Chapter 567: The Yan Yun Battalion

For the first time, the Yan Yun Battalion revealed itself before the gathered crowd.

These men were the purest of soldiers—so much so that, in the apocalypse, calling them killing machines wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Even among the 300,000 troops stationed in Blizzard City, only 5,000 of them were elite enough to belong to Yan Yun!

Unlike the ordinary defense forces, the sole purpose of Yan Yun’s existence was to eliminate mutated creatures.

Strongmen like Bian Junwu and Baili Changqing had once been a part of this battalion before rising to their current positions.

Yet, even with only twenty Yan Yun soldiers standing before them, they managed to instill fear and awe into the hearts of over a thousand Superhumans from the twelve cities of Jiangnan District.

Despite having fought through fire and blood themselves, the difference between them and these trained killing machines was painfully obvious.

In the crowd, a stunning woman with a high bun and blazing red lips licked her lips as she gazed at the Yan Yun soldiers, her eyes burning with desire.

“So strong and disciplined… I’d love to

taste

one of them,” she murmured.

Elsewhere, a grizzled old veteran carrying a black violin case squinted his eyes, as if silently measuring his strength against the battalion.

Though most people were intimidated by the presence of the Yan Yun soldiers, fear wasn’t their only reaction.

For some, this was an opportunity—they were already trying to gauge Jiangnan District’s true power through this elite force.

At that moment, a towering figure slowly stepped forward from behind the Yan Yun soldiers.

The sound of black leather boots stomping against the ground echoed across the platform.

Even Zhang Yi couldn’t help but frown.

The deliberate loudness of each step was an intimidation tactic, carrying an air of disrespect.

Then, the owner of those boots came into full view.

He was a tall and gaunt middle-aged man dressed in a green military uniform, with golden general stars gleaming on his shoulders.

Over his uniform, he wore a large green cloak, its high collar obscuring half his face.

The only visible parts of his face were his sharp, hooked nose and piercing hawk-like eyes.

Yet, as his gaze swept across the crowd, everyone felt as if a blade had just sliced across their skin—sending a chill down their spines.

"What terrifying power!"

Zhang Yi immediately sensed danger.

It had been a long time since someone’s mere gaze could make him feel like this.

The only people who had ever given him such a feeling were Bian Junwu when he activated Annihilation Mode, and Yuan Kongye when she had just ascended to the Ypsilon Realm.

His mind flashed back to something Bian Junwu had once told him—

Jiangnan District is filled with hidden monsters. There are at least six more like me among the Investigation Captains.

And this man in front of him… was undoubtedly the leader of the Yan Yun Battalion.

His strength was likely on par with, if not greater than, Bian Junwu!

After all, when Zhang Yi had met Bian Junwu, the latter had already been terminally ill, far from his peak condition.

"Jiangnan District’s headquarters is no joke. There are powerful figures everywhere—I need to keep a low profile."

Zhang Yi silently reminded himself.

Without making a sound, he subtly moved to the back of the group.

If even he was being cautious, then the others were downright terrified.

Some of the more arrogant Superhumans, who had been releasing their auras to assert dominance, instantly broke out in cold sweat when the general’s gaze landed on them.

One of them even felt his legs go weak, nearly collapsing to the ground.

Then, the man finally spoke.

His deep, rumbling voice was like the sound of a cannon being fired from its chamber.

“Welcome to Blizzard City!”

“I am Tu Yunlie, Minister of Combat Operations for Jiangnan District, and I will be overseeing your arrival.”

Raising a single finger, his expression turned sharp.

“But before anything else, let me tell you about the rules of Blizzard City!”

“Listen carefully—because these rules are absolute. Anyone who breaks them will face severe punishment!”

“This is your first time here. Perhaps you’re used to doing as you please in the outside world.”

“But here? You will control yourselves!”

His uncompromising tone made it clear—there would be no room for negotiation.

Unsurprisingly, his harsh words made many people frown in displeasure.

But Zhang Yi understood.

This was a show of force, meant to subdue the outsiders before trouble could start.

After half a year of lawlessness, these men had all been ruling their own domains through violence and bloodshed.

Some had likely engaged in horrific and inhumane acts.

For instance, Yuan Kongye—her hatred for men was so extreme that she couldn’t even bear to witness intimacy between them and women.

She would castrate men on a whim just because she found them disgusting.

If Jiangnan District didn’t intimidate this group of warlords from the start, at least some of them would cause problems in Blizzard City.

Fortunately, no one here was stupid.

Although some were clearly unhappy with Tu Yunlie’s attitude, no one dared to be the first to provoke him.

Tu Yunlie continued.

“Tonight, you will all be assigned living quarters.”

“Tomorrow, the Commander-in-Chief will hold an official summit, and attendance is mandatory.”

Finally, he ended with a stern warning.

“Remember—do not cause trouble here!”

“Leave your barbaric ways outside these walls.”

With that, Tu Yunlie turned his back on them and strode out of the subway station—without even caring about their reactions.

To be honest, he was a little disappointed.

If anyone had dared to challenge him, he would have gladly executed them on the spot—as a lesson to the others.

But surprisingly, the twelve-city Superhumans were all disciplined enough to keep their mouths shut.

“Well, at least this will save us some trouble.”

As soon as Tu Yunlie departed, a smiling attendant stepped forward to greet the group.

She was a woman dressed in a black-and-white uniform, with a professional and pleasant demeanor.

Bowing slightly, she said, “Esteemed guests, please follow me.”

“I will be your designated attendant during your stay in Blizzard City.”

“If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”

“I will also be sending Blizzard City’s official regulations to your communication devices—please read them carefully.”

“Blizzard City follows strict military governance with many rules, so please be mindful to avoid violations.”

Zhang Yi nodded and smiled.

“Much appreciated.”

Under her guidance, the group exited the subway station.

And only then… did they witness the full grandeur of Blizzard City.

Situated in the eastern part of Jinling, Blizzard City was a fortress within a city, occupying only one-fifth of Jinling’s total area.

It was entirely encased within towering walls that were dozens of meters high and incredibly thick.

Inside, the city’s infrastructure didn’t seem all that different from other places.

However, armed soldiers were patrolling everywhere.

Their eyes were filled with vigilance, their fingers resting on their guns, watching the newcomers like hawks.

For the first time, Zhang Yi felt what it truly meant for a city to be under military rule.

Author's Note