The iron door slowly creaked open, releasing a thick wave of dusty air.

Facing the steep staircase ahead, Bai Cheng didn’t hesitate to step upward.

Soon, she arrived at an incredibly vast circular hall. Massive floor-to-ceiling windows lined up every side, and even the dome overhead was made of translucent glass.

At the very center were four enormous screens, arranged in a square to display information in all directions.

The edges of the indoor plaza were lined with countless rooms. One side even displayed station numbers and rows of seating.

Bai Cheng’s gaze sharpened as she spotted glowing signs above the doors at the far end.

Why did I feel like I saw a restroom and a convenience store?

"This looks just like a real station..."

"No, it is a real station."

Suddenly, she understood what the system’s introduction had meant by ’rest and resupply’.

After five days of wilderness survival, where they had been living like cavemen, encountering a station brimming with modern technology was nothing short of paradise.

And most of its facilities were probably fully functional.

Before Bai Cheng could observe the surroundings outside the station, a series of messages flashed across the large overhead screens.

[Station Mission: Defense]

[Description: The foundation of Station One is a defense system composed of 100 energy foundation stones, designed to prevent foreign creatures from entering before survivors arrive.

However, the station had drawn the attention of Infinite Raiders. With the defenses deactivated upon activation, this is their best chance to destroy the energy foundation stones!]

[Defend your station at all costs!]

[Mission Reward: Unknown]

"They’re already attacking?" Bai Cheng frowned.

She hurried to the edge of the hall, peering through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

From her position on the second floor, the view outside revealed a rugged wasteland dotted with abandoned industrial structures. There was a mine shaft and unidentified minerals scattered around.

About a dozen meters beyond stood a ring of concrete walls, enclosing the entire station and blocking her line of sight.

Seeing nothing, Bai Cheng raised an eyebrow and muttered, "Infinite Raiders... What the hell are they?"

"Young Lady, they are humans just like you." Chi Yan, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.

"Humans?" Bai Cheng turned to him in surprise. "Do you mean they are natives that look like me, or... other outsiders?"

"Young Lady, this world originally had no humans," Chi Yan answered.

Bai Cheng was even more stunned. Was there another system bringing people here?

Whatever. We’ll just capture one and ask.

"Chi Yan, go deal with them," she waved her hand, issuing the order dismissively.

"Understood." With a respectful nod, Chi Yan opened a nearby ventilation window and leaped down.

Bai Cheng wasn’t particularly interested in watching. With Chi Yan’s elite-level strength, he’d probably wipe out the Infinite Raiders before they even reached the walls.

Since she couldn’t see the action anyway, she turned her attention to exploring the station’s interior. The mineral deposits outside were also part of the station’s resources, after all.

But just as she was about to move, the four overhead screens flickered and automatically switched to surveillance footage from outside the walls.

"This thing’s smart?" Bai Cheng paused, finally getting a look at the so-called Infinite Raiders.

They were haggard, malnourished, and dressed in tattered clothes, looking like bandits who had been scraping by in the wild for years. Or rather, they looked more like beggars.

"Not what I expected."

The name Infinite Raider sounded cool, making her imagine a group of cold-blooded assassins wearing black trench coats.

And this is what they look like?

The moment Chi Yan landed outside, he reverted to his true form.

Crouching low, he let out a thunderous roar before leaping, and Bai Cheng watched as the massive colossus soared through the air.

He effortlessly crossed the walls over a dozen meters away. A heavy thump echoed as he landed.

The ten charging Infinite Raiders froze mid-charge.

Some of the wild boars skidded to a halt, flinging their riders off in panic.

Now, every raider stared up at the towering beast before them, first in shock, then in disbelief, before sheer terror took root in their souls.

"W-What the hell is that?!" someone shrieked.

No one answered. Most were still paralyzed, utterly lost.

The scar-faced leader, however, was far more terrified than the rest. His experience told him exactly what this suffocating, overwhelming presence meant.

His pupils shrank, his voice trembling. "M-Magical beast... It’s a magical beast!!"

Panicked, he yanked the reins, desperate to flee, abandoning both the assault and his teammates without a second thought.

But the boar beneath him was even more terrified, dropping to the ground in submission, refusing to budge no matter how hard he pulled.

"Stupid pig, RUN!!" the scarred man snarled through gritted teeth. "Why is there a magical beast at a newbie station?!"

There was no time to think. Seeing his men still frozen, he scrambled off the boar, trying to escape on foot.

They’ll buy me some time... I still have a chance—

But the moment he moved, a massive shadow engulfed him.

Danger!

Every hair on his body stood on end. He didn’t even have time to react before everything went black.

To Chi Yan, eliminating these raiders was no different from hunting beasts in the forest.

A single swipe of his claws and a burst of crimson flame energy was all it took. This wasn’t even a fight.

Back inside the station, Bai Cheng averted her gaze.

Although she was a survivor who had killed plenty of beasts, this was her first time killing humans. A heavy discomfort settled in her chest.

She forced herself to remember: This is survival of the fittest. If I don’t kill, they’ll kill me!

Taking a deep breath, she turned back to the screens.

She was still curious. Did those raiders’ dilapidated transports carry anything useful?

But when she looked up again, the footage had cut off, replaced by a system notification.

[Congratulations! You have successfully defended Station One!]

[Completion Rate: 100%]

[Your completion progress had been recorded. You have obtained a Stea...]

The message stopped abruptly, with no further updates.

Bai Cheng blinked. "Huh? A bug??"