else out with him at this time, it would be irresponsible toward Yan Liuyuan.

The more Ren Xiaosu relied on luck, the more severe the backlash Yan Liuyuan would inevitably suffer.

Although Yan Liuyuan usually just got headaches and fevers, what if Ren Xiaosu used his luck to escape a life-or-death crisis? The backlash Yan Liuyuan would face would likely not be so simple!

This was a zero-sum ability: the luckier one side was, the unluckier the other became.

The moment Yan Liuyuan made a wish for Ren Xiaosu, it meant he had placed his own life in Ren Xiaosu’s hands.

So, even for Yan Liuyuan’s sake, Ren Xiaosu could not agree to save anyone else.

Other people’s lives were not as valuable as Yan Liuyuan’s.

Yang Xiaojin woke up in the middle of the night. She looked at Ren Xiaosu and said, “You should get some sleep.”

Ren Xiaosu nodded and closed his eyes to sleep. He hadn’t shut his eyes for nearly thirty hours, and even with his current physical fitness, he was starting to feel the strain.

In a state of half-sleep, a question kept swirling in Ren Xiaosu’s mind. What was Yang Xiaojin’s identity? Could she belong to that so-called combat brigade of the Qing Consortium?

No, if she belonged to that combat brigade, she shouldn’t have had to hide her identity to join the team. Besides, she even paid Luo Xinyu and the others.

As Ren Xiaosu saw it, if the Qing Consortium’s combat brigade stationed at Stronghold 113 sent someone to carry out a quest with them, the private troops would have to worship this person like a deity.

After all, they were the ones who truly held the power of life and death in the stronghold.

Ren Xiaosu couldn’t figure out Yang Xiaojin’s objective, so her identity could only remain a question for now.

The cave was quiet in the early morning. Having just woken up, Yang Xiaojin felt her mind was sharp and refreshed. She had received relevant training and possessed a way of sleeping that was beyond the imagination of ordinary people; she could even maintain alertness in her sleep.

This was something ordinary people could not comprehend, just as they still could not comprehend supernatural beings.

The rain outside gradually stopped. Just as Ren Xiaosu had said, the forest floor had become exceptionally muddy. Someone would probably fall behind on tomorrow’s journey.

Some soldiers from the private troops were still awake in the cave, whispering among themselves. Liu Bu was drinking water with his mouth open to catch the drips, and it was finally his turn after almost everyone else had had their fill.

Yang Xiaojin peeled the pinecone left over from the evening, cracked open the pine nuts inside, and popped them into her mouth one by one to replenish her nutrients.

Sitting opposite Ren Xiaosu, Yang Xiaojin observed him as she ate her pine nuts. Was he truly asleep, or was he only half-asleep?

Then, Yang Xiaojin heard Ren Xiaosu’s snoring. It wasn’t just her; the entire cave could hear it! It was incredibly loud!

At that moment, two soldiers from the private troops got up and said to Xu Xianchu, “Let us take over for you. You should get some rest.”

Xu Xianchu nodded. “Keep a close watch. Don’t let your guard down.”

“Don’t worry,” one of the soldiers replied.

The two men slowly walked towards the mouth of the cave, seemingly to stand guard for the night.

Yang Xiaojin lowered her head, her gaze hidden beneath the brim of her billed cap. A faint smile touched her lips when she saw the two thugs, because at that moment, she noticed that an Xiaosu’s snoring… had stopped.

But the two thugs seemed unaware of anything. One of them chatted idly, “I wonder if we’ll make it back alive.”

“Who knows,” the other replied.

Their conversation sounded like a normal exchange, but just as they walked past Yang Xiaojin and Ren Xiaosu, they suddenly lashed out. The rain had stopped, and everything was dead silent.

The two thugs, one on the left and one on the right, pulled out their military spikes. They were going to attack Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin!

Within three steps, who is faster, a person or a gun? Many people had discussed this question, and most agreed that within three steps, a person was likely faster. And now, the two attackers were each only a single step away from Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin. At this distance, Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin had no chance to draw their guns.

They weren’t stupid. They had chosen this moment in the early morning when Ren Xiaosu had just fallen into a deep sleep and Yang Xiaojin had just woken up. A person’s muscles are sluggish right after waking up. It wasn’t a matter of being in poor health, but rather that the body’s functions had not yet had time to fully kick in.

This surprise attack could have been for Yang Xiaojin’s and Ren Xiaosu’s guns, or for water, or for Luo Xinyu. However, they had no idea what kind of opponents they were facing!

Bang!

After the gunshot, the thug attacking Yang Xiaojin stared in disbelief at the bloody hole in his abdomen. He had clearly seen her shelling pine nuts; her gun wasn’t even out. How could she be so much faster than him?

Meanwhile, the other attacker let out a cry of pain. The instant he closed in on Ren Xiaosu and revealed the military spike in his hand, Ren Xiaosu shot up like a sudden bolt of lightning and grabbed his neck.

The attacker wanted to plunge the military spike into Ren Xiaosu’s body, but he found that his arm was also caught by Ren Xiaosu, completely immobilized.

An 85-kilogram adult male was lifted up by the neck with just one of Ren Xiaosu’s hands. In the next moment, the attacker’s vision blurred, and he felt an immense pain in his back. Ren Xiaosu had single-handedly pinned him against the rock wall!

With a clang, the attacker could no longer hold onto the military spike in his hand.

Chapter 68: Master-level Skill Learning Scroll

Everyone else, who had been sound asleep, was jolted awake by the fight that erupted in a brief instant. The deafening gunshot reverberated thunderously within the cave, making everyone feel as though an explosive had just gone off next to their ears.

These people who had just woken up didn’t even know what had happened. The gray shadow behind Xu Xianchu had already materialized, and it stood guard by his side, not moving an inch.

The temperature of Yang Xiaojin’s gun barrel was cooling rapidly, while the blood of the private troops soldier opposite her cooled just as fast. This was the first time Yang Xiaojin had truly fired her gun on this journey, and it seemed no one had expected her will to be so firm and decisive.

Moreover, she was perfectly calm as she killed, as if it were as commonplace as drinking water.

But it wasn’t Yang Xiaojin who created the greatest visual shock for the others; it was Ren Xiaosu.

The gunshot was over in an instant. In a flash of lightning, the bullet had already entered the human body, its immense rotational energy tearing through muscle and organs until it finally stopped, all its kinetic energy spent. But outsiders couldn’t see the bullet’s journey inside the body, nor could the one who was shot.

Ren Xiaosu, on the other hand, was different. The sight of him holding up a grown man with one hand was simply too brutal.

Ren Xiaosu was only 1.78 meters tall. At seventeen, his body was far from fully developed, so neither Xu Xianchu, Liu Bu, nor Yang Xiaojin had ever paid any mind to Ren Xiaosu’s “combat strength.”

They had figured, how much strength could a malnourished refugee teenager from the Settlement possibly have? He had probably just honed some survival skills in the wilderness.

Ren Xiaosu had never made a move, and Yang Xiaojin had never fired her gun, so everyone only had a very blurry judgment of their combat capabilities. This was also why the attackers had dared to make a move.

However, they had never expected that this blurry judgment would turn out to be so disastrously wrong.

Ren Xiaosu’s fingers clamped around the attacker’s neck like iron pincers. The attacker instantly felt blood could no longer reach his brain. He could have kicked at Ren Xiaosu’s vitals, but at that moment, his mind was a complete blank, his limbs twitching unconsciously.

Yang Xiaojin did not look at the private troops soldier who had fallen before her. Instead, she watched Ren Xiaosu quietly, now gripping two guns and aiming them at everyone in the cave.

However, she was also a little puzzled. Ren Xiaosu had clearly been asleep before. The snores could have been faked, but his eyelids could not.

The training she had undergone even included judging whether someone was truly asleep. A person could pretend to be sleeping, but their thoughts would subconsciously cause their eyelids to move. Someone not sound asleep could not keep their eyelids perfectly still for a long time.

So she knew Ren Xiaosu had genuinely been asleep.

But the moment the attackers got up, Ren Xiaosu’s snoring had stopped, proving that he had woken up at that very instant.

How could a person in deep sleep manage to remain constantly vigilant? This refugee, Ren Xiaosu, couldn’t possibly have received the same training as her!

Far away in the Settlement, Yan Liuyuan’s happiest time of the day was when he kept watch for Ren Xiaosu at night. It was then he felt needed by Ren Xiaosu, that he could do something for him.

Although he couldn’t go hunting with Ren Xiaosu because he had to keep watch, he still felt that the role of a “sentry” was extraordinarily meaningful to him.

But Yan Liuyuan didn’t know that Ren Xiaosu had long since stopped needing anyone to keep watch for him, not since the Palace had appeared.

And at this moment, the Ren Xiaosu in Yang Xiaojin’s eyes was displaying supernatural strength. A scrawny teenager possessing such power? Not even Yang Xiaojin had expected it.

The private troops soldier lying in a pool of blood struggled to say, “Sun Junzheng, do something!”

But the soldier named Sun Junzheng was cowering in the cave, not daring to make a sound.

Xu Xianchu frowned and asked, “What is going on?”

Ren Xiaosu ignored him, staring intently at the attacker. He had found pine nuts and pine needles for these people and even let them use the water source in the cave. Although he had his own motives, the outcome had been good.

Ren Xiaosu had long since discovered these people were plotting something. He had originally thought they would have at least some semblance of a bottom line, that they would restrain themselves a little.

He didn’t try to ask the attacker what he was after. Water? The gun? Luo Xinyu?

Ren Xiaosu felt no need to scream “why” in anguish like someone who had been betrayed, because he didn’t need an answer.

Without trust, there could be no betrayal. In Ren Xiaosu’s eyes, these teammates were no different from wild beasts.

Ren Xiaosu didn’t immediately snap the attacker’s neck, only because he wanted to see Xu Xianchu’s reaction.

But just then, the Palace in his mind said, “Quest: Grant the enemy a swift death.”

This time, Ren Xiaosu was truly stunned. Wasn’t this a Palace that advocated for doing good deeds? Why was it suddenly so decisive and ruthless?

Ren Xiaosu was used to exploiting loopholes in quests, but this time, he was the one who was a little unaccustomed to it.

Could it be that, for this Palace, not torturing an enemy also counted as a good deed? Your standards are dropping way too fast…

However, Ren Xiaosu knew this Palace was not sentient. It must have its own internal mechanics for issuing such quests.

With a dull thud, Ren Xiaosu unhesitatingly snapped the attacker’s neck. Upon hearing the sound, Sun Junzheng trembled. “It had nothing to do with me… I didn’t even tell them you were so strong!”

Bang!

Yang Xiaojin shot him between the eyebrows, and Sun Junzheng’s unfinished words were silenced forever.

Ren Xiaosu turned to look at Yang Xiaojin, who said calmly, “Concealing a crime is the same as committing it.”

Ren Xiaosu took a sharp breath. Yang Xiaojin meant that although Sun Junzheng hadn’t told the attackers about Ren Xiaosu’s great strength, he knew they were going to act but never warned Ren Xiaosu. Therefore, to eliminate any future trouble, Sun Junzheng had to die as well.

This person, Ren Xiaosu thought, no matter how many times he revised his understanding of Yang Xiaojin, her cruelty and decisiveness still exceeded his expectations.

However, he did not think she was wrong.

Overnight, the original team of eleven had been reduced to six, leaving only Xu Xianchu, Ren Xiaosu, Luo Xinyu, Liu Bu, Wang Lei, and Yang Xiaojin.

“Quest Complete: Reward: Master-level Skill Learning Scroll.”

Without a second thought, Ren Xiaosu used the Master-level scroll on Xu Xianchu. Compared to Yang Xiaojin’s firearm skills, the improvement of his own from Advanced to Master-level wasn’t that significant. At this moment, what he needed more was Xu Xianchu’s ability!

“Will randomly draw from the target’s Master-level skills or supernatural abilities. If a Master-level skill is drawn and you do not possess the corresponding Advanced skill, you will be unable to learn it.”

“Target has no Master-level skills. Supernatural ability ‘shadow’ has been drawn. Learn?”

Ren Xiaosu was ecstatic. So if the target didn’t have any Master-level skills, it could directly draw a supernatural ability?

He thought the chances would be very small!

“Learn!”

“You have learned ‘shadow’.”

As Ren Xiaosu felt the newly duplicated skill, he discovered there was now a shadow of himself standing quietly in the Palace.

But what surprised Ren Xiaosu a little was that Xu Xianchu’s shadow was gray, while his was black.

What was going on? Was it because his face was dirty?

Chapter 69: Bringing It Upon Themselves

The atmosphere in the cave dropped to a freezing point. The disappearance of two team members without a trace earlier that evening had already cast a heavy pall over everyone, but no one had expected that they would turn on each other.

The four of them—Xu Xianchu, Luo Xinyu, Liu Bu, and Wang Lei—roughly understood what had happened. It seemed the two soldiers from the private troops had tried to ambush Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin, but Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin had ended the fight in an instant.

The speed of the battle was difficult to fathom, and it made Xu Xianchu take a serious new look at the two people before him.

He sighed. “I suppose they brought it on themselves.”

Ren Xiaosu said nothing. After thinking it over, he also realized Xu Xianchu had no motive to do this.

If it were for the guns, Xu Xianchu hadn’t lost any of his own weapons, neither his rifle nor his handgun. If it were to take advantage of Luo Xinyu, he’d had plenty of opportunities before—after all, Luo Xinyu had even thrown herself at him, but Xu Xianchu had never given her the time of day.

If it were for water, Xu Xianchu had just filled his flask in the evening; there was no need for him to covet Ren Xiaosu’s two bottles.

Ren Xiaosu had been worried that Xu Xianchu might act to maintain order within the team, but it turned out that Xu Xianchu had no intention of getting involved in this conflict.

Xu Xianchu’s ultimate goal was to explore the mysteries of the Jing Mountains and the evolution of its creatures, not to lead everyone else out to safety.

“But Sun Junzheng didn’t deserve to die,” Xu Xianchu sighed again. “Forget it. There’s no right or wrong in the wilderness.”

Ren Xiaosu felt that Xu Xianchu had come to understand the law of survival in the wilderness: there was no right or wrong, only survival was the truth.

He wasn’t going to say what Yang Xiaojin did was right, but there was absolutely nothing wrong with eliminating a potential threat!

Ren Xiaosu dragged the three corpses and threw them outside the cave. He said to Xu Xianchu and Yang Xiaojin, “I’ve never been able to figure out how Xu Xia’s body disappeared. This is a good chance to observe it up close.”

He said to Yang Xiaojin, “Give me a shout if anything unusual happens.”

With that, he sat down against the cave wall and went back to sleep. The others looked at Ren Xiaosu, thinking this guy had some serious nerve. He had just killed people, so why did he look as if nothing had happened, able to fall asleep instantly?

Weren’t you the one who just did the killing?

In reality, Ren Xiaosu wasn’t asleep at that moment. He was looking inward at his Palace, where a black shadow had appeared. This wiped away all of his sleepiness and piqued his interest!

He had always been envious of Xu Xianchu, and he was even a little jealous of Zhang Baogen’s ability to spit bubbles.

Although spitting bubbles seemed weak, Ren Xiaosu suspected that the power of those bubbles had room for improvement.

Did supernatural beings have room for improvement? He was certain they did.

As for him, although he had an impressive-looking Palace, the problem was that he had only been improving his Strength and Agility. He was nothing like a true supernatural being.

After all, some people could achieve his current level of strength through long-term training.

So, until he replicated Xu Xianchu’s shadow, he couldn’t be considered a supernatural being in the truest sense, at least not in terms of combat ability.

Ren Xiaosu had been drooling over Xu Xianchu’s bulletproof shadow for a long time. In Ren Xiaosu’s view, thermal weapons were terrifying. Their muzzle velocity could reach the speed of sound, or even several times it. An ordinary person stood no chance against firearms.

Therefore, in Ren Xiaosu’s opinion, the ability to withstand thermal weapons should be the dividing line for a standard supernatural being…

Of course, it wasn’t that Ren Xiaosu was now immune to all thermal weapons. He could still be killed in a sneak attack.

At this moment, the black shadow stood motionless beside the typewriter in the Palace. Ren Xiaosu looked closely and saw that the shadow’s silhouette was clearly his own, just a little blurry.

Why was Xu Xianchu’s grey and his black? He had replicated it directly, so shouldn’t it be the same?

Ren Xiaosu tried to control the black shadow, making it dodge and weave around the Palace. Then he immediately realized… the shadow’s power seemed to be inextricably linked to his own.

It was a connection on a mental level. Ren Xiaosu knew it without even experimenting; it felt as though it was born from his own spiritual will.

The shadow’s strength and speed were double his own, and even its body “density” was twice his. No wonder it could stop bullets. Even an ordinary person could stop bullets, but an ordinary person would die, while it would not.

As Ren Xiaosu explored further, he discovered that the duration he could use the shadow was determined by his mental energy. As long as his mental will was abundant, he could use it indefinitely.

But Ren Xiaosu was a little curious. How did you even measure something as intangible as mental energy?

He tried asking the Palace, “What is my mental energy level?”

The Palace replied, “Insufficient authority to disclose.”

Ren Xiaosu was a little puzzled. It could assess his Master-level Wilderness Survival, his Strength, and his Agility. Why couldn’t it assess his mental energy?

Was it because there was no standard for assessing mental energy, or was there some other reason?

Since he couldn’t get an answer for the time being, Ren Xiaosu stopped dwelling on it. Time to sleep!

However, Ren Xiaosu now had a rough idea why Xu Xianchu’s shadow was grey while his was black. It was because his own body was stronger than Xu Xianchu’s, so his shadow was more solid!

…

As the morning sun shone on Ren Xiaosu’s face, he opened his eyes and immediately looked toward where he had thrown the bodies. To his surprise, the three corpses were completely unchanged. No wonder Yang Xiaojin hadn’t woken him up during the night—nothing unusual had happened.

Well, if nothing happened, nothing happened. He couldn’t always be hoping for some danger to pop up.

At that moment, his gaze shifted inside the cave and met Liu Bu’s. But Liu Bu had long lost the arrogance he’d had when they first left the stronghold; instead, he now averted his eyes.

Liu Bu hadn’t slept well all night. He was nothing more than a coward who preyed on the weak and feared the strong. When he realized how powerful Ren Xiaosu was, he began to panic…

He had every reason to be panicked. He, Luo Xinyu, and Wang Lei had been stunned to discover that in their small team of just a few people, everyone except the three of them was a monstrously capable individual.

Xu Xianchu was already up and standing outside the cave, gazing at the forest before him, lost in thought.

Ren Xiaosu walked over to Wang Lei. Lying on the stretcher, Wang Lei instinctively tried to flinch away, but how could he be faster than Ren Xiaosu?

Ren Xiaosu lifted his shirt and looked at the wound Xu Xianchu had inflicted. “Alright, get up and walk on your own. Your wound has healed.”

Only then did Wang Lei realize with a start that his wound didn’t hurt at all. Could Ren Xiaosu’s bottle of Black Medicine be that effective?!

Chapter 70: Storage Permission

When Xu Xianchu returned to the cave, he saw Wang Lei examining his own wound. He asked Ren Xiaosu curiously, “Do you have any more of that medicine?”

Having used Wang Lei as a guinea pig, Xu Xianchu was now well aware of the importance of the Black Medicine. If one were to get injured in the wilderness, having this Black Medicine would probably increase their chances of survival significantly!

“I’m out,” Ren Xiaosu said instinctively.

“I’ll pay for it…” Xu Xianchu said.

“In that case, I still have a little,” Ren Xiaosu replied. If it were anything else, he might have been reluctant to trade it for money, since money was useless in the wilderness. But the Black Medicine was different.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Ren Xiaosu. “Didn’t you say you were out of money?”

Xu Xianchu said, “The three men you killed had some on them. I took it.”

Ren Xiaosu’s heart ached so much he could barely breathe. He had been too inexperienced; he hadn’t even thought to loot the bodies! How could he have made such a rookie mistake!

So that was why Xu Xianchu went outside just now—to loot the bodies. The man really had a lot of patience, waiting until daylight because he was afraid of the dangers of the night.

Ren Xiaosu said, deeply distressed, “How is that your money? It’s clearly mine! You should at least give me half!”

Xu Xianchu thought for a moment and said, “I don’t have much use for money out here anyway. As long as you give me that Black Medicine, I’ll give you all the eight thousand-some yuan I have on me.”

When Ren Xiaosu heard that the three men had been carrying over eight thousand yuan, his heart ached even more.

However, Ren Xiaosu studied Xu Xianchu seriously. This guy was actually someone who didn’t care much for money? He took out the half-empty bottle of Black Medicine he had used on Wang Lei and handed it to Xu Xianchu. “The money.”

“Here,” Xu Xianchu took out all the money and gave it to Ren Xiaosu. He even deliberately turned his pockets inside out to prove he really had no money left.

Ren Xiaosu nodded in satisfaction. Although he didn’t know Xu Xianchu well, Xu Xianchu had indeed acted decently throughout their journey.

But just as Ren Xiaosu took the eight thousand-some yuan, the Palace in his mind spoke, “Detected that the host is carrying over twenty thousand yuan. Primary Storage Permission can now be purchased.”

Earlier, when Ren Xiaosu had treated Wang Lei’s injuries, Wang Lei had paid him one thousand two hundred yuan, and Luo Xinyu had given him ten thousand. Now, he had just received over eighty-nine hundred from Xu Xianchu, bringing his total cash on hand to over twenty thousand yuan.

But this time, Ren Xiaosu was truly stunned. He had been anxious to unlock the Palace’s storage function, but the Palace had never mentioned how to gain permission.

He had guessed it might be by completing a certain quest, or perhaps another side quest, similar to how he had unlocked the weapon.

But he never in a million years expected that the storage function had to be bought with money! What does an ethereal palace need money for?!

Ren Xiaosu’s savings had never even reached ten thousand yuan in his entire life. And now, just after getting his hands on this sum, he had to spend it all. It was like being knocked back to square one overnight.

But he had to spend the money. Ren Xiaosu knew very well how important a storage space was in the wilderness. He gritted his teeth and said to the Palace in his mind, “Purchase!”

“Purchase successful. Unlocking Primary Storage Permission.”

At that moment, a door appeared in the Palace. It slowly swung open, and Ren Xiaosu saw that behind the door was a wall with a one-cubic-meter slot embedded in the middle…

Isn’t this a total rip-off? Twenty thousand yuan for such a tiny space?

What had the Palace said just now… right, unlocking Primary Storage Permission.

Did that mean he would have to buy Intermediate, Advanced, and what-not in the future? The space behind this door might expand after multiple purchases, perhaps into a real room?

But how much would that cost? Ren Xiaosu didn’t even know if he could earn that much money in his entire life!

At this moment, Ren Xiaosu felt that being able to earn twenty thousand yuan was already quite an achievement!

Ren Xiaosu was pained yet happy. To be honest, his gains from this single day were more than all the previous days of the expedition combined. He went outside, broke off a twig, peeled off the bark, and used the white inner branch to scrape his teeth. He could skip washing his face, but he had to keep his teeth clean and fresh.

To live comfortably in the wilderness, one needed good teeth.

Suddenly, Ren Xiaosu noticed that Yang Xiaojin and Xu Xianchu were following his example, also breaking off twigs to “brush” their teeth. Both of them had a very proactive attitude toward survival; they basically copied whatever Ren Xiaosu did.

Ren Xiaosu suddenly grabbed a handful of leaves and stuffed them into his pocket. As a result, Xu Xianchu and Yang Xiaojin also found the same type of tree and pocketed a handful of its leaves.

As the saying goes, when three people travel together, one of them is bound to be a teacher. When Xu Xianchu and the others realized that Ren Xiaosu’s wilderness survival experience was far richer than theirs, their first instinct was to learn. Only by learning could they, like Ren Xiaosu, live a little more comfortably in this wilderness.

However, Xu Xianchu was a little curious. “Are these leaves useful for something?”

Ren Xiaosu grinned, took the leaves out, and threw them away. “They’re useless. I was just seeing if you’d copy me…”

Xu Xianchu: “???”

Xu Xianchu stared at Ren Xiaosu for a long time without a word. He stubbornly refused to take the leaves out and throw them away. He had picked these leaves because he wanted to, definitely not because he was copying Ren Xiaosu!

Yang Xiaojin, however, was different. As if no one was watching, she grabbed another handful of leaves and stuffed them into her pocket…

The psychological resilience of Ren Xiaosu, Xu Xianchu, and Yang Xiaojin was clearly much better than that of Luo Xinyu’s group. They had witnessed so much death and turmoil last night, but the three of them could still face the new day with composure, as if they hadn’t let it get to them.

But Luo Xinyu and the others couldn’t do the same. When Ren Xiaosu and his group went out of the cave to brush their teeth, Luo Xinyu and her companions were too afraid to go outside because of the three corpses.

It took Luo Xinyu, Liu Bu, and Wang Lei a full half-hour of mental preparation before they finally dared to venture out. They just couldn’t understand how the others could still be smiling.

“Let’s get ready to leave,” Xu Xianchu said. “Although we don’t know what dangers we’re facing, staying here isn’t a solution. We have to find a suitable place to camp for the night before the next sunset. I hope no one wanders off alone. After all, you’ve seen what happens when you do.”

They were now on the outskirts of the Jing Mountains range. Ren Xiaosu could even see black smoke spewing from the active volcanoes within the Jing Mountains. The deeper they went, the more dangerous it would become.

“What do you think actually exists inside the Jing Mountains?” Ren Xiaosu asked, puzzled.

Xu Xianchu thought for a moment and said, “Perhaps it holds the secret to the evolution of beasts, or maybe the origin point of a new order of species.”

“When you came out of the stronghold, did they tell you what those ruins we’re supposed to find might be?” Ren Xiaosu asked.

Xu Xianchu no longer kept it a secret. “A mysterious city.”

Chapter 71: Ren Xiaosu’s Perfect-Grade Skill

Back when Ren Xiaosu used to squat on the School’s courtyard wall to listen in on lessons, he had heard Zhang Jinglin talk about some strange tales and oddities, among them stories of “disappearing cities.”

In fact, when Ren Xiaosu thought back on it, Zhang Jinglin wasn’t always that proper. When the Teacher got tired of lecturing, he would pull up a chair, sit on the stage, and start spinning some amusing anecdotes to fill the time.

But Ren Xiaosu felt this was normal. After all, Zhang Jinglin was the only teacher in the entire Settlement. It was indeed a bit much to expect him to teach every single class every day.

Among the anecdotes Teacher Zhang told back then, he described an ancient city located in a no-man’s-land. The city had once been prosperous but suddenly fell into decline. Zhang Jinglin said that there seemed to be demons in the vicinity of the ruined city.

At the time, Ren Xiaosu had thought to himself, Yeah, right. If you don’t want to teach, just say so. Why make up stories about demons? How could there really be demons in this world?

But now, Ren Xiaosu was starting to believe it.

Actually, Zhang Jinglin probably wasn’t that old, just in his thirties. Ren Xiaosu had heard from Wang Fugui that Zhang Jinglin had also come from somewhere else a long time ago. As for how long, no one could remember.

Sometimes, Ren Xiaosu even wondered if Zhang Jinglin had once been a stronghold resident who later became a refugee. Otherwise, how would he know so much, even if some of it was just made up…

Now that Xu Xianchu was talking about a mysterious city hidden in the Jing Mountains, Ren Xiaosu instinctively recalled what Zhang Jinglin had said. So, could there be demons in the Jing Mountains?

Ren Xiaosu asked Xu Xianchu, “Is there anything else he said?”

Xu Xianchu thought for a moment. “Also, before we set off, Wang Congyang seemed to have found out from someone that Stronghold 113 wasn’t the only one to get news about the Jing Mountains. Apparently, other teams are also on their way here.”

Ren Xiaosu had thought Xu Xianchu was about to reveal some big secret, but it turned out to be just that.

“The truth is, whether it’s the stronghold administrators or the corporations, everyone is very interested in topics like evolution and supernatural beings,” Xu Xianchu said. “You should know about the new mental hospital built in the stronghold. They’re not just studying supernatural beings for preventive measures; they’re also thinking about how to use them.”

“Can you tell us about supernatural beings?” Ren Xiaosu asked. “As one yourself, you must be paying close attention to this.”

“Supernatural beings…” Xu Xianchu mused. “Actually, they’ve been around for a long time, but back then, everyone just treated them as legends. The reason they’re getting so much attention recently is that they’ve started appearing more frequently, and some secretive supernatural organizations have even emerged in certain places.”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. “They’ve already formed organizations?”

If there were organizations, it meant the number of supernatural beings was not small.

“You’ve heard about the supernatural being who assassinated a stronghold administrator a while ago, right?” Xu Xianchu said. “Wang Congyang was the one who told me. He said that supernatural being belonged to an organization called ‘the Thugs.’ At least, that’s what the supernatural being claimed.”

“Was he caught?” Ren Xiaosu asked curiously.

“No,” Xu Xianchu shook his head. “His power was far beyond what you can imagine. All the major strongholds are now taking measures against supernatural beings and even seem to be rating their danger levels, though it’s still unclear how they’re assessed.”

Ren Xiaosu muttered, “Why does it have to be a fight to the death? Can’t we all just get along?”

He said this because he felt it personally. Ren Xiaosu was a supernatural being himself, and now he was suddenly standing on the opposite side of those behemoths. It was bound to be a little disheartening.

Yang Xiaojin glanced at him but said nothing. Xu Xianchu sighed. “I can never go back. If the stronghold finds out I’m a supernatural being, I’ll meet a terrible end.”

Liu Bu, who was next to them, suddenly said, “We won’t reveal your secret, don’t worry!”

