The large hand dragged on the ground, making a rustling sound as it scraped against the sand. The person ahead stumbled with an unsteady gait but maintained decent speed.
He turned back and said amiably:
"My name is Cheng Lei, I used to be a truck driver. Never thought Iâd end up in this hell of a place. Itâs dangerous outside, but weâve established a relatively safe haven inside."
A circle of deep green moss climbed up the wall, with a thin stream of water at the corner, making the place feel particularly cool.
Shen Jinxuan looked around and said, "Do you have many people? Is it that many have died here?"
Cheng Lei replied expressionlessly, "We donât have many people, just over a hundred, but there should be similar havens elsewhere too."
Turning the corner, a warehouse-like building could be seen in the distance, with two burly men, similar in appearance to Cheng Lei, standing before the iron gate.
Shen Jinxuan stopped, hesitated, and said, "I think I better leave first, I wonât go in."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Lei frowned, then smiled and said, "Donât worry, weâre just a group huddled together for warmth, although weâve mutated into this form... itâs not our fault."
Shen Jinxuan glanced again at the distant warehouse, feeling a bad foreboding, and said coldly, "No, I have more important matters and need to leave here immediately."
Cheng Lei stepped forward and asked, "What important matters?"
In the blink of an eye, Shen Jinxuan saw several people rush out from the warehouse gate and, without saying a word, turned and ran off.
She sensed the thick scent of death; many people had died in this place, so many that she could feel it.
There was definitely something wrong with these people, not as simple as Cheng Lei had put it.
Seeing Shen Jinxuan flee, a cruel smile appeared on Cheng Leiâs honest face as he strode after her, shouting:
"Once youâre here, thereâs no way you can escape. When you become like us, youâll be able to fully integrate with us, hahaha."
Shen Jinxuan broke out in a cold sweat, thinking this person had gone mad, scarier even than when Su Changxing turned up behind the window that night.
Soon, rapid footsteps echoed in the passageway ahead.
There are many people!
Shen Jinxuan glanced at Cheng Lei behind her, her heart racing, blood flowing quickly, her face slightly red. She raised her short sword and turned to stab at Cheng Lei.
Cheng Lei showed a trace of surprise, not expecting this seemingly frail girl to be so fierce... but ordinary people were always weak compared to them.
His massive arm collided with the short sword, spilling bright red blood that splattered on the wall as the sword cut into his charcoal-black, tough skin.
Cheng Yong widened his eyes, utterly shocked that this seemingly weak girl had such great strength, able to easily slice open his arm.
His mutated arm was as hard as rock, used for defense or attack, although it made his actions seem clumsy.
Shen Jinxuan pulled out the short sword, stepping back, noticing four or five people had blocked her escape route, trapping her in the dim alley.
"Ha, Old Lei, where did you find this girl? She looks quite delicious,"
a man with bony spikes all over his arm said with a strange laugh, licking his lips, his muscles exuding power.
Cheng Lei frowned and said, "Donât get any ideas about her; sheâs from the outside and has a more important role."
One of Shen Jinxuanâs eyes turned a dazzling dark red as she calmly replied, "If you want to know something, I can tell you, but considering weâre all from the same world, thereâs no need for mutual slaughter."
"Hahaha."
Cheng Lei laughed as if he had heard something funny, his face showing a sinister expression, and said, "Do you really think we are the same now? We are already new humans, different from you."
In an instant, Shen Jinxuanâs hair turned a pale yellowish-red, her eyes like sparkling rubies, bright and captivating.
Smiling, she said,
"New humans? Is that what you monsters call yourselves? Itâs a nice thought, but youâre unworthy."
Cheng Leiâs pupils contracted, unable to understand why the person before him had changed so dramatically in an instant, feeling an indistinct sense of oppression.
"Stop wasting time, capture her first!"
The "new humans" behind moved to surround Shen Jinxuan.
She licked her lips with her pink tongue and said lightly:
"Truly reckless."
A red shadow flashed through the alley, like a stroke of dried watercolor.
Small finger-sized blood holes appeared on the foreheads of the "new humans," their bodies rigid, faces showing a dazed expression.
Cheng Leiâs body was stiff, staring blankly at this terrifying woman, without any will to resist.
The power difference was too great.
At this moment, Shen Jinxuan was indeed Shen Xuan, the Apocalypse of Chenxi.
She leisurely walked towards the "new human" before her, smiling, "Canât you use mobile phones?"
Cheng Leiâs eyes widened, confused, "Mobile phones? What mobile phones?"
Shen Xuan felt a wave of surprise; these people seemed unaware of mobile phones... itâs very strange.
Gently placing a hand on Cheng Leiâs shoulder, she asked, "What was your situation before? Did everyone sent here become monsters?"
Cheng Leiâs body shuddered, sensing great danger, hesitated, and stammered, "At first, only a small portion turned into us, but more people followed."
Shen Xuan observed him and said blandly, "But you have very few people, much less than theoretically expected."
Cheng Lei hesitated again, saying:
"Thatâs because many died... initially, we ânew humansâ were ostracized, driven out, and killed, but as more became ânew humansâ, we turned against them."
"Plus, many died directly during the mutation..."
As he spoke, more disordered footsteps sounded, with more ânew humansâ approaching.
"Hmm, thank you."
Shen Xuan courteously replied, backhandedly slapping Cheng Lei on the side of the face, sending a head flying high, crashing against the gray-white wall.
"Cough cough cough~"
Shen Xuan involuntarily covered her mouth, coughed twice, her face still with a cheerful smile, unclear on her thoughts, turned to look at the distant iron tower against the sky, muttering to herself:
"It really doesnât work, such tremendous power, Divine Spirit... I understand your intent, but for now, itâs the only way."