Chapter 1 Recruitment

Red notices were posted on the streets and alleys of Xichuan Town and on the walls of ruins, depicting a hideous snake head.

This was the Heavenly Serpent Gang's recruitment poster.

"Strange mist descends upon the city, cutting off all paths to survival. Within, the King Cobra wreaks havoc in all directions, and without, giant wolves attack from the deep sinkhole. Xichuan Town is in dire straits, its future uncertain."

"I, Zhang Ji, a descendant of Zhang Wuji, a resident of the western district of Xichuan Town, am honored by my neighbors to be the leader of the Heavenly Serpent Gang, respectfully called Snake Lord. However, I often suffer sleepless nights and have no appetite, truly worried about the survival of the people of Xichuan Town and concerned about the future path of survival..."

"Now, I sincerely invite ambitious individuals to join the Heavenly Serpent Gang to create a great cause together and seek a way out. Those who meet the following conditions will be welcomed by me, Zhang Ji, and treated as honored guests."

Many people gathered around, and a tall man read aloud in a loud voice that carried far.

"First, those born in the year of the Ox, whose beastly transformations are into dairy cows, or related milk-producing beasts;"

"Second, those born in the year of the Sheep, whose beastly transformations are into dairy sheep, or related milk-producing beasts;"

"Third, those born in the year of the Rooster, whose beastly transformations are into hens, or related egg-laying birds of prey."

A large line of text followed:

"Welcome sisters who meet the above conditions to join the Heavenly Serpent Gang. Once you join, you are family. We guarantee meat and blood at every meal. Friends who like to eat grass will also have someone to cut grass and deliver it to you, so you no longer have to worry about being hunted by the King Cobra while grazing."

"In addition, the Heavenly Serpent Gang has many old arts and ancient methods such as the *Nai Bu Mi Shu* (Milk Supplement Secret Art) and *Sheng Dan Jin Hua Shu* (Egg-Laying Evolution Art), which can be obtained for free upon joining."

"Dear friends, come on! Every profession produces a champion. Producing milk and laying eggs is not shameful. It is humiliating to be unable to survive. Those who laugh and mock you today will not be able to reach you in the future!"

"I, Zhang Ji, descendant of Zhang Wuji, establish a heart for Heaven and Earth and a destiny for the people. I am of upright character and filled with righteousness. I am waiting for you in the Heavenly Serpent Gang, believing that the future big shots are you!"

Several hundred words were written in a flamboyant style, making the surrounding people's blood boil.

Especially some women who met the conditions had shining eyes and excitedly bit their lips.

However, the surrounding men began to curse.

"Bullshit, it sounds better than it sings! Do you really think we are fools?"

"The Heavenly Serpent Gang arrested my sister a few days ago, just because she was born in the year of the Ox. I heard that she is now in a terrible state, chained up and milked every day. My poor sister, what am I going to do at night without her?"

"That's right, I heard about it too! Once you go there, you will be raised like cattle and sheep. The water is very deep!"

The men were all cursing, and some angrily tore up the recruitment poster.

"The Heavenly Serpent Gang is too bad, especially that dog hall master, Hu San, he is simply rotten to the core."

"Hu San is nothing. In my opinion, the most wicked and vicious is the gang leader Zhang Ji, who calls himself Snake Lord. This person is comparable to Yue Buqun!"

"This guy is a hypocritical and sanctimonious person. He says nice things, that you will be an honored guest when you go there, but in the end, either your kidneys are harvested, or you are raised to produce milk and lay eggs..."

The crowd was noisy and filled with curses.

Some women who were originally tempted heard this, and their faces turned pale with fear.

In the crowd, Xu Xiaoqian's eyes struggled with hesitation.

Looking at the large characters on the recruitment poster, she was moved, but the discussions around her made her feel fear and confusion. Her teeth bit her lip, and her eyes were full of confusion.

She was born in the year of the Rooster and was an extremely rare Fu Xi.

Her bloodline was ancient. She had the appearance and wings of a chicken, but had sharp claws like a fierce tiger. She had now evolved four times. The night before yesterday, she felt abdominal distension and thought she had eaten something bad and went to the toilet. As a result, she laid an egg.

It was a silver egg, more than half a meter in size.

She was afraid and panicked. How could she lay an egg?! She hadn't been in contact with any men born in the year of the Rooster these days!

She was worried about being laughed at, so she secretly ate the egg herself.

However, she felt that there were still eggs in her belly, because her abdomen had been slightly distended, like she was on her period, but even more like she was pregnant.

She was shy and embarrassed, and had been worried about it. Now that she saw the Heavenly Serpent Gang's recruitment poster, she was instantly moved.

"Xiaoqian, don't be silly!" Her best friend, Li Siqi, saw that Xu Xiaoqian's face was not right and hurriedly advised her.

"Although the Heavenly Serpent Gang is currently the largest force in Xichuan Town, it has all kinds of people. It is dirty, chaotic, bloody, and dark. It is not suitable for us."

"I heard that there is a War Wolf Regiment in the southern district, which is very good. A Cross Arrow Church has been established in the eastern district, which is strict and respects women. The Northern District has the Divine Dragon Sect, whose leader is a *Suanni* (mythological lion-like creature) bloodline with a giant fierceness, named Long Chen, who bears the blood of a dragon, but is very righteous and friendly, and handsome."

"By the way, I heard that he is also the only master who survived the King Cobra's pursuit."

Li Siqi mentioned several forces that had recently developed through elimination, her eyes shining.

