Bai Zemin did not want to lose the bases he had taken control of, so after capturing 2 of the 5 bases of the New China in the Haidian District he had no choice but to take a short timeout.
Using the ring of commander, Bai Zemin linked up to the Sky Destroyer which was located in the north at the southernmost base in Changping District and asked Wu Keqian to send two different teams of 3000 soul evolvers each; of course, they were all reconverted humans who were once zombies in the past but regained their previous records thanks to Bai Zemin’s Limitless Pagoda.
After Bai Zemin conquered the second base, the first thing he did was to communicate with Chen He and Wu Yijun. The two arrived at the site 3 hours later and with the help of both of them Bai Zemin managed to control things better.
A day later and after making sure to plant small bombs on the two legs of all the top commanders just in case, Bai Zemin left Chen He and Wu Yijun in charge of the second base, which was still under repair, while he returned to the first base conquered in Haidian District.
Upon returning to the first base, Bai Zemin immediately looked for Shangguan Bing Xue and they had a long conversation of over two hours before the two decided that there was little point in trying to win the hearts of the top officials of these establishments. Such a thing would take at least 2-3 weeks of time considering neither of them had a foothold here.
“Let’s wait 3 days, the new troops will arrive in 72 hours or so. When the soul evolvers arrive we can replace all the upper echelons and occupy the base power positions before continuing to assault the other three remaining bases.” Bai Zemin culminated.
Shangguan Bing Xue nodded with glistening eyes.
“Nervous?” Bai Zemin asked when he saw that she said nothing.
“… A little.” She admitted.
“I’m sure your mom is fine, don’t worry.” He tried to make her feel better as he stroked little Shilin, who was sleeping comfortably on his lap, snuggled like a kitten close to his chest.
“… I hope so.” Shangguan Bing Xue sighed and closed her eyes, letting her back rest on the back of the couch.
They had captured 2 bases and in total had approximately 300,000 survivors. Finding a single person among 300,000 was not going to be an easy task, and even less so considering that Bai Zemin and Shangguan Bing Xue could not trust any of the people around them in this district. Therefore, it could be said that the real search would begin within three days.
“Besides, don’t forget that it’s also possible that your mom is in one of the other three bases.” Bai Zemin pointed out.
“I know.” She nodded. “That’s why we’ve been holding back so much after all.”
Bai Zemin nodded and said nothing more.
The reason why they were holding back their power and massacre potential was because they might run into Shangguan Bing Xue’s mother during the war. It would be really disastrous if an attack from them would cause Shangguan Bing Xue’s mother to lose her life.
Although Shangguan Bing Xue had told Bai Zemin that her home was south of Haidian District, bordering Chaoyang District, so if her mother was alive she should be at the New China base located more to the south, no one was really willing to take the risk.
“We’ve already come a long way in a short time, let’s take it slow and careful so we don’t make mistakes we might regret.” Bai Zemin stood up carefully as he cradled little Shilin, preparing to put her into bed.
“Bing Xue, we will definitely find your mother.”
Then, he said something that shocked her.
“As long as she’s alive, even if it’s as a zombie, I’ll bring her back for you.”
* * *
Xicheng District.
Xicheng District was one of the smallest districts in the whole city of Beijing. In the past, the number of inhabitants barely amounted to 800,000, however, 80% of those 800,000 were people with good economic positions and there was definitely no lack of politicians or members of the army.
Xicheng District had been at war for the past two months, a fierce war involving two human factions and a third zombie faction.
Xuanyuan Wentian’s left-hand man, who held the most power in the Chinese army after him, had decided to form his own faction instead of following Xuayuan Wentian. Although the former president was undoubtedly powerful and had the whole of New China behind him, the former state commander’s power was no joke at all.
With over 20 loyal generals, the state commander had the support of over 500,000 well-trained soldiers and as if that wasn’t enough he also had the knowledge of where the hidden military armories were located, therefore, it was no problem to establish himself after the apocalypse broke out.
