Section 3: Lier

The woman is very beautiful. If it were before the nuclear destruction, she would certainly be at the level of a beauty queen. What is even more special is her voice, soft like spring rain, which gives a sense of warmth and gentleness. However, here, like all those struggling on the brink of survival, she wears clothes that barely cover her body, and her face bears the unhealthy yellow hue of malnutrition. Moreover, a large bruise of purple and green on her forehead detracts from her beauty.

For the Blood Eye

Just as Lier was secretly troubled, Blood Eye set down the last bone. He had eaten very cleanly, with not a trace of meat left on the bone. Even the marrow had been completely sucked out. Upon seeing Lier's gentle gaze, he fell silent for a moment, then spoke softly.

I do not know. Perhaps soon. Then the appetite will increase again. Based on my estimation, this period of high fever will be greater than the last time. " Xue Tong replied faintly. " Therefore, during this time, I need to participate in more hunting activities.

Should I also return to my old profession to get through this difficult time

The armpit of Blood Eye itched, and this was not the first time it had happened. Lier clearly remembered that such an incident occurred shortly after she had found Blood Eye. At that time, Blood Eye's appetite suddenly increased, and it fell into a high fever for several days. During this period, Blood Eye had almost no strength to stand up and relied entirely on her care. If she had not just obtained a large piece of roasted meat from a burly man, Blood Eye would surely have perished from hunger and fever.

Lier, it seems that my armpit has started to itch again

"That's it," the woman replied with a smile. Soon, she set aside the selected ingredients and walked over to a cabinet in the room, from which she took out the prepared roasted meat. After adding some special spices, she presented it in front of Blood Eye. After her preparation, the roasted meat exuded a unique aroma that whetted the appetite.

That was a very strange object. Blood Eye remembered that there were many black special patterns on it. In his youthful ignorance, he regarded this object as a treasure, intending to take it back to the shelter to sell for a good price. However, just as his fingers barely touched the hexagonal object, a terrifying event occurred. The hexagonal object suddenly exploded, shooting out hundreds of tentacle-like objects from within, while a large amount of pitch-black viscous liquid sprayed out like a fountain, enveloping him completely. The fear of being wrapped in the slippery liquid caused him to faint instantly. When he woke up again, Blood Eye discovered that he had developed two small protrusions under his armpits.

In the humble room, the sound of Blood Eye swallowing food was distinctly audible. He ate at an astonishing speed. Several large pieces of roasted meat were consumed in the blink of an eye. While he was eating, Lier stood beside him, silently watching him with a gentle gaze

The appetite of the blood-eyed one has increased again, yet the food this time is so scarce. What should we do? Beneath Lier's gentle smile lies a hint of worry.

Also for oneself

However, this is not the most critical issue at the moment. What Lier is currently most concerned about is the health of Xue Tong. He has been eating more and more, and if the food supply does not improve, the two of them will likely have to return to their previous way of life. No, it would definitely be even more brutal; without Xue Tong's protection, her fate in this refuge would undoubtedly be extremely tragic.

In this world, illness is without salvation. The scarcity of medicine means that it becomes the patent of only a few. Neither Lier nor Xue Tong are among those who can access such scarce resources

Understood. Then I will prepare as well. Lier lowered her head helplessly, a trace of sorrow flashing in her eyes

The woman's name is Lier, and she is a prostitute. She was only ten years old when I met her, yet she was already able to exchange her body for food. It was precisely because of her assistance that Blood Eye was able to survive in the beginning. Even now, he clearly remembers that every night, Lier would trade her bruised body for some haphazard food, and then, filled with hunger and desire, she would feed him these morsels.

I have finished eating

Really? Lier's eyes widened in surprise, and for the first time, she was without a smile

Hmm," Blood Eye replied faintly, as if oblivious to the woman's tenderness. He carelessly tossed the food into the corner of the room and then sat down at the only wooden table in the room. "This is the harvest from the past few days. You can take care of it when you have time; this is all we have until the next hunt."

Blood Eye did not ask Lier why she chose to do this. Lier had never explained either. The two seemed to have an unspoken understanding and lived together from then on, relying on each other like siblings. From her, Blood Eye received everything a woman could offer a man... familial affection, warmth, protection, tenderness, and... intimacy. In return, Blood Eye provided Lier with protection, and once he was able to hunt, Lier never sold her body again.

Hunting activities signify greater gains, but they also entail risks

As time passed, both individuals grew up. The Blood Eye became increasingly powerful, and its demand for food grew greater, becoming more and more exacting.

