Chapter 1, Food

The sky had completely darkened, filled with stars. A shadow slowly approached Jiala, moving heavily and making a rustling sound, accompanied by a foul stench.

The gunfire rang out, crisp and dense. Jiala was momentarily stunned; he did not pull the trigger

Jia was holding the gun in confusion, not knowing what to shoot at

Jala nodded slightly and tightened his grip on the gun. He was not very confident, uncertain whether his weapon could stop that strange creature. Carefully, Jala loaded a bullet into the chamber, pulled back the bolt, and slowly extended his head, resting it against the ruins beside the road. With his head against the stock, he closed one eye and aimed meticulously.

After a while, a sound came from the distance. Lahl immediately straightened up, glanced around, and then quickly lay back down.

Lal seems to be quite enthusiastic about this process of teaching. According to Lal, knowledge must be passed down, as this is the distinction between humans and animals. Once humans forget knowledge, they fall completely into the dark chaos. Besides searching for food, Lal also collects books and anything with written records from the ruins. Over time, he has surprisingly accumulated a small pile, which he often studies with great interest. Jiala does not have much interest in things beyond food; he only occasionally looks at Lal's "treasures" when he is full. For Jiala, he prefers books with illustrations, as the colorful images make him envious. According to Lal, these depict human life before the great disaster, when everything seemed so beautiful, resembling a fantastical world. Jiala often stares at those pictures, where the people appear very handsome, with well-defined features and athletic builds. They are true humans, unlike the mutated beings they are, each hideously different from one another, as if they were haphazardly assembled from scrap. From these illustrations, Jiala also grasped the concept of "human," which allows him to distinguish between mutated beings and animals, maintaining the minimum threshold for foraging.

"Do you want to eat me?" The voice was slightly mocking, "I only have bones; if there were any meat on me, I would have eaten it myself."

Those inside the fortress will not go hungry

Jia La poked his head out again. He saw the car door open, and the first thing he noticed was a hand, a perfect hand, a human hand, with five fingers, slender; then an arm, well-proportioned; finally, a dark figure crawled out of the vehicle. Jia La suddenly froze, his eyes wide open. In the darkness, he could see very clearly, almost unable to believe his eyes. It was a person, completely different from them, the mutants, just like the people in the pictures, with a handsome figure and a well-defined face. In the darkness, he could see very clearly, almost unable to believe his eyes. It was a person, completely different from them, the mutants, just like the people in the pictures, with a handsome figure and a well-defined face

"Da da da, da da da!"

Suddenly, a faint sound came from behind Jiala, as if something was quietly approaching. Jiala abruptly turned around and raised the gun

"The great catastrophe changed everything, Jala," said Lahl. "I have also heard this from the former mutants. He once came into contact with the survivors of the great catastrophe, real people, just like those you see in the pictures. However, something went wrong; humans can no longer pass their bodies on to the next generation, and we are the descendants of those survivors"

"Here they come, Jala, get ready, fire"

In the darkness, a low sigh was heard. "Here, this is my last food," came the voice as something was thrown over. A stretched hand caught it, feeling soft and wrapped in a layer of plastic. With his teeth, he tore open the plastic and began to devour it; the strong moldy smell could not mask the food's fragrant aroma. In just a few bites, the food quickly disappeared into his stomach. He tore open the plastic with his teeth and devoured it; the strong moldy smell could not mask the food's fragrant aroma. In just a few bites, the food quickly disappeared into his stomach.

It is time to start looking for food again, Jia thought to himself

We are waiting here, hoping for our luck

Do not think about it anymore, poor Jala, it is already gone, the other food has likely been snatched away, a group of mutants has turned the place upside down like vultures. All I could find were these, and you have eaten the last one.

"Where did you find it? Laar?" Jiala greedily licked his fingers and asked indistinctly

That is because the number of mutants is increasing. Recently, many mutants have been wandering into our territory, and food does not come to us on its own.

I recently discovered that there are often unusual activities inside the fortress, with one vehicle after another driving out, forming a long line of cars heading towards an unknown destination, and by nightfall, they return to the fortress.

