《As The Doomsday Descended, I Became the Boss Villain》 Chapter 1 - The Eve of the Apocalypse Chapter 1: The Eve of the Apocalypse¡°The WHO spokesperson stated that the mutation rate of the T virus has slowed down and its spread is now limited to Southern Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. There is no need for the public to panic.¡± ¡°The Environmental Department has completed the second investigation into the abnormal forest conditions, and the specific results are yet to be analyzed¡­¡± This summer is particularly restless, with recent news continuously playing on the giant TV screen outside the mall. However, the masked and hurried passersby show little reaction to it. Heavy workloads, mortgages, and car loans have already made people exhausted and overwhelmed. There¡¯s really not much energy left to pay attention to these things. After all, no matter how bad the situation gets, it¡¯s not the end of the world, right? ¡­ Z Country, Jiangjing City. Jiangjing University, located in the third new district of Jiangjing, is one of the top universities in the country. Its faculty strength, research capabilities, and campus environment are all world-class. Most of the students who manage to get into Jiangjing University are top scorers in the college entrance examination, considered the pride of heaven. Of course, there are special cases¡­ For some, the college entrance exam is just a formality¡­ ¡­¡­ Jiangjing University campus, international dormitory area. In a luxurious room, a young man leisurely sipped red wine while talking on the phone. From the other end of the line comes a girl¡¯s sobbing voice, ¡°Qin Jun, why did you break up with me? Were you just playing with me? Can we meet one more time and talk it over, please!¡± ¡°Su Ya, we are just not suitable for each other. Don¡¯t overthink it, that¡¯s all.¡± The young man smiled slightly and hung up the phone with a random excuse. Clearly, he has no lingering feelings or attachments towards the girl on the other end, or rather, his ex-girlfriend. Slowly, he stood up and walked to a floor-to-ceiling mirror, gazing at his own handsome reflection with a hint of a smile on his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve been in this world for twenty years now¡­¡± His name is Qin Jun. In his previous life, he was a ruthless and heartless assassin from the Blue Planet. Unexpectedly, he woke up one day to find himself in this parallel world. He was just an infant when he transmigrated. This life, he was born into a powerful and influential family, with an identity that was incredibly significant. In this life, he is an indisputable top-tier aristocrat! At this moment, the news on the television caught his attention: ¡°According to our sources, two people infected with the T virus have been found at Jiangjing International Airport and have been isolated at a medical observation point¡­¡± The T virus¡­ Qin Jun frowned slightly. Although the authorities claim that the T virus is under control, based on the original host¡¯s memory, he knows things are far from simple. After all, coming from a prominent family, Qin Jun has access to far more information than ordinary people. The T virus is almost out of control abroad. In fact, Qin Jun has already booked a flight for the day after tomorrow, planning to leave the coastal city of Jiangjing and head to a safer inland area. Just then, his phone rings. Seeing the caller ID, Qin Jun¡¯s expression became more serious. The call was from his father, Qin Yuan. Though not widely known to the general public, Qin Yuan¡¯s name is well-known in the upper echelons of power in the country. A solemn and authoritative voice came from the other end of the line, low and imposing. ¡°Where are you now?¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯m at Jiangjing University campus.¡± ¡°Good. In two hours, a company will come to pick you up from Jiangjing University and escort you to the airport. A plane will be waiting for you.¡± Qin Jun¡¯s eyes narrow slightly as he asks softly, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s going on?¡± Qin Yuan¡¯s voice remains calm, ¡°The T virus has mutated. Infected individuals will attack anyone.¡± ¡°There have been several riots in the capital, and cases of infection have been found in Jiangjing. The government has decided to lock down several districts in Jiangjing. No one is allowed in or out. We¡¯ll discuss the specifics when you get back.¡± A chill ran through Qin Jun¡¯s heart. Is Jiangjing going to be locked down? He didn¡¯t panic, though, knowing that the lockdown won¡¯t affect him. ¡°I understand.¡± S~?a??h the N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Stay safe. If necessary, let Xie Han kill a few people, it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll cover for you.¡± Xie Han, also a sophomore at Jiangjing University, is Qin Jun¡¯s classmate and constant companion, to the point where other students think she is his girlfriend. In reality, Xie Han is a bodyguard arranged by Qin Yuan to protect Qin Jun. Highly skilled and even licensed to carry a gun, Xie Han has already taken several lives. This demonstrates just how formidable the Qin family¡¯s influence is¡­. Chapter 2 - Apocalypse Villain System Chapter 2: Apocalypse Villain System After hanging up the phone, Qin Jun fell into deep thought. It seemed that the higher-ups had also sensed that something was wrong and were making a last-ditch effort to save the situation. His father, Qin Yuan, had already received the news and was mobilizing forces to get him out of Jiangjing. However, to avoid causing panic, the public was still kept in the dark! His father mentioned that the infected would attack anyone. ¡®Could it be¡­ zombies?¡¯ At this moment, Qin Jun received a message on his phone. ¡°Temporary notice: Jiangjing¡¯s Xinan District, Minxu District, Baohai District, and Nanxin District have been designated as control zones. ¡°No one is allowed to enter or leave, and our school is within one of these control zones. Students are advised to stay on campus and not leave. ¡ª¡ªJiangjing University Administration Office.¡± The TV also urgently broadcast a news flash, announcing the designation of these districts in Jiangjing as control zones. A sweet-looking, tall beauty walked into the room. This star-quality beauty was Qin Jun¡¯s bodyguard, Xie Han. No one would have guessed that beneath Xie Han¡¯s sweet exterior, there were already several lives taken. Many of the Qin family¡¯s dirty work, which could not be exposed, was done by people like Xie Han, who were raised by the Qin family. Of course, they all had official identities, with some being listed under the Inspection Department and others under the National Special Division. Xie Han said softly to Qin Jun, ¡°Young Master, we should start packing.¡± She had just received the notice that a company would arrive in two hours to escort Qin Jun to the airport. S~?a??h the N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Most of Jiangjing City was already under control. As a guard raised by the Qin family, Xie Han¡¯s only concern was Qin Jun¡¯s safety. She was even ready to sacrifice her life for him at any moment¡­ After Xie Han left the room, Qin Jun suddenly heard a mechanical voice in his ear. ¡°Ding, detecting the host, the Apocalypse Villain System begins binding¡­ 33%¡­ 75%¡­ 100%¡­ Binding complete!¡± ¡°Ding, congratulations to the host for activating the Apocalypse Villain System!¡± ¡°Ding, scanning the host¡¯s body data, please wait¡­¡± Host: Qin Jun Physical Strength: 1 Extraordinary Attribute Category: Not activated Extraordinary Level: 0 Villain Points: 0 Shop: Not activated.¡¯ Apocalypse Villain System? Qin Jun was shocked, but he quickly calmed down. Given that he had transmigrated to this parallel world, it seemed reasonable to have a cheat system, right? And this Apocalypse Villain¡­ It seemed that this world was indeed an apocalyptic world, and it looked like he would become a villain¡­ Qin Jun laughed. Before transmigrating, he was a dark assassin, ruthless and devoid of any moral principles, so he naturally didn¡¯t care about this. Moreover, with the apocalypse descending and order collapsing, the law of the jungle was the only rule! Or rather, becoming a villain would only make him more excited¡­. ¡°Ding, the first-stage main mission has been activated. Would you like to accept it?¡± Immediately, the mission details appeared in Qin Jun¡¯s mind. ¡°Mission: Eliminate the threat of Chen Zhong. Mission completion reward: 30 Villain Points; System Mall activation.