Chapter 002: Encounter on the Left Path

Driving away was almost the only hope for Lao Xing, but in that moment, the hope that had supported him in daring to act despite the threat of guns behind him was completely shattered. Therefore, he felt all his strength suddenly vanish without a trace, his body went limp, and he almost immediately slumped down in his seat

Hou Jia was taken aback, and only then did she understand why Old Xing had not driven just now. She asked in a panic, "Who took it away?"

Old Xing is not a bold man; even in the face of disaster, he does not particularly enjoy watching horror films. He is not a homebody and does not need to rely on horror films for stimulation. Therefore, when he suddenly saw a face just a few meters in front of him, he was immediately startled. He quickly recoiled, his waist hitting the steering wheel, and his bottom slid past the gear lever, causing him to fall directly into the passenger seat. As he fell, his head bumped against the armrest on the other side of the door, nearly causing him to faint.

Old Xing understood what she was asking, but he also did not know where that man was dragging the corpse to. In the silent night, a killer was dragging a freshly dead body into the darkness, which seemed like a scene from a horror movie. Old Xing's imagination was not particularly vivid; even though he had boredly watched "Everyday Up" every day, he had never thought of using that to break into the online literature scene. At that moment, his only thought was—those in this line of work all looked a bit tragic! It really did seem like a scene from a horror movie. Therefore, at this time, he certainly could not guess what that mysterious man intended to do. After thinking for a moment, he could only bitterly comfort himself by saying: "At least those guys are dead"

Before he had even reached the roadside, he heard Hou Jia's startled exclamation from behind. He looked up and discovered that the man had somehow turned back. The corpse and the bow and arrow rifle he had been holding were no longer in sight; he stood there empty-handed at a distance, watching him. The night cast shadows on his face, making it appear uncertain and changeable.

If there were an archery enthusiast here, they would certainly recognize this as a simplified version of a compound bow, stripped of the stabilizer and some unnecessary accessories, yet retaining the essential adjustment structure. The aluminum alloy bow body and the oval fixed pulleys on both sides have been meticulously maintained, glimmering with a dim light under the reflection of the nearby campfire. Having just used it to strangle a person, the three intertwined bowstrings appear somewhat soft, likely having exceeded their fatigue limit, indicating that they need to be replaced.

The two individuals locked eyes for a moment, and then the man began to move. The body of the rifleman collapsed on the ground in front of him, but he did not check the deceased; instead, he turned and walked away. Old Xing noticed a long, strip-like object lying across the back of the corpse's neck, suggesting that he had been strangled by something other than a simple rope

The man paused for a moment, bent down to pick up the handgun from the ground. It was a Type 54 pistol, its blued finish worn down significantly, giving it a sense of age and wear. Both the stamped body and the remaining paint indicated that this was a genuine product, not a counterfeit from a workshop. The safety of the gun was already disengaged, so he gripped the gun with his right hand and pulled back the slide with his left. A bullet ejected from the ejection port, falling to the ground and bouncing slightly before coming to rest. The bullet was chambered, suggesting that the first man, who had just been shot through the throat by an arrow, was not inexperienced with firearms; he knew how to kill.

When the man raised his pistol, preparing to shoot, both of his companions noticed his actions. In fact, due to Lao Xing's sudden outburst, these individuals, caught off guard, stumbled and fell one after another. At that moment, they were somewhat irritated, and while still on the ground, they were already cursing Lao Xing in their hearts, vowing that once they caught him, they would give him a good beating. However, even the man with the rifle had no intention of firing. So when he saw his companion draw his gun, the two hesitated for a moment. They were still somewhat irritated, and while still on the ground, they were already cursing Lao Xing in their hearts, vowing that once they caught him, they would give him a good beating. However, even the man with the rifle had no intention of firing. So when he saw his companion draw his gun, the two hesitated for a moment, involuntarily making a choice between getting up to continue the chase or crouching down to cover their ears. Everyone had done bad things before, but robbery and murder are fundamentally different. Although everyone knows that in the apocalypse, robbing others of their supplies and killing them are essentially the same, truly killing someone requires a certain psychological fortitude. After all, committing murder and arson is not something just anyone can do.

Although the gunfire just now sounded muffled due to the human body it struck, it was still enough to make Hou Jia stop screaming and firmly close her mouth. The terrain of the road was relatively high, and from her position, she could clearly see the bodies at the edge of the camp. Although seeing the dead is not a rare occurrence after a disaster, witnessing the sudden disappearance of vibrant life is still a significant test of psychological endurance, even if these three individuals had just intended to kill them.

