《Night of Despair》


 Chapter 1: Shadow 1

    <h4>Chapter 1: Shadow 1</h4>


    "Yiyi..."


    "Yiyi..."


    A faint call awakened the little girl from her sleep.


    Gloomy deep night.


    In the small square bedroom, a little girl with long ck hair was sleeping on an oak bed.


    A grayish-white quilt covered her up to her shoulders, barely revealing the washed-out lotusce of her nightgown.


    The little girl appeared to be only seven or eight years old, with delicate features, a slightly high nose bridge, and two red pimples on her chin. She seemed to be just beginning to understand the world around her.


    Upon hearing the sound, she slowly opened her eyes from her slumber, straightened her torso, and looked around.


    The room was pitch dark except for a dim moonlight vaguely casting light at the foot of the bed.


    At the foot of the bed.


    There.


    Stood a dark figure.


    The upper body of the figure was submerged in darkness, its face unclear.


    But she could feel it, it was quietly watching the little girl.


    "Mom?"


    The little girl cautiously uttered a word, asking.


    She grasped the quilt tightly with both hands, her expression tense, sensing something was off.


    The surrounding was eerily silent, only her voice piercingly sharp and conspicuous, faintly echoing around the room.


    "Remember... Yiyi, no matter what sound you hear, you must hide in the secret chamber, and don''te out until the white stone turns ck..."


    The figure whispered softly.


    "Never..."


    "Don''te out..."


    After speaking, she slowly turned around and silently walked towards the door.


    The wooden door opened noiselessly, and beyond it was pitch darkness, as if weing her, quickly swallowing herpletely.


    "Mum... Mummy!!" The little girl seemed to sense something, fiercely threw off the quilt, and got up wanting to chase.


    Bang!!!


    A loud sound, apanied by a great vibration, burst sharply near her ear.


    Hiss!!!


    The little girl abruptly opened her eyes, arching her chest from the bed, taking a deep breath.


    It had just been a dream.


    Her eyes widened in fear, her pupils dted, her consciousness slowly cleared from the groggy dream.


    Bang!


    Another loud sound.


    The whole room seemed to tremble and sway.


    The wooden door of the room trembled violently, emitting one thud after another, as if a giant beast were wildly ramming it.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!!


    The enormous thuds seemed about topletely shatter the door.


    Fine cracks slowly emerged and spread across the surface of the door.


    The girl snapped back to reality, recalling the voice she had heard in her dream.


    "Mum..." For some reason, tears suddenly filled her eyes, a pain indescribable rising in her heart.


    But hearing the loud noise and recalling the words, she quickly threw off the quilt, jumped down from the bed, and nced at the wooden door.


    Crack!


    The wooden door suddenly broke open, and shards of wood splintered inward, scattering on the brown earth floor.


    The girl''s body shivered, her heart thumping wildly, her face pale as she quickly bent down and crawled under the bed.


    She crawled a few times under there, found a hidden ck mud board, grabbed the handle, andboriously pulled it open.


    Under the mud board was a small square space justrge enough for her to curl up in.


    Within the space, the walls were embedded with white stones of various sizes.


    The stones were irregrly shaped, but they all had one thing inmon: aplex red symbol was engraved on each surface.


    The girl hurriedly crawled in, covered the mud board above her head, and as darkness enveloped her, she shivered and hid in the small space, curling up tightly and listening to the noises outside.


    Strangely, as soon as she hid, the thudding outsidepletely ceased.


    It was as if all she had heard was an illusion.


    Silence.


    No sound at all.


    The only thing audible was her own breathing.


    The little girl tightly covered her mouth, afraid that her breathing was too loud and might alert something outside.


    The immense fear and tension slowly wore down her frail body.


    As time passed.


    Slowly, the girl fell into a daze.


    She didn''t know how long it had been.


    An hour, or maybe two.


    "Yiyi..." A familiar calling voice woke the girl from her slumber.


    She moved her body, seemingly trying to make herself morefortable.


    "Yiyi?"


    "Yiyi, where are you? Mommy''s back."


    The voice outside was again faintly heard.


    Gentle and familiar.


    The terror in the girl''s heart seemed to have lessened a lot after her sleep.


    Hearing the sound, she quickly moved, wanting to go out.


    But suddenly she remembered something, nced at the white stones embedded in the wall, and through the tiny lighting from the air holes in the mud board, she noticed they hadn''t turned ck.


    ording to her mother, it would only bepletely safe when the white stones turned ck.


    The girl''s initial desire to go out abruptly halted.


    "Yiyi, it''s daytime outside now, it''s safe, you cane out."


    The voice spoke again.


    "Don''t worry, with the light, those things won''t daree in. Mommy''s here, you cane out."


    The girl calcted the time, usually around this time, mom should being back.


    Every time she hid in this small space and slept, she would see her mom when she came out.


    This time it should be no exception.


    As for the white stones embedded in the wall, perhaps it was just that too much time had passed, and during the day the stones remained white.


    The girl thought for a moment. Then, she looked up again and peered outside through the venttion hole in the mud board.


    She saw a faint white light indeed outside.


    The dawn broke.


    Finally, she felt relieved.


    "Here Ie!"


    She responded.


    "Mom, I''m here."


    She started to move her body, reaching upwards with her small hands to push the mud board above her head.


    Soon, she pushed open the mud board, struggled to pull her head out of the small space, and returned under the bed.


    Then she looked outside.


    "!!??"


    Outside.


    It was still dark.


    Wasn''t it supposed to be daylight?


    The little girl''s scalp tingled instantly.


    Realizing something was wrong, she clenched her teeth and quickly squatted down, trying to shrink back into the small space.


    Pat.


    Pat.


    Suddenly, a pair of pale feet wearing her mother''s cloth shoes approached the bed and stopped.


    "Yiyi... my dear daughter, where are you?" the soft and familiar voice came again.


    The little girl dared not make a sound, covering her mouth tightly as tears streamed down her face.


    But she dare not move; at such a close distance, any slight movement would make a noise in the quiet environment and could reveal her presence.


    She suddenly remembered that her mother would definitely know about the small space under the bed.


    So her mother could not possibly be asking where she was.


    At that moment, she realized she might have been deceived...


    Pat.


    Pat.


    Quickly, not getting a response, or perhaps the girl''s response from the small space was too quiet to be heard, the feet slowly moved away from the bed and quietly left towards another direction.


    The feet moved slowly, making barely any sound, and soon disappeared with the slight sound of a door closing.


    All was quiet again.


    The little girl kept holding on.


    She wasn''t sure how much time had passed. After hearing no sound for a while, she slowly exhaled and rxed, retracting back downward.


    The prolonged tension had left her body weak, a ringing in her ears, and her vision slightly blurred.


    At this point, she couldn''t hold on any longer and leaned against the inner wall of the small space, breathing heavily.


    Once she was sure the danger was gone, the little girl waited a bit longer to confirm that there truly wasn''t any noise before sheboriously crawled out of the small space, inching her way out from under the bed.


    Thump.


    Suddenly.


    She bumped her shoulder against something.


    The little girl stiffened immediately, a bad feeling washing over her.


    She slowly raised her head, looking toward the upper right.


    A woman in a ragged white dress with long hair was sitting quietly on her wooden bed, her left leg hanging down right over her shoulder.


    The woman''s long hair hid her face as she looked down at her. Through the slight refraction of moonlight, she could see the woman''s pale lips marked by decay.


    Whoo!!


    The woman''s decayed face suddenly came close, erging.


    *


    *


    *


    "This time, she didn''t die."


    In the darkness, a muddled voice came through.


    It seemed to be a woman.


    "She''s still alive, um, just injured, very weak. Not to criticize you, but you always bring people back from the woods outside. We don''t have much to eat here, and you have to take care of a sick person too..." the woman was speaking.


    "No... no... it''s okay... mom... told... me...." another voice stuttered gravely in response.


    "Stop talking about your mom; listening to you talk is exhausting. Alright, I''ve stitched up your wound. Just make sure not to get it wet or infected. I''m leaving now." The woman seemed to be packing up.


    "Okay... okay... thank... you..." the stuttering girl let out a silly giggle, akin to inhaling air.


    "Don''t mention it. If it gets too much, remember to drag him outside and leave him by the door; he should be gone by morning," the woman said helplessly.


    "Thank... only you... help..." the girl gratefully spoke.


    "That''s the world for you. Everyone is struggling to survive; no one has the energy to care for others. It''s just you; anyone else would probably have thrown him back out into the wild by now," the womanmented.


    Yu Hong slowly gathered his strength in the darkness, strained to open his eyes.


    He saw a shabbily dressed small girl, talking with a middle-aged woman with yellow skin.


    The yellow-skinned woman was wearing sses and a grayish white long-sleeved dress, stained with various marks.


    All he remembered was that he was tired from work, came home, went straight to sleep, and then suddenly woke to some noise in the middle of the night, followed by a pain in his forehead, then knew nothing else.


    "Here... is..." he tried to speak, but his throat felt like it was being cut, making it impossible to make a sound; only raspy breaths escaped.


    At the same time, he could feel his forehead burning, his body overheated, and his eyes crammed with dry, hard eye crust.


    It was an inmmation, definitely somewhere in his body, possibly his throat.


    "Medicine..." the girl''s voice reached him again.


    After a clear door closing sound, everything quieted down.


    The dirty girl struggled to move, retrieving a ck metal box from a corner of the room.


    "Medicine... can make better." She approached Yu Hong with the medicine.


    With a click, she opened the lid revealing a lot of ck charcoal inside, and within it, wrapped in paper were three pale yellow capsules.


    However, the capsules showed fine mold spots on their surface, with light blue and green fungal fluff visible.


    "This medicine, it can''t be used, right..." Yu Hong''s expression stiffened as he looked at her. Now somewhat more lucid, his throat seemed much better, and he could speak more smoothly, though it still hurt.


    "And moreover, what is this medicine? How can you give it to me without knowing what''s wrong with me or what disease I have? It won''t cure me."


    "First, tell me, who are you, where am I, and what exactly is going on?"


    The girl holding the medicine looked confused; she opened her mouth, stammering and anxious, yet unable to make a sound.


    Now closer, Yu Hong could clearly see her appearance.


    Her skin was dark, covered with patches of dark yellow stains. She wore manyyers of clothing from different seasons, her cor grimy and stained, and a strong odor of sweat emanated from her.


    She looked like a beggar.


    Perhaps many beggars were even cleaner than her.


    From a distance, she resembled a mobile cart of ck clothes.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Upon closer inspection, the girl''s body was slightly deformed, her leg wasme, and there was arge tumor on the back of her right shoulder, its outline visible through her clothes.


    She was under 1.5 meters tall, short and dirty, and moved slowly.


    But those eyes, they were like clear gems, with very few impurities.

 Chapter 2: Shadow 2

    <h4>Chapter 2: Shadow 2</h4>


    Faced with Yu Hong''s questions, the girl was unable to respond, and she did not know which question to answer first.


    She stood there dazed, trembling with the medicine box in her hands, the shaking so severe that it seemed the medicine might fall out at any moment.


    Snap.


    The door was pushed open again, from the outside.


    A middle-aged woman in a dirty whiteb coat entered, with yellow skin and ck hair, plus those ck-framed sses¡ªindeed, it was the woman from before who seemed to be a doctor.


    "I''ll answer your questions. Don''t be hard on Yiyi, she has been ill before and was frightened; her speech and mind are both slow."


    The woman walked to the bedside and ced a light gray kettle on the wooden bedside table.


    "We don''t know how you got here. Last night, when Yiyi went out to gather firewood, she identally found you in a pit and dragged you back here."


    "When we found you, you were unconscious and did not seem to have any external injuries, just unconscious with a fever. Yiyi fed you plenty of filtered water and waited all night before you woke up."


    At this, the woman sighed.


    "Then about this ce, this is Baiqiu Vige, surrounded entirely by deep mountains, the only connection to the outside is an old road to the west."


    She paused for a moment.


    "I am the vige doctor, Dr. Xu. Her name is Lin Yiyi, an orphan living here alone. There''s nothing else important to tell. Alright, I''ve said what needed to be said, now it''s your turn. Who are you? How did you get here? What brought you here?"


    "Dr. Xu... I may call you that, right?" Yu Hong processed the situation, enduring the pain in his throat, and spoke gravely.


    Seeing her nod, he continued.


    "I... am Yu Hong. I was just sleeping at home, and then..." He detailed his sensations from earlier.


    "I don''t know how I got here, I..." he struggled to raise his hand, clutching his forehead.


    "How old are you?" Dr. Xu suddenly asked.


    "Twenty... twenty-seven," Yu Hong reflexively responded.


    "That''s enough, anyway, you can''t go back now. In these times, no matter where you are from or how you got here, without a car, going out means certain death. You''ll probably have to stay here for a long time," Dr. Xu stated tly.


    "??? No car? Can''t I... borrow a car to get me to the nearest station... I can pay!" Yu Hong was a bit dazed.


    "A station?" Now it was Dr. Xu''s turn to be baffled. "What are you talking about? Where is there a station? Who drives these days? The outside is all messed up with monsters, going out alone is suicidal."


    "Monsters?!" Yu Hong was stunned.


    "What monsters??" He suspected she was either acting or delusional.


    But as he watched Dr. Xu look at him with an eye reserved for idiots, Yu Hong began to sense something was off.


    He felt a bit panicked.


    He was just an ordinary office worker; nobody would spend a lot of money to hire an actor of this caliber to deceive him, right???


    "It''s over... definitely an idiot." Dr. Xu looked up, her expression resigned.


    "Idiots together, you two are perfectly matched."


    She nced sideways out the window.


    "It''s still early, you''ll understand when it gets dark. I''m leaving now. Yiyi, keep an eye on him, don''t let him open the door at night."


    "Okay..." Yiyi quickly nodded.


    Seeing Dr. Xu about to leave, Yiyi hurriedly called out.


    "Medicine... Medicine! Sister..." she called out anxiously.


    "...." Hearing her, Dr. Xu turned back to look at Yu Hong, understanding the situation.


    She pulled a mercury thermometer out of her pocket and put it into Yu Hong''s mouth.


    "Taking your temperature."


    She waited a while, then pulled out the thermometer and checked it.


    "38.5, you won''t die."


    "Medicine... mine... it''s not good..." Yiyi quickly handed over the medicine box she was holding for examination.


    The mold on the medicine also made Dr.Xu frown.


    "Yiyi, my medicine supply is also low, the post office goes to the city only once a month."


    Upon hearing this, Yiyi instantly became frantic, looking left and right, quickly retrieving something resembling a yam from the corner cab, handing it over.


    "Exchange, this, for... medicine!"


    Dr. Xu shook her head, saying it wasn''t enough.


    Then Yiyi started searching other ces.


    The two haggled back and forth, their voices constantly reaching Yu Hong''s ears.


    Listening left him feeling drowsy and more and more lethargic, soon slipping back into a deep sleep.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The pain in his throat, the dizziness in his head, the weakness throughout his body made it impossible for him to get up.


    His body''s natural healing mechanism prompted him to quickly regain strength by sleeping.


    Time rapidly passed.


    He didn''t know how long had passed, maybe it was an hour, or maybe three hours. Time meant nothing to someone in a stupor.


    Yu Hong slowly woke from his deep sleep.


    His body was sore and weak, his throat felt as if something was stuck in itm arge lump blocking it, rendering him unable to speak.


    He opened his eyes and slowly propped his body up from the bed, surveying his surroundings.


    The room was quiet.


    This small square-shaped bedroom had walls and a ceiling made of light yellow wood.


    The floor was ck soil, t and dry, some corners even had grass sprouting.


    Yu Hong slowly turned to the side, lowered his legs over the edge of the bed, and carefully stepped onto the floor.


    The solid feeling of his feet on the ground inexplicably relieved him.


    He looked down at himself.


    A greyish-white short-sleeve T-shirt with a cartoon tiger printed on the front and some yellow stains. His pants were cream-colored casual pants, but they looked quite wrinkled at the moment.


    Grey socks with big toes poking through holes on both sides, embedding ck soil, protruding outward.

 Chapter 3: Shadow 2-2

    <h4>Chapter 3: Shadow 2-2</h4>


    ```


    "What''s this?" He nced at the back of his hand, where a ck mark had appeared on the back of his right hand at some point.


    The mark looked like an ancient seal, a square stamp with a lump of mud-like substance on top, void of any patterns or inscriptions, resembling a birthmark at a casual nce.


    But Yu Hong remembered clearly, he had no suchrge birthmark, let alone on the conspicuous back of his right hand.


    He rubbed the mark with his hand, feeling neither pain nor itch.


    He tried to wipe it off, found it wouldn''te off, and then temporarily gave up.


    After checking his body once more and confirming there were no injuries, Yu Hong stroked his stubbly chin and turned his head toward the window.


    The window was square, to the right of the bed, and barred with wooden nks both inside and out, very secure. It resembled the kind of window you''d expect in a psych ward, chaotic with an undercurrent of unease.


    Outside the window was a dim yellow light, nting in, leaving dull yellow patches at the edge of the bed.


    Yu Hong took a breath and felt the air was off, carrying an indescribable acrid smell.


    He walked a few steps to the door. By the foot of the wooden doory a stack of thick, old newspapers.


    He paused, bent down, and picked up the stack with difficulty, looking at the top one.


    "Highest Alert: Major ck Disaster Strikes Nationwide"


    The huge title took up nearly half of the front page of the newspaper.


    Below were the details.


    ".....The continuous urrence of the ck Disaster, the helplessness of the response departments, and the great threat to the safety of people''s lives have led to the urgent establishment of the Emergency Management Department by the National Disaster Prevention Committee to initiate rapid response in regions severely affected by the ck Disaster, and to organize rescue operations with all efforts...."


    Rustle.


    Yu Hong frowned, flipping to the back.


    A photo of a busy rescue scene in a disaster area unfolded before him.


    It was a grey, dusty ruin of buildings, where people in heavy protective suits were carrying stretchers, lifting charred bodies one after another.


    "ck Disaster?" He had never heard of this term before.


    Then he flipped to the next newspaper.


    "Significant Insect Disaster Approaches: How Should We Respond?"


    "Food Shortage, Water Scarcity, National Rescue Teams Go All Out to Save Tens of Thousands from Peril"


    "Suspected Biochemical Agent Leak, Yi Guan City Area Urgently Sealed Off with Vehicle Barrier"


    "Expert Advice on Dealing with ck Disaster Blood Ticks"


    "The First Hope City Officially Completed, Ten Thousand Residents Move In"


    As the sound of the flipping papers continued, Yu Hong''s expression grew increasingly stern.


    Beyond the oddness of these headlines, there was a critical point....


    He suddenly realized.... these newspapers were not in anynguage he had learned before, not in Chinese, not English, not French, Spanish, Russian... and so on.


    They were in apletely unfamiliar, differentnguage.


    "Damn it!"


    Yu Hong put down the newspapers, looking at the date.


    ''January 3, 2020''.


    An unfamiliarnguage and script, yet he could understand....


    This strange sensation brought a feeling of difort rising in his heart.


    Returning the newspapers to their ce, Yu Hong nced at the door in front of him.


    The door was grey-ck, with onerge and one small decorative square pattern up and down. The doorknob was white, with some of the paint chipped off, revealing the ck metal beneath.


    He reached out to grasp the handle, the cold, solid feel of it giving him a jolt, and then he gently twisted it.


    Click.


    The door, opened.


    Outside was a grey stone staircase with three steps.


    Beyond that, a broken gravel path.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Across the path was a small, dark t house with its door open.


    Grey walls, rotten ck tiles.


    The t house was just over three meters high, with iprehensible red slogans painted on the external walls, blurred beyond recognition.


    The nted tiles retained stones and yellowed leaves, making a faint rustling noise as the wind blew.


    Yu Hong stepped out only to realize he was shoeless, d only in tattered grey socks.```


    Walking on the gravelly ground was ufortable, poking at his feet.


    He simply stood still where he was.


    Looking around.


    The broken stone path outside the door was nked by a session of stone wall tile houses.


    These tile houses were very dpidated, their walls full of mold and stains, and some even had red slogans written on them, like "A happy life, blessed and peaceful," "One person insured, the whole family safe," "Fire prevention, pest control, moisture proof"...


    The broken stone path was somewhat gloomy, sunlight obstructed by the houses, with just little bits nting through doors and windows.


    This was also because the houses were rtively low.


    He scanned the area.


    One by one, the row of tile houses stood like a line of people, simr in height, battered and in disrepair, with wind whistling through their doors and windows; their dark wooden doors were mostly wide open, with no one inside, only the wooshing sound of the wind.


    He looked up, turning to face the house he was in.


    Indeed, the ce he was staying in, though also a tile house, was different from the others.


    Outside the doors and windows, thick ck and yellow wooden bars were nailed in ce, gaps stuffed with heavy cloth, and the threshold of the doorway was higher than those of the other houses.


    "This ce..." A nameless sense of foreboding rose in Yu Hong''s heart.


    Click.


    Suddenly, from a distance on the right side, a faint clicking sound was heard.


    It seemed like shoes pressing on the gravel.


    He quickly looked in the direction of the sound.


    He saw inside one of the houses on the right side of the road, through an open door, a vague figure in white, standing in the shadows, looking at him.


    From afar, he thought he saw the figure smiling, smiling at him.


    "Smile my ass!" Yu Hong''s eyebrows furrowed, ignoring the other person.


    Although he really wanted to find someone to ask about the situation, there was something off about the figure''s demeanor; it made him feel uneasy.


    So, he nned to look for someone else.


    Turning his head, he stopped looking in that direction and instead scanned the other tile houses one by one, trying to find someone else.


    Unfortunately, after a full sweep, he found no one else.


    So, he could only turn back, looking in the direction of the figure in white.


    But this nce made his heart sink.


    The figure in white was no longer in the same room as before.


    Instead, the figure had appeared in another house much closer to him.


    Standing in the shadow of the door, smiling at him.


    In just a mere ten seconds or so, the figure had moved at least tens of meters closer.


    The strangest thing was that even though it had moved so much closer, he still couldn''t see the figure''s face, barely making out a smile, very pale skin, a man.


    He hadn''t heard any sound of running footsteps; how had this person crossed such a distance in an instant?


    Yu Hong''s heart began to grow hairy.


    He took a deep breath, swiftly turned his head to look in another direction, and then quickly looked back at the figure in white.


    Just a second passed.


    Yet in that one second.


    The figure in white was no longer in thest room, but had disappeared again, appearing in a house diagonally opposite to him, less than ten meters away.


    The figure was still standing still in the shadow of the door, still smiling at him.


    "I... fuck!!" Yu Hong was terrified inside, slowly backing away.


    What was even weirder was that at such a close distance, not being nearsighted, he still couldn''t clearly see the figure''s detailed features!


    Recalling what had just happened, he dared not blink at all, only slowly retreating.


    Then, moving back inside, he kept his gaze fixed on the figure, while he slowly closed the door.


    Gently.


    The door was left only a hand''s width open.


    Yu Hong forced himself not to blink, but his eyes were increasingly sore and ufortable, tears starting to umte at the corners, more and more.


    He was about to give in.

 Chapter 4: Danger Zone - Silver’s Gratitudes

    <h4>Chapter 4: Danger Zone - Silver''s Gratitudes</h4>


    Click.


    Atst, the door waspletely shut.


    Yu Hong breathed a heavy sigh of relief.


    "What the hell is this ce?!"


    He locked the door, stood upright, but then suddenly thought of the stuttering girl from before.


    This ce looked eerie no matter how one looked at it, and the stuttering girl seemed nice enough, but how had she survived here?


    He stepped back twice and breathed a long sigh of relief.


    Puff.


    Suddenly, it felt like his back had bumped into something.


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    Ice-cold, somewhat hard...


    It seemed... like a person!!


    Yu Hong frozepletely.


    He lowered his head and saw a pair of white shoes on the ground right behind him...


    Had this guy... actually gotten in?!?!


    When?!


    Bang!!


    With a loud crash.


    The wooden door was knocked open, and a short figure rushed in, throwing a handful of grey-white substance.


    "Ah!!"


    Simultaneously, the stuttering girl''s voice, like a rion call shattering the silence, jolted Yu Hong from his rigid state of shock.


    He felt a puff of the grey-white little shadow whisk past his cheek and hit the white figure behind him.


    Puff puff puff!


    The fine sound, like something striking fabric, erupted, but along with it Yu Hong''s whole body rxed, and he stumbled forward several steps, nearly falling.


    His body was already weak and powerless, and now with the shock and the rollercoaster of emotions, his physical and mental exhaustion was even greater.


    After a few steps, his legs gave way, and he fell to the ground.


    Rolling over on the ground, he saw the stuttering girl had charged through the door, clutching a thick wooden club, and was fiercely striking the figure in white.


    And even more eerie, the figure in white deted like a balloon with a leak, softening with a ''puff'' and quickly exploding into foam-like tatters, dissolving into nothing.


    The shreds had not yet hit the ground before they, too, disintegrated, faded away, leaving nothing behind.


    It was as if everything that had just happened was an illusion.


    Huff puff huff puff.


    The stuttering girl, breathing heavily, put down the thick club in her hand, her face flushed red, bulging veins popping on her face and hands. Even under the dim light, the tiny beads of sweat were distinctly visible.


    "Person, weak, danger...outside...go...out less!" she turned her head to look at Yu Hong and said earnestly.


    Yu Hong nodded unconsciously.


    Only then did he feel a burning pain in his back, as if ayer of skin had been scraped off.


    Rolling over again on the ground, he suddenly discovered that the ce where his back had touched had a few drops of blood.


    Seeing this, the stuttering girl hurriedly came forward to help him up.


    Together, they exerted force, and the stuttering girl''s strength immediately became apparent.


    She was stronger than Yu Hong, a grown man, and not by a little!


    She dragged Yu Hong up, turned him around to lean on the door frame, and removed his upper clothing.


    Then she fished out a jar of something from who knows where and began to smear it on his back.


    Soon, a rough pain spread from his back.


    Yu Hong endured it, knowing the other was trying to save him, to treat his wound.


    "What is this medicine?"


    "My... gran... leftover... injury medicine powder..." the stuttering girl answered haltingly.


    "Good...effective!"


    Silence.


    Yu Hong thought back to the white-d person. His mind was crowded with questions he wanted to ask.


    After organizing his thoughts for quite a while, he finally spoke again.


    "What was that white-d figure just now?"


    "Shadow..." the stuttering girl answered.


    "A ghostly shadow?"


    "Is it a person?" Yu Hong asked again.


    "Don''t...know..."


    Yu Hong felt as if his lifelong belief in materialism was about to copse, especially since the figure had vanished before his very eyes, leaving him feeling a sense of unreality and falsehood.


    He thought for a while, until the light outside the window grew dimmer. Then he spoke again.


    "That white-d figure... was it a ghost?"


    "Not...a ghost," the stuttering girl answered, "Newspaper... has...it..."


    Speaking was obviously strenuous for her, so she paused the treatment on the wound, bent down to pick up the newspaper, and flipped through it quickly to hand a page to Yu Hong.


    Yu Hong took it and saw the headline on it.


    "Phantasmal Experiment Makes Major Breakthrough"


    Below were the details.


    "...ording to a public statement from the Human United Research Organization, the nature of the shadow is closely rted to Blood Tide, but a detailed analysis of the experiment content shows that shadows themselves do not possess any memory. They bear the appearance of humans from before their death, but theyck corresponding memories and emotions, instead hunting instinctively any living thing thates near or notices them, with their primary prey being their own kind.


    That is to say, the true nature of the shadow is more akin to a new type of highly camouged predator. They cannot be killed, only expelled, and even if dispersedpletely, they will soon reappear, possessing the special ability to prate most existing materials.


    In some organization''s experiments, there is even suspicion that they may not exist in reality, but within our own brains, perhaps as a type of self-induced delusion..."


    Swiftly reading through this report, Yu Hong felt a chill spread throughout his body.


    Danger!


    Too dangerous!!


    What the hell kind of ce was this?! How could it be so dangerous?!


    He merely left the house! Did it have to cost him his life?!


    Clutching the newspaper, he took a moment to calm down with heavy breaths before reading it several times over.


    Thud.


    Yu Hong sat down with a dull look on his face at the edge of the bed, watching the stuttering girl tidy up the things she used to treat his wound.


    Then she began arranging a woven bamboo basket filled with a mishmash of slimy roots and stalks.


    Since the room was not ventted, a thick, putrid smell of rotting mud filled the air.


    After sitting for a while, Yu Hong felt his mouth dry and his body growing hot.


    "Do you have water?" he asked listlessly.


    The stuttering girl paused, then pointed to an inconspicuous ck urn in the corner of the wall.


    The small vat was only the size of a human head, with vague patterns of flying birds, branches, and flowers on the outside.


    Yu Hong stood up, walked over, and crouched down to lift the lid of the small vat.


    Inside, a shallowyer of yellow water with a faint stench appeared before his eyes.


    "....." He was at a loss for words; one look was enough to tell that the water was undrinkable.


    It reeked...


    Suddenly, a tea pot-like ck metal object was passed over from the side.


    It was Stutterer.


    She shook the tea pot.


    "Filter..."


    She mimed the action of scooping water and pouring it through the spout at the top of the tea pot.


    Yu Hong then noticed that there was something akin to a filtration on top of the tea pot.


    He fell silent for a moment, took the tea pot, found adle by the vat, and slowly poured water into it.


    It took a while to filter a smalldleful of water.


    He grabbed a wooden cup, pouring thedle of water into it.


    Hiss.


    A stream of clear water with a slight stench surged out, filling a third of the cup before stopping.


    Yu Hong looked at the stinky water; even though filtered, it still...


    He thought not to drink it, but the severe thirst from dehydration made it clear to him that if he didn''t drink, already sick and injured as he was, he would be doomed.


    As he hesitated, Stutter grabbed the cup from his hand and downed it in one gulp.


    ck.


    She set the cup on the edge of the vat, making a noise as it touched down.


    "Drink... No... problem!"


    Yu Hong paused, stepped forward, scooped water again, re-filtered another cup, and then, holding the cup, hovered his hand in mid-air.


    Hmm...


    He paused, lifted the cup to drink, but then slowly set it down again.


    Once more, he lifted it to drink.


    And quickly set it down again...


    Stutter''s eyeballs followed his hand''s up and down movements, looking somewhat confused.


    After several such repetitions,


    Yu Hong drew a deep breath, gripped the cup tightly, hisplexion growing increasingly pale.


    He thought, couldn''t the water be cleaner?


    He worried that before replenishing water, he might be the one in trouble. Just because Stutter was okay after drinking, it didn''t mean he would be too, given how much people''s constitutions can differ.


    ''Enhance the cup?''


    Suddenly, a faint voice entered his ears.


    ck; he set the cup aside on the wooden table.


    Yu Hong''s expression changed subtly, looking around but finding only Stutter standing obediently to one side, looking at him with a puzzled expression.


    ''Enhance the cup?''


    The voice came again.


    Yu Hong looked all around but couldn''t find anyone who might be speaking.


    So, he focused his gaze on the wooden cup on the table.


    Quickly, a faint number appeared on the surface of the cup: 3 days.


    Apart from that, nothing.


    Yu Hong''s expression changed abruptly; his first thought was that he might be seeing things, but even after blinking repeatedly, the number was still there.


    Suddenly, he seemed to think of something, looked down at the ck Mark on the back of his right hand.


    Sure enough.


    The mark was the size of an egg, the ck area rippling with a water-like sheen.


    ''It''s this thing causing the mischief!'' Yu Hong instantly understood in his heart.


    For a while, his eyes roiled, a tumult of thoughts surged in his mind as he stood in ce.


    But quickly, he remembered Stutter was still around him.


    Hastily raising his hand, he showed the back of his hand with the ck Mark to Stutter.


    "Can you see anything on my hand?"


    "...." Stutter shook her head, looking bewildered. "Nothing... at... all."


    "..." Yu Hong lowered his hand, took another look at the cup, confirmed the number was still there, and roughly guessed at some spections.


    Under Stutter''s bewildered gaze, he turned and walked towards other ces.


    The room wasn''trge, with only a few furnishings.


    A wardrobe, a table doubling as a desk, two nightstands, an old-fashioned dressing mirror, and two stools.


    Apart from that, there was a pile of assorted items in the corner; the small vat was ced there as well.


    He made a circuit and finally stopped in front of the wooden door of the house.


    He stretched out his hand and pressed it against the door.


    Recalling the process just now, another idea rose in his mind.


    ''Couldn''t this door be made better?''


    Hiss.


    Suddenly, as if a fine thread emerged from the ck Mark on the back of his hand, it entered the wooden door.


    Soon a ck number emerged on the door: 16 days.


    ''Enhance the wooden door?'' The faint voice rang out again, indistinct of gender, devoid of emotion, mechanical.


    Yu Hong looked at the number, his eyes faintly understanding something.


    ''This number is likely the time needed for enhancement... so what will it look like after enhancement?''


    He withdrew his hand, turned back to look at the water cup, and the number on it had disappeared.


    ''Also, how is this enhancement carried out? Will it cause a bigmotion? Is it possible to keep enhancing indefinitely, are there any limits?''


    Questions bubbled up in his mind one after another.


    "What are... you... doing??" Stutter couldn''t help but ask.


    "I just felt dizzy... my mind went haywire for a moment, a bit chaotic...." Yu Hong sighed, not mentioning the numbers and the ck Mark.


    He wasn''t nning to reveal it to anyone before he understood the specifics.


    The priority was to test the enhancement effect of this ck Mark on something.


    The wooden door took too long and wasn''t guaranteed to be withoutmotion.


    Yu Hong wandered back and forth, quickly settling on an inconspicuous little thing¡ªthe white pebble that Stutter had thrown earlier.

 Chapter 5: Danger Zone - Silver’s Gratitudes

    <h4>Chapter 5: Danger Zone - Silver''s Gratitudes</h4>


    The stone that harmed the white-clothed shadow could possibly be some kind of special item, plus its small size means it would be hard to detect even with a little noise.


    Moreover, if it could be strengthened, the power of the white stone would be greater, and it would be much safer to deal with the previous shadow.


    Thinking of this, he picked up a white stone and looked at Stammer.


    "Can I have one? Thank you for saving me just now! I will repay you."


    He said earnestly.


    Stammer shook her head.


    "This... is no longer... useful," she exined. "If you want it, take it."


    Yu Hong nodded and picked up the white stone to examine it.


    The stone was only the size of a thumbnail, with a dark redplex symbol drawn on its surface, looking like a religious talisman of some sort. At this moment, a third of the stone''s area had turned ck, though the cause was unknown.


    The stone felt ice-cold to the touch, like holding a piece of ice, chilling to the bone.


    Hiss...


    Quickly, a number appeared on the surface of the stone: 3 days.


    Almost instantly, a thought emerged, and ck Mark seemed to sense it, quickly emitting a sound.


    ''Would you like to strengthen the target?''


    Yu Hong pocketed the white stone in his trousers.


    He tried responding in his mind: Yes.


    As he affirmed his answer, the ck Mark on the back of his hand warmed slightly and then calmed.


    Soon after, the white stone in his trouser pocket also warmed and then returned to normal.


    Stammer by his side showed no reaction to the activity of the white stone.


    "Are you... okay now?" Stammer asked curiously.


    "Soon... the sky will darken... we must prepare..." she stuttered.


    "Prepare for what?" Yu Hong asked. After the intense emotional and physical exhaustion, his already weak body began to return to its normal state due to the reduction in adrenaline.


    He was still in a state of illness and fever, only needing temporary strength and mental focus to deal with the peril. Now that the danger had passed, his body began fighting the virus and bacteria once more.


    His immune system started producing a multitude of immune cells again, and his body temperature began to rise once more.


    "At night... monsters... dangerous," Stammer replied.


    She nced at the window while speaking, where the light seeping through the cracks was getting darker and darker.


    It was an abnormal darkness, elerating too quickly.


    So much so that Yu Hong could feel the light fading into ckness with his own eyes.


    This strange phenomenon heightened the sense of anxiety and impending crisis in his heart.


    Plop, plop, bang, bang, ding, dong, dong.


    Stammer, seemingly out of nowhere, produced a hammer and began to hammer the nails at the edges of the doors and windows, seemingly reinforcing and checking the surroundings.


    The main door had several thick chains hung across it from the inside, and three horizontal bolts had been dropped into ce.


    Each bolt was as thick as an arm. The contact surface between the bolts and the door had been rubbed smooth from use, indicating that this was not the first time for such a precaution.


    The light grew dimmer and dimmer.


    Yu Hong stood inside the house, dazed for a while, but he quickly snapped back to action, attempting to help check the gaps for safety.


    However, beingpletely unfamiliar with the surroundings, he was soon deemed a hindrance by Stammer, who pushed him back to sit on the bed.


    "Don''t... make trouble," Stammer said seriously. She then crawled under the bed and pulled out arge ck bag.


    Inside the bag, opened up, were densely packed white stones. She started to take out a red pen, carefully writing red symbols on each stone.


    ''So she drew all these red symbols herself?'' Yu Hong realized as he watched.


    Eee~~~ Eee~~~~


    Suddenly, a very faint, shrill, almost theatrical female voice wafted in from outside the house.


    The voice had highs and lows, melodiously weird, like crying, or like performing, with a curiously half-real, half-fake sensation.


    Patch.


    Stammer on the side had clearly heard the sound too, swiftly grabbed some white stones and handed them to Yu Hong, then picked up a yellow candle from a corner full of misceneous items. She lit it by scraping something simr to a magnesium bar and held the candle up, watching the doors and windows anxiously.


    Yu Hong stood behind her and noticed that the candle was incredibly thick, as thick as an egg.


    "It''sing..." Stammer suddenly said.


    By then, Yu Hong noticed that the light from outside had disappearedpletely.


    Only a swath of imprable darkness seeped in.


    Was it night already? How had it gotten dark so fast?


    He wanted to speak but was hit by waves of dizziness in his head, assaulting his consciousness. His body grew hotter and hotter; he felt he might be running a fever, and his throat was getting sore.


    He needed water and medicine... fever-reducing medication...


    Otherwise, things might turn bad.


    He knew his condition; it felt just like when he had severe fever and cold before. Andst time, even when his fever reached thirty-nine degrees, he wasn''t as weak as now; it was likely because of the excessive shock he had experienced earlier.


    Sitting by the bed, he clenched the white stone tightly and watched the doors and windows with widened, nervous eyes.


    In the house, both of them were silent, waiting.


    For a time, there was nothing but their breathing and heartbeat in the air.


    This state did notst long.


    Patch.


    Finally, a faint sound came from outside the door.


    "It''s here!" Stammer eximed loudly.


    Her body tensed, the lines of muscles on her arms bing distinctly visible as she raised the thick candle high, making the firelight form a circle to cover the whole house as much as possible.


    Yu Hong also tensed, watching behind her.


    He didn''t know what was going to happen, but given Little Stutter''s reaction, something bad was very likely to ur soon...


    After all, even the recent white shadow hadn''t made her this anxious.


    Soon, their waiting finally yielded results.


    In the darkness, rustling sounds of insects crawling began to emerge from outside the doors and windows.


    The noise was extremely abrupt and dense, as if instantly transitioning from the silence of a void to the mor of a desert.


    Sand continually flowed and scratched past the windows and doors, making a soft sound.


    Quickly, Yu Hong''s eyes widened as he saw through the gaps in the doors and windows¡ªgaps of less than a centimeter¡ªcountless small ck insects crawling in.


    Like sand, the swarm of tiny insects poured in, hundreds, then thousands of them.


    Each was only the size of an ant, resembling little beetles with oval-shaped carapaces on their backs, vicious mandible-like mouthparts like centipedes, no eyes, and a multitude of densely packed legs.


    Overall, they looked like shrunken versions of ck millipedes.


    The mass of insects quickly flooded the room, making a soft rustling noise as they crawled, and the high-pitched, ethereal female voice in the air seemed to draw nearer and clearer.


    "Scram!" Little Stutter shouted, but oddly stood motionless, holding a candle in the center of the room, only bellowing in anger.


    Yu Hong, sitting on the bed, wanted to get up to help, but his weak body had little strength left.


    He broke out in a sweat on his back, but the perspiration quickly evaporated due to his feverishly high body temperature.


    He tensed and shivered as he watched more and more ck insects squeezing through the cracks into the room.


    His mind was flooded with horrific images of being covered and bitten by insects.


    This was an instinctual human fear, unstoppable.


    But then...


    Hiss...


    The first wave of ck insects to enter were exposed to the range of the candle''s light.


    And at that moment, something unexpected happened.


    The insects, which appeared terrifying, actually dissolved instantly under the soft yellow glow, turning into ck smoke and evaporating away.


    Streams of ck smoke rose densely, all from the dissolving insects.


    They melted like wax blocks under a me, seemingly oblivious to retreat, and still madly rushing toward Little Stutter with the candle.


    Soon, the ck insects that had entered through the doors and windows formed a ring around Little Stutter, continually approaching and dissolving, and then evaporating anew.


    ck smoke rose and soon dissipated into the air, transforming into a choking, foul odor.


    Yu Hong watched this scene, his face involuntarily showing shock.


    Racking his brains for any knowledge at hand, he couldn''t think of any insects that would dissolve into ck smoke when illuminated.


    The bizarre spectacle before him shattered all his previous conjectures and imaginations.


    Monsters.


    Suddenly, the word a middle-aged doctor had mentioned before surged into his mind again.


    Yes, monsters.


    Weren''t these ck insects the very definition of real monsters?


    Like an unending tide, they were infinite yet dissolved away at the slightest touch of light.


    For a moment, Yu Hong fell into an indescribable state of mental stasis, carefully observing the ck insects and the candlelight, searching for any false ws.


    asionally, he would even pinch his thigh forcefully to bring pain and alertness to his mind, to prove that what he was seeing wasn''t a dream.


    But all his actions confirmed one thing: Everything was real, there was no falsehood, and it was certainly not a dream.


    Moreover, he noticed something else.


    As the ck insects dissolved, Little Stutter''srge, coarse candle, which was supposed tost a long while, quickly melted away as ifbating the insects rapidly depleted its heat.


    Time passed in this tense standstill.


    Ten minutes.


    Half an hour.


    An hour.


    Two hours...


    The two maintained this state without moving.


    Little Stutter''s candle had rapidly shrunk from the length of a forearm to that of a palm.


    Ah!


    Suddenly Yu Hong leaped up, turned around, and grabbed, plucking a ck insect from behind him.


    The ck insect turned to ck smoke upon exposure to the light.


    But he felt his buttocks¡ªthere was a bite on the left side, and blood had instantly soaked through his underpants, evidently a sizable wound.


    As if attracted by the blood, the surrounding insects became more agitated, began to rush frantically toward Yu Hong.


    But the candle''s light remained steady, blocking them all and transforming them into ck smoke.


    Yu Hong, holding his buttocks, simply moved closer and stood beside Little Stutter, watching the scene unfold.


    Watching asyers of ck insects outside the circle of light dissolved, evaporated, and turned into ck smoke.


    This magically dangerous scene, like a relentless meteor shower, continued to tear his formerly intact worldview to pieces.


    Who knows how long passed.


    Eventually, the faint shrill female voice in the air gradually faded and receded.


    As the voice dissipated, the ck insects crawling into the room also began to thin out.


    A wisp of light slowly shone through the gaps in the doors and windows.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Finally.


    Thest of the ck insects was covered by the light, struggling as they dissolved and turned into ck smoke.


    And everything finally returned to calm.

 Chapter 6: Dangerous Situation 3

    <h4>Chapter 6: Dangerous Situation 3</h4>


    Daybreak hade.


    The bright sunlight seemed as if someone had hit fast forward, quickly shifting from dim to bright, even somewhat dazzling.


    Yu Hong watched this scene in a daze, his consciousness heavy, and his body burning hot.


    Already weak, he had stayed up all night without sleep, further deteriorating his condition.


    When he realized it was safe, he could no longer control himself and copsed to the ground, lying on his side.


    "Are you... okay?" Little Stutter blew out the candle, carefully cing it back in the corner, then turned around to see Yu Hong on the floor and rushed over in shock.


    Finding Yu Hong''s body burning hot, she immediately scooped up some water, hastily filtered it, and poured it into his mouth.


    After giving him water, she searched for medicine. She had obtained some from Doctor Xu, which she quickly administered to Yu Hong.


    Yu Hong was aware of Little Stutter''s help, but his body was already out of strength.


    He felt himself being lifted in her arms and ced on the bed, then she found a used white rock and ced it on his forehead to cool him down.


    The rock was cold and began to absorb the heat intensely, making Yu Hong feel much better.


    Feeling slightly better, Yu Hong finally couldn''t control himself and once again drifted into a deep, unconscious sleep.


    This time, he sleptpletely unaware of time.


    Somewhere in the haze, after what felt like a long time, he regained some awareness.


    "This is the fourth day, his fever has subsided, and he no longer needs medication," said the voice of Doctor Xu. She seemed to be standing beside the bed, touching Yu Hong''s forehead.


    The slight touch itched, but he was too weak to scratch, so he let it gradually fade away.


    "Take... one more... dose!" Little Stutter''s voice was intermittently audible.


    "No need, you''ve already exchanged everything you could, and there''s nothing of value left. It''s been a while since the post office has had any supplies, and I don''t have much anti-inmmatory medicine left either," Doctor Xu refused.


    "Not... anymore, take!" Little Stutter dered firmly. "It was... the same... for you... back then!"


    Upon hearing this, Doctor Xu fell silent.


    "That''s true, if it hadn''t been for you, I would have died on the roadside too, probably my bones chewed up by monsters. Alright, I''ll exchange medicines for you onest time. This is it!"


    "Good! I... have... food for you..."


    Sounds of rummaging followed.


    "That''s not enough, as per the previous exchange rate..." Doctor Xu said reluctantly.


    "I... have... more here!"


    "Forget it, let''s just do it, it''s thest time anyway. Seriously, stop saving people. We can barely take care of ourselves," Doctor Xu sighed.


    "Thank... you," Little Stutter expressed her gratitude.


    "Alright, I''m off to check on old Yu, don''t see me out," Doctor Xu said as her footsteps gradually receded, then the door closed, and the room quieted down.


    Yu Hong weakly opened his eyes and saw Little Stutter''s dirty, ugly face right beside the bed, her hand holding a wooden bowl containing some ck mush.


    She was scooping some with a spoon and feeding it to Yu Hong.


    Yu Hong didn''t resist anymore. With a wooden expression, his face pale yellow, hey on the elevated pillow, swallowing spoonfuls of mush.


    Without realizing, they finished one bowl¡ªone feeding, the other eating.


    Yu Hong licked his lips and strangely thought the mush tasted quite good.


    "Is there any more?" he asked, unable to help himself.


    "There is!" Little Stutter, seeing him talk, showed a pure joy in her bright eyes.


    She got up, rummaged around, and soon concocted another bowl of ck mush, sat by the bed, and fed it to Yu Hong.


    But it seemed the mush was too low in calories, or maybe because Yu Hong hadn''t eaten in a long time and was weak, he still felt a bit hungry. So he asked again.


    Little Stutter happily prepared another bowl for him.


    After finishing this time, Yu Hong finally felt half full. The cool, ck mush made his stomach much morefortable.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    His body also felt stronger.


    "How long have I slept?" he asked Little Stutter.


    "Four... days..." Little Stutter showed four fingers and smiled, showing her yellow teeth.


    "Thank you," Yu Hong looked at her and sincerely expressed his gratitude.


    He knew, without her care, he probably would have died in his stupor long ago.


    Looking at the eerie and dangerous environment outside, if no one took care of this ce, relying on himself alone, he probably wouldn''t survive a day.


    This favor, merely saying thanks, was too trivial, but no matter. He would have an opportunity to repay herter.


    He didn''t believe that being a sane, healthy man, when serious, he could not out do a disabled girl like Little Stutter.


    "No, problem," Little Stutter said, smiling.


    She stood up happily, went to fetch water in an attempt to give Yu Hong a drink, but after scraping the basin for a while, she couldn''t even gather a small cupful.


    "I... going out... well, fetch water," Little Stutter returned to the bedside, struggling to exin to Yu Hong.


    "I''ll... be... back soon!"


    "Don''t... open... door or windows! Anyone... knocks, don''t... open," Little Stutter seriously instructed him.


    "Okay! I got it," Yu Hong seriously nodded.


    With his response, Little Stutter nodded, grabbed the water basin, and rushed out.


    The door closed, the intense mold smell spread in the air, making Yu Hong ufortable.


    But he remembered Little Stutter''s warning, a bit of mold was better than being killed by the dangers outside.


    More crucially, he recalled the white rock he had stuffed into his pocket before fainting.


    A mix of curiosity, anticipation, and anxiety rose in his heart.


    He reached into his pocket, quickly grasped the rock, and slowly pulled it out.


    Holding the rock in his hand, resting it in his palm, Yu Hong carefully observed it.


    The rock had changed its appearance.


    Originally partially turned ck, the rock had now once again be pure white.


    It lookedpletely like a piece of jade.


    The surface subtly gained a faint, jade-like luster.


    Even the red symbol in the middle became neater and moreplex, with forceful strokes.


    "This is..." Yu Hong''s mind stirred, and to confirm his own thoughts, he got up and rummaged through a bag in the corner for an unused piece of white stone.


    Comparing the two pieces of white stone, the difference was immediately apparent.


    The stone in his hand that had been enhanced was clearly much higher quality than the other.


    The red symbols painted on it were also much moreplex, not even the same pattern anymore; they seemed to have been enhanced during the process as well.


    "This enhancement... It''s almost like an upgraded version?" A series of doubts arose in Yu Hong''s mind.


    After theparison, he cautiously pocketed the enhanced white stone and returned to sit by the bed.


    His fever had subsided, but his strength was still weak, and just a little movement made him dizzy.


    The wound on his back was numb too, he didn''t know if it was getting worse or healing, and without a mirror, he couldn''t see it himself.


    He reached back to try and feel it, but could only touch the bandages.


    Obviously, either Stutterer or Doctor Xu had treated it.


    Thump, thump, thump.


    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.


    "Who is it?" Yu Hong raised his head and called out.


    "It''s me, Doctor Xu. Is Yiyi there?"


    A somewhat familiar middle-aged woman''s voice came from outside.


    "She''s not here," Yu Hong replied.


    "I''vee to deliver her medicine; I''ve left it on the ground outside your door. Make sure you pick it up and tell her when she gets back," Doctor Xu said.


    "Alright."


    Yu Hong responded.


    Soon, the subtle sound of footsteps faded away, and silence returned.


    Yu Hong took a breath, steadied himself on the bed, and slowly made his way to the door.


    If the medicine left at the door was taken, it would be bad, considering its importance far exceeded his expectations from what he had gathered before.


    Thus, he needed to bring it inside quickly.


    Slowly, and step by step, he moved to the door and reached out to grasp the doorknob.


    Click.


    The knob turned halfway.


    Suddenly, Yu Hong stopped.


    He remembered what Stutterer had said before leaving: "Never open the door!!"


    Immediately, a sense of caution rose in him; he looked down at the gap under the door.


    It was daylight, the sun was bright, and light wasing through the gap.


    But as he looked, Yu Hong''s body suddenly shuddered.


    He saw a figure outside, standing at the door!


    The light was blocked by the figure, casting a slight shadow.


    It was this shadow that let Yu Hong discern that someone was standing outside, just a door away.


    Just standing there quietly, silently, outside.


    It...


    It seemed to be waiting for him to open the door!


    "There''s a problem!"


    Feeling uneasy, Yu Hong slowly let go of the doorknob and stepped back.


    Step by step, he kept moving backward.


    Until he reached the center of the room, his hand slipped into his pocket and grasped the enhanced white stone.


    He had almost been tricked!


    That voice, that voice just now sounded exactly like Doctor Xu!


    Damn it!


    Yu Hong was filled with panic, a choking sensation in his throat making it almost impossible to make a sound.


    His chest felt suffocated, very suffocated.


    His panic was not only from being scared by these unknown entities, but also from the fear of nearly being deceived into opening the door.


    His gaze remained fixed on the gap under the door, not daring to look away.


    Soon, perhaps realizing it hadn''t deceived him, the figure outside silently moved to the right and disappeared.


    Just as quietly as it had appeared, the figure''s departure was exceedingly silent, without any footstep sounds.


    And it was only a long while after the figure had left that Yu Hong finally rxed from the tension.


    He was panting heavily, still wary of opening the door, and quietly moved to the window instead.


    Peering through the thick wooden boards nailed over the window, he cautiously looked outside.


    From this window, he could see the area outside the door at an angle.


    He had been outside once before and knew that outside this house was a horizontal pebbled path.


    The houses in this vige were all located along this pebbled road.


    Now standing at the window, Yu Hong carefully quieted his breathing and looked out through a crooked gap in the wooden nks.


    But as soon as he looked out.


    Doctor Xu''s face, expressionless, was staring right back at him.


    She was also standing at the window, watching him as he secretly peeked outside!

 Chapter 7: Dangerous Situation 4

    <h4>Chapter 7: Dangerous Situation 4</h4>


    Their eyes locked.


    A wave of unease exploded in Yu Hong''s heart.


    An extremely nauseating difort surged from his stomach.


    His abdomen cramped and ached as numbness spread throughout his body, uncontrobly stiffening.


    An indescribable fear gushed from his heart, flooding his entire being.


    ck veins, branching like tree roots, began to protrude around his eyes.


    The veins grew thicker and thicker as if they were about to burst.


    But at that moment, an icy breath flowed from the enhanced white stone in his pocket, rushing into the outer thigh.


    This breath, like a steel nail, fiercely prated the stiffening body of Yu Hong.


    It pulled him out of his rigidity.


    Bang!


    His legs weakened, and he fell helplessly to the ground, his eyes finally breaking away from the other''s gaze.


    Huff!


    Huff!


    Huff!


    Lowering his head, Yu Hong breathed heavily, feeling the stiffness in his body quickly alleviated by the enhanced white stone in his pocket.


    A strong sense of relief after surviving a disaster welled up inside him.


    Daring not to look outside again, he quickly pulled out the enhanced white stone and noticed that the red symbol on the stone''s surface was emitting an extremely faint red glow.


    If not looked at closely, it would be invisible.


    "Good treasure!" He rejoiced internally, immensely grateful that the white stone was his first choice for enhancement.


    Since the first time when he used it to rescue himself from a stutter, he realized how vital this object was.


    Fortunately, he was not wrong.


    Sitting on the ground, he slowly retreated away from the window, not daring to look around carelessly again. Who could have imagined that even a mere nce could be dangerous in this haunted ce?


    "But why... Why didn''t a stutter and Doctor Xu encounter any danger when they went out?"


    "Did they have some other protective means?"


    A hint of doubt arose in Yu Hong''s mind.


    But soon, the immense depletion made him feel tired and sleepy once again.


    So weak...


    This body...