¡± Without any hesitation, Qin Jun accepted the mission. Chen Zhong? Qin Jun quickly recalled the owner of this name, a playful smile flashing in his eyes. Chen Zhong, a name he was not unfamiliar with. They had a history¡­ a very dramatic one. He had stolen Chen Zhong¡¯s girlfriend, putting a green hat on this ¡®Child of Destiny¡­ Chen Zhong was a sophomore at Jiangjing University and also Qin Jun¡¯s classmate. An orphan, he completed his education with the help of social funding and was the top scorer in the college entrance exam that year, entering Jiangjing University for further studies. With Chen Zhong¡¯s background, he would never have much interaction with Qin Jun in his lifetime. Such a person, even with excellent academic performance, would at most become a worker in one of Qin Jun¡¯s family¡¯s businesses in the future, using his wisdom and talent to create wealth for Qin Jun¡¯s industry day in and day out for thirty years. This is actually the fate of most people. Chen Zhong had a girlfriend, a very beautiful one named Su Ya. Su Ya and Chen Zhong met in high school and entered Jiangjing University together. This should have been a perfect love story of a talented man and a beautiful woman, but Qin Jun changed the fate of these two young people. At a recent party, Qin Jun took a liking to Su Ya and launched a money offensive directly. Simple, crude, but effective. Although Su Ya¡¯s family was well-off, it was nothing compared to the Qin family. After Qin Jun displayed a bit of his wealth, Su Ya quickly abandoned Chen Zhong and got together with Qin Jun. Qin Jun wasn¡¯t a good person; he was only interested in Su Ya¡¯s body. He took Su Ya¡¯s virginity that day and soon lost interest, abandoning her¡­ It was Su Ya who called earlier to plead, but Qin Jun had no lingering feelings. After all, Qin Jun was just playing with Su Ya¡­. A girl from an ordinary family, even if she was a top student, could she ever enter the gates of the Qin family? But this incident deeply hurt Chen Zhong, making him hate Qin Jun to the bone! Chapter 3 - Child of Destiny, Chen Zhong! Chapter 3: Child of Destiny, Chen Zhong! Jiangjing University, Library. In the study room of the library, a boy suddenly woke up from his sleep, gasping for breath as if he had a nightmare. Chen Zhong looked around, his eyes filled with confusion. He muttered, ¡°I¡­ I was reborn?!¡± It was as if he had woken up from a dream. He grabbed his phone and checked the time¡ªit was 5:30 PM on July 15, 2023, in the New Calendar! Chen Zhong laughed heartily. He had really come back, completely ignoring the bewildered looks from his classmates. Everything was still in time. He could start over again! In a few hours, the whole world would undergo a drastic change. The T virus would mutate, the zombie virus would sweep the globe, and climate changes would turn most of the world into wilderness and deserts! There would even be intersections between different spaces and worlds, with the tendrils of evil gods appearing in various corners of the world¡­ This was humanity¡¯s doom and apocalypse! The great catastrophe was coming! By now, the zombie virus was likely already present¡­. In his previous life, Chen Zhong was one of the few lucky ones who survived. After enduring countless hardships and trials, he eventually awakened his abilities and became an evolver. In the future apocalyptic world, Chen Zhong was a powerful figure who even established a large shelter! However, he was ultimately ambushed and besieged by over a dozen eighth-rank evolvers in a conspiracy against him and was defeated. Unexpectedly, before his death, he triggered a high-dimensional spatial turbulence, causing his soul to be reborn back to the present, more than a decade ago! He had a chance to start over again! Chen Zhong couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud, his eyes filled with determination and excitement. In his previous life, when the apocalypse arrived, he rose from an unknown soldier to the peak step by step, though he took many wrong paths and wasted much time. But in this life, with the memories of his past life, he would undoubtedly have a huge advantage¡­ He was also going to change his fate. For example, he was determined to obtain that SSS-level talent seed¡­ In his previous life, although Chen Zhong awakened his talent, it was only the lowest F-level talent¡ªstrength enhancement, which still helped him survive the early days of the apocalypse. After all, awakening a talent was one in a million. Later, he spent enormous efforts and costs to obtain an A-level talent seed, which allowed him to soar. But that was far from enough! If he could get that SSS-level talent seed, his starting point in this life would be far above everyone else! While Chen Zhong was lost in thought, a girl sat down next to him. The girl was plain-looking, slightly chubby, but very lively. She had dimples when she smiled, making her barely pass as cute. Her name was An Mian, and she was Chen Zhong¡¯s classmate. An Mian looked at Chen Zhong, smiling with a hint of concern in her eyes, ¡°Chen Zhong, how are you doing now?¡± Chen Zhong looked at An Mian, feeling a warmth in his heart. An Mian could be considered his best friend in college. Initially, Chen Zhong had a few friends, but after he had a falling out with Qin Jun over his girlfriend, those friends distanced themselves from him, fearing Qin Jun¡¯s background. Only An Mian remained the same, never abandoning him. Moreover, An Mian¡¯s identity was quite significant; her father was An Feng, the head of Jiangjing City, a real power holder, a high-ranking governor with substantial authority. As the governor¡¯s daughter, An Mian¡¯s status was unquestionable. Yet, she was so kind and gentle to Chen Zhong, a poor boy. Chen Zhong was not oblivious to An Mian¡¯s feelings. Unfortunately, in his previous life, Chen Zhong was entirely focused on Su Ya, ignoring An Mian by his side. After the apocalypse, An Mian even died protecting him! This was Chen Zhong¡¯s greatest regret in his previous life. Some things are only cherished after they are lost¡­. An Mian looked at Chen Zhong dazedly. She had liked him from the beginning, perhaps because of his resilience or his talent. S~?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. She softly comforted him, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve figured it out, Chen Zhong. Su Ya left you for Qin Jun¡¯s money. She¡¯s not worth it, and she¡¯ll be dumped eventually. Don¡¯t be too sad¡­.¡± ¡®Su Ya¡­¡¯ Chen Zhong felt a slight pain in his heart as memories resurfaced. Su Ya was his girlfriend. They had been together since high school and entered Jiangjing University together, becoming a well-known couple. He loved her so much and thought they would eventually marry and grow old together¡­. But after Qin Jun appeared, Su Ya betrayed him within less than a month and became Qin Jun¡¯s woman! What hurt Chen Zhong the most was that, despite treating Su Ya like a goddess and not even holding hands in their two-year relationship, she lost her virginity to Qin Jun within days of being with him! This deeply hurt Chen Zhong and made him hate Qin Jun to the core¡­. In his previous life, this incident left Chen Zhong disoriented, and he even considered giving up and dying when the apocalypse arrived. It was An Mian who always protected him, ultimately dying in a horde of zombies to save him. Thinking of this, Chen Zhong felt a renewed hatred for Qin Jun. An Mian¡¯s death was also partly Qin Jun¡¯s fault! But fortunately, An Mian was still alive now! Chapter 4 - The Lockdown Begins Chapter 4: The Lockdown Begins At this moment, An Mian suddenly received a phone call. Seeing the caller ID, she stuck out her tongue, ¡°It¡¯s my aunt.¡± Chen Zhong felt a stir in his heart as a beautiful and heroic figure appeared in his mind. An Xinling¡­ the police flower of Jiangjing City¡¯s police department. Due to her exceptional abilities and the care of Jiangjing¡¯s governor, An Feng, An Xinling had been promoted to the head of the anti-terrorism unit within a few short years. She was the dream girl of countless people. However, An Xinling had no interest in romantic relationships and remained single even at the age of twenty-nine. Because of An Mian, An Xinling had shared a few meals with Chen Zhong and had helped him with several matters, making them quite familiar with each other. But Chen Zhong also felt a twinge of regret because, in his previous life, Jiangjing fell, An Feng tragically died, and An Xinling never awakened her talent. In chaotic times, the fate of a beautiful woman without a background was not hard to imagine. When Chen Zhong rose to power, An Xinling had already disappeared, and it was only heard that she had committed suicide. This was always a regret in Chen Zhong¡¯s heart. Perhaps, in this life, he could make up for this regret. An Mian answered the call, ¡°Aunt.¡± A cold female voice came from the other end of the line, ¡°Xiao Mian, are you at school?¡± ¡°Yes, we just received a notice that the school is on lockdown.¡± ¡°Come to the school gate immediately. I¡¯m on my way.¡± An Mian was puzzled, ¡°Aunt, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Your dad just called me to pick you up. I can¡¯t explain on the phone right now. Just come out and don¡¯t tell anyone else.¡± The call was then disconnected, leaving An Mian bewildered. Chen Zhong was not surprised at all. He knew very well that the situation had spiraled out of control¡­ Now the government was still trying to salvage the situation by locking down several districts to control the T virus. But it was all in vain. By now, there were likely zombies appearing, and the spread of the zombie virus was beyond everyone¡¯s imagination. The number of zombies might initially be only a dozen or so, but it would grow exponentially, increasing every moment! By tomorrow, these controlled districts in Jiangjing would become hell on earth! Jiangjing would fall completely within three days. Not just Jiangjing, but places all over the world would face the same fate! The apocalypse had already arrived! And An Feng clearly understood the severity of the situation, hence urgently sending someone to pick up An Mian. Chen Zhong said softly, ¡°An Mian, can I go with you?