Chapter 45 - 41: Survivor

Chapter 45: Chapter 41: Survivor

The last lingering rays of the sunset sank reluctantly behind the silhouette of the distant mountains, leaving only a magnificent palette of color transitioning from orange-red to indigo across the horizon. On the rooftop platform, Xu Mo slowly concluded his practice. The vital energy and blood within him, now exceptionally calm and placid from absorbing the Dusk of the Setting Sun, receded like a gentle tide back into his Dantian, leaving his mind clear and serene.

After finishing his cultivation, Xu Mo habitually took out his binoculars and walked to the edge of the platform, preparing for his final routine observation of the town for the day. Afterward, he would head downstairs to make dinner and prepare for his evening training.

Xu Mo’s gaze swept like a radar over the silent ruins below, blanketed in deep blue twilight mist and pristine white snow. The streets, the houses, the abandoned vehicles... everything seemed just as it had on countless evenings past: deathly still, desolate, with no signs of life.

However, just as his eyes were about to shift away toward the blurry mountain shadows in the distance, Xu Mo’s pupils suddenly contracted, and he froze on the spot.

At the edge of town, at the far end of the snow-covered highway leading to the outside world, a string of... moving black dots had appeared.

They weren’t moving with the stiff, stumbling gait of zombies, but were living beings advancing steadily toward the town with clear purpose.

Xu Mo’s heart began to beat uncontrollably faster. He immediately adjusted the focus, locking onto the black dots clearly. He had to see if they were actual people.

As he adjusted the focus, the image sharpened. The distant black dots were indeed people—living, breathing people!

The group consisted of about twelve or thirteen people, formed into a loose party. They were all dressed in bulky, tattered winter clothes, with thick hats or scarves covering most of their faces. Each person carried a bulging, heavy-looking pack on their back, and one person was even pulling more supplies on a simple sled.

But the most eye-catching thing was their footwear. Tied to the bottom of everyone’s feet were flat, cattail-fan-sized objects that appeared to be crudely fashioned from vines, wooden planks, and scrap fabric. It was thanks to these simple yet practical "snowshoes" that they could walk on the soft snow, over a meter deep, without easily sinking in, conserving a great deal of energy.

This was a group of survivors—a group of survivors trekking long-distance through the harsh apocalyptic winter.

Xu Mo lowered the binoculars and took a deep breath of the freezing air, trying to calm his turbulent emotions. This was the first time since he’d crossed over into this apocalyptic world that he had seen other survivors with his own eyes.

An indescribably complex mix of feelings washed over him. There was the faint excitement and curiosity of suddenly discovering his own kind after so long alone, but it was overshadowed by a deep sense of vigilance and scrutiny.

In the apocalypse, the human heart was impossible to fathom. Xu Mo had read countless descriptions in novels of bloody conflicts sparked by a single piece of bread or a bottle of water. This group looked travel-worn, clearly having journeyed a long way. ’What’s the state of their supplies? What’s their objective? Are they benevolent wanderers, or are they bandits with a penchant for plunder?’

Xu Mo’s gaze followed the group intently. Their pace wasn’t fast, but their steps were firm, their objective clearly defined. They were following the snow-buried highway toward the town’s interior. Judging by their direction and slightly weary posture, they most likely intended to rest and spend the night in the relative shelter the town offered.

’What should I do?’

A pressing question confronted Xu Mo: make contact, or remain hidden and see what happens?

Making contact might allow him to exchange valuable information, learn about the world outside the town, and maybe even obtain useful supplies or knowledge. But the risk was equally immense. They outnumbered him, and even though his strength had grown significantly, he couldn’t fight them all at once. Besides, he didn’t know if they had firearms or other thermal weapons. Revealing himself rashly could put him in a perilous situation.

Staying hidden was undoubtedly the safest option. His shelter was well-concealed and his supplies were plentiful. He could easily make it through the night, and even until they left, without alerting them to his presence.

Xu Mo’s mind raced as he weighed the pros and cons.

’It’s already getting dark, and visibility is poor. If I make contact rashly, both sides will be on edge,’ Xu Mo thought, watching the town being gradually swallowed by the night. ’Besides, they just arrived, so they’ll be at their most vigilant. If I suddenly appear, it will give them the impression that I’ve been watching them this whole time. That would make for a terrible first impression, and they might even see it as a provocation or a threat.’

Xu Mo recalled Liu Ning’s diary, which mentioned the hardships of queuing for a spot in a shelter during the early days of the apocalypse, as well as the potential for internal strife. This gave him an instinctive wariness toward groups of unknown survivors.

’They just got to town. Tomorrow, they’ll definitely start scavenging for any usable supplies and a safe place to stay for the night,’ Xu Mo mused. ’My shelter is in a good spot—relatively isolated and sturdy. It’s very likely they’ll search this area.’

An idea began to take shape.

’Better to... let them make the first move.’

Xu Mo decided not to seek them out. Instead, he would remain hidden and observe their movements. If they did end up searching the area and discovering his shelter, he would decide then and there how to act based on their attitude—whether to make contact, trade, or, if necessary, fight.

This way, he would retain a degree of initiative. By waiting for them on his "home turf," he’d have the psychological advantage. Moreover, after a night of rest and observation, Xu Mo would be able to make a better preliminary judgment of the group’s discipline and intentions.

’This is the plan,’ Xu Mo resolved.

He took one last look through the binoculars to confirm the group’s position and general direction. They were entering the town’s main road, seemingly headed for the cluster of relatively intact buildings in the center. It looked like that’s where they would be settling in for the night.

Xu Mo retreated silently from the rooftop and returned to the main room on the second floor. He carefully checked that all the windows and doors were covered and reinforced, ensuring no trace of habitation was visible from the outside. Then he banked the furnace fire, dampening it to prevent too much light or smoke from being conspicuous in the night.

Xu Mo sat on the sofa without lighting a candle, letting the darkness envelop him. His ears, however, were pricked, listening intently for the slightest unusual sound from outside. His Mountain-Cutting Saber and a loaded TT-33 pistol lay within easy reach.

The faint thrill he’d felt at discovering his own kind had long since been replaced by cool-headed vigilance.

Xu Mo knew that after tonight, his life was destined to be a lot less peaceful than it had been.

The arrival of survivors from afar had shattered the deathly silence of the town, bringing with it unknown variables.

The night grew deeper.