The Return of Cambrian Period Chapter 7

 7 Global Evolution

Cong Xia felt as though someone had slapped him in his sleep, jolting him awake. Opening his eyes, he found Cheng Tianbi’s cold and expressionless face right in front of him, tapping his cheek to rouse him.

Cong Xia blinked, “Are you… okay?”

Cheng Tianbi replied, his voice hoarse, “Get up.” Cong Xia noticed a hint of color returning to his face.

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Xhlafsule, Usdt Dky nyzzle swv yde bwttle bkx vktbvzu, “Jasvbla, usw’al alyzzu sjyu! Zsw pnyale xl vs elyvb.” Rv oyp vbl qkapv vkxl pkdnl vbl yrsnyzurpl cltyd vbyv bl tldwkdlzu qlzv byrrkdlpp qasx vbl elrvbp sq bkp blyav. Tl pxkzle, alhlyzkdt bkp vos rasxkdldv qasdv vllvb.

Ubldt Mkydck blpkvyvle, qkdekdt pszynl kd Usdt Dky’p oyaxvb, ulv wdynnwpvsxle vs rbupknyz nsdvynv okvb svblap. Goyjldkdt vs qkde bkxplzq lxcaynle cu y xyd bl bye sdzu jdsod qsa y qlo bswap pvkaale alpkpvydnl okvbkd bkx.

Ubldt Mkydck rwpble bkx yoyu, pyukdt, “Nlv’p ts.” Tl yhlavle bkp tygl yde cldv esod vs rwv sd bkp pbslp.

Usdt Dky zlydle nzspla, bkp blye clpkel Ubldt Mkydck’p qynl, scplahkdt bkx qsa y xsxldv clqsal zywtbkdt, “Gal usw qllzkdt lxcyaaypple?”

Cheng Tianbi glanced at him sideways, “Do you ever stop talking nonsense?”

Cong Xia chuckled, “With your good looks, you must have had plenty of friends growing up, right? So why are you so withdrawn?”

Cheng Tianbi stood up, stretching his limbs. Despite a hint of fatigue on his face, he appeared far from someone who had narrowly escaped death.

Cong Xia also hopped off the bed, “How long did we sleep? You really scared me back there. You were as cold as ice, and your wound must be infected. Fortunately, you pulled through. It might be related to your body undergoing mutation.”

Cheng Tianbi swung his arms and felt an inexplicable surge of energy coursing through his body, making him feel lighter and more invigorated. As he clenched his fist, he sensed a greater strength within him. With each step, he could feel the power in his thigh muscles, and even his vision seemed enhanced, with the images before him appearing clearer and more detailed. If one were to find an adjective to describe his current state, it would be a complete transformation.

Cong Xia had long grown accustomed to Cheng Tianbi’s silence, but he couldn’t bear the silence between them. The environment was already depressing enough, and he didn’t want to further dampen his own mood. So, even if he had to ramble on, he could talk for a long time alone. “How are you feeling? Are you still cold? It doesn’t feel as chilly in the room anymore. Perhaps the temperature has risen. Are you experiencing any discomfort?”

“Hungry,” Cheng Tianbi rubbed his stomach, feeling extremely famished.

“Hungry? Um, let me see if there’s anything left to eat.” As Cong Xia stepped out of the bedroom, he couldn’t help muttering, “Damn.”

Cheng Tianbi hurriedly chased after Cong Xia, reaching out to halt his backward movement. Peering over Cong Xia’s shoulder, Cheng Tianbi was confronted with the sight of a decaying monkey’s body on the living room floor. Maggots squirmed all over it, and a repugnant stench permeated the entire house.

It was no wonder Cong Xia felt nauseous.

Cong Xia averted his gaze, twisting his neck uncomfortably. “We only slept for four hours, just four hours.”

In such a short span of time, the body had deteriorated to such an extent that the house was no longer habitable.

Cheng Tianbi approached and seized their backpacks. “Put on some clothes. We need to leave.”

“But… aren’t you hungry? Let me find something for you to eat.”

“What can we eat?”

Cong Xia swallowed and replied, “There are vacuum-sealed items in the bag. Maybe some of them are still edible.”

“Let’s discuss it outside.” Cheng Tianbi reluctantly squeezed into a coat that was noticeably a size or two too small, gathered their belongings, and made his way toward the door.

“Wait for me!” Cong Xia hastily grabbed his clothes and ran to Cheng Tianbi’s side, fear of being left behind evident in his hurried steps.

The two hurried down the stairs. Cheng Tianbi glanced at the thermometer and indeed, the temperature had risen. It was now seventeen degrees Celsius, although it had likely dropped below freezing at its lowest. Patches of ice remained on the ground, evidence that a few hours ago, during the peak of the year’s heat, large hailstones had fallen.

Cong Xia suggested, “Let’s find a place to sit down, and I’ll scrounge up something for you to eat. You shouldn’t go hungry. I ate so much meat earlier, and I’m not hungry at all. You get hungry so quickly.”

Cheng Tianbi was truly ravenous and could hardly bear it any longer. He didn’t understand why he was feeling so famished, but he concealed it because he heard some commotion in the surroundings. He needed to locate a safe spot before eating.

As they exited the residential area, they noticed a considerable increase in pedestrian activity on the road. It was a little past four in the afternoon, precisely twenty-four hours since the Golmud earthquake. The once civilized society had descended into complete chaos.

