Stubborn Stubble

On the fifth day since acquiring the formidable Mark 45, Su Chen embarked once again from the Yuncheng store, determined to continue his journey of monster hunting.

The past few days had taken a toll on Su Chen's ammunition reserves, leaving him with only ten bullets. Sensing the need for strategic resource management, he made a calculated decision.

Now, armed with his newfound mastery of combating elongated ghosts, Su Chen relied primarily on his Crimson Miao Knife, infused with a dark energy that granted him the power to deliver fatal blows. The enigmatic hand grenade he had stumbled upon underwent an astonishing transformation, absorbing four units of unknown energy. Its appearance remained unchanged, teasing Su Chen with its latent potential.

With only one grenade left, the anticipation of testing its enhanced might simmered within Su Chen, eagerly awaiting the next encounter that would put it to the ultimate test.

However, he couldn't help but notice a peculiar trend in recent days—the black scale monsters and elongated ghosts in the area seemed to be intentionally shrinking and consolidating. This reminded Su Chen of the monster army he had encountered before. It appeared that they might be preparing for some kind of action...

Unfortunately, this development created a stalemate in Su Chen's hunting efforts. The gathering of a large number of monsters significantly reduced the occurrence of solitary creatures. As a result, he was forced to venture farther afield, eventually reaching a position near the contested zone between the military and the monsters.

The outskirts of Midtown were ablaze with the relentless advance of the military forces. Their footsteps echoed through the war-torn streets as they pushed deeper into the heart of the city, their gunfire punctuating the air with a symphony of chaos. The once-distant sounds of battle grew ominously closer with each passing day, their reverberations reaching the very doorstep of the Yuncheng store. Hope flickered in the hearts of the survivors, for the arrival of the military promised a glimmer of salvation amidst the bleakness of their existence.

Beneath the dark and ominous sky, more survivors roamed the desolate streets.

Su Chen continued his advance, covering approximately one kilometer in the direction of the artillery sounds, successfully eliminating three elongated ghosts along the way. At this point, the sounds of gunfire seemed to be roughly one to two kilometers away from his position. However, the presence of the nearby military had noticeably increased the activity of the survivors in the vicinity.

As Su Chen maneuvered through a dark alley, seeking to evade the three black scale monsters patrolling the street outside, a figure suddenly emerged from a corner. The person's voice, filled with a mix of relief and familiarity, sliced through the air like a soothing melody. "Brother!"

Upon hearing this, Su Chen halted, maintaining a vigilant stance with his Miao Dao held horizontally.

The individual before him appeared wretched and middle-aged. Emerging from the shadowy corners, with cautious steps, they closed the distance, their voice carrying a mix of disbelief and unbridled joy. "You're still alive! That's fantastic!"

Su Chen's mind raced, trying to recall if this person had any ties to the original occupant of his current body.

As Su Chen's gaze fell upon the man before him, he furrowed his brow, trying to place the familiar face. "Who are you?" he inquired, his voice filled with a mix of curiosity and caution.

A disappointed smile spread across the man's face as he responded, "Don't tell me you've forgotten your old comrade? It's me, Lao Li, from your unit! It's a miracle to see you alive. But this is no place to linger. I've joined a group of survivors. It's perfect timing. Come with me..."

Su Chen remained motionless, a sense of unease settling within him. He sensed that something was amiss. Acting swiftly, he delved into the fragmented memories of the original body's owner. Though incomplete, those memories allowed Su Chen to "flip through" and surface relevant information. While there were indeed several individuals named Old Li in his unit, he had no recollection of encountering someone as distinct and unremarkable as this middle-aged man before him. It was plausible that the relevant memories had faded or been lost, but the man's overly enthusiastic demeanor raised red flags for Su Chen. It reminded him of a bitter and profound lesson from his school days when he had been deceived by a teacher with a seemingly kind facade.

With caution at the forefront of his mind, Su Chen decided to trust his instincts and proceed with skepticism.

Rather than immediately following the hurried stranger, Su Chen furrowed his brow and questioned, "If you truly know me, then you should know my name. Tell me, who am I?"

The man replied dismissively, "Names hold no significance in our current circumstances. Let's focus on escaping this dangerous place first. We can discuss everything once we're safe."

Su Chen's frown deepened. Clearly, this deceptive technique was poorly executed.

The wretched middle-aged man hesitated for a fleeting moment, his face contorting into a frown. In one swift motion, he unsheathed a gleaming dagger from his waist, his voice dripping with malice as he declared, "Boy, our acquaintance ends now. Hand over your possessions, or prepare to meet a grisly end!"

As his words hung in the air, two figures wielding fiery axes materialized at the mouth of the alley. It became evident that their charade as acquaintances was merely a prelude, a thin veil hiding their true intentions. They were ruthless, unafraid to resort to violence when their deceit fell flat.

