Chapter 14: The Clash in the Square

After a brief rest, Xia Tong did not linger any longer. She turned and left the dilapidated building where she had nearly met disaster, ready to continue her exploration.

For her, steadily improving her strength remained the top priority.

Once outside, Xia Tong moved cautiously through the corners and hidden spots among the ruins, carefully keeping herself concealed in the shadows so she could hide at a moment’s notice.

In truth, this was mostly to facilitate a quick escape if needed.

…

As the gray mist in the ruins dispersed, the first light of dawn arrived.

Before her lay a large plaza. The central fountain was dried up, and the stone sculptures that once stood proudly had crumbled and broken apart, their surfaces riddled with dense cracks winding upward. Vibrant green vines clung to the sculptures, giving a stark contrast to the desolation.

The surroundings were bleak: scattered with dusty, abandoned cars and dense overgrowth, the area was otherwise empty. Patches of old bloodstains, now oxidized to a blackened hue on the roads and walls, hinted at a grim history.

“So desolate…” Xia Tong glanced cautiously from side to side, carefully scanning her surroundings.

Suddenly, a sharp, guttural wail tore through the air, shattering the silence instantly.

Xia Tong looked up to see a massive mutated crow.

Its decaying skeleton was wrapped in a tangle of jet-black feathers, while crimson blood slowly trickled down from its razor-sharp talons. Its hollow, lifeless eyes exuded a foul stench as it swept toward the dense forest bordering the plaza.

[Bone Crow, Tier 1, Five Stars. Wingspan up to three meters; skeleton hard and sharp. A rare mutation with sound-based abilities. Eyeless and brainless, yet capable of emitting infrasound waves.]

[Recommended: Keep your distance!]

…

“Roar!”

As Xia Tong checked the “Source Core” alerts in her mind, a fierce roar burst out suddenly. From the tall grass nearby, a blood-scarred tiger lunged forth.

Its dirty fur matted with bright red blood, the two mutated beasts instantly clashed in brutal combat.

“…”

Xia Tong was momentarily stunned, unsure why they had suddenly started fighting.

Watching the two mutated creatures grappling fiercely, she felt at a loss.

At the same time, the “Source Core” alert chimed belatedly, pulling her focus back.

[Mutated Blood-Patterned Tiger, Tier 1, Five Stars. Large stature, fur stained with bright crimson blood, mouth resembling that of a vampire bat.]

[Recommended: Immediate withdrawal!]

…

Two Tier 1, Five-Star mutated creatures… Xia Tong felt her heart skip a beat. She was only Tier 1, Two Stars herself. Any one of these alone would be a formidable challenge—even more so with both clashing right here!

Fortunately, neither had noticed her.

She curled into the shadowed corner, stealing glances with the corner of her eye.

The plaza was swept by a roaring wind, dust and debris swirling violently.

The Bone Crow’s enormous skeletal silhouette cast a ghastly shadow, accompanied by a nauseating stench of decay. Each wingbeat stirred up dust and fragments, forming a small gray whirlwind.

The Mutated Blood-Patterned Tiger was equally fierce, lowering its head and growling deeply. Muscles tensed beneath its fur stained with crimson patterns, every pounce crackling with thunderous force. Its sharp claws gouged deep furrows in the ground.

“…Tier 1, Five Stars, huh?” Xia Tong murmured.

At this early stage of cultivation, mutated creatures of the same tier were generally far stronger than humans—not just in terms of their supernatural abilities, but also their physical constitution.

Their mutations enhanced both power and physique, while humans usually only strengthen their bodies through physical-type abilities; other powers do not contribute to physical growth.

In comparison, humans were much weaker than mutated beasts during these early stages.

But then again, how was she supposed to get past them?

Watching the two “roadblocks” tearing into each other in the plaza, Xia Tong fell silent, her tail flicking unconsciously.

…

Meanwhile, behind the plaza, in a dilapidated residential area, several shadowy figures peered cautiously through broken windows.

“Heavens, they’re fighting again.”

“Our food supplies are running low. What do we do next?”

“If this keeps up and they don’t kill each other, we’ll be the ones starved out here.”

…

Voices of argument and doubt arose from the group, causing a headache for Lu Mingcheng. Eventually, unable to tolerate it any longer, he growled to calm them down: “Enough, enough. We’ll move out at night.”

As soon as he spoke, silence fell over the group, as if nothing had happened.

Their concern wasn’t the fight downstairs, but the looming food shortage. Since the leader had spoken, their purpose was served, and they quietly fell silent.

This situation couldn’t continue… Lu Mingcheng watched the brutal battle below, deep in thought:

These two mutated beasts had been fighting each other for days, yet neither could gain the upper hand… But regardless, we must act tonight. Supplies are nearly gone…

…

Back at the plaza, the battle had reached its peak intensity.

“Roar!”

The Blood-Patterned Tiger lunged forward, aiming to bite the vulnerable neck joint of the Bone Crow.

“Caw!”

The Bone Crow emitted a piercing shriek—not a typical bird call, but a sound capable of shaking the air and assaulting the mind with sonic waves.

In the next instant, invisible ripples rapidly spread out, shattering some stones at the plaza’s edge into dust.

The tiger’s attack faltered, clearly affected by the sonic assault, its momentum broken.

Seizing the opportunity, the Bone Crow’s sharp, bony talons hooked deeply into the tiger’s back.

A ripping sound echoed as flesh tore apart.

Several deep, bone-exposing wounds appeared instantly on the agile tiger’s back, dark red blood gushing out.

“Hiss…”

Hiding behind the rubble of a collapsed building, Xia Tong wrapped her ears tightly in a faint blue water membrane, barely daring to breathe.

At this level of combat, even the residual effects left her shaken. In her past life, she might have had enough strength to defend herself, but now…

Resolute, Xia Tong began to contemplate her next move. Her current position was far from absolutely safe. If the Bone Crow unleashed that sonic wave again, she could easily be caught in its range.

Should she run?

Or continue to hide?

These two options flickered wildly in her mind. One wrong move spelled death without burial.

The Blood-Patterned Tiger, wounded and enraged, probably had a negative rationality now, while the Bone Crow was no less fierce.

“Such bad luck today!”

“God, could you give me a lucky ability already?”

Suddenly, Xia Tong thought of her hated nemesis from her previous life—the one with the “Lucky Ability” who always bullied her in the base and mocked her whenever possible.

She wondered if that person had perished in the zombie outbreak.

If not, when she found the chance, she would personally settle the score!