A sharp, throbbing headache threatened to tear Ning Yu's head apart. He groaned in pain and struggled to open his eyes. Blinding sunlight pierced the murky air, revealing a scene of utter devastation—twisted metal wreckage, collapsed building ruins, and dust swirling in the gray sky, all testifying to the cruelty of the apocalypse. A nauseating stench permeated the air, mingled with a strange metallic smell. Where was he?
Ning Yu slowly stood up, leaning against the crumbling wall. He looked around; this place seemed to have once been a bustling city, but now only ruins remained, resembling a giant tomb. Just then, a strange roar came from the nearby rubble, breaking the silence. His heart tightened, and he instinctively clenched his fists, a nameless fear welling up within him.
A gigantic mutated creature slowly emerged from the shadows of the ruins. It had a canine-like body but three ferocious heads; beneath its rotting fur were bulging muscles and blood vessels. A savage glint flashed in its crimson eyes, and saliva dripping from its mouth sizzled and corroded the ground. It sniffed the air, then abruptly turned its head, fixing its gaze on Ning Yu…
"Damn it!" Ning Yu cursed under his breath and turned to run. He didn't know why he was running; perhaps it was the instinct for survival that drove him away from this terrifying monster. The three-headed dog was incredibly fast, growling as it chased after Ning Yu, its heavy footsteps seeming to pound on his heart.
Ning Yu, in a panic, stumbled and staggered into a dilapidated building. The interior was dimly lit, filled with dust and a musty smell. Some broken furniture was scattered on the floor, seemingly silently telling the story of its former glory. He dared not stop, running straight to the back of the room, hiding behind a pile of old wooden crates, holding his breath, and listening to the sounds coming from outside.
The three-headed dog paced anxiously outside the building, growling low as it seemed to be searching for prey. Ning Yu's heart pounded; his fists clenched tightly, his palms sweating. He knew that if he made even the slightest sound, the monster would discover him.
Time passed slowly, and the noise outside gradually subsided. Only then did Ning Yu dare to cautiously peek out to observe the situation outside. The three-headed dog was nowhere to be seen, leaving only a mess and a nauseating smell.
Ning Yu breathed a sigh of relief and emerged from his hiding place. He looked around, hoping to find some food and water, but there was nothing but garbage and ruins. Despair coiled around his heart like a venomous snake; was he destined to starve to death in these ruins?
He forced himself to calm down; he knew this wasn't the time to despair. He had to find food and water to survive in this cruel world. He began searching the building, hoping to find something useful. He turned every corner upside down, but found only tattered clothes and useless trash.
Just as he was about to give up, he suddenly noticed a metal box in the corner of the room. He walked over, struggled to open it, and his heart skipped a beat. However, his hope was dashed again; the box was empty except for a tattered piece of paper lying quietly at the bottom…
His hands trembled as he picked up the paper. In the dim light, he could make out its contents—a hand-drawn map. Strange symbols and routes marked on it, seemingly leading to some place.
Could this be the road to hope?
Just as Ning Yu was about to study the map carefully, a light footstep came from the doorway. He suddenly looked up and cautiously looked towards the door.
A thin figure appeared in the doorway. He wore a tattered leather jacket, carried a dirty backpack, and had a pair of wary eyes beneath his disheveled hair. He looked at Ning Yu, his eyes filled with suspicion, and said coldly, "Who are you? Where did you come from?"
Ning Yu's heart tightened, and he instinctively hid the map behind his back while warily scrutinizing the stranger before him. He didn't know if the other person was friend or foe; in this wasteland, anyone could be a competitor, or even a raider.
"I..." Ning Yu hesitated for a moment, unsure how to answer. Tell the truth? In this unfamiliar place, honesty didn't necessarily earn him kindness.
"Stop talking nonsense and get to the point!" The other party was clearly impatient, and his tone carried a hint of threat.
Ning Yu took a deep breath and decided to test the other party's attitude first, "I'm here to find supplies, just like you."
"You?" A-Qiang looked Ning Yu up and down with disdain. "You don't look like someone who has the ability to survive in this godforsaken place."
"That's still better than sitting and waiting to die." Ning Yu forced himself to remain calm, trying to avoid a direct confrontation as much as possible.
"Hmph, that makes sense." A-Qiang withdrew his gaze with some skepticism. "But I advise you not to try anything funny, otherwise..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the threat was clear.
Ning Yu understood that in this dog-eat-dog world, showing weakness would only make him a lamb to the slaughter. He clenched his fist hidden beneath the map, secretly resolving that if the other side really wanted to make a move, he would never sit idly by and wait to die.
"I have something to do, I'll be going now." Ning Yu pretended to be nonchalant, walked past A-Qiang, and headed towards the door.
"Wait!" Ah Qiang suddenly grabbed Ning Yu's arm. "Leave your things behind!"
Ning Yu was startled, only then realizing that the other person's gaze had been fixed on the backpack behind him. He then remembered that his backpack still contained the half-bottle of murky, dirty water that he had found in the ruins earlier.
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