¡± Although this was somewhat taking advantage of An Mian, Chen Zhong had no choice because he was running out of time. Half of Jiangjing was locked down with strict security, and every road was guarded by the military. Without a pass, there was no way out! More importantly, the SSS-level talent seed would appear outside the quarantine zone tomorrow¡­. So he had to enter the safe zone today and get that SSS-level seed first! Of course, An Mian agreed without any hesitation to Chen Zhong¡¯s request, thinking it was an opportunity to go out and play with him¡­. S?a?ch* Th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The naive An Mian thought happily to herself. Looking at the girl who always agreed to his requests without hesitation, Chen Zhong¡¯s eyes were filled with tenderness. Some girls, although stunningly beautiful on the outside, had hearts like scorpions. While other girls, although not remarkable in appearance, had pure and kind hearts. Chen Zhong knew who he really needed to care about¡­. ¡­¡­ In the locked-down districts of Jiangjing City, the lockdown had already begun. Roads leading to the outside world were blocked by barricades. This time, the lockdown was extremely strict, unlike before when only medical personnel and some duty police were present. There were even troops, fully armed soldiers setting up cordons. This scene inevitably caused panic among the citizens. Loudspeakers on the streets and news broadcasts on television were issuing notices: ¡°Citizens, please stay at home, do not go outside. Wait for inspection personnel to come to your door. Those who pass the inspection will be allowed to leave the quarantine zone in batches based on their pass. Once again, do not linger on the streets. Stay at home. Violators will be charged with endangering public security!¡± People hurried back home in panic, anxiously waiting. They constantly refreshed their phones and computers, trying to find out what was happening online. Could it be that the T virus had broken out in Jiangjing City? But wasn¡¯t it said that the T virus was under control? Adults were worried, discussing in low voices. Some were anxiously making phone calls, trying to get information from acquaintances working in government offices. Some were packing cash and valuables. Although they didn¡¯t know the specifics, their instincts told them that the situation was serious and dire. Perhaps only the children had no sense of crisis. On the contrary, they found being quarantined at home quite interesting, at least they didn¡¯t have to go to boring school anymore. The children laughed, comfortably watching anime on their tablets in their rooms. They even prayed in their hearts for a longer quarantine so they could play at home for a few more days. The glass windows reflected the children¡¯s smiling faces. Outside, sirens blared, mixed with faint cries and screams. In the distance, it seemed like fires were burning. Military trucks carrying soldiers sped through the streets. Laughter, roars, cries, and screams intertwined, like a symphony of the apocalypse. Chapter 5 - Su Ya Chapter 5: Su Ya Jiangjing City, Nanxin District. Several Type 09 military bulletproof off-road vehicles sped through the streets. Under normal circumstances, these imposing war vehicles would have attracted much attention. But now, there were almost no pedestrians on the streets, and very few cars, allowing the convoy to travel unimpeded. Li Weiguo, captain of the G17 squad under the Third Combat Brigade of Jiangjing Garrison Command, wore a solemn expression as he looked at the photo of a young man on his phone. That afternoon, he had suddenly received an urgent order to lead his squad to Jiangjing University to escort a student named Qin Jun to the airport at all costs! This order came directly from the office of the military district commander. Although he didn¡¯t understand why such an effort was being made to escort a student, as a soldier, it was his duty to obey orders. Li Weiguo immediately took the entire company to Jiangjing University. Upon entering the control zone, Li Weiguo immediately sensed the difference in the atmosphere. Outside the control zone, in the safe area, the night scene was bustling, although traffic was also controlled, with few vehicles on the road. It still appeared to be a peaceful scene, but inside the control zone, it was like a different world! Through the car window, Li Weiguo looked at the streets in the evening. The night scene, which should have been bustling, was now deserted, with a few scattered vehicles parked randomly along the roadside, exuding a sense of decay and gloom. At this moment, even this usually resolute army captain couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of unease. This night was destined to be an unusual one. ¡­ The gate of Jiangjing University was closed, not allowing students to enter or leave. However, Jiangjing University remained relatively peaceful. Although there were fewer students on campus, most had returned to their dormitories. Some were browsing various rumors online, but most were indifferent, calling friends to play games. After all, students were more optimistic, or perhaps more naive. However, some were discussing the situation in small groups¡ªmany police cars had just roared past, and even armed helicopters had flown across the sky. This made the students curious about what was happening outside. Qin Jun and Xie Han also left the villa and headed towards the school gate. Looking at the college students still playing basketball and strolling on the playground, Qin Jun couldn¡¯t help but feel a little pity. These college students were his classmates, his peers. Perhaps they had once been very close in distance, but ultimately, they were not people of the same world¡­ Perhaps after tonight, the vast majority of them here would become zombies or food for zombies though Qin Jun didn¡¯t care about any of this. ¡°Qin Jun¡­¡± At this moment, a soft and sweet female voice timidly called out. A beautiful woman in a white dress stood in front of the villa, seemingly waiting for Qin Jun, with a look of sadness on her face. Seeing her, Xie Han¡¯s face immediately showed undisguised disgust, clearly contemptuous of this woman. She was Su Ya, the campus belle of Jiangjing University and Qin Jun¡¯s girlfriend. Well, she was his girlfriend half an hour ago, but now she was his ex-girlfriend as Qin Jun had just dumped Su Ya. It had to be said, Su Ya was indeed beautiful. She was very pretty, with a graceful figure and a delicate, pure appearance. It was no wonder she was voted the campus belle in her freshman year. s?a??h th? N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Su Ya was the dream goddess of countless Jiangjing University students. Having a girlfriend like Su Ya could probably excite them for a lifetime, making them wish to cherish her forever, but Qin Jun was tired of playing with her. Su Ya was beautiful, so what? With Qin Jun¡¯s background, what kind of beauty couldn¡¯t he get? Even those glamorous female celebrities had to kneel like dogs before Qin Jun. Qin Jun had played with many so-called movie queens and actresses. More importantly, Su Ya¡¯s background meant she could never enter the gates of the Qin family. Su Ya¡¯s family background was actually decent; her father was the director of the Urban Planning Bureau in a second-tier northern city. Such a family might be respectable in the eyes of ordinary people, but it was nothing in front of the Qin family. Qin Jun was indeed just playing with Su Ya¡­ Qin Jun frowned slightly, ¡°Su Ya, what are you doing here?¡± Su Ya walked over, her face full of sadness and sorrow, looking pitiful, ¡°Qin Jun, we were fine a few days ago. Why did you suddenly break up with me? Let¡¯s talk it over!¡± Qin Jun frowned slightly. Now that Jiangjing University was designated a control zone, he had to leave immediately. He didn¡¯t have time to waste on Su Ya. The control zone was about to become hell on earth. Although Qin Jun had awakened the system, he would never put himself in danger, but then he thought of Chen Zhong. ¡®Maybe taking Su Ya along could be useful¡­.¡¯ At this moment, Xie Han checked her watch and said softly to Qin Jun, ¡°Young Master, time is running out. The military will arrive in 15 minutes.¡± Qin Jun nodded and said to Su Ya indifferently, ¡°Then you follow me.¡± Su Ya¡¯s eyes, which had been filled with sadness, immediately brightened, and she quickly followed behind Qin Jun, her gaze full of infatuation. Many people secretly cursed her for being materialistic, which was true, but not entirely. Su Ya loved Qin Jun not just for his money but also for his displayed dominance and strength! When other boys of the same age were still competing in games and bickering over basketball, Qin Jun was already manipulating things at the top. Compared to Qin Jun, others seemed so childish. This was what made Su Ya obsessed with Qin Jun¡­. Chapter 6 - The Army Steps In Chapter 6: The Army Steps In Jiangjing University Gate, 6:20 PM. A police car was parked by the roadside, and An Xinling, in her police uniform, looked heroic and imposing. However, at the moment, An Xinling was arguing with several campus security officers from Jiangjing University. ¡°I am the head of the Anti-Terrorism Unit of the Municipal Bureau, here to pick someone up.