CHAPTER 71: HUNGRY

The acrid stench of blood and smoke lingered in the air, mixed with the rotting tang of corpses left to decay.

Every corner she turned revealed more of the devastation: overturned cars, collapsed buildings, and scattered bones gnawed down to fragments. Yet she did not falter.

Her blade glimmered faintly, streaked with dark stains as it cut through the first zombie that lunged at her. Its head rolled to the side, bouncing once before falling still. She didn’t even spare it a glance.

Ahead, a pack of mutated hounds with their skin peeled back, ribs protruding, eyes glowing with crimson hunger, snarled and rushed toward her. She met them head-on. Her movements were efficient, almost mechanical, every swing precise. Steel sang through the air, severing limbs and snapping spines. When the last beast collapsed in a heap, her breathing had not quickened, her gaze had not wavered.

Ling Yu pressed forward, her eyes fixed on the horizon. Somewhere ahead lay the dungeon gate. She could already feel the subtle pull of the system guiding her, threads of invisible energy weaving a path only she seemed to sense.

The sooner she reached it, the better. If she closed the gate now, she could prevent the monsters from spilling into the world unchecked. If she cleared it before the others even arrived, then humanity would owe its fragile future to her.

But more than that, she moved with urgency because she knew that somewhere out there, forces greater than zombies and beasts were stirring.

Her fingers tightened around her weapon. The cracked road stretched before her like the path of fate itself, riddled with danger, drenched in silence broken only by the groans of the undead rising in her way. She cut them down as though swatting flies, leaving a trail of blood and broken bodies in her wake.

And with each step, she thought only of the designated meeting point. Song and the others would be waiting. She had to reach them, but not as the weak, discarded figure they once knew. This time, she would arrive stronger and reliable, as a force that would be unstoppable.

***

Moving alone was far more convenient than dragging a group behind her. There was no chatter to distract her ears, no panicked footsteps to echo too loudly, and no hesitation to slow her blade when the monsters lunged.

But convenience came at a cost. Ling Yu could feel it now, an aching hollowness spreading through her limbs, the sharp sting of exhaustion settling into her muscles, and the gnawing hunger twisting in her stomach like a beast demanding to be fed.

Her steps slowed as her sharp eyes caught sight of a half-collapsed storefront just ahead. The sign, once bright and painted with cheerful letters, now hung crookedly by a single chain, creaking faintly whenever the wind stirred.

"Well, we can meet up. But let’s eat something to fill my stomach first." Ling Yu talked to herself freely as she walked up to the store.

The glass windows were shattered, their shards glittering faintly in the dying light of the setting sun. The metallic scent of dried blood lingered faintly at the entrance, but the absence of fresh tracks or noise suggested the place had already been looted and abandoned.

She paused at the doorway, scanning the shadows with cold precision. A flick of her fingers summoned the faint glow of her system interface; no hostile presence registered nearby.

Satisfied, she pushed the broken door aside, its hinges squealing before giving way. Dust swirled up in lazy spirals as she entered. The silence was heavy and suffocating, yet oddly comforting.

The inside bore the scars of desperate survival. Shelves were overturned, their metal frames bent from being yanked too hard. Empty wrappers and discarded cans littered the floor, trampled by countless feet that had once clawed for food.

But she wasn’t here for luxury. Even crumbs were enough.

Yet in corners and behind counters, overlooked treasures still clung to life. Ling Yu crouched low, reaching beneath a collapsed rack to pull out a packet of dried crackers, half-crushed but still edible. Her fingers brushed another find, an instant noodle cup wedged between two boxes.

She moved methodically, sweeping the aisles with the caution of someone who had learned never to let her guard down. Every rustle made her hand hover near her blade, but the only sound was her own breathing and the faint hum of the wind seeping through broken windows.

Ling Yu crouched near a collapsed rack, sifting through the scattered debris. Here and there, some overlooked packets remained: stale crackers wedged beneath shelving, a torn bag of jerky shoved behind a dusty bottle.

She brushed them off, opened one, and nibbled as she walked the aisles, her body finally receiving something to sustain itself. The taste was bland and almost rancid, but she chewed anyway, swallowing without complaint.

[System Notification][Hunger Value: 42% → 55%][Energy restored: +13]

The cool, detached voice of the system echoed in her mind.

Ling Yu wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, her expression unreadable. "This is just a temporary solution. This kind of junk won’t carry me far. I’ll need real food if I want to stay in peak condition."

[System Response]

[Reminder: Sustained performance in dungeon stages requires balanced nutrition. Stored rations are available in your inventory space. Recommend utilizing stocked ingredients to restore stamina and mental clarity.]

She gave a faint hum of acknowledgment, her fingers brushing lightly through the air. A ripple of spatial energy shimmered in front of her, like a fragment of glass reflecting another world. From that hidden space, her belongings stirred, neatly arranged supplies she had prepared in secret long before the apocalypse.

Dried rice, salt, herbs, and spices. Packets of noodles. Dried mushrooms. Even some vacuum-sealed meat she had purchased on a whim months ago. While others starved or fought for crumbs, Ling Yu had foresight, and foresight meant survival.

Her lips curved faintly; it was not quite a smile, but close to a mocking gesture.