In the damp, dark passage, the sound of flowing water grew clearer, and Ning Yu's heart pounded faster. Water, in this world ravaged by nuclear war, meant hope for survival. He ran towards the sound of water, like a lone wolf that had sniffed out a source, his eyes gleaming with unwavering determination. A faint light appeared ahead—the exit of the passage, indicating that the water source was nearby.
"Splash—" The sound of flowing water was like a beautiful song. Ning Yu quickened his pace and finally rushed out of the passage.
However, the glimmer of hope was extinguished in the next second.
A figure blocked the exit. It was a plump middle-aged woman, none other than Widow Li, who made a living by scavenging for supplies. She had one hand on her hip and was carrying a worn-out iron bucket in the other, half-filled with murky water, which had obviously just been drawn from the water source.
"Oh, isn't this Ning boy? What, you've found this place too?" Widow Li looked at Ning Yu with a forced smile, a glint of greed in her eyes.
Ning Yu's heart sank. He knew that a struggle was inevitable. He took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger, and looked past Widow Li to the scene behind her—a small underground reservoir. Although the water was murky, it was undoubtedly an invaluable treasure in this water-scarce era.
Widow Li followed Ning Yu's gaze, a cold smile playing on her lips. "What, you want some too?" She shook the iron bucket in her hand. "Too bad, I found this water first, so naturally it's first come, first served..."
"First come, first served? That's ridiculous!" Ning Yu suppressed his anger, pointing to the scattered pebbles and signs of disturbance on the ground. "If I'm not mistaken, these clues were left by me a few days ago. I tracked them all the way here. What makes you think you found them first?"
Widow Li's face stiffened, then she said arrogantly, "What clues? I didn't see anything! I only know that I fetched this water, so it's mine!"
"You..." Ning Yu was speechless with anger at her shameless words. He knew that reasoning with this kind of person was a waste of time. He took a deep breath and decided to try diplomacy first, "Widow Li, I don't want to argue with you. How about we share this water source?"
"Share? Dream on!" Widow Li sneered. "These days, whoever has the ability can survive. A pretty boy like you deserves to die of thirst!"
Before she could finish speaking, Widow Li suddenly moved. Like a ferocious beast, she pounced on Ning Yu, her target not him, but the backpack he had been tightly guarding behind his back. Ning Yu was prepared; he dodged to the side, avoiding Widow Li's attack. He knew that the backpack contained the supplies he had collected along the way, especially the map that might mark other water sources—a key to his survival in this apocalyptic world.
"Trying to steal my things?" Ning Yu's eyes turned cold, showing no intention of backing down. He tightly protected his backpack and began to wrestle with Widow Li. Although Widow Li was overweight, she had been searching for supplies in the ruins for many years and was quite strong. Her moves were ruthless, all aimed at Ning Yu's vital points.
Ning Yu wasn't a professional fighter, and he was nearly hit by Widow Li several times. He realized he couldn't continue to passively take hits; he had to take the initiative. He seized an opportunity, grabbed Widow Li's wrist, and twisted it forcefully. Widow Li cried out in pain, and the iron bucket in her hand fell to the ground with a thud, spilling murky water all over the floor.
"You little brat, how dare you hurt me!" Widow Li roared, her sharp nails like blades, viciously scratching at Ning Yu's face. Ning Yu couldn't dodge in time, and a bloody gash appeared on his face, burning with pain.
The smell of blood filled the air, completely igniting the ferocity within Ning Yu. His eyes red, he shoved Widow Li aside and picked up a sharp stone from the ground…
"What...what are you going to do!" Seeing Ning Yu's actions, a hint of fear flashed in Widow Li's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by greed and madness. "Don't think I'm afraid of you, I'm taking this water today!"
"Crazy woman!" Ning Yu roared, but the stone he had raised ultimately did not fall. He was not a bloodthirsty person, and even in the apocalypse where life and death were at stake, he could not easily take a person's life. However, Widow Li misunderstood his hesitation, screaming as she pounced on him, her obese body overwhelming him like a small mountain, pinning him firmly to the ground.
"Hand over the map! Give me your backpack!" Widow Li's face was contorted with rage, her withered fingers scratching viciously like eagle claws. Bloody marks appeared on Ning Yu's face, the blood mixed with sweat stinging his eyes.
"Cough cough..." Ning Yu was struggling to breathe, but he still held tightly to the backpack behind him, which was his only hope. He struggled and roared, like a wild beast driven to the brink of despair, unleashing astonishing power.
Just then, a rustling sound came from all around, accompanied by several sharp screechs. Widow Li paused, raising her head alertly. She saw several large, mutated rats, attracted by the sounds of fighting, staring greedily at them, their scarlet eyes gleaming with ferocity.
"Damn it!" Widow Li cursed under her breath. These mutated creatures, though small, were incredibly fast and had sharp teeth; being bitten was no joke. Although she coveted Ning Yu's supplies, she knew that survival was paramount at this moment.
However, before she could react, one of the mutated rats launched the first attack. It hissed and pounced on Widow Li, its sharp teeth biting into her arm. Widow Li cried out in pain and frantically tried to dodge, but a chunk of flesh was still bitten off.
"Get away! Get away!" Widow Li frantically waved the iron bucket in her hand, trying to drive away these mutated creatures, but they were stimulated by the smell of blood and became even more frenzied, rushing forward one after another and surrounding her.
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