At this moment, Liu Bu was honestly a little worried about being silenced, so he was quick to show his loyalty.

Xu Xianchu glanced at Liu Bu but didn’t say anything. It was clear he had some principles and wouldn’t resort to something like silencing a witness.

But who would believe Liu Bu’s guarantee? It would be foolish to trust him.

For once, Xu Xianchu retorted to Liu Bu, “Of everyone here, I’m most worried about you!”

Ren Xiaosu asked, “So if Liu Bu died in an accident, couldn’t you go back then?”

Liu Bu: “???”

Could you really curse someone like that? Liu Bu wanted to curse Ren Xiaosu back, but he didn’t dare!

Xu Xianchu sighed beside him. “You’re a supernatural being too, aren’t you?”

Ren Xiaosu: “Huh?”

For a moment, Ren Xiaosu wondered if he had let something slip and Yang Xiaojin had noticed.

Then Xu Xianchu said, “You must have awakened the ability to infuriate people.”

Ren Xiaosu: “…”

But at that moment, an idea flashed in Ren Xiaosu’s mind. He asked the Palace in his head, “Palace, do I have a skill related to infuriating people? What’s its grade?”

The Palace replied calmly, “Perfect.”

Ren Xiaosu: “…”

It was actually Perfect-grade!

Ren Xiaosu had been full of admiration when he found out Yang Xiaojin had a Perfect-grade skill. He never thought he would have one too!

But comparing his Perfect-grade skill to hers, his was just too ridiculous. Palace, are you serious?!

Still, the thought that he also possessed a Perfect-grade skill brought him a tiny bit of joy amidst his frustration. After all, it was a Perfect-grade skill…

Someone once said that doing just one thing well in life is already quite an achievement… He never expected that at such a young age, he would have already perfected one thing…

Xu Xianchu looked at the three bodies outside the cave and finally said, “Let’s go. No matter what’s hidden in these Jing Mountains, I have to see it for myself.”

This was the yearning of a supernatural being. People once thought those legendary things were fiction, but when they themselves began to approach the stuff of legend, a desire for that wider world would be born.

This was true for Xu Xianchu, and it was also true for Ren Xiaosu.

Xu Xianchu said, “I don’t know if you’ve ever read a book called Journey to the West. I read it in the stronghold’s library. Back then, I found it incredible that someone could lift a staff weighing 6,750 kilograms. Now, I wonder if the characters in that book actually existed. I heard that staff could hold down mountains.”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said, “The Settlement’s School has that book. But there’s a problem with what you said about 6,750 kilograms holding down mountains. That’s only a little over six tons. The agricultural tractors from the factory outside the Settlement have a carrying capacity of ten tons. They could probably haul two of those staffs if overloaded a little…”

Xu Xianchu took a deep breath, turned, and walked toward the forest, toward the unknown Jing Mountains.

Chapter 72: Ghostly Figure

After entering the forest, Ren Xiaosu deliberately looked for any signs of a struggle. The mystery of the two missing private troops soldiers from last night had yet to be solved, so Ren Xiaosu wanted to see what kind of accident had befallen them.

A heavy downpour had washed away their footprints, making it extremely difficult for Ren Xiaosu to search for clues.

With no footprints, he could only observe the leaves and branches.

The forest was incredibly dense, with thick undergrowth beneath the massive canopies. For two people to pass through, they would have inevitably snapped some branches and leaves, and that was something the rain couldn’t wash away.

Ren Xiaosu followed a trail of faintly broken branches, but the signs disappeared after only a dozen meters.

When Xu Xianchu realized what Ren Xiaosu was looking for, he asked, “Find anything?”

“No,” Ren Xiaosu shook his head. “The trail just stops here. They didn’t go any further.”

The two men must have been afraid at the time, so it was normal that they didn’t dare to stray too far from the cave. But something didn’t add up. They were only a dozen meters from the cave. If an accident had happened here, it was impossible for the people in the cave not to have heard it.

Even with the sound of the rain as cover!

So the most likely possibility was that the two men had come here to relieve themselves and encountered something so unexpected that they didn’t even have a chance to cry out.

Ren Xiaosu looked at the surrounding trees. Not a single piece of bark was missing from their trunks. There were no signs of a struggle, no resistance, nothing.

The fear of the unknown was the truest fear.

“Let’s go,” Xu Xianchu said. “In a situation like this, we need a safe campsite even more. It’s worth ending the day’s journey early for it.”

Ren Xiaosu agreed with Xu Xianchu’s point. “It’d be best to find a place like that cave from last night. Although we don’t know what happened, we were fine in the cave, so it’s best if we can find a similar one to camp in tonight.”

The sky hadn’t cleared up after the rain, and it looked like it could start pouring again at any moment. As the saying goes, an autumn rain brings a chill, and this one had temporarily suppressed the scorching heat from the approaching volcanoes.

The group trudged through the forest with difficulty. Ren Xiaosu suggested that Xu Xianchu should try to walk where there were no puddles. These days, even a common ant had grown to the size of a fingertip, and ghastly things like the Human-Faced Insects had appeared. If they were to be infested with something like leeches now, it could very well be fatal.

The clothes they were wearing couldn’t possibly stop a leech’s mouthparts.

“How do you think insects can grow so big?” Ren Xiaosu asked curiously. “What exactly are those Human-Faced Insects?”

Xu Xianchu thought for a moment and said, “No matter how bizarre the Human-Faced Insects are, they can’t escape the limitations of being insects. Their body structure destines them to be unable to achieve the massive size of mammals; their oxygen supply simply can’t keep up. So I suspect the oxygen concentration in the air here is very high, which allows them to grow. Have you noticed? Although our bodies are tired, we feel spiritually sharp, and our minds are clearer. This is clearly a reaction to breathing in more oxygen.”

Ren Xiaosu felt that Xu Xianchu’s analysis made sense. It wasn’t just about evolution; there was even some scientific reasoning behind it…

“Wait,” Ren Xiaosu paused. “Is the high oxygen level due to the mutation and evolution of plants? The plants near our stronghold have also become more robust. Does that mean the outside world will also suffer from insect plagues and such in the future?”

“It’s very likely,” Xu Xianchu said.

As they walked, the differences in everyone’s stamina became apparent. Ren Xiaosu was very relaxed; with his current stamina, traversing the forest was no trouble at all, and he didn’t feel the least bit tired.

Although Xu Xianchu was a supernatural being, his physical fitness didn’t seem to have improved much. Xu Xianchu himself admitted that his physique had been strengthening, but only in an orderly way and by advancing step by step, ever since he became a supernatural being.

But it seemed to be a slow process, so Xu Xianchu’s physical fitness was not yet on par with Ren Xiaosu’s.

Xu Xianchu said, “Ever since I awakened as a supernatural being, I’ve found that my physical fitness increases every time I push my body to its limits during training.”

So that’s how it works, Ren Xiaosu thought. Should I try that in the future? But he would have to wait until he was back in the Settlement. Challenging his limits out here would probably get him killed rather quickly.

Meanwhile, Liu Bu, Luo Xinyu, and Wang Lei were in a miserable state. Their clothes were somewhat tattered. When they left the stronghold, they were all clean and tidy, but now their faces were as grimy as Ren Xiaosu’s.

But they didn’t dare to fall behind, because they were afraid Ren Xiaosu, Xu Xianchu, and Yang Xiaojin would leave them. If that happened, only death would await them.

What surprised Ren Xiaosu the most was Yang Xiaojin. He noticed that although she was also a little tired, she was in much better shape than Xu Xianchu.

Just then, Ren Xiaosu suddenly saw the gray shadow emerge from Xu Xianchu’s body. Ren Xiaosu immediately tensed up and went on alert, thinking Xu Xianchu had discovered some danger.

But then he watched, dumbfounded, as Xu Xianchu nonchalantly climbed onto the gray shadow’s back and had it carry him!

The sight left Ren Xiaosu utterly stunned. This was fucking cheating!

Ever since he had revealed himself as a supernatural being, Xu Xianchu had been using his powers more and more. He was so used to hiding them before that he sometimes even forgot to use them.

The gray shadow’s physical fitness was double Xu Xianchu’s, and it moved through the forest as if walking on flat ground. If Ren Xiaosu wasn’t trying to hide the fact that he had copied Xu Xianchu’s shadow ability, he would have done the same thing!

Liu Bu, Luo Xinyu, and Wang Lei were in absolute despair. The comparison was maddening. Why hadn’t they awakened as supernatural beings?!

Suddenly, Xu Xianchu’s gray shadow stopped up ahead. This time, Ren Xiaosu grew truly nervous, because he saw Xu Xianchu’s muscles tense up like a cat with its fur standing on end.

Xu Xianchu slowly slid off the gray shadow’s back to avoid slowing it down. He whispered, “Look ahead.”

Ren Xiaosu peered into the dim, dark woods ahead. Amid the dense, flickering shadows of the leaves, there seemed to be something white in the distance.

“What… what is that?” Liu Bu asked, trembling. As he spoke, he had already subconsciously hidden behind Luo Xinyu and Wang Lei at the very back of the group.

Xu Xianchu squinted. He hesitated for a moment and said, “Look, doesn’t that white figure look like a woman in a white dress, scratching a tree?”

The hair on Ren Xiaosu’s body stood on end. The scene was too bizarre!

Chapter 73: The Civilization Before the Cataclysm

In the gloomy forest, the sound of leaves brushing against each other was like some terrifying creature shuttling through the canopy. Everyone stared at the strange white figure ahead, holding their breath as if afraid their very presence as living beings would attract its attention.

Why would a woman be standing here with her back to them, scratching a tree? No one could figure it out.

But the more they couldn’t understand, the deeper their fear grew.

Ren Xiaosu noticed that even Yang Xiaojin, who was beside him, was more tense than he had ever seen her. He could see her tightly pressed lips and how the hand gripping her gun had turned white from the force.

Xu Xianchu’s Gray Shadow was in front of him, seemingly guarding against a sudden lunge from the white-clad woman, even though she was still several dozen meters away.

“Should we go around?” Ren Xiaosu said in a low voice. “Maybe she won’t follow us.”

But as soon as he spoke, a fierce gust of wind swept through the forest, and the white-clad woman’s body seemed to float up as if out of thin air.

Xu Xianchu gritted his teeth. “There’s no avoiding it. If a little ghost like this can stop us, what’s the point of even going to the Jing Mountains!”

With that, Xu Xianchu actually directed his Gray Shadow to walk toward the white-clad woman, with one in front and one behind. Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin exchanged a look. Neither of them had expected Xu Xianchu to be so brave in a situation like this.

Some people could boast extravagantly in their daily lives, only to become timid, nervous, and cowardly when faced with a real crisis. But others were different; the more dangerous the moment, the calmer they became, a fierce tenacity ingrained in their very bones.

“Follow him,” Ren Xiaosu said.

In the next moment, Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin tacitly followed behind Xu Xianchu. The few of them were all in the same boat now, so they couldn’t just stand by and watch Xu Xianchu take the risk alone.

Liu Bu’s voice trembled. “What about us? Do we follow?”

“What if something like that appears next to us?” Luo Xinyu said with fear. After she spoke, she followed them as well, with Wang Lei close behind.

Seeing himself being left all alone, Liu Bu grew even more terrified. He whispered, “Wait for me!”

Walking behind Xu Xianchu, Ren Xiaosu said, “If you find that we can’t beat it, use your Gray Shadow to trap it and buy us time to concentrate our fire on it.”

Xu Xianchu, Ren Xiaosu, and Yang Xiaojin all had guns. This was currently their most powerful overt means of attack. If this white-clad woman wasn’t even afraid of bullets, then there wasn’t much else they could do.

Xu Xianchu replied in a hushed tone, “Alright… I’m entrusting my back to you. Watch our surroundings.”

Ren Xiaosu felt a little puzzled. Perhaps because people from the strongholds hadn’t experienced life in the Settlement, they were more inclined to trust others than the refugees were.

In the Settlement, someone always had to stand guard even when sleeping. It was impossible for people who grew up in such an environment to entrust their backs to others.

Was this the difference between the Settlement and the stronghold?

The three of them cautiously approached the white-clad woman, but the closer they got, the stranger they felt…

Ren Xiaosu had originally been crouching, as that posture made it easiest to exert force. But now, he stood up straight from where he was. “What the hell is this?”

Xu Xianchu was also dumbfounded. He had his Gray Shadow swagger over to the “white-clad woman” and simply “pluck” it off the tree…

It was… a dilapidated female inflatable plastic doll. It looked like the type you could inflate.

“Uh,” Ren Xiaosu said, walking up to Xu Xianchu’s side and examining it for a long while. “What is this?”

“No idea,” Xu Xianchu said, shaking his head. None of them had ever seen such a thing, so they all said they didn’t recognize it. “But it looks pretty worn out.”

Ren Xiaosu asked, “Isn’t it something from the stronghold?”

“I’ve never seen it in the stronghold,” Xu Xianchu denied again.

Everyone fell into a contemplative silence as they stared at the doll. They didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. To think this piece of junk had scared all of them just now! It was only when they got closer that they realized something was off.

“Wait, there’s something else under the tree,” Ren Xiaosu said, inadvertently spotting an iron box by the gnarled tree roots.

Ren Xiaosu poked the rusted iron box with his dagger, but it was so corroded that it was barely holding together. The moment the dagger touched it, it crumbled into a pile of dust.

Inside the box were several reddish pieces of paper. When the box shattered, the paper turned to powder along with it, and in an instant, only one object remained.

It was a piece of green plastic, or rather, two pieces of plastic sandwiching a sheet of green paper. On the green paper were crooked, mysterious patterns like tadpoles.

“This…” Xu Xianchu stared at the ‘plastic sheet’ in Ren Xiaosu’s hand for a long time. “Could this be something left behind by the pre-Cataclysm human civilization? Or are both of these things from back then? Plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose, and that’s when it’s buried underground. That’s why everything else has rotted away, but this could be preserved.”

“But what are these strange patterns? Could they be hiding some secret?” Yang Xiaojin also frowned in confusion.

“Doesn’t this thing look like a map?” Liu Bu and the others, who had caught up by now, chimed in. “Inside the square pattern, there are all these winding symbols. It looks like a maze!”

Xu Xianchu, Ren Xiaosu, and the others’ eyes lit up. “Could this be a map of that mysterious city in the Jing Mountains!?”

“Huh,” Luo Xinyu said. “Look, there are words on it.”

Due to decay, the plastic sheet had also become worn and yellowed. But after Luo Xinyu’s reminder, everyone noticed a line of small words below the mysterious pattern.

Ren Xiaosu squinted to make them out and read aloud, “Please scan the QR code to pay?”

The entire group was bewildered. “What’s a QR code? Pay who?”

“What, you have to pay up before you can get through the maze?”

Because civilization had once been fractured, they were ignorant of some information from the pre-Cataclysm civilization. Some of it was discarded by humanity for being useless, while some was simply lost in that dark age of survival.

They had never seen anything like this in the stronghold or the Settlement, so its purpose became a mystery.

In any case, it wasn’t a map to a maze…

Ren Xiaosu looked at Xu Xianchu. “Are you sure it’s some mysterious city? Does it hold the secret of evolution?”

“How else can you explain the changes in the Jing Mountains now?” Xu Xianchu said.

“That’s true…” Ren Xiaosu said. “There must be secrets hidden in the mountains, but I just feel that this city thing might not be that mysterious…”

“Let’s go. We’ll only know when we see it,” Xu Xianchu said as he carefully placed the QR code into his breast pocket, as if afraid of damaging it.

“Are we still taking this broken doll?” Liu Bu asked.

“Let’s take it. It might be useful,” Xu Xianchu said.

Chapter 74: Fire Seed

Of course, Xu Xianchu, Ren Xiaosu, and Yang Xiaojin had no intention of carrying that broken doll. And since Liu Bu was the one who had brought up the issue of whether to take it, he was decisively tasked with carrying it.

In fact, Ren Xiaosu and the others felt the doll was probably useless. Although none of them knew what it was for before the Cataclysm, they weren’t stupid.

But since they didn’t have to carry it themselves, they figured they might as well bring it along.

And so, Liu Bu’s journey became a miserable one. Exhausted as he already was, he now had to carefully cradle the broken doll…

The worst part was that no one had eaten all day.

Xu Xianchu suddenly stopped. It wasn’t just Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu; even Xu Xianchu himself was reaching his limit. He turned around and said, “Everyone, find some pine trees and gather some pine cones. Let’s eat something before we continue.”

For Xu Xianchu and his group, their wilderness survival lessons had only just reached the point of gathering pine cones to fill their stomachs. In reality, pine cones were extremely difficult to peel, and they yielded very little.

The number of pine nuts you could get from a large cone wasn’t even enough to fill the gaps between your teeth. But what else was there to eat? It was clear Ren Xiaosu had no intention of taking care of them.

Ren Xiaosu took out his dagger and slashed at a nearby tree he didn’t recognize. A milky-white sap began to ooze from the cut. Xu Xianchu’s eyes lit up. “Can we drink that?”

The others also looked over in pleasant surprise, but Ren Xiaosu shook his head. “Don’t drink most milky saps you find in the woods. There’s a high chance they’re poisonous.”

Xu Xianchu was confused. “Then what did you cut it for?”

“To coat my dagger with some poison,” Ren Xiaosu said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The others were dumbfounded. What the hell kind of person are you, poisoning your own dagger? You really take the most vicious option available!

However, they didn’t dare to look down on Ren Xiaosu for his cunning. After all, they had relied on him for so much during this journey. If any of them got injured someday, they would be completely dependent on Ren Xiaosu to stitch up their wounds and apply medicine.

Liu Bu, Luo Xinyu, and Wang Lei still had money on them, saved for the express purpose of asking Ren Xiaosu to save their lives in an emergency.

They had already realized that when Ren Xiaosu was around, money very well might be the difference between life and death…

If they were to offend Ren Xiaosu now, he might still treat their injuries for a price, but what if after he stitched them up, he ended up with an extra kidney in his hand…?

While gathering pine cones, Liu Bu accidentally fell from a tree. Fortunately, the ground was covered in a soft layer of pine needles, so the fall didn’t hurt.

He seemed to be on the verge of a breakdown. “It’s all those wolves’ fault! Didn’t they say back in the stronghold that the wolves had moved to other mountain ranges? Why would they suddenly show up here! If it weren’t for them, we might have been back at the stronghold by now! As expected, the idiom says wolves and ‘bei’ are in it together. Wolves are no good!”

This time, however, Ren Xiaosu disagreed. “I’ve heard that idiom too, but have you ever actually seen a bei?”

The others were taken aback. “Isn’t a bei the animal that rides on the back of a wolf? The idiom means that the wolf and the bei harm livestock together—the wolf using its front legs, the bei its back legs. It’s a metaphor for colluding to do bad things.”

“Right,” Ren Xiaosu nodded. “That’s what Teacher Zhang from the School said too. But my question remains: have any of you ever seen a bei?”

Liu Bu was stumped, muttering under his breath, “We live in the stronghold, where would we ever see one?”

“I have,” Ren Xiaosu said. “It was in the very wolf pack that chased us into the canyon. I saw one when I encountered them last year.”

“What does a bei look like?” someone asked curiously.

“A bei is actually a wolf,” Ren Xiaosu said calmly. “It stepped on a hunter’s trap, so its front legs were disabled. The other wolves carry it on their backs and continue to live with it.”

Xu Xianchu and the others were stunned. In the stronghold, they had learned the idiom “wolves and bei work in cahoots” in school. Their teachers told them both the wolf and the bei were evil, just as they had told them which insects were beneficial and which were pests.

But Ren Xiaosu, who lived in the wilderness, didn’t see it that way. He had heard from Zhang Jinglin that the nomadic tribes of the grasslands once revered the wolf. This was back when he couldn’t attend the School yet, so he had asked Yan Liuyuan to ask a question for him: “Don’t wolves harm livestock? Why would the nomads revere them?”

Teacher Zhang’s reply was a question of his own: “Is the wolf wrong?”

Indeed. The wolf eats the sheep, and the sheep eats the grass. None of them are in the wrong. That is simply the order of the species, the way things are.

Although wolves could be a menace to humans, they would never abandon a disabled member of their own kind. Could humans do the same? On this trip to the Jing Mountains, how many people had died because their companions had abandoned them?

It wasn’t to say that those people were wrong, but Ren Xiaosu sometimes found himself envying the wolf pack. At least if something happened, they wouldn’t be mercilessly left behind.

Ignoring what the others were thinking, Ren Xiaosu used his dagger to dig into the soil at the base of a pine tree. He said, “In the wilderness, don’t use your hands to clear away leaves. Scorpions, centipedes, and venomous snakes might be hiding here. If you startle them, they’ll bring you death.”

This time, Ren Xiaosu didn’t find any scorpions or the like. He was even a little disappointed; after all, roasted scorpion was quite delicious. He wondered if he should go out of his way to catch a few scorpions and centipedes for dinner.

As he mused, he dug up some pine tree roots. “If you don’t think pine cones are enough, you can eat the roots. We can boil them tonight.”

The others looked at Ren Xiaosu in astonishment. It felt like in his eyes, almost anything was edible. It was one thing to suggest eating pine nuts, but now he was telling them to eat tree roots.

Was this frickin’ food? It was more like building material!

But Ren Xiaosu didn’t care. Over the years in the wilderness, he had eaten many things others would consider inedible.

Just then, a question occurred to Ren Xiaosu. “Are there places like the Jing Mountains near other strongholds? I mean, places with sudden mutations and evolution.”

Xu Xianchu fell silent for a moment before answering, “Yes, but they’ve already been cordoned off by the Fire Seed Company.”

“The Fire Seed Company?” Ren Xiaosu was puzzled. “I’ve never heard of it. Which corporation does it belong to?”

“It doesn’t. It’s an independent corporation in its own right, and it controls over twenty strongholds,” Xu Xianchu said. “But they operate far from our Stronghold 113, so it’s normal that you haven’t heard of them.”

“So what are those places controlled by the Fire Seed Company like?” Ren Xiaosu asked, his curiosity piqued.

Xu Xianchu looked troubled, as if that was the extent of his knowledge. But then, it was Yang Xiaojin who spoke up. “The areas controlled by the Fire Seed Company are very mysterious. Some say they’ve seen massive, prehistoric flying creatures in the skies there. But the company’s military force is formidable, and they’ve suppressed whatever is happening. Perhaps only the core members of the Fire Seed Company know what’s really going on inside.”

Chapter 75: Prehistoric Birds

When Ren Xiaosu heard Yang Xiaojin mention the Fire Seed Company, his mind started racing. Her words contained a great deal of information.

Xu Xianchu was clearly unaware of the news about the Fire Seed Company, which meant that in terms of intelligence, Yang Xiaojin far surpassed a private troops soldier like him.

Moreover, Yang Xiaojin had said, “Perhaps only the core personnel of the Fire Seed Company know what’s inside.” Why was she so sure it was only the core personnel and not the entire company? She must have tried to inquire about it from members of the Fire Seed Company but came back empty-handed.

Ren Xiaosu believed Yang Xiaojin couldn’t have done all this alone. It was like how he didn’t even know how many Strongholds humanity had built to date; the highest number he had ever heard of was Stronghold 178.

He didn’t know about the Fire Seed Company, nor did he know how many corporations there were. To understand the whole world in an era with poor communications, one had to have an organization backing them!

Therefore, Yang Xiaojin must belong to some organization. As for which one, that was anyone’s guess.

Ren Xiaosu was someone who liked to learn and think. Seeing the pensive look on his face, Yang Xiaojin immediately fell silent. She wasn’t stupid either; she realized Ren Xiaosu was analyzing the information contained in her previous statement!

Ren Xiaosu suddenly asked, “Are these the only two known places?”

Yang Xiaojin glanced at him. “There will be more and more.”

In the afternoon, everyone except for Ren Xiaosu started showing signs of fatigue. The three ordinary people, Liu Bu and the others, had blisters on their feet, but they didn’t dare to fall behind or ask if they could take a break.

Ren Xiaosu drank a bottle of water, then refilled it in a shallow stream. The others, who had no containers, could only cup large leaves to drink.

Up ahead, Xu Xianchu had a military canteen, and Yang Xiaojin had a water bottle hidden on her, so she also had a container. Ren Xiaosu, of course, was even better off. Not only did he have a bottle, but he also hadn’t lost the iron cup he brought from home.

But Luo Xinyu, Liu Bu, and Wang Lei had nothing. So while Ren Xiaosu and the others walked on unencumbered, the three of them trailed behind, each holding a leaf, looking as miserable as could be…

While getting water, Ren Xiaosu specifically warned, “Whatever you do, don’t go near deep rivers. And even when you’re getting water from shallow streams, you must leave as quickly as possible.”

Because when Xu Xianchu and the others mentioned that prehistoric birds had appeared in an area controlled by the Fire Seed Company, he was reminded of the black shadow he had encountered in the river while spearfishing!

It was a creature that even the other fish in the water feared. Ren Xiaosu even felt a little regret that he had never seen its true form.

At dusk, Ren Xiaosu and the others finally found a new cave. However, this cave was very small, and it felt a bit cramped with six people sitting inside. But they had no choice; the forest at night was too terrifying.

As they huddled together around the fire, everyone felt a rare sense of security. Perhaps it was only at moments like these that humans realized the importance of companionship.

Ren Xiaosu surveyed the inside of the cave, looking for any traces left by humans, like the words carved in the cave from last night.

Unfortunately, however, there were no new clues here.

Xu Xianchu instructed, “If you need to relieve yourselves, it’s best not to go into the forest in case something unexpected happens. If the ladies need to go, we’ll turn our backs. One of you can watch us to make sure. This is for your own safety.”

As the group chewed on freshly boiled pine roots, Liu Bu, remembering the aroma of the wild boar from before, joked to Ren Xiaosu, “Why don’t you make another wish or something? Wouldn’t it be great if another animal came crashing over?”

Ren Xiaosu retorted irritably, “Why don’t you make a wish?”

He would never sacrifice Yan Liuyuan’s health for food. Besides, these pine roots tasted like celery and weren’t particularly hard to swallow.

By now, Ren Xiaosu was being extremely careful with his words and actions, afraid he might bring disaster upon Yan Liuyuan back home.

After being rebuffed by Ren Xiaosu, Liu Bu felt a little embarrassed. “I was just joking with you, wasn’t I? If my wishes worked, I’d have made them long ago. If I say an animal is going to serve itself up to us to eat, is it going to happen?”

Just then, a strange, seemingly dense rustling sound came from the forest outside the cave.

Ren Xiaosu and the others instinctively picked up their guns. The next moment, three wild boars, two wildcats, two snakes, and seven monkeys actually emerged from the forest.

The size of the wild boars was one thing, but the wildcats looked like the leopards from the School’s library books! The monkeys were almost as tall as humans, probably standing about 1.6 meters tall when upright!

Ren Xiaosu was certain this wasn’t a luck bonus from Yan Liuyuan. After all, this collection of creatures could probably kill all of them. This was definitely not good luck!

Ren Xiaosu stared blankly at the beasts. “Liu Bu, what kind of damn mouth do you have?!”

Liu Bu was on the verge of tears. “I was just saying…”

The beasts and the humans were in a standoff. It seemed the animals hadn’t expected to find people here either. Ren Xiaosu lowered his voice and said, “Liu Bu, go tell them we’re going vegetarian today. Ask them to leave…”

Liu Bu burst into tears right then. Looking at the pack of beasts outside the cave, he said, “Is it going to work if I say it… Uh… You all can go now!”

Ren Xiaosu had just been joking, but after Liu Bu said, “You all can go now,” the beasts actually turned around and ran off in another direction.

In truth, it wasn’t that Ren Xiaosu couldn’t have fought them. Although it would be difficult to harm these animals with a handgun, he still had his ultimate trump card: the shadow.

But Ren Xiaosu didn’t want to expose himself, right? The moment that thing appeared, Xu Xianchu and the others would definitely know he had a way of copying other people’s powers. It was hard to say what the consequences would be then.

Besides, if he copied someone’s shadow and it turned out to be even more powerful than the original, it would be pretty embarrassing for them!

Ren Xiaosu turned to look at Liu Bu in astonishment. Could it be that this guy had awakened a luck-based power, just like Yan Liuyuan?!

No, that’s not it!

Ren Xiaosu looked back at the forest. “Something drove these beasts here! Different species of beasts shouldn’t be coexisting so peacefully. The fact that they aren’t attacking each other, or us, means there’s a more terrifying shadow forcing them to. They came to this cave seeking refuge!”

“I think you’re right,” Xu Xianchu nodded. “Because we occupied this cave, they went somewhere else.”

“Do you remember? Yesterday evening, there were also strange movements in the forest, but whatever it was left without showing itself. I always thought the source of that sound was the threat, but now I think it might have been another animal looking for a cave to hide in,” Ren Xiaosu recalled. “What in the world is in this forest that could force these ‘native’ creatures to abandon their territories and even coexist peacefully with different species?!”

Chapter 76: Iron Chains

Everyone had just breathed a sigh of relief upon finding the cave to camp in, but no one expected a sudden turn of events.

“Should we find another place to hide?” someone asked in a low voice. “What if something chases us out of the forest?”

“No need,” Ren Xiaosu said, shaking his head. “They were clearly trying to hide here, but we took the spot first. At the very least, that means this cave should be safe enough.”

“What exactly are they hiding from?” Liu Bu asked, confused.

At that moment, Xu Xianchu looked out at the forest beyond the cave. “Perhaps they’re hiding from this forest. Or rather, the forest at night.”

Ren Xiaosu nodded as well. “I was thinking the same thing. Animals are far more alert to danger than humans because it’s their instinct. Do you remember when we passed through the canyon and saw human skeletons lying there? But after entering the forest, we haven’t seen a single animal skeleton. That’s not normal.”