    Clutching the enhanced white stone tightly in his hand, he crawled back onto the bed, and using the stinky grey-white nket, he waited a while to ensure nothing could enter from the doors and windows before he finally rxed and fell back into a deep sleep.


    He didn''t know how much time had passed.


    Perhaps a few hours, or maybe a whole day.


    When Yu Hong woke up again, a stutter was busy doing this and that in the room.


    "You, awake?" She noticed the movement, quickly turned her head, and happily looked at Yu Hong on the bed.


    "Come... eat." She quickly brought over a bowl of dark mush and began feeding Yu Hong.


    Without realizing, Yu Hong swallowed thest spoonful of mush, and his body felt much morefortable.


    "Is there more?" he asked.


    A stutter got up and searched around for a while, but this time, it seemed there was none left.


    She searched for quite a while but couldn''t bring any more dark mush.


    "Eat... finished..." She soon returned to the bedside, somewhat disappointed.


    Yu Hong sat up, slowly got out of bed, walked to the corner of the room, and saw the barrel she had been searching through.


    It seemed to be the barrel where the dark mush''s raw materials were stored.


    It was a mixed-color powder, with some residue still at the bottom of the barrel.


    He leaned over the edge of the barrel and saw that indeed, there was none left.


    Gurgle~


    Suddenly, a stomach growling noise came from behind.


    It was a stutter.


    She blinked her eyes, touched her stomach, and giggled foolishly.


    Yu Hong turned to look at her.


    "Didn''t you eat?"


    "Hehehe... forgot..." A stutter giggled in response.


    It turned out she had given him all the remaining food.


    Yu Hong felt a bit helpless; he couldn''t fathom how this girl managed to survive in such a dangerous environment.


    All he knew was that he felt somewhat guilty.


    "What will we do then? Where did you get this food? I''m feeling better now; I can help look for more," he said earnestly.


    "No.. problem. Yiyi, strong!" A stutter patted her chest, showing a carefree expression.


    "I, helped, you. You, help me, find, my dad, and grandpa." She continued, popping out words one by one.


    "That''s why you saved me?" Yu Hong understood. Having a request was good; it provided him an opportunity to repay her.


    He didn''t like owing people favors, let alone such a life-saving grace.


    "Yes!" A stutter vigorously nodded.


    "Alright! If I''m able, I''ll definitely help," Yu Hong nodded, although the environment was perilous and harsh, the ck Mark on the back of his hand also gave him a glimmer of hope for the future.


    Based on the ck Mark''s ability, if everything could be enhanced, then perhaps he could use this to build a safer cabin or even a stronghold!


    After personally testing it, the windows and doors of this house couldn''t block those strange and dangerous things outside.


    Whether it was the previous person in white, the ck bugs, or the unknown horror that had just disguised itself as Doctor Xu.


    None could be blocked.


    "By the way, I wanted to ask, while you were away..." Yu Hong quickly recounted the events that had urred.


    After listening to the description, Stutter''s expression grew solemn.


    "It''s... a shadow!" she answered.


    "That was also a shadow??" Yu Hong frowned.


    "Let me answer that question," Doctor Xu''s voice came from outside again.


    Stutter quickly went over, opened the door, and happily weed her in.


    Doctor Xu had changed her outfit, now dressed in mountain climbing gear, a camouged tight suit, and arge backpack on her back, indicating she was likely nning to go into the mountains.


    Entering the door, she nced over Yu Hong.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "In this ce, within the ck Disaster, the shadows that often appear are of two types: one is the white shadow you previously encountered, and the second is the Disguiser you just mentioned."


    "The danger level of the white shadow is manageable¡ªjust carefully watch the other party without blinking and you can safely get away. Also, luminous stone can restrain it and temporarily disperse it.


    But the Disguiser is troublesome; you must stay vignt at all times and not trust anything outside the agreed-upon circumstances," Doctor Xu said seriously, staring at Yu Hong.


    "Agreements are extremely important here!"


    "Agreements?" Yu Hong seemed to recall something.


    "Yes, anyone splitting from theirpanions must set clear agreements beforehand. What''s the passphrase when you regroup, under what circumstances you can open doors or windows, etc.¡ªall these must be agreed upon in advance. Otherwise... the Disguiser will take advantage and kill one by one." Doctor Xu sighed.


    "That''s also why all residents of Baiqiu Vige live alone. Even during the day, the Disguiser might appear and attack."


    The Disguiser.


    This new concept caused an insight to uncontrobly rise in Yu Hong''s mind.


    He might have a hard time going back... back to his former life.


    "Could you... take me outside to look around, I want to see outside, see if it''s possible to get to the city..." Yu Hong paused, then spoke up.


    "Bring the luminous stone, the white stone, as long as you go out in broad daylight, it won''t be a problem, but make sure to control the time of your return," Doctor Xu replied. "Also, although the Disguiser can appear during the day, generally only those who are physically weak will see them. If you are healthy and normal, you won''t be able to see them."


    Yu Hong immediately understood.


    "Isn''t there some way or means to kill these monsters!?" he asked in a deep voice.


    "No, as far as we know, neither have we discovered any, nor have governmental departments figured it out," Doctor Xu shook her head. "Alright, Yiyi and I n to head out for a bit, if you''reing, hurry up. Baiqiu Vige doesn''t amodate the useless; you''ve been burdening Yiyi for a long time."


    She seemed quite dissatisfied with Yu Hong, her gaze towards him rather hostile.


    "I remember the debt of saving my life," Yu Hong said earnestly.


    "First, try to survive on your own," Doctor Xu snorted,ughing dismissively, not bothering to look at Yu Hong again, and started talking to Stutter.


    Soon, Stutter started to prepare the supplies needed for the trip.


    Yu Hong had recovered quite a bit physically and also began to pack.


    He didn''t mention the enhanced white stone; not sharing it meant he couldn''t exin where the enhanced white stone came from, but given the abilities of the ck Mark, this would definitely be his greatest reliance going forward.


    He wasn''t sure if others also had this ability; too little information was avable, so first, gathering as much intelligence as possible was the most important.


    This ce was too dangerous; every step had to be taken with extreme caution.


    "I''ll repay you." Thinking this, Yu Hong spoke up again, repeating himself.


    Doctor Xu didn''t even look at him, pretending not to hear. Clearly, she felt that if Yu Hong didn''t burden Stutter, that was enough.


    Soon, arge sack was packed and ced on the ground.


    Doctor Xu picked it up carefully and ced it on Stutter''s back. The sack was filled with white stones marked with symbols.


    "First, head to Old Yu''s ce to exchange for food, then to the open-air mine to dig for luminous stone, and finally collect pigments. Including the time to return, we must reach Old Yu''s ce within an hour. We can rest overnight at the mine and then collect the pigments tomorrow before returning," Doctor Xu nned.


    "Is it far?" Yu Hong frowned; he felt his physical strength might be an issue, not yet fully recovered.


    "You better not go, you can''t keep up. Just walk around nearby ande back," Doctor Xu said coldly. "Light candles at night, keep a tight grip on luminous stone during the day, don''t open the door for anyone, don''t look outside at random, then there shouldn''t be much of a problem. This is also a test for you; if you can''t pass it, it means you can''t adapt to this environment, and you won''t live much longer¡ªa quick death is a quick release."


    "..." Isn''t that a bit too direct?


    Yu Hong was speechless.


    "Yiyi has saved many people; I was also saved by her before, but you know, those people she saved..." Doctor Xu wanted to say more, but Stutter tugged at her dress.


    Realizing it, she immediately stopped talking. This time, shepletely ignored Yu Hong, took the stuff, and opened the door, leaving with Stutter.


    Yu Hong paused for a moment, took the house keys, and followed them out.


    He had decided to go outside and take a look.


    Regardless, securing sources for food and drink was a priority; he couldn''t keep relying on a disabled little girl.


    Moreover, most importantly, only by understanding more could he figure out more effective ways to survive, to cope.


    With a click, he stepped out the door and closed the house door behind him.


    The three of them lined up in single file, walking to the left along the gravel path outside the door.


    The outdoor temperature was gentle, neither cold nor hot, and the sunshine felt faintly warm on their skin.


    Of the three, Doctor Xu led the way, followed by Stutter, then Yu Hong.


    Following the winding gravel path for a few minutes, they reached the vige exit.


    The end of the gravel path connected to a ck dirt road.


    The dry ck dirt road, wide enough for two vehicles to drive side-by-side.


    The road was dark and winding, passing through deserted green fields on both sides, stretching far into the dense, mysterious forests down the mountain.


    Yu Hong noticed that the edges of the ck dirt road had little weed growth and were lined with two rows of ck wooden fences.


    Many parts of the fence had already decayed and were covered in moss.


    "This is the only old highway leading outside," Doctor Xu began. "Follow it straight for about thirty li, and you''ll reach the nearest town. But it might be more dangerous there than here; the more people there are, the more danger, the more it attracts those dangerous beings."


    "Let''s go." She stepped off the gravel path first, onto the ck dirt road.

 Chapter 8: Decision 007

    <h4>Chapter 8: Decision 007</h4>


    Bright golden sunlight poured down.


    In the midst of ink-green forests, Baiqiu Vige stood out like a piece of dark chocte on a green cake, conspicuous and abrupt.


    The entire vige sat atop arge area of gray-white hills, located at the peak of these hills.


    Scattered across the vige were more than thirty tile-roofed houses.


    At that moment, on the western outskirts of the vige, a pale-faced man leisurely strolled, looking around nervously from time to time.


    He wore a gray T-shirt and yellow casual pants, both filthy and wrinkled, clearly unwashed for a long time. His hair was clumped together with sweat and oil into a Mohawk.


    On his feet were gray, muddied sports shoes, treading unevenly on the ground, clearly unustomed to the local roads.


    Around Baiqiu Vige, there were no insects chirping, no birds singing, only the soft sound of the man''s steps as he slowly walked on.


    "It''s been almost fifteen minutes."


    Yu Hong took out his phone from his pocket and checked it. The old-fashioned phone he had refrained from recing due to sentimental reasons had be a critical tool here.


    He hadin in bed for several days; a smartphone would have run out of battery long ago. But this old phone had a small screen, arge battery, and couldst more than a week on standby. It was also durable and water-resistant.


    At this crucial moment, it provided him with great psychologicalfort.


    The phone''s interface clearly disyed the time: March 5, 2024, 3:32 PM.


    "Ah..." Yu Hong sighed lightly¡ªthis was the time before he had arrived here.


    But now, it was meaningless.


    Looking at the empty signal bars on the top right corner of the phone screen, he realized he was probably not in the original world anymore...


    Whether it was the reports in the newspaper before, themon knowledge told by Xia Jieba and Doctor Xu, or the bizarre circumstances he was encountering, they all indicated... this wasn''t his world.


    He looked up at the bright sunlight.


    Yu Hong looked down and made a mark on the muddy ground at his feet, using a few stones to form a small triangr structure.


    This was a marker meant to prevent getting lost.


    Fifteen minutes had passed since Doctor Xu and Xia Jieba had left. During those fifteen minutes, he had walked around the vige for a while.


    But to his disappointment, it seemed that, apart from the three of them, there were no other living people here.


    "Perhaps the living have hidden away and don''t show themselves. After all, even in the daylight, there could still be great dangers."


    Yu Hong sighed inwardly, his hand constantly gripped the enhanced white stone.


    His previous experiences had made him keenly aware that, in this ce, the effect of the white stone was his only guarantee of safety.


    ording to what Doctor Xu had said before leaving, during the day when there was sunlight, there would be no ck bugs, and only very few shadows might be encountered by chance.


    And these shadows were not much of a threat during the day as long as one carried a white stone.


    For the shadows seemed very weak during the day.


    Yu Hong believed this; otherwise, Xia Jieba and Doctor Xu would not have ventured out so casually.


    With his mind settling down, he looked back at the markers he had made along the way to ensure they were still there, then continued walking forward.


    Silence.


    Utter stillness.


    Swoosh.


    Swoosh.


    Aside from the crisp sounds of his steps through the weeds, there was no other noise.


    Even the wind was barely audible.


    After another ten or so minutes,


    Yu Hong finally managed torgely circumnavigate the entire vige.


    He stood at the initial gravel road junction, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and mentally noted some of the important ces he had discovered just recently.


    Most critically, the well.


    Earlier, he had seen a well in the yard of a house from a distance.


    The well''s stone edge had many footprints, indicating that it was a rare source of drinking water here.


    But even from over ten meters away, he could feel a bone-chilling cold emanating from the well.


    Even the sunlight couldn''t suppress it; he felt something was off, so he didn''t approach but just memorized its location.


    "It''s strange... a small vige located on a hilltop, yet they dig wells on high ground..." Yu Hong pondered, puzzled. Normally, wells are dug in low-lying areas since water flows downward.


    But this ce was different from others...


    Standing on the gravel road, he looked around once more.


    Surrounding the vige was an unending sea of ink-green forests.


    The forests merged into one vast expanse, resembling a sea of trees.


    No bird calls, no visible creatures, even the ink-green trees and grass gave an eerie, unsettling feeling.


    Yu Hong stared nkly, focusing on the only road that led out of the area. After a while, he turned and went back to the vige.


    Without incident, he returned to Xia Jieba''s house.


    He only breathed a sigh of relief after he had firmly shut the wooden door behind him.


    "This ce... is too eerie..." Thinking about how he might have to live here indefinitely without hope of returning, a deep sense of despair arose within him.


    "I''ve looked around just now; no cars.... but there are tyre marks on the ground, which means there were cars here before, butter they were driven away."


    Yu Hong found a piece of charcoal in a corner filled with odds and ends and began drawing a map of Baiqiu Vige on the wall.


    The map was simple, just basic lines and small squares representing houses.


    The well, the old road leading out, and Xia Jieba''s house where he was staying were all marked by him.


    The three ces formed a triangr structure.


    "Now, what should I do?" Yu Hong stared at the map, quickly suppressing his despair, and pondered his future.


    "I can''t rely on Xia Jieba forever; I must learn to deal with these dangers myself and find food and shelter."


    Sitting cross-legged on the ground, he held the charcoal and continued to draw on the wall.


    Then, he raised his hand and gazed at the ck Mark on the back of his hand.


    "And this mark, if I don''t want to be noticed, I must choose to live alone. Otherwise, in such an extremely dangerous environment, being known for my abilities... would be very dangerous!"


    Although it was still unclear whether others had simr abilities, Yu Hong was certain that Little Stammerer and Dr. Xu definitely did not.


    This could be seen from some subtle details.


    "I''ll first learn how to find food and drink and then move out!" Yu Hong quickly made up his mind.


    Having decided, he got up, went back to his bed, and nned to rest some more, waiting for Little Stammerer to return.


    Thud, thud, thud...


    Suddenly.


    The door sounded again.


    One knock after another, very rhythmic.


    Yu Hong''s throat bobbed, and he looked toward the wooden door. He didn''t make a sound.


    Such knocking was not right.


    But he ignored the other party, gripped the enhanced white stone tightly, took a deep breath, and quietlyy down, ready to rest.


    Thud thud thud...


    The knocking still sounded.


    One after another.


    But Yu Hong remained silent as if he hadn''t heard.


    Hey on his side on the bed, his gaze fixed on the door, his hand holding the enhanced white stone, his body tense, ready to react at any moment.


    Fortunately, the knocking continued seven times and then stopped.


    Instead, there seemed to be someone peeking through the window.


    Looking inside through the cracks of the seals.


    Yu Hong felt a chill in his heart, turned his head to stare intensely at the window, and breathed heavily in a low voice.


    A strong sense of crisis continuously stimted his adrenal nds to secrete, his blood flowing rapidly, speeding up the cirction, his face flushing red.


    He didn''t know how much time had passed.


    The figure outside the window seemed to have lost patience and quietly left.


    The light at the window was no longer blocked, returning to normal.


    Yu Hong clutched the enhanced white stone tightly, feeling both the stone and his palm sweaty.


    Lowering his head, he took a deep breath, adjusting his physical condition. He got up and picked up another piece of white stone, an unused one this time.


    Then he looked at the numbers disyed on the stone: 2 days.


    "The unused one only takes two days to be enhanced?" He breathed a sigh of relief.


    Listening to the question that arose beside him, he silently gave the confirmation to enhance.


    Soon, the numbers on the surface of the white stone instantly disappeared, and it seemed to be enveloped in ayer of greasy fat, beginning the ck Mark enhancement.


    Yu Hong didn''t look, just pocketed it in his other trouser pocket.


    Then hey down with his eyes squinted, set an rm on his phone, and fell into a groggy sleep.


    He didn''t sleep long and not deeply this time, waking up soon.


    "Little Stammerer is noting back tonight, which means tonight, I''m the only one staying in this room..." Yu Hong nced at the dim sunlight outside the window slit, his heart sinking slightly.


    He got up, went to the corner of the room, took out arge candle and something like matches that Little Stammerer had left him.


    He prepared them, cing them beside his bed, within easy reach.


    Then, just like that, Yu Hongy half-reclined on the bed, waiting for nightfall.


    Time slowly passed, and soon, the outside grew darker and eventually fell into pitch ck.


    This time it was very quiet, no previous ck bugs, no shadows.


    Everything seemed to have forgotten him, a moment of peace.


    In the weary vigil, the night quickly passed.


    Until daylight, when Yu Hong saw the bright sunlight streaming through the window, did he finally let out a heavy sigh of relief.


    But though it was daylight, and the night had been uneventful, the long hours of vignce and torment had left him extremely exhausted, both mentally and physically.


    This made him increasingly desperate to find a truly absolutely safe resting ce.


    He wasn''t like Little Stammerer; he couldn''t go on without proper rest, or he would die.


    He got up, filtered some water to drink in the room, then Yu Hong''s stomach started growling again.


    Although he had eaten all of Little Stammerer''s stored food yesterday, so much time had passed, and his stomach was already digested clean.


    He got up and went out, taking advantage of the good sunshine, wandered around at the broken stone junction.


    This time, he followed the old highway for a while, trying to find edible nts and insects.


    But unfortunately, he found nothing on the road, not a single insect, and he didn''t recognize any of the nts.


    None of the nts here were ones he had seen before. Not even the mostmon wild chrysanthemums and dandelions could be seen.


    Luckily, eventually, the two Little Stammerers came back.


    Plop.


    Inside the room, Little Stammerer strenuously ced arge bundle on the floor.


    Then he opened the bundle tie.


    Inside were packets of dried meat, dried mushrooms, and dried insects.


    Yu Hong came forward to help, discovering the dried meat was primarily ckish meat granules, unsure of what animal they came from.


    The dried mushrooms were also broken, unclear of what species they were.


    And the dried insects...


    "Is this... cockroaches??!" Yu Hong''s expression changed a bit.


    "Yes... it''s... a ''treat.''" Little Stammerer shook her head, correcting him. Then she casually picked up a thumb-sized dried cockroach and popped it into her mouth.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Tasty!" She gave a thumbs-up, chewing rapidly with a crisp crunch, her eyes wide and round, filled with joy.


    "... " Yu Hong was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 9: The Decision

    <h4>Chapter 9: The Decision</h4>


    Watching the stutterer neatly store the dried goods before picking up the small barrel and heading outside,


    Yu Hong hurriedly followed him, needing to learn where to find water.


    The two walked out of the house, and to Yu Hong''s surprise, the stutterer didn''t go to the well to draw water but instead headed down an old highway.


    After about ten minutes,


    they found a lower-lying, dpidated well by the roadside.


    The well was shallow, and with the help of light, one could see only a puddle of dark yellow, stinky water at the bottom.


    Without saying a word, the stutterer secured the barrel with a rope and lowered it to scoop up water.


    "Why not fetch water from the well in the vige?" Yu Hong couldn''t help but ask in a low voice.


    "That... not... drinkable!" the stutterer answered earnestly.


    She looked up at Yu Hong as she scooped water, then said,


    "From now on, water,es, from, here!" pointing at the well in front of her.


    Yu Hong nodded silently, his mood growing heavier as he watched the stinky water being slowly drawn from the well.


    He helped the stutterer seal the barrel to prevent spige.


    They didn''t return home but started looking for something in the nearby bushes.


    "Must, eat... grass!" the stutterer instructed him.


    "Otherwise, sick! Will, die!" she gestured as she exined.


    Yu Hong nodded and began to carefully learn which nts she was digging up.


    This was extremely valuable knowledge, as eating the wrong thing could lead to poisoning or diarrhea, which in such harsh conditions could mean weakness and death.


    After a while of gathering, each of them carried arge bundle back to the house.


    The stutterer ced the grass at the window to dry.


    Yu Hong carefully recorded the lessons learned using a charcoal pencil, focusing only on the essentials in a simplified form, as long as he could understand it himself.


    His recording medium was a piece of newspaper the stutterer had given him earlier.


    "Can the dried meat and mushrooms only be bought far away?" Yu Hong took notes and then asked, looking up.


    "Can... grow, self," the stutterer struggled to reply, "But, not, worth it!"


    Yu Hong nodded, noting this down.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He was about to continue asking questions, but suddenly, a small notebook was handed to him.


    The notebook had a white cover with a cartoon mouse on the front, messily titled, "Survival Essentials Handbook¡ªLin Yiyi."


    Yu Hong fell silent for a moment, looking up to see the stutterer holding the notebook and smiling at him with her big yellow teeth.


    "Thank you." He took the notebook and started to flip through it.


    It meticulously recorded how to fetch water, buy food, identifymon wild nts, and where to find them.


    The content wasn''t much, but it was detailed.


    Moreover, it included several vigers from Baiqiu Vige that could be contacted, along with their contact information.


    Old Yu was listed as the person who made dried meat, Doctor Xu was responsible for medical treatment, and someone named Jenny handled leatherwork and candle making. There were also other vigers'' residences marked, but no names were written, clearly indicating unfamiliarity.


    Lastly, there was a ce called the "post office," located in a forest north of Baiqiu Vige.


    "What is the post office for?" Yu Hong asked.


    "Contact, cities, towns, import, goods, salt... sugar... send, letters..." the stutterer spoke strenuously.


    She gestured animatedly with her hands and feet.


    "You... must, master... a craft, to, trade, for resources...."


    "I understand. I understand all this, but I feel the most crucial issue we must address first is safety," Yu Hong said seriously.


    "When you were not here, two Disguisers have already caused trouble... it''s too dangerous..."


    He rapidly pondered in his mind how to utilize his unique ck Mark to achieve maximum safety.


    "No... way..." the stutterer clearly understood this point as well and lowered her head sadly.


    "Shadow... nothing can block them. Bugs, as long as there is a crack, can infiltrate."


    "They can go through walls!" she gestured.


    Through walls??


    Yu Hong silently observed the walls of the house, lost in thought.


    ''This ce is too crude, too poorly protected... filled with gaps and holes.'' He remembered that the ck bugs hade through gaps in the doors and windows, which suggested that they might not be able to go through walls.


    He asked the stutterer, and she confirmed his thoughts.


    Then, after a careful examination of the house, he quickly concluded that its protection was extremely poor.


    "I n to live alone elsewhere," he whispered. Being alone meant not worrying about Disguisers if no one opened the door.


    The stutterer was taken aback.


    She had saved many people before, but those people always desired to stay with her a few more days, learn some basic skills before leaving.


    But this man in front of her... this man called Yu Hong, had just woken up, his body barely recovered, and he was already thinking of living alone?


    Strange.


    Strange man.


    The stutterer blinked.


    "Aren''t you afraid?"


    "Scared, but your house is too unsafe," Yu Hong said, probably gleaning the essential info from the notebook.


    "The main threats are monster bugs and shadows. Though shadows can pass through walls and ignore barriers, they can be scattered with luminous stones.


    The monster bugs, on the other hand, can be blocked by doors and walls, as long as you plug the cracks at crucial times. So, with enough luminous stones and a well-sealed house, basic safety can be ensured, right?"


    Yu Hong calmly analyzed.


    His serious and solemn expression left Stutterer staring in shock.


    "Do you want to try? Block the gaps with something, narrow the holes and see if the insects can get in? If they can, how big does the gap need to be, and then make a ventted screen based on that," Yu Hong asked.


    "Also, how exactly is the luminous stone made? Can you teach me?" he asked earnestly.


    Stutterer looked at him, unconsciously nodding dumbly.


    At that moment, she felt she saw a figure in the depths of her memory that was extremely familiar and dearly missed.


    After discussing, they immediately began to prepare.


    Stutterer rummaged for tools¡ªhammers, saws, scrap wood, axes, long nails, a bit of everything.


    Yu Hong, still weak from a severe illness, and having just recovered from a fever, directed Stutterer to work.


    He noticed that Stutterer was very strong, much stronger than his normal state. Her physical constitution was also robust; she had been sleeping on the floor these past few days while he upied the bed and yet she hadn''t fallen ill.


    ording to the notebook, the ck insects had been officially named Blood Tide.


    Despite being ck insects, why they were named Blood Tide was a mystery, but that wasn''t Yu Hong''s concern. He just wanted to understand as much as possible about the insects and shadows.


    The two were busy the entire day, seemingly because Yu Hong''s health had improved a lot, no shadows disturbed them.


    By night, the Blood Tide insects also hadn''t attacked.


    ording to Stutterer, Blood Tide usually came every three to five days. Only with sufficient light could all insects be repelled.


    Blood Tide relied on light, shadows feared luminous stones.


    This was the survival rule that people here relied upon.


    The next day, the two continued ording to Yu Hong''s idea, sawing wood strips, making movable seals, andpletely sealing the remaining gaps in doors and windows.


    Movable seals could be opened during the day and lowered at night.


    The seals were simple, merely Yu Hong''s attempt. The more he heard about the dangers and troubles here from Stutterer, the more he wanted to create a stronghold that could guarantee his basic safety, or rather, a safe house.


    And Stutterer''s house was far from up to the mark.


    Not to mention shadows and insects, even the mold stuck in the corners of the house and the dirty, stale air would shorten the lifespan of anyone living there long-term.


    Furthermore, there was also the problem of the water source...


    He felt that if he kept drinking that dirty water, he probably wouldn''t live long either...


    In the evening.


    Inside the house, Stutterer and Yu Hong stood together, Stutterer holding a candle high in her right hand, its light flickering and dispersing the vast darkness around them.


    Hiss...


    The crisp sound of crawling insects kepting from outside the doors and windows, but due to the seal stopping the gaps, the remaining air gap was much smaller than before.


    These ck bugs could not squeeze in.


    "It works!" Yu Hong''s face lit with joy; he hadn''t expected his casual experiment to actually work.


    Stutterer too was smiling goofily, happy.


    Because she noticed no ck insectsing in, and even if there were a few that slipped through, they were quickly melted by the candlelight.


    This way, the candle burned slower, and she wouldn''t have to keep buying them from the candle store, sparing her from spending much in this area.


    It also made her life much easier.


    Just when the two felt sessful.


    Crack, crack...


    Suddenly, a faint gnawing sound came from the outside of the wooden seal.


    Whether it was the nks at the gaps or the wooden doors and windows, they all started making the same gnawing noises.


    "That''s not right! If the insects can''t get in, they seem to start gnawing at the doors and windows!!" Yu Hong reacted instantly.


    He picked up a wooden stick in his hand, rushed to the wooden door, and forcibly pushed upward, lifting the bottom seal.


    Crash!


    A muffled sound, and arge number of ck bugs squeezed in like a tide, rushing towards the two.


    Hiss.


    The ck bugs rushed into the candlelight, quickly melting, vaporizing, and vanishing into nothing.


    The candle also began to burn down faster.


    In the bright yellow candlelight, Yu Hong watched this scene, his previous joy slowly fading.


    "If they can''t get in, they''ll gnaw on the house''s exterior walls?"


    He finally understood why Stutterer''s house, despite knowing about the ck bugs, had never been sealed by her parents in the past.


    "A failure... then?" Stutterer asked cautiously from behind.


    "Not aplete failure," Yu Hong shook his head.


    A night without words.


    Early the next day.


    Yu Hong left the vige and went to the woods below the hills.


    He wandered around the trees in the woods, asionally knocking with a hammer.


    Stutterer, having nothing to do, began to gather some herbs and ink-making nts she recognized.


    Her survival relied on trading luminous stones marked with symbols.


    ording to her, the marked luminous stones worked better than ordinary ones.


    The sunlight was lovely, and as Stutterer gathered, she looked up from time to time at Yu Hong, who was making inexplicable movements.


    "What... are you, doing?" After watching for a while, she couldn''t help but speak up.


    "I''m selecting wood and picking a site to build my own safe house," Yu Hong replied.


    "You, build, a house yourself?" Stutterer couldn''t understand.


    Could a house built by oneself really be stronger than one made of stone bricks?

 Chapter 10: Operation 009 - Thanks to Alliance Hierarch Duyi Xie

    <h4>Chapter 10: Operation 009 - Thanks to Alliance Hierarch Duyi Xie</h4>


    "It''s not all self-made, I n to use timber as a supporting structure, but the main material will still be stone. And since stone bricks are unfindable, the only solution is to look for a natural stone cave," Yu Hong exined.


    "Oh...." Xiao Stutter didn''t quite understand, but he thought Yu Hong, with his confident expression and calm demeanor, must be a formidable person.


    "I... help, you!" She patted her chest. "I know... one, hunting, cave!"


    "Cave?" Yu Hong''s eyes lit up.


    He had long wanted to leave Xiao Stutter''s ce. Not only was it unsafe, but he also couldn''t randomly test his ck Mark to confirm its effects.


    Touching the third piece of enhanced white stone, also known as enhanced pyroxene, in his pocket, Yu Hong quickly made a decision.


    "Can you take me to see it?"


    He urgently needed a secluded spot to test the specific effects of the ck Mark.


    He wondered, what would happen if he reinforced the door and walls?


    Luminous stone could be reinforced into a material simr to jade, and its effects seemed to have strengthened, but what about the others?


    Immediately, Xiao Stutter put down the things in her hands, returned them to the house, and then led Yu Hong along a small path in the opposite direction of the old highway, winding into the mountains.


    Several days of rest had restored much of Yu Hong''s physical strength.


    Because his body recovered, he hadn''t seen the shadow much during the day, which made him somewhat believe Xiao Stutter and Doctor Xu''s words.


    In the chilly and quiet woond.


    The two of them, one in front of the other, stepped deep and shallow throughrge slopes and reached the bottom of the slope.


    Xiao Stutter looked around and seemed to find something near a tree hollow.


    She walked over and touched some carvings on the edges of the tree hollow.


    "It''s here," she said earnestly.


    Then, just as Yu Hong was about to ask, she raised her hand and pointed toward the far right.


    Yu Hong was taken aback and followed her pointing direction, looking that way.


    He saw a gray rock wall, faintly emerging from the distance through the woods.


    In the middle of the rock wall, partway up in mid-air, there was a dark cave.


    The entrance to the cave was at least two to three meters off the ground, but some indents had been dug out as steps by people.


    Yu Hong looked at Xiao Stutter, who had started to dig around for vegetables, then grasped the enhanced pyroxene and headed toward the wall.


    Soon, he arrived beneath the rock wall.


    He carefully inspected the cave in front of him.


    The entrance was about two people high and one person wide. The inside wasn''t very deep; the bottom could be seen from the outside with the help of sunlight.


    The bottom was cluttered with some things like fabric bags and a few skins of unknown animals.


    "Are there also animals here?" Yu Hong couldn''t help but ask.


    "There are... but, few," Xiao Stutter had also followed over by now.


    "In the past, there were many. ck Disaster came, then, fewer."


    Yu Hong nodded and climbed up following the indentations, entering the cave.


    The entire cave was only about five meters deep, slightly bigger inside, about three meters wide, just enough for one person to rest.


    The ground inside the cave was quite dry, with no musty smell, evidently rted to the rock material here.


    The cave itself was elliptical in shape, a slightly irregr oval cavity.


    Yu Hong thought for a moment,paring it with Xiao Stutter''s house; this ce was clearly much morefortable. At least it had fewer fungi invading the lungs, which could let him live much longer.


    Most importantly, the Baiqiu Vige itself seemed a bit eerie. He always felt that encountering so many shadows during the day might be rted to the environment of Baiqiu Vige.


    Otherwise, why would so many vigers not want to continue living there, knowing there were so many ready-made houses?


    "By the way, Yiyi, do you know how many vigers are still in contact now?" Yu Hong had gotten somewhat familiar these past few days and had gotten a rough idea.


    From the booklet and Xiao Stutter''s mouth, he learned that many Baiqiu Vige vigers lived nearby in the woods, either building their own houses or digging cers to hide in.


    A few had left for the nearest town.


    This included many people Xiao Stutter had saved.


    Xiao Stutter had also followed him into the cave and was looking around.


    "There are still four around," she counted with her fingers, "Apart from us."


    "Hmm, got it," Yu Hong nodded. He took out the prepared tape measure, which was part of the stock from Xiao Stutter''s house, and measured the dimensions of the cave entrance.


    Then he climbed down again, observing the surroundings.


    "Can I live here?" he asked Xiao Stutter.


    "It''s... possible. No one... cares," Xiao Stutter nodded vigorously.


    Yu Hong was satisfied in his heart. This ce was indeed dangerous. In fact, he wanted to live with Xiao Stutter, but the danger of the shadows was too great, too well-disguised, hard to guard against.


    Plus, Xiao Stutter''s environment was too poor, too dirty, easily leading to chronic diseases.


    And the reinforcement of the ck Mark had to be kept secret.


    These three points made him urgently want to find a suitable ce to live alone.


    And this cave was one of the best options.


    However, living supplies and remodeling ns might take a while to implement.


    After all, living alone initially meant relying on stored food.


    The cave alsocked a suitable door, and things like a chimney and fire pit needed to be sorted out.


    Having settled on his future dwelling, Yu Hong began roaming the woods with Xiao Stutter''s tools, choosing materials.


    He didn''t know what kind of wood could be used for the door, but he knew it had to be hard and sturdy.


    In the following days, Yu Hong continually designed the structure of his cave, the door, various pieces of furniture, and also began choosing materials.


    Soon, he had chosen a sufficiently hard dead tree.


    The dead tree was dry enough to maximally prevent moisture.


    Then came the tree chopping.


    Yu Hong, with his weak body and feeble arms, only managed to chop for one day and came back with sore, limp arms, unable to move them the next day.


    Then...


    Bang.


    Bang.


    Bang.


    Bang.


    Crack.


    Stutterer held the axe, watching the tree, as thick as a thigh, slowly break and fall.


    "Do you need more?" she turned back, looking at Yu Hong who had aplex expression, and asked earnestly.


    "" Yu Hong''s expression was indescribable, and he shook his head.


    "Enough..."


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Walking forward, he started to trim the branches with a machete, selecting the straight parts of the trunk, and then cut it into rough lengths based on the dimensions of the cave entrance.


    Although he had only been an ordinary office worker beforeing here, he had done some carpentry work in the countryside before.


    Although not skilled, he somewhat understood the basic steps and processes.


    Stutterer watched from the side, curiouslying over to help from time to time.


    Soon, it got dark, and the two put down their tools, took their equipment, and returned to the house to rest and wait for the next day.


    After a night without events, having eaten, the two returned to continue the unfinished work from the previous day.


    Stutterer, having eaten her food too quickly and running out, decided to go with Doctor Xu to buy some more from old Yu.


    She helped with handling the dead trees and soon saw Doctor Xu approaching from the distant woods.


    So she got up excitedly and waved her hand.


    "Xu! Here! Here!"


    "" Doctor Xu slowly approached and upon seeing Yu Hong was still there, she frowned.


    "Haven''t you just traded for food? I wondered why it''s gone again, turns out there''s an extra person." Her tone was not very pleasant.


    "Yu Hong, is, very, capable!" Stutterer quickly gestured, "He, is, making, a, better, house. Safer than mine!" She clearly approved of Yu Hong''s statement, and now defended him.


    "Forget it, let''s not talk about this, let''s go quickly, the earlier we go the earlier we return." Doctor Xu nced at Yu Hong who was about to stand up to greet her, stepped closer, and looked at him.


    "What are you nning?" These days, she asionally chatted with Stutterer and knew that this guy was always busy with his stuff.


    Reliant on Stutterer for food and drink, who had to find twice the amount, had significantly increased Stutterer''s burden.


    Originally, everyone''s food could only maintain half-satisfaction, now there was an additional young man''s share...


    "I n to build a safe house. Right now, I''m temporarily relying on Yiyi for food and drink, but believe me, I''ll be able to move out soon. I remember everything Yiyi does for me. Once I''m settled, I will repay her!" Yu Hong saw her intention.


    After finishing his speech, he noticed her expression rx slightly, so he continued.


    "When I''ve built a safer ce to live, I can also build a safer and better one for Yiyi! Her house is very unsafe, if she encounters bigger trouble, she definitely won''tst! Then you''ll see the benefits of a safety house."


    "Do whatever you want, but changing ces doesn''t necessarily mean more safety!" Doctor Xu clearly didn''t believe it. "Just don''t burden Yiyi."


    "I won''t!" Yu Hong said earnestly.


    Doctor Xu stared at him for a moment, then said nothing more and left with Yiyi.


    Yu Hong stood in the woods, watching as the two left until they disappeared, then withdrew his gaze and looked up at the sky.


    The bright sunlight filled him with a sense of security.


    In this kind of weather, even shadows wouldn''t dare appear recklessly.


    After a brief rest, he continued to diligently saw the wooden boards.


    The rapidly charred trunks were sawed by him into thick, long wooden nks.


    The charring on the surface served to prevent rot, kill some insects andrvae, and remove excess moisture.


    Once cut into nks, they could be joined using a tenon and mortise structure to create a solid, robust wooden door.


    Yu Hong used the simplest type of tenon and mortise, essentially, it meant carving a hole in the face of the thick nk.


    Then he shaped another thick nk to produce a projection that perfectly matched the hole.


    Finally, fitting the projection into the holepleted the tenon and mortise structure.


    The biggest advantage of this structure was that it required no nails.


    Using this assembly method, Yu Hongboriously produced thick, hard, long wooden nks.


    He didn''tpletely manufacture them to drag over, but rather brought the finished wooden ts one by one like building blocks, assembling them at the cave entrance.


    During this period, he also continuously tested the function of the ck Mark.


    He enhanced one luminous stone after another.


    As time passed, just when Yu Hong was nearly ustomed to the strange taste of the jerked meat, the wooden door of the cave was finally finished.


    In the early morning hours.


    Yu Hong came alone to the cave entrance and fitted the final thick wooden nk to the door.


    The entire wooden door was nowpletely finished, including a free-moving panel that could be opened. Its appearance was quite rugged.


    It was made from parts dismantled from other houses in the vige,bined with wood.


    In addition, therge nails used at the joints between the wood and stone surfaces were also sponsored from those houses.


    The entire cave entrance was now entirely covered by a sturdy gray-ck wooden door.


    Yu Hong went alone inside and ced an enhanced white stone in a recess behind the door.


    This was his discovered method to block shadows from entering.


    Since luminous stones could disperse shadows, perhaps logically cing luminous stones in the path of shadows'' movement could also block their entry?

 Chapter 11: Operation 010 - Thanks to Alliance Hierarch Duyi Xie

    <h4>Chapter 11: Operation 010 - Thanks to Alliance Hierarch Duyi Xie</h4>


    After cing the enhanced pyroxene, Yu Hong approached another part of the cave and found corresponding holes on the ground at both sides and at the top.


    These were all spots he had prepared for future cement of more enhanced pyroxene, the purpose being to guarantee the absolute safety of the entire safe house.


    During these days, he had been relying on Yiyi''s stuttering support for food, and he had already umted seven pieces of enhanced pyroxene.


    He was quitefortable in terms of resources.


    The blood tide of ck bugs every three to five days no longer worried him, and the asional shadows hadn''t shown up either.


    ording to Yiyi''s descriptions, it was a safe period now, generallysting about a month. After that, a sudden outbreak would ur, entering a period of esction.


    By then, both the Blood Tide and the shadows would greatly increase in intensity.


    Seeing this, no wonder Doctor Xu was so displeased with me. By relying on Yiyi, who should have been umting resources by now, I''m dragging her down. This could lead to ack of supplies and danger for her.


    Yu Hong understood this in his heart.


    But he didn''t take it to heart.


    Because Doctor Xu didn''t know what he was truly capable of. Not to mention anything else, just the effects of the enhanced pyroxene were enough to ensure Yiyi''s safety against the shadows.


    At least, it was much more effective than ordinary luminous stones.


    Ordinary luminous stones could only be used once, but enhanced pyroxene could be used multiple times.


    Just how many times exactly was uncertain; he would need to find an opportunity to test itter.


    With these thoughts, Yu Hong snapped back to reality, closed the wooden door, and stood alone in the cave.


    Once the door was closed, the cave dimmed instantly, with only the stripe-like air vents casting brilliant golden beams of light inside.


    Yu Hong stood behind the door and reached out his hand.


    Pressed it against the door panel.


    Below his dirty sleeve cuff, his arm had be much darker than before, but it still couldn''t hide the clear ck Mark on the back of his hand.


    Quickly.


    Arge ck number appeared on the door: 12 days.


    "Do you want to reinforce the wooden door?"


    A faint voice entered his ears.


    Yu Hong''s expression tightened as he took a deep breath.


    Yes!


    He responded forcefully in his mind.


    Immediately, a thread of ck emerged from the ck Mark on his hand, burrowed into the wooden door, and vanished.


    Subsequently, the number on the door began to change, from 12 to 11 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes.


    The numbers blinked on and off, barely visible, extremely mysterious.


    "A countdown!?" This was the first time Yu Hong had discovered such a thing.


    He had never closely observed the process when enhancing the luminous stones before, as he was avoiding Yiyi.


    Now it seemed, the ck Mark could actually countdown, which was quite convenient.


    Well then, all there was left to do was wait.


    Yu Hong sighed in relief. Up to this point, the ck Mark''s enhancements hadn''t brought any negative sensations, at most making him feel a bitnguid after use, which would be alleviated with a bit of rest.


    Twelve days.


    By then, he would see what the effects of the reinforced wooden door would be.


    He was quite expectant.


    After looking at the wooden door for a while, he casually picked up a piece of broken stone inside the cave and tried to activate the enhancement on the ck Mark again.


    But there was no reaction.


    He wasn''t surprised.


    He had tried before to see if he could enhance two objects at the same time.


    But it seemed either it was never possible, or he hadn''t yet met some special conditions.


    Yu Hong wasn''t in a hurry.


    First, he needed to finish constructing the safe house; there would be plenty of time to study the ck Markter.


    Since Yiyi had gone out and wouldn''t being back that evening, Yu Hong rested for a while in the cave. Then he packed up the enhanced pyroxene and headed back to Baiqiu Vige.


    Soon, he found his way back home easily and locked himself in.


    He then ced the enhanced pyroxene in every corner.


    He drank a sip of filtered water to soothe his throat.


    The fact that the filthy, foul-smelling filtered water didn''t give him diarrhea was in itself a miracle.


    Yu Hong prepared himself, took a piece of jerky, and slowly gnawed at it sitting on the side of the bed.


    The jerky was very hard, not like any kind of meat he had eaten before. They were slender and entirely ck.


    Yiyi had said this was lizard meat.


    Yu Hong didn''t care about that detail; at least he could ept lizard meat more than the other two types of jerky: dried rat and dried cockroach...


    As it was almost dark, Yu Hong lit a candle and ced it beside him on the bedside table, allowing the candlelight to cover the specially left air vents at the door and windows.


    Then he closed his eyes and rested quietly.


    The night passed without incident.


    The next morning, Yu Hong went to wait by the vige entrance on the main road.


    His cell phone had long run out of power, and he could only roughly estimate time using a sun dial he had improvised based on the shadows cast on the ground.


    After waiting for more than an hour,


    Two figures with big bags began to appear at the end of the road.


    As the distance closed, the figures became clearer and clearer, returning were Yiyi and Doctor Xu.


    Yu Hong hurried forward, lending a hand to stabilize therge cloth bag on Stutterer''s back.


    "Thank you for your hard work," he whispered to Stutterer.


    "Ah, the whole house, how is it?" Stutterer asked with anticipation.


    She had checked the progress before leaving yesterday; it should have been nearlyplete.


    "It''s done, the door''s all finished!" Yu Hong nodded seriously, smiling.


    He was also in a good mood.


    "I, bought, waterproof, paint!" Stutterer said in fits and starts, gesturing. "For you, to apply."


    Waterproof paint?


    Yu Hong paused, realizing he had forgotten about waterproofing... Otherwise, it wouldn''t be long before the wooden door he hadbored over would mold and rot from the moisture.


    After all, he wasn''t a professional carpenter, just someone handy with crafts, not knowing essential steps.


    Fortunately, Stutterer had unexpectedly covered that base.


    "That''s right, how could I have forgotten to apply the waterproofing!?" he said, pping his hand, somewhat scared by the oversight. "Good thing you remembered, or the work on the wooden door would have been for nothing!"


    "That jar of waterproof paint cost Yiyi one-third of her jerky," Doctor Xu reminded them gloomily from the side. Her look toward Yu Hong was rather unfriendly.


    "Now that it''s built, when will you move out?" she followed up.


    "Very soon, I''ll move out immediately!" Yu Hong nodded. "Doctor Xu seems to have some misunderstandings about me. Just you wait. In no time, I''ll be able to provide Yiyi with a better life."


    Stutterer had helped him a lot, and he kept it close to his heart. As for the secret of the ck Mark, he was now almost certain that only he had it.


    At least Stutterer and Doctor Xu didn''t have it; he had asked Stutterer about others she had seen, and nobody mentioned having such a special ability.


    So his confidence grew substantially.


    ''There he goes again, bragging.''


    Doctor Xu gave him a disgusted look and turned to leave with her bag.


    She had seen others Yiyi had rescued before; those people would wake up, recover a bit, learn some skills, and then leave.


    No one stayed more than five days.


    But this Yu Hong... he had already been there so long... almost twenty days, nearly a month, and still not leaving!


    It was bad enough he was not leaving, but he wasn''t helping with the work either! As a result, Yiyi had to significantly increase the time spent digging up wild vegetables and drawing on luminous stones. And they had less food than before.


    Originally, food was scarce, and now with two people eating, they had to reduce the portions to make itst.


    "I, believe, you!" Stutterer Yiyi leaned in beside Yu Hong, speaking earnestly.


    "Mhm! Thank you!" Yu Hong nodded, watching as Doctor Xu left.


    Only then did the two return to the house to sort through the things they had brought back.


    Arge pack of luminous stones, even after trading for the paint, got them only half a pound of jerky and one pound of dried mushrooms.


    With these mixed with wild vegetables, they''d need to make do for at least three to five days.


    Inside the house, the two of them sorted the jerky, packaging it into separate bags, inserting charcoal to absorb moisture, and tying them closed.


    This was to individually package it to avoid frequent opening and exposure to humidity.


    "By the way, during the heightened period, how strong are the shadows and the Blood Tide? Can you exin in detail?" Yu Hong asked while packing.


    "Very, strong," Stutterer nodded. "At any time, there could, be, shadows. The Blood Tide, will appear, daily, alongside, the shadows."


    "Ten luminous stones, to, deal with... one, shadow." Stutterer began to borate carefully on the dangers of the heightened period.


    Through her halting exnations, Yu Hong gradually learned about some of the dangers of the heightened period.


    Especially the shadows; ordinary luminous stones, after being drawn on, would have a better dispelling effect on the shadows.


    Stutterer''s luminous stones naturally worked better than others, which is why she could always sell them at a good price.


    And during the heightened period, even her luminous stones needed ten pieces to dispel a single shadow, let alone for others.


    Yu Hong also inquired about the consumption of candles.


    The answer he received sent a chill down his spine.


    During the heightened period, arge candle would be used up in a single night, which was a great loss. Of course, they could also burn wood, but they needed constant bright light to ward off the Blood Tide.


    After getting the specific data, Yu Hong calcted the duration of the heightened period in his mind. Looking at the worn-out calendar on the table, there were fifteen more days.


    The door would be finished enhancing in twelve days... and if the effects were not so good by then... it might be troublesome.


    A sense of heaviness settled in his heart.


    "Where can we buy those candles?" he asked again.


    "Uncle Wang..." Stutterer pulled out a simple map, pointing to a point that was quite distant.


    "He was, a former, viger..."


    "How long does the heightened period usuallyst?"


    "Before, it was, one, day. Later, it slowly, changed, to five days," Stutterer answered.


    "Could it be even longer?" Yu Hong frowned.


    "Mhm!" Stutterer nodded vigorously.


    "I understand," Yu Hong acknowledged, knowing he needed to act quickly.


    In the following times,


    he began to speed up the construction of his own safe house. Although the door was installed, the interior structure was not yet arranged properly.


    Especially the chimney; if he wanted to make a fire inside, he would need to arrange venttion and smoke discharging in advance.


    Actually, this was not difficult, because he had seen stoves with chimney pipes in the vige houses before.


    He just needed to move and dismantle them, as the most important parts were those metal chimney pipes.


    But... ording to what Stutterer had said, it was better not to venture too deeply into those houses.


    Working on the door outside is one thing, but going into ces that are too dark could likely lead to an encounter with a shadow.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, with enhanced pyroxene, it should not be a big problem.


    One piece of enhanced pyroxene could fend off several shadows¡ªmuch more effective than ordinary luminous stones.


    But even so, just thinking about the trouble and danger of the shadows made Yu Hong''s heart tingle with anxiety, and he had no desire to deliberately get closer.

 Chapter 12: Accumulation One - Alliance Hierarch Working Overnight by Candlelight

    <h4>Chapter 12: umtion One - Alliance Hierarch Working Overnight by Candlelight</h4>


    This world is very dangerous.


    Extremely dangerous.


    In the half month since Yu Hong had arrived here, he had fully realized this point.


    As an ordinary person, he was far less knowledgeable in survival skills than Xia Jieba and the others, and his physical strength was also significantlycking.


    Even Xia Jieba and Doctor Xu were struggling so much¡ªif he relied only on himself, he definitely wouldn''t make it.


    So... he had to utilize his unique advantage, his greatest advantage¡ªthe ck Mark.


    The sun was shining brightly, a new morning.


    In front of a strange tiled house in Baiqiu Vige.


    Yu Hong and Xia Jieba stood in front of the house, their clothes filthy, their greasy hair clumped like dreadlocks, gazing into it.


    The inside of the house was dim, continuously emanating a chilling presence. asionally, a slight cold breeze would surge out, apanied by a musty and unknown foul smell.


    The sunlight stopped at the front of the house, dividing the inside and outside into two worlds.


    "There''s a smoke pipe inside that I need," Yu Hong said solemnly.


    "How... do we get it?" Xia Jieba asked equally seriously.


    She seemed to be mimicking Yu Hong.


    "The shadow could appear at any time, so I need to act quickly," Yu Hong said.


    The mountain cave safe house must have a warming stove, and lighting a fire in an enclosed cave was dangerous, so the smoke pipe was indispensable!


    So... at that moment, looking into the dark room, a look called determination rose in his eyes for the first time.


    "I''m sorry... I''m just too scared..."


    To obtain safety, he needed to confront danger.


    Besides that, he had no other choice.


    "Let''s go."


    Clutching the enhanced white stone in his pocket, Yu Hong strode into the house.


    Xia Jieba followed behind, also holding a bag of white stones, nervously looking around.


    Snap.


    As soon as their feet stepped into the house, entering the dark area, they abruptly felt a chill climbing up from their ankles.


    At that moment, the enhanced white stone and the white stones produced their effect simultaneously, infusing threads of icy presence, countering the chill.


    "There''s a problem, hurry!" Yu Hong instantly understood that there was a shadow here, and immediately sped up toward the deeper part of the house.


    He had examined many houses; only the chimney here was the most suitable, the longest, so this time, he was determined to get it!


    The two quickly crossed the open space to the back of the house against the wall.


    There, a square metal stove stood, with a vertical sheet metal smoke pipe inserted at one corner.


    The smoke pipe extended upward for two meters before turning sideways, stretching more than three meters, reaching out of a circr hole in the wall of the house.


    "This is it! Grab it!" Yu Hong''s eyes sparkled as he rushed over and grabbed the smoke pipe.


    Puff.


    He pulled hard.


    It didn''t budge.


    He looked down.


    The smoke pipe was welded to a corner of the square stove, immovable.


    Just as he was about to exert more force, he suddenly caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye of a small door leading to a bedroom in the corner of the room, quietly opening.


    Inside the door, in the gloom, stood a figure in gray whose face couldn''t be seen.


    The figure stood motionless in the darkness, looking this way.


    At the same time, a wave of chill more intense than before surged out from the bedroom door.


    "Yiyi!" In desperation, Yu Hong shouted, gripping the enhanced white stone tightly, his muscles taut as he took aim.


    At the same time, he nced at Xia Jieba Yiyi behind him.


    But...


    "!!!?"


    There was no one behind him.


    Not only was Yiyi gone, but even the stove along with the smoke pipe had disappeared entirely.


    When Yu Hong turned his head again, he immediately saw Xia Jieba embracing the stove, dragging the smoke pipe, heading toward the house''s door, about to run out.


    The heavy stove was as easy to handle as a foam box in Xia Jieba''s hands, unimpeded.


    "Run, Yu!" Xia Jieba burst into the sunlight and, realizing Yu Hong hadn''t followed, quickly looked back perplexedly, seeing Yu Hong still in his original spot and shouted out.


    "....." Yu Hong was left speechless.


    But by now, he had been targeted by the shadow.


    His entire body felt icy cold, the kind of stiffness that was creeping up again, attempting to immobilize him.


    The power of the enhanced white stone was ceaselessly flowing,bating the stiffness.


    "I...."


    "I...!!"


    Yu Hong trembled all over, standing in ce unable to break free, his hands tightly clutching the enhanced white stone, like a machine about to fall apart.


    Sweat profusely seeped from his forehead and temples, his pupils already dted, the intense fear almost flooding his inner being.


    ''I... am so scared....''


    "This is too terrifying..."


    "Why, why are there such terrifying things here?!"


    ''Why....''


    ''Why....''


    ''Why....''


    ''Why....''


    In that instant, countless whys, like crawling reptiles, frantically filled Yu Hong''s entire body and mind, filling every thought and consciousness.


    Yet at this moment, he was caught in a bizarre confrontation; the power of the shadow and the power of the enhanced pyroxene were neutralizing each other, using his body as their battleground.


    In such stiffness.


    Yu Hong suddenly felt some movement behind him.


    Click.


    He heard a faint sound.


    It seemed like the sound of shoes stepping on the muddy floor inside the house.


    The rustling sounds of walking shoes continued, one after another, seemingly approaching slowly from behind him.


    One step.


    Just then.


    Footsteps approached rhythmically, neither hurried nor slow, heading straight toward Yu Hong.


    Subsequently, the wooden door of the house silently began to close, shutting out the bright sunlight and stammering, slowly sealing off the outside world.


    Yu Hong was terrified. He stood trembling in ce, tears and sweat streaming down his cheeks.


