The well stood about three meters from the warehouse.
Whether it was usable—or contaminated—Liu Bi had no idea.
But one thing was certain: without a source of clean drinking water, he wouldn't last long in this world.
The System Store hadn't yielded any food or water in its roulette-like draws so far. That made the well worth investigating.
For the first time since waking up in this decayed world, Liu Bi stepped beyond the boundaries of the warehouse.
Sunlight spilled across his shoulders—warm and almost gentle.
No signs of monsters within visible range.
He approached the well.
Its surface was coated in a thick, yellowish-white mucus, with fibrous clots clogging the mouth of the pump. Parasitic spores. They hung in the air everywhere like a fungal mist.
Wearing thick rubber gloves, Liu Bi gripped the slimy handle of the old water pump and gave it a hard push.
The piston moved back and forth with dry, hollow thuds. Lonely, like an old man coughing in a dead room.
This type of manual pump required priming. A bit of liquid poured in first to create suction. But time and fungal corrosion had done their damage. Even a brand-new pump wouldn't function under these conditions.
Liu Bi paused and turned back to the warehouse.
After removing his protective suit and cleaning up, he found a container.
Then, into it, he released the first urine sample of his new life.
It didn't have to be water—any liquid would do.
With his sample collected, Liu Bi donned the suit again and headed back toward the well.
But this time, he'd barely crossed one meter out of the warehouse before his vision blurred.
His sight pulsed with streaks of red, like blood vessels writhing at the edges.
His breathing quickened, his limbs weakened.
He staggered to a wall and leaned against it, panting.
The rasping of his breath echoed inside the helmet.
After a few minutes, the redness faded from his vision, and strength returned to his legs.
This wasn't hypoglycemia. That usually caused blackouts, not red veils.
No—this was something else.
[A new day has begun. You may now access your current health status.]
As the thought formed, two lines of text appeared at the edge of his vision.
[Check Health Status][BODY: No structural damage][MENTAL: Alert][HUNGER: Normal][HYDRATION: Slightly Dehydrated][Spore Concentration in Blood: 90 units/L (Normal: ≤120)][History: Peak at 135 units/L one minute ago – Mild risk of mutation]
He stretched slightly, watching as the numbers dropped. The longer he rested, the lower the spore concentration fell—finally dipping below 50.
He exhaled in relief.
The warehouse trash had included several empty vials labeled "Blood Spore Suppression Serum." From the packaging, Liu Bi had deduced that once spore levels in the blood exceeded a certain threshold, mutation followed—turning humans into the creatures outside.
Most people couldn't suppress spores on their own. They needed the serum.
But judging from the readings, Liu Bi's body might have developed a natural resistance.
[A perfect chef must be willing to taste everything.][Detox +1]
"...Right," he muttered. "Totally a chef system…"
He was detoxing mutated spores, not spoiled meat.
Then again, death was death—whether by overtime or mycotoxins.
After a short rest, Liu Bi returned to the well and poured the urine into the pump's opening.
With a few sharp pumps, the old mechanism sputtered. Water pressure slowly began to build.
He glanced at the gas-powered portable pump nearby. When he'd gone out earlier, he'd filled it with a full liter of gasoline.
Gasoline was a liquid too, wasn't it?
And right now, it was the liquid he had most in abundance.
Liu Bi grabbed the pump, opened the cap, and poured the fuel into the well's intake.
Within seconds, the suction engaged.
Water surged up through the pipes!
Seeing spores float on the surface, Liu Bi poured the rest of the gasoline directly over the pump.
"Let me disinfect you!"
He drew the pistol he'd bartered for from that woman and fired it against the well's edge.
The spark ignited the gasoline.
Ancient spores flared up, burning to ash in the sudden blaze.
For the first time in years, this forgotten buffer-zone outpost was alive.
Back inside, he found a few gasoline barrels—harsh-smelling, but perfect for storing water in this world.
As the old pump chugged steadily, underground water filled the container through a long tube.
Surprisingly, it didn't smell too foul. The color was almost… normal.
Still, Liu Bi couldn't be sure it was safe.
But if his "God Chef" system could detoxify… the only way to know was to try.
After basic cleaning and disinfection, he scooped half a cup of water in a tin mug.
He paused. Then took a sip.
The cool water slid down his parched throat, and for a moment—it was paradise.
He had never imagined raw water could taste this sweet.
But instinct warned him not to drink too much.
And sure enough, moments later, his heart began racing.
Red blurred his vision. A metallic tang filled his breath. Sound vanished, then slowly returned.
[Spore Concentration: 105... 130... 165 units/L][Peak: 170 units/L – Declining...]
Three minutes passed. The level dropped to 120. Then fell sharply below 80.
[Detox +1]
So his tolerance was decent—he could endure small doses.
Filtering and treating the water might reduce the risk even further.
[Process Ingredient: Untreated Groundwater?][→ Confirmed]
He collected half a tank of water and began filtering it with folded cloth.
The trickling water sounded like a mountain spring.
From a stash of chemical supplies, he found slaked lime and poured it in. White steam curled upward.
He stirred with a stick and let it settle, then added two iodine tablets. Once dissolved, he filtered the water again.
The final product was stored in an aluminum drum and brought to a boil.
He crafted a makeshift distiller from a clean can and sheet metal, capturing the steam.
Doors closed. Vents sealed. He waited.
Eventually, he had a cup of hot, distilled water.
It smelled of iodine, lime, and—unfortunately—the gasoline from the barrel. But it worked.
The spore count no longer rose as quickly. The red haze lasted only seconds.
Liu Bi endured the weird taste and toxins—and finished the cup.
[Detox +6][You have consumed: Hot Water (Purified)][Customer: Liu Bi][Customer satisfaction: +10 points earned][Points can be used to redeem goods or spin the prize wheel!]
So… hot water counted as cuisine now?
And six instances of poisoning from one drink? That needed work.
Better filters. Better prep.
But the warmth of the water brought comfort. His body felt lighter.
Just as he opened the system store again, an engine roared in the distance.
Someone—or something—was coming.