Chapter 115: Torment, Slaughter, and Harvest

Watching the hundred-odd people rush out of the cave, clad in rags and armed with wooden clubs and machetes, Xie Han was momentarily stunned. He began to doubt whether this was truly the apocalypse, nearing the year 2060. These primitive weapons belonged not in the end times, but perhaps in an era of ancient, chaotic banditry. Yet, here he was, witnessing such a farce. Had the apocalypse truly devolved into an age of mountain-dwelling warlords and brigands?

Regardless of Xie Han’s complex thoughts or wild imagination, the people pouring from the cave paid him no mind, quickly surrounding him. Once they had circled him, perhaps believing him to be fish on a chopping block, they began to scan him with relaxed, mocking gazes. Amidst their jeers, Xie Han stared fixedly at each of their faces, wanting to see exactly what kind of people were capable of such things.

The cave held far more than just these few. Soon, another twenty people emerged. Unlike the others, these men carried various types of firearms at their waists, on their backs, or in their hands. From their expressions and attire, it was clear they were the leaders, holding a much higher status than those armed with clubs and blades.

Surrounded by these twenty men were four massive, hulking brutes, their muscles bulging with an explosive sense of power. Without exception, each carried a light machine gun, laughing and shouting as they approached. When they saw that Xie Han was alone, they all threw their heads back in laughter. A man with small eyes sneered, "A damn little runt dares to intrude upon our Zhonglong Mountain? Is he tired of living? Doesn't he know we are famous for eating people?"

The man's words drew unrestrained laughter from the group. "Look at this kid, so tender-skinned. I reckon he'll be even more delicious than the women."

A cold light flashed in Xie Han's eyes. Unfazed by the guns pointed at him, he sneered, "You scum, you beasts. I truly wonder why the zombies didn't eat you, only for you to turn into man-eaters instead." He let out a cold laugh. "In my eyes, zombies are hateful, but at least eating people is their instinct. But you? A group of beasts with higher intelligence, not even as good as a rotting, foul-smelling zombie. How pathetic!"

"So what if we're scum? So what if we're beasts?" The small-eyed man jumped up and roared, "That's none of your business! You think you're the judge of the world's order? Damn it, I only know that if I don't eat, I’ll starve to death! Do you know what starving is?" He began to grin hideously, "I'm going to lock you up. I’ll let you starve for three or four days, and then you’ll be begging me for meat."

The small-eyed man’s incoherent rambling seemed to amuse the crowd, and they all began clamoring to have Xie Han locked up.

"A bunch of hopeless fools..." Xie Han slightly raised the Tiger Tooth blade in his hand. "Since coming to this world, I never intended to kill people, especially those who have struggled to survive. But today, I think such a code is unnecessary when dealing with beasts like you."

Xie Han sneered, "Among you, does anyone find my face familiar? Heh, you bunch of losers who only know how to act like thugs—how could you possibly know who I am? But I think you should have heard my name."

Facing a group of men already destined for death, Xie Han hid nothing.

A micro-battle armor appeared silently on his hands. Amidst the stunned, disbelieving stares of the crowd, Xie Han donned the gear unhurriedly, as if no one else were present. Once the full set of micro-armor was equipped, a miniature mecha materialized, and only then did the people on the scene snap back to reality.

Even those with poor eyesight could sense the power of the armor. The crack left by the R3 did not make the armor look ugly; rather, it added a sinister, murderous aura. In his third-level genetic state, Xie Han could have easily crushed these people with his speed alone. Yet, he chose to ensure his own safety while delivering the most unforgettable death possible. Perhaps it was the overwhelming pressure of the armor, or the shock of seeing it appear out of thin air, but once Xie Han finished equipping it, a panicked brute could no longer bear the tension and began firing his pistol wildly at him. They no longer considered how to torture him, only how to kill this magical person as quickly as possible.

Crisp gunshots rang out. The bullets struck the micro-armor, but they didn't even penetrate; they barely even dented the first layer of the synthetic fabric.

As the first man fired, everyone else with a weapon pulled their triggers. A storm of gunfire erupted. Xie Han stood like a lighthouse in the rain of bullets, letting them fire at will, unmoved, his eyes growing colder by the second.

The barrage lasted less than a minute. The sounds of empty chambers echoed, announcing that their ammunition was spent, leaving their guns as nothing more than scrap metal.