“All living things are born, grow old, get sick, and die. How could we not see a single animal skeleton?” Ren Xiaosu continued, “I once discarded some fish bones and meat in the woods south of the canyon. When I went to check the next morning, they were gone. There wasn’t a single trace left, just like how Xu Xia’s body disappeared. All these missing remains, whether animal or human, have one thing in common: they were in the woods.”

“Right,” Xu Xianchu nodded. “And the fact that these creatures are so afraid of the woods clearly means there’s something wrong with them.”

A man-eating forest…

The others stared at the forest outside, a mix of fear and doubt in their eyes. Could it be that after animals evolved, plants had evolved as well?

Xu Xianchu offered some comfort. “But this is actually a good thing. Now that we’ve discovered a pattern, we can take precautions.”

The fear of the unknown had become a fear of the known. Once you understood the principle behind it, the feeling of terror could lessen slightly.

That’s right. As long as they didn’t enter the woods at night, they’d be fine, right?

At this thought, some of their previous psychological trauma even dissipated. Wang Lei smiled and said, “Then we just have to make sure we find a place to camp far away from the woods before nightfall.”

Ren Xiaosu shook his head. “It’s not just at night. We need to be careful during the day too. We don’t know if these animals and plants have reached the end of their evolution. What if they start eating people in broad daylight?”

“Then we’ll follow the ridges and hollows where the trees are sparser!” Xu Xianchu made the final decision.

Everyone started chewing on the pine roots again. At this point, someone asked, “Ren Xiaosu, how did you find out that pine roots are edible?”

“I didn’t discover it. Someone in the Settlement mentioned it,” Ren Xiaosu said calmly, adding some wood to the campfire.

Liu Bu, wanting to ease the tension with Ren Xiaosu, quickly tried to flatter him. “You people from the Settlement know so much about the wilderness. This is human wisdom!”

Liu Bu didn’t quite know how to praise him, so it ended up being an awkward compliment.

However, Ren Xiaosu didn’t quite agree. He glanced at Liu Bu and said, “This isn’t wisdom. Who would want to eat pine roots if they had better food? The people in the Settlement said that eating pine roots was something from the early years. When I heard about it, I could only imagine how many people must have starved to death back then.”

In an era where refugees lived from one day to the next, everything was about survival.

It was already an awkward compliment, and now Liu Bu was even more embarrassed.

Just then, Luo Xinyu tried to ease the atmosphere. “Why have the animals all grown larger, but we humans haven’t? Instead, we’ve evolved supernatural beings like Captain Xu.”

“It’s probably because humans evolve differently,” said Xu Xianchu. “From ancient times to now, human evolution has always been about brainpower.”

Ren Xiaosu said, “I’ve heard another theory. Last year, after I escaped from a wolf, I asked Teacher Zhang at the School about it. He asked me a question: some creatures in nature can develop strong muscles without much exercise. He mentioned an animal called a chimpanzee. Even if humans kept them in cages where they did nothing but eat and sleep all day, they could still grow muscles far stronger than a human’s. But if a human just eats and sleeps all day, their muscles will atrophy.”

Yang Xiaojin spoke up, “That Teacher Zhang of yours at the School is no ordinary person.”

Ren Xiaosu didn’t know how Yang Xiaojin had come to that conclusion. He didn’t know if Zhang Jinglin was an ordinary person, but he knew Zhang Jinglin was a good man.

He continued, “Teacher Zhang said that there’s a gene in the human body that limits muscle development. And as humans have become more intelligent, this gene has continued to evolve. He called it the price of intelligence.”

Everyone fell into deep thought. It seemed to make sense. In the stronghold, some of the upper-class figures would work out to lose weight. Fitness and weight loss were even a trend among the elite, and it was particularly popular the year before last.

Even Liu Bu had tried to follow the trend, but after he started working out, he discovered just how hard it was to build muscle.

But just then, Yang Xiaojin threw a bucket of cold water on Ren Xiaosu’s theory. “I’ve seen supernatural beings who have evolved physically. How do you explain that?”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned for a moment. He pondered and said, “Did something happen between their ancestors and a beast?!”

Yang Xiaojin: “…”

Xu Xianchu: “…”

Liu Bu: “…”

Everyone stared speechlessly at Ren Xiaosu. That was basically an insult, wasn’t it?!

Luo Xinyu suddenly became interested. “That Teacher Zhang at your Settlement’s School sounds very special. He must be very knowledgeable, right?”

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and replied, “He is quite knowledgeable, but when he comes across something he doesn’t know in class, he just makes things up…”

“Does he usually read books and things in his free time? There are people like that in the stronghold, too,” Luo Xinyu pressed. “Those people are all very impressive.”

“Not really,” Ren Xiaosu shook his head. “In his spare time, he’s always in his yard, gardening…”

Luo Xinyu was speechless for a while. How was it that most things about the Settlement were so different from what she had imagined?

But Ren Xiaosu thought this was a good thing about Zhang Jinglin. He was a reader, but not just a bookworm. Even though he was very learned, he could still bend over and hoe the fields.

But just then, everyone suddenly heard the sound of iron chains being dragged across the ground from within the forest.

Clank, clank. Clank, clank.

As the iron chains struck the ground, they made a crisp sound. The owner of the sound seemed to be crawling through the forest, patrolling its territory.

Ren Xiaosu and the others felt their hair stand on end. How could there be a creature that could travel through the forest at night? Could their previous judgment have been wrong?

Weren’t those animals hiding from the forest?!

Chapter 77: The Qing Consortium

The reason everyone could chat so casually just now was because they thought they’d figured out the secret of this forest, right? That as long as they stayed away from it, they’d be safe at night.

But what was happening now? The sound of dragging chains was getting closer and closer. What kind of creature would be dragging chains? Had someone once trapped it with them, only for it to break free?

Just what kind of place were the Jing Mountains, for such bizarre things to happen here?

The dragging sound seemed drawn by the firelight from the cave, slowly approaching the edge of the forest.

Ren Xiaosu, Yang Xiaojin, and Xu Xianchu all flicked the safeties off their guns. They were already facing the direction of the sound, ready to take aim.

In that moment, Yang Xiaojin noticed that Ren Xiaosu’s movements were extremely professional, even somewhat familiar.

The feeling of familiarity was inexplicable, yet it made her feel unusually at ease—the kind of ease an obsessive-compulsive person feels after perfectly arranging the blocks in front of them.

But there was no time to dwell on that now, because the owner of the chains had already crawled to the edge of the woods.

The people in the cave strained to see what was coming, but the creature remained hidden in the darkness, never revealing itself.

A wet splat echoed from the woods. A wave of revulsion washed over Ren Xiaosu as he suddenly realized it was the sound of the creature’s saliva dripping onto the leaves on the ground.

“The moment it shows itself, we open fire,” Xu Xianchu said. “The three of us have enough firepower to lock down every possible approach to the cave. Then, I can send my shadow to tie it up.”

“Alright,” Ren Xiaosu agreed in a low voice. He thought to himself that if this creature was too powerful, he wouldn’t be able to worry about hiding his own shadow either.

The cheetah-sized wildcats and the hill-like boars had long since fled, but Ren Xiaosu knew that only a far more formidable, irresistible force could have driven those ferocious beasts out of the woods.

Ren Xiaosu’s breaths grew longer, his emotions calming. He tuned out the sound of his own heartbeat and breathing, focusing instead on every rustle of leaf and blade of grass in the woods.

Perhaps in the next moment, the secret of the forest would finally reveal its true face.

But to their surprise, when the sound of chains echoed through the woods again, it was the owner of those chains retreating.

“What’s going on?” Xu Xianchu frowned. “Is it afraid to leave the forest?”

The three of them held their aim, worried it was just a ploy. After a moment’s thought, Ren Xiaosu said, “It’s very likely it’s afraid to come out of the woods. Otherwise, this cave is only about a dozen meters away. Besides, didn’t the other beasts use this place as a refuge?”

The sound of chains dragging across the ground grew more and more distant, and the three of them finally relaxed a little. “Looks like we were too optimistic. The secrets of the Jing Mountains are far beyond what we can figure out just by guessing.”

“There’s definitely something wrong with the forest, too. Or there’s some other terrifying presence,” Ren Xiaosu said. “Otherwise, there’s no way to explain how Xu Xia’s body disappeared without a trace.”

“The two of you should get some rest,” Xu Xianchu said. “I’ll take the first watch tonight. You can take over after midnight.”

But despite what he said, Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin tacitly agreed to split the night, with one taking the first half and the other taking the second.

Seeing this, Xu Xianchu smiled wryly to himself. It seemed he still wasn’t trusted.

Nothing else happened for the rest of the night. As the first rays of dawn broke, Ren Xiaosu heard the distant sound of beasts returning to the forest. It seemed they had grown accustomed to taking refuge at night and returning during the day. He wondered, could the chained creature from last night fall into a deep sleep during the daytime?

Ren Xiaosu stood up to stretch, but before he could even finish, a massive explosion boomed from deep within the Jing Mountains.

The sudden blast made Ren Xiaosu jump.

The others rushed out of the cave. “What’s going on? What happened?!”

“Was that a volcano erupting somewhere in the mountains?” someone asked.

“It didn’t sound like a volcano,” Xu Xianchu said, shaking his head. “It sounded more like man-made explosives.”

While Xu Xianchu couldn’t be sure, Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin were certain. Ren Xiaosu, after all, had already copied the Advanced Explosives Manufacturing skill from Yang Xiaojin, which came with the experience of countless test detonations.

Ren Xiaosu was positive that the sound just now was the distinct boom of a shaped charge used for directional blasting.

Shaped charges, similar to those in armor-piercing rounds, are typically used to blast through hard ground. By utilizing the Munroe effect, they focus the blast wave in a single direction, carving out a massive crater.

The sound was completely different from that of a “block charge” or a “line charge.”

A block charge is an explosive pack, like a satchel charge, used for demolishing a single bunker or building with immense force.

A line charge, on the other hand, is a type of blasting tube.

Ren Xiaosu knew that if he could recognize the sound, Yang Xiaojin certainly could too. Someone was blasting a hole into the ground deep in the mountains!

Why would they be doing that? Could there really be a great secret buried deep beneath the Jing Mountains?

“Didn’t you say other teams were coming to the Jing Mountains?” Ren Xiaosu asked, turning to Xu Xianchu.

“Yes. They’re most likely from the Qing Consortium as well,” Xu Xianchu said. “After all, the Qing Consortium has de facto control over Stronghold 112. It would be difficult for any other corporation to bypass them to get into the Jing Mountains.”

Ren Xiaosu subconsciously glanced at Yang Xiaojin. So she had come here discreetly for the secret in the Jing Mountains as well?

To this day, Ren Xiaosu still had no idea what Yang Xiaojin’s trump card was. Besides her Perfect-grade firearms skill, the girl in the billed cap surely had other advantages up her sleeve.

“Let’s go. We have to pick up the pace,” Xu Xianchu said, unwilling to be beaten. “From the sound of it, the Qing Consortium must have sent their elite forces from Stronghold 112. We have to get there before they find the secret.”

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Ren Xiaosu stared at Xu Xianchu, speechless. “You know the Qing Consortium has sent in more people, and you still want to barge in?”

Xu Xianchu was silent for a long time. “We’re already here.”

Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin exchanged a look. For some reason, those three words seemed to hold a strange power…

“Besides, do we have a way back?” Xu Xianchu asked. “We can’t turn around, so we can only press forward. If we get there and see we have no chance, we can just go around the Qing Consortium and leave the mountains the same way they came in. I’m sure the path they’ve cleared will be safer than the way back.”

That was true enough. Seeing as their rivals were already using explosives, the Qing Consortium might have even cleared a smooth path all the way back to Stronghold 112…

Chapter 78: Cannot Retreat

Since retreat was not an option, the only way was forward.

Ren Xiaosu, Xu Xianchu, and Yang Xiaojin seemed to be the most interested in the secrets of the Jing Mountains themselves. In contrast, Luo Xinyu, Liu Bu, and Wang Lei only hoped to meet up with the people from the Qing Consortium as quickly as possible.

Secrets could wait; where there were people, there was hope.

They had all witnessed the Qing Consortium’s combat brigade in Stronghold 113. They were in a completely different league from the third-rate private troops. Therefore, Liu Bu and the others believed they would be safe as long as they found the Qing Consortium.

Moreover, both Luo Xinyu and Liu Bu had some connections with the Qing Consortium. While they weren’t particularly close, they had met Boss Luo from Stronghold 113 a few times.

So, all they would have to do was mention Boss Luo’s name, state their own identities, and they could immediately return to the world of “human civilization.”

In their eyes, this wilderness was a world of beasts.

There was also another point: they had nearly encountered the mysterious monster in the woods last night, so they wanted to get away from this place as quickly as possible while it was still daylight.

Out of consideration for that monster, Ren Xiaosu deliberately chose routes along bare ridges and valleys, avoiding the forests.

Who knew if that thing was active during the day or not? It’s not like it had personally told him it didn’t go out in the daytime. What if it just liked staying up late and wasn’t actually afraid of the light? What if it decided to flip its sleep schedule today?

Who could say for sure?

The cave they were in was probably a few dozen kilometers from where the sounds of explosions had come from within the Jing Mountains. If they pushed themselves, they could arrive by evening.

Of course, Ren Xiaosu was also worried about unexpected circumstances. He discussed it with Xu Xianchu and Yang Xiaojin. “When traveling in the mountains, you can’t just consider the straight-line distance. The mountain paths are winding. It’s very possible that what we estimate to be a few dozen kilometers could take us several days to walk.”

“What are you trying to say?” Xu Xianchu asked, curious.

“If we can’t make it there today, we absolutely must not risk traveling through the night,” Ren Xiaosu said firmly. “Even if you guys want to, I’ll find a place to wait for dawn by myself.”

Xu Xianchu thought for a moment and said, “I agree. No traveling at night.”

Xu Xianchu and Ren Xiaosu looked at Yang Xiaojin, who said, “I agree.”

“Let’s hope the path isn’t too difficult,” Ren Xiaosu said.

As they pressed forward today, Luo Xinyu and Liu Bu seemed to have found a new well of strength. They had just lanced the blisters on their feet last night; with the intensity of today’s trek, the soles of their feet would probably be raw.

Seeing this, Ren Xiaosu teased them, suggesting they take a day off, but Liu Bu righteously declared that he was fine.

It was clear that, driven by their will to survive, the three ordinary people—Liu Bu and the others—had unleashed their greatest potential.

Suddenly, Xu Xianchu said, “There’s a human body up ahead.”

Ren Xiaosu looked up and saw a human corpse lying quietly at the bottom of a col. What startled him, however, was that beside the human skeleton were scattered fragments of clothing, and blood had dried into a deep purple color on the rocky ground.

Ren Xiaosu said in surprise, “There’s still flesh and blood, and it hasn’t decomposed. This corpse hasn’t been dead for long!”

Wait, why would a recently deceased human body suddenly appear here? “Could it be someone from the Qing Consortium?”

“No,” Xu Xianchu shook his head. “Look at his clothes. Those are the combat fatigues of the private troops. Their uniforms are dark blue, while the Qing Consortium’s are black.”

“Private troops? Which private troops? Do the ones from Stronghold 112 also dress like this?” Ren Xiaosu asked, puzzled.

They approached cautiously, an ominous feeling rising in their hearts. Just then, Xu Xianchu spotted a small name tag, the kind that would have been hung around the corpse’s neck so they could be identified after falling in battle.

But when he picked up the name tag, he froze. “Xu Xia? How could this be Xu Xia?”

A chill ran through Ren Xiaosu’s heart. “Are you sure it’s Xu Xia?”

“Look, there’s no mistaking this name tag,” Xu Xianchu said, keeping his submachine gun raised, afraid that something terrifying might burst out from nearby.

Ren Xiaosu looked at the name tag. “It really is Xu Xia. How did his body get here?”

Xu Xia’s body had gone missing before they even entered the canyon. In the past two days, they had traveled nearly a hundred kilometers. How could his body have ended up here on its own?

What kind of thing had brought Xu Xia’s body here!?

As Yang Xiaojin and Xu Xianchu raised their guns and went on high alert, Ren Xiaosu knelt to examine the body. Luo Xinyu and Liu Bu had already thrown up. After a while, Luo Xinyu asked, “Aren’t you scared?”

Ren Xiaosu’s expression didn’t change at all. “I’ve seen things much uglier than this… No, wait. There’s something wrong with the wounds on this body. That monster ate his internal organs, but look at the marks on the edges of the abdominal wound. What kind of beast could leave such a clean tear? I’ve never seen an animal with a bite like that.”

Hearing Ren Xiaosu say this, even Yang Xiaojin and Xu Xianchu couldn’t help but look over. They knew very well how much Ren Xiaosu understood the wilderness. If he said he hadn’t seen it before, then it truly wasn’t an ordinary beast.

But one look was all it took. Xu Xianchu immediately frowned. “Fuck, those are human bite marks!”

It seemed that some deep-seated fear had caused Xu Xianchu to curse. It wasn’t just him; Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin also felt a chill run down their spines. Ren Xiaosu looked up and asked, “Are you sure?”

“Very sure,” Xu Xianchu said. “When I was in school, my first love bit me on the arm when we broke up.”

Ren Xiaosu said irritably, “I’m scared shitless and you’re telling us this?”

To be honest, Ren Xiaosu was genuinely terrified right now.

At this point, Xu Xianchu was also feeling a little scared. “Why are there human bite marks on a corpse?”

“What do you guys think,” Ren Xiaosu asked, “is it possible that the thing dragging the chain last night… was a person?”

“Let’s get out of here,” Yang Xiaojin said. “Three-person tactical formation, in case something tries to ambush us! Whatever could take a body away without a sound can approach us just as silently!”

Ren Xiaosu said nervously, “…What’s a tactical formation?”

He wasn’t deliberately trying to be funny; he really didn’t know.

“You walk to my left!” Yang Xiaojin didn’t explain further. “Everyone covers their own sector of view. If any strange creature approaches, open fire immediately.”

Suddenly, Yang Xiaojin seemed to naturally take over command, and neither Ren Xiaosu nor Xu Xianchu objected.

At that moment, they all understood that they were walking a tightrope. One wrong move, and they could be doomed beyond recovery.

Everyone wanted to live, and Ren Xiaosu especially so.

Chapter 79: No Snowflake is Innocent

Perhaps because it was daytime, Ren Xiaosu and the others truly didn’t encounter any more life-threatening dangers. They did run into a wildcat that barreled toward them, but it didn’t attack and simply ran off.

Ren Xiaosu’s group was getting closer and closer to the Qing Consortium’s location, and they grew more and more cautious.

“According to the usual practices of a combat brigade, they’re bound to have scouts setting up hidden sentries on the perimeter during survey blasting,” Xu Xianchu said. “So we must be extremely careful as we get closer.”

“Are they that professional? They even have hidden sentries?” Ren Xiaosu said. “But it’s not just the sentries, is it? The surrounding area has probably already been cleared by force. You saw that wildcat just now—it was obviously fleeing from something that spooked it.”

Ren Xiaosu knew animal behavior well. After returning to the wild, cats are very calm, cautious creatures. They rarely exhibit panicked behavior like the one just now.

Sure enough, as they slowly drew closer, they could faintly hear the sound of intense gunfire.

Ren Xiaosu mused that the corporation’s armed forces were indeed much stronger than the private troops. The private troops seemed like they had been sent here to die, while the corporation’s side was absolutely crushing the beasts in the Jing Mountains.

He suddenly recalled what Zhang Jinglin had said: “Humanity’s thermal weapons are far more powerful than you can imagine.”

Ren Xiaosu had the Advanced Firearms Skill, so he now deeply understood the truth in Zhang Jinglin’s words.

Just then, an injured wild boar came running toward Ren Xiaosu’s group. Xu Xianchu whispered, “Get out of its way! Don’t shoot!”

This wild boar was larger than any they had seen before. However, its head and abdomen were bleeding profusely, driving it into a frenzy.

Xu Xianchu and the others quickly cleared the boar’s path. It wasn’t that they couldn’t fight it, but… since they could hear the corporation’s gunfire, it meant the corporation could hear theirs too.

And what Ren Xiaosu and the group feared most was being discovered by the corporation prematurely.

Liu Bu looked at the boar and said, “We could stop it and roast it. We haven’t eaten for almost a whole day!”

Ren Xiaosu marveled that there really were people in this world whose sole purpose was to serve as a foil for others. He said to Liu Bu, “I really envy you. You evolved a brain but don’t use it. You must feel so carefree…”

Liu Bu was stunned into silence for a long moment. Xu Xianchu explained, “If you light an open fire here, wouldn’t that just be telling the Qing Consortium where you are?”

Wang Lei looked at the boar that had just brushed past them and asked in confusion, “The Qing Consortium and us are both human. Shouldn’t we hurry over and seek refuge with them? Why are we worried about them finding us?”

Wang Lei, Liu Bu, and Luo Xinyu were desperate for the Qing Consortium to come and rescue them right now!

Just then, Yang Xiaojin said, “Many corporations have sent armed forces to investigate the mysterious place controlled by the Fire Seed Company, but without exception, they were all silenced by Fire Seed. So, if the Qing Consortium discovers you here, do you think they’ll wine and dine you, and then send you back to the stronghold? This is also why the private troops from Stronghold 113 had to operate under the guise of a band. Though doing so is no different from burying your head in the sand—it’s just self-deception.”

To the corporations, the secrets here were worth more than human lives.

“And you actually think an entity like a corporation would save you,” Xu Xianchu sighed.

Hearing this, Liu Bu, Luo Xinyu, and Wang Lei, who had planned to seek refuge with the corporation, looked utterly devastated. To be honest, the world they knew was still the bottom tier from the corporations’ perspective, so they had no idea how the corporations thought. Sheltered as they were, they didn’t know how cruel this world could be.

In the stronghold, all they had to do was work diligently each day to have food and drink. There were no wild beasts, no hunger.

The corporations told them the outside world was safe and that the beasts had been driven far beyond the strongholds’ perimeters. And they believed it. Inside the strongholds, life was peaceful and prosperous.

“Then what’s the point of going there?” When Liu Bu realized he would be silenced if discovered, he lost the pillar of strength that had supported him all day. The hope of seeking help from the Qing Consortium had been his last lifeline.

Liu Bu slumped to the ground, dejected. “You guys go on. I’m not going.”

Ren Xiaosu and the others ignored him and continued forward. To them, it truly didn’t matter whether Liu Bu lived or died. In fact, Ren Xiaosu would have preferred if Liu Bu stayed behind.

But before Ren Xiaosu’s group had gone far, Liu Bu, listening to the faint rustling of the wind in the surrounding woods, grew more and more frightened. He immediately scrambled to his feet. “Wait for me!”

At this point, Ren Xiaosu asked, “What do we do if we run into the Qing Consortium’s combat troops?”

Xu Xianchu thought for a moment. “Our priority would be to retreat. Their main mission right now must be to excavate pre-Cataclysm civilization, not to hunt us down.”

“You’re underestimating the corporations’ determination to lock down information,” Yang Xiaojin said, shaking her head. “The moment they find us, it will be a fight to the death. And their helmets have built-in wireless communication systems. If they find they can’t eliminate us immediately, they’ll call for backup. When that happens, you’ll wish you were dealing with the Human-Faced Insects instead.”

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. Was the Qing Consortium really that ruthless? He asked curiously, “You seem to know a lot about these corporations’ combat troops.”

Yang Xiaojin glanced at him but didn’t answer the question. “If we encounter them, we must immediately kill every target in sight. Don’t show any mercy, because they won’t.”

“The corporation’s soldiers have families, too,” Wang Lei said hesitantly. “Wouldn’t that be too cruel?”

Yang Xiaojin said calmly, “In an avalanche, no snowflake is innocent. Whether they act of their own free will or are swept along, everyone in a war is a tragedy, and at the same time, they create tragedies for others.”

“Let’s go,” Xu Xianchu said, looking at the forest ahead.

The secret within the Jing Mountains tempted them. If the corporations had cast it aside as worthless, they might have lost interest as well. But since even a corporation treasured this secret so much, it must be something truly precious.

Turning back meant death; only by moving forward was there a chance to live.

Xu Xianchu and the others carefully tried to pinpoint the source of the gunfire, doing their best to avoid an encounter with the corporation’s combat troops. Ren Xiaosu estimated that in about an hour, they would find out just what was hidden inside these Jing Mountains.

Chapter 80: The Experiment Subject

The dense gunfire from the forest ahead gradually ceased. It seemed the Qing Consortium had finished clearing the outer perimeter, driving away all potentially threatening wild beasts.

Xu Xianchu whispered to Ren Xiaosu, “This should be the time when the Qing Consortium sets up its outer sentries. They might not have enough manpower. Even with a few hundred people, they can’t possibly lock down such a large confidential area.”

“About how many people are in a Qing Consortium combat brigade?” Ren Xiaosu asked.

Xu Xianchu hesitated for a moment. “Around four to five thousand people. But they can’t possibly deploy their full force. After all, they have to consider the stability of the stronghold.”

“No,” Ren Xiaosu shook his head. “I don’t think the stronghold is a big problem. Would a stronghold dare to rebel after just a few days? Unlikely. So we have to be prepared for them to deploy their full force. We’re facing at least a thousand people.”

“Alright,” Xu Xianchu actually understood this. He was just holding onto a sliver of hope. He thought seriously for a moment and said, “But they still wouldn’t deploy their full force. The supplies stockpiled in the strongholds aren’t enough to support several thousand people in the depths of the Jing Mountains for so long. It’s not that they don’t have enough supplies, but they also have to consider transport, logistics personnel, and so on. Their soldiers are carrying a large number of thermal weapons, so all factors considered, the first group to enter the mountains would be about a thousand people at most.”

Ren Xiaosu thought about it. Perhaps Xu Xianchu was more of an expert when it came to the operational mechanics of an army. He said, “I trust your judgment. But I’ll say it again: if their sentry blockade is extremely tight, I’ll definitely take a detour and exit the mountains in the direction of Stronghold 112. I won’t hesitate for a second.”

“Alright,” Xu Xianchu nodded. He knew Ren Xiaosu’s decision was the right one. After all, if the three of them—he, Ren Xiaosu, and Yang Xiaojin—were to face a manhunt of a thousand people, they would surely die without a proper burial. A look of determination appeared on Xu Xianchu’s face. “If we need to engage in guerrilla warfare later, we’ll have to abandon the other three. They can’t keep up with us… Wait!”

At this, Xu Xianchu paused, stunned. He looked around. “Where’s Yang Xiaojin?”

Ren Xiaosu was also taken aback. He scanned the forest and then asked Liu Bu and the others at the back of the group, “Have you seen Yang Xiaojin?”

“I didn’t notice,” Liu Bu answered, bewildered.

Only then did everyone realize that sometime during their journey forward, Yang Xiaojin had disappeared!

If Liu Bu had gone missing, Ren Xiaosu might have thought he was snatched away by some creature. But if it was Yang Xiaojin, that definitely wouldn’t be the case.

Originally, Ren Xiaosu and Xu Xianchu thought Liu Bu and the other two were a burden to them. But now, they suddenly had a feeling: Yang Xiaojin thought all five of them were a burden…

But what was Yang Xiaojin’s purpose for coming here? At this moment, Ren Xiaosu realized Yang Xiaojin’s goal might not be the secret of the Jing Mountains itself!

Yang Xiaojin herself held an even greater secret!

Ren Xiaosu and Xu Xianchu looked at each other, as if they had simultaneously made a decision.

“Um,” Ren Xiaosu said righteously, “Yang Xiaojin might have fallen behind. As her teammates, we have to split up and look for her. It’s too dangerous for her to be alone.”

As he spoke, Ren Xiaosu and Xu Xianchu walked off in two different directions. Liu Bu and the other two looked back the way they came, unable to understand how Yang Xiaojin had vanished so silently. Liu Bu asked, “Don’t you guys feel that Yang Xiaojin is very strange? Paying to join the team, then clearly having her own agenda…”

Just then, Liu Bu turned to look in the direction Ren Xiaosu and Xu Xianchu had gone, but… Ren Xiaosu and Xu Xianchu had also disappeared!

What the hell!

Saying they were splitting up to look for her… they clearly just ran off!

As they got closest to the heart of the Jing Mountains, Ren Xiaosu, Xu Xianchu, and Yang Xiaojin had all decided to shed their baggage.

After all, they knew the Qing Consortium’s combat troops were formidable. Whether they chose to sneak in or take a detour to leave, they couldn’t bring Liu Bu and the other two with them.

Besides, they weren’t relatives or old friends, and they didn’t owe them any favors. Ditching them was completely stress-free.

However, Ren Xiaosu also felt it was a great pity. Over the past few days, he had been constantly trying to find ways to get gratitude from this group. In the end, he had only managed to rack up 93 Gratitude Tokens. It looked like it would be much harder to earn Gratitude Tokens now that he was on his own.

The three of them—Liu Bu and the others—panicked on the spot. They had wanted to seek refuge with the Qing Consortium, but then realized the corporation might silence them. Then they thought it would be good to leave with Ren Xiaosu’s group, but now all three of them had run off!

But just as they were at a loss, Liu Bu, Luo Xinyu, and the other man suddenly heard the sound of a chain being dragged along the ground on the path they had come from!

The three of them felt their scalps go numb. Wasn’t that monster supposed to be inactive during the day? How had it been following their group the whole time?!

Thinking of Xu Xia’s mangled body, of the beasts that had fled the forest last night, Liu Bu even recalled the sound of the creature’s saliva dripping onto the leaves the night before.

