Chapter 569: Undercurrents

Chapter 569: Undercurrents

Zhang Yi and his team were led to their designated rest area by the staff.

It was an apartment-style building, heavily guarded by soldiers.

The living conditions inside were decent, with each person receiving a private room.

The staff also sent information about the apartment’s services to everyone’s communication devices, including meal provisions and other available services.

Zhang Yi and the other superhuman organization members from various cities entered the apartment.

It was still early, and no one was ready to rest just yet.

Xiao Honglian, Xing Tian, and Chen Jingguan soon gathered in Zhang Yi’s room to discuss the upcoming meeting.

Xiao Honglian’s expression was grim.

As soon as she entered, she voiced her concerns anxiously. “I’ve been observing. We brought the smallest group.”

“The other cities have hundreds of people each! And… I can sense that they have far more superhumans than we do.”

“That’s not all,” Chen Jingguan interjected, his tone heavy. “I’ve noticed a lot of eyes on us. Some of them are anything but friendly.”

Zhang Yi raised an eyebrow—he had felt it too.

Among the twelve city delegations, theirs was undeniably the smallest.

And word about Tianhai City’s zombie crisis had surely spread by now.

That battle had been too massive to go unnoticed. The zombie horde had already started spreading to nearby cities, and the scale of the conflict alone would have caught the attention of others.

Now, Tianhai City was left in shambles, its once-thriving population of superhumans nearly wiped out.

It was no surprise they were being looked down upon.

Xing Tian scowled. “D**n it! If this were before, would they have dared to treat us like this?”

Back in the day, Tianhai City had been formidable—with the West Base, a powerful sect, and Zhang Yi’s team all stationed there.

Tianhai City was one of the most populous and economically prosperous cities in China.

Its strong foundation had ensured its power, even after the apocalypse. It had once been one of the strongest forces in Jiangnan District, second only to Blizzard City.

But now, after Yuan Kongye’s massacre, Tianhai’s superhumans had been reduced to a mere fraction of what they once were.

It was no wonder they were being underestimated.

Zhang Yi, however, showed no anger. He simply said, “This is Blizzard City. Even if they have their opinions about us, they won’t dare make a move here. Until we understand Jiangnan District’s stance, no one is to act recklessly.”

“If any of you break their rules, I won’t be able to protect you.”

To Zhang Yi, the other eleven cities were just small fry—not even worth his attention.

With his current strength, he was among the top in Jiangnan District.

If anyone was foolish enough to provoke him, he’d make sure they regretted it.

The real concern was Jiangnan District itself.

Not because they necessarily had hostile intentions, but simply because power in uncertain hands was always unpredictable.

Hearing Zhang Yi’s words, Xiao Honglian and the others suppressed their frustration.

But Chen Jingguan still looked uneasy. “I just worry that while we stay passive, they’ll grow bolder. After all… ‘The tiger may not wish to harm man, but man still fears the tiger.’”

Zhang Yi glanced at him with a faint smile. “Are you saying they might make a move against us?”

Chen Jingguan crossed his arms and spoke seriously. “Tianhai City was an economic powerhouse with abundant resources. But now, only a handful of us are left defending it, and the remaining human population might not even reach ten thousand. It’s only natural that others would see it as an opportunity.”

Zhang Yi narrowed his eyes, a sharp glint flashing through them.

This was something he had already considered.

“I’ve already said—don’t think about that for now. Focus on tomorrow’s meeting. We’ll deal with the rest when we get back.”

The others knew that Zhang Yi was the only one holding up Tianhai City’s top combat power.

If a conflict with another city ever broke out, it would all come down to him.

So, if he said to wait, they would wait.

After seeing them off, Zhang Yi prepared to meet Baili Changqing to gather intel for tomorrow’s meeting.

He called Baili Changqing.

As expected, Baili Changqing wasn’t surprised. He chuckled and said, “Your team is staying in Zone B. I’m just over in Zone A. I’ll send you a temporary electronic pass. Come find me at Password Bar.”

Zhang Yi grinned. “Sounds good.”

Soon, he received the pass.

He glanced around his room.

Zhou Ke’er and Lu Keran were sitting on the bed, watching him with wide eyes.

Though they each had their own rooms, Blizzard City’s oppressive atmosphere had clearly unsettled them, leading them to seek the comfort of his presence.

Zhang Yi chuckled. “You two stay here and rest. I’m going to meet an old friend.”

Zhou Ke’er smirked. “Someone from the Black Robe Investigation Team?”

Zhang Yi nodded. “Yeah, just having a chat.”

It wasn’t a secret—his only acquaintances in Blizzard City were from the Black Robe Squad.

Knowing this was important, Zhou Ke’er and Lu Keran didn’t insist on tagging along.

Zhang Yi left his room and made his way outside.

That was when he realized he wasn’t the only one ignoring the warnings.

Even though the staff had advised against leaving the apartment building, the hallways were already filled with people talking and making connections.

Some had even stepped outside, eager to explore Blizzard City.

Just as Zhang Yi was about to leave the building, the female staff member who had guided them earlier hurried over and blocked his path.

“Excuse me, where are you going?”

Zhang Yi smiled. “Out.”

She looked even more anxious. “Didn’t I tell you not to leave the apartment? If the patrol guards catch you…”

Zhang Yi cut her off. “As long as I don’t break Blizzard City’s rules, isn’t that fine? The regulations you sent us didn’t say we couldn’t leave.”

Her face darkened slightly.

“But… if something happens to you outside, the higher-ups might hold me responsible!”

Zhang Yi scoffed internally.

So many rules, yet you want to use this excuse to restrict my freedom?

“I’ll follow the city’s regulations.”

His smile faded as he fixed his gaze on her.

“But remember this—we are guests here. Not subordinates. And certainly not prisoners.”

With that, he brushed past her without another word, ignoring the frustration on her face as he stepped out into the night.

Author's Note