¡± The head of the campus security, a middle-aged officer named Jiang Dahai, looked troubled as he shook his head, ¡°Officer, we just received a notice to close the campus, no one is allowed to enter or leave.¡± Although he had checked An Xinling¡¯s police ID, he didn¡¯t give her any leeway. After all, Jiangjing University, as a top university in the country, was directly under the jurisdiction of the Education Commission, and the Municipal Bureau had no authority over it. Moreover, if he let someone leave and something happened, he would be the one facing the consequences! An Xinling frowned deeply, feeling a bit frustrated. As the head of the Anti-Terrorism Unit, An Xinling knew a lot of things. The entire police force of Jiangjing City had been mobilized to cooperate with the military in enforcing the lockdown. They had even been authorized to carry firearms and could decide on their own whether to shoot if the situation got out of hand! This was unprecedented. However, An Xinling didn¡¯t want to directly invoke the name of her brother-in-law, An Feng, the governor of Jiangjing, in public by revealing that An Mian was his daughter. Given the current special circumstances, if such news got out on the internet, it would be detrimental to An Feng¡¯s reputation. After all, the An family¡¯s rise to power began with An Feng becoming the governor of Jiangjing, and their influence wasn¡¯t strong enough to silence all voices online. Moreover, the position of governor of Jiangjing was highly coveted, with many political rivals eyeing it. A single mistake could give them an excuse to attack, so An Xinling and other An family members usually kept a low profile¡­. An Xinling asked, ¡°Who is your direct supervisor?¡± Jiang Dahai replied, ¡°It¡¯s Director Song Dongfang of the Academic Affairs Office of Jiangjing University.¡± An Xinling nodded and made a phone call, speaking in a low voice. Seeing that the police officer was calling for backup, Jiang Dahai remained unperturbed. After all, he was following the rules, and no one could fault him for that! At this moment, An Mian and Chen Zhong also arrived at the school gate and saw An Xinling arguing with the security guards. An Mian immediately called out joyfully, ¡°Aunt!¡± An Xinling noticed Chen Zhong beside An Mian and was a bit surprised. However, she said nothing and simply nodded to Chen Zhong as a greeting. She knew An Mian¡¯s feelings and had a good impression of Chen Zhong. Since they had run into each other, she might as well take him along¡­. Their arrival also attracted the attention of many passing students, and a crowd began to gather. The students weren¡¯t fools and quickly guessed what was happening. They couldn¡¯t help but feel envious. This was the privilege of power¡ªto be picked up by a police car during a lockdown, how impressive! At this moment, a rumbling sound could be heard as a convoy of military bulletproof off-road vehicles appeared at the gate of Jiangjing University. Soon, fully armed soldiers got out of the vehicles, their guns loaded, surveying the surroundings with a vigilant and intimidating presence. Following them, a captain also stepped out of the command vehicle, gave An Xinling a cold look, and then led a few soldiers to negotiate with the security guards at the gate. ¡°I am Li Weiguo, captain of the G17 squad under the Third Combat Brigade, here on official duty. Please cooperate!¡± Li Weiguo presented his military ID. Without any hesitation, Jiang Dahai immediately opened the gate! He might have dared to not give An Xinling face, but he wouldn¡¯t dare do the same with Li Weiguo. Didn¡¯t he see that the soldiers behind Li Weiguo had already loaded their guns? Jiang Dahai wouldn¡¯t joke around with his life¡­. Meanwhile, Qin Jun, Xie Han, and Su Ya also arrived at the school gate. Li Weiguo immediately recognized Qin Jun as the person he was supposed to escort. He quickly walked up to Qin Jun and saluted. ¡°I am Li Weiguo, captain of the G17 squad under the Third Combat Brigade, ordered to escort you to Jiangjing International Airport!¡± Qin Jun smiled and nodded, ¡°Thank you, Captain Li.¡± Seeing this, the students watching from afar were in an uproar. Just moments ago, they were already impressed that An Mian could be picked up by a police car, feeling extremely envious. Now, the military had shown up! If they felt envy before, now they were utterly shocked! With such blatant privilege displayed before them, they realized that their academic achievements and talents were nothing in comparison! Who exactly was this Qin Jun? Could his family be one of the seven members of the Countries Supreme Council? S?a??h the N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Chen Zhong and An Mian also noticed Qin Jun and his group. Chen Zhong¡¯s gaze immediately sharpened, filled with killing intent and hatred, but he quickly regained his composure. Having lived through the apocalypse in his previous life, Chen Zhong had become incredibly strong and resolute. These were lessons learned in blood, and controlling one¡¯s emotions was a basic survival skill in the apocalypse. Chen Zhong buried his killing intent deep within, even feeling a hint of mockery. This Qin Jun probably still looked down on him like in the previous life, thinking he was just a poor nobody, right? But now that he had been reborn, all the humiliation and grievances he had suffered would be repaid! An Mian, on the other hand, glared at Su Ya with hostility. In her view, Su Ya was just a gold digger who loved the rich and despised the poor. Additionally, Su Ya¡¯s exquisite beauty made An Mian feel a bit insecure. More importantly, Chen Zhong still harbored feelings for Su Ya, which made An Mian jealous¡­ Qin Jun, of course, noticed Chen Zhong and An Mian. As he looked at Chen Zhong¡¯s expressionless face, the system¡¯s notification sounded in his ear. ¡°Ding, assessing the potential value of the Child of Destiny, Chen Zhong¡­ Assessment complete, potential value: SSS-level!!!¡± Hearing the system¡¯s assessment, Qin Jun raised an eyebrow. He knew that the government had locked down the information to prevent panic, with only a few high-level officials aware of the true severity of the situation. He wasn¡¯t surprised to see An Mian here, as her father was the governor of Jiangjing and would certainly send someone to pick her up, but seeing Chen Zhong here was interesting¡­. If it were the old Chen Zhong, he would have stayed obediently in his dormitory, but now, Chen Zhong was here with An Mian, preparing to leave Jiangjing University. Was it because An Mian had learned the news and decided to take Chen Zhong with her? Or did Chen Zhong already know what would happen in the future? If Chen Zhong knew nothing and was just being taken by An Mian, then how could the system evaluate Chen Zhong¡¯s potential value as SSS-level? There must be a great secret hidden within Chen Zhong¡­. Chapter 7 - Is My Last Name Qin Enough? Chapter 7: Is My Last Name Qin Enough?Qin Jun squinted slightly and suddenly smiled, ¡°Captain Jiang, I remember Jiangjing University is already on lockdown, no one is allowed to enter or leave. Shouldn¡¯t Student Chen Zhong be unable to leave Jiangjing University too?¡± Jiang Dahai was stunned for a moment, then quickly nodded. He wasn¡¯t very clear about Qin Jun¡¯s identity, only having heard that Qin Jun¡¯s background was very complicated. But now that the army had been deployed just to pick up Qin Jun, it had already exceeded Jiang Dahai¡¯s imagination. He certainly didn¡¯t dare to offend Qin Jun! Jiang Dahai directly said to Chen Zhong, ¡°Student, you should go back to your dormitory immediately. According to the regulations, you can¡¯t leave.¡± Although this An Mian, who could get a police car to pick her up, was probably not an ordinary person, Jiang Dahai could still distinguish between the power of the army and the police. Hearing this, Chen Zhong¡¯s heart sank and the thing he feared most had happened! If Qin Jun, due to their old grudge, prevented him from leaving Jiangjing University, things would indeed be difficult! An Mian immediately stepped forward to defend Chen Zhong, glaring at Qin Jun, ¡°Why? Qin Jun, you are violating the rules yourself, so why can¡¯t Chen Zhong leave?¡± As the governor¡¯s daughter, An Mian knew Qin Jun¡¯s background, but since this concerned Chen Zhong, she would fight to the end. Of course, An Mian also had her own reliance. This was Jiangjing, her father An Feng was the governor, and the An family was the local power. No matter how powerful the Qin family was, they couldn¡¯t control Jiangjing! ¡°Why?¡± Qin Jun showed a mocking smile, saying lightly, ¡°Is it enough that my last name is Qin?