The man stared blankly for a while, finally closing the lid and putting the lighter into his pocket. He turned his head and looked around, then walked over to pick up the rifle that had been thrown on the ground. It was a Type 56 semi-automatic rifle, and the man had little interest in it; if one were to consider age, this weapon was probably older than his father. Moreover, the safety of the rifle was still engaged, indicating that its previous owner had no intention of using it to shoot; it was merely treated as a strategic deterrent weapon. However, this person likely did not understand that even the same deterrent weapon requires its holder to possess sufficient conventional military power as a guarantee; otherwise, it would only become a primary target for the opponent's attack. The man casually slung the rifle over his shoulder and then removed his bow and arrow from the neck of the man who had been strangled.

The companion holding the pistol acted swiftly; although his stance in drawing the gun was somewhat clumsy, it was resolute. As a result, his two companions were unable to stop him in time. However, to their surprise, the anticipated gunshot did not occur. Instead, they only saw their companion inexplicably throw away the pistol, reach for his neck, and then fall heavily to the ground. It was at this moment that they noticed a long, stick-like object protruding from the back of his neck, standing abruptly in the air. Witnessing this scene, both individuals were taken aback and instinctively turned to look towards the woods behind their fallen companion.

He stood up, lifted the lid of the lighter with his thumb, and pressed it down. A blue flame flickered into view, casting shifting shadows on his face. The wind did not weaken with the arrival of night, yet the flame remained stubbornly unextinguished, appearing to sway weakly under the protection of the windbreak, which was surprisingly a genuine product

The man slowly stood up, holding the pistol as he walked over to the first man he had killed. The man's throat had been torn apart by an arrow, half of his head submerged in a pool of blood, his eyes wide open and vacant, seemingly unable to comprehend what had happened even in death. The man remembered that he was the true owner of this pistol, so he crouched down, searching the corpse in an attempt to find a spare magazine or some bullets. However, he soon became disappointed; there was not much on the body, and there were no items resembling a magazine. In the end, he only managed to pull out a Zippo lighter from the man's jacket pocket.

At this moment, Hou Jia, who had been pushed into the car by him, had already climbed up but was unaware of how fortunate it was that her feet had not been caught in the rough closing of the door by Lao Xing just moments ago. Habitually, she turned her head to look out the window, though slightly later than Lao Xing. The person outside had already released the man who had died in his hands. Despite this, Hou Jia still screamed loudly. It must be said that a woman's capacity to endure is quite strong. When Lao Xing saw this scene, he instinctively wanted to dodge, while Hou Jia, though terrified to the point of nearly screaming her throat raw, remained motionless, essentially fixated on the scene outside as she screamed. Her cries were so loud that if that man were to come back to life, he would likely flee in panic.

Old Xing finally sat up straight. Unlike Hou Jia, his attention was not on the three corpses, but rather fixed on the man, his entire body feeling as stiff as a stone. When the man looked over at him, he felt every hair on his body stand on end, instinctively wanting to turn his head away, but his neck would not obey his command. Fortunately, the man did not continue to stare at him and soon turned away. At that moment, Old Xing realized that a strange clattering sound echoed in the car, and then he discovered it was the sound of his own teeth chattering in fear. When the man looked over at him, he felt every hair on his body stand on end, instinctively wanting to turn his head away, but his neck would not obey his command. Fortunately, the man did not continue to stare at him and soon turned away. At that moment, Old Xing realized that a strange clattering sound echoed in the car, and then he discovered it was the sound of his own teeth chattering in fear.

This series of events unfolded very rapidly; it may seem lengthy when recounted, but in reality, apart from the time it took to strangle the man with the gun at the end, it was almost just the time it took for the archer to run from the trees to the camp. During this time, Old Xing, who was fleeing for his life, did not even have the courage to look back. Essentially, we cannot expect a law-abiding person to think of fighting back when faced with harm, and Old Xing was no exception. Relying on his height and long legs, he quickly caught up with Hou Jia and pushed her towards the SUV he had previously turned away from. Those people had guns, and he knew he could not fight them, especially with Hou Jia in the mix. Therefore, his only thought was to escape. Whether the people behind him would shoot was no longer something he could consider. The only thought filling his mind was to run, to keep running, until he left this place.