    But at that moment, there was nothing he could do, only to watch helplessly as the door of the house was slowly shut.


    Helpless.


    A strong sense of helplessness surged continuously from the depths of his heart.


    "I...." he began to speak.


    Snap.


    Suddenly, a hand tightly grasped his from behind!


    Ah!!!!!


    In an instant, Yu Hong''s body jerked as if struck by lightning, emitting a piercing scream.


    He jumped up violently and pulled a thick wooden club from the side of his trousers, swinging it furiously backward.


    The club, studded with numerous steel nails and embedded with three enhanced white stones, swept through the air with a dull whoosh.


    Amid the noisy whistling, a loud crash sounded.


    Bang!!!


    The club smashed viciously onto a white shadow behind Yu Hong, splitting it in two, dissipating it into fragments.


    "Ah ah ah ah!!!!"


    Yu Hong, holding the steel-nailed club, turned and without stopping, charged toward another gray shadow by the bedroom door.


    Quickly.


    Bang!!!


    Another loud crash.


    The club relentlessly struck the wooden door frame, creating a deep indentation.


    And that gray shadow, under this fierce counterattack, immediately shattered into a gray cloth fragment, scattering on the ground and evaporating.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    At this moment, Yu Hong''s eyes were bloodshot as he still crazily smashed towards where the gray shadow had been.


    Not until splinters flew from the door frame, beginning to loosen and wobble, did hee to his senses.


    Seeing the shadow had vanished, he hastily grabbed the club and rushed out to the sunlight.


    Huff!


    Huff!


    Huff!


    Amid intense panting, he slowly bent down and crouched on the ground.


    Yiyi stood beside him, dumbfounded, not knowing how tofort him.


    She had initially nned to rush in to help, but seeing Yu Hong''s sudden outburst, she too was frightened, only able to stand helplessly, waiting for the oue.


    The result was that Yu Hong had emerged by himself, having furiously smashed two shadows into pieces, then with an expression of utter fear, ran out the door and crouched, gasping for breath...


    "Yu..." After a while, Yiyi hesitantly asked in a soft voice.


    "Sorry..." Yu Hong''s voice trembled, his body drenched in sweat as if he had just been pulled from water.


    "I was just... just too scared..."


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After calming himself for a while, his emotions slightly stabilized.


    He slowly stood up, turned around, and looked at Yiyi.


    His expression was pained, helpless, pitiful.


    "They... they... scared me...."


    He continuously waved the steel-nailed club in his hand as if using bodynguage to express his intense emotions.


    "I was so scared...."


    Yu Hong''s facial muscles trembled.


    "So, I could only smash them to death... I... I know what I''m doing... but... if I don''t smash them... I''m afraid... afraid they would chase after me...!"


    "It''s... it''s okay..." Yiyi blinked, taking a step back due to the swinging club, feeling a bit unnerved.


    "Now, it''s okay... rx... rx!!" Yiyi raised her hands, trying hard to soothe him.


    Yu Hong also realized his demeanor was off, and began to take deep breaths.


    Inhale.


    Exhale.


    After thirty repetitions,


    He finally felt much more stable.


    "Thank goodness, I had prepared for everything in advance." He put down the thick club, feeling an immense weariness.


    He was the kind of person who always made thorough preparations for anything he did.


    Like this time when entering the house for the chimney pipe. He had allocated the few enhanced white stones he possessed in advance.


    Three were embedded in the club, which he reinforced by carving pits and tying them firmly with rope.


    Now it seemed, this method had been very effective.


    "Is it... over?" Yiyi asked cautiously, watching him.


    "Sorry..." Yu Hong swayed his body helplessly, "I got too agitated..."


    "....." Yiyi shook her head, indicating she wasn''t scared. "Actually... before... I''ve... seen..."


    She picked up the stove and chimney pipe, walking back with Yu Hong.


    On the way, she also talked about others she had seen before who, like Yu Hong, had fallen into extreme fear.


    They too, like him, would explode in fury, resisting.


    But Yu Hong was different from them.


    Those people, after resisting, would exhaust their strength and let themselves fall into greater peril.


    But Yu Hong had smashed the shadows and then ran off to a safe area before allowing himself to copse from exhaustion.


    In reality, under extreme emotional bursts in such situations, it is highly improbable that someone would remember to conserve strength.


    But Yu Hong did.


    Not only did he smash the shadows, but he also kept enough energy to turn and run.


    That made him quite exceptional.

 Chapter 13: Accumulation 2 (Thanks to Alliance Hierarch for working through the night)

    <h4>Chapter 13: umtion 2 (Thanks to Alliance Hierarch for working through the night)</h4>


    Dang, dang, dang.


    Amid the sounds of pounding,


    inside the safety shelter cave, Yu Hong let out a long sigh and took two steps back, looking at the extremely rudimentary fixing device he had crafted, securing the stolen stove along with the chimney near the middle of the cave wall.


    "That''ll have to do for now."


    He put down the hammer, turned his head, and nced at the sturdy door still being reinforced.


    Disyed on the door was the remaining time: 9 days, 5 hours, 42 minutes.


    Having done all this, he walked out of the cave and looked at the little stutterer who was tying up arge bundle of wild vegetables.


    The chimney-moving incident had passed, but the emotions from that time still left a deep imprint on his heart.


    To this moment, recalling it, he felt terrified and shuddered with lingering fear.


    Such emotions made him desperately long for apletely safe solitary cabin.


    A ce where he could rest in peace andfort.


    Only with such a ce, could he properly explore this incredibly dangerous world.


    Pushing aside these thoughts, Yu Hong picked up the steel spike club from the side of the cave, noticing that some of the nails on it were bent. That wasn''t the important part¡ªthe key was those three enhanced white stones.


    The first enhanced white stone had turnedpletely ck and lost its jade-like texture.


    "It seems it''s used up..." Yu Hong reached out, removed the white stone, and reced it with a new one.


    He still had one enhanced pyroxene, which was enough for now.


    But since it seemed he could only reinforce objects one at a time, he couldn''t enhance anything else until the wooden door was finished.


    Therefore, these four enhanced pyroxene stones must be used as sparingly as possible.


    "Based on previous usage, one enhanced pyroxene can scatter three shadows. So it seems one enhanced pyroxene could match thirty regr luminous stones!"


    With this in mind, if he could spread the word and trade enhanced pyroxene for supplies, the difference in value might save him from worrying about supply replenishment.


    Thinking along these lines, Yu Hong started to consider his uing arrangements and ns.


    Time flew, and before long, the sky turned dim.


    The little stutterer had packed up the bags and filled new water tanks. The two of them carried their belongings back to the house in Baiqiu Vige.


    They had juste from the cave, which had just been cleaned and was tidy and fresh.


    Compared to the filthy darkness of the old house, full of moldy smells, Yu Hong couldn''t bear to stay there another moment.


    The night passed without a word.


    Over the next few days, since he couldn''t reinforce items, Yu Hong, together with the little stutterer, collected dry wood and stored it in the cave.


    Now that there was a door installed, it could provide shelter from the wind and rain and also allow the storage of some firewood.


    Then there was the preparation for the water filtration materials.


    ording to the little stutterer, all outside water was very dirty, drinking it directly could cause a strange illness and must be filtered.


    And extra filters could only be bought in town.


    So they had to make a trip to the town.


    "It''s over thirty miles to the town... I don''t think I can make it," Yu Hong was well aware of his physical capacity.


    If he forced himself to go, he might endure it, but the consequences like knee injuries, excessive fatigue, and possible new diseases would greatly slow down his responses to danger.


    On the slope at the cave entrance, the little stutterer dug in the soil while nodding.


    "There''s another... way."


    "What way?" Yu Hong sat down, resting on the stony surface at the cave entrance, wiping sweat from his forehead.


    "The post... office..." the little stutterer replied, and then she started to exin in her halting and intermittent way.


    Because speaking was too strenuous, she simply started writing with charcoal on the stone.


    But she didn''t know many words, so she had to write, gesture, and speak at the same time.


    "If I can buy things through the post office, then why can''t I have you buy things for me?" Yu Hong asked.


    "Filters... can''t... be... bought. You need... qualifications," the little stutterer replied.


    Qualifications? What qualifications? Yu Hong wanted to ask more, but then he saw Doctor Xu approaching from afar, carrying a cloth bag.


    "Yiyi, Blood Tide ising soon. We need to go to town!"


    She looked somewhat distressed, with a white bandage wrapped around her right arm¡ªprobably from an injury she suffered these past few days.


    "Oh!" The little stutterer responded loudly.


    Doctor Xu nced at Yu Hong, ignoring him, and went back to Baiqiu Vige with the little stutterer to pick out the items they needed to barter.


    It wasn''t long before the two had counted all the luminous stones.


    "Howe there is less than half?!" Doctor Xu was a bit shocked.


    Usually, the little stutterer could get double this amount with each trade, but now...


    "This little merchandise won''t trade for much food! Not to mention, Yiyi, you''re feeding two people now!" She couldn''t help but ask out loud.


    "Too... busy," Yiyi said with a goofy smile, rubbing her hands together awkwardly.


    "What are you busy with? Making that damn safety house for Yu Hong?" Doctor Xu suddenly red up.


    "I already told him, no matter how thick the boards, they can''t stop shadows or bugs! The safety house you''re making is just a waste of effort!"


    "It''s... fine. I believe... in him!" Yiyi said, thumping her chest.


    "You will be killed by him!" Doctor Xu eximed angrily. "If you''re not well-fed, you''llck strength and will be more susceptible to illness. I went to the post office yesterday; the postal worker is gone, and there''s no way to buy medicine. Many important supplies also rely on him. We must conserve our food and spices to avoid shortagester."


    "No... I won''t!" Yiyi shook her head. She had one enhanced pyroxene from Yu Hong, who had asked her not to tell anyone, but she felt that Yu Hong was different from the others.


    "You... you!!" Doctor Xu was so infuriated she wanted to rush over and bash Yu Hong''s head in. But seeing the little stutterer''s expression, she was left with a bellyful of anger that couldn''t be vented.


    Together, they could only step by step leave the vige, walking along the old highway toward the distance.


    In the meantime, Yu Hong had rearranged the safety shelter in the cave, checking all the sent devices to make sure there were no issues, then began painting.


    He had to make sure the waterproofing was thorough, and even the inner walls of the cave needed a coat, otherwise, once he began living there, the temperature difference would cause condensation and mold.


    After reviewing everything, he didn''t return to Baiqiu Vige but instead, using the candles and nkets he brought along, curled up in the cave, prepared to try spending the night there.


    Sigh...


    Gradually, night fell.


    The whistling wind howled outside the cave, and the temperature dropped rapidly to a slightly cool level.


    Inside the cave.


    Yu Hong sat cross-legged on arge nk, lit a candle, and then quietly calcted how many supplies he needed to prepare in order to safely get through the uing surge period.


    "Thest one was a five-day surge period. ording to the principle of continuous strengthening, let''s assume it''s six days. One candle a day means I need at least twelve candles."


    "Then I need to prepare six days'' worth of food and drink. There''s no time to make enhanced white stones for now, so that will have to wait until the wooden door is done."


    "The wooden door will be done in three days, which is just before the surge period. Rather than betting on the safety of the reinforced door, it''s better to make my own preparations."


    Next to the candle, Yu Hong calcted while quietly listening to the wind outside.


    Soon, the rustling sound arose again.


    The ants brought by the Blood Tide once more began their assault.


    But the vast number of ants could only enter through the designated openings, and their entry was slow. As soon as they came in, they were illuminated by the candlelight and quickly dissipated into nothing.


    Yu Hong watched carefully for a while, and, feeling certain there was no problem, he felt at ease.


    He then checked the rate at which the candles were being consumed. Believing everything to be fine, he ced the steel nail club by his side,y down on the nket, and slowly dozed off.


    Soon, it was morning.


    Stutterer and Doctor Xu returned together, bringing far less thanst time.


    Stutterer calcted it would onlyst them five days.


    Thus, Yu Hong decided after some thought to have Stutterer mimic moreplex patterns on the enhanced pyroxene.


    Then, after testing these patterns to see their effects, he considered selling them if they were effective.


    For the emergency, he also began helping Stutterer dig for wild vegetables everywhere.


    Days went by.


    They began to store water, and Yu Hong asionally went to check on the wooden door''s changes in the cave.


    Before long, the countdown on the wooden door quickly reached its end.


    To carefully observe the changes in the wooden door, on thest day, Yu Hong specifically asked Stutterer to borrow some food from Doctor Xu to deliberately send her away.


    He then went to the cave''s safe house area and quietly awaited the countdown''s end.


    Amidst a rumbling sound.


    Inside the cave, Yu Hong sat on the ground, his eyes fixed on the wooden door, which hadn''t changed a bit from twelve days ago.


    He wanted to see exactly how the ck Mark''s enhancement would appear and bepleted.


    More crucially, he nned to continue strengthening other items seamlessly, to avoid wasting the ck Mark''s enhancement duration.


    By now, the wooden door had turned a yellow-ck color and was ticking with ck digits that only Yu Hong could see.


    0 days 0 hours 1 minute.


    The final minute, just a little bit more, and the wooden door''s strengthening would bepletely done.


    During thisst minute, Yu Hong didn''t dare blink, carefully watching the final changes.


    One second.


    Ten seconds.


    Twenty seconds.


    Thirty seconds.


    Snap.


    All of a sudden, Yu Hong''s vision blurred momentarily.


    When it cleared again, the wooden door had transformed into an even thicker, tighter-made massive wooden door.


    The new door''s surface had fine, wave-like patterns, its air gaps fitted with sturdy metal meshes, fine yet breathable.


    In the center was a special peephole, through which one could see the outside scenery.


    The wooden door''s previously loose connection to the cave was now perfected, forming a dense circle of bolts. Just by looking at it, it seemed much more secure than before.


    Yu Hong stood up, approached, and touched the wooden door.


    Thud, thud, thud.


    He tapped with his fingertips. It was very thick, hard, and resilient.


    ''It''s not the same kind of wood as before...'' He hadn''t expected that the strengthening would actually change the door''s material entirely.


    ''And extra materials have been added.'' Yu Hong felt the thick metal mesh at the bottom and then opened the peephole above.


    He ran his hands along the edges and didn''t feel a single burr.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Impressive...!"


    With this, he quickly turned his attention to the surrounding walls.


    His original n was to strengthen the walls around the wooden door, but now, due to the food shortage, he intended to try strengthening other items first.


    "First... this."


    Yu Hong withdrew his hand from the door and returned to the stove, picking up a piece of dried lizard meat.


    ''Can food be strengthened?''


    The thought crossed his mind.


    Immediately.


    A number appeared on the surface of the lizard meat in his hand: 3 hours.


    ''Three hours, eh?'' Yu Hong calcted it in his mind. Without hesitation, he stuffed the meat back and directly picked up the entire bag of dried meat.


    ''What about now?''


    On the outside of the cloth bag, new digits slowly appeared: 1 day 8 hours 4 minutes.


    The numbers were both whole and fractional, quite precise.


    ''Let''s see the effects.'' Yu Hong immediately confirmed the enhancement inquiry.


    Over a day''s time was something he could afford.

 Chapter 14: Experiment One

    <h4>Chapter 14: Experiment One</h4>


    Soon, the stutterer returned, bringing back a small package of dried vegetables, seemingly dried ferns stored for preservation.


    The two of them again filtered some water in the cabin using a wooden barrel, considering it storage for the high tide period.


    The next day, early in the morning, the stutterer went out to gather firewood, as today''s tasks were crucial, with the high tide period only two days away.


    They needed to make all the preparations.


    After the stutterer left, Yu Hong went alone to the safehouse in the cave to check everything.


    After confirming everything was in order, he picked up the bag of enhanced dried meat.


    The dried meat was divided into several small bags, each opened individually when needed to prevent moisture.


    Each bag contained only ten small pieces.


    At this time, the light outside illuminated the inside of the cave brightly.


    The light mainly came from a small mirror ced at the entrance for venttion. The original cave was quite dark, even if it was sunny outside, it was still chilly and dim inside.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But now, the reflection from the mirror greatly improved the environment of the cave.


    Yu Hong took out the moisture-absorbing charcoal from the corner, ced it outside to dry under the sun, then closed the door and picked up the bag of enhanced dried meat.


    On the outside of the gray cloth bag of dried meat, there was a series of numbers: 0 days, 0 hours, 5 minutes.


    "Almost there..."


    Yu Hong sat down with some anticipation, quietly waiting.


    One minute.


    Two minutes.


    Three minutes.


    Rustle.


    Suddenly, a faint noise came from outside, like grass being disturbed.


    Yu Hong''s face changed slightly as he quickly stood up and walked to the cave entrance to look out through the peephole.


    The crudely made peephole, smooth on the edges, had only a narrow slit to see outside.


    But at least it allowed a basic view in all directions.


    The reinforced wooden door was now much better than before.


    At the edge detail, many reinforcements were added, and the material looked much harder.


    Only the stutterer, with his intellectual deficits, didn''t notice the change in the door. With no one else nearby, the changes to the door could remain concealed.


    The rustling sound came again from outside.


    It was very soft this time, as if the other party realized they were too loud.


    Yu Hong stood at the window, carefully listening and looking.


    He just saw two men in camouge, their clothes torn and dirty.


    The two men crossed the wild grass at a distance and nced at the path in the woods.


    These days, Yu Hong and the stutterer often traveled here, forming a trail through the grass.


    Seeing the two men stop, Yu Hong''s heart sank, knowing they had spotted the trail.


    Soon.


    The two started looking around in all directions, searching for something.


    They followed the trail to the open space in front of the cave''s safehouse door.


    Standing more than ten meters away from the door, the two men hesitated and stood still, waiting quietly.


    Yu Hong also stayed still and silent.


    He was waiting to see what they would do.


    Standing at the peephole, he had a clear 180-degree view of the outside.


    On the dark green sloping grass, the two men looked up at the cave.


    One was a frail adult man with yellowish skin.


    The other appeared older, around thirty or forty, much sturdier, with a machete hanging at his waist.


    After waiting a while outside the cave, confirming there was no movement or perhaps judging that they couldn''t open the door, they slowly walked away.


    Their figures gradually disappeared into the woods.


    Yu Hong then breathed a sigh of relief.


    In this environment, where danger was everywhere and resources were scarce, encountering strangers made him think of vignce first, not seeking help or greeting.


    "It''s almost the high tide period, these two men likely know it. They aren''t like me, not neers here suddenly. They must know many things.


    So, knowing the high tide period is only two days away and still wandering around with weapons... it''s obvious what these two men are up to, no need to guess."


    Yu Hong stepped back and returned inside the cave.


    Only then did he notice that the enhanced dried meat he had been waiting for had already finished.


    His eyes lit up as he bent down to pick up the meat bag from the ground.


    Now the bag, surprisingly, looked quite different from before.


    Initially, the bag was grayish-white with a faded cartoon rabbit printed on it.


    That rabbit hadrge front teeth and two long ears standing high, dressed in a ck leather jacket.


    It was Mountain Bandit Rabbit, the stutterer''s favorite cartoon character.


    All their bags were these Mountain Bandit Rabbit packaging bags, just worn out over time, as the rabbit picture was merely some kind of glued print.


    Previously used for the dried meat, it was a Mountain Bandit Rabbit bag.


    But now, after enhancement.


    Yu Hong held the bag, looking at the neatly printedbel outside.


    "High-Energy Protein Bars"


    Below were some detailed descriptions.


    "One bar provides calories needed for one day! Rich in microelements essential for the human body, with a fast-actingbination to replenish energy needs. Carbohydrates, fats, proteins, dietary fiber..."


    The description was exceedinglyprehensive, including ingredient lists, manufacturing process, and a one-year shelf life¡ªall ounted for, except for the manufacturer.


    Holding the bag of dried meat, Yu Hong fell silent for a moment.


    "This enhancement... seems to be directly using a standard temte to perfect the original item."


    He slightly frowned, remembering the recently enhanced wooden door, the previous luminous stone, and now the bag of dried meat, a subtle idea formed in his mind.


    Rip.


    He swiftly opened the packaging bag.


    The bag was still made of cloth, but inside there was also ayer of sealed paper, utilizing the structure of the sealing strip to keep the interior dry.


    He reached into the bag and pulled out a piece of jerky.


    Yu Hong carefully examined it.


    The jerky at this moment was different from before.


    Previously, it was a dusty gray showing a slight ck color, and it was irregrly cut, obviously a handmade product.


    But now, the jerky was a whole rectangle, with soft edges, and sprinkled with some white sesame seeds on the surface.


    It smelled full of meaty fragrance, with a hint of sweetness.


    Yu Hong forcefully broke off a small piece and stuffed it into his mouth.


    Instantly, his expression changed, his entire face scrunched up.


    Sweet!


    Too sweet!


    No wonder one piece couldst a day''s worth, no wonder it had a shelf life of up to a year.


    "If it were before, I would disdain it, but now, this concentration of sugar is actually a good thing."


    Although it tasted awful, Yu Hong felt much better.


    A small bag of jerky before could at most cover him and stutterer for two meals, but now, this bag couldst at least five days.


    The food problem was solved at once!


    The ck Mark brought him a great surprise.


    Although he still needed to test the specific effects to see if one piece really couldst a day.


    But judging by the sweetness, Yu Hong thought it shouldn''t be a problem.


    He stuffed the whole protein bar into his mouth, chewed a few times and gobbled it down, then drank a big gulp of water, soon feeling full in his stomach.


    "The result of the jerky enhancement is there, then the others..." Yu Hong''s gaze quickly fell on the water ss.


    Drinking water was the most troubling issue since he came here.


    That smell truly made every sip of water a form of torture.


    "If only I could enhance the filtration system.... Unfortunately, there''s only one... Stutterer definitely won''t let me mess with it."


    He picked up the high-energy protein bar and walked to the wooden door, pondering for a moment, he suddenly thought of something.


    "This ce is all woond, with lush trees, and trees and weeds need water most, so where does their watere from?"


    The thought had just surfaced and was stuck in his mind, rolling over and over.


    Coming back to his senses, he turned his head to look at the items in the cave.


    Then his gaze fell on the water cup.


    The wooden water cup immediately showed a number on the outside: ''3 days''.


    "No time... switch to another one." Yu Hong''s gaze swept around and quickly fell on the candle.


    The uing surge period was a test for every survivor, among which candles were of the utmost importance.


    Because it rted to how long they could resist the Blood Tide insects during the ck Disaster.


    The arm-thick candle was given to him by Stutterer, the wax was yellowish-brown and about as long as a pencil, and only a quarter had been used so far.


    Now Yu Hong''s gaze fell on it, and immediately a new enhancement number appeared: 1 hour 12 minutes.


    "Such a short time? Might as well try." Yu Hong''s heart stirred, he walked over, picked up the candle, and held it in his hand.


    "Enhance the tree oil candle?" The query came again.


    "Yes." Yu Hong affirmed in his mind.


    This time was just a little over an hour, he didn''t wait long, it was almost done.


    Sitting in the cave, Yu Hong held the candle, his eyes unblinkingly fixed on it.


    The time on it was only left with thest minute.


    He carefully observed, wanting to see exactly how the enhancement appeared and urred.


    Very quickly.


    Puff.


    Suddenly, the whole candle blurred for a moment, then quickly became clear again.


    The original yellow candle had turned into a brand-new white candle with a brass casing.


    "It evenes with a fixture?" Yu Hong was surprised.


    The enhancement by ck Mark gave him a strong sense of concept.


    That is, the enhancement does not follow the principle of conservation of mass¡ª the items before and after enhancement might contain very different contents.


    Just like the candle before enhancement, which only had wax and a wick, but the candle after enhancement...


    He picked up the new candle, it was still as thick as an arm, but wrapped with a brass material windbreak structure. The top even had a little bowl to collect smoke, linked to the brass base.


    Pity the size hadn''t changed.


    "Interesting... then can the enhanced items be enhanced again?"


    Yu Hong pondered in his heart, looking at the brass light fixture candle, trying again.


    Unfortunately, there was no response.


    He looked down at the ck Mark on his hand, still no fluctuations.


    "Can it only be enhanced once, or does it need some conditions?"


    Leaving this question in his mind, he looked outside, it was already noon.


    The light was also at its strongest.


    His gaze then fell on the dirty quilt.


    The thought of enhancing it came up, and instantly a huge ck number appeared on the quilt: 1 day 0 hours 56 minutes.


    Thinking about it, he then looked at an axe resting against the wall, previously used for chopping wood.


    A ck number appeared on the axe: 3 hours 12 minutes.


    "It seems all things can be enhanced, then..." Yu Hong looked down at his own body.


    "Can I enhance myself?"


    He wrestled with the thought in his mind, intently staring at himself.


    Ten seconds.


    Twenty seconds.


    Thirty seconds.

 Chapter 15: Experiment Two

    <h4>Chapter 15: Experiment Two</h4>


    There was no movement, nor did any numbers appear.


    "It seems it''s not working."


    He raised his head in disappointment.


    After resting for a while, and giving it some thought, he suddenly remembered the two people he had just seen.


    "Danger doesn''t onlye from monsters and shadows; it can alsoe from people... So, safety must be the top priority."


    "My physical condition isn''t good, even worse than Little Stutters, and I haven''t fully adapted to life here. In the short term, the fastest way to ensure safety... is equipment!"


    But he had no equipment on hand, what was he supposed to do, hack at people with an enhanced axe?


    His gaze fell again on the axe, saw, steel nails, hammer, and other tools.


    He shook his head inwardly, not holding out much hope.


    Regardless, he still walked over and picked up the axe, watching the numbers that appeared on it, confirming the enhancement had started.


    "Well, there''s still time, let''s try enhancing and see."


    After confirming the start of the process, he ced the axe in a corner and covered it up with something.


    He then walked to the door and looked outside through the peephole.


    Outside, there was no one to be seen, all quiet.


    The wind rustled the leaves with a whispering sound, not even the insects or birds were heard.


    Click.


    Yu Hong opened the door, carrying a bag of protein bars, and looked around cautiously.


    After checking, he secured the steel nail luminous stone bat to his waist; this thing had given him considerable helpst time.


    It was really effective against the shadows.


    Although, ording to Little Stutters, shadows can''t be killed and will soon reappear on their own.


    But it was enough to avert immediate danger.


    Yu Hong frowned as he closed the wooden door.


    "There''s no cover... if people discover it... everything inside might be gone..."


    He felt the door lock.


    The round keyhole contained a standard metallic structure, cool and hard.


    The wooden door originally didn''t have a lock, and he didn''t know how to make one, but after enhancement, this lock just appeared by itself,plete with several keys.


    This was also why Yu Hong was particrly curious about the ck Mark''s enhancement mechanism.


    He stood at the doorway, picked up many branches, leaves, and vines from the surroundings, and then scattered them on top of the entrance to the cave.


    From a distance, it was now not so noticeable.


    It was still unsafe, but much better than before.


    After setting up the cover, he quietly headed towards Baiqiu Vige.


    The appearance of the protein bars had eased their food shortage, but the key issue now was the candles.


    They were running out of candles!


    If the high-risk period really extended to six days, their three candles wouldn''t be enough.


    He had to exchange for more.


    While walking along the familiar mountain path, Baiqiu Vige came into sight after more than ten minutes.


    Yu Hong was about to move closer when his footsteps suddenly halted.


    His expression changed slightly as he looked in Baiqiu Vige''s direction and swiftly hid behind a tree trunk.


    Between his position and the old highway that led to Baiqiu Vige, a person was lying on his side on the grass.


    A man with ck hair, dressed in camouge and of slim build.


    The man was motionless, and therge amount of blood pooling underneath him stained the grass red.


    "Dead?" Yu Hong hid behind the tree trunk; his heart instantly tensed up.


    He stood still, not moving, and carefully observed.


    He even held his breath, fearing to disturb anything around him.


    After hiding for a while, as the person remained motionless, Yu Hong guessed that the other party was either dead or had fallen unconscious.


    He looked around to make sure no one was hiding, and then slowly walked out from behind the tree trunk, inching closer to the body.


    When he reached the man''s side, he crouched down and patted his shoulder.


    "Hey?"


    No response.


    Yu Hong reached out to feel the side of the man''s neck.


    It was ice-cold.


    His heart sank, realizing the man was indeed dead.


    A corpse...


    A corpse that had just been a living person he had seen...


    The thought made Yu Hong''splexion turn pale.


    His abdomen tensed, his breathing quickened, his pupils dted, and he felt a rising urge to vomit, as if the hand he had used to touch the man was dirty.


    Fighting the nausea,


    He grabbed the body''s shoulder and turned it over with force.


    Thud.


    The ck-haired many on his back, facing skyward.


    A dark red bloody hole was apparent on his left chest. His eyes were wide open and his mouth agape, as if he had been screaming.


    Yu Hong didn''t dare look any longer and quickly started searching the man''s pockets.


    He rifled through the two pockets of the man''s jacket, pants, hip pack, checking every possible spot in haste.


    No food, no useful tools, only a ck radio that had been damaged and broken.


    Yu Hong grabbed the radio and ran for it, not wanting to stay any longer with a corpse.


    Even though he had anticipated possibly encountering such a scene, when a real corpse appeared before him, the turmoil in his stomach was uncontroble.


    He dashed all the way until he reached Little Stutters'' door.


    Bang, bang, bang.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He knocked on the door quickly.


    "Little Stutters, open up!" he blurted out a series of scrambled numbers.


    It was their agreed-upon passcode.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Bang, bang, bang!


    The continuous knocking, at this twilight hour in Baiqiu Vige, was particrly jarring.


    Usually, as soon as Yu Hong would knock, Little Stutters would quickly open the door.


    But this time, there was no response from inside the house for a long while.


    "Little Stutters?" Yu Hong couldn''t help raising his voice.


    The sound of knocking and his shouts echoed along the vige''s stone-strewn paths.


    The sounds also fluttered and scattered through the empty ck houses.


    The vige grew even more silent.


    "Stutterer!?" Yu Hong''s heart felt a little hairy. Could it be that no one was there?


    He turned around to make sure there were no shadowy figures, then stopped knocking on the door.


    Where could that guy have gone at this time? It was about to get dark... If he didn''t find a ce to hide soon, it would be too dangerous!


    His breathing became hurried, one hand carrying the bag of protein bars, and the other quietly gripping the steel nail luminous stone baton hanging from his waist.


    "Coming,ing!" Suddenly, a familiar response came from inside the house.


    It was Stutterer!


    Yu Hong''s heart leapt with joy, and he knocked on the door again.


    "It''s getting dark; let me in first."


    "Okay, okay...." Stutterer''s voice responded from inside the door.


    "I''m,ing, right, away."


    Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief, continually scanning his surroundings vigntly, afraid the weird white figure fromst time would appear again.


    This vige was not normal.


    There were more shadows here than in the caves outside.


    That was one of the reasons he was so eager to move out.


    He waited about ten seconds.


    "Are youing?" Seeing the door still closed, Yu Hong''s brows furrowed slightly.


    It was getting darker outside. If he didn''t get in soon, it would really be dangerous.


    "Coming, now."


    Stutterer''s voice suddenly sounded from behind the door.


    Very close, very close.


    As if she was speaking right up against the door.


    But just now, Yu Hong hadn''t heard any footsteps in the house at all!


    In this extremely quiet environment, it was impossible for him not to hear sounds inside the house.


    But there was absolutely no sound of footsteps mixed in with Stutterer''s responses just now.


    It was as though...


    It was as though she had suddenly appeared behind the door.


    At this moment, Yu Hong''s scalp tingled once again.


    Click.


    The door slowly opened a crack.


    Bang!!!


    Just then, he suddenly kicked out, hitting the wooden door.


    The loud noise burst forth, and Yu Hong lifted the steel nail baton to smash inside!


    "Die, die, die, die!!!"


    He became engulfed in intense fear, swinging the baton fitted with enhanced pyroxene blindly into the interior.


    Puff, puff, puff, puff!


    Behind the door, a pale figure hadn''t even had a chance to appear before being smashed t by the baton, shattering into many pieces, dispersing into nothing.


    "Stutterer!!" Yu Hong shouted as he rushed through the door, fear driving him to frantically sweep the room with his eyes, baton at the ready to smash anything in sight.


    But the interior was empty, no one there.


    Only on the tabley a piece of paper with charcoal marks on it.


    Gasping for breath, Yu Hong realized that his nostrils were dripping with sticky fluid.


    He wiped it away, bright red, blood.


    ''That shadow again... How could it make me bleed without even touching me...'' He felt a stabbing pain in his chest, and looking down, he saw that his shirt had been shed open as long as a finger.


    The flesh underneath exhibited knife-like wounds, and blood was slowly seeping out.


    Clearly, the shadow had injured him with some unknown method just now.


    Boom.


    He closed the door and lit a candle.


    Yu Hong sat in the chair, taking deep breaths to calm himself.


    "This godforsaken ce!!"


    He cursed under his breath.


    "This fucking, godforsaken ce!!!"


    A few momentster, he cursed again in a suppressed voice.


    The candle''s light stretched his shadow long on the ground, constantly flickering.


    He picked up the paper on the table, pushing down the heartache, and read it.


    ''I''ve gone to change the candles will be back tomorrow''


    No punctuation, no paragraphs, and the writing was very nty, but thankfully, at least it was legible.


    Setting down the paper, Yu Hong pinched his nose with one hand, waiting for the nosebleed to stop.


    "I must... create an absolutely safe house! No more fear of any danger! Definitely!!"


    He was fed up; this ce was full of traps, full of disguises!


    Holding the candle, he moved to sit on the bed, his gaze falling on the gaps around the door and windows.


    Those were ces where the ck Mark could potentially crawl through.


    The ck Mark''s invasions weren''t on a set schedule, urring every three to five days.


    ording to Stutterer, at the very beginning, the ck Mark weren''t this numerous or dense.


    Now it seemed they were increasing, consuming a lot more candles as well.


    After a while, when his nosebleed had stopped, Yu Hong finally freed his other hand to check the wound on his chest.


    Fortunately, the wound wasn''t itching¡ªsince there was no clean water, he could only withstand it. An infection would be a big problem.


    After making sure there was nothing wrong, he breathed a sigh of relief, listening to the howling wind outside, sitting alone on the bed, feeling a deep sense of loneliness welling up.


    ''Perhaps now, I''m the only one left in Baiqiu Vige?''


    The vigers had all left, only Stutterer stayed here by herself.


    Yu Hong didn''t know how she had survived, but... it must have been very hard, very dangerous.


    He sighed deeply and leaned back.


    Suddenly his buttocks squeezed against something hard.


    Hmm?


    He reached down to touch it, picking it up for a look.


    It was a radio.


    ''Wait, the broken radio, can it be enhanced?''


    Yu Hong was about to put it aside when this thought shed through his mind.


    With the thought, the radio''s surface timely disyed a number: 5:12.

 Chapter 16: Trouble No. 1

    <h4>Chapter 16: Trouble No. 1</h4>


    The radio''s purpose was to receive external signals, and if it, too, could be enhanced, perhaps there would be a different kind of gain.


    Staring at the numbers above,


    ''Five hours, just in time to finish as dawn is about to break, it''s worth a try.''


    Up to now, Yu Hong hadn''t noticed any side effects from enhancing with the ck Mark, the only cost being the consumption of his mental energy.


    The axe should also havepleted its enhancement by now, he confirmed in his heart in response to the enhancement inquiry sound beside his ear.


    In an instant, the radio in his hand blurred and then became rapidly clear again, with numbers appearing on its surface: 5:11 a.m.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Seeing the countdown begin, Yu Hong set it aside, sat alone on the bed, holding a candle, took a long exhale, and felt increasingly isted and afraid.


    This fear stemmed not only from the strange shadows and monsters that might appear around him at any moment but also from the unfamiliar corpses lying out in the wild.


    So he just sat there, motionless, with thoughts swirling in his mind.


    It wasn''t until dawn broke that he felt somewhat relieved.


    After drinking some water, Yu Hong left the house, where outside the sunlight was not strong and dark clouds were gathering¡ªclearly it was going to rain.


    The air was damp and chilly, and as he walked on the ground, he felt a coldness around his ankles.


    As he walked, he suddenly paused and turned to look at one of the houses.


    Within the darkness there, a white shadow flickered in and out of sight.


    He took a deep breath, grabbed the radio, and quickly quickened his pace towards the safety shelter in the cave.


    Ten minutester.


    He reached the safety shelter.


    Bang.


    The enhanced wooden door was shut, and the lock bolted.


    It was only then that Yu Hong rxed a bit, copsing onto the ground beside his bedroll.


    Picking up the radio, he inspected it carefully and found that the numbers had disappeared.


    The entire device had be as good as new without a sound.


    The previously broken parts had also been mended.


    ''Could it be that my enhancing ability, apart from strengthening items, can also fix broken things?''


    A thought crossed Yu Hong''s mind.


    He flipped the radio over, opened the batterypartment, and to his surprise found two blue-skinned AA batteries inside.


    Suppressing his astonishment, he reattached the battery cover, and turned on the switch.


    Click.


    A sound echoed from the radio.


    Hiss, hiss...


    Followed by a series of familiar hissing sounds.


    ''It really works!?'' Yu Hong was amazed.


    After turning the radio over and over in his hands and making sure it was functioning perfectly, he put it up to his ear.


    The sound was crystal clear, without any spikes, and he was even more satisfied.


    ''Let''s tune it to the local stations...''


    Since arriving in Baiqiu Vige, he had been on the run, busy adapting to the environment and dealing with dangers.


    Now that the cave safety shelter was somewhat established,


    At least here he was sheltered from the strange shadows and monstrous insects, and his heart rxed considerably.


    With a more rxed mind, Yu Hong turned therge round knob on the front of the radio, adjusting the frequencies.


    As the knob slowly turned, a series of hisses varied in volume.


    Quickly, he passed over an extremely quiet frequency band in a sh,


    Yu Hong hurriedly returned to that position, and with a fine adjustment, a sad tune drifted out from the radio.


    The music sounded like ament, slow and drawn out, the tune deep, involuntarily making one''s heart heavy.


    Before Yu Hong could guess what program it was, a voice came from the radio.


    "We remind everyone again, due to a shortage of batteries, please turn on the radio at this time every day, adjust the frequency, and remove the batteries after listening to save power,"


    A maic male voice emanated from the radio.


    "This is the National Special Disaster Response Management Bureau, I will provide daily reports on specific disaster conditions across the country and give insights into the actual changes in the dangers within the ck Disaster, as well as some prediction research from Silver Tower. Please take this seriously."


    Hearing this, Yu Hong''s expression tightened, aware he had found the right station, and immediately ced the radio down to listen in silence.


    He had been staying near Baiqiu Vige because of his physical limitations and could not yet travel torger ces farther away.


    Moreover, even inrger locations, it was not possible to obtain thetest national research findings.


    Therefore, the content he was receiving on the radio was extremely precious to him.


    The radio continued to ry information.


    "ording to the National Security Department''s statistics, there are currently seven hundred fifty-nine areas where the ck Disaster is urring and spreading. Each area is primarily infested with blood mites, with asional shadow appearances."


    "Research from Silver Tower has found that the overall intensity of the ck Disaster is on the rise over time.


    The strength of the shadows is also slowly increasing, and all local districts are advised to be prepared."


    "The surge period is approaching, during which all ck Disasters will exhibit a significant increase in invasiveness. The light resistance of the blood mites is increasing gradually. This trait greatly increases the energy demands on lighting devices."


    Yu Hong listened carefully, much of what the broadcaster said was new to him.


    Particrly the trend of the overall ck Disaster intensifying, which renewed a sense of crisis in his heart.


    He now had only a small amount of enhanced pyroxene left; the rest were either embedded or ced in dark corners around the cave, serving as a hidden safeguard for the safety shelter.


    And with this small portion of enhanced pyroxene, if he encountered shadows during the surge period, even if it was only one or two a day, he wouldn''t be able to withstand it.


    Upon hearing this, he decided to enhance more luminous stones immediately. Just as he picked up a piece to begin with, a rumble of thunder sounded from outside.


    Wind howled fiercely in response.


    At first, a few scattered raindrops hit the outside of the wooden door, making a noise. Then the raindrops became more and more numerous and dense.


    Amidst the sound of rushing water,


    In just a few seconds, the rain fell heavily.


    The dense rain hit the exterior of the door, making a crisp sound.


    Yu Hong immediately reacted, found a wooden barrel he had made in the corner, opened the door, and ced it just outside the edge.


    This was used to collect rainwater.


    Rainwater was at least much cleaner than sewage.


    Yu Hong closed the door and listened to the thunderous noise outside as the rain poured down.


    Looking inside the cave, it was dry and quiet¡ªa stark empty space.


    A sense of peace and stability suddenly welled up in his heart.


    Returning to the dirty, smelly nkets, he plonked himself down and exhaled a long breath.


    It was foul-smelling, but safe.


    With the shortage of drinkable water in this situation, who would dare to bathe?


    The amount of water needed for a bath...


    Suddenly, an idea struck Yu Hong. He thought about going out to bathe in the rainwater but worried about getting sick, catching a cold, or developing a fever. In times like these, without any medicine, if one were to catch pneumonia...


    He immediately suppressed the thought and sat quietly in the cave, staring out of the observation window at the gloomy sky.


    The radio continued to broadcast tirelessly.


    "...Due to the explosive increase in shadow numbers in various regions, the Response Management Bureau will dispatch patrol teams immediately to conduct routine inspections and collect detailed shadow data."


    The broadcaster had barely said a few words when his voice abruptly broke off, and he began to breathe heavily.


    "Breaking news: A malicious shadow incident has urred in Hope City Number 43 at Wuliang Mountain, resulting in hundreds of casualties. As such shadows exhibit high transmissibility, all externalmunications with this Hope City are suspended until further notice, and all regr transportation in and out are severed."


    "Please note, the location of the malignant shadow incident is Hope City Number 43 on Wuliang Mountain."


    The broadcaster repeatedly emphasized the address, his voice heavy and tense.


    Yu Hong listened on the side, utterly bewildered.


    ''That''s it?'' He looked confused. No rescue measures? Just istion? They wouldn''t even allow supplies to be delivered?


    But no matter how long he waited, the broadcaster didn''t bring up the news again and instead continued with the official''stest exploration achievements, research data reports from an organization called Silver Tower, and so on.


    He never mentioned that Hope City in peril again.


    Not once.


    Yu Hong squatted beside the radio, listening for more than ten minutes, still with no sign of any news.


    Finally, he seemed to understand.


    Perhaps the official stance on the shadows and the ck Disaster was nothing more than containment and waiting for their intensity to subside, with no other solution at hand.


    Standing up, he sighed, walked to the door, and looked outside.


    With a swish, he pulled open the side area of the observation window, adding a spacious, square window to the door.


    The window was fitted with ayer of sturdy ss through which the continuous downpour could be seen.


    Through the rain, the forest outside seemed to twist and blur.


    Boom.


    Another p of thunder echoed.


    Yu Hong''s thoughts suddenly turned to little Yiyi who stuttered. He wondered how she was doing.


    She must have been caught in the rain halfway through her journey.


    He hoped she was safe.


    In this kind of weather, it was impossible for him to rashly go out looking for her. Besides, Yiyi was physically much stronger than he was. Even if he found her, he would only be a burden.


    With this in mind, Yu Hong sat down on the ground, rxing his body.


    Taking advantage of the moment of safety and quiet, he turned off the radio and picked up a luminous stone to continue enhancing.


    The most troubling issues now were twofold: there might not be enough candles, and the scarcity of enhanced pyroxene.


    There was onest day left, the final deadline before the surge period arrived. They could go out together one more time to get more candles.


    As for the luminous stones, he could only continue enhancing them while asking Yiyi to expedite her drawing.


    ''If, as the radio said, the overall strength of the ck Disaster is increasing, then... how will ordinary people who face a scarcity of resources in the wild survive?'' A faint fear suddenly rose in Yu Hong''s heart.


    He was easily frightened, cowardly, and timid, but because of that, he tended to think of problems as extremelyplex and dangerous.


    It was an extremely abnormal notion.


    However, in this environment, such traits seemed to y a useful role.


    ''If there are no people left outside, even with the power of the ck Mark, I won''t survive without food.


    So I must find a way to solve the food problem. Be self-sufficient.''


    With some degree of safety secured, Yu Hong shifted his focus to food.


    ''And a water filtration system, I have to get one set up too. These aren''t things I can make myself. I''ve got to think this through carefully.''


    *


    *


    *


    Boom.


    In the forest, heavy rain pelted down, with the dense drops almost forming a mist that enveloped the woods, obscuring the view.


    It should have been bright in the morning, but the downpour made everything look gray and gloomy.


    The vast forest resembled a piece of bread covered in green mold.


    On the fringe, two figures moved quickly towards Baiqiu Vige like two sesame seeds.


    Both were d in ck raincoats, holding walking sticks, and running with a familiar, swift pace.


    "Quick, quick, quick! It''s getting dark; those damn things are going toe out soon!" the person in the back urged, panting heavily.


    "I know... we''re almost, there..." The figure in front was petite and stammered in response¡ªit was little Yiyi, returning from outside.


    They hurried along until they reached the edge of the vige and onto the gravel path where they raced down.


    Thud.


    Reaching the front of the house, Yiyi took out the keys to open the door, ready with a luminous stone to throw at a moment''s notice.


    Fortunately, there were no incidents.


    They entered the house smoothly and without mishap.


    Just as the two got inside, a sh of lightning illuminated the gravel path, casting a ghastly white re.


    For a brief moment, the bright light revealed the vague silhouettes of several figures standing on the path.


    As quickly as the lightning appeared, it vanished, and with it, the figures faded away, like shadows of bubbles.

 Chapter 17: Trouble 2

    <h4>Chapter 17: Trouble 2</h4>


    "No, it''s over." The stammerer breathed a sigh of relief, removed the hood of the raincoat from his head, and then looked to the other side.


    The other person also took off his hood, revealing the tired face of Doctor Xu.


    "This trip alone, just the number of shadow figures we encountered was more than before, and the consumption of the luminous stones was too great. And that monsterst night... the official broadcast had assessed it shouldn''t have appeared near here...."


    This time, when the stammerer hade to borrow grain, she simply took the opportunity to have him apany her out in exchange for some dried meat and dried mushrooms as payment.


    She had thought she was being kind-hearted, but on the way, if not for the stammerer''s timely assistance, pulling her aside at crucial moments, she was afraid...


    Thinking of this, Doctor Xu''s face was ovee with after-fear.


    "This time I don''t know...."


    Bang!!


    Suddenly, there was a loud noise.


    The wooden door of the house was violently mmed by something.


    The impact shook the door, causing kes of wall ster to fall off all around.


    The door frame trembled violently, clearly loosening.


    "What is that!" Doctor Xu''s heart was filled with panic. "It''s that monster! It has followed us here!! Why!!"


    It was the same creature they had encountered the night before at their temporary shelter.


    "Hold! On!" The stammerer rushed forward with a quick step, bracing the wooden door with his shoulder.


    Bang!


    But the next loud impact sent him flying backward once more.


    The force of the monster outside was too strong to hold back.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!!


    The wooden door was hit repeatedly, and the nails fixing the door frame were being shaken loose, one by one, falling out.


    Doctor Xu was in a state of panic, watching the scene unfold, her body stiffened, losing the ability to react.


    "It''s that... it''s that thing... it actually..."


    Her son had died in a simr situation


    At the time, she and her family had reacted immediately, rushing to brace the door, but the massive impact from outside was something they couldn''t withstand.


    In less than half a minute, the door was smashed, and her son had run out to draw the monster away in the chaos.


    Her husband dragged her away, fleeing the house quickly. Before leaving, she had only seen the shadow of her son being bitten by the monster in the distance.


    Boom!!!


    Just then, the wooden door shattered instantly, and fragments hurtled toward the stunned Doctor Xu.


    She was about to be hit in the head.


    Suddenly, the stammerer at her side reached out, grabbed Doctor Xu, and rolled them both to the side.


    Whoosh!!


    After the door broke, a huge, pitch-ck monster charged in with the momentum.


    Taking advantage of the moment it hadn''t steadied itself, being carried forward by the inertia.


    The stammerer picked up Doctor Xu and ran.


    She dashed out of the door, running with all her might along the gravel path.


    "Where...are we going..." Doctor Xu, who had now snapped back to reality, asked with a trembling voice.


    The stammerer''s mind raced through possible destinations.


    His house''s wooden door had been reinforced, yet it couldn''t withstand that monster; other houses wouldn''tst long either.


    What to do?


    What to do?


    What to do!!?


    Sweat, mingled with breathless panting, streamed down the sides of his head.


    As he fled the vige, the stammerer found himself, unwittingly, in the forest where he and Yu Hong had worked as carpenters during the day.


    Realizing this was wrong, he quickly changed direction, heading elsewhere, not wanting to risk attracting the monster to Yu Hong as well.


    Even though his physical strength was umon, carrying another person while running, especially in the rain, was wearing him down.


    What to do??


    He racked his brain for a solution, but no matter how much he thought, without the protection of a house, without the blocking of luminous stones, they were no match for the pursuing monster, let alone the constant appearance of shadow figures.


    "Yiyi...put me down, if I die, I die, I can''t drag you down with me!" Doctor Xu stuttered from his shoulder.


    The stammerer remained silent, pressing on, sprinting toward the distance.


    Bang!!!


    Suddenly, he veered left, changing direction in a sprint.


    Beside him, arge tree was hit hard by the ck monster following them, making a muffled noise.


    The tree swayed, and the trunk was hit with a deep dent, nearly falling over.


    *


    *


    *


    Yu Hong put the radio away and took out the batteries, covering them with dry leaves.


    This would be the key to obtaining information from the outside world in the future.


    So, it must be well preserved.


    After doing this, he nced at the luminous stone, the enhanced pyroxene which still showed a countdown on its surface, although it was very inconspicuous and hard to distinguish without close inspection.


    He exhaled, noticing his breath had turned into a mist.


    "Has the temperature dropped this much?"


    Standing up, he approached the stove, nning to light a fire for warmth. With the chimney leading to the vent above the door, lighting a fire was now safe.


    Yet looking at the kindling in the stove, Yu Hong knew that even if he lit it, it wouldn''t burn for long.


    "Sigh... I wonder when the stammerer will be back.... It would be nice to find coal or something..."


    The defensive properties of this side of the cave were much stronger than the stammerer''s house.


    The doors and windows there were only half as thick, and the material was softer, being old wood that had been used for years.


    Now the only things missing were solutions for heating and food.


    Once those were solved, this ce would be a proper refuge.


    Bang!!


    Suddenly, Yu Hong thought he heard a faint impact sound outside.


    "What was that sound?" he frowned. In this rainy weather, any sound outside had to be from monsters or shadow figures.


    He stood up, intending to check outside.


    But just as he did, he worried about being spotted by the shadow figures. The appearance of a pale human face suddenly appearing outside the window was quite frightening.


    Even with the protection of the enhanced pyroxene, it was normal to be terrified into mental exhaustion.


    Thinking this, Yu Hong sat back down.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, another loud noise erupted.


    Yu Hong''splexion changed drastically as he shot up and rushed to the peephole, sliding the cover aside to look out.


    What he saw was the sight of Little Stutter and Doctor Xu being chased by that pitch-ck monster.


    "Fuck!"


    The sight of the monstrous creature sent a shiver down Yu Hong''s spine.


    In the heavy rain, within the forest dozens of meters away, there was a creature resembling arge tick, over two meters tall and four meters long, its body pitch-ck,


    incessantly pursuing Little Stutter and the other.


    Silence.


    A pause.


    Yu Hong stood at the doorway.


    Bang!


    He fiercely swung the door open.


    "Over here! Come this way!!!" he yelled towards Little Stutter''s direction.


    His entire body tensed, trembling, his blood coursing furiously through his veins, his face flushed red.


    The intense nervousness and fear urged him to quickly shut the door, to prevent the creature from discovering him.


    But Little Stutter had saved him before, had helped him too much.


    Even in fear, Yu Hong had his own principles, his own code to live by!


    Gripping the steel-studded enhanced pyroxene rod beside the door, he struggled to control himself, to not let fear dictate his actions and shut the door.


    To not let fear force him to hide.


    "Over here!! Yiyi!!"


    Yu Hong stepped outside the door, standing in the rain, and bellowed.


    "Run this way!!!" he shouted.


    He knew that running out in the open, in this ever-darkening environment, meant certain death if the shadow appeared.


    Better to hide together and gamble that the reinforced door would withstand the monster''s attack.


    Just hold on for a while longer; it was daytime now, and as soon as the clouds dispersed, the monster would quickly retreat...


    Hearing the shout, Little Stutter and Doctor Xu turned their heads. Not just them, the tick-like monster heard themotion as well and nced in their direction.


    Seizing the pause, Little Stutter gritted her teeth and turned to run elsewhere.


    "Trust me! Yiyi!" Yu Hong''s voice came again.


    Little Stutter stopped in her tracks, looking back at Yu Hong.


    From a distance, she saw the fierce determination on his face.


    "Come!!" Yu Hong yelled, reaching out his hand towards her.


    Whoosh!


    The ck creature charged again, the gust of wind it created tossing Little Stutter''s hair about, even the rain unable to resist the powerful st.


    Instantly, Doctor Xu was the first to react, grabbing Little Stutter and rushing towards Yu Hong.


    Her movement provoked the monster.


    The ck creature followed closely behind the two, charging towards Yu Hong at the cave entrance.


    It was a massive tick-like ck creature, like an eight-legged ck war machine thundering towards the cave.


    Its rhinoceros-like size furiously sprinted, inducing a type of terrorpletely different from the shadow.


    Yu Hong took a step back, standing to the side of the door, watching the approaching monster, his legs trembling wildly.


    One month ago, he was just an ordinary person, a regr office worker. One monthter, he was facing an utterly unknown and terrifying creature!


    Fear.


    Intense fear.


    Made his body go rigid, almost incapable of moving.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    His right hand gripping the door handle was violently shaking, wanting to m the door shut and lock it.


    But Yiyi and the others hadn''t arrived yet!


    Doctor Xu might as well be forgotten, but Little Stutter was different; she had saved him before, so now...


    He had to save her.


    Bang!


    Yu Hong fiercely pped his legs with a swift strike.


    "Scared of your fucking ass!! Fuck!"


    "Stand firm!!"


    "You fucking hold steady!!!" he roared inwardly, eyes fixed on Little Stutter and the others drawing closer.


    Twenty meters.


    Fifteen meters.


    Ten meters.


    Five meters!


    One meter!!


    Swoosh!


    In an instant, Doctor Xu and Little Stutter rushed through the gate, one after the other.


    As they entered, the door banged shut, locked tightly by Yu Hong.


    Boom!!!


    Less than a secondter, a thunderous noise struck the center of the door, causing the entire cave to tremble slightly.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!!


    The ck creature began to ram the reinforced wooden door frantically.


