Chapter 384: Preparing for Battle

Chapter 384: Preparing for Battle

Liang Yue’s emotions were a whirlwind of mixed feelings.

On one hand, she was secretly delighted upon realizing Zhang Yi harbored special feelings for her.

On the other hand, Yang Xinxin’s concerns left her troubled.

She could sacrifice her own life but couldn’t abandon her students.

Especially not those two excellent students she cherished so deeply.

“I… I can’t selfishly live for myself!” Liang Yue sighed deeply, her resolve wavering.

She had just declared she would fight for her convictions, and now, taking back those words felt impossible.

Yang Xinxin understood Liang Yue well and quickly chimed in, “You’re willing to die for them, so why can’t you live for Ke Ran and me instead?”

“Teacher Liang, we need you!”

Yang Xinxin clutched Liang Yue’s hand tightly, her eyes pleading.

Lu Keran added hurriedly, “Teacher Liang, we can’t do without you! Think about it—Xinxin and I are just ordinary people without superhuman energy. If we ever face danger, we’ll need your protection.”

Liang Yue’s resolve faltered even more.

“But… I can’t just stand by and watch others die!”

Yang Xinxin reasoned, “But they’re still alive right now, aren’t they? Their survival depends entirely on you.”

“That’s why you can’t die! Besides, we still have room to negotiate with the Yangsheng Base. Please, just wait a little longer!”

After her two students’ persistent persuasion, Liang Yue temporarily abandoned the idea of going to fight the Yangsheng Base alone.

She sighed softly. “Alright, I suppose that’s all I can do for now.”

Yang Xinxin nodded obediently, finally breaking into a smile through her tears.

After calming Liang Yue down, Lu Keran escorted Yang Xinxin out of the room.

Once outside, Yang Xinxin’s expression shifted instantly, her face becoming unnervingly calm and composed.

“Xinxin, does Big Brother Zhang really have feelings for Teacher Liang?” Lu Keran whispered curiously into Yang Xinxin’s ear.

“Of course not. I lied to her.”

A playful smirk curled at the corners of Yang Xinxin’s lips.

“Someone like Teacher Liang, a single woman, is most easily flustered by matters of the heart. As long as she believes someone has feelings for her, her mind will be thrown into chaos.”

“If I didn’t do this, how else could I convince her to stay?”

Lu Keran’s eyes widened. “Wow, so you were playing mind games with Teacher Liang!”

Unfazed, Yang Xinxin responded, “It’s all for her own good. That foolish woman—rushing headlong to her death over a moment of impulse.”

After a brief pause, Yang Xinxin’s tone grew more serious.

“Besides, keeping her in the Shelter is absolutely a good thing for us. Big Brother Zhang has no use for freeloaders.”

Lu Keran shuddered at the thought.

In her mind, Zhang Yi had always been the kind and gentle big brother figure. But suddenly, she recalled their first meeting.

It had been in the icy ruins of Tianqing Academy’s underground chamber. At that time, Zhang Yi’s gaze had held not a trace of warmth.

“I need to make myself more useful!” Lu Keran resolved silently.

“And anyway, I think Big Brother Zhang does have some feelings for me,” she added, a small smile playing on her lips.

After all, what young girl doesn’t dream of love?

It’s in their nature to see hope and romance, especially when it involves someone they admire.

Soon, Zhang Yi received the news that Liang Yue had been persuaded to stay.

Relief washed over him.

Losing Liang Yue was not an option.

A war between the Shelter and the Yangsheng Base—possibly even the Chaoyu Base—was on the horizon. Liang Yue, with her formidable superhuman powers, would be a critical ally.

“I understand. Thank you for your efforts!” Zhang Yi smiled at the two girls.

He looked out the window. Snowflakes danced in the air, blanketing the courtyard in white. Outside Cloud Manor, the towering Ice Fortress stood as an unyielding barrier, like an impenetrable wall of a fortress.

“The medicine should be taking effect about now…”

Yangsheng Base

After ending her call with Zhang Yi, Xiao Honglian’s smile grew wider.

The forceful front Zhang Yi tried to project had revealed a subtle undercurrent of helplessness.

Especially when the topic of Liang Yue’s students came up—his tone softened immediately.

What did this mean?

First, it confirmed that Zhang Yi’s Shelter had suffered severe losses after the battle with the West Hill Base, leaving him reluctant to provoke conflicts with Yangsheng or Chaoyu Bases.

Second, it indicated those students were extremely important to Zhang Yi.

This gave Xiao Honglian leverage—an opportunity to exploit Zhang Yi to her advantage.

Ideally, she’d get rid of that obstacle entirely, seizing most of the former West Hill Base’s territory for Yangsheng Base.

Doing so would make Yangsheng the most powerful faction in Tianhai City!

“According to what those students said, Zhang Yi’s group includes several superhumans. Recruiting them under my command would greatly strengthen Yangsheng Base’s power!”

The more Xiao Honglian thought about it, the more excited she became.

Zhuge Qingtian, standing nearby, congratulated her. “Judging from the current situation, it’s only a matter of time before they surrender. We should act quickly to secure Zhang Yi’s forces. If we wait too long, other factions might intervene.”

Xiao Honglian waved him off. “No need to rush!”

Her tone was cautious.

“We’ll thoroughly investigate before deciding when to act. Keep in mind, our enemies are not limited to Zhang Yi. If we divert forces to attack his Shelter, the other three factions might seize the opportunity to strike at our main base.”

“They’ve all got their eyes on our oil refinery!”

Zhuge Qingtian argued, “But opportunities slip away quickly. If we hesitate, someone else might snatch this prize away.”

Xiao Honglian shot him a sharp look. “I’d rather do nothing than make a mistake. Yangsheng Base is under constant scrutiny, and any error could be fatal!”

“Don’t focus on small gains and lose sight of the bigger picture.”

Zhuge Qingtian bowed his head. “Understood, Leader. What are your orders?”

Xiao Honglian crossed her arms, exuding confidence.

“Since Zhang Yi values those students so much, let’s stir the pot a bit. Send someone to teach them a lesson and record it on video to send to Zhang Yi.”

“Also, prioritize gathering detailed information on Zhang Yi’s defenses.”

“We must understand their exact strength before making any move. Never underestimate them—we can’t afford to lose.”

Zhuge Qingtian nodded. “Yes, Leader!”

He bowed deeply before retreating three steps and heading toward the dungeon to carry out her orders.

Author's Note