Chapter 62: Distribution of Forces
"Monsters? Survivors?" Wei Xun murmured to himself, not understanding why Chen Feng was asking about these things. However, he had learned his lesson; he knew better than to question or argue. Asking questions had become a taboo.
Wei Xun thought for a moment before responding, "About two miles south, there's a trading post where a lot of food is stockpiled. We went there before to try and gather more supplies, but..."
"But?" Chen Feng prompted, sensing that there was more to the story.
"There's a cemetery nearby, but it doesn't have any tombstones. At first, we didn't think much of it, but halfway through our search, some terrifying creatures crawled out of the ground. They were blood-red, with sharp claws, and looked like skinned wild dogs. We went there with thirteen people, but in the end, only Yuan Wen and I made it back alive..."
"Since then, no one has dared to go back there, and we've avoided the trading post entirely," Wei Xun continued, lowering his voice as he recounted the harrowing experience. Although some time had passed, the memory still haunted him.
A cemetery, like wild dogs, sharp claws...
Ghouls.
Chen Feng quickly pieced together the description of the creatures.
Ghouls are a type of carrion-feeding creature that resemble hyenas with sharp claws. They speak in a hurried, almost crying tone. Often found in graveyards, their bodies are usually covered with fungi from the graves they inhabit.
They rob graves, feeding on the flesh of the dead or on children. When not eating, they bury themselves in graves to rest.
Ghouls are cruel and cunning, driven by an insatiable hunger. When food is plentiful, they continue eating until their stomachs are on the verge of bursting.
Like humans building houses, ghouls reshape the land around them to create environments suitable for habitation. The larger the graves, the stronger the ghouls, and they bury any excess food alongside themselves.
Ghouls are quick but not particularly resilient.
Securing food is essential for expanding our numbers, Chen Feng thought. Clearing out the trading post could solve the immediate food crisis.
Chen Feng marked the location mentally. "Anything else?" he asked, his interest piqued.
"To the north, there's a botanical garden. It's swarming with bees, each the size of a fist, with scarlet eyes and a massive stinger on their abdomen. I only observed them from a distance; I didn't dare get any closer..." Wei Xun's face turned pale as he recalled the sight. "I saw... those bees using human bodies to build their hives, like honeycombs, with countless holes in the bodies. I counted at least a dozen corpses..."
Sanguine Bees.
A rare species, unlike the pollen-gathering bees of the past, these creatures feast on human blood to create their honey.
Blood Honey.
A powerful restorative, it not only accelerates healing but, when consumed regularly, can increase stamina and cure old ailments.
In the black market, a gram of blood honey could be traded for a beautiful virgin.
It's easy to see why this honey is so valuable.
Because of its worth, some inhumane factions even keep these creatures in captivity to sell the honey. Blood honey made from the blood of children is especially potent. Chen Feng had once destroyed the lair of an enemy who had engaged in this trade—a memory that remained vividly etched in his mind.
In that villa, over a hundred children's corpses were neatly arranged. Their mouths had been torn open by force, their limbs twisted grotesquely. Sanguine bees buzzed in and out of their mouths.
Sometimes, the most horrifying thing in the world is human nature. At least, no bug or other monster would treat its kind with such cruelty.
Wei Xun continued to describe other monsters, though none seemed as significant as the ghouls and sanguine bees.
Chen Feng took careful note of everything before asking, "Those are the monsters' strongholds. What about survivors? Are there any other groups nearby?"
"Nearby... there is one. If you walk three bus stops from the entrance, you'll find a factory. Over 600 people are holed up there, mostly factory workers. The leader is Wang Yong, a notorious black-market boss in J City. His real name is Wang Yong, but people call him 'The God of Wealth.' Out of the ten underground casinos in the city, eight were run by him..."
"More than 600 people?" Chen Feng raised an eyebrow, surprised by the size of the group.
"Wang Yong is resourceful. He's managed to control the factory with his men. His body has changed too; he can control insects to fight for him. Besides him, there are three others with strange abilities." Wei Xun's expression became uneasy as he spoke of Wang Yong.
Chen Feng was puzzled. The factory wasn't close to the air-raid shelter, so how did Wei Xun know so much?
Chen Feng looked at Wei Xun with a curious gaze.
Noticing Chen Feng's stare, Wei Xun began to sweat, his voice trembling as he explained, "Seven days ago, Wang Yong's men found us. They promised that if we joined them, we'd be able to share resources. But Yuan Wen was worried that it would be bad for the people in the shelter, so he refused. They didn't give up, though, and approached me separately, and then..."
Chen Feng remained calm, but his gaze sharpened:
"So you were tempted. Yuan Wen became your sacrifice to prove your loyalty to Wang Yong. By killing him, you cleared the path to join Wang Yong without opposition."
"I... I just didn't want to carry such a heavy burden anymore. But don't worry, I won't do anything against you..." Wei Xun stammered, fear creeping up his legs like vines, tightening around him. Chen Feng's temper was unpredictable, and Wei Xun was genuinely terrified that one wrong move would result in his death.
"It's fine. What's done is done. What matters to me is how you perform from now on," Chen Feng said slowly, not concerned with Wei Xun's past actions.
Of course, Chen Feng never truly trusted Wei Xun; he only trusted his own strength.
Wei Xun exhaled in relief, finally allowing himself to relax.
Chen Feng had no time to dwell on past actions. What he needed now was food, and so his primary target was the ghoul-infested trading station.
"Gather the people. We're going to the trading post."
Wei Xun had anticipated this, but hearing Chen Feng's decision to immediately attack the monster-infested territory made him nervous.
Refuse?
Wei Xun didn't dare. He knew better than to question Chen Feng's decisions.
Ghouls were terrifying, but so was the man in front of him. With that in mind, Wei Xun felt a surge of confidence and quickly began mobilizing everyone for the battle.
Stabilizing the situation.
Chen Feng needed a steady supply of food to keep everyone calm. As for Wang Yong's territory, more than 600 people was a large prize. If he could take control, the number of people in the air-raid shelter would increase sixfold—enough to rival two military camps.
Of course, once the invasion began, Chen Feng would have to be fully prepared.
This would be a challenge, as he would need to face four professionals simultaneously...
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