At dawn, faint sunlight stretched across the horizon as Jiang Ye and his group set out toward the military safe zone. Along the way, they remained as vigilant as possible, their steps measured and deliberate.

“Do you think the safe zone actually exists?” Ethan asked in a low voice.

“Whether it does or not, we have to try,” Jiang Ye replied, gripping the Lingfeng Sword tightly while scanning their surroundings.

As they approached an abandoned street, a deep chuckle echoed from the distance.

“What’s going on?” Elaine stopped in her tracks, gripping her metal rod firmly.

Several figures emerged from behind the cover of debris, wielding an assortment of weapons, including a few rusted but deadly firearms. The leader, a scruffy man with a mocking grin, laughed loudly.

“Well, well, look what we have here—a bunch of lost sheep,” he said, his tone dripping with malice.

There were more than ten of them, their ragged appearances matched only by the dangerous glint in their eyes. These people had completely abandoned their humanity, devolving into the moral abyss of the post-apocalyptic world.

“Hand over your food and... the women,” the leader sneered, licking his lips as his gaze lingered on Elaine and Emily.

“Shut up!” Wang Han shouted angrily, stepping forward with his fire axe raised.

“Oh? Looks like we’ve got a brave one here,” a gaunt man sneered, raising his gun and firing a shot into the air. The bullet struck a nearby lamppost with a sharp crack.

“Don’t make trouble,” Jiang Ye said coldly, taking a step forward. “If you don’t want to die, leave now.”

“Hahaha, how amusing,” the leader laughed. “You think you can scare us with just a sword?”

Jiang Ye didn’t reply. The Lingfeng Sword gleamed coldly in his hand, and his entire demeanor turned calm yet intimidating.

At the leader’s signal, several bandits charged forward, clearly underestimating Jiang Ye’s strength.

Jiang Ye moved like the wind, the Lingfeng Sword slicing through the air in a deadly arc. He severed the weapon of the first attacker and cut across the man’s thigh in one swift motion. The man screamed as he collapsed to the ground.

Meanwhile, Elaine and Wang Han joined the fight. Elaine used her metal rod to strike down a man attempting to approach Emily, while Wang Han, gritting his teeth, swung his axe to fend off another assailant.

Stolen novel; please report.

However, the battle was anything but easy. The bandits’ superior numbers and firearms put the group at a severe disadvantage.

“Watch out for the guns!” Michael shouted, shielding Emily as they took cover behind debris.

A bandit raised his gun and aimed at Wang Han. The shot grazed Wang Han’s arm, drawing blood. He gritted his teeth and refused to fall, continuing to wield his axe with determination.

Ethan managed to spear a bandit in the shoulder with his makeshift weapon, but as he struggled to pull it free, a gunshot rang out, and a bullet struck him in the abdomen.

“Ethan!” Elaine screamed, her face pale as she saw him stagger and fall.

Anna, crouched behind cover with her hands over her head, was frozen in fear. Hearing Ethan’s pained cries, she looked up, tears streaming down her face. Trembling, she said, “We can’t let him die like this!”

Hearing the gunshot, Jiang Ye turned swiftly, activating his internal energy. His movements became faster and more forceful. With a flash of his sword, he killed the bandit attempting to finish Ethan off.

“Cover him!” Jiang Ye shouted.

Michael dashed out from cover, dragging Ethan to safety. Emily huddled in a corner, sobbing uncontrollably.

As another bandit raised his gun toward Michael, Jiang Ye leapt high into the air, propelled by his enhanced inner strength. His body soared three meters above the ground, and his sword descended like lightning, pinning the attacker to the ground.

At that moment, Anna fought through her fear, picking up a discarded wooden stick and clumsily swinging it at a bandit. Though her strikes were unsteady, her eyes were filled with determination.

Jiang Ye’s sword danced through the air as he fended off three more bandits. Despite his skill, the enemy’s relentless gunfire nearly clipped him multiple times.

“Hold on! They’re about to break!” Jiang Ye said in a low voice, his eyes sharp.

Elaine’s hands were blistered, but she gritted her teeth and swung her metal rod, knocking down a man attempting to attack Michael. Her breath came in gasps, and her hands trembled from the effort.

“I can’t keep this up!” she cried out, tears streaming down her face.

Wang Han, dragging his injured arm, held the flank with sheer determination. “These bastards are tougher than zombies!” he said with a bitter laugh, despite his exhaustion.

Anna stood protectively in front of Emily, clutching her wooden stick tightly. Her hands trembled, but her gaze remained fixed on the attackers trying to advance.

Finally, the remaining bandits began to falter. Seeing Jiang Ye’s bloodied yet unyielding form, radiating an almost supernatural aura, their morale broke.

“Retreat! Retreat!” the leader shouted, only for his command to be cut short as Jiang Ye’s sword pierced his heart.

The remaining bandits fled in panic, leaving behind the lifeless bodies of their fallen comrades.

The battle over, the group regrouped. Anna quickly tended to Ethan’s wounds, using her medical training to staunch the bleeding. Despite her shaking hands, her actions were precise.

“He needs proper medical attention,” Anna said quietly, her voice tinged with worry.

Elaine stared at her blistered hands, tears dropping onto her palms. “Are we really okay?” Emily asked through her sobs.

Jiang Ye knelt beside her, gently patting her head. “We’ll be fine,” he said firmly, though his eyes betrayed his concern.

Wang Han, sitting on the ground and clutching his wound, gave a bitter laugh. “These guys... they’re worse than the zombies.”

“When rules collapse, humanity’s ugliest side emerges,” Jiang Ye said coldly. “We need to reach the safe zone soon, or Ethan might not make it.”

The group scavenged two pistols from the fallen bandits and, with Ethan carried between Michael and Wang Han, left the grim scene behind. The air was thick with the scent of blood and gunpowder, but their steps remained resolute.

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