The next moment, Liu Bu suddenly turned and ran. He couldn’t care less now whether the Qing Consortium would silence him; he just didn’t want to die!

As Liu Bu ran, the other two followed. But Liu Bu suddenly realized he wasn’t as fast as Wang Lei and Luo Xinyu.

Although Wang Lei had been injured, the miraculous nature of the Black Medicine was that he had already fully recovered after just over two days. He was terrified of the mysterious monster behind them, but just as he overtook Liu Bu, Wang Lei suddenly saw Liu Bu stick out his foot and trip him!

Thud! Wang Lei fell heavily to the ground. Liu Bu thought to himself, Sorry, but for others to live, someone has to be sacrificed!

Liu Bu ran for his life. Before he got far, he heard Wang Lei’s bloodcurdling scream, followed by the gruesome sound of tearing and biting!

Wang Lei’s shrill scream sounded as if it would turn into a vengeful ghost to tear Liu Bu to shreds, but the cry didn’t last long before it was abruptly cut off.

The sound of the chain rang out again. The monster was chasing them once more!

Liu Bu despaired. He thought of pulling Luo Xinyu back to be a human shield, but found she was already far away from him.

“Who’s there?” Someone spoke from the forest ahead. Liu Bu looked closely and was startled to see the person was dressed in all-black combat fatigues and carrying a firearm.

Liu Bu shouted, “A monster! There’s a monster behind me!”

The corporation soldier made a few tactical hand signals, and more than twenty other soldiers slowly emerged from behind the trees, closing in on Liu Bu’s position. It was a complete combat squad!

The one in the lead said, “On your knees, hands on your head!”

Liu Bu immediately dropped to his knees. He knew that if he didn’t comply, these soldiers would shoot him dead. He could only entrust his life to fate now!

The clanking of the chain grew closer. The moment its owner came into everyone’s view, a soldier suddenly yelled into his helmet’s wireless communicator, “Escaped experiment subject sighted! Requesting backup! Fire!”

Gunshots! Roaring like thunder!

…

Chapter 81: A Shattered Civilization

In the corporations’ order of battle, thirty men formed a complete combat squad. The moment they encountered danger, they could saturate the entire area with firepower. This was why even the beasts could only flee in panic when facing them.

And yet, such a powerful combat squad had unhesitatingly requested reinforcements when facing this so-called “Experiment Subject.” This showed they had no confidence at all in defeating it on their own!

Kneeling on the ground, Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu could only hear the erupting gunfire around them. A soldier slung his rifle to his side and deftly bound Liu Bu’s and Luo Xinyu’s thumbs together with a plastic zip tie, pulling it so tight it hurt.

Moreover, the soldier searched Liu Bu in just two seconds, ensuring the man and woman before him no longer posed a threat.

The soldier asked no questions, simply leaving them to rejoin his unit and continue the fight.

The other soldiers paid Liu Bu no mind, as if he didn’t exist. Each of them had their own duties, and every soldier moved like a cog in a precision machine—every step steady and exact.

Someone just muttered quietly, “What’s with that plastic doll on his back…”

Someone shouted over the communications channel, “The Experiment Subject is fleeing towards the nine o’clock position! All units in that direction, be advised: the Experiment Subject is fleeing towards nine o’clock!”

It seemed the Experiment Subject had no desire to face the heavily armed combat squad head-on, choosing instead to avoid a direct confrontation.

At that moment, Liu Bu felt that the combat effectiveness of the corporations’ troops, compared to the private troops, was like the difference between heaven and earth.

Seen this way, the private troops were like a pig farm run by the corporations!

Earlier, Liu Bu had worried he’d be shot dead on the spot by the corporations. After all, Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin had described them as demons.

But now it seemed that wasn’t the case. The corporation troops had only tied him and Luo Xinyu up and hadn’t done anything else to them.

This put Liu Bu a little more at ease. At least he wasn’t going to die, right?

However, in the very next moment, Liu Bu heard a bloodcurdling scream from the combat squad up ahead. It seemed they had taken a casualty!

…

Ren Xiaosu was hiding in the shadows of the forest, thoroughly concealed by the bushes. A centipede scuttled quickly towards him, only for Ren Xiaosu to pin it to the ground with his dagger. By this point, Ren Xiaosu had already changed into the combat fatigues previously worn by Sun Junzheng’s private troops. It wasn’t that he was so destitute he had to wear a dead man’s clothes; the camouflage was simply better for hiding in the woods.

Soon, the sound of footsteps approached from up ahead. He hadn’t gone far, so he’d heard the corporation’s combat unit call for reinforcements.

As Ren Xiaosu saw it, this was probably the best opportunity to break through the corporation’s cordon. If this area needed reinforcements, the advancing front would have to converge, creating a concentration of firepower. And that meant the cordon would have openings!

When he and Xu Xianchu split up, they did not decide on a rendezvous point. After arriving here, they both tacitly chose to act alone. Each believed his own individual abilities had surpassed the strength of a team.

However, that alone was not enough reason for them to act separately. The main reason was that they could not trust each other.

Back when Yang Xiaojin was around, they had all been more cautious. The three of them kept each other in check, forming a temporarily stable trio. But with Yang Xiaojin’s sudden disappearance, that arrangement had instantly shattered.

Ren Xiaosu held his breath, waiting for the approaching combat squad to pass. The Qing Consortium’s intelligence was clearly more reliable than Xu Xianchu’s; they even knew exactly what that monster dragging the iron chain was.

An Experiment Subject? Was someone conducting experiments deep in these mountains?

Though Ren Xiaosu had his doubts, he didn’t dwell on the matter for long. He waited for the reinforcing combat squad to pass before quickly heading towards the heart of the Jing Mountains at an astonishing speed.

Along the way, Ren Xiaosu nearly ran into two other combat squads coming as support, but fortunately, he managed to hide in time.

Ren Xiaosu began to wonder. Was it possible that so many people couldn’t kill a single monster? Or… was the monster just that powerful!?

He couldn’t worry about that now. The priority was to get inside the cordon. Whether he wanted to escape the Jing Mountains or uncover its secrets, this was his best opportunity.

Ren Xiaosu darted through the forest. The gnarled tree roots and pitted ground seemed incapable of impeding him; his pace never slackened because of such obstacles.

Gradually, Ren Xiaosu began to hear the sound of heavy machinery ahead. It sounded like a massive construction site was engaged in some kind of excavation.

There was a slope in front of him. When Ren Xiaosu silently crested it and looked down at the other side, he froze. He had never imagined finding such a hive of activity in the heart of the Jing Mountains.

About five hundred meters beyond the slope, he saw over a dozen excavators clearing the land. But what drew his attention was not the excavators, but the magnificent… city behind them!

The city was in ruins. The dozen excavators were working near a large pit, one that seemed to have been recently blasted open by the Qing Consortium with shaped charges. They were searching for something.

In truth, it wasn’t a complete city before him, not by a long shot. It was just a section of one that abruptly ended where his sight did, buried beneath mountains and earth.

The rugged, pre-Cataclysm city was like a vast, dilapidated maze.

Yet even from this single corner, Ren Xiaosu could imagine how glorious the city must have once been.

He saw that on one building, a relatively well-preserved iron sign bore the three words: “Little Dragon’s Threshold”…

Ren Xiaosu was puzzled. What kind of name was “Little Dragon’s Threshold”? Did it mean that a carp became a dragon after leaping over a threshold? What a mysterious place…

But before Ren Xiaosu could make sense of it, an excavator bumped the sign, and it crumbled to pieces. Too much time had passed; everything was decaying.

For some reason, Ren Xiaosu felt drawn to this place. Past tectonic shifts had buried countless pre-Cataclysm civilizations deep underground, which was also how the volcanoes in the Jing Mountains had formed.

Yet here, a vast city remained. Though its buildings were in pieces, their main structures were still intact!

Looking out from the slope, Ren Xiaosu saw that some areas, several kilometers apart, had already been excavated, but the work had stopped after only a section was cleared.

It felt as though… they were searching for something specific. The moment they realized what lay buried was not their target, they immediately stopped to reconfirm the location.

Ren Xiaosu realized the thing the Qing Consortium was looking for must be incredibly important to them. What’s more, they knew exactly what that thing was!

Then, in the distance, Ren Xiaosu saw a heavily guarded area. Shipping containers were stacked there, and next to them, soldiers were injecting unconscious beasts with some kind of drug before loading them into the containers one by one.

Were these the beasts the Qing Consortium had caught? It seemed these evolved creatures would not escape the fate of being experimented on.

“Should I leave?” Ren Xiaosu wondered. He probably didn’t stand a chance of getting close to the “target” the Qing Consortium was searching for.

After all, he had witnessed the combat prowess of the Qing Consortium’s troops. Trying to snatch that “secret” from them was likely impossible.

Just then, Ren Xiaosu suddenly spotted a young man in a white suit standing on the rooftop of a building, overlooking the city.

In the middle of the wilderness, that immaculate white suit was a startling sight.

It created an unforgettable clash between violence and civilization.

Chapter 82: Cigarettes and Liquor

Ren Xiaosu had seen suits before. The big shots from the stronghold always had to pass through the settlement when they left, so Ren Xiaosu had once seen a big shot sitting upright in a car, wearing a suit, from a distance.

At that time, Ren Xiaosu had thought to himself how impressive the big shots from the stronghold were.

But if someone were to wear a suit, especially a white one, to venture into the wilderness, Ren Xiaosu would have cursed them as an idiot under his breath.

A suit was too restrictive for combat. Lifting your arms or legs would be hampered by the clothing. If you encountered a beast you couldn’t defeat, you probably wouldn’t even be able to run away.

However, at this moment, seeing the young man standing on the rooftop, Ren Xiaosu didn’t feel his attire was out of place or clashing with the wilderness at all, because the man didn’t need to fight.

This must be the leader of the Qing Consortium’s operation, Ren Xiaosu thought. These big shots from the corporations really do look different.

He kept his head down, afraid of being discovered by the Qing Consortium’s combat troops. Around this construction site alone, there were over a thousand soldiers enforcing the lockdown. Ren Xiaosu felt that he and Xu Xianchu had underestimated the Qing Consortium’s determination to seal off the area.

Ren Xiaosu scanned his surroundings curiously. He wondered where Xu Xianchu and Yang Xiaojin were hiding.

Although he couldn’t see them, Ren Xiaosu knew they had to be there.

“Time to pull out,” Ren Xiaosu wasn’t concerned with what the others were planning. The moment he realized it was impossible for him to claim the secret within the Jing Mountains, he decided to retreat.

Otherwise, there was no point in staying. As for the secret of the Jing Mountains, perhaps Yang Xiaojin and Xu Xianchu were more interested in it.

Ren Xiaosu felt there was no need for him to risk his life for this secret. If there were a person here covered in high-level skills, and he happened to be holding dozens of basic and Master-level Skill Duplication Scrolls, then maybe Ren Xiaosu would be willing to give it a try…

A person like that would be a real treasure to Ren Xiaosu…

But the most important thing was that Ren Xiaosu watched as more and more underground structures were excavated. Some buildings would even collapse with a gentle touch from an excavator.

They had remained standing before only because no one had “touched” them.

On some of the buildings that were already exposed on the surface, he could still vaguely make out the relatively well-preserved storefront signs, for places like “Beauty Salon,” “Blind Massage,” and so on…

Ren Xiaosu couldn’t fucking believe there was anything particularly valuable here!

This was the main reason he wanted to leave!

When Ren Xiaosu saw those signs, he felt his trust had been betrayed and his intelligence insulted. Thinking back now to the QR code, the “Xiao Long Kan,” and the plastic mannequin, it was obvious they weren’t anything special either!

He wondered what Xu Xianchu and Yang Xiaojin would think if they saw this. In any case, Ren Xiaosu had had enough.

After running all this way and going through so much danger, this is what you show me?

Ren Xiaosu pulled his head back and quietly circled towards the side of the mountain. He could still hear gunfire from the woods behind him, which meant the Qing Consortium’s combat troops hadn’t managed to deal with that monster yet.

The sound of gunfire reassured Ren Xiaosu. At least the Qing Consortium wouldn’t have time to bother with him right now.

Although there were many soldiers enforcing the lockdown at the bottom of the slope, they were all concentrated near the active excavation site. The other areas they had abandoned seemed to have lost all value, as they didn’t even spare them a glance.

However, those places abandoned by the corporation were the very loopholes Ren Xiaosu could use to break through.

The Qing Consortium had cut down the trees along the way to serve as a roadbed. Ren Xiaosu had to admit, he had truly witnessed the capabilities of the corporations.

In a place like this, out in the middle of nowhere, they could build a road just because they said so, without even needing to consult the beasts in the mountains.

This made Ren Xiaosu re-evaluate the power of the corporations. This was just the combat force from a single stronghold. According to Yang Xiaojin, a single corporation could control ten or twenty strongholds!

So if Ren Xiaosu fled in the direction of stronghold 112, any beasts or other creatures along the way would have surely been scared off.

Although it would be difficult to get back to stronghold 113 this way, requiring a very, very long detour, there was no other choice. This was already Ren Xiaosu’s best option.

Ren Xiaosu moved silently toward another part of this “city.” The natural ravines on the surface and the dilapidated buildings were his best cover.

He saw the ruins of a collapsed skyscraper. The towering structure was broken in two. Ren Xiaosu had no doubt that before the Cataclysm, people could have stood atop this building and looked out over the entire city.

Back when he lived in the settlement, Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan would often imagine what it was like inside the stronghold. But now it seemed that while the stronghold might be larger than this city, its level of sophistication and prosperity couldn’t compare.

Of course, that sophistication and prosperity were all in the past. Now, there was only ruin and desolation.

Ren Xiaosu slid down the slope under the cover of the forest’s shadow. Seeing some of the dusty signs scattered among the ruins, he muttered, “Why are there so many signs for foot baths and health spas in this city… Did people in the past really like getting their feet washed?”

Walking amidst the dirt and rubble of this abandoned city, Ren Xiaosu carefully avoided everyone’s line of sight. He was about five hundred meters away from the Qing Consortium’s combat troops. As long as he was careful and made good use of blind spots and cover from the buildings, he was sure he wouldn’t be discovered.

But as he walked, Ren Xiaosu found himself unable to go any further. To his left, he saw a remarkably well-preserved tobacco and liquor store…

Most of the buildings had been crushed to dust long ago in earthquakes caused by crustal movements, but about thirty percent of the city’s structures still remained.

A tobacco and liquor store! Ren Xiaosu’s eyes lit up.

Tobacco and liquor were rare commodities in the settlement. Otherwise, Zhang Jinglin, as the School’s Teacher, wouldn’t be without cigarettes every day…

The goods in this one store were probably more than what Old Wang and Old Li had in their shops combined. If he could take it all back, he could become the richest person in the settlement in minutes!

Ren Xiaosu stole a glance toward the Qing Consortium. When he confirmed no one was looking his way, he eagerly stepped into the store.

He reached for the cigarettes on the counter. The packs were wrapped in clear plastic. With this plastic protecting them, they should be well-preserved, right? Ren Xiaosu thought.

But the instant he touched a pack, the cigarette box inside the plastic crumbled into paper dust.

Ren Xiaosu’s heart ached a little. Just how long had these things been sitting here?

In reality, what Ren Xiaosu didn’t know was that cigarettes also have a shelf life. Although tobacco factories never stated how long their cigarettes would last, the tobacco would actually start to taste different after being stored for more than three years.

After all, the seal on those plastic wrappers was mediocre at best.

Chapter 83: No Ordinary Child

Ren Xiaosu’s heart ached a little as he looked at the shattered cigarette packs. Based on the twenty yuan for a single cigarette at Wang Fugui’s shop, how much would all the cigarettes in this store be worth?

What’s more, Ren Xiaosu roughly estimated there were at least five or six tobacco and liquor stores on this street alone.

At that moment, Ren Xiaosu did a quick mental calculation of the prices and thought to himself, Humans before the Cataclysm were so rich…

In his haste, Ren Xiaosu didn’t even realize that tobacco wasn’t exactly a scarce commodity before the Cataclysm. Ren Xiaosu turned to look at the liquor displayed on the shelves along the back wall of the store. The outer packaging, lacking plastic protection, had long since disintegrated, leaving only bare bottles.

Some of the bottles seemed to have fallen and shattered on the ground due to earthquakes, while others remained on the shelves. But when Ren Xiaosu casually opened one, he found the liquor inside was long gone.

He had no idea how long it had been since the Cataclysm, but all the alcohol in the bottles had completely evaporated.

Ren Xiaosu grumbled, “Couldn’t the distilleries back then have made their seals a little better?!”

In disbelief, he shook the other intact bottles one by one, but the result was the same without exception. The liquor inside was long gone.

In reality, preserving this kind of liquor required special techniques like wax sealing. Otherwise, it was common for a fifty-year-old vintage to be only half-full when opened.

Nowadays, the most expensive things in the settlement were cigarettes, liquor, and medicine. Liquor, in particular, was basically contraband. But the people in the settlement had a peculiar shtick: the more prohibited something was, the more valuable it became.

When Ren Xiaosu first saw these stores, he thought he’d found a huge treasure trove. But now he suddenly realized all his previous fantasies were just bullshit.

Time and the Cataclysm were like a giant blade that had cleaved the new and old civilizations in two. Ren Xiaosu thought to himself that if even cigarettes and liquor were like this, then it went without saying what would have happened to medicine.

He had just seen a pharmacy and was planning to explore it, but it seemed there was no point now.

Ren Xiaosu walked out onto the street and began to think seriously. What things didn’t have an expiration date? Or rather, what had a shelf life of several hundred years?

He suddenly noticed a store next to him with a sign that read “Family Planning & Healthcare.” However, Ren Xiaosu didn’t go in. In his view, it was probably a shop that sold health supplements, and what kind of health supplement could last this long?

He confirmed again that the Qing Consortium’s attention hadn’t shifted to him, so he relaxed. Ren Xiaosu could still hear gunfire from the perimeter, which puzzled him. Was that Experiment Subject really that powerful?

But then, something occurred to him… What could last for hundreds of years without decaying? Wasn’t it metal?

Ren Xiaosu’s head snapped around. He had heard from Wang Fugui that there were gold shops in the stronghold. A city of this immense scale must have them too!

Ren Xiaosu, who had been feeling a little dejected moments ago, was suddenly filled with fighting spirit again!

Gold was still a hard currency in this day and age. Ren Xiaosu had once curiously asked Zhang Jinglin why gold was still needed as hard currency when the Qing Bank issued its own money.

Zhang Jinglin had smiled and answered him, “Because Qing Bank isn’t the only one issuing currency. Your money might be usable in the Qing Consortium’s territory, but it won’t be accepted in other strongholds. That’s when you need something that’s easy to measure and value to replace the function of paper money.”

In fact, currency was also a method for the corporations to control the various strongholds. They made people accustomed to the convenience of paper money, but they alone decided how much of it to issue.

This was the true lifeblood of the economy, one of the very foundations of a corporation.

However, Zhang Jinglin had explained, “Right now, due to currency circulation issues, several corporations have formed a monetary management committee. There are strict regulations for everyone on issuing currency, so it prevents widespread chaos. But everyone is amicable now; who can guarantee it will stay that way in the future?”

As Ren Xiaosu recalled Zhang Jinglin’s words now, he felt more and more that Zhang Jinglin was no simple man. No one knew where this school teacher came from, and he had stayed in the settlement outside Stronghold 113 for many years.

Ren Xiaosu made up his mind to observe Zhang Jinglin carefully when he got back.

He began exploring farther away from the Qing Consortium’s position, trying to find a gold shop. If there was one left, wouldn’t he be rich?

…

In the backyard of the settlement’s school, Zhang Jinglin had just finished a day of teaching and returned to the courtyard. Seeing Yan Liuyuan, who had come out of the house to bask in the sun, he smiled. “Feeling mostly better now?”

“Mhm,” Yan Liuyuan nodded with a smile. “Thank you, Teacher and Sister Xiaoyu, for taking care of me during this time.”

Yan Liuyuan was in a particularly good mood, but not because of his own condition. Rather, he knew that since his illness hadn’t worsened, it meant Ren Xiaosu hadn’t needed to use his “luck” much. In other words, Ren Xiaosu hadn’t encountered any real danger.

Just then, Sister Xiaoyu walked in from outside, carrying a basket. When she saw Yan Liuyuan, she said in pleasant surprise, “Liuyuan, have you recovered? Come inside quickly, don’t get chilled by the wind.”

Yan Liuyuan, looking incredibly cute, beamed. “I’m fine, Sister Xiaoyu, don’t worry. What are we having for dinner tonight?”

“I’ll stir-fry some eggs and greens for you,” Sister Xiaoyu said with a smile. “I just went to the settlement and bought a small piece of fatty meat. I can render it for oil to cook with, so you can have a taste of something savory.”

“Alright,” Yan Liuyuan agreed, but he was already walking towards the exit as he spoke. “I’m going out for a bit. I’ll definitely be back before dark!”

Sister Xiaoyu was about to stop him, but when she turned around, Yan Liuyuan had already vanished.

She stood worriedly at the school’s entrance, waiting. Zhang Jinglin thought to himself, Weren’t you just about to cook? How long are you going to wait here? But he was too embarrassed to say it out loud…

In Zhang Jinglin’s opinion, neither of the two brothers, the older Ren Xiaosu and the younger Yan Liuyuan, were the types to be easily taken advantage of. When they went out, it was others who should be worried.

Just now, Zhang Jinglin had clearly seen Yan Liuyuan hide the kitchen cleaver inside his clothes. Tell me, what kind of child carries a cleaver when they go out? Could he be from a respectable family?

However, Yan Liuyuan returned before dark as promised. Neither Zhang Jinglin nor Sister Xiaoyu knew where he had gone. When they asked, he wouldn’t say, just smiling and changing the subject.

There were three rooms in the school’s backyard. One was the kitchen, one was where Zhang Jinglin lived, and the other was Yan Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu’s room.

At night, Sister Xiaoyu would make the bed for Yan Liuyuan while she herself slept on a pallet on the floor. It was almost winter and the ground was very cold, but Sister Xiaoyu never complained.

After the kerosene lamp was extinguished, Sister Xiaoyu suddenly asked Yan Liuyuan, “Do you think your brother is safe right now?”

Yan Liuyuan replied with a smile in his voice, “He’s definitely safe. Don’t worry.”

Sister Xiaoyu was taken aback. She didn’t know why Yan Liuyuan was so certain.

Chapter 84: Midnight Gunshots

“Liuyuan, you mustn’t run off on your own these days,” Sister Xiaoyu said in the dark room. “If something were to happen to you, how could I ever explain it to your brother?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t,” Yan Liuyuan promised. He had grown to trust Sister Xiaoyu more and more recently, because Xiaoyu had remained by his side during a time when she could have easily abandoned him.

Just a few days ago, he was running a high fever. Sister Xiaoyu could have taken the money and left, but she didn’t.

While he slept, a cool towel would always be there to wipe his face and armpits, bringing his fever down. Yan Liuyuan could even hear a gentle singing voice, a voice that made him feel as though he were a child again in his mother’s arms, adrift in a warm ocean.

Yan Liuyuan had never experienced such things before. Although Ren Xiaosu had also shown him great warmth, the boy always offered a back for him to follow, never an embrace.

“Mhm,” Sister Xiaoyu said, relieved to hear Yan Liuyuan’s promise. She thought for a moment, then suddenly added, “Since you’re well now, you have to go to class tomorrow. You need to catch up on the schoolwork you’ve missed.”

Yan Liuyuan was aghast. “Sister Xiaoyu, you don’t have to be like this! My brother isn’t even here!”

“That won’t do,” Sister Xiaoyu said. “If Xiaosu comes back and finds you’ve fallen behind on your schoolwork, it’ll be my responsibility. He instructed me before he left.”

“When did he ever instruct you about that?!” Yan Liuyuan wailed. “I never heard him mention it at all!”

Sister Xiaoyu smiled from her pallet on the floor. “I don’t care. You have to listen to me.”

Yan Liuyuan stared at the ceiling as though he had lost all hope in life, but a hint of a smile played on his lips. Just then, he heard the sound of someone jumping into the yard, and it was more than one person!

Sister Xiaoyu heard the sound too. However, the usually gentle and timid Sister Xiaoyu pulled a bone knife out from under her pillow. Gritting her teeth, she said, “Stay put and don’t move!”

In the dim room, Yan Liuyuan could even see Sister Xiaoyu trembling slightly. They both knew that anyone climbing over the courtyard wall this late at night must have malicious intent. But with Ren Xiaosu gone, Sister Xiaoyu felt she had to take on the responsibility of protecting Yan Liuyuan.

The next moment, three burly men kicked open the door to their room. Two of them tried to pin Sister Xiaoyu to the ground, while the third lunged directly at Yan Liuyuan on the bed with a bone knife.

Although Sister Xiaoyu was holding the bone knife, her strength as a woman was no match for that of a grown man.

One of the burly men lunging at her grunted as if he’d been stabbed by the bone knife, but the other man sent her bone knife flying with a kick!

By the moonlight, Yan Liuyuan caught a glimpse of them. In an instant, he recognized the three men as the Settlement’s idle loafers. He never expected they would target the School!

Perhaps they figured Ren Xiaosu had made money from his clinic recently, and since he wasn’t in the Settlement at the moment, they decided to act on their malicious intentions.

Sister Xiaoyu had been very careful with her spending during this time. Every time she bought groceries, she would haggle for a long time and even gather wild vegetables to pretend she had no money.

But Yan Liuyuan needed nutrition to recover from his illness, so she had eventually bought some meat, which attracted unwanted attention.

This was the terrifying reality of not having a man in the house. Although Yan Liuyuan was male, he was too young to be any kind of deterrent.

Now that Yan Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu were thought to be carrying a large sum of money, even the School seemed to offer no protection from these thugs.

At the same time, Yan Liuyuan heard the door to the next room being kicked open as well. It seemed someone was going after Zhang Jinglin! These people were brazen enough to even lay a hand on the School’s teacher. They were planning to kill everyone to silence them, so no one would know who the culprits were.

But just then, a gunshot rang out in the night. The loafer rushing towards Yan Liuyuan stared in disbelief at the dark muzzle of the gun in front of him, then looked down at his abdomen, from which blood was gushing. What he couldn’t understand was, how could Yan Liuyuan have a gun?!

If they had known Yan Liuyuan had a gun, they definitely wouldn’t have taken such a risk. In fact, guns were forbidden in the Settlement. Someone had once made a crude firearm, but it was confiscated by the stronghold.

Everyone in the room looked at Yan Liuyuan in astonishment. Even Sister Xiaoyu hadn’t expected such a turn of events.

In a flash, six consecutive shots rang out. After killing the first man, Yan Liuyuan showed no fear. Instead, he opened fire and shot dead the two loafers who were pinning Sister Xiaoyu down.

Every time Yan Liuyuan fired a shot, he felt as if a darkness in his heart were slowly pulling him into an abyss. In this world, you had to kill to survive!

He jumped off the bed and rushed out the door. The two loafers next door, who had just burst into Zhang Jinglin’s room, heard the gunshots and started to run, but it was too late!

Two more gunshots rang out. Yan Liuyuan had actually shot and killed five people in under a minute! The gunshots reverberated through the air, spreading outwards like wails of anguish and roars of fury!

Teacher Zhang walked out from the room next door. He stared at Yan Liuyuan, as if he were seeing the boy for the first time.

Zhang Jinglin knew Ren Xiaosu was a ruthless person. He even knew that Yan Liuyuan had been greatly influenced by Ren Xiaosu over the years. In the School, Yan Liuyuan was among the youngest, but even the older children didn’t dare to provoke him—they were even afraid of him.

But what thirteen-year-old child could just shoot and kill people like that?

He stood panting in a pool of blood at the doorway, his expression calm throughout. Only by looking at his slightly trembling hands could one see that he, too, was afraid.

Sister Xiaoyu also came out of the room. She threw her arms around Yan Liuyuan. “Don’t be scared, don’t be scared.”

Just moments ago, it was Yan Liuyuan who had stepped up and saved everyone. But for some reason, when Sister Xiaoyu hugged him, he suddenly felt at ease, and the coldness in his body was gradually dispelled by another kind of warmth.

The gunshots were loud and clear, waking up the entire Settlement. Everyone came out of their homes and looked towards the School, but they still didn’t know what had happened.

The people from the stronghold had clearly already gone back to their fortress. How could there be gunshots? In the refugees’ minds, firearms were all in the hands of the big shots from the stronghold.

Zhang Jinglin looked at the gun in Yan Liuyuan’s hand and sighed. “Did Ren Xiaosu leave this for you? Is this what you went to get this afternoon?”

“Mhm,” Yan Liuyuan said. “Sister Xiaoyu and I will leave the Settlement right now. We won’t drag you into this.”

When Ren Xiaosu left the Settlement, he had separated from the group at one point. He had indeed gone to where the gun was buried, but not to take it with him. Instead, he made a mark at the spot and left the gun for Yan Liuyuan.

As he was leaving, he had quietly instructed Yan Liuyuan to go get the gun after he was gone. If he encountered a danger he couldn’t handle, he was to open fire and then flee into the wilderness. Ren Xiaosu had prepared a hidden cave for Yan Liuyuan somewhere out there.

Once Ren Xiaosu was done with his business, he would go and find him!

Chapter 85: Teacher Zhang

When he left, Ren Xiaosu had been very clear with Yan Liuyuan: if Sister Xiaoyu was still taking care of him by then, he should take her with him. If Sister Xiaoyu had already left with the money, then Yan Liuyuan should hide on his own.

He was not to take any chances. At the first sign of trouble, he was to leave immediately.

In Ren Xiaosu’s eyes, nothing was more important than staying alive. Having a gun for protection was better than nothing.

