Translator: CinderTL
Boom! Buzz!
Under the night sky, a black pickup truck rumbled along a potholed asphalt road.
Cracks, fallen dead trees, scattered pebbles—a multitude of debris and adverse road conditions caused the vehicle to bounce incessantly.
"Those bastards in the main city circle have completely abandoned us in the wilderness. How many years has it been since anyone bothered to repair this damaged road?"
"At this rate, this road will be completely ruined soon."
Complaints echoed from the pickup truck's open bed, the wind howling past their ears.
The speaker was none other than the young man who had struck up a conversation earlier, resembling someone from the Red Nation. After he introduced himself, Chen Feng learned his name was Wei Hao, the rifleman of this scavenger team.
"Hey, buddy."
"You've got some guts, wandering around the wilderness alone so late at night."
Wei Hao suddenly said with a laugh, seemingly changing the subject casually.
Seeing him sprawled on the ground, hugging his rifle and leaning against the truck bed, Chen Feng shook his head, remaining silent.
After killing the black scale python, perhaps because of their similar appearances and skin tones, Wei Hao had invited him to ride along to the wilderness settlement near the ruined town.
This saved him some trouble. He decided to ride along, using the opportunity to familiarize himself with this world.
"Dude, are you serious?"
"You're pretty handsome, but I didn't expect you to actually be... sigh."
Wei Hao saw Chen Feng's sincerity and, assuming he was mute, sighed with pity.
Their voices carried through the wind and into the pickup truck's cab. The three men in the front and back rows wore different expressions.
"Boss, do you think this guy is faking it?" the driver asked, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
The man in the back seat also looked wary, occasionally turning his head to observe Chen Feng in the open-air cargo bed through the glass partition.
"Uncertain," the co-driver replied calmly.
He was around forty, with short-cropped hair, brown eyes, fair skin, and a furrowed brow. His black tactical suit was stretched taut over his muscular frame.
"Anyone who dares to venture alone into the wilderness has only two possibilities," he continued, his voice steady. "Either they're newcomers who've just left the main city circle for the first time, or they're lone wolves with extreme confidence and skill."
As he spoke, he glanced at the pickup truck's right-side rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of Chen Feng's unwavering calm.
"He remained completely calm. Not a single drop of the black scale python's blood splattered on him."
"Someone like that..."
The sentence trailed off, but the other two men in the car exchanged grim glances.
"Boss, are you saying..."
"Just stay vigilant," the man in the passenger seat said, cutting off his teammate's question with a wave of his hand. His expression remained calm as he retracted his peripheral gaze. "If he doesn't even care for the black scale python's skin, he's unlikely to harbor any ill intentions toward us."
"And the fact that he's been able to tolerate Xiao Wei's constant chatter... perhaps I'm overthinking this."
"We'll be arriving at Greyrock Town soon. It's the largest settlement within ten kilometers of this wilderness, and it's the most important supply station for us scavengers surviving out here."
"You can buy firearms, ammunition, high-protein Energy Bars, and nutritional supplements there. If you're willing to pay the price, you might even be able to get your hands on gene potions from the main city circle."
"This is probably your first time scavenging, right? Just stick with us. The wilderness is dangerous, but since you've chosen this path, you must have had no other choice. Work hard and save up—maybe someday you can even get citizenship in the main city circle."
In the pickup truck bed, Wei Hao cradled his firearm, guarding the black scale python's corpse. He kept chattering incessantly.
It was clear he was a chatterbox, or perhaps he was treating himself like a rookie venturing into the wilderness alone.
Chen Feng found this convenient and didn't interrupt, listening silently throughout.
As a result, he quickly grasped the situation.
This was the southern Tedo Kingdom, one of the two major nations in the Calamity World.
Prism Ring City, which he had seen earlier, along with several satellite cities, formed the main city circle—the only urban civilization within hundreds of kilometers.
The city circle was heavily sealed off. Most citizens lived within the High Wall, and it was difficult to enter or exit without proper authorization.
The wilderness outside was overrun with beasts and scattered groups of non-citizens who relied on the ruins of old wars or dilapidated towns for survival.
The dangers weren't just the lack of order and security. The area was still contaminated by remnants of the old war, including irradiated Wilders and strange beasts, as well as high-energy explosives buried in hidden corners, waiting to be triggered.
"We're almost there."
"Just follow me later. My Boss, Rock, looks stern, but he's a good guy."
"Killing that black scale python this time was pure luck, and you played a part in it. Considering that, the Boss won't say anything. At the very least, you're guaranteed one supply run, and I can teach you the basics of survival. If you perform well, maybe I'll even take you along more often."
The moving pickup truck gradually slowed as it entered a ruined, dilapidated town.
Wei Hao leaned against several metal crates in the back of the truck, continuing his explanation. Chen Feng glanced at the black scale python's corpse.
Before its death, he had compared its life force to his own. It was barely at the Professional Level—a strange beast, according to this world's standards, contaminated by war-related radiation. Its flesh and snake skin held some value.
Nodding in acknowledgment, Chen Feng turned his gaze to the ruined town.
Asphalt roads crisscrossed the area, eventually giving way to a network of intersecting concrete paths.
