Beyond the Timescape

Chapter 6: Kid

The South Phoenix Continent was vast.

Viewed from high above, the landmass formed an irregular oval entirely surrounded by the sea.

Though separated from the legendary Wanggu Continent by the Endless Sea—making it more of an island continent—its sheer scale was something most people couldn’t traverse in a single lifetime.

Yet, humanity could barely set foot in its interior. The Truth Mountain Range slashed diagonally across the entire continent, acting as an insurmountable barrier.

Southwest of the Truth Mountain Range lay an impossibly vast restricted zone, swallowing nearly seventy percent of the continent. Humanity was confined to the northeastern region.

Even so, the human population thrived. Within this northeastern pocket, cities of all sizes dotted the land like densely packed stars—some heavily fortified, others little more than crude settlements.

However, every single city was built to strictly avoid the smaller restricted zones scattered throughout the region.

Given a choice, no one willingly lived near a restricted zone, where lethal danger loomed at every moment. Only desperadoes, driven to the brink by circumstance, gathered in these places. They survived with bloodshot eyes, licking the blood from their blades in a desperate struggle to see another day.

This desperation birthed the Scavenger Camps. Almost every restricted zone was ringed by such settlements. Across the human territories, these camps were as numerous as they were chaotic.

Standing on the mountaintop, Xu Qing stared down at one of these very camps.

From a distance, it didn’t look large—perhaps housing a few hundred people. Plumes of cooking smoke curled into the morning air. While it lacked the bustling prosperity of a city, it teemed with a raw, chaotic energy.

Faint sounds of cursing, hawking, and unrestrained, manic laughter intertwined, carrying far on the wind.

The “valuable” dwellings Captain Lei had mentioned were clustered at the center. The further out they went, the cruder the structures became, until the outermost perimeter consisted of nothing but ragged tents.

Not far behind the camp loomed a pitch-black forest.

Thick mist swirled within its depths, concealing terrifying anomalies. Even the intense midday sun failed to pierce its canopy. It felt as though ancient gods and demons lurked within, radiating a cold, oppressive aura that suppressed the surrounding lands.

The forest looked like a massive, festering Mutation Point on the earth’s skin—shocking, grotesque, and sharply demarcated from the healthy land.

“What do you think?” Captain Lei asked, standing beside him.

“Looks like the slums,” Xu Qing replied truthfully after a moment’s thought.

Captain Lei smiled but said nothing, leading the way down.

Xu Qing withdrew his gaze and followed. The two descended the mountain, drawing closer to the camp.

Along the way, they encountered small groups of scavengers returning from the wilds. They all wore similar attire—mostly dark gray, bloodstained animal furs.

Xu Qing noticed a distinct shift in their demeanor when they spotted Captain Lei. Reverence flashed in their eyes, quickly followed by curious glances directed at the boy trailing behind him.

He’s important here, Xu Qing noted, his grip tightening slightly on his iron skewer.

By the time the sun hung high in the sky, they had crossed the plains at the foot of the mountain and stepped into the Scavenger Camp.

The camp lacked walls. The ground was a chaotic mess of flying dust, rotting leaves, and scattered garbage, suffocating the air with a murky stench.

As they ventured deeper, the cacophony he had heard from the mountain assaulted his ears.

Past the crude shacks, the scavengers themselves came into full view.

Some were towering and burly, exuding the savage aura of a wild bull. Others were emaciated, their sunken eyes gleaming with venomous intent. A few were so ancient they could barely keep their eyes open, yet the wide berth others gave them proved they were lethal.

There were also teenagers like him, huddled in the corners, staring blankly at the sky. Many of them bore physical disabilities.

Among the crowd, Xu Qing’s eyes narrowed slightly. He sensed the faint fluctuations of spiritual energy emanating from several individuals.

People of all sorts were engaged in various activities—some haggling over goods, others brawling in the dirt, and a few simply lounging on large rocks, basking in the sun.

A handful emerged from tents adorned with brightly colored feathers, adjusting their pants with lecherous grins.

To an outsider, following Captain Lei into this camp might have felt like stepping into hell.

But Xu Qing felt no particular unease beyond his usual vigilance. In fact, a strange sense of familiarity washed over him.

It really is like the slums, he mused inwardly. His gaze swept over the feathered tents, catching glimpses of pale, indistinct figures within.

From one such tent, a young woman with disheveled clothing emerged, yawning lazily. She spotted Xu Qing and beckoned him with a coy smile.

“Don’t stare,” Captain Lei warned, glancing at him.

“I know what that place is,” Xu Qing replied, averting his eyes.

Captain Lei’s wrinkles deepened into an amused smile. Without another word, he led Xu Qing deeper into the camp until they reached their destination.

It was a massive, circular wooden structure at the camp’s center, resembling an arena.

Throughout the journey, Xu Qing had been observing his surroundings, mentally mapping out the camp’s layout. It was a habit born of necessity—familiarity with the terrain could turn the tide in a crisis.

Now, he looked up at the arena-like building. Inside, beyond the vast central pit, he could see rows of crude benches lining the inner walls.

From within the structure came the savage roars of beasts.

