Imagination system

The sun had barely risen, casting a soft golden light over the empty streets. The air was still, but the tension was there. Lu Fang, now at the peak of F-rank, could feel the newfound strength coursing through his veins. The 10 points he had earned from the hyena kills had been well spent. His muscles felt tighter, his senses sharper, and his movements more fluid. He could feel the difference immediately, but he knew better than to let confidence blind him. In this world, survival required more than just power.

Walking alongside Li Mei and Li Lan, he noticed the girls were still adjusting to the harsh reality of their new lives. They had left the safety of the shelter behind, and the fear of the unknown was evident in their eyes. Every corner, every shadow seemed to hide a new threat.

Lu Fang glanced at the two of them, offering a small smile. "Stay close," he said, his voice reassuring but firm.

Li Mei nodded, her grip tightening around her sister. Li Lan, ever the more cautious of the two, scanned the surroundings nervously. They had been through a lot, and the weight of their circumstances hung heavily on their shoulders.

As they walked, the silence between them was broken by the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. Lu Fang's instincts flared. He turned his head slightly, spotting a group of men emerging from an alley. They were armed, each one holding a weapon, and the man at the front—a tall figure with a scar running down his cheek—looked directly at Lu Fang with a predatory gleam in his eyes.

"Well, well," the man said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Looks like we've found some fresh meat."

Lu Fang's hand instinctively moved to his side, but he didn't try to fight. Not yet. He assessed the situation quickly—four men, all armed, but they weren't as dangerous as they thought. Still, he had to be careful. These were people, but they were dangerous, driven by hunger and desperation. He couldn't afford to underestimate them.

The man with the scar grinned. "Name's White Heart. We're just looking for something to eat. Hand over whatever you've got, and we'll let you go."

Li Mei and Li Lan instinctively moved closer to Lu Fang, their eyes wide with fear. Lu Fang could see the tension in their bodies. They weren't used to this kind of threat, and he could tell they were afraid. He didn't blame them. The world had changed, and not for the better.

"We don't have anything," Lu Fang said, his voice steady. "We're just passing through."

White Heart's grin widened. "No food, huh? Well, that's a shame. Guess we'll just have to make do with what we can get." He raised his gun, pointing it carelessly at Lu Fang. "You've got two choices—hand over everything you've got, or you become the food."

Lu Fang's eyes narrowed. He could feel the heat of the moment, the rising tension. He didn't want to kill anyone, but if it came to it, he would. He couldn't let these men harm the girls, and they didnt have anything to eat because they were counting on the next shelter for food.

White Heart's crew laughed, clearly amused by their own power. "What's it gonna be?" one of them sneered, a wicked smile on his face.

Lu Fang's gaze shifted to the three men standing behind White Heart. They were all armed, but their postures were relaxed. They thought they had the upper hand. But they were wrong.

He took a deep breath, his voice calm but carrying a dangerous edge. "We don't want trouble. But if you force it, I won't hesitate."

White Heart's smile faltered for a moment, but then he chuckled darkly. "You think you can take us on? You're outnumbered, kid."

Lu Fang's eyes flicked to the girls, who were now visibly shaking. He could see the fear in their eyes, and that was all the motivation he needed. He stepped forward, his movements quick and decisive. Before White Heart could react, Lu Fang closed the distance between them, grabbed the barrel of the gun, and twisted it sharply. The weapon flew out of White Heart's hand, and with a swift motion, Lu Fang knocked him to the ground with a punch that echoed through the street.

The system's voice rang in his mind:

[Unawakened monster defeated. 2 points awarded]

Lu Fang froze for a moment. He had just killed White Heart, but the system had labeled him as an "unawakened monster." He looked down at the man, now dead on the ground.

The system's voice continued:

[A human without morality is no different from a monster]

Lu Fang's expression hardened. He understood now. White Heart had crossed a line. He was no longer human in the truest sense. He was a predator, preying on the weak, and in this world, that made him a monster.

The remaining three men hesitated, their weapons still in hand but their confidence shaken. They had seen what Lu Fang was capable of, and now they weren't so sure they wanted to fight.

One of them spoke up, his voice shaking. "What do we do now?"

Lu Fang didn't answer. Instead, he turned to Li Mei and Li Lan, giving them a reassuring nod. "Stay back," he said softly.

The three men exchanged uneasy glances, clearly unsure of what to do next. Lu Fang knew they were out of their depth, but they were dangerous nonetheless. He couldn't afford to take chances.

With a swift motion, Lu Fang grabbed a discarded gun from the ground, aiming it at the remaining men. His voice was low, but filled with authority. "Leave now, and you'll live. But if you try anything, I won't hesitate."

The men froze, their fear palpable. They knew they were beaten. One by one, they dropped their weapons and backed away, their eyes wide with terror.

Lu Fang didn't lower the gun until they had turned and fled into the distance. He watched them go, making sure they wouldn't come back.

Li Mei and Li Lan stepped forward, their faces pale but relieved. "Thank you," Li Mei whispered, her voice barely audible.

Lu Fang nodded, his expression softening. "They weren't worth killing, but white heart was diffrent."

Li Lan, still shaking, stepped closer to him. "But… he was human."

Lu Fang looked at her, his gaze thoughtful. "Sometimes, humans become something else. When they lose their morality, they stop being human. They become predators. And in this world, predators don't get to survive."

Li Mei and Li Lan were silent, processing his words. They had seen the brutality of the world firsthand, but hearing Lu Fang's words made it clearer. The line between human and monster wasn't always as simple as blood or appearance. It was about choices, actions, and morality.

Lu Fang turned to the fallen guns, his eyes narrowing. He bent down and began to dismantle them, snapping them into pieces with ease.

"Why destroy them?" Li Mei asked, confused.

"These guns won't help us against monsters," Lu Fang replied. "They'll only be used by humans to hurt other humans. I won't let that happen."

With the weapons destroyed, Lu Fang stood up and gave a small nod. "Let's keep moving. The shelter's not far."

The trio continued their journey, the weight of the encounter still hanging over them. But with each step, they grew stronger, more united in their resolve. The world was dangerous, but as long as they had each other, they would keep fighting.

As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, the next shelter came into view. They had survived another day.