Jia La's hand touched the weapon beside him, grasped it, straightened his hunched body, and gazed into the distance

That is a real person

Lal did not speak, he merely nodded

Lal let out a bitter laugh, "Poor Jala, we are indeed human, it's just that our bodies have lost their memory"

The vehicle in front finally overturned with a loud bang, rolled a few times, and crashed into a stone by the roadside, producing a tremendous noise

It has been proven that any life form composed of carbohydrates is inherently fragile

I cannot approach the fortress, " Jala said ambiguously

I believe there are some

Whether they are the Salmorans or the Earthlings

Put down the gun, Jiala

Alani Ni

Jia La, take your gun, we are going to find food. How many bullets do we have left

As time went on, Jia began to harbor a certain doubt, and finally one day, he could no longer contain himself and asked it out loud

"Lal, based on your judgment, can you tell me why food has been so scarce recently?" Jala asked, as he was now only concerned about food

Lal grinned widely, revealing his yellowed teeth, and a foul odor of bad breath hit me immediately

For the simple-minded Jiala, this is quite a challenge. It has become impossible to distinguish between mutants and animals; the mutations in mutants are so severe that, in terms of form, they cannot be differentiated from animals. Moreover, all animals also exhibit mutations, and chaotic species fill this mad world. There is no clear principle to separate mutants from beasts, as if we have returned to the most primitive chaos, where all living beings on the ground resemble randomly assembled monsters, indistinguishable from one another. Chaotic species fill this mad world, and there is no clear principle to separate mutants from beasts, as if we have returned to the most primitive chaos, where all living beings on the ground resemble randomly assembled monsters, indistinguishable from one another

"It is a car," said Jiala in a low voice, "There must be food inside. You need to shoot its wheels to make it stop. I have taught you what wheels are, right?"

Let's go, perhaps we can still find some bullets

"Lal, why are we like this now? Are we not human?"

Lal did not speak; he simply stood up and walked forward. In the darkness, he seemed to know the way.

Jala got up. The sky had turned a deep blue, and one or two stars were faintly twinkling in the distance; nightfall was approaching. Jala's back ached, likely due to lying on the hard ground for too long, and the damp dew made him very uncomfortable. He moved his legs a bit, and waves of soreness washed over him, as if all the joints in his legs were locked. Unlike other mutants, Jala's knees bent backward, resembling a kangaroo, and this unique leg structure allowed him to run faster, enabling him to survive in the exceptionally harsh exposed environment. Jala's back ached, likely due to lying on the hard ground for too long, and the damp dew made him very uncomfortable. He moved his legs a bit, and waves of soreness washed over him, as if all the joints in his legs were locked. Unlike other mutants, Jala's knees bent backward, resembling a kangaroo, and this unique leg structure allowed him to run faster, enabling him to survive in the exceptionally harsh exposed environment.

Jala last captured prey three days ago. If it weren't for the powerful sniper rifle in his hand, that strange animal would have almost escaped right before his eyes. After the gunshot, the prey fell to the ground, struggling weakly, blood staining the earth. Sensing the smell of blood, Jala became excited and hurried over, thirstily pouncing on the prey, greedily sucking it. Immediately, a salty liquid flowed into his mouth, then down the esophagus into his stomach, a warmth spreading throughout his body. The pain in his insides eased, replaced by an indescribable pleasure, until his belly swelled to a round shape. Sensing the smell of blood, Jala became excited and hurried over, thirstily pouncing on the prey, greedily sucking it. Immediately, a salty liquid flowed into his mouth, then down the esophagus into his stomach, a warmth spreading throughout his body. The pain in his insides eased, replaced by an indescribable pleasure, until his belly swelled to a round shape. Jala lay contentedly beside the prey. The prey had stopped struggling, and Jala's face was directly facing it, his eyes just able to see the prey's eyes. Jala was stunned; the prey had a face, an incredibly ugly face, with large, bulging eyes, a poorly developed nose with only two nostrils, a mouth with a cleft lip, short and separated eyebrows, and a head covered in patches of scars. Suddenly, Jala flipped over and began to vomit, until he expelled everything from his stomach, even bringing up some yellowish liquid.