¡± Seeing this, Li Weiguo immediately drew his pistol, and the soldiers raised their weapons, aiming at Chen Zhong. Li Weiguo stared at Chen Zhong expressionlessly, ready to shoot at Qin Jun¡¯s command. He didn¡¯t know Qin Jun¡¯s exact identity, but his orders were to escort Qin Jun at all costs and follow all his instructions. Seeing the soldiers aiming their guns, An Mian turned pale, both angry and scared, her body trembling uncontrollably. As the governor¡¯s daughter, An Mian had been pampered since childhood and had never suffered any grievances. Yet, Qin Jun dared to have someone point a gun at her? An Xinling was also anxious. She had never met Qin Jun, but his name was very familiar to her! As a core member of the An family, An Xinling was much more mature and knowledgeable than An Mian. The weight of the Qin family was such that a single step from them could shake the entire nation¡­ She knew that Qin Jun was right. Just because his last name was Qin, he could do whatever he wanted in this country¡­. Although the An family had considerable influence and produced a governor of Jiangjing, they were still insignificant compared to the Qin family! Seeing An Mian¡¯s pale face, Qin Jun¡¯s eyes were full of disdain. Because the An family was the local power in Jiangjing, he would usually give An Mian some face out of respect for An Feng. But once there was a conflict of interest, the An family was nothing to Qin Jun! So what if he killed Chen Zhong in front of An Mian? Even if An Feng himself came, Qin Jun could still refuse to give face¡­. This explosive scene naturally caused quite a stir, with many people taking out their phones. The army raising their guns was big news! But Qin Jun didn¡¯t care at all as he knew these videos would soon disappear¡­. Previously, due to Su Ya, Qin Jun had shown some of his wealth, shocking the students of Jiangjing University. It even went viral online for a while, making the news. Then, some self-media influencers stirred up discussions about wealth disparity and privilege. But overnight, those news articles and videos disappeared without a trace. The most influential influencers also vanished¡­. After all, the head of the Imperial Entertainment Department was named Qin, and the head of the News Bureau was also named Qin. Moreover, with the apocalypse imminent, Qin Jun didn¡¯t need to care about public opinion at all¡­. Seeing Chen Zhong¡¯s extremely ugly expression, Qin Jun suddenly chuckled and said, ¡°Of course, there is another way. Chen Zhong, if you are willing to kneel and beg Su Ya, I¡¯ll let you leave with us. How about that?¡± Hearing this, Chen Zhong¡¯s eyes immediately blazed with anger, a rush of blood going to his head. His expression twisted with rage and madness. Kneel and beg Su Ya? In front of everyone, in front of Qin Jun, kneel and beg the woman who had abandoned him? This was a huge humiliation that no man could endure! The old Chen Zhong still had complex feelings for Su Ya, a mix of longing and reluctance, but after living through an entire lifetime, Chen Zhong no longer had any feelings for Su Ya, only hatred and indifference. The most unbearable thing for Chen Zhong was not Su Ya abandoning him. It was that Su Ya gave her virginity to Qin Jun within days of being with him¡­. This made Chen Zhong feel that his male dignity had been trampled, and all his sincere efforts had been fed to the dogs! Now, being asked to kneel and beg Su Ya was more painful than killing him! Chen Zhong stared at Qin Jun, wishing he could tear him apart. s?a??h th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. This was too much! But looking at the guns pointed at him, Chen Zhong gradually calmed down. He was sure that if he charged forward, these soldiers would definitely shoot! ¡®What to do?¡¯ Chen Zhong couldn¡¯t bear the humiliation. Then he thought of that SSS-level talent seed. If Qin Jun didn¡¯t relent, he wouldn¡¯t be able to reach the safe zone. If he went alone, by the time he got to the safe zone, it would be too late! That SSS-level talent seed was his ticket to power! With that SSS-level talent seed, Chen Zhong could soar to great heights, able to sweep through the world even alone! He couldn¡¯t give up that SSS-level seed! Having gone through countless hardships in his previous life, Chen Zhong was no longer naive or childish. In the apocalyptic world, to survive, dignity meant nothing because only by staying alive could one have everything. Many people were quickly eliminated in the apocalypse because they couldn¡¯t understand this. Was it dignity he wanted? Or strength? At this moment, Chen Zhong was deeply conflicted¡­. Seeing Chen Zhong¡¯s changing expression, Qin Jun remained expressionless. He was not humiliating Chen Zhong just for fun as he never did meaningless things. He just wanted to see if Chen Zhong had value. If Chen Zhong refused, it meant he was still the same as before, pretending to be noble. In that case, Qin Jun would have the soldiers kill Chen Zhong and get the system¡¯s minimum reward. As for whether An Mian would go crazy, Qin Jun didn¡¯t care. With the apocalypse coming, who knew if the An family, which had risen for just over a decade, could even survive¡­. If An Mian continued to cause trouble, Qin Jun wouldn¡¯t mind killing one more person, but if Chen Zhong accepted the humiliation¡­ things would get interesting. Chen Zhong enduring such humiliation just to reach the safe zone meant he knew what the future held¡­. Or was there something in the safe zone that Chen Zhong desperately wanted? Chapter 8 - The Apocalypse Has Arrived! Chapter 8: The Apocalypse Has Arrived!The school gate was quiet, everyone watching Chen Zhong, eager to see what he would choose. An Mian was so furious she almost wanted to rush out and argue with Qin Jun, but An Xinling held her back and shook her head. The An family couldn¡¯t afford to provoke Qin Jun. Chen Zhong¡¯s face alternated between blue and white, remaining silent. Then, trembling, he slowly knelt down, in front of An Mian, Qin Jun, Su Ya, and everyone else. An Mian watched this scene, feeling as if her heart was being cut by a knife. She couldn¡¯t help but cry and ran over to hold Chen Zhong, sobbing, ¡°Chen Zhong, get up. We won¡¯t go. We¡¯ll stay at the school!¡± The surrounding students couldn¡¯t help but look down on him, making mocking remarks. ¡°Wow, he actually knelt. He¡¯s not a man!¡± ¡°Disgusting. If it were me, I¡¯d just go back to the dorm. What¡¯s the big deal?¡± ¡°Shameful, just die already!¡± Kneeling on the ground, listening to these insults, Chen Zhong remained expressionless. He looked at Su Ya with bloodshot eyes, and said, word by word, ¡°Su Ya, I beg you!¡± At this moment, he felt worse than death. This was an enormous humiliation for him, his personality and so-called dignity trampled by Qin Jun! But deep inside, Chen Zhong was extremely calm. He told himself that it was all worth it, as long as he could get the SSS-level talent seed, he could pay any price! This moment of humiliation would be forever etched in his heart. He swore to himself that once he obtained the SSS-level talent seed, he would immediately kill Qin Jun. He would torture Qin Jun thoroughly and repay all the humiliation he suffered! Looking at Chen Zhong kneeling before her, Su Ya¡¯s gaze was indifferent. After a long silence, she suddenly said to Qin Jun, ¡°Qin Jun, I don¡¯t want to see him. Let him stay at the school.¡± This sentence made Chen Zhong raise his head in disbelief. He never thought that Su Ya could be so heartless! Chen Zhong suddenly found himself laughable, having loved Su Ya for so many years without ever seeing her true nature! But Su Ya had her own thoughts. She was a smart woman. Seeing the army come to personally pick up Qin Jun, Su Ya immediately sensed that the lockdown area must be unsafe. Could the T virus be out of control? Su Ya had indeed abandoned Chen Zhong, something she even admitted to herself. So, deep down, she felt guilty towards Chen Zhong. Some people, feeling guilty, would compensate the person they wronged. Others, however, couldn¡¯t stand seeing the person they wronged and wished they would disappear forever, to avoid the torment of their conscience. Su Ya was the latter, she wanted Chen Zhong to die!! If Chen Zhong died, she wouldn¡¯t owe anyone anymore¡­ Not only was Chen Zhong surprised, but Qin Jun was also taken aback. The woman he had grown tired of had unexpectedly made him see her in a new light¡­ Looking at Su Ya, Qin Jun couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°The most poisonous woman¡¯s heart.¡± Who would have thought that a delicate campus beauty could be so ruthless? Such a woman could achieve great things even in the apocalypse¡­. However, Qin Jun didn¡¯t agree to Su Ya¡¯s suggestion. Chen Zhong couldn¡¯t die yet, at least not until Qin Jun got that SSS-level potential reward. Qin Jun smiled slightly and said, ¡°Forget it, Chen Zhong has already knelt. Let it go.¡± His words seemed magnanimous, but given his actions, they were deeply ironic¡­. An Mian immediately helped Chen Zhong up, her face full of distress. She thought to herself, once she sees her father, she would definitely complain about Qin Jun daring to have someone point a gun at her! Qin Jun smiled at Li Weiguo, ¡°Captain Li, let¡¯s go.¡± Li Weiguo nodded. From beginning to end, he hadn¡¯t said a word. He was a pure soldier who only knew how to follow orders. Since he was told to obey Qin Jun, he would follow all of Qin Jun¡¯s commands. Qin Jun, Xie Han, and Su Ya got into the convoy with the soldiers and drove away. An Xinling also took An Mian and Chen Zhong into the police car, following the army. The lockdown area was already very dangerous, like a powder keg. No one knew what might happen. Following the army was the safest option¡­. After Qin Jun and his group left, the students who had been watching dispersed, discussing the events that had just unfolded. It was like watching a blockbuster movie! Suddenly, a boy shouted, ¡°Wow, Lao Zhou, what¡¯s wrong with your eyes?