I dominated the game from the start with cards.

Chapter 51 The Tranquil Undercurrents of the Approaching Doomsday

I'm really going all out to get the monthly attendance bonus.

The rust-red sun sank below the horizon, casting long shadows across the land, like a colossal beast crouching over the ruins. Li Xuan tightened his tattered coat, the cold wind carrying sand and dust seeping into his collar. Today's haul was meager: a few hard, dry compressed biscuits and a small bottle of murky drinking water. But in the resource-scarce wasteland, it was a decent harvest. In the distance, crumbling skyscrapers, like broken bones, pierced the sky, silently testifying to the former glory of civilization. Li Xuan quickened his pace, wanting to reach the settlement before nightfall. He knew the wasteland was even more dangerous at night. Li Xuan's sect was a small organization barely surviving in the wasteland, relying on the guidance of Elder Zhou—an old man said to have existed before the "Great Cataclysm"—to sustain themselves. Elder Zhou was not only incredibly knowledgeable but also seemed to possess a unique understanding of this dangerous world. He always reminded everyone that the real danger didn't come from mutated creatures or the harsh environment, but from the human heart. Today, Old Zhou's words echoed in his ears again: "Child, this world is more complex than you imagine; always be vigilant." Li Xuan walked through ruins, a place that had once been a bustling commercial center, now reduced to crumbling walls and scattered garbage. He carefully avoided the broken glass and twisted metal on the ground, using his metal detector to search for any usable supplies. Suddenly, a faint, strange noise broke the silence, as if something was moving silently beneath the rubble. Li Xuan immediately stopped, held his breath, and listened intently to the sounds around him. The wind, the rustling, and the distant growls of mutated creatures—he was already familiar with these sounds. But this strange noise made him uneasy; it was faint, yet undeniably real, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, ready to strike at any moment. This world, since the "Great Cataclysm," had become a vast wasteland. Resources were scarce, the environment harsh, mutated creatures rampant, and humanity, in order to survive, had to band together for warmth, searching for a glimmer of hope in the ruins. The settlement where Li Xuan lived was just an insignificant corner of this wasteland world. They struggled daily for survival, scrambling for food and water. Li Xuan gripped his makeshift weapon, a sharpened steel bar. He looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of the strange noise. The shadows of the ruins appeared particularly deep in the dim light, as if concealing countless secrets and dangers. Just as he sensed danger approaching, his special mental perception activated, a warning flashing through his mind… “Mu Yang, where are you?” Li Xuan whispered. A cold wind blew, stirring up dust, but there was no response. The danger warning in his mind grew stronger, a nameless fear enveloping him. He gripped the steel bar tightly, his palms slightly sweaty. Just then, several figures emerged from the shadows of the ruins, slowly surrounding him. In the dim light, Li Xuan could make out who they were. They were ragged, with fierce eyes, and carried all sorts of weapons—rusty iron pipes, sharpened wooden sticks, and even a broken dagger. This group were notorious scavengers of the wasteland, specializing in robbing the weak. "Kid, hand over your stuff!" a burly man with a face full of scars snarled. Several men behind him echoed his call, their eyes gleaming with greed. They had been watching Li Xuan for a while, and seeing him searching for supplies alone in the ruins, they had quietly followed him. Li Xuan's heart sank; he knew things were unlikely to end well today. Although he had some fighting skills, he was outnumbered and armed. He forced himself to calm down, quickly scanning his surroundings for a usable spot. "Brothers, I haven't had much today, just a few biscuits and some water. Take them, consider it making friends," Li Xuan said, placing the supplies on the ground and slowly backing away. He tried to avoid a direct confrontation, hoping to buy time for rescue or find a chance to escape. "Enough talk! Hand over everything you have!" The burly man remained unmoved, closing in on Li Xuan step by step. Several men behind him followed, surrounding Li Xuan even tighter. They didn't believe Li Xuan; in the wasteland, the law of the jungle was the only rule. Li Xuan watched the approaching group, quickly calculating his strategy. He noticed a pile of collapsed walls behind him; if he could utilize the terrain, there might be a glimmer of hope. He feigned fear and retreated, inching closer to the walls. "Don't try anything funny!" The burly man sensed Li Xuan's intention and quickened his pace. Several men behind him rushed forward, brandishing their weapons, trying to subdue Li Xuan. Li Xuan seized the opportunity, suddenly dodging a blow to the side. He rolled behind the walls, using them for cover to avoid their attacks. Unable to catch Li Xuan immediately, the thugs grew impatient, arguing and blaming each other. "Useless! Can't even catch a kid!" the burly man roared. He rushed to the wall, trying to drag Li Xuan out. Just then, a figure suddenly appeared at the other end of the ruins. Seeing Li Xuan surrounded, he charged forward without hesitation… "Brother, I'm here to help you." The newcomer was Mu Yang, his eyes firm and powerful. Mu Yang's appearance delighted Li Xuan; with a helper, the chances of victory were much greater. The two stood back to back, providing cover for each other, engaging the thugs in a fierce battle. Mu Yang excelled in close combat, his fists and feet powerful, each punch swift and forceful, leaving several thugs bruised and battered. Li Xuan, on the other hand, used the terrain and his wits, occasionally creating small traps, such as tripping enemies with old electrical wires or smashing them in the head with pebbles. Although the thugs outnumbered them, they gradually lost ground under the combined efforts of Li Xuan and Mu Yang. They were beaten badly, their cries of pain echoing throughout. Seeing the situation was turning against them, the burly man in the lead, enraged, pulled a homemade pistol from his waist and pointed the dark muzzle at Li Xuan.

