Chapter 4, Caught in a Dilemma

Yet, another voice resided in Wu Ming's heart

At that moment, a sudden burst of gunfire echoed from a distance. At this range, it sounded somewhat like firecrackers, but Wu Ming, with three years of survival experience in the New World, immediately discerned that it was gunfire, real gunfire

so that Wu Ming's hands trembled involuntarily

Upon arriving at the residential community where Li Xia lived, the sky had already darkened. Wu Ming glanced at the time on his watch; it was now 7:15 PM. He hurried upstairs and, upon reaching Li Xia's door, knocked loudly.

The public transportation system has ceased operations, making it somewhat difficult to reach the old town. Wu Ming, being impoverished and without funds to purchase a car, can only consider alternative solutions.

Due to the complete chaos outside, most citizens have chosen to stay at home since the morning, resulting in the streets appearing desolate, with only the occasional passing police car seeming rather hurried

Perhaps this is indeed an excuse, after all, Wu Ming's memories of the beach are quite vague; it may just be a stain of sand. However, this is no longer important, as Wu Ming has already made a decision

Yucheng is quite large. If divided by area, it can be categorized into the new urban area and the old urban area. Currently, Wu Ming is located in the new urban area, which features spacious buildings and modern facilities. In contrast, Li Xia resides in the old urban area. Traveling from here to her location takes about an hour, even by subway.

In the blink of an eye, seven days have nearly passed. On September 10th at 3 PM, after taking a hot shower, Wu Ming sat on the sofa and turned on the television, yet he could not calm himself down no matter what.

Two voices continuously intertwined in his mind, at this moment, Wu Ming suddenly recalled a detail. He had once participated in a company-organized beach trip, where he had seen Li Xia in a bikini. Of course, the reason Wu Ming remembered this was not due to nostalgia for Li Xia's infinitely beautiful figure, but because he vaguely remembered that there was a small birthmark on the inner side of Li Xia's thigh

Perhaps it was the noise of Wu Ming knocking that was too loud, causing the security door next door to open a crack, revealing a man with a full beard.

Wu Ming, I sincerely apologize. A neighbor suddenly fell ill, and her children are not around. It is too chaotic outside, so I must stay to take care of her. I can only visit you another day

Upon realizing this, Wu Ming immediately took action. He first sent a text message to Li Xia, informing her that he would be coming to find her and instructed her to stay at home and not go anywhere. Since the phone was unreachable, he could only hope for a response via text. He then retrieved a backpack, stuffing it with the purchased scale armor, along with several bottles of mineral water and some biscuits. Next, he found a piece of cloth to wrap the already sharpened Tang knife and secured it on his back. He equipped the energy collector and then pushed open the door, stepping outside. Since the phone was unreachable, he could only hope for a response via text. He then retrieved a backpack, stuffing it with the purchased scale armor, along with several bottles of mineral water and some biscuits. Next, he found a piece of cloth to wrap the already sharpened Tang knife and secured it on his back. He equipped the energy collector and then pushed open the door, stepping outside.

"Did you go to the hospital? Which hospital?" Wu Ming asked anxiously

In my memory, the birthmark on Li Xia's inner thigh had a very peculiar shape, resembling a crescent moon. In the New World, Wu Ming had seen a similar pattern on the wrist of a powerful individual, who was also an Awakened and much stronger than Wu Ming. At that time, Wu Ming had not yet awakened and was mingling among a group of refugees, witnessing how that powerful individual carefully took away a boy with a similar crescent-shaped birthmark on his neck as if he had encountered a rare treasure.

At noon, Wu Ming called his colleague Li Xia, inviting her to his home as a guest. As one of the few friends Wu Ming had in Yucheng, he naturally wanted to ensure her safety. Inviting her to his home to take refuge was a plan Wu Ming had devised early on.

No need to ask, this hetushu.com person must be Li Xia's neighbor. When Wu Ming inquired, the latter replied: "Oh, you are looking for Li Xia? Aunt Wang next door had a heart attack, and Li Xia took her to the hospital"

Based on the volume of the sound, Wu Ming determined that the gunfire came from 500 meters away, but he did not know what had happened there; this was also the first instance of gunfire occurring within the urban area

Subsequently, Wu Ming attempted to call several times but was unable to connect, realizing that trouble was at hand

The mysterious crescent mark, which Wu Ming had wanted to understand in his previous life, presents an opportunity this time that cannot be missed

A few minutes later, riding a stolen mountain bike, Wu Ming hurried towards the old city.

Time is slowly passing, and the television is continuously broadcasting various news reports about meteorite falls and the frequent violent incidents occurring in different regions. Today, during the daytime, multiple areas have already been attacked by "meteorites," resulting in numerous casualties. The news has already issued warnings advising citizens in various cities to stay at home and avoid going outside.

Believing that Li Xia had already arrived, Wu Ming hurriedly answered the phone, asking Li Xia to come here. This was a decision Wu Ming had contemplated for a long time. The house here is sturdy, the windows are equipped with protective screens, and there are security doors installed. Moreover, there are plenty of supplies, making the chances of survival here significantly higher. However, on the phone, Li Xia informed Wu Ming of an unexpected piece of news: she could not come.

There is no doubt that this mark is quite unusual

Damn! Wu Ming cursed under his breath. If he couldn't take the subway, how would he get to the old town?

Having checked the time, it is already nearly five o'clock in the afternoon. According to Wu Ming's plan, it is best to stay at home at this time. Once it is past nine o'clock in the evening, disaster will strike, and the vital energy in the air will significantly increase. At that time, one can collect vital energy without going outside. Perhaps in half a month, or perhaps in a month, one can gather the twenty-four units of vital energy required for awakening. Once awakened, everything will be well; at least at this stage, an awakened individual possesses a survival ability unmatched by ordinary people. At that time, one can collect vital energy without going outside. Perhaps in half a month, or perhaps in a month, one can gather the twenty-four units of vital energy required for awakening. Once awakened, everything will be well; at least at this stage, an awakened individual possesses a survival ability unmatched by ordinary people.

