Five figures strolled down the desolate road, gas masks hiding their gloomy faces, makeshift hunting rifles slung low and thick rucksacks hanging heavy against their backs.
Still, calling it a road almost felt generous—asphalt lay in patches, inlaid with cracks and crevices, and reduced to narrow lanes by potholes and cave-ins. Bridges, flyovers, and buildings had collapsed in many areas, making several paths and constructs inaccessible. Metal and plastic debris lay scattered about, often swallowed by moss and algae, inlaid with tree roots. Thorny vines snaked through the husks of abandoned vehicles, their glass and interiors long since hollowed out, leaving only their greenish brown rusted frames riddled with holes.
The group was forced to manoeuvre through this narrow trek, fraught with a great many dangers, mostly hidden. A mild haze blocked them from seeing beyond a couple of hundred meters. Occasionally, a strong chilly breeze would carry over fallen leaves and debris towards them.
On either side, the ruined husk of a once-opulent city loomed. Concrete towers stood hollow, their windows staring down like dead hornets in an abandoned hive. Several floors across many such high-rises had long collapsed, while many had trees sprout from their cracked walls. Ivy draped over some of them like funeral shrouds.
Strangely, there were no birds in sight—perhaps not even insects. The only sound they could hear was the crunch beneath their boots and the soft hiss of their own breathing inside the masks as they walked.
"Boss Wei," spoke the young man at the back, Lu Yong, in an apprehensive voice, muffled by his rebreather. "We're in too deep. What if we don't make it back before dusk?"
Wei didn't break his stride. Nor did he reply immediately. His masked face flicked over the road ahead, then to the ruins beside them, before finally landing on Lu.
"Then we don't."
The others chuckled quietly. They knew well that their leader, Wei Han, didn't possess much of what one'd call a sense of humour. He likely meant they'd have to find some place to rest inside the ruins. Still, that did little to calm Lu Yong's nerves.
"Relax, kid," Fan mused, clapping Lu on the shoulder. "You'll live. We're almost there. The base should have what we need—and if we're lucky, maybe even filters that still work."
Lu paused, his eyes drifting to the edge of the road where twisted trees leaned close, their bark scarred as if clawed by giants. Fungi pulsed faintly at their roots, in sickly greens and ghostly blues.
Unknowingly, his fingers hovered close to the knife at his side as he glanced at the man.
"This place still hasn't been fully scouted. We should return now and just come back later with the other groups. Who knows what's lurking in there?"
Once, this city had been part of the great eastern corridor. One could only guess how life must have thrived here in its heyday. Now, it resembled a graveyard. Even with his limited scavenging experience, Lu had learned how treacherous such ruins could be.
Earth-Soul Resettlement Foundation, well, to be more precise, their ragtag settlement town built over last decade having reunited several camps and villages over that time, had finally mustered both the resources and manpower to look for and hopefully reclaim the lost cities close by. For all they knew, the cataclysm had destroyed nearly all of humanity, for none knew how many yet survived and where, in this hellscape.
Lu sighed. They were now quite a bit farther from the forward base. He did not like splitting up from the two other groups earlier. They were headed off to a completely uncharted area, likely based on some rumour some geezer in the team managed to overhear. It'd be one thing if they were on a scouting mission, but… Lu didn't say much as he glanced over at others' backs. These people definitely had some other plans. He'd have loved to pry; in fact, he surely would have if he knew things would turn out like this.
He was new on this team, mostly as a replacement for their old radio operator, who'd gone missing about a month ago. They hadn't had much haul since. For a scavenger group, radio operators were irreplaceable, to stay in frequent contact with the base as well as maintain radio equipment, including but not limited to their makeshift radio handsets. In the first place, not many mastered its use without any guidance or equipment.
'Tch', he clicked his tongue as he kicked some plastic junk aside. It rolled over before crushing into a rock and crumbling into pieces, leaving behind a trail of fine fibres and confetti. He had a bad feeling about this. He hated how eerily quiet it all seemed.
"We should've just taken the south road," muttered Ning Dong Li, one of the older men. "Fewer ruins, fewer things hiding in them."
Lu glanced sideways. It seemed he wasn't the only one anxious about their little venture.
"And fewer spoils," Fan countered. "Unless you want to trade our ammo for mouldy noodles at some outcast camp."
The man said no further. None of them did. They just resumed their long trek. Talking too much would only make one thirsty. Not only did they carry limited water, but there was a looming risk of biohazard contamination from any water source out here, assuming they managed to find one in the first place.
As they moved deeper into the ghost town, the greenery seemed to thicken, as high-rises grew shorter and stubbier, and buildings sparser, built amidst large lawns turned to forests of unknown trees, often revealing glances through slits of tree stems and collapsed walls.
The night fell fast. As the last of the sun's light drained from the sky, the group found themselves before a three-storied dilapidated mansion—likely a government office back in the day. Still, it was only one among many such buildings in the area, and little was known about its origins.
Wei raised a hand. "We will camp here."
'Not like we have a choice!', Lu muttered under his breath. Still, it'd be better than spending the night out somewhere. He still intended to live another decade, though he suspected that might be a little too ambitious as a scavenger.
"Wait a moment", said Fan before heading in, only to come out minutes later, mask off.
"Looks okay. The air's kinda musty in there, but doesn't seem like it's got any spores or poison."