In just two months, the number of soul evolvers that the state commander managed to gather was over 10,000, and with most of them being trained soldiers one could deduce that the combat power of these soul evolvers was above that of a normal soul evolver.
Because the state commander had control over a satellite base, he knew that a huge faction had expanded very close to his position therefore and with great difficulty, he managed to sneak some of his trusted men into the enemy base. Eventually, the state commander learned that the leader of that faction was none other than Xuanyuan Wentian, former president of China and his only superior.
The state commander knew how terrifying the man named Xuanyuan Wentian was so he did not dare to make any big moves at first and instead waited for the perfect moment. That perfect moment came when the spies he had in the other side’s base reported that the president was carrying out a series of conquests in the north of Beijing.
Launching a surprise attack at lightning speed, the state commander managed to take down two bases of the other side and take over 500,000 survivors, as well as large amounts of enemy territory, resources, and armament. However, to the state commander’s surprise, Xuanyuan Wentian returned only 1 month after his departure and immediately launched a fierce counterattack.
In just 1 month, Xuanyuan Wentian had regained the territories that the state commander had stolen from New China and also recovered 70% of the survivors that could not be mobilized to Xicheng District in time; where the state commander’s faction operated.
One month after Xuanyuan Wentian regained his seized territories, half of the state commander’s territory fell into enemy hands when Xuanyuan Wentian personally led his main assault troop and mercilessly flattened everything on his way to Xicheng District.
In fact, had it not been for the zombie race that had been pestering Xuanyuan Wentian and his troops constantly it was likely that the state commander would not have been able to hold out so long under the powerful attacks of New China.
Now, two months after the war had fully broken out, the defenses of the last establishment of the state commander were finally broken to pieces as enemy war tanks began to circulate through the streets with soldiers and soul evolvers armed to the teeth suppressing any kind of rebellion and disorder.
In the southernmost area, surrounded by all kinds of lush plants and with a large garden in the back, a large three-story villa was being heavily surrounded by more than 200 armed men and 50 soul evolvers of at least level 40 who watched the surroundings with eagle eyes waiting to pounce on their prey at the moment of their appearance.
Inside the villa usually animated with beautiful maidens moving tantalizingly in revealing clothes, a scene very different from the usual was unfolding.
In the wide corridor, two heavy machine guns had been mounted on either side with a soldier in each of them, pointing toward the entrance of the villa. In addition, three men stood in the center of the two heavy machine guns, out of the line of fire, with glittering swords and metal armor.
The five people were clearly anxious, it was visible in their erratic eyes and trembling hands. A ll N OVE L FU LL . c 0m
A rush of howling wind sounded from outside, and then, the large wooden door exploded into countless fragments.
The soldiers behind the heavy machine guns did not even wait for an order from anyone as they began firing with bloodshot eyes. The bullets flew at high speed one after another, illuminating the corridor with their golden blaze and the burst of powder from the muzzle of the guns.
In the midst of the gunfire, a single person entered with slow steps from the recently destroyed door. Surprisingly, however, when the hundreds of bullets per second came within 10 feet of this person’s body, the sound of metal clashing against metal resounded and a moment later hundreds of bullets fell to the floor.
The person continued to advance, his cold, indifferent eyes fixed on the man standing in the center, guarded by two powerful Second Order soul evolvers. As he advanced and got closer to the heavy machine guns, the more danger he faced but no bullet managed to touch him at all because as if there was a strange sharp force field around him they were all stopped and cut in half before falling powerless to the floor.
The state commander looked in terror at the man who had stopped less than ten meters ahead, surrounded by flashes of silver light that cut through the golden light of the bullets with ease.
The man who had just arrived had dark silver eyes just like his hair, his gaze was so cold and sharp that few would dare look at him for more than a couple of seconds without withdrawing their eyes. Standing approximately 1.78 in height with a slender body hidden under a sky blue Epic grade treasure cloth, Xuanyuan Wentian held his sheathed sword in his right hand as the bullets destined to claim his life became nothing more than a bad joke.
