NOVEL SIMPLE CHAPTER 105
Chapter 105: The Giant Bird
Day 103 of the Apocalypse Calendar, Thursday.
Passed without incident. No zombies, no lunatics—just a serene and productive day.
Friday, Day 104 of the Apocalypse Calendar.
After his afternoon nap, Lu Ming ascended the tower to scout for zombies from above, intending to hone his long-range skills.
Suddenly, a black shadow caught his eye, rapidly approaching from the horizon. His enhanced vision allowed him to discern its form—a colossal raven.
With a wingspan of nearly five meters and piercing green eyes, the creature was a monstrous version of its ordinary counterpart, its body cloaked in jet-black feathers.
Lu Ming’s brow furrowed in confusion. This didn’t align with his understanding. Huo Sheng had conducted extensive research on the adaptability of animals to the Mystery Factor. Their findings suggested that animals and plants wouldn’t mutate due to exposure—they wouldn’t become zombies or Awakened. The Mystery Factor seemed to exclusively target humans.
The appearance of this giant raven defied all known science. It was a disturbing anomaly. The creature possessed an uncanny intelligence, evident in its swift and deliberate movements.
Lu Ming’s observation tower was quite conspicuous, and combined with his prolonged stare, the giant raven seemed to have detected his presence.
The raven emitted a long, piercing cry, its gaze locking onto Lu Ming. With a powerful flap of its wings, it soared toward him like a launched projectile.
“Hmm? It’s hostile?” Lu Ming’s muscles tensed in response.
Swiftly, he retrieved a two-meter heavy sniper rifle from beneath his feet. While Lu Ming had an affinity for small animals, he maintained a cautious distance from creatures that could pose a threat, even common pets like cats and dogs.
This massive bird clearly exceeded the category of “small animal,” and its aggression left no room for peaceful negotiation.
Lu Ming took aim and pulled the trigger.
With a Level 25 firearms skill, his accuracy was impeccable. The rifle roared, the powerful recoil barely registering against Lu Ming’s sturdy frame.
On the receiving end, the giant raven’s head exploded like a melon struck by a sledgehammer. The force of the impact was immense. The bird’s headless body, propelled by momentum, continued its flight for a short distance, flapping its wings reflexively before plummeting like a downed aircraft, crashing near Good Hope Village.
Once again, the power of firearms had proven reliable, as long as the targets weren’t those freaks with extraordinary regenerative abilities.
For Lu Ming, the incident was merely a minor inconvenience. He shouldered the heavy sniper rifle and resumed his search for suitable targets to practice his marksmanship.
However, the thunderous explosion caused by the bird’s impact had caught the attention of the residents of Good Hope Village.
“What was that?” Li Zitong asked, startled by the noise. He scanned the surroundings but found nothing out of the ordinary.
Zhao Honglei, however, had seen it all. “A strange bird, shot down by Brother Lu,” he explained.
Pointing toward the direction where the bird had fallen, Zhao Honglei estimated the distance and declared, “I’ll go retrieve the carcass.”
Li Zitong nodded in agreement. Zhao Honglei possessed the Stealth superpower, allowing him to move undetected. After becoming a Level 3 Awakened a few days ago, his ability to conceal himself had grown even stronger. He was the ideal candidate for the task.
Grabbing a spear, Zhao Honglei ventured out from the gathering place. Twenty minutes later, he returned, burdened with the massive carcass of the strange bird, its bulk resembling a small hill.
He dropped the carcass with a heavy thud, stretching his aching shoulder. “Brother Lu has taken down another strange creature,” he announced.
Zhao Honglei marveled at the sheer size of the bird, while Li Zitong’s eyes sparkled with a curious glint.
He circled the carcass, inspecting it from all angles. After a moment of contemplation, he posed a question to Zhao Honglei, his voice barely a whisper, “Uncle Honglei, do you think we can eat this?”
Zhao Honglei was momentarily speechless. After a pause, he replied hesitantly, “I suppose... we could.”
The Guangping Street gathering place operated as a democratic community. Aside from Lu Ming, even the Awakened received no special treatment. They might have enjoyed better accommodations, but when it came to food, everyone shared the same provisions.
While supplies weren’t scarce, the apocalypse had undoubtedly made them more precious. As a result, both Li Zitong and Zhao Honglei hadn’t tasted meat in a while.
The sight of the strange bird sparked a glimmer of hope. It might be edible.
Of course, neither Li Zitong nor Zhao Honglei were reckless individuals. They knew the rules of the shelter.
Necessary inspections were still required.
Lu Ming hadn’t paid much attention to their endeavors. However, as he entered the dining hall for dinner, his eyebrows shot up in surprise at the sight that greeted him.
There were only three barrels of rice and five plates of vegetables on the dining table.
How could this possibly be enough to feed everyone?
Lu Ming, however, wasn’t one to complain without cause. He glanced at the smiling Zhang Chengcheng and Wei Lan before settling down at the table and picking up his chopsticks.
“Chicken?” he inquired.
“Um, chicken,” Wei Lan confirmed, a hint of nervousness in her voice.
“Aren’t we running low on food?” Lu Ming asked, concern lacing his tone.
“We still have enough,” Zhang Chengcheng chimed in, her smile unwavering.
If they had enough, why such a meager meal? Lu Ming wanted to probe further but decided against it. Instead, he took a bite of rice, then picked up a piece of chicken.
The moment he held it between his chopsticks, he sensed something unusual. Ordinary chicken would easily break apart under such pressure, but this piece felt remarkably firm and resilient.
Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, Lu Ming placed the meat in his mouth.
A subtle sweetness and a chewy texture burst across his taste buds.
“Hmm...” He chewed deliberately, savoring each bite before finally swallowing.
Instantly, a surge of energy coursed through his body.
“This isn’t ordinary meat,” he realized.
It wasn’t just the taste that was different. The energy contained within this meat was unlike anything Lu Ming had encountered before.
As his physique had grown, so had his digestive capacity. Normally, the meager energy found in regular food would be swiftly absorbed and converted into calories to sustain his muscles. This was the reason behind his lengthy meal times—the energy content in ordinary food was simply too low.
In fact, Lu Ming’s daily meals barely kept him from feeling hungry. It wasn’t due to a lack of supplies. If he wanted to feel completely full, he would have to eat non-stop.
But this meat was something else entirely. With just one bite, the nagging hunger Lu Ming constantly felt began to fade. His body felt as though it had been parched and was finally being quenched by sweet nectar. His energy and spirits soared.
Compared to this profound sense of satisfaction, the taste of the meat seemed almost trivial.
“What kind of meat is this?” Lu Ming asked, taking another bite. He suddenly understood why there were so few dishes on the table today.
His earlier discontentment vanished as he looked at Zhang Chengcheng’s beaming face.
“It’s from the giant bird,” she replied, a hint of pride in her voice.
Lu Ming pondered for a moment, then nodded in understanding. “Good bird, good meat,” he declared, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
End of Chapter 105