Old Xing pushed Hou Jia into the car, not bothering to close the door, and opened the front door himself while shouting loudly, "Close the door." However, Hou Jia was so dazed from the impact that he had no awareness of what he was shouting about. At that moment, Old Xing heard a strange sound coming from behind and thought that someone must be chasing them. The only relief was that those people had not yet opened fire. He didn't even have the courage to look back; his body slammed directly against the back door. As the back door slammed shut with a heavy thud, he dove into the car and closed the door behind him. Although he had finally gotten into the car, he knew that they were still far from safe, so he did not dare to relax, not even to take a breath. He held his breath and reached out to start the car, only to be stunned to discover at that moment that the car key was not in the ignition.

Old Xing made a sound of acknowledgment, which startled Hou Jiayi. She fearfully covered her mouth with her hand, as if she had not just screamed loudly. She looked at Old Xing and whispered, "What does he want to do?"

Outside the vehicle, it was eerily quiet; apart from the howling wind, the only sound was the crackling of branches burning in the campfire. A foul odor permeated the air, and Old Xing knew it was the smell of entrails. The man had long since disappeared. Old Xing glanced around cautiously and began to descend towards the road.

The man continued to gaze at him in silence, and just when Lao Xing was on the verge of despair, he suddenly said: "Cheng Bin"

"I am sorry," the man said in a low voice. "Someone once told me that in your situation, the sooner you die, the sooner you can be reborn." He held the gun with both hands, pressing the pistol against the man's chest. After giving the other person one last glance, he suddenly said, "If Earth Online really exists, let's choose a different difficulty next time." With that, he pulled the trigger. The 54-style pistol emitted a dull sound, the muzzle jerked slightly, and the bullet easily pierced through the man's sternum and heart, continuing down into the ground. The man's body trembled a few times with the gunshot and finally fell still, blood quietly flowing from beneath him.

Old Xing gave a wry smile, glanced at the empty keyhole beside him, and said, "They took the car keys away"

The man with the rifle knelt on the ground with his body upright, his hands hanging weakly by his sides. The two were facing each other, and Lao Xing could clearly see blood flowing from the corners of the man's eyes and nostrils. His eyeballs protruded from their sockets like those of a dead fish, and his tongue hung out of his mouth at an astonishing length

Hou Jia took a deep breath and recalled the matter. She nervously glanced outside the car, noticing that the man had already dragged a corpse far away, while the person who had taken the SUV keys lay on the grass by the roadside. She glanced at Old Xing and found him looking at her as well. Having just experienced a scare, both of them felt a sense of trepidation at the thought of going outside the car.

He struggled to reach up and rub his chin, only to find his palm covered in sweat. This action finally allowed him to regain a sense of normalcy in his movements, and he felt as if he had returned to his own body in an instant. It was then that he realized his undershirt was completely soaked with sweat, making him feel extremely uncomfortable. At that moment, he noticed the car was slightly shaking, which was due to Hou Jia, who was sitting in the back seat, trembling incessantly.

However, just as he exerted himself with both hands, he felt a jolt in his body, and his center of gravity unexpectedly shifted to the side, causing him to fall to the ground immediately. He knew he could not afford to be lazy at this moment, so he hurriedly tried to get up again, only to find that he was completely unable to muster any strength. It was then that he realized something foreign seemed to have pierced through his chest and abdomen. Of course, one could say that his luck was much better than that of his earlier companion, for he could clearly see a long arrow embedded beneath his ribcage. The triangular arrowhead had shattered one side of his rib, and after mangling his intestines, it emerged from the other side. Vivid red blood mixed with various bodily fluids dripped down from above. Upon witnessing this scene, he finally realized he was injured, and excruciating pain accompanied his sudden awareness. He opened his mouth and collapsed to the ground. Even at this moment, he was still preoccupied with his duty, using every ounce of strength to raise the pistol towards the person rushing towards him. However, the last bit of accumulated strength finally dissipated, and his body swayed slightly, causing the pistol he had risked his life to retrieve to fall to the dust once more.

The man outside the car slowly stood up, walked over to the man who had been shot in the abdomen with an arrow, and kicked him lightly, turning him onto his back. This man was not yet dead; he grimaced in pain and said with difficulty, "Help me."

