Lin Qun decided to set out at dusk.
Heavy clouds were gathering over the skies of Shanghai, shrouding the city in gloom. Massive spatial rifts loomed faintly in the air, and even the colossal "sailboats" of the Bacatan were veiled in hazy outlines.
The battle had raged for an entire day. The confrontation between the Bacatan forces and the city's main defenses seemed to be transitioning into its next phase. The Bacatan's primary forces were converging west of the central district.
For Lin Qun, this was a stroke of luck.
The western district was far from his location in the eastern district. However, the city was still teeming with Bacatan.
Even earlier in the day, the alien invaders had been brazenly passing through the Dragon City Imperial Residence compound. But the influx of Bacatan through the spatial rifts had begun to decrease. Those arriving now were no longer scattering randomly but instead converging on the western district to join the main force.
Though fewer in number, many Bacatan still roamed the city—individuals driven to desperate measures by their society's total-war mentality. This shift was beneficial for Lin Qun. The deaths of a dozen or so Bacatan on the battlefield's fringes were unlikely to draw the attention of their higher-ups, reducing the risk of retaliation.
While Lin Qun couldn't see what was happening to the west, he sensed a major battle brewing there.
The day had been relatively uneventful for him.
In Building 5, Li Xinghe remained behind closed doors while the other survivors spread out, trading rumors and information.
When Lin Qun ventured out to hunt Bacatan, he overheard snippets of conversation among the survivors and gleaned some useful information. One middle-aged man, claiming to be a former agent of the Federal National Security Bureau, spoke confidently:
"This is an early invasion. The countdown timer we see still has several hours left. By now, reinforcements should've arrived from nearby regions. Even without reinforcements, a saturation strike would've thinned out the Bacatan air force. Our troops should already be swarming the city.
"But look at the stalemate we're in. I suspect the military can't get through. Remember that phrase the Bacatan broadcasted before the invasion? 'Regional lockdown.'
"I fear we've been designated as a battle zone. Reinforcements can't come in, and we can't get out!"
This caused an uproar.
The survivors huddled together in the building weren't exactly elite fighters; they were mostly ordinary people, scared and desperate. Hearing this analysis only deepened their panic.
"What do we do? I'm running out of food at home. Will there be any rescue at all?"
"The troops stationed in Shanghai are just a small force. They're up against an entire civilization!"
"Don't panic, everyone. The Bacatan might be individually stronger, but their technology isn't far ahead of ours. Look at the leaderboard—our soldiers are fighting back, killing Bacatan too. That guy, Qi Zhichuan, is already at over 200 contribution points! We can win this! We can win!"
The room buzzed with overlapping voices. Some were fearful, others hopeful, and some were bartering quietly in the corners.
Lin Qun's sharp eyes caught sight of a man handing a bar of chocolate to a young mother huddled in a corner with her child. His gaze lingered lecherously on her figure.
The young mother, a refugee from another building, was destitute. Her breast milk had dried up, leaving her child wailing incessantly from hunger. Staring at the chocolate bar, she hesitated for a long time before silently nodding.
She couldn't risk venturing out with her child to scavenge for food.
Such grim exchanges were all too common in this building. Many survivors had fled here from elsewhere. While Fan Wenchuan didn't expel those who settled in empty rooms or hallways, he refused to accept new members into his inner circle. His group monopolized Li Xinghe, the so-called "big shot," as their resource.
Fan's group lived comfortably, enjoying a level of privilege that created a stark divide from the rest of the survivors.
To gain direct protection from Li Xinghe, one needed to offer substantial supplies or possess a rare, useful ability. For many, this was a dream out of reach. They could only watch with envy and resentment as Fan's group thrived.
Lin Qun observed this coldly as he left Building 5.
Though his own supplies were limited, they would last him two weeks. Moreover, he had the ability to protect himself. The struggles of these survivors weren't his concern.
Fan Wenchuan's increasingly self-serving clique was of no use to Lin Qun either.
Because Lin Qun was the real "big shot."
Why would he need to join them?
While most people cowered indoors, too afraid to venture out, Lin Qun boldly stepped outside to hunt Bacatan.
His energy was fully restored at 18 points.
Dusk fell, shrouding the world in a dim, oppressive twilight under heavy clouds.
The perfect time to hunt.
Despite his enhanced physical abilities, Lin Qun had no intention of facing the Bacatan head-on.
In his mind, ambushing from the shadows was far superior to a direct confrontation. It minimized risk.
Better safe than sorry.
However, his leaderboard ranking had dropped again during the day, slipping to seventh place. He needed to act quickly to secure his position.
The leaderboard's first calculation would take place at midnight. As long as Lin Qun maintained a high rank until then, he would earn bonus contribution points.
His eyes gleamed. That was his true objective.
The Dragon City Imperial Residence compound was eerily quiet. Corpses lay scattered across the ground, and the once-beautiful gated community had become a hellscape.
Some bodies were already starting to rot, their stench mingling with the pervasive smell of blood.
Sticking to the shadows between buildings, Lin Qun advanced cautiously.
Occasionally, he spotted shadowy figures moving cautiously among the buildings. Everyone seemed to have their own agenda—searching for people or supplies—but few dared venture far from the safety of the structures. Fewer still left the compound altogether.
Lin Qun was the exception.
He moved steadily forward, exiting the compound.
Behind him, Building 5 faded into the distance.
It took at least seven or eight minutes to traverse the expansive compound. As Lin Qun neared the gate, he heard noises coming from the supermarket nearby.
This was the same supermarket Lin Qun had shopped at before the invasion. Unlike others, it had remained locked, its stock untouched.
Survivors must be scavenging there, Lin Qun deduced instinctively, creeping closer to observe.
Inside, chaos reigned. Two Bacatan soldiers, wearing makeshift, brightly painted armor, stood at the burning entrance, toying with and slaughtering the trapped survivors.
Shelves had toppled over, and the fire consumed vast amounts of supplies. The dozen or so survivors, likely there to scavenge, were now in a panicked frenzy. The Bacatan, armed with what appeared to be shotguns, took their time, picking off the fleeing humans one by one.
Among the fleeing survivors, a young girl tripped and fell. Her terrified scream pierced the air as a Bacatan soldier approached her, savoring her fear.
At that moment, a man darted out from the crowd.
Lin Qun recognized him—it was the same unscrupulous vendor who had sold overpriced supplies earlier.
A cruel twist of fate. Having sold off all his stock, the apocalypse had rendered his money worthless. Now, he was out scavenging like everyone else.
The girl appeared to be his daughter. Desperately, he rushed to save her, calling out, "Run, sweetheart! We have to run—"
But as he reached her, the girl instinctively pushed him toward the approaching Bacatan, using him as a human shield before fleeing without a backward glance.
It was a tragic, primal choice.
The father had risked everything to save his daughter, only to be coldly sacrificed for her own survival.