Moths to the Flame

As evening approached and the sun was about to set, the sunlight grew much gentler, while the shadows cast by high-rise buildings covered most of every street.

Outside the Qi City Epidemic Prevention Center building, dozens of Skinners that had been hiding in the surrounding buildings crawled out and began wandering the streets.

Once the sun's power weakened, it was time for them to move.

Next, they would hunt for food. Whether it was spoiled canned goods, rats in the sewers, or solitary large animals, all were delicacies they loved.

Although the Stone Statue Disease Type 1 vaccine gave them frail, grotesque bodies, it also strengthened their tissues from within, turning them into monsters that were both fragile and powerful.

A Skinner wandered the street, sniffing out the scent left behind by that human during the day. Within its muddled consciousness arose a desire to skin.

Just then, a low rumble came from beneath the Epidemic Prevention Center building. Immediately afterward, a thunderous boom erupted from the underground parking garage exit as the barrier gate was smashed to pieces by a dark shadow.

The Skinner turned its head and saw only a black steel vehicle body and six pairs of massive road wheels barreling toward it. Before it could react, it was drawn beneath the wheels and crushed to pulp with a contented smile on its face.

A heavy armored vehicle sped out of the underground garage, charging recklessly through the streets!

The surrounding Skinners immediately let out wild shrieks and rushed toward the armored vehicle. Like mantises trying to stop a chariot, they blocked its path and were crushed to pieces!

Inside the armored vehicle's driver's compartment, Shen Feng steered while muttering to himself.

"This thing handles about the same as Brother Hai's truck..."

The armored vehicle was now filled with diesel, with several large barrels of reserve fuel as well as a large stockpile of light and heavy weapons and ammunition piled inside the cabin.

Besides Shen Feng, four stone statues in military uniforms sat upright in the vehicle compartment. Before the virus had completely erupted, they seemed to have been preparing to head out on a mission.

With this armored vehicle, Shen Feng was practically bubbling with delight.

What beasts? What Skinners? They were all nothing.

Humans with heavy weapons were the undisputed rulers of this apocalyptic world!

No matter how sharp a beast's claws and fangs were, they could never tear through steel!

One Skinner after another fell beneath the armored vehicle's wheels, like moths flying into flames.

In their muddled consciousness, they clearly understood that this was the best cure for swiftly ending all their suffering.

Shen Feng's expression was solemn, without the slightest trace of levity. He was like a preacher carrying out a sacred rite.

For these pitiful incinerator workers, only death was final liberation.

To some extent, their attacks on Shen Feng were merely a pursuit of death.

Once the armored vehicle had driven down the entire street, everything fell silent, leaving only the engine's rumble.

The wheels had turned crimson, leaving behind two vivid tracks that shone wine-red in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Night fell swiftly. Shen Feng did not linger, driving the armored vehicle straight to the highway entrance on the outskirts of Qi City before finally shutting off the engine.

Although he could head north to the capital right now using the built-in map on the vehicle's computer, the roads were difficult to navigate at night. If he got stuck in a pit, it would be troublesome. He decided to spend the night here and wait until tomorrow.

There was a gas station at the highway entrance. The convenience store door stood wide open, and several stone statues of gas station employees stood there.

Shen Feng turned on the armored vehicle's headlights, shining them directly into the gas station convenience store. Holding his shotgun, he climbed out of the vehicle, looted the convenience store, then returned to the vehicle.

As someone who had never received professional firearms training, he still preferred weapons like shotguns that did not require much aiming.

Moreover, after using firearms over the past two days, he had discovered a rather serious problem: his arm strength was severely lacking.

Never mind how heavy these things were to hold up—just the recoil from firing repeatedly had left both his arms aching and covered in bruises.

If he had not gradually figured out the trick to firing, the shotgun would probably have dislocated his shoulder.

He had to keep training his strength and consume plenty of protein to build muscle.

As night descended, Shen Feng used spoiled gasoline from the convenience store and several pieces of wood to start a fire. He climbed onto the armored vehicle's roof and lay down, staring blankly at the stars filling the sky.

Qi City in the distance had become a stretch of darkness, like a ghostly realm. Only the lights of the Epidemic Prevention Center building remained bright, indicating that its solar power system was still operating.

