The Blood Bear had suddenly begun aggressively annexing other shelters, possibly to consolidate the power of Donghua City with the intent to hunt down this Zombie King.
Wang Hai planned to use this information as a gift to the Qin family in Dongdu, hoping to exchange it for a chance to enter the city.
...
After two or three hours, an incredibly majestic city gradually appeared before them.
"This is Dongdu?" Wang Zhi's eyes widened in awe as she gazed at the scene before her.
As a native of Donghua City, Wang Zhi had actually visited Dongdu a few times in the old era. But this time, it left her utterly speechless.
The city was encased in massive, grey concrete and steel walls, imposing and solemn, like a city of miracles. On the walls, numerous high-powered searchlights illuminated the area within a kilometer radius as if it were daylight. Armed helicopters constantly patrolled the skies, while the dense concentration of firepower points on the walls was enough to make anyone's scalp tingle. The description of this city as impregnable was not an exaggeration.
After witnessing the collapse and fall of cities during the apocalypse, Dongdu's grandeur and magnificence were even more striking.
As searchlights from the high walls shone on the approaching off-road vehicle, Wang Hai and Wang Zhi quickly got out of the car, raising their hands high to show they meant no harm. They knew that Dongdu was already aware of their arrival. After all, on their journey here, they had been stopped by some evolvers at various shelters who questioned their intentions.
It was then that Wang Hai realized these shelters had become satellite outposts for Dongdu. Naturally, their movements had been reported back to Dongdu.
They slowly walked forward until they reached an entrance, heavily guarded.
At the entrance, more than a hundred fully armed soldiers were stationed at various firepower points, and there were a dozen or so high-caliber machine guns and cannons.
In addition, Wang Hai noticed several people in black military uniforms exuding an aura of extreme danger, coldly watching them. These people were likely evolvers.
A haughty-looking officer approached, sizing up Wang Hai before casually asking, "Name, identity, and purpose."
This officer had not awakened any abilities and was still an ordinary person, yet the look in his eyes was as if he were looking at ants, showing no fear or reverence toward evolvers.
This superior attitude didn't anger Wang Hai. Instead, it filled him with a sense of dread, as if he had returned to the old era, where ordinary people had to tread carefully before the powerful and wealthy.
Wang Hai understood that while this officer was just an ordinary person, he had the backing of the mighty Qin family. As a lone evolver wandering the wilderness, Wang Hai was no match for them.
"My name is Wang Hai, a Level 1 evolver with a D-rank fire control ability. This is my niece, Wang Zhi, also a Level 1 evolver, with a B-rank shadow camouflage ability. We have important intelligence to report!"
Wang Hai obediently revealed all their information, and Wang Zhi stood beside him, not daring to make a sound. The oppressive atmosphere these people exuded was overwhelming.
The officer scrutinized them carefully before nodding slightly and saying, "Fill out a form first."
Fill out a form...
Wang Hai was speechless. It felt as though time had rewound to the old era when everything required a form.
Nonetheless, he nodded and quickly filled out the form. Then, under the officer's guidance, they passed through the towering walls and entered Dongdu's urban area.
Once inside, both Wang Hai and Wang Zhi were visibly stunned.
The streets were ablaze with lights, flashing neon signs of various colors, creating a scene straight out of a cyberpunk vision. Though this nightlife was far from the old era's prosperity, even this was enough to bring tears to their eyes, leaving them deeply moved and shocked.
Dongdu was truly a utopia in this apocalyptic world!
It was no wonder so many evolvers wanted to enter Dongdu and serve the Qin family, even as dogs. Compared to Dongdu, their shelters were nothing more than doghouses!
Wang Zhi couldn't help but think that this magnificent city, in such an apocalyptic world, was actually the property of a single family. And that family, the Qin family, was entirely composed of people who had awakened abilities—a truly chosen lineage.
If gods existed in this world, then the Qin family had certainly received more than their fair share of divine favor.
...
At the Qin Manor, Qin Jun was in the conference room, listening to reports from his subordinates.
"Young Master, the zombie hordes around Dongdu have been almost entirely cleared out, and all the shelters have submitted to our control. However, the surface has changed drastically, so the new survey team is working on drawing a new map. The first version should be ready in three days."
"Additionally, we've received reports from other regions. In the former Qingjiang Province, an organization called 'Dawn of Hope' has emerged. This organization has absorbed some former military forces and has over a hundred evolvers and tens of thousands of ordinary civilians."
"Moreover, there's the 'Northern Army,' originally the Second Group Army of the North. They survived the catastrophe, and it seems quite a few of their soldiers have awakened abilities as well."
Qin Jun nodded, showing no surprise.
As time passed, not only shelters but also large organizations like these were bound to appear. This was the most suitable social structure for this era—warlords vying for power amidst danger.
However, these organizations posed no immediate threat to the Qin family. First, the expanded surface meant these groups were still far from Dongdu. Second, even if these organizations combined, they were still no match for the Qin family.
Qin Jun's primary concern was his own strength.
Just then, Xie Han entered the conference room, interrupting the meeting.
The generals and officials present showed no displeasure; instead, they all nodded amicably toward Xie Han. Although Xie Han was merely a personal bodyguard, she was also Qin Jun's confidant and even bedmate. None of them dared to offend her.
Xie Han approached Qin Jun and whispered, "Young Master, we just received news that two evolvers from Donghua City claim to have information about a Zombie King."
"A Zombie King?" Qin Jun's eyebrows arched slightly. He was currently stuck at the peak of Level 2 as an evolver. To reach Level 3, ordinary energy crystal cores were no longer sufficient. Moreover, because the zombies around Dongdu had been too thoroughly eradicated, there were hardly any left, let alone a Zombie King.
Now, these two had brought news of a Zombie King—this was indeed good news for Qin Jun.
"Bring them to see me," Qin Jun ordered, and the generals and officials silently left the room.
In just a few days, Qin Jun had already gained a significant level of authority among his subordinates in the Qin family.
It wasn't just because he was Qin Yuan's son, but also because of his methods—when a high-ranking official tried to rely on his seniority, Qin Jun had his entire family executed with a single command. The faction under that official was also purged, costing hundreds of lives.
In peaceful times, Qin Jun might have put in the effort to win over that official, seeking his approval and support to stabilize the situation. But in this apocalyptic era, such measures were unnecessary.
In this era, might and power were the only unchanging principles.
As long as Qin Jun was strong enough, no one below him would dare to defy him.
With the previous example, who would dare show disrespect to Qin Jun?
...
Wang Hai and Wang Zhi were escorted by soldiers into a military vehicle that drove toward the city center. After an indeterminate amount of time, they were brought into the lobby of a large building and told to wait.
These two evolvers, who should have been considered elites in the apocalypse, were now left to cool their heels, unnoticed by anyone.
Wang Hai, once the leader of a shelter with hundreds of people under him, could now only obediently wait, his mind racing with calculations about the value of the information he had brought.
The lobby was bustling with people, possibly a government office of some sort. Wang Hai even saw other evolvers entering the lobby, seemingly to hand over missions.
After a while, a female officer hurriedly approached them, her expression stern. "I'm Li Wen. Gather your things and follow me."
This female officer wore a black military uniform and radiated an intimidating aura—another evolver.
Wang Hai also noticed that the evolvers in Dongdu all wore black military uniforms to distinguish them from ordinary officers.
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