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Chapter 3: Decapitation

This world, although seemingly similar to ancient Earth, lacked the concept of nations or empires.

It resembled more the era of warring states in remote antiquity, with a system of city-state lordships spread across this vast land.

A single power controlled one or several cities, ruling over thousands of miles of territory.

Lu Wei’s original location was near the Endless Forest to the northeast and Yongzhou to the north.

That area belonged to a family’s domain, a vast territory nearly 1,000 miles wide from east to west and almost 2,000 miles long from north to south.

However, within this expansive region, there were only three large cities, a dozen smaller cities, and hundreds of villages, with a population under 300,000.

Evidently, this was a remote and desolate land, hence the sparse population.

When the disaster struck, those who could flee had already done so; those who couldn’t were likely devoured by monsters.

Most people from Lu Wei’s village followed a merchant caravan. Although the caravan offered no protection, if they encountered wild beasts or bandits, the caravan would typically intervene for its own safety, providing these refugees with unintended shelter.

Therefore, not only Lu Wei’s village but also several tens of thousands of people initially trailed the caravan.

Although their behavior was somewhat shameless, the caravan didn’t drive them away.

Because, if they truly encountered insurmountable danger, these tens of thousands would become excellent bait.

However, the group of tens of thousands that set out had dwindled to a few thousand after nearly two months, a reduction of almost eighty percent.

Some perished along the way, becoming food for beasts or others; some were too weak to continue and could only hide, hoping the beast tide wouldn’t find them.

Lu Wei once considered doing the same, hiding in a remote mountain forest.

But the thought of those powerful monsters made him abandon such a naive idea.

For an ordinary person to survive in a monster-infested forest was nothing short of a pipe dream.

So, no matter how difficult or arduous, he gritted his teeth and persevered.

As time passed, most people’s food supplies were long depleted.

From then on, the evil of human nature was revealed even more vividly.

Rice, meat, vegetable people, two-legged sheep, and bone rot…

These words presented themselves to him with stark and bloody reality.

As Zhou Xianming had said, history could be summarized in two words: cannibalism.

At first, those people only scavenged the dead for food; gradually, they evolved to killing for food.

Lu Wei knew that he and his younger sister were vulnerable and likely targets.

Therefore, he remained vigilant throughout the journey, never separating from his younger sister.

When they camped at night, they would find a secluded place to hide.

Just like the previous night, he took his younger sister to a small ditch, which not only blocked the wind but also shielded them from prying eyes.

But he didn’t expect that they would still be found.

It seemed they had set their sights on him and his younger sister long ago.

Seeing the three men slowly approaching, Lu Wei quickly turned to extinguish the fire, carried his younger sister to a slightly farther spot to protect her from harm, then dragged two logs, one large and one small, to where he and his younger sister were.

Most people now suffered from night blindness, unable to see anything at night.

Even those with better eyesight could only discern blurry darkness, unable to distinguish between people and logs.

Finally, he found a hidden spot, covered himself with snow, and secretly observed the three men.

Watching the three men tiptoeing closer, Lu Wei tightened his grip on the firewood splitter, suppressing his fear and anxiety as he pondered his options.

Plead for mercy?

That would be like placing himself on a chopping block to be slaughtered.

Therefore, his only option was a desperate fight for survival.

With this in mind, Lu Wei took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and tried to calm himself down.

Panic and fear were the most useless emotions at this time; they would only hasten his death.

His eyes fixed on the approaching trio.

Due to the darkness, Lu Wei couldn’t discern their features, only that each held a thick wooden stick.

Seeing they lacked blades or sharp weapons, Lu Wei felt slightly relieved.

He had a splitter and his physical condition had recovered to near normal. Facing three unarmed and weakened individuals, he wasn’t without a fighting chance.

As for why Lu Wei was certain these three were ordinary people, it was simple.

True martial artists wouldn’t resort to cannibalism; they had other means of obtaining food. Even serving as caravan guards would provide them with sustenance.

Moreover, if a martial artist wanted to kill him, they wouldn’t be so sneaky.

Therefore, these three were definitely ordinary people like him.

As the trio drew nearer, Lu Wei’s eyes grew fiercer, his killing intent intensifying.

In this cannibalistic environment, it was kill or be killed; there was no other choice.

Suddenly, the three stopped. After a moment, one took the lead, while the other two fell behind.

Lu Wei frowned, surprised by their caution.

…

Ma San nudged Lai Zi with his stick, gesturing for him to go first.

Lai Zi was reluctant, but if he refused, he might be thrown into a pot and stewed in his sleep upon their return.

Tightening his grip on the stick to prevent it from slipping when he smashed the other person’s skull, Lai Zi walked towards the ditch where Lu Wei had been.

He was no longer as nervous or afraid as he had been the first time.

After killing so many, he had become accustomed to it and even found it somewhat effortless.

Lai Zi tiptoed to the edge of the ditch and peered into it.

As Lu Wei had guessed, Lai Zi saw two long, dark shapes, assuming they were two people.

Without hesitation, he raised the stick and slammed it down on the longer piece of wood.

If this blow landed on a person, even if it didn’t kill them, it would incapacitate them.

However, just as his stick swung down, a figure suddenly darted out from the side and lunged at him.

Before Lai Zi could react, he felt a chill in his neck, as if something had sprayed out of his body.

Then, he felt dizzy and tumbled into the ditch.

The stick in his hand veered off course, striking the ground beside him with a thud.

Witnessing the blood spurt several meters away, the head almost severed, Lu Wei’s heart pounded as if it would leap from his chest.

Killing for the first time filled him with both terror and exhilaration.

Fortunately, it was night, and he couldn’t see the gruesome sight of the half-severed head; otherwise, he might have been paralyzed with fear.

He pinched his thigh, forcing himself to calm down, and turned his gaze to the remaining two.

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