[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete":3,"chapter-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-75":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting from the Apocalypse, I Alone Severed Eternity",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2312457,4518,"Chapter 75: Killing, Fear, Overwhelming","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-75",75,"\u003Cp>Red, all red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The red of flame, the red of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Xiangming’s breath rasped like a bellows, sweat pouring endlessly from his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes, bloodshot and wide, burned with fury with no outlet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ahead, the Firefeather Men were slaughtering indiscriminately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sounds of doors being kicked in, explosions, screams, and the thud of blades severing limbs rang continuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood flowed from the doorways, severed limbs were tossed out, and the Firefeather Men’s wild laughter echoed through the halls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made Zhuang Xiangming even angrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain! Let’s go! I can’t take it anymore!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young man spoke, his face twisted in fury and terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gross, mottled scars covered most of his face; one eye was half-blind, his scalp bald.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were burn marks from battles against the Firefeather Men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such horrific injuries would have required surgery even before the apocalypse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention after it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had the priest not treated him early, the young man would have been dead long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, the scars remained severe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No!” Zhuang Xiangming said firmly, “We must hold. Wait for reinforcements.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No buts. Hao Wei, look behind you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hao Wei fell silent; he lacked the courage to turn around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind them, in the room, lay dozens of civilians and wounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces were blank with numbness and fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the initial rescue, to the subsequent escape, to being hunted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had witnessed the deaths of countless humans—including soldiers sent to save them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From hell to heaven, then back to hell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now they were trapped inside, unable to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, everyone understood: the hope of rescue was vanishingly slim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This building was a hell, and everyone waited for judgment to descend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one screamed. No one struggled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who still had the strength to fight had already died along the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those left were physically and mentally exhausted, their minds broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had not yet given up, mostly because they clung to the hope of Zhuang Xiangming’s promised reinforcements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was their only light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But was there really any reinforcement?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there were, why had the screams and laughter never stopped?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just self-deception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain… is there really any reinforcement?” a soldier beside him couldn’t help asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was quiet, but it drew everyone’s attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, yes, there definitely is!” Zhuang Xiangming’s voice grew louder, as if trying to convince himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As long as we hold out, once they’ve cleared the lower floors, our commander will come to reinforce us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Think about it—why aren’t these monsters attacking us right away?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it because they’re afraid? Their main force is blocked below, so they’re planning to flee.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Otherwise, when our reinforcements arrive, they’ll be trapped with no escape.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we just hold on, we will win.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Xiangming didn’t know why he’d spun such nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone who thought for a moment would realize the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why weren’t the monsters attacking? Not because they were afraid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were simply crushing the easy targets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Xiangming’s group was numerous and still had fighting strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monsters held the advantage but feared losing their own lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, they’d kill all the hidden humans, then concentrate their forces to crush them all at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet no one contradicted him—as if they all believed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because it was their only comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as Zhuang Xiangming finished speaking, less than a minute passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rapid patter of footsteps echoed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Xiangming’s eyes narrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What? Such dense footsteps?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At some point, a squad of Firefeather Men appeared around the corner ahead, advancing toward Zhuang Xiangming’s group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces twisted in malice, their curved blades dripping blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More Firefeather Men emerged from rooms along the way, joining the advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, their fragile dream shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mage! Cast resistance to energy damage—now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No spell slots left! None at all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can’t you just squeeze one out?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I could squeeze one out, I’d have broken out already!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came a chorus of shouting, yet most still dared not launch a counterattack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despair spread through the room; some civilians simply closed their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did it matter? Stick your head out, you get a sword; pull it back, you still get a sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the apocalypse, friends and family were all dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve survived a month—I’ve already won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why keep clinging to life?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enemy hadn’t even arrived, and their lines were already crumbling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They claimed to still have strength to fight—but this fight would be one-sided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should he blame them? Zhuang Xiangming gave a bitter laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the apocalypse, they were all just ordinary, law-abiding civilians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To have held on this long was already remarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget it. I should’ve listened to that kid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We could’ve broken out earlier—and taken a few Firefeather Men with us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait—why is that kid charging?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, monsters! You scarred my face—I’m taking your lives today!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hao Wei charged forward like a moth diving into flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Xiangming gritted his teeth and followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we’re going to die anyway, let’s die with a bang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An explosion erupted behind the Firefeather Men, flames roaring skyward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something drastic had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on?” Zhuang Xiangming wondered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leading Firefeather Men turned around and rushed back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CLANG! CLASH!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As swords and blades clashed, the front-line Firefeather Men fell like cut wheat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A figure moved through them, the three-meter-wide corridor no obstacle to his speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every strike, every step, seemed perfectly natural—no wasted motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a player who’d cleared the level a hundred times, not a single mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever a Firefeather Man tried to detonate, the figure killed him first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or turned and retreated, forcing the explosion to kill only their own kind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This… is… the… reinforcement…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hao Wei swallowed hard, his voice trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had stopped dead, stunned by the sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.” Zhuang Xiangming, too, was stunned and uncertain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are there such people within Ancheng?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although some elites, like their leader under BUFF, can single-handedly kill monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they still need to exchange a few blows, and the monsters cannot be too numerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could it compare to the figure ahead, who effortlessly slew one after another with a single sword stroke?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dozen Firefeathers were instantly slain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This isn’t support—it’s a one-sided massacre!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those behind were also stunned; they had heard the explosions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instinctively, they curled up, hoping to die with less pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet no matter how long they waited, they felt no pain, nor saw any flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, they heard the screams of the Firefeathers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These monsters’ cries sounded like bird calls; distinguishing them wasn’t hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long-absent thrill began to stir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you the officer in charge here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Xiangming snapped back to reality and saw a young man holding a long sword standing before Hao Wei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No…” Somehow, Hao Wei felt nervous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man before him had just saved their lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he felt fear—an awe toward a life beyond humanity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am—I’m the company commander, sent here under Commander Luo’s orders to provide support.