    It seemed enraged, angry that Yu Hong had stolen its prey.


    But no matter how it struck, the door merely vibrated, showing no signs of breaking or shaking.


    "Huff, huff, huff... What, is this??" Little Stutter copsed to the ground, turned her head, and saw a doorpletely different from what she had remembered.


    She looked at it with confusion in her eyes.


    She remembered that the door she and Yu Hong had made wasn''t supposed to look like this, right?


    The door before her looked much more upscale and sturdy than the previous one.


    "After you left, I went back and improved the door, reinforced the surrounding area," Yu Hong said, noticing her confusion, and also sat down, gasping for breath as he exined.


    "..." Little Stutter stared nkly at him, from the wooden door before to the improved heavy wooden door now, the difference was indeed quite...


    "Let''s not talk about that, help me brace it!" Yu Hong leapt up and rushed over, his shoulder against the back of the door.


    Doctor Xu and Little Stutter quickly stood up as well and helped brace the door.


    The banging continued, but with thebined strength of the three, the monster outside could no longer budge the wooden door.


    The poundingsted for about a dozen more hits. Once it was clear the door wasn''t budging, the creature finally turned and left, soon disappearing into the curtain of rain.

 Chapter 18: Trouble 3

    <h4>Chapter 18: Trouble 3</h4>


    Thud.


    Yu Hong and the other two copsed on the ground, feeling sore and exhausted, gasping for air.


    The intense breathing caused whirls of air to swirl throughout the cave for a moment.


    "I told you... to trust me, didn''t I?" Yu Hong''s face was pale as he spoke in fits and starts.


    "This door?" Stutter still couldn''t understand; this wooden door wasn''t like this before. How could it have changed so drastically in just one day?


    "What on earth did you encounter, what was that creature just now..." Yu Hong didn''t answer, but looked toward Doctor Xu, trying to get information from her, asmunication was too slow with Stutter.


    Doctor Xu''s face was pale, with traces of blood slowly seeping out from her calf. Hearing his words, she carefully examined the enhanced wooden door and then observed the other areas of the cave.


    "This is the safe haven you''ve built..." Boom!!!


    At that moment.


    A loud noise abruptly cut her off.


    In the midst of the boom, the door shook violently once again, fine stone dust sprinkling from the surroundings.


    Hiss!


    A muffled, strange hissing sound came from outside.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!!!


    Followed by a series of rapid, frantic collisions.


    This time, the force was much greater than before.


    The enhanced wooden door trembled under the immense pressure, emitting a fine shaking sound.


    The three were startled for a moment, then quickly realized what was happening.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "It''s that monster!! It hasn''t left!!"


    Doctor Xu screamed, her voice much shriller than usual, almost changing pitch entirely.


    Yu Hong and Stutter didn''t speak; they rushed forward to brace the door with their shoulders.


    Seeing this, Doctor Xu gritted her teeth and stood up to help brace the door.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!!


    The relentless, powerful impacts caused the enhanced wooden door to shake continuously, the securing screws around the frame getting looser.


    "Hold it!!" Yu Hong roared.


    One blow after another.


    The three desperately braced against the door, counteracting the shaking from the collisions.


    They all knew that if the door were to be shattered, everything would be over.


    So they put forth everyst bit of effort they had.


    One minute.


    Two minutes.


    Five minutes.


    Ten minutes.


    Until thirteen minutes passed.


    Outside, the heavy rain slowly subsided, and the overcast sky cleared a bit of its clouds.


    Between the clouds, finally, sunlight filtered down, like beams of straight golden pirs.


    Boom!!


    The final loud noise.


    Their bodies were violently shaken, and the door''s surroundings now showed clear cracks, about to fall off from the cave''s entrance wall.


    Hiss!!


    That giant tick monster emitted onest strange roar and atst stopped hitting the door, beginning to retreat.


    The roar quickly faded into the distance, eventually vanishingpletely.


    The three still braced against the door without moving, in case the creature decided to return for a sudden attack.


    They waited for more than ten minutes.


    As the golden sunlight gradually seeped through the gaps of the lookout window, Yu Hong finally understood that it must be safe.


    Thud.


    He copsed to the ground, gasping for air.


    So exhausted, they had almost allowed their defense to be prated, almost shattering the door.


    Given their state at that moment, if they had been breached, the oue was clear. Certain death.


    In their condition, having resisted until nearly powerless, they wouldn''t have been able to escape far.


    Fortunately, it was all over.


    Huff, huff, huff.


    The breathing of the three sounded like bellows, sweat dripping from their foreheads and cheeks and falling to the ground, dotting it with ck marks.


    "It''s safe now... it should be, the sun is out..." Yu Hong stood up, swiftly sliding open the lookout window to look outside.


    Through the wire mesh, the sunlight streamed in, carrying with it a damp, cool breeze that hit his face, causing him to shiver slightly.


    After scanning through the window left and right, he was fully convinced that the monster was gone and finally rxedpletely.


    Turning back, he looked at the other two who were still sitting on the ground.


    "What was that thing just now? How did youe across it?"


    "That''s arge blood tick from the Blood Tide, we normally call it Big Skin," said Doctor Xu, wiping off her sweat and carelessly smearing it on her grimy coat.


    "But it shouldn''t be showing up at this time, it usually only appears asionally during the high tide, and it''s not normally this aggressive and dangerous!"


    Thinking of this, she forced herself to stand.


    "It''s no good, there must be some problem. We can''t stay here, we must pack up immediately and head to the town''s stronghold! We alone can''t stop Big Skin!"


    Anxiety tinged her expression.


    "Yu Hong, hold on, we did!" Stutter stood up, also wiping his sweat with his sleeve, pointing at the enhanced wooden door.


    She pointed it out unintentionally, which made Yu Hong and Doctor Xu notice the damaged crack by the door.


    "How will it hold up next time? What will happen when the Blood Tidees?" Doctor Xu said somberly.


    She turned her head to look at Yu Hong.


    "I don''t know how you managed to create such a sturdy door, but the Blood Tide is almost upon us, and just one Big Skin almost broke through it. Do you think you can handle it? Do you think you can survive staying here?" She pointed at the crack in the wooden door and raised her voice.


    "..." Yu Hong fell silent. He ced a hand on the door and looked at the characters that appeared on it¡ªRepair Time: 17 minutes.


    The fact it could still be repaired was something he hadn''t anticipated.


    Moreover, right now, to the average person, it indeed seemed that seeking refuge in town was the best option, but...


    His eyes flickered.


    If he went, many things about him were likely to slip up. And besides...didn''t it hold up this time?


    Though the door had almost broken, it was due to being unprepared this time. After reinforcing it with a few more bars or chains, it ought to be much easier.


    "I don''t want to go," Yu Hong finally spoke.


    "I, too..." Stuttering Yiyi nced at the cracked door and also spoke up.


    But before she could finish, Doctor Xu interrupted her.


    "Are you mad? The door''s nearly broken, and you''re still not leaving? What if during the Blood Tide two Big Skinse at us?!" Doctor Xu couldn''t understand.


    Her breathing quickened again as she stared at Yu Hong.


    "I appreciate you opening the door to save us just now, but this isn''t the time to be stubborn. Do you really think your nearly broken door can withstand the Blood Tide? You''re courting death, you know that?"


    "Is there no danger in going to the town? When people gather together, won''t the shadows be even more troublesome?" Yu Hong retorted, his emotions steadying at this point.


    After a great deal of fear and tension, his mood had actually calmed.


    "Yes, but themittee is there; they have ways to deal with it, certainly much safer than facing a Big Skin here!" Doctor Xu said loudly.


    Yu Hong shook his head. "Thanks, but I don''t want to go." He now felt that everywhere was dangerous, the outside was dangerous, nowhere was as safe as the cave house he had built for himself.


    At least now, the ck Mark was visible and could enhance his safety.


    After the door was repaired, if he intensified the reinforcement measures, facing a Big Skin next time would be much safer.


    But he couldn''t voice these thoughts.


    Because he couldn''t exin how he was able to do it.


    A security door that was perfectly constructed out of nowhere, in an environmentcking materials andponents...it was already an abnormal situation.


    "You''ve lost your mind!" Doctor Xu stared at Yu Hong in disbelief. "You really are insane! You''re going to get yourself killed!"


    She pointed at the door.


    "Although I have no idea how you got hold of this processed security door, it won''t hold back the Blood Tide. The Blood Tide is different from normal times. If a Big Skin like we just faced appears, there might be several thate together during the Blood Tide. You won''t be able to stop them!"


    She began to persistently persuade them.


    But no matter what she said, Yu Hong just shook his head.


    He didn''t trust that the town''s security measures were better than his own, even if it might be truly safer to go to the town''s bunker.


    But he didn''t want to entrust his safety to an uncontroble outside force orpletely unfamiliar others.


    So no matter what Doctor Xu said, he shook his head.


    Finally, seeing that she couldn''t convince Yu Hong, Doctor Xu turned to Yiyi.


    "Yiyi, there''s no talking to him. Let''s go!"


    Yiyi quieted down, turned her head to look at Yu Hong.


    "Stay, together," she stammered.


    Clearly, Doctor Xu''s words hadn''t persuaded Yu Hong, but they had convinced her.


    After all, the damaged reinforced wood door was already under too much strain. If another Big Skin hit it a few more times, it was sure to be the end.


    Yu Hong couldn''t provide any exnation, any reason to back up his decision.


    He just remained silent.


    "Yu, Hong!" Yiyi looked at him, "Let''s go, together."


    She patted his arm, her expression clear.


    But Yu Hong just shook his head.


    "You guys go. I don''t want to go."


    He knew the bunker in town would surely deal with monsters like Big Skin; otherwise, the town would''ve fallen to the Blood Tide long ago. There wouldn''t have been any chance to gather information on Big Skin.


    It really would be more appropriate for the two of them, Yiyi and Doctor Xu, to go there.


    But he didn''t want to go.


    He felt no sense of safety for anything outside, only his own cave was secure enough!


    And even if he went there, given his current frail physique, once he revealed the capabilities of the ck Mark, the danger could be much greater than staying in the cave.


    After all, the human heart is oftentimes harder to guard against.


    Monsters, though terrifying, are straightforward and brutally simple.


    "Don''t worry about me, Yiyi. I can repair the door myself, no problem. Just need to avoid attracting several Big Skins. My cave entrance is high and not suitable for monster assaults; it''s just about surviving a few days. Be at ease," Yu Hong assured Stuttering Yiyi now.


    Yiyi blinked her eyes looking at him, wanting to speak and persuade him further, but Yu Hong raised his hand to stop her.


    "Go on, it''s alright," Yu Hong said softly, "You''ve also helped me for a long time, now it''s time to part ways. Of course, if you encounter any difficultiester, you cane here to find me. Whatever I can help you with, I certainly will."


    He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of enhanced pyroxene, stuffing it into Stuttering Yiyi''s hand.


    "He doesn''t want to go, let it be! He''s asking for it! Don''t bother with him!" Doctor Xu, truly exhausted from her attempts at persuasion and seeing Yu Hong''s determined attitude, also gave up.


    "Stubborn to the core! Let''s leave, Yiyi, we must set out now, and we can still make it in time!" She grabbed Yiyi''s hand and walked to the door, looked out the peephole to ensure the outside was clear.


    Yiyi, being pulled by her, turned back to pull at Yu Hong.


    "Let''s go, together," she said with an urgent look on her face.


    But Yu Hong pushed her hand away.


    "Yu, Hong?" she asked, puzzled.


    "I''ll be fine. Go on, you and Doctor Xu should stick together, you can keep an eye on each other." Yu Hong looked at her, speaking earnestly.


    "Doctor Xu, take good care of Yiyi please. If you face difficulties, you cane here. Though it may not be as good as the town, it''s enough to survive."

 Chapter 19: Trouble 4

    <h4>Chapter 19: Trouble 4</h4>


    "It''s a man!" Doctor Xu at this moment twisted open the door, turned her head back to look at him.


    "I take back what I said about you being a burden, and thank you for saving me. But now, your decision is really stupid!"


    She couldn''t understand how there could be someone like Yu Hong in this world, he seemed like an overly idealistic and naive person. What he said and did were always things that ordinary people couldn''tprehend.


    Now it seemed that Yu Hong might be somewhat capable, being able to construct this kind of reinforced wooden door was indeed a skill.


    But he was too full of himself...


    "You''ll regret it. You don''t understand how hard the high tide period is," Doctor Xu couldn''t help but sneer.


    That was just her personality.


    "It''s not toote to change your mind ande with us!"


    She stared at Yu Hong and finally revealed a deeply hidden persuasion.


    "No thanks," Yu Hong shook his head, "I prefer living alone."


    "You!" Doctor Xu''s face changed slightly, snorted, and walked out, pulling Little Stutter with her.


    "Hurry up! It just rained, and the ground is difficult to navigate, we must move fast! First, we''ll go to a patient I once saved and stay there temporarily!"


    She finally stopped paying attention to Yu Hong, forcibly pulling Little Stutter and hastening out of the cave, jumping off the cliff, and running toward the distance.


    Little Stutter looked back at Yu Hong as she ran.


    "Yu, Hong!" She waved with all her might. "The house, the things, all yours!"


    She felt that this might be thest time she saw him, and it made her heart a bit heavy.


    "Thanks!" Yu Hong too waved his hand, with a smile appearing on his face.


    Watching the two of them run further and further away on the wet forest ground, quickly shrinking until they turned into two tiny specks.


    Suddenly, he had a feeling.


    Maybe Doctor Xu and Little Stutter won''te back for a long time...


    The sudden appearance of the giant blood ticks seemed to signal that the external environment had begun to deteriorate even further...


    If in the future, the presence of Big Skin became the norm...


    Yu Hong stopped thinking further.


    Looking in the direction where the two had disappeared, a deep sense of loneliness suddenly surged in his heart.


    Suddenly, he took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his lungs.


    "Yiyi! I''ll be waiting here for you always!!"


    The sound was loud, echoing continuously through the mountains and forests, sending wave after wave into the distance.


    The two distant specks paused briefly, then continued moving until theypletely vanished from sight.


    At this moment, more golden beams pierced through the grey clouds, illuminating thend and the forests.


    Yu Hong looked in the direction where the two had gone, then toward Baiqiu Vige.


    "Now there''s no one left," he let out a breath.


    "Just me alone."


    All the surviving vigers living in the vicinity, if they encounter Big Skin, will definitely make the same decision as Doctor Xu.


    They will all seek outrger bunkers, as just a few individuals could no longer fend off stronger monsters.


    "Maybe for dozens of kilometers around, I''m the only one living in the wild now..."


    Yu Hong looked at the quiet, deathly still Baiqiu Vige, the old houses full of patches, as if emitting a cold and eerie sense of death.


    From the mouth of the cave, one could barely make out a glimpse of the vige outline through the forest.


    Yu Hong stood motionless at the entrance of the cave, standing for a long time.


    Suddenly his pupils contracted, his muscles tensing slightly.


    In the distance, he saw a figure appear at the entrance to Baiqiu Vige''s broken stone road.


    It was a middle-aged man in grey and white old clothes, with a thin frame.


    From this distance, it was impossible to make out the man''s features.


    All he could see was the man, far away, seeming to smile and wave in his direction.


    The stranger just stood at the entrance of the vige, right hand raised, mechanically waving toward Yu Hong.


    Yu Hong blinked, but in the blink of an eye, he found that the figure had disappeared.


    "Shadow..." he clenched his teeth, feeling a sourness in his jaws.


    The frequency of shadows appearing in broad daylight was getting higher... ording to what Little Stutter said, it wasn''t like this before.


    This was not normal.


    Plus with the newly emerged giant blood ticks, Big Skin...


    "Just as the radio said... The environment is deteriorating... It''s getting more and more troublesome."


    Yu Hong slowly stepped back, no longer looking in the direction of the vige. Instead, he looked for the wooden barrel he had previously used to collect rainwater.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Soon, he found a barrel missing a big chunk on the grasnd some ten meters away from the cave entrance.


    Thankfully, it still contained a small amount of rainwater.


    He struggled to lift it and returned to the cave.


    Then, he checked the wooden door, cing his hand on the door nk.


    ''Repair?'' the mechanical voice of the ck Mark rose again.


    ''Yes,'' Yu Hong mentally responded.


    Suddenly a thin ck line flowed out from the ck Mark on the back of his hand, leaving his hand instantly and merging into the wooden door.


    A countdown then appeared, visible only to Yu Hong.


    Seeing that the repair had started, he breathed a sigh of relief, opened the door slightly, and let some of the outside wind blow in.


    Then he started to check the food and supplies stored in the cave.


    1 A bag of enhanced protein bars, ten sticks. It could sustain him for ten days if the packaging wasn''t exaggerating.


    2 A big bag of dried mushrooms and vegetables that Little Stutter had given him, enough for one person to eat for quite some time under normal circumstances, ensuring the supply of trace elements and dietary fiber.


    3 A stinky cotton quilt.


    4 A radio.


    5 Two round wooden stools.


    6 One stove.


    7 A broken water bucket.


    8 A piece of enhanced pyroxene.


    9 A set of axe and saw logging kit.


    10 One enhanced candle.


    These were all the main things, other daily necessities were all in the house at Baiqiu Vige.


    But...


    Yu Hong approached the main door''s window and looked in that direction.


    Under the sunlight, the dpidated old vige was faintly visible, and at every household''s doors and windows, blurred figures could be seen standing.


    They stood silently, motionless.


    As Yu Hong watched, they seemed to sense something and began to look back in his direction.


    "So many!" Yu Hong''s scalp tingled, and with a swoosh, he closed the wooden cover, blocking the view from the window.


    Baiqiu Vige had obviously changed from before and had be more dangerous.


    It wasn''t just the blood ticks that were showing changes, even the mysterious figures...


    "During daylight, with the sun this bright, it should be impossible for there to be so many mysterious figures... how can there be now..." He couldn''t understand.


    In his hand, he had only one enhanced pyroxene left, the rest he had all set into the walls and the main door.


    That''s right, there''s also the club!


    Yu Hong grabbed the steel-spiked club and surveyed the cave once more, ncing at the embedded enhanced pyroxenes, and felt a bit safer.


    He was now somewhat understanding of Doctor Xu''s point of view.


    She was right.


    If there was no ck Mark on him, heading to the bunker in town was the best, and the only way out.


    "Right, I wonder if the enhanced pyroxenes can be repaired and recharged after use..." Yu Hong sat down on a round wooden stool, picking up a piece of enhanced pyroxene that had been used before.


    This stone was one he had taken off the steel-spiked club.


    The white stone, the size of an egg, had lost its jade-like texture and turned into a pallid white simr to limestone.


    The runes on the surface were still there, but upon closer inspection, one could notice many fractures in the rune lines.


    They had be discontinuous.


    Holding the enhanced pyroxene, Yu Hong sat quietly, staring at the countdown numbers on the main door.


    He dared not go out.


    The outside was clearly abnormal.


    Tomorrow was the surge period, but today was already exhibiting extreme abnormalities.


    Over at Baiqiu Vige, there was something Stutter had said he''d leave for him, but he didn''t dare to go get it now.


    Because it was too dangerous...


    Just now, from a single distant nce, he had seen no fewer than twenty mysterious figures, and these dared to show up in the daylight.


    This waspletely different from before. If these mysterious figures attacked, his enhanced pyroxenes would not be able to hold them back.


    Yu Hong kept his eyes on the numbers while thinking.


    "Good thing I gave Yiyi an enhanced pyroxene before I left, and also taught her the moreplex runes on it... Should be useful to her..."


    Hiss.


    Just then, as he was thinking, the wooden door in front of him suddenly blurred.


    In an instant, the originally damaged door with cracks turned back into itsplete and undamaged state, as if it were as new as when it was first made.


    All the damages, cracks, the screws that hade loose, and so on, were all reinforced and restored.


    Yu Hong let out a breath of relief and stood up to inspect carefully.


    He made sure there were no issues; the main door had indeed returned to its original state, just as he had strengthened it in the beginning.


    A wave of immense relief washed over him.


    "But it''s not enough."


    The thought of Big Skin''s terrifying impact caused a shadow to envelop his eyes.


    After some thought, he picked up the steel-spiked pyroxene club and, with caution, opened the door to step outside the cave.


    Outside was a quiet, lush forest.


    The moisture from a recent rain was evaporating, forming a light mist that spread through the trees, beginning to obscure the visibility.


    Yu Hong felt a twinge of alertness with the fog bing increasingly indistinct.


    But he needed to go to the ce where he had made the wooden door before to find a few long nks to create reinforcing brackets.


    With the steel-spiked pyroxene club in hand, he made as little noise as possible as he descended the rock wall and arrived at a small clearing in the forest.


    There were a few sawn-off stumps scattered around the ce, traces of burnt wood, and sawdust from cutting trees.


    This was the spot where he had made the wooden door before.


    Yu Hong looked around to ensure there was no danger and then quickly gathered two thick nks of arm-thick wood from the ground.


    These materials were leftovers from before because they weren''t straight enough to use.


    But now they were perfect to use as door bolts and support pirs.


    Dragging the two nks, over a meter long, Yu Hong returned to the cave.


    The nks were wet from the rain and felt humid.


    But he ignored these details, unconcerned with whether they were wet or not, focusing on getting through the next few surge days.


    He took out a saw, made a few rough measurements, and began vigorously sawing the nks.


    Shortly, the two thick nks were slightly adjusted and modified at both ends, fitting perfectly against the back of the wooden door at an incline, reinforcing its defense.


    Havingpleted this, Yu Hong ced a hand on one of the nks.


    In his mind, he thought about strengthening the door''s reinforcing brackets.


    This was his test.


    On the surface, they were just two rough wooden brackets; if he gave them a functional name, could they be targeted for strengthening by the ck Mark?


    If not, it would mean the ck Mark had specific requirements for the strengthening target.


    If so, then the possibilities were greatly expanded...


    He silently recited with one hand on the nk.


    Soon.


    "Would you like to strengthen the main door''s reinforcing brackets?"


    As a faint voice audible only to him resounded,


    Yu Hong''s expectant gaze turned expectant!


    He saw numbers emerging on the nks: 11 minutes.


    "Yes!"


    He answered forcefully in his mind.


    Workable!!


    It really works!!!


    At the same time, a flutter of excitement rose in his heart.


    If this was the case, then I could set up a simple water filtration system, and it should also be strengthened and refined!


    And furniture, various tools, as long as I give them a designated functional name, perhaps...

 Chapter 20: Again Attempting One

    <h4>Chapter 20: Again Attempting One</h4>


    Eleven minutes passed by all too quickly.


    As Yu Hong watched with anticipation, the thick wooden nk supporting the door hissed and blurred, and in less than two seconds, it turned into a ck metallic rod!


    The metal rod resembled an oversized chocte bar with non-slip pads fixed at both ends to increase friction. The material seemed to be iron, but its color was much darker than that of iron.


    Yu Hong picked up the rod and examined it closely.


    "Although the structure is still very simple, the material has been strengthened... It''s clearly a lot more durable than before... Amazing!"


    He was astounded.


    He then repeated the process and strengthened the second thick wooden nk as well.


    After about ten minutes, two symmetrical ck metal columns supported the door from behind, one on each side.


    "This is much stronger than the three of us using our shoulders to prop it up."


    Yu Hong nodded with satisfaction.


    "Then, there''s just onest troublesome issue."


    Candles.


    He was apprehensive about going back to Baiqiu Vige, but all the things like candles, water filters, pots, and cups were there.


    "I only have one candle here, definitely not enough... Unless I make a fire... Wait a minute!"


    Suddenly, Yu Hong narrowed his eyes and looked toward the stove by the stone wall.


    This little stuttering firece that had been snatched back for him, connected with a chimney, hadn''t been officially used yet...


    ''What if I strengthen this?''


    The thought sprouted a thick sense of anticipation in his heart.


    He suddenly remembered the axe he had previously strengthened and searched the corner to find it.


    The axe was different from before.


    It used to be a simple wood-handled axe with many notches in the de from chopping.


    Now, after being strengthened, the axe had transformed into arger forestry axe with a metallic handle.


    The ck handle featured a non-slip grip, and the silver-colored axe head was noticeably thicker than before, its edge glittering coldly.


    One could say that the ordinary old axe had be a fine forestry axe in an instant.


    Putting down the axe, Yu Hong walked over to the stove.


    The stove was square, made of metal, and coated with ck paint, looking like a short ck table.


    Yu Hong stretched out his hand and pressed against the edge of the stove.


    The cold touch revitalized his spirit.


    ''Strengthen the fire... no, strengthen the lighting and heating system.''


    Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he quickly changed the name he used for the stove.


    Hiss.


    The ck Mark on the back of his hand released a strand of ckness that infiltrated the surface of the stove.


    Soon, a set of numbers appeared on the surface of the stove: 12:07.


    ''Do you wish to strengthen the lighting and heating system?'' the ck Mark''s inquiring voice emerged.


    ''Yes!'' Yu Hong responded forcefully.


    Instantly, the numbers on the surface of the stove changed from static to a countdown.


    ''I hope it works,'' Yu Hong thought with a sliver of hope.


    There was still a gap of time before nightfall, and he had one candle on hand, so he was certain he could make it through the night and until daylight without any issues.


    But if the strengthened stove still didn''t meet his expectations tomorrow, he would have to risk entering Baiqiu Vige to retrieve the candles and other supplies left by the stuttering boy.


    Watching the numbers on the stove continuously decrease, Yu Hong found a dry spot to sit down, utterly exhausted.


    The series of unexpected events that happened today caught him off guard, and the effort expended to repair the two support nks drained him...


    Feeling an overwhelming weariness, he simply took out the candle ahead of time, held it close, and leaned against the steel-nailed luminous stone rod, gradually falling asleep.


    "Old Yu?"


    "Old Yu??"


    A round of gently spoken calls awoke him from his slumber.


    Yu Hong opened his eyes only to discover a familiar pretty face hanging over him, smiling at him.


    It was Chen Huiru, a female colleague from his workce.


    "Old Yu''s awake, you scared me to death; I thought something serious had happened. Thank goodness, it''s just a scare," Chen Huiru turned her head to speak to someone in another direction.


    "I told you Old Yu wasn''t that fragile."


    "This prank went too far; we''re all from the same office, that''s too much."


    "Old Yu always boasts about his courage. Seeing him scared silly like this, I''ve got material for a whole year!" Laughter followed these words.


    Very soon, Yu Hong rubbed his eyes and saw that he was sitting on the grass beneath the building where his office was located. Surrounded by greenery, his colleagues had formed a circle around him.


    Each of them was smiling at him, talking all at once.


    "Is it very lifelike?"


    "That bug was a model I rented from a nearby production crew. Including you, it''s scared four people now! You had it easy, Yuan Zhou almost wet his pants; we got it all on video!"


    "Enough with that! It''s all your fault foring up with such a lousy idea!"


    His colleaguesughed and joked around, encircling Yu Hong in the bright sunshine on the grassywn.


    Their smiling faces were warm and harmonious.


    As they talked, they began to join hands and circle around Yu Hong.


    One circle.


    One circle.


    One circle.


    "Look, Old Yu can''t pull himself back together."


    "It''s hrious!"


    "Don''t be mad;ter, Brother Gao is treating us to dregs hotpot!"


    "Let''s snap a photo, say cheese~~"


    Voices continually drilled into Yu Hong''s ears.


    He sat there dumbly, watching his spinning colleagues, theirughter genuine and warm.


    ''So it was all just a prank.'' Yu Hong opened his mouth as he finally rxed his tense nerves.


    He stood up, reaching out to grab one of his more familiar colleagues.


    Sss.


    All was quiet in an instant.


    The soundpletely disappeared; the silence made Yu Hong''s eyes blur momentarily.


    He took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes.


    The cold stone floor was hard and real, pressing against his cyx painfully.


    He was still sitting on the ground, leaning against the moldy quilt, facing the countdown timer on the stove, motionless, with his hands wrapped around his knees.


    The cave was quiet, with dim light pouring in from the main door window.


    "It was a dream..." he sighed.


    It was nearly dark.


    Yu Hong''s gaze shifted to the window.


    "!!!"


    Looking out the window, there was actually a blurred face quietly watching him through the wire mesh!


    Watching him as he had just woken from his sleep!


    "Who''s there!?" Yu Hong abruptly stood up, his hand gripping the steel spike luminous stone rod, trying to get up.


    But his legs were numb from not moving for a long time, and he almost didn''t stabilize himself as he got up.


    When he managed to stand steady with the support of the stove, he looked back at the window to find the face was gone.


    "Huff... huff..." Yu Hong''s face turned pale, guessing that it might have been a shadow since he hadn''t heard any footsteps. And the way it moved in fits and starts, quickly traversing distances without coherence, was the hallmark of these shadows.


    He had opened the window earlier for venttion, allowing the air from outside to flow in through the wire mesh.


    But he hadn''t expected... that it would be found by the shadow so quickly...


    "It''s just dusk, notpletely dark yet, and the shadows are starting to move again..."


    Yu Hong stood up, approached cautiously, reached out, and pulled down the window shield.


    Whoosh.


    The light from the window vanished, leaving the cave in darkness.


    Yu Hong switched to the other vent to exchange air, although it was slower, at least it wasn''t as terrifying.


    God knows how long that shadow had been watching him sleep.


    Finishing these tasks and with the dim light seeping in through the vent hole, he checked the piece of enhanced pyroxene behind the main door.


    The enhanced pyroxene had already turned half of its volume from jade quality to pale limestone color.


    Yu Hong felt a chill when he saw it.


    ''Thank goodness for the enhanced pyroxene, otherwise... I might have died in my sleep without ever knowing.''


    Sighing, he smelled a faint moisture in the cave, knowing it would get moldy if it wasn''t dried soon...


    Now, his only hope was to see what the situation would be after the stove was enhanced.


    At this moment, the stove countdown had just over ten minutes left.


    Yu Hong simply sat down on the spot, took a dried mushroom, and began to nibble on it.


    He didn''t look at the door anymore; his eyes were fixed on the stove.


    The ten minutes passed quickly.


    The stove''s countdown was about to end.


    Yu Hong became slightly tense as this enhancement could affect his subsequent ns.


    Sss.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Just then, the numbers on the stove disappeared, and the entire stove, along with the chimney, became blurry.


    After being blurred for a second, everything turned clear again.


    At the same time, a brand new stove appeared before Yu Hong.


    "!!? What is this...?" Yu Hong''s eyes widened as he saw the new stove.


    What appeared before him was a firece thatpletely integrated with the rock walls of the cave.


    The firece was embedded perfectly into the rock, with itself and the chimney buried deep within the stone.


    And the most critical point was not this. The material of the stove''s exterior waspletely transparent!!


    It was made of a transparent synthetic material, simr to ss or crystal!!


    Yu Hong stepped forward and tapped gently on the rim of the stove.


    Thump thump!


    Two muffled sounds, very solid.


    ''God, it''s really dual-purpose for heating and lighting.'' Yu Hong was at a loss for words.


    A stove already served as a heater, and making it transparent naturally provided lighting...


    This enhancement was pure genius!


    He circled the new stove, observing it for a while until the light outsidepletely dimmed and a faint rustling noise emanated from outside.


    He hurried to light a match and ignite a candle.


    The enhanced candle had a windproof function and could collect its own soot, quite impressive.


    With the candle ced on the stool, Yu Hong swiftly began stuffing the stove with firewood and kindling.


    The kindling was the wood shavings he had saved earlier, ultra-thin and curly wood pieces that easily caught fire.


    He paired these with some thoroughly dried straw and leaves.


    Crackle...


    Soon, a dim red me lit up inside the firece, slowly brightening.


    As the me grewrger with time, dense white smoke rose above and into the chimney, drifting outside without lingering in the cave.


    Slowly, the light from the transparent firece became brighter than the candle.


    Another ten minutes passed and, as the firece stabilized, Yu Hong snuffed out the candle after adding thicker chunks of wood.


    ''Finally, it''s done!''


    He nted himself down on the log stool, contentedly watching the burning firece.


    Waves of warmth seeped out through the transparent exterior of the firece.


    This material actually had good thermal conductivity too.


    As the warmth increased, the cold of the cave gradually dissipated, reced by rxation and warmth.


    For a moment, the entire cave felt as warm and safe as spring, illuminated brightly.

 Chapter 21: Again Attempting Two

    <h4>Chapter 21: Again Attempting Two</h4>


    Yu Hong stretched out his hands to warm them, but suddenly felt an unbearable thirst. He stood up and walked to the barrel to get some water to drink.


    The water in the barrel was quite murky, showing a faint gray color, but it was still much better than foul water.


    Yu Hong took a piece of charcoal used for drying, then used the edge of an ax to cut off a corner of his clothing. He wrapped the charcoal in the fabric and ced it in the mouth of a wooden cup, making sure it was stuck and wouldn''t fall.


    With this, he had created a very simple and crude charcoal filter cup.


    Picking up the barrel, he carefully and slowly poured the water over the cloth-wrapped charcoal.


    The water seeped in very slowly and then dripped even slower from beneath the charcoal-filled fabric, falling into the cup.


    Yu Hong observed and noticed that the water dripping out initially had some ck charcoal residue, but then it became much cleaner, much more so than the water in the barrel.


    Although it was still murky.


    "Water is a must, I can''t do without it. I''ll try this first to see if I can enhance it to perfection. If not, I''ll go get one from ck Mark''s house."


    Yu Hong nned in his mind and reached out to grasp the wooden cup.


    The desire to enhance triggered his thought.


    Immediately, a new ck number appeared on the side of the cup: 2 hours and 34 minutes.


    At the same time, the mechanical voice of ck Mark rang in his ears again.


    "Do you want to enhance the filter cup?"


    "Yes!"


    Yu Hong replied eagerly, full of anticipation.


    In an instant, the number on the side of the cup turned into a countdown.


    He rxed slightly, sat down, leaned against the firece, and felt much more at ease with the warmth emanating from inside.


    Two hours wasn''t a long time; sitting and resting for a while would be fine.


    Sitting on the wooden stool, Yu Hong felt continuous streams of warmth radiating from the firece. The warmth brushed against him, seeping through his clothes, making his body increasinglyzy.


    Despite the imminent danger of the dark, cold, and damp night outside filled with risks, the warmth made it hard for him to stay alert.


    Unnoticed, his eyelids began to droop.


    "No! I can''t sleep!" Suddenly, he stood up and distanced himself from the firece.


    By now, a faint smell of sweat was spreading throughout the cave.


    It was the odd scenting from the beddings and himself being baked.


    When it was damp before, the smell wasn''t very noticeable, but as it dried, the odor dispersed quickly.


    "Ugh..." Yu Hong rubbed his nose, knowing that what he should do right now was to open the door to air out the ce, but unfortunately, it was nighttime, the most dangerous time to do so.


    Hiss, hiss....


    The faint sound of insects crawling could barely be heard from outside the door.


    Clearly, the bloodsucking insects had started to appear.


    He didn''t know where these insects came from; they were invisible during the day but crawled out at night.


    And they vanished into thin air when exposed to light, which was definitely abnormal.


    But there wasn''t time to think further.


    Standing up, he waited quietly by the firece.


    The mes in the stove vibrated upward like red silk, and the firelight swayed with the vibrations, flickering uncertainly.


    Hiss, hiss....


    Soon, at the air vent on the right side of the door, like ck sand leaking in, arge number of ck bugs started pouring in.


    As soon as the mass of ck bugs came in, they were hit by the light from the firece and immediately dissipated into ck smoke.


    The fire dimmed slightly for a moment but quickly returned to normal.


    "Thank goodness, the bloodsucking insects don''t consume much fire; as long as I control their numbers...this firewood shouldst all night."


    Yu Hong estimated the dry firewood in the corner and felt relieved.


    Standing by the firece, he waited for the invasion of the ck bugs to end, always ready to add more firewood.


    Time slowly passed.


    The firewood gradually dimmed.


    Yu Hong''s hands moved quickly to toss the dry firewood he held into the fire.


    Soon the firewood caught fire, and the brightness returned to normal.


    This cycle repeated, with him adding firewood almost every half hour.


    Otherwise, the firelight would quickly dim.


    This required his undivided attention, constantly keeping an eye on the firece.


    BANG!!!


    Just then, the wooden door was struck violently, making a loud noise.


    BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!!!


    A rapid session of knocks began. The door shook like a drum, trembling continuously, with debris falling from its edges.


    But the two newly enhanced support columns were very effective.


    Amid the loud noise,


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The door constantly trembled, slightly swaying as if the whole cave might copse. However, with the support columns'' help, it firmly held back, and the surrounding screws remained intact.


    Yu Hong stood terrified in ce, struggling to control himself, not looking at the door but keeping an eye on the firece to prevent the firelight from dimming.


    Time passed agonizingly.


    He didn''t know how much time had psed, having lost track of time since his phone had long run out of battery and shut down automatically.


    All he could do was silently watch over the fire, waiting for dawn....


    "Wait!" Suddenly, a thought struck him, "The phone is an item too; can''t it also be enhanced??"


    He quickly realized that the highest tech item he had was his phone.


    If he could strengthen it into aputational processing and intelligent control center...


    Perhaps he could eventually build an absolutely intelligent, safe shelter base!


    Standing there, Yu Hong let his mind wander.


    Eventually, after enduring for a while, the loud banging finally stopped.


    Outside, Big Skin seemed to have realized that it couldn''t deal with the enhanced wooden door and finally gave up, creeping away quietly until it was silent.


    After about ten quiet minutes.


    Outside, other than the usual bloodsucking bugs, or ck bugs, there were no other sounds.


    Everything had returned to the initial state of attrition.


    However, the reinforced wooden door had been struck for a long time, and the door panels were slightly bulging inward.


    Sigh...


    Yu Hong let out a breath, feeling that half of the night had passed. As long as he persisted a little longer, there should be no problem.


    Boom!!!


    Just then, a loud noise exploded on the door like thunder that could not be covered.


    The door panel was cracked with a burst.


    Yu Hong''s expression changed drastically, and he quickly dragged a quilt to press against the door panel.


    Bang bang bang bang bang!!!


    Then another round of striking sounds exploded.


    This time, the noise was obviously louder, and the force was much stronger.


    "Either it''s not the same Big Skin, or Big Skin has gone berserk!"


    Yu Hong pressed desperately, specting in his mind.


    The continuous loud noises were incessant to his ears, causing his eardrums to start tingling slightly. The shoulder pressing against it was clearly burning with pain, obviously chafed raw.


    Ten minutes.


    Twenty minutes.


    Half an hour...


    Forty minutes...


    Until nearly an hour had passed, the pounding suddenly stopped.


    It didn''t sound again for a long time.


    Yu Hong then breathed a sigh of relief, loosened the quilt and inspected the door panel.


    The solid back of the door panel had more than a dozen bulges, and the cracks were parallel across it.


    He estimated that if it had been pounded for another half hour, the door would havepletely broken.


    At that moment, the faint light seeping in through the venttion hole also rified to Yu Hong that Big Skin hadn''t given up, but rather day had broken...


    Plopping down on the ground, he was drenched in sweat, both hungry and thirsty.


    He turned his head to look at the reinforced water filter cup. The countdown that had been disyed on it had long since disappeared.


    In its ce was a rather sophisticated ck metalrge cup.


    The cup featured arge clump of filtration devices, like a steelyard weight connected to a cup lid. The cup itself was cylindrical, simr to a beer mug, with a capacity of at least five hundred milliliters.


    That was about the same as the bottled mineral water Yu Hong usually drank.


    Picking up the reinforced filter cup, Yu Hong quickly lifted the wooden barrel and poured some water into the cup.


    The rainwater was slowly filtered, dripping into the bottom of the cup bit by bit, then gradually umting into ayer of clearer cold water.


    Yu Hong waited a moment, tilted the cup, and poured out thisyer of water.


    "It''s basically drinkable, but it needs to be boiled."


    The pot for boiling water was in the house at Baiqiu Vige.


    Yu Hong could only symbolically sip it to moisten his mouth.


    Following that, he walked to the door, pulled aside the cover, and looked out.


    Through the peephole, the light outside was increasingly bright, and sunlight once again irradiated down.


    Yu Hong checked the surroundings to ensure everything was fine before removing the support and twisting the door lock.


    He stood at the door, inspecting the damage to the door inside and out.


    The chilling fact was, if the reinforcements had not been made, the wooden door could probably have been breached¡ªit was only the break of dawn that prevented it...


    Yu Hong silently extended his hand and pressed it on the door surface.


    "Do you want to repair?"


    "Yes," he firmly replied.


    Watching the countdown emerge on the door, a bit of gloom arose in his heart.


    "It still isn''t enough; we need to reinforce the door further. If another Big Skines crashing in, this door definitely won''t hold!"


    "So how to reinforce it?"


    He stood by the door, carefully pondered, and then quickly grabbed an ax and dashed out. Following the sounds of chopping wood, soon Yu Hong was dragging two thick wooden boards back.


    Switching to a hammer, after a noisy mor, quickly the two thick boards were nailed to the back of the door.


    But these thick boards were not directly nailed to the door; they were fixed on both stone walls, one above and one below, parallel to each other.


    This arrangement made entering and exiting a bit cumbersome, but it further reinforced the door.


    Then, Yu Hong went to repair some wooden nks, vertically attaching them close behind the door to thicken it.


    After all this work, he was terribly exhausted and sat down.


    Wiping his sweat with a sleeve, he picked up the toolkit that Little Stutter had given him. Inside, there were only two nails left.


    "The steel nails are almost gone... I must replenish them."


    Though mortise and tenon joints are useful, they must be nned from the beginning; otherwise,ter modifications could only rely on bits and pieces like steel nails.


    Sitting still, Yu Hong once again filtered a cup of water and sipped it slowly.


    Picking up the luminous stone rod, he took a deep breath and scanned the entire cave.


    "First, go to Little Stutter''s house to move things. Before leaving, reinforce something to save time."


    He thought for a moment, then chose to reinforce the newly added door reinforcement boards.


    Extending his hand, he pressed on the reinforcement board at the back of the door, his mind focused.


    Soon, ck Mark''s questioning voice sounded.


    "Do you want to reinforce the door reinforcement board?"


    "Yes!"


    Yu Hong confidently responded in his mind.


    Instantly, numbers appeared on the board, turning into a countdown: 1 hour 32 minutes.


    "Not too bad... It''s not too long,"


    he sighed with relief.


    Then, picking up the rod and the only piece of enhanced pyroxene, he opened the door.


    Resolved, he leaped down the rocky steps and walked toward Baiqiu Vige through the mountain forest.

 Chapter 22: Exchange

    <h4>Chapter 22: Exchange</h4>


    Fortunately, there hadn''t been any mishaps this time, and Yu Hong had managed to move dried meat, dried mushrooms, and other supplies out of the house quite smoothly. He also brought out some luminous stones that he hadn''t had the chance to inscribe with symbols yet.


    Finally, taking an iron pot and other tools, there was nothing else of use left in the house.


    When he returned to the cave, more than an hour had passed. He was panting as he put things away, organizing them into their respective ces.


    The reinforcement of the door had just beenpleted.


    After a blurry flicker, the reinforced nks perfectly melded into the back of the door, bing one with it, which made the door at least half thicker than before.


    The heavy door was now obviously more cumbersome to open and close than before. But it also made Yu Hong feel much more secure.


    Having finished these tasks, he closed the door, sat on the wooden stool inside the cave, and began to boil water.


    As he boiled water, he started drawing on the newspaper with a charcoal pencil.


    The charcoal pencil was thick and hard to write with, but for the sake of his own body, he endured the difort, thought for a moment, and carefully wrote down a line.


    ''Comprehensive Physical Training Method''


    Then, he used numbers as titles below this line.


    ''1¡ªJog slowly for fifteen minutes every day.''


    ''2¡ªPush-ups, at least thirty each day, groups of ten.''


    ''3¡ªSit-ups, at least thirty each day, groups of ten.''


    Just these three lines, a very simple content n.


    Then, Yu Hong stretched out his hand and pressed it on the piece of newspaper with the writing.


    The thought of strengthening shed.


    Instantly.


    The surface of the ck Mark rippled, releasing a ck line that seeped into the newspaper.


    ''Insufficientpleteness.''


    A robotic voice suddenly entered Yu Hong''s ears.


    "??"


    He was startled, drew back his hand, and eyed the newspaper with a slight frown.


    This was an experiment he had tried, casually writing down some training methods, guiding the intention in his mind to see if the ck Mark could enhance them into various powerful and efficient training methods.


    But now it seemed...


    "Insufficientpleteness? What does it mean? What''s missing?"


    He picked up the newspaper and inspected it closely.


    "The Training Methods are there, and so are the frequencies... This should already be... Wait! I understand now."


    His expression suddenly became resolute, he picked up the charcoal pencil, and began adding more below.


    ''4 Ensure daily intake of protein, carbohydrates, and trace elements.''


    ''5 Train six days a week, rest for one day, ensure at least ten hours of sleep each day.''


    Pop pop. He flicked off the charcoal dust from the newspaper. This time, Yu Hong nodded in satisfaction, put it down, pressed his hand on it, and once again started to sh the thought of strengthening.


    Soon.


    ''Would you like to enhance the Comprehensive Physical Training Method?'' Finally, the questioning voice of the ck Mark appeared.


    At the same time, the newspaper disyed the required countdown time for enhancement: 5 days 12 hours 16 minutes.


    Yu Hong felt a surge of joy in his heart, knowing he had seeded in his test!


    With the disyed time being as lengthy as five days, he didn''t confirm right away but instead lifted his hand and canceled the enhancement.


    This was a period of heightened opportunity; if he enhanced now, the ck Mark couldn''t be used temporarily. It was better to wait until the period was over, when there would be more time.


    ''I''ve confirmed it''s feasible, time to try again!''


    Now brimming with interest, Yu Hong turned over the newspaper and wrote another title: Fighting Skill.


    Then, he wrote down basic fighting techniques he had haphazardly seen online, pondering deeply until atst, he managed topile a set including attack, defense, evasion, and pursuit, finallypleting the set to fullpleteness.


    Yu Hong pressed down on the newspaper full of anticipation.


    ''Enhance Fighting Skill, aim for... a fantastical cultivation type!''


    In that moment, his imagination fired by the many novels he''d read, he nervously awaited the response of the ck Mark, filled with longing for the future.


    A ripple surfaced on the ck Mark, followed by a thread of ck that flowed from it into the newspaper.


    ''Insufficientpleteness.''


    Feedback came back swiftly.


    Yu Hong''s look of expectation froze, and although he had anticipated this oue, actually seeing it left him somewhat disappointed.


    Then, he thought for a moment, switched sides, and pressed his hand on the Comprehensive Physical Training Method.


    ''Enhance the Comprehensive Physical Training Method, aim for Life Evolution!''


    Hiss.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Once again, ck lines surged from the ck Mark into the newspaper.


    Quickly, feedback came again.


    ''Insufficientpleteness.''


    Yu Hong was not disappointed, but instead lifted his hand and pressed down again.


    ''Enhance the Comprehensive Physical Training Method, aim for the ultimate human Training Method.''


    Hiss.


    The ck line appeared again, bursting from the ck Mark into the newspaper.


    This time the ck Mark fell silent for quite a while.


    Finally.


    ''Would you like to enhance into the ultimate human Training Method?''


    "Sess!!!" Yu Hong couldn''t contain his excitement, eximing quietly as a smile spread across his face.


    Then, he looked at the numbers that had appeared on the newspaper.


    "....."


    The smile on his face slowly faded.


    In its ce appeared disappointment and speechlessness.


    The numbers loomed on the newspaper, right in the middle of what was called the Comprehensive Physical Training Method.


    ""


    "678 days, 12 hours, 6 minutes."


    ...


    ...


    Yu Hong stood speechless, stood up, and paced a few times before swiftly sitting down again.


    "I must have set my sights too high. Let''s try lowering it a bit."


    Once more, his hand pressed down on the newspaper.


    "Comprehensive Training Method for enhanced overall physical ability, focus on: Advanced Physical Enhancement."


    This time, he didn''t take any chances; knowing that the more difficult the task, the more time it would require, he wasn''t ambitious, instead setting it to the minimum requirements.


    But in his mind, he slightly steered towards the direction of Inner Strength and Martial Arts.


    Sure enough, the ck Mark''s inquiry reappeared.


    "Enhance to Advanced Physical Enhancement?"


    The digits also emerged on the newspaper. Compared to before, the numbers were much more reasonable: 9 hours, 16 minutes.


    "Yes!"


    This time, Yu Hong finally gave a definite response.


    That amount of time, he could just sleep it off, and he was eager to see how the Enhanced content differed from the usual Training Method.


    Bracing himself in the cave, he boiled water, ate some dried meat, sipped on some hot water, and had not yet gone out to collect firewood when he heard someone calling from outside.


    "Yu, Hong! Yu, Hong! Are you there?"


    A somewhat familiar voice carried from afar.


    As the sound of crushing twigs grew closer, someone was making quick steps towards the cave.


    Yu Hong''s expression changed, he rushed to the door and peered through the lookout.


    In the bright clearing outside, a small figure in a camouge uniform rapidly approached.


    The figure was wearing a steel helmet, brown hiking boots, camouge tactical vest, protective goggles, and a ck mask with a breathing filter.


    Dressed in this gear, nobody could recognize her identity.


    But Yu Hong identified her from her voice; it was stuttering Lin Yiyi!


    "Yiyi, is that you?" he called out urgently. "1726495!"


    "2, 3, 2!" Stuttering Yiyi hesitated, then promptly responded.


    "It''s you!!" Yu Hong swiftly opened the door, took a careful look around, and stepped out to greet stuttering Yiyi.


    The two of them quickly converged on the forested slope.


    "You''re okay, that''s great!!" Stuttering Yiyi grabbed his hand in a mixture of relief and joy.


    "I thought you were gone!" she gestured while pulling out a letter from the outer pocket of her vest.


    "I...I''m leaving! Read this."


    Her face showed a clear blend of happiness and helplessness.


    "Where are you going?" Yu Hong saw her attire and had a sinking feeling.


    "I''ve been conscripted into the joint forces, need to immediately join the main army and head to a distant location!" Stuttering Yiyi struggled to reply, pointing at the letter.


    "Everything I need to say is in here." She sighed. "As long as you''re safe, that''s good."


    For a moment, Yu Hong wasn''t sure what to say.


    In this environment, being conscripted into the military was exceedingly dangerous.


    But now it was a done deal...


    He quickly took out the letter and began to read it.


    The handwriting was smoother than before, clearly either someone had written it for her, or stuttering Yiyi had practiced it herself.


    The letter said that as soon as she arrived in town, she dispersed three shadows consecutively with her enhanced pyroxene and due to her strong physique and great strength, the garrison had taken notice of her.


    Stuttering Yiyi had no objections to joining the military.


    Enlisting meant at least having food and water, no need to scavenge every day, alternating between hunger and satiety.


    Additionally, there would be clean clothes, equipment, and shelter, much better than living alone in the vige.


    At the end of the letter, it mentioned the effects of the enhanced pyroxene had been noticed by the town''s defense team and they mighte to trade with himter.


    Although stuttering Yiyi didn''t know where the enhanced pyroxene came from, she had seen the intent in those people''s eyes.


    "Be, careful!" Stuttering Yiyi earnestly warned.


    "Uh-huh! Got it!" Yu Hong nodded. He had already braced himself before giving the enhanced pyroxene to stuttering Yiyi to take to town; he just hadn''t expected things to unfold so soon.


    "I''m leaving, it''s time," stuttering Yiyi said atst.


    Turning away, she ran off into the distance, and after sprinting more than ten meters, she suddenly turned back towards Yu Hong.


    "You can write letters, postal service!" she shouted, pointing in the direction of the forest where the mail carriers lived.


    Since the breakdown of order, Baiqiu Vige''s externalmunications had relied on the postal service.


    The mail carriers, sustained by a national sry and supplies, trained daily in physical fitness, their sole duty to connect various regions and report local intelligence and specialty goods to higher authorities.


    Her letter additionally mentioned that mail carriers also acted as merchants, carrying local specialties to distantmunities for sale, using the returns to purchase essential goods for the vigers and making a profit from the exchange.


    And there was the writing of letters, the letter stated that mail carriers could, for a fee, deliver messages, but only to nearby outposts, at a considerable cost, though.


    In the woods,


    Yu Hong watched as stuttering Yiyi walked further and further away, gradually disappearing among the trees.


    He understood in his heart, meeting again would now be truly difficult.


    Standing at the entrance of the cave, his emotions remained unsettled for a long time.


    Stuttering Yiyi had been there to guide him from the very beginning. Without her, he might have perished in the wilds or sumb to illness.


    "I wish you a safe journey."


    With his final silent wish, Yu Hong turned back into the cave, about to close the door.


    Suddenly, there was a rustling of leaves outside.


    The sound was chaotic, but unhurried and unhidden, clearly, the approaching person wasn''t intending to stay concealed.


    He turned back, quickly closed the door, and peered out the lookout window.


    Outside the window, two figures in camouge uniforms emerged from the woods.


    Both were over one meter eighty tall, with broad shoulders and sturdy bodies, each holding a thin metal staff, pushing aside the underbrush as they approached the cave.

 Chapter 23: Exchange 22

    <h4>Chapter 23: Exchange 22</h4>


    Both individuals were wearing protective goggles and ck face masks, dressed just like the stutterer earlier.


    They soon arrived at the entrance of the mountain cave where the taller figure came forward and knocked on the door.


    "Yu Hong from Baiqiu Vige?"


    "It''s me. What''s the matter?" Yu Hong replied while hiding beside the door.


    He didn''t hide behind the door, but rather avoided the door and leaned against the stone wall.


    "Have you got better luminous stones for sale?" The man didn''t introduce himself but simply asked on his own ord.


    "What better luminous stones? I don''t know what you''re talking about, and... who are you?" Yu Hong asked in a deep voice.


    "Stop beating around the bush. We''ve seen the two pieces Lin Yiyi had; they''re impressive. With your skills, you shouldn''t stay here. You shoulde with us to the town where there''s a greater need for your craftsmanship to fully realize its potential and save more lives." The taller person pressed on in a serious tone.


    "Also, I forgot to introduce ourselves; my name is Zhao Zhenghong, and he is Xu Yang. We''re both from the United Forces in town."


    "The United Forces..." Yu Hong pondered, "Sorry, I don''t want to go to the town. I feel very safe staying here alone. However, I can sell the enhanced luminous stones, but not now; I don''t have enough for myself, and I don''t have the time to make them."


    He indeed considered trading enhanced luminous stones for supplies, but he couldn''t mass-produce them yet; one piece took three days, which was a massive waste of the ck Mark to him.


    "Now is a peak period, and there''s a high demand for luminous stones. If youe with us to town, you''ll have plenty of people to protect you, surely you can focus on crafting new Large Pyroxene Stones. It''ll be morefortable than hiding out here on your own, worrying about everything." Zhao Zhenghong continued to persuade him.


