What if the road to safety was cut by a bottomless chasm?
What if the trees beside it weren't just trees—they were killers?
Damn, the Apocalypse just threw them a new nightmare.
Jaxon, Piper, Silas, and Elias climbed back into the car.
Covered in Mutated Beast blood, tired but hyped.
"You all need proper weapons.
What do you prefer, or excel with?" Elara asked.
"A combat knife! Been craving one for years!" Jaxon said first, grinning.
"My family's Tang Dao works fine. No need to change," Silas replied.
He wiped the narrow, straight blade carefully.
"I want a steel whip! With barbs!" Piper gushed.
"Add a hammer on the end—perfect!" she added, eyes glazed.
Lost in the violent fantasy.
"Typical girl—so violent," Jaxon muttered.
Then he froze.
Remembered Elara's one-sided slaughter last night.
Killing the giant snake.
Stripping its tendons.
Killing Zou Yuan in a blink.
Who was he to call anyone violent?
"What about you?" Elara turned to Elias.
He was driving steadily.
"A heavy sword," Elias said after a moment's thought.
Elara nodded, mentally calculating.
Only Silas's Tang Dao was ready.
She just needed to reinforce it with her Superpower.
The others would need forging.
Which required fire-element Superpower.
Elara's group spent three days clearing the village.
Of Mutated Beasts.
They rested one last night.
At dawn on the fourth day, they left the breeding village.
Turned onto the highway to City X.
It was the 11th day of the Apocalypse.
"Look ahead!" Jaxon pointed.
A crowd of people and cars blocked the road 100 meters away.
"Something's wrong," Piper said, craning her neck.
"Maybe the road's collapsed," Elias said flatly.
"Shut your cursed mouth!" Piper snapped.
Rolling her eyes.
The car stopped 10 meters behind the crowd.
"I'll check it out," Jaxon said, jumping out.
He ran into the crowd.
Soon returned, looking weirded out.
"What's going on?" Piper pressed.
Jaxon glanced at Elias.
"Highway's split—an 8-meter chasm."
Cars and people stuck on both sides.
"Someone dropped a 100-meter rope."
Didn't reach the bottom.
Elara frowned.
So close to City X, and this happened.
"Can we go around?" she asked.
"No. Only this road.
Others are too narrow for the car," Silas said, shaking his head.
Elara got out, frowning.
Jaxon and Piper followed.
Elias and Silas stayed to guard the car.
Pushing to the front, Elara stared at the chasm.
It gaped like a monster's ugly mouth—pitch-black.
She flicked her finger.
A string of bubbles drifted down along the ground.
"Shit! Car can't cross this!" someone cursed nearby.
"Stuck here two days already!"
"Only way—chop down the trees to make a path!"
"No tools! These trees are too thick!"
"I passed here before—they weren't this big!"
Elara's gaze shifted to the woods beside the road.
Normal poplars.
But each as thick as a water tank.
Creepy as hell.
"Never seen poplars this big. How long does that take?" Jaxon gaped.
Elara's mind raced.
She stepped to the road's edge.
Studying a tree closely.
"Everyone quiet! Listen up!"
A man in his 30s shouted loudly.
"I'm Wang Li. My dad's City Commissioner of City X.
Staying here won't help—let's clear a path together."
"What do you say?" he added.
"Only option we got," someone agreed.
"Fine. Let's do it."
"Find partners. Each group takes one tree."
"Finish fast—our families are waiting!" Wang Li said.
People perked up.
They fetched tools from their cars.
Started chopping.
Wang Li marked the trees to cut.
Elara watched—30+ trees needed.
To clear a path.
"Elara, should we help?" Jaxon asked quietly.
Elara shook her head.
Motioning him closer.
She whispered in his ear.
Jaxon's eyes lit up.
"Hey! No need for 30 trees! Just 6 or 7!
Lay them across the chasm—enough for cars!" he shouted.
Choppers froze, then nodded.
"Brilliant! Saves time and energy!"
Wang Li glared at Jaxon coldly.
"Not lifting a finger? Think you can mooch off our work?"
"Fuck off! When did we say we wouldn't help?" Piper snapped.
Eyes blazing.
"Petty jerk! Starting drama! Are you even a man?
Sound like a gossipy old lady!" she added.
"Pfft!" Jaxon choked.
"Piper, don't insult real men!"
Murmurs of agreement rose from the crowd.
Flattery always worked.
Jaxon had just 拉拢 every man there.
Wang Li's face turned darker.
"Men? Women are badasses too!
Look—plenty of us chopping!" a woman called.
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
Elara's lips twitched slightly.
"We'll handle safety.
After the trees fall, we'll clear the branches."
Jaxon nodded.
Elara glanced at Piper.
Piper went back to the car.
Elias and Silas came out.
"Be careful. That forest's off," Elara whispered.
"What's wrong with it?" Jaxon tensed.
"Mutated Plant, probably.
Not sure what kind yet," Elara said calmly.
No emotion in her voice.
"That Wang Li's fishy," Silas muttered.
Nodding toward him subtly.
"Just jealous we outsmarted him. Ignore him," Jaxon scoffed.
"Small minds are more dangerous," Elias said coldly.
"Elias is right. Fools can get you killed faster than Beasts," Elara agreed.
Jaxon sighed, nodding.
Silas looked thoughtful, agreeing.
"Wait—this tree's bleeding!"
"Mine too!"
"Trees don't bleed! What the hell? Is it possessed?"
Elara's face changed.
"Get back! There's a Mutated Plant in the woods!" she shouted.
"We've been here three days! If there was one, it would've attacked!" Wang Li snapped.
Eyes venomous, he stared at Elara.
"You're just stirring trouble! What's your angle?"
"Bullshit! We're warning you!
You wanna die? Fine—but don't take others with you!" Jaxon roared.
His chest hurt he was so mad.
"Retreat!" Elara yelled.
She stepped back sharply.
Jaxon, Elias, and Silas reacted instantly.
They'd trained together long enough to trust her.
Half a second later, they stepped back in unison.
"Run!" Elara shouted.
The choppers hesitated, dragging their feet.
Elara gritted her teeth.
Sprinting to the car.
She jumped in.
"Reverse! Now!"
Elias floored the gas, spinning the wheel.
The car lurched backward, speeding away.
"Silas—give me the Tang Dao!" Elara snapped.
Silas hesitated a second, then handed it over.
Elara didn't care about hiding her power.
She ran her right hand along the blade.
A golden light flashed.
The dark red Tang Dao turned gold-red.
Glowing faintly with Superpower.