Before everything goes out

This is the end.

From the start to the end of the battle, it lasted no more than 30 seconds. Zhang Cheng and his group were either dead or wounded, and were completely wiped out.

"Looks like I'll have to be more careful from now on."

Li Fei put down his gun and looked around.

The open space in front of the gate, which was peaceful just minutes ago, has turned into a brutal battlefield in the blink of an eye.

After a headcount, eight were dead and two were injured. Zhang Cheng's group of ten people all lay dead in the open space in front of the villa.

Aside from the eight who died in different ways, the only two survivors...

Zhang Cheng and Qianmei.

He had already shot them both, severing their limbs. One was curled up in pain, the other was twitching with a deathly pale face.

"Are you two alright?"

"I'm fine."

"A minor injury."

Niu San and She Qingqing answered in this way.

Niu San was not injured, but She Qingqing was cut on the forearm by a knife during the fight, but it was not serious.

As for Ertong, who had just been thrown away by Zhang Cheng, he had already run back happily and was eating the food scattered all over the ground.

"Oh, right."

After thinking for a moment, Li Fei glanced at the villa.

Although he felt that everyone had most likely been dealt with, he said to She Qingqing just to be on the safe side.

"Have Ertong go in and search the area, just in case."

"OK."

She Qingqing picked up the gun.

I led Ertong to the villa entrance, put him inside, and listened quietly to Ertong's footsteps going up and down the stairs.

"Damn it..."

Seeing this, Zhang Cheng wanted to say something, but was kicked in the face, and two teeth flew out.

"You ungrateful bastard! We shouldn't have saved you!"

Niu San started cursing loudly.

Not satisfied with that kick, he raised the wood axe again, his eyes bloodshot.

"I'll send you to your death right now!"

Facing Zhang Cheng, who looked like a human pig, he raised his axe to chop him down, but was stopped by Li Fei beside him.

"etc."

Li Fei patted Niu San on the shoulder to calm him down.

"I still have many questions to ask them, which is why I spared two lives."

This is natural.

Zhang Cheng and his group were the first group of people they encountered after leaving the village.

Li Fei originally intended to use this opportunity to obtain as much information as possible.

Since things have come to this point, and he can't ask amicably, he doesn't mind using some underhanded tactics.

"Alright, you stay here and watch over him. I'll question the woman first, and then we'll check the accounts to make sure they're not lying."

Done.

Li Fei dragged Qianmei to the side of the villa, to a spot where the others couldn't see her.

Two minutes later.

He dragged her back with long strides. The only difference was that Qianmei had some new wounds on her face and her mouth was stuffed with a wad of cloth, so she couldn't make any sound.

"I never imagined that you two would be such a star-crossed couple."

Li Fei sneered and squatted down in front of Zhang Cheng.

Looking at the mangled, bloody face, he pulled out a short dagger used for cutting flesh.

"Now it's your turn. I'm going to ask you a few questions. If you answer them well, I might consider letting you two off the hook. If you don't answer them well, I'll make you wish you were dead, understand?"

"clear."

Zhang Cheng nodded quickly.

No more joking around, no more cold and arrogant.

He knew very well that this time, he had completely fallen into the hands of this monster.

"Since we met at noon, have you lied about any of the questions I've asked you?"

"no."

Zhang Cheng shook his head without hesitation.

Are you sure?

Li Fei held the short dagger to Zhang Cheng's ear, making a grating sound.

Following his gaze, Zhang Cheng looked to the side, where Qian Mei'er, her mouth gagged, was mumbling something to him...

Hiss.

The sharp pain in his ear drew Zhang Cheng's attention back. He saw two fingers holding half of his ear, gently swaying it in front of him.

"Don't answer so hastily, think about it again. Next time it might be your eyes."

"Damn...yes...there really is..."

Zhang Cheng grimaced in pain.

The sharp, clear pain made him certain that although this man wasn't part of the investigation team, he was definitely not someone who could be fooled.

"We are indeed hunters, but our prey includes not only animals, but also passersby like you."

"Very good, continue."

"Besides equipment and supplies, we will also eat their flesh."

Upon hearing this, the three men's expressions changed drastically.

Zhang Cheng did mention it briefly before the table was overturned, but they didn't take it seriously at the time, thinking it was just a threat. Plus, the situation was urgent, and they didn't have time to think about it carefully.

The three who are now belatedly realizing this...

A strong feeling of nausea welled up inside me, and my stomach churned violently.

"vomit!!"

Niu San knelt beside the table and vomited up everything he had eaten at noon.

She Qingqing looked pale. She squatted at the entrance of the villa, neither vomiting nor speaking.

