Three Newcomers

"Damn, three people on a raft coming this way? Are they survivors like us? This is excellent news. With three more people, we won't have to fear those monsters as much," Long exclaimed, his face alight with excitement.

Suddenly struck by an idea, he rushed upstairs. When he reappeared, he was holding some clothes, which he promptly set alight with a lighter, creating a plume of thick smoke.

He hoped the smoke would catch the newcomers' attention, signaling that there were survivors here.

Simon could now vaguely make out a faint shadow on the distant water, though it was still unclear if it was indeed three people on a raft. It seemed that Lily's eyesight was far superior to theirs.

This made him wish he could enhance his vision as well. Unfortunately, each advancement offered limited options for enhancement, and one couldn't simply strengthen any part of the body at will.

Long carefully maintained the smoke signal while, like Simon, focusing intently on the distant water. The shadow gradually became clearer and larger until they could finally discern a raft floating on the water with three figures aboard. It was still unclear if they were men or women.

After about a minute, they could clearly see the three individuals on the raft.

As Lily had said, they were three men. They appeared to be in their twenties to thirties. One stood at the front and another at the back, each with a paddle in hand, while the third sat in the middle, seemingly smoking.

The raft was moving steadily towards them. Simon, Long, and Lily watched from the balcony as the three men approached.

"I wonder which building they came from. It doesn't seem close. They must be quite bold," Long murmured.

"They must be quite capable; otherwise, they wouldn't dare be so audacious," Simon mused. When Lily first spotted the trio, they hadn't even seen a shadow. Despite the reduced visibility due to the mist, it suggested that these men had set out from at least one or two kilometers away.

"The stronger they are, the better. I hope they're exceptionally strong," Long said, rubbing his hands together, his curiosity piqued about the approaching trio.

Simon felt similarly. Since the great flood had submerged the city, he had only encountered Lily and Long. Seeing three people at once was naturally thrilling.

Through these three individuals, perhaps we can glean some information, such as their origin and experiences. This detail also suggests that while the city is submerged, there must be many survivors, merely isolated by the floodwaters.

Simon, Long, and Lily spotted the trio on the raft from afar. The man sitting in the middle, smoking, suddenly stood up and looked in their direction, clearly noticing the three of them standing on the balcony.

The raft, moving at a steady pace, drew closer to them. The man in the middle began waving, clearly excited, much like they were.

"These three have been lucky, making it here without incident," Simon murmured as the raft came within a hundred meters. He thought about his own perilous journey here, where he had faced constant danger and had been saved only by Long's timely intervention.

Long laughed, "What kind of thinking is that? Isn't it better they had no trouble? Besides, the daytime is much safer than the night. Do you really think those monsters don't need rest? They need to recuperate during the day to hunt more effectively at night."

Simon smiled slightly, "Your perspective is quite unique."

Observing the raft, Simon noted it was similar to the one he had made, constructed from wooden doors. However, he was surprised to see no supplies on the raft; apart from the three men, it was empty.

"How odd, they have no food or water. Could they have enhanced their stomachs, surviving by consuming raw resources directly without needing supplies?" Simon mused, finding it increasingly peculiar.

After all, when he had left his dwelling, he had taken all the supplies he could carry, even ensuring a sufficient amount of boiled water. The raft these three men were on was large enough to store supplies, and given their journey from afar, they must have encountered some buildings jutting out of the water, where they could have gathered resources. The only plausible explanation was that they had not collected any supplies and had come straight towards them.

Both groups sized each other up. Long, appearing very excited, watched as the raft approached within twenty meters of the balcony. He laughed heartily, threw the still-smoking clothes into the water, and called out in a loud, booming voice, "Hello, I'm Long, this is Simon, and this is Lily."

As he greeted them, he introduced the trio.

The two men paddling the raft put away their paddles, slowing the raft's speed. Then, propelled by inertia, it drifted closer to the balcony.

The man in the middle appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. He was not unattractive, and his smile radiated a sunny disposition. Despite the perilous, flood-ridden city around him, he remained remarkably clean, from his fair face and hands to his spotless athletic wear.

"My name is Ni Jianrong, and this is Fang You and Wang Kaikang."

Ni Jianrong introduced himself and his companions. Fang You, who held the paddle at the front of the raft, seemed to be around twenty-three or twenty-four, with a long face, a close-cropped haircut, and an alert demeanor. Wang Kaikang, stationed at the back of the raft, looked the youngest, probably around twenty, and appeared somewhat shy, with his head slightly lowered during the introduction.

Simon noticed that Wang Kaikang carried a cloth-wrapped object on his back, likely a sword or some other blade.

"Welcome, all three of you," Long said with a smile, clearly pleased by their arrival. In such a dangerous world, the more companions they had, the better their chances of survival.

"Toss me the rope, and I'll steady the raft. Come on up!" Long called out, noticing a nylon rope tied to an anchor-like iron hammer fixed on their raft.