Chapter Three: Unconsciousness

Xia Yan lifted his head and glanced out the window. The sky hung high above, sunlight flooding the earth, and much of the gloom that had lingered was now dispersed. Yet severed limbs and fresh blood, the ancient past, the world's destruction and rebirth—all of it lay buried within the dust of this old city’s history.

“You’re awake!” Su Zhu walked over, her tone filled with concern. “How do you feel? Are you still unwell? Do you need some water or something to eat?”

“How long was I unconscious?” Xia Yan’s voice was gentler now.

This woman, who had done nothing to him while he lay unconscious, could not be considered truly malicious. At least, for the moment, she seemed worthy of some trust.

“At least five hours,” Su Zhu replied. “I was worried, so I didn’t go out—I stayed here the whole time.”

“Thank you,” said Xia Yan.

“There’s no need. If you hadn’t saved me yesterday, I’d already be dead.” Su Zhu smiled softly. “Even though I’m a criminal, a human with genetic defects, I still know how to be grateful. Oh, and I also finished drawing the map.”

“Thank you.” Xia Yan looked toward the simple map on the table. Though not large, it must have been a painstaking task, and she had clearly spent much effort on it.

The map was divided into five main regions, each marked off with bold red lines.

“What’s going on with your body? I’ve rarely seen anyone in your condition,” Su Zhu asked with concern.

“I don’t know. It might just be the environment. I’m feeling better now,” Xia Yan replied. “I’m still young, with at least a decade of life left—my strength shouldn’t be failing so quickly.”

“That’s what I think, too. Maybe it’s just a temporary reaction to the local climate.” Su Zhu nodded. “If you’re not feeling well, you should rest here today. I’ll go out alone this afternoon to look for supplies.”

Xia Yan stood up, stretching his body. The pain in his head had eased, though there was still a faint throbbing. “No need for that. I’m fine to move.”

“Xia Yan…” Su Zhu bit her lip. “Would you… would you consider teaming up with me? We could help each other and survive together.”

“With you?”

Xia Yan hesitated. Previously, he wouldn’t have agreed—he had no reason to trust a woman like her. But after his period of unconsciousness, she had not harmed him, suggesting she bore him no great ill will for the time being.

Most importantly, his headaches were a dangerous problem. If they struck at a critical moment and he had no companion at his side, he could die easily.

“No need to answer right away.” Su Zhu handed him water and food. “Think it over. If you’re not willing, I won’t force you. I’m not weak—give me a sharp weapon, and I’m confident I could kill that Crimson Demon Tiger myself.”

“I’ll consider it,” Xia Yan replied, taking the food and feeling much better as his strength returned.

“I know what you’re thinking!” Su Zhu’s alluring eyes locked onto his, as if probing into the depths of his heart. “You saved me, and I did nothing to you while you were unconscious. But the truth is, we’re still strangers, and neither of us can fully trust the other.”

“That’s true,” Xia Yan agreed.

“But I know a way for us to trust each other, without barriers.”

Su Zhu’s gaze turned soft as water. She moved closer, body twisting around him like a serpent. She pushed Xia Yan to the floor, her lips pressing against his, her unique feminine scent flooding his senses.

“What are you doing?” Xia Yan pushed her away, but his head began to ache again, his nerves growing hazy. In that uncertain state, instinct overpowered reason. Lost in that blurred “hallucination,” he drifted for what seemed a long time before finally coming to his senses.

Now, leaning against the corner, Xia Yan found his headache vastly reduced. He had to admit, Su Zhu was an enchanting woman—her allure lingered in his mind, difficult to dispel. Only reason kept his desires in check.

He glanced toward the adjoining room. The door was open, and inside, Su Zhu was changing clothes—her graceful figure exposed, stirring a powerful urge within him.

Su Zhu quickly finished dressing, pulling on easy-to-move-in black attire. “I’m ready—let’s go!”

“Alright.” Xia Yan picked up his backpack and followed her out of the seventh-floor dormitory.

In the end, they decided to work together, at least for now. For Xia Yan, with his unresolved headaches, having an ally was essential.

…

“The area we’re in is called Sector C. It’s relatively safe, and not many ‘criminals’ have been placed here,” Su Zhu explained as they walked. “Supplies are a bit scarce, but with careful searching, we should find enough to last a month.”

Xia Yan looked at the map. It was divided into five regions; Sector C was on the fringe, occupying the southwestern part of the ancient city.

“There are mutated creatures in this city, but rarely any of Level 2. Those would be overwhelming for us criminals,” Su Zhu went on.