Ren Xiaosu himself had wanted to bring the gun into the Jing Mountains, but compared to his own safety, he felt it was safer to leave it with Yan Liuyuan.

However, neither Yan Liuyuan nor Ren Xiaosu had expected trouble to find Yan Liuyuan the moment he retrieved the gun.

At this moment, Yan Liuyuan wasn’t actually worried about himself. He believed the hiding place Ren Xiaosu had prepared for him would be very safe, and he also believed that Ren Xiaosu would definitely come back for him.

He was worried about Ren Xiaosu.

Having experienced the backlash of his luck-based power many times, Yan Liuyuan knew very well that the backlash… wasn’t just about getting sick.

Yan Liuyuan looked toward the Jing Mountains, his brow tightly furrowed. He knew Ren Xiaosu must be in danger, and it had to be something extremely perilous.

This was fate working in mysterious ways; this was the karmic backlash of making a wish!

“Ren Xiaosu…” Yan Liuyuan’s heart was heavy. In times of crisis, the two brothers shared a tacit understanding, each worrying about the other’s safety before their own.

“Sister Xiaoyu, come with me,” Yan Liuyuan said, turning back into the room to grab a couple of articles of clothing, ready to head out of the School. Sister Xiaoyu didn’t even ask where they were going. She just tucked the money from the floor tiles into her clothes and followed him.

But just then, Zhang Jinglin stopped him. Zhang Jinglin sighed and said, “It’s not safe in the wilderness right now. You don’t need to run. I’ll handle this.”

“You’ll handle this?” Yan Liuyuan didn’t understand what Zhang Jinglin meant. As he spoke, he tried to pull his arm free from Zhang Jinglin’s grasp, only to find that Zhang Jinglin was stronger than he had imagined. He couldn’t break free at all.

Zhang Jinglin said, “The wolf pack is back. The place Ren Xiaosu prepared for you might be well-hidden, but it can’t escape the wolves’ sense of smell. I’m afraid Ren Xiaosu didn’t expect them to return so soon.”

Yan Liuyuan was a little puzzled. How did Zhang Jinglin know the wolves were back? No one in the Settlement had seen the wolf pack; there was no news of it at all.

At that moment, the stronghold’s gate slowly began to rise. Before long, Zhang Jinglin and the others heard the sound of footsteps. It seemed the gunshots had also alarmed the stronghold, and the private troops were coming out.

A clamor erupted in the Settlement. The commotion in the dead of night had woken all the refugees. They stood in the streets, watching the School from a distance, and some of the bolder ones even started walking toward it.

Zhang Jinglin waited quietly. Soon, someone kicked open the School’s gate. Wang Congyang walked in leading a squad of private troops. He glanced at the five corpses on the ground, then looked at Zhang Jinglin. The gun was now in Zhang Jinglin’s hands.

Wang Congyang smiled. “So it was that kid Ren Xiaosu who took the gun. I thought about it for a long time. The only person in this Settlement with both the opportunity and the guts to steal a gun is him.”

Zhang Jinglin, Yan Liuyuan, and Sister Xiaoyu remained silent. Sister Xiaoyu looked anxiously at Zhang Jinglin, worried he wouldn’t be able to handle the situation.

Outside, Wang Fugui ran in, his clothes in disarray. He looked extremely flustered as he smiled obsequiously at Wang Congyang. “Sir, there must be some misunderstanding!”

“There’s no misunderstanding,” Wang Congyang said, shaking his head. “I’m quite certain now that Ren Xiaosu killed Wang Dongyang.”

Hearing this, Wang Fugui immediately pulled a wad of cash from his pocket and tried to stuff it into Wang Congyang’s hand. “Your relationship with Wang Dongyang wasn’t that great, was it? Whether Ren Xiaosu killed him or not, we can discuss it at length…”

“Hahaha,” Wang Congyang chuckled and shoved Wang Fugui away. “Do you think I’m like those other people in the stronghold, blinded by money? Arrest them all! I’d like to see how Ren Xiaosu explains this to me when he gets back!”

Just as he finished speaking, the rebuffed Wang Fugui tried to approach again. This time, Wang Congyang drew the pistol from his waist and pressed it against Wang Fugui’s forehead. “I told you to get lost, understand?”

But suddenly, he froze. He saw Zhang Jinglin pull an ID card out of his own pocket. Zhang Jinglin said, “Take this into the stronghold and have Fatty Luo come see me.”

Wang Congyang stared at Zhang Jinglin in disbelief. Zhang Jinglin’s tone was far too calm. In the vicinity of Stronghold 113, Wang Congyang was pretty sure that from the day he was born until now, Zhang Jinglin was the only person he had ever heard refer to Boss Luo as “Fatty Luo.”

Zhang Jinglin didn’t say what the ID was, and Wang Congyang had noticed him before, sensing he was no ordinary person. But he had never delved deeper into it. In truth, whether Zhang Jinglin was ordinary or not had little to do with him.

But now was different. He had unexpectedly found himself embroiled in the mystery of Zhang Jinglin’s identity.

At this moment, Wang Congyang almost didn’t dare to take the red-covered ID from Zhang Jinglin’s hand. It looked quite old, so much so that its cover was slightly damaged.

Zhang Jinglin tossed the ID to Wang Congyang. “Go on. He’ll understand once you give it to him. This is no longer something you can handle.”

“Keep an eye on them,” Wang Congyang said to the private troops beside him. It wouldn’t be appropriate to send someone else on this errand; he had to go back to the stronghold and find Boss Luo himself.

But he was also afraid of being tricked. Given Wang Congyang’s meticulous nature, leaving his soldiers to guard Zhang Jinglin and Yan Liuyuan was a necessary precaution.

Sister Xiaoyu looked worriedly at Zhang Jinglin. “Teacher Zhang, will everything be alright?”

Zhang Jinglin waved his hand. “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine. They wouldn’t dare do anything to me.”

Yan Liuyuan whispered from the side, “Teacher, I’m sorry.”

If he hadn’t fired the gun, Zhang Jinglin wouldn’t have had to reveal his identity.

Zhang Jinglin glanced at him and sighed. “You did nothing wrong. It’s the world that’s wrong. Besides, I should be thanking you. You were trying to save me just now.”

In Zhang Jinglin’s view, Yan Liuyuan had done nothing wrong. If he hadn’t opened fire just then, the consequences for Sister Xiaoyu and himself would have been dire, and the same went for Zhang Jinglin, who was currently nothing more than an ordinary teacher.

Had Yan Liuyuan been flaunting his wealth? No.

Had Yan Liuyuan killed the wrong people? No.

Zhang Jinglin suddenly felt that in some ways, Yan Liuyuan was a lot like Ren Xiaosu. For example, he had Ren Xiaosu’s ruthlessness, his coldness in the face of enemies, and his guardedness against the world.

Previously, Zhang Jinglin thought this side of Ren Xiaosu wasn’t good. But for some reason, after getting to know him better, he now felt that Ren Xiaosu, more than most people in this world, was more of a true human being.

The sentence might have sounded a little flawed, but that was what Zhang Jinglin truly thought.

Chapter 86: Saibei

The other refugees in the Settlement still didn’t know what had happened. The School’s wall wasn’t high—just a simple earthen wall about 1.7 meters tall.

So, anyone who stood on their tiptoes could see inside. What they saw gave them a fright: two corpses lay in the School’s backyard, and blood was continuously flowing out from the house.

In over ten years, this was the first time someone had committed murder at the School!

Of course, it was precisely because this incident was so bizarre that Yan Liuyuan grew even more worried about Ren Xiaosu’s safety.

Wang Congyang ran quickly toward the stronghold. On the way, he carefully flipped open the ID card to take a look. His eyes widened when he saw the words “Zhang Jinglin, Stronghold 178.”

Wang Congyang instantly sucked in a cold breath. He had never seen an ID like this. A normal ID card was supposed to state one’s position and identity, and would even include a date of birth and a photograph to make it more recognizable.

But this one was different. It was as if anyone who saw it was expected to know who its owner was. At that moment, Wang Congyang recalled the legend of the person who had disappeared from Stronghold 178 over a decade ago, and he quickened his pace.

However, Wang Congyang’s rank was too low. He couldn’t be sure if his guess was correct.

Instead of looking for the stronghold’s administrators, Wang Congyang drove directly to Luo Lan’s residence. In fact, everyone knew that although Luo Lan was just a merchant, it was better to find him when something major happened in the stronghold. Even the administrators tacitly accepted this reality.

Luo Lan’s residence was located in the very heart of the stronghold. After entering the stronghold, Wang Congyang drove for nearly an hour to get there. And that was only because it was late at night, with no pedestrians or vehicles on the streets.

Arriving outside Luo Lan’s residence, it was less a home and more a massive military camp.

At the entrance stood a stone monument with red characters carved into it: Military Restricted Area!

The soldiers from the corporation’s combat brigade guarding the entrance wore black combat fatigues, each fully armed and ready for battle. Before Wang Congyang’s vehicle even got close, he saw searchlights from the high walls of the camp sweep over him.

At the entrance, Wang Congyang presented his ID and said, “I’m Wang Congyang of the private troops. I have urgent business with Boss Luo concerning Stronghold 178.”

At that moment, Wang Congyang felt no fewer than ten gun barrels pointed at him. A soldier from the corporation’s troops at the gate walked over, his expression devoid of emotion. “ID!”

The private troops were naturally a tier below the Qing Consortium’s combat troops. So even with guns pointed at him, Wang Congyang didn’t dare say a word.

Wang Congyang handed over both his and Zhang Jinglin’s ID cards. The soldier in charge of checking them returned inside the gate. More than ten minutes passed before he reemerged. “Identity confirmed. You are cleared for entry.”

Only then did the gates of the military camp finally open for Wang Congyang!

The Qing Consortium’s armed forces had always been among the best of the corporations—highly disciplined and extremely effective in combat. However, security had never been this tight before. It was only after a supernatural being had assassinated a stronghold administrator that the major corporations had raised their security levels.

But not long after Wang Congyang went inside, the entire military camp lit up. The synchronized sound of marching footsteps echoed like a roar, waking the nearby residents. They had no idea what was happening inside the camp, but the sound of those footsteps clearly meant a combat brigade was assembling.

A black off-road vehicle sped out from the stronghold like lightning, followed by three military trucks carrying three combat squads.

“Is a war about to start?” someone wondered, watching the scene from their window.

“Who is the Qing Consortium going to war with? But even if they were, they wouldn’t send out so few people, right?” another person said in confusion. “Was that Boss Luo in the off-road vehicle just now? That guy hasn’t left the camp in two years. What could possibly have alarmed him?”

But the most shocked of all was Wang Congyang, because just moments ago, he had seen Luo Lan leap to his feet as if his pants were on fire the instant he took Zhang Jinglin’s ID.

Immediately after, the entire military camp went into a wartime state, the intricate war machine roaring to life in an instant.

At that moment, Wang Congyang was finally certain. Zhang Jinglin might really be the person he suspected him to be!

And if he really was that person, why was he here?!

The Qing Consortium’s convoy sped directly toward the stronghold’s main gate. Yan Liuyuan and the others waited in the schoolyard. He suddenly turned to look at Zhang Jinglin with curiosity. “Teacher, what did you do before you started teaching?”

Yan Liuyuan understood now. Teacher Zhang’s identity was probably frighteningly significant.

Zhang Jinglin smiled and said, “I was a soldier.”

Yan Liuyuan was taken aback. This Teacher Zhang didn’t seem anything like the soldiers he imagined. He asked curiously, “Then why did you stop being a soldier?”

The question made Zhang Jinglin fall silent for a long time, as if he himself was wrestling with the answer. After much thought, he replied, “Because war cannot save humanity.”

“Are you leaving?” Yan Liuyuan asked.

“Yes,” Zhang Jinglin nodded. “There are people waiting for me in Saibei.”

Yan Liuyuan suddenly realized that when Zhang Jinglin had chosen Ren Xiaosu to be the substitute teacher, he had genuinely intended for Ren Xiaosu to become the new teacher of the Settlement’s School. Zhang Jinglin had been planning to leave all along.

Even without the events of tonight, Zhang Jinglin probably wouldn’t have stayed here much longer.

“Why are you suddenly going back to Saibei?” Yan Liuyuan asked.

“Because this world… has started to change. I need to be with the people who are waiting for me,” Zhang Jinglin explained.

“What’s in Saibei?” Yan Liuyuan pressed. He and Ren Xiaosu had never been to a place like that. He had heard it was in the far northwest.

Yan Liuyuan recalled a time when Teacher Zhang had drifted off during class. That day, he had looked out the window at the sky and said, “During spring in Saibei, the ice and snow have yet to melt. There is not a trace of green to be seen, only wind, sand, and yellow earth. The snow there is a boundless white expanse, and humanity is a lonely thing.”

In that instant, although Teacher Zhang’s description of Saibei was bleak and chilling, Yan Liuyuan could sense his yearning and nostalgia for the place. Thinking back on it now, Yan Liuyuan finally understood that Zhang Jinglin was from there.

“What’s in Saibei… Smokes, I guess?” Zhang Jinglin said, laughing at his own joke. “Don’t be afraid when they get here. They won’t dare to do anything to me. In the end, they’ll just have to obediently escort me back to Stronghold 178.”

“Okay,” Yan Liuyuan nodded. He thought to himself that Ren Xiaosu wouldn’t be able to nag him about his homework anymore. From now on, the Settlement wouldn’t even have a teacher.

But this time, the thought of not having to attend class didn’t make Yan Liuyuan as happy as it usually did.

…

Chapter 87: Living Specimen

Meanwhile, Luo Lan was panting in the back seat of an off-road vehicle, making a call on a satellite phone. “Hello? Zhang Jinglin has appeared!”

The person on the other end of the line seemed to fall silent for a moment. “Are you certain?”

“Not entirely, but if it’s true, should I get rid of him?” Luo Lan seemed to be asking for the other person’s opinion. “Why the hell did that old geezer have to hide on my turf?”

From his tone, Luo Lan seemed to regard Zhang Jinglin as a hot potato.

Normally, everyone thought Luo Lan was a friendly, easygoing person with his constant smile. But those who were smart knew that this Luo Lan was not much different from his lunatic brother—they were both thick-skinned, black-hearted executioners.

If Yan Liuyuan had heard Luo Lan’s question, he would have been extremely worried for Zhang Jinglin. However, the person on the other end of the satellite phone asked curiously, “Kill him?”

“Yeah,” Fatty Luo said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

“A lot of people must have heard the news that he’s still alive by now,” the person on the other end said. “If you kill him now, do you think that pack of killers in Stronghold 178 will abandon their stronghold just to come and kill you?”

Luo Lan actually shivered at this. “I can be a little more discreet about it.”

“There’s no such thing as a wall that doesn’t leak in this world,” the man chuckled. “Send him back to Stronghold 178. Someone will guard Saibei for us, so why wouldn’t we want that? Even if he has to die… he can’t die at the hands of our Qing Consortium, and especially not at your hands or mine.”

“What if one day he…” Luo Lan hesitated.

“It won’t be too late to kill him then. For now, let someone else deal with the headache,” the person on the phone said, his tone firm and unquestionable. Then, as if remembering something, he added, “By the way, I’m in the Jing Mountains right now. Do you guys have a refugee named Ren Xiaosu over there?”

Luo Lan was stunned. “The one who sells medicine?!”

This time, it was the person on the other end’s turn to be surprised. “The one who sells medicine? What kind of medicine?”

“It’s nothing, nothing,” Luo Lan said, sounding guilty. “Have you found anything in the Jing Mountains? I only found out two days ago that Old Liu from Stronghold 113 secretly sent a small squad of private troops into the Jing Mountains. He even used the cover of escorting a band to hide his true intentions. So naive. I quite liked that female singer. Now it looks like she’s going to die in the Jing Mountains.”

“Oh, you mean that female singer? She’s not dead yet,” the other person said with a smile. “So, Ren Xiaosu is a medicine seller, and Luo Xinyu is a singer. Then who is Yang Xiaojin?”

“Yang Xiaojin? Never heard of her,” Luo Lan muttered. “Did you find anything in the Jing Mountains?”

“I’m close to finding that pre-Cataclysm research lab,” the man on the phone said. “But Brother, you should just enjoy your retirement in Stronghold 113. These matters are not for you to meddle in.”

“Oh,” Luo Lan fell silent for a moment. Usually, in a family, the older brother’s words carry more weight. However, besides being physically heavy, this Boss Luo had no authority whatsoever in front of his younger brother.

“One more question,” the voice on the phone asked. “How long has Luo Xinyu been a singer in your stronghold?”

“A little over two years,” Luo Lan said.

“Does that Ren Xiaosu have any relatives or friends?” the voice on the phone asked.

“I think he has a younger brother,” Luo Lan explained. He turned to Wang Congyang beside him and asked, “Does that Ren Xiaosu fellow have any other relatives or friends?”

Wang Congyang was taken aback for a moment. “This Zhang Jinglin is his friend…”

Luo Lan was stunned. “What a coincidence?”

“Then don’t touch his brother. He’s just a refugee, anyway,” the voice on the phone seemed to grow colder. “When you send Zhang Jinglin away, send that Old Liu from your Stronghold 113 to Saibei as well. There’s no place for him here anymore.”

Luo Lan muttered, “Wouldn’t it be better to just kill him? Sending him over is so much trouble.”

“Just do as you’re told.” Beep. The other person hung up.

Sitting next to Luo Lan, Wang Congyang remained silent. He never imagined that these two brothers could decide the fate of a stronghold’s administrator—a matter of life and death—with just a single phone call. This was what the corporations were like.

By now, night had also fallen in the Jing Mountains. The Qing Consortium’s combat troops had set up huge searchlights around the excavation site. With one in each cardinal direction—north, south, east, and west—the ruined city in the valley was illuminated as brightly as if it were day.

The corporations were experienced in combat, so they were accustomed to treating every mission as a war, albeit one of varying scale.

And the most important things in war were probably intelligence and visibility!

After hanging up the satellite phone, the young man in the white suit looked smilingly at Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu. Several hours had passed since the combat troops’ battle with the Experiment Subject had ended, and only now had Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu been brought to this ruined city.

“I forgot to introduce myself earlier,” the young man in the white suit said with a smile. “I’m Qing Zhen of the Qing Consortium, Luo Lan’s younger brother. It’s a pleasure to meet you two guests, Mr. Liu Bu and Miss Luo Xinyu.”

Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu had their hands bound behind their backs with plastic ties. This was not how ‘guests’ were treated. Liu Bu suddenly blurted out, “Everything I said just now was the truth, I swear I haven’t hidden anything! Xu Xianchu is a supernatural being, and Yang Xiaojin is highly suspicious too. But the one you need to be most wary of is Ren Xiaosu. I suggest you kill him on sight! Their purpose in coming to the Jing Mountains is definitely not pure. They must be plotting against the interests of our Qing Consortium. I’m well-acquainted with Boss Luo, please don’t kill me!”

Qing Zhen thought for a moment and asked, “Have you heard of a teacher from the settlement’s school named Zhang Jinglin?”

Liu Bu was stunned. “I’ve heard Ren Xiaosu mention him several times. Why do you ask? Is there a problem with this Zhang Jinglin? Ren Xiaosu is very close to him, so he must be up to no good!”

Liu Bu was panicking and anwered every question almost instantly. Normally, members of the corporations were as elegant as gentlemen, each of them poised and sophisticated at balls and cocktail parties.

But now? They were surrounded by countless combat troops standing as still as statues, yet their gazes firmly controlled their surroundings.

It was as if those elegant gentlemen had suddenly bared their fangs and flexed their muscles, revealing the ferocious nature hidden beneath their refined exteriors. It was utterly savage!

Liu Bu had heard of Qing Zhen. Because of Boss Luo, many people in Stronghold 113 had secretly discussed this pair of strange brothers. But Qing Zhen’s reputation was not good, because he had been carrying out all the Qing Consortium’s killings in recent years.

In many people’s stories, Qing Zhen was a demon who would even flay his victims.

Chapter 88: Shadow, Qing Zhen

The Qing Consortium informally divided the children of its members into several categories. One category was for the steady and serious. They were responsible for the operation of the entire consortium machine, holding glamorous jobs. They were both the substance and the public face of the consortium.

Another category was for the idle, like Luo Lan. It was enough to find them a stronghold to live in—no one expected them to amount to anything. They could just eat, drink, and wait for death.

Then there was a third category: the shadows. Qing Zhen was one of them. He handled all the dirty work. He would have no part in inheriting the consortium in the future, but on a day-to-day basis, he was the one who took the most money. By rights, an illegitimate son like Luo Lan wasn’t qualified to control a stronghold, but Qing Zhen helped him achieve it.

Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that Luo Lan’s rivals all feared or relied on Qing Zhen, so they didn’t dare compete with Luo Lan. It was the first time the Qing Consortium had ever placed an illegitimate son in the position of a stronghold’s controller, which was a clear indication of Qing Zhen’s status within the consortium.

Qing Zhen looked at Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu and said, “Tell me about those three. I mean Xu Xianchu, Yang Xiaojin, and Ren Xiaosu… Hm, are Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin in a relationship? Their names sound quite compatible.”

“They’re not,” Liu Bu shook his head. “Ren Xiaosu is just a refugee from outside the stronghold. We forced him to be our Guide. He’s incredibly strong; I suspect he’s a supernatural being too.”

Qing Zhen shook his head. “Is he just a little stronger than average?”

“Isn’t that enough? He can lift a grown man with one hand,” Liu Bu said anxiously. “And then there’s Xu Xianchu. Although his stamina and strength are average, his supernatural ability is to have a shadow emerge from his body. That shadow can even block bullets!”

At this, Qing Zhen’s interest was piqued. He instructed a person beside him, “Record this. Xu Xianchu, a supernatural being yet to fully mature, Danger Level C. Ren Xiaosu, suspected Strength-type supernatural being, Danger Level F.”

Beside Qing Zhen were not only combat personnel but also many research staff in hazmat suits. One of them was specifically responsible for recording Qing Zhen’s decisions.

At that moment, Liu Bu suddenly realized that Qing Zhen was actually more interested in Xu Xianchu. They didn’t seem to regard Ren Xiaosu as a threat at all.

“Does someone like Ren Xiaosu even count as a supernatural being? You should hurry up and capture him,” Liu Bu said. Beside him, Luo Xinyu remained silent the entire time.

Qing Zhen smiled. “Oh, we will definitely capture them. I imagine they must be in this city right now. But there’s nothing rare about Strength-types.”

At that moment, both Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu realized that the Qing Consortium’s understanding of supernatural beings was by no means superficial.

It seemed the Qing Consortium already knew a great deal about them. But on second thought, it made sense. The world was in their hands, so it was only natural for the corporations to uncover these secrets first. They had more resources and more intelligence-gathering capabilities.

However, it appeared that even the Qing Consortium was unable to define the power levels of supernatural beings yet, and could only use danger levels to summarize their assessment of them.

This “danger level” was most likely a rating of the threat they posed to the corporations themselves, right?

Therefore, someone like Xu Xianchu, who could manifest his own shadow to fight, was classified as Danger Level C because his shadow could ignore bullets. Meanwhile, Ren Xiaosu, who was merely a bit stronger, was dismissed. No matter how strong you were, could you be stronger than thermal weapons?

In the end, fists and feet were no match for guns and cannons. In the eyes of the corporations, if a person’s power could not surpass that of thermal weapons, then that supernatural being’s destructive capability was very limited.

This was because thermal weapons were, for the most part, controlled by the corporations.

By now, Qing Zhen had confirmed that Ren Xiaosu was a refugee from outside the Settlement, Xu Xianchu was an officer from the private troops, and Yang Xiaojin’s origins were unknown. Of course, even if Luo Lan himself had told him this, he might not have truly believed it. He had always preferred to verify any doubts he had on his own.

In truth, Liu Bu was unaware that compared to Ren Xiaosu and Xu Xianchu, Qing Zhen was clearly more interested in Yang Xiaojin. According to Liu Bu’s account, Yang Xiaojin was well-informed about the Fire Seed Company and other corporations. Therefore, the complexity of Yang Xiaojin’s identity far surpassed that of Xu Xianchu and Ren Xiaosu.

Qing Zhen stood amidst the city’s ruins, flanked by the remnants of a fallen civilization and formidable corporation combatants, yet his white suit was spotless. He asked with great interest, “Has Yang Xiaojin ever displayed any kind of special ability?”

“Yang Xiaojin doesn’t have any special abilities,” Liu Bu said after thinking hard for a long while. It seemed that besides being decisive and ruthless, the girl had not shown any other special skills.

If Ren Xiaosu were here, he would have certainly disagreed. Her Advanced Chinese Jump Rope and Advanced Nursery Rhyme Singing were formidable! Weren’t those abilities special enough?

Of course, Ren Xiaosu was not here. He had just found the gold shop he had been dreaming of!

Not getting the answer he wanted, Qing Zhen looked at Liu Bu intently and said, “Think again.”

For some reason, Liu Bu suddenly felt a pressure as heavy as a mountain bearing down on him. He gritted his teeth and said, “Yang Xiaojin really doesn’t have any abilities. In fact, I think you should be wary of Ren Xiaosu…”

“Oh?” Qing Zhen nodded. He turned to Luo Xinyu. “What’s so special about this Ren Xiaosu that has Liu Bu so preoccupied with him? Does he have some other special ability besides his strength?”

Luo Xinyu was taken aback for a moment. Ren Xiaosu’s special ability?

She thought for a moment and said tentatively, “He’s good at infuriating people?”

Luo Xinyu wasn’t just making this up; she was speaking from deep, personal experience!

Upon hearing this, Qing Zhen laughed. He said to the man beside him, “Xu Man, take a team and find these three. You must be back before midnight.”

“Understood.” The soldier named Xu Man immediately took six combat squads with him. Using one hundred and eighty men to deal with three people was likely considered a very high-level response within the Qing Consortium.

As Qing Zhen’s trusted subordinate, Xu Man was well aware that nothing could go wrong with the secret of the Jing Mountains. None of the outsiders present today could be allowed to escape.

Qing Zhen stood where he was and began to hum a tune, seeming quite relaxed. But Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu did not share his mood. Luo Xinyu couldn’t help but look at Qing Zhen and ask tentatively, “Are the changes in the Jing Mountains also related to this laboratory?”

“No, no, no,” Qing Zhen said with a smile. “The changes in the Jing Mountains were also beyond our expectations. We usually call a place like that… a Sacred Ground. Because of the changes in a certain person, the entire mountain range was transformed. It’s just that we discovered the changes in the Jing Mountains too late, so we can’t be sure who that person is.”

Liu Bu said nervously, “This has nothing to do with us!”

Qing Zhen paused. “I know it has nothing to do with you. If it did, I’d be the one who should be nervous right now.”

“Then what do you plan to do with us?”

This time, however, Qing Zhen acted as if he hadn’t heard. He was simply waiting for Xu Man to bring Ren Xiaosu, Xu Xianchu, and Yang Xiaojin back.

Just then, the combat troops from the direction of the woods finally returned. They seemed to be carrying something. Qing Zhen smiled at Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu. “Try not to be too surprised in a moment.”

Chapter 89: A Product of Genetic Editing

Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu looked over in surprise. When they were brought back, the Qing Consortium’s combat troops had seemed to still be dealing with that “Experiment Subject.” Did the current commotion mean the troops had brought it back?

To be honest, both of them were curious as to what the Experiment Subject really was.

But a moment later, they froze. A multi-layered, reinforced steel cage was being carried over, and lying inside was a gray… person!

The gray wasn’t the person’s original skin color, but the color of caked-on dust and mud.

Liu Bu stared at the person in the cage, his expression a mixture of shock and doubt. The person had been shot several times, yet there was no significant amount of blood flowing from the wounds. It was as if the moment the bullets pierced its body, it had controlled its skin and muscles to close the wounds.

This was something unimaginable for an ordinary person, as no one could fully control their own body.

And on this gray figure’s arms and legs were iron chains!

The chains had originally been used to imprison this person somewhere, but he had struggled and broken them. So, was the clanking of chains Liu Bu and the others had heard that night coming from this person?

At that moment, Liu Bu recalled Xu Xia’s mangled corpse and the human bite marks on it. He immediately threw up. He hadn’t believed it when Xu Xianchu and the others said it was a human who had savaged Xu Xia’s body, but now he had no choice but to believe.

The immense fear and nausea felt like a giant hand gripping his stomach, squeezing everything out of him.

There was no food in his stomach, so all he vomited was a mixture of pale green gastric acid and bile.

Qing Zhen looked at Liu Bu with great interest. “It seems you know a little about it. Have you seen the corpse it gnawed on?”

Luo Xinyu’s reaction was a bit better than Liu Bu’s. As if forcing herself to remain calm, she asked, “What… is this?”

“Since it’s called an Experiment Subject, it’s obviously something used for experiments,” Qing Zhen said. “And don’t get the wrong idea; this thing has nothing to do with our Qing Consortium. They’re a product of the pre-Cataclysm era. We only recently learned of their existence.”

“Pre-Cataclysm?” Luo Xinyu seemed stunned. “How long has it been since the Cataclysm? Can they live this long? Wait, you said ‘they’…”

At that moment, Luo Xinyu suddenly realized there might be more than one of these monstrous things!

Qing Zhen carefully studied the “person” in the cage. He said, “It seems they’ve only recently broken free from the confinement of their laboratory. I’m also very curious as to how they’ve survived until now. This is a living specimen.”

Liu Bu shivered. This Qing Zhen saw a living person as a specimen, even if that person was no longer human, but something monstrous.

Suddenly, Luo Xinyu realized why the Qing Consortium was here in the Jing Mountains. They had even mobilized a large amount of heavy engineering equipment, sparing no expense in manpower or resources, all for the sake of finding the laboratory that had once imprisoned these monstrous things!

