Chapter 53: Three Newcomers

“Damn, three people coming here on a raft? Are they three survivors just like us? This is great news! With three more people, we won’t have to be so afraid of those monsters anymore.” Ding Longyun was filled with excitement.

He then suddenly remembered something and quickly rushed upstairs. When he reappeared, he was holding some clothes, which he immediately lit with a lighter, sending up a column of thick smoke.

He hoped the smoke would draw the attention of the newcomers, signaling to them that there were survivors here.

Su Li could now also vaguely see a blurry black shadow on the water surface in the distance, but he still couldn’t clearly make out that it was three people on a raft. It seemed Xu Xuehui’s eyesight was far superior to theirs now.

This made him strongly consider enhancing his eyes as well. It was frustrating that the enhancement choices were limited to only a few random options with each advancement, and he couldn’t choose to enhance any part he wished.

Ding Longyun carefully maintained the smoke while concentrating, like Su Li, on the distant water. The blurry black silhouette gradually sharpened and grew larger. Finally, they could clearly see it: it was indeed a raft floating on the water, with three figures on it. They still couldn’t tell if they were male or female.

After about another minute, they finally got a clear look at the three people on the raft.

As Xu Xuehui had said, they were all men. They appeared to be between 20 and 30 years old. One man stood at the bow, one at the stern, both paddling. A third man sat in the middle, and Su Li could vaguely see the man in the middle smoking a cigarette.

The raft was moving quickly, heading right for them. Su Li, Ding Longyun, and Xu Xuehui all stood on the balcony, watching the three people on the raft from afar.

“I wonder which building they came from. They seem to have traveled a considerable distance. They must be quite bold,” Ding Longyun murmured.

“Their strength must be considerable, otherwise they wouldn’t be so daring,” Su Li mused. From the moment Xu Xuehui spotted the three, they hadn’t even seen a shadow. Even considering the limited visibility due to the mist, he calculated that the three must have traveled from at least one or two kilometers away.

“If their strength is high, that’s even better! I hope they’re as strong as possible,” Ding Longyun rubbed his hands together, filled with curiosity about the three soon-to-arrive men.

Su Li felt much the same way. Since the flood submerged the city, he had only met two living people: Xu Xuehui and Ding Longyun. Meeting three more at once naturally made him excited.

They might be able to get some news from these three: where they came from, and what they had experienced. Furthermore, this detail suggested that although the city was submerged, there must be quite a few survivors, only isolated by the floodwaters.

Su Li and the others were watching the three on the raft. The man sitting and smoking in the middle of the raft suddenly stood up and looked directly at them. Clearly, he had noticed the three people standing on the balcony.

The raft maintained its speed as it approached. The distance between them rapidly closed. The man in the middle was already waving at them. Like them, the three people on the raft were clearly excited.

“These three are lucky. They seem to have made the trip safely,” Su Li murmured, watching the raft come within 100 meters. He thought back to his own journey here, which was plagued by danger. If Ding Longyun hadn’t intervened to save him, he would have been in serious trouble.

Ding Longyun laughed, “What are you talking about? Isn’t it better if they’re safe? Besides, the daytime isn’t as dangerous as the night. Do you really think those monsters don’t need to rest? They only rest during the day so they can better hunt at night.”

Su Li smiled faintly. “That’s a novel way of thinking.”

Su Li observed that the raft the three men were using was very similar to the one he had built, constructed from wooden doors. However, Su Li was surprised that there were no supplies piled on the raft. Apart from the three men, it was completely empty.

“Strange. They don’t have any food or water. Have they all enhanced their stomachs and just eat and drink raw, needing no supplies?” Su Li’s heart stirred with an inexplicable curiosity.

After all, when he left his apartment, he took every supply he could carry, even preparing an ample amount of cooled boiled water. The raft these three were on was large enough to hold supplies, and since they had traveled a long distance, they must have passed other exposed buildings. It was impossible they hadn’t collected any resources. The only explanation was that they had not collected any supplies but had come straight here.

The two groups were taking stock of each other. Ding Longyun looked excited. Seeing the raft come within 20 meters of the balcony, he laughed. He first tossed the clothes that were still emitting smoke into the water and then proactively greeted them in a loud voice: “Hello, I’m Ding Longyun! This is Su Li, and this is Xu Xuehui.”

He introduced the three of them as he greeted the newcomers.

The two men paddling at the bow and stern of the raft immediately stopped. The raft’s speed slowed and drifted toward the balcony due to inertia.

The man standing in the middle, Ni Jianrong, was around 27 or 28 years old. He wasn’t unattractive, and his smile made him look full of sunshine. Even in this flooded, perilous city, he looked clean all over, including his fair face, clean hands, and spotless sportswear.

“I’m Ni Jianrong. This is Fang You, and this is Wang Kaikang.”

Ni Jianrong, the man in the middle, announced their names. The man standing and paddling at the bow was Fang You, who looked about 23 or 24, with a square face and a buzz cut, appearing sharp and energetic.

Wang Kaikang, standing at the stern, looked the youngest, around 20. As Ni Jianrong introduced him, he looked down slightly, seeming somewhat shy.

Su Li noticed that Wang Kaikang was carrying a long object wrapped in cloth on his back. Judging by the shape, it looked like a sword or a saber.

“Welcome, the three of you.” Ding Longyun smiled and nodded. He was genuinely happy about the arrival of Ni Jianrong and his companions. After all, strength came in numbers, and in this dangerous world, having three more companions meant an increased chance of survival.

“Throw the rope to me. I’ll help stabilize the raft. Hurry up and come up!” Ding Longyun saw that their raft had a nylon rope secured to it. A hammer without a handle was tied to the end of the rope, which probably served as an anchor to secure the raft.

(End of Chapter)