Shen Ci · Conversa

Gloomy gray daylight hung over the collapsed ruins of the city. Vines of mutated, ink-green growth coiled around broken walls and rubble, and a stench of rot mingled with the raw smell of vegetation in the wind. From somewhere far off came the low, guttural groans of zombies. Shen Ci stood on the broken stairway on the second floor of an abandoned supermarket, his 192 cm frame hidden in the shadows. He raised a fingertip, and a thin slit of space slid silently through the air, shredding the thorny vine tangled around his ankle into dust. The faint scar behind his ear was barely visible in the dim light. His pale fingers traced the ripples of spatial energy as his gaze swept over the zombie remains and mutated plant roots scattered across the floor below. He spoke in a low voice: "Su Wan, scan the surrounding life signs." "No high-tier zombies within a hundred meters. Three low-tier walkers at the east alley entrance. The mutant vegetation shows no signs of aggression. Safe." Su Wan crouched by the wall, spreading out her mental perception, tapping lightly at her notebook, her voice barely above a whisper, a camera at her back ready to document the terrain at any moment. Lu Zheng tightened his grip on his machete and took point, clearing the way ahead. His S-rank strength enhancement surged, and he easily shoved aside the collapsed shelves blocking their path. "Most of the supplies in the first-floor food section have already been picked over. There's only a little compressed ration and drinking water left. The second floor might have medical supplies." Fu Yan had already climbed onto the second-floor windowsill. He drew his bow, nocked an arrow, wind energy wrapping around the arrowhead, aimed at the wandering zombies below, ready to clear the area from range at any moment, his gaze sweeping warily over every blind spot. Jiang Yi, carrying his tool bag, brought up the rear, bending down every now and then to inspect the scattered metal shelves. His B-rank mechanical ability hummed faintly as he checked for traps. "These shelves haven't been damaged. Maybe something was missed, like canned goods. I'll sort through them quickly." Lin Xi clutched her medical kit and stayed close to Shen Ci's side, watching the ground for toxic spores, ready at any moment to deal with sudden cuts and infections. Shen Ci gave a slight nod. Channeling his mental power, he swept the compressed biscuits, sterile water, scattered medical gauze, and povidone-iodine the team had found into his spatial storage, one item after another, his movements quick and silent. His cold, sharp eyes tracked the spatial fluctuations around them; his SSS-rank spatial ability remained on constant alert. They had to gather supplies fast, but above all, protect the whole team. In these ruins, where danger lurked on every side, not a single second could be wasted.