"It's a bit insufficient." The woman frowned as she looked at the pile of food. Then she broke into a smile. "But I will be frugal. You can rest assured."

"It's fine, I'm careful enough," replied Blood Eye lightly. Then he tapped the table. "Let's eat."

The situation in the shelter has been deteriorating recently. It is reported that the water circulation system in the ruins has encountered problems. Some crops grown underground have begun to die. The food supply is becoming increasingly difficult. Moreover, many people are spreading rumors that some outsiders have recently appeared near the shelter. They are armed with weapons left over from the pre-civilization era and seem to have ill intentions

Thinking of this, Lier's face grew increasingly pale. She gently bit her lower lip and asked in a low voice, "How much time is left?"

Blood Eye remained silent, and the face hidden beneath the black hair revealed no expression

Undoubtedly, such processing is an extremely luxurious affair. In the apocalypse, it is already a blessing for the average person to have something to eat. It is absolutely impossible to taste processed food again. One must understand that vegetables free from radiation are definitely worth more than roasted meat. If it were not for the need to maintain physical strength, Blood Eye would not indulge so extravagantly. Moreover, his appetite is quite large; although these foods may seem plentiful, they merely suffice to barely sustain him.

As she divided the items, the woman furrowed her brow. "What a pity, these sour bags are not worth much now compared to books. However, fortunately, there are a few high-quality ones. Ah, Blood Eye, you weren't seen by the gatekeeper when you brought back these high-quality items, were you? Otherwise, it would be troublesome."

This is a world where the weak are preyed upon by the strong. Lier has never believed that the bandit groups in the shelter can protect this ruin. In fact, they are merely a group of parasites. The only reason they remain here is that there are sufficient resources and civilians to plunder. If they encounter a more powerful external force, they will surely flee faster than anyone else

In fact, with the abnormal constitution of his blood-red pupils, he can almost completely resist the contamination in food. However, food that contains contaminants cannot meet his energy consumption. Only by continuously consuming relatively clean food can his physical abilities continue to grow

No one knows that the body of Blood Eye is somewhat different from that of an ordinary person. Under each of his armpits, there is a purple bump the size of a soybean, resembling two small blisters. These bumps are not congenital. They occurred during an accident when he was seven years old while scavenging for garbage in the sewer.

It is indeed a challenge for Lier. One must understand that in this world, how many foods are truly unpolluted? What they have painstakingly obtained is merely food that is relatively cleaner. In order to provide as much nutrition as possible for Blood Eye, Lier has racked her brains, and the processed spices at present are made from a special plant. This plant, when added to food, can reduce radiation, but it is quite expensive

It was a cold night, and he, starving and dizzy, wandered in the area with the highest radiation in the sewer, solely in search of something valuable to exchange for food. Unfortunately, despite his efforts, he had no success even with the books. Just when he was in despair, beside a corpse in the deepest part of the sewer, he discovered a hexagonal object embedded with a special crystal

This involves a secret of the Blood Eye. A secret that allows him to live to this day

Blood Eye was unaware of what had transpired during his period of unconsciousness. He only knew that since then, his body had undergone strange changes. A substance resembling a malignant tumor had appeared, parasitizing beneath his heart. His physical attributes began to grow rapidly—strength, speed, reflexes, stamina, and even resistance to nuclear radiation. Everything quickly surpassed the human threshold. If it were not for the fact that his appearance had not changed, Blood Eye would almost believe he was no longer human. His physical attributes began to grow rapidly—strength, speed, reflexes, stamina, and even resistance to nuclear radiation. Everything quickly surpassed the human threshold. If it were not for the fact that his appearance had not changed, Blood Eye would almost believe he was no longer human.

The woman smiled sweetly. It seemed she had long since grown accustomed to the indifference of the blood-eyed one, as she turned and walked towards the pile of food, categorizing the items. Although the ingredients provided by the sandworms were plentiful, their quality varied, and their values differed. The woman's hands were deft; in no time, she had sorted the ingredients into several piles. If an expert were present, they would surely notice that within her simple categorization, she had already separated the slightly radioactive ingredients from the special organs of the sandworms.

However, the mutated physical constitution is not something that can be obtained easily. To meet the demands of his formidable physical abilities, Xue Tong's need for food has reached an abnormal level. He feels hungry every moment, and his appetite grows at an astonishing rate. In this food-scarce apocalypse, this has practically sentenced him to death. In the beginning, due to the inability to obtain sufficient food, Xue Tong nearly starved to death on several occasions. Until one day, when he was faint from hunger, he encountered the woman before him.