Creeeak~~
The leader rat, seeing a foolish human daring to sleep in its territory, immediately climbed out of the underground lair, excited. Despite their evolution, they remained stealthy, making no noise while moving.
However, once within attack range, they would launch a coordinated assault on the prey's vital points!
As the leader rat emerged, its offspring followed one after another, each as thick as an arm. Nearly 20 giant mutant rats crawled out, making this dilapidated house a medium-sized mutant rat nest!
The mutant rats stealthily approached the corner, surrounding the sleeping Xia Leng, who was backed against the wall. Dozens of small red eyes glowed with malevolent bloodlust. The "delicious" prey was so close that they were already restless.
Among them, the largest soldier rat crouched with its front legs on the ground, retracting its body. Its sharp, jutting fangs gleamed ominously in the moonlight.
It prepared for the attack, targeting Xia Leng's exposed neck. Smarter than the old-world rats, they knew how to test their enemy.
If one rat couldn't do the job, they would swarm together, gnawing the prey into a pile of bones!
Hiss~
The soldier rat crouched, its limbs bent. With a powerful thrust from its waist, it leapt high into the air, aiming for Xia Leng's neck!
Its giant teeth, capable of easily biting through steel, would have no trouble severing a human neck.
Just as the rats believed they had secured the meal, the next scene froze them in place!
The attacking soldier rat, with its sharp fangs almost on Xia Leng's soft neck, was suddenly suspended in mid-air with a muffled sound of flesh being pierced.
A black spike had emerged instantly from Xia Leng's "clothing," piercing through the rat's furry body!
Before it could even emit a scream, it was shredded into a pulp by countless tiny tendrils and absorbed cleanly by the black spike.
This entire process took less than two seconds, and throughout it all, Xia Leng remained deeply asleep, completely unaware of what had just happened!
The mutant rats, accustomed to using their numbers to overwhelm, were so shocked by this strange scene that they forgot whether they should attack together or flee.
By the time they came to their senses, it was too late to escape. Several snake-like black tendrils had appeared around them, writhing wildly and surrounding them completely...
...
...
Xia Leng didn't know how long he had slept. He had never slept so soundly and deeply before, not even during peaceful times when he would naturally wake up after six hours of sleep.
When he opened his eyes, his first reaction was to warily survey his surroundings for any potential danger.
He was also astonished by how deeply he had slept; it was the most restful sleep he had ever experienced.
Previously, he would either be startled awake by inexplicable nightmares or lose all sleep due to minor noises around him.
Was there no mutant creature that tried to ambush him while he was asleep?
He looked around, seeing only some scattered animal fur on the ground.
Picking it up, he recognized it as the tough fur of mutant rats, but there were no signs of them—perhaps this was once their nest.
Wait…
Daylight?
Xia Leng suddenly noticed a beam of bright white light streaming through a gap in the wall. The dust floating in the room was clearly illuminated by the light!
He immediately stood up, walked to the window, and moved aside the defensive barriers. Sure enough!
In the blue sky, a huge orange-red sun hung, its intense heat distorting the air outside!
The sun in this era appeared twice as large as in the old world, as if the distance between the sun and Earth had been halved, causing the terrifying temperatures.
However, even with the scorching heat, it was still better than the night, where one might be ambushed in the darkness.
When the sun rises, most dangerous mutant creatures hide in cool buildings or underground to avoid the sunlight.
Mutations have caused their skin to rot, making them more susceptible to ultraviolet burns, including the dreaded night demons.
Only less dangerous, tough-skinned mutants would be active during this time.
Although people dislike the extreme heat, various shading tools can protect them from the scorching sun, so the long-awaited daytime also becomes the hunting and activity time for wasteland drifters.
Xia Leng looked at the glaring light baking the land and knew it was time to set off.
He didn't know where the Land of the Dead was, but perhaps he could find some information at the intermediate fortress controlled by the Komodo Mercenary Company, located about 80 kilometers away, and also procure some supplies for the long journey.
In Xia Leng's subconscious, this journey, which seemed to call him to explore his origins, was likely to be very long and full of dangers...
He reached out to the sunlight, feeling its scorching heat. Within three seconds, a strong burning sensation spread across his hand.
"The temperature seems even higher than before, maybe over 55°C…"
Xia Leng withdrew his hand. Prolonged exposure to such sunlight could cause irreversible UV damage. Though he now had terrifying regenerative abilities, he had no inclination to take that risk.
After checking his gear and backpack, and putting on his hat woven from mysterious tendrils, Xia Leng embarked on his journey.
After this deep sleep, he felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment, both physically and mentally, as if he were rejuvenated, and he even felt a strange sense of satiety?
He hadn't eaten before sleeping last night...
With everything prepared, Xia Leng left the building. During the day, even staying in a house wasn't safe.
Dark buildings became hunting grounds for light-sensitive mutants.
At night, streets and wilderness are off-limits to drifters; by day, the danger shifts to dark buildings.
Standing under the blazing sun on the ruined streets, Xia Leng checked his map. The Komodo Mercenary Company's affiliated fortress was still a long way off.
This valuable wasteland map was found in the leader's room.
Walking to conserve energy, it would take about three days to reach the destination 80 kilometers away.
Due to the unpredictable day-night changes, Xia Leng kept track of time by counting in his head.
Most old-world electronic devices had malfunctioned after the black rain, including watches.
A bottle of pure water and a piece of dried insect meat in his backpack should be enough for the journey.
Of course, he wouldn't miss the opportunity to stock up on food if he encountered easy prey.
Xia Leng took a deep breath and set off on this unknown journey.