When they realized there was more than one Experiment Subject, they also understood why the combat troops had immediately called for reinforcements the moment they encountered one.

They were worried it had companions nearby!

“How many Experiment Subjects did you just encounter? How many casualties did it cost to capture him?” Qing Zhen asked.

Someone beside him replied, “We only encountered this one. It took five combat squads. Three dead, thirteen wounded.”

Qing Zhen shook his head. “Capturing one Experiment Subject is enough. If you encounter any more, you can kill them on sight. Eliminate them directly; we don’t need any more casualties.”

“Understood,” an officer from the corporation’s combat troops replied.

The Experiment Subject in the cage was clearly not dead, as Luo Xinyu and the others could still see the rise and fall of its chest as it breathed.

But she was a little puzzled. “The Cataclysm was at least a few hundred years ago, wasn’t it? How are they still alive?”

This was the most incomprehensible thing. A normal human lifespan was only a few decades, or a little over a hundred at most. If these Experiment Subjects were products from before the Cataclysm, how had they survived in an underground laboratory until now? It was completely illogical!

Even if their lifespans could be extended, what did these Experiment Subjects eat in the underground laboratory?

Qing Zhen stood before the cage and smiled. “Isn’t this the very secret I wanted to capture them for? Multicellular organisms like humans rely on cell division as the basis for growth and reproduction. Logically, cell division should be infinite. After all, if a cell can divide once, it can divide a second time, and so on. But strangely, all human cells stop abruptly after dividing an average of fifty times, then enter a state of irreversible decay.”

This was the origin of human aging and death. After about fifty divisions, cells stop dividing, and the body’s organs begin to fail, leading to death.

Qing Zhen looked at the person in the cage and continued, “I suspect this laboratory may have mastered a method for infinite cell division to increase the human metabolic cycle and lifespan. But they didn’t anticipate the price for doing so.”

Qing Zhen referred to the creature in the cage as a monstrosity—neither human nor monster. In his view, these monstrosities had completely lost their human reason, their intelligence having regressed to be little different from that of a wild beast.

But in contrast to their intellect, their physical strength and agility far surpassed that of normal humans. Even wild beasts were no match for them.

Moreover, wild animals followed a certain order. Just as Ren Xiaosu had said, species still had their own order.

These Experiment Subjects were different. They had no order.

Just then, the subject, who had suffered four or five gunshot wounds, woke up again. It suddenly arched its body and slammed against the steel cage, as if trying to shatter it with brute force!

But the cage seemed to be specially made by the Qing Consortium. No matter how hard it rammed against the bars, the cage only deformed slightly and never broke.

The Experiment Subject slowly stopped trying and instead stared fiercely at Qing Zhen. It was then that Luo Xinyu and the others noticed that no matter how violently the creature had struggled, Qing Zhen had remained as composed as a statue, never taking a single step back in fear.

Qing Zhen unloaded a pistol, ejected the bullets, and threw it into the cage. The Experiment Subject bit down on the gun’s frame and actually shattered the steel firearm with its teeth!

Qing Zhen met the Experiment Subject’s gaze and suddenly said, “Record: Teeth have evolved, pupils are narrow slits, habituated to crawling. No longer within the human category, suspected to be a product of genetic editing. This laboratory is suspected to be a secret experimental base of the pre-Cataclysm Fire Seed Company.”

Someone nearby immediately took out a pen and paper and recorded Qing Zhen’s words verbatim. In contrast to Luo Xinyu and Liu Bu’s shock, the others seemed to have long grown accustomed to Qing Zhen’s calm composure.

Chapter 90: Capturing Ren Xiaosu

For some reason, Luo Xinyu suddenly felt that the calm-faced Qing Zhen standing outside the cage was actually more ferocious than the Experiment Subject inside it.

And… how did the Fire Seed Company get dragged into this?

“Shine a strong light on him,” Qing Zhen continued.

Someone immediately aimed a spotlight at the Experiment Subject’s face. As a result, the Experiment Subject seemed extremely afraid of the light and subconsciously raised its arm to block its eyes.

Qing Zhen mused, “It’s clearly afraid of light, so why was it active during the day? Has it evolved again… or is something special attracting it, making it willing to come out despite the light?”

Just then, someone beside him said calmly, “There are two possibilities for their fear of light. One is that the remnants of their human personality can’t face what they’ve become. The other is that their genetic editing sequence contains beastly instincts.”

“That can wait,” Qing Zhen said with a nod. “Use the walkie-talkie to ask Xu Man if he’s found those three yet. My guess is they used the opening created by your capture of the Experiment Subject to slip into this net.”

This Qing Zhen had actually already figured out when Ren Xiaosu and the others had broken through the blockade.

And the reason Qing Zhen was so eager to find Ren Xiaosu’s group of three was that he wanted to know if one of them had been the one to attract the Experiment Subjects, causing them to suddenly become active during the day!

…

Ren Xiaosu was currently wandering through a huge shopping mall. Perhaps because of its exceptionally high construction quality, the mall hadn’t collapsed in the earthquake.

However, while the exterior structure remained, the interior furnishings were in ruins. Many of the ceiling panels had crashed to the floor, and the messy counters were blanketed in a thick layer of dust that felt ten centimeters deep.

Items that couldn’t withstand the ravages of time had all rotted and crumbled away.

It was in this mall that Ren Xiaosu finally saw gold and silver jewelry!

The jewelry had all oxidized. The silver pieces on the counters had all turned black. Only by snapping them could he see a trace of silver’s original white color at the break.

Gold also oxidizes. The gold in this mall seemed to have been in prolonged contact with iron filings that fell from the ceiling after the earthquake, so a layer of red spots had formed on the surface. But this didn’t affect the gold’s intrinsic value.

He definitely didn’t want the silver items. In this day and age, silver wasn’t particularly valuable.

There was a limit to what Ren Xiaosu could carry by himself. He had to pick the most valuable things to take!

This was where the benefit of having a storage space became apparent. How much gold could fit in a one-cubic-meter space? Ren Xiaosu had previously been worried about how he would upgrade his storage space in the future, but now he didn’t have to. The gold here was probably enough for him, Yan Liuyuan, and Sister Xiaoyu to live worry-free for decades!

Most of the gold in the mall was jewelry. To save space, Ren Xiaosu decisively crushed the gold bracelets and necklaces into lumps before stuffing them into the Palace. Having great strength really let him do whatever he wanted.

But even so, there were still many gaps left in his storage space, which Ren Xiaosu found very regrettable.

In the end, he could only take off his jacket and use it to wrap up more gold.

Ren Xiaosu also saw diamonds in the mall, but they weren’t worth much these days. Teacher Zhang from the School had said that diamonds were very expensive a long time ago, but in reality, their supply was huge, and their price had just been inflated by certain gimmicks.

So in this era, no one hyped up diamonds anymore. Or rather, when most people would rather buy food than diamonds, their value naturally depreciated.

Suddenly, Ren Xiaosu heard the sound of organized footsteps outside the mall. He frowned. The people from the Qing Consortium were here!

Ren Xiaosu knew very well that his, Xu Xianchu’s, and Yang Xiaojin’s presence couldn’t be hidden from the Qing Consortium. Since Liu Bu had been captured, he would definitely tell the Qing Consortium about them.

At this moment, Ren Xiaosu was inside the mall, shouldering a large bundle of gold jewelry wrapped in his jacket. The storage space in his Palace was already stuffed full.

Regardless of whether Xu Xianchu and Yang Xiaojin had achieved their goals for this trip, Ren Xiaosu, at least, was returning with a full load.

Perhaps Xu Xianchu and the others had come for the secrets of supernatural beings and the world’s evolution, but Ren Xiaosu, deep down, wasn’t very interested in that secret. If the foot massage parlors in this city were still open, he might have been a little more interested…

So, all Ren Xiaosu wanted to do now was grab some gold and run.

But just as he was about to leave, he heard the organized footsteps of the Qing Consortium’s combat troops outside. Ren Xiaosu frowned and retreated back into the mall.

It seemed Liu Bu had revealed their existence to the Qing Consortium after being captured. However, Ren Xiaosu wasn’t panicking at all. The mall was huge, and he figured that even if these combat personnel came in to search, it would be very difficult for them to find him.

Besides, this ruined city was massive, with so many buildings. Even if the Qing Consortium’s several thousand combat personnel did nothing but search the entire city, it would probably take them ten days to half a month to go through it all.

The Qing Consortium’s Xu Man was leading a combat squad through the dusty streets. They were already in a wartime state, ready to open fire at any moment. According to Liu Bu, both Xu Xianchu and Yang Xiaojin were relatively dangerous individuals, especially Xu Xianchu, who had reached a C-level threat rating.

As for Ren Xiaosu, everyone’s assessment of him was more or less the same: an ordinary refugee, stronger than average, with some killing skills, but not a significant threat.

It wasn’t that Xu Man and Qing Zhen were blindly arrogant; it was that Liu Bu didn’t know what Ren Xiaosu’s real trump cards were.

Xu Man was a professional soldier with extensive combat experience. He knew very well that if Ren Xiaosu’s only advantage was being a little stronger, he would be incredibly vulnerable in the face of thermal weapons.

Ren Xiaosu hid behind a dilapidated iron rack in the mall, making sure he was completely in shadow and wouldn’t be spotted by anyone passing outside.

He watched as the combat squad led by Xu Man slowly walked past the shattered entrance. Ren Xiaosu let out a small sigh of relief.

Just then, after rounding a corner, Xu Man and his combat squad suddenly stopped. He turned to the soldiers behind him and said, “The positions of some items in that building are different from what I remember. Someone has been here. They might still be inside!”

Ren Xiaosu probably never would have guessed that the Qing Consortium had such a terrifying combatant—someone so meticulous and with such an astonishing memory!

In truth, Ren Xiaosu hadn’t disturbed the counters on the periphery much, bumping into one or two at most. But even that had been noticed by Xu Man.

Chapter 91: Fighting Alone

Xu Man was very cautious. He first pretended not to have noticed anything as he passed the mall. Once he was certain he was a safe distance away, he immediately called for reinforcements to surround the entire building!

They cautiously doubled back, and the other five combat squads had already closed in. The communication channels inside their helmets were far more convenient than one might imagine.

Xu Man led his squad slowly toward the main entrance, turning back as if on a routine patrol, showing no signs of anything unusual. Their combat boots had hard soles, making it impossible to walk on the concrete pavement without any sound, so pretending to be on a normal patrol was the better choice.

However, the moment Ren Xiaosu heard the footsteps, he sighed inwardly. He knew very well that people in this world who relied on wishful thinking didn’t live long. If he still believed they hadn’t discovered him at this point, he would be a fool.

The Qing Consortium’s combat troops had suddenly turned back. No matter how nonchalantly they acted, Ren Xiaosu knew there had to be a reason.

At that moment, Ren Xiaosu’s heart ached a little. He slowly placed the jacket wrapped around the gold on the ground and decided to abandon it.

He had to escape for his life now; he couldn’t possibly choose gold over his own survival.

Even with his enhanced Strength, carrying a bag of gold would inevitably slow him down and even affect his balance.

Ren Xiaosu had always treated money as a tool. He liked it, but he was never addicted to it. That was just how he was.

He wasn’t just giving up the gold; Ren Xiaosu decided to leave his jacket behind as well. Trying to pull it out from under the gold at a time like this would inevitably make a huge noise.

He turned and ran lightly into the depths of the mall. It was a large building with several floors.

The outside was likely already surrounded. Ren Xiaosu wasn’t about to risk his life to check if someone was waiting behind a particular door. If he opened it only to be greeted by a hail of bullets, he’d be done for right then and there. So, Ren Xiaosu had to run up!

He remembered that there was a building of similar height right next to the mall. This area had once been the city’s most prosperous commercial district, so the mall didn’t stand alone.

Ren Xiaosu was not a reckless person. Just as Xu Man had been able to discover someone hiding in the mall through his keen observation, Ren Xiaosu had also made sure to find an escape route for himself before entering.

The distance between the two buildings was a little over twenty meters. Ren Xiaosu was confident that with his current Strength and Agility, he could make the jump!

Xu Man led his combat squad slowly into the mall. They switched on their tactical flashlights, their beams cutting into the darkness bit by bit.

It wasn’t long after they entered that Xu Man saw the jacket and the gold Ren Xiaosu had left on the floor.

He spoke into the communications channel, “Target’s whereabouts confirmed. The target is aware of our encirclement and is currently fleeing in another direction! Target is extremely cautious!”

Just then, Qing Zhen’s voice came over the channel: “Who did you find?”

Xu Man hesitated for a moment before replying, “It might be that refugee, Ren Xiaosu. I haven’t seen the target, so I can’t be sure.”

“How could you guess it’s Ren Xiaosu if you haven’t seen him?” Qing Zhen asked. “Did you find any clues?”

Xu Man hesitated again. “We found a pile of gold here… I figure only that kid would be so interested in gold.”

Qing Zhen laughed. He agreed with Xu Man’s assessment. Xu Xianchu and Yang Xiaojin’s objective was clearly the secret of the Jing Mountains. People like them would never be preoccupied with something like gold; at the very least, it wouldn’t be their primary goal.

Who would come all this way, through so much danger and fear, just to haul away a bag of gold?

If Ren Xiaosu heard this, he would surely be the first to object: Gold is so lovely, why shouldn’t I take it with me!

Previously, Luo Lan and Liu Bu had said Ren Xiaosu was just a refugee, but Qing Zhen hadn’t fully believed them.

He was a suspicious man. Even if everyone insisted Ren Xiaosu was merely a refugee, he wouldn’t let his guard down. Perhaps it was all a disguise, and Ren Xiaosu wasn’t an ordinary refugee at all.

Everyone who showed up here could be after the secret of the Jing Mountains and could have a hidden identity.

But now, Qing Zhen smiled. He suddenly had a feeling that Ren Xiaosu might genuinely not be very interested in the secret of the Jing Mountains. At the very least, his interest in gold came before any secrets…

“This Ren Xiaosu is interesting,” Qing Zhen said. “Capture him and bring him to me.”

“Received.”

In the next moment, the Qing Consortium’s combat troops swarmed into the mall like black vipers.

“Target is escaping to the second floor.”

“Target is escaping to the third floor!”

Xu Man continuously updated their intel over the communications channel. They had already found Ren Xiaosu’s footprints on the ground. The entire building was covered in a thick layer of dust accumulated over many years, so anyone walking through would inevitably leave tracks.

Finding Ren Xiaosu’s trail was a good thing, but something was bothering Xu Man. The building was six stories tall, probably thirty to forty meters in total. If Ren Xiaosu kept running upward, he would eventually have nowhere to go!

Was Ren Xiaosu an idiot? Why would he flee toward a dead end?

As Xu Man led his combat squad upward in pursuit, he recalled every detail of his previous encounters with Ren Xiaosu. The moment the boy realized they had doubled back, he had abandoned the gold without hesitation and fled as fast as he could.

The young man was greedy, but not foolishly so. The moment he realized he was in danger, he ditched the gold without a second thought.

Most people would have tried to run with the gold for a while, only deciding to drop it after realizing how much it was slowing them down. That was only human nature.

But Ren Xiaosu wasn’t like that. His decision to abandon the gold had been too decisive.

Xu Man now understood that this young opponent he was facing was no simple character. The boy possessed powerful survival instincts and a remarkably clear head.

Besides, even if their target were an idiot, he would treat him as the most intelligent of opponents. That was proper combat discipline!

So, was Ren Xiaosu fleeing upward because there was an escape route up there?

It was clearly a freestanding building. Where else could he possibly go?

No, wait!

Xu Man suddenly recalled that next to this building, there was another one, a little over ten meters away and slightly shorter. Ren Xiaosu might be planning to escape by jumping across!

He hadn’t considered it before because he had subconsciously assumed Ren Xiaosu couldn’t possibly clear the gap between the two buildings in a single leap. After all, Xu Man himself couldn’t do it.

This was a common cognitive bias: people tend to judge others’ capabilities based on their own. If they can’t do something, they subconsciously assume no one else can either.

But just because Xu Man couldn’t do it didn’t mean Ren Xiaosu couldn’t!

Xu Man yelled into his comms, “Perimeter squads, seal off the adjacent building!”

Chapter 92: The Dagger is Revealed, a Midnight Assassination

It was probably too late to surround the adjacent building now.

But what Xu Man couldn’t quite figure out was, if this Ren Xiaosu could really leap across two buildings, just what level had his strength and speed reached?

Xu Man said to the other members of the combat squad, “You all continue the pursuit upwards!”

With that, he himself turned and went downstairs, running straight for the next building. At this point, Xu Man was firmly convinced that Ren Xiaosu would not let himself be captured on the rooftop. That young man would definitely leap across the two buildings!

Just as he had run about ten steps out of his own building, he looked up and saw Ren Xiaosu fly past right over his head. The young man’s speed in the air was astonishing. He stretched his body to its absolute limit, then landed as light as a feather on the roof of the opposite building! In that instant, Xu Man felt as if he had just seen a bird in flight!

Xu Man took a deep breath. As he ran toward the neighboring building, he spoke into his comms channel, “Target Ren Xiaosu’s strength requires re-evaluation! I repeat! The target’s strength requires re-evaluation!”

This young man was far from as simple as they had imagined! This was definitely not the kind of physical power an F-class threat, as they typically defined them, could possess!

Xu Man rushed into the building and madly sprinted up the stairs toward the roof. But at that moment, everyone in this shattered city suddenly heard a massive bang. The roar spread out like a ripple through the ruined city, like a death knell suddenly being struck.

Standing inside the dark building, Xu Man looked outside, his heart filled with alarm. What was that sound? It seemed to have happened not far away!

…

A moment earlier, at the exact instant Ren Xiaosu leaped between the two buildings, as he soared through the air, he suddenly saw someone on the broken skyscraper even further ahead in the night sky!

He had been heading toward the broken skyscraper all along, so he was not too far from it now.

The next moment, after he had stabilized himself on the roof, he looked toward the fractured section of the skyscraper. The twisted and broken steel rebar made the skyscraper look like a demon’s tentacle trying to pierce the heavens!

Up on that fractured section, the girl in the cap materialized an enormous sniper rifle out of thin air under the moonlight. She planted one foot on the edge of the broken wall and braced the heavy sniper rifle on her propped-up leg!

Chamber a round, take aim!

Ren Xiaosu didn’t know how Yang Xiaojin had conjured that sniper rifle. He just whirled his head to look in the direction she was aiming and saw Qing Zhen, dressed in a white suit, under the beam of a searchlight!

Ren Xiaosu was situated between Yang Xiaojin and Qing Zhen, so he could still barely make out the situation on Qing Zhen’s end.

So… Yang Xiaojin hadn’t come here for any other reason. Not to visit relatives, not for the secrets of the Jing Mountains. From the very beginning, her goal was to kill this young man in the white suit!

Ren Xiaosu had pondered it before. There had to be an organization behind Yang Xiaojin, one that possessed its own intelligence network. That would explain how Yang Xiaojin knew in advance that Qing Zhen would appear here.

Now, deep in the Jing Mountains, the girl in the cap had finally revealed her true intentions, unleashing her deadliest killing intent!

Ren Xiaosu’s Advanced firearms knowledge suddenly swirled in his mind. He looked toward the young man in the white suit. Sniping a target at long range required considering many factors. The distance between Yang Xiaojin and the young man in the white suit was so great that she would even have to account for the Coriolis effect. Without any reference points, how would she make the shot?

At this moment, not far from the young man in the white suit, Luo Xinyu stood with her head down, her long hair hanging in front of her face, swaying with the gentle breeze. When the wind stopped for an instant, Luo Xinyu’s hair also stilled. Ren Xiaosu had a sudden realization—now was the time!

Luo Xinyu had, at some unknown point, broken free from her cuffs. She actually pulled a black dagger from her thick, long hair and stabbed at the bodyguard by Qing Zhen’s side. Instead of retreating, the bodyguard advanced. A white light shone from his hands, whirling towards Luo Xinyu like two fans.

Liu Bu, who was standing nearby, was completely dumbfounded. He never expected the Luo Xinyu he knew to suddenly become a different person. Where had that delicate and weak Luo Xinyu gone?! This couldn’t be someone pretending to be her, could it!

The dagger in Luo Xinyu’s hand looked like a work of art, yet in her slender hand, it seemed to be filled with power.

Seeing this, the surrounding combat troops all raised their guns and aimed at Luo Xinyu’s position. If Qing Zhen’s bodyguard was overwhelmed, they would immediately open fire to block Luo Xinyu’s path and prevent her from assassinating Qing Zhen!

But Luo Xinyu wasn’t trying to kill anyone. She seemed to just be buying Yang Xiaojin a single moment. Neither Qing Zhen, nor his bodyguard, nor the members of the combat troops had expected the final, fatal attack to come from the distant skyscraper.

Luo Xinyu only feinted an attack before turning to retreat. In a brief instant, she fell back into a patch of shadow behind the building and vanished, as if she had opened a door through space in that very shadow!

That was Luo Xinyu’s power. Perhaps even Ren Xiaosu had never imagined that there was another supernatural being hidden in their group, and the best actor of them all at that.

This turn of events caught everyone off guard. But just then, Qing Zhen abruptly turned his head to look at the skyscraper. He felt a sharp pain in his temples!

Boom! The muzzle flash from Yang Xiaojin’s sniper rifle was like a fiery dragon in the dark night, suddenly blooming with a bloody light!

The bodyguard caught the muzzle flash in his peripheral vision and immediately abandoned his pursuit of Luo Xinyu, returning to Qing Zhen’s side.

A bodyguard’s duty was to protect, not to kill. The bodyguard roared, “Sniper!”

The distance between Yang Xiaojin and Qing Zhen bought the bodyguard time. A bullet may be fast, but that was all relative. When the distance was stretched out, even a fatal bullet had to traverse a long stretch of air and darkness!

The bodyguard shielded Qing Zhen with his own body, holding the two fans of white light squarely in front of his chest. He could have tried to push Qing Zhen away, but Qing Zhen was an ordinary person. Pushing him would have been too slow.

Time seemed to stand still.

A palm-length sniper bullet tore through the world, its spin creating a force that distorted the air as it pierced the night sky!

The searchlight beam illuminated the area around Qing Zhen like a stage, and the bullet seemed to pass through the gaps in the light beam, crossing a thousand meters to arrive on that stage.

With a bang, the bullet, carrying immense rotational force, collided with the white fans. The white fans began to shatter, piece by piece.

For a split second, the bodyguard even felt he could clearly see the pattern on the palm-length, silver bullet.

Then, the bullet tore into muscle and heart, punching through to spray a shower of blood. This bullet, which had flown over a thousand meters, had actually pierced through both this supernatural being’s ability and his body before finally falling to the ground.

The two white fans had been tough, but they still could not stop death.

Blood splattered through the air, and in an instant, it had stained Qing Zhen’s white suit red. The specks of blood on his white suit were like plum blossoms blooming in the dead of winter.

But even at this moment, Qing Zhen remained as calm as ever, as if that bullet had not been fired at him at all.

“What a pity,” Qing Zhen sighed. No one could tell if he was referring to his dead supernatural bodyguard or his white suit.

Chapter 93: This is Such a Dirty Trick

A standard 7.62mm round has a muzzle energy of 2600 joules, while a 12.7mm large-caliber round can reach up to 15,000 joules.

But even such simple data made it difficult to intuitively imagine the immense force with which a sniper bullet would tear through you.

Qing Zhen’s bodyguard was a supernatural being. It was astonishing that while the various corporations were aggressively rounding up supernatural beings, Qing Zhen had already recruited one for his personal use.

At that moment, the Qing Consortium’s Silent Tiger, renowned among all the corporations, stood in the center of the searchlight’s beam as if on his own stage. He bent down, picked up the bullet from the ground, and smiled. “Have the Thugs finally set their sights on me?”

The people around Qing Zhen were stunned. The Thugs were responsible? That organization spoken of only in hushed whispers throughout the corporate circles?

Qing Zhen turned to Liu Bu and smiled. “As a manager, you didn’t even know your own master was a supernatural being. You really are a fool. Rest in peace. This era… has no place for the useless.”

Qing Zhen grabbed Liu Bu by the hair and, with his bare hands, plunged the palm-length bullet into Liu Bu’s eye. Liu Bu let out only a brief cry of pain before falling still.

Qing Zhen’s hands were dripping with blood.

…

Meanwhile, Ren Xiaosu stood on a rooftop, watching in a daze as Yang Xiaojin, after her one failed shot, immediately rose and packed up her rifle without a moment’s hesitation. It was as if she already knew that no matter how many more times she fired, she would not get another chance to kill Qing Zhen.

The next moment, the sniper rifle’s muzzle swung around and aimed right at Ren Xiaosu on the rooftop. Ren Xiaosu could almost feel a hint of mischief in her eyes from behind the scope.

Ren Xiaosu panicked. Shouldn’t you be taking another shot at your target since you failed the Quest? Why are you aiming at me! But Yang Xiaojin seemed completely unbothered. A failure was a failure, and there was no point dwelling on the past.

A shot boomed, but this time the muzzle flash held no sense of astonishment, because Ren Xiaosu stood perfectly still, and the bullet didn’t even hit him.

Ren Xiaosu understood Yang Xiaojin’s marksmanship better than anyone. So he knew the purpose of that shot wasn’t to kill him, but to… sever ties with him in front of the Qing Consortium?

If that was really the case, wasn’t that a bit too reckless? Was this purely to get back at him for Luo Xinyu?!

Suddenly, Ren Xiaosu saw Luo Xinyu, who had just been missing, appear on top of the skyscraper. She waved at Ren Xiaosu as if to say hello, then took Yang Xiaojin’s hand and pulled her into the shadows with her.

Ren Xiaosu was utterly dumbfounded. He looked at the now-empty skyscraper, then at the combat troops from the Qing Consortium swarming in like locusts… You’re just leaving? Aren’t you going to take me with you?!

Watching the main force of the Qing Consortium’s combat brigade closing in on him, Ren Xiaosu felt like crying but had no tears. You draw all the fire here and then just leave using your supernatural powers, but have you ever considered that you might be screwing someone else over?!

This was such a dirty trick!

To be honest, Ren Xiaosu truly never expected Luo Xinyu to be in cahoots with Yang Xiaojin. Even Yang Xiaojin’s assassination attempt on Qing Zhen hadn’t surprised him this much.

Ren Xiaosu recalled their first meeting with Luo Xinyu’s group. When he had demanded to trade for Wang Congyang, Luo Xinyu had secretly glanced at Yang Xiaojin. The others hadn’t noticed, but Ren Xiaosu had.

Later, when they were eating fish, Yang Xiaojin had called Luo Xinyu over. When someone harassed Luo Xinyu, Yang Xiaojin had immediately stepped in to help her.

At the time, Ren Xiaosu had just thought Yang Xiaojin was acting on her principles as a woman. He never imagined the two of them knew each other all along and had been putting on a grand show for everyone!

The act the two of them put on wasn’t airtight, but it was enough to fool Ren Xiaosu, Xu Xianchu, and Liu Bu.

Luo Xinyu was just a girl. So many soldiers from the private troops had died, yet Luo Xinyu had survived until the very end. That alone should have aroused Ren Xiaosu’s suspicion.

Before he saw this outcome, he couldn’t spot the truths hidden right under his nose. But now, looking back on the process with the result in mind, those little details came flooding back.

Ren Xiaosu watched the dark mass of combat personnel approaching and felt a pang of regret. He had been too careless!

As expected, the more beautiful a woman, the more dangerous she is. That rule didn’t just apply in the wilderness!

And the two girls had kept Liu Bu alive only to help clear Luo Xinyu of suspicion. In the end, Luo Xinyu was the one who helped Yang Xiaojin pinpoint Qing Zhen’s location and buy that crucial moment.

The only surprise was that they hadn’t expected Qing Zhen to have a supernatural being by his side who was willing to sacrifice his own life to protect him.

What had Qing Zhen done to command such loyalty from a supernatural being?!

Just then, the rusty iron door to the rooftop was smashed to pieces. Ren Xiaosu raised his gun and fired, pinning down their advance. He glanced around and cursed, “Damn it!”

The moment he spoke, Xu Man looked through the shattered rooftop door and saw Ren Xiaosu suddenly accelerate towards the edge of the roof. He tried to shoot and stop him, but his wrist, holding the gun, couldn’t keep up with Ren Xiaosu’s rapid movement!

Throughout the ruined city, the combat personnel in their black combat fatigues were like venomous snakes flicking their forked tongues. Ren Xiaosu couldn’t wait any longer. He had to escape before they closed their encirclement!

Previously, Ren Xiaosu had thought that since he, Yang Xiaojin, and Xu Xianchu had all entered the city’s lockdown zone, if they had to escape, he would surely be the fastest.

He never thought that Yang Xiaojin and Luo Xinyu would cheat!

Ren Xiaosu leaped from the rooftop. There was a drop of more than ten meters to the rooftop of the opposite building, but Ren Xiaosu was confident he would be fine!

Xu Man rushed to the edge of the roof, intending to fire another shot at Ren Xiaosu. But by the time he reached the edge, all he could see was Ren Xiaosu’s distant, retreating figure. That figure was fleeing toward the edge of the city. Xu Man shouted into the comms channel, “Target is escaping towards the 10 o’clock direction! Tighten the cordon!”

The Qing Consortium’s cordon was still in place in the forest outside the city. Countless combat squads were waiting there for an unknown danger. They never expected a refugee to be the first to run into it.

Before this, it seemed no one had ever paid this refugee any mind.

