Chapter Two: The Rescue

If someone knowledgeable and well-traveled were present, they would surely recognize Matthew. This gentleman, Matthew, was in fact one of the top three contenders for the championship, and there was a countless number of people betting on his victory. It was truly the height of misfortune for Xia Yan to encounter him at this moment.

"Wait," Matthew commanded the two men behind him, his voice low. "This kid is not to be underestimated. Don't be rash; at this stage, survival is what matters most. It's not worth risking everything for a few points."

Matthew was, naturally, a formidable individual. He could judge an opponent's general strength from their most basic movements.

This young man was strong; every step he took was cautious and calculated, always leaving himself an escape, and the way he gripped the dagger in his right hand was textbook—his hand was covered in calluses.

If they fought now, he could win, but there would be a price. At the very least, he would lose a companion.

The two men at Matthew's side found it hard to believe—their leader rarely backed down, especially now when they outnumbered their opponent three to one. But their leader was shrewd and had never been wrong before; if he said not to act recklessly, then they wouldn't.

These three came from the same "Prison of the Condemned." Their landing sites had been close, and with a prearranged signal, they quickly regrouped. The more time passed, the larger their group could become, and the greater their chances of survival.

To lose a man now would be a tremendous loss...

"Kid, how about joining us?" Matthew suddenly extended an olive branch. "We have weapons, food, and water. If we act together, our chances of survival are much higher."

"Who would want to join you?" Xia Yan sneered. "If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave."

He slipped away like a breeze, swiftly moving past Matthew. As their paths crossed, both of their bodies tensed, ready to react at any moment.

But in the blink of an eye, Xia Yan was already gone.

"Hmph!" Matthew frowned at his retreating figure. That boy was a serious threat.

Perhaps it would be best to eliminate him sooner rather than later—he could become an obstacle to victory. After all, the reward for first place was a vial of gene serum.

...

From morning until afternoon, Xia Yan spent most of the day searching for supplies. It was not until three or four in the afternoon that he found three large bottles of clean water and a medical kit inside a third-floor apartment.

"No food?" Xia Yan searched carefully but found nothing.

The organizers were truly ruthless, providing only water and no food. How was anyone supposed to fight or survive without food? It was practically a death sentence.

By now, he hadn’t eaten for more than a day.

He found a tattered backpack in the room, stuffed it with the three bottles of water and the medical kit, and prepared to return to his previous base. It was nearly four o’clock; he needed to make it back before dark to avoid unknown dangers at night.

On his way back, Xia Yan chose a concealed path, where he would attract less attention and be less likely to encounter mutated creatures.

But midway through his journey, his expression changed.

A woman was in combat with a mutated beast. The creature was three meters long, a mutated tiger—ferocious and imposing. The woman was covered in wounds, her body marked by the beast’s claws, and her strength was failing.

"This 'Crimson Fiend Tiger' is one of the strongest Tier-1 mutants—its speed and power are overwhelming." The woman was clearly exhausted, out of breath, and struggling to continue.

"It's her!" Xia Yan recognized the woman's face and his expression changed slightly. She was from the same prison as himself.

Her name was Su Zhu, probably seventeen or eighteen, with striking cerulean hair and a face so beautiful that many condemned men had instantly fallen for her. She was also quite capable, having survived several difficult missions.

"Whoever is nearby, please help me," Su Zhu called out, sensing movement in the wind. "I know a stash of food—help me, and it’s all yours."

To save her, or not to save her.

Xia Yan hesitated.

"I need food badly, and this woman isn’t so bad. I might as well help," he decided. With a swift movement, he appeared beside the Crimson Fiend Tiger and landed a solid kick.

The beast staggered, nearly falling, and let out a furious roar, its green eyes fixed on Xia Yan with savage rage.

Upon joining the fight, Xia Yan immediately understood: it wasn’t that the woman couldn’t defeat the Crimson Fiend Tiger, but that she lacked proper weapons. All she had was a steel rod, probably torn from somewhere.

The Crimson Fiend Tiger lunged at Xia Yan, but he remained calm, his movements slow and deliberate as he easily dodged its attack. His dagger flashed and plunged into the beast’s body, sending a spray of blood and a howl of pain from the creature.

These mutated beasts had their weaknesses—head and heart, for instance. Pierce the skull and it was a deathblow.

The physical strength of condemned prisoners could not match a Tier-1 mutant, but their skills far surpassed those of the beasts. With the right weapon, killing a Tier-1 mutant was not difficult—after all, only the elite made it into this survival contest.

Man and beast clashed for barely two minutes before the Crimson Fiend Tiger was covered in a dozen wounds, its body bathed in blood, its breathing growing weaker.

