Chapter 13
Chapter 13: Start Eating
Long Ming walked straight into the big house ahead. Its front door stood open, and the entry led right into the living room. The place was a mess. Tables and chairs lay on their sides under a thick layer of dust, and deep claw marks gouged the metal walls.
He stared at the gashes, every nerve going tight as he thought: [What kind of creature could leave marks like these?]
He checked the first floor with care and found nothing of value. Then he went upstairs and reached the master bedroom. Pressing his body to the doorframe, he eased his head in for a look.
The room was wrecked. An iron nightstand lay on its side. The wardrobe doors were open, and clothes and junk were scattered everywhere.
Judging by the dust, he decided there was no immediate danger. He stepped inside and started searching. First, he lifted the nightstand and pulled its drawer. Inside lay a jumble of tools. He scanned them, picked out a wrench, and slipped it into his backpack.
He sifted through the scattered clothing and junk, but found nothing useful. Then his eyes went to the open wardrobe. He dug to the back corner and uncovered an iron box secured with a rusty lock.
He took out the wrench and smashed the lock.
Clang! After a few hits, the corroded lock broke.
He flipped the lid open, and a Gold Nugget gleamed up at him. Next to it lay a rough White Tier metal necklace set with a few Red Tier gem chips.
He pulled both items out and scanned them with his Wristband:
Gold Nugget
Grade: White Tier
Weight: 150 g
Value: Low
Rough Necklace
Grade: White Tier
Material: silver, gems
Value: Low
Weight: 35 g
He glanced at the readout, stowed the finds, and kept searching.
A short while later, he had combed the entire house and found nothing else worth taking. He left and headed toward another building to the right. As he passed the mouth of a narrow alley, he spotted black drag marks on the ground.
He stopped, turned, and followed the marks into the alley. In a corner, he found scattered crumbs of tissue. Holding his breath, he crouched and touched the dried bits.
His brow tightened. The tissue did not look human. Even though it was shriveled, it still held a little moisture. The air here was very dry, which meant the owner of this tissue had been torn apart not long ago. This place was not safe.
He hurried back to the street. Right away, excited voices called out to him. Gu Yi waved and yelled: “Bro, look what we found!”
Long Ming looked up as Gu Yi and Chen Wei ran over, showing off a Double-Barreled Handgun carved with a Gold Tier pattern like it was a treasure.
He blinked in surprise and said: “Not bad.”
He had not expected them to find a firearm, and from the look of it, the quality seemed good.
Gu Yi grinned and offered: “Bro, do you like it? If you want it, it’s yours.”
Long Ming shook his head and replied: “No need. I’ll find my own,” then turned toward a building that looked like a warehouse.
Gu Yi called after him in a rush: “Don’t go without us,” and the two of them followed.
Long Ming stopped and looked back at them: “Why are you following me? Go search more places.”
They nodded quickly: “Right.”
He added in a low voice: “Be careful. There should be a monster here.”
They froze, faces going pale as Chen Wei whispered: “A monster?”
They glanced around in fear. Long Ming left them to it and stepped into the warehouse.
Inside, the space was wide. Dim lamps hung from the ceiling. Steel bars and metal crates were stacked everywhere, and tools lay scattered across the floor. He looked them over with mild interest: hammers, screwdrivers, and more. None of it was very valuable to him, so he moved on and searched deeper, keeping quiet.
Up on a steel beam, a pair of scarlet eyes lit up without a sound, locked on him.
Long Ming walked lightly, trying to make no noise. A drop of slime fell from above and splashed on the floor behind him. His pupils shrank. He froze, then snapped his head upward.
A hideous shape dropped from the beam and lunged at him fast.
He tried to dodge, but his body could not react in time. The thing slammed him to the floor.
He reeled, then focused. A rotting face with red eyes and sharp teeth filled his vision. It was an ugly human shape.
Buzz. His Wristband flashed a Red Tier warning.
He shouted the name in alarm: “Man-Eater!”
With a savage roar, the Man-Eater opened its jaws and snapped for his throat. Long Ming’s heart lurched. He clamped both hands around its neck. The creature snarled like a mad dog, baring its teeth and fighting to bite him.
Long Ming held on with everything he had. Veins stood out on his forehead, and foul slime sprayed across his face. The Man-Eater, unable to bite, tangled with him and rolled him over and over.
Bang. He crashed into scattered debris again and again. Pain flared all over, but he did not dare let go. If he loosened his grip, he would die.
At that moment, Gu Yi and Chen Wei rushed in, shouting: “Bro, we’re here to save you!”
They had not dared to go far after splitting up; fear and Long Ming’s warning kept them close. When they heard the heavy crash, they ran to help.
Long Ming gritted his teeth and yelled: “Use the gun and take it down!”
Gu Yi raised the Double-Barreled Handgun and aimed at the wrestling pair, but he could not pull the trigger.
Long Ming snapped in anger: “Why aren’t you shooting?”
Gu Yi stammered, voice tight: “I can’t! You two are tangled up. I can’t get a clean shot!”
He kept shifting his aim, but the two bodies rolled too fast. Long Ming felt a surge of helpless fury. He barked: “For real? Just aim! Chen Wei, you try!”
Chen Wei shook his head in panic: “No, I can’t aim either.”
Long Ming set his jaw. He suddenly heaved his weight and rolled with the Man-Eater toward the pile of steel stacked on the right.