Four months to doomsday

The warehouse was secure.

For now.

Xu Lian stood near the entrance, her fingers absently gripping the hilt of her knife as she listened to the silence pressing in from the outside world. Guo Chen worked beside her, double-checking the barricades they had set up. The place was fortified—reinforced doors, blocked-off windows, and a clear vantage point over every entry.

But that didn't mean they were safe.

The bodies of the intruders had been moved, their blood already drying on the cold concrete floor. Their presence had confirmed one thing—they weren't the only ones who remembered the apocalypse.

And that changed everything.

Lian exhaled, pushing back the uneasy feeling twisting in her gut. It wasn't fear. It was something worse. Uncertainty.

Because for the first time, she didn't know who else was out there.

---

The Arrival of Allies

The distant hum of an engine reached her ears before she saw the lights.

Chen tensed, his gun raising instinctively. Lian crouched low, peering through a gap in the barricade. A single vehicle was approaching—Jiao and the others.

Lian pressed the radio. "It's clear. Get inside fast."

The truck rolled to a stop, and the back doors opened. Jiao jumped down first, rifle in hand, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. Behind him, a few others emerged—tired, wary, but alive.

Lian counted them. Seven. They had lost people back at the factory.

Her chest tightened, but she forced herself to focus. "Hurry."

The group moved fast, slipping inside as Chen secured the doors behind them. As soon as they were in, Jiao turned to her, his face grim.

"You said this place was secure?"

"It is—for now."

Jiao's gaze flickered to the dried bloodstains. His expression darkened. "And the people who were here before?"

"Dead."

There was no need for further explanation. Jiao understood immediately.

His shoulders relaxed slightly. "Good."

---

The Burden of Knowledge

Lian wasted no time. "We have a problem."

Jiao scoffed. "Only one?"

She didn't smile. "This was an organized group. They weren't scavengers—they were preparing to claim this place. And they had a radio."

Jiao frowned. "Meaning someone is pulling the strings."

Chen nodded. "And they'll realize soon enough that something's wrong."

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Jiao ran a hand through his short hair. "So, what? We wait for them to show up and gun them down?"

"No." Lian shook her head. "We don't know how many there are. If we go in blind, we could be walking into a bigger problem."

Chen crossed his arms. "Then we make sure we're not the ones caught off guard."

Jiao sighed. "And how do we do that?"

Lian's next words made the air turn ice-cold.

"We find out who they are first."

---

A Dangerous Plan

Jiao gave her a long look. "You're suggesting we go after them?"

"Yes."

"That's insane."

"Is it?" Lian arched a brow. "Right now, we don't know anything. If we wait, we're putting ourselves at a disadvantage. We need to gather information."

Jiao exhaled sharply. "And how exactly do you plan to do that? Walk into their camp and ask politely?"

Lian tilted her head. "Something like that."

Jiao blinked. "You're actually serious."

Chen, however, was already considering it. "She's right. If we don't act first, we'll always be reacting to them instead."

Jiao scowled. "And what if they have more people than we thought? What if we tip them off?"

Lian's gaze was steady. "Then we'll know exactly what kind of enemy we're dealing with."

The room fell silent again.

Jiao sighed. "This is going to get us killed."

Chen smirked. "Only if we do it wrong."

Lian turned to the others. "We need volunteers. A small group—three, maybe four people. We scout, get information, and get out."

Jiao rubbed his temples. "You really aren't giving me a choice, are you?"

Lian smiled faintly. "No."

Jiao groaned. "Fine. But if I die, I'm haunting you."

---

A Mission Begins

The plan was simple. Find out who these people were.

Jiao, Chen, and Lian would go, leaving the others behind to guard the warehouse. They would move at night, using the stolen radio to locate the enemy's base.

The hours stretched as they prepared. Weapons were checked, supplies packed, escape routes planned. Every second mattered.

Lian could feel the tension in the air as the time to leave approached.

Before they stepped out into the night, Chen touched her arm, his voice quiet. "If anything feels wrong, we leave."

Lian nodded. "I know."

Jiao muttered, "At least try not to start a war."

She gave him a small smile. "No promises."

With that, they vanished into the dark.

The hunt had begun.

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