Jia La still held the gun and did not put it down

"There isn't much left at m.hetushu.com," Jiala hesitated and said. When he found this gun, there was only one box of bullets, and now it is almost used up. If it weren't for the fact that Ral only had two fingers on his hands, he wouldn't have given such an effective weapon to Jiala.

"In the ruins, where else could there be?" Laar said with a hint of mockery.

Are you referring to the Great Wall?

The stench of blood grew stronger. Jala struggled to crawl away until he could no longer see the prey's protruding eyes. Gasping for breath, waves of nausea continued to assault his weakened stomach. Jala could not be certain whether he had shot another mutant. In this vast wasteland, many mutants roamed like ghosts, rummaging through the debris, fighting over the pitifully scarce food. Although no one had ever told Jala, he never consumed mutants, as if it were an innate instinct. The last remnants of human consciousness lingered within him, preventing him from eating the flesh of his kind or drinking their blood.

What should we do

At this moment, Jia La began to feel some regret; hunger had finally taken precedence. He decided that regardless of anything, he must first ensure his stomach was satisfied. He longed for that feeling: soft food being crushed between his teeth, swallowed forcefully, producing a gurgling sound in his throat, and then a warmth and fullness spreading within his belly... The pain that had been entwining his body slowly faded away...

There is only one place with food, Laar said somewhat gloomily, looking up at the direction he had just come from

"I do not understand," Jiala said. Many of Laar's words are somewhat obscure and not easy to comprehend

When Jiala woke up, it was already evening

Lal's judgments are usually correct. Jia La did not say much, picked up the gun, and followed behind Lal. They walked for a while in the darkness, and amidst the continuous ruins, one or two mutants could be faintly seen wandering like phantoms.

Where are the ruins? Jialai is still unwilling to accept this.

Jia La hesitated a bit and mumbled, "I am hungry"

Jiala also stretched his head to look, the darkness could not obstruct his unique gaze. In the distance, a strange cluster of buildings loomed like towering mountains, stretching endlessly, with numerous red lights flickering, distinct from the stars in the sky

The sound emanated from another direction, and one could see bursts of fire, illuminating bright trajectories in the darkness. Jiala quickly pulled his head back, as memories of the fortress surged forth, along with the bullets that chased him.

A beam of light suddenly appeared, illuminating the road, and the sound grew louder, resembling the panting of some animal, yet not quite. Jia La cautiously poked his head out, looking around. A dark object was rapidly moving along the road, and as the road undulated, the beam of light also shook.

Jala deeply despises the moment he wakes up. For every time he opens his eyes, the first sensation he feels is the twisting pain in his abdomen, as if his internal organs are being pulled by a rope, tugging intermittently, and it seems as though some creature is slowly gnawing at his insides, gradually and incessantly, driving him nearly to madness. No one tells him the reason for this, but instinctively he understands that he must find something, something he can swallow, to chew with his broken teeth, and then swallow it down with satisfaction, for every time he opens his eyes, the first sensation he feels is the twisting pain in his abdomen, as if his internal organs are being pulled by a rope, tugging intermittently, and it seems as though some creature is slowly gnawing at his insides, gradually and incessantly, driving him nearly to madness. No one tells him the reason for this, but instinctively he understands that he must find something, something he can swallow, to chew with his broken teeth, and then swallow it down with satisfaction, in order to suppress that feeling. Unfortunately, the available food is becoming increasingly scarce, and for most of the time, Jala is tormented by this sensation, except in his dreams.

"None of the mutants can." Lahl said in that melancholic tone.

