Kingdom of Corrosion
Chapter 100 - 94: Wandering Alone in the Apocalypse_2

Chapter 100: Chapter 94: Wandering Alone in the Apocalypse_2

At that moment, Lin Wu felt having a living Shana wasn’t too bad.

After retracing the path for 5 minutes, Lin Wu discovered the secret: the bamboo forest had the ability to conceal a pathway at night. He had passed by this place before without noticing another path; it was almost missed even on his return.

However, which one was the ’another path’?

Lin Wu walked down the left path for a while, then turned back. He tried the right path, only to return to the fork again, feeling as if he’d walked both. Continuing his trial, he ventured further along the left path; this time, he didn’t retreat, and a hulking black bear appeared on the road. Neither man nor bear expected to encounter the other here, both equally startled.

Lin Wu knew that you must not run when encountering a bear in the wild; with intimidation from loud shouts and beating one’s chest, there might be a chance to scare the black bear away. But with zombies around, though few, what if the shouting didn’t scare the bear and instead attracted a horde of zombies? Lin Wu had witnessed black bears and zombies signing a non-aggression pact in the wilderness.

With the Silencer in his left hand and the right hand empty, Lin Wu cautiously stepped forward. The black bear, on alert, took a step back. As Lin Wu advanced, the bear retreated. Since the path was winding, the bear bumped its rump against the bamboo and instinctively stepped forward, prompting Lin Wu to retreat subconsciously.

Cold sweat ran down the brows of both man and bear: what to do? I’m in a panic, but I can’t show that I’m panicking. I’m scared; I can’t let the bear (or man) know I’m scared.

Lin Wu reached into his backpack and took out a piece of beef jerky, bit off the packaging, and threw it in front of the black bear: "Brother, here’s the toll, please let me pass."

The black bear loved the beef jerky after a bite and lunged at Lin Wu without hesitation: "Take them all out." Bandits didn’t plan to rob you, a poor ghost, but you insist on giving them gold for your release; how could the bandits let you go?

The battle between man and bear began immediately.

The black bear took a shot first, and Lin Wu slapped a Beast Trap on its head. However, the trap’s mouth was smaller than the bear’s head and failed to grasp it, tearing a piece of scalp off instead. This was the first time Lin Wu’s Beast Trap technique had failed, leaving him without any follow-up moves. The black bear seized the opportunity to smack Lin Wu deep into the bamboo forest.

Severe injury, moderate bleeding, left arm disabled. Explanation: Unable to use the left arm until properly treated. Further explanation: Proper treatment refers to medical facilities such as a first aid station.

In such a condition, Lin Wu dared not seek revenge. Enduring the intense pain, he dragged one arm and scrambled through the dense bamboo. The black bear didn’t dare to chase and skedaddled away.

Leaning against a pine, Lin Wu applied two bandages to himself and took a painkiller, wishing Shana were here as that would have reduced his chances of injury by 50%.

Lin Wu still had a conscience and praised Shana all the way.

...

Lin Wu was grateful that the trading caravan had chosen the tunnel over the mountains because it took him a full four hours just to exit the Forest Park. Reaching the road, a refreshed Lin Wu encountered Frenzy, who was looking for trouble, and decisively butchered it for a drink. Following the road, Lin Wu arrived at a substation outpost and unexpectedly found a player fishing between the substation and the hydroelectric station.

The fisher was equally surprised to see someone and revealed during their conversation that he was Lili from the Future City South City (South City), Left County, North Town.

Even though both belonged to Future City, there was a straight-line distance of one hundred and eighty kilometers between Lili’s South City and North City. One might wonder how Lili had managed to travel from South City to North City. Upon inquiry, Lin Wu learned that Lili had gotten lost after entering the mountains and wandered for five full days. During those five days, he trudged through the mountains, building a home whenever he was tired - Hunter’s Cabins, Forest Guard Cabins, and the like. Although these structures were few, one or two could still be found after a day’s walk.

"Is this Left County in North City?"

"Yes."

"I’m doomed."

Lin Wu said, "Why don’t you stay at our base for the time being?"

Lili shook his head, "No, no, I have a wife; I need to go back, back home."

Through Lili, Lin Wu found out that over 70 players had settled in South City Left County. It baffled Lin Wu that South City could be so powerful. Lili explained that their guild was called the Doomsday Alliance and it exclusively recruited Fishing and Hunter players.

Players who joined the Doomsday Alliance formed small groups of two or three, or more, according to their own preferences and with friends. Over time, the Doomsday Alliance grew into a large alliance with 12 groups and over 70 members. Each group occupied a base assigned by the Alliance, artificially creating a massive safe zone.

With food and beds, individual survival issues were solved. Whenever a small base encountered a severe siege, the Alliance would organize personnel to join temporarily and protect them. Some bases had medical beds and some did not; the Alliance would also assist and coordinate the transport of the injured.

With 70 people scavenging the streets together, they were unflinching in the face of hundred-strong zombie hordes, ready to fight with their blades. Of course, due to the presence of Frenzy, casualties would occur in each operation. Currently, the Doomsday Alliance was actively recruiting players with Fishing and Hunter skills while aggressively purchasing Fishing and Hunter Skill Books. In summary, the Doomsday Alliance had established a foothold in the suburbs of South City Left County. Their long-term goal was to turn South City into the strongest zombie-free human sanctuary.

However, with many people came many problems. Over time, personal conflicts had arisen among the 12 groups. Whether the Alliance’s model could continue to develop, Lili was also unsure. Lili was adamant about returning home because he was supposed to marry his fiancée in a week.