Overwhelming indeed—Xia Yan had to admit, no criminal could handle a Level 2 mutant. Encountering one meant certain death.

“Survival isn’t actually that hard,” Su Zhu continued, “and it’s possible to earn a good ranking. Once we find enough weapons and support tools, we can hunt Level 1 mutants. If we’re careful, it’s not too dangerous. Each kill earns a point, and with enough points, we can claim substantial rewards.”

“Only the top scorer gets the gene serum,” Xia Yan added. “I have to take first place—to win the gene serum.”

Su Zhu’s expression changed. “If that’s your goal, it’ll be extremely difficult. You’d have to kill many other criminals, possibly even large groups with more than ten members. It’s almost impossible.”

Xia Yan did not respond, but his gaze held no fear.

The scoring system was straightforward: one point for each Level 1 mutant killed, five points for each criminal killed. Some criminals with high scores earned bonus points. To come in first place, one had to kill many other criminals.

First prize was the gene serum, capable of correcting defective genes in criminals, restoring them to normal humans with lifespans up to a hundred years.

Such a reward could not be ignored.

Relying on Su Zhu’s information, they quickly set about gathering supplies. In just two days, they amassed a considerable stockpile—enough food and water to last twenty days at least.

They also found two hidden underground storerooms containing weapons: a long iron-alloy blade, an E402 Land Leopard pistol with twenty rounds, and an E303 Hawkeye sniper rifle with ten sniper bullets.

It’s worth noting that the Earth Federation had long established a weapon grading system. The “E” prefix indicated entry-level weapons—standard firearms, nothing remarkable, with only basic craftsmanship. Such iron-alloy blades were also classified as E-level, barely better than “toy swords” sold on the market.

At night, the two slept together, growing closer with each passing day. Occasionally, Su Zhu would wrap herself around Xia Yan, holding him tight—and he had no reason to resist.

Another day passed. Twenty-six days remained until the end of the contest.

Seventeenth floor, inside a suite.

Su Zhu looked at the amassed weapons and supplies, smiling with satisfaction. “We’ve collected so much—it’s wonderful. And we’re strong enough that most criminals won’t dare provoke us, except maybe the very strongest.”

“You have information on them?” Xia Yan was surprised.

“Yes, I have files on three people. Each of them is stronger than us—they’re the favorites to win this competition,” Su Zhu replied immediately.

Xia Yan was secretly astonished. This woman’s intelligence network was impressive.

…

“Ladies and gentlemen, five days have now passed in the Survival Tournament. Let’s take a look at the latest developments.”

The organizers’ voice echoed from every broadcast screen. Anyone flicking through their optical brain’s frequency could tune into the corresponding channel.

But at this moment, all channels were broadcasting the same content.

“Of the original one hundred criminals, sixty-seven remain. Thirty-three have already died.” The camera cut to a shirtless, heavily muscled man. “Let’s look at this powerhouse—Number 1, Anton. He’s killed seven criminals and five mutants. With bonus points, his total is—forty-three, putting him in first place.”

Those who had bet on Anton were quietly delighted. If he won, they’d make back more than tenfold their stake.

The camera switched to a gaunt, hook-nosed man dressed in black.

“Now, the lone wolf of the night—Number 75, Brook. He’s killed four criminals and three mutants for a score of twenty-four, currently in second place.”

Those betting on Brook were pleased as well. A terrifyingly strong loner, he had killed every criminal he encountered so far, not meeting a single serious opponent.

“Here’s the big boss with a crew—Number 7, Matthew. His group has grown to eight, forming the largest team so far. It’s said that even in prison, Matthew had countless followers—he’s a shrewd strategist. He’s killed three criminals and two mutants for a score of twenty, holding third place.”

The camera showed Matthew and his group, now far larger than the trio Xia Yan had once encountered—his team was swelling.

Those betting on Matthew were also pleased. The larger the group, the greater the strength. With his cunning and many followers, Matthew was a strong contender for first place.

The camera then shifted rapidly, giving only brief glimpses of other popular contestants.

“Let’s look at this young couple—Numbers 61 and 76. Despite their age, they’ve managed to gather plenty of food and water. They might just survive to the end.”

The camera panned over Xia Yan and Su Zhu, but quickly moved on.

“Who among these desperate criminals will win the precious ‘gene serum’? Whoever bets on the victor stands to gain even more.”

…

Meanwhile, Matthew and his followers began searching Sector C, unable to forget the youth who had inspired their wariness.

He had to be found and eliminated—he was the only obstacle standing in Matthew’s way to victory.

At the same time, a group of hungry criminals arrived near Xia Yan and Su Zhu’s base, desperately searching for supplies in the area.