There is no doubt that the risks of this plan are too great

Hastening his steps, Wu Ming finally entered a nearby subway station. Along the way, he witnessed a group of young people wielding iron rods and bricks, smashing the glass of a shop to seize valuables. At this stage, such incidents are not uncommon.

Since his rebirth, Wu Ming had been busy making preparations, and it was only now that he suddenly remembered this matter. What that mark signifies, no one knows, not even Wu Ming himself, but he is aware that he has a very solid excuse to rescue Li Xia

He still decided to find Li Xia, after all, there is still time. Moreover, after continuously absorbing nearly five units of vital energy over the past few days, Wu Ming's physical condition is now nearly double that of a normal adult, so even if he encounters unexpected situations, he can manage to handle one or two of them

The journey was uneventful, but it still took over an hour to reach the old town where Li Xia was located. Along the way, Wu Ming made several phone calls, most of which did not go through, and occasionally, when he did get through, there was no one to answer.

Although time is somewhat pressing, it is still possible to find Li Xia and bring her back now. However, Wu Ming soon realized that something was amiss. He knocked on the door for a full three minutes, and eventually resorted to banging on it, yet there was not a single response from inside the house

However, Li Xia's failure to keep her appointment disrupted his plans, and at this moment he found himself in a state of inner conflict. On one hand, he knew that he could completely disregard Li Xia and follow the plan he had devised, waiting for awakening in this solid fortress, and then seize various cards to enhance his chances of survival. Yet, by doing so, he would sever ties with Li Xia just as in his previous life, and perhaps she would die, for when disaster struck, many people perished.

In this world, perhaps only https://www.hetushu.com knows what terrifying events will occur in a few hours. Knowing yet being unable to prevent it creates an excruciating feeling, akin to that of a patient who knows they have a terminal illness but is powerless, merely waiting to pass through the remainder of their limited life.

I have no idea about this! After saying that, the bearded man closed the door, leaving Wu Ming dumbfounded in the hallway

With more than three hours remaining until the card activation, theoretically, there is more than enough time for back and forth. At this moment, Wu Ming is walking briskly towards the nearest subway station

What are you knocking for? Who are you looking for

"Come on, Wu Ming, she is not related to you; she is just a female colleague. Even if you have a better relationship with her, is it worth risking yourself for her? Those cards are about to be activated, and if you can't return in time, the consequences could be dire. Moreover, Li Xia's residence is over 20 kilometers away from here, and there are too many unexpected situations you might encounter on the way. Stay here and don't worry about her; you are just an ordinary office worker, and there's no need to take such risks."

Meanwhile, on the other hand, a bold plan emerged in Wu Ming's mind: to take advantage of the few remaining hours to find Li Xia and bring her here at all costs. However, there was no doubt that leaving this place would expose him to numerous dangers. What if he couldn't find Li Xia? What if he encountered unforeseen circumstances on the way? What if those cards were activated prematurely? If he couldn't return here in time, it would lead to significant trouble. However, there was no doubt that leaving this place would expose him to numerous dangers. What if he couldn't find Li Xia? What if he encountered unforeseen circumstances on the way? What if those cards were activated prematurely? If he couldn't return here in time, it would lead to significant trouble.

Wu Ming, you coward, there is still time. Although Li Xia is not related to you by blood, she has helped you a lot in the company. In this city, she is the only one you can truly call a friend. When you were short on money, she was the one who lent you some. When you were drunk, she ran several streets to find hot water to help you sober up. She is also the one who tidies up your messy desk every day. Without Li Xia, you would be all alone in Yucheng. And now, are you willing to just watch your friend die without doing anything? If that is the case, even if you awaken, you will still be a weakling. In the new world, the weak cannot survive; you will still die, even if not now, you will eventually die

Today, several parades occurred on the streets, which escalated into violent clashes. The citizens seek to know the truth, as they are very frightened, yet they are unaware that the authorities are equally afraid.

Wu Ming had never felt that time passed so quickly, and he was also making every second count, having made all the necessary preparations

In Wu Ming's heart, such voices kept emerging; indeed, the sky outside had already darkened somewhat, and it was truly unwise to go out at this time

Birthmarks are quite common and not particularly noteworthy, and Wu Ming did not pay them much attention. However, when combined with the survival experiences from the three years in the New World, the situation becomes different

However, when Wu Ming arrived at the subway station, he was taken aback. The electronic screen at the station displayed that all subway lines were currently out of service, and the entrance was surrounded by iron barriers, making it impossible to enter

It was just after 4 PM when Li Xia, who should have arrived earlier, had still not come. At that moment, Wu Ming's phone rang; it was a call from Li Xia.

There is no need to ask; it is so chaotic now. Since the subway has stopped operating, the buses must have ceased operations as well. Just now, I did not see a single bus along the route. Not to mention the buses, even private cars are extremely few, and most of them are in a hurry.

Upon hearing this, Wu Ming immediately felt anxious. He knew that Li Xia had a kind heart, or to put it bluntly, she was overly kind. However, at this critical moment, how could he allow her to stay there? Li Xia on the other end of the phone was clearly in a hurry; after speaking, she hung up directly. When Wu Ming tried to call back, he was met with a message indicating that the call could not be connected.

Walking is clearly not a good idea; a distance of 20 kilometers would take too much time to cover on foot. However, Wu Ming soon noticed a few bicycles locked by the roadside ahead. Looking around, he saw that there was no one else around. With a determined heart, he stealthily approached them.