    "No, thank you. I''m used to living alone, and I wouldn''t feelfortable in town. I appreciate your goodwill, though." Yu Hong refused again. "If you want to buy, you''ll have to wait until the peak period is over."


    Upon hearing this, the person behind Zhao Zhenghong silently reached out, touching the pistol strapped to his thigh.


    But Zhao Zhenghong stopped him with an outstretched hand.


    "Mr. Yu Hong, ording to the wartime emergency regtions established when the United Forces were formed at the onset of the ck Disaster two years ago, section twenty-eight, paragraph three: If technology or talent capable of significantly improving military power is discovered,pulsory recruitment can be enacted withpensation following as needed."


    He paused.


    "In fact, we could conscript you against your will, but since we''re all locals from Baishi Town, I''ll give you a chance. If you don''t want to go, that''s fine. But the technique for making Large Pyroxene Stones, you should contribute that, right?"


    "In these tough times, having one more Large Pyroxene Stone might mean one less death. Besides, sharing the technique doesn''t stop you from making them. You can still live in seclusion here with no impact, and by doing so, you''d also contribute to others'' wellbeing and avoid a lot of trouble, right?"


    Zhao Zhenghong made a logical case; someone else might indeed have been persuaded.


    But unfortunately...


    Yu Hong didn''t make the enhanced luminous stones through his own skills, but through the ck Mark.


    And the abilities of the ck Mark mustn''t see the light of day.


    "Sorry, I only ept exchanges. As for the technique, you won''t be able to master it," Yu Hong replied, his tone steady.


    With a sturdy wooden door for protection, he didn''t think the other party could break in, so he tly refused.


    Outside, Zhao Zhenghong''s eyes shed but he didn''t get angry, insteadughing.


    "Alright, if that''s how it is, then we''ll visit another time. And Mr. Yu Hong, you might want to reconsider. Living alone here in hardship can''tpare to enjoying life in a bunker where food and drink are plentiful and you can even have a girl to spend your days with."


    He patted hispanion and the two turned and descended from the cave''s stone steps, walking off into the distance.


    Before long, the two disappeared into the forest and were out of sight.


    But from an angle out of view of the cave''s window, a person also dressed in camouge clothes was silently clinging to the rock wall, hiding on the right side of the door.


    Dressed exactly like Zhao Zhenghong and hispanion, he was holding a dagger in one hand, standing straight against the rock wall as motionless as a gecko.


    From this position, as soon as the cave door opened, he could pounce inside in an instant and gain control over the person inside.


    At the cave window, Yu Hong quietly moved his eyes away from the slit in the spy window and exhaled. He watched for a while to make sure no one was there before he started to rx.


    ''The kind of exchange I want, isn''t like this...''


    He was well aware that the enhanced luminous stones would attract troublemakers. But for the safety of the stutterer, he did not hide them selfishly.


    Furthermore, with the reputation of the enhanced luminous stones spreading, there will certainly be othersing for exchanges.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    After all, the previous stones were too cumbersome to carry around very inconveniently, like when the stutterer had to throw the luminous stones handful by handful to drive away the shadows.


    Coming to his senses, Yu Hong didn''t go outside but waited quietly in the cave.


    There was enough food and water tost at least another day, and he wasn''t in a hurry to go out.


    In case those two had a trick up their sleeve, it would be troublesome.


    Leaning on the firece and feeling its warmth, Yu Hong felt for the first time that maybe living a steady and safe life in the shelter wasn''t such a bad idea...


    Gurgle...


    Suddenly his stomach made rumbling noises.


    Yu Hong''s expression changed, and the good mood he''d just felt vanished without a trace.


    He rushed to the corner, found a small bucket, and pulled down his pants to aim.


    Ssh.


    As soon as he aimed, a wave of sshing sounds gushed out.


    Yu Hong''s face turnedpletely white.


    He... had diarrhea!!


    Sharp pains in his stomach told him this wasn''t a simple case of being cold; it was very likely an intestinal infection!


    After cleaning himself with leaves, Yu Hong had just stood up when his stomach churned again.


    Once more he lifted the wooden lid of the bucket and unleashed another bout of sshing relief.


    ''This is trouble!''


    Getting back up, Yu Hong quickly rummaged through the misceneous items he''d brought, and soon found a small ck box.


    Opening the box, there were two deep blue capsules inside whose use was unclear.


    But Yu Hong remembered that these pills seemed to be the cold medicine given by Doctor Xu. They were not anti-inmmatory drugs.


    The previous anti-inmmatory drugs had all been consumed by him. When they were not enough, Xu Yang had exchanged many valuable items with Doctor Xu, but unfortunately, it was still not enough. Out of human decency, Doctor Xu made a loss-making exchange once again.


    Having taken the medicine, his health finally started to improve slowly.


    ''No, I must find a way!'' Yu Hong covered the shit bucket, but at this time, the stench in the cave had already begun to spread.


    He had no choice but to open the observation window to allow the airflow inside and outside to exchange.


    ''I need medicine, enteritis or anti-diarrhea drugs will do!'' Yu Hong felt anxious in his heart, suspecting it was because he drank unboiled rainwater that had caused diarrhea.


    But strangely, the water he had drunk before was all filtered through Xu Yang''s dirty filter pot, and yet he had not fallen ill. It was the rainwater...


    It seemed odorless, but drinking it caused stomach issues.


    Yu Hong clutched his stomach and nced at the newspaper of the Comprehensive Physical Training Method that was still counting down for enhancement. Only a little more than two hours had passed. There was still a long way to go untilpletion.


    He looked outside at the daylight. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed two nks and stuffed them behind and in front of his chest and abdomen, then picked up the steel nail luminous stone rod and walked to the door.


    He had to make a trip to the homes of the other vigers in Baiqiu Vige to see if the post office had any medicine.


    Otherwise, if he had too much diarrhea by tomorrow, he would certainly be weak and dehydrated, and his condition would be even worse.


    Moreover, with regard to medicine, he must also find a way to replenish it. Perhaps when he returned, he could try enhancing it with a ck Mark.


    Grasping the doorknob, Yu Hong turned it with force.


    Click.


    The door lock turned, making a noise.


    But Yu Hong just stood in ce without moving and quietly waited.


    He even held his breath to listen to all the movements outside.


    Whoosh!


    Suddenly, he pushed the door outward.


    Then with a bang, he closed it lightning-fast.


    The crisp sound of something hitting the door came just as it closed, and a shadow shed by from outside, tumbling down the stone steps and crashing onto the grass.


    "Fuck!"


    The person cursed and got up, then yelled in some dialect from who knows where.


    Seeing no movement inside the cave, the person looked at the sky and finally snorted coldly and quickly walked away.


    Behind the door.


    Yu Hong took a breath, cold sweat slightly seeped out, but his expression rxed, still standing motionless behind the door.


    He waited like this for another ten minutes or so, repeated the probing from before several times, and after confirming that there were no more movements outside, he slowly opened the door.


    The outside was brightly lit; it was the middle of the day, the best moment for sunlight.


    ''There is at least five hours until dusk, the post office is just over a mile away, the round trip is not an issue at all. I can also ask the nearest vigers en route if they have anything for trade. If the post office has no medicine, perhaps I can find something with the others.''


    As for what to trade... Yu Hong took with him his own water filtering cup. The filtering cup, obtained through enhancement, was decently made and its filtering effect was much stronger than that of regr devices; it should be very popr.


    And this gadget waspletely homemade by him, a wooden cup without even a handle to speak of; making one was very simple, just hollowing out a round pit in a piece of wood.


    As for the filtering media, a piece of cloth and a piece of charcoal¡ªextremely low cost and not a long enhancement time.


    It couldpletely be his special product, used for bartering with people.


    Carrying the filtering cup and wielding the rod, with a few pieces of dried meat and a leather bag full of water in his pocket,


    Yu Hong left the house and headed in the direction given by Xu Yang, running all the way towards the post office.


    Having been there many times, a path had already been beaten into the ground.


    The grass on the path had been cleared and was shorter than elsewhere.


    Plus, Xu Yang was afraid of getting lost and had deliberately made notched marks on the trees.


    Yu Hong jogged along, managing not to take a wrong turn.


    About half an hourter,


    he finally arrived at what Baiqiu Vige called the post office¡ªa square white stone house.


    A fence circled around the house, and on the wooden gate for entering and exiting the fence, there hung a sign that read: "Please ring the bell before visiting."


    Yu Hong looked at the stone house and walked over to the sign, but found that the bell had fallen on the ground.


    He picked it up; it was a copper bell the size of an egg, which he shook ever so slightly.


    Ding-dong!


    The bell rang.


    He kept shaking it, and the sound kept ringing, echoing continuously through the forest in waves.


    But there were no birds, no insects, only the sound of the wind rustling the leaves and branches as if in response.


    After shaking it for several minutes,


    there was still no response from inside the stone house; it seemed no one was there.


    "Stop shaking it, the postman has gone to the town bunker. There''s no one here,"


    a cautious middle-aged woman''s voice floated over from the side and back.


    Yu Hong looked in the direction of the voice and saw a short-statured woman with golden hair, dressed in a dark green men''s jacket, getting up from a cluster of bushes.

 Chapter 24: Exchange Three

    <h4>Chapter 24: Exchange Three</h4>


    Although the woman was short, she was agile and was holding a machete arm''s length, scrutinizing Yu Hong with an evaluating gaze.


    "Do you have any food?" Her gaze briefly shifted to the luminous stone rod with steel nails in Yu Hong''s hand.


    "Want to trade? What do you need?"


    She added.


    ".... Got any medicine?" Yu Hong, observing her robust physique, felt that this woman might be stronger than him, which made him grow very cautious.


    He was alert, his peripheral vision scanning the surroundings as he sized her up. "I need anti-diarrheal and anti-inmmatory medications."


    "What will you trade for it? I only need food! Old Zhou hasn''t been back in two days, and several households around us are short of food. If you have any, you can trade it for whatever you want," the woman quickly replied.


    Her tone was sincere, and at the same time, the knife in her right hand unconsciously performed a flourish.


    The machete, arm''s length, straight and sharp and as wide as an adult''s palm, wasn''t something just anyone could flourish.


    This action immediately brought Yu Hong''s caution to its highest level.


    He suddenly felt thating out to trade so recklessly might have been a mistake.


    Those who had survived outside alone for so long, even if they were slightly frail women, definitely had special skills to ensure their own safety.


    However, since she didn''t know his specifics, as long as they didn''t start fighting, everything remained unknown and was just a probe; this was manageable.


    "I have food," Yu Hong quickly replied. "But not much on me, I need to go back and get it. Do you have medicine?"


    "I do have some, but you need to be clear about what illness you have, or it''s a waste," the woman quickly responded.


    "Diarrhea, it''s happened several times in a row, I suspect it''s from drinking rainwater," Yu Hong quickly replied.


    "Rainwater!?" The woman appeared shocked, pausing abruptly and staring at Yu Hong. "Did you drink it directly or did you filter it?"


    "I filtered it," when Yu Hong saw her reaction, he immediately felt a sinking feeling that something was amiss.


    "That''s good, that''s very good," her tone rxed. "Since those ghostly things appeared two years ago, rainwater has been toxic. If drunk directly, it causes severe diarrhea, and only those with strong constitutions can withstand it."


    "What should I do now?" Yu Hong asked, frowning, as he tossed a piece of dried lizard over.


    She caught it, sniffed it, bit off half, and slowly chewed. Her gaze towards Yu Hong softened significantly.


    "Good that you filtered it, didn''t anyone tell you not to drink rainwater?" she said, almost incredulously.


    ".... No, I had apanion who would drink it casually...." Yu Hong recalled the days he lived with the stutterer, who seemed to often drink rainwater, but never offered it to him.


    ".... You have a very strongpanion," the woman also went silent.


    "I guess she''s like a buffalo, could lift you with one hand."


    "Not quite... but can you tell me how to resolve this?" Yu Hong threw another piece of jerky over.


    The woman caught it, her face breaking into a slight smile.


    "It''s simple, dig some ck soil with a bit of purple, about the size of a chicken egg, dissolve it in water and swallow it, and you''ll be better quickly."


    She stood upright, looking at Yu Hong.


    "By the way, this must be your first time trading with someone, right? Just giving away all your specifics outright, you must have been one of the townspeople from the bunker before?"


    "...." Yu Hong didn''t respond, but his face showed an expression of how did you know.


    Of course, he wasn''t from the bunker, but it didn''t stop him from letting her think that.


    "You''re Yu Hong, right?" the woman suddenly mentioned his name, "Yiyi has told me about you. There haven''t been many neers in this area for miles around, and the most recent one is you."


    "Okay.... I''m Yu Hong, and you are?" Hearing Yiyi''s name, Yu Hong knew she was an acquaintance and felt slightly more rxed. However, he still gripped the rod in his hand.


    "I''m Jenny. I mend skins; you must have heard Yiyi mention me. I can fix anything these people around here wear," she said, her tone bing gentler.


    "Where''s Yiyi? Why did youe this time instead of her?" Jenny asked, puzzled.


    "She went to town," Yu Hong didn''t say Yiyi had left, he just lied simply.


    "Fine, do you have more food? I''ve told you how to treat diarrhea from drinking rainwater. If you have anything else to trade, you can bring food, need any clothes to exchange?"


    Her gaze lingered on Yu Hong''s T-shirt, which was so dirty it was almost unwatchable, and chuckled.


    The once gray-white short-sleeved T-shirt was now a grimy yellow,pletely soaked through with dried sweat.


    Wearing it was both oily and cold, adding significantly more weight.


    "Got any nails?" After thinking, Yu Hong asked. He needed nails for crafting; they were much more convenient than traditional joinery.


    "I have quite a few, what do you need those for?" Jenny was taken aback, then instantly seemed to realize something, "Could it be you make your own things?"


    "I do a bit," Yu Hong nodded, took out a water filter cup he had made, "This is a water filter cup I made. If you guys want it, you can order from me. Meds, clothes, unprocessed luminous stones, or help me with some work, all can be traded."


    Jenny looked at the water filter cup in his hands, her eyes lighting up more and more.


    If this craftsmanship was really effective, then everyone nearby could benefit.


    "Because of the ''Big Skin''st night, we all gathered at Old Zhou''s bunker. We''lle to trade with you after the surge period is over!" she quickly said.


    "Are you trading this cup now?" she asked, pointing at the water filter cup.


    "Trading," Yu Hong nodded.


    He was skilled in crafts, and his work was decent. This was the identity he had prepared for himself in advance.


    This identity would help him maintain a basic level of security in the area.


    Because only if he was alive could he continuously produce the things everyone needed.


    That''s where his valuey.


    "Wait for me, I''ll be right back," Jenny said without mentioning how much in exchange, then turned and ran. She darted into the forest and disappeared in a puff of smoke.


    Yu Hong nced in the direction she had left, then carefully found a ce to hide, no longer foolishly standing out in the open.


    He now desperately longed for the Training Method, which was close to being strengthened. His physical condition was too poor now, likely unable to defeat anyone.


    Should the Training Method seed, he would be able to strengthen other survival techniques like forest survival methods, Lurking and Hiding Skill, among others.


    But the prerequisite was that the methods he strengthened had to be usable by him.


    ''Training also needs sufficient food and rest... If only I could figure out how the lizard jerky and mushrooms are made.''


    Yu Hong crouched in the bushes, pondering while he waited.


    Fortunately, it was the fieriest time of the day when the shadows generally didn''t appear.


    And for unknown reasons, there were hardly any mosquitoes or bugs to be seen in the forest.


    So he wasn''t bitten while crouching in the bushes.


    The rustling of leaves varied with the wind, and the intense sunlight continuously brought waves of warmth as it beat down on him.


    Yet, aside from the noise of the branches and leaves, the forest was devoid of any other sounds, void of any signs of life.


    No birds, no bugs, all was deathly still.


    Yu Hong frequently scanned his surroundings to ensure that the shadows couldn''t approach him unawares.


    Despite the brilliant sunshine, the eerily quiet forest exuded a bizarre sense of terror.


    No butterflies, no bees, no flowers¡ªonly grass, branches, roots.


    Young green, emerald, dark green, yellowish-greenyers uponyers of foliage intertwined, forming a forest that was real yet bizarre.


    ''This forest, it''s like it''s dead. Lush and quiet in a deceitful way.''


    This thought shed through Yu Hong''s mind.


    After about several minutes, footsteps again echoed from the side of the stone post office building.


    "Yu Hong? Are you there? I''m back."


    Jenny''s voice sounded.


    Upon hearing her, Yu Hong carefully peered through the bushes towards the source of the sound.


    He saw that Jenny was still dressed the same, holding a small cloth bag, standing still and looking around.


    He didn''te out immediately but observed her a bit longer to make sure her movements were natural, not stiff, and she moved step by step.


    Clearly, she wasn''t a shadow.


    Besides, there was no one else following her; she was alone.


    After confirming this, he slowly stood up.


    "I''m here. Did you bring the stuff?"


    "Got it." Jenny squinted towards him. "Don''t move, just stand there!"


    She suddenly shouted.


    "What did we agree to exchange?"


    "Water filter and nails!" Yu Hong replied immediately.


    "Good!"


    Relieved, Jenny approached.


    "Here." She handed over the small cloth bag.


    Yu Hong took it, opened it, and saw a bunch of rusty nails as long as fingers.


    "More than thirty pieces, enough for a while. But for just these, it''s not enough in exchange for the water filter."


    He looked at the other person.


    "Add this." Jenny put down a backpack from behind, took out a patched long-sleeve sweatshirt from it.


    "I guessed you needed a change of clothes. Else, getting wet from rain could make you sick."


    She smiled at Yu Hong and winked.


    "Deal!" Yu Hong nodded. He handed over the water filter and took the sweatshirt.


    The gray sweatshirt was woven from some unknown fine grass and added animal fur, looking rather warm.


    "This is made with wild boar skin. It''s rainproof but won''t handle prolonged rain, so be careful," Jenny advised. "It was originally made for my daughter. She works in the bunker in town andes back once a month. Speaking of which, she''s only a bit younger than you."


    As she mentioned her daughter, a tender smile involuntarily spread across her face.


    "You really love your daughter." Yu Hong packed away the clothes and nails.


    "Yep, she''s my pride and joy,bining the best traits of her father and me. Beautiful, confident, capable, she can handle anything life throws at her," Jenny answered with a smile.


    "By the way, if I want to contact you over a long distance, is there any way?"


    "You could use a long-rangemunicator, but charging it is a hassle. It was useful before the ck Disaster but not much now," Jenny replied. "However, the postman has one, always in contact with the bunker in town."


    "About charging it? How is that resolved?" Yu Hong asked quickly, his mind whirring.


    "It uses a hand-crank generator, and there''s sr power too, but because its efficiency has decreased over time, it''s more of a supplemental solution now," Jenny answered. "Why, are you interested?"


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    She keenly guessed Yu Hong''s intention.


    "I have a small electrical device, being able to charge it would be a big help. When the postman returns, could you ask him if he sells the sr generators?" Yu Hong asked.

 Chapter 25: Exchange Four - Alliance Hierarch

    <h4>Chapter 25: Exchange Four - Alliance Hierarch</h4>


    "If you have any more of those fine filtration cups, he would definitely sell them," Jennyughed.


    Filtration had always been a major headache for her; she had previously used water filter pitchers delivered from the bunker, which were only good enough for filtering out coarse residues. The filters needed to be reced pretty often.


    On the other hand, the filtration cup she just examined, which had a fiveyer filter, seemed quite effective.


    "Do you mind if I try?" she pulled out a leather water pouch from her belt topare.


    "Of course not," Yu Hong stepped back to let her pour water into the filtration cup.


    Soon, clear water streamed out, making Jenny''s eyes gleam. Cleaner water was in high demand, for instance, for washing wounds during treatments.


    Afterpleting the trade, the two retreated and quickly went their separate ways.


    On his way back, Yu Hong found the type of soil Jenny had mentioned, scooped up a lump, and brought it back to the cave.


    He intended to try enhancing it; if the soil indeed had antidiarrheal properties, the ck Mark should be able to enhance it into a medicine with fewer side effects.


    This was his actual trump card!


    If the enhancing process was timed right, he could be looking at another source of revenue through bartering.


    Elsewhere.


    Jenny hurried through the woods and stopped in front of a grassy area, bent down, and cleared away the weeds to uncover a pull ring.


    Grabbing the pull ring, she lifted it upward.


    Instantly, a wooden board disguised as grass stood upright.


    Underneath the wooden board was a simple tunnel.


    She dove in and crawled along the dark tunnel for more than ten meters until reaching its end.


    At the end, there was a grayish-ck metallic circr door.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    She knocked on the door, then without waiting for a response, she took out a key, inserted it into the keyhole, and turned it to open the circr door.


    Behind the door was a small square room adorned with an atomicmp, casting a faint green light over everything.


    This was her personal bunker, furnished with tables, chairs, cabs, a bed, and tools¡ªeverything necessary, including plenty of leatherworking tools and raw materials.


    Jenny emerged from the tunnel, shut the door behind her, stretched, walked over to the cab, poured the filtered water from the cup into a small pot, and waited for it to boil.


    Then, she walked over to the bookcase, sat down, took out a charcoal pencil and newspaper, and prepared to write about the encounter with Yu Hong today.


    "Mom, did you just go out?" Suddenly, a crisp female voice came from another room.


    The bunker had a small hall and three rooms; one room was for leatherworking, one was the bedroom, and the other was a storeroom.


    The voice wasing from the bedroom.


    "Is that you, Aifu? When did you get back?" Jenny turned towards the sound with a delighted expression.


    "I just got back a while ago." A girl with a golden ponytail walked out of the bedroom, dressed in a green hoodie and tight jeans, with a delicate face seemingly lightly made up.


    She was Jenny''s daughter, Aifu, considered the prettiest girl among the local survivors.


    "Do we have any food, mom? I just checked, and there was nothing," Aifu said discontentedly.


    "There is some left..." Jenny rose quickly, rummaged through a corner, and pulled out a small bag of jerky. She opened the bag, took out half, and was about to hand it to her daughter.


    Unexpectedly, Aifu snatched the whole bag in one swift move.


    "There''s still so much left. Thanks, mom, I knew you''re the best," she said cheerily, kissing Jenny quickly before dashing out the entrance.


    Jenny''s hand hovered in mid-air, even the jerky she held taken away.


    She managed a wry smile but did not stop her.


    She did not get the chance to say that this was most of her food reserve for the month,


    Now that it was all taken, what was left was barely enough for her to subsist on clear broth each day...


    Exhaling deeply, Jenny suddenly smiled again.


    "So eager to eat, she must be starving... No matter what, as long as I can help her..."


    She did not dwell on why her well-doing daughter would suddenly run back from town or why she didn''t consider her at all.


    All she knew was that since her husband''s death, Aifu was the only family she had left.


    ''She''s still young, she''ll understand in time...''


    Comforting herself, she continued to work on repurposing some old clothes into new fitting garments, another trade she had bartered for.


    *


    *


    *


    Click.


    The door to the cave was pulled open.


    Yu Hong stepped in quickly, embraced by a familiar foul smell that instantlyforted him.


    He closed the door and opened a window to air out the space.


    He picked up a protein stick, tucked it into his mouth, and chewed slowly. At the same time, he ced the freshly dug-up soil on a sheet of newspaper.


    Finally, he pulled up a wooden stool and sat opposite the firece, quietly watching a newspaper showing a countdown under "Comprehensive Physical Training Method."


    At that moment, the countdown had just over five hours remaining.


    Yu Hong decided not to wander off and just sat quietly on the stool, waiting for the time to pass.


    One hour...


    Two hours...


    Three hours...


    The sky outside began to darken.


    The wind in the woods grew stronger, making louder whistling noises.


    Yu Hong stood up, stretched his waist and legs, and pulled over the p for the peek window.


    He also swapped the half-depleted enhanced pyroxene for the only intact enhanced pyroxene he had left.


    After carrying out these tasks, he took the cooled pot of water, poured it out, and cautiously sipped some with a cup to prevent dehydration.


    ''After the rain, a day''s sunshine isn''t enough to dry the wood; there''s no dry firewood. Tonight, I''ll just have to make do...''


    He calcted the remaining firewood, took out a candle, and ced it where he could easily grab it.


    Then, hey down on the bed, his gaze fixed on the door, waiting for the night to arrive.


    Within about twenty minutes...


    The sky hadpletely darkened.


    The familiar rustling sound of crawling came once again.


    Yu Hong quickly got up and lit a candle with the remaining charcoal in the firece.


    The candlelight illuminated the entire cave.


    Taking advantage of this time, he began to ignite the firece.


    At night, the temperature outside had dropped to just a few degrees.


    As the ck bugs swiftly swarmed in, the firece, slowly ignited by Yu Hong, began to burn.


    Chunks of dry wood were added, and the burning mes lit up the entire cave.


    Time also passed continuously in such monotony.


    Midway, Yu Hong had diarrhea twice, both timespletely dehydrating, making hisplexion increasingly pale and his lips more colorless.


    Finally,


    Under his continuous watch, the enhancement of the Advanced Physical Training Method had ended.


    After a blur, the previous newspaper instantly turned into a thin ck manual.


    The manual was the length of a palm and about as wide as an adult''s palm. Its cover was neatly printed with: Advanced Physical Training Method.


    Seeing this scene, Yu Hong''s eyes lit up; he quickly set aside the dry wood he was holding, walked over, and picked up the booklet.


    In the firelight, he eagerly and quickly turned to the first page of the booklet.


    Suddenly, a standard running action diagram appeared before him.


    The diagram depicted a bald man with no clothes.


    However, this man had no skin, clearly disying all the muscles, tendons, and bones beneath the skin.


    The ces where force was applied were colored in red, and the directions and intensities of the forces were marked.


    Yu Hong nced at the text above the diagram: Basic Qi Cultivation Technique.


    "Isn''t this just running?" He carefully checked the details on the diagram, confirming that this thing was indeed an extremely detailed running guide.


    But he clearly remembered that during the enhancement, he had intended guides toward the cultivation of martial arts, inner strength, etc.


    His thought at the time was, although the name was Advanced Physical Training Method, a slight deviation in direction wouldn''t matter.


    But this... is it?


    Yu Hong''s brow furrowed, he sighed, and continued turning the pages with patience.


    The content on the second page made him rx his brows a bit.


    The second page showed a breathing internal strength diagram to supplement running.


    It was the same skinless bald man, and inside his body, red and blue arrows marked the rhythm, quantity, duration, and path of exhtion and inhtion.


    Next to it, there were small written instructions suggesting that while running, one should visualize a special pattern.


    See page three for the pattern.


    Yu Hong flipped to the third page.


    It was the visualization pattern.


    It looked like a bizarre pattern mixed with ck mud and silver sand.


    At a nce, Yu Hong felt slightly dizzy, as if his eyes were being sucked into it.


    He dared not look further because below it was written in small letters: Do not view before practicing.


    He turned the page again.


    Last were some herbal ingredients that needed to be taken in conjunction, which Yu Hong inspected carefully, only to find, surprisingly, that these herbs weremon in the surrounding forest.


    There were also precautions and warnings.


    ''This exercise method is custom-designed based on personal physical and mental environment and other factors, and is not intended for use by anyone other than the individual. Attempt at your own risk.''


    "So intelligent?" Yu Hong felt increasingly in awe of the magic and power of the ck Mark.


    Closing thest page, he suddenly realized, could it be that this so-called Advanced Physical Training Method only provided him with a slow jogging exercise diagram?


    The rustling ck bugs continued to crazily swarm into the doorway.


    The noisy sound brought Yu Hong back from his thoughts.


    He quickly set down the booklet and hurried to the firece to add more wood.


    As he added wood, he also carefully recalled the training method he had just read.


    ''It didn''t say you have to run outdoors; it seems that running in ce indoors might also work. I''ll try it inside the house first.''


    Unfortunately, as good as the idea was, after running in ce for just two minutes, he felt his legs weaken and lost strength.


    Because he hadn''t eaten anything, only drinking water and already dehydrated, his bodycked replenishment and entered a state of fatigue.


    Thinking of this, Yu Hong quickly came to his senses, remembering he hadn''t taken the medicine yet, and his diarrhea hadn''t improved.


    He immediately stuffed a piece of wood into the fire and walked to the mound of earth he had dug during the day, reaching out to touch the earth.


    ''Enhance antidiarrheal medicine, direction: reduce side effects,'' he muttered in his mind.


    If this mound of earth really had natural antidiarrheal properties, then the ck Mark enhancement should be sessful.


    But if it was ineffective, then the ck Mark might encounter the same issue as before,ckingpleteness and unable to enhance.


    This would also serve as a way to verify the authenticity of its effectiveness.


    Yu Hong stared at the soil, his eyes unblinking, quietly waiting.


    Hiss.


    Soon, a ck line flowed from the ck Mark on the back of his hand, burrowing into the soil.


    Then, a familiar countdown appeared on the surface of the soil.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This time, on the already ck soil, the countdown was not ck, but a striking red.


    ''1 hour 51 minutes''.


    It was real!


    Yu Hong''s eyes brightened, and a look of relief washed over his face.


    Although he felt that Jenny had no reason to deceive him, seeing the result truly eased his mind.


    In this dangerous environmentcking medicine, being able to reliably produce enough antidiarrheal medicine would be a great thing for him and for others.


    ''Enhance antidiarrheal medicine?'' came the cold mechanical voice of the ck Mark.


    Yu Hong licked his cracked lips.


    ''Yes!''

 Chapter 26: Sudden Change - Part One (Alliance Hierarch Descends as Deity Xie Lanzao)

    <h4>Chapter 26: Sudden Change - Part One (Alliance Hierarch Descends as Deity Xie Lanzao)</h4>


    ```


    One hour and fifty-one minutes, or essentially two hours, wasn''t long for Yu Hong.


    He added more wood to the fire while waiting.


    Unnoticed, the number of ck insects outside the door had decreased, and light faintly shone through the air holes.


    Dawn broke.


    He slowly walked to the back of the door and opened the peephole.


    The mountain forest outside was shrouded in a hazy gray mist, indistinct. The sunlight illuminated the mist, turning everything gray and white.


    Suddenly, Yu Hong smelled a pungent odor in his nose, causing him to step back and frown slightly.


    He turned to look at the fortified medicine, noting there were a few minutes left.


    He wasn''t in a hurry and calmly sat down to wait.


    Soon, the numbers on the ck soil surface reset to zero.


    Its entire body twisted and blurred in less than a second, and then swiftly returned to rity.


    After clearing, the original soil had transformed into six sleek ck capsules.


    The text on the back of the capsules read: Anti-diarrhea medicine, Instructions: One capsule once a day. Side effects: abdominal pain, constipation, gastrointestinal difort.


    Yu Hong''s face brightened, he quickly ran over, picked up the medicine, took one capsule and put it into his mouth, then picked up the previously filtered boiled cool water and swallowed it down mouthful by mouthful.


    Having taken the medicine, he felt much more at ease.


    The enhancement capability of the ck Mark had never failed; if it was marked as anti-diarrhea medicine, then it surely was correct.


    With the medicine not yet having taken effect, Yu Hong, having nothing better to do, began to pick up tools to craft a new water filter cup from spare wood blocks.


    As long as it was simply made, the enhancement would perfect it.


    Meanwhile, he also stuffed a protein bar into his mouth.


    iming to suffice for a day, he decided to give it a try.


    While handcrafting with a saw, he casually turned on the radio.


    The station was preset and untouched.


    Immediately upon being turned on, voices emerged, featuring a two-person interview.


    "....The major disaster in Youyun City in the past two years isn''t isted. ording to our national correspondents, since the ck Disaster emerged, special disasters nationwide have been on the rise. Yet casualties caused by shadow and Blood Tide Monsters are not severe. They mainly caused damage in the early stages of the ck Disaster. In the subsequent stabilized environment, those which caused a real surge in casualties are more dangerous than shadow, the Evil Shadow."


    "Evil Shadow is not afraid of ordinary luminous stones and moves extremely fast with a strong contagious nature. Although it appears very infrequently, just asional sightings, once it appears, the harm it causes far exceeds the previous two.


    This disaster in Youyun has caused over six hundred casualties,paring it to the initial incident in Char Town...."


    "Yes, so does Professor Han have any advice for us?" the radio host asked.


    "Advice... there''s only one, try to move to arger Hope City stronghold, where there are more advanced weapons and stronger protections. One person cannot find a way tobat Evil Shadow alone. Thank you."


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Okay, by the way, you mentioned earlier that the Silver Tower United Research Institute is soon to release a Blood Tide shadow protection survival manual, is that true or false?" the host asked.


    "Well, I''ve heard this news, I''m not sure about its authenticity. But now, as the environment outside the city worsens, Blood Tide and shadow, Evil Shadow incidents increase, and the duration of night is also extending, making the demand for illumination increasingly significant. I personally believe that it is Silver Tower''s duty and responsibility to issue such a manual."


    "Onest question. A listener asked: In ces withrge gatherings of people, encountering danger results in more casualties, and the likelihood of being affected is higher. Just like the Poker incident a year ago, the Music Box event five months ago, both caused massive casualties. Apart from that, many more incidents have urred in various ces without receiving news, what are your thoughts on this skepticism?"


    "I must warn about these events which investigations now suggest are caused by Evil Shadow. Its high contagious nature can spread rapidly through any contact with its carriers. This is also why it causes arge number of casualties.


    And for Evil Shadow, currently other than isting and dispersing locations where its carriers appear, we have no effective means of dispelling them."


    "What about high-density luminous stone bombs?"


    "No, Evil Shadow is more dangerous than shadow in that they can recover very quickly without any damage after being dispersed. So if encountered, one must leave quickly. With the increasing number of Evil Shadow incidents outside, major Hope City strongholds will be stricter about admitting people, so I advise survivors outside to enter the city bunkers as soon as possible, otherwise it might be toote, and they could face not being able to enter andck of supplies...."


    Following this were closing remarks and thanks, and the professor left the broadcast room amid the host''s gratitude. The show concluded, transitioning to soft music.


    Yu Hong sat on the stool, engrossed in what he had heard.


    He had not expected that the seemingly safe strongholds of Hope City were also facing such great danger.


    ''Right, where there are more people, naturally more danger is attracted...If I were a shadow monster, I''d also target ces with more people for food.''


    Regaining his senses, he sighed softly.


    Standing up, he ced a roughly made wooden cup on the ground, and as usual, covered the top with cloth packed with charcoal.


    Then he pressed down to start the enhancement.


    A countdown timer appeared: 3 hours 02 minutes.


    "Huh? Why has the time increased?" Yu Hong remembered that thest enhancement had only taken two and a half hours.


    Could it be...


    He examined his newly made cup, which was crudely crafted, merely hacked from a block of wood with an ax, and the interior was a messily gouged hole.


    It was far inferior to the carefully made wood cup from the first time...


    ''Could it be that the craftsmanship has caused the time to increase?'' he spected silently.


    He made a mental note of this.


    After taking a rest and feeling somewhat better, he started enhancing the water filter cup, got up to clean up, dumped out the trash and waste, changed into new clothes he had obtained, went out to gather wood, and searched for puddles to collect water.


    Afterpleting this series of tasks,


    ```


    Time had quickly passed three hours.


    The cup was also enhanced, looking no different from the previous one.


    He tested it, and indeed, the effect was good.


    That day, he didn''t wander around anymore, but stayed near the cave, collecting firewood for the entire day.


    The firewood was wet from the rain, but it was good for crafting small items.


    Another three hours swiftly passed, and Yu Hong had enhanced another water filter cup.


    Including the previous one, he now had two.


    He paused, not nning to continue, but picked up the tool kit he had been using.


    The kit was assembled by Stutter himself, containing saws, axes, chisels, shovels, screwdrivers, and more¡ªquiteprehensive.


    Yu Hong nned to properly enhance it to facilitate future use, as it would be troublesome if it broke and he had to repair it.


    Inside the cave, he ced all the tools together, wrapped them with a rag, and then ced his hand on the rag.


    "Enhance tool kit, aim: strengthen durability."


    Hiss, a ck line shed. A countdown appeared on the rag: 1 hour 12 minutes.


    A short time.


    Yu Hong withdrew his hand, thoughtful.


    "It seems that the enhancement is greatly influenced by my demands. The more difficult the request, therger the scope, the longer the time. And it also requires a certain degree ofpleteness, though I don''t know how low thepleteness must be."


    He estimated in his mind and found a ce to sit down and rest.


    The antidiarrheal medicine was very effective; in six hours, he hadn''t needed to go once, and he felt nothing amiss with his body.


    The remaining medicine could be preserved forter use, and could also be traded in crucial moments.


    Feeling somewhat better, in the afternoon, Yu Hong finally went out, took a walk around to familiarize himself with the surroundings, then returned to the safe house to sleep early and rest.


    He could not sleep at night, nning to exercise ording to the Advanced Physical Training Method.


    And before sleeping, he didn''t want to waste the enhancement period of the ck Mark, nor let it sit idle.


    So, he first went to check on the tool kit.


    Walking to the corner, Yu Hong was stunned.


    In the corner, what had been a pile of worn tools, were all now secured in a ck metal rack.


    The tools, no longer worn or damaged, were all brand new.


    Moreover, it seemed all tools had ayer of dark gray unknown material attached to their surfaces, the thickness had increased, making them look much more robust.


    "Ts-ts... impressive... such an effect, in just an hour..." Yu Hong marveled, reaching out to take a saw.


    The saw''s teeth had been broken in ces before, but now on closer inspection, all the fractures had disappeared, and the sharpness of the teeth was iparably better than before.


    He admired it again in his mind and began to look for the next enhancement target.


    Now in the cave, food, water, and tools were all secured.


    The only thing left was the resting ce... it needed to be strengthened.


    His gaze fell on the thick, smelly cotton quilt.


    "This enhancementes with cleaning, let''s try enhancing the quilt. It would be even better if it bes mold-resistant, lightweight, and easy to wash..."


    Thinking this, he walked over to the gray-white quilt that Stutter had given him, squatted down, and reached out his hand.


    "Enhance bedding, aim: mold resistance, pest repellent, lighter and easier to wash."


    His mind shed with requests.


    A ck line shot out from the ck Mark on the back of his hand and entered the quilt.


    A countdown number emerged: 10 hours 14 minutes.


    "So long?!¡ª" Yu Hong was startled. But on second thought, he had made multiple demands, and therger volume of the bedding might be the reasons for this.


    Ten hours, from now until dawn, he could wait!


    His mind made up, he quickly confirmed the ck Mark''s inquiry.


    Immediately, the ck countdown on the quilt started moving.


    mes surged, and in the center of the cave, Yu Hong jogged in ce, beginning his exercise.


    He was also continuously mindful of his breathing and muscture coordination.


    Coordinating all three was challenging.


    He kept trying and repeating, asionally stopping to add more wood, as time incessantly flowed.


    Gradually, in thetter half of the night, he began to get the hang of coordinating all three.


    While jogging, he gradually began to hear a faint sound of water.


    The sound was initially very soft.


    As time passed, the sound gradually grew louder and louder.


    Even the influx of ck insects from outside the door could not drown out this noise.

 Chapter 27: Unexpected Changes - The Descent of the Blue Algae Deity and the Alliance Hierarch

    <h4>Chapter 27: Unexpected Changes - The Descent of the Blue Algae Deity and the Alliance Hierarch</h4>


    Gradually, Yu Hong began to feel his body heat up, with sweat lightly emerging all over. He struggled to move his arms, merging them with the rest of his body''s movements.


    In his mind, he also visualized the chart for the Training Method.


    Unconsciously, his body grew more and more fatigued, more and more weary.


    This sensationsted only a few minutes before, suddenly!


    A thread of extremely fine and faint cool air appeared in the soles of his feet.


    It seemed as if the cool air had formed from many tiny particles within his body, converging together.


    Yu Hong could distinctly feel countless itchy small points gathering around the soles of his feet, finally forming that wisp of cool air.


    His feet kept running, but the soles began to continuously emit a cool flow of air.


    That airflow slowly moved upwards, naturally flowing into his groin with the motion of his running, then to his waist, his chest, and finally his head.


    Two streams of cool air converged into a mass at the top of his head and flowed down the back of his skull, quickly returning to the soles of his feet, forming two perfect circles.


    Strangely, when the two streams of cool airpleted their firstrge circuit, Yu Hong felt a sudden chill throughout his body, and the previous tiredness was greatly alleviated.


    After a short while, he stopped to add wood to the firece and also concentrated on feeling the nuances of the Advanced Physical Training Method.


    That night, there were no Big Skin battering against the door, only a massive influx of ck insects, seemingly endless.


    Without realizing it, daylight broke.


    Yu Hong ceased his movements, nced at the enhancing bed, and began to clean up the ashes, eat, drink water, relieve himself, and so forth.


    After waiting a while longer, he listened to the radio, and the time for enhancement finally arrived.


    Standing beside the quilt, Yu Hong quietly watched as the countdown slowly reached zero.


    Swoosh!!


    In an instant, there was a momentary distortion.


    The entire stinky nket blurred, then quickly became clear.


    What appeared before Yu Hong''s eyes was no longer just a nket.


    It was arge grey and white sleeping bag with a zippered hood!


    The material had changed from a simple quilt to an unknown type of thin substance that Yu Hong pinched between his fingers.


    It was soft and gentle, and carried a scent akin to a fragrance, probably designed to repel insects.


    "If only I had plenty of water for bathing..." Yu Hong surveyed the now much morefortable cavepared to the beginning.


    "How can I get arge amount of water?" That was a difficult problem.


    The simple water source for survival was sufficient, but for arge quantity of water, he feared only wells and streams could solve the issue.


    ''Right, since everything can be enhanced, what about wells? Can wells be enhanced too!?'' A thought suddenly shed through his mind.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Pressing this idea into his heart, he drank a cup of water, stood up, and took out a small bag of jerky, which was the most cost-effective to enhance when idle.


    One small bag containing ten pieces, with only 1 day and 8 hours of enhancement, could yield protein bars that wouldst for ten days. That was far betterpared to the two or three days they couldst before enhancement.


    For the following two consecutive days, Yu Hong did not leave; instead, he focused on training his body in the cave.


    Protein bars mixed with mushrooms and wild vegetables were his daily meals.


    He cooked a pot of soup with water, saving even the time it took to boil water.


    In the blink of an eye, the six-day peak period finally passed.


    On thest day, two Big Skins charged at the door but were stopped by the door that had been repaired and reinforced again.


    It was a close call with no real danger.


    Only then did this small safe house truly serve its purpose of ensuring safety.


    After the peak period, Yu Hong calcted the remaining food; all the jerky had been enhanced into protein bars, totaling twenty-six sticks, in addition to dry mushrooms and wild vegetables.


    Yu Hong had also enhanced simr nutrient bars with the ck Mark, which ording to the instructions, one per day could ensure a full replenishment of trace elements as well as dietary fiber and more.


    Wild vegetables were plentiful in the forest and were notcking; the main concerns were the jerky and water.


    After the peak period, Yu Hong spent his days wandering in the forest looking for streams and his nights doing body training, practicing the Advanced Physical Training Method, and resting by the firece.


    Life became simple and rhythmic.


    asionally, shadows would visit, but they would be repelled by the Large Pyroxene Stone.


    In fact, Yu Hong preferred the name Large Pyroxene Stone given by the town''s joint forces to the name for the enhanced pyroxene; he thus officially named it so.


    And so, the days passed by quietly, one after another.


    In the blink of an eye, twenty days passed.


    Food supplies in the safe house were running low, with only six protein bars left, prompting the need for replenishment.


    Thud.


    Yu Hong closed the door, holding a ck metal Wolf Fang Club in his hand, and looked around the surroundings.


    The months of training had made his body slightly fleshier. He was not as thin as before.


    And his eyes were filled with more vigor, slightly sharper.


    Most importantly, in these days, he had also been busy with other tasks. For one, the steel-nail pyroxene club he held had been enhanced into a new weapon that was harder, lighter, and had a concealedpartment for pyroxene.


    The Wolf Fang Club even had a non-slip hand strap that could be tied to the arm to prevent it from falling off.


    Three pieces of Large Pyroxene Stone were quietly hidden in threepartments in the middle of the club and could not be found without opening the switch.


    In addition, the dark green anti-stab suit that Yu Hong wore was made by enhancing the sweater sold to him by Jenny.


    Although the enhancement took some time, it was well worth it.


    This anti-stab suit had some bulletproof capabilities because of the two hard wooden boards added before the enhancement.


    As long as it was not a close-range shot, it could significantly reduce damage, not to mention protect against stabbings from knives.


    ```


    The rest of his time was dedicated to strengthening the Large Pyroxene Stones. Including the one he had before, he now had a total of five.


    Whew...


    Yu Hong exhaled, and as he saw his breath turn into a wisp of white vapor, he immediately knew that the temperature had dropped again.


    He reached out to pull the stab-resistant hoodie over his head, the hood also serving as protection against rain and for warmth.


    "I still need stab-resistant gloves, a bulletproof helmet, and I can ask about the jerky exchange. Also, I''m almost out of salt... I wonder if the postman has returned. If I can get my hands on the sr equipment... then electricity wouldn''t be a problem..."


    Yu Hong lowered his head, hopped off the stone steps, and headed towards the direction of the post office.


    He had to hurry because he had clearly noticed that the days were getting shorter and the nights longer.


    "Perhaps autumn and winter are drawing near..." Yu Hong consoled himself.


    With his feet d in strengthened boots, he marched through the forest, ever-vignt of his surroundings.


    Twenty days of training had significantly improved his physical fitness.


    The chill produced by the Advanced Physical Training Method usually didn''t help him.


    It only emerged when he was nearly exhausted, reviving his weary body.


    It was like a supply pack.


    Besides that, the Training Method wasn''t much different from an ordinary jog.


    Although this did disappoint Yu Hong, he wasn''t in a rush. As long as he continued to train well, he couldter use his current experience and understanding to develop and strengthen a new Training Method.


    If possible, he even wanted to learn from a professional.


    Crunch, crunch.


    With the sound of footsteps mixed with the noise of crushing leaves and twigs, Yu Hong soon reached the stone cottage that served as the post office.


    To his surprise, there was already a crowd in front of the stone house.


    Among the seven or eight people, Jenny caught his eye immediately.


    The middle-aged woman, with whom he had traded before, was conspicuous. Of course, it wasn''t really her who stood out, but the beautiful girl by her side who was eye-catching.


    A figure of curves and contours, wearing white-tight jeans that highlighted her long legs, her full breasts, a face with light makeup, and soft golden hair cascading over her shoulders.


    In this patch of woond, amidst a crowd of dirty people, she was markedly different.


    She was so clean that she didn''t seem to belong in this environment.


    The arrival of Yu Hong tensed up everyone present.


    A dozen eyes rapidly focused on him.


    "Is it Yu Hong?" Jenny was the first to step forward. "What did we tradest time?"


    "A water filter cup and steel nails," Yu Hong replied promptly, meanwhile moving back and forth a few steps to show his agility, indicating that he wasn''t a shadow.


    "It''s the kid saved by Yiyi!" a familiar voice called out from the crowd.


    A middle-aged woman in an old whiteb coat with ck-rimmed sses emerged.


    It was Doctor Xu, whom he hadn''t seen in a long time.


    "Doctor Xu has returned too?" Yu Hong said in astonishment.


    "Why wouldn''t I return? The environment in the town was terrible, being caught and forced into hardbor every day, treating patients without getting paid. With rowdy soldiers around, even talking too loud could get you punched!" Doctor Xuined bitterly.


    Her words were always sharp and unpleasant to hear, but at this moment, they somehow lifted Yu Hong''s spirits slightly.


    At least, it was good to see a familiar person safe, especially one who had helped him before, even though the favor was Yiyi''s.


    "It''s good to have you back safe," Yu Hong nodded, his voice softer.


    Realizing he wasn''t a shadow but a familiar face, the others lost interest in him and continued to look towards the post office cottage.


    Yu Hong approached, nodded to Jenny, and then stood beside Doctor Xu.


    While he had only traded with Jenny once, he was naturally more familiar with Doctor Xu.


    Although she had a foul mouth, she knew how to repay kindness and was loyal. When Big Skin had attacked them, had it not been for her dragging the stuttering boy to safety at the crucial moment, his body would be cold by now.


    "It''s my first time seeing so many people here since I arrived," Yu Hong said softly.


    "You''d see more if you went to the town, but a crowd isn''t necessarily a good thing," Doctor Xu replied coldly.


    Only when he got closer did Yu Hong notice that one of her sses'' lenses was cracked.


    There was also a bruise on her left cheek near her mouth; she had clearly been hit.


    "What''s everyone doing here? Has the postman returned?" asked Yu Hong.


    "Yes, he just came out and brought news that the town is nning to evacuate people to a bigger Hope City the day after tomorrow. Those who want to follow need to possess certain skills and can go to the town for assessment. If you pass the assessment, you can leave with them," Doctor Xu exined indifferently.


    "What about ordinary people? What will happen to all those ordinary people?" Yu Hong frowned.


    He was no saint, but such policies were bound to lead to unrest.


    After all,ypeople far outnumbered professionals.


    "I don''t know, but a mysterious death case urred in town a few days ago, killing more than twenty people. It wasn''t shadows, it wasn''t Blood Tide bugs, and the cause couldn''t be identified. I suspect it''s a new kind of Evil Shadow," Doctor Xu replied.


    "What about you? Are you going?" Yu Hong asked.


    "I''m not going. I probably won''t live much longer anyway. I can''t be bothered with the trouble. In this damned world... I''d rather stay here and wait for death," Doctor Xu said coldly.


    Her family was gone, and for her, living was just getting through each day.


    When asked if she wanted to go, Doctor Xu suddenly looked at Yu Hong.


    "What about you? Are you going?"


    "No," Yu Hong answered calmly.


    "You''re an odd one," said Doctor Xu, finally noticing the finely made set of equipment on Yu Hong.


    "That''s some impressive gear... where did you get it?" Since the incident where Big Skin was driven off, her perception of Yu Hong had changed from her initial bias, and she was noticeably friendlier.


    ```

 Chapter 28: Unforeseen Changes 3 (Thanks to Alliance Hierarch Taiba Goudan)

    <h4>Chapter 28: Unforeseen Changes 3 (Thanks to Alliance Hierarch Taiba Goudan)</h4>


    "I scavenge. Lucky finds, plus I''ve got decent craft and technical skills," Yu Hong responded simply.


    "Right, I have a question," he surveyed the people around him. "Do you know where our dried lizard meat and stuffe from? Can we breed them ourselves?"


    "For that, you need to find Old Yu. The mushrooms, cockroaches, and lizards we eat, we buy them all from him," Doctor Xu pointed to a balding old man standing at the edge of the crowd.


    The old man wore brown short sleeves, slightly hunched, with a lifeless look in his eyes. He asionally coughed and seemed to be a bit short of breath.


    "We usually call him Yu Toad, because he has a big belly, always likes to stoop and gasp for breath, looking pretty much like a toad. You''ll have to go up and talk to him yourself," Doctor Xu whispered. "And I suggest you hurry up; several people have already been asking him about this."


    Yu Hong nodded, still wanting to ask more.


    Suddenly, the sound of a door opening came from the stone house.


    The heavy wooden door was pushed open, and a crew-cut middle-aged man in a camouge uniform with arge red "POST" printed on the chest walked out.


    "Anyone leaving together,e over here to register!" the man shouted loudly.


    The crowd immediately started moving forward.


    Yu Hong took a step back, waiting for everyone to register.


    There were a few others who acted like him, but most of them pressed ahead.


    At the safe house in the cave.


    Two robust figures d in camouge suits with helmets and visors moved quickly through the woods towards the cave entrance.


    "This is it."


    One of them stepped down to the stone steps at the entrance and looked up at the wooden door.


    "Pretty solid. It''s on you," he said to the other.


    The other man took off his backpack, opened it, and took out a few slender metal tools.


    "I''ve picked too many locks¡ªthis is nothing," he said with a smile. "Let''s first empty the ce of goods, then lie in wait a bit to ambush people."


    "Alright, everything''s good, mainly after the Large Pyroxene Stone."


    "The problem we ran into this time; only the Large Pyroxene Stone is of any use. Everyone up top is desperate now. So this time..."


    "Cut the chatter; just open the door."


    They chatted idly while keeping a wary eye on their surroundings, approaching the heavy wooden door.


    The one with the tools bent down to inspect the lock.


    "Such a well-made lock? I hardly remember thest time I picked one like this," he sighed.


    Since the ck Disaster erupted, his kind, once petty thieves, had almost all joined the Combined Army.


    No choice¡ªwithout joining, there were no luminous stones. And without luminous stones, an encounter with the shadow meant certain death.


    "Quit yapping and hurry up," urged the other, growing impatient.


    "Yeah, yeah, I got it," the lock picker took out his tools and carefully inserted them into the keyhole.


    In the midst of a clicking sound.


    The lock picker listened carefully to the noises and felt the feedback from his tools, probing the lock mechanism.


    One minute passed.


    Two minutes passed...


    Ten minutester...


    Sweat beaded on the lock picker''s forehead, his hands gripping the tools began to tremble.


    "This isn''t right! This lock is unlike any I''ve seen on the market!" his voice shook.


    Teamed with Captain Zhao for his lock-picking, if he couldn''t even manage his main skill, thinking about enjoying any special treatment in the team in the future... was probably...


    "Can you do it or not?!" the other man, having waited ages, was losing his patience.


    "I... I..." the lock picker hesitated. This lock was different from any he had picked before; its structure seemed to defy even the most basic principles...


    Without taking one apart for examination, he had no hope of getting through in a short time.


    "This lock, it''s different!" the lock picker said nervously. He took out his tools, intending to try again.


    "Forget it!" the other man grabbed him abruptly, "I just checked; there''s nobody inside. Let''s hide nearby for now, and when Yu Hong passes by on his way back, we''ll jump him and nab him."


    "So... we''re not picking it?"


    "Screw picking! Let''s go hide!" the other man said irritably.


    In front of the post office''s stone house.


    All who registered went back to their homes to pack, ready to leave.


    Yu Hong chatted with Doctor Xu and Jenny for a while, and seeing the postman was free, he took the initiative to approach.


    He came on this trip to buy food, and if he could exchange for some good stuff from the postman, it would be worth it.


    Especially the sr generator Jenny mentionedst time; getting hold of that, then boosting it himself...


    A surge of excitement went through Yu Hong''s mind. Having electricity would make many things much easier.


    The postman, a man with a cold expression, looked at the newly recorded name list in his hands, a dark stick that looked somewhat like chocte in his mouth.


    Upon seeing Yu Hong approaching, he lifted his eyes to nce at him.


    "Registration? Name?"


    "Not registration, I''m looking to buy something. Got any food?"


    Yu Hong cut to the chase.


    "Not registration?" The courier was somewhat surprised but quickly regained hisposure. These days, there were plenty of self-important people who didn''t want to budge and hadn''t seen danger before, oozing confidence. He''d seen many of them.


