The Lin household, a sprawling three-story mansion of glass and steel, had become a haven of fragile hope in the midst of a collapsing world. Lin Kai guided the fifty-odd survivors he had rescued into the grand foyer, their faces a mixture of awe and dawning greed.
They stared at the crystal chandeliers that dripped from the high ceilings like frozen tears, and their eyes lingered on the priceless art that adorned the walls. They were awed by the sheer size and grandeur, but the awe was quickly replaced by a silent, calculating hunger. Their hearts, in a moment of crisis, began to whisper of possessions and power. They were seeing a lifeline, not just a shelter.
But then their gazes would fall to the twin katanas resting silently at Lin Kai's back, and the greeds in their eyes get cooled, their hands clenching at their sides in tense, unspoken control. He was the one who had saved them, and he was the one who held power.
Han Zhe and Jing Lie, seasoned veterans of the corporate world, watched this silent exchange with knowing eyes. They remained quiet, understanding that in this new, unforgiving reality, internal conflict was a luxury they could not afford.
As the sun, a wounded orange smear on the horizon, began to sink below the skyscrapers, the tension in the mansion grew. Lin Kai and the couple discussed what to do next, their voices low and hushed as the reality of their situation sank in.
A thin man, his face pale with hunger, raised a timid hand. "Sir… we are hungry. We haven't had a proper meal since… since before this happened."
The murmur of agreement rippled through the survivors. Lin Kai frowned, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. He hadn't thought to bring any food. The mansion had some, of course, but not enough for fifty people for more than a day.
His voice, calm and firm, carried authority. "There is not much food here. What little there is, will have to be shared among all of us."
The murmurs became a chorus of protest. A woman near the back spoke up, her voice shrill with indignation. "We can't stay on an empty stomach! We have children! We need food!"
Another man, his face flushed with anger, demanded to know why they should suffer when they should have a rescuer. Lin Kai's expression did not change. He was a rock in the rising tide of their panic.
He raised his voice just enough to silence the crowd. "It will be dark soon. I do not know what other creatures lurk out there besides the Corrupted. I value my life more than anything, so I will not venture out into the night. If you have a problem with that, you are free to go and find food yourselves."
His words, delivered in a cold, matter-of-fact tone, were like a bucket of ice water over a fire. The people quieted down, their faces falling in on themselves.
Han Zhe, seeing their desperation, stepped forward. "Lin Kai, there is a large grocery store just few kilometres from here. We are strong in numbers. Perhaps we can go together and look for food?"
The idea sparked new hope in the crowd. The quiet dissatisfaction was replaced by loud discussion. A man, standing tall in an expensive black tuxedo, stepped out from the group. His voice was persuasive, smooth, and full of self-interest. He looked at Lin Kai and then to the crowd.
"Look at him! He is our strength! He is a beacon for our hope. He should take responsibility as a citizen and protect us!" He shrugged, a gesture of casual entitlement. "The strong have a duty to protect the weak in times of humanity's need."
The crowd began to look at Lin Kai with a new sense of entitlement, their fear momentarily forgotten. Han Zhe and Jing Lie looked at each other, and Lin Kai saw them get swayed, their expressions torn between their loyalty to him and the perceived needs of the crowd. Han Zhe spoke up again, his voice filled with a desperate plea. "Lin Kai, can you please go with us?"
Lin Kai inwardly sighed. He couldn't believe how quickly these people turned to him for help, and yet how quickly they demanded it. He looked outside. The sun had almost fully disappeared. He was running out of time. He closed his eyes for a moment, his mind working quickly. He had a plan.
He opened his eyes, and his gaze was steady. He turned to Han Zhe. "Where is the food mall?" Han Zhe gave him a street name and pointed the direction.
Lin Kai nodded. "Uncle Han, Aunt Jiang, you both are experienced and have kept calm. You will stay here and protect these people. I will go alone. I can move faster and more quietly."
The crowd broke out in cheers and relief, thanking him profusely. Han Zhe looked at him, his face filled with concern. "Will you be all right? It's too dangerous to go out alone." Lin Kai gave him a curt nod. "I will be fine. I'll be back soon."
With that, Lin Kai slipped out of the house into the deep indigo of twilight. The world had become a darker, more terrifying place. He moved like a ghost, his aether-enhanced senses on high alert. He could hear the low, hungry growls of the Corrupted echoing from every direction.
He saw groups of them gathered in the streets, feasting on corpses that were once human. The sight made his stomach lurch, and his blood ran cold, but he didn't stop. He had a mission. He had to succeed.
He reached the mall, a fortress of steel and glass, only to find the entrance littered with the bodies of corrupted ones, a grotesque welcome mat.
He moved silently, his hands flashing as he severed the heads of five corrupted ones near the entrance, a grim toll to pay for entry. He slipped inside and made his way to the food section. He found a massive supply of non-perishable food. His face fell. He couldn't possibly carry all of this.
He sat down in a quiet corner, his mind racing. There had to be a way. His vast knowledge of Avalonia's cultivation arts was his greatest asset. He closed his eyes and started to search through the endless library of his mind. He needed a way to carry all this food, and in his old world, adventurers had had used a specific technique for this.
After some time, he found it. A low-grade spatial technique he had used in his previous life, quite famous among adventurers for its convenience and ease of learning. It was a simple technique, but it was perfect for his situation. He took a deep breath, and with a focused mind, he started to learn the technique.
The darkness outside had now become absolute, a suffocating blackness broken only by the eerie, red glow of the city's corrupt inhabitants. Lin Kai's eyes snapped open. He raised one hand, his aether swirling around his palm, and a small, invisible portal opened above it. He felt a sense of immense satisfaction. He could do this. He was ready.
He immediately began to move the supplies into the portal, the food and water vanishing into his new spatial pocket. He filled it to its limit and then, satisfied, left the mall, his path to home now illuminated by the faint glow of distant streetlights. He saw many more corrupted ones, but he was calm this time. He was no longer a victim; he was a hunter.
He moved silently through the streets, but he felt it. A chill, a feeling of pure dread that had nothing to do with the night or the corrupted. The air around him became suffocatingly heavy. He felt his heart tremble in his chest, and his primal instincts screamed at him to run.
There was a creature nearby, and its power level was far beyond his own. He couldn't see it, but he could feel its malevolent aura. It was a predator, and he was its prey.
Suddenly, a massive, grotesque figure emerged from the darkness. Its red eyes glowed with an ancient hunger, and a low, terrifying growl rumbled from its chest. It was a nightmare given form, a bigger version of the corrupted ones.
Lin Kai's mind screamed the terrifying truth: a First Order creature. His body began to tremble, his resolve wavering in the face of such overwhelming power. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to calm down.
There was no escape. Running was not an option. He drew his twin blades, a desperate prayer on his lips. His only choice was to fight to the death. He lunged forward, the blades flashing in the darkness.