C9 The Cleaning of the Residential Area
A roar pierced the air as the mutated cat awoke.
Its dark silhouette vanished from sight, almost in sync with Chen Yu.
Moments later, the corridor echoed with heavy thuds.
Gales whipped through, flinging debris in a chaotic dance, while a terrifying force sliced through brick and mortar, leaving behind a web of fearsome cracks.
Some resembled the marks of a beast's claws, others bore the unmistakable imprint of powerful fists.
Two shadows flickered rapidly through the narrow space, clashing and separating amidst shouts, roars, and the ominous presence of the Thorny Shadow, their fists stirring up a tempest.
The intense skirmish was brief. A few exchanges and it ended with a piteous meow, descending into silence.
Chen Yu's shadow solidified as he reemerged into view.
Looking down, he saw the mutated cat, akin to a black leopard, sprawled beneath a fractured wall, gasping and coughing up blood.
Its eyes, once vibrant, now lifeless.
The once heaving chest stilled, marked by the brutal indentations of Chen Yu's fists on its resilient hide.
With a whoosh, Chen Yu exhaled a murky breath, the vapor shooting out like a blade before dissipating.
His strength was formidable, his ferocity unmatched.
Effortlessly, he had vanquished the newly awakened creature using less than half his might.
Chen Yu's grasp of his own power sharpened, his eyes alight with unspoken fervor.
"With such might, I can easily dominate the city at this juncture..."
"Three days! That's all the time I need to rescue more survivors and eliminate the looming threats etched in my memory!"
"After three days, zombies and mutated beasts will evolve again, bringing forth even more formidable adversaries. It won't be as simple as it is now."
"But for now... the upper hand is mine!"
His resolve intensified with every recollection of the city's past horrors, the monsters' lairs, and the renowned warriors of Rorerin who had weathered the apocalypse. Chen Yu's strategy for salvation and retribution was set.
Chen Yu drew the western-style chef's knife from his waistband and crouched beside the carcass of the mutated cat, beginning the task of processing the body.
Awakened mutated creatures, unlike their ordinary counterparts, were both feared and coveted by human powerhouses. The value of these creatures lay not only in their more precious crystal nuclei but also in the fact that their entire bodies were treasures.
Their fur was so tough that ordinary weapons couldn't damage it, making it ideal for crafting leather armor.
Contained within their flesh and blood was genetic energy. Though not as potent as the crystal nucleus, consuming it could still enhance one's physique and bolster Qi and blood, offering significant benefits to both Evolvers and regular people.
Even their bones, once polished, could be fashioned into a variety of bone tools and armor.
Chen Yu was not about to let the valuable resources of the mutated cat go to waste.
Despite the toughness of the cat's fur, Chen Yu's brute strength was formidable, and he managed to dismember it, methodically separating the flesh, fur, and bones.
Armed with these materials, Chen Yu ascended back to his apartment and handed them over to Lee Hao and the others. He instructed them to cook the materials into a broth that would improve their physiques and aid them in potentially becoming Evolvers.
The cleanup of the two other buildings went much more smoothly, as no awakened mutated creatures were encountered.
Regrettably, Chen Yu found no survivors in either building.
By the time Chen Yu made it back to his own building, it was 8 p.m., and the sky had turned completely dark.
The district was eerily quiet, save for the sparse light from the path lamps and the occasional distant explosion or unsettling roar echoing through the city.
In the complex, only Chen Yu's building was alight, while the rest were shrouded in darkness.
Numerous zombies roamed the green belts of the community, many drawn by the activity of the survivors concentrated in Chen Yu's building, now crowding at its base.
From the rooftop, Chen Yu surveyed the swaying shadows below with a furrowed brow.
Though the floors had been fortified under Lee Hao's direction, ensuring the zombies couldn't threaten the residents inside, the sight of so many of the undead amassed around them was far from comforting.
As dusk fell, the night sky awakened all sorts of mutated creatures, which became unusually active. The darkness impaired the vision of ordinary people, making it easier for them to stumble into peril.
Chen Yu refrained from taking risks by clearing the area beneath the building.
His main concern was that excessive noise might draw the attention of other awakened mutated creatures, potentially leading to attacks that could harm innocent bystanders.
After a brief moment of contemplation, an idea struck Chen Yu.
In an instant, his figure vanished, leaving a white streak in the air as he dashed toward the most remote building in the complex.
Soon after...
"The boundless sky is my love, flowers bloom at the base of the endless mountains, what rhythm sways the most..."
The music, full of rhythm, echoed throughout the district.
Zombies, lured by the commotion, turned and shambled toward the source of the song.
Chen Yu stood atop the roof, watching the horde converge.
He gave the speaker beside him a satisfied pat, pleased with the outcome.
"Folks, I'll leave you to your square dancing!" Chen Yu chuckled, then vanished into thin air.
...
"Boss Yu, hey there!"
"Boss Yu, welcome back!"
Chen Yu made his way to his own floor, exchanging nods with the many survivors who greeted him along the way. He had led Lee Hao and three others in rescuing them.
Consequently, they rose to thank him, their faces alight with gratitude.
Those who had witnessed Chen Yu's formidable power looked on with eager anticipation.
Privately, the survivors buzzed with rumors about the Evolver, a topic that had spread through casual conversations with Lee Hao and his group.
Talk of this astonishing power even began to overshadow the gloom of the apocalypse.
Chen Yu chose not to quell these whispers; instead, he subtly encouraged them.
The onset of the apocalypse had brutally shattered the fabric of human society. Despair and pessimism could drive people's emotions to the brink, leading to the collapse of their moral compass and rational thought.
It could push a person to commit acts inconceivable in a normal society.
With five years of apocalyptic hardship behind him, Chen Yu understood this all too well, having witnessed more than his share of tragedies.
Therefore, he made a point of being very conspicuous when saving others.
He made no attempt to conceal his formidable abilities. Moreover, he utilized Lee Hao and his three companions as conduits to disseminate information about the Evolvers.
His aim was to help these survivors, fresh from the throes of the apocalypse, to quickly establish a new worldview amidst the upheaval, finding new hope in the process.