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Xiangming interjected, easing Hao Wei’s embarrassment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.” Fang Shi said coolly, “Are there any survivors? If there are, go downstairs—the lower levels are safe now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?” Zhuang Xiangming was stunned; boundless joy surged in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Truly safe already?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi said: “Yes, it’s safe now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do as you please. I’m leaving—other places still need me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord!” Zhuang Xiangming hurriedly bowed his thanks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know how to address the young man, and unconsciously blurted out “my lord,” as in ancient dramas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi said nothing, turned, and walked away, vanishing quickly around the corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are we safe?” Hao Wei murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, we’re safe—thanks to that my lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Xiangming at first felt awkward, but the more he said it, the more natural it became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he thought about it, the young man’s overwhelming power truly deserved the title “my lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re safe!” Hao Wei shouted, then burst into sobs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This crying instantly spread sorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The survivors, now freed from death’s grip, began to feel grief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had thought they would never cry again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Collapse, 90% of humanity had died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then many more perished to the Walking Dead and otherworldly creatures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who survived had lost nearly all human connections; those who should have cried had already cried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now they wanted to cry—cry for themselves, cry for life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This night was bloodier and more terrifying than the first day of the Collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi hurried down the stairs toward the next floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scenes along this path were far bloodier than during the Third Impact of his past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, Firefeathers had limited strength—they couldn’t compare to second-tier creatures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Often, second-tier creatures killed without spilling blood, leaving no corpses behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, human strength was far too weak; they hadn’t learned any of the miraculous spells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like high-mobility teleportation, flight, or wall-piercing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or group defenses like Stone Wall or Turn Flesh to Mud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or even second-tier physical classes simply climbing up the exterior walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These methods prevented humans from being easily split apart on the battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could even block otherworldly creatures at the first moment, keeping them outside buildings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, floors above the tenth were filled with slaughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The squads sent by Luo Song to provide support had achieved only partial results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were mostly crushed by Firefeathers and trapped in isolated spots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They lacked even the ability to launch counterattacks; their retreat routes were cut off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They couldn’t even send messengers to request aid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if someone had requested help, Luo Song couldn’t send reinforcements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sending more men would leave the lower floors undefended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple: there were far too few combat specialists among humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though theoretically every human had an attribute panel and immense potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In practice, only a few could rise above the rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First was personality—not everyone was fearless or bold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Humans naturally feared powerful things and avoided them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, they lacked the courage to raise a blade against the strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing Walking Dead, creatures with low stats,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>when outnumbered, courage would rise, and they became coveted targets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But against Firefeathers—fast-moving monsters—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>even with proper hunting methods,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>newcomers couldn’t avoid casualties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even veterans suffered accidents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So some would hesitate, preferring other work over combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some were so cowardly they wouldn’t even risk killing Walking Dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had it not been for the government later offering incentives to forcibly unlock attribute panels\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>to boost productivity,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>some people might still not have unlocked theirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Children and the elderly also struggled to claim kills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now that everyone had unlocked combat classes, it was beyond the government’s current capability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple: there weren’t enough Walking Dead to go around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlocking a combat class required 100 experience points—that’s ten Walking Dead per person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Earth’s Walking Dead conversion rate was only 90%, averaging nine per person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if you evenly distributed all Walking Dead in Ancheng, it still wouldn’t be enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plus, many people had killed more than their share.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi alone had slain nearly a thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, those falling behind could only unlock combat classes by hunting Firefeathers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how many had the courage to do so?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his past life, Fang Shi regretted this very thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before his rebirth, he had the physical fitness of a second-tier athlete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he feared infection from Walking Dead and hesitated to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This delay meant no kills, and his level naturally fell behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Falling behind meant missing out on kills, and the vicious cycle made advancement nearly impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the later it got, the worse it became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Collapse, there was no team play— whoever landed the final blow got the experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if you played support, if the melee got the kill, you got nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus Zhao Wenjun, Luo Song, and others had gained great fortune in this Impact—if they survived, their levels would skyrocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, magic users had other leveling paths and future methods to advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But non-combatants were doomed, forced to rely on future state welfare programs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this was their own choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, there was one extreme method: adopting a “culling strategy,” accepting massive casualties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With attribute panels in place, it would inevitably create a nation of soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was most evident in Africa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every man, woman, and child must take part in the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the cowardliest will become fiercely brave under the bloodshed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They will be transformed into qualified warriors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this is absolutely forbidden in Huaguo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as Huaguo’s government has not completely collapsed, such a thing will not be allowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Fang Shi does not appear, this second wave of assault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least half of Ancheng’s humans will be killed or wounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the worst case, up to eighty percent may die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Fang Shi’s appearance will shatter all of this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His base attribute points already effortlessly overwhelm the Firefeathers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Firefeathers’ base strength is 15 points, rising to 19 with rank bonuses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi’s base strength is 19 points, rising to 23 with rank bonuses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An eight-point advantage in strength alone allows his ordinary attacks to crush them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Fang Shi possesses a vast array of powerful specializations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The extraordinary swordsmanship Zhuang Xiangming saw is the result of stacked specializations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Fang Shi’s eyes, all object movements are painfully slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He has ample time to consider how to use his swordsmanship to inflict the most effective damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus revealing his godlike skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is Fang Shi’s current strength—a power capable of crushing the second wave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This night will also be Fang Shi’s bountiful night.\u003C\u002Fp>",2254,"2026-06-20T12:43:33.559Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 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