Chapter 6 The Child

The Southern Phoenix Continent is vast. From a high vantage point, one can see its irregular oval shape, encircled by the sea. Though separated from the Ancient Continent by an endless ocean, it resembles an island; yet its expanse is such that many could not traverse it in a lifetime. However, much of the land is inaccessible to the human race, blocked by the Truth Mountain Range that runs diagonally across the entire Southern Phoenix Continent. In the southwest of the Truth Mountain Range lies an immensely vast forbidden zone, occupying nearly seventy percent of the Southern Phoenix Continent. Only the northeastern region of the Truth Mountain Range serves as the dwelling place for humans. Despite this, the number of humans is not small. Within this northeastern area, there are numerous cities of various sizes, densely populated like stars in the sky; some are sturdy, while others are rudimentary. Yet, all these cities are constructed away from the smaller forbidden zones scattered throughout the northeastern area. Given a choice, no one would wish to live near a forbidden zone, in a place where danger could strike at any moment. Only those desperate for survival would gather there, red-eyed, scraping by on the edge of a blade. Thus, scavenger camps were formed, and nearly every forbidden zone has such a camp surrounding it. Looking across the entire human territory, the number of scavenger camps is quite varied. At this moment, standing atop a mountain, what Xu Qing sees is precisely such a camp. From a distance, the camp is not very large, housing perhaps a few hundred people. Perhaps due to the morning, smoke rises in wisps; though it is not as bustling as the cities, it is still quite lively. Faintly, there are sounds of scolding, cursing, shouting, and raucous laughter, all intermingled and echoing far and wide. Only the houses that Lei Dui refers to as valuable grow increasingly rudimentary from the inside out, with the outermost structures being little more than tents. As for the dark forest not far behind the camp, it is shrouded in mist, seemingly hiding some terrifying presence. Even with the sunlight shining brightly, it cannot illuminate all within; as if gods or demons dwell within, coldly intimidating all around. It is also reminiscent of the black aberrations on the human body, startling yet distinct from other areas. "What do you feel when you see it?" Lei Dui spoke from atop the mountain. "It’s somewhat like a slum," Xu Qing thought for a moment and replied honestly. Lei Dui smiled, said nothing, and walked ahead. Xu Qing withdrew his gaze and followed closely behind Lei Dui as the two descended the mountain, drawing nearer to the camp. Along the way, they encountered a few individuals returning from outside, all similarly dressed in dark gray leather cloaks. Xu Qing noticed that upon seeing Lei Dui, their expressions revealed a sense of awe, their curious eyes sweeping over him. This made Xu Qing speculate more about Lei Dui's identity. Thus, by the time the sun had risen well into the sky, Xu Qing followed Lei Dui into the plains below the mountain, stepping into the scavenger camp. The camp had no walls; the ground was messy, with dust flying, dead leaves and trash scattered everywhere, giving off an air of filth. As they walked, the sounds previously heard from the mountain became clearer to Xu Qing’s ears. In addition to the simple buildings before his eyes, he saw numerous scavengers. Some were as large and brutish as oxen, some were thin as sticks with venomous eyes, while others were so old they could barely open their eyes, yet none dared to provoke them. There were also some young people like him, huddled in corners, staring blankly at the sky. Among them, several were disabled. Xu Qing’s eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed some people whose auras emitted fluctuations of spiritual energy. A variety of people engaged in trading, fighting with one another, or lounging on large stones soaking up the sun. Some emerged from tents adorned with vibrant feathers, their expressions suggesting they were not finished with their previous activities. Xu Qing entered the camp with Lei Dui, and to outsiders, it was as if stepping into hell. However, apart from his internal vigilance, he felt little else, even sensing a vague familiarity. "It does resemble a slum," Xu Qing murmured in his heart, his gaze sweeping over the feather-adorned tents and catching sight of white figures within. Even a young woman in tattered clothes stepped out of one tent, lazily waving to Xu Qing with a smile. "Don’t stare around," Lei Dui shot Xu Qing a glance. "I know what that place is," Xu Qing withdrew his gaze and replied. Lei Dui's face crinkled into a silent smile, saying nothing more as he led Xu Qing through the camp until they reached their destination. This was a massive wooden structure located at the center of the camp, circular in shape, resembling an arena. All the way, Xu Qing observed, his mind having constructed a rough map of the camp. This was his habit; familiarity with the environment often could change the course of a crisis. Now, he looked up at the arena-like structure before him, noting that, apart from the large arena, there were many simple benches inside. Additionally, roars of ferocious beasts echoed from within this structure. Surrounding it were also some row houses resembling wooden sheds, with a few scavengers dressed more cleanly chatting outside. Upon Lei Dui's arrival, a thin middle-aged man soon swayed out from the arena. He was dressed in long robes distinct from the scavengers, with three wisps of beard on his face, and he also emitted fluctuations of spiritual energy. As he approached, he casually tugged at his skin, glancing at Xu Qing before looking at Lei Dui. "Newcomer?" "You know the rules," Lei Dui spoke slowly. "What’s your name?" the man with three wisps of beard asked casually. "Just a little kid, no name worth mentioning, let’s just call him kid," Lei Dui replied blandly. "Then come with me. Kid, you’re lucky; there have already been a few