Chapter 701: The Tianlong Pirate Crew

Ji Yushen scoffed, “But they don’t have anyone else they can use right now!”

He shrugged. “They’re not seriously going to mobilize the Yan Yun Guards to do the raid, are they? Sure, they’re team combat specialists, but their job is to protect Blizzard City. Commander Zhu would never send them away.”

“Other than us, there’s no better option left.”

A wild glint flickered in Ji Yushen’s eyes.

“Captain, who’s to say you can’t be Commander Zhu’s successor someday?”

Gao Changkong raised an eyebrow, glanced at Ji Yushen, then turned to look at Gu Man.

Gu Man smiled back at him.

Gao Changkong chuckled. “You guys are thinking too simply. Compared to the other captains, I’m just a guy from the bottom. No connections, no background—even if I pull off something huge, it’s still hard to climb the ranks.”

Gu Man leaned against him with a bright smile. “That’s not necessarily true! Times are different now. In the apocalypse, strength is what really matters.”

“The old order has pretty much collapsed. Even if Blizzard City hasn’t completely abandoned the old systems, it’s not going to hold onto them forever.”

“Old Gao, this is your chance!”

Ji Yushen grinned too. “Yeah, Captain! If we take down the Moon of Corrosion, our reputation in Blizzard City will skyrocket!”

“At that point, you could totally break into the city’s core power circle.”

Ji Yushen leaned back in his chair, eyes drifting to the ceiling, already fantasizing about that future.

“Then we can rewrite the rules of this world.”

“You wouldn’t just be representing yourself—you’d be representing all the little guys like us who clawed their way up from the bottom!”

Guys like him, or Gao Changkong—if they hadn’t awakened superhuman abilities, they’d just be nobodies stuck at the lowest rungs of Blizzard City.

Those with power and privilege—like Deng Shentong, the child of an influential family, or Bian Junwu, who came from a military background—

They all got access to the district’s best resources at the start of the apocalypse just because of who they were.

Why else would they be stronger than other superhumans?

Talent’s one thing. But background counts just as much.

Take the Outer City, for instance—did you think there were no naturally gifted superhumans there?

There were. Plenty of them.

But over 90% of those gifted people died not long after the apocalypse began.

The dead—that’s what’s normal.

The ones who survived—they’re the real exceptions.

Like Zhang Yi.

Like Yang Xinxin.

Like the leaders of all the major forces.

Blizzard City’s abundance of top-tier superhumans isn’t some coincidence.

Gao Changkong twisted the cup in his hands and looked out the window.

Between Zone A and Zone B stood a gray wall, towering and immovable like an unbreakable barrier.

And those kinds of walls stood between every district.

“I’ll take this mission. I’ll make it mine.”

Gao Changkong said deeply.

...

In the southern seas, thousands of islands were scattered like stars, earning the name Star Cluster Islands.

Before the apocalypse, many tiny nations were located here.

But after the end of the world, their governments collapsed almost overnight.

Power became the only standard for survival.

Countless superhumans rose up, carving out their own territories and forming factions.

Because of the region, many of them became pirates.

Half a year passed, and after countless battles and takeovers, the pirate forces in the Star Cluster Sea had consolidated into several major powers.

The strongest among them was the massive force known as the Tianlong Pirate Crew.

Their captain was Li Fengxian, known as the Sea Dragon King.

Under his command were seven fleets, each led by a powerful superhuman.

On this day, an icebreaker plowed through the crashing waves, arriving at the Tianlong Pirates’ headquarters—Tianlong Island.

A man stepped out in front of Sea Dragon King Li Fengxian and his horde of vicious pirates.

The interior of Tianlong Island was like a massive lair.

Li Fengxian sat atop a high throne, looking down at the slender man in the gray newsboy cap below.

“You’re the leader of the Moon of Corrosion? You’re the one who stirred up chaos right under the Jiangnan District’s nose?”

Word of the Moon of Corrosion conflict couldn’t be kept quiet.

With deliberate spread by certain parties, the whole world already knew about it.

Naturally, it hadn’t escaped the Sea Dragon King’s attention either.

If not for that, some no-name ronin like this guy wouldn’t even be qualified to stand here.

Phoenixin Ren adjusted the brim of his hat.

All the pirates around him were baring their teeth, faces twisted like they were ready to devour him alive.

But not a hint of fear appeared on his face—instead, he smiled devilishly.

“That’s right, honorable Sea Dragon King! I am the squad leader of the Moon of Corrosion—Phoenixin Ren!”

Li Fengxian stared him down, then suddenly burst out laughing.

“Hahahaha! You’ve got some guts, kid. Showing up on Tianlong Island all by yourself—aren’t you afraid of dying?”

But then his face turned cold, and the temperature in the whole cavern seemed to drop to freezing.

“How did you find this place? You’d better explain clearly—or this’ll be your grave!”

The pirate crew’s headquarters was top secret.

With countless islands across the Star Cluster Sea, they used the terrain to hide themselves.

Tianlong Island was tucked away in one of the most hidden regions.

As long as they stayed on the move and used the local geography, no force could track them down.

Anyone unfamiliar with the terrain could get lost among the islands and become a sitting duck.

Yet this ronin from Neon Nation, Phoenixin Ren, had found their headquarters with pinpoint precision.

That alone sparked murderous intent in the Sea Dragon King’s heart.

“Hehehe!!”

The surrounding pirates had already drawn their daggers and guns.

Some of them licked their blades, the salty scent of blood making them all the more frenzied.

If Phoenixin Ren’s answer displeased them in any way, they’d rush in and hack him to pieces!

But Phoenixin Ren remained unfazed by the bloodlust.

“It’s simple. Because I have the ability. If I want to find your base, then I’ll find it—no matter what.”

The Sea Dragon King’s eyes narrowed.

“An ability, huh? I see.”

He leaned back in his chair, muttering, “This world’s getting crazier by the day. Superhumans are appearing with all kinds of powers—no one knows what might show up next.”

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t prepared.

Tianlong Island’s location always changed at the whim of the Tianlong Pirate Crew—they never stayed in one spot for long.

“Ronin, why are you here? Tell me your purpose.”

“Let’s hear it.”

Author's Note