The Black Wolf Gang's Prey: I Only Need Three Minutes
Lu Chen hoisted his father onto his back and adjusted his position, trying to make sure he rested more securely.
With SSS-rank Flame Manipulation in hand, he felt like a man who came with his own background music. He feared nothing!
Amid the city ruins, the red dot marking the temporary shelter on his navigation app was like a firefly guiding him through the night.
Suddenly, Lu Chen stopped dead in his tracks.
It wasn't because he wanted to put on a performance. A thick iron chain stretched across the middle of the street, blocking his way.
Several corpses, gnawed beyond recognition, swayed from the chain like wind chimes, making a bloodcurdling sound.
Dark red bloodstains had long since dried on the ground, giving off a sickening stench of decay.
"Perception Enhancement, activate!"
It was only an F-rank talent, but even a mosquito was meat. It was better than nothing.
Lu Chen's nerves instantly tensed. He could sense an unfriendly presence in the air.
Sure enough!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Several dark figures leaped down from the ruined high-rises on either side, sealing off all of Lu Chen's escape routes with practiced precision.
Oh? An ambush? Lu Chen sneered inwardly.
These fools who didn't know whether to live or die were practically experience points delivered to his door!
A man in a leather jacket strolled out, his slicked-back hair gleaming, a cigarette dangling from his mouth and a steel pipe in his hand.
A vicious scar ran across his face, making him look even more like an outlaw.
"Easy, kid." The scar-faced man blew a smoke ring and narrowed his eyes as he sized Lu Chen up. "That flame aura around you looks pretty good. So you're a fire user. How about this? Hand it over and become my underling, and I'll spare your life!"
Lu Chen grinned mockingly. "You want me to hand over my talent? You must still be dreaming."
"Have it your way!" The scar-faced man's expression darkened, and he waved his hand. "Guys, get him! Cripple him!"
The black-clad men around them instantly pounced like hungry wolves, waving machetes and iron clubs and letting out a chorus of strange cries.
Lu Chen remained unhurried, calmly surveying the terrain around him.
To his left stood a half-collapsed apartment building. It was dilapidated, but at least its roof could serve as high ground.
"You want to gang up on me? You're not good enough yet!"
Lu Chen suddenly pushed off and sprinted toward the apartment building.
"After him! Don't let him get away!" the scar-faced man roared, leading his men in pursuit.
Lu Chen charged all the way up to the roof in one breath. The rooftop was piled with rubble and debris, with nothing but open space all around.
"Heaven offered you a path, but you refused it. Hell had no gate, yet you barged in!" A cold smile curled across Lu Chen's lips. He deliberately slowed down, leaving an opening.
The scar-faced man perked up at the sight. Waving his steel pipe, he charged forward with several of his men in tow.
"Let's see where you can run now, kid!" the scar-faced man snarled, pointing his steel pipe straight at Lu Chen's head.
At that critical moment, Lu Chen-
"Copy!"
He silently copied an F-rank [Water Element Affinity] from one of the lackeys in the crowd.
"Infinite Replication, activate!"
The F-rank Water Element Affinity was instantly elevated to SSS rank!
"Water Dragon's Roar!"
Lu Chen roared, and the energy inside him erupted like a volcano.
A colossal waterspout appeared out of thin air and swept across the entire rooftop in an instant, carrying the force to destroy heaven and earth!
"Holy shit! What the hell is that?!"
The scar-faced man and his underlings were instantly stunned by the sudden turn of events.
Before they could react, they were swallowed by the towering waves.
"Aah-!"
Piercing screams echoed through the waterspout.
Dozens of Black Wolf Gang members were tossed into the air like rag dolls by the waves, then slammed heavily into the ground. Whether they lived or died was unknown.
The scar-faced man barely managed to grab hold of the rooftop railing, keeping himself from being swept away.
But the terrifying power had scared him out of his wits.
"Y-you... just who are you?" he asked in a trembling voice.
Lu Chen slowly walked up to the scar-faced man and looked down at him.
"Me? I'm someone you can't afford to mess with!"
With that, Lu Chen kicked the scar-faced man in the chest.
"Pfft!"
The scar-faced man spat out a mouthful of blood and fell from the rooftop like a kite with its string cut.
The waterspout gradually dispersed, leaving the rooftop in shambles.
The Black Wolf Gang members were either dead or injured, their wails filling the air.
Lu Chen clapped his hands as though he had done something insignificant.
"Done!"
He walked to the edge of the rooftop and looked down. Corpses lay strewn across the street.
"Sigh, why bother?" Lu Chen shook his head and sighed.
Suddenly, he heard faint sobbing.
The sobs were coming from an abandoned house nearby.
Lu Chen frowned and walked over.
"Someone's... still here?"
He pushed open the half-closed door and went inside.
The room was pitch-black, and the air was thick with a nauseating smell of mold.
By the faint moonlight, Lu Chen saw a frail figure curled up in a corner, trembling.
It was a girl who looked no more than sixteen or seventeen.
Her hands were bound behind her back, a rag was stuffed in her mouth, and her face was covered in tear tracks.
At the sight of Lu Chen, the girl's-
"Mmph..." She struggled desperately, trying to say something.
Lu Chen walked over to the girl, crouched down, and gently patted her shoulder.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here to save you."
He carefully untied the rope around her hands and removed the rag from her mouth.
"Thank you... thank you..." The girl's voice was hoarse and weak.
Lu Chen smiled, his expression bright as sunshine.
"Don't mention it. It was no trouble."
"Who... who are you?" the girl asked timidly.
Lu Chen stood and walked to the window, gazing at the burning city outside, an inexplicable light flickering in his eyes.
"Who am I?" he murmured, a trace of uncertainty in his voice.
"Perhaps I'm just... a passerby."
With his back to that living hell, Lu Chen gazed at the city outside the window, where flames soared into the sky, and casually put on a pensive air.
Someone who wants to survive?
Maybe.
If he said that out loud, even he would think it sounded a little edgy. But there was no helping it. The mood was already set; he couldn't very well say he was a bystander who happened to be passing by.
Xiao Lu timidly watched Lu Chen's imposing back. The man was covered in blood, as though he had just crawled out of hell, but that very contrast inexplicably made her feel safe.
"Then... what are you going to do next?" she asked quietly, afraid of interrupting this big shot's contemplation of life.
Lu Chen turned around and looked at the trembling girl. D-rank Eye of Healing?
Better than nothing.
Who couldn't be of some use in the apocalypse?
"I'll take you with me, and we'll survive together." The corners of Lu Chen's mouth lifted slightly in a faintly roguish smile. "Of course, that's on the condition that you obey me."
Xiao Lu nodded vigorously, like a chick pecking at grain, afraid she would be abandoned if she was even a moment too slow.
"I'll obey! I'll do whatever you say!"
Lu Chen said nothing more. He walked to the door, glanced back at Xiao Lu, and said in a commanding tone, "Follow me." With that, he strode out. His father was still waiting for him.
He had to find somewhere safe to settle down as soon as possible.
As for Xiao Lu, he would treat her as a bonus experience pack.
At the exit from the ruins, Lu Chen stopped. He could sense something unusual.
He narrowed his eyes, looked into the distance, and murmured, "Interesting." He hoisted his father onto his back and beckoned to Xiao Lu. "Let's go." He was going to take them to the temporary shelter shown on the app.
"Is it really safe there?" Lu Chen gazed in the direction of the shelter, his eyes deep.
Hopefully, it wouldn't be a disappointing development.