After 2 minutes, the heavy machine gun ammunition had been completely expended by the now more terrified soldiers. As they looked at the man who looked to be no more than 20 years old in front of them in terror, they could not help but pee and fall to the floor on their backsides as they saw the shattered corridor littered with broken bullets and clear cuts that looked like they had been made by a sharp object.
Xuanyuan Wentian looked into the eyes of his former state commander and the latter subconsciously looked away with sweat running down his forehead.
“Huo Ran, look me in the eyes.”
Xuanyuan Wentian’s voice was not cold but lacked emotion. However, the depth of his voice and the authoritative tone that left no room for negotiation made the powerful state commander, Huo Ran, subconsciously obey.
With his eyes still as cold and sharp as a sword, Xuanyuan Wentian said in a flat voice, “Remember what I told you 10 years ago, when I made you the man with the highest military power in all of China after me?”
Huo Ran’s body began to tremble as he remembered the past warning of the person in front of him. Even though Xuanyuan Wentian looked 20 years younger compared to the past, Huo Ran would definitely not forget those chilling eyes.
“I told you that if you ever dared to betray me I would personally take care of cutting off your body in two and throw your corpse into the piranhas.” Xuanyuan Wentian said and slowly moved his left hand to grip the hilt of his sheathed sword.
Huo Ran’s pupils shrank and he quickly shouted in terror, “Don’t let him draw the sword! Kill him! Kill him quickly!”
The two soul evolvers did not hesitate and immediately activated their skills. The mana inside their bodies roared and soon both had turned into a three-meter dragon covered in scales and the other into a man-beast filled with golden fur.
However, these Second Order powers did not have time to step forward when their movements suddenly froze. A moment later, their eyes flashed with horror and pain but they were unable to cry as hundreds of thin red lines began to appear on their bodies.
Under the fear-filled eyes of China’s former state commander, the bodies of his two trusted bodyguards suddenly crumbled into small fragments of minced flesh, blood splattered all over the corridor and the mangled internal organs made extremely disgusting sounds as they hit the floor.
Hao Ran wanted to open his mouth to say something, however, a wave of sharp pain suddenly assaulted his brain, and before he could say or do anything, a thin red line appeared from the top of his forehead to his crotch before his body split into two perfect halves with blood splashing all over the walls.
“Ah!”
“Monster!”
The two soldiers were trembling in fear and had already completely lost control over their bodies, both of them had pooped on themselves at the bloody scene as several internal organs fell on them.
Xuanyuan Wentian bent down slightly without saying a word and picked up the two halves of a bullet. Then, he looked at the two soldiers and with a swift movement of his free hand threw both halves.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
The screams of terror ceased as two small bloody holes appeared between the eyes of the two soldiers. The two men collapsed backwards, lifeless, and with eyes wide open full of terror even after death.
Xuanyuan Wentian had no change in his expression even after ending the life of a person who had accompanied and supported him for more than a decade. After finishing what he had come to do, he turned and walked towards the exit of the villa.
“Lord. President!”
A soldier immediately stepped forward with an expression full of respect and admiration.
Xuanyuan Wentian continued to move forward and ordered in an indifferent voice, “Find some piranhas and throw Huo Ran’s corpse for them to eat.”
The soldier froze for a moment before recovering and giving his confirmation. However, when the veteran entered the corridor of the villa and saw the scene before him, he couldn’t help but bow down and vomit up his lunch.
This soldier was a veteran who had been on small battlefields and even before the apocalypse had seen death up close. However, even after the apocalypse it was hard to find a scene as disgusting, bloodthirsty, and heartless as the one before him.
On the other hand, just as Xuanyuan Wentian was leaving the villa grounds, the military radio in his coat pocket turned on and the voice clearly belonging to an old man came out:
“Wentian, we have some problems.”
“Jianhong? What’s the matter.” Xuanyuan Wentian replied indifferently but with a little more goodwill in his voice.
The person on the other end of the military radio was none other than the former Premier of China, the second most politically powerful person in the country just behind the president, and of course, Wu Yijun’s grandfather.
“Two of our bases in Haidian District were taken over.”
* * * * * * *
