Chapter 57: Chaotic Camp

Jiangcheng was a slender city built along the river. The narrow terrain allowed the Rubik's Cube to reach the low hills after a short flight.

Whirrr—— Whirrr—— Whirrr——

As the propellers spun rapidly, the transforming helicopter quickly gained altitude. Flying too low risked detection by sentries, like the two people on the rooftop earlier. In these times, nobody would waste fuel running radar systems continuously. From high above, the entire camp could be observed. Since humanity's main threat came from zombies, why bother monitoring the skies? This marked the first operational use of the helicopter transformation, though it remained essentially a toy...

The two low hills separating the urban area from Xin'an Town camp were flat, covered with dense trees and wild grass without any vehicle-passable roads. Beyond the hills, scattered fires flickered around Xin'an Town. Vehicle headlights swept across the camp, but the real reason for choosing this location was its proximity to the provincial highway and more importantly, a hot spring villa estate. Over thirty villas glowed brightly in the night, powered by at least five or six roaring fuel generators - extravagant energy waste for revelry instead of survival in this apocalyptic night.

Hovering above the camp, the Rubik's Cube scanned the area. The villa dwellers were immersed in drunken debauchery - fashionably dressed people shouting with wine glasses under bright lights, upper rooms presenting even more obscene scenes. "The mayor truly has talent organizing such festivities when death looms tomorrow," it thought. Contrasting sharply, the other side of camp lay in darkness illuminated

only by a few bonfires.

Makeshift shelters constructed from plastic sheets, canvas, or even cardboard boxes housed numerous survivors amidst garbage and sewage. Lawlessness prevailed - the Cube witnessed several men assaulting a girl in one shack while others deliberately looked away.

"This isn't a camp but purgatory before death. Intervention is needed - security here is nonexistent anyway."

Click-clack...

Missiles extended from both sides of the remote-controlled helicopter while a machine gun emerged below the nose, transitioning to combat mode.

In the shantytown, three men laughed raucously in a plastic sheet shelter. A girl lay sobbing on a grimy wooden board, her torn clothes bearing silent witness. Two men pinned her arms while a third violated her body, the scene illuminated by two candles casting grotesque shadows on the attackers' faces. The girl's tear-streaked face showed despair, resentment, and humiliation - having survived the apocalypse only to meet this fate in what was supposed to be sanctuary.

Whirrr—— Whirrr——

Curious awake survivors looked skyward at the strange noise.

"Decepticons ready for battle! Er... Autobots transform!" From five meters altitude, mechanical sounds echoed as the helicopter's propellers folded into backpack fans. The left arm transformed into a machine gun while the right drew a machete from its back, locking onto the three assailants as it dove toward the candlelit shelter.

Rip! The plastic sheet tore open as the Cube landed on the rapist's shoulder. Before reaction was possible, the machete flashed across his neck, severing arteries. Pushing off the collapsing body, it leaped onto the second man restraining the girl's arm, machine gun pressing against his skull.

Rat-tat! The second man collapsed instantly.

"Ghost!!" The last attacker tried fleeing but found his wrist seized by the violated girl, her eyes icy with hatred. The Cube lunged forward, sensors highlighting the beating heart in its vision, driving the blade hilt-deep into the third man's chest.

"Bastard! Savor your dying moments!" the Cube rasped in the man's ear.

Wiping the blade on the corpse's clothes, it sheathed the weapon. The first attacker now twitched in his death throes, pale belly glowing in the dim light as blood pooled around him. The heart-pierced man's movements grew increasingly feeble.

Expecting screams from the traumatized girl, the Cube turned - only to find her clutching torn fabric over her chest, tear-filled eyes showing complex emotions: curiosity, fear, but predominantly grief and bitterness. "What...are you...?" she stammered between sobs.

"I'm Rubik's Cube from Longshan Survivor Camp. Wait here - I've got chaos to spread."

After tossing the corpses outside, the Cube emerged wielding its machine gun. Through the plastic sheeting, the girl witnessed intermittent muzzle flashes and heard staccato gunfire as screams erupted around the shantytown - justice delivered to those who had eyed her hungrily earlier.

Rustle. The Cube threw in a set of clothes through the torn plastic. "Find another shelter. Make yourself look filthy."

"Useless...Same everywhere..." The girl hugged her knees despairingly.

Silence. The Cube contemplated - the apocalypse had warped humanity beyond anticipation. As the girl said, where could she go? Another shack might bring repetition. With skewed gender ratios and collapsed order, desperate men sought release through violence. Many young women likely suffered similarly, while those in power indulged rather than protected.

Take her? Night travel was perilous - Longshan Camp required nearly an hour's drive. Abandoning her felt cruel...