"Come on! I'll fight you to the death!" Ning Yu roared, like a wounded beast, lunging at the nearest enemy... Ning Yu roared, like a lone wolf driven to the brink, unleashing astonishing power. His daggers flashed, each move ruthless, forcing back several enemies who tried to get close. However, even a mighty tiger can't withstand a pack of wolves. Captain Chen's men outnumbered him, and Ning Yu quickly sustained several new wounds, his tattered clothes stained with blood.
"Boss Ning, you should just surrender! You have nowhere to run!" A burly man brandished an iron rod and viciously smashed it at Ning Yu.
Ning Yu dodged the attack to the side and slashed the burly man's arm with a backhand stroke. The burly man cried out in pain, and the iron rod in his hand fell to the ground with a thud. Just as Ning Yu was about to press his advantage, he felt a sharp pain in his back. It turned out that another enemy had taken the opportunity to launch a sneak attack, smashing him hard on the back with a wooden stick.
Ning Yu groaned, staggered a few steps, and nearly fell to the ground. He knew that if this continued, he would eventually be worn down to death by these people. He endured the excruciating pain in his body, his eyes rapidly scanning his surroundings, hoping to find a glimmer of hope.
"There he is! Don't let him get away!" Suddenly, someone shouted from the crowd, and Ning Yu's heart sank instantly. He knew he had been discovered.
Just as Ning Yu was in despair, he suddenly caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a hidden path behind a clump of bushes not far away. The path was extremely narrow and would be difficult to spot without careful observation.
"I'll fight!" A glimmer of hope ignited in Ning Yu's heart. He stopped fighting, rolled to the side to dodge an attack, and then ran wildly toward the path.
"Chase them! Chase them now!" Captain Chen shouted angrily upon seeing this.
Ning Yu ran with all his might, the shouts of battle behind him growing ever closer. He knew he had to shake off his pursuers as quickly as possible. He plunged into the bushes, sharp branches tearing his clothes and leaving bloody marks on his face, but he dared not linger, for he knew that if he were caught, death awaited him.
The path was rugged and difficult to traverse. Ning Yu stumbled and ran forward, his physical strength already at its limit, but he still gritted his teeth and persevered, because he knew that his life was in his own hands.
Suddenly, Ning Yu stopped abruptly. A glimmer of light appeared before his eyes—no, it wasn't light, but a puddle of water!
The puddle was hidden in dense bushes, and Ning Yu would never have discovered it if he hadn't stumbled upon it by chance. He was overjoyed, like a traveler lost in the desert who had suddenly found an oasis.
"Water...water..." Ning Yu greedily inhaled the moisture in the air. He glanced back to make sure Captain Chen and the others hadn't caught up yet, then bent down, scooped up a handful of clear spring water, and put it in his mouth...
"Who goes there?!" A wary voice came from nearby...
The sweet spring water quenched his parched throat, and Ning Yu felt as if he had just escaped death. He dared not linger, quickly filling his empty water bottle with water, soaking his clothes, wringing them out, and stuffing them into his backpack. Only after doing all this could he catch his breath and observe his surroundings.
The puddle was small, hidden among dense bushes. Without seeing it with one's own eyes, it would be hard to believe that such a pristine water source existed in this desolate place. Some unidentified wild grasses grew beside the puddle, their vibrant green standing out starkly against the gray landscape.
"It seems that God is still looking out for me," Ning Yu muttered to himself. His near-death experience made him cherish the peace he had now even more. He recalled Captain Chen's greedy face, and a surge of anger rose within him. These people were ruthless enough to kill each other for resources; they were utterly inhuman.
Ning Yu carefully parted the bushes, and after confirming that there was no danger around, he crouched down and retraced his steps. He had to get back to the shelter as soon as possible; there were more important things waiting for him there.
Back at the site where the water source had been contaminated, Captain Chen's men were still searching for Ning Yu. Unbeknownst to them, their prey was slipping away right under their noses.
Ning Yu avoided their gaze, took a long detour, and finally returned to his temporary shelter. It was an abandoned warehouse, which he had reinforced to a point where it could barely hold off some wild animals and ill-intentioned refugees.
He pushed open the door, slipped inside, and slammed it shut behind him. The warehouse was dark and silent, with only a few rays of sunlight streaming through the broken windows, casting dappled shadows on the floor.
Ning Yu took out a bottle full of water from his backpack and greedily drank a few mouthfuls. The cool spring water provided some relief to his tired body. He sat down against the wall, his mind replaying the experiences of the past few days, his heart filled with unease.
The water pollution was just the beginning. He knew that even greater challenges lay ahead in this apocalyptic world. Captain Chen was just the beginning; many more like him would emerge in the future, resorting to any means necessary to survive.
"It seems I must improve my strength as soon as possible to survive in this cruel world..." Ning Yu muttered to himself, a resolute glint in his eyes. He stood up, placed the water bottle on the ground, picked up a rusty iron axe from the corner, and walked to the warehouse door.
With a creak, the warehouse door slowly opened, revealing a blood-red sunset outside...
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