The courtyard at this moment was utterly desolate, strewn with fallen leaves and debris, the surrounding silence so profound it felt terrifyingly eerie.

After casting an advanced Body Protection spell upon himself, Mo Han gripped the Light Holy Sword tightly and advanced slowly toward the inner room. Mo Han trusted his eyes implicitly; he had clearly seen that shadow vanish right here, meaning it had to be hiding in some corner.

Yet, after a meticulous search that swept through both the front and back yards, Mo Han found absolutely nothing. Worried sick about Dali’s safety, he was about to give up and leave when, quite by chance, he noticed something amiss near the rockery in the rear garden. After another moment of careful inspection, Mo Han finally realized what had felt so strange.

There were numerous trees planted throughout the yard, but due to long neglect, the ground was carpeted in leaves. However, the area directly in front of the rockery was noticeably cleaner; while there were still leaves, significantly fewer covered the ground compared to the surroundings. Furthermore, imprinted upon the leaves before the rockery were faint, distinct tracks—clearly made by human passage.

With this realization, Mo Han hesitated no longer. Following a close examination, he finally discovered a small, movable stone. Mo Han twisted it in the direction he had discerned.

Instantly, a hidden door materialized before him. A faint light seemed to emanate from within, but the moment the door swung open, the light was extinguished.

Seeing this, Mo Han broke into a smile and addressed the darkness within the opening: "Don't be afraid. I just entered from outside the barrier as well; I mean no harm. I just need to ask you a few questions."

"You might as well come out on your own. If you refuse, then I'll regrettably have to use a Fire Dragon spell to invite you out."

But after waiting a moment, there was still no response from inside. Mo Han grew impatient, his voice sharpening. "If you don't come out now, don't blame me for forcing you. I'll count to three."

"One... two..."

Just as Mo Han was about to say "three," a frantic male voice echoed from within. "No! I’ll come out!"

Moments later, a young man in his early twenties emerged. His complexion was unnaturally pale, clearly from a prolonged absence of sunlight, and his eyes held a profound air of despair. He stared at Mo Han with an expression of sheer panic.

Upon seeing Mo Han, the youth immediately pleaded, "Hero, spare my life! I didn't mean to hide from you, but everywhere is so dangerous now; I can’t trust anyone."

Mo Han raised a hand to interrupt him.

"Are you alone? What is your name, and why are you here?"

"Uh, yes, I’m the only one. My name is Toby."

The young man answered with deep respect. "This is my home. After the disaster struck two months ago, many people were infected. I had nowhere else to go."

"I had no choice but to hide here, hoping for a chance to escape. I never expected to run into you."

Mo Han offered a gentle smile. "Don't be afraid. I just want to know if you know of any other survivors, or if you've seen anyone attacked by those infected who somehow managed to avoid infection? Or perhaps any mercenaries?"

Toby shook his head so vigorously it resembled a rattle drum upon hearing Mo Han’s questions. "I'm not very clear on anything. I’ve been staying here since the catastrophe. Today was the first time I dared sneak out to find some food. Truly, I know nothing else."

Mo Han observed his expression, which didn't suggest deceit, and conceded, "Alright, I understand. You should stay hidden inside. I’m going to look for others now. Once things are secure, I’ll return for you and take you away."

Hearing this, Toby nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Hero. You must be careful. The city is swarming with the infected now, though they are fewer during the day—that's why I dared to venture out. At night, they are everywhere. If you encounter danger, quickly hide here."

"Heh, I will be careful, Toby. Thank you. Hurry back inside now."

Mo Han waved at Toby and turned to leave.

"Wait."

Toby seemed to recall something and quickly called out to Mo Han. Mo Han turned back, looking at him with a quizzical expression, unsure what he wanted to say.

Toby hurried to explain, "I don't know much else, but a few days ago when I was out foraging, I heard a very loud noise coming from a courtyard near the West Gate of the city. I can't be sure what it was, but the surrounding walls are red, so it's easy to recognize. I hope that helps you."

Mo Han quickly jotted down the details Toby provided. "Red walls, West City."

Mo Han repeated Toby's words softly, then looked up and smiled at the young man. "Got it, Toby. Thank you. Be careful, and I promise I'll come back for you."

With that, he hurried away. Mo Han’s heart was heavy with concern for Dali and the others; he had been gone a long time and couldn't shake the anxiety. He rushed back toward the way he had come.

After Mo Han departed, Toby watched his retreating figure and murmured to himself, "I hope you return safely, or else... sigh." Saying this, Toby quickly slipped back inside the hidden door, which shut swiftly behind him.

When Mo Han returned to where he had left them, he found Dali standing there, her face etched with anxious concern. Seeing Mo Han, the worry vanished from Dali’s features, and she rushed forward. "Well? Did you find anything? I thought you had run into trouble."

Dali asked, her concern evident in every word.

Mo Han took Dali’s small hand. "I did find something, but we won't know if it helps until we check it out."

He then recounted his discovery to Dali.

Dali exclaimed with delight upon hearing it. "There really are survivors! That means there must be others still alive. Our chances of finding those with immunity should be much greater now."

Mo Han shook his head. "It's hard to say. Look at the sky; it must be nearing dusk. We need to hurry to the location Toby mentioned—the red house—before it gets fully dark, check it out, and then find a secure place to hide. If Toby is right, night is when the infected zombies are most active; we should avoid them."

Dali didn't hesitate at Mo Han’s words. She quickly gathered Xiao Mo and Xiao Han, urging them to follow as they set off toward the courtyard with the red walls in the West City.

After a brisk journey, Mo Han and the others finally located the courtyard with the red walls Toby had described. It was just an ordinary residence, but the exterior red paint on the walls looked surprisingly fresh. The sky was already almost completely dark. They didn't have time to examine anything else closely, only mentally noting the approximate location of the courtyard before quickly leaving.

They certainly didn't want to get entangled with the infected zombies; that would be an endless struggle. There were tens of thousands of them—not something solvable in a moment. Moreover, some who were only lightly infected might still have a chance for salvation; Mo Han and the others couldn't simply slaughter them all.

After leaving, Mo Han decided the quickest and safest option for the night was to return to the yard where Toby was hiding. Time was short, they were unfamiliar with the city, and there was no time to scout for another safe haven.

As the sky deepened into total blackness, Mo Han and Dali finally reached the original courtyard. Ragged footsteps could already be heard echoing on the streets—the zombies were clearly beginning their nocturnal activity. Without further hesitation, Mo Han pulled Dali along, hurrying them toward the rockery, and directly opened the hidden door within it.

"Toby, it’s us. Can we come in?" Mo Han called out.

Toby quickly appeared before them, urgently saying, "Hurry inside! It’s too dangerous out here." He then led the way in.

Mo Han smiled reassuringly at Dali, took her hand, and followed them in. Xiao Mo and Xiao Han had already shrunk to their small forms and darted in with Mo Han and Dali. The secret door behind the rockery immediately closed.

Once inside, Mo Han realized the space was much smaller than he had imagined—only about ten square meters. In the corner of the room sat a bed and a table, occupying half the floor space, making the area immediately feel cramped with Mo Han and Dali entering.

After they were inside, Toby hurriedly pulled out two thin mats from under the bed, offering them with a slight blush. "Heh, the conditions are a bit poor. I hope you don't mind. I only have these mats; please sit on them for now."

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