"Where else will there be food?" Jala asked, his stomach starting to growl again, as the moldy bread from earlier vanished in his greedy stomach like dew under the sunlight

Lal stopped in his tracks, simultaneously pulling Jiala along with him

Lal did not pay attention to Jialana's complex expression; he merely stared blankly into the distance, in the darkness of the night, not knowing what he was seeing

Jala also came to a stop. Before him lay a narrow path, a path that had been pressed down, the traces of which were very fresh, having not existed just a few days prior. The path wound and twisted, one end leading to the great fortress, while the other extended towards the invisible horizon. Larl leaned against a pile of rubble to rest, and Jala sat down, quietly waiting for food.

Where is that mutant now

Lal furrowed his brow, seemingly in deep thought, and then shook his head

He had already died, and that was when I was very young. I witnessed a group of starving mutants devour his corpse.

Another wave of nausea surged up. Jia suppressed that feeling within himself and no longer pursued the matter.

"Is there food in there?" Jiala asked the question that concerned him the most

However, now, Jiala somewhat envies those mutants; for the sake of survival, what is there that cannot be eaten

Diary of the Seventh Observation Station on Earth

"I am hungry..." Jiala stubbornly said again

However, the people inside will come out

Lal is already quite old, with sparse gray-white hair disheveled across his small head, which bears a deep furrow running from his forehead to the back of his skull; a long, thin tail drags behind him. Unlike other mutants, Lal is notably more intelligent and understands many things that Jala does not. According to Lal, the knowledge he possesses has also been acquired from even older mutants. He often utters many novel terms: planet, meteorite, space, and gene. Jala is particularly interested in how Lal frequently finds food; he seems to be more adept than other mutants at locating edibles among the ruins. Even this gun was taught to him by Lal. Jala decides to learn Lal's skills. Lal teaches Jala the significance of writing, explaining that by uncovering certain texts buried in the ruins, it becomes easier to find useful items, which is precisely what Jala needs.

When Jala first approached the Great Fortress, she was astonished by its grandeur. From a distance, it was unlike any other ruins; Jala could not distinguish the differences, only sensing that the Great Fortress was alive. On the massive walls of the fortress, red lights flickered day and night, twinkling like stars. From her books, Jala knew these were lights. Moreover, she understood that these lights required electricity, which implied the presence of energy and people within. No one had ever seen the inhabitants of the Great Fortress; it was inaccessible, even unapproachable. Lahl had warned Jala not to go near the Great Fortress, as it posed a danger to life. Indeed, Jala had seen mutated beings heading in that direction, attempting to enter the fortress, but none returned; they simply vanished. Among the mutated beings, the Great Fortress was synonymous with danger. If it were not for her extreme hunger, Jala would not have risked getting so close to the fortress. In Jala's view, only the ruins near the Great Fortress held value, untouched by other mutated beings, as fertile as an undeveloped virgin land.

I do not understand," Jialadu murmured

Regarding the concept of a vehicle, Jiala also learned about it from books. In the ruins, he only saw some remnants and could not ascertain that they were once a type of mechanical device known as a vehicle

Jia La reluctantly held the plastic wrap, slowly licking it. In the darkness, his unusually bright eyes could still see the exquisite patterns printed on the plastic wrap and the word "bread".

However, when Jiala could clearly see the shimmering walls of the fortress, he was genuinely startled. A piercing sound echoed in the air, so sharp and terrifying that Jiala's legs began to tremble. The sound emanated from the fortress, carrying an aggressive tone, and instinctively, Jiala started to run backward, or rather, to jump. His ridiculous legs leaped like those of an antelope, and indeed, a familiar sound followed from behind, slicing through the air and sending sparks flying from the ground around him. Jiala knew it was bullets, bullets that were being fired at him. He had a gun and understood the power of bullets, which made him run even faster, as the bullets danced around him like little wolves, following closely, ready to tear at his frail body at any moment. The sharp sound continued until Jiala was out of sight of the fortress. Jiala realized he had just danced on the edge of death; relying on his stronger legs compared to other mutants and a bit of luck, he had merely caught a whiff of death's breath, which was enough to deter him from approaching that terrifying structure again. If Jiala were in the mood, he would recount this peculiar experience to Laar.

"It is I, Jiala," a hoarse voice said softly