The closer they approached the city's edge, the sparser the buildings became, abandoned factories and warehouses replacing dense residential blocks. According to Gu Xun's assessment, the river nourishing this city should be nearby. Thirst gripped them like an invisible hand, choking their throats. That half-full bottle of water was rationed strictly, each sip taken with cautious, precious care.
Dusk approached, the sky darkening. They halted outside an abandoned small logistics transfer station, intending to spend the night there. The station's roller door was tightly sealed, but a small side door for personnel remained, its lock already broken.
"I'll go in first," Lu Zhao whispered, slipping into the dim interior. He detected no distinct signs of life, only the silent scent of dust and rust. He sidestepped into the space, Gu Xun following close behind.
The interior was spacious, cluttered with broken wooden crates and scattered parcels. The air hung heavy with the musty stench of damp paper. It was relatively open, offering good visibility—an easily defensible spot.
"We'll stay here tonight," Gu Xun said, leaning against a sturdy crate and panting slightly. The prolonged walk had taken a heavy toll on his still-recovering body.
Lu Zhao nodded, about to speak, when his wind perception suddenly caught something unusual—an extremely faint sound of liquid dripping from deeper within the warehouse. In this dead silence, the sound seemed unusually clear.
"Water?" Lu Zhao looked uncertainly at Gu Xun.
Gu Xun's eyes sharpened. He listened intently for a moment before affirming, "It's water. Let's check it out."
Both men immediately grew alert, moving cautiously toward the source of the sound. After navigating around several rows of tall shelves, they discovered a broken water pipe in the farthest corner of the warehouse. The pipe protruded from the wall, dripping steadily from the fracture. A small, distinct wet patch had formed on the floor below, even creating a shallow puddle.
Was it clean municipal water? Or had it been contaminated?
Gu Xun crouched down, avoiding direct contact with his hands. A faint white glow emanated from his fingertips as he gently swept them above the water's surface, closing his eyes to sense it for a moment.
"The water quality... is clean," he said, opening his eyes with a barely perceptible hint of excitement. "It must have been when the apocalypse broke out that this pipe burst, and the remaining water has been trickling out intermittently ever since. The amount isn't large, but it's enough to replenish our supplies."
This was nothing short of a godsend! Lu Zhao immediately rummaged through his backpack for an empty water bottle, carefully positioning the opening over the leak to collect the precious drips. Watching the clear droplets fall into the bottle, he felt the burning sensation in his throat ease considerably.
Just as he focused on collecting the water, a sound grew louder from outside the warehouse—the last thing they wanted to hear right now: heavy, unmistakable footsteps, and... the scraping sound of something being dragged.
Lu Zhao and Gu Xun froze instantly, exchanging a solemn glance.
Lu Zhao immediately stopped collecting water, quickly stuffing the bottle—only one-third full—back into his backpack. Gu Xun silently moved into the shadow of a shipping crate, motioning for Lu Zhao to join him.
The footsteps halted outside the warehouse door. Then came the sound of violent pounding and a man's coarse, hoarse shout:
"Anyone in there? Get out!"
It wasn't Jiang Jin. The voice was unfamiliar. But the visitor meant no good.
Lu Zhao gripped the steel pipe tightly, his heart pounding in his throat. Gu Xun gently pressed his arm, shook his head, and mouthed: "Stay still. Wait."
They held their breath, hoping the intruder would simply pass by or leave upon finding the place empty.
Yet the intruders outside clearly weren't giving up so easily. After several violent impacts, the already flimsy side door was kicked open! Moonlight outlined three tall, muscular figures standing silhouetted against the light at the doorway, each wielding weapons like clubs and machetes.
"Damn it, someone's definitely in here! I heard movement just now!" one of them cursed.
"Search! See if there's anything worth taking!"
The trio spread out, beginning their search among the shelves. Flashlight beams swept wildly across the dim warehouse.
Lu Zhao and Gu Xun were hidden fairly well among the stacked crates, but with such a thorough search, it was only a matter of time before they were found. Lu Zhao could feel Gu Xun's body tense up again, and his own palms were drenched in cold sweat.
One searcher was closing in on their direction. The flashlight beam had already swept past the edge of their hiding spot several times.
Just as Lu Zhao was about to lose his nerve and strike first, an unexpected change occurred outside the warehouse!
A searing, familiar crimson light streaked across the night sky like a meteor, carrying a fury that slammed violently into the warehouse's outer wall!
"BOOM!"
The deafening explosion echoed through the air! Flames shot skyward, instantly igniting flammable materials on the warehouse's exterior walls as the fire spread upward!
"Damn it! What the hell?!"
"Fire! Run!"
The three intruders inside the warehouse were utterly terrified by this sudden attack. Forgetting their search, they panicked and rushed toward the exit.
Lu Zhao and Gu Xun, hiding behind the shipping containers, instantly turned pale.
The color of that flame, the fury of its spread... They knew it all too well.
It was Jiang Jin!
He had come after them! And he seemed utterly indifferent to who was inside the warehouse. Using this indiscriminate attack, he intended to force them out—along with anyone else who might be there—or... bury them all!
Scorching heat waves surged into the warehouse, thick smoke billowing everywhere.
"Go!" Gu Xun acted decisively, grabbing Lu Zhao and sprinting toward the opposite direction of the main entrance—deep into the warehouse, toward the corner where they'd found water moments ago. There might be a back door there, or perhaps a ventilation shaft. Either way, they had to escape this place that was turning into a furnace immediately!
Flames flickered across their faces, etching urgency and resolve. The brief respite from the water source they'd found was shattered once more by the relentless flames and maniacal pursuit closing in behind them.
Their escape entered an even more brutal phase.