Confirming the underground warehouse area was safe, Chen Luo sheathed his weapons and signaled for the 5 Half-human children and the 3 Silver Demon Wolves to file out of the cold iron cages one by one.
The musty darkness of the tunnel receded behind them. Watching the gaunt children walk unsteadily, Chen Luo spoke up, his voice echoing gently through the bleak space:
-"After we get out of here, where do you all plan to go? Outside right now is an apocalypse, with danger everywhere."
A little girl in the group lowered her head, her small hands clutching the hem of her tattered clothes, her voice trembling:
-"We... don't know. There's no road back home anymore. Outside is all monsters... If we tried to survive on our own, we probably couldn't make it more than 5 days..."
That was a brutal truth. Among the 5 children, only the 3 oldest possessed a bit of instinctive Half-human combat ability, but years of starvation had left their stamina utterly exhausted. The other two were far too young. In the midst of the apocalypse, the appearance of children on the battlefield was itself a rarity, for those tender souls were very hard pressed to endure the constant draining pressure on their life force.
Chen Luo looked away and said calmly:
-"If you truly have nowhere to go, you can choose to follow me. Of course, I don't keep useless people, and I won't force you to charge into death either. But at the very least, you'll need to prove you have survival value. Especially you, boy—you there, the Wolf Tribe one."
Chen Luo spoke with an extremely pragmatic attitude, making no effort to hide his intentions. He was a skill-over-everything survivor—if he took on worthless burdens, that wasn't kindness, it was suicidal stupidity. From his observations, he knew this persuasion would succeed 100%. In a bleak apocalypse, his offer was the only and best lifeline they could cling to.
A shy Half-human girl looked up at him hesitantly:
-"If... if you take us in... would you mind? We... we're just afraid of becoming a burden to you..."
Those years of torment in slave chains had planted deep-seated self-doubt and fear into their minds. They understood all too well the bitter fate of a slave falling into someone else's hands.
-"Relax," Chen Luo cut in, his eyes resolute. "As long as you keep trying, I will never mistreat you. Don't know how to fight? I'll teach you to fight. Don't know how to cook? I'll teach you to cook. If you want to prove your usefulness, first you have to learn how to survive."
Half-humans possess intelligence inherited from humans along with the physical instincts of the Demon Race, and their capacity for learning far exceeds that of ordinary people. Having received Chen Luo's promise, all 5 children felt as though a thousand-pound stone was lifted from their chests, letting out sighs of relief.
The group silently filed behind Chen Luo's steady back as they left the underground area. The moment they stepped out into the open, the children froze, staring in horror at a colossal figure standing towering in the night.
It was Hina. The great Silver Wolf had been patiently waiting for her master. When she saw Chen Luo leading out 5 Half-human children and 3 Silver Demon Wolves, a look of obvious astonishment flickered in Hina's proud eyes. In this brutal apocalypse, gathering up such a motley "army" and still staying alive was nothing short of a miracle.
-"Hina, mind letting these kids ride on your back? It's too dangerous for them to walk on the ground right now." — Chen Luo transmitted through the Telepathy link, not forgetting to shoot her a meaningful sidelong glance.
Hina immediately let out a soft growl in her mind, her silver eyes glaring back defiantly:
-"Hmph! Are you treating me, the princess of the Silver Wolf Tribe, as some kind of mount? Don't even dream of it!"
-"Three more chunks of premium fresh mutton. Deal?" — Chen Luo casually "slapped money in her face," winking as a signal.
Hina's psychological defenses immediately collapsed completely. The sublime taste of the fresh meat in Chen Luo's inventory was a magic a gourmand like her could not resist. Hina let out a cold snort to salvage a shred of dignity, then obediently lowered her massive form to the ground, signaling the children to climb on.
Night had fully fallen. The demonic aura in the space grew denser, and the howls of monsters began echoing from afar.
Chen Luo opened 「Mind Map」, activating a spiritual radar scan. Instantly, the 3D structure of the surrounding area materialized clearly. He quickly marked a safe coordinate—a luxury hotel reinforced with architectural magic that was still fairly intact. The coordinate was immediately shared directly into Hina's mind.
-"Hina, lead the children and the wolf pack ahead to this coordinate. I'll clean up the trailing minions behind and rendezvous afterward."
Receiving the order, Hina carried the 5 children and shot off like a bolt of silver lightning through the night. Chen Luo turned around and drew his military dagger. These wandering low-level monsters offered little EXP due to the level gap, but "little by little, even ants fill the nest"—he would absolutely not leave a single shred of experience behind.
