The Strongest Way to Survive in the Apocalypse - Chapter 8：Starting Cultivation

“Big bro, what’s happening outside?”

“The fighting between the enemy and the army has gotten a lot closer. We may get caught in the crossfire.”

Li An’s face paled.

“W-will we be alright?””Little An, you will be fine with your brother around.”

He rubbed her head, his huge hands almost cupping her entire head.

“Big-Li, I have some information for you. While you have been working, I haven’t been lazing around! According to the news, they are calling those things ‘Wraiths’, because of their clothing colour and speed. These Wraiths have been ‘dropped’ from circles of light which they are calling ‘Portals’. They have been much more specific to the number of Wraiths and Portal opening in each city. In Shenyang, they have counted approximately 2000 portals, and according to eyewitnesses 4 Wraiths exit a Portal, one after the other. Which means there are around 8000 Wraiths in the city.”

Li Qiang sucked in a breath of cold air. 8000 Wraiths. Essentially, 8000 extremely fast, extremely durable killing machines. Even elite squads would find it hard to deal with them in city terrain, where hiding places and cover from bombs are plentiful.

“8000 Wraiths for around 8 million citizens in Shenyang. The number of Wraiths seem to be in proportion to the number of citizens in the city, with a ratio of 1 Wraith to 1000 people. This ratio is the same for the other cities. This suggests that this in not actually a freak event, but a planned operation!”

Li Qiang had already assumed this, and this proof didn’t really surprise him.

“There is only one thing that’s missing, Big Qi. Who would do this? Every big country and city are under attack and adding the fact that these ‘Portals’ are definitely not man-made, that only leaves one answer. Bro Qiang, we are getting invaded by aliens!”

Li An’s voice quivered as she said this. Li Qiang was silent. The silence hung in the air, feeding Li An’s fear. Suddenly, Li Qiang placed his paw-like hand on Li An’s head.

“Don’t worry An-An, whilst I am here, we will be okay.”

He hugged her tightly but this time she didn’t refuse it. They stayed like that for a few seconds until Li An broke it off.

“Qi Gege, I need to sort out our provisions and food. Also, I have called our parents and they told me to stick with you and follow what you say. You should call them as soon as you can.”

“Go sort the food. I will be upstairs if you need me.”

Li Qiang trudged upstairs. He had a shower and then lay on his bed, calling his mom. After about 3 tries and 15 seconds of ringing, he got through.

“Mom?”

“Li Qiang. Listen to me carefully, I don’t have much time. Me and your father are trapped in Italy, but we are safe. All international travel has been shut down and even our private plane has been voided for flight. Your father has called a few connections and bullied a few officials, but he can’t do anything until the shutdown has been called off by the UN. You must take care of your sister. I will text you a number, call it. It is an old connection from your father’s time in the military.”There was a short pause.”

Keep An-An safe. I have transferred some money to her account if you need it.”

There was another pause, this time much longer.

“I love you and An-An to the moon.”

Li Qiang, who was listening quietly all this time, suddenly felt rather touched.

“I love you too, Mom and so does An-An.”

Upon that note, customary of his mother, she hung up.

Li Qiang was used to this straight forwardness and so turned his attention to another pressing topic: the old book. He had the ‘Champion’s Form: Warrior’ in his hand, and slowly, as to not damage it, he opened the first page. And then the next. And then the next. He breath quickened as he flipped through the pages.

This a was a true treasure, a cultivation manual!

“Hahaha, I am truly blessed by Luck! I will be the strongest under the Heavens!”

After roaring these cringe-worthy sentences out loud, he regretted it instantly.

He moved to a sitting position on his bed, crossing his legs and straightening his back. He concentrated on his heartrate and slowed down his breathing. Luckily for him, his house was huge with large grounds and strong and noise-cancelling walls, meaning his room was completely silent.

This made it easier for him to enter a meditation-like state. As he went through the breathing patterns, he felt a tingling in his lower stomach, the Dantian!

This was the cue to start going through the movement patterns! According to the manual, in order to awaken one’s cultivation, he had to both go through breathing patterns and at the moment he felt his Inner Qi move, begin the movements.

Due to his long arms and height, his parents had designed a huge room for him when he was growing up. Because of this, he was able to carry out the strange movements within doors.

After 30 minutes of this cycle, breathing until his Inner Qi moved and then practicing movement patterns, he felt a strange sensation, as if something inside him cracked. All of a sudden, his body was wrought with pain and his bones grinded against each other. He collapsed on the floor, soundlessly writhing.

After a few seconds this passed, but now he had another problem. His skin was covered with a nasty-smelling black grime, so much so that its dripped onto the floor. He wrinkled his nose at the unpleasant smell and entered the bathroom.

There he had a bath and discovered he had gone through some bodily changes. Unlike what most cultivation novels tell you, his skin was the same as before. What really gave him a headache was that he was even bigger than before!

Imagine being so big you would struggle to fit through non-custom doors, and so heavy that you would make some smaller cars actually breakdown! And now add another few inches.

This was the plight of our MC!

After having a shower, he went downstairs, both ravenous and guided by the aroma that wafted through the air. Li An was cooking and looked extra lovely with a light pink apron wrapped around her.

“Qi Gege, it’s your favourite today, Sweet and Sour Pork!”

“Also, why do you look so big?”

His smile disappeared.

“Must be your imagination.”

He mumbled this.

At the dinner table, he wolfed down the tasty pork, going through even more plates of foods than normal. Thankfully, Li An was accustomed to his appetite and made a lot extra for him.

Li Qiang sat back in his chair, satisfied, having gone through 5 plates of Sweet and Sour Pork, and burped. Li An looked at him with a smile, her eyes forming crescents. This sweet moment was untainted by the chaos that occurred beyond the wall of the house.

The house’s front wall caved in.