Chapter 2 : An incoming crisis

The next morning, Shu was woken up by a ray of sunlight that managed to slip in from a hole on his tent; he rubbed his eyes while standing up groggily from his bed, he then took a strung dried meat to eat and then waked out from his tent as he took his wooden stick and his bag along. 

He was heading to the garbage mountains to forage for trash like every day, on his way here he saw many other people like him who were going to the same place today was the day of the month when new garbage would-be thrown here so many people were going here. He soon reached a spot without anyone, it was his territory at the edge of the mountains; the places where new trash were thrown were the territory of the criminals that were not only strong and knew how to fight but also cruel enough to kill if someone dared to trespass. There weren't many valuable thing in his small corner but it was still better than the other kids who could only forage where people already passed by several times taking anything of values.

 Time passed by and the sun was now hanging high in the sky, a loud noise came from afar and a cloud of dust was raised in the air, soon two bull like beast with curved horns appeared in the distance, they were the source of the cloud of dust, as they neared the settlement, it was apparent that the two beast weren't normal one, they were ferocious beast heightening three metres tall and five metres long, their imposing figures showed the tyrannical strength they held in it, behind the two beast was a huge chariot that was ten metres long full of garbage assembled from the town nearby. The chariot stopped before the mountains of garbage, and several men walked out of the front of it, they were the worker dealing with the place to throw the trash. 

The residents of the slum didn't dare come near them, they kept their distance looking at them from afar, soon a bald middle-aged man walked up to the men it was Ken Liu the weasel, he personally brought some wooden boxes he then said as he handed them over to the man in front:

"Mister Lin Fan, these are the harvest of this month, there are some good merchandise in here that you should be pleased with."

The guy didn't look at the content as he threw a box on his own on the ground, Ken Liu took it with anticipation as he thanked the man, the latter looked at him with a bit of pity before saying something to him. After hearing his words, the weasel showed a pale look, the happiness he showed just now disappeared completely. The man didn't continue the talk, he turned to his men and ordered them to dump the garbage, they listened and went to discharge the Chariot's charge on the mountain of garbage, they then embarked in the chariot before leaving this place in a cloud of dust. 

Ken Liu left the pace with a somber face, his men followed him as they went back to the building where they resided.

The other residents them began to rush at the garbage newly thrown while keeping the distance from other people's territory, Shu was amongst them as he began to forage the trash that fell on his spot. 

They weren't aware that it was the last time such a thing would happen. 

...…..

When the sun was beginning to set, most of the people had already left the mountains of trash, Shu also decided to end here since he had looked at most of the newly thrown garbage on his side, the harvest was average as he just found out some ceramics cup that were mostly broken with only a few that had some crack. He walked back to his dwelling when he found out that the atmosphere in the settlement was different from usual, the slum dwellers who usually minded their own business were talking with each other which was a sight rarely seen; Shu was intrigued as he walked over to some adults while keeping the distance to not provoke them. A man with a scar on his forehead who gave a dangerous vibe saw him and looked to his side, but he ignored him seeing that he was only a kid and knew to keep the distance; he then continued his talk with a thin man whose eyes in a slits seemed always closed:

"Look like the situation in the south is already a lost cause, for dozen of villages to be reduced in ash; the war is really coming!" his face was really grave when he said that. They knew that a war had begun in the last month in the region but now that it was nearing them, he couldn't help but be apprehensive.

The thin man acquiesced with a nod to his words but he then talked with huge terror in his voice:

"The war is indeed coming, but I heard something even more terrifying today. This time, it is not just a war between some countries; Immortals are also taking part in it!"

"Immortals!!" The scarred man's expression changed drastically when he heard that, as he exclaimed in panic. A war between countries was a huge problem that would impact the whole region, but for them in the slum, it wouldn't go worse, he even thought about trying his chance to enter an army since he was an able man and could walk away from this life of poverty. But, when he heard about the presence of immortals, he lost any hope. This situation could no longer be called a problem but a disaster coming to them. Immortal's fighting would only bring destruction and desolation to the whole area, they wouldn't care about the life of mortals more than that of ants, the simple aftermath of their fights would be enough to wipe out this settlement and the residents.

He then hurriedly asked the thin man with a forceful tone:

"What made you think that immortals are involved?!"

The thin man answered him with a bitter face:

"I heard from Ken Liu that the people from the town nearby who went to the villages in the south found absolutely nothing left there, there wasn't any trace of fighting or looting, only scorched earth as if a storm of fire passed by; and even more so there wasn't any traces of an army passing there. To destroy so many villages without the presence of an army while leaving nothing behind, what else could it be if not immortals?!"

The scarred man fell in silence before saying suddenly:

"I'm getting out of here, if what you said is right, staying here mean sure death, what about you?"

The thin man hesitated for a bit, they were researched criminals so they were hiding here to lay low until the situation calmed down but thinking about it those people pursuing them should be in panic right now with the current situation; they wouldn't pay attention to them so he gritted his teeth and said:

"Okay. Let's get out of here, the faster the better."They then went in hurry to prepare and run away from here without paying attention to the other people.

Shu who was listening to them nearby was shaken; he didn't understand what a 'war' or an 'immortal' were but he knew those two guys who were talking about running away right now, they were ones of the strongest in the slum that would take priority when foraging in the trash yet they were running away in such a hurry saying that this place was done for; he was gripped by fear and anxiety from the unknown; he may be a kid and didn't know many thing but he didn't want to die. He threw any thought of doing anything else and ran back to his tent to take the things he needed here and leave this place; even though he didn't know anything outside the slum it was better than dying here. 

....

As Shu ran back to his hut he didn't know that most of the people living outside the slum were already several tens of kilometers away from there, they not only knew that the immortals were fighting in this war, they also knew that they were nearing this place and would soon pass by the river bank so they made preparation to run since long ago; for them the slum dwellers were just a group of lawless people so they didn't try reaching to them. 

Shu just arrived in his hut and put his things in his bag, he only put the dried meat and the water in it since foods and water would be necessary no matter where he goes, he finished in a flash and walked out of his tent without looking back.