Chapter 17: Rivalry Among the Ruins

The morning air was thick with the stench of damp concrete and sweat. Haven's walls loomed around us like a cage, and in some ways, that's exactly what it was. A prison for the powerless, a fortress for the privileged.

The rich lived safely inside the Inner District, where food was plentiful, where warm beds and clean clothes still existed. The rest of us? We fought. We bled. We scouted beyond the walls so they could pretend life hadn't collapsed into ruin.

I stood near the mission board, arms crossed, scanning the crowd. Zhao Yue leaned against a broken pillar, loading her gun with practiced efficiency. Ning Xue was quiet, sticking close, her gaze flickering between the people gathered. She'd been watching me and Zhao Yue a lot lately. Even if she didn't understand why.

"Squad Eight," one of the guards called out. "You've got a new addition."

I barely reacted, but Zhao Yue pushed off the pillar, sighing. "Great. Another liability."

The man who stepped forward wasn't what I expected.

He was tall, built like a fighter, his black shirt stained with blood—not his. A faint scar ran along his jaw, cutting through rough stubble. He had the kind of presence that demanded attention, like he had nothing to prove, yet still expected people to know what he was capable of.

"Jiang Chen," the guard said, glancing at his clipboard. "You're with them now."

Jiang Chen's sharp eyes flicked to me, assessing, and then he smirked. "You're the leader?"

I exhaled slowly. "Something like that."

"Good," he said, his voice edged with amusement. "Just don't slow me down."

Zhao Yue scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, fantastic. A cocky idiot. Just what we needed."

Jiang Chen turned to her, grinning. "And you are?"

"Not interested."

He laughed, then faced me again. "Looks like we're stuck together, boss."

I studied him. I knew his type. Fighters who didn't follow orders. Who thought brute strength could solve everything.

"You better keep up," I muttered.

Jiang Chen's grin widened. "Now that sounds like a challenge."

Beyond Haven's walls, the ruins stretched in eerie silence.

We moved carefully, sweeping through the decayed streets. Nature had begun reclaiming the city—ivy creeping through shattered windows, grass growing through cracks in the pavement. But the silence was what haunted me most.

The world shouldn't be this quiet.

"Why do they send us on these death runs every damn day?" Zhao Yue muttered, nudging a rusted-out car with her boot. "Like we're their fucking hunting dogs."

"Because we are," Li Hao said simply.

Jiang Chen chuckled. "Guess I picked the right squad. You lot aren't completely brainwashed."

I glanced at him. "You planning on breaking the system?"

His expression didn't change, but his eyes sharpened. "I plan on surviving. One way or another."

Before I could push him further, we found something that made all of us freeze.

A corpse.

Fresh. Torn open.

The blood was still wet, seeping into the cracked pavement.

"Shit," Ning Xue whispered.

Li Hao crouched beside it, pressing two fingers into the wound. "This wasn't zombies."

Jiang Chen rolled his shoulders, gripping his machete. "Then what?"

That's when I heard it.

A low, guttural growl.

Something moved in the shadows.

Not zombies.

Something worse.

The first creature lunged before I could react.

It wasn't human anymore, but it wasn't fully monstrous either. Its body was hunched, skin stretched tight over unnatural muscles. Its eyes glowed dimly, filled with something resembling intelligence.

I moved instinctively, katana flashing. The blade cut deep, but it barely slowed. It twisted midair, its claws slashing toward my face. I ducked, spinning into a counterattack.

Gunfire exploded beside me.

Zhao Yue shot another one between the eyes. It dropped instantly.

"Headshots work!" she shouted.

Jiang Chen laughed—a wild, reckless sound—before swinging his machete into another creature's neck. "That makes things easier!"

They moved fast. Adapted to our movements.

This wasn't a mindless horde.

This was a hunt.

Li Hao grunted as one tackled him, pinning him against a car. Before I could intervene, Ning Xue was already moving, slamming her stolen knife into its throat.

Another lunged at me.

I twisted, blade flashing, splitting its jaw open. Black blood sprayed across the pavement.

Jiang Chen grinned, spinning his machete before bringing it down on another creature. "Not bad, boss."

I exhaled sharply. "Could say the same about you."

"Think you can keep up?" he taunted.

My lips twitched into a smirk. "Try me."

We moved in sync.

A dance of death.

For the first time in a long while, I found myself enjoying a fight. Not because I had to. Not because it was about survival. But because there was someone beside me who could keep up.

Jiang Chen fought like a hurricane, wild and relentless. I fought like a blade, precise and unyielding.

Together, we tore through them.

Until—

They retreated.

Not mindlessly.

Strategically.

Zhao Yue lowered her gun, breathing heavily. "That's… not normal."

Li Hao wiped blood from his cheek. "They're learning."

Ning Xue swallowed. "That means next time…"

"They'll be stronger," I finished.

Jiang Chen exhaled, rolling his shoulder. "Well, shit. That was fun."

I glanced at him. "Fun isn't the word I'd use."

He smirked. "Come on. Admit it. You liked fighting beside me."

I huffed, wiping my blade clean. "You're reckless."

"And you're too careful." He grinned. "That's why we make a good team."

I didn't respond.

Because, for the first time in a long while…

I wasn't sure if I disagreed.

As we stepped through the gates, I felt it.

Ning Xue's gaze flickered between Zhao Yue and me—a shadow of something she didn't quite understand.

I also caught Jiang Chen watching me, a knowing smirk playing on his lips.

"Careful, boss," he murmured. "Looks like you've got more problems than just the monsters."

I rolled my eyes. "I'll manage."

"Yeah?" He chuckled. "We'll see about that."

One thing was certain.

Jiang Chen was going to be trouble.

And I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

But for now, at least—

I had a rival.

And for the first time in a long time…

I wasn't alone in this fight anymore.

As the battle ended and we returned to Haven, a familiar notification flashed before my eyes.

[System Notification]

You have defeated multiple Tier-2 Mutated Hunters! +8,200 EXP Level Up! You have gained +3 Stat Points! Acquired: Unknown Crystal x3 Acquired: Mutant Beast Core (Tier 2) x1 Acquired: Enhanced Combat Instinct (Passive - Rank C): Boosts intuition in high-speed battles. New Skill Unlocked: Shadow Execution (Active - Rank C) → Grants increased damage when attacking from behind an enemy.

I felt a rush of energy course through my body, the sensation of leveling up making my muscles feel just a little lighter, my senses just a little sharper.

Jiang Chen must have noticed something in my expression because he raised an eyebrow. "What's up?"

"Nothing," I muttered, shaking off the feeling. "Just a little stronger than before."

His smirk widened. "Oh? Then I'll have to push myself harder too."

I exhaled sharply. This guy…

This addition includes the forgotten rewards from the last chapter and integrates them smoothly into the latest events. Let me know if you want any changes or more details on the abilities!