Di Ping carefully examined the map once more. These roads were familiar to him, as he had frequently traveled them in the past. Confident that there would be no mistakes in navigation, he withdrew his gaze and gave Wang Delin a slight nod, signaling that he was ready.
"Is everyone here?" Wang Delin, upon receiving Di Ping's signal, nodded in acknowledgment before turning to survey the group.
"We're all accounted for!" replied the pale-faced middle-aged man who had opened the door for Di Ping the previous day. He confirmed this after glancing at a densely packed list of names on the sheet in his hand.
"Good, let's move out!" Wang Delin waved his hand with a determined expression before turning to Di Ping and his three companions. "Brothers, I'll have to trouble you to lead the way."
Di Ping simply nodded in response and took the lead in walking out. Chen Gang, as usual, wore a cheerful smile, nodding enthusiastically. Li Sheng and the laborer, Brother Luo, however, remained expressionless, merely glancing at Wang Delin before silently following Di Ping.
Descending the stairs first, the four men cautiously surveyed their surroundings. Seeing no immediate danger, they proceeded forward. The pathways between the buildings were now completely overgrown, with only faint outlines visible amidst the knee-high grass. As they stepped onto the path, the rest of the group followed in a scattered procession, clutching an assortment of makeshift weapons—kitchen knives, wooden sticks, and, bizarrely, one elderly woman holding a toilet plunger. Her tense expression and vigilant glances in all directions made Di Ping nearly burst out laughing. Could she possibly be planning to unclog a mutant beast's throat?
Di Ping stole a glance backward and almost lost his composure. Seriously, Auntie, can you be any funnier? Chen Gang, noticing Di Ping's barely restrained amusement, turned around to look, only to let out a sudden snort of laughter before hastily covering his mouth, realizing the inappropriateness of the situation. Li Sheng and Brother Luo, puzzled, cast him a glance but remained silent, their attention returning to their tense surroundings.
Despite the gravity of the situation, this small exchange of smiles between Di Ping and Chen Gang lightened the oppressive atmosphere, momentarily easing the tension in Di Ping's heart.
The narrow path was now overrun with waist-high grass, and the roadside vegetation had grown over a meter tall. As the wind rustled through the dense foliage, it sent an eerie chill down their spines, as if unseen beasts lurked within. Di Ping heightened his vigilance, ears perked for any unusual sounds. His sword was already drawn, resting on his shoulder, ready for immediate action.
Fortunately, they managed to exit the residential compound without incident. Yet, despite the lack of immediate threats, the four of them were already drenched in sweat. Scouting in such an environment was a severe test of their nerves.
Once the entire group had gathered at the entrance, Wang Delin arrived shortly after. His sweat-soaked shirt was evidence of the strain he, too, was under—after all, not everyone could face the unknown with composure.
"Thankfully, we made it safely. Everyone's here!" Wang Delin remarked, wiping sweat from his brow as he addressed Di Ping.
Though it was the start of summer's hottest period, the day wasn't particularly stifling. A gentle breeze carried a refreshing coolness. Yet, none of them had stopped sweating.
"Alright, let's move out!" Di Ping wasted no time after confirming with Wang Delin.
"The road ahead might be treacherous—please be cautious," Wang Delin warned in a hushed tone, his eyes flickering with a trace of fear as he glanced at the dense forest beyond the compound.
"Let's go!" Di Ping nodded, signaling his three companions before leading the way.
Beyond the residential compound, the once broad and open roads had been entirely reclaimed by nature. The decorative roadside trees had grown to towering heights, the shortest of them now exceeding fifty meters, with some even surpassing a hundred. Their trunks were so thick that it would take two people to encircle one with outstretched arms. Massive, gnarled roots had torn through the asphalt, leaving the fifty-centimeter-thick pavement shattered and overrun with wild vegetation.
Faced with an endless expanse of towering trees and dense undergrowth, the group felt as though they had stepped into a primordial jungle. An ancient, untamed presence loomed over them, sending an involuntary shiver down Di Ping's spine. A cold dread crept up from his core, chilling him to the bone.
With measured steps, they carefully navigated the uneven road. Though the terrain was difficult, the general outline of the path remained intact. In most places, the concrete was thick enough to prevent complete overgrowth, allowing them to advance. Moving like a silent phantom unit, the group of over a hundred people treaded forward in absolute quiet.
Suddenly, a sharp bark pierced the stillness.
"Woof! Woof!"
The abrupt canine cries shattered the tense silence, striking fear into the hearts of the group.
Di Ping's body stiffened at the sound. Every hair on his body stood on end. Damn it! Just when I was starting to relax!
"Hide!" he ordered sharply, motioning for his three companions to take cover behind several abandoned vehicles. He then turned and gestured to the larger group trailing thirty meters behind.
Chaos erupted. People scrambled for cover behind wrecked cars, massive tree trunks, and dense underbrush. Fortunately, the roadside was littered with enough obstacles to provide concealment.
Once everyone had found a hiding spot, Di Ping turned his attention forward, scanning for the approaching threat.
The barking grew louder, more urgent, and soon, the source of the sound came into view.
A pack of over ten massive mutant dogs emerged roughly two hundred meters ahead. They were in the midst of chasing a mutated mountain goat, which, standing nearly as tall as a grown human, was desperately trying to escape. However, the dogs were relentless—each one a towering beast, some even larger than the goat itself. They lunged at it with unyielding ferocity, their fangs tearing into its flesh. The goat's body was already covered in wounds, blood pouring from its neck. It wouldn't last much longer.
Despite its valiant attempts to fend off its attackers with its horns, the goat was ultimately overwhelmed. With a final cry, it collapsed into a pool of its own blood, where the mutant dogs immediately descended upon it, tearing its flesh apart in a frenzied feast.
Watching the monstrous canines devour their prey, Di Ping found his breath constricted. His companions were even worse off—Chen Gang, already overweight, was sweating profusely, his legs trembling. Li Sheng and Brother Luo were no better, their hands shaking as they clutched their weapons, sweat dripping from their brows.
From thirty meters behind, the rest of the group had also witnessed the terrifying sight. Panic set in. Some trembled violently, a few even lost control of their bladders, and a handful of women muffled their sobs with their hands, too afraid to make a sound.
"Please, don't let anything go wrong," Di Ping prayed silently. Though he had undergone two rounds of enhancements, he wasn't arrogant enough to believe he could take on so many mutant dogs alone. Just looking at their towering frames was enough to make his legs weak. Let them finish their meal and leave…
But fate had other plans.
A baby's wail suddenly broke the silence.
Di Ping's heart sank. Shit!
A mother, realizing her mistake, quickly clamped a hand over her child's mouth. But it was too late.
The mutant dogs froze, ears twitching toward the sound.
"Growl…" One of the largest hounds let out a low snarl. Immediately, five or six of them bolted in their direction.
As the beasts approached, sniffing the air, Di Ping and his group remained hidden, not daring to breathe. But then—
Panic erupted behind them. Several people screamed and bolted, shattering what little composure remained.
The mutant dogs, now fully aware of the presence of prey, howled and lunged forward, their monstrous forms moving at lightning speed.
Screams filled the air as the beasts tore into the fleeing humans. Blood splattered the pavement, and the once-silent march turned into a slaughter.
"Shit! Are they holding bread in their hands instead of weapons?!" Di Ping cursed.
There was no more time to think.
"Run!"