Old Xing did not expect him to speak. To be honest, he did not hear what the man said while killing the person who was shot in the abdomen when he was in the car. At that time, Hou Jia's screams were still echoing in the cabin, and he was fortunate that he did not temporarily lose his hearing, thanks to the sturdy and durable nature of his components. Therefore, he initially thought that this mysterious man was mute or could not understand Mandarin. It was unfortunate that he only realized now that he did not know any dialects. If he had to switch to a language other than Mandarin, it seemed that English was the only option. Just as he was pondering whether to greet the other person with "How are you" or directly ask "Are you eat de," the other party suddenly spoke. The immediate consequence was that he momentarily did not realize this was that language, and it took him some time to react and understand that the other person was telling him his name. Because the reaction time was a bit long, he naturally let his mind wander and thought, "People have become dragons; at the very least, they should become talents. How come you, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, have become a pancake? You really lack ambition."

It seemed that a long time had passed, and Old Xing began to feel strange, wondering why those few people had not chased after him. Although he had given up on fleeing, he had not lost his sanity; he simply began to accept his fate like all desperate people do, placing his hope in the justice of the authorities. However, the problem was that the speed of those three men seemed questionable, and after such a long time, there was not a single sign of movement. Suddenly, a glimmer of hope arose in Old Xing's heart; perhaps they were just joking earlier. He then strained to turn his stiff neck and looked out the car window, just in time to see a scene he would never forget.

Old Xing's heart tightened as he thought about the fact that this person had just killed three criminals, making his legs feel a bit weak. Although he outweighed any of those three individuals, in terms of overall performance, the other party had already surpassed him by at least double. The two of them stared at each other from a distance, neither willing to speak first. After a while, it was still Old Xing who reacted first, giving a dry laugh and saying: "Hello"

Hou Jia let out a sound of hesitation, wanting very much to prevent Old Xing from going, but upon reconsideration realized that this was the only way, so he could only remind him: "Be careful yourself"

The man who was pulled away from Hou Jia by Lao Xing was the first to react, lunging to pick up the handgun that had fallen to the ground. He achieved his wish, and with a gun in hand, his heart immediately filled with joy. It was precisely because this guy had the gun that he could give orders among the three of them; after all, a handgun is more convenient to use than a long gun. He never expected that this handgun, which he had once coveted, would now be in his possession. He pushed himself up from the ground, preparing to get up. Having never practiced, he realized that although the protagonists in movies should be able to roll and stand up directly, when it came to the moment, he found that there was no time to practice. He had no choice but to use the clumsy method of using both hands and feet to get up. Fortunately, he didn't have to worry about box office performance; whether the movements looked good was secondary.

Old Xing truly did not know what he should be cautious about; the outside world seemed fraught with danger. However, upon careful consideration, he found it difficult to pinpoint specific matters. Clearly, the unknown was far more terrifying than the known dangers. Old Xing took a deep breath to bolster his courage, but it seemed to have little effect. The mere thought of probing and touching the body of someone who had just died sent chills down his spine. He let out a sound of resignation and pushed open the car door to step out.

The man on the ground emitted a beast-like gasp, and a strong stench permeated the air. The arrow had not severed the abdominal aorta, so the man could only convulse in agony, unable to die immediately

The man did not pay any attention to the bullet that had fallen to the ground. Generally speaking, bullets are quite precious, and no one would casually throw them on the ground; however, this person clearly did not care. He glanced at the dying man, tilted his head and thought for a moment, then slowly reinserted the magazine into the gun, chambered a round, and then knelt beside the injured man. The wounded man realized his fate, and a pleading look appeared in his eyes as he moved his lips and said: "Save me." He glanced at the dying man, tilted his head and thought for a moment, then slowly reinserted the magazine into the gun, chambered a round, and then knelt beside the injured man. The wounded man realized his fate, and a pleading look appeared in his eyes as he moved his lips and said: "Save me."

The man continued to stare at him, remaining silent and unwilling to speak. Old Xing had no choice but to muster his courage and say, "Thank you for saving me, my name is Xing Zhixin." He was unaware that the man with the gun had previously been prepared to shoot him from behind, but the man in front of him had killed the three individuals who had ill intentions towards them. Expressing gratitude was always appropriate; one should not strike a smiling face. This was a lesson Old Xing had learned from his past experiences in society. Regardless, it was always better to strive for a good attitude.

Although the sun is not visible in the sky, it has not yet turned completely dark, so they easily spotted a figure rushing out from the woods beneath the highway. This person was running very fast, but in a peculiar manner. Most importantly, he was holding a bow in his hand.