¡± A chubby boy next to him looked confused, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± His pupils had become cloudy, white, and bloodshot, looking rather eerie. S?a??h the N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What is this? Cataracts? Eye inflammation?¡± The other boys quickly took the chubby boy to the school hospital, causing quite a commotion¡­. Meanwhile, Jiang Dahai instructed his men, ¡°Seal the school gate. No one is allowed out. If this happens again, I¡¯ll be in trouble!¡± ¡­ In the police car, An Xinling was driving while glancing at Chen Zhong and An Mian in the rearview mirror. Since getting into the car, Chen Zhong had been very silent, clearly deeply affected by the recent humiliation. Although An Xinling wouldn¡¯t directly confront Qin Jun for Chen Zhong, she didn¡¯t want to see this promising young man fall into despair. After thinking for a moment, she gently comforted him, ¡°Being born into a humble background is not a disgrace. A real man can endure and thrive.¡± Chen Zhong nodded at her words. An Xinling then turned on the police radio to check the current situation. As soon as she did, the chaotic sounds of shouting and gunfire filled the car. ¡°This is the third squad of the Riot Control Unit. We are under attack on Xinyang Street in Nanxin District. Requesting backup! Requesting backup!¡± ¡°Fuck, what are these things? Even guns can¡¯t kill them!¡± ¡°Requesting backup. One of our men has been bitten! Damn it, Lao Xu, what are you doing? What are you doing?¡± Listening to the chaotic police radio, An Xinling¡¯s face turned grim. What was happening? A riot? Or a terrorist attack? An Mian, recognizing the seriousness of the situation, clung tightly to Chen Zhong, her face full of worry. Chen Zhong looked out the window. The night seemed particularly gloomy, with a misty sky and sparse moonlight casting an eerie glow over the city. The streets were deserted, like a dead city, with faint sounds of gunfire and screams in the distance¡­ He knew that from this moment on, humanity¡¯s fate was about to change. The days of peace and prosperity were gone forever. In the future, humanity would only know slaughter and bloodshed. The apocalypse had arrived! Chapter 9 - Internet Celebrity Little Li Chapter 9: Internet Celebrity Little Li Jiangjing City, Jiangbei Bridge. The entire city of Jiangjing was divided into two areas by the Huang River. The locked-down districts of Xinan, Minxu, Baohai, and Nanxin were all in the southern part. The only way out of these locked-down areas was via Jiangbei Bridge. After the lockdown began, the government deployed a large number of military and police forces to set up a checkpoint on Jiangbei Bridge. Without a pass, no one was allowed to enter or leave. Fully armed soldiers, wearing masks and with guns loaded, stood guard by the roadside, even setting up machine guns! Several armed helicopters hovered around the bridge, patrolling back and forth with high-power searchlights scanning the river to prevent anyone from attempting to cross by water. The bridge was already packed with vehicles, and a dense crowd of people swarmed towards the checkpoint, trying to leave for the safe zones outside. At least ten thousand people were there. People¡¯s faces were filled with fear and anxiety. The noise of the crowd, sirens, shouts, and crying babies created a chaotic and unsettling atmosphere. Although they didn¡¯t understand what was happening, the severity of the situation instinctively made them want to escape the locked-down area. Police officers stood at higher ground, shouting through loudspeakers, ¡°No one can pass the checkpoint without a pass. Please go home and wait!¡± Most people didn¡¯t have the so-called pass, but no one returned home, all pushing forward. They held onto a sliver of hope that they might somehow get through. At the front of the crowd, blocked by the checkpoint¡¯s iron barricades, soldiers refused to let anyone without a pass through. ¡°Let me through, let me through. I am not infected, I am healthy!¡± People screamed, trying to prove their health, but the soldiers remained indifferent, mechanically repeating, ¡°Only those with a pass can pass the checkpoint. If you do not have a pass, please go home and wait.¡± A woman holding a little girl begged an officer, ¡°I won¡¯t leave, just take my daughter out, please? I¡¯m begging you!¡± The officer¡¯s eyes showed a hint of pity, but he could only shake his head. Orders from above were strict: no one without a pass could pass, and if anyone attempted to riot, they were to be suppressed by force. Someone in the crowd shouted, ¡°I am the deputy general manager of Changnan Industries. I¡¯ll pay 300,000 for a pass!¡± The crowd quickly became agitated. ¡°I am the director of Xinghai Group, I¡¯ll pay 400,000!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay 500,000!¡± In the crowd, a well-dressed middle-aged man with an official demeanor stepped out, showing his work ID to the officer and speaking in a low voice: ¡°Lieutenant, I am Gong Shulin, the tax bureau director of Baohai District, Jiangjing City. Can you make an exception and let me through? I know your military district¡¯s Staff Officer Wang Zhe very well. We¡¯ve had meals together!¡± The lieutenant seriously examined Gong Shulin¡¯s work ID and then handed it back, shaking his head, ¡°Sorry, Director Gong, no one can pass without a pass.¡± Hearing this, Gong Shulin¡¯s smile froze and his face turned a bit sour. As the tax bureau director, Gong Shulin was a significant figure in Jiangjing City. Countless people fawned over him, and even billionaires treated him with respect. Yet, a lowly lieutenant dared not give him face? But facing fully armed soldiers, Gong Shulin could only suppress his anger and retreat to the crowd to start making phone calls, trying to use his connections to get a pass. In the crowd, a stylishly dressed, arrogant young man was recording a video on his phone, holding a heavily made-up woman in his arms. After recording, the young man uploaded the video to an online platform with a highly provocative title. ¡°Jiangjing Sealed, Military Suppresses Civilians?¡± The video quickly received thousands of likes. The young man smiled smugly and boasted to the woman beside him, ¡°See the influence of your brother!¡± His name was Li Han, and he had a technical degree. Originally working in a factory, he had become famous by chance in the era of short videos. On the largest short video platform in the country, Kuaiyin, he had over two million followers and was a major internet celebrity, known as Little Li, making millions in just a few years. The woman beside him cooed, ¡°Brother Li, can we still get out?¡± Li Han boasted, ¡°What are you afraid of? I have two million followers. Even the Jiangjing Tourism Bureau has hired me for promotional videos.¡± He then showed her photos of himself with several officials from the Jiangjing Tourism Bureau. ¡°Wow.¡± s?a??h th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The woman exclaimed in admiration, making Li Han even more smug¡­ ¡­ Qin Jun¡¯s convoy stopped outside Jiangbei Bridge. Seeing the long line of vehicles ahead, Li Weiguo turned to Qin Jun and said, ¡°The road is blocked. We need to walk.¡± He then instructed the soldiers, ¡°First squad in front, second squad in the rear. Surround them and don¡¯t fall behind!¡± Thus, the group crossed the bridge, heading towards the checkpoint. An Xinling, An Mian, and Chen Zhong also got out of the police car, following the army. Seeing a group of soldiers approaching, the crowd made way. They all observed Qin Jun being escorted by the army, silent but filled with curiosity, confusion, and perhaps more than anything, envy. After a while, with the army escorting them, Qin Jun and his group finally reached the checkpoint. A senior officer had already received the news. Seeing Qin Jun and his group, he quickly approached. This officer was Zhao Yi, deputy commander of the Third Division of the Jiangjing Garrison Command, with the rank of colonel. At just thirty-seven, he was the youngest colonel in the garrison, with a promising future. Zhao Yi walked up to Qin Jun, warmly greeting him, ¡°Qin Jun, how was your trip?¡± Qin Jun knew Zhao Yi. After all, Zhao Yi¡¯s rapid rise to become the youngest colonel was thanks to the Qin family¡¯s connections. Incidentally, the Jiangjing Garrison Command was under the jurisdiction of the Southeast Military District. And the head of the Southeast Military District was also named Qin¡­. Zhao Yi led Qin Jun and his group to pass through the checkpoint, while An Xinling presented a pass issued by the Municipal Office, following behind Qin Jun. This scene unfolded openly in front of everyone. People watched in silence, gradually feeling a sense of discontent. Why could this young man leave the locked-down area without a pass? While they were stuck here! Li Han, seeing this, was visibly upset. He had just tried to use his status to pass through with his companion but was bluntly turned away, despite showing his identity as Xiao Li, which embarrassed him greatly. Now, seeing Qin Jun openly using privilege to leave without a pass only fueled Li Han¡¯s jealousy. ¡®Damn, you¡¯re also a young man. Why are you so special? I have two million followers!