Chapter 005: The Apocalypse

Waking up in the early morning, Ren Chu felt a heavy discomfort in his stomach. As he opened his eyes, he saw President Yun's long legs resting on him.

Ren Chu gritted his teeth. President Yun flicked the cigarette butt, which struck the wooden board opposite, producing a muffled "thud" sound, with sparks flying, as if a stone had been forcefully thrown against it

A sharp scream erupted, and men and women hurriedly fled. Some rushed into a room and closed the door tightly, while others climbed up trees. However, the ants could also ascend the trees. Those who found themselves with no escape jumped down from the trees, only to be quickly overwhelmed by the swarm of ants

Ren Chu drew a bone knife and placed it against President Yun's neck, saying: "Yun Zheng, if you truly care for her, do not degrade her in front of other men. If you do not care for her, then let her go completely. A man should not be so vile and despicable"

Three people carefully slid down the hillside. At a gentle slope, Jialan took out a telescope and scrutinized the surroundings for a while before saying, "Someone is on lookout; we should be cautious."

Ren Chu jumped back as if shocked, cautiously checking his clothes and belt for any signs of being unfastened. President Yun had his head buried in the backpack, his shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter

Ren Chu fell asleep unknowingly, and upon hearing Ren Chu's snoring, Aunt Zhang sighed and said, "Miss, Xiao Chu is a very innocent child; please do not take things too far."

The apocalypse has arrived, and the law has become a thing of the past. The one with the biggest fist dictates the law. Theft and petty crimes, which would have resulted in mere detention during peacetime, now carry the risk of losing one's life.

The glowing cigarette butt was aimed at Ren Chu's nose, causing him to squint at it like a cross-eyed person. General Yun said, "It's settled then. Aunt Zhang will watch the house, and the three of us will go in search of resources. Bring back anything useful"

Ren Chu had no intuitive impression of the apocalypse, even when he saw mountain cats as large as tigers and pythons as thick as water buckets on hetushu.com. He still thought it might be a coincidence. However, when such a massive army of ants appeared, Ren Chu finally had a personal experience of it

The distance was somewhat far, and Ren Chu could not clearly see that it was ants; he could only see a dark mass of creatures moving quickly. Yun Zheng handed the binoculars to Ren Chu, who raised them to his eyes and let out a moan after seeing clearly.

Ren Chushen took a deep breath and said: "Ants can also be eaten; think of it as our food, and it won't seem so frightening."

Yun Zong impatiently said: "I know, come here, Jialan, give me a kiss"

Ren Chu said: "It's nothing, with you here, the mosquitoes dare not come."

Yun Zong said: "Isn't it tempting? Jialan has an amazing figure; you haven't seen it."

In the scenic area, someone fled into the distance; this was the only way, having to compete in speed with the ant swarm. Jialan returned, saying with lingering fear: "This place is completely finished; there will be no food left."

Ren Chu inhaled sharply and said, "I have only mentioned the phrase 'cutting eight times' to one person online, and that person is you? Weren't you in Africa... Wow, Aunt Zhang mentioned the turmoil in Africa; you really lived there before?"

Ren Chu's face burned with embarrassment; during his university days, he was capable of all sorts of outrageous behavior. After gaining the upper hand in an argument, Ren Chu spontaneously performed a dance with his shirt off, witnessed only by the sinister figure on the other end of the computer. This was Ren Chu's dark history, one he was almost ready to forget, now unearthed by Yun Zheng.

The trap was not triggered, and there were no signs of anyone passing outside the cave. The dagger that was thrust into the snake's path bore traces of blood, indicating that the snake returning from the map had fallen victim, yet there was no snake carcass to be found

The bone-cutting knife was seized, and Ren Chu had no ability to resist. Yun Zheng gently scraped Ren Chu's cheek with the knife and said: "I despise people like you who can only boast. Didn't you claim that you possess the ancestral technique of the Eight Cuts, powerful beyond compare? I sent someone to your hometown to inquire, and it turns out the Eight Cuts is merely a technique for chopping vegetables, yet you have exaggerated it into a legendary swordsmanship. Now, show it to me."

Ren Chu rested his hands behind his head, and the aura emanating from Yun Bian's body was unfamiliar, a scent that made Ren Chu feel uneasy

The wooden cabin is very simple, even more so than the mountain hut borrowed from Ren Chu. Six pillars support the framework, which is covered with branches, while thick wooden planks suspended below serve as the bed

Jialan threw the telescope to General Yun, and she quickly dashed down the slope, using the cover of the vegetation to make her way towards the buildings in the scenic area

Yun Zong turned over to look at Ren Chu and said: "It is not far from the scenic area here. Tomorrow, let's get a few blankets and also bring back some mosquito nets; the mosquitoes in the mountains are quite fierce."

Ren Chuxing said, "Is chatting like this interesting?"

It is unclear when the argument transformed into mutual boasting. The Evil Shadow is boasting with confidence; although there are no photos of him, he raises lions at home—real, living lions. He even specially trimmed the fur on the lion to form the characters for 'human chef' to verify its authenticity, making his boasting quite substantial.

Yun Zong said: "The scenic area is too eye-catching, making it difficult to establish a foothold here"

It has been two years since I graduated and joined this newly established company. It turns out that the president is that sinister figure, Ren Chu feels like the biggest fool in the world

A few people had a simple breakfast. Ren Chu, carrying an empty backpack and holding a compound bow, left the cave with Jialan, who was carrying her large bundle, and Yun Zong, who was shouldering a crossbow.

