Feng Moxi had no idea where she was.
In her previous life, her hometown had been Qing Town.
After the apocalypse began, she had endured countless hardships and relied on her enhanced strength to fight her way home.
By the time she arrived…
Both of her parents were already dead.
If it had only been a week since the apocalypse began…
Even if she rushed back now, it would probably already be too late.
“Do you know where we are?” she asked.
“This place is called Baiyang Village,” Luo Yunxi replied.
“…”
No wonder there were poplar trees lining both sides of the road.
“And what’s beyond here?”
“Baiyang Town.”
Feng Moxi fell silent.
As if those names alone meant anything to her.
Looks like I’ll have to find a map.
Luo Yunxi suddenly remembered something.
“The road to the right of Baiyang Village leads to Binhai City.”
“It’s close to the coast, so when the earthquake triggered the tsunami, the entire Binhai area was destroyed.”
“The road straight ahead goes to Baiyang Town.”
“I’m not sure what it’s like now.”
For a brief moment, Feng Moxi was lost in thought.
Binhai…
So she was already this close.
Wasn’t Wan Wanxin’s family from Binhai?
If she remembered correctly, beyond Baiyang Town lay Su City.
And Qing Town, where her own family lived, wasn’t much farther beyond that.
She hadn’t expected to be reborn here.
Did that mean…
She would meet her cousin again sooner than expected?
A cold smile slowly appeared on her lips.
The air inside the vehicle seemed to grow noticeably colder.
Luo Yunxi instinctively stopped talking.
Before long, they arrived at a three-way intersection.
Countless wrecked vehicles blocked the surrounding roads.
Only a narrow gap remained passable.
Feng Moxi slammed on the brakes, and both girls stepped out.
She looked into the distance.
Beyond a stretch of poplar trees, the outlines of a densely packed residential area came into view.
They had reached Baiyang Town.
The road ahead was littered with damaged vehicles that leaned haphazardly along both sides.
Many were stained with dried blood.
Scattered bones still lay across the ground.
The monsters in this area had evidently already been cleared away.
Judging by the town’s size, it had probably been home to well over a hundred thousand people.
Yet now…
The silence was suffocating.
The overwhelming stench of decay lingering in the air made her heart sink.
This town had almost certainly fallen completely.
Feng Moxi frowned.
“The road ahead won’t be easy.”
Luo Yunxi felt even more uneasy.
Fear quietly crept into her heart.
That left only the road on the left.
It connected with the highway toward Binhai.
If they couldn’t pass through the town, they could simply head north from there.
Luo Yunxi followed Feng Moxi’s gaze.
She was clever enough to understand the same conclusion.
Just then…
The roar of engines echoed in the distance.
A sedan and two minibuses sped toward them along the road to the left.
They came to an abrupt stop only three meters away.
The vehicles were packed with people.
Two lean men climbed out.
Luo Yunxi immediately tightened her grip on her iron rod.
Feng Moxi, however, merely watched the pair approach without saying a word.
The man in front looked to be around thirty.
His face was gaunt.
His lifeless eyes were deeply sunken beneath heavy dark circles, making it obvious he hadn’t rested in days.
His expression carried a hint of violence.
He didn’t appear particularly friendly.
The second man had a thick beard streaked with gray.
He looked to be in his forties.
His face was equally exhausted.
In his hand he held a broad saber stained with dried black blood.
His eyes were just as fierce.
It was as though he were staring at monsters rather than two teenage girls.
The gaunt man frowned before leaning around to inspect the vehicle behind Feng Moxi.
Only then did surprise appear on his face.
“Just the two of you?”
Without answering immediately, Feng Moxi raised one hand.
A faint golden glow spread across her palm before condensing into a tiny golden blade that danced between her fingers.
Her voice remained calm and cold.
“Is there a problem?”
In the apocalypse, women were already at a disadvantage.
And the two of them were alone.
If she didn’t display at least some strength…
They would be swallowed alive.
Sure enough, the man’s eyes lit up.
The hostility on his face disappeared almost instantly.
With a hearty laugh, he said,
“So you’re a metal-element user.”
“My apologies.”
“I’m He Ping, a fire-element user.”
“This is my older brother, Wan Yong.”
“He’s an enhanced-strength evolver.”
“May I ask…”
“Are you two headed to Su City?”
Feng Moxi simply nodded.
Looking at the youthful faces of the two girls, He Ping couldn’t help but chuckle.
The apocalypse really changed people.
Only a few days had passed.
Yet these girls had already become so calm and fearless.
Before the apocalypse…
They were probably still in high school.
“What bad timing.”
He pointed toward the road behind him.
“The road to Binhai is completely blocked.”
“That route is destroyed too.”
His already pale face looked even more exhausted as he spoke.
That meant…
Their only remaining option was Baiyang Town.
“There are a lot of monsters inside.”
“I don’t think it’s wise for the two of you to go in alone.”
“Why don’t we work together?”
“We’ll clear a path along the outskirts and make our way through.”
It wasn’t the ideal solution.
It was simply the only one they had left.
More people meant a better chance of survival.
Feng Moxi frowned.
She wasn’t afraid of fighting monsters.
In fact, it would be a perfect opportunity to continue sharpening her abilities.
More importantly…
The monsters’ crystal cores should begin forming very soon.
She had examined every monster back in Baiyang Village.
None of those sluggish creatures had possessed a crystal core.
She rubbed her forehead.
Then glanced at Luo Yunxi, who remained alert and cautious beside her.
Following her meant walking a road filled with danger.
Feng Moxi casually twirled the black iron rod in her hand, still stained with dried blood.
“Fine.”
“We’ll work together.”
He Ping smiled.
“Your skills are impressive.”
“We’ll move along the edge of town.”
“If everything goes well, we’ll find a secluded place to rest before nightfall.”
As he spoke, he looked toward the town and let out a weary sigh.
Their group had fought all the way here.
They had already scouted Baiyang Town several times.
It wasn’t a large town.
But the population had once been incredibly dense.
If they hadn’t exhausted every other escape route…
None of them would have chosen to pass through this place.
The convoy slowly drove toward the outskirts of the town.
Near the entrance stood several rows of ordinary three-story houses lining both sides of the road.
A stone arch bridge crossed the river leading into town.
Its surface was weathered and scarred.
The river beneath was dark and murky.
Floating across the water were countless pieces of debris…
Along with the carcasses of dead animals.
The group parked outside a small courtyard.
People gradually climbed out of Wan Yong’s three vehicles.
There were more than ten of them.
Aside from a woman in her fifties and a boy of around twelve or thirteen, everyone else was an adult man.
The older woman’s face was filled with fear.
She kept the young boy close beside her.
The boy clearly disliked being fussed over.
Even so…
He didn’t pull away.