Chapter 5: The Wanderer's Encampment

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Xia Tong clenched the can of meat in her mouth, her glistening glassy cat eyes scanning the surroundings. This place was likely frequented by wanderers; the risk of eating here was far too great. She had no desire to suddenly stumble upon a group of strangers while enjoying her meal.

Resolute, Xia Tong left without hesitation. Agilely, she slipped through the torn gap of the convenience store’s door and silently weaved through the rubble-strewn street. She chose not to linger on the ground but fixed her gaze on a relatively tall, dilapidated apartment building across the street.

Lightly climbing the vines and exposed steel bars along the wall, Xia Tong soon reached the rooftop. The view was expansive here, offering a panoramic sight of the ruined streets—an ideal spot for both observation and eating.

With her paws, she pried open the can, and an immediate rich aroma of meat filled the air.

“Finally, a decent meal,” a wave of satisfaction surged in her heart as she eagerly lowered her head to feast. In her previous life, she had never experienced hunger; this primal craving for food felt both novel and intensely real.

While cautiously scanning the street below, she savored the minced meat. The canned meat’s texture was acceptable—certainly far better than the mutated wild animals she sometimes encountered.

Gradually, energy seeped back into her body, and the gnawing hunger faded, replaced by a comforting sense of steadiness.

Just as she was relishing the meal, a shadow darted swiftly across the street below in her peripheral vision. Xia Tong’s movements froze abruptly; every hair on her body tensed instantly.

She stopped eating, crouched low, and silently concealed herself in a shadowed corner, her glassy eyes piercing downward.

It was no illusion.

A disheveled man and woman were cautiously walking along the wall’s edge, finally revealing themselves around the corner. Both carried bulging backpacks and gripped sturdy, sharp steel rods, their eyes vigilantly sweeping the area.

“That convenience store is already taken. Looks like we can’t go there next time,” the man muttered, voice low and tinged with displeasure.

The woman frowned, agreeing, “Those damn ‘hyenas’ sure are quick on their feet.”

They headed toward the small store Xia Tong had just left, speaking in hushed tones as they walked.

“Don’t know if this place has been discovered…”

“We’ll have to find another spot to scavenge.”

Lying atop the rooftop, Xia Tong listened intently to their whispered conversation. It seemed quite a few wanderers still roamed this ruined city.

But sorry, this place has already been discovered by me.

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Xia Tong crouched in the rooftop shadows, licking the last bits of minced meat clean, her glassy eyes calmly fixed below.

The man and woman showed no hesitation, heading straight for that small convenience store. They deftly pushed aside the hanging vines at the entrance and slipped inside, clearly familiar with the place.

“Damn it, there’s definitely some movement,” the man cursed, his voice faint and filled with restrained anger and caution.

“Look here…” the woman’s voice followed closely, equally uneasy, “The dust has clearly been disturbed, and… that missing can!”

They had stumbled upon this small store by chance, and whenever they couldn’t find food, they came here to feast. They kept the surroundings meticulously clean and knew every blade of grass and tree intimately. Naturally, the absence of a single can was immediately noticed.

Silence fell inside the store as they quickly checked for any other losses.

After a thorough inspection, they found only one can missing, but years of wandering had taught them this place was no longer safe—trouble could strike at any time.

Exchanging a glance, they swiftly gathered some precious food into their backpacks, preparing to leave.

In the wasteland, danger could descend from the skies at any moment; they wouldn’t rely on divine mercy.

...

“Nothing else missing… hurry up, grab what we can and let’s go!” the man’s voice rose in urgency again.

“Yeah, no time to linger here. Let’s get back to camp before those crazy ‘hyenas’ fixate on us,” the woman agreed, her tone edged with fear.

Soon, the pair emerged from the store, backpacks noticeably fuller.

They didn’t linger or even glance around carefully, exchanging a quick look before quickening their pace, hurrying deeper into the city ruins along their original path.

“Leaving so soon?” Xia Tong tilted her head, watching their figures disappear around the corner. These wanderers were even more cautious than she had imagined.

“A wanderer camp…” she recalled their earlier whispers.

This might be an opportunity for her—to understand the power dynamics of this area, gather more information about the wasteland, and perhaps find a steadier food source. Of course, it could also mean greater danger.

“Better follow them and see,” Xia Tong decided.

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Silently, she leapt from the rooftop, stretching her body midair and landing without a sound. Instantly, she transformed into a flow of clear water, gliding close to the ground and hugging the shadows along walls, swiftly trailing the man and woman’s path.

She carefully kept her distance, using the ruins as cover, tailing the two wanderers unseen.

They clearly hurried to return to their base, their steps brisk, weaving through broken streets and around collapsed buildings, eyes alert to their surroundings yet utterly unaware of the invisible ‘tail’ behind them.

Passing through several desolate alleys and circling a ruined square, they finally reached a relatively secluded area. Here, the buildings were somewhat better preserved but still overrun with vines and moss, exuding a grim aura.

At last, the pair stopped before an inconspicuous grey building.

The building stood about seven or eight stories tall, most windows boarded up or sealed with metal sheets, leaving only a narrow entrance on the ground floor, cleverly disguised. The entrance was covered with tattered cloth and assorted debris, making it hard to detect without careful observation.

Xia Tong paused behind a crumbling wall in the distance, her glassy pupils flickering with an unusual glow.

“So this is their camp…” she watched as the two skillfully removed the disguise, confirmed safety, and slipped inside swiftly, the cloth falling back into place, concealing all traces.

The building looked decrepit, lacking any obvious defenses, and it was unknown how many people gathered within.

Xia Tong did not approach rashly.

At the very least, she needed to be capable of self-defense before considering contact with these humans.

She glanced at her information panel’s experience bar:

[Current Experience: 9/10].

Just a little more to level up.

Better wait a bit longer...