Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – A Slug?

So far, Wei Xiao Bei had found a dagger, a disposable lighter, three empty wine bottles, a pack of salt, and a small backpack.

He found the dagger while searching Zhou Li Jun’s drawers. He never imagined that the honest and harmless Zhou Li Jun would actually hide such a lethal weapon.

There was an expression, “devil in disguise”, which probably referred to cases like Zhou Li Jun; he seemed honest, but in fact, his restless heart was merely suppressed by his surroundings.

There was bit of rust on the blade’s edge, but it was better than the steel pipe he had seen earlier that was rusted and full of holes. Wei Xiao Bei sharpened the dagger on a whetstone. He smiled with satisfaction as he slowly returned the dagger to its original sharpness.

The lighter could be used to light a fire and illuminate the way.

The empty wine bottles could be used to hold water or even act as a convenient weapon. As for salt, it was an absolute necessity.

Oh right, there was an erotic magazine inside Zhou Li Jun’s drawer. Although it’s tattered, I could still use it to wipe my butt when I need to.

No matter how poverty-stricken he was, Wei Xiao Bei did not have a habit of using a flat piece of wood to scrape his excretion. Since the situation was like this, he knew that there only one thing he could do.Survive this changed world! He would not abandon anything useful.

Wei Xiao Bei fastened the dagger on his belt, held an empty bottle in his right hand, and placed the rest of the things inside his backpack. Then he carefully pushed open the gate and walked outside.

Wei Xiao Bei’s body shivered as the cold autumn wind passed by, blowing around the withered leaves on the ground.

After a moment, he smiled at his own nervousness.

He stood at the courtyard gate after passing by the flower bed.

This place was Cui Hu City, and his apartment was located between the urban and rural side of the city. Following the city’s constant expansions and economic development, the farmers had also found a new way to earn money. They converted part of their farmland into apartments, earning them quite an impressive sum.

The white-collar, gray-collar, and blue-collar workers, that were struggling for livelihood, would rent a room in these apartments due to the low costs. And the cost of their decision was waking up an hour or half an hour early, eating pancake with soy milk, and riding the bus or metro to their work.

Actually, this kind of situation was not unusual in big cities.

Because of this, the scenery outside the apartment was obvious, a single concrete road with fields on two sides and garbage packed everywhere.

Wei Xiao Bei’s heart chilled after seeing the place. There was not a single person to be seen. A few walls were even collapsed into ruins.

Luckily, he was already mentally prepared so he did not fall into too much despair.

Wei Xiao Bei carefully walked forward sticking close to the wall. He remembered that there was a small store close by. Although the things sold were Kang Shi Fu and Nong Fu San Quan imitations, they should be enough to provide him relief.

(Kang Shi Fu: http://www.duping.net/XHC/show.php?bbs=11&post=1288633 ; Nong Fu San Quan: http://img.youbiaoqing.com/u/452b225ece28cbe34a0f0456b4ddba7b.jpg )

After walking for a bit, Wei Xiao Bei arrived in front of the store. The sign was already broken in half. The original Fat Mama’s Store was only left with Fat Mama.

The aluminum door had also half disappeared, and it just so happened to leave a small gap to enter and exit.

Wei Xiao Bei ducked just enough to enter the store.

The lighting inside the store was dim so he ignited the lighter. A yellow colored flame appeared, slightly brightening the store interior.

He made sure to open his eyes wide and search for anything useful, but the things inside had mostly rotted. After diligently searching a bit more, he finally found two boxes of mineral water and a box of hardtack produced from who knows where.

Wei Xiao Bei did not even take the drinkability of the mineral water into consideration. He was so thirsty he felt that he might even spontaneously combust. He opened one bottle and frantically poured it down his throat.

It feels so good! So invigorating!

He felt incredibly happy after drinking more than half of the bottle.

What was happiness?

When there was something you needed the most, and you obtained it after a bit of hard work. That was happiness.

Afterwards, he placed the remaining bottles of water and hardtacks inside his backpack one by one.

The backpack was not big, so he was only able to fit five bottles of mineral water and ten packs of hardtack.

He placed the rest of the water and hardtacks in one corner of the store in case he needed it in the future .

After he was done with everything, Wei Xiao Bei felt exhaustion well up in his heart. Finding out everything that had happened tired him.

Wei Xiao Bei suddenly heard a sound. He immediately grabbed the empty wine bottle in his right hand and placed his left hand on the dagger. He moved softly and quietly towards the door and  carefully peered into the street.

Wei Xiao Bei’s hair stood on end when he saw it!

On the messy streets, a man wearing a t-shirt and jeans gasped for breath as he ran. Two meters behind him, a slug-like worm, thick as a wrist, a meter long, and covered in blue slime chased after him.

No one would ever call a slug like that cute. The only word that could ever describe it was disgusting.

Wei Xiao Bei, on the other hand, did not feel disgust after looking at the slug. He only felt a bit numb on his back and worried for the escaping man.

At this moment, Wei Xiao Bei finally recognized the man. He had seen him a few times before. The man wore a guard’s uniform and frequently ordered Zha Jiang Mian from the noodle stand beside the street, but Wei Xiao Bei did not know his name.

(Zha Jiang Mian: http://thewoksoflife.com/2014/08/beijing-fried-sauce-noodles-zha-jiang-mian/ )

Whether it was because of the giant slug’s acute senses or because of Wei Xiao Bei’s movement, the slug seemed to have sensed him, and turned its two antennae towards the small store.

Traces of blue lightning sparked quietly between its antennae, and it opened its circular mouth filled with sharp teeth. Its appearance would truly make all who saw it shocked with fear.

Without a doubt, the giant slug was not good. Moreover, its sharp teeth were a clear indicator that it was not a vegetarian.

Seeing the giant slug suddenly slow down, the man running in front immediately sped up, attempting to run away.

However, at that moment, the giant slug shot out a brilliant blue electric arc. The man did not even make it five meters before he was accurately struck by the electric arc.

Being shocked by electricity, the man collapsed on the ground.