Rise from the apocalypse

Dark clouds gathered above the ruined world, covering the sky like a heavy curtain.

The midsummer rainy season of July and August was approaching. Cold winds swept across the wasteland, carrying the damp smell of approaching rain.

On the outskirts of a destroyed town, a young man around nineteen years old crouched quietly on a small mound. His sharp eyes scanned the empty plains ahead, locking onto several wandering figures in the distance.

“One, two… four Bio-humans. Ordinary type. Manageable.”

He whispered softly.

Slowly tightening his muscles, Su Ling moved behind the mound with careful steps. From the side of his boot, he pulled out a Kukri knife. The handle was wrapped tightly with layers of cloth tape, while the blade had been painted completely black to prevent any reflection.

Even though his movements were almost silent, one of the creatures in the distance suddenly stopped.

Its pale blue face turned toward him.

Those lifeless eyes stared directly at his hiding place for several seconds before the creature slowly changed direction and staggered forward.

As it approached, a low growl escaped its throat.

Its body was covered in horrifying wounds. Large pieces of flesh had been torn away from its waist and thighs, exposing white bones underneath. Yet no fresh blood flowed from the injuries. Instead, the dried liquid around the wounds had turned into a strange black substance.

One step.

Two steps.

Su Ling silently counted the distance.

The hand holding the Kukri tightened. The veins on his wrist became visible.

At that moment, he looked less like a human and more like a predator waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

The creature in front of him was the prey.

“Now.”

With a low shout, Su Ling suddenly moved.

He rushed out from behind the mound, sliding across the ground and instantly appearing behind the Bio-human before it could react.

Both hands gripped the knife.

Slash!

The sharp blade cut through its neck.

With a powerful upward motion, he broke the creature’s spine completely.

The Bio-human collapsed heavily onto the ground.

Su Ling calmly pulled back his knife and kicked the corpse away. Dust rose as the body crashed into the dirt, immediately attracting the attention of the other creatures nearby.

The remaining Bio-humans turned toward him.

For a moment, they stood still.

Then they charged.

Their twisted faces showed the hunger of beasts that had discovered fresh prey.

“Three… two… one.”

Su Ling smiled faintly.

“Fall.”

Two of the charging Bio-humans suddenly tripped over a hidden rope stretched between two tree stumps.

They crashed onto the ground.

The trap tightened around their legs, temporarily preventing them from moving.

However, the last creature was different.

With terrifying strength, it snapped the rope instantly and continued rushing toward Su Ling.

Its arms stretched forward, revealing ten rotten fingers like sharp claws. Dirt and black stains covered its fingernails.

“A Berserker type?”

Su Ling narrowed his eyes.

He knew ordinary weapons would have difficulty dealing with this type of mutated Bio-human.

Without hesitation, he reached behind his shoulder and pulled out another weapon.

A Scout light sniper rifle.

Originally designed as a European precision rifle, it was known for its lightweight structure and excellent accuracy. Although called “lightweight,” it was still a sniper rifle—far beyond what ordinary people could casually control.

But Su Ling was not an ordinary person.

Raise.

Aim.

Release the safety.

Pull the trigger.

The entire process happened smoothly, without the slightest hesitation.

Bang!

The bullet crossed the distance instantly.

The charging Bio-human’s head exploded.

White brain matter scattered through the air as the creature collapsed.

Su Ling immediately moved forward.

The two trapped Bio-humans were still struggling, but he showed no mercy.

Two clean strikes.

Their spinal cords were severed.

Only then did the battlefield become silent.

“Wasting another bullet…”

Su Ling looked at the empty shell casing and sighed.

He cut off the heads of the Bio-humans, placed them into a cloth bag, and carefully checked his surroundings.

The dark sky above him continued growing heavier.

He looked toward the horizon and murmured:

“Twenty-three years already…”

He was only nineteen years old.

He had not personally experienced the beginning of the disaster, but from survivor records and rumors collected from the black market, he knew exactly what had happened.

In 2019, accompanied by a rare solar eclipse, an unknown pathogen storm swept across the planet.

The apocalypse began.

More than seventy percent of humanity was infected.

Those infected quickly lost their minds and transformed into creatures driven only by hunger.

Survivors called them—

Bio-humans.

The virus spread rapidly.

Civilization collapsed.

The remaining humans gathered together, building isolated survivor bases in order to continue living.

One of those places was Xiushui Town。

Su Ling rolled out an old motorcycle hidden behind a pile of abandoned vehicles.

The moment the engine started, the machine roared like a wounded beast.

