The room was lit by a single, flickering lamp, emitting a crackling electrical sound.
On the dining table lay the mangled corpse of a child.
The head was severely decomposed,
the rest of the body reduced to bone.
The residual tissue on the bones was blackened and rotten,
presenting a sight that drove one to madness.
Gu Ya gasped for breath,
the scene in the room seared into his mind, indelible.
It was the most vile, ugly, and nauseating sight he had ever witnessed,
even more disturbing than grotesque clone failures.
"You eat people," Gu Ya gritted out, teeth clenched.
"Big brother..." the child who had spoken hesitantly took a step closer, his neck now nearer the lightsaber.
"She starved to death..."
"We don't want to starve to death..."
Upon closer inspection, the blackness on each child's face was not dirt, but dried bloodstains.
Gu Ya suppressed the nausea welling up inside him, sheathed his lightsaber, and walked away.
The five children watched his retreating back, motionless.
Gu Ya wanted to leave the place without another second’s delay.
"Bang!"
The unnervingly quiet night was suddenly shattered by the sound of a gunshot!
Gu Ya's "Active Mind" automatically engaged, and he dodged to the side.
The bullet grazed Gu Ya's left cheek and flew past, a drop of blood splattering.
Gu Ya touched the wound on his left cheek and glared back.
The shooter was the child who had spoken earlier.
The other children continued to stare coldly at Gu Ya, their eyes seeming to say, die quickly, and then we will have food.
His lightsaber extended, Gu Ya calmly walked towards the shooter.
The child, surprised by Gu Ya's composed return, panicked and fired again!
However, the recoil caused the trajectory to deviate, and the bullet shot towards the sky.
Gu Ya approached him step by step and, without a word, plunged his sword into his chest.
As the lightsaber was withdrawn, the child who had fired knelt heavily before Gu Ya.
Before Gu Ya could turn to leave, the other children lunged at his corpse, tearing at the flesh with their teeth as they dragged him back into the house.
"This is Yadaya..." Gu Ya frowned, looking at the tightly shut door.
Leaving the place, Gu Ya continued his search for the next camp.
His first encounter with people upon arriving had chilled him to the bone.
Both the living and the dead had lost their human dignity.
Thinking this, Gu Ya suddenly realized a grave problem.
Had Ye Ying ever eaten people?
In this place of extreme scarcity, where people even resorted to cannibalism, anything could be done to survive.
Gu Ya closed his eyes, unwilling to think further.
"Master, you seem troubled," the ancient mecha asked softly.
Gu Ya truly wished he could confide in someone about what he had seen and thought, as it was beyond his comprehension.
Although he had read about cannibalism in history books, experiencing it firsthand was still shocking and disgusting.
Gu Ya suddenly felt that the impoverished residents of Wuhe City were truly fortunate compared to this place.
"Master..."
"Be quiet!" Gu Ya warned.
The ancient mecha seemed reluctant. "Master, the androids have functions to help with emotional guidance. We know where we come from and what our fate will be."
"We are always slaves to humanity."
Gu Ya did not believe it. Knowing one's place was good, but it didn't mean it wouldn't lie.
"Just do your job," Gu Ya said blandly and fell silent.
After traveling another few dozen kilometers, a camp was hidden at the foot of a low hill on the edge of the jungle.
This time, Gu Ya was direct, ordering the ancient mecha to descend outside the camp.
The searchlights from the two watchtowers converged on the ancient mecha's head.
Everyone in the camp was stunned by the terrifying and mysterious behemoth,
as if the apocalypse had arrived.
Chaos erupted within the camp,
everyone screaming miserably, roaring anxiously, and stampeding frantically.
Women clutching young children fled madly towards the camp's rear exit,
while men either grabbed firearms or moved to operate mechas.
The ancient mecha slowly stepped over the camp's perimeter wall, entering like the grim reaper.
Gu Ya, through the ancient mecha's public address system, his face grim and his voice steady, shouted, "I mean no harm. I've come to buy some food."
After more than ten minutes, the camp finally regained some semblance of calm.
Women, the elderly, and children had gathered outside the camp, waiting for a chance to escape.
A group of bold men, guns aimed at Gu Ya, watched his every move with vigilance.
A leader, a tall, emaciated man clad in a tattered cloak, stepped forward, attempting to negotiate with Gu Ya.
"How much food do you need?" the man inquired in a hoarse, sharp voice.
"Not much, enough for two people for about three days," Gu Ya replied coldly.
The man waved his hand, and several people ran to a small hut, soon returning with several dark, lumpy bags.
"You're from Xianxia, aren't you? White Star Coins are still valid here. Five thousand."
Five thousand White Star Coins! Gu Ya was slightly taken aback. In the past, that would have been nearly two years of living expenses for him and Youyou!
He wouldn't give it to them.
"Barter," Gu Ya said calmly. "Whatever you need, I will provide an equivalent exchange."
Items obtained freely from the system store were abundant. Why spend money?
Besides, he couldn't carry cash on him.
Using his communication bracelet for online transactions would leave a trace.
Although [Code Tampering] could alter traces, they could still be detected, and there might be experts among them who could uncover Gu Ya's information.
When traveling, it was always best to be cautious.
The man pondered for a moment and said, "Three differential gears for mecha wrist rotation joints, five standard Model 38625014 energy storage cylinder parts, and eleven standard Model 885264 rotating high-pressure cylinder rods."
As soon as the man finished speaking, the others burst into laughter.
These parts were not cheap, and they were bulky. Seeing that the man had arrived alone, they assumed he couldn't possibly carry such items!
Gu Ya let out a sinister chuckle and said, "Why don't you just rob me? Besides, don't you see the behemoth behind me?"
The man grinned slyly, fiddling with his gun. "A mecha pilot is useless without their mecha. Why should we fear you?"
"If you want to leave here alive, obediently hand over what I asked for, plus ten thousand White Star Coins as compensation for mental distress."
"I'll give you a discount, eighteen thousand White Star Coins for your worthless life."
The other men erupted into mocking laughter again.
"Hahaha... The camp leader is truly wise! The more he discounts, the more expensive it gets! This kid probably can't afford this for three years, haha!"
"Leader, let's dismantle his mecha, strip him naked, and throw him into the sea. It'll be untraceable! Even if Xianxia comes looking, we'll just deny everything!"
"Hey, kid! Hand it over quickly! If you can't, then become a slave obediently, or a food source!"
Their frenzied eyes seemed to convey, if you don't comply, you die!
Well, Gu Ya thought with a cold smile, you want a power fantasy? I'm more familiar with the 'acting weak to deceive strong' trope than anyone.
Alas, it's cliché.
But clichés are often the most effective.
Gu Ya chuckled coldly and shouted, "Ancient Mecha, show them something."
"As you command—!" the ancient mecha roared, the sound echoing through the sky.
It gripped the hilt of its sword with one hand and pulled with all its might!
The broadsword, lacking a distinct blade, was effortlessly drawn.
With a powerful swing, a gale swept through the entire camp instantly.
Tent components on the ground were blown away, numerous mechas were toppled, and a cacophony of crashing and overturning filled the air.
The nearest watchtower snapped at its base and was hurled into the sky by the fierce wind, flying out of the camp.
Everyone froze in sheer terror, many collapsing to their knees, trembling and unable to move.
Gu Ya instantly summoned his exoskeleton, lightsaber pointed at the leader, and said coldly, "I'm not taking it for free. You get another chance to name your price."
"Otherwise, I will uproot this camp and grind you all to dust."