Ren Xiaosu sprinted through the city’s streets and alleys. After jumping from the rooftop, he tried his best to avoid high places, fearing he would become a living target.

As he ran, he thought to himself that Xu Xianchu hadn’t made a single move. At a time like this, it would be nice to at least have someone else to draw some of the fire!

This broken city was like a giant chessboard. Ren Xiaosu, a tiny pawn, moved swiftly across it. And on this board, his little white piece no longer had any teammates. The fully armed black pieces were bent on hunting him to extinction.

Chapter 94: Xu Xianchu Is Here! Who Dares to Fight Me!

Ren Xiaosu ran frantically towards the forest at the edge of the city. That was to the north of Stronghold 112, where the active volcano in the depths of the Jing Mountains was located.

He knew that there were definitely more combat squads waiting for him up ahead. A net was there, ready to be sprung the moment he arrived.

But Ren Xiaosu had no other choice. That was his only sliver of hope for survival!

But suddenly, a rumbling sound erupted from deeper within the Jing Mountains. Ren Xiaosu abruptly looked up at the distant mountains and saw a flash of fire spewing from their depths!

Wait, the active volcano was about to erupt!

Continue? Or turn back?

Ren Xiaosu’s expression turned ruthless. At a time like this, who cared about some volcano? Only by surviving could he even think about anything else!

Behind him, Xu Man was also stunned by the sight of the volcano. He knew that entering the eruption zone was extremely dangerous. Forget about advancing; if the volcano truly erupted, they probably wouldn’t even have time to escape if they turned and ran now.

Many people thought that a volcanic eruption would only affect the creatures near the mountain itself. That was because they underestimated a volcano’s true power!

It was possible that an area spanning tens, or even hundreds, of kilometers in radius would be turned into a sea of fire!

But Xu Man only hesitated for a moment before saying over the comms channel, “Continue advancing!”

Having fled to the edge of the city, Ren Xiaosu glanced back at the city behind him. The torrent of Qing Consortium troops, like a flood of black iron filings, was about to reach him. Without any further hesitation, Ren Xiaosu turned and plunged into the northern forest!

As the Qing Consortium combat squads scattered throughout the forest tightened their cordon, their formations appeared exceptionally layered and organized.

Their movements were as if they had been rehearsed a thousand times. Which squad acted as the vanguard and which squad brought up the rear on the perimeter were all clearly defined.

The combat squads in the northern forest had already received the order to encircle and capture Ren Xiaosu. Even the sound of the volcanic eruption behind them did not affect their execution of the order.

Just then, Xu Man’s cold voice came over the comms channel: “Target’s hundred-meter sprint speed is 3.92 seconds. Strength unknown. All combat units, be advised: kill on sight.”

Ren Xiaosu probably never imagined what kind of technology the Qing Consortium possessed. Within their combat troops, there were actually people dedicated to remotely assessing a target’s strength and speed.

It was just that Ren Xiaosu hadn’t yet revealed his true strength, so the combat troops were unable to assess it.

Originally, Qing Zhen had been very interested in Ren Xiaosu. And factoring in his connection to Zhang Jinglin, Qing Zhen had actually wanted to keep Ren Xiaosu alive for other purposes.

But now, he didn’t want to wait any longer.

The difference between “capture” and “kill” was just a single word, but they were completely different.

The seven combat squads in the forest racked the bolts of their guns almost simultaneously. Their muzzles were angled downwards, ready to be raised to fire at a moment’s notice.

Moreover, these seven combat squads had immediately switched to their regional comms channel to prevent external communications from interfering with their operation. At that moment, these 210 men became an independent combat sequence, authorized to act first and report later!

This had always been a custom of the troops led by Qing Zhen. Qing Zhen believed that if an independent combat unit didn’t even have decision-making authority, then this war machine would possess no real combat effectiveness.

Many within the Qing Consortium had criticized his method of command, but Qing Zhen had never accepted anyone’s opinions. He hadn’t in the past, and he wouldn’t in the future.

However, what many of the big shots in the Qing Consortium didn’t know was that this made many soldiers willing to work for Qing Zhen, because he frequently made them feel trusted.

Meanwhile, Qing Zhen was looking at Liu Bu, who lay in a pool of blood to the side. A member of the combat troops was carefully searching Liu Bu’s body again when someone brought over a folded, tattered doll. “This is what he was carrying.”

Qing Zhen frowned. “What the hell is this?!”

It seemed that even someone like Qing Zhen had never seen such a thing…

…

As the combat squads slowly tightened the cordon in the forest, they had already switched on their tactical flashlights.

According to the information Xu Man had gotten from Liu Bu, Ren Xiaosu should have a gun and three magazines he had seized from the private troops.

But the Qing Consortium’s operatives were not afraid that turning on their lights would make them targets. After all, it was impossible for Ren Xiaosu to shoot thirty men at once. If Ren Xiaosu really dared to open fire, the comrades next to them would riddle him with bullets in an instant!

The seven combat squads in the forest were advancing toward the city, while Xu Man was leading six other combat squads to encircle the forest. Mobilizing hundreds of men to catch one person—this was unprecedented treatment for Ren Xiaosu.

However, they had still underestimated Ren Xiaosu’s abilities in the wilderness.

The reason Ren Xiaosu had agreed to be their guide in the first place was because he was confident enough in himself.

Though the Qing Consortium’s combat troops were formidable, their experience in the jungle was far inferior to Ren Xiaosu’s!

As the six combat squads led by Xu Man drew closer to the squads converging from within the forest, a black shadow suddenly burst out from the trees.

The black shadow was as dense as ink, and its movements were as fast and nimble as a ghost’s. The trees in the forest seemed to pose no obstacle to it at all.

The northern combat squad opened fire without hesitation, but the black shadow seemed to have anticipated it. With a single sidestep to the right, it caused all the bullets to miss their mark!

After sidestepping, the black shadow did not stop. Its body suddenly lunged forward, and with a single powerful stride, it had already charged into the midst of the foremost combat squad!

What should you do when the enemy has powerful thermal weapons? Ren Xiaosu had once asked Zhang Jinglin this question. At the time, Zhang Jinglin had said, “Of course, you charge right into their midst! Because then they won’t dare to fire recklessly. They’ll be surrounded by their teammates, while you’ll be surrounded by enemies!”

Ren Xiaosu wasn’t sure if Zhang Jinglin’s advice had been a joke, but from the looks of it now, it seemed to be effective.

All the members of that combat squad drew their tactical daggers. Because the black shadow was so fast, they were indeed worried that their bullets would accidentally injure their comrades.

But to Ren Xiaosu’s black shadow, these normal humans were truly too slow! And too weak!

The black shadow was completely fearless of being cut by the daggers. It only needed a single punch to end a life. Suddenly, the shadow kicked a combat operative in the chest, sending the man flying over five meters away like a kite with a snapped string!

Fear gripped the hearts of the other operatives. This strength was ridiculously exaggerated!

Xu Man, who had arrived just in time, saw a black shadow moving in the distance. When he got a clear look at what it was, he was astonished. Weren’t they chasing Ren Xiaosu? No one had mentioned before that Ren Xiaosu had this kind of ability.

At this moment, Ren Xiaosu suddenly shouted, “Xu Xianchu is here! Who dares to fight me!”

Chapter 95: Dead Ends Everywhere

Ren Xiaosu’s decision to use the shadow was a carefully considered one. He wasn’t afraid of exposing the fact he was a supernatural being—after all, when you were about to die, who cared about being supernatural or not?

He was just afraid of exposing the fact that he could copy other people’s abilities. The reason Ren Xiaosu had impersonated Xu Xianchu was because he had seen from afar that Xu Xianchu had not yet been caught, and the Qing Consortium must have already learned about Xu Xianchu’s abilities through Liu Bu.

Ren Xiaosu had already met several supernatural beings. Yang Xiaojin could materialize a peerless sniper rifle out of thin air, Xu Xianchu could materialize his own shadow, Luo Xinyu could travel through shadows, and Qing Zhen’s Bodyguard could materialize a white fan.

At that moment, Ren Xiaosu had the strange feeling that supernatural beings were a dime a dozen.

But his supernatural ability was different. An ability that could copy everyone else’s supernatural abilities—what level would that be considered? Ren Xiaosu did not know.

What if the Qing Consortium became even more interested in him after discovering he could copy other people’s powers?

Just now, as he was fleeing, Ren Xiaosu had been wondering just how many supernatural beings there were in the world. Were there really that many?

But on second thought, that didn’t seem right. It was more likely that the Jing Mountains and Qing Zhen had attracted all of them here.

At this moment, upon hearing Ren Xiaosu’s roar, Xu Man’s previous doubts were finally resolved. He reported over the communication channel: “Previous intelligence was incorrect. The target is not Ren Xiaosu, the target is Xu Xianchu!”

Their initial assessment that the target was Ren Xiaosu was based only on their assumption that Ren Xiaosu, as a refugee, would be more interested in the gold. But they had no direct evidence to confirm Ren Xiaosu’s identity.

First, they had never seen what Ren Xiaosu looked like. Second, even if they had seen both Ren Xiaosu and Xu Xianchu, Ren Xiaosu’s face was so grimy that it was beyond recognition…

Furthermore, Ren Xiaosu was wearing Sun Junzheng’s combat fatigues, so his clothes were identical to Xu Xianchu’s…

According to the information the Qing Consortium had gathered, Xu Xianchu could materialize his own shadow to fight for him. Moreover, its combat strength was extremely high, to the point of being impervious to bullets.

Although the shadow Ren Xiaosu had summoned was black, which didn’t match Liu Bu’s description, Xu Man instinctively felt that this might just be a trick of the light. Perhaps the shadow would turn gray in the daylight…

When the Qing Consortium combat personnel heard Ren Xiaosu’s bold declaration, “Xu Xianchu is here! Who dares to fight me!”, they thought their target was about to fight them to the death. But then the target turned around and ran!

Several bullets had just grazed Ren Xiaosu’s body, but he remained completely unscathed.

He knew it wasn’t because he was good at dodging, nor was it because the Qing Consortium’s troops were terrible shots. It was the wish Yan Liuyuan had made… it was starting to take effect.

Ren Xiaosu’s brows furrowed with worry. He had no idea how Liuyuan was doing right now. He had to shake off the Qing Consortium as quickly as possible; he couldn’t keep taking risks like this.

He ran for about another hundred meters before finally recalling his shadow!

The shadow had been rampaging through the crowd. Ren Xiaosu had even stopped controlling it to strike his enemies’ vital points with precision, instead using its body for cruder, more destructive impacts.

You have to understand, Ren Xiaosu’s own Strength was already equivalent to nearly three adult men, and the shadow’s was twice his!

So, there was no need to strike vital points. Anyone the shadow collided with would have their bones shattered.

Surrounded by the Qing Consortium’s encirclement, the shadow fought alone like a small boat on a stormy sea, looking as if it could be extinguished at any moment. But surprisingly, no matter how many injuries it sustained, the shadow seemed able to fight on forever.

Many combat personnel stood between the shadow and Ren Xiaosu. When Ren Xiaosu recalled it, the shadow barreled through them like a train, forcefully carving a bloody path through the crowd!

To be recalled, the shadow had to merge with Ren Xiaosu’s body. Similarly, when Ren Xiaosu wanted to release the shadow, it would only separate from his back.

When the shadow returned to Ren Xiaosu’s side, its body was covered in wounds. The pain from those injuries was as unbearable as if they were on his own body. The shadow had taken several bullets as it escaped, and the agony was so intense that Ren Xiaosu nearly vomited blood!

Large beads of cold sweat trickled down his face and back. Gritting his teeth, Ren Xiaosu endured the pain and continued to flee for his life.

No wonder Xu Xianchu’s face had turned pale when his shadow took those bullets earlier. So this shadow also had “side effects.”

What Ren Xiaosu didn’t know, however, was that Xu Xianchu would have been absolutely astonished if he were here.

Xu Xianchu had tested it himself. Once his shadow engaged in high-intensity movement, it would inevitably deplete his own “mental energy” and dissipate. At that point, the main body would suffer from nausea, vomiting, and chest tightness—a fate worse than death!

But Ren Xiaosu’s shadow was completely different from his.

Back then, when Ren Xiaosu had asked the Palace if it could evaluate his mental energy value, the Palace’s reply was… insufficient authority to disclose.

…

Ren Xiaosu was fleeing for his life through the woods. The pain from the shadow showed no signs of subsiding, and he now realized that he couldn’t use it recklessly. If he planned to use the shadow to die in his place, he had to be prepared for that marrow-deep agony.

If the shadow died once, it was the same as him dying once.

Ren Xiaosu gasped for breath. It wasn’t that he had never been injured before, but this pain felt even more real than a physical wound.

What gave Ren Xiaosu some comfort, however, was that the shadow had not dissipated despite its injuries. He still had the strength to fight.

The Qing Consortium’s combat personnel behind him were like a pack of black hounds, relentlessly giving chase. If Ren Xiaosu weren’t faster than them, he would have been in real trouble.

Ren Xiaosu didn’t run in a straight line. Instead, he tried to gradually shake the hounds off his trail. Soon, the Qing Consortium became uncertain of his exact position.

Only then did Ren Xiaosu breathe a sigh of relief. The pressure of being hunted by several hundred people was immense. He prepared to hide in the woods to catch his breath for a moment.

However, just then, he suddenly heard the sound of chains up ahead…

Ren Xiaosu stood rooted to the spot, clutching his chest as he let out a miserable laugh. What the hell…

He lamented, “Life is full of dead ends.”

Ren Xiaosu had seen Qing Zhen and his men confining the Experiment Subject in the cage from a distance, but he couldn’t hear what Qing Zhen was saying. Therefore, he didn’t know there was more than one Experiment Subject.

Ren Xiaosu had thought the biggest obstacle on his escape route north might be the volcano. He never expected it to be these Experiment Subjects.

Judging by the sound, Ren Xiaosu instantly realized they were coming from three different directions. This meant he was facing at least three Experiment Subjects!

The rattling of the chains grew closer and closer, and Ren Xiaosu once again heard the sound of the Experiment Subjects’ saliva dripping onto the decaying leaves.

The shadow stood shoulder to shoulder with him. Ren Xiaosu quickly calculated in his mind: perhaps the shadow could take care of two of the Experiment Subjects, but whether he himself could handle one alone had become a huge problem.

Four Experiment Subjects were in front of him, and hundreds of people were behind him. At this moment, they all wanted Ren Xiaosu dead.

Chapter 96: I Will Thank Myself Seven Times

Ren Xiaosu had a gun, but if he fired it, he would immediately expose his position. If the people from the Qing Consortium were drawn over, he would be caught in a pincer attack and truly finished.

Besides, if an Experiment Subject were to attack at close range, a gun would be less useful than a dagger.

He subconsciously reached for his dagger, the one Yang Xiaojin had traded with him. But when his hand found nothing, Ren Xiaosu’s face fell. The dagger was gone!

Ren Xiaosu suddenly recalled how Yang Xiaojin had pretended to bump into him just before she left. She must have stolen the dagger back then!

Ren Xiaosu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. That girl was really someone who refused to be taken advantage of. She had clearly said it was a trade, but she ended up taking it back? What happened to the trust between people?

How ruthless…

Ren Xiaosu marveled at Yang Xiaojin’s thieving skills; they must be quite high. Back in the Settlement, no one had ever managed to steal anything from him without a sound.

He sighed inwardly. What was he supposed to do without a dagger?

However, what Ren Xiaosu didn’t know was that an ordinary blade could hardly cut through the skin of these Experiment Subjects. Even a bullet would be instantly locked in the surface layer by their muscles.

A direct headshot wouldn’t work either, as the skull was the toughest bone in the human body. These Experiment Subjects were long past being threatened by bullets, unless a bullet went straight through an eye.

But these Experiment Subjects were nearly as fast as he was. The probability of him shooting one in the eye was close to zero.

His gun skill was only Advanced, not Perfect.

Just then, Ren Xiaosu heard a gust of wind behind him. He instinctively ducked, and a foul-smelling breeze swept over his head.

Ren Xiaosu steadied himself and looked closely. To his horror, he saw an Experiment Subject that had crept up on him at some point. The only difference was that this one had no chains on its arms.

“Experiment Subjects have chains on their arms, so you’ll hear them coming.” This had probably become a mental habit. But Ren Xiaosu had never considered that not every Experiment Subject would be chained.

And an Experiment Subject without chains could move through the woods without making a sound. That was truly terrifying!

Ren Xiaosu reached for his back and frowned. He had still been scratched in that last exchange. There were five bloody marks there.

He started to miss the Settlement. Although there was danger there too, you would only be taken advantage of if you showed weakness.

But it was different here. Everyone, both in front of him and behind him, wanted him dead!

Ren Xiaosu tried to retreat, but for every step he took back, the four Experiment Subjects took two steps forward. At a certain point, Ren Xiaosu suddenly felt that their appearance here was no accident. It was as if they had come for him!

The four Experiment Subjects crawled on all fours. The one without chains on its arms quietly climbed a tree, like a giant spider.

Ren Xiaosu couldn’t imagine what kind of laboratory could have turned these living, breathing people into such creatures.

At that moment, a combat squad passed by a few hundred meters behind Ren Xiaosu. But they seemed to have completely lost his trail, so even though they were only a few hundred meters away, they didn’t notice the situation over here.

Ren Xiaosu observed the reactions of the four Experiment Subjects. When the combat squad passed by, they also paused, as if they didn’t want the squad to interfere with their hunt!

A strange feeling arose in Ren Xiaosu’s heart, but he had no time to dwell on it. The moment the Experiment Subjects’ attention was diverted by the combat squad, Ren Xiaosu decisively commanded his shadow to charge forward.

In that instant, Ren Xiaosu decided to strike first to gain the upper hand!

He really wanted to lure these Experiment Subjects to the Qing Consortium, but he was more worried that those several hundred people would just open fire indiscriminately and wipe out every living thing.

Compared to several hundred people from the Qing Consortium, Ren Xiaosu would rather face four Experiment Subjects!

As the shadow rushed toward the three Experiment Subjects on the ground, the one in the tree leaped down at Ren Xiaosu.

Ren Xiaosu took a small step back. The muscles in his planted left leg tensed instantly, and strength surged through his entire body. The moment the Experiment Subject was upon him, Ren Xiaosu threw a punch at its face like a cannonball!

But he had underestimated the Experiment Subject’s agility. It twisted its body wantonly in mid-air, actually managing to dodge Ren Xiaosu’s fist. It even had enough leeway to reach out and grab Ren Xiaosu’s arm!

Ren Xiaosu was shocked. He immediately withdrew his hand and took another small step back!

At the same time, he kicked out, sending the Experiment Subject flying several meters away. The creature lay on the ground, twitched slightly, then got up and leaped at Ren Xiaosu again!

Suddenly, a heart-drilling pain shot through Ren Xiaosu’s body. The tearing sensation that seemed to originate from his very bones made him break out in a cold sweat, his muscles trembling!

His shadow was entangled with three Experiment Subjects. They were frantically tearing at the shadow’s body, and one of them even sank its teeth into the shadow’s waist!

The shadow was strong enough to lift an Experiment Subject with one hand. It slammed one of them viciously onto the ground, but the creature was even tougher than Ren Xiaosu had imagined. It got up after the slam as if nothing had happened!

This was the disadvantage of being unarmed. Ren Xiaosu couldn’t kill these Experiment Subjects in a single blow. It was hard to say who would be worn down and die here in the end.

Ren Xiaosu wanted to go home, even if the road was paved only with blood and thorns.

Because he couldn’t kill the Experiment Subjects quickly with a sharp weapon, even his shadow was beginning to falter, as it had to face three terrifying monsters at once.

The monsters bit down hard on the shadow, and every bite felt as if it were on Ren Xiaosu’s own body.

The pain traveled from specific parts of his body to his central nervous system, delivering unbearable signals. These pain signals formed an extremely complex storm raging through his neural network, to the point that his normal consciousness was being disrupted.

His hands movements slowed, and they started to tremble. The Experiment Subject in front of him had tried to attack several times only to be blocked, but it was gradually noticing that its enemy was becoming slower and weaker.

Ren Xiaosu’s eyes were bloodshot. He endured the intense pain, almost on the verge of tears.

In all these years, Ren Xiaosu had never cried, not even shed a single tear. He leaned against a nearby tree, gasping for breath. Everyone here wanted him dead.

The Experiment Subjects wanted him dead.

The Qing Consortium also wanted him dead.

But he refused to die.

The shadow wasn’t omnipotent. In fact, no supernatural ability in this world was omnipotent.

Ren Xiaosu needed a weapon, even if he only had 93 Gratitude Tokens.

He said to the Palace, “Give me a weapon.”

The Palace replied calmly, “Current Gratitude Tokens: 93. Weapon permission has not been unlocked.”

“Hey… I said, give me a weapon,” Ren Xiaosu’s voice sounded as if it were sinking into the ocean. “I said I’m going to die. Give me a weapon.”

At that moment, time seemed to freeze. Ren Xiaosu watched as the Experiment Subject lunging at him slowed down in mid-air, its speed approaching zero.

The Palace finally spoke. “Death aura detected. Open the seal?”

Ren Xiaosu was confused. “Open what seal?”

“Unknown.”

“Then what’s the price for opening this seal?”

“Loss?”

“Loss of what?” Ren Xiaosu asked, surprised. “You have to tell me what I’ll lose so I can decide whether to open it or not, right?”

“Everything.”

Ren Xiaosu suddenly sneered at the Palace. How much blood have I shed to survive until now, how many wild vegetables and tree roots have I eaten? Now you tell me I have to lose everything, and I’m just supposed to accept that?

On what grounds!

Besides, do you even know what ‘everything’ means? Gold, cash, the gun I’m carrying, Yan Liuyuan, Sister Xiaoyu, even the clothes on my back!

What would a stupid palace want with my clothes!

The Palace said nothing more. Ren Xiaosu felt a little melancholic. You could at least try to haggle a bit.

Ren Xiaosu looked at the forest in the night, at the approaching killing intent. The “zero time” that had frozen the air was gradually unlocking, and the Experiment Subject’s lunge was getting faster and faster.

The Experiment Subject’s vicious maw opened wide, wanting to devour Ren Xiaosu’s organs, to suck his blood and marrow.

Am I about to die? Ren Xiaosu watched the scene unfold.

But he hadn’t lived enough!

The next moment, a pale smile spread across Ren Xiaosu’s face. So it’s just seven thanks, isn’t it?

He said calmly in his mind, “I will thank myself seven times.”

“First, I thank myself for never being timid when faced with an opportunity.”

“Second, I thank myself for never being afraid when faced with danger.”

“Third, I thank myself for never compromising when faced with hardship.”

“Fourth, I thank myself for always having a bottom line when faced with temptation.”

Ren Xiaosu’s voice in his mind grew louder and louder, until it boomed like thunder, shaking the very Palace.

“Fifth, I thank myself for never being hypocritical.”

In that instant, Ren Xiaosu seemed to hear his own heartbeat, loud as a drum.

“Sixth, I thank myself for remaining as clear-headed as ever, never hesitating.”

Then he heard the sound of the wind, the wind brushing against the texture of his skin. In the city, a researcher monitoring the lab’s position suddenly looked up. A huge energy surge was detected to the north, erupting like the rising sun!

Ren Xiaosu’s tone was calm yet resolute. “Seventh, I thank myself for singing my way through the mire of life, blazing a trail through all obstacles!”

The Palace was silent for a moment. “Gratitude from Ren Xiaosu, +7!”

“Weapon permission acquired. Unlock?”

“Unlock!” Ren Xiaosu roared.

Suddenly, the lock on time seemed to melt away. Ren Xiaosu calmly watched the Experiment Subject lunging at him. He reached out into the void, as if to grasp some unknown power.

One slash to carve a path between life and death, an army of thousands will not turn back!

The next moment, a black blade appeared in Ren Xiaosu’s hand. He gritted his teeth and swung it horizontally. In that instant, every tendon and fiber of his being boiled to its limit, the veins on his forehead throbbing!

Schwing! The sound of a sharp weapon slicing through leather was jarring in the forest. The incomparably ferocious Experiment Subject was cleaved in two by the black blade!

Ren Xiaosu was furious. Life and death—that was the essence of this world!

A look of bewilderment appeared in the Experiment Subject’s eyes. It couldn’t seem to understand where Ren Xiaosu’s blade had come from, nor why this single slash was its end.

Pale yellow blood dripped from the black blade onto the decaying leaves on the ground. Ren Xiaosu held the blade in a reverse grip and looked back at the battlefield.

For some reason, the moment Ren Xiaosu had grasped the blade from the void, a blade had also appeared in the shadow’s hand.

The black blade and the black shadow were a perfect match, as if they were one and the same.

When the blade appeared, the three Experiment Subjects entangled with the shadow immediately tried to break off the fight. But it was too late for them to run.

The shadow brought its blade down in a diagonal slash, instantly cutting one of the Experiment Subjects in two. Without pausing, it took a powerful step forward, pinned another Experiment Subject’s neck to the ground from behind, and held it there, struggling.

The Experiment Subject’s strength was immense, but when pinned by the shadow, it was like a helpless, dying beast. The shadow lopped its head off with a single stroke.

Only one Experiment Subject was left, and it fled into the woods. But Ren Xiaosu knew it wouldn’t get far.

Ren Xiaosu stood his ground, gazing into the darkness before him. The pain he had felt earlier still stimulated his nerves, but for the first time, he felt the exhilaration of battle!

So, this was what it meant to be a supernatural being.

At this time, the Palace spoke: “Side Quest 2 initiated: Obtain 1,000 Gratitude Tokens to unlock the intermediate form of the weapon.”

Chapter 97: Re-evaluating the Danger Level!

Ren Xiaosu’s battle with the Experiment Subjects eventually attracted the attention of the Qing Consortium. After all, such an intense fight was bound to make some noise. Although the Qing Consortium had lost track of Ren Xiaosu’s location, they had been searching the forest relentlessly.

When someone heard the sounds of battle, they immediately issued an order to assemble over the communications channel.

Like black iron filings drawn to a magnet, the Qing Consortium troops, led by Xu Man, rapidly converged on the location. However, to Xu Man’s disappointment, the target had vanished by the time they arrived.

Mistaking their target, Xu Xianchu, for Ren Xiaosu at the start was bad enough, but now they had actually lost Xu Xianchu completely. This put Xu Man in a very foul mood.

In all his years, this was the first time Xu Man had encountered so many unexpected setbacks on a mission.

Xu Man trudged forward through the forest, the decaying leaves and branches crunching under their feet. He pulled down his goggles for a better look, then suddenly drew a sharp breath.

Before him lay the dismembered corpses of several Experiment Subjects, torn apart by a sharp weapon. The pale yellow blood of the creatures wasn’t very conspicuous on the ground, but the mangled bodies were a shocking sight.

Xu Man ordered, “Gather the bodies. I want to know how many Experiment Subjects were in this fight.”

According to Xu Man’s speculation, Xu Xianchu must have run into these Experiment Subjects shortly after retreating, which led to a fight.

By now, the combat squad members had gathered all the nearby body parts and were piecing them together.

“Four Experiment Subjects,” someone reported. “We’re missing an arm from one of them, but it should be somewhere around here.”

“There’s only one set of shoeprints here. The Experiment Subjects are barefoot, so we suspect the only human who fought was Xu Xianchu,” another analyzed.

Xu Man nodded. He opened the public communications channel and said, “Boss, Xu Xianchu’s abilities need to be re-evaluated. He killed four Experiment Subjects on his own.”

As he spoke, Xu Man looked down at a leaf on the ground and added, “However, Xu Xianchu was also injured. We’ve found his blood here.”

Qing Zhen stood in the beam of a searchlight, the area as bright as day. He pondered for a long moment before saying, “To kill four Experiment Subjects single-handedly is truly astonishing. Upgrade Xu Xianchu’s danger level to… B-grade. And remember to collect his blood sample for our records.”

“Roger that.” Upon receiving the order, Xu Man immediately had someone collect and secure the blood sample from the leaf.

In this era, the DNA in a person’s blood was critically important.

Qing Zhen stood with his hands clasped behind his back, puzzled. “Xu Xianchu and Yang Xiaojin have both shown themselves, and Luo Xinyu has revealed she’s one of the Thugs. But what about Ren Xiaosu? Has anyone seen him?!”

They had no idea that Ren Xiaosu had successfully pinned the blame on Xu Xianchu. The B-grade supernatural being they were now tracking was, in fact, Ren Xiaosu himself.

What did a B-grade rating entail? Any supernatural being designated B-grade by the Qing Consortium was considered an extremely dangerous individual.

Xu Man replied over the comms channel, “We haven’t seen Ren Xiaosu. It’s possible he never broke through the cordon.”

“That’s possible,” Qing Zhen nodded. If they reverted to their initial assessment, Ren Xiaosu was just an F-grade nobody. It would be perfectly normal for him to instinctively back away from a Qing Consortium cordon.

Liu Bu had mentioned before that Ren Xiaosu was insistent on avoiding the Qing Consortium.

Qing Zhen smiled. It would have been nice to catch Ren Xiaosu. He might have been useful as a bargaining chip against Zhang Jinglin in the future.

Everyone in Saibei knew that Zhang Jinglin was a man who valued loyalty and relationships.

Still, it wasn’t a great loss. Both Stronghold 112 and Stronghold 113 were under the Qing Consortium’s control. Once Ren Xiaosu returned, they could deal with him as they pleased.

Xu Man looked ahead into the forest. Ren Xiaosu’s footprints stretched on toward the northern volcano, as though he had already fled north.

He decided against giving chase. Judging from the amount of blood at the scene, “Xu Xianchu” couldn’t have been badly injured. It was too late to pursue him now.