Yun Zhengsong leaned against the hillside and said, "At that time, I was indeed in Africa, where I spent a period as a local ruler in a small tribe. Later, I felt that life back home was more comfortable and peaceful, which is why I returned to establish a company."

The scenic area has inns and hotels, and the prices for meals and accommodations are significantly higher than in the city. Ren Chu has only visited once, while General Yun and Jia Lan have been here multiple times

Ren Chu initially did not react. Upon hearing the name "Zhan Ba Dao," Ren Chu blurted out, "Xie Ying Zheng?"

During the escape, even if one is well-prepared, it is impossible to carry too many supplies. In Jialan's large package, there is a composite bow, two sharpened dogleg knives, as well as salt, medicine, bullets, and items for women

Ren Chu secretly tightened his belt a little, lest he be ambushed while asleep in the middle of the night. Dying of hunger is a minor issue, but losing one's integrity is a major one. Ren Chu has little faith in Yun's questionable character.

It was somewhat cold in the mountains, and Ren Chu did not know when he had turned over to embrace Yun Zong. Yun Zong opened his eyes, endured for a moment, and then moved Ren Chu's arm away, giving up on the idea of kicking him awake.

The route from here to the scenic area requires passing through several mountains. Ren Chu discovered that his stamina had increased. The three of them traversed the mountains and hills, and after more than two hours, they had already seen the buildings of the scenic area

Yun Zheng was taken aback, realizing that mentioning the "Eight Slices" had led to the guess of his alias. He pressed his knee with force and chuckled lightly, saying, "You actually guessed it; not too foolish after all"

Ren Chu looked up at the sky, and the clouds mischievously said: "In fact, it is the skin that is truly good, as it feels exceptional to the touch"

Jialan covered her face, and Aunt Zhang sighed once again at mhetushu.com. Staring blankly at the pitch-black room, Aunt Zhang did not experience the onslaught of meteor showers. Yesterday, countless meteors fell from the sky, and too many people were struck by them, but unfortunately, Aunt Zhang was not among them

Yun Zheng said with great satisfaction: "Very delightful, ah, the dance you performed for me back then was quite graceful"

Jialan quietly stepped back, and upon seeing the swarm of ants, she realized that this place was doomed. This group of mutated ants was so enormous, even more terrifying than the man-eating ants.

Jialan said, "Without experiencing the lessons of blood, one will not understand this principle. I will infiltrate first, and you and Ren Chu will provide cover for me with your crossbows."

Ren Chu said: "Do not take yourself too seriously; no one's name is beyond being called by others"

Ren Chu's mountain cabin had only a few jin of rice. In the evening, he cooked a pot of rice, leaving very little remaining. The smokeless stove built by Jialan was quite effective; the little smoke produced was carried away by the mountain breeze, making it difficult to discern.

Ren Chuya groaned like he had a toothache, and Yun Zheng deliberately teased Ren Chu, saying: "If I had known your culinary skills were this good, I wouldn't have started a tech company; opening a chain of restaurants would definitely be more profitable, and you would be the star of the restaurant."

Yun Zheng nudged Ren Chu with his arm and said, "Thanks to your reminder about the favorable domestic environment back then, I indeed made a good profit after returning to start a company, and there is no sense of crisis about an uncertain future."

Yun Zong looked at Ren Chu through his sunglasses and said, "The name Yun Zheng has not been mentioned for a long time, and the consequences are quite serious"

Jialan moved with exceptional agility, and Ren Chu was mesmerized by Jialan's graceful and athletic silhouette. President Yun reached out to shake him, and Ren Chu stared wide-eyed.

Ren Chu has nothing much to boast about; there isn't even a dog in the dormitory, except for the single dogs. Therefore, aside from bragging about himself as an unbeatable chef, he also exaggerated his ancestral knife skills into a deadly combat technique known as the "Eight Cuts of Slaughter." He thought that, in any case, the other party would be unable to verify it

There is no electricity, no candles, and the mobile phone without signal can provide light, but no one is willing to be so extravagant. Yun Zong lies between Ren Chu and Jia Lan, holding a cigarette, smiling in the darkness, lost in thought.

What kind of special abilities did they actually acquire? Even a cigarette butt can be impressive to this extent. Ren Chuhun slept through the night, and the system he painstakingly established, the Devouring Heaven and Earth System, entered his mind. So what benefits did General Yun, Jialan, and Aunt Zhang gain?

The light from the mirror reflected onto Ren Chu's face, and Yun Zheng quickly jumped up and said: "Emergency situation"

The presence of guards indicates that this scenic area has already been controlled by a group, forming a collective self-defense. If outsiders enter this place to steal, the consequences of being caught are likely to be severe

In dozens of African countries, there is not a single Chinese emperor. Ren Chu's first thought was that the other party was a fraud, and he engaged in a verbal battle with the intention of exposing them.

Ren Chu walked out of the wooden cabin with a dark expression. The fresh air was invigorating. Aunt Zhang was preparing breakfast, which included rice porridge and leftover roasted meat from yesterday.

Ren Chu's gaze was vacant. During his university years, Ren Chu sought to practice his English skills by chatting with people online, and as a result, he encountered a Chinese man who claimed to be the African Emperor.

Yun Zheng suddenly reached out and grabbed Ren Chu's wrist, forcefully twisting it backward, causing Ren Chu to lean against the hillside. Yun Zheng pressed his knee against Ren Chu's lower back and said, "Do you know the consequences of someone threatening me with a knife like this the last time it happened?"

Yun Zheng raised the telescope, and immediately his hand began to tremble as ants the size of mice surged out of the jungle and rushed into the buildings of the scenic area