"Did you have fun shooting?" Xie Han’s voice rang out, devoid of emotion, cool and chillingly sinister. "Since you’ve had your fun, it’s my turn." He spun the Tiger Tooth in his hand, creating a blur of steel, and lunged into the stunned crowd. The blade flashed repeatedly, and with every stroke, a spray of blood filled the air.

Screams replaced the sound of gunfire. Heads flew, and severed limbs were tossed into the sky. With Xie Han’s speed and the indestructible nature of the Tiger Tooth, over a dozen people collapsed onto the grass in agony within a single breath.

Those who realized what was happening scattered in all directions. Faced with a monster they couldn't hit or touch, they lost the will to fight and only wanted to flee from this terrifying, cruel man. In their panic, they had long forgotten that they were far more cruel and terrifying than Xie Han could ever be.

This interval was enough for the soldiers to surround the hilltop. The sight before them made many of them turn pale and retch. As Xie Han cut through the crowd, the soldiers clenched their fists, wishing they could join him in dismantling these beasts. But they understood their mission; machine guns were set up, and they opened fire on the fleeing mob.

The sudden assault caught the fugitives off guard. They could never have imagined that such a heavily armed group would be nearby. If they existed, why hadn't they appeared sooner? Why had they allowed such atrocities to continue?

Regrettably, these questions would never be answered. They were not zombies, so every bullet brought them unbearable pain, resulting only in death. Under this hunt, the hundred-odd people were decimated in just a few minutes. The survivors were rounded up and pushed to the edge of the cliff.

Xie Han looked at the dozens of trembling people, his heart devoid of pity, and walked over, holding the blood-dripping Tiger Tooth. It was unclear whether the small-eyed man was lucky or cursed, but he had survived the barrage. Now, he huddled in the crowd, his eyes filled with terror, no longer possessing his former arrogance and bravado.

Xie Han grabbed the small-eyed man by the collar, threw him onto the grass, and pinned him down with a heavy boot. "Didn't you say you were going to lock me up and starve me for three or four days? Why aren't you shaking now?" He smiled, then traced the tip of his bloody blade near the man's leg. "I heard you enjoy human meat? Tsk, tsk. Surely you know that thigh meat is the most tender. I imagine you would be very happy, and very willing, to taste it."

Without warning, the Tiger Tooth plunged between the man's legs. Like a butcher's knife cutting through paper, Xie Han pressed down with force. The razor-sharp blade sliced through the entire thigh without resistance.

"Ah—!"

A blood-curdling scream tore from the man's throat. Blood gushed out, staining the grass crimson. He clutched his severed thigh, his once-ruddy face turning deathly pale, and he nearly fainted from the agony.

"Very good, you haven't passed out yet." Xie Han's tone was appreciative, but appreciation did not mean mercy. "Since you haven't fainted, that’s perfect—let me continue my work." Xie Han used the blade to lift a slice of the severed leg, acting as if he were taking great care, and sliced piece after piece of meat. "I wonder, how does it feel to eat your own flesh? Are you excited? Thrilled?"

The small-eyed man finally understood what Xie Han intended. Perhaps he could eat others' flesh without a hint of remorse, but he could never eat his own without psychological collapse. Realizing this, the man, who had been howling in pain, suddenly displayed a desperate, suicidal ferocity. "You lunatic! Damn you! I'm not afraid of you! If you have the guts, just kill me!"

"Heh..." Xie Han chuckled. He skewered the meat slices on his blade, tossed them into a nearby iron pot, and after blanching them in boiling water, slowly held them out to the man. "Will you eat it yourself, or should I help you?"

Looking at the steaming meat slices—meat carved from his own body—the man felt a sense of dizziness replace the sharp pain, leaving him suffocating. Forgetting to cover his wound, he used his hands to push himself backward, shaking his head violently. "No, no, no, you can't do this, you can't..."

"It seems you want me to help you eat." Ignoring the man's incoherent babbling, Xie Han pulled out a triangular bayonet and drove it through the man's other thigh, pinning him to the ground. Ignoring his screams, Xie Han crouched down, pried his jaw open, and shoved the meat into his mouth.

The man could not swallow, but Xie Han was happy to assist. He squeezed the man's jaw until he opened his mouth, then gave him a sharp pat on the back. It was simple; the meat slid down his throat.