Xu Man was still in shock. Earlier that day, it had taken a large group of them to corner a single Experiment Subject, a fight that had left three dead and thirteen wounded. And yet, someone had now managed to kill four of them single-handedly!

Moreover, the wounds on the Experiment Subjects were incredibly clean-cut. They had run tests before—even a sharp tactical knife required immense force just to pierce their skin.

This “Xu Xianchu” held far more secrets than anyone had imagined. Xu Man had already decided to hold the senior officers of Stronghold 113’s private troops accountable. How could they not know such a terrifying supernatural being was hiding among their ranks?

Meanwhile, the real Xu Xianchu had no idea what was in store for him. Unlike Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin, he was the one who had failed to break through the cordon…

Xu Xianchu had indeed been very curious about what was happening in the Jing Mountains, but he hadn’t seized the initial opportunity to break through the cordon. He later figured that if he went in, he might never come out, so he decided to take a detour and head directly for Stronghold 112 instead.

He had his shadow carry him on its back the entire way. By the time Ren Xiaosu was off looking for gold, Xu Xianchu had nearly bypassed the whole city and circled around to the rear of the Qing Consortium’s position. As a result, he was completely unaware of the events in the city, nor did he know that he had been placed on the Qing Consortium’s danger list—and ranked near the top.

If he had known about this, he probably would have turned back on the spot to fight Ren Xiaosu to the death.

Riding on his shadow’s back, Xu Xianchu kept feeling that something was off, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it…

“Let’s fall back,” Xu Man said. “Prepare to establish a defensive line. The Experiment Subjects’ active period is about to begin, and we still don’t know where they’re hiding.”

Xu Man seemed to know with certainty that even with another four Experiment Subjects dead, this was far from over. Their numbers were far greater than anyone imagined.

Just then, however, Xu Man suddenly heard the sound of hurried footsteps about a hundred meters to their front-left. Someone was sprinting!

He immediately aimed the beam of his tactical flashlight in that direction and was stunned to see Ren Xiaosu on a shadow’s back, fleeing for his life.

Xu Man froze for a second. What the hell? Why was “Xu Xianchu” running back this way? Hadn’t he already escaped?

Seeing Xu Man and his men in the distance, Ren Xiaosu started making a wide turn, intending to skirt around the left flank of the Qing Consortium’s combat squad.

Xu Man, however, did not hesitate. He immediately racked the bolt of his rifle and raised it to fire.

But Ren Xiaosu, hearing the distinctive sound of a rifle being chambered from a distance, yelled anxiously, “You’re still fucking thinking of shooting me? Look behind me!”

Puzzled, Xu Man looked behind Ren Xiaosu. The forest was swarming with dark figures, and the air was filled with the dense, clattering sound of chains.

Xu Man’s face fell. Did this bastard go and kick the Experiment Subjects’ hornet’s nest?!

Chapter 98: The Experiment Subjects’ Recreational Activities

The countless Experiment Subjects in the forest darted through the gaps in the shadows, a dense mass resembling a great swarm of spiders. Even a seasoned warrior like Xu Man’s face turned deathly pale with fright.

Someone like Xu Man, who understood the situation, immediately figured it out. “Xu Xianchu” must have run straight into the Experiment Subjects’ current nest while fleeing, luring them all out.

To an uninformed observer, they would have fucking thought Ren Xiaosu had called in people for revenge!

However, this further confirmed “Xu Xianchu’s” identity for Xu Man. After all, Liu Bu had said that Xu Xianchu once used his shadow to carry him, moving with ease and saving energy.

To be honest, Ren Xiaosu himself had not expected that, by a strange twist of fate, Liu Bu would help him conceal his identity and selflessly pay the ultimate price for it…

The Experiment Subjects chased frantically after Ren Xiaosu, saliva flying from their mouths as they crawled.

The very first thing Xu Man did upon seeing this was to roar into the communication channel, “Attention, units on the city side, establish a defensive line!”

The Qing Consortium had a lot of people in the forest, several hundred of them, but it seemed there were even more Experiment Subjects!

Yet, at this moment, Xu Man’s priority was to notify the city to build a defensive line, not to order a retreat.

Xu Man spoke into the communication channel, “All personnel on site, hold your ground and open fire in your squads. Buy time for the city!”

As Ren Xiaosu sprinted, he watched from a distance as the Qing Consortium’s combat squads simultaneously halted, then knelt and opened fire. With no fortifications to rely on, they formed a defensive line with their own bodies.

With the shadow carrying him, Ren Xiaosu was a good deal faster than the Experiment Subjects. So, by the time the Qing Consortium troops opened fire, he had already successfully veered off his original path, avoiding their line of fire.

But Ren Xiaosu was shaken. Could this be the difference between the corporations’ combat personnel and the private troops? These corporation soldiers were actually willing to sacrifice their own lives and safety to buy time for their comrades behind them!

What had that young man in the white suit done to deserve to lead such a force?

In truth, Ren Xiaosu was overestimating the corporation troops. Or rather, the soldiers under Qing Zhen’s command had given him the false impression that all corporation soldiers were united and formidable. In reality, Qing Zhen’s troops were considered the cream of the crop even among the corporations’ forces.

Xu Man was a warrior with excellent combat discipline, but that did not mean he was not afraid of death.

A crucial part of combat discipline was the ability to assess the situation and make the correct judgment of the battle!

He knew very well that if he stayed behind to delay the enemy for the city, he would surely die. But if he retreated, far more of his unprepared comrades in the city behind him would perish.

Qing Zhen had long ago ordered the army to build fortifications, like simple pillboxes and barriers. These were essential.

However, Xu Man knew they had misjudged the number of Experiment Subjects in the Jing Mountains. According to their intelligence, there should have been fewer than a hundred of them.

Back then, the Fire Seed Company’s experiment had a total of only 87 living specimens!

Could it be that after the Fire Seed Company failed to bypass the Qing Consortium and restart this laboratory, they had deliberately leaked false intelligence to get Qing Zhen killed? After all, Qing Zhen had killed quite a few people from the Fire Seed Company over the past two years.

Of course, Qing Zhen was no fool. He had brought several times more men than originally planned. Qing Zhen would not die here.

Xu Man was not worried about Qing Zhen’s safety; he was worried that Stronghold 112’s combat brigade would suffer heavy casualties.

Just then, Xu Man’s communication channel was open to all frequencies, and he heard Qing Zhen’s calm voice in his helmet, “Rescue them. Fall back slowly to the edge of the city. I’ve already made preparations.”

Xu Man let out a sigh of relief. He roared into the local communication channel, “Hold the line! Reinforcements are on the way!”

As long as they held on long enough, they would not die. At least, most of them would not.

If it had been a big shot from any other corporation, their first reaction would have probably been to abandon this isolated force.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Ren Xiaosu had already skirted around the Qing Consortium’s perimeter. The shadow was sprinting southward. Ren Xiaosu had originally thought the northern route would be relatively safer, but it turned out the north was even more dangerous.

When the Qing Consortium came to the Jing Mountains, they had deliberately avoided the volcanic region because the poisonous gases there were impossible to fully guard against. As a result, the volcanic area became the only place the Qing Consortium did not sweep. Who would have thought that the Experiment Subjects were hiding near the volcano?

However, Ren Xiaosu was not the one who had provoked these Experiment Subjects. He had suddenly encountered them on his way forward. These hundreds of Experiment Subjects had clearly been about to launch a surprise attack on all the humans in the Jing Mountains!

Ren Xiaosu could not figure out what had attracted them, or perhaps a precursor to the volcanic eruption had awakened them all?

Ren Xiaosu could not be bothered with that now. He would rather face the Human-Faced Insects or a wolf pack than a direct confrontation with both the Qing Consortium and the Experiment Subjects!

He could handle four of them, but hundreds? He was at a complete loss! If not for his shadow being able to carry him as he fled, Ren Xiaosu would have probably dropped to the ground on the spot and pretended to be an Experiment Subject too. What if their intelligence had degraded and they actually believed him?

Ren Xiaosu wondered why there were so many Experiment Subjects here. It was obvious that even Xu Man had not anticipated such a large number. Could they have been reproducing all these years? Were the ones without iron chains on their arms the ones born later?

It was not that Ren Xiaosu’s imagination was running wild, but he just could not figure it out. These Experiment Subjects had no recreational activities deep in the mountains and old forests. What else could they do besides procreating…?

When Ren Xiaosu killed those four Experiment Subjects, he had been filled with a sense of heroic grandeur, feeling like he was invincible. But less than half an hour later, that feeling was mercilessly crushed by reality.

Ren Xiaosu: I’m invincible!

Reality: No, you’re not.

The entirety of the Qing Consortium’s combat personnel was now advancing north to rescue Xu Man and his men.

Meanwhile, Ren Xiaosu used this gap to flee south for his life along the path he had taken from Stronghold 113.

Yang Xiaojin and Luo Xinyu were nowhere to be seen, while Xu Xianchu was leisurely leaving the Jing Mountains by another route.

This adventure was more like a farce, but it had revealed the real world to Ren Xiaosu.

For now, he only knew about the Fire Seed Company and the Qing Consortium, but there were many more corporations and strongholds in this world. The world was also much vaster than he had imagined.

Just as Ren Xiaosu was running for his life, he suddenly heard a tremor from the volcano behind him again. This time, even the ground began to tremble.

Lava erupted from the crater, shooting into the sky like fireworks. In the air, the molten blobs rapidly cooled and solidified into incandescent rocks. In the next moment, it was as though a meteor shower was raining down on the vicinity, and large swathes of the forest were engulfed in a sea of fire!

Chapter 99: Going Home!

At this moment, Ren Xiaosu could only be glad he had run fast enough. He was even glad he had run into those Experiment Subjects on the way; otherwise, he would never have been able to escape the volcanic eruption’s blast zone.

The volcano’s long-accumulated power had finally been unleashed. In the ruined city, Qing Zhen watched this scene and sighed, “What a pity.”

It was unclear what he found a pity this time.

Someone beside Qing Zhen asked, “Boss, what do we do now?”

But as soon as the words were spoken, a deafening roar of some creature suddenly erupted from the crater, a sound that seemed to travel dozens of kilometers in an instant!

Ren Xiaosu whipped his head around. A gigantic claw had suddenly appeared at the top of the highest volcano, gripping the edge of the crater as if trying to climb out!

Was there some creature hidden in the volcano? What kind of being could survive, even swim, in molten lava? With the appearance of such a terrifying creature, he wondered just what horrifying existence he had encountered but never seen in the river before.

Qing Zhen sighed, “So such a thing really exists. For now, we will retreat west out of the Jing Mountains. The mission is a failure.”

A trusted subordinate next to Qing Zhen stared at the volcano in a daze. “What the hell is that thing…?”

“Yan Tao, call my good-for-nothing brother,” Qing Zhen said, his eyes fixed on the volcano. “If that thing climbs out, or if the volcano forces a large number of Experiment Subjects south, Stronghold 113 will be in danger.”

The subordinate named Yan Tao was stunned. Did Qing Zhen think even the stronghold might not be safe? He subconsciously reached for the satellite phone, but then he realized that the phone, which normally had perfect reception, couldn’t make a call.

The heatwave from the eruption had already begun to sweep across the entire Jing Mountain range. And there was more than one volcano in the Jing Mountains. Seeing this, Qing Zhen said, “Let’s get out of here first!”

This sea of fire seemed intent on incinerating and burying the secrets of the Jing Mountains for good.

Upon receiving the order to retreat, Xu Man and the others fell back in an orderly fashion, firing as they went. They did not panic because of the volcanic eruption; in fact, they seemed even calmer in this dangerous environment.

The moment they retreated from the edge of the forest into the city, someone beside Qing Zhen suddenly pressed a remote detonator. In an instant, the boundary between the woods and the city seemed to be ignited by a line of fire.

The explosives the Qing Consortium had planted there long ago detonated simultaneously, completely blocking the Experiment Subjects north of the forest. Even creatures as powerful as the Experiment Subjects suffered heavy casualties, and the remaining ones, untouched by the blast, stared coldly across the wall of fire at the retreating Qing Consortium.

The Experiment Subjects did not linger for long. They re-entered the forest, seemingly intending to go around the area.

Xu Man, panting, returned to Qing Zhen’s side. He lowered his head and said, “I’m sorry, I failed to bring back Xu Xianchu.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Qing Zhen said, shaking his head. “Get in the vehicles. We’re heading west. There should be another road back to Stronghold 112.”

With that, Qing Zhen turned and left, the heels of his leather shoes tapping out a calm rhythm on the ground.

At the edge of the city, a large number of troop transport trucks, off-road vehicles, and heavy machinery were parked.

Xu Man didn’t move. Qing Zhen looked back at him. “You want to ask why I sent people to save you? Don’t be too moved. It was all just a transaction. I had you rescued because you’re still useful.”

Xu Man opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something.

But Qing Zhen just smiled. “Save your pledges of loyalty. I’ve never believed in that sort of thing.”

Just then, however, a soldier up ahead shouted, “Sir, this is bad! None of our vehicles will start! Come look at the tires…”

Xu Man was taken aback. “What happened? Did the tires burst? We have jacks and repair kits. We can fix them.”

The man replied with a pained expression, “The tires didn’t burst. They’ve been cut off…”

Xu Man: “???”

Qing Zhen: “???”

The smile on the usually composed Qing Zhen’s face slowly stiffened. “…Xu Xianchu, this is the first time I have ever wanted to kill someone so badly. Xu Man, get me a set of combat fatigues…”

Qing Zhen and Xu Man knew “Xu Xianchu” had fled south, but they had never expected this…

To Xu Man’s mind, slashing the tires would have been bad enough. But slashing them wasn’t enough for him; he had to cut them all off?!

With the tires cut off, everyone from the Qing Consortium would have to walk out of the Jing Mountains. It wasn’t that there was any particular danger, but continuing on in a white suit would be a bit… undignified.

Xu Man whispered from behind Qing Zhen, “This failed mission might lead to you being punished by the consortium.”

Qing Zhen wasn’t concerned. “It’s fine. Those old geezers will always need someone to do their work. I’ll just consider it a short vacation.”

“What should we do about that Ren Xiaosu?” Xu Man asked.

“If he didn’t die in the Jing Mountains, he’ll definitely try to get back to Stronghold 113,” Qing Zhen said after some thought. “Once the satellite phones are working again, have Luo Lan keep an eye out for him. As for what to do with him, I haven’t decided yet. Also, tell him to get rid of Zhang Jinglin immediately. That man cannot die in our hands. The people sent to assassinate him are likely already on their way.”

…

It was indeed Ren Xiaosu who had cut off the Qing Consortium’s tires. At that moment, the entire consortium was distracted by the fight with the Experiment Subjects. It would have been a waste not to cut the tires.

Besides, after being chased by the Qing Consortium for so long, he had to get some payback, or he would never be able to vent his frustration!

The volcano behind him was still erupting continuously. The moon in the sky had been blotted out by the rising smoke and ash, and the eruption seemed to be growing more violent.

Ren Xiaosu was a little puzzled. What exactly was that creature that had roared from within the crater? It never ended up showing itself fully.

As he left the city, he saw the explosives the Qing Consortium had detonated at the edge and was once again reminded of just how terrifying the thermal weapons wielded by humans were.

Ren Xiaosu headed south, retracing his steps. He suspected he might still run into some stray Experiment Subjects, but as long as it wasn’t a huge nest like before, he wasn’t really all that scared anymore.

When his shadow’s superhuman strength and speed were combined with the black blade, its destructive power was incalculable.

The combination of his two abilities created an even more powerful synergy. Perhaps this was his path for the future?

It was just that this path might be a little more winding.

On the road south, back to Stronghold 113, the most dangerous things were not the Experiment Subjects, but the Human-Faced Insects and the wolf pack.

The entire way, Ren Xiaosu rested on his shadow’s back to conserve energy, while the shadow itself moved as if it were strolling through the air, its legs moving so fast they were practically a blur.

Although it made him look like a disabled person who needed to rely on others for transport, Ren Xiaosu couldn’t care less…

Along the way, he even returned to the cave they had stayed in one night. There, he discovered a new line of delicate, small characters on the ceiling:

“It’s right behind you.”

The words hadn’t been there before; the carvings were still fresh. Ren Xiaosu vaguely recalled that Yang Xiaojin had fallen behind when they set out that day. Looking at the elegant handwriting, he couldn’t help but feel that she had probably carved it intentionally to scare people.

“You’re a real piece of work,” Ren Xiaosu remarked with a glance before continuing south.

An hour later, the forest fire caused by the volcanic eruption was spreading south. The entire Jing Mountains had turned into a sea of fire. Ren Xiaosu could faintly hear the sound of beasts stampeding behind him, as if they were fleeing toward the canyon, but none of that had anything to do with him anymore.

The journey in had been slow, but the journey back was swift. In just half a day, Ren Xiaosu had already arrived at the canyon. He looked at the gorge before him and the sliver of sky visible above the sheer cliffs and no longer hesitated.

As long as he was fast enough, the Human-Faced Insects, the wolf pack, and loneliness wouldn’t be able to catch him!

The shadow beneath Ren Xiaosu shot through the canyon like a gust of wind. The Human-Faced Insects on the cliffs sensed the presence of a human and swarmed out, but by the time they emerged, Ren Xiaosu was already gone!

The Human-Faced Insects remained quiet on the cliff face for a long time, their antennae tapping against each other as they communicated. “Did a person just pass by?”

“Was that a person?!”

The sky was just beginning to break as he passed through the canyon. A sliver of golden light was seeping through the clouds. Ren Xiaosu was a little lost in thought as he watched the scene. This trip to the Jing Mountains had been very fruitful, but it hadn’t been long.

It was just that now, returning to this side of the canyon, he suddenly felt as though a long time had passed, as long as a century.

He wondered how Yan Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu were doing at home. His heart raced homeward like an arrow.

Faintly, Ren Xiaosu sensed a disturbance in the woods. He paused for a moment before realizing that the wolf pack had been active near the canyon entrance the entire time, as if they had been waiting for him to return!

Then, the wolves that were slowly closing in saw Ren Xiaosu, lying on his shadow’s back, swagger right through the gap between them, not even giving them a chance to react!

The wolf pack stopped in its tracks, silently watching Ren Xiaosu’s retreating figure. He was actually faster than them…

The wolf king, too, was silent. Had they been waiting here all these days for nothing?!

Chapter 100: Character Persona, Ruined!

“Liuyuan, look what I brought you!” Wang Fugui’s voice drifted over from a distance before he even reached the school.

Yan Liuyuan opened his eyes in his bed, absolutely refusing to get up.

Sister Xiaoyu said as she folded clothes, “Time to get up, Liuyuan.”

“I’m not getting up. I want to sleep a little longer!” Yan Liuyuan grumbled.

Sister Xiaoyu smiled. “If you wake up fifteen minutes earlier every day, you’ll have over ninety extra hours in a year. You can use that time to do your favorite thing. Think about it, what’s your favorite thing to do?”

Yan Liuyuan thought for a long time before saying, puzzled, “But my favorite thing to do is sleep…”

“Get up,” Sister Xiaoyu said with a frown. “You’re even more infuriating than your brother!”

With that, Sister Xiaoyu yanked off Yan Liuyuan’s covers. The warmth trapped inside instantly escaped, and Yan Liuyuan could only get out of bed reluctantly.

Winter had arrived, and winters in this era were exceptionally cold. In Yan Liuyuan’s memory, every winter in the Settlement, people would freeze to death on the streets or in their own shacks.

Those shacks were built with branches or iron frames, with only tattered cloth wrapped around the sides, offering no protection from the wind.

In those years, he and Ren Xiaosu would be shivering with cold in their shack. Ren Xiaosu would wish he could wrap all their clothes, summer or winter, around Yan Liuyuan, but it was still just as cold.

But whenever he reminisced about those times, Yan Liuyuan would feel very happy.

He recalled what Ren Xiaosu had told him back then: “Human happiness doesn’t come from pleasure; it comes from suffering. When you’re in unbearable pain and suddenly taste a bit of sweetness, you’ll want to fight to stay alive. That sweetness might not mean much to others, but at that moment, it’s the greatest happiness for you.”

Sometimes, Yan Liuyuan thought that if Ren Xiaosu had been born in the stronghold, he might have become a philosopher, the kind Teacher Zhang talked about.

Wang Fugui came in holding two sweet potatoes. He called out, “Xiaoyu, here’s one for you and one for Liuyuan. Eat them while they’re hot.”

“Uncle Fugui,” Yan Liuyuan said, taking a sweet potato. “Why do you like sweet potatoes so much? You have roasted sweet potatoes every day.”

Wang Fugui beamed. “When I was a kid, there was a famine outside Stronghold 107. I followed my dad all the way here to seek refuge with relatives. The wilderness wasn’t as dangerous back then. One time, we dug up two sweet potatoes in the wild. My dad roasted them for me, and I thought they were the most delicious thing in the world.”

Ever since the midnight gunshots, when Wang Fugui had burst in wearing his coat and tried to bribe Wang Congyang, Yan Liuyuan’s way of addressing him had changed.

Wang Fugui had noticed this change too and was delighted.

He was genuinely fond of the two brothers, who were much better than his own foolish son, Wang Dalong. Over the years, he had watched Ren Xiaosu struggle to keep himself and Yan Liuyuan alive, and he truly felt from the bottom of his heart that the two brothers had not had it easy.

Watching Xiaoyu and Yan Liuyuan eat the roasted sweet potatoes, Wang Fugui suddenly looked around the school and sighed. “With Teacher Zhang gone, our Settlement doesn’t have a teacher anymore.”

Yan Liuyuan said nonchalantly, “So what? When my brother gets back, he’ll be the teacher.”

Zhang Jinglin had been sent away by Luo Lan like a hot potato. That day was probably the most sensational day the refugees of the Settlement had ever witnessed.

Several troop transport trucks and off-road vehicles had parked at the school’s entrance. The big shot from the stronghold, surnamed Luo, had gone from arrogant to deferential towards Zhang Jinglin, just like a grand eunuch from a storybook.

The refugees never expected that their Settlement’s Teacher Zhang was someone of such consequence. If they had known, they wouldn’t have tried to save on school fees and would have sent their own children to the school.

What if they could have established some kind of connection?

At this thought, many refugees made up their minds to send their children to school. The refugees’ logic was that simple: they didn’t send their children to school for knowledge, but for “connections.”

But before they could even finish their daydreams, Luo Lan sent Zhang Jinglin away that very day.

Yan Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu, who lived in the school, were completely ignored as if they were thin air. Even after Zhang Jinglin left, Wang Congyang didn’t come to bother them again.

The problem was, although no one came to bother them, many unfamiliar refugees had appeared at the entrance. Some were selling fruit, others vegetables. Wang Fugui had seen some of them before; they were usually factory workers, but now they acted as if he didn’t exist.

It was then that Wang Fugui realized the stronghold’s management of the Settlement wasn’t as simple as he had imagined. Some refugees had long been bought off to become the stronghold’s informants.

Ordinarily, these people were just regular refugees, but if anyone among the refugees tried to organize a rebellion or even a joint strike, they would immediately report to the stronghold who was behind it.

No wonder the two previous strikes had been instantly suppressed by the stronghold’s private troops. It turned out there were moles.

Wang Fugui made a mental note of each of these people. He must never offend them in the future, and he could no longer speak his mind to others.

The people keeping watch at the entrance weren’t just refugees. A few of them looked even more formidable than the private troops. Wang Fugui guessed they were likely from the Qing Consortium.

Speaking of Ren Xiaosu, Wang Fugui frowned. “Some factory workers who came back from near the Jing Mountains said there seems to be some commotion over there. A volcano in the Jing Mountains has erupted, and the sky above the entire mountain range is filled with dark clouds.”

But Yan Liuyuan was very relaxed. “My brother is definitely fine.”

Because the wish he had made was to trade his own life for Ren Xiaosu’s safe return.

Since he wasn’t dead, it meant Ren Xiaosu was already fine.

If he told Wang Fugui and Sister Xiaoyu about this, they probably wouldn’t believe him. Besides, Yan Liuyuan wouldn’t reveal his secret so casually.

Wang Fugui thought for a moment and said, “True. A scourge like that Ren Xiaosu is bound to live a thousand years.”

But just then, Wang Fugui suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He suppressed his unease and lowered his voice to say to Yan Liuyuan and Sister Xiaoyu, “You two be careful these days. If you want to leave the Settlement, let me know, and I’ll help you figure something out. I don’t think these people are here for you. They’re here for Ren Xiaosu.”

Wang Fugui was a sharp one. After thinking it over, he felt that the people at the entrance were like a net, waiting for someone to walk into it.

Zhang Jinglin had already been sent away. Who else could be the target of this net but Ren Xiaosu?

“They want to capture Ren Xiaosu? Why?” Sister Xiaoyu almost cried out.

Wang Fugui thought for a long time and suddenly said, “Don’t tell me Ren Xiaosu messed up that team from the stronghold in the Jing Mountains again?! That’s very likely!”

However, reality had outdone Wang Fugui’s imagination. Ren Xiaosu hadn’t just messed with the people from the band; he had also messed with the Qing Consortium…

At that moment, Qing Zhen was standing on a hillside, a helpless look on his face. “When the fuck are we going to get back to Stronghold 112?!”

Xu Man remarked with a sigh, “Boss, even you’ve started cursing…”

Qing Zhen grew melancholic. “My character persona is ruined!”

UNTITLED

Chapter 1: Something Wrong with His Head

Chapter 2: This World Doesn’t Believe in Tears

Chapter 3: A Palace
Chapter 4: Luck is Also an Ability
Chapter 5: The School
Chapter 6: The Wall and Science
Chapter 7: Substitute Teacher
Chapter 8: Really Got Brain Problems

Chapter 9: Just Ask If There’s Anything You Don’t Understand

Chapter 10: Side Quest
Chapter 11: Practically a Hundred Million
Chapter 12: A Grateful Heart, Thanks to You
Chapter 13: This Is Reality
Chapter 14: The Art of the Scam
Chapter 15: Self-Produced, Self-Sold
Chapter 16: I’ll Give You a Good Price
Chapter 17: Never Would Have Thought
Chapter 18: Pretty Simple
Chapter 19: Then Why Didn’t You Run Faster!
Chapter 20: The Wolf Pack
Chapter 21: Status in the Family
Chapter 22: The Gun!
Chapter 23: Boss Luo
Chapter 24: Ren Xiaosu the Medicine Seller
Chapter 25: A Silk Banner
Chapter 26: Save the Mother or the Child?
Chapter 27: Sweet Irony
Chapter 28: A Retaliatory Strike
Chapter 29: The Tragedy of an Era
Chapter 30: That Crazy Ren Xiaosu
Chapter 31: A New Door

Chapter 32: Dreams Are the Opposite of Reality

Chapter 33: What Are You Waiting For?

Chapter 34: The Misfortune of Others

Chapter 35: Raking in the Gratitude Tokens!

Chapter 36: The White-Haired Burying the Black-Haired

Chapter 37: The World Outside
Chapter 38: Making Conditions
Chapter 39: Yang Xiaojin
Chapter 40: I Want to Be With My Biscuits!
Chapter 41: Fend for Yourself
Chapter 42: Their Home Was Gone
Chapter 43: A First in His Life
Chapter 44: Allowed Only Two Bites
Chapter 45: What Kind of Doctor Are You?
Chapter 46: Mysterious Death
Chapter 47: The Eerie Woods

Chapter 48: All Human Motivation Stems from Death

Chapter 49: No Entry for the Living
Chapter 50: Terror in the Canyon
Chapter 51: Fair and Reasonable
Chapter 52: Human-Faced Insects
Chapter 53: A Clear Conscience
Chapter 54: The Escape
Chapter 55: A Temporary Alliance
Chapter 56: A New Skill
Chapter 57: Supernatural Being!
Chapter 58: I Brought Money!
Chapter 59: A Pig Ran into a Tree
Chapter 60: I Like You
Chapter 61: Faster Than Flipping a Book
Chapter 62: Preserving Dignity
Chapter 63: Everyone Went Missing
Chapter 64: Satellite
Chapter 65: Withdrawal Symptoms
Chapter 66: A Merchant
Chapter 67: You’re Not Left with Nothing

Chapter 68: Master-level Skill Learning Scroll

Chapter 69: Bringing It Upon Themselves
Chapter 70: Storage Permission
Chapter 71: Ren Xiaosu’s Perfect-Grade Skill
Chapter 72: Ghostly Figure

Chapter 73: The Civilization Before the Cataclysm

Chapter 74: Fire Seed
Chapter 75: Prehistoric Birds
Chapter 76: Iron Chains
Chapter 77: The Qing Consortium
Chapter 78: Cannot Retreat
Chapter 79: No Snowflake is Innocent
Chapter 80: The Experiment Subject
Chapter 81: A Shattered Civilization
Chapter 82: Cigarettes and Liquor
Chapter 83: No Ordinary Child
Chapter 84: Midnight Gunshots
Chapter 85: Teacher Zhang
Chapter 86: Saibei
Chapter 87: Living Specimen
Chapter 88: Shadow, Qing Zhen
Chapter 89: A Product of Genetic Editing
Chapter 90: Capturing Ren Xiaosu
Chapter 91: Fighting Alone

Chapter 92: The Dagger is Revealed, a Midnight Assassination

Chapter 93: This is Such a Dirty Trick

Chapter 94: Xu Xianchu Is Here! Who Dares to Fight Me!

Chapter 95: Dead Ends Everywhere
Chapter 96: I Will Thank Myself Seven Times
Chapter 97: Re-evaluating the Danger Level!

Chapter 98: The Experiment Subjects’ Recreational Activities

Chapter 99: Going Home!

Chapter 100: Character Persona, Ruined!