Their eyes gleamed with a predatory hunger, relishing the thrill of the hunt. They had perfected their craft, honing their skills with each successful deception. Thin and seemingly unarmed, they reveled in luring victims into their trap, exploiting their unsuspecting nature.

Surrounded and outnumbered, Su Chen recognized the gravity of the situation. The wretched man had astutely identified his physical disadvantage, exploiting it to the fullest. But Su Chen, driven by a primal instinct and propelled by his recent training, refused to succumb without a fight.

In a blur of movement, Su Chen seized a fleeting opportunity. His body became a blur, a testament to his enhanced physical prowess and relentless determination. The assailants barely had time to register his lightning-quick reflexes before he was upon them.

The air crackled with tension as Su Chen's Miao knife sliced through the air with lethal precision. A symphony of steel and bone filled the alley as the blade effortlessly cleaved through the incoming fire axe. The axe-wielder's eyes widened in disbelief before his head tumbled from his shoulders, a gruesome testament to Su Chen's swift and deadly strike. Blood sprayed, splattering the surroundings in a macabre dance.

The man's eyes widened in disbelief, his lifeblood pooling around him as he collapsed onto the unforgiving ground, his final breath escaping in a hollow gasp.

Fear gripped the wretched middle-aged man and his accomplice, their legs frozen in place as they contemplated their desperate escape. But before they could make a single move, a bone-chilling voice pierced the air, freezing them in their tracks. "Who dares to flee?"

The command echoed through the alley, resonating with a foreboding power that seemed to materialize from the very shadows themselves. The wretched man and his accomplice turned slowly, their faces contorted with terror as their eyes met the piercing gaze of a figure cloaked in darkness.

Trembling uncontrollably, the wretched man found himself unable to look away from the imposing presence before him. Tears streamed down his face as he stammered, "Spare me, brother! I was ignorant, just following orders..."

Under the weight of Su Chen's formidable aura, the man's resolve crumbled like sand, and he revealed the sordid truth. They were not mere acquaintances, but a ruthless gang of robbers who lacked the courage to venture into perilous territories themselves. Instead, they resorted to deceit, assuming false identities or invoking the military's name to prey upon unsuspecting survivors. Once inside their victims' sanctuaries, they showed no mercy, stealing their possessions and taking lives without hesitation, all in an attempt to avoid retaliation.

Pressed further by Su Chen's relentless coercion, the wretched man spilled his secrets, divulging the gang's dark machinations. Twelve members comprised their ranks, with nine lurking in an adjacent building. Their boss wielded a stolen shotgun, a weapon of death that held the power to intimidate and destroy. Their twisted plan involved capturing more survivors, exploiting them for supplies, and ultimately delivering them to the military, seeking shelter and protection under their wing.

As the man's revelations hung in the air, Su Chen swiftly silenced the remaining axe-wielding assailant with a backhanded blow and a swift slash. The wretched middle-aged man, quivering with fear, clutched his head and implored, "Please spare me! Spare my life..."

"Lead the way," Su Chen commanded, his voice icy and resolute. "Take me to your boss. You sought to deceive me, didn't you? I will confront him directly!"

Though Su Chen reviled this despicable group, he had not yet descended into a pit of callousness where bloodshed was his first recourse. For now, he saw an opportunity to exploit their weaknesses. The shotgun in their boss's possession caught his attention, and among the three trembling souls, the wretched man appeared the most cowardly and simple-minded. Su Chen made a calculated decision to spare him, utilizing him as a guide to navigate the treacherous path ahead.

Unaware of Su Chen's true intentions, the wretched middle-aged man could only speculate. He doubted whether this young man, despite his strength, possessed the courage and determination to confront their gang. In his mind, it seemed unlikely that a person so young would be driven by a sense of justice to become a hero.

A silent, disdainful sneer curled on his lips as he thought, "What can a mere knife do against the might of a gun? This naive young fool is about to learn a harsh lesson."

Hiding his true intentions behind a facade of compliance, the wretched man rose to his feet, his limbs trembling with trepidation as he led the way. The gang's hideout lay hidden within a warehouse beneath an office building across the alley. As they approached, the wretched man, believing he had successfully deceived the survivors, swung open the door, inviting them into the dimly lit abyss that awaited within.

As they stepped into the dimly lit warehouse, the wretched man's voice echoed through the air, his words laced with both panic and deceit. He stumbled forward, his voice quivering as he yelled, "Boss, we've got trouble! This kid is tougher than he looks! Take him out!"

Su Chen, ever vigilant, had anticipated this double-cross. His hand, hidden beneath the folds of his windbreaker, tightly clenched around the handle of an explosive throwing knife, a deadly weapon he had carefully concealed at his waist.