Having been mentally prepared, Li Fei had the mildest symptoms. Suppressing his nausea, he asked Zhang Cheng:

Why?

In his view, famine is indeed likely to occur after a catastrophe, and even cannibalism to satisfy hunger during a famine is utterly disgusting and terrifying...

But looking at the history of all mankind, it's not too unusual.

However, the situation is different for this group.

They have weapons, they know how to hunt, and judging from this huge table of food at noon, they shouldn't have reached that point yet.

So why?

"Does it even need a reason? Just eat it if you want to..."

Before Zhang Cheng could finish speaking, he saw Li Fei's quick and cold gaze.

Coupled with the lingering pain in his ear, his lips twitched, and he immediately changed his tune:

"If I had to give a reason, it's that after it decomposes, everything tastes like chewing wax..."

"Life isn't that interesting anyway. By the way, aren't you a corruptor too? Don't you realize that?"

I?

Li Fei frowned.

He understood what Zhang Cheng meant, but he felt that he shouldn't be considered a corrupt person in the usual sense.

After all, he was clean and tidy, and didn't have anything that shouldn't be there.

After thinking of something, he looked at Niu San and She Qingqing. As latent corruptors, the two of them shook their heads seriously, indicating that their sense of taste was perfectly normal.

"Tch, you don't look like you've eaten anything."

Zhang Cheng grinned.

He licked his dry lips and began to talk to himself.

You'll find out later...

"Shut up."

Zhang Cheng's unpleasant remarks were interrupted when Li Fei kicked him in the face.

"Answer only what I ask, and don't say anything unnecessary."

Li Fei's face was gloomy.

Now he understands why those rings have such an extreme attitude towards the corruptors.

These guys, whether physically or mentally, are no longer considered human.

"Hehe, okay."

Zhang Cheng, who had been kicked in the face, acted as if nothing had happened.

After that, the two began a question-and-answer session, with Li Fei asking all the questions he had thought of beforehand.

Have you ever heard of any method that can revive a person?

"Huh? No."

"Have you ever seen a man who's been skinned? Like a medical mannequin."

"no."

"What is a Connector?"

"Never heard of it."

"You just said it was the first time you'd heard the name 'Huanzi' before. How do people in the city call Huanzi?"

"Some call them 'Military Lord,' while others call them 'Investigation Team.' 'Investigation Team' is what they refer to themselves."

"How did you become a corruptor?"

"Many years ago, I don't remember exactly, one night when the light bulb burned out and short-circuited, after the light went out, I felt itchy all over, and when I got up I found a lot of mushrooms growing on my chest..."

As Zhang Cheng spoke, he pointed to his chest with his chin.

Li Fei turned him over, then tore open his shirt and found that many mushrooms had indeed grown on his chest.

It was multicolored and fluffy, resembling some kind of strange chest hair.

"Are these people like you?"

"Yes, but they don't grow on the chest; some grow on the buttocks or thighs."

"What changes occur after becoming a corruptor?"

"As I mentioned before, my sense of taste has become less sensitive. All that's left is increased strength and a better physique than the average person, and that's it."

"And then what?"

"have no idea."

"Have you ever seen a cocoon formed from a corrupted being?"

"what?"

"Black, about half a person's height."

Li Fei gestured, and Zhang Cheng frowned.

"That sounds disgusting, what is it?"

"You don't need to know."

Li Fei nodded thoughtfully.

He had already experienced firsthand the physical attributes of the corrupted during the battle just now.

While these people weren't as strong as Liu Yongxiao, who could withstand bullets, they were still far stronger than normal humans.

That power, that speed.

Without exaggeration, he felt that it must have exceeded human limits.

If it weren't for his complete equipment and immortality, he would probably be the one being trampled underfoot right now.

after that.

He then asked Zhang Cheng about the situation in Changjiang City.

Including the amusement park, the research team, and everything about the ring...

Although Zhang Cheng had been away from the city for a long time, he had still spent many years there, and the intelligence he gleaned was quite good.

even.

Based on his dictation, Li Fei also drew a simple map to ensure that he could get a general sense of direction after entering the city, so that he wouldn't wander around like a headless fly.

Just as he finished asking his questions, a new development came from the villa.

"Woof woof~"

The sound of dogs barking rang out.

A few minutes later, Er Tong, who had gone in to scout, came out. Judging from its relaxed wagging tail, there was clearly nothing going on inside.

"Ertong, you're so cute..."

Stroking the dog's head, She Qingqing realized what he meant, but then paused for a moment and looked at Li Fei with some suspicion.

"No, Ertong said..."

"There's no danger inside the villa, but there are still people there, not just those outside..."