Tang Yun looked directly at the man, seeing the heavy killing intent in the eyes of the man in the blue windbreaker. When their gazes met, he averted his eyes—he was waiting for the most opportune moment.
For instance, when Tang Yun was too weak from hunger to fight back, or when she got into a conflict with someone and started fighting. Taking advantage of the chaos to hunt her down would be the safest approach.
The man in the blue windbreaker felt a bit regretful. Earlier, everyone had been manipulated by that girl Chuchu, but they had failed to catch Tang Yun off guard.
On the twenty-fifth day of the Apocalypse, over forty people in the Ring had starved to death, while others had been killed during food robberies.
Now, only about twenty people remained. The red glow of the Ring had grown faint, yet people still couldn’t leave.
The survivors’ food supplies were nearly exhausted, and a battle for resources was imminent. Members of the three teams stood guard, weapons in hand, on high alert.
Fang Lan discussed with the leaders of the other two teams and then stepped forward. He was still wearing a black shirt paired with an elegant suit jacket, his tie meticulously knotted at his chest. Only the smile in his peach-blossom eyes had faded.
“The three teams have a total of twenty-four people left. Right now, we only have one way to get out of the Ring.”
Hearing this, someone in the crowd couldn’t hold back and asked, “Captain Fang, if you have a way, why not say it quickly? Stop keeping us in suspense.”
Tang Yun rested her hand on her trekking pole, her gaze sharpening.
Fang Lan’s peach-blossom eyes were filled with sincerity as he looked at the red Ring and slowly explained, “We all know the strangeness of this Ring. As long as we feed it enough living people, we can leave.”
“Feed the Ring with living people? What exactly do you mean?!” someone angrily questioned Fang Lan, as the method was too inhumane.
Fang Lan spread his hands and smiled. “Hear me out first. If you don’t agree, we can all just stay trapped here together. Besides, this method was discussed and agreed upon—it’s not just my proposal.”
“The method is simple: five people will be selected. Those chosen can freely pick someone who wasn’t selected for a duel. Guns cannot be used as weapons. The loser will go to weaken the Ring’s glow.”
“Five people at a time, until the Ring disappears.”
After Fang Lan finished speaking, murmurs broke out among the crowd.
Especially the women, who looked helpless, shrinking back in panic and fear.
Tang Yun knew she couldn’t avoid a fight. Even if she wasn’t selected, she would likely be chosen by someone else because she appeared weaker than the men.
Not being able to use guns put her at a disadvantage, as the injury on her calf hadn’t healed yet.
The leaders of the three teams immediately agreed with the proposal, followed by some strong-looking men carrying large blades who raised their hands in approval.
This method avoided ambushes and chaotic fights, making it the best option.
Of course, some felt the method was extremely unfair.
But this was the Apocalypse—where was there absolute fairness? Only the strong had hope of survival.
Soon, the duel method was adopted.
Once it was settled, even before the selection began, a woman’s crying could be heard from within the Ring.
Tang Yun followed the sound and saw a long-haired woman, who looked to be in her twenties, crying pitifully.
The man holding her comforted her with concern. “Hong Yu, don’t be afraid. If you’re selected, I’ll swap with you, okay? Please stop crying.”
Even with his reassurance, the woman named Hong Yu continued to cry uncontrollably. For women, this was an unavoidable contest.
Tang Yun took the slip of paper and was about to open it when Lu Chuan snatched it from her hand.
She looked at Lu Chuan’s cool, ascetic face and chuckled softly, her voice clear and pleasant. “Brother Lu, this doesn’t seem like something you’d do.”
She knew swapping the slips was pointless. If she had drawn the unlucky one, she would only drag Lu Chuan into it, and she would still be chosen for the contest.
But she still smiled, her eyes curving slightly.
Tang Yun leaned over to look at the slip Lu Chuan had taken from her. Fortunately, it wasn’t the marked one.
“Lucky.”
She and Lu Chuan bumped fists, and she smiled with narrowed eyes.
If luck hadn’t been on her side, Tang Yun would have owed him another favor.
What if she owed so many that she had to repay him with her body?
“Wahhh” The woman named Hong Yu across from them started crying again.
“Stop crying, it’s settled—I drew the marked slip,” the man kept comforting her.
Clearly, the woman had unfortunately drawn the marked slip, and her husband or boyfriend had swapped with her.
The five who drew the marked slips stepped forward—four men and one woman. Now it was time for them to choose their opponents.
Their gazes swept over Tang Yun, including the man in the blue windbreaker.
Sure enough, he was targeting her.
Tang Yun was selected by the man in the blue windbreaker and had already walked to the contest area.
She also noticed that the woman who drew the marked slip had chosen Hong Yu. Even though someone had swapped slips with her, Hong Yu couldn’t avoid the fight.
“Tang Yun, does your leg still hurt?” Lu Chuan asked, looking at her calf.
Tang Yun shook her head. “It’s fine. I took painkillers before the draw.”
Lu Chuan tilted his head, leaned close to her ear, wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and added in a breathy whisper, “Use the gun if necessary.”
Tang Yun faintly curved her lips, nodding with a smile.
The moment the two stepped into the contest area, they struck—swift and precise.
Her weapons were two kitchen knives, wielded skillfully in both hands. An ordinary person wouldn’t stand a chance against her moves.
Clearly, her opponent was no ordinary person—most likely a player, and a hostile one at that.
Tang Yun’s strength had already been enhanced by the System, but compared to the windbreaker man, she was still slightly inferior. Her arms were aching from the impact, and her already injured calf throbbed with intense pain.
The windbreaker man wielded a bayonet, his movements incredibly agile. Tang Yun’s arm was slashed.
So, she changed her fighting style, avoiding direct clashes and focusing on evasion.
The windbreaker man’s gaze grew increasingly arrogant, hunting Tang Yun like an eagle toying with a chick.
To onlookers, it seemed Tang Yun wouldn’t last much longer.
Unexpectedly, Tang Yun leaped into the air, striking down from above and brutally slashing the windbreaker man’s shoulder.
The windbreaker man’s eyes turned sinister as he launched a fierce assault, his bayonet thrusting like rain.
Tang Yun dodged several attacks but still sustained many injuries, blood flowing uncontrollably.
Drip, drip—
“Ah!” The bayonet pierced her shoulder, sinking into flesh. At the same time, her knife slashed into the windbreaker man’s abdomen.
No one expected this outcome—the tall, burly, and exceptionally fierce windbreaker man had been defeated by a woman.
What surprised them even more was that Tang Yun didn’t follow up with another strike. Instead, she stood motionless, as if frozen by a spell.
“Tang Yun!”
“Tang Yun!!”
Lu Chuan furrowed his brows, urgently calling out to her several times from outside. She could only move her eyes, but her body remained immobile.