The members all sighed in relief as they got to setting up a camp without further complaint. It was imperative to find a good resting spot to spend the night while remaining well-hidden. The nights were very dangerous. Many had perished in the dark—some vanishing without a trace, others only having left behind a bloody trail. Scavengers like them were among the most frequent casualties. The life expectancy of a scavenger rarely exceeded seven years, a rather grim reality they all tacitly accepted to survive in this godforsaken world. The least they could do however, was to hold onto hope.
The group entered through the main corridor, exploring with makeshift electric torches. Wei eventually settled on a room of suitable size on the first floor. It was right by the stairs, spacious, with a balcony overlooking the street below. Vines hung from the cornice above, partly blocking the view. The room was damp, its floor covered in moss and lichen, thick with dust, clay, and debris. The cracked ceiling and walls had shed their concrete in places, exposing mouldy bricks and rusted rebars underneath. Still, it was functionally better than the other rooms. Most importantly, it had little dust, a reinforced door, and a balcony for their campfire.
After all, the campfire was essential for many things, and they could not exactly prepare it indoors.
They didn't dare explore further. The risk of an ambush indoors was real, but the dangers lurking outside were several times greater at night. A room upstairs usually offered some safety, provided someone kept constant watch and their rifles handy. Still, there was always a sizable risk. They could only hope the building's true residents, if any, would pardon this visit from unwelcome guests.
As the group began setting up their tent inside the room, Lu was sent to gather firewood. He was visibly reluctant. His legs shook as he slowly nodded before darting off to gather what he needed as fast as possible. In the ever-fading afterglow of the sun, he searched for dry leaves, twigs, and vines. All the while, his right hand gripped his rifle tighter by the minute. He half-heartedly gathered what he could before deciding to turn back. He hated the chore, but a night without a fire was worse.
"Why do they always send me out for the risky jobs?" he cursed inwardly, as the unfairness of it all was beginning to sink in. Lu quickened his pace, heart pounding, breath heavy, his gun ready and eyes sharp - scanning for dangers.
Maybe, that's precisely why Then he saw it—black feathers. A single raven perched on a tree branch; its fiery gaze was locked onto him, observing his every move in unsolicited silence, as if staring down his very soul.
He shuddered.
This was certainly not the first time this happened either. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but he couldn't shake the ominous feeling gnawing at him. Deep down, he feared it was the same bird. It had followed them for days now. It appeared every dusk, vanished every dawn. Always watching.
He didn't linger there any longer. Clutching his bundle he'd dropped earlier, while ignoring several branches that lay scattered, he rushed back, hot on his tail.
As he reached the camp, however, his heart sank.
"Damp again, huh?" Fan teased him as Lu dumped the pile on the floor.
"The boy's got a gift for finding the wettest sticks, no dice." Mo Chen chimed in.
"Tch, young men these days, I swear." Old Ning joined in.
They were mostly used to his antics by now. Despite the days of foraging lessons, they imparted onto their tactless junior, Lu kept repeating the same mistakes. Wei watched close as he barked.
"Light the fire and boil the water we collected earlier."
This wouldn't get rid of any poison. Still, heat usually neutralized most germs, some harmful proteins, and some toxins. While far from ideal, this was the best way scavenger could afford water miles out, stuck in some ruin, without resupply.
Lu forced a smile and went about it. He'd long taken his mask off, breaking into a cold sweat as he did. The fire lit up, having smoked out most moisture with some difficulty, as it illuminated their campsite. It was weak, but it should last throughout the night. Lu didn't mention the raven. The others had just laughed it off the last time he did.
They ate in gossip, often low and grim, still better than chewing hard on their dry rations that tasted like ash, as they tried to distract themselves from their shitty taste.
"You think the Guild will even let us in if we come back empty?"
"As if! You think my wife will? Ha!"
"They let in those bastards from the Team Grey Turtles last week. Brought in a whole cart of meds, I tell you. Probably stolen."
"You talk as if those meds still work."
"Grey Turtles won't last the year, ye hear. Mark my words, they've got no fighters worth a damn."
"Their hoes are quite skilled though, hehe!"
Wei said nothing. He simply stared into the flames, watching it flicker. Lu thought of sparking up a conversation with him but he held that thought. The time flew fast, as the night deepened. Everyone eventually went to bed, or rather the plastic rags they referred to as such. Somebody still has to keep watch.
Lu's shift came first. He sat with his back to a crumbling wall, knife across his lap and the rifle at his side, watching the trees. The raven was long gone, probably back to wherever it came from, as always. Lu sighed.
The night was quiet. Darkness pressed in, thick and absolute. A ghostly haze veiled the city. Even the moon hid behind the clouds, casting only a blurred, ghastly glow. Still, occassionally, horrific screams and screeches echoed from the city, some muffled, some vivid, but sources unknown. Lu just wanted his shift to be over now. A chill wind blew in as the fire waned. Lu hurriedly added more twigs to the fire going.
When his shift ended, he woke Mo Chen and lay inside the tent, wrapping himself tight. The raven haunted his thoughts. He was having difficulty sleeping.
"Guess that makes it another night without sleep!"
Unbeknownst to them, a shadow flickered in the firelight. Leaves outside fluttered.
Outside, a humanoid silhouette turned it's head from the balcony and slowly walked away, disappearing into the darkness.