During the few hours they had slept, the grocery stores, convenience stores, and fruit stands lining the street had all been looted. Although they could still see the pilfered food inside, most of it remained untouched due to spoilage. They briefly considered trying their luck by entering and searching for anything still edible. However, after surveying the premises, they discovered only spices and water that could be used but not consumed directly. Disappointed, they grabbed a few bottles of water and continued on their way.

Two cars sped toward them from the opposite side of the street, one in pursuit of the other. Both vehicles displayed decorative dragon motifs and appeared on the verge of colliding with the sidewalk. Cheng Tianbi swiftly pulled Cong Xia to the side, narrowly avoiding a collision.

Cheng Tianbi chased after Cong Xia, desperately trying to stop him as the front car violently collided with a garbage bin at the side of the road, its engine stalling. Three robust young men emerged from the rear car, immediately launching a relentless assault on the vehicle door with kicks and strikes. Once they managed to pry it open, they hauled out several crates of tightly sealed biscuit cans. In response, the occupants from the front car, both men and women, rushed out, igniting a street brawl over those meager cans of biscuits.

Cong Xia widened his eyes, observing the chaotic scene before him, his heart filled with desolation.

In the span of a single day, most perishable items that had not been vacuum-sealed or frozen had already spoiled. The bacteria had evolved at an astonishing pace, not only reproducing rapidly but also adapting to low temperatures. It was not difficult to envision that soon, even the final defense of vacuum sealing would be breached. Food had become the paramount crisis faced by everyone.

From the looting of shops on the street to the desperate battles fought over a few cans of biscuits, Cong Xia came to realize the naivety of his notion to scrounge food for Cheng Tianbi throughout the day.

Searching for food was no longer viable. The majority had resorted to pillaging.

Cong Xia tugged at Cheng Tianbi. “Let’s move quickly.” They still had some provisions in their backpacks, just in case they caught the attention of those individuals.

Cheng Tianbi glanced at the biscuit cans, his expression darkening.

Cong Xia urged, “Come on, let’s find a secluded spot to eat.” Lowering his voice to a whisper, he feared someone might overhear.

Cheng Tianbi briefly glanced at his military uniform, then averted his gaze and followed Cong Xia.

The two traversed two streets and stumbled upon a partially demolished convenience store where they could seek refuge.

Inside the store, the merchandise lay scattered haphazardly, presenting a disordered sight. Cong Xia proceeded cautiously, attentively scanning the ground, hoping to discover something edible.

Though he didn’t presently feel hunger, the thought of Cheng Tianbi starving made him exceedingly anxious. In his heart, Cheng Tianbi had become his companion, and due to his own timidity, Cong Xia had grown dependent on him. He realized that attempting to reach Beijing and seek refuge with his uncle, given his own feebleness, would prove impossible. He had to cling to Cheng Tianbi for even the slightest chance of survival.

The two settled into a clean corner, preparing to rest. Before Cong Xia could fully relax, a shrill scream reached his ears. A rat, the size of a person’s head, leaped over his leg, startling him. Instinctively, he moved closer to Cheng Tianbi.

Cheng Tianbi swiftly unsheathed his military knife and lunged at the rat, but the nimble creature vanished without a trace.

With a tinge of disappointment, Cheng Tianbi sheathed his knife.

Cold sweat formed on Cong Xia’s brow. “We’re not so famished that we need to resort to eating rats, right?”

“It hasn’t arrived yet. Check again in three days,” Cheng Tianbi said.

Cong Xia trembled, unable to fathom a day when they would be reduced to fighting over rats for sustenance.

He unzipped his backpack and retrieved the swollen bags of food. Despite his waning hope, he tore open the bags, hoping to catch a whiff and assess their edibility. To his horror, a pungent, rotten stench overwhelmed him, nearly causing him to pass out.

Cheng Tianbi discarded the swollen bags and chose a vacuum-sealed package of preserved meat that remained intact. Ripping it open, he took a ravenous bite, clearly famished.

Cong Xia found a water bottle and handed it to him after unscrewing the cap. “Don’t eat too quickly, and it’s quite salty.”

Cheng Tianbi took a sip of water and continued devouring the preserved meat.

Undoubtedly, the meat was both salty and rich in flavor, but they had no other options. His stomach felt like a bottomless pit, desperately in need of nourishment. The hunger had made him restless, transforming him from someone who had eaten just a few hours ago into a person deprived of food for three days.

Cong Xia also observed this abnormality. “Could your hunger be related to your evolution?”

“It must be,” Cheng Tianbi affirmed.

He forcefully stuffed the bag of preserved meat into his stomach and drank two more bottles of water. Despite his lingering hunger, he refrained from consuming more. The saltiness of the meat would affect his subsequent actions.

Cong Xia watched him eat and handed him water. Finally, he asked softly, “Are you satisfied?”

Cheng Tianbi glanced at his watch. “We’ve wasted too much time. Let’s go.”

“Don’t you need more than just one package? Have some more.”

“No, it’s too salty,” Cheng Tianbi furrowed his brow. “We can’t afford any further delay. We must hurry to the airport.”

Cong Xia sighed. “I hope that when we reach Beijing, there will be fresh food available.”

Cheng Tianbi remained silent, but he shared the same hope of boarding a plane and escaping this place as soon as possible. Both of them clung to the anticipation of finding fresh food in the capital city as they resumed their journey.

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