Surrounding the arena were several rows of simple wooden shacks. A few scavengers, noticeably cleaner than the rest, stood outside them, chatting and laughing.

As Captain Lei approached, a gaunt, middle-aged man with three thin tufts of beard on his chin emerged from the arena. He wore a long robe, distinct from the scavengers’ furs. Spiritual energy pulsed faintly around him.

His expression was one of utter boredom as he glanced at Xu Qing, then turned to Captain Lei.

“Newcomer?”

“He knows the rules,” Captain Lei replied calmly.

“Name?” the man with the three tufts of beard asked indifferently.

“He’s just a kid. Doesn’t need a name. Call him ‘Kid’,” Captain Lei stated flatly.

“Follow me then, Kid. You’re in luck. There are a few others ahead of you. We’ll probably start the show tomorrow.”

The man yawned, turned, and headed toward the row of shacks.

Xu Qing looked at Captain Lei.

“Go on. I’ll come for you tomorrow,” Captain Lei said, his eyes holding a hint of expectation.

Xu Qing met his gaze for a long moment, then nodded silently and followed the bearded man.

Upon reaching the shacks, the man exchanged a few words with a scavenger standing guard before leaving.

Xu Qing was ushered into one of the shacks and told not to leave without permission.

The moment he stepped inside, four pairs of eyes from different corners of the room fixed on him.

There were three teenagers around his age and one young man—three males and one female.

Two of the boys, slightly older than Xu Qing, gave him a cursory glance before losing interest.

The girl, younger than Xu Qing, huddled in a corner. A massive scar marred her face. She watched everything with tense, wary eyes—the original three occupants and now Xu Qing.

The young man, the oldest of the group, seemed to be an experienced scavenger merely switching camps. Upon seeing Xu Qing, he curled his lip dismissively and turned his predatory gaze toward the girl in the corner, licking his lips.

However, without official residency rights in the camp, he didn’t dare act out—not yet.

Xu Qing ignored them all. He found a spot near the door, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began meditating.

Time passed slowly. Perhaps because Xu Qing remained so quiet, the three others—excluding the girl—gradually forgot about him and started talking among themselves.

The two boys clearly sought to ingratiate themselves with the young man.

Their conversation mostly revolved around the upcoming trial.

From their talk, Xu Qing learned that the camp held these trials periodically, once enough people seeking residency had gathered.

The rules were simple.

The camp’s leader kept a collection of mutated beasts. For the trial, participants would draw lots publicly. The lot determined which beast they would face in the arena.

It was a fight to the death—predator versus prey.

The survivor could claim their prize and earn residency rights.

The loser would become food for the beasts.

Each trial was held in the arena. Most scavengers in the camp would buy tickets to watch the bloody spectacle, deriving perverse pleasure from it. The camp leader also ran gambling rings, profiting from the carnage.

In this cruel world, human life was cheap.

But without the qualifications to enter a city or a camp, surviving alone in the wilderness carried an even greater risk of death.

The slums were an option, of course. But those who chose the Scavenger Camps all had their own compelling reasons, their own untold stories.

Xu Qing continued his meditation, listening intently.

When their conversation turned to the divine eye-opening event from days ago, one of the boys suddenly spoke up.

“I heard you’re a survivor from that catastrophe?”

His question wasn’t directed at Xu Qing, but at the girl in the corner.

The girl flinched, then nodded silently.

Xu Qing’s gaze settled on her.

The others had only heard rumors, but he had lived through it. He knew all too well that anyone who survived such a calamity and made it here likely wasn’t as fragile or simple as they appeared.

Seeming to sense his stare, the girl looked up at him.

Xu Qing closed his eyes again, returning to his cultivation. He needed to seize every possible moment to train. That was the foundation of his survival.

The night passed uneventfully.

The next morning, amidst the growing clamor and jeers from outside, the shack’s door was suddenly flung open.

Sunlight streamed in, silhouetting the scavenger standing in the doorway. His shadow fell across the room, engulfing the girl in the corner.

A cold voice cut through the air.

“Get up. Time for your show.”

“Finally,” the young man, the experienced scavenger, was the first to rise. He walked over with a grin, exchanging a few words with the man at the door.

The two boys hurried after him. Xu Qing was the fourth to step out. The girl was the last.

The scavenger at the door seemed to know the young man. After a few joking curses, he ignored the others and led the group toward the arena.

As they drew closer, the noise intensified—shouts, jeers, and raucous cheers rising in a chaotic crescendo.

When they finally entered the arena, the sound erupted around them.

The crude benches were packed with over a hundred spectators—men and women alike, like a ring of demons eagerly awaiting the spectacle.

The roar was deafening. The girl trembled visibly. The two boys paled.

Only the young man seemed excited, his eyes scanning the crowd.

And then there was Xu Qing. His expression remained largely unchanged as he began analyzing the arena’s fighting pit.

The area isn’t very large. Not suitable for prolonged evasion. No cover to hide behind.

The surrounding wooden walls are high. Can’t easily redirect danger toward the spectators. But there are a few marked doorways—likely leading to other passages.

So… either drag it out, using the spectators’ noise to startle the beast and create an opening. But that could also enrage it. A quick, decisive victory would be most advantageous.