CHAPTER 72: CHAPTER 29 SMALL GATHERING PLACE IN THE END TIMES_1

"Hm, your camp should be just ahead, right?" Wen Yu spoke as he gazed at the shabby wooden enclosure ahead, addressing Li Dalong who stood beside him.

"Yes, that’s it." Li Dalong responded awkwardly, apparently dissatisfied with the appearance of his settlement.

Upon hearing this, Li Quan’an and Sun Ruixing exchanged a glance.

"You guys... this is a bit too pitiful," Sun Ruixing finally burst out, having held his tongue for the entire journey.

Hearing his remark, Li Dalong heaved a sigh. "What you see now isn’t the worst part. The worst is still inside the camp."

Despite its dilapidated condition, the small camp was still enclosed by sparse fences and housed a fair number of professionists. Sun Ruixing’s comment was simply due to his being confined by the mutant vines for too long to understand the reality of the post-apocalyptic world.

In this trying world, to even have a place where one can close their eyes and rest isn’t considered unfortunate.

"Let’s move on," Wen Yu abruptly cut short their conversation. In the meantime, he recalled Cyclops into the Soul Realm and entered a combat-ready state.

Bringing Cyclops into the camp could cause unforeseen turmoil. Moreover, with his increasing strength, the time required to enter a combat state had also significantly increased.

Staying low-key is always a good approach in an unfamiliar environment.

"Come inside with me." Li Dalong led the group straight towards the camp.

"Brother Dalong is back!"

Two guards standing at the entrance of the camp called out as they saw Li Dalong leading Wen Yu and the others towards them. It was clear from their greetings that Dalong held a certain standing within the camp.

"Yeah," Li Dalong nodded at them and asked directly, "Is Brother Dafei home?"

"He’s out hunting at the moment but should be back later."

"I’ll show these brothers around first then."

"Alright."

The guard greeted Li Dalong cheerfully, his eyes scanning over Wen Yu and the group. A flicker of shock crossed his face when his gaze fell on Wen Yu’s E-Class protective suit.

The guard gave Wen Yu a friendly smile before quickly averting his gaze, not daring to scrutinize him further.

"Let’s go, we’ll have a quick look around. Oh, and since we have an injured person among us, we should take him to my place first."

After speaking, Li Dalong led the group into the heart of the camp.

Wen Yu and his comrades attentively took in the conditions inside.

The camp itself wasn’t large, and although it managed to house a few hundred people, the living conditions were far from good; they could even be described as terrible.

A survivor’s shelter, if they had one, was often just a few sticks and some tattered fabric, barely enough to offer a windbreak. Many more ordinary people simply lay out in the open.

People were packed so tightly that on the path leading to the center of the camp, it was becoming difficult to find even a place to step.

The dire living conditions were one thing; even more disturbing was the sight of frail elderly people and children lying motionless on the ground. It was impossible to tell if they were dead or alive, and no one seemed to care enough to check.

Even able-bodied men were constantly on the ground, groaning from hunger.

Wen Yu maintained his composure, but the more Li Quan’an and the others observed, the paler their faces became.

"This place is incredibly bleak," Li Quan’an frowned, addressing Li Dalong who was leading the way.

Compared to his previous settlement, this was more like a landfill and refugee camp combined.

Seeing the scene before them, Sun Ruixing’s sympathy once again overwhelmed him. He couldn’t help but ask Li Dalong, "Does this Brother Dafei you speak of not care about these people?"

His words were filled with sarcasm, anger, and even disgust.

Li Dalong glanced at Wen Yu and the others and gave a bitter smile.

"We used to take care of them. But ever since we were driven out of Chaihe Town, we’ve had to rely on professionists to hunt mutant beasts and even venture into the town for food. Every trip out for food is a nightmare for all professionists. Nobody knows if they’ll make it back."

As if recalling recent events, Li Dalong’s voice grew heavier.

"The burden of providing food is immense. Even more terrifying is the issue of drinking water. No one dares to drink from wells or streams anymore. We can only search for bottled water in the town."

"Brother Dafei wants the elderly and children to live better, but what can he do?"

"Should he risk the lives of professionists for food to feed ordinary people? When all the professionists are dead, what will become of them then?"

"There’s really no solution. So, Brother Dafei issued an order: everyone finds their own food and water. Strictly speaking, this place isn’t a settlement. It’s merely the last resort for a group of homeless, pitiful people huddling together for warmth."

These low, solemn words from Li Dalong, tinged with desolation, sent a chill down the spines of Li Quan’an and the others.

This was the true apocalypse; this was the reality humanity faced.

Compared to Hualin Town, their previous settlement, this place offered not the slightest shred of hope for survival.

Sun Ruixing opened his mouth but couldn’t utter a word. There was simply no way to remedy this situation.

"Actually, we’re very grateful to Brother Dafei," Li Dalong said, managing a forced laugh to lighten the heavy atmosphere. "As you saw, those guarding the camp, maintaining order, and scouting outside—Brother Dafei and Brother Tian provide their food. After all, it’s considered public duty."

Wen Yu nodded. Given the circumstances, for this Brother Dafei to maintain some semblance of order and prevent a complete collapse was commendable.

This showed that he wasn’t a bad man.

"We’re here. This is my humble room."

When Li Dalong led them to a dilapidated wooden hut, Wen Yu surveyed the structure and couldn’t help but sigh.

From what they had observed on their way through the camp, it was evident that Li Dalong held some status. This made it all the more striking that he lived in such a shabby place.

Calling it shabby wasn’t an exaggeration. A few dilapidated wooden planks enclosed an area resembling a pigpen. In the center stood a wire bed, upon which lay a quilt still stained with blood—this was Li Dalong’s dwelling.

"Put the injured young brother on the bed. Let’s rest here for a bit. When Brother Dafei gets back, I’ll introduce you."

Li Dalong took Bai Xiao’an from Sun Ruixing’s back and gently laid him on the bed.

Bai Xiao’an clenched his teeth, a cold sweat breaking out on his face. The movement had likely aggravated his leg wound, causing intense pain. Yet, the child bore it in silence, afraid of causing trouble for the others.

Bai Feifei knelt beside the bed, crying softly as she comforted her brother.

After exchanging a few words with Wen Yu and the others, Li Dalong instructed his teammates to carry the unconscious individuals out, then turned and left the room.