    So upon hearing it wasn''t about registration, he only slightly paused before calming down.


    "There''s food, but not much. Dried lizard, dried cockroach, dried mushroom¡ªwhat do you want?"


    "Take a look at what I have to exchange first." Yu Hong took out the items he had prepared for trade.


    A water filter cup, a Large Pyroxene Stone, all in a bag together.


    "Did you make this water filter cup? And the Large Pyroxene Stone?" The courier''s expression showed interest upon seeing them.


    The water filter cup was fine, just a bit more finely made. He had good quality ones issued to him, didn''t need it.


    But the Large Pyroxene Stone was different, especially with the Evil Shadow appearing recently, it was said that only newly discovered Large Pyroxene Stones were effective.


    He had heard of the Large Pyroxene Stone, but this was the first time he''d seen one. The runes on it were moreplex than on ordinary luminous stones.


    "Where did you get this Large Pyroxene Stone?" he couldn''t help but reach for one to take a closer look, but Yu Hong stepped back to avoid his hand.


    "I made it myself," Yu Hong replied. "Can we make a trade?"


    "Let me check it out first," the courier said, quickly pulling a ck box the size of an egg from his belt bag.


    The box had a gray LCD screen in the middle, with a round button below. It looked quite rudimentary.


    "This is a Red Value detector, a tool that can test the quality of luminous stones. It can also detect the concentration of the Blood Tide in the surrounding environment," exined the courier.


    "This can detect that too?" Yu Hong was surprised to hear that luminous stones could be tested with a device, and the Blood Tide...


    Until now, he wasn''t sure about the official research on the ck Disaster, but it seemed decent.


    "Silver Tower''s research product, pretty good to use," the courier smiled and pressed the button.


    Immediately, there were two beeps, and the LCD screen lit up with a red light.


    He brought the device close to the Large Pyroxene Stone, stopping just a few centimeters away.


    Beep!!


    Instantly, the device let out a sharp beep, with numbers fluctuating quickly on the screen.


    Yu Hong could catch a glimpse of some of the values.


    The number jumped from 0 to negative 78, then zigzagged a few times and finally stabilized at -81.


    "Wow... -81! Impressive!" the courier eximed, "The previous luminous stones were at most around -20. This Large Pyroxene Stone of yours has good quality!"


    "Name your price," Yu Hong said, getting straight to the point.


    "Two pounds of dried lizard per piece," the courier thought for a moment and replied. "I''ll take all four of these."


    He wasn''t short on food, but the Large Pyroxene Stone was something that could save your life at a crucial moment. No one would think it was too much.


    "I don''t want to trade them all for dried meat. I heard you have a sr generator that''s about to be scrapped?" Yu Hong asked quietly.


    "That thing can still generate power. What are you talking about when you say it''s about to be scrapped?" The courier frowned and immediately retorted. "If you want that, it''s two Large Pyroxene Stones."


    "The sr battery storage is nearly done, right? Two stones are too expensive. One stone," Yu Hong bargained.


    The two started haggling over the price.


    After discussing for several minutes, with the courier running short on time, he finally gave in.


    In the end, two Large Pyroxene Stones were traded for the sr generator, plus a set of broken air purifiers.


    The rest of the Large Pyroxene Stones were traded for dried meat, plus a small atomicmp.


    The small atomicmp was something Yu Hong got after hard bargaining.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This device was made with radioactive elements as a type of cold lightmp, able to provide continuous lighting for over ten years without any power source.


    Of course, its brightness would gradually weaken over time.


    But as an auxiliary light source in the cave, it was pretty good.


    Soon, the deal was done. Yu Hong was in a great mood and bundled all the items together. The sr generator was actually foldable, only the size of a medium carry-on bag, and together with the other items, the whole package only weighed about ten pounds.


    Yu Hong weighed it in his hands, feeling that the month of physical training had made him much stronger, and the ten pounds didn''t feel heavy.


    After the exchange, the courier hid the Large Pyroxene Stones and sized up Yu Hong.


    "Buddy, I advise you to evacuate with us sooner. The bunker won''t hold this time. The Evil Shadow is not like the Big Skin."


    "What do you mean, brother?" Yu Hong frowned and asked.


    It seemed that having obtained so many Large Pyroxene Stones, the courier was in a good mood. Chewing on a chocte bar, he looked left and right to make sure no one was around, then whispered confidentially.


    "The Evil Shadow is different from the shadow; the shadow typically stays in a set area, mainly relying on camouge for ambushes. But the Evil Shadow... can appear anywhere, no one knows how it moves. One moment it''s here, the next it''s there."


    He paused.


    "I''ve heard internal news, it''s not much of a secret anymore, most are leaving already. Of course, just listen, don''t broadcast it..."


    "Thanks for the tip, brother! I''ll definitely keep quiet," Yu Hong immediately responded in a low voice.


    "I tell you... the number of people the Evil Shadow killed in this town... an entire street...mon folks and the coalition troops alike, not a single survivor! All dead! Uncountable! Too many..." the courier spoke with a grim voice, himself trembling slightly, though hardly noticeable.


    "The coalition troops in town, didn''t they ask for reinforcements?" Yu Hong''s heart skipped, and he quickly asked.


    "Silver Tower specializes in research against shadows but replied with istion, to give up," the courier sighed. "Bro, I hear Silver Tower''s response is that each Evil Shadow is different, each with its own abilities, so Silver Tower has given them different codenames. The Evil Shadow in our town is codenamed Withered Woman. Specific abilities unknown; still under investigation. That''s why there''s no dealing with it, we can only evacuate."


    "What about the rest of us, the survivors around here..." Yu Hong couldn''t help but ask.


    "Fend for yourselves," the courier said somberly, "so I''m telling you to get out fast. Once the town is empty, if the Evil Shadow gets out, it will definitely look for ces with people nearby. Our ce here, it''s a bit close to town..."


    Yu Hong fell silent.


    He rapidly weighed his options in his mind.


    Soon, he asked another question.


    "Even if we evacuate with everyone, does that mean there won''t be Evil Shadows in other ces?"

 Chapter 29: Unexpected Changes (Alliance Hierarch Tuo Ba Goudan)

    <h4>Chapter 29: Unexpected Changes (Alliance Hierarch Tuo Ba Goudan)</h4>


    "I don''t know," the postman shook his head, "but the more people there are, the bigger the influence and the authorities will pay more attention. Silver Tower will support us to the greatest extent. That''s better than us roughnecks trying to figure things out on our own, right? You don''t think they woulde to rescue just for a few of you, do you?"


    Yu Hong fell silent for a moment, then asked,


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Is the Large Pyroxene Stone useful against the Evil Shadow?"


    "It''s said to be somewhat useful. Some people have escaped because of the Large Pyroxene Stone. And theirs were even lower grade than yours," the postman nodded.


    He had noticed from the marks on the surface of the Large Pyroxene Stone he had obtained, that these items were very likely made by the man in front of him. Even if they weren''t made by him, they were definitely made by someone he knew, and recently, because they were too new.


    He talked so much also because he wanted to earn rewards for rmending talented individuals.


    The Joint Forces Alliance always had various benefits and rewards for rmending talents, which was also why he was willing to talk to Yu Hong.


    "Thanks for your kindness, bro. I''ve decided not to go. Maybe if more people from our area leave, the Evil Shadow would no longer find this ce appealing, you know?" Yu Hong said softly.


    The postman frowned, scrutinized Yu Hong''s expression, couldn''t make out anything, so he tried to persuade him some more. Seeing that Yu Hong was still unmoved, he eventually gave up.


    "Sigh... no matter what, it''s impossible to stay around here. Since you don''t want to go, I wish you luck in oveing the hardships."


    "Thank you for your kind words, bro," Yu Hong nodded, "and I wish you smooth sailing and all the best."


    With a sigh, the postman got up and walked towards the stone house.


    Yu Hong also stood up, ready to leave with his belongings.


    But just as he got up, he heard a noise behind him and immediately turned to look.


    It was Dr. Xu, leaning against a tree trunk with a bag, apparently having waited for a while.


    "Did I hear right that you can make water filters?" Dr. Xu adjusted her sses and asked.


    "Trade?" she asked.


    Recalling how she had once looked down on Yu Hong, thinking he was a drag because of Yiyi, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment now.


    But there was no helping it, a good water filter was essential for maintaining health. Since it could be cleaned and reused, it offered very high value for money.


    "I have another one, let''s trade," Yu Hong was not biased against her; although the woman was sharp-tongued, she was sincere. Her attitudes towards people were all written on her face, no wonder she got beaten up in town.


    "What do you want to trade? I have extra iodophor for disinfection, want it?" Dr. Xu asked.


    "Can you still produce iodophor?" Yu Hong asked in surprise.


    "Yes, many industrial chains are well-established in therge urban areas," Dr. Xu nodded. "One bottle of iodophor for your water filter, how about that?"


    "Okay," Yu Hong nodded.


    Disinfectant was indispensable; many times, an infected wound was a matter of life and death. Prompt treatment of the wound could often eliminate the need for anti-inmmatory drugs.


    He quickly traded with Dr. Xu. About 200 milliliters of iodophor for a water filter.


    After finishing the trade, Yu Hong was prepared to return.


    Suddenly, a soft call stopped him.


    Turning around, he saw Jenny, whom he had traded with before.


    "Young Yu, that... Large Pyroxene Stone, do you still have it? Want to trade?"


    Jenny approached slowly with the blonde, beautiful girl beside her.


    "They''re all gone; you''re toote," Yu Hong replied, his gaze pausing on the pretty girl next to Jenny before moving away.


    Looking clean and beautiful was fine, but it depended on the situation. At this time, to actually dare to use filtered water for a bath...


    Hearing the voice, Dr. Xu, not far away, turned back to look at the two, her brow furrowed as she scanned the pretty girl, seemingly wanting to say something. But soon she held back and gave Yu Hong a calm look before turning to leave.


    After Dr. Xu left, only Jenny, the pretty girl, and Yu Hong remained at the scene.


    "None left, huh? That''s too bad.... Can I pre-order the next batch of Large Pyroxene Stones then?" Jenny asked, frowning.


    "I can''t say for sure now; I''m not even sure I can get my hands on some," Yu Hong didn''t want to be a tool for producing Large Pyroxene Stone, it depended on whether he had time to stick around and enhance with the ck Mark.


    "Okay, the water filter you made before was very useful; I hope we can trade again next time," Jenny said, slightly disappointed.


    "No problem," Yu Hong nodded.


    "Mom, aren''t you going to introduce us? He made the water filter himself? That''s amazing!" the blonde, pretty woman suddenly spoke.


    After speaking, she didn''t wait for Jenny to respond but reached out to Yu Hong.


    "Hello, I''m Aifu. You''re Yu Hong, right?"


    Yu Hong nced at her clean, fair palm and still shook hands with her.


    Only, he hadn''t expected that she would casually scratch the back of his hand without leaving a trace.


    Yu Hong noticed that this girl named Aifu gave him a secretive smile. Before he could figure out what it meant, they parted ways.


    "Right, happy to meet you. If you have anything good to trade, feel free to look me up, candles, food, or other odd items, I might be interested," Yu Hong said simply.


    In this environment, he didn''t care whether someone was beautiful or not, only whether they could get the things he wanted.


    His current safe house was far from his ideal state.


    At the very least, he wanted to create a safe house that could be self-sufficient in food, water, and energy.


    A safe house that could support at least a few years without needing to go outside for trade.


    And right now, it was far from that.


    "Do you trade Large Pyroxene Stones, or something like the water filters?" Aifu asked curiously.


    "Mainly Large Pyroxene Stones," Yu Hong replied.


    "That''s good to hear; I have some junk here, not with me right now, but next time youe I''ll show you and see how many Large Pyroxene Stones it could trade for," Aifu said with a smile.

 Chapter 30: Unforeseen Changes Four – Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 30: Unforeseen Changes Four ¨C Part 2</h4>


    Hong nodded.


    He always felt that Aifu was a bit improper and unreliable, but due to Jenny''s presence, he couldn''t say much.


    This trip had been fruitful as all items were exchanged, especially the sr generator which was the biggest gain. If they could reinforce it, life in the safehouse would be much easier.


    There was also the atomicmp, a continuous light source. Although it was dim, it spared him the constant need to stoke the fire, possibly allowing for better sleep in the future.


    Soon, holding the exchanged goods, Hong and Jenny agreed on the next exchange date, a month from today, and then turned to head back.


    On his way back, he saw the postman gathering all the nearby residents who were preparing to leave.


    They each carried huge backpacks and stood on an open field, listening to the postman loudly stating the rules for leaving together.


    Doctor Xu and Jenny weren''t among them, apparently nning to stay.


    Carrying a stick and arge bag, Hong left the post office and walked slowly and steadily towards the cave.


    On the road back, he remained extremely cautious, ever alert to any movements around him, fearing a sudden attack from a "shadow."


    Since it was still early in the day, he also began collecting dry twigs along the way.


    In this environment, the safe daylight hours were precious and couldn''t be wasted; he had to do something.


    Before long, holding the parcels, the stick, and embracing some dry twigs, he neared the cave.


    Just ahead, not far from him, on the rocky backside of the cave, two figures in camouge quietly clung to the rock face, silently waiting.


    As soon as he reached the cave entrance to climb the steps and open the door, he would definitely pass by where the two were lying in ambush.


    Hong walked slowly towards the cave, getting closer and closer.


    Suddenly, his gaze fixed on the stone steps in front of the cave.


    There... were several muddy footprints, fresh footprints.


    Bang!


    Hong dropped his things and ran!


    Without the slightest hesitation or dy.


    He turned and dashed towards the distant trees.


    By the time the ambushers reacted, he had already covered more than thirty meters!


    "Fuck! Chase him!" The two didn''t hesitate and sprinted after him.


    They had received a critical task from Team Leader Zhao, to not return without capturing him would result in severe punishment, halving all their provisions.


    But if they captured him, all future provisions would double. The gap was substantial.


    Puff puff puff puff.


    In an instant, the three of them sprinted through the forest, one after another.


    Hong, having already walked a long distance, felt the toll on his stamina, and soon began to tire.


    The forest whizzed by his ears, the wind roared, his feet never stopping.


    This full-speed, explosive sprint rapidly drained his physical energy in an exaggerated manner.


    Before long, he was breathing heavily, sweating profusely.


    Fortunately, his legs, strengthened by this period of training, didn''t fail him, showing no signs of softness or cramping.


    "Quick!! He''s almost done for!"


    As he ran, Hong faintly heard shouts from behind.


    He didn''t know who the pursuers were, but he knew that those with good intentions wouldn''t be lurking near his safehouse waiting to ambush him.


    Run, run, RUN!!


    He pushed his legs to their limit, squeezing out everyst bit of energy from his body.


    In a blink, another hundred meters had passed.


    The three hadpletely left the terrain near the cave, running into an unfamiliar area far from Baiqiu Vige.


    The terrain around them became increasingly difficult to navigate, many parts covered in untrampled bushy slopes.


    One moment climbing uphill, the next going downhill, sharp or barbed nts left traces on Hong''s protective gear.


    On the two pursuers, however, they left wounds instead.


    Amid a series of groans, the two people relentlessly chased Yu Hong without giving up.


    The distance between them was, at most, about ten meters and it was slowly closing.


    Yu Hong''s lungs were burning, and he was gasping heavily; he felt he was beginning tock oxygen. No matter how fast he breathed, whether through his mouth or nose, he couldn''t replenish the oxygen that was being used up quickly.


    "I can''t go on..."


    "My physical strength still isn''t enough... I can''t hold on..."


    His whole body was drenched in sweat, soaking the clothes clinging to his skin, yet his hands continuously pushed through the bushes in front of him.


    Seeing that the panting of the two people behind him was getting closer, Yu Hong finally couldn''t stand it anymore.


    With a thought, he controlled a stream of cool air from his lower abdomen to start moving quickly.


    The cool air left his lower abdomen, naturally followed his own route, moving up from the abdomen to the chest, neck, forehead, and then passing from the crown point at the top of his head down to the tailbone, then moving past the perineum before returning to the abdomen.


    As this stream of cool air emerged, something miraculous happened.


    Yu Hong''s body, which should have been at the limits of its endurance, felt as though it had rested for a long time, recovering quickly and smoothing out.


    The sweat stopped flowing, his lungs stopped gasping, and he no longer felt tired.


    It was as if the long distance he had just run was an illusion.


    Everything was almost as it had been before he had set out to exchange items, returning to the original state.


    Thus... Yu Hong moved again.


    He led the two people behind him, starting to circle around the area of the cave.


    One loop, two loops, three loops...


    After at least a mile, Yu Hong was exhausted from full-speed running.


    But as tired as he was, the two men behind him were panting like bulls, their legs weak.


    "Yu, Yu Hong! Don''t run, anymore..."


    "I fucking, can''t... can''t do this anymore! We can''t, let him run anymore!"


    One of the men who had opened the door finally couldn''t stand it anymore, reached back to his waist, and drew his pistol.


    Just then, when Yu Hong should have been depleted, a second burst of cool air surged forth.


    His entire body''s strength instantly recovered, and he turned around and pounced.


    Bang!!


    Caught off guard, the man drawing the gun was hit head-on and tumbled harshly down the slope.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The tumbling duo also collided with another person who was climbing up behind them.


    Ah ah!!


    With two screams,


    both men were knocked down the slope by Yu Hong.


    Exhausted as they were, the men, now confronted by Yu Hong who had regained his strength, quickly got up, each facing a strike with a stick.


    Dang!


    Dang!


    Right on the forehead.


    Already exhausted, they were dazed from the fall and had not recovered when Yu Hong struck each on the forehead with his stick.


    Both men instantly rolled their eyes back and sat unable to get up from the ground.


    Yu Hong quickly grabbed the pistols from both men, feeling a wave of lingering fear.


    "They actually had guns!" He couldn''t imagine what terrible state he would be in if he had reacted just a moment slower and been shot.


    Intense fear and dread made him unable to resist striking both men on the forehead again with his stick.


    Dang dang!


    This time, the two men couldn''t withstand it any longer and copsed on the ground, unconscious.


    Luckily, the stick was hollow and not heavy; otherwise, these two angry strikes could have been lethal.


    Even so, blood slowly seeped out from their foreheads, swelling into tworge bumps.

 Chapter 31: Choice One

    <h4>Chapter 31: Choice One</h4>


    Huff, huff, huff!


    In the woods, Yu Hong gasped for air as he looked at the two bodies in camouge lying before him.


    The clothing on these two reminded him of stutterer.


    "Could these clothes belong to the coalition forces?" he involuntarily recalled thest visitor, Zhao Zhenghong.


    That guy imed he was extending an invitation, but in reality, he had sent people to hide by the door, aiming to ambush Yu Hong as he stepped out.


    Such deceit was typical, especially after the Evil Shadow''s appearance had drastically increased the importance of Large Pyroxene Stones, it was normal for them to try to capture him again.


    Yu Hong crouched down and carefully searched the two bodies.


    He quickly found various items.


    Two military green daggers, two bags of old luminous stones, two leather water pouches¡ªbut these were nothing special.


    One item, however, slightly surprised Yu Hong.


    It was found on the person who had drawn his gun.


    It was a silver coin with a grayish-white hue.


    On the front, the coin depicted a beautifully tall and sharp tower, while on the back, there was a rune frequently seen on luminous stones.


    "Could this be themon currency used in town?" Yu Hong pondered, holding the silver coin.


    Regardless, he decided to keep it first. After scavenging the items, seeing that the two were still unconscious, he did not bother with them and took all their possessions before heading back the way he came.


    Whether the two men survived depended on their luck¡ªif they woke up before dark, perhaps they might live, but if not...


    Yu Hong quickly retrieved the items he had dropped earlier and collected the scattered firewood, carrying it all back to the cave.


    If it hadn''t been for the effects of the Advanced Physical Training Method allowing him two chances to recover his physical strength with the cool air, he might have been captured and coerced into servitude.


    Click, he used the key to open the door, quickly entered, and shut it behind him.


    Listening to the heavy door m shut and lock,


    a strong sense of security surged in his heart.


    He set down his things temporarily, near the firece to prevent them from getting damp and moldy.


    Then he sat on a stool to ponder the issues he encountered today.


    The scavenged items included two handguns, a silver coin, two daggers, two bags of old luminous stones, and other misceneous items.


    He yed with the handguns in his hands, exploring them curiously as he had never handled guns before, spending a while figuring out how to remove the magazine.


    "....." Looking at the magazine in his hand, Yu Hong felt somewhat speechless.


    The magazine had only one bullet... one bullet per gun...


    "Has the official situation be so poor?" Yu Hong felt at a loss for words.


    He didn''t know what would be of the handguns if they were enhanced, but for now, other preparations were more urgent.


    With the appearance of Evil Shadows in the town, he must prepare in advance, not relying on luck.


    ''Evil Shadows, Withered Woman? Ordinary luminous stones are useless... even Large Pyroxene Stones can only be used for escape...''


    He looked at the Large Pyroxene Stones ced in his cave.


    Doors and ground surrounding, all three had them, but such density was likely only sufficient against shadows.


    He took out thest Large Pyroxene Stone he had kept in reserve.


    He initially thought it was enough, but now...


    "Come to think of it, why can luminous stones scatter shadows? ording to stutterer, even without the rune, luminous stones can scatter shadows, just less effectively. So... the question is,"


    he reached out and traced the rune on the Large Pyroxene Stone.


    "Where did this design originallye from? How did the ck Disaster first ur?"


    He had a feeling that the rune on the luminous stone was somehow rted to the emergence of the ck Disaster.


    ''Given that the enhancement from the ck Mark is rejected due to iplete functionality, perhaps I could use this to test if the rune alone could counter the shadows...''


    With this in mind, Yu Hong took out a newspaper and a ck charcoal pencil.


    This charcoal pencil had been enhanced to the size of a regr ballpoint pen, but the writing it produced was much more delicate and clear than that of the previous charcoal.


    Clearly, the material of the charcoal had also been enhanced into some unknown form.


    Yu Hong didn''t care about these details as long as it was useful.


    Heid the newspaper t on another wooden stool and carefully ced the silver coin underneath.


    Then, using the charcoal pencil, he gently rubbed over the rune design on the coin.


    Soon, a ck rune design appeared before him.


    The base color of the drawing was gray-ck, and the pattern was a deeper shade, making it clearly visible.


    Havingpleted the drawing, Yu Hong stretched out his hand and pressed it on the design.


    ''Enhance the shadow-scattering rune, aiming for increased effect!''


    He chanted inwardly.


    Quickly, the ck Mark discharged ck lines, but then immediately retracted them.


    ''Insufficientpleteness.''


    It failed...


    Yu Hong furrowed his brow and released his hand.


    From the ck Mark''s reaction, it seemed that the rune alone did not have the capability to scatter shadows, or at least, not on its own.


    "It seems that I won''t be able to unravel this mystery anytime soon, so..."


    He picked up another ordinary luminous stone.


    He had gained quite a few of these both from the two men and from stutterer''s leftovers.


    He gathered them all, cing them on the ground, amounting to four small bags.


    Each bag contained ten stones, pre-allocated.


    ''Is it because ten stones canpletely scatter shadows?'' Yu Hong spected.


    He put down the ordinary luminous stone, then picked up another stone which had yet to be marked with a rune.


    Tools for marking luminous stones, as used by stutterer, were also avable.


    Hepared the luminous stones drawn by stutterer and those he had just confiscated; the surface runes of the two stones were different colors, evidently drawn with different pigments.


    ''It seems that the pigment has little effect on the rune. Then... I''ll give it a try.''


    Picking up the reinforced charcoal pencil, Yu Hong began to carefully trace on the surface of a in luminous stone.


    He replicated the original rune, not the enhanced version.


    The original rune was simple¡ªan encircled ring with four letter-like strange symbols inside, a small circle in the center, and a me-like symbol added to it.


    After several tries, Yu Hong quickly drew a total of five luminous stones.


    He ced these luminous stones on the ground from left to right.


    The order of cement wasn''t random, but ording to the neatness of the runes.


    From left to right, the runes became increasingly more neat, and the lines were rounder and more clearly drawn.


    Having done this,


    Yu Hong exhaled, reached out again, and pressed his hand onto the first luminous stone on the left.


    "Enhance into Large Pyroxene Stone, direction: strengthen effect." He pondered in his mind.


    Quickly, a ck line shot out, and feedback chimed.


    "Would you like to enhance it into a Large Pyroxene Stone?"


    However, what Yu Hong was interested in was not that, but the time digits that appeared on the surface of the luminous stone.


    "3 days 2 hours 18 minutes."


    He withdrew his hand and quickly jotted down the time.


    Then he extended his hand again, pressing on the second luminous stone¡ªthe same procedure.


    In an instant, digits also appeared on the second luminous stone.


    "3 days 1 hours 2 minutes."


    Then the third stone.


    "3 days 51 minutes."


    The fourth stone.


    "3 days 42 minutes."


    The fifth stone.


    "3 days 21 minutes."


    Withdrawing his hand, Yu Hong looked at the row of recorded numbers, his face finally revealing a look of realization.


    "Indeed... the length of the enhancement time is influenced by the perfection of the item being enhanced. The smaller the gap before and after the item is enhanced, the less countdown time is needed."


    "Looking at it this way, if I start with an enhanced Large Pyroxene Stone rune drawn on the luminous stone, then the enhancement time will definitely be greatly reduced!"


    Yu Hong guessed.


    "Because I''ve saved some of the enhancement time on the rune side!"


    "Let''s try it!"


    Immediately, he picked up a raw luminous stone and began to mimic theplex rune from the Large Pyroxene Stone.


    Thisplex pattern was much harder than the usual luminous stone.


    If theplexity of a regr luminous stone rune is at 1, then the advanced rune on the Large Pyroxene Stone would be at 4.


    Not to mention, the advanced rune required writing over ten strange symbols.


    At a nce, it somewhat resembled certain magic circles Yu Hong had seen in some games'' memories.


    Time continued to pass, and he immersed himself in drawing advanced runes,pletely forgetting the time of day.


    Unknowingly, the sky outside was growing dark.


    Yu Hong lit the firece and continued drawing.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The dry wood he had collected from this trip was enough tost through the night, and from the information he had obtained, it was indeed possible that the Evil Shadow threat could reach here.


    If they didn''t encounter it, it would be fine, but if they did... just relying on thoserge Luminous Stones... definitely wouldn''t be enough!


    So, he needed to think of countermeasures.


    Finding a way to fight the Evil Shadow was naturally the first priority.


    But for now, in the absence of a solution, shortening the Large Pyroxene Stone''s enhancement time was more important.


    After all, even if he didn''t use the Large Pyroxene Stone himself, he could still trade it with others¡ªit was a genuine hard currency.


    Time sped by as Yu Hong devoted himself to his practice.


    Fortunately, there was no Blood Tide tonight, and no disruption from beetles. Yu Hong continued drawing untilte into the night, and feeling tired, he enhanced some jerky, which took about three hours toplete. After setting the countdown time, he promptly fell asleep.


    He woke up at dawn.


    After eating and taking care of his bodily needs in the morning, he began to practice the Advanced Physical Training Method.


    In the afternoon, he went out to collect wood, cut wild vegetables, and refill water.


    Afternoon returned to continue practicing drawing advanced runes, resting only to enhance jerky, not wasting any ck Mark time.


    So it went, day after day.


    Finally, on the afternoon of the fifth day, the drawing of the advanced rune was sessful!


    In the cave, Yu Hong breathed a long sigh of relief, his face breaking into a rxed smile as he held a luminous stone with newly drawn advanced runes.


    "Not bad... not worse than the little stammerer''s!"


    He was a bit too eager as he ced it down and pressed his hand onto it.


    "Enhance into Large Pyroxene Stone, direction: strengthen effect."


    With a thought in his mind, feedback from the ck Mark urred instantly.


    A ck line flew from the back of his hand and disappeared into the luminous stone.


    Then, a mechanical voice sounded in his ear.


    "Would you like to enhance it into a Large Pyroxene Stone?"


    Yu Hong didn''t respond but withdrew his hand, his eyes fixed on the advanced rune luminous stone.


    The countdown was already disyed.


    "2 days 19 minutes."


    Bang!


    Yu Hong mmed his hand hard on the ground.


    "It worked!!"


    He couldn''t help butugh with joy.


    "Indeed, indeed my guess was right!! Reducing the discrepancy before and after the enhancement shortens the enhancement time!"


    Two days for one Large Pyroxene Stone, a full one-third shorter than the previous three days!


    This meant that he could enhance more Large Pyroxene Stones faster, ensuring his safety and trading for more resources!


    After the excitement, Yu Hong soon had a new thought.


    "The Large Pyroxene Stone time has been shortened, but concerning the Evil Shadow... how strong this thing is, I have no idea... What if the danger posed by the Evil Shadow is greater than I imagined..."

 Chapter 32: Choice Two

    <h4>Chapter 32: Choice Two</h4>


    Yu Hong''s smile slowly faded from his face.


    He needed information, enough information about the Evil Shadow. If he could find the survivor who had escaped death, the one who had been attacked by the Evil Shadow Withered Woman and lived to tell the tale, he might be able to get firsthand information.


    Unfortunately, the town had relocated earlier, and that person had likely already left.


    Thinking this, he decided not to strengthen himself but instead to stand up and pace around the cave.


    After a while, he stopped in his tracks and walked up to the front door, peering out through the viewing window.


    The forest at dusk was utterly silent.


    The distant Baiqiu Vige had only a faint outline and was simrly quiet.


    Looking at the scenery outside,


    Yu Hong suddenly thought of something, his expression changed from a slight frown to contemtive.


    He pulled over the board and his gaze fell on the rune-enhanced Wolf Fang Club.


    This club had started off as merely a crude steel-luminous stone club. But now, it had improved much....


    Of course, the item had already been strengthened once, and a second time would be useless.


    So what he was considering was not the club itself, but the idea of cing a Large Pyroxene inside the club.


    "If a single piece of Large Pyroxene is insufficient, what if Ibine several pieces into one, or even grind the Large Pyroxene into powder and mix it with ink to draw Advanced Physical Runes?"


    "Could that enhance the effect and shorten the time?"


    *


    *


    *


    More than ten kilometers away from Baiqiu Vige was Baishi Town.


    On the winding, lengthy central street, dried yellow leaves were blown about by the wind, rustling as they tumbled across the ground.


    The t gray concrete street was full of potholes and cracks.


    The shops lining the street had long been closed.


    The dim sunlight split the street into patches of light and shadow.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, the door of a shop burst open from the inside.


    A muscr, bearded man in gray sportswear, looking disheveled, rushed out and sprinted towards the end of the street.


    He was sweating profusely, his eyes bloodshot, and in one hand, he clutched a Large Pyroxene.


    The jade quality of the Large Pyroxene was rapidly turning pale from top to bottom.


    This indicated it was being swiftly depleted.


    "Don''t... don''t kill me!! Don''te any closer!!"


    The man was on the verge of breakdown.


    He cried out, his voice echoing eerily alone on the street.


    "Please! Don''te any closer!!"


    He shouted with a trembling voice, stumbling forward. He kept looking back, scared, as if something was chasing him.


    But behind him, there was nothing, just a quiet, empty street.


    Thud.


    Suddenly, the man lost his footing and fell to the ground.


    A clear ck Mark slowly appeared on his back.


    The handprint wasn''trge; it seemed like a child had made it. But now, that handprint emerged through his clothes, as if it had been smeared with ink, visible clearly on his jacket.


    Hiss.


    Suddenly, a massive amount of ck liquid started oozing from the handprint.


    The liquid turned his clothes ck, and along with that, his arms, face, all swiftly turned ck.


    As his body became ckened, the man quickly started to shrivel, as if dehydrated.


    He struggled, making sobbing sounds from his throat, but within a few seconds, the cries ceased.


    The man''s body also stopped moving entirely, turning into a charred, desated corpse.


    A gust of wind passed.


    The dried-up body suddenly vanished, leaving only a pile of clothes behind.


    *


    *


    *


    The next day.


    Baiqiu Vige Post Office.


    In front of the stone building of the post office in the woods.


    Jenny, Dr. Xu, Yu Hong, and old Yu were all gathered together.


    Jenny looked somewhat haggard, as if she hadn''t rested well the previous night, and her gaze was somewhat unfocused, lost in thought.


    Dr. Xu held a piece of jerky, biting into it asionally, squinting his eyes.


    Old Yu was specifically responsible for breeding lizards and making jerky, his expression grimmer than before.


    "Old Yu, didn''t you leave? Why are you back?" Dr. Xu spoke.


    "I ran back halfway. They suddenly demanded everyone to hand over half of their resources, everyone had to pay, haha, if I hadn''t remembered the way back, they''d have really fleeced me!" Old Yu sneered.


    He turned and his gaze fell on Yu Hong.


    "Young man, Jenny said you can get Large Pyroxene? Are you sure it''s a long-term stable source?"


    "I can, but I need to rest sometimes," Yu Hong nodded. He had nned to take over Old Yu''s breeding cave with Jenny and Dr. Xu.


    After all, they needed a steady food supply, and before leaving, Old Yu had already agreed to hand over his breeding cave to those who stayed.


    He didn''t expect Old Yu to return so soon...


    But it was good he came back; they certainly wouldn''t be as skilled at breeding as Old Yu himself.


    "It''s good to hear that. Now we have candles and Large Pyroxene; as long as we''re careful, we have a great chance to live safely. Now that everyone is here, I propose we all move into the vacated post office basement. It''s the sturdiest ce, rooms are big enough, equipped well, and it''s good to havepany," Old Yu suggested.


    "I have no objections. I brought down the candle-making tools, I''ll supply the candles from now on. They''re not hard to make," Dr. Xu replied.


    "I''d rather not, I''m used to living alone," Yu Hong refused.


    "I''m fine with anything." Jenny nodded.


    "We''re one person short, but that''s settled then. Jenny handles clothing, repair, and modification. I handle food, Yu Hong handles the Large Pyroxene Stone, and Doctor Xu handles wax creation and emergency medical care. From now on, it''s just us here, so we''d better help each other out and try our best." Old Yu said, clearly anticipating Yu Hong''s reluctance.


    "Is there any news about that Evil Shadow in town?" Yu Hong couldn''t help but ask.


    Without knowing the strength of that Evil Shadow, he always felt a heavy sense of foreboding, as if something bad might happen.


    "There is a bit," Old Yu said. "It''s said to be rted to the ck Mark. If you see a ck handprint in the wilderness, don''t touch it. Stay away." Old Yu lowered his head and coughed a few times.


    "Anything else?" Jenny asked.


    "Just this: don''t think about going to town to scavenge. Some people who stayed have gone to town and not many havee back alive." Old Yu smiled strangely. "In these times, living another day is a blessing; cherish it."


    After agreeing to meet at the originally scheduled time, the four each returned to their dwellings.


    Yu Hong confirmed that the food source was fairly stable and the supply of candles was good, which settled his mind quite a bit.


    Returning to the cave, the ground was covered with Great Pyroxene Rune Patterns he had sketched.


    All of these were from his practice sessions, not using a charcoal pencil, just roughly sketching with stones.


    Looking at the mess in the room, Yu Hong sighed, knowing he still had much to do.


    He had shortened the enrichment time for the Large Pyroxene Stone. He had already started its formal enhancement yesterday.


    Without knowing how much pyroxene was needed to dispel the Evil Shadow, he could only try to produce as much as possible.


    At the same time, he had to explore new and more effective methods to resist the Evil Shadow.


    Taking out a protein bar and biting it, Yu Hong took off his shirt and began exercising the Advanced Physical Training Method.


    After working out for an hour, he started searching for a hammer and found a corner in the cave. He crouched down and began grinding vigorously.


    He had already shattered a small primitive pyroxene stone before; the main task now was to grind it fine enough.


    "If the action of dispelling shadows is constituted by luminous stone and rune together, then surely I could make it work by using pyroxene powder to trace the rune!" Yu Hong thought while grinding the stone, his mind racing for better methods.


    About half an hourter, the luminous stone powder was ready.


    He mixed in a bit of carbon powder, poured it into a wooden bowl, added water, and stirred¡ªit became a batch of standard luminous stone ink.


    After the sess, Yu Hong nced outside; the sky was darkening again.


    ''Why does it feel like it gets dark faster and faster...?'' He furrowed his brows, walked over, and slid the peephole cover shut.


    Ever since being startled by a shadow, he never left the peephole cover open while sleeping anymore.


    With the peephole cover shut, this time he didn''t light the firece but lit a candle instead and ced it on a wooden stool.


    Then, he took a wooden stick, dipped it in luminous stone ink, and carefully drew the Great Pyroxene Rune on the side of the stone wall by the firece.


    The stone wall was not even, so he had previously chiseled an area the size of a basin with a chisel and hammer.


    Since he had already practiced elsewhere, carving the rune on the wall was not difficult for Hong at all.


    After all, the requirements were not high; a rough match was enough, and it wasrge. It was much easier than drawing on a small pyroxene.


    Yu Hong carefully wiped away the fine dust on the wall, then filled in the lines of the Great Pyroxene Rune with luminous stone ink bit by bit.


    The lines were fine, not requiring much luminous stone ink.


    In about fifteen minutes, the entire wall rune stone carving wasplete.


    Yu Hong stepped back to admire his handiwork.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    Suddenly, the door rhythmically knocked.


    "Is anyone there?" an unfamiliar female voice came from outside, "It''s gettin'' dark outside, could Ie in and take cover..."


    "I heard noises! Is someone there?" the voice outside continued.


    Yu Hong''s expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn''t heard a thing, ncing at the door where he saw the Great Pyroxene behind it slowly but firmly changing color, top to bottom.


    He exhaled, pulled a stool over, sat behind the door, leaning against the side wall, and silently watched.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    The knocking continued relentlessly.


    Once.


    Twice.


    Three times.


    Finally, all fell silent again.


    And the Great Pyroxene behind the door had depleted by a third.


    Yu Hong quickly removed it and reced it with a fully charged one.


    Casually using the ck Mark to charge the Great Pyroxene, he stood up and returned to his sleeping bag to lie down and rest.


    The amount of consumption of the Large Pyroxene determined the duration of recovery.


    This time, the knocking shadow was not strong, only needing two hours to fully recharge.


    Yu Hong,ying on his back, his hands cushioning the back of his head next to the candle.


    The biggest advantage of a candle over a firece was that it did not need additional wood.


    And ording to what Jenny had told him, the light from the atomicmp could not dispel the Blood Tide ck Insects.


    Only open me could.


    ''Luckily, my goal in buying the atomicmp was just to experiment with the enhanced version. If I could directly enhance something like an energy reactor...'' he fantasized.


    As the days passed, he had be ustomed to living in this dangerous forest.


    ustomed to falling asleep in an ever-present state of potential danger.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Knock, knock, knock.


    In the dead of night, the candle flickered.


    Another round of knocking woke Yu Hong from his sleep.


    He nced at the door cover, which showed nothing but darkness outside. Knowing it was another shadow, he wiped the sweat from his forehead, stood up, lifted the pot of boiling water, and took deep gulps to hydrate.


    After drinking, he ignored the continued knocking and went to the luminous stone ink rune he had drawn during the day.


    The basin-sized rune stone carving had already dried.


    The rejuvenated Large Pyroxene lying on the ground had also been fully recharged by the ck Mark.


    Ignoring the Large Pyroxene, Yu Hong stretched out his hand and lightly pressed it to the Large Rune on the wall.


    This was his experiment; if sessful, it would greatly increase the efficiency of using the pyroxenepared to before.

 Chapter 33: Strengthening 1

    <h4>Chapter 33: Strengthening 1</h4>


    Inside the cave.


    In front of the gray-ck rune pattern.


    Yu Hong''s palm gently pressed against the cold, dry stone wall.


    At the same time, he silently recited,


    "Enhanced pyroxene rune, direction: intensify the dispersal of shadow effects."


    Hiss.


    Instantly, a string of ck lines flew out from the ck Mark on the back of his hand and burrowed into the stone wall.


    One secondter.


    Feedback sounded.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Would you like to enhance the pyroxene rune?" an icy mechanical voice asked.


    Yu Hong was initially stunned, then slowly curved the corners of his mouth.


    "It worked! It really worked!" he rejoiced in his mind.


    This proved his hypothesis¡ªsuch abination could indeed help disperse shadows. With this, a piece of luminous stone, once refined, could have these runes etched onto any surface, anywhere.


    And with the ck Mark replenishing them, theserge runes were no longer single-use items but could perfectly protect any area around them!


    At this moment, a ck number appeared in the center of the rune stone carving on the wall.


    "1 hour 12 minutes."


    "Is it because the amount to be enhanced is lesser, so it doesn''t need more time?" Yu Hong spected.


    After all, it had taken only a third of the luminous stone ink he had prepared to finish this rune stone carving, and enhancing such a small amount of material surely wouldn''t take much time.


    "Just over an hour... I can try enhancing it to see the effect."


    He felt a faint sense of anticipation and immediately replied yes in his mind.


    Instantly, the number on the rune stone carving began to slowly count down.


    Taking advantage of the countdown, he found a stool to sit on by the side, fiddling with another unloaded handgun in his hand.


    He raised it to aim, fired an empty shot, and put it down.


    He continuously practiced, practicing drawing and shooting the gun from different angles.


    Since there were no bullets, the practice was safe.


    The two consecutive round-ups by the allied forces trying to capture him, treating him asbor, had left Yu Hong feeling insecure.


    Although the allied forces had probably moved on with the townspeople by now.


    It was uncertain when they mighte back.


    And the two men who had attacked him previously¡ªwhen he had gone to check on them while gathering firewood, all that was left were two tattered sets of underwear.


    Clearly, the Blood Tide ck Insects had devoured everything, flesh and bones, during the night.


    This deepened Yu Hong''s awareness of the dangers at night.


    "Right, if I can practice shooting myself, practice my gunmanship, and then summarize my own shooting insights, could I use the ck Mark to enhance it? Would I get a better shooting training manual?"


    After pondering for a moment, Yu Hong quickly came up with a unique new enhancement idea.


    "Also, I need to prepare detection methods. If there''s something like trap bells, cing them around might serve as a cautionary measure..."


    He stroked his chin.


    The cave safe house was hard-earned, so its basic safety had to be ensured.


    As the creator of the Large Pyroxene Stone, the appearance of the Evil Shadow would inevitably increase the importance of the Large Pyroxene Stone. Subsequently, there might be more people looking for trouble... He had to prepare in advance.


    ***


    ***


    ***


    Post office gathering spot.


    Several burrows were clustered together, forming a small gathering point.


    The most solid andrgest of them was undoubtedly the stone basement beneath the post office.


    It was more of an emergency war shelter rather than a basement.


    It wasrge, almost the size of the entire Baiqiu Vige, situated more than ten meters underground.


    Since the outbreak of the ck Disaster, these war shelters had be refugee bases for people everywhere.


    During extremely troublesome invasions of the ck Disaster, those who couldn''t survive would hide in these shelters, seeking temporary refuge.


    At this moment, in the dim and cramped emergency shelter, dark corridors stretched ahead.


    On each side of the corridor were several small restrooms.


    Greenish atomicmps hung overhead, casting a dark-green glow down the corridor.


    Moist, cold air swirled through the vents, stirring up the corridor.


    Old Yu stood with a protruding belly, constantly looking around cautiously as he walked up to a room''s door.


    The gray-ck iron door was full of rust. He reached out and gently grasped the doorknob.


    Click.


    The handle turned downward.


    The door was slowly pushed open.


    Old Yu was about to enter and close the door behind him.


    Suddenly, the skin on his left side tingled, from his left face down to his left leg, his entire left side naturally broke out in goosebumps.


    A strange yet familiar sense of horror instantly surged into his heart.


    "....." Old Yu''s throat moved; he felt something on his left.


    Out of the corner of his eye, he faintly saw someone standing in the dark corridor on the left.


    Gulp.


    He swallowed, slowly turning his head to look that way.


    His whole body trembled, his right forearm shaking, the sleeve sliding down to reveal rough yellow-ck skin.


    On that skin was a clear ck handprint.


    Swoosh!


    He quickly turned his head, ncing sharply to the left.


    There was nothing in the darkness. The corridor was empty, with only his breathing audible.


    At this moment, he was the only person in the entire underground shelter; others would move in after packing up their things tomorrow.


    He thought he couldst through the day, just one short day.


    But now it seemed...


    Sweat flowed down his forehead to the tip of his nose, then dripped.


    Old Yu nervously stared at the left corridor, confirming repeatedly that he saw no one, then he turned back, gently pushed open the door, and entered his bedroom.


    Quickly, he grabbed a bag of luminous stones from the corner, hugged it to his chest, and sat on the bed.


    The candlelight flickered on, illuminating the surrounding eyes.


    The light provided him a measure of safety.


    He sat on the bed, trembling all over, burying his head in the quilt, and sobbed silently.


    He hadn''t actually escaped on his own, he was discovered to have the ck Mark, forcibly expelled.


    There was no demand for half of his supplies, it was simply because he was infected with the ck Mark...


    "Why... why do this to me..." Old Yu stared at the candle in front of him, couldn''t help but cover his face with both hands, tears streamed down his face continuously, even dampening his palms.


    "I was just greedy for a moment... I returned everything... I really did!"


    Tears blurred his vision, he sat alone in the dark bedroom, shrinking on the bed, not daring to move.


    Click.


    Suddenly.


    Someone outside twisted the handle of the bedroom door.


    The clear noise was especially harsh in the quiet environment.


    Old Yu shuddered, fearfully raising his head to stare at the door.


    He had double-locked that door!


    How, how could it possibly be opened?!


    But the reality was, the bedroom door, which had been double-locked and chained with a metal chain, had been opened a crack.


    Creak.


    The door slowly opened.


    Revealing the darkness outside.


    Old Yu stared dead at that darkness, at that crack, not daring to blink.


    The basement door was locked, and a bag of luminous stones hung on it, the corridor below also was hung with luminous stones everywhere.


    He had used all his savings to exchange for arge amount of luminous stones, bag after bag, hung everywhere, even some were ordinary stones painted with the Large Pyroxene Stone runes.


    No human could have entered...


    The shadow couldn''t have...


    But now...


    Bloodshot appeared in Old Yu''s eyes as he stared without blinking, tears flowing down his cheeks and eyelids.


    But the intense fear and sense of crisis made him not dare to move, staring intently at the door gap.


    Fortunately, the opened gap remained still.


    It seemed just like it was blown open by the wind.


    This slowly raised a hint of doubt in Old Yu''s heart.


    ''Maybe I was just too scared earlier, forgetting to lock the door when I entered...''


    With this slight doubt in his mind, he picked up a luminous stone, nced at the bag, and saw all the stones were intact, not consumed.


    This settled some of the fear in his heart.


    Raising his head, he picked up the candle, and using the light, stood up, nning to re-lock the door.


    Whoosh!


    Suddenly, the candle was blown out by a breath.


    Someone, just behind him, suddenly came over and blew the candle out!


    Old Yu''s body stiffened with fear.


    The moment the light went out.


    He dimly saw, beside himself, a vague figure with long hair.


    Darkness,pletely swallowing everything.


    *


    *


    *


    Inside the cave.


    Yu Hong stared in anticipation at the countdown of therge rune on the wall.


    If this test was sessful, it meant he could quickly construct the Anti-Shadow Rune Array anywhere at any time.


    Yes, he called thisrge rune a talisman array.


    ''If this type of talisman array is repeatedly stacked, intertwined, even directly arranged with the giant pyroxene, the power would definitely exceed that of ordinary Large Pyroxene Stones!''


    Yu Hong pondered in his heart.


    Of course, such abination of talisman arrays would definitely take a long time to enhance.


    His main concern now was what thisrge talisman array could be enhanced into.


    Soon, the countdown entered thest half minute.


    He silently anticipated, staring at the rune on the wall.


    5.


    4.


    3.


    2.


    1.


    Swish!


    In that instant, the rune blurred for a moment, then became clear again.


    The originally rough lines of the rune became smoother and more perfected after bing clear.


    The graphite used inside, its color also became deeper, seemingly the concentration was increased.


    The most critical part was, the whole talisman array faintly showed a hint of jade-like texture, clearly it hadpletely be the material of the Large Pyroxene Stone.


    "It worked!!" Yu Hong''s mood lifted greatly.


    It took just a little over an hour toplete.


    This meant he could significantly shorten the production cycle of the Large Pyroxene.


    Assuming the effect of this talisman array wasn''t worse than the Large Pyroxene Stone.


    ''Even if the talisman array is slightly worse than the Large Pyroxene Stone, as long as it''s stronger than the average Luminous Stone, it''s still good!'' Yu Hong calcted in his heart.


    Looking at the talisman array in front of him, he thought about where to find a Shadow to test it.


    Thinking this, he quickly crouched down again, looking for space on the back of the main door to draw a talisman array.


    In just ten minutes, the well-practiced Yu Hong quickly made a basin-sized talisman array on the back of the main door.


    Then he stretched his hand to press it, preparing to enhance.


    ''Wait a second.'' Suddenly, an idea shed through his mind.


    ''Since I can guide the enhancement direction, why not directly enhance more, making its effect stronger? Maybe I should test the upper limit of the ck Mark enhancement.''


    Thinking this, Yu Hong''s heart stirred.


    ck Mark enhancement certainly has its own intensity limit.


    Otherwise, why would a Luminous Stone only turn into a Large Pyroxene Stone and not a giant pyroxene?


    The default enhancement amplitude, whether it can be adjusted, is decided by what.

 Chapter 34: Strengthening 2

    <h4>Chapter 34: Strengthening 2</h4>


    Hong nned to take the opportunity to test the numerical value.


    Immediately, he pressed his hand on the talisman array, and a thought arose in his mind.


    "Strengthen the talisman array, direction: Enhance its effect, until the limit."


    Instantly, ck lines flowed out from the ck Mark and merged into the talisman array, and a clear countdown emerged.


    "2 days 13 hours 09 minutes."


    That much!??


    Shock coursed through Hong''s heart. He recalled the countdown of just over an hour he had spent just now.


    Thenpared it with these additional two days.


    He understood at once that the extent of the enhancement could indeed be adjusted. But he needed to actively change it.


    "Would you like to begin strengthening?" The cold mechanical voice of the ck Mark rang in his ear at this moment.


    Hong took a deep breath, ready to give it a try.


    "Yes!"


    He confirmed with certainty in his mind.


    Hiss!


    The instant he responded, a trace of jade-like light shed across the talisman array on the door.


    Immediately afterward, Hong''s entire physical strength and spirit rapidly began to flow toward his right hand, toward that mysterious and eerie ck Mark.


    His whole body tensed, feeling as though the ck Mark was like a vortex, a bottomless ck hole, crazily devouring everything in his body.


    Physical strength, spirit, even flesh and blood, seemed about to bepletely absorbed by it.


    With this terrifying absorption, he struggled to fight back, to stop it, but to no avail.


    All his strength was being consumed by the ck Mark.


    "Wait! I can still recover!" Suddenly, Hong rapidly came to his senses and hurriedly mobilized the two strands of cool air he had cultivated in his lower abdomen.


    This was his special reserve, honed through the Advanced Physical Training Method.


    As he manipted it with his mind,


    The first strand of cool air swiftly sprang into action, circting throughout his body, spinning, restoring the physical strength and spirit that were close to being depleted.


    But it was still not enough. Hong only felt the strength and spirit he had just recovered continuously being devoured by the ck Mark.


    Soon, the first strand of cool air was exhausted. He quickly mobilized the second strand. Just as the second strand was about to run out, the ck Mark seemed to calcte Hong''s limit precisely and stopped just in time.


    Everything returned to calm.


    Hoo!


    Hoo!


    Hoo!!


    Hong sat down on the ground, gasping for air.


    He felt as if he had almost been devoured and absorbed, bing part of the ck Mark.


    "Is this the limit of the ck Mark''s strengthening?"


    He finally understood that the ck Mark probably consumes a small amount of his physical and spiritual strength on a daily basis, so he hadn''t felt much.


    But this time, to enhance it to the maximum limit, it started to devour a significant amount of energy.


    Hong, still unsettled, looked towards the talisman array behind the door.


    The countdown there finally started moving, meaning the strengthening had officially begun.


    "Next, just wait honestly and see what it''s like after the enhancement."


    Despite the recent scare, Hong calmed down and was even more eager to see to what extent the talisman array could be strengthened.


    After all, the recent experience had given him a good fright.


    For two days, while the ck Mark couldn''t be strengthened, Hong diligently practiced the Training Method every day.


    That Training Method was essentially a running technique; the more he practiced, the more he felt his legs bing more flexible and his muscles seemingly getting stronger.


    The next day, early in the morning.


    As the sky was just beginning to brighten, Hong set up a small pot, threw in dried mushrooms, wild herbs, protein bars, added water, and started simmering a thick soup.


    Above the firece was a metal lid that could directly heat the pot, without worrying about smoke seeping out.


    Standing by the fire, Hong held a spoon in one hand and added firewood with the other, constantly stirring.


    The protein bar quickly dissolved and broke apart, tainting the soup a milky white.


    A rich sweet fragrance slowly apanied the mushroom aroma as it wafted out.


    Within the milky white soup, the grayish mushrooms and dark green wild herbs asionally popped up with the stirring spoon.


    But Hong''s expression remained unchanged, silently stirring.


    After waiting for a while, he covered the pot.


    The soup smelled good, but tasted... hard to describe. And having the same thing every day, dozens of meals in a row, even the tastiest food could be nauseating.


    While the soup was simmering, Hong sat down by the firece, and began to examine the newly acquired handgun.


    Holding the gun andparing, he found that this gun seemed different from those he had seen on television before.


    The gun''s safety wasn''t at the back but on the side. It also had a built-in simple sight, just a small circr lens with a red cross drawn on it.


    On the side was engraved a line of text: Aurora Manufacture.


    "With only one bullet, it means that the production of firearms ammunition was likely subjected torge-scale restrictions, possibly production line issues, but more likely problems at the mines. After all, even iodine could be manufactured, so the difficulty shouldn''t be greater than that of such slightlyplex chemical products."


    Hong clipped the gun, along with its holster, to his lower back. He had already loaded both bullets into it.


    "I''ve never used a gun and am not sure about the kickback, but the best way to use it is to scare people. Don''t fire unless it''s absolutely necessary, and if you must, use it at close range to ensure a higher hit rate."


    After doing this, he began to dismantle the sr generator he had purchased from the postman.


    He nned to fortify it before use, as for the direction of fortification...


    "It''s best to enhance durability. Once this kind of machine breaks down, I won''t be able to repair it; it''ll be junk. So prolonging its lifespan is key."


    Soon, the soup in the small pot began to boil and steam rose.


    Yu Hong snapped back to reality, got up to cover the fire, and saved the wood.


    Then he took the pot off the fire, took out a pair of twig chopsticks, and prepared to eat.