He accelerated immediately.

The motorcycle rushed across the wasteland, leaving the ruined plains behind.

After traveling at nearly 150 kilometers per hour for several minutes, the road ahead gradually became wider. Figures began appearing in the distance.

This time, they were not Bio-humans.

They were living people.

Xiushui Town was one of the few survivor settlements that had managed to survive for decades.

The outer walls had been reinforced countless times. Logs, stones, and metal plates were combined into a defensive structure more than three meters high.

The walls were strong enough to stop most ordinary Bio-humans.

Several entrances were guarded day and night by armed survivors.

When Su Ling arrived, he stopped his motorcycle and allowed the guards to inspect him carefully.

They checked every part of his body.

Any wound could mean infection.

The Bio-virus was mainly transmitted through blood and saliva. A single bite or scratch could turn a normal person into a mindless monster within a short time.

Someone could be laughing with friends today…

and become a Bio-human tomorrow.

Therefore, anyone showing signs of infection would either be isolated immediately or forced to leave the settlement.

Only after confirming Su Ling was unharmed did the guards allow him to enter.

Not long after entering the town, Su Ling noticed a disturbance near the gate.

Several people were shouting loudly.

A man’s angry voice followed.

The guards quickly stepped aside, allowing a group of exhausted fighters to enter.

A strong smell of blood filled the air.

Su Ling looked over.

Several injured men were being carried by their companions. Their faces were pale, and many of them were barely conscious.

The surrounding survivors whispered among themselves.

“Bio-beast…”

“Mutated Variant…”

Those words appeared repeatedly.

Su Ling immediately understood who they were.

They were members of the local forces controlling Xiushui Town.

More than half of the guards belonged to their factions. They occupied the best resources and strongest positions in the settlement.

However, unlike many gangs before the apocalypse, they still maintained basic order and rarely oppressed ordinary survivors.

So most people accepted their existence.

Su Ling ignored the scene and pushed his motorcycle down a narrow street.

The street was old and worn.

Cracks covered the concrete ground.

Several abandoned vehicles were parked along the roadside, all of them looking like they could fall apart at any moment.

Soon, he arrived at a small courtyard.

“Uncle Chen.”

Su Ling pushed open a half-closed iron gate.

Inside was a messy repair yard filled with countless vehicle parts.

In the center of the yard, beside a silver motorcycle, an old man was repairing an engine with a pair of tools.

When he heard the gate open, the man looked up.

Seeing Su Ling, a helpless expression appeared on his face.

“You’re back?”

Su Ling smiled awkwardly.

The old man walked over, wiped his dirty hands on his clothes, and opened the motorcycle’s engine cover.

A wave of heat immediately rushed out.

After checking the engine, he sighed.

“Are you trying to destroy yourself?”

“This is only a modified motorcycle, not some professional racing machine.”

“Driving it like that every day… do you think it won’t break?”

His voice sounded strict, but the concern hidden inside was obvious.

Su Ling rubbed his nose.

“I know my limits.”

“It was only a few kilometers outside town.”

“Besides, this motorcycle was modified by you, Uncle Chen. How could it fail so easily?”

“Don’t flatter me.”

Uncle Chen shook his head.

“You secretly changed the settings again, didn’t you?”

“That kind of modification can increase speed temporarily, but it damages the engine badly.”

“Don’t rely on shortcuts.”

Su Ling only smiled and said nothing.

“So, how long will it take to repair?”

“How long?”

Uncle Chen laughed.

“At least three days.”

“You broke that Harley last time, and now you’ve damaged another one of my motorcycles.”

“If I can’t find replacement parts, you might have to wait even longer.”

Su Ling thought for a moment, then smiled.

“That’s fine.”

“I can finally rest for a few days.”

“I’m getting tired of seeing those ugly Bio-human faces every day anyway.”

He turned around and prepared to leave.

But suddenly, Uncle Chen spoke again.

“Su Ling…”

“In the past few days…”

“Have you noticed that the number of mutated Bio-humans outside has increased?”

Su Ling stopped.

“Hmm?”

Uncle Chen shook his head.

“Maybe I’m just getting old and becoming too sensitive.”

“But still…”

“When you go outside these days, be more careful.”

A strange feeling flashed through Su Ling’s eyes.

He nodded.

“I understand.”

After leaving the repair yard, Su Ling looked toward the darkening sky.

A sense of unease slowly appeared in his heart.

Something was changing.

Something dangerous was approaching.

And soon…

Xiushui Town would no longer remain peaceful.