Chapter Eighty-Three: The Journey Afar

“Wait… Stop, Ellie, that’s not for eating!”

“Hold it up like I’m doing, understand?”

“Good, swing it around—let me see how much strength you can put behind that hammer.”

Ellie listened to Fan Li’s instructions, her small hands barely managing to grip the handle, and then… she nearly demolished the house on the spot.

Fan Li brushed the dust off his clothes, glancing around the armory that now resembled a construction site, his heart still pounding. If he hadn’t intervened in time, Ellie might well have brought down the load-bearing walls with just a few swings.

He had underestimated the destructive power of the hammer. In human hands, it was a cumbersome burden, essentially a one- or two-use tool. But in Ellie’s grasp, it became a true weapon of mass destruction.

At Fan Li’s call to stop, Ellie ceased her swinging, resting her hand on the hammer and standing at the side.

The scene before him was nothing short of surreal: a petite girl in a ballet dress, wielding a grim, custom-made sledgehammer—a weapon never intended for a child, now paired with her as if they were the most natural partners.

Clang, clang…

The hammer scraped across the floor with a harsh screech as Ellie approached Fan Li step by step. She gripped the hammer tightly, then held out a shriveled bag with her other hand.

The little girl had done as Fan Li asked, and now she was seeking the reward she’d earned.

Watching her heft the hammer with such ease—and seeing the force behind her swings, far beyond his calculations—Fan Li finally felt at ease.

Ellie had gained her exclusive weapon, and from what he’d seen, its creation would alter the fate of more than one zombie.

He gently patted Ellie’s small head, soothing her lest her goodwill waver, and said in a low voice, “I’ll get it down for you in a moment. This time, you get two bags.”

Ellie looked up, her toothy face turned toward Fan Li. She shook the bag of chips in her hand, then shook it again. Though she couldn’t speak, her intent was unmistakable.

She was making sure she would really get two bags of chips.

Training would take time, but under the lure of delicious food, Ellie was already learning what it meant to compromise.

———

Morning.

“Brother Li, I’ve packed all the food in your bag. You asked to keep the weight down, so I brought mostly compressed biscuits and chocolate. They may not taste great, but they’ll replenish your energy quickly.”

“Here’s the hemostatic powder and ointment you wanted, and I’ve also packed some painkillers and anti-diarrheal meds. They’re in small bottles with labels.”

“There wasn’t enough time to master all the techniques of jiu-jitsu, but in this environment, sometimes less is more, and what isn’t limited by rules can be even more powerful. In close combat, just keep refining your rear naked choke—that’s all you’ll need.”

The rear naked choke went by many names—guillotine, crosshold—but the technique was the same: use both arms to lock around the enemy’s neck, legs wrapped around their waist, then arch back with force. It was one of the deadliest moves in jiu-jitsu.

Normally, it required great control, as it could easily be fatal if applied carelessly. It demanded a high level of mastery from the practitioner.

As Fan Li prepared to set out, he received a few words of friendly advice from the others as he stood at the door.

After spending time together, they had grown used to Fan Li taking the lead. The remarkable strength and mysterious abilities he displayed had thoroughly won them over.

He was impervious to darkness, could withstand bullets with his body, and controlled terrifying beings unlike any normal human. These extraordinary qualities drew people from diverse backgrounds and ages to rally around him.

“We still have plenty of food. Before I get back, you won’t need to go out looking for more. Yang Shuo, I’m leaving the keys with you. If I’m gone too long and someone runs short, you can share some out. But it’s a loan—you’ll have to pay it back.”

Though food was sufficient for now, Fan Li still kept the dog food in plain sight, a constant reminder that in this famine-stricken world, it might one day be his salvation.

Cherishing food was the most basic virtue in the apocalypse.

“And one more thing—be careful.”

With a final word of warning, Fan Li left his stronghold alone.

No comfort could shield him from worry about the apocalypse. He wanted to gain more power before the dangers intensified.

Time waited for no one.

Fan Li had already lost too much time. If he continued to improve his strength at a leisurely pace, he might never be able to protect himself in this turbulent era. He had to venture out, to hunt more monsters.

One of his targets was based on information from Liu Hao—a monstrous creature covered in human arms and legs, lurking in Zhongshan Hospital. According to Liu Hao’s account, it had already mutated into a new, formidable lifeform.

Monsters meant more kill points.

Fan Li’s goal on this journey was simple: to hunt down and eliminate the monsters and advanced forms lurking nearby, max out his kill points, and thus summon a third medium.

Perhaps due to autumn’s arrival, the morning air was noticeably colder, heightening the sense of desolation. The streets were empty of life; thanks to previous purges, only a handful of zombies wandered the area.

Ordinary zombies no longer tempted him. Besides, Fan Li didn’t want to fight here and risk drawing danger to his base while he was away, so he ignored them and headed farther afield.

———

As he moved away from his stronghold, the number of zombies gradually increased.

“Argh!”

“Splurt, splurt!”

“Aaargh…”

After cutting down a few zombies, Fan Li entered a narrow alley.

The alley blocked out some of the sunlight, making everything darker. Fan Li instinctively slowed his pace, inching closer to the source of the noise.

Soon enough, several stray dogs came into view.

There weren’t strict pet regulations in the county, so stray dogs were a common sight on the streets.

These dogs survived by scavenging garbage and drinking filthy water. Their harsh existence made them indiscriminate eaters—leftover skewers, moldy bread, even dead rats on the roadside were all considered delicacies.

Now, a few strays had gathered for breakfast, gnawing at their meal with excited barks.

But when Fan Li saw what they were devouring—a still-struggling male zombie—his expression darkened.

They were no longer the pitiable strays wandering in search of kindness; they had mutated, becoming malignant beasts that would feed on the living.

Fan Li had no intention of letting them go. Killing a zombie dog yielded twice as many kill points as a regular zombie.

Still, he had to be cautious. Their squat bodies and four-legged gait made them far more agile.

Lowering his body, Fan Li readied his katana for attack. He needed to wait, to pick the perfect moment for the slaughter.