Chapter Thirteen: Conflict Erupts

The tent flap was abruptly pulled aside, and as Shang Xingbing stepped in, he inhaled deeply with a look of pure delight on his face.

It had been days since he last tasted meat, and he had been craving it desperately.

Since the apocalypse began, although he hadn’t starved, the quality of his meals had significantly declined compared to before.

His palate was naturally strong, and after enduring a period of dry rations, his taste buds had dulled considerably.

Besides, it’s hard to go from luxury to austerity. He could accept not eating meat, but without any richness or fat, he was truly starving.

Fang Yun had seasoned the stew generously to mask the gamey smell of rabbit meat, and she had cooked it long enough to fill the air with such an intoxicating aroma that it was almost dizzying.

“Serve it first. Let the smell dissipate a bit before eating. Otherwise, if someone barges in halfway through, they might grab it all,” Shang Xingbing said.

Hearing that someone was lurking outside, Fang Yun, experienced from surviving the apocalypse, quickly and efficiently removed the pot from the stove.

She took out several insulated lunch boxes, divided the meat and noodles between them, sealed the containers, and packed them into her backpack before dumping a pile of snow into the pot.

No sooner had she finished than a commotion erupted outside.

Shang Xingbing turned just in time to see a disheveled man storm into the tent, his expression mirroring Shang Xingbing’s own.

The lingering scent of meat in the air was enough to drive anyone long deprived of flesh to madness.

Before Shang Xingbing could react, more people flooded into the tent one after another.

The once spacious tent quickly became cramped, and the faces of Li Wangcheng and the others grew increasingly grim.

Startled by the sudden turn of events, Fang Yun froze until a hand yanked her behind Li Wangcheng.

“Run out the back later, got it?” Li Wangcheng whispered urgently into her ear.

Fang Yun regained her composure and looked up at him. “What about you?”

“We’ll be fine,” Li Wangcheng replied with firm confidence, easing some of her unease.

“What do you want?” Shang Xingbing shouted. The survivors who had barged in snapped to attention.

A flicker of sadness crossed their faces, but upon seeing the disparity in numbers, their eyes shone with unrestrained greed.

Conflict quickly erupted. Li Wangcheng shoved Fang Yun, urging her to flee.

Their tent was unlike ordinary ones—it had entrances in both front and back, though the rear flap was usually kept closed.

Without hesitation, Fang Yun grabbed the backpack filled with supplies and dashed toward the rear flap, pulling it aside before plunging headfirst into the blizzard outside.

At some point, a fierce snowstorm had swept over Dongming Mountain, the biting wind and swirling snow stinging her face and blurring her vision.

In the dim light, she could just make out faint glimmers from other tents and felt the weight of countless eyes watching her from the shadows.

A chill ran through her as she hurriedly transferred all the supplies from her backpack into her spatial storage, taking advantage of the night’s cover.

She had been too careless. She never imagined that barely days into their stay, the people on Dongming Mountain would become so desperate.

It wasn’t entirely her fault. In her previous life, even when rejected by Chen Yuanlin, she still held some usefulness and never went hungry, though her meals were less refined.

She had no idea that the survivors rescued by the military on Dongming Mountain lacked any supplies whatsoever, to the point that even the military personnel themselves struggled to survive.

Shang Xingbing had intended to avoid attention by returning with a small rabbit, but they had been spotted.

Even if Fang Yun hadn’t seasoned the stew so heavily, today’s conflict would have been inevitable.

Fang Yun stumbled forward, disoriented and unsure where to seek refuge. Where could she possibly find shelter now?

Lost in thought, footsteps suddenly echoed behind her. Startled, she snapped back to reality and quickened her pace, too afraid to look back.

“Who’s there? Don’t move!” a sharp command pierced the night.

Fang Yun’s steps halted. She heard the faint click of guns being readied and, hesitantly turning around, found herself facing a squad clad in green coats, torches in one hand and rifles in the other, their expressions stern.

In her panicked flight, she had inadvertently run near the military camp. It was no wonder they mistook her for a threat.

She was captured and brought to a military tent, still struggling to believe it.

Two lifetimes lived, and this was her first time being detained. Her emotions were tangled—if not for the urgency of the moment, she might have found someone to vent to.

Soon, two soldiers entered the tent. Before they could speak, Fang Yun pleaded for help.

After hearing her out, they exchanged glances. One left the tent, purpose unknown, while the other stayed behind to question her.

“Name?”

“Fang Yun.”

“Don’t you know you’re not supposed to wander around at night?”

Fang Yun wanted to say she hadn’t meant to wander recklessly—that there was a reason. She had already explained it. Instead of interrogating her, they should be helping Li Wangcheng and the others.

Anxious, she was reluctant to answer.

“I’ve already explained. Can you please send someone to check on my teammates? If it gets any later, they might be in danger.”

“I understand you’re worried, but you need to calm down first.”

“How can I calm down?” Fang Yun was nearly furious.

When one is starving and desperate, they can do anything.

Just then, the soldier who had left returned in a hurry.

“Come with me quickly. Let’s see who your teammates are.”

Fang Yun was bewildered. When she was led to another tent and saw a group huddled inside, she was even more confused.

But upon closer inspection, they were the same people who had stormed their tent earlier. She immediately understood the situation and began searching the crowd for Li Wangcheng and the others.

They scanned everyone carefully but found no sign of them. Then it hit her—they must have escaped.

“My teammates…” she burst out of the tent to tell the soldier, only to find Li Wangcheng standing beside a young soldier, engaged in conversation.

Hearing her voice, Li Wangcheng ended the discussion and turned toward her. He quickly approached and scrutinized her, relieved to see she was unharmed.

“You’re alright?”

“Good to hear.”

They both spoke simultaneously, causing her to hesitate and lower her eyes with a hint of embarrassment.

The next moment, a warmth settled on her shoulders. Looking up, she saw Li Wangcheng draping a thick coat over her. Her chilled, stiff body slowly began to thaw.

Without another glance at her, Li Wangcheng returned to the young soldier and spoke with a serious expression.