Foraging

The scent wasn't the rich aroma of steamed buns, nor the invigorating spice of chili oil, but a fragrance that was difficult to describe.

Sun Hang had only ever smelled a similar scent on Bloody Mary and Wang Xiyi.

"Anomaly? Or an infected?" Sun Hang became alert, cautiously surveying his surroundings.

A three-wheeled cart rumbled over loose bluestone slabs, its cargo fresh vegetables still glistening with dew. Two children with backpacks and yellow hats sat on a stone ledge by a shop entrance, slurping noodles from large bowls. Three stooped elderly women were gathered around a vegetable stall, fiercely haggling with the vendor...

In just a few minutes, the old street had fully awakened. The scene, filled with the everyday hustle and bustle, made one instinctively want to let down their guard...

That is, of course, if Sun Hang hadn't smelled that unique scent belonging to anomalies or the infected.

The scent was faint, elusive, neither disappearing nor intensifying... This meant the source of the scent had maintained a constant distance from Sun Hang.

Sun Hang directly ignored the moving people and objects. However, after eliminating so many "wrong options," the remaining possibilities were still outrageously numerous.

The source of the scent could be a person, an inconspicuous little insect, a chipped coarse ceramic teacup, or even a patch of damp earth under a pedestrian's foot, or a gust of cold wind blowing through the alley.

"Thump, thump, thump..." The dull sound of a cleaver hitting a chopping block reached Sun Hang's ears, along with the sizzling of rapeseed oil and the calls of vendors... There were too many distractions, making it difficult for Sun Hang to concentrate and identify the source of the scent one by one.

Fortunately, the scent remained, it hadn't disappeared.

Sun Hang pulled a pair of disposable chopsticks from the holder on the table, tore open the packaging, and separated the two joined chopsticks.

The wontons he ordered were already cooking. An old man at the next table was still chattering away, telling him about the most authentic foods in Tianfu City. A completely black crow flew across the street, disappearing behind the eaves on one side.

Sun Hang took out his phone, pondered for a moment, and then put it back in his pocket.

He was hungry.

He needed to forage.

"One and a half portions of wontons, no spice—" Just as the breakfast shop owner approached with a large bowl, the scent suddenly became half as strong.

In that instant, Sun Hang locked onto his target—a young woman wearing a duck-billed cap, with her hoodie pulled up, gloves on both hands, and completely wrapped up from head to toe.

She was sitting about fifteen meters away from Sun Hang, at a shop selling soy milk and fried dough sticks. After taking a large bag of fried dough sticks and buns from the owner, she stood up, adjusted the brim of her hat, and turned towards the street entrance.

Although at least five or six people were getting up after finishing their breakfast at this time, Sun Hang's intuition told him that the "scent" was emanating from this woman.

"Boss, excuse me, I have an urgent matter," Sun Hang also stood up, saying somewhat awkwardly to the wonton shop owner.

"What? It's already cooked..." The owner was taken aback, clearly annoyed.

"Sorry." Sun Hang quickly took out his phone and scanned the payment QR code stuck to the corner of the table.

"Ah, kid, if it's really urgent, then forget it... You don't need to pay." The owner waved his hands repeatedly. "It's fine."

"I've already paid." Sun Hang looked at the old man who had been rambling on. "Grandpa, please consider this bowl of wontons my treat. Add as much spice as you like. I have to go now."

"You young man, you can't skip breakfast!" The old man appeared frail but moved nimbly, jumping up from his seat and shoving a plastic bag containing two pieces of glutinous rice cakes into Sun Hang's hand. "No matter how busy you are, you can't go hungry!"

"Thank you, Grandpa." Sun Hang casually stuffed the rice cakes into his pocket and bolted in the direction the young woman had left.

Behind him, the old man shook his head and sighed to the wonton shop owner, "Ah, what are these kids so busy with these days? Busy to the point they can't even eat breakfast?"

Although the target had disappeared from Sun Hang's sight, the lingering "scent" became the best tracking clue. After locking onto the target, his previously confused sense of direction became instantly clear, like a directional arrow in a game with quest guidance.

The young woman, carrying the scent of an anomaly, plunged into a dilapidated residential complex after leaving the old street.

Compared to the lively old street in the early morning, this complex seemed much more desolate. Old dormitory-style buildings were crammed within rusty anti-theft fences. The plaster on the outer walls of the buildings had largely peeled off, revealing mottled concrete. Lower sections were plastered with dense "flyer ads," mostly for apartment rentals or private clinics specializing in men's or women's health.

Several buildings looked like they were already condemned. Cracks covered the concrete structures, exposing the rebar within. A large red circle was painted at the entrance, with a prominent "demolish" character inside.

But for some reason, these condemned buildings had not yet been demolished, and even the color of the "demolish" character was no longer vibrant... Under the passage of time, the paint had deepened, resembling congealed blood.

Sun Hang followed the "scent" into one of the condemned buildings. Most of the residents in this building had already moved out, and several rooms even had their doors removed, revealing chaotic interiors at a glance. However, a few units clearly still had occupants—the "fresh" household garbage in the trash cans by the doors was the best proof.

Sun Hang was very close to his target, and the "scent" had become very strong. If the wild wolves in the anomaly zones were like meat on a mosquito's leg, then this young woman felt to Sun Hang like the one-and-a-half portions of wontons from the breakfast stall.

The distance between them had narrowed to just one floor. Sun Hang could hear the sound of her footsteps going upstairs, and after a brief pause, they clearly quickened.

"Oh, discovered? " Sun Hang smacked his lips, and simply stopped hiding his footsteps. He drew his pistol and strode upstairs.

The structure of these dormitory-style buildings was clear from the outside. There was only one staircase in each building. The other party would either have to jump to their death or be cornered by Sun Hang in a room or on the rooftop.

She couldn't escape.