¡¯ Knowing the severity of the situation, Li Han understood that the lockdown likely meant an outbreak of the virus. Staying in the locked-down area was a death sentence! With a sly look, he stepped out of the crowd and pointed at Qin Jun, ¡°Why can he leave without a pass while we can¡¯t? We want to get out too!¡± He had already planned to incite the crowd¡¯s discontent, causing an uproar to put pressure on the soldiers. He was very good at manipulating public opinion¡­. Chapter 10 - What, Youre Not Convinced? Chapter 10: What, You¡¯re Not Convinced? Li Han¡¯s confidence was not entirely unfounded. In today¡¯s society, public opinion still held significant power. Li Han had used his account to stir up quite a few controversies, once forcing several officials into apologizing and backing down. His fans even dubbed him the ¡°Pioneer of Justice.¡± Although Li Han knew that Qin Jun was no ordinary person, so what? He had dealt with second-generation heirs before! Recently, he had a conflict with the son of a bureau chief in Jiangjing over a woman, with the bureau chief¡¯s son even threatening to ruin him. In response, Li Han exposed the bureau chief¡¯s son online, subtly hinting that the bureau chief himself wasn¡¯t clean. The scandal blew up online. The result? The bureau chief¡¯s son conceded, offering a substantial hush money. This incident only inflated Li Han¡¯s ego further. Who cares about being a government heir? Having power and money is nothing! Having fans is the real power, having a voice online is the real power! If he posted a video of Qin Jun, the internet would explode, and these people would surely be thoroughly investigated! The crowd already felt some discontent, and now, with Li Han stepping up, they gained courage and began to voice their support. s?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yeah, why can he go through, but we can¡¯t?¡± ¡°If he can go, we all should be able to go, or no one goes!¡± In the crowd, Gong Shulin, who had just been rebuffed, took a few steps back. Having navigated the bureaucracy for over a decade, he knew the score. The government was being very strict this time, so much so that even he, a bureau director, couldn¡¯t get through! But this young man could, and a colonel was personally greeting him, indicating that his background was so significant that it transcended the rules! With such a background, public opinion didn¡¯t matter much. Gong Shulin looked at the excited Li Han with pity, thinking, ¡°This guy is in big trouble¡­ big trouble!¡± ¡­ Seeing the crowd suddenly becoming agitated, the soldiers immediately loaded their guns, and the police began to maintain order, ¡°Step back! Step back! No shouting, stay calm!¡± Under the pressure from soldiers and police, the crowd reluctantly quieted down. Li Han stepped forward, shouting, ¡°I am Xiao Li, with two million followers, and today I will expose all of you!¡± Despite his righteous words, Li Han knew the truth. He wasn¡¯t seeking justice; he just wanted to use this opportunity to get out of here! Officials dreaded influential troublemakers like him and would likely choose to appease him¡­. Normally, a young man like Qin Jun with a strong background would want to avoid trouble and let him leave the lockdown area as a compromise¡­. ¡­ Xiao Li? Qin Jun glanced at Xie Han beside him, and Xie Han nodded, took out her phone, and made a call, giving some instructions in a low voice. Qin Jun then looked at Li Han, smiling slightly, ¡°What, you¡¯re not convinced?¡± Seeing the smile on Qin Jun¡¯s face, Li Han suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, a sense of foreboding. He suddenly wondered if he had made a mistake. Qin Jun said lightly, ¡°You should be thankful for the so-called new era, which allows a nobody like you to appear before me and spout nonsense.¡± Qin Jun looked at Li Han mockingly, ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do, you just want to use the crowd to pressure the military into letting you leave the quarantine zone.¡± ¡°Of course, I could compromise, and everyone could get what they want, but I have a flaw, do you know what it is?¡± The smile on Qin Jun¡¯s face gradually disappeared, like an iceberg, sending chills down people¡¯s spines. ¡°I never compromise.¡± He then turned to Zhao Yi, ¡°Commander Zhao, I remember that all rioters should be treated as public security threats, right?¡± Zhao Yi was slightly taken aback, understanding Qin Jun¡¯s meaning. He wanted to execute Li Han and the other agitators right here! Zhao Yi hesitated, knowing that ordering the shooting of civilians in public could have serious consequences, but seeing the cold look in Qin Jun¡¯s eyes, Zhao Yi shuddered and quickly came to his senses. With the Qin family¡¯s power, what couldn¡¯t they handle? If he didn¡¯t follow Qin Jun¡¯s orders, he might find himself in a military court tomorrow! As a senior officer, Zhao Yi knew many secrets. The world was in chaos, with many countries abroad in a state of anarchy. The situation domestically wasn¡¯t much better! It was rumored that the T virus had fully erupted in the imperial capital, with the main government headquarters overrun. The president was missing, four of the seven top officials were dead, and everything was in turmoil. In such a situation, the Qin family¡¯s influence was growing, especially since they controlled the military power of the Southeast Military District. If the country fell into anarchy, the Qin family would undoubtedly be the overlords of the Southeast! Understanding this, Zhao Yi immediately ordered the soldiers, ¡°Execute these rioters on the spot for endangering public security!¡± The soldiers stepped forward, raising their guns at Li Han and the other agitators. Li Han¡¯s companion was already scared out of her wits, fleeing along with the others. Bang!!! Gunshots rang out, and several people fell to the ground, blood pooling around them, causing the crowd to scream and retreat, fearing being labeled as rioters! The army really opened fire! They really killed people! All this time, the domestic situation had been peaceful and stable. Guns and death felt distant from them, but now, seeing people killed right before their eyes was an unimaginable shock! An Mian looked at Qin Jun in shock, finally feeling a sense of fear. She had thought Qin Jun was just a normal college student like her, a young man in his twenties. At most, Qin Jun might be more mature due to his family¡¯s background, but she never imagined Qin Jun would order soldiers to shoot people without hesitation! An Mian couldn¡¯t help but think, had Qin Jun considered killing her at the university gate earlier? This terrifying thought made An Mian shudder. Qin Jun was like a devil! Li Han was also stunned. He never thought the army would actually open fire! He was just talking big! Was talking big a crime? He had done it before without any trouble! Li Han hurriedly picked up his phone, screaming, ¡°I am Xiao Li from Kuaiyin, with two million followers. You can¡¯t kill me!¡± He clutched his phone like it was his lifeline. Xie Han beside Qin Jun sneered, ¡°No, you have nothing.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Li Han was stunned, then looked at his phone, his eyes widening in shock. His Kuaiyin account had been silently deleted! Not just his Kuaiyin account, but his bank account and ID information also showed anomalies. No record of him! Though he was still physically there, legally, he had disappeared. There was no Li Han in the world, no Xiao Li. Li Han¡¯s mouth opened, his body trembling violently, filled with fear and regret, tears streaming down his face. He was consumed by terror and regret. What kind of person had he provoked¡­? Chapter 11 - The Harsh Reality Chapter 11: The Harsh Reality Li Han got his wish and passed through the checkpoint. Then, there was a gunshot, and the internet celebrity with two million followers disappeared. Both legally and physically, he was gone. After this incident, the people on the bridge became very quiet and well-behaved. No one dared to say anything about Qin Jun and his group¡¯s blatant display of privilege as they were scared. During peaceful times, people like Qin Jun seemed no different from ordinary people. They had to queue at the airport, wait at red lights while driving, and even had to yield to unreasonable elderly people in public. But all of that was just a facade, a performance. They put a veneer of false gentleness over the world, creating a fairytale land for ordinary people. Then once their fundamental interests were threatened, they would tear off that facade and reveal the brutal, bloody reality. In times of crisis, a team of soldiers came to fetch Qin Jun. He didn¡¯t need a pass to leave the quarantine zone, and there was even a private plane waiting for him. But these ordinary people could only stay in the quarantine zone and wait for death. Even if they had done nothing wrong, but that¡¯s the way it is. People¡¯s lives have different values. To some people, one of Qin Jun¡¯s hairs was worth more than these tens of thousands of lives. Chen Zhong remained expressionless, but there was a hint of pity in his eyes. He knew that in the apocalypse, privilege would be even more terrifying than it was now! The emergence of evolved humans would create a clear distinction between higher and lower classes. Some evolved humans even believed they were the new humanity, while those who hadn¡¯t awakened were mere pigs, fit only to be enslaved! But Chen Zhong¡¯s pity lasted only a moment. In the apocalypse, pity and compassion were luxuries. To survive, learning to be cold was a mandatory course. After passing through the checkpoint with An Mian, Chen Zhong saw the brightly lit world beyond. It was like another world compared to the quarantine zone! Though Chen Zhong knew very well that it was not safe outside either. In a few hours at most, the military¡¯s blockade would be breached, and everything would turn into a hellscape! His gaze then fixed on a high tower¡ªJiangjing¡¯s landmark building, the Oriental Tower! According to his memories from the previous life, tomorrow the SSS-level talent seed would appear there! He was only one step away from his rise to power! ¡­ Beside Qin Jun, Zhao Yi said in a low voice, ¡°The plane is ready. I¡¯ll have people escort you to the military airport.