"You little brat, you dare to play me! Die!" the burly man roared, about to pull the trigger. At the critical moment, Mu Yang lunged at Li Xuan, shoving him to the ground. The bullet grazed Li Xuan's scalp, striking the wall with a muffled thud. "Li Xuan, are you alright?" Mu Yang asked with concern, while keeping a wary eye on the burly man. Li Xuan shook his head, getting up from the ground, his heart filled with gratitude. He knew that if it weren't for Mu Yang's selfless rescue, he would probably be dead. The burly man, seeing his shot miss, grew even angrier, raising his pistol again, ready to fire. Just then, an aged yet authoritative voice suddenly rang out. "Stop!" An elderly man in a gray robe appeared at the other end of the ruins. He was tall and thin, with white hair and beard, but his eyes were piercing, as if he could see through everything. The old man simply waved his hand, and the gun in the burly man's hand suddenly malfunctioned, unable to pull the trigger. The burly man looked at the old man in horror, the gun falling to the ground with a "thud." Seeing this, the other thugs stopped, staring at the old man in terror. They had never witnessed such immense power, as if he controlled everything. The old man slowly walked up to Li Xuan and Mu Yang, his eyes filled with profound meaning. He looked at the two and slowly said, "The apocalypse is about to be completely changed, the gate to the Infinite Flow Space is about to open..." After speaking, the old man turned and left, his figure gradually disappearing into the ruins, leaving Li Xuan and Mu Yang looking at each other in bewilderment. They didn't know who the old man was, what the "Infinite Flow Space" he spoke of was, or what fate awaited them. Li Xuan picked up a steel bar from the ground, a sense of foreboding washing over him... The scorching sun baked the earth, and the dilapidated buildings cast distorted shadows. The air was filled with dust and the smell of decay—a common sight in the post-apocalyptic wasteland. Li Xuan cautiously looked around; rusty steel bars and broken concrete blocks were scattered everywhere, telling tales of a once-glorious civilization, now a trap in the ruins. He bent down and picked up a relatively intact steel pipe, weighing it in his hand, a vague unease creeping into his heart. "The gunshots just now..." Mu Yang's voice was low and calm. He gripped his dagger tightly, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. "They'll probably attract more trouble." Li Xuan nodded. Old Zhou's appearance and mysterious prophecy filled him with doubt, but survival was more important right now. He lowered his voice and said, "We need to get out of here as soon as possible and find a safe place to stay." The two carefully moved through the ruins, trying not to make a sound. Suddenly, Li Xuan sensed something amiss, as if something was watching them from the shadows. He stopped abruptly, looking around warily, but found nothing. "What's wrong?" Mu Yang noticed Li Xuan's unease and asked in a low voice. Li Xuan shook his head. "I feel... like something's watching us." Mu Yang frowned and also cautiously looked around. The ruins were deathly silent, save for the whistling wind through the broken buildings. “Perhaps it’s just your imagination,” Mu Yang hesitated. “It’s normal to be nervous in this godforsaken place.” Li Xuan didn’t speak. He gripped the steel pipe tightly, his unease growing stronger. Just then, his special mental perception activated, a warning of danger flashing through his mind. He whirled around and saw a dark figure darting out from a corner of the ruins, lunging at them. “Watch out!” Li Xuan shouted, swinging his steel pipe to block the figure’s attack. The figure roared, its movements agile and swift, clearly not an ordinary zombie. Li Xuan and Mu Yang, back to back, engaged the figure in a fierce battle. After a struggle, the two finally managed to defeat it. Looking at the fallen figure, Li Xuan’s doubts deepened. This figure’s speed and strength far surpassed ordinary zombies, and it seemed to possess a certain level of intelligence. “This thing… isn’t normal,” Mu Yang said, panting heavily. Li Xuan nodded. He had a premonition that this was just the beginning. They had to figure out Elder Zhou's prophecy and the secrets hidden behind this apocalyptic world as soon as possible. Just as the two were about to continue, Li Xuan suddenly saw thick smoke billowing and flames soaring into the sky from the direction of his sect in the distance... "No... sect..." Li Xuan's voice trembled, filled with disbelief.