Low-rise buildings lined both sides, but most had collapsed walls, with bricks and cement piled in corners, as if they had endured a period of unrest and bombing in the past.
Though it was night, Chen Feng's Perception remained unaffected.
He subtly expanded his senses, observing figures patrolling the ruined buildings, armed and on guard.
Ahead on the road, he could even make out rusty barricades and barriers.
The searchlight was blindingly bright, and seven or eight armed figures stood with their backs against an armored vehicle, blocking the road.
"Here for supplies," Wei Hao said.
The pickup truck stopped. His teammates clearly had been here many times before.
Just by rolling down the window and revealing their faces, the roadblockers raised the barrier and moved the road obstruction.
The group smoothly entered the so-called Greyrock Town, mistaking Chen Feng's surprise for awe. Wei Hao swelled with pride and launched into another monologue.
"My Boss is quite a celebrity in this wilderness. You'll see later."
"Even some of the Mercenary Corps have to give my Boss some respect."
Chen Feng remained silent, showing little reaction.
Through his Perception, he sensed that the three people in the pickup truck were far stronger than Wei Hao. Most of their life force signatures were at the Professional Level, while the man in the passenger seat—their Boss—had reached the peak of the Third-Tier Inner Strength stage.
Faintly, Chen Feng sensed a unique energy signature within the Boss's body, completely different from the Force of a Martial Artist.
Had he been injected with a large dose of gene potion? Or had he used some other method? Chen Feng frowned, silently pondering.
Wei Hao didn't see the expected expression on the man's face. He opened his mouth, then shook his head with a chuckle, realizing he'd overthought things.
The newcomer had just arrived in the wilderness. Wei Hao hadn't even told him the Boss's nickname yet, so it was normal for him not to understand.
The atmosphere briefly quieted as the pickup truck drove into the town's center.
The dilapidated buildings on either side gradually began to show some light. Though still crumbling, their walls were relatively intact, and figures could be seen moving about inside.
Most were men, ranging from teenagers to the elderly. Occasionally, glimpses could be caught of elderly women and women hiding within the houses.
The terrain leveled out as they moved deeper into the center. Finally, they reached a large circular sun lamp hanging over a central clearing, illuminating a vast expanse of flattened dirt.
Over a dozen off-road vehicles and pickup trucks were parked here, guarded by armed personnel on alert.
Some ground-floor buildings on either side of the town remained open, marked with wooden planks and black characters lit by dim lights. These signs, written in the Tedo Kingdom's script, advertised lodging, auto repair, and restaurants—their meanings understood by Chen Feng through his Dream Realm vision.
"We're here," Wei Hao said with a smile, jumping out of the truck first.
Bang! Bang!
The doors opened and closed as the other three men followed suit.
"The truck's yours, buddy," Wei Hao said, handing the keys to the driver.
Wei Hao's teammate handed a bill marked with the number twenty to the armed patrolman, who nodded with a satisfied smile.
Lost in thought, Chen Feng also jumped down from the carriage.
Several pairs of eyes turned toward him. The man Wei Hao called "Boss," Rock, approached.
"Kid, for the sake of the black scale python, I'll cover your supplements for this trip."
"But the Black Stone Squad doesn't take on new recruits. For the next few days, you can ask me anything you want to learn. But after we leave, you'll have to figure out how to survive on your own. Do you understand?"
Rock spoke calmly, his muscular physique straining against his black tactical uniform. He carried a large-caliber submachine gun, standing with his back to the solar lamp's light, casting a subtle pressure.
"Boss..."
Wei Hao opened his mouth to protest, but a teammate quickly shook his head to stop him.
Chen Feng, understanding the situation, didn't press the matter. He nodded lightly, not resenting the man's decision. As Wei Hao had explained, the wilderness was full of dangers, and taking on a newcomer would be a burden, increasing resource consumption. Rock's offer to cover his supplements and provide some guidance was already a kindness, even though Chen Feng didn't particularly need it.
"Alright, then. That's settled."
Rock nodded and gave Chen Feng a deep look.
Without saying more, he quickly turned to Wei Hao and instructed his men to unload the black scale python's carcass and the metal boxes from the carriage.
"Xiao Wei, take him to Sister Hong's place and reserve a spot for him. Also, book a few decent rooms."
"We'll go handle the trade first and then come back."
After giving his orders, Rock left with his two teammates.
Watching them go, Wei Hao sighed.
Finally turning to Chen Feng, he explained with a helpless shrug, his black assault rifle slung across his back. "Boss is just like that—cold on the outside, warm on the inside."
"But he's right. Surviving in the wilderness mostly comes down to relying on yourself. Anyway, if you have any questions in the next few days, don't hesitate to ask."
He patted his chest, his yellow skin and black hair making Chen Feng smile for the first time in a long while.
Tap-tap!
The two men soon left the parking lot and headed toward a small inn.
Just as they were about to enter, Chen Feng paused.
"Hmm?"
He looked up at the sky. The two moons hung motionless, but the countless stars seemed to flicker simultaneously, subtly shifting their positions.
It was like an illusion, the change barely perceptible.
Yet he felt it.
As if something was watching him.
(End of the Chapter)
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