Especially when she talked about Long Chen, the leader of the Divine Dragon Sect in the Northern District, her eyes were full of splendor, and she praised him constantly.

Xu Xiaoqian glanced at her and smiled, "You little monkey's lust is acting up again, isn't it? Look how excited you are. People may not like you."

Li Siqi was born in the year of the Monkey.

Hearing this, she pouted and said, "How would you know if you don't try? Let's go back and pack our things and go to the Northern District to join the Divine Dragon Sect, okay?"

She looked at Xu Xiaoqian with anticipation.

Xu Xiaoqian nodded, and Li Siqi immediately narrowed her eyes with joy, but she did not notice the look of apology that flashed in Xu Xiaoqian's eyes.

"Today is different from the past. Brainless infatuation will only kill me. Maybe the Heavenly Serpent Gang is chaotic and dark, maybe that Snake Lord Zhang Ji is shameless and brutal, but as long as he is strong enough and his thighs are thick enough, I have to hug him and never let go!"

"Living is more important than anything else..."

"Now, the opportunity has come!"

While Li Siqi was looking for someone to go to the Northern District together, Xu Xiaoqian quietly left, heading west, and her figure quickly disappeared into the dilapidated ruins.

At the Huatian Building, a half-collapsed wall also had a recruitment poster pasted on it.

A circle of people stood around watching.

Among them was a couple, standing hand in hand, leaning against each other, looking very loving.

"Zhou Hao, let's go, there's nothing to see, it's all lies." The woman had a sweet smile and charming dimples. After the earthquake, she lacked food and clothing. She was only wearing a tube top and shorts, revealing her sexy waist and snow-white neck.

Some men around stared at her maliciously, occasionally making obscene laughter and whistling sounds.

She leaned on her boyfriend Zhou Hao a little uncomfortably, as if her boyfriend could give her a sense of security.

Zhou Hao glared at the surrounding men with disgust, held her hand tightly and walked away quickly, but his eyes quickly glanced at the words on the recruitment poster, and smiled as he walked:

"Su Yue, you were born in the year of the Horse, and your beastly transformation is a *Bao Ma* (a breed of horse known for its milk production). Last night, when we were doing that, it seemed like milk came out of you, and it tasted pretty good..."

The woman blushed suddenly, buried her head in Zhou Hao's arms, punched his chest with her fist, and whispered, "You bad guy, don't say that again, I..."

A lip had already fallen, and the two burrowed into a corner of the ruins.

The strange mist was森 (sēn - dense, eerie), but there was a hot and warm atmosphere spreading in the ruins.

As if spring had arrived.

A moment later, the woman fell asleep tired and satisfied. Zhou Hao walked out of the ruins and saw members of the Heavenly Serpent Gang posting recruitment posters on the street. He immediately waved and ran over.

"Brothers, do you want mare's milk?"

"Mare's milk? The hall master didn't say he wanted mare's milk, but it's all milk, so he should want it!" Huang An said thoughtfully.

He was Hu San's confidant, and his beastly transformation was a 田园犬 (Tiányuán quǎn - a type of country dog), very ordinary and timid, but he was clever and had a sweet tongue, so he became a small leader of the Dog Hall.

"You are born in the year of the Horse? We only want women, not men." Huang An waved impatiently, and several of his men had already drawn their knives to drive him away.

Zhou Hao hurriedly said, "My girlfriend was born in the year of the Horse, she has milk, mare's milk, I've even drunk it, it tastes much better than goat's milk and cow's milk."

"I can give her to you!"

Huang An narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Does your girlfriend want to?"

Zhou Hao gritted his teeth and said, "It's not up to her to want to or not, I decide, but I have a condition, I want to join the Heavenly Serpent Gang, I was born in the year of the Sheep, and I want to be a small captain in your Twelve Halls' Sheep Hall, can I?"

He looked expectant.

Huang An's eyes flashed with disdain, and he said, "You're really not a thing, selling your girlfriend, but maybe that's why you've been able to survive until now!"

Zhou Hao nodded and flattered with a smile: "Thank you for the compliment, so this matter?"

Huang An nodded and said, "Okay, I'll take it. Where is your girlfriend?"

Zhou Hao pointed to the corner of the ruins where he was hiding and said, "You can just go and arrest her, I won't go, lest she sees me and cries again, that woman just likes to cry, it's annoying."

Hearing this, Huang An's expression became even more contemptuous, and he waved his hand with disgust, telling him to go to the Heavenly Serpent Gang's residence to wait for news, and then personally led people to arrest her.

Soon, there was a burst of frightened screams, cries, and shouts from the woman.

In the distance, in the misty ruins, Zhou Hao squatted on the ground with his hands on his head, wailing with a suppressed voice. After crying for a while, he punched the ground one after another, his fists bleeding.

"Zhou Hao, you are not human, you are not human... No, I want to live, I want to live... As long as I can live, what kind of woman can't I get!"

When he looked up again, his eyes had turned blood red and sinister. He got up and strode towards the Heavenly Serpent Gang's residence.

Scenes like this were being staged everywhere in the dilapidated ruins.

A catastrophic disaster tore off the masks of hypocrisy and exposed the most real humanity, cruel and bloody.

Friendship is valuable, and love is more expensive, but for the sake of survival, both can be abandoned. The vows of eternal love have vanished, and the romantic moments of yesterday are gone.

And today, and at this moment, only living is the only truth and reason.

In the dilapidated ruins, the strange mist was瀰漫 (mímàn - pervading), and nothing could be seen. Only two bloody characters were omnipresent: Survival!