Hou Jia's scream did not scare away the enemy, but it awakened Lao Xing. He immediately understood that something must have happened; those men who had already gained the upper hand would not be bored enough to dress up as ghosts to frighten him. Thus, he endured the pain and propped himself up to look out the window. This time, mentally prepared, his gaze passed over the man who had been strangled and landed on the murderer standing behind him

Old Xing is, after all, a man, and he is approaching forty. Although he possesses the courage of an ordinary person, he has experienced many things, so he quickly calmed down. After careful consideration, he decisively said: "It is the person who pulled you out of the car." Among the three men, only this one, who attempted to assault Hou Jia, had approached the car. Therefore, if the car keys were taken, they must be with him. He decisively said: "It is the person who pulled you out of the car." Among the three men, only this one, who attempted to assault Hou Jia, had approached the car. Therefore, if the car keys were taken, they must be with him.

The man picked up the bow and looked up towards the camp that originally belonged to three men. It was quiet there, with no sign of women or boys, only the campfire still burning brightly. The man pondered for a moment, then glanced at the SUV parked on the road, bent down to grab one of the feet of the corpse on the ground, and turned to walk down towards the road.

Hou Jiake did not feel that this comfort had any effect. Although those three guys were despicable, she could not see what was good about the situation outside. Therefore, she pleaded, "Let's leave here; we don't need those things anymore." She thought that Old Xing had not driven away in time because he was reluctant to part with the tents and other items on the ground.

The rope tightened increasingly, and the man's hands and feet twitched helplessly, his eyeballs began to bulge, and his tongue unconsciously slipped out of his mouth. He desperately tried to inhale air, but no matter how hard he struggled, he could not succeed. Suddenly, the rope loosened for a moment, but before the man could react, it tightened again, not releasing. The man weakly rolled his eyes; in his final moments, he only wished to see his loved ones on the other side of the camp one last time, but until he stopped breathing, he could not fulfill this wish. Suddenly, the rope loosened for a moment, but before the man could react, it tightened again, not releasing. The man weakly rolled his eyes; in his final moments, he only wished to see his loved ones on the other side of the camp one last time, but until he stopped breathing, he could not fulfill this wish

After a while, Old Xing gritted his teeth and thought, "If it is a blessing, it is not a curse; if it is a curse, it cannot be avoided." He said to Hou Jia, "Don't get out of the car. Once I find the key, we will leave this place."

Lao Xing is confident in his physical fitness and speed, but Hou Jia is not; her stamina and speed are weaknesses, making it impossible for her to win this race. Therefore, escaping by car is their only hope, and their goal is clear: to reach the SUV before those people catch up. The distance is short, and both of them display remarkable speed. In just a few seconds, with Lao Xing's help, Hou Jia pulls open the car door and dives into the back seat. In her haste to get in, her head hits the edge of the door, causing a jolt and a sharp pain to shoot through her head. Like Lao Xing, her mind is in chaos at this moment, with only one thought: to get into the car and avoid being caught by those people.

The man skillfully removed the magazine, held it in his hand and examined it. The Type 54 magazine does not have a viewing window, but based on the feel of the compressed spring, there should be at most four rounds inside. Including the one that just fell on the ground, there should be five rounds in total. Of course, under normal circumstances, to maintain spring tension, a handgun's magazine is not fully loaded. However, in the current situation, if the magazine is not fully loaded, it either indicates that the owner of the handgun lacks a sufficient sense of crisis, or that there simply are not enough bullets.

He was a man dressed in a dark green short trench coat, with a square face, very short hair, a neatly trimmed beard, small eyes, thick eyebrows, and lips pressed tightly together, giving them a somewhat thin appearance. He appeared to be no older than thirty. At that moment, he was also looking at the old Xing in the car window. The SUV did not have reflective film, so the old Xing felt that he must be visible to him. He instinctively wanted to look away, but out of fear, he felt his whole body stiffen, making even the movement of his eyeballs difficult.

At that moment, the man with the rifle finally came to his senses, scrambling to retrieve the rifle that had just slipped from his grasp. However, the more anxious he became, the less his limbs obeyed him; he felt his entire body weaken, and after stumbling twice, he finally lunged beside the rifle. He threw his arms around the rifle on the ground, frantically trying to disengage the safety, but his fingers slipped over the outer edge of the trigger, unable to push the safety lever. At that moment, a cold, slender rope wrapped around his neck and then tightened sharply, causing a choking sound in his throat. He dropped the rifle and turned to grasp the rope constricting his neck, but the rope was thin yet resilient, quickly embedding itself into his muscles. His hands could only futilely scratch at his neck, his nails breaking the skin and exposing bright red muscle. Blood rapidly stained his hands, forming a layer of lubricant between his fingers and the skin on his neck, making it impossible for him to continue tearing at his throat.