    Suddenly, a rush of hurried footsteps came from outside.


    The footsteps crushed twigs and leaves, rapidly approaching until they reached the entrance of the cave.


    Thump thump thump!


    "Yu Hong! Are you there? There''s been an ident! Old Yu is in trouble!!" It was Doctor Xu, her voice urgent.


    Yu Hong quickly stood up and checked the Large Pyroxene Stone behind the door, ensuring there was no energy consumption, and immediately knew the visitor was human.


    "What did I trade with youst time?" For safety''s sake, he still needed to verify information.


    "Iodine tincture! It was iodine tincture!"


    Click.


    Yu Hong opened the door to see Doctor Xu, her face covered in sweat and a look of sheer panic.


    She had even run over in just a tight, light gray tracksuit, not bothering to put on a jacket.


    "What exactly happened!?" Yu Hong asked in a low voice.


    "Old Yu is in trouble! His ce is locked, and no matter how much we knock, there''s no response. We suspect he''s in trouble! I heard you bought a set of stone chiseling tools from the post office..." Doctor Xu quickly replied.


    "Got it, I''ll bring it right away, let''s head over together!" Yu Hong nodded rapidly, "Just a moment."


    He pulled her through the door and quickly shut it behind them, to guard against shadows.


    He then swiftly found the stone chiseling kit in the cave, grabbed his favorite luminous stone Wolf Fang Club, stuffed a protein bar into his mouth, took a water bag, put on a stab-proof vest, donned a hood, and lined it with thickyers of newspaper.


    Lastly, he thought about it and decided to bring along the luminous stone graphite he had just prepared.


    He was busy with hurried preparations. Doctor Xu, who had just entered, was somewhat dazedly observing the strange safe house cave.


    It waspletely different from her safe house.


    The floor was covered with those mysterious rune lines on the surface of the luminous stones, which seemed to be ground white marks made with stones¡ªsome fragmented, some quite intact.


    A huge jade talisman array on the wall caught her attention.


    Somehow, that talisman array gave her a soft sense of security, making her feelfortable.


    Besides that, what surprised and shocked her the most was the firece.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    It was like it was made of crystal ss, merged with the rock wall. The fire burning inside could clearly shine through, illuminating the cave.


    Above the firece, there was a metal disc for conducting heat for cooking.


    This craftsmanship, this design...


    Doctor Xupared it to the crude fire pit in her own underground den...a feeling of hard-to-describe heartache emerged.


    Look at what others have; they can even make a fire and cook food, drink hot water on rainy days.


    And herself, once the door is closed and venttion is insufficient, she didn''t dare to start a fire and cook inside the safe house. Otherwise, before the food was cooked, she might be suffocated by the smoke.


    Looking at this warm and transparent firece, Doctor Xu''s eyes were filled with longing, just like a wild dog that hadn''t eaten for ten days, seeing a piece of smoked meat that could fill its belly.


    That greedy desire to pounce on it and take the whole firece home was so strong that even Yu Hong at her side felt a shiver.


    "Did you make this firece yourself?" Doctor Xu couldn''t help but ask. Even though Old Yu was in trouble, her own cravings were overwhelming.


    "Uh-huh, it took a long to gather the materials and it can''t be replicated anymore. The main body isn''t something I can make; I just fitted it into the wall," Yu Hong replied quickly.


    "That''s nice..." Doctor Xu''s eyes stayed glued to the firece, God knows how long it had been since she had slept peacefully by a stove.


    At night, once the door was closed, she mustpletely extinguish the fire, otherwise, she would most certainly suffocate in the room.


    And now, the temperature was starting to drop, and at night her underground den was cold and damp, with a smell of mildew everywhere...


    But here, not only was there no hint of dampness, but it was also warm as spring...


    "Let''s go, didn''t you say Old Yu was in trouble? We should head over," Yu Hong urged from the side.


    Doctor Xu reluctantly touched the firece one more time, then turned and left.


    "You don''t have to extinguish the fire?" she asked.


    "No need; when the wood burns out, it will extinguish by itself. It will also help to dry out the room," Yu Hong replied.


    The two of them locked the door and quickly headed toward the gathering ce near the post office.


    Ten minutester.


    When the two arrived at the post office, Jenny and her daughter were already standing at the stone house entrance, holding a device and testing everywhere.


    The screen of the device was red, shing with a changing number.


    Seeing Yu Hong and Doctor Xu arriving, Jenny''s face turned grave and she came closer.


    "Something indeed has happened, the Red Value inside has reached over a hundred!"


    "What does that mean?" Yu Hong asked.


    "It means there''s something like a shadow in the underground shelter at the post office," Jenny replied. "But what''s strange is that I''ve checked, and both the basement door and the venttion ducts remain unopened. Old Yu wouldn''t have left luminous stone bags behind the door either."


    "So we need to smash the door open and see! Regardless of what happened, there are still plenty of dried meats and dried mushrooms at Old Yu''s ce, enough for us to eat for a long time; we must salvage them," Jenny quickly said.


    "We also need to consider where our next meals wille from. Old Yu''s ce definitely hasplete notes and tools for breeding," Doctor Xu added.


    "Don''t tell me we have to break down the door and go inside?" Aifu, Jenny''s daughter, couldn''t help but interject. "It''s definitely dangerous inside; I''m not going. Whoever wants to go can go, but I''m not going!"


    Herplexion changed slightly, she stepped back, and wore an expression that said this had nothing to do with her.

 Chapter 35: Trouble One

    <h4>Chapter 35: Trouble One</h4>


    "If you don''t go down, there won''t be any food... Aifu." Jenny whispered, frowning as she persuaded. "I''ll go down, you just support me from above, okay?"


    "Alright... then mom, be careful," Aifu responded in a low voice. As soon as she heard she didn''t have to go down, she immediately stopped objecting.


    "Enough talk, let''s start," Dr. Xu said irritably, shooting Aifu a re.


    She stretched out her hand toward Yu Hong.


    "Give me the items, I''ll open the door."


    "Better I do it," Yu Hong shook his head, carrying the Stone Carving Set, and walked to the door of the post office''s stone building.


    "First this door, then where is the entrance to the basement?"


    "It''s inside the house, so we have to open two doors," Dr. Xu replied.


    Without saying another word, Yu Hong took out a hammer and chisel, aiming at the door lock, and started pounding.


    Thud after thud echoed continuously.


    After dozens of hits, finally, the stone building''s door lock was smashed into pieces, sawdust scattered around, and a fist-sized hole was made where the lock was.


    The wooden door loosened up.


    Yu Hong drew back the hammer, took a step back, and kicked forward.


    Bang.


    The wooden door remained still.


    "Wait!" Dr. Xu, at a loss for words, reached out and grabbed the doorknob, pulling it outward.


    With a creak, the door gently opened, revealing the dim interior.


    "Okay then..." Yu Hong muttered, putting away his tools.


    The group stood at the doorway, their first sight being a mesh bag lying on the ground.


    Inside the red mesh bag were chunks of gray-white luminous stones.


    But at this moment, all these luminous stones had turned pale white. It was clear they had all been consumed.


    Seeing the consumed bag of luminous stones, the group exchanged nces, their expressions growing solemn.


    "All the luminous stones are used up... clearly, a shadow has been down here, everyone be careful. In this dark environment, shadows like to hide," Jenny was the first to speak; in fact, her skills were the best among the group.


    "I''ll go in first." After thinking, Jenny pulled out a round Large Pyroxene Stone from her waist bag. This stone was made of the same material as the one Yu Hong had enhanced, but the patterns on it werepletely different, still the old simplified version.


    "Is that luminous stone marrow!?" Dr. Xu eximed in surprise. "This is no ordinary item, one can be worth ten regr luminous stones, and the price is extremely expensive, you actually have one?"


    "My husband left it to me," Jenny replied coldly. If it weren''t for the extremely dangerous feeling this time, she wouldn''t have wanted to use it. It was originally an emergency lifesaver.


    "Has it been many years? I heard there have been new changes to the rune on it recently, aplex version with better effects came out. Your version is outdated, why didn''t you go wash it off and repaint?" Dr. Xu asked curiously.


    "It can''t be washed off, and there''s no point in washing, these runes function as guides and aligners, they take effect the instant they are painted, even if wiped off afterwards, it has no impact," Jenny exined.


    As she spoke, she hung the Large Pyroxene Stone around her neck, pulled out a machete from the outside of her thigh, and held a Red Value detector in her hand, carefully walking into the door.


    She went in first, Dr. Xu was in the middle, and Yu Hong brought up the rear. As for Aifu, who didn''t want to go down, she stayed at the entrance to the stone building to keep watch.


    The three of them lined up and walked in, quickly arriving in the stone building''s main hall.


    On the floor of the main hall was an open basement door, leading to a dark and gloomy entrance.


    Bursts of cold air flowed from the entrance, spreading out and making the whole stone building seem exceptionally cold.


    The three exchanged nces, Jenny took out an atomicmp shlight, aimed at the entrance, and slid open the shlight cover, instantly casting greenish fluorescent light inside, illuminating some rusty silver metallicdders.


    "I''ll go down first, don''t rush in after me, wait until I call you," she took a deep breath and instructed the others.


    "Okay!" Dr. Xu responded, and Yu Hong nodded in agreement.


    Once she was sure they were alright, Jenny flipped her body and gently clung to the metallicdder, climbing down like a monkey.


    In a short while, she reached therge hall of the basement, about ten meters deep.


    While Jenny was down, Dr. Xu took out a hand-drawn map, unfolding it for Yu Hong to see.


    "The main structure below is a series of corridors, and we''re going down into the intersection area of all the corridors, with this ce at the center, linking three corridors around it, each with many rooms and storage areas. This ce was initially built as a refuge, intended to protect against massive casualty weapons in war," Dr. Xu sighed, "I just didn''t think it would be used now."


    "Are the corridors very narrow?" Yu Hong looked down, frowning.


    "A bit, I''ve been down a few times before to bandage postmen. The corridors down there are at most a meter wide, also to save materials and space, and aren''t very tall either," Dr. Xu nodded.


    Yu Hong said nothing further, standing at the side of the basement, his hand unconsciously stroking the handle of the luminous stone Wolf Fang Club, his expression more serious than usual.


    Time slowly passed by.


    About five minutester, Jenny''s voice came from below.


    "It''s safe,e down, there''s nothing inside," her voice carried a hint of fatigue, apanied by the faint green light from the atomicmp shining up.


    Yu Hong and Dr. Xu nced at their luminous stones, ensuring there were no signs of consumption, then slowly climbed down the metallicdder.


    Both reached the central hall of the basement, stepping onto the ground, surveying the surroundings.


    Under the green light, three corridor entrances were spread around the walls of the hall, like three dark, terrifying caves, constantly blowing out cold winds.


    "I''ve found the room where Yu Hong used to stay. Come with me...." Jenny said, holding a shlight, her tone somewhat low.


    "Did you find him?" Doctor Xu asked in a hurry, her expression tightening. It wasn''t that she cared about Yu Hong, but without him, their future food supply would be much more troublesome.


    "I don''t know." Jenny shook her head and turned to lead the way down one of the corridors.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The two followed her, moving through the dark hallway towards one of the rooms on the side.


    "Why doesn''t Yu Hong have more atomicmps to light this ce up? Isn''t he afraid with it being so dark?" Doctor Xu couldn''t help but ask.


    "He used to say that the radiation from the atomicmps was too strong and he was afraid of getting cancer. Now it seems...." Jenny didn''t continue. Among the three present, she had spent the most time with Yu Hong.


    Doctor Xu and Yu Hong were actually outsiders who were saved by Stuttererter on.


    So, Jenny knew Yu Hong the best.


    "He''s a coward, stingy, and lecherous... He even pursued me once...." She spoke and then sighed again.


    The other two were at a loss for words. Although Jenny was older, it was clear that she had a good figure, was fit and strong, and her face had hardly any wrinkles with well-maintained skin. Also, during this time, everyone''s skin had paled due tock of light exposure, making her have an air of a Western vampire beauty Yu Hong had once seen.


    So it was quite possible that Yu Hong had pursued her in the past.


    "This is the ce, be careful." Jenny held the Large Pyroxene Stone in one hand and looked at the slightly ajar iron door, her expression growing more serious.


    She used the tip of a mountain knife to gently tap forward, pushing the door open with the force from the knife tip.


    Creeeeak.


    The iron door slowly swung open, revealing a dimly lit bedroom inside.


    The room was empty. The bed in the corner was in disarray, as if someone had recently been there. The other furniture like desks and chairs were all normal, without any strange marks.


    Jenny was about to walk inside.


    Suddenly, she stepped back quickly, her breathing bing rapid.


    "Careful!!"


    She spread her arms, blocking the two behind her.


    "Look at the floor!" she quickly said.


    Yu Hong and Doctor Xu looked down at the same time.


    Scattered on the dark bedroom floor was a set of grey men''s work clothes.


    The work clothes were long-sleeved and long-pants, with a dirty, yellowed white shirt inside, and a pair of long rubber boots under the pant legs, shining a dim green light under the atomicmp.


    "It''s Yu Hong''s clothes and shoes..." Jenny said in a low,plicated voice.


    "There''s probably no one left..." Doctor Xu said, looking at the remaining clothes, her mood also dampening. Themunity, already sparse in numbers, now had one less person, and crucially, the person who managed their food production had died. This was a significant blow to them.


    She crouched down and reached out to pick up Yu Hong''s clothes.


    Suddenly, her pupils shrank, and she quickly stood up and stepped back.


    "Wait! Everyone back off! Don''t touch these clothes!!"


    Upon hearing her words, Jenny and Yu Hong didn''t hesitate, quickly backpedaling.


    "What''s going on!?" Yu Hong also grew anxious, gripping his club tightly and looking around.


    "Look at the back of the clothes!" Doctor Xu said through clenched teeth, her voice trembling.


    Yu Hong quickly looked over using the light from the atomicmp.


    He saw that Yu Hong''s clothing, just flipped by Doctor Xu, had a clear ck handprint on its back sleeve!


    "A ck handprint!!?" His heart sank. He had just heard about the features of the Withered Woman, and now he had seen this peculiar ck handprint.


    "We need to get out of here!! This ce isn''t safe!!" Jenny made a decisive decision and turned to leave.


    The other two felt a chill in their hearts and quickly followed.


    The three of them didn''t dare touch anything and quickly returned to the hall, climbing up thedder back to the stone house.


    Thump.


    Jenny stomped the basement entrance shut with a metal lid.


    "We can''t go in there anymore!" she dered firmly.


    "Yu Hong didn''t escape on his own! Now thinking about it, he must have contracted the ck handprint long ago, so he was driven out and couldn''t be relocated with us!" Doctor Xu''s face turned pale, "This old guy actually hid this from us! I was in contact with him, I hope I haven''t been infected too?"


    "Let''s check each other carefully. I heard that as long as there was no direct contact, it usually doesn''t spread. The ck handprint can seep through the clothes," Jenny gasped, her scalp tingling with anger. After all, Old Yu''s secrecy might bring disaster to everyone here.


    "Let''s check each other out," Yu Hong finally spoke after a long silence.


    All three went quiet for a moment.


    Then, they slowly stepped back, each checking the others for any ck handprints on their bodies.


    A few minutester, fortunately, none of them had been infected, relieving them significantly.


    "We can''t stay here, let''s get out first," Jenny said gravely.


    "What about the food?" Yu Hong asked. "Without Yu Hong, we''ll have to figure out our own food supply. Just wild vegetables won''t be enough."


    "I roughly know some of Yu Hong''s farming processes, let''s try to figure it out, and if it doesn''t work, we can go down and look again," Jenny replied.

 Chapter 36: Trouble Two

    <h4>Chapter 36: Trouble Two</h4>


    Suddenly, the three of them left the stone house. Jenny took the nervous Aifu at the door back with her.


    Doctor Xu and Yu Hong exchanged some candles for Large Pyroxene Stone and also went back to rest and repair.


    Carrying things with him, Yu Hong didn''t go straight back but first arrived at Old Yu''s former residence¡ªa cer that looked like a small earthen mound.


    He pulled open the cer door, and immediately a musty smell and the stench of rotting meat wafted out.


    Holding his stick and barely holding back his nausea, he carefully crawled inside.


    About ten or so minutester, he emerged from the cer, reeking, with a ck-covered notebook in his hand and strode away.


    He returned to the safe house in the cave.


    Yu Hong had returned to his regr rhythm of living. Exercising in the morning, going out to gather wood, find water, and dig for vegetables at noon, and in the afternoon, enhancing his reading with studies of the ck Mark.


    In the blink of an eye, two days had passed.


    Click.


    At noon inside the stone house, Yu Hong broke a dry twig into two pieces, shortening it to fit easily into the firece, then tossed it aside and continued with the next one.


    Suddenly, the corner of his eye caught the countdown timer behind the main door.


    The numbers there were now down to thest few minutes.


    "It''sing... Soon, I''ll know what the effect will be after enhancing to the limit...." His heart swelled with anticipation.


    Although the threat of the Evil Shadow had already reached the post office gathering ces, as long as he wasn''t infected and with the talisman array enhanced by the ck Mark on his side, he didn''t believe that shadow and Evil Shadow would be able to harm him without making a sound.


    The only thing he was somewhat worried about was how much effect the talisman array would have on Evil Shadow. Without a real test, no one knew if it could withstand the pressure.


    The few minutes quickly came to an end, and the countdown numbers abruptly dropped to zero.


    Hiss!


    A blur shrouded the talisman array behind the door, but it cleared in an instant.


    The talisman array that reappeared was nowpletely transformed; its originally gray-white lines had turned a faint silver after enhancement.


    The runes of the talisman array had changed from the previous Large Pyroxene Stone level to a new and far moreplex pattern, filled with many detailed gradations of depth.


    "It looks very effective... Just don''t know how it will work for real." Yu Hong looked at the talisman array with some joy, reached out to touch it, and felt its surface was unnaturally smooth, as if nothing had been carved on it.


    "Not bad, not bad.... Now, if I grind the Large Pyroxene Stone into powder and make it into luminous stone graphite, would the effect be even stronger?" He now had a rough grasp of the lower limits of the ck Mark.


    Indeed, each object could only be enhanced once, but if an enhanced object was processed further and adding a lot of one''s own things into it, then it could be enhanced again.


    The differencey in the majority of one''s own contributions to the mix.


    "It just so happens that the Evil Shadow might be nearby, and with those soldiers that came before, I must be careful at all times."


    These past few days, Yu Hong had also set up some simple rms around, such as threads tied between trees, hidden in the grass,pletely invisible if one didn''t look closely and slowly. But as soon as the threads were touched, they would instantly trigger the bells they were connected to.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The bells were found in Old Yu''s stone house but were now being used as rm lines.


    Snapping back to reality, Yu Hong went over to another corner, took a Large Pyroxene Stone, and started grinding it into powder, and mixed it with water and carbon.


    Soon, with skilled hands, he finished making a new batch of Large Pyroxene Stone graphite.


    This time, instead of engraving elsewhere, he picked up a prepared wooden board and meticulously started drawing the Great Luminous Stone Array.


    Theplexity of the silver talisman array runes was too great, and he had to carefully observe and even take into ount the variations in depth. He couldn''t learn it just yet.


    So instead, he chose the jade-like runes he was increasingly proficient in, which were the enhancement runes that came with the quality of the Large Pyroxene Stone.


    Quickly, within ten or so minutes, a new wooden board talisman array drawn with Large Pyroxene Stone graphite had taken shape under his hands.


    Following that, he stretched out his hand and pressed down, starting the enhancement.


    And it wasn''t just any enhancement, but one that aimed for the maximum limit.


    Before long, a new countdown appeared on the board: "2 days 1 hour 04 minutes."


    Yu Hong also appearedpletely drained, making the difficult decision to start the enhancement process.


    He nned to make as many preparations as possible. If Jenny and the others failed to sessfully breed the meat, he would have got to likely move food from Old Yu''s cer.


    As for how strong Evil Shadow actually was, he wasn''t clear, so he could only do the best he could.


    If it really came down to it, he would try to fumble through by himself with Old Yu''s notebook.


    But that was thest resort, as starting from scratch would surely lead to many failures and run into numerous problems.


    *


    *


    *


    In the blink of an eye, another five days had passed.


    In the post office gathering ce, in Jenny''s cave.


    "The increase period ising... we''re running out of dried meat... Mom, is there any hidden food left? I''m so hungry!" Aifu slumped on her bed, flipping through a romance novel.


    "Didn''t you just eat?" Jenny''s voice came from the workroom. "I gave you all the dried meat, and we have none left at home; I''ll go see Doctor Xu tomorrow to see if I can borrow some."


    She had already given most of the food to her daughter, but after five days, she still had not managed to grow edible mushrooms.


    Growing mushrooms was the first step in breeding lizards, but now, she didn''t even know where to begin. She had seen Old Yu sprout mushrooms so easily and quickly before and thought it would be simple, but now it seemed... too slow...


    "But Mom, I''m really hungry..." Aifuined, "You''ve already borrowed from Doctor Xu before, he surely has none left."


    "Endure it for now; we''re almost there. Let''s just make do with mushrooms and wild vegetables for now," Jenny said helplessly.


    Old Yu''s disappearance had left her, who had nned everything so well, in a difficult situation. She had nned to breed her own food, but she hadn''t expected Old Yu to return midway, so she thought she didn''t need to worry about food and stopped her efforts.


    And now, just when it was time to resupply food, Old Yu was gone!


    This had left Jenny and Doctor Xu in a state of hunger due to theck of food.


    "There should be some at Old Yu''s house, right? Why don''t we just go take it?" Aifu said discontentedly. "He''s gone anyway, so doesn''t that mean we can take it as we please?"


    "No, what if we get infected with the ck Handprint?" Jenny was startled and sharply retorted. "I can deal with any trouble for you usually, but this time you must listen to me! You must, must, must not go to Old Yu''s ce, it''s very dangerous!!"


    Seeing her mother so determined, Aifu could only nod to show that she definitely wouldn''t go.


    However, her eyes were darting about, and as she lowered her head and touched her shrunken, hungry belly, it felt like her whole body was burning with a fever, craving meat, meat, meat.


    Deep down, she became increasingly preupied with the thought of all the food stored at old Yu''s ce. Rumor had it that old Yu even had candies and drinks that were brought in from the town. If she could get her hands on those, it would be so awesome!


    "People have been dead for so long now, that ''ck Mark'' must have faded away already. Besides, I''m just going in to grab some stuff before leaving; I''m not touching any ''ck Mark'', there surely won''t be a problem!"


    She scoffed at the idea internally.


    As the high-risk period was quickly approaching, the reserves of dried meat at home were running low. Without quickly stockpiling some, she might not perish from the bugs but could very well starve herself to death.


    Now that the supplies and canned goods left by her old man at home were finally finished, everything had to be replenished from the outside. If she didn''t go out now, she would lose the strength to do so when hunger struck.


    While Aifu paid lip service, she sneaked out of the burrow the moment her mother left to borrow food from Doctor Xu.


    She didn''t wander around unnecessarily and soon arrived at the stone house with the smashed door. Then, turning on her atomicmp shlight, with a hint of fear on her face but driven by her unbearable hunger, she hesitated briefly before finally taking the plunge and dashing inside.


    Before long, she crept out, carefully making her exit from the basement.


    Fearing that her mother would discover and scold her, she only managed to take a small package of snacks from the door. These were snacks she had hidden for herself, resolutely deciding she must not let her mother find out, or else she might face a beating.


    After returning, Aifu carefully hid the snacks. Sure enough, her mother didn''t notice, which gave her a great sense of aplishment.


    The next day, she made excuses to go out and collect firewood, but instead she went to old Yu''s basement, lit the candles there, rummaged for food, and indulged in a good meal.


    The third day was the same...


    As time slowly passed by, Aifu failed to notice that with her constant entering and exiting of the stone house''s basement, the ce where she went inside had gradually moved further in from the initial basement entrance.


    With no incidents urring, her vignce slowly decreased, and day by day, she carefreely lit candles in the basement, feasting to her heart''s content.


    Soon, after wiping out a room''s supply of dried meat, she moved on to opening the next room.


    As more time passed, eventually, she arrived at the bedroom where old Yu had been attacked before.


    In the pitch-ck hallway, candles were lit at intervals, offering Aifu substantial reassurance.


    After secretly feasting for so many days, she was utterly convinced that there was nothing wrong with the ce, no danger at all. Her mother and Doctor Xu were just scaring themselves.


    Humming a little tune, she approached old Yu''s bedroom door and observed the scattered clothes on the floor, also noting the ck Mark on the sleeve.


    "As long as I don''t touch the ck Mark, it''s all good, right? They make it sound so scary, but see, there''s nothing wrong?" Aifu stepped over the clothes and into the bedroom.


    Using the light from the candle in her hand, she quickly searched the bedroom, looking for food and nice things.


    The dark and chilly basement waspletely lit up by old Yu''s candles, illuminating every corner.


    It really did seem that people don''t treasure what''s not theirs, as Aifu was now wastefully enjoying these supplies that originally belonged to old Yu.


    After a thorough search, she soon let out a cheer, finding a piece of white chocte in a cab.


    "This is tasty!" she popped it into her mouth, humming with satisfaction.


    Snap.


    At that moment, a soft sound came from the bedroom doorway.


    Aifu froze, turning her head to look carefully. She noticed that one of the candles at the room''s entrance had gone out.


    Snap.


    As she turned to look at the doorway, there was a small sound beside her, and, to her surprise, the candle in her hand also went out.


    Aifu hurriedly turned back, but saw nothing.


    Looking around at the room that was gradually darkening, she started to feel afraid.


    ''I need to get back...'' She took two nervous steps backward, rushing towards the door.


    And just as she was about to step over the pile of clothes at the door,


    Whoosh!


    Suddenly, two candles at the corridor''s entrance were blown out.


    Now, only two candles remained alight in the hallway.


    Aifu was so startled that she shivered, her foot slipped, and she fell backward,nding on her butt.


    Thud!


    She sat down hard on the ground, her buttock aching from the impact.


    As she hurriedly tried to stand up, suddenly, her whole body stiffened.


    Looking down,


    she was sitting right on top of old Yu''s pile of clothes!


    "No... can''t be...!?" she felt a chill and her scalp tingled as she got up and ran out.


    However, shepletely failed to notice that a clear ck Handprint was slowly forming on her lower back.


    Whoosh!


    After she left, thest two candles in the corridor were instantly snuffed out.


    ***


    ***


    ***


    Before long, it was almost time for the high-risk period to start again.


    At this time, Yu Hong and Doctor Xu, along with Jenny, agreed to meet and trade supplies.


    Inside the safe house, Yu Hong meticulously prepared to bring everything he could. Having trained for some time, he had clearly improved his physical condition and now had an extra strand of cool qi inside his body.


    That meant he now had three strands of cool qi to utilize.


    "I hope Jenny can manage to secure the dried meat; otherwise... I can hold out for a while, but they surely won''t make it."


    After packing his things, Yu Hong opened the door, gazed at the bright sunshine outside, and strode out, heading toward the post office''s gathering ce.

 Chapter 37: Trouble 3 by Alliance Hierarch

    <h4>Chapter 37: Trouble 3 by Alliance Hierarch</h4>


    The sun was scorching, and the sensation of its rays on the skin was akin to needle pricks. The temperature had already climbed to at least thirty degrees.


    Yu Hong, fully armed, walked for a short while before he was drenched in sweat, but he dared not remove his gear.


    In this environment, he had to guard against not only the shadow and Evil Shadow, but also other people.


    So, he endured the heat.


    After walking for more than ten minutes, he quickly arrived at the post office gathering area.


    He waited in front of the stone house''s door for a while, watching the surroundings carefully while waiting for others to arrive.


    The gray-white stone house stood quietly amongst the dark green trees.


    The exterior of the house was full of blotchy, unidentifiable marks and the edges and corners were worn with signs of collision.


    Some green and gray-brown vines had climbed up to the roof.


    A breeze blew, stirring the branches and leaves of these nts slightly.


    Yu Hong looked down and his brows furrowed slightly.


    The ground outside the stone house seemed... the footprints were somewhat...


    "Yu Hong, you''re here early today?" Jenny''s voice came from behind.


    "Yeah, it''s about to be the surge period soon. Trouble ising, we need to prepare in advance. The problem now is how to solve the Food issue," Yu Hong turned around to face her.


    Jenny had changed into a form-fitting camouge outfit, looking tired with bloodshot eyes. Clearly, she hadn''t rested well.


    As she walked closer, an unpleasant sour stench drifted from her body¡ªit seemed that she didn''t even have time to wipe down.


    "I tried cultivating mushrooms, but the ones I grew werepletely inedible. All contaminated, toxic bacteria," she sighed.


    "The ones we usually eat should be Oyster mushrooms, right?" In the past few days, Yu Hong had gone through old records, which, whilecking detail on the cultivation process, detailed various problems encountered. This was akin to a collection of past mistakes, which was highly informative.


    Stalk mushrooms, simr to Oyster mushrooms, are non-toxic, thrive without light, and produce a substantial quantity when mature, making them suitable as supplemental Food.


    The key is that these mushrooms don''t require light, making them perfect for cultivation in their damp, enclosed environment.


    "Could it be that the cultivation process didn''t guard against other fungal spores? Contamination doesn''t just appear out of nowhere," Yu Hong spected.


    "I was careful, but it''s impossible topletely eliminate it," Jenny shook her head. "I heard that old Yu had his own incubator specifically for cultivating Oyster mushrooms. If we could get that, it should be easy."


    "Where''s the incubator?"


    "In the post office basement."


    Both fell silent for a while.


    No one dared to enter the post office basement anymore. Once marked by the Evil Shadow handprint, facing the Withered Woman, much stronger than the shadows, even the town''s united forces couldn''t withstand her, leaving them no choice but to evacuate. It wasn''t even worth mentioning regr people like them.


    "I also tried cultivating. I remember old Yu used to secretly dig up soil in some corners of the forest. I suspect specific soil is necessary for sessful mushroom cultivation," Dr. Xu''s tired voice came from the side of the two.


    She wore a ck long T-shirt and jeans, her lips chapped and herplexion pale.


    "Also, I must remind you that when trying to cultivate mushrooms, you must be wary of a disease known as ''mushroom lung.''"


    "Mushroom lung?" Yu Hong seemed to recall something, his expression changing slightly. He remembered seeing information about this disease online.


    "Yes, during the cultivation of mushrooms, when they are about to mature, they silently release spores. If these fungal spores are inhaled into the lungs, they can potentially cause mushroom lung disease. Symptoms include coughing, white phlegm, chest tightness, asthma, and sometimes fever, palpitations, nausea, etc.," Dr. Xu paused, "Of course, the disease requires prolonged exposure to mushroom spores to develop, so it is generally manageable if you''re careful, ventte properly, and wear masks."


    "No wonder... old Yu was always coughing... maybe there was already a problem," Jenny mused.


    "That''s possible, but talking about it now doesn''t help. The critical issue now is how to get Food," Dr. Xu changed the subject.


    The three exchanged nces, falling silent.


    A breeze blew, and the sunlight scorched their bodies, failing to provide any warmth.


    Without Food, they couldn''t survive a week.


    Yu Hong was still okay; he had protein bars, which couldst a day each, and some extra Food he had traded with old Yu, so his current food supply couldst another two weeks.


    But Jenny and Dr. Xu were in trouble. Judging by their appearances, they would likely run out in a few days.


    "We can only look for other sources of Food to tide us over if we can''t figure out the cultivation method," Jenny said grimly. It was clear she had thought about this before arriving. "As for what other food, I suppose no further exnation is necessary?"


    "Are you suggesting... scavenging other people''s ces?" Dr. Xu was the first to catch on. "Would that work? Surely, they would have taken everything?"


    "There''s definitely more underneath the post office, and I know a few holes where people died during the surge period... There''s surely something there, just that the doors are difficult to open," Jenny replied.


    "Shall we go?" Dr. Xu looked at Yu Hong. Ever since she visited his safe house, she had grown a subtle admiration for him, understanding he was not all talk but actually capable.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    It was just unfortunate that Yiyi had left so early, otherwise, following Yu Hong, they might actually have a shot at a better life.


    "Let''s take a look," Yu Hong nodded. If they could procure some valuable misceneous items from others, it would be worth it even if they couldn''t get any food.


    Especially the Red Value detector. He was quite envious of that device; if he could get his hands on one and enhance it, it might be very useful¡ªat least for environmental alerts.


    "That''s fine, I''ll lead the way shortly, just follow closely," Jenny nodded, as if she had anticipated their agreement.


    "By the way, where''s Aifu? Isn''t sheing out?" Doctor Xu suddenly asked.


    "She said she''s feeling unwell and is hiding in her bedroom alone, not sure what she''s doing. But she''s moving less so she''s consuming less, and I didn''t bother her," Jenny responded.


    "Speaking of which, wasn''t Aifu in town before? Why did she suddenlye back? Why didn''t she move with the town?" Doctor Xu curiously asked.


    "This... I''m not sure," Jenny''s face revealed a hint of difort, "It seems she offended someone in town, I don''t know the specifics. But you both know, Aifu is very beautiful, always attracting a lot of admirers."


    "That''s true, sometimes being too beautiful is not a good thing in these times..." Doctor Xu agreed with a sigh.


    Yu Hong was walking at the back, wiping off his sweat while listening to the conversation at the front. When he heard about offending someone, his expression also showed a thoughtful look.


    In the quiet woods, the three, carrying tools, left the stone post office and moved along a rain-washed stream, soon arriving in front of a small hillock.


    Below the hill was a crude iron door.


    The door was ck, painted, and areas where the paint had peeled off revealed yellow rust.


    Jenny stopped in front of the iron door, picking up a thick branch and knocked on the door panel.


    ng ng ng.


    The door emitted a dull sound.


    "This is Elxi''s dwelling, he and his father lived here, they both went to dig pyroxene ore in the distance one day, and then never came back."


    "Elxi... such a shy young man... both he and his father were good people... he even helped me chop wood..." Doctor Xu also remembered the person, sadness showing in his eyes. "Good people don''tst long in this world."


    "It has nothing to do with being good or bad, surviving is all about being careful enough," Yu Hong interjected.


    "That''s true," Doctor Xu nodded.


    The three fell silent and allowed Yu Hong to step forward with the chisel he had brought, and he began smashing the door.


    Bang bang bang!


    The iron door was already severely corroded and the lock was quickly smashed off.


    Yu Hong pulled the door open, and immediately a visible cloud of dust poured out.


    A mixture of mold and foul smell rushed into their nostrils.


    "What''s this stench!?" Jenny quickly stepped aside, covering her nose, her face contorted.


    "It''s a corpse..." Doctor Xu covered his nose and squinted into the cer.


    In the narrow cer, a grey-yellow corpse that had decayed down to skin and bonesy quietly on the ground, surrounded by tiny bugs.


    The corpse wore tattered long sleeves and pants, grey-white in color, with an arm wrapped in a bandage and a pair of ck sses on his head.


    Hey with his face turned to the side, his eye sockets eaten away leaving only two gaping holes, staring straight out as if desperately yearning to leave even in death.


    "It''s Elxi... I was the one who bandaged him up... Didn''t expect him to havee back..." Doctor Xu recognized the identity of the corpse, his eyes suddenly showing a hint of sorrow.


    "What a pity... he was a good young man..."


    "Don''t feel sorry, we don''t have much time," Yu Hong stepped beside the body, holding his breath as he entered the cer.


    After rummaging around, he quickly found two bags of jerky, a bag of dried mushrooms, and a half-eaten bag of dried wild vegetables.


    "The food is still here, he didn''t starve."


    He walked to a corner where a fire pit was located, picked up a crumpled aluminum kettle from it, shook it, and still, half a kettle of water was inside.


    "There''s still water, he didn''t die of thirst."


    "It was the shadow."


    Doctor Xu bent down and picked up a bag of powdered Pyroxene from the ground. The powder still faintly showed traces of red runes.


    Yu Hong shook his head, took the food out, and after checking it was okay, he divided it among the three.


    Then the three moved on to the next house.


    They kept smashing open cers, and with time passing, they visited other survivor''s safe houses that had been abandoned.


    Some were empty, with nothing inside. From others, they found some food.


    After visiting five safe houses, each of them ended up with two bags of jerky, a little over one bag of dried mushrooms, and dried wild vegetables, which somewhat resolved their urgent needs.


    After searching through thest house, Jenny nced at the sky.


    "We still have time, we could make a trip to the nearby Pyroxene Ore Mine, smash some pyroxene to take back as a reserve, shall we?" she looked at the others.


    "How far is it from here?" Yu Hong asked.


    "From here, about two kilometers, but the paths in the woods are much tougher than on t ground, so we must hurry if we''re going," Jenny replied.


    "Let''s go tomorrow; it''s too rushed now, in case something happens on the way, and we end up stranded outside overnight, that would be dangerous," Yu Hong frowned.

 Chapter 38: Trouble 4 by Alliance Hierarch

    <h4>Chapter 38: Trouble 4 by Alliance Hierarch</h4>


    Jenny nced at Doctor Xu and noticed she also seemed to agree.


    "Alright, let''s head back first. Anyway, our food should be enough to get us through this peak period."


    After reaching an agreement, the three of them hurried back. Along the way, they also picked up some dry firewood.


    The journey out was slow, but the return was much quicker. It took them less than twenty minutes to sessfully get back to the gathering ce at the post office.


    Just when they were about to part ways, Yu Hong suddenly thought of something and spoke up.


    "Oh right, Jenny, I remember it was several days from when Brother Yu came back until the incident happened, right?"


    "Yes, it definitely was several days." Jenny nodded.


    "Does that mean that even if someone is infected, they can dy for several days and infect others?" Yu Hong frowned, "Then the question arises, what is the mode of transmission for the handprint? Do you know?"


    "Contact, it should be contact," Jenny replied. "As long as you touch the handprint, or an individual bearing the handprint, you might get infected."


    "I see..." Yu Hong nodded, nced at Doctor Xu while holding his stuff. "Since it''s contact transmission, then who did Brother Yue into contact with when he first came back?"


    "...." The other two fell silent.


    As they recalled carefully, a chill ran through both of them. Brother Yu, a butcher, had contact with almost everyone. From this point of view, any of them could be infected.


    "Let''s check again, everyone be careful...." Yu Hong paused, his eyes drifting towards the stone house.


    "Also, there''s something else...."


    "Mom!" Suddenly, Aifu''s voice came from not far away. She looked somewhat haggard, wearing a grey sweater and ck long pants, and quickly walked towards them.


    As she approached, she didn''t even nce at the food in her mother''s hand. Instead, her eyes swept over andnded on Yu Hong, lighting up with delight.


    Immediately, she walked quickly towards Yu Hong.


    "Yu... Brother Yu," she forced a sweet smile, pushed out her chest slightly, subtly entuating her body curves. "I heard you can make Large Pyroxene Stones, do you have any left with you? Could you sell me some more?"


    "Aifu!" Jenny, standing beside, couldn''t stand it and scolded.


    "It''s okay, Brother Yu is a good man, mom doesn''t need to worry." She discreetly moved another step forward and reached out to hold Yu Hong''s hand.


    "Stop!" Suddenly, Yu Hong stepped back, his gaze cold, maintaining distance.


    "I have a question." He stared intently at Aifu.


    "What... what question!?" Aifu was startled by his loud voice, and she stopped in her tracks.


    Jenny, on the other hand, was wary of Yu Hong, silently cing her hand on the knife hilt on the outer side of her thigh.


    She was worried that Yu Hong might hurt her daughter. After all, too many people living alone had mental issues these days.


    Without saying another word, Doctor Xu also grasped the handle of the short knife tied around her waist, quietly moving closer to Yu Hong while watching Aifu and Jenny.


    Obviously, she trusted Yu Hong more than Jenny and her daughter.


    Amidst this tension, the four of them split into two sides, faintly confronting each other.


    "Don''t be nervous, I just want to ask a question...." Yu Hong stepped back, gesturing for Doctor Xu to also keep her distance.


    "The footprints at the entrance of the stone house at the post office.... apart from ours from the day we left, there was another set, whose are they?!"


    His gaze fell on Jenny and Aifu.


    "Don''t lie, I remember the shape of the footprints from when we left that day. But today when I came, I noticed the footprints were different. Someone definitely went in and out of the stone house more than once after that!"


    Upon hearing this, theplexions of all three changed.


    Jenny and Doctor Xu were puzzled and fearful, while Aifu was simply panicked.


    Jenny nced and immediately noticed something off about her daughter. She knew her daughter too well. Whenever Aifu was panicked, her body would stiffen, she would slightly lower her head, avoiding eye contact, and unconsciously press her hands on the outer sides of her thighs, wiping off the sweat that seeped through her palms.


    "Aifu!!" She suddenly shouted loudly, the sound echoing through the forest.


    "Was it you!?" She clenched her teeth, looking at her daughter in shock, her eyes slightly bloodshot, staring intently, hoping her daughter would respond with a ''no''.


    But Aifu''s reaction swiftly dashed her hopes, plunging it into despair.


    Puff.


    Aifu covered her face with her hands, standing still, herplexion pale.


    It took a good while before she slowly turned around.


    Indeed, the three of them could vaguely see a small ck handprint on the left side of her buttocks.


    The reason she changed into ck pants was obviously to hide the gradually emerging ck handprint on her body.


    If it hadn''t been for Yu Hong raising doubts, Aifu herself couldn''t resist interrogating, and the three of them wouldn''t have noticed the handprint on the ck trousers without careful examination.


    Upon seeing the handprint, Yu Hong and Doctor Xu didn''t say a word and quickly moved away.


    "We''ve found the food this time, let''s all disperse and calm down for a while," Yu Hong quickly said.


    "Jenny." Doctor Xu called out, noticing that Jenny didn''t seem to intend on keeping her distance from her daughter. She couldn''t help but remind her.


    "One person being infected may still be repelled by the Large Pyroxene Stone... but it''s different with two!" she paused, "And another thing."


    Doctor Xu''s gaze turned fierce, staring at Aifu.


    "Keep an eye on your daughter."


    Her words were quite discourteous.


    Jenny stiffened, her eyes reddened, as though she hadn''t heard the reminder, but just stubbornly turned her head, gazing at her daughter.


    She stood motionless, her chest heaving dramatically, with her back to Yu Hong and Doctor Xu and crouching down slowly with Aifu, as if she was deaf.


    Doctor Xu didn''t speak again and quickly left with Yu Hong, carrying some items.


    The two checked each other as they left, one after another, spinning around to make sure there were no ck handprints on their bodies. After confirming they were clean, they both breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Aifu definitely intended to infect us!" Doctor Xu gritted her teeth.


    "Why would she do that?!" Yu Hong took out a Large Pyroxene Stone from his chest, which had changed color halfway, and let out a breath. It was this stone that had alerted him; initially, he was not sure who had entered the stone house. However, once the Large Pyroxene Stone reacted, he quickly identified the target.


    "There must be some benefit, otherwise she alone, and Brother Yu alone, wouldn''t conceal it and make contact with others deliberately," Doctor Xu spected.


    "I''ve always felt something was off," Yu Hong spoke. "With a personality like Aifu''s, in such a tough environment, how can she stillck any sense of vignce? With shadows and bugs all over, hasn''t she been frightened?"


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Speaking of which," Doctor Xu revealed a hint of reminiscence, "Aifu truly is different from normal people. At the earliest, when I remember Jenny''s family first arrived, her father was still here¡ªa very frail old man with utterly pale face. He was much older, at least twenty to thirty years older than Jenny. And..."


    "And what?"


    "And at that time, Aifu rarely came out. It was usually her parents who appeared," Doctor Xu recalled, leaning against a tree trunk.


    "Later on, Aifu''s father suddenly said he wanted to go out one day, and then he never came back. After that, Aifu began to go out. That girl is quite impressive, don''t be fooled by her naive appearance; she''s actually a linguistic genius, knowledgeable in four foreignnguages and deeply versed in ancient linguistics. I don''t know why their family moved here."


    "Any other anomalies?" Yu Hong pressed.


    "Just one more thing," Doctor Xu suddenly frowned. "Their burrow, no one has ever entered. They also don''t allow others to visit. Plus, several times during peak periods, when everyone was barely surviving and several people died, their family was always fine."


    "This seems to indicate some issues," Yu Hong nodded, assessing the situation based on what Doctor Xu had reported. They seem to have some hidden secrets.


    "Definitely. After Aifu went to town before, she even brought back two men who pursued her, but they quickly disappeared without a trace. I always feel something is wrong with this girl," Doctor Xu said, frowning.


    "Let''s avoid getting close to them for now, and if there''s any problem,e find me immediately. Also, report any abnormalities," Yu Hong took out another Large Pyroxene Stone from his waist pouch.


    "I''ll lend you a Large Pyroxene Stone for now; remember to be cautious. The Large Pyroxene Stone emits a slight heat when it changes color, carry it close to your body, and it can help identify many dangerous ces."


    He handed the Large Pyroxene Stone to Doctor Xu. Regardless, she was the only medical personnel nearby and was also his acquaintance with decent nature. If he could help, he would.


    "Thank you!" Doctor Xu''s eyes flickered, her expression showing a touch of emotion. She quickly took the Large Pyroxene Stone, "I''m currently researching a type of herb, mostly made from wild herbs and minerals found nearby. It is very helpful for external infections, and I''m close to a breakthrough. I''ll provide it to you for free once it''s ready!"


    "Great!" Yu Hong''s eyes lit up, not expecting an additional gain, "Be careful."


    "I will!" Doctor Xu nodded emphatically.


    The two parted ways under the tree, each headed back to their respective dwellings.


    When Yu Hong returned to the safety cave as dusk was falling,


    Yu Hong ced the firewood in the corner, started a fire, and began to cook.


    Sitting by the firece, he carefully recollected the details about Jenny and Aifu, his brow increasingly furrowed.


    ''Evil Shadow has been getting close, silently reaching people around me. It seems Aifu is definitely doomed. If Jenny stays with her and does not decisively separate, she too is bound to die. In this case, it looks like soon only Doctor Xu and I will remain... The food problem has not been solved, and we''re down two members...''


    He sighed. He stirred the bottom of the fire with a stick to allow more airflow.


    The bright firelight flickered on his face, shining intermittently.


    After adding the wood, Yu Hong got up, checking the talisman array still being fortified on the cave walls. He had set up talisman arrays in all parts of the cave walls, but it was a general fortification, not an extreme one.


    At this moment, numerous talisman arrays densely covered all the walls and floor, aimed at preventing material-prating Evil Shadow and shadow from entering the cave.


    The threat of Evil Shadow was within close reach; he must prepare to the utmost extent.


    These talisman arrays spread throughout the cave were the first step.


    The second step was to create a temporary Array te that could be carried and used. The purpose of making this was to go to other ces to test the defensive range of the talisman arrays.


    Howrge an area a talisman array could protect was crucial information.


    Only after determining the area could he fortify this thing onto clothes, weapons, armor, and even on himself!

 Chapter 39: Secrets of the Number One Genius Girl Witch Alliance Hierarch

    <h4>Chapter 39: Secrets of the Number One Genius Girl Witch Alliance Hierarch</h4>


    The next day, Baiqiu Vige.


    A warm breeze was blowing, at the hottest part of noon.


    In front of the deste bungalows in the vige, a tall figure d in a grey and ck stab-proof suit slowly walked on the gravel path, as if inspecting the surrounding environment.


    The figure wore a helmet and carried a ck Wolf Fang Club, its spikes glinting with a faint silver in the sunlight, looking quite ferocious.


    Before long, the figure lifted its head, revealing Yu Hong''s expressionless, pale face.


    He paused and stopped in front of a slightlyrger gloomy stone house.


    Without a word, he quietly took a backpack off his back, opened it, and took out a palm-sized yellow wooden board.


    Embedded in the wooden board was a jade round Great Luminous Stone Array.


    He gently affixed the talisman array wooden board to the stone house door and then nailed it in ce lightly.


    After lowering his hand, he pulled open the door, gazed into the dark ckness inside, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.


    Soon, his figure disappeared into the darkness, plunging into silence.


    Time ticked away.


    Five minutester.


    Bang!!


    A figure suddenly burst out of the darkness and ran towards the door.


    It was Yu Hong.


    His expression was calm, and several spikes on the Wolf Fang Club he was carrying were bent.


    Hiss!


    Behind him, a woman in ck with her head smashed in was rapidly closing in, flickering, extending her ghastly pale, rotting right hand toward his back.


    Just as the woman''s hand was mere centimeters away from Yu Hong,


    Suddenly, he rolled forward on the ground and rushed out through a crack in the door, narrowly avoiding the grasp behind him.


    Caught off guard, the woman in ck smashed her hand against the door nailing the talisman array wooden board.


    Ahh!


    A sharp impalpable sonic wave burst forth, and the woman in ck''s right hand rapidly translucent, twisted as if being blown by the wind like mist, about to dissipate.


    Then her entire body seemed to be subjected to intense interference, twisting rapidly and stirring up numerous ripples.


    Puff!


    A few secondster.


    The woman in ck disappeared from the spot.


    And the talisman array wooden board on the door turnedpletely ash-gray, and the array patterns also frayed.


    After the scream, all returned to calm.


    On the gravel path, Yu Hong slowly stood up, his gaze fixed intently on the talisman array wooden board on the door.


    "The effect is even stronger than that of themonrge pyroxene stones... it seems that the power of the luminous stone and the talisman array is linked to the specific surface area of the talisman array..."


    This wasn''t even the most powerful silver talisman array but rather an ordinary Great Luminous Stone Array, and it managed to fend off a shadow.


    After taking down the nails and talisman array wooden board, he carefully assessed the range of the talisman array''s effect.


    Around the talisman array wooden board on the wooden door, there was a faint ring of ash-gray marks.


    These marks, like a circle drawn with lime, surrounded the talisman array itself. They had not been there originally but had emerged on their own after the talisman array made contact with the shadow.


    Yu Hong gently touched the marks, confirming they couldn''t be wiped off; they were already etched onto the wooden door.


    He withdrew his hand thoughtfully, judged the size of the circle. It was about three times the size of the talisman array.


    After jotting down some notes on a piece of newspaper with charcoal, he gathered his belongings and quickly left.


    After walking some distance, he suddenly felt a cold breeze behind him and quickly looked back towards the stone house he had just left.


    Inside, with the wooden door wide open, stood a blurry female figure in ck.


    It was the same woman shadow that had just been dispersed.


    But the woman shadow seemed to be reconstructing, her body gradually bing clearer from the blur.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Yu Hong diverted his eyes, estimated the time, recorded the data, and then hurried away.


    He soon left Baiqiu Vige, picking some dry branches on the way back to the cave.


    He took out the luminous stone ink again,pleted the broken lines of the talisman array on the wooden board, then pressed his hand on it.


    The lines shed, and a countdown automatically appeared on the board: 45 minutes.


    Afterpleting these tasks, Yu Hong went to the corner, took out a thin wooden board talisman array he had been working on since the day before.


    This talisman array was embedded in a very thin board, almost as thick as a mobile phone. He made over ten such boards, all piled in the corner,


    Since discovering that Aifu was infected with the Evil Shadow handprint, he had begun to fully prepare for fighting the Evil Shadow.


    Ordinaryrge pyroxene stones definitely couldn''t block it; this had already been tested by others, and the effect of a singlerge pyroxene stone was at most equivalent to a bag of ordinary luminous stones. And with so many people in the town dying overnight, it was impossible that no one had tried bags of luminous stones.


    Most likely, bag-contained luminous stones werepletely useless.


    Therefore, he needed a more potent solution.


    And the talisman array was his prepared trump card.


    Sitting in the corner, Yu Hong picked up a board and began drawing a Great Luminous Stone Array on it.


    Click.


    Just then, faint footsteps were heard outside.


    Click.


    Click.


    The sound was slow and rhythmic, stepping on dry branches and steadily approaching.


    As the sound drew nearer, Yu Hong stopped his drawing, carefully ced the board down, and stood up, clutching the Wolf Fang Club beside him.


    His gaze warily fixed on the door, he slowly moved forward, his footsteps synchronizing with the approaching sound.


    The peephole in the door was shut, only allowing glimpses of dim sunlight leaking through.


    Despite the bright and warming light, a strong, bone-chilling cold steadily rose from within Yu Hong''s heart.


    Click.


    Click.


    The footsteps were still approaching.


    Finally.


    The sound stopped.


    The owner of the footsteps seemed to have stopped near the door.


    He appeared to be pondering, hesitating, standing motionless.


    Yu Hong also reached behind the door, holding a Wolf Fang Club in one hand and two pieces of Large Pyroxene Stone in the other, gently pressing against the wooden door.


    One minute.


    Two minutes.


    Three minutes.


    The outside had bepletely silent.


    Yu Hong''s tense nerves gradually rxed. He nced at the Large Pyroxene Stone ced behind the door.


    This piece of Large Pyroxene Stone had silently consumed half its volume; now it had halted and regained its calmness.


    He sighed with relief. Reaching out, he pulled open the viewing window''s cover and looked outside through the window.


    Outside, the sun was shining brightly, the day was clear and empty, nothing in sight.


    Seeing this, Yu Hong exhaled a long breath, reced the Large Pyroxene Stones behind the door, then pulled the cover shut again.


    Bang!


    Just then, a ghastly white face fiercely pressed against the viewing window''s iron grid.


    With a loud noise,


    the rotting face squeezed into the grid, making the grid squawk, almost bursting at any moment.


    The face stared intently at Yu Hong, making another push.


    It actually managed to burst through the iron grid forcefully and squeezed into the room through the viewing window!


    Buzz!


    In an instant, the Large Pyroxene Stone behind the door turned into white powder. At the same time, the other two luminous stones in Yu Hong''s hand also shattered.


    These Large Pyroxene Stones could not stop the entrance of the face.


    And at that moment,


    the silver talisman array on the door''s back suddenly lit up with a hint of silver light.


    This higher-order talisman array, which took two days to enhance, suddenly erupted with a pure and powerful invisible fluctuation.


    The fluctuation spread like ripples, instantly covering the entire door and even the surrounding cave walls.


    As the fluctuations covered the area, the rotting face shed momentarily, vanishing like an illusion, disappearing from its spot.


    Everything instantly quietened down.


    The viewing window''s iron grid still remained damaged, but the face from just a moment ago hadpletely vanished.


    Sigh!


    Sigh!


    Sigh!


    Yu Hong, his body stiff, was just then catching his breath in big gulps.


    He had not been able to control his body at all just now.


    It was so sudden!


    The intense oppressive feeling from the attack had startled him, leaving him no time to react or handle it.


    By the time he snapped back to his senses, prepared to act, everything was over.


    "Not right!! There''s still a special force, forcibly holding me!" Yu Hong recalled carefully. Although he was no longer a neer to this environment, even if he were scared again, he shouldn''t have beenpletely immobile.


    But the feeling just now brought him back to the beginning.