Su Zhu watched in secret awe.

This youth was truly strong—among the hundred prisoners, he was one of the best. Facing a powerful Tier-1 mutant, he dodged every attack with skill and retaliated with ease. Even at her peak, she would have struggled to match such a feat.

Xia Yan closed in, stabbing his dagger without hesitation into the beast’s brain, drenching his face in hot blood.

"Impressive—a flawless killing blow. He’s precise, his movements solid," Su Zhu marveled.

The Crimson Fiend Tiger collapsed, convulsed a few times, and died.

Xia Yan knelt beside Su Zhu to examine her wounds.

"It’s you," Su Zhu recognized his profile, startled.

"You know me?" Xia Yan was curious.

"Yes." Su Zhu nodded. "Your skills were among the best in prison, and you’re so young—you completed several very tough missions. Of course I know you."

Though they had never worked together before, this was their first real conversation.

"The wounds aren't fatal, but they need prompt care."

Xia Yan took a bottle of clean water from his backpack to wash her cuts, then used the medical kit to apply healing spray and bandages.

The whole process took only ten minutes. The wounds were disinfected, eliminating the risk of infection. The healing spray, enriched with active factors, would let the wounds heal by morning.

"Can you stand?" Xia Yan asked when he finished.

Su Zhu got up and stretched. Though the pain was sharp, she was able to move. Gratefully, she said, "I’ll be fine. Thank you for saving me."

"Take me to the food stash. I haven’t eaten in a long time," Xia Yan stated bluntly—the reason he had helped her.

"Hm?" Su Zhu was briefly stunned, then gave a soft laugh and nodded. "Of course, come with me."

Together, they made their way to a seven-story dormitory building. Su Zhu had stashed food on the seventh floor: compressed biscuits, canned fish, chocolate, and half a bottle of water.

Enough food for one person to last three days, or four or five with rationing.

"I don’t need the water. I’ll take half the food as payment for saving you," Xia Yan said, gathering his share and preparing to leave.

"Wait... wait..." Su Zhu called after him, her eyes showing a hint of vulnerability.

She didn’t know why, but most men looked at her with obvious desire and would have leapt at the chance to play hero. But this youth’s gaze held no such intent.

And she realized that Xia Yan had likely saved her for the sake of food. He was principled too—she’d offered him all the food as a reward for saving her, yet he only took half.

"What is it?" Xia Yan asked.

"Could you stay here, just for a while, and team up with me?" Su Zhu bit her lip, a blush coloring her cheeks. "I’m injured, and it’s dangerous to be alone."

"This spot is high up—no mutants are likely to attack. And if something does come..." Xia Yan replied coolly, "I’ll hardly be able to protect myself in the dark, let alone you. Farewell."

"Wait." Su Zhu grew more anxious, biting her lip harder. "If you stay, I’ll pay you."

"Pay me?" Xia Yan turned, eyeing her suspiciously.

She was enticing, beautiful—a rare gem. Yet Xia Yan was unmoved; his life mattered more than any of that.

"I don’t mean that," Su Zhu hurried to explain, her breathing quickening. "I’ve memorized a rough map of the ancient city—I know which areas are dangerous, which are safer, and even where supplies are likely to be found. I also have some information about where the organizers released Tier-2 mutants..."

"You know that?" Xia Yan was surprised.

"Yes, I have contacts among the staff—they told me," Su Zhu said quickly.

Xia Yan regarded her. It wasn’t impossible—if she was willing to sell herself, she could have gotten that information.

"How will you give it to me?" Xia Yan asked.

"I’ll draw a simple map tomorrow, marking all the important zones. How about that?" Su Zhu offered.

"Deal," Xia Yan agreed. With a map, he’d have clearer objectives.

To win, to claim the gene serum, he needed more intelligence. A map was essential for survival.

As night fell, twenty-eight days remained.

That night, Xia Yan slept fitfully, remaining on guard against Su Zhu lest she harbor ill intent. In his half-sleep, he dreamt of many things, some familiar, others strange.

When he awoke, his head throbbed painfully, and he realized he’d slept very deeply.

What was going on? He’d never experienced this before.

If this headache persisted, it would be troublesome—very troublesome.

"You’re awake," Su Zhu said, standing beside him, stretching. Her bandages had been removed, revealing her delicate body and fair skin. Her eyes held a subtle allure, her every movement exuding a captivating charm.

"Yes."

Xia Yan stood, quietly berating himself for sleeping so soundly at dawn.

His head still ached, the pain almost unbearable. His face turned pale.

His body suddenly gave out—he collapsed, unconscious.

Su Zhu’s expression changed dramatically...