Zhou You carried both to their destination. Upon seeing him, Li Yunxi rushed over, "Let me! Bring the injured to vehicle 779; there are doctors and medicine there. What are you doing out here?"

Zhou You simply replied, "I came to help."

"At least someone's considerate. Still, it's dangerous out here. Help inside the vehicle."

Zhou You declined, "No, I'm heading out. They're short of hands there."

"You're not going, I am! I can't always hide at the back of the line. If someone discovers my identity, they'll target my back. Stay put!" Li Yunxi pushed Zhou You into a vehicle and ran out, rifle in hand.

A doctor called out to him, "Young man, hold him down for me. I can't treat the wound with him moving like this."

Zhou You reluctantly assisted, but upon seeing the injured man's face, he was horrified. A large chunk had been bitten off, leaving a bloody, mangled mess. Even if it healed, the man would be disfigured.

It was Zhou You's first time witnessing such a large-scale battle between humans and beasts. The proximity of death overwhelmed him.

Gunfire echoed from outside. The group was well-armed. He had even seen Wu Yong carrying a rocket launcher. Still, many had fallen, highlighting the brutality of the mutated beasts.

After about half an hour, the chaos outside began to subside. The number of injured brought to the vehicle increased. Zhou You, having some prior nursing knowledge, was able to handle the basic care.

"Next." After bandaging an injured man's arm, Zhou You offered some precautions.

"It's you! Are you a doctor?" Ning Xufeng settled into a chair, his gaze burning into Zhou You.

Zhou You responded with a cold face, "Where are you injured?"

Ning Xufeng undid his shirt, revealing a wound on his chest, waiting for Zhou You's attention.

While efficiently cleaning the wound, Zhou You warned, "Watch your tongue. Avoid any nonsense, or I might not be gentle."

With deliberate bravado, Ning Xufeng puffed out his chest, "Go ahead, these pecs didn’t train themselves. How much can your cat-like paws hurt?"

Zhou You smirked and poured saline solution onto the wound, taking a moment to enjoy Ning Xufeng's pained expression, "We're out of alcohol. But since Commander Ning isn't afraid of pain, let’s clean with saltwater."

The night's chaos didn't end until dawn. Everyone was exhausted. Li Yunxi, concerned about Zhou You, came looking for him after the battleground was cleared.

"Zhou You, we've had a significant haul this time. We won't be short on meat during the journey."

Without thinking, Zhou You asked, "Aren't you afraid the beasts' bellies might be filled with human flesh?" Having witnessed the beasts consuming humans, the thought made him physically sick.

Li Yunxi paled and nearly vomited. Zhou You quickly let her inhale some mint oil, apologizing, "I'm sorry for asking. This is the food chain now, like it or not."

Holding her mouth, Li Yunxi nodded, "Indeed, we can't overthink. But now I feel nauseous. I don't think I'll want meat for days."

Zhou You inquired, "Why were we attacked by so many beasts last night?"

The answer came from Li Hongxi, "They didn’t seem organized or premeditated. Rather, they seemed to be fleeing the forest."

Zhou You recalled the collapsed mountain and understood the situation. Their convoy had the misfortune of encountering a horde of fleeing beasts, a surprise for both parties.

"Captain Li," members of the convoy greeted Li Hongxi.

Li Hongxi inquired about the condition of the team. Learning that several members couldn't be saved and others were permanently injured, his expression darkened.

These were members he'd brought up, fiercely loyal companions. Losing so many at once significantly weakened their squad's capabilities.

Zhou You returned to the truck to rest, for the first time not minding the stuffy air, and quickly dozed off.

When he woke up from his nap, everyone was having a meal. The aroma of meat wafted through the camp. Even the average folks got a few slices of grilled meat this time, and everyone seemed delighted, seemingly oblivious to the number of comrades they'd lost.

Zhou You realized that there was a gap between ordinary people and martial artists. The difference in capabilities caused irreconcilable conflicts between the two. Martial artists looked down on ordinary people, who, in turn, feared them. This distinction gave rise to societal classes.

“Zhou You, come quick! I saved some food for you!” Zhan Cheng handed him a big bowl filled with rice and greens, topped with a few thin slices of grilled meat.

“Thank you,” he began, wanting to say he didn't need the meat. But seeing everyone's envious glances, he held his tongue. Those few slices, even if he didn’t eat them, wouldn't be enough for everyone.

Author's note: I've entered a competition, please support and save to favorites!

These past few days, I've been writing non-stop to meet the contest deadline. I'm exhausted.

Chapter 013: If you’re here, give me a sign.

Having a meal that combined both meat and vegetables was a luxury for Zhou You. Watching him eat with such gusto, others often speculated if he had been starving, but in these times, starvation was rare.

Because plants grow incredibly quickly now, what used to be a biannual harvest for rice became multiple times a year. They wouldn’t even need to sow the seeds and the yield was astonishingly high. Passing through paddy fields occasionally provided enough rice for the team for a month.

Even without rice, food was plentiful outdoors. Fruit trees were everywhere, as were mushrooms and wild vegetables. Occasionally, they'd have pickled radishes and other fermented foods, made during their downtime.

"Watching Zhou You eat is so enjoyable. Were you a food vlogger before?" Lao Qiaotou said, leaning on a boulder and squinting.

Zhou You shook his head, explaining, “I just eat quickly, and the food is truly delicious.”