ahead of you, and the show should start tomorrow." The man with three wisps of beard yawned and turned to walk toward the row house. Xu Qing glanced at Lei Dui. "Go on, I’ll come to pick you up tomorrow," Lei Dui looked at Xu Qing, his eyes filled with some expectations. Xu Qing deeply regarded Lei Dui, nodded slightly, said nothing, and stepped behind the man with three wisps of beard. Until they reached the row house, the man with the three wisps of beard exchanged a few words with a scavenger beside him before turning to leave. Xu Qing was also assigned to the row house and was informed that without permission, he was not allowed to go outside. As Xu Qing stepped into the row house, he noticed four pairs of eyes in different positions within the room gathering on him. There were three boys of similar age to him and a young man, three males and one female. Two of the boys appeared to be a few years older than him; at this moment, they swept over Xu Qing, sizing him up but not paying him much attention. As for the girl, she was slightly younger than Xu Qing, curled up in a corner with a large scar across her face. She nervously watched everything around her, including the original three and the newcomer Xu Qing. The oldest among them, the young man, seemed to be a scavenger himself, now merely switching camps. So, upon seeing Xu Qing, he smirked, somewhat dismissive, turned his gaze away, his aggressive stare fixated on the girl in the corner, licking his lips. However, evidently, he did not dare to act recklessly without having formally obtained residence rights in the camp. Xu Qing paid them no mind, finding a spot near the door, sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, silently meditating. Time slowly passed, perhaps because Xu Qing’s arrival brought an unusual quiet, gradually the other three in the row house, except for the little girl, began to ignore him and started conversing amongst themselves. Among the two boys, their words clearly indicated their intention to curry favor with the young man. The topics they discussed mostly revolved around the upcoming trial. Through their conversation, Xu Qing learned that the camp would hold a trial whenever the number of individuals desiring residence reached a sufficient count. The rules of the trial were simple. Because the camp's owner had raised many mutated ferocious beasts, the trial for obtaining residence rights involved drawing lots publicly to fight against the selected ferocious beast. It was a fight to the death; the survivors could take away the spoils and gain residence rights. The dead would have everything they owned become food for the ferocious beasts. Each trial would be held in this arena. At that time, many scavengers from the camp would buy tickets to witness this bloody spectacle, deriving pleasure from it while the camp owner would also hold gambling events for profit. In this cruel world, human lives are worth little. However, if one lacks the qualifications to enter the cities and cannot enter the camp, living alone in the wild poses an even greater risk of death. Of course, slums are also an option, but it is evident that those who decide to enter the scavenger camp each have their own stories of desperation. Xu Qing sat quietly, listening in. Until they began discussing the event of the gods opening their eyes days prior, a boy suddenly spoke up. "I heard someone say when I arrived that you are a survivor from that catastrophe?" As soon as these words were spoken, Xu Qing slowly opened his eyes. He noticed that the boy's words were directed not at him, but at the little girl in the corner. The little girl trembled slightly, silently nodding her head. Xu Qing's gaze fell on the little girl. While others had only heard of it, he had lived through it all, so he understood deeply that those who survived the catastrophe and ended up here were perhaps not as weak and simple as they appeared. Seemingly sensing Xu Qing's gaze, the little girl looked up at him. Xu Qing closed his eyes again, continuing to meditate; he needed to seize every moment to cultivate, as this was fundamental to improving his chances of survival. Thus, a night passed. The next morning, accompanied by the chaotic noise and clamor from outside, the door of the row house was suddenly pushed open from the outside. Sunlight poured in, covering the scavenger standing at the door; as his shadow fell into the room, it enveloped the little girl in the corner, and a cold voice came through. "Get ready and follow me; your grand performance is about to begin." "Finally, the moment has arrived." The youth, who seemed to be a scavenger, was the first to rise, smiling as he walked over to greet the person at the door. The two boys hurriedly followed suit; Xu Qing was the fourth to step out, while the little girl was the last. The scavenger at the door appeared to know the youth, exchanging a few playful jabs before ignoring the others and leading the youth toward the arena. As they approached, the noise and shouting grew increasingly intense. Until they stepped into the arena, the surrounding sounds erupted all at once. One could see that over a hundred people were already present on the benches surrounding the arena, both men and women, as if a swarm of demons encircled, watching a grand spectacle. Their voices were loud; the little girl visibly trembled, and the two boys turned pale. Only the young man looked excitedly toward the audience. As for Xu Qing, his expression did not change much; he began to observe the environment of the arena and the fighting area. "The area is not very large, unsuitable for dragging things out. There are no covers, making it hard to evade. The surrounding wooden boards are high, unsuitable for drawing danger toward the audience, but there are some traces of doors, suggesting alternative passages. So... one could either drag it out, using the scavengers' shouts to scare the ferocious beasts and find an opportunity to strike, but that might also provoke the beasts' wrath. Therefore, a swift resolution would be most beneficial." (End of this chapter)