"Doesn't it taste good? Medium-rare meat is the most tender, chewy and sweet with a hint of blood. Tsk, tsk. A pity, though. You won't be able to enjoy it for much longer." Xie Han wore a devilish smile. Ignoring the deep terror in the man's eyes, he moved his blade toward the man's stomach. "You know, compared to the tenderness of thigh meat, belly meat is the real delicacy."

At that moment, the small-eyed man completely broke down. He wailed, "No, please, just kill me! I beg you!"

Xie Han glanced at him sideways. "Begging me? Heh, I imagine those you killed begged you too, didn't they? But what did you do? Now you know how to beg? Don't worry, I will let you die, but it isn't time yet. You know, my knife skills have always been excellent. I promise that after I carve out your belly meat, I'll leave a thin membrane so your internal organs won't spill out immediately."

"No..." The man roared in madness, reaching for the bayonet pinned through his leg. His intent was no longer to fight, but to use the blade to end his own life. Unfortunately, Xie Han's Tiger Tooth was faster. It swept across his reaching hand, severing the palm entirely.

"AHHH!!!" Another scream. This time, the man could not endure it; his vision went black, and he fainted.

Xie Han’s mouth twitched, but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to soften his heart. He turned to look at the group huddled in terror behind him. "Based on your crimes, even flaying you alive wouldn't be enough. But I am not like you, nor do I have your heart. So, you don't have to suffer like him; you can choose a more decent way to die."

With that, Xie Han strode into the cave. Behind him, shouts erupted, quickly replaced by screams. Within minutes, there was silence. Every single one of them had their throats slit by the soldiers' bayonets and were executed at the base of the cliff.

Inside the cave, a dozen women were stripped naked, tied together with ropes, and thrown into the depths of the cavern. The ventilation and lighting were poor, and a foul odor permeated the air. It was clear these women were tools for the men's depravity. Those who resisted likely met their end in the large iron pots outside.

Xie Han’s arrival didn't stir any reaction from the women, their eyes vacant. Half a month of abuse had turned them into walking corpses. Some had even been forced to eat the flesh of their own kind. Mentally and physically, they were shattered.

In the apocalypse, women were always the most vulnerable, forced to live under the protection of stronger men. As the price for this protection, they often had to surrender their bodies. Arbitrary rape and slaughter meant that the female population was disappearing at an alarming rate. In the New City, with over 4,700 people, there were fewer than 500 women. It was clear that women were the most easily exhausted resource in this world.

Looking at the naked women huddled on the ground, Xie Han used his blade to cut their ropes. He shook his head and sighed, "You are free. If you wish, you can live a life of freedom and equality from now on."

Through this experience, Xie Han felt he had grown a step further in the apocalypse—he had learned to be bloody and ruthless. The apocalypse was full of such things; what he encountered today was merely one small example of countless tragedies. Perhaps elsewhere, dramas and disasters far worse than what he had witnessed were unfolding.

The apocalypse was not as he had imagined; it was an event that exposed the darker side of human nature. Sometimes, Xie Han thought the outbreak of the XR virus was not just a catastrophe, but a test, a purification. Perhaps after this ordeal, humanity would finally understand that persistence of the spirit is the greatest victory.

In the following days, more and more temporary gathering points were discovered, ranging from a few people to over a hundred. For those who had protected their conscience, Xie Han offered the greatest help and sanctuary. But for groups where cannibalism had occurred, once confirmed, the outcome was always on-the-spot execution. The base needed people who still possessed conscience and humanity, not a pack of beasts.

Over a week later, after trekking across countless mountains, excluding the thousand-plus he had executed, he had found about four thousand survivors. The harvest was undoubtedly massive. Although these people were pale and frail, Xie Han believed that once they were fed and rested for a few days, they would regain their vitality.

Those who had survived until now were all young and strong; the elderly had long been eliminated by the laws of survival.

Xie Han took a moment to look toward the Wangtian Base from a distant mountain peak through his binoculars. What met his eyes was desolation. The entire base had been reduced to ruins; the shockwave from the neutron bomb had returned many buildings to the state of primitive sand.

The zombie tide had long since retreated. Xie Han did not know where they had gone—to Wangtian City? Were they hiding in some corner? Or were they pushing toward a new human gathering point?