    That feeling of terror...


    He looked down at his body, on the front of his jacket, a faint ck handprint was slowly fading, disappearing.


    "Was it the Withered Woman?"


    He guessed.


    Compared to the shadow, the intensity of the attack just now was far too overwhelming.


    Had it not been for the silver talisman array''s intervention, he might have been seized, facing an unforeseen and dangerous threat.


    He bent down to examine the silver talisman array carefully, noticing that the silver color on the array had faded a bit, evidently some of its power had been consumed.


    "Tomorrow is the peak period, it looks like I shouldn''t go out carelessly anymore..."


    Yu Hong checked the damage to the viewing window, stretched out his hand, ready to reinforce and restore it, but suddenly remembered there was something else on a countdown, so he had to wait.


    So, he simply pulled over a stool and sat down in front of the door to recover his strength.


    After a while, when the countdown ended, he began to ce his hands on the door, repairing the broken iron wires.


    The iron wire was quickly repaired, and Yu Hong began to replenish the spent silver talisman array.


    It took a full two hours for the silver talisman array to be restored to its original state, looking almost the same as before. However, internally, Yu Hong had a rough estimate of the potency level of the Withered Woman Evil Shadow.


    *


    *


    *


    Inside Jenny''s cavern.


    Aifu was aggressively wiping her buttocks with a wet towel, but no matter how much she scrubbed, the handprint remained unmovable, stark ck as ever.


    Herplexion was filled with panic, even appearing somewhat frantic. When her wiping efforts failed, she directly tried to grab a knife to cut the flesh off herself.


    Smack!


    A stick struck her hand from the side sharply, knocking the knife to the ground.


    The stick was held by Jenny, her expression icy, with a hint of panic, vigntly watching her surroundings.


    "Don''t do pointless things! You''re not dead, there''s still hope! Don''t give up on yourself!"


    "But Mom!" Aifu''s face was pale, and she looked up, her eyes already puffy from crying. "Even Old Yu has died...I can''t escape..."


    "Go into the istion room. Now!" Jenny said sharply.


    Startled, Aifu still gritted her teeth, quickly went to one wall of the bedroom.


    She moved aside a piece of bear skin hanging on the wall, revealing a silver metal door beneath.


    She pushed the metal door sideways, squeezed in, and quickly shut it behind her.


    "From today onward, you can only stay in there," Jenny said sternly, "until the handprintpletely fades. Did you hear me clearly!?"


    "...I heard you..." Aifu''s muffled voice came from behind the metal door.


    "Tomorrow is the peak period, I''m going out now to find a solution for you." Jenny put down the stick, picked up a bag of luminous stones, nced at the wind-up clock, and quickly walked out of the cavern.

 Chapter 40: Secret 2

    <h4>Chapter 40: Secret 2</h4>


    The sky was dusky yellow, on the verge of twilight.


    Before the cave safety shelter.


    Thud, thud, thud.


    A rapid session of knocks echoed.


    Jenny stood in front of the door, holding a knife in one hand and knocking with the other.


    "Yu Hong, got any business to offer?" She nced at the sky, knowing night was falling soon and that she must hurry.


    "What business?" Yu Hong moved behind the door, with just a door separating them as he asked.


    He hadn''t expected Jenny toe thiste, but it was also anticipated; sooner orter, she would show up.


    "It''s about my daughter, my mistake, I apologize to you. But everyone has their own interests, everyone wants to survive. I hope you can understand that," Jenny spoke quickly, her gaze vigntly scouring the surroundings.


    Yu Hong, within the door, just sneered at her words.


    She''d nearly infected him and Doctor Xu with that serious matter, and she framed such a grave situation so lightly.


    He had thought Jenny was still rtively normal, but now it seemed she was not much different from her daughter.


    "What are you trying to say? We have nothing to talk about," he responded coldly.


    "I want to buy all your Large Pyroxene Stones, for something you absolutely can''t refuse," Jenny insisted.


    "The peak period ising, and I don''t think there''s anything I couldn''t refuse," Yu Hong remained unmoved.


    "You might want to hear me out first," Jenny continued, not surprised by Yu Hong''s answer.


    She went on, "You certainly don''t know how Aifu and I happened toe to this ce. Baiqiu Vige is just a very remote vige, why would our family make the long journey here?"


    Yu Hong remained silent. From this perspective, it was indeed peculiar.


    "My husband was previously a researcher working with the Silver Tower Joint Research Institute. Silver Tower doesn''t just refer to one ce but to a consortium of research institutions spread across the world," Jenny continued.


    "In his research, he discovered some ces in the world that were the original sites where the ck Disaster first appeared and proliferated. Baiqiu Vige was one such case. So..."


    "So he brought me and our daughter here, in search of the origin. He taught Aifu from a young age, both of them well-versed in ancientnguages. They discovered an underground ruin near this vige."


    Jenny paused, exhaling.


    "Of course, these aren''t the most important things. The most crucial is that my husband took a liquid metal from inside Silver Tower, which could be used like spray paint; its name is ''Sunshine No. 1''."


    "This liquid metal is the only substance recognized in current research able to block and inste against shadows," Jenny said with a sigh.


    "I still have a small bottle of this metal, which I can use to trade with you. For all your Large Pyroxene Stones!"


    ''Sunshine No. 1?''


    ''There''s such a thing?''


    Yu Hong was half-doubtful, silent for a moment. Oddly, Jenny didn''t rush him but stood outside the door and continued.


    "Think it over. Right now, Aifu is hiding in a ''Sunshine No. 1'' room, temporarily insted from Evil Shadow, but she can''t hide forever. The moment she steps out, she might be immediately entwined by Evil Shadow. So, after the peak period, I wille again! I hope by then you have made a decision..."


    After speaking, Jenny quickly left the doorway and disappeared into the woods with agility like a panther.


    Not long after, she returned to her dwelling within the cave.


    Locking the door securely, she stood by the silver metallic door, where her daughter was.


    Crouching down, Jenny noticed the bag of luminous stones on the ground outside the silver metallic door had turned into white powder without her knowing when.


    Her face changed instantly.


    "Aifu, are you still there?" she asked urgently.


    "I''m here, Mom!" Aifu hastily responded from inside.


    "ording to the attack pattern, the next assault should be in six hours. I''ve judged using the Red Value detector that the environmental Red Value will peak above two hundred before the attack! Luminous stones can neutralize the Red Value as much as possible, preventing the peak and its materialization to assault. So all I can do now is find as many luminous stones and Large Pyroxene Stones as possible to ce by your side to neutralize the environmental Red Value!" Jenny said gravely.


    At this moment, she was entirely different from how she had presented herself to Yu Hong and Doctor Xu.


    She clearly knew so much more, without any concealment or pretense.


    "I understand... It''s going to be okay... It''s just this ck Mark that''s crazily driving me to infect more people. It gives me a feeling that, as long as I can infect enough people, I can avoid harm!" Aifu shouted back from inside.


    "It''s okay, just like before, with your father''s legacy here, I will cure you! It''s going to be all right, Aifu," Jenny consoled.


    "I believe you, Mom," Aifu responded in kind.


    Then, Jenny began to prepare food for the two of them, getting ready for the peak period.


    *


    *


    *


    Night slowly fell.


    Yu Hong stirred the fire in the hearth, simmering a pot of soup he had just added.


    The door and the silver talisman array were restored; now he had to keep the ck Mark, preparing it for whatever might be strengthened next.


    Jenny''s words from the afternoon kept echoing in his ears.


    ''Ancientnguages? A source point for the ck Disaster? Sunshine No. 1?''


    These things, these names, draped ayer of mystery over Baiqiu Vige, which he had thought was just any ordinary vige.


    In fact, Yu Hong had always been curious about one thing¡ªwhere did the red runes on the surface of the luminous stonese from? They didn''t seem like a product of modern technology.


    And in this technologically sound society, facing shadows and Blood Tide, there must be their own response methods. What were these methods?


    And now, Jenny had provided a possible answer.


    It was very likely Sunshine No. 1.


    Thinking of this, he stood up and walked to the corner, where he took out a stack of newspapers that had been moved from Stuttering Peng''s side and began to search through them page by page.


    Quickly, his movements paused as he picked out one of the newspapers.


    This newspaper carried a report that mentioned Sunshine No. 1.


    ''....Regarding the newly developed special liquid metal, Professor Peng Siwei tranted it as Sunshine No. 1. This liquid metal solidifies upon contact with light, and its initial discovery was around several ck Disaster origin sites. The production of its material is believed to have been generated alongside the ck Disaster.''


    "There really is such a thing..." Yu Hong''s face showed a hint of surprise.


    He then thought of Dr. Xu''s words, how Jenny and her daughter had encountered extremely dangerous high tide periods many times and had safely survived.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Combining that with Aifu''s out-of-ce demeanor and personality.


    Looking at it this way, Jenny and her daughter must have a secret, and not an ordinary one.


    "Judging from the tone of her voice just now, she seemed very certain that she and her daughter could withstand the high tide period. It might just be the effect of Sunshine No. 1."


    Thinking of this, Yu Hong felt a stirring of interest in his heart.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, a loud noise came from the direction of the front door.


    He turned to look at the wooden door.


    It appeared to be shaking slightly as if some giant animal was madly ramming it from the outside.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    The continuous, thunderous impacts were ceaseless.


    ck insects started to rush in through the venttion holes like sand.


    These bugs had ck shells, dense and short limbs, and fierce, centipede-like jaws.


    But no matter how ferocious they were, the moment they entered the safehouse, they were melted by the light of the fire, turned into ck smoke, and dissipated into nothingness.


    Yu Hong''s expression remained calm; the high tide period was not a significant threat to him now. He just needed to wait for Big Skin to leave and then quickly repair the door.


    Taking advantage of this time, Yu Hong kept an eye on the door''s integrity while constantly drafting standard talisman arrays and reinforcing them with the ck Mark.


    He drew all these talisman arrays on ordinary wooden boards and then stacked them together, linking them with wooden nails prepared beforehand.


    In this way, arge talisman array Array te made up of nine wooden board talisman arrays was sessfullypleted.


    During the full six days of the high tide period, Yu Hong had made three such talisman array Array tes. Two of them were made from simple talisman arrays, while thest one was built around a silver talisman array core, known as the Silver Core version.


    It was to be ready for the potential arrival of the Evil Shadow Woman at any time.


    Soon, the high tide period ended.


    The next day, at dawn.


    Yu Hong opened the door, ready to go out and gather dry wood, and soon he heard a soft sound of footsteps approaching.


    He returned to the stone steps at the entrance of the cave and looked out from a high vantage point.


    He saw Jenny and Aifu hurrying toward him from the distance in the woods.


    Six days had passed, and Jenny looked even more haggard; her eyes were dark and sunken, and she had lost a lot of weight.


    Her daughter, Aifu, was the same, her previously bright blonde hair had lost its luster, and she seemed fearful and apprehensive.


    But regardless, it had been six days... and she was still alive, her life not taken by the Evil Shadow, which itself was not normal.


    Seeing the two approaching, Yu Hong didn''t say a word. He quickly went back inside, closed the door, and quietly waited for them to arrive.


    His initial impression of Jenny and her daughter had already blurred, reced by a special sense of mystery with a tinge of enigma.


    Soon, the two stood outside the wooden door, separated from Yu Hong by only a door panel.


    "It''s been six days, what have you decided? Maybe you need to try its effects," Jenny''s hoarse voice asked from outside.


    "How do I know what you''re saying about Sunshine No. 1 is true? After all, you don''t have what I need, and the exchange between us is not equal," Yu Hong replied indifferently.


    "People always want to survive," Jenny said, "Is Aifu wrong for wanting to live?"


    "She''s not wrong," Yu Hong said, "But that has nothing to do with me. I have no reason to help you."


    "But we have no other choice..." Jenny said as she grasped a stick, with her daughter Aifu holding the other end.


    They were connected by this single stick.


    "I''ve told you, this has nothing to do with me," Yu Hong said calmly. He had no interest in dealing with someone like Aifu, who wanted to secretly infect others.


    "You have the ability! That makes it your business," Jenny raised her voice.


    "I have no obligation to help you," Yu Hong countered.


    "But we have no other choice," Jenny replied, "Don''t force us..."


    Her eyes grew more profound and dangerous.


    "How am I forcing you? By not having the ability to save you, am I forcing you??" Yu Hong was almost amused with anger, having only heard of such people before, never expecting to encounter them in real life.


    "Faced with the threat of death, people will do anything to survive," Jenny''s gaze became even calmer.


    Behind her, her daughter Aifu took a step forward, standing out.


    "But if you help us now, we will be very grateful to you," Jenny continued.


    "I don''t need your gratitude," Yu Hong said lowly.


    "Then we''ll die together," Jenny smiled. "From now on, Aifu will just sit by your door continuously, and if she dies here, the Withered Woman''s ck Mark will stay at your door forever, turning this cave safehouse into a breeding ground for Evil Shadows. The moment you leave, the Evil Shadow''s ck Mark will stick to you!"

 Chapter 41: Secret Three

    <h4>Chapter 41: Secret Three</h4>


    Jenny''s words were spoken lightly, but the expression that shone through her eyes was particrly icy.


    "Would you like to try, try and see if we can''t destroy this safe house of yours?"


    For a moment, the three people inside and outside the door all fell silent.


    Yu Hong remained silent, his expression changing, evidently pondering and hesitating.


    After a long silence, he slowly began to speak.


    "Such a trade is not fair. I need to know why you are so sure that with my help you can escape the assault of the Withered Woman Evil Shadow? That you can survive?"


    Outside the door, Jenny''s face remained impassive as she took a drink from her water bag. The moment she heard these words, she knew the other party was consideringpromise.


    "This was also one of my husband''s research topics. I can give it to youter aspensation for the trade. But you must help us get through this crisis first."


    "...How are you going to get through it?" Yu Hong asked.


    "Large Pyroxene Stones! Only enough Large Pyroxene Stones will do!" Jenny replied.


    "I can only give you three at most. That''s all I have in stock," Yu Hong replied, frowning deeply.


    "Three shouldst us a while, as long as we don''t face them head-on, they can hold out for quite some time!" Jenny quickly said, a hint of joy crossing her face.


    "But how do I ensure that you will keep your promise and tell me the secret to avoiding the Evil Shadow?" Yu Hong said.


    "...How about this? I''ll tell you part of it, then you ce two stones outside the door for us to pick up, and afterward, I''ll tell you the final part. Then, you give me thest stone," Jenny suggested quickly. "This is less secure for us, but it ensures your interest. What do you say?"


    "Agreed." Yu Hong fell silent for a moment before affirmatively replying.


    He stood up and went to a corner of the cave, where he dug out his stash of Large Pyroxene Stones. He had a total of five left.


    The Wolf Fang Club and the door often needed to be reced, so there were only these few intact Large Pyroxene Stones. After all, he had been researching the talisman array recently and the ck Mark couldn''t spare the time to create and restore the less cost-effective Large Pyroxene Stones.


    Taking out three of them, he returned to the rear of the door and sat down beside the stone wall.


    "I''ve got the items. You back away."


    "Okay." Jenny, too, had steadied her emotions somewhat. She took her daughter off the stone steps and backed away.


    From a distance, the two watched the wooden door of the cave closely, paying attention to every movement.


    About half a minuteter, the door emitted a crisp crack and slowly began to open, revealing a slit.


    A hand held a Large Pyroxene Stone and gently ced it on the ground outside.


    This was the first one.


    The hand withdrew, took out the second stone, and ced it beside the first.


    Crack.


    The door closed again.


    "Go!" Jenny''s face revealed joy as she quickly approached, climbed the stone steps, and picked up the two Large Pyroxene Stones from the ground.


    "Now you can tell me how you avoid the Evil Shadow, right?" Yu Hong''s voice came from behind the door.


    "I can tell you half," Jenny said, ncing at her equally joyful daughter, signaling her to back off a little.


    "The shadow and the Evil Shadow are actually the same. Before they attack a living person, they will cause a series of omens. We can detect these omens with instruments and make predictions in advance, preparing ourselves so they can''t appear and attack smoothly."


    She paused before continuing.


    "ording to my husband''s research, using the Red Value detector, as long as you keep the Red Value within a certain range, it will cause the shadow to hesitate, to waver, and to be indecisive."


    "Do they have consciousness?" Yu Hong pressed.


    "Uncertain," Jenny replied. "Anything else you want to ask?"


    "How do you know the Red Value range of the Evil Shadow?" Yu Hong asked with narrowed eyes.


    "Based on the average intensity of the shadow''s Red Value, adjusted upwards. It''s not difficult. The hard part is how to stabilize this value. Generally, whether it''s the shadow or the Evil Shadow, their appearance will cause the Red Value to spike rapidly, reaching the upper limit. This is the fundamental reason why we need your Large Pyroxene Stones," Jenny quickly said.


    Finally, Yu Hong mentioned, "Sunlight No. 1..."


    "The secret to evading the pursuit of the Evil Shadow is far more than enough in exchange for three Large Pyroxene Stones," Jenny said coldly. "If you want Sunlight No. 1 as well, more Large Pyroxene Stones will be needed for the trade!"


    "I have a few more questions, if you''re willing to answer them, I can give you another Large Pyroxene Stone," Yu Hong continued.


    "Four stones? Okay, but I need to judge the value of the questions."


    "Agreed!"


    The two quickly reached another agreement.


    "Now, first tell me the Red Value range you use to avoid the Evil Shadow. I''ll supply the third Large Pyroxene Stone," Yu Hong said.


    "Okay... The evasive Red Value range for the Evil Shadow is between 120 and 140! As long as it''s maintained within this range, the Evil Shadow will be in a state of almost appearing but unable to appear. However, maintaining this state will continuously consume and release Red Value. After half an hour, the Evil Shadow will retreat," Jenny replied readily.


    "Good, back away and I''ll give you the third stone!" Yu Hong also responded promptly. Although he wouldn''t truly believe it, it at least had reference value.


    "Okay." Jenny agreed and slowly backed off.


    But this time, she didn''t really back far away but instead circled halfway and hid on the left side of the wooden door.


    Then, with a single grab, she effortlessly climbed like a rock climber onto the wall on the left side of the cave door.


    After securing her position, she pulled out a ck-painted dagger from behind her waist with her right hand, aiming at the door.


    As soon as the door opened, her position would allow her to leap down in an instant and capture the person inside.


    With her professionalbat skills, it would take only seconds to subdue a frail man like Yu Hong.


    Seconds ticked by.


    Soon.


    Crack.


    The wooden door gently opened a crack.


    The crack widened and widened until it wasrge enough for a hand to stretch out and take out a Large Pyroxene Stone.


    At that moment, Jenny leaped from the side, firmly grasped the wooden door, and squeezed her body inside.


    As long as she could get behind the door, with her fighting abilities, Yu Hong would be no match...


    ```


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Click.


    A handgun was raised, aiming at her chest.


    Just as Jenny dived into the cave and was about to rise and pounce, pinning down Yu Hong.


    A dark muzzle had already been raised, targeting her.


    The gun barrel remained motionless, only a few centimeters from her chest, and the person holding the gun was Yu Hong.


    His expression was calm as he stretched out his hand and pulled the trigger without hesitation.


    Bang!


    Jenny was shocked, her body swiftly retreating, as she rolled sideways out of the door andnded with a thud on the ground, scattering droplets of blood.


    She was hit on the right side of her chest... At such close range, it was only thanks to the other person''s terrible marksmanship, or perhaps their ignorance about the recoil of the firearm.


    This oversight gave her the only chance at survival!


    Jenny was utterly stunned!


    The guy actually had a gun?! With a gun, he acted so cowardly?! So pretentious?!


    Her mind was in turmoil, experiencing for the first time the evil in people''s hearts!


    Yu Hong''s motives and intentions tumbled over and over in her mind, but she couldn''t figure out why he would do this.


    Struggling to her feet, she sprinted to her daughter''s side and snatched the wooden stick from her hands.


    "Run!!" shemanded harshly.


    The intense pain made her face contort slightly. But this pain only sharpened her mind further.


    She had been caught off guard this time, but once she took care of her wounds and got back, she had plenty of ways to kill Yu Hong.


    As long as he still had toe out to gather firewood, fetch water, or find food, she could ambush and kill him. If that didn''t work, thest few kinds of chemical poison powder left by her husband could be silently sprayed into his breathing holes and kill him imperceptibly!


    The two of them hastily ran towards the distance.


    Bang!


    Another shot rang out.


    Jenny fell to the ground in response, sprawling forward, with a patch of blood slowly seeping into her clothing on her lower back, spreading wider and wider.


    Aifu, pulled by her mother, fell to the ground with her.


    Seeing her mother''s injuries, Aifu was visibly stunned.


    After a few moments.


    She trembled, reaching out a hand to touch her mother, but dared not make contact due to the contagion of the Evil Shadow.


    "Run...!" Jenny propped up her face, palely instructing her daughter.


    Seeing no response from her daughter, she mustered all her strength.


    "Run!!" she yelled, shoving two Large Pyroxene Stones into her daughter''s hands.


    "Freeze, kneel down!" Yu Hong''s voice came from behind.


    He still held the gun, aimed at Aifu, and approached step by step.


    But Aifu panicked, grabbed the Large Pyroxene Stones, turned, and fled.


    She didn''t even nce at her mother on the ground again, frantically dashing towards the distant forest, stumbling and falling, then getting up again, not looking back, gradually increasing the distance.


    "If you don''t want Jenny to die, stay where you are and don''t move!" Yu Hong shouted, aiming at Jenny with the gun as he walked to her rear.


    His voice echoed in the woods.


    But unfortunately for him, Aifu appeared indifferent, as if she hadn''t heard a word, continuing to surge forward, soon vanishing into the depths of the forest.


    Yu Hong lowered his gun and looked down at Jenny on the ground, who had already bled arge pool on the grass, coloring a small area of the ground red.


    It looked like she was done for.


    "Got anyst words?" he asked indifferently.


    Different from the first time he had killed someone long ago, now he seemed to have adapted to the basic rules of this era and this environment.


    "Aifu... she''ll survive..." Jenny''s pupils had begun to dte. "She''ll live... to avenge me..."


    "A pleasant fantasy," Yu Hong said expressionlessly, no longer looking at her, and quickly headed towards the bunker where Jenny and Aifu had been living.


    He ran at full speed, chasing furiously.


    Finally, after using the second stalk of cool air.


    Thud!!


    Arge Wolf Fang Club viciously struck the back of Aifu''s head, knocking her to the ground.


    In the woods, on a grassy area some thirty or forty meters away from the post office, Yu Hong caught up with Aifu.


    Looking at the dazed girl on the ground, he nced around, then approached and pried the Large Pyroxene Stones out of her hands with the Wolf Fang Club.


    Of course, not with his hands, but with the Wolf Fang Club.


    Aifu was infected with the Withered Woman Evil Shadow, and who knew if direct body contact would also be contagious.


    "Goodbye," he said softly to the girl.


    "No... don''t!!" Aifu struggled, her voice as faint as a mosquito''s, tears streaming down her cheeks.


    Thud!


    Several more muffled sounds followed.


    Yu Hong turned, carrying the Wolf Fang Club and left. Only leaving behind Aifu, who hadpletely passed out on the spot.


    Blood kept flowing down Aifu''s forehead, more and more...


    Yu Hong didn''t kill her, after all, Aifu hadn''t been part of Jenny''s threats, and she was just an ignorant child.


    Young, and not understanding many things.


    So, he just broke her limbs and finally knocked her unconscious.


    ```

 Chapter 42: Secret Four

    <h4>Chapter 42: Secret Four</h4>


    Walking back to the safe house, Yu Hong''s heart kept churning with the image of the unconscious Aifu.


    He had actually wanted to kill her outright, but when it came down to it, he just couldn''t do it....


    He used to be just an ordinary person, an office worker; even though he had knocked out two soldiers in self-defense the previous time, he had never killed anyone!


    Yes.


    He had only knocked out two people; if they woke up in time, they could have survived.


    So, he hadn''t really killed anyone. As long as they didn''t die immediately by his hand, it didn''t count.


    And this time was the same...


    He couldn''t bear to kill, couldn''t bear to see a living, moving, and fussing life, an equal life, gradually fade away under his hands...


    That indescribable feeling made him feel increasingly nauseous, wanting to vomit.


    Perhaps he would get used to it in the future, but now, at least at this moment.


    He still had mercy in his heart... He was still just an ordinary person.


    When he arrived in front of the cave''s safe house, Yu Hong gave the unconscious Jenny a few more hits with his club, breaking her limbs.


    Then he took her keys and dagger before finally settling down in the house, starting a fire, stripping off his sweat-soaked clothes, and sitting bare-chested by the fire.


    Without moving, he just sat quietly, the three talisman arrays stacked beside him, within arm''s reach.


    He remained silent for a long time, perhaps over an hour.


    "Sigh...."


    Yu Hong sighed, his eyes showing a hint of confusion and sadness as he watched the mes dance in the firece.


    "I don''t want this...."


    He said quietly.


    "But this is the situation, this is how people are outside.... It''s not my fault...."


    He reached out, taking the handgun from its holster at his waist.


    This ck aurora-forged handgun was nowpletely out of bullets; the shots fired just before used up the two rounds he had left in reserve.


    Having no more bullets, it was time to try enhancing it.


    He held the grip of the gun, and Yu Hong silently invoked.


    ''Enhance firearm, direction: automatic bullet replenishment.''


    ''Insufficient integrity.'' The ck Mark clearly wasn''t going to be fleeced so easily.


    Turning a regr handgun into one with infinite bullets in one go obviously wasn''t going to happen.


    Yu Hong thought for a moment, then changed his approach.


    ''Enhance firearm, direction: reduce recoil, reload bullets once.''


    ''Insufficient integrity.''


    The ck Mark''s feedback still wasn''t enough.


    Yu Hong''s brow furrowed immediately, and he started trying other directions for enhancement.


    But it seemed that none of the directions allowed for replenishing bullets....


    When he recalled the previously enhanced items, many would automaticallyplete or evene with a repair function, like the door.


    So, he simply took a handgun and started with the most basic recoil enhancement.


    Finally, the countdown began, and the time was 32 minutes.


    Not too long.


    Yu Hong just sat and waited quietly, organizing his thoughts and future ns.


    In a short time, the countdown ended. The handgun in front of him blurred for a moment and then became clear again.


    The clear handgun still looked the same, but its appearance was obviously much newer, and the aurora manufacturing mark had disappeared.


    Yu Hong quickly picked it up, ejecting the magazine.


    It waspletely empty, which saddened him.


    "It seems that it still can''t replenish bullets, which means that bullets are considered a separate item from the handgun."


    He gave up on the gun and stood up to begin exercising.


    The Advanced Physical Training Method had given him a great deal of help up to now, not to mention his improved running speed and ease.


    After exercising, he had some thick soup, and the sky outside was gradually darkening.


    Yu Hong thought about Jenny and her daughter''s situation and there was a puzzle in his heart that he couldn''t unravel.


    "If we go by what Doctor Xu said, Jenny''s family is definitely not normal. Jenny herself obviously hasbat training and even carries a dagger. Her daughter, Aifu, is proficient in ancientnguages and several foreignnguages, which are impossible to teach in such a small ce due to insufficient educational resources."


    "So, this means they must have lived in arge ce with a good environment before, and strangely enough, even in order to explore the secrets of the ck Disaster, Jenny''s husband should not have brought his whole family here. Family would obviously be safer in arge ce."


    "Why would he bring his family here willingly...?" Yu Hong couldn''t figure it out.


    However, the good news was, he nned to visit Jenny and her daughter''s home tomorrow to see if he could find anything useful like the Sunshine No. 1.


    It was nowpletely dark outside.


    Yu Hong sat alone on the round stool, drinking the freshly cooked sweet soup.


    Outside the door, the soft rustling was all the crawling sounds of ck insects; as soon as they entered, they were burned by the firelight and turned into ck smoke.


    By now, he had be quite calm in the face of the ck Disaster''s assault.


    Compared to the ck Disaster, the shadow and the Evil Shadow posed a much greater threat to him.


    He casually took out a wooden Array te he had drawn and began to strengthen it again.


    "If only the firece could add firewood automatically, so I wouldn''t have to care about it... Then I could sleep peacefully, not having to manually add wood every half hour."


    He let out a sigh softly.


    The night passed without incident.


    The next morning, he was fully armed with the Wolf Fang Club and left the house early.


    First, he went to where Jenny had been lying.


    This guy had crawled about ten meters across the grass, finally leaning against a tree, disappearingpletely and leaving nothing but a heap of clothes scattered on the ground.


    Yu Hong checked the clothes, ensuring there were no ck Marks or handprints, then rolled them up and put them in the safe house inside the cave.


    These fabrics could also be used to make a lot of misceneous things, having a wide range of uses; now that the people who made leather and clothing were gone, they had to conserve the fabric.


    Skipping over Jenny, Yu Hong continued to head toward the post office, quickly arriving at the spot where Aifu had fallen.


    As expected, in the grass where Aifu had fallen, there was only a set of clothing left scattered and unmoving.


    This time, however, Yu Hong did not dare to touch it carelessly, because there was a clear ck Mark on the trousers of these clothes.


    He picked up some stones and threw them onto the clothes to weigh them down, making sure they wouldn''t be blown around by the wind. Only then did he continue towards the post office gathering area.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Dr. Xu''s dwelling was also nearby; he had to alert her in advance to avoid any misunderstandings.


    After all, now there were only the two of them, both living people, in the vicinity...


    When he passed by the post office, Yu Hong suddenly paused, unexpectedly stopping in his tracks.


    Outside the stone house of the post office, there was actually someone sweeping the leaves and branches in the courtyard with a broom.


    The person looked like a backpacker, wearing blue and white camouge clothes, sporting an earthy yellow backpack and a duckbill cap, approximately 1.8 meters tall, very stout, with dark skin.


    The other person also saw Yu Hong, put down the broom, and walked slowly toward him.


    "Hello, I''m the new postman, Li Rushan."


    He didn''te too close but stopped about five meters away.


    "I''m Yu Hong, I live nearby," Yu Hong briefly introduced himself. "Are you really a postman?" He was somewhat skeptical.


    "Here is my ID, medals, and tools," Li Rushan took out a dark blue booklet and flipped it open for Yu Hong to see.


    The booklet indeed contained a red-stamped identity document with the Republic''s United People''s Army Postal System printed on it, followed by the national emblem, name, and document number.


    The medals were much simpler; Li Rushan just lifted one hand, showing the inside of his coat, which was adorned with a dozen medals of varying sizes and colors.


    "I''m an old soldier, served for more than ten years with the field forces, sigh... Who would''ve thought the world... could change so suddenly."


    "The nearby towns were relocated, did you know?" Yu Hong asked.


    "Yeah, I''m not from the town. The relocated towns have merged with Hope City, and now I''m a member of the city," Li Rushan exined. "I was sent from there. Hope City''s number is 231. It''smonly known by its nickname, Baihe City."


    He paused.


    "Truth be told, not many people are willing toe to this ce; after all, there aren''t many living people left. But... this Baiqiu Vige, there''s a pyroxene ore mine nearby, along with a relic. The relics are just like that; although they are one of the sources of the ck Disaster, the more important thing turned out to be the apanying pyroxene ore. Nowadays, the shadow and Evil Shadow are increasing, and in the past month alone, three towns have lost contact. The small towns near you are actually quite lucky to have been sealed off and relocated in time, else, heh..."


    This person was obviously a chatterbox and seemed to havee down from a big ce, having traveled a long distance and having a lot to say.


    "The relic... apanying pyroxene ore? So, you''re saying that the luminous stone originates from the same ce as the ck Disaster?" Yu Hong frowned.


    "Most of them do. However, there is also a lot of pyroxene ore discovered separately. Oh, right, my superior asked me to contact a Silver Tower researcher named Freyne here; do you know him?" Li Rushan asked straightforwardly.


    "I don''t know him..." Yu Hong''s mind shed through images of Jenny and Aifu.


    "Then they are probably gone," Li Rushan murmured, stuffing a dark-looking thing into his mouth and casually chewing.


    "To be honest, I was pushed out by the city, offended some people, and got assigned here. You understand the environment outside. The shadow is everywhere, the ck Disaster is getting stronger, and once out here, you don''t live for much longer. Most of the people sent out can''t return."


    "..." Yu Hong was speechless.


    "But I actually volunteered toe here, I just couldn''t stomach those disgusting things in the city," Li Rushan said.


    "Let''s talk about the Silver Tower researcher. Are you sure he wasing here? If he died here, would it be possible for someone else to be sent?" Yu Hong looked at him with a slightly hopeful gaze.


    He didn''t say if they woulde, but whether they could. This suggested he was more hopeful that there would be a follow-up.


    "I don''t know, but I guess once things ease up top, someone will probably be sent again. After all, this ce is one of the original sources of the ck Disaster. The initial protection runes were discovered in ces like these," Li Rushan replied.


    "Protection runes?" Yu Hong asked curiously.


    "Yeah, the symbols on the luminous stones. Alright, I won''t say any more, I still have to tidy up the post office."


    "Wait, there''s a ck Mark from the Evil Shadow Woman in your basement; be careful not to touch it," Yu Hong kindly warned him, in gratitude for all the information shared.


    "Okay, thanks! I''ve seen it," Li Rushan smiled, his expression softening.


    Clearly, as a postman, he must have more ways of handling things than an ordinary person. Even the traces left by the Evil Shadow were not too challenging to deal with as mere traces.


    "Oh, by the way, I have two letters here for Xu Ruoying and Yu Hong," he suddenly remembered something, swiftly pulling out two envelopes from his bag, checking the addresses, and handing one of them to Yu Hong.


    "This one''s for you, Yu Hong, right?"


    "Yeah... Thank you..." Yu Hong took the letter curiously, wondering who would have written to him from afar since he hadn''t been in this ce long.


    Suddenly, he thought of someone.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 43 ä¿¡: A Toast to Her Sincerity, Alliance Hierarch

    Chapter43 ÐÅ: A Toast to Her Sincerity, Alliance Hierarch


    The sunlight was bright and cheery, while tree shadows swayed gently.


    Aifu''s remaining clothes, blown about by the wind, kept tumbling yet remained rooted in ce due to the pressure of the stones, motionless.


    On the grass, a tiny ck centipede slowly emerged from the soil and neared the pile of clothes.


    Instead of climbing directly onto it, the centipede kept winding circles around the clothes, back and forth.


    Upon realizing it couldn''t burrow into the clothes, the centipede clearly grew impatient and turned to crawl away elsewhere.


    Pop!


    Just then, a ck hand reached out from within the pile of clothing, gripping the centipede at once.


    Swoosh.


    The ck hand retracted back into the heap of clothes, vanishing from view, and the centipede disappeared along with it.


    After a while, the pile of clothing seemed to be snatched by something, pulled to the side, instantly dislodging the stones and causing them to tumble away.


    The clothes, as if stirred by the wind, tumbled continuously, moving as if alive, rushing towards the direction where the post office used to gather.


    * * *


    With a swish, the envelope was torn open, and the letter unfolded.


    Yu Hong read attentively the hard-toe-by letter.


    "I am Lin Yiyi, and I have already spent three days at this seaside base. ording to the rules, our squadron will be stationed here for a long time, so you can send your letters directly here in the future. The address is at the end, but remember not to send anything important¡ªthere''s a chance it might get lost along the way."


    Here were traces of being scratched out, evidently some more words written but then erased.


    00:44


    "My father and grandfather went missing, and my mother suddenly never returned after leaving home one day.


    "It is indeed Yiyi," Yu Hong sighed in relief. Seeing that little stammerer was safe, he could finally put his mind at ease.


    He continued to read.


    "That day, I left in a hurry, but I don''t regret leaving Baiqiu Vige. It became more and more alien to me, and increasingly dangerous."


    Here were traces of being scratched out, evidently some more words written but then erased.


    "My father and grandfather went missing, and my mother suddenly never returned after leaving home one day.


    I remember at that time, when the food at home ran out, I resorted to eating mice and insects. Soon even the mice and insects became scarce, and I even ate tree bark and mud. Afterwards, when my stomach swelled and my mind grew less clear, I understood that I could no longer eat mud and bark. So, I walked out."


    "That night, I stayed outside. You would never imagine, but fortunately there were no ck worms and I survived. The ce I stayed was the Pyroxene Ore Mine near the vige. If you find yourself in a situation you can''t handle, go there too. But remember, don''t stay too long... I had a fever the same day I returned from there. I don''t quite remember what happened after that, only that a grandfather figure who tried to sneak into the house to steal things saved me."


    "I was young and foolish back then, not understanding anything, and gave him all my possessions. Later on, whenever I was about to starve, he would appear to give me some food. However, as I grew older, I never saw him again. Perhaps he is dead."


    "Alright, I''ve said so much just to tell you, I am fine and very well, so don''t worry. Oh yes, this letter is written on my behalf by my roommate Anselin; she is a very good person and has been very kind to me. If you have any nice things, you could send some to her."


    Seeing thest sentence, Yu Hong couldn''t help butugh. This line clearly wasn''t something the little stammerer would say and was likely added by her roommate herself. The phrasing being so smooth could also be due to her polishing.


    But it didn''t matter. At least this content proved that the little stammerer was indeed alright.


    Moreover, she was in a mood to recall the past, which means she must be in a rtively stable environment.


    After reading the letter, he turned it over, and indeed, there was a somewhat crudely drawn map on the back.


    The map marked Baiqiu Vige, the post office, the small town, the Pyroxene Ore Mine, and the ruins among several points of interest.


    Lines connected the locations, with numbers written beside them.


    Yu Hong examined closely and determined that these numbers likely represented the estimated time Yiyi took to walk the distances.


    His expression softened. With this basic map, he now had a clear idea of the locations of the mine and the ruins.


    Just as he was about to fold the paper and put it away, his gaze appeared to catch something on the map.


    He ceased his motion and spread the map out again, observing closely.


    Indeed.


    On the map, right next to the ruins, was a small ck dot.


    This ck dot wasn''t conspicuous, but right by it, there was a careful red cross, with a line of text written.


    "Do not go there at all!"


    "Even Baiqiu Vige wasn''t marked like this; it seems this ce is far more dangerous," he noted the location carefully.


    He pocketed the letter and quickened his steps, heading towards the burrow where Jenny and her daughter lived.


    Soon, he arrived at the entrance of the burrow.


    He paused.


    Scanning the surroundings of the burrow to ensure there were no others around, he then pulled out a Large Pyroxene Stone and steadily moved towards the doorway.


    Crouching by the door, he took out the key, gently inserted it, twisted it, and lifted it up.


    Click.


    The grass-covered wooden door issued a clear sound of unlocking before being pulled up.


    Yu Hong looked inside to see a dark, profound passageway.


    A flicker of hesitation crossed his face.


    Such ces, once entered and blocked from outside, spelled certain death.


    If Jenny and her daughter were still there, he could be sure there would be another exit inside.


    ```


    But he wasn''t the master and wasn''t clear about the dangers or exits inside.


    Pfft.


    He once again covered the wooden door and locked it. He turned and left.


    "I need someone to stand guard outside before I can attempt to search inside."


    There was actually another method, but it wasn''t suitable to use at this time.


    He quickly left Jenny''s house and went straight to Doctor Xu''s front door.


    Unlike Jenny''s home, Doctor Xu lived in a normal hillside cer.


    The door was sturdy, with a cross-shaped window on one side. From the outside, it looked as though the hill had beenpletely hollowed out.


    Thud thud thud.


    Yu Hong knocked on the door.


    "Who''s there!?" Doctor Xu''s wary voice came from inside.


    "It''s me, Yu Hong."


    "When was thest time we parted?"


    "Before the surge began, you were to confirm if the Large Pyroxene Stone reacted," Yu Hong reminded her.


    After a silence from behind the door thatsted several seconds, the wooden door was unlocked with a click.


    Doctor Xu''s face appeared from inside, looking tired and haggard, but her eyes shone brighter than before.


    "You''vee at the perfect time! My herbal medicine was a sess!" Her voice was filled with thick excitement. "I tested it on a mouse and discovered it really can rece treatment and disinfection for wounds! Its effect is only slightly weaker than antibiotics like streptomycin. Of course, I''m also making penicillin and erythromycin on my own, but they can''t deal with contamination interference. I need better disinfection equipment..."


    She pulled Yu Hong into the door, locked it behind them, and hurriedly went into the house.


    The cer had a total of three rooms; one was her bedroom with a bed, another was filled with various vessels and tools, clearly a workroom. There was also a storeroom, which seemed to double as a bathroom.


    The entire cer reeked of a strong musty smell, cold and damp.


    This was amon condition for most cers and basements.


    "Come,e here!! I promised you the herbal medicine, and this time I''ve really made it!" Doctor Xu''s face was flushed, and she seemed to be in a state of high spirits.


    She pulled Yu Hong into the workroom, pointing to a dish of green mush, stirred into a paste.


    "This is it! I seeded! I''ve tried it on mice, the inmmation waspletely gone! It''s a brand new anti-inmmatory drug, if society were still in order now, I would definitely make a fortune! Earn a lot a lot of money!"


    "Very impressive!" Yu Hong nodded, and his regard for Doctor Xu elevated quite a bit.


    To be able to make such an herbal medicine, if it really could be used, meant that they could have a continuous supply of herbal medicine in the future. For them, who were severely short on drugs, this was undoubtedly huge good news.


    But his purpose ining here wasn''t to see Doctor Xu''s new drug.


    He waited until she was a little calmer after her incessant talking, then he carefully organized his words and earnestly said to Doctor Xu,


    "Do you remember Jenny''s daughter Aifu? The one who wanted to infect us with the ck handprint."


    "Of course. It''s been so long, she''s dead, right?" Doctor Xu frowned, her emotions cooled a bit from her excitement, and she faintly sensed that Yu Hong''s sudden visit might be amiss.


    "Dead," Yu Hong nodded, "Her mother Jenny is dead too."


    "Jenny is dead too?" Doctor Xu was slightly surprised but epted it quickly.


    "That''s right, her daughter''s ghastly appearance, maybe she infected her too. Good riddance, I finally see their true colors."


    She paused, then suddenly looked at Yu Hong.


    "Did you know a new postman came?"


    "Um, I met him just now. His name is Li Rushan, he seems to be a decent person," Yu Hong nodded.


    "You can send letters with him, Yiyi sent me a letter, and I n to reply, but the price is a bit steep," Doctor Xu frowned and said.


    Yu Hong was also considering this matter. The Large Pyroxene Stone was heavy and not easy to mail; it could also potentially be tampered with en route. No, it would definitely be taken.


    "That''s fine, now that Jenny and her daughter are dead, their belongings are still there..." Yu Hong said gravely.


    Upon hearing this, Doctor Xu''s eyes lit up.


    Momentster, the two came to the edge of Jenny''s cer.


    Yu Hong lifted the lid, revealing the pitch-ck tunnel below, then looked at Doctor Xu.


    "Who''s going in?"


    Although he trusted Doctor Xu more than others, he was still a bit apprehensive about entering a sealed tunnel in these times.


    "I''ll go," Doctor Xu said without hesitation, bending over to crawl into the tunnel.


    In no time, she disappeared into the darkness.


    Yu Hong stood guard at the entrance, vigntly looking around.


    After about five minutes, there was movement in the tunnel again. Doctor Xu emerged from the tunnel, dragging arge stic bag with difficulty.


    "We''ve got it!" she was covered in dirt, her hair wet with sweat, and her gray shirt dampened in areas, revealing her full body curves, but she seemed unconcerned.


    "There are lots of good stuff inside, but... I didn''t dare take much. There were many things I didn''t dare touch."


    "How so?" Yu Hong frowned and pulled her out.


    "Many things showed no sign of anything, but when the Large Pyroxene Stone I carried neared them, there would be a reaction," Doctor Xu pulled out a piece of Large Pyroxene Stone, hanging like a pendant on her chest, which was already more than half turned to chalky white.


    "However, the most crucial stuff I managed to bring out, the rest can be takenter," she said as her expression changed, pulling out a ck box from her pocket, resembling a pager, palm-sized, with a gray LCD screen in the middle.


    ```n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 44 : Second Letter (Thanks to Nuoyan Zuiyu, the Alliance Hierarch)

    Chapter 44: Second Letter (Thanks to Nuoyan Zuiyu, the Alliance Hierarch)


    "Red Value Detector!" Yu Hongughed, his impression of the device was deep. Without it, as Jenny had described, evading would have been utterly ineffective.


    Snap.


    Dr. Xu turned on the button to try it out.


    Hiss.


    Immediately, a red light emerged from the detector, and the data on the LCD screen began to change rapidly.


    The data soared at an rming rate.


    50!


    80!


    120!


    230!!


    The red light from the detector grew increasingly dazzling.


    Yu Hong and Dr. Xu were both stunned for a moment.


    Bang!!


    Suddenly, Yu Hong reached out and shoved Dr. Xu hard, and they copsed to the ground separately.


    In the instant they split apart, a ck shadow appeared behind Dr. Xu, stretching out its hand towards her.


    Beep!!!


    The sharp rm of the Red Value Detector sounded.


    Yu Hong rolled on the spot, jumped up, and swung the Wolf Fang Club at the ck shadow.


    The Wolf Fang Club swooshed through the air and smashed directly onto the head of the ck shadow.


    But eerily, the Wolf Fang Club seemed to strike into a patch of ck Fog, whiffing through the air underneath the shadow without contact.


    The three Large Pyroxene Stones inside it also instantaneously turned into a cloud of ash, disintegrating into nothing.


    The Red Value Detector suddenly paused, and the numbers plummeted, dropping by two hundred.


    Then it was 150, 100, 60, 30.


    It stopped at 30, but within a few seconds, the numbers began to surge upwards again.


    "Let''s go!" Yu Hong rushed over to pull Dr. Xu up, and the two of them sprinted away towards the distance.


    The rm from the Red Value Detector on their bodies quickly sounded again.


    The sharp rm echoed through the surrounding woond.


    And in the ce they left behind, at Jenny''s tunnel entrance.


    A ck shadow was rapidly regaining its form; in a mere three seconds, the Evil Shadow hadpletely reformed and suddenly vanished from the spot.


    Huff! Huff! Huff!!


    Yu Hong gasped for breath, running while checking the Large Pyroxene Stones on his body.


    The three inside the Wolf Fang Club were all gone, turned into white ash.


    The talisman array he carried on his body and three other Large Pyroxene Stones were still there.


    "Just like that, it destroyed my three Large Pyroxene Stones. That must have been the Evil Shadow!" He tried to steady his breathing and shouted loudly.


    Dr. Xu hurried along behind him, seemingly even a bit more fit than he was.


    But it made sense¡ªhe thought¡ªwhoever was less fit wouldn''t have survived until now.


    "Where are we, huff, going now!?" she asked.


    "To my ce! It''s the only ce that might be able to stop that thing!!" Yu Hong replied urgently.


    "I didn''t grab my medicine!?" Dr. Xu''s face changed.


    "Survival is more important! We can get itter!" Yu Hong said.


    The two rapidly dashed through the woond, with nothing seeming to chase or catch up behind them. However, they felt an indescribable chill in their hearts, closing in quickly.


    Zi!


    Trees on both sides retreated swiftly, and the grass beneath their feet was stamped with clear footprints. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Zi!


    Suddenly, Yu Hong halted his steps and looked straight ahead.


    His abrupt stop nearly caused Dr. Xu, who was following, to collide with him.


    "What..." Before Dr. Xu could ask, she, too, saw what was in front of them.


    A ck figure was standing quietly behind arge tree ahead, revealing only half of its unkempt ck hair.


    A ragged ck dress, messy and dry ck hair, and an unseen face. Along with the rapidly rising Red Value data, all these signs pointed to the identity of the figure¡ªEvil Shadow!


    Yu Hong slowly backed away, but Dr. Xu suddenly tugged at his sleeve.


    "Behind us... there''s one too!"


    Dr. Xu''s voice trembled as it reached him.


    Yu Hong slightly turned his body, tensely looking behind him.


    Sure enough!


    Another figure in a ck dress stood behind a tree.


    No... not just behind!


    He shivered all over as he saw that behind every tree around them, a figure with ck hair was slowly moving out.


    Ten.


    Twenty!


    Thirty!


    Fifty!!


    Possibly even more!


    They densely gathered behind the trunks, heads lowered, long hair hanging over their faces, standing quietly and waiting, encircling the two of them.


    "How... how are there so many!!?" Dr. Xu''s voice altered, as if she had lost her normal tone and be someone else.


    "Do you have Jenny''s things with you!?" Yu Hong took a deep breath and asked in a low voice.


    "I have... I have them," Dr. Xu responded.


    Their backs to each other, their clothes soaked with sweat, they didn''t dare make any rash movements.


    "Hold tight." Yu Hong took another deep breath, suppressing the fear in his heart and grabbed the only talisman array hidden inside his clothing.


    "Stay close to me!"


    His voice softened.


    "I''ll count to three, and we run."


    Dr. Xu turned pale and nodded urgently.


    By then, she had no idea what to do and finally realized what level the Evil Shadow, which had driven thebined forces of an entire town away, was truly at.


    "1."


    Yu Hong held the talisman array firmly, ready to pull it out.


    "2."


    His other hand touched the position of the three Large Pyroxene Stones, ready to grab and throw at any time.


    All around, the forest was deathly silent; even the wind had vanished at this moment. Only a deep oppression remained, closing in, trying to overwhelm the two of them.


    "3!!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Hong charged forward, sprinting toward the direction of his cave.


    He didn''t look at the ck Fog ahead; instead, he ran headlong into it.


    He raised the talisman array in one hand and threw a Large Pyroxene Stone forward with the other.


    Simultaneously, Yu Hong called upon a cool current within his body to recover his strength.


    "Keep up with me!" he yelled.


    The three Large Pyroxene Stones he threw flew towards the ck Fog ahead but disintegrated into white powder before they could get close.


    Then, he reached forward with the talisman array in his hand.


    The shape of the ck Fog twisted rapidly, bing fuzzy and indistinct as it was disturbed by the three Large Pyroxene Stones.


    Then, as the wooden board of the talisman array rapidly approached, apanied by the sharp rm of the Red Value detector, the talisman array came into instant contact with the ck Fog.


    Pfft!!


    There was a sh of white light, like the sound of a light bulb exploding.


    The talisman array and the ck Fog shattered at the same time, dissipating into nothingness, with pieces of broken wood scattered on the grass around.


    It was at that moment that Yu Hong and Doctor Xu broke free from the enclosure and fled at full speed towards the cave.


    The two of them ran desperately, with no dare to pause for a moment.


    They ran through forests, slopes, and rocky grounds. What would normally take ten minutes or even half an hour, they forcibly shortened to just ten minutes.


    Both were drenched in sweat, their muscles gradually weakening, their lungs on fire, and white spots beginning to blur their vision.


    "Quick!!" Yu Hong summoned another thread of cool air, regaining his strength instantly; most of the negative condition of his body was also gone.


    Only then did he realize that this cool air could not perfectly restore the body''s condition but only replenish arge amount of energy for the short term while the physical trauma remained.


    "I... can''t... keep up..." Doctor Xu was gasping for air behind him.


    This full-speed sprinting if she could keep it up for ten minutes was already a demonstration of her strong physical fitness. However, in an environmentcking many trace elements, the sprinting was still a massive burden.


    That she had managed to persist until now was already pushing her limits.


    "We''re nearly there! Hurry!" Yu Hong stretched out his hand to the front, grabbing her arm with a backward swipe.


    But in that quick nce back, he saw yet another ck figure appearing not ten meters behind them.


    "They''reing again!! Quick! We''re almost there!!" He pushed harder, sprinting forward.


    Just ahead was the safety of the cave shelter''s stone wall, the dooring closer, clearly visible.


    They were about to arrive!!


    Hisss!


    Suddenly, a ck figure flickered, appearing less than a meter behind the two.


    The ck Fog reached out, barely missing Doctor Xu at the back.


    A cold presence enveloped the two instantly, attempting to slow them down.


    But thankfully, it was just short.


    Bang!


    Finally, Yu Hong made it!!


    He threw himself against the door, took out the key to unlock it in a frenzy, then rushed inside, tumbling in with Doctor Xu.


    Pfft!


    The door, hooked by a foot, locked itself shut.


    Behind the door, the silver talisman array lit up suddenly with a silver glow, blocking the ck Fog that rushed towards them from outside.


    But at this moment, Doctor Xu could no longer see; she copsed on the ground, her eyes blinded by snowke-like spots, she couldn''t see anything. Her body convulsed violently, her leg muscles visibly twitching rapidly.


    Soon after, she slumped sideways to the ground, curling into a ball, her mouth unconsciously open, saliva mixed with sweat streaming down from the corner of her mouth.


    She felt herself gradually losing control over her body, starting with her legs, slowly losing all sensation.


    This loss of feeling was climbing upwards, quickly reaching her thighs, engulfing her entire lower limbs.


    In the distance, she thought she heard something fiercely mming against the door, making a loud noise.


    That sensation of loss climbed up swiftly, passing her lower body, reaching her abdomen, about to reach her chest.


    Bang!


    Yu Hong helped Doctor Xu up against the stone wall, then picked up the talisman array and walked towards the door.


    Three talisman arrays had already been used up, leaving two, one of which was the strongest version with a silver rune as the core.


    Reaching the entrance, he stuck the talisman array to the back of the door.


    Bang!


    Another loud noise struck the door.


    Apanied by the silver gleam from the talisman array, a ck Fog outside suddenly disappeared.


    But there were too many ck Fogs; a new one rushed towards them immediately.


    Bang!!


    The new ck Fog also dispersed under the shining silver light, vanishing.


    Yet more ck Fogs continued to approach.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!!


    One blow after another, violent impacts shook Yu Hong himself to trembling.


    The silver glow from the talisman array in his hand dimmed quickly, losing effect. He quickly swapped it for another new talisman array and pressed it against the back of the door.


    One after another.


    The white and silver lights of the talisman array interwove, rapidly dimming.


    As the light was about to be snuffed outpletely, supposedly only able to hold for a couple more times, the door would be breached.


    The noise suddenly quieted down.


    The white light of the talisman array gradually faded, extinguished. Half of the runes remained unbroken. This meant the Evil Shadows outside had either left or beenpletely eradicated...


    Yu Hong didn''t dare to move, staying still, sweating as he waited.


    He held out for over ten more minutes.


    When he was sure there was no more activity from the talisman array, confirming that the Evil Shadows outside really had disappeared or left,


    he finally rxed his grip on the talisman array, copsing to the ground.


    Bowing his head, he saw his hands marked with red from the talisman array imprint, his body trembling involuntarily.


    "Fuck!" His face contorted as he clenched his fists tightly, trying to calm the panic in his body.


    Yes, he still had the physical strength¡ªhis current bodily state was purely psychological.


    This direct confrontation made him truly realize just how perilous the Evil Shadows were.


    So close.


    It was so close...


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