Chapter 30: Hell Is Other People

At that moment, Qiao Jun was covered in bloodstains and gasping violently, as if merely standing was an immense struggle. Under the moonlight, with his far keener vision, Chen Chong immediately spotted a hideous palm print clearly imprinted on Qiao Jun’s chest, as if branded there by red-hot steel.

Indeed, just as the Blood General had said, he had controlled his strength during that thunderous strike. Although Qiao Jun was injured, the wound was neither too light nor too severe, and was far from life-threatening.

The Scavengers dared not act recklessly, but seeing that Qiao Jun still had the strength to move, they breathed a slight sigh of relief and hurriedly asked, “Captain, how are you?”

Qiao Jun coughed violently a few times and spat out a mouthful of bloody froth. The gaze he directed at the Blood General was filled with terror. “Don’t any of you act rashly…”

Just as Qiao Jun’s words fell, the roar of vehicles arrived right before them. Then the engines died, and shouts mixed with the dense sound of footsteps closed in from all directions. Chen Chong’s eyes turned icy as he saw twenty to thirty dark figures, grinning hideously, vault over the broken walls and charge in.

This was a group of vicious thugs with blood-colored camouflage painted on their faces, wearing all kinds of bone ornaments. They held weapons like makeshift guns, crossbows, and machetes, and exuded a frenzied air. Under the moonlight, upon seeing Chen Chong and the others, they immediately let out excited yells.

“The General is truly mighty! There really are rats hiding here!”

“Hahaha, the General’s power is awesome!”

“Let me see which unlucky bastards these are…”

“Huh? This guy… isn’t this Qiao Jun from the Dawn Gathering Place?”

Faced with the encirclement of these thugs who had an absolute advantage in numbers and weapons, the Scavengers’ hands trembled on their guns. Their faces were ashen, and they fell into complete despair. Someone among the thugs quickly recognized Qiao Jun. Then, a tall, bald man with an especially fierce temperament stepped out from the crowd. He scanned Qiao Jun and the others and let out a cold, sinister laugh.

“What, you worthless trash thought you could use this scrap metal against the General? Strip them of their weapons!”

About ten thugs immediately swarmed forward without any restraint, stripping all the weapons from the Scavengers’ hands and bodies. At this point, no one dared to resist. Chen Chong’s expression remained calm as he let a henchman snatch the tactical knife from his hand.

Judging from Qiao Jun and the others’ earlier conversation about the Blood General, this group led by him would likely capture Scavengers they encountered in the Wilderness and force them into hard labor. As long as they endured for now, their lives wouldn’t be in immediate danger. Although having one’s life and death controlled by others felt extremely terrible, Chen Chong had no better choice in this situation.

The only reason he didn’t erupt in a desperate fight right now was the Blood General’s presence. He had clearly recognized the vast gap between himself and the Blood General; there was no chance of turning the tables. Otherwise, he would have drawn his blade long ago!

His eyes discreetly swept over the Blood General and his crew, his heart cold. Possessing three profound cultivation techniques, he held an unprecedented advantage over the Awakeners of this world. As long as he could stay alive, he had limitless potential. Even the Blood General would not be someone he feared!

“Wait, just wait a bit longer. I need time!”

Naturally, no one present knew what Chen Chong was thinking. In fact, Chen Chong was very inconspicuous and didn’t attract much attention.

Seeing all the Scavengers’ weapons had been confiscated, the bald leader glanced at Qiao Jun, who was struggling to stay upright, and quickly walked up to the Blood General. He spoke respectfully.

“General, this man is Qiao Jun from the Dawn Gathering Place. He’s a veteran Awakener with outstanding perception and tracking abilities, somewhat well-known. I crossed hands with him once in the Wilderness; his abilities aren’t bad…”

Several henchmen behind him groveled on the ground. The Blood General sat down imposingly on the human cushion they formed and spoke casually.

“Since he’s a veteran Awakener, he qualifies for some special treatment. Qiao Jun, I’ll give you a chance. Work for me with your life.”

It was a simple declarative statement, but the Blood General’s words were filled with cold, domineering authority that brooked no refusal. Qiao Jun smiled bitterly, his voice low.

“Blood General, aren’t you afraid I’ll just pretend to agree and then secretly run away?”

Under the moonlight, the Blood General raised an eyebrow. His scarlet eyes swept over Qiao Jun as a cruel smile slowly curled on his lips.

“I’m not afraid of your betrayal. Because… no one dares to betray me!”

Before his words faded, the Blood General suddenly pulled open the clothes at his collar, exposing half his chest! Under the moonlight, everyone saw that a tumor-like mass of flesh tissue was actually growing on the Blood General’s chest. Blood vessels wriggled within it like crawling insects, its deformed, disgusting appearance making everyone’s skin crawl!

Chen Chong’s pupils involuntarily constricted. Then he saw the Blood General gently scratch the surface of this flesh tissue with his fingernail. A bizarre, blood-red wriggling worm slowly crawled out from it and onto his finger.

All the surrounding thugs immediately revealed expressions of extreme reverence and fanaticism. Meanwhile, Qiao Jun and all the Scavengers felt their hair stand on end at this bloody and eerie sight!

The leader beside him handed over a bottle cap. The Blood General let out a long breath, looking somewhat tired. He then gently placed the blood-red worm inside and smiled at Qiao Jun.

“Eat it.”

Under the moonlight, looking at the blood-red worm in the Blood General’s hand, Qiao Jun’s face drastically changed, turning ashen as death.

What was this? Some kind of parasitic worm that could control others?

Watching the smiling Blood General under the moonlight, Chen Chong felt an indescribable chill surge in his heart.

It was obvious that the Blood General was demonstrating a method to control others. Anyone who ate this parasitic worm would be under the Blood General’s control and become his puppet. However, what Chen Chong found strange was that most of the Blood General’s underlings looked at the worm not with fear, but with envy and fanaticism, as if it were some tremendous reward.

Seeing Qiao Jun’s deathly pale face, the bald leader beside the Blood General sneered.

“Qiao Jun, you should feel honored, not put on an act like you don’t know what’s good for you. Do you think just anyone is worthy of the General using a precious Bloodline Gu? As long as you listen to the General, the Bloodline Gu won’t harm you; instead, it will slowly strengthen your physique and gradually enhance your Life Field Intensity. You’re probably just a Mid-order Awakener now. With the General’s reward, even High-order and the Extreme Stage are within reach. Isn’t that much better than being a junk collector at the Dawn Gathering Place?”

Qiao Jun’s chest heaved violently; his heart was in a fierce struggle.

Without a doubt, eating this parasitic worm meant he would become a puppet, a running dog under the Blood General’s command, forever controlled by another, with no autonomy over his own life.

Yet, right here and now, refusing to eat meant immediate death! Either face death directly, or live on in miserable, groveling survival. There was no other choice!

“I… I’ll eat it!”

He chose the latter.

Qiao Jun opened his eyes, stumbled over to the Blood General, and with trembling hands, took the still-wriggling, blood-red worm. The other Scavengers all watched him with eyes full of terror, pain, and powerlessness, helplessly watching as Qiao Jun swallowed the blood-red worm in one gulp and deeply bowed his head to the Blood General.

Chen Chong silently watched Qiao Jun’s back, feeling that everything happening in these ruins had once again taught him a vivid lesson.

It made him understand even more fully that in this bizarre, cruel, and collapsing world, human hearts turned into realms of demons. Hell is other people!