In a few years, or a few decades, when the system broke down and even that bit of light completely vanished, the last traces of human technology would disappear from this city as well.

The city would vanish into the wilderness, awaiting excavation by new intelligent life.

Suddenly, faint rustling footsteps came from the darkness around him. Shen Feng immediately sat upright, raised his shotgun, and looked around.

In the night not far from the firelight, pairs of emerald-green eyes emerged.

Then those eyes drew closer, and the indistinct shapes of a pack of beasts appeared before Shen Feng.

It was a wolf pack.

Shen Feng could not help being surprised. At the front of the pack was none other than that scar-covered Golden Retriever.

They had actually followed him here?

Were they still planning to attack?

If Shen Feng had felt a little uneasy when he encountered them during the day, he was now completely unafraid.

All he needed to do was climb into the armored vehicle and shut the door. The wolf pack would be lambs awaiting slaughter.

Just then, the Golden Retriever continued walking toward him, with a bloody animal leg clamped in its mouth!

Based on Shen Feng's extensive grilling experience, it should be a leg of lamb!

The Golden Retriever walked up to the armored vehicle and put down the lamb leg. Then it stuck out its tongue in a smile and gently wagged its tail.

At the sight of this, Shen Feng's heart suddenly ached.

This fool!

What was it trying to do?

Did it want him to become its owner?

Clearly, Shen Feng's appearance had reminded the Golden Retriever of the past, of the days it had spent with humans. That was why it had come to show him goodwill.

The Golden Retriever sat on the ground, staring blankly at Shen Feng. The wolf pack behind it faded into the darkness and disappeared.

Shen Feng sighed and said, "You no longer need human companionship. You're the king of the wolf pack now. Take your pack and live well... Humans aren't worth your attachment."

He was only a passerby in this world. Whether he left this place or turned into a stone statue, he had at most one month left. He could not give this Golden Retriever any companionship at all.

"Woof... woof... awooo..." The Golden Retriever seemed to sense Shen Feng's emotions. It wagged its tail and barked a few times, then lowered its head.

Just then, a chorus of wolf calls and the chaotic sound of hooves came from afar.

Out of the darkness, seven or eight antelopes suddenly burst forth. Behind them was the wolf pack, chasing relentlessly!

The wolf pack had not left just now. It had discovered the nearby antelopes' trail and gone hunting!

As antelope after antelope dashed past the fire, about to escape the wolf pack's hunting ring, Shen Feng raised his shotgun and pulled the trigger.

Boom!

A spray of buckshot blasted out, instantly knocking two antelopes passing by the fire to the ground. The pursuing wolf pack caught up with them and dragged them back into the darkness.

Shen Feng gave a low laugh and said to the Golden Retriever, "Go on. Dinner's on me."

As though it understood Shen Feng's meaning, the Golden Retriever barked at him a few times, then turned and rushed into the wolf pack, joining them in their feast.

Shen Feng jumped down from the armored vehicle and picked up the lamb leg. After washing it, he started a fire directly on the vehicle roof, took out his seasonings, and began grilling it.

The plump, tender leg of lamb was grilled crisp on the outside and tender within. Mutton fat sizzled out, and its fragrance quickly drifted through the night.

The wolf pack feasted nearby, occasionally calling out to Shen Feng as though thanking him for lending a hand.

Shen Feng cut off a piece of meat with his knife and put it into his mouth. Its rich aroma spread across his tongue, surpassing every grilled lamb dish he had ever eaten.

After chewing lightly a few times, he swallowed it, leaving a lingering fragrance on his lips and teeth.

After eating, the Golden Retriever led the wolf pack to lie down and sleep not far from the armored vehicle.

Shen Feng chuckled and climbed into the armored vehicle, soon falling asleep as well.

The wolf pack stayed beside a human, seemingly longing for the warmth of that vanished civilization.

Shen Feng, meanwhile, slept exceptionally soundly, the tension of the past two days finally melting away.

Early the next morning, Shen Feng climbed out of the vehicle compartment and saw that the wolf pack was still guarding the outside, seemingly waiting for him to wake up.

Looking at the Golden Retriever's expectant face, Shen Feng raised his gun and fired at the ground in front of it. Hardening his heart, he said, "Go. You don't need an owner anymore. What you need is freedom."