*Clang! Thud!*
After over half an hour of continuous sweeping, Chen Luo's blade felled the final monster. The EXP bar crawled up and stopped at 98% of Level 12. Though slightly regretful he hadn't hit Level 13, Chen Luo quickly sheathed his blade, packed up the loot, and sped toward the rendezvous point.
In the 1st-floor lobby of the hotel, the atmosphere was extremely tense. The children sat restlessly, worrying about the one who had saved their lives. Chris—the Wolf Tribe boy—displayed the clear qualities of a born leader. The boy continuously spoke in a steady, calm voice to reassure the younger ones, keeping the entire group from descending into panic.
-"He's back!" — Aaron suddenly shouted joyfully.
From the darkness beyond the door, Chen Luo's tall figure walked in. Seeing him safe and sound, the entire group of children and Hina alike finally let out the weight pressing on them.
The hotel lobby was vast and luxurious, capable of holding hundreds of people. Though it had endured the apocalypse, the sturdy stone walls and ancient magical patterns still preserved their original splendor.
-"You kids go up to the 4th floor and pick your rooms first. I'll stay on the 1st floor to arrange a resting spot for Hina and the wolf pack." — Chen Luo instructed.
After the children gathered around Chris and headed up the stairs, Chen Luo chose a draft-free corner of the lobby, spread out thick carpets to make a "den" for Hina and the 3 Silver Demon Wolves. Then, using his construction skill from the system shortcuts, he sealed the broken window frames with sturdy stone blocks and blocked off the auxiliary exits, turning the 1st floor into an impenetrable fortress—nothing in, nothing out.
Done, Chen Luo didn't go straight up to the 4th floor but instead headed down to the basement. A boosting player's judgment told him: beneath large structures, there were usually hidden passages or mineral deposits connected to the underground rail system.
However, when he got down there, the basement turned out to be nothing but a solid wall of dense rock. Not the least bit disappointed, Chen Luo flipped his hand and pulled out his Crowbar Pickaxe.
*Klang! Klang! Klang!*
Powerful swings slammed into the rock wall. Square chunks of stone continuously broke off and fell into his inventory. Thanks to his Stamina and Strength stats having been greatly boosted after leveling up, digging rock was now as easy as a stroll for Chen Luo. He wasn't just mining stone to reinforce the base—he was also using the mining function to "clear out" a secret escape route in case they were ever surrounded by monsters.
30 minutes later, Chen Luo brushed the dust from his clothes and leisurely made his way up to the 4th floor.
The 4th floor was filled with warm air. All 5 Half-human children were gathered in a spacious suite. Seeing Chen Luo's figure enter, apart from Chris and Aaron, the other three children immediately shrank back, hiding behind the two older brothers.
Chen Luo removed his shoulder armor and bulky equipment, washed his face with a bit of clean water, and sat down leisurely on the floor. Looking at their timidity and the invisible distance between them, he understood well: the cruel lashes and the dark slave life before had left too deep a psychological scar. Their rejection of strangers was a natural instinct of self-defense.
To break the suffocating tension, Chen Luo took the initiative to speak in a gentle tone:
-"Can you tell me your names? My name is Chen Luo. And yours?"
Aaron was the most outgoing, his tiger ears on his head swaying:
-"I'm Aaron Arl! I'm the second son of the Arl family head in the Asgard Half-human Ancestral City. Just call me Aaron, big brother!"
Chris—the steady Wolf Tribe boy—lowered his head slightly to greet according to royal protocol:
-"I'm Chris de Alteria, the Crown Prince of the Half-human Ancestral City. My father is Claude de Alteria. It's a pleasure to join you, Brother Chen Luo."
Seeing the two older brothers speak up, the brave platinum-haired little girl stepped out, leading a younger sister:
-"I'm Celes von Asteron, the eldest daughter of the Royal Guard. And this is my younger sister, Mana von Asteron. Please guide us well!"
Finally, from the dark corner behind Celes, a small, timid figure spoke in a voice as clear as jade bells, yet painfully shy:
-"I... I'm... Alice... Alice Heisenburg... Big brother... you can call me Alice..."
Chen Luo nodded, taking note. All 5 of these children came from the most prestigious noble families of the Asgard Half-human Ancestral City. Through conversation, he learned they had all been captured because, during a pleasure trip through the mountains, they had wandered off from their escort out of playfulness—and a slave-trading group happened to be nearby. What happened afterward needed no explanation.
Noticing the children's faces had turned pale from cold and exhaustion after the long day, Chen Luo smiled, opened his system inventory, and took out his cooking tools along with fresh ingredients:
-"Alright, introductions are enough. Now then... let me cook you all a nice, warm dinner!"