The rain and wind stopped by dawn, leaving every tree washed clean.
In this vast woodland—almost a forest—lived numerous evolved. Some strong, some weak, but all shared one common trait: they couldn’t leave.
The hunting grounds, the wheels, the fertile soil, the clear streams—even the trees themselves—were their lifelines.
A modest waterfall cascaded over a bare, two-hundred-meter cliff in a secluded corner.
Three directions were blocked: two by high-level mutated creatures’ territories, the third by a small but deadly dungeon.
This place was practically forgotten.
Yet now, it buzzed with activity.
Perched in the canopy of a massive tree, concealed by thick branches, Ye Zhongming observed the scene below—women and children.
At a glance, he could tell they were all evolved. Most were five-star, with five or six at six-star. One woman, clad in silver-grade gear, even reached seven-star.
But whether working or playing, all moved in near silence, voices hushed.
This was a camp.
A sanctuary for escaped meat pigs of Soul Merchant.
The woman called Xiaohua had led him here.
Now, gagged and bound to the tree trunk, her head rested beside Ye Zhongming’s hand, ready to be crushed at any moment.
Ye Zhongming pointed at the seven-star woman washing a child’s hair, glancing at Xiaohua for confirmation. Receiving a nod, he continued watching.
Several wooden huts lined the pool’s edge, housing the fifty-plus inhabitants.
According to Xiaohua, they’d all fled Soul Merchant. Initially, over two hundred, many had died during the escape or while securing this hideout.
How they’d “sacrificed,” Ye Zhongming could guess.
After breakfast, half the women dove into the pool, hunting blue fish—low-level but tasty, their staple food. Apart from some that remained to watch, another group foraged nearby for edible plants and mushrooms.
Hunting was beyond them. As Xiaohua explained, most only had evolution levels—no bloodlines, skills, or jobs. Poorly equipped and inexperienced, confronting high-level mutated lifeforms meant suicide.
To evade Soul Merchant, they’d chosen this barren refuge. Xiaohua and others ventured out to survive, adapting to the apocalypse while scavenging skill scrolls, bloodline crystals, and gear to bring back.
But Soul Merchant had placed bounties on them. Recognized, they’d be captured and returned. Some small factions, lured by their high evolution levels, risked sheltering them, hoping to train them into warriors.
These factions were Xiaohua’s targets—to infiltrate, learn, and then bring knowledge and hope back to camp.
A desperate plan but necessary. Staying meant slow death; leaving meant danger. Three groups of fifteen had been sent out. Each time, fewer than five returned.
The seven-star leader, Wang Xiaorui, was the sole survivor of the first group. She’d returned repeatedly, bringing half the camp’s supplies, and was elected leader.
Now, including Xiaohua, only nine remained active outside.
Though his heightened mental energy, it suggested that Xiaohua spoke the truth but Ye Zhongming still chose to come here and verify it personally. After the groups dispersed, leaving the camp lightly guarded, he knocked Xiaohua unconscious and infiltrated.
With his strength, no one can spot him here.
At a hut’s rear, he eavesdropped as Wang Xiaorui and two others processed mushrooms for drying.
They were much more relaxed in the hut and spoke normally.
“With today’s haul, we might avoid hunger if the fish are plentiful. But rain often drives them deep. Winter’s coming—I don’t know if we’ll last.”
One woman deftly trimmed mushroom stems and tossed them into a wooden bowl on the side.
“Xiaorui, it’s been days since any sisters returned. I’m worried.”
The second woman looked up at their silent leader.
“Have faith.” Wang Xiaorui paused. “Last time, Mengmeng brought a job advancement scroll, three pieces of equipment, and food. Before that, Xiaohua returned with two skill scrolls, a six-star potion, and eight pieces of equipment.”
“These didn’t come easy. They’re out there fighting for every scrap. We’ll just wait.”
Silence followed. However harsh, this life beat being Zero’s meat pigs.
“As winter nears, food will vanish. If we find no solution by then, we leave.”
Wang Xiaorui’s declaration hung heavy. She was the leader and had to find a solution for her sisters. Warmer months allowed survival here, but winter’s bite would force them out. The fish in the pool would disappear, and they would have to leave if they wanted to survive.
“But where would we—?”
The person didn’t continue, but the three of them understood. As Soul Merchant’s fugitives, everyone wanted to capture them for the bounty. Without strength, the open world meant death. Even if they could get far from here, where could they go?
“Xiaohua mentioned a country ranking,” the first woman ventured. “The top faction is Cloud Peak. Their leader, Ye Zhongming, commands a seven-star guard unit—Female Guards. Rumor says they’re Soul Merchant escapees, too. Maybe… we could join them?”
The discussion that followed gave Ye Zhongming an odd sensation. He hadn’t expected to overhear his own name.
By now, he believed Xiaohua. Her cooperation likely stemmed from his overwhelming power, threats, and the camp’s dire straits. Hearing his hatred for Soul Merchant, she’d gambled on his mercy.
As Ye Zhongming prepared to wake Xiaohua for introductions to Wang Xiaorui, who she mentioned knew all the secrets of Soul Merchant—a commotion erupted.
The foraging women came sprinting back, pursued by thunderous footsteps.