After stepping out, Chen Feng banished the demon back to the abyss. Its bizarre appearance, while intimidating and capable of deterring many lesser threats, would also attract unnecessary attention and complications. Fortunately, Chen Feng had a contract with the demon, enabling him to summon it with a mere thought.
Chaos reigned.
The streets had become a scene of frantic escape, with countless people fleeing in all directions. Behind them, strange and ferocious predators pursued relentlessly. Corpses, reanimated by the sudden surge of energy, lurched forward. Before their evolution, they had been mindless flesh-eaters, spreading contagion through their bites, turning their victims into similar decayed monstrosities.
Elsewhere, cats, dogs, rats, and rabbits, now driven mad, relentlessly pursued humans. These once-docile animals, their eyes bloodshot and their speed increased, proved just as lethal as the zombies with their claws and speed.
Amidst the pandemonium, other creatures emerged from dimensional rifts—giant beetles, and acid-spitting worms. These predators, emerging from the cracks in reality, added to the chaos and terror.
Blood, screams, and roars filled the air. Chen Feng moved with agility, racing towards a nearby convenience store based on his memory.
In the midst of the slaughter, most of the monsters were drawn to the crowds, leaving the shops and buildings relatively untouched. This gave Chen Feng ample time to search for supplies.
The convenience store had been emptied of customers during the chaos, making it a temporary refuge. Chen Feng secured the windows and blocked the door with shelves, turning it into a makeshift stronghold.
"I need high-calorie food," he muttered to himself. "Chocolate, bread, meat..."
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After a quick search, Chen Feng filled a large bag with supplies, including several large bottles of water. The demon’s immense stomach could serve as a mobile storage unit for these supplies.
The store was not an ideal hiding place due to its location and the overwhelming stench of blood. Chen Feng planned to leave under the cover of darkness.
A rustling sound interrupted the silence.
"Is someone there?" Chen Feng’s voice was cold and sharp as he approached the source of the noise.
From behind the counter, a frightened girl emerged, around seventeen or eighteen years old. Despite her disheveled state, her delicate features and tear-streaked face conveyed a sense of vulnerability.
She wore a school uniform over a cartoon T-shirt, with blue pants and plain canvas shoes. Her once-pristine appearance was now marred by dirt and a large, red abrasion on her neck, likely from a recent injury.
"Are the monsters still after us?" she asked timidly, her eyes wide with fear.
Chen Feng remained silent, his expression impassive as he observed her. She glanced nervously at the door, then broke into tears, her sobs punctuated by incoherent babbling.
"Everyone's dead... so many monsters... they took Zhang Linlin into the air, and then she... she was gone..."
The girl seemed to be in shock, her tears flowing freely as she recounted the horrors she had witnessed. From the fragments of her story, Chen Feng pieced together that she was one of the few survivors of an attack on her school.
A lucky survivor.
Chen Feng’s gaze remained detached as he considered her—a fragile figure who managed to escape the chaos and find temporary refuge in the store. Her emotional distress and pleas for help were met with cold indifference.
"Don’t talk, don’t cry, and most importantly, don’t bother me," Chen Feng instructed firmly, ignoring her outstretched hand holding a broken phone smeared with blood and dirt.
"Just stay out of my way."
The girl, unused to such harshness, looked frightened and hurt. The severe tone was unfamiliar and unsettling for her.
"Bad person!" she muttered, her face scrunched in anger.
Chen Feng paid no mind to her reaction. He leaned against a shelf, closing his eyes to rest. As night fell, he needed to regain his strength.
The sudden sound of a noise jolted him awake. Chen Feng immediately sprang into action, his heightened senses reacting before his mind could catch up.
A loud bang came from the door. Dark shapes fluttered through the cracks, emitting strange calls and a strong stench of decay.
"Night Stalkers?" Chen Feng’s eyes widened as he recognized the creatures.