¡± Qin Jun shook his head and said calmly, ¡°No rush.¡± Zhao Yi was taken aback. Given the critical situation, he didn¡¯t expect Qin Jun not to be in a hurry to leave! If Qin Jun wasn¡¯t worried, Zhao Yi certainly was. If anything happens to Qin Jun, Zhao Yi would be in big trouble! Zhao Yi quickly advised, ¡°But Chairman Qin instructed¡­¡± s?a??h th? N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Qin Jun interrupted him, ¡°I¡¯ll explain it to my father.¡± Seeing Qin Jun¡¯s firm stance, Zhao Yi couldn¡¯t insist and had to nod. The situation was so critical that now was the best time to escort Qin Jun away. If the situation deteriorated further, it would require more resources and manpower to get him to the airport. Who knew how many lives would be lost because of this young nobleman¡¯s whims? ¡°And another thing.¡± Just as Zhao Yi was thinking about arranging security, Qin Jun¡¯s voice came again. ¡°Commander Zhao, I don¡¯t like people questioning my decisions, no matter their reasons.¡± Qin Jun smiled at Zhao Yi. His smiling look sent a chill down Zhao Yi¡¯s spine! A real power player in the garrison command, feeling a twinge of fear towards a young man in his twenties. Zhao Yi took a deep breath and nodded, ¡°I was out of line. I¡¯m sorry.¡± This scene left An Mian, following behind, dumbfounded. She had met Zhao Yi before, a real power player in the Jiangjing Garrison Command, and even her father was very polite to him. But here, Zhao Yi was being scolded by Qin Jun without the slightest bit of anger, even looking fearful? Only then did An Mian start to understand what Qin Jun meant when he said he could do whatever he wanted just because his last name was Qin¡­. At that moment, Qin Jun turned around and pointed at An Mian and the others with a smile, ¡°These are my¡­ friends. Commander Zhao, arrange for them to be protected. Without my order, no one is to leave.¡± Hearing this, Chen Zhong¡¯s heart sank to the bottom. This wasn¡¯t protection, it was clearly detention! Chapter 12 - Su Yas Realization Chapter 12: Su Ya¡¯s RealizationSu Ya followed closely behind Qin Jun, her eyes filled with shock. She had been Qin Jun¡¯s girlfriend but didn¡¯t know much about his background, only that the Qin family was very wealthy and influential in the business world. It was only now that Su Ya realized how terrifying Qin Jun¡¯s background truly was. Even a high-ranking colonel was trembling before him! The Qin family¡­ Could it be that Qin family? And adding what Zhao Yi had said about Chairman Qin¡­ Su Ya¡¯s heart pounded as she finally confirmed Qin Jun¡¯s identity¡ªhe was the only son of Qin Yuan, the Chief Executive of the Council and the head of the Cardinal Council¡¯s seven top figures! A glimmer of ambition flashed in Su Ya¡¯s eyes. She had to become Qin Jun¡¯s woman! No matter what, even if she couldn¡¯t be Qin Jun¡¯s only woman, even if she could only be his plaything, it would be worth it! Su Ya knew very well that with Qin Jun¡¯s background, even being his plaything would make her a significant figure in the eyes of others¡­. She had had enough of living an ordinary life! Being able to see the scenery from the top of the mountain, even if it meant selling her dignity and soul, so what? However, Su Ya was also aware that although she was the campus belle of Jiangjing University, in the eyes of someone like Qin Jun, her beauty and body were not enough to be considered a bargaining chip¡­. Qin Jun had played with countless women and Su Ya had long understood this. If she did nothing, she would definitely be abandoned by Qin Jun. Or rather, she was already abandoned by Qin Jun now¡­. She needed to do something to prove her worth to Qin Jun! Only then could she regain Qin Jun¡¯s favor! Su Ya glanced at Chen Zhong, who was expressionless. Her ex-boyfriend was undoubtedly the best offering¡­. She was a very intelligent woman and sensed Qin Jun¡¯s hostility towards Chen Zhong and this hostility wasn¡¯t because of her. Su Ya knew very well that she held no weight in Qin Jun¡¯s heart. How could Qin Jun target Chen Zhong because of her? There was only one possibility¡­. Chen Zhong had some secret that Qin Jun was very interested in¡­. Su Ya¡¯s beautiful eyes turned to An Mian, who was pouting angrily. This naive and foolish girl was undoubtedly the easiest to deceive¡­. ¡­ Soon, Qin Jun and his group were escorted by soldiers to a temporary military base. This was previously a stadium, now requisitioned by the military and filled with temporary prefab houses. Fully armed soldiers formed a defensive line around the base, and inside, several medical isolation laboratories were staffed by medical personnel in white coats, seemingly analyzing something. Zhao Yi showed a hint of apology on his face and said to Qin Jun, ¡°The conditions here are a bit rough, but for safety¡¯s sake, this is the best we can do.¡± He then hesitated before saying, ¡°When do you plan to leave? S?a??h th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. To be honest, the situation is already very difficult to control. At best, we can maintain order for another two days.¡± Qin Jun nodded upon hearing this, ¡°We¡¯ll leave the day after tomorrow.¡± He had already made up his mind. If there was no result by then, he would kill Chen Zhong and settle for the minimum reward. If An Mian tried to stop him, he would kill her too. The An family was destined to sink along with Jiangjing¡­. ¡­ Entering a prefab house, Chen Zhong put down his luggage. He felt deeply troubled. He had endured humiliation and begged to leave the quarantine zone for the SSS-level talent seed, but now, Qin Jun suddenly wanted to detain them all! How can he get the SSS-level talent seed like this? But why? Having experienced countless life-and-death situations in his previous life, Chen Zhong immediately grew suspicious. If Qin Jun¡¯s previous humiliation could be explained by Su Ya¡¯s influence, then this situation clearly indicated something was off. He knew Qin Jun¡¯s background. To someone like Qin Jun, he was just an ant, not worth any attention. So why did Qin Jun want to detain him? Was Qin Jun targeting An Mian and taking him along for the ride? Impossible. An Mian had the An family behind her, and Jiangjing was still under the An family¡¯s control. Qin Jun wouldn¡¯t immediately tear off relations with the An family. Does Qin Jun know his secret? Chen Zhong quickly shook his head. He had definitely not been exposed and even if he tells no one would believe he had been reborn! Not to mention he had only been reborn for a few hours¡­ Could it be that Qin Jun was also a reborn? But he quickly dismissed this thought. If Qin Jun was also a reborn, he would have left the quarantine zone long ago with his resources. Instead of waiting until now to be hurriedly escorted by the military. Chen Zhong¡¯s expression grew darker. He knew that the SSS-level talent seed was only a few hours away. If he wasted time in this base, the SSS-level talent seed might be taken by someone else! But the more pressing the situation, the calmer Chen Zhong became. After thinking for a moment, he decided to seek An Mian¡¯s help. At this point, he could only rely on An Mian. After all, her father was the governor of Jiangjing, and still had some influence¡­. As long as he got the SSS-level talent seed, even Qin Jun¡¯s deep background wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to him! Chen Zhong walked to An Mian¡¯s room and entered, seeing An Mian sitting on the bed, puffing her cheeks in anger. She was clearly furious about being detained. Seeing Chen Zhong, An Mian immediately smiled. Chen Zhong felt warmth in his heart. This girl always saved her smiles for him¡­. Chen Zhong silently vowed that he would never let the tragedy of the previous life repeat! ¡°Chen Zhong, you¡¯re here.¡± An Mian said as soon as she saw him, ¡°I just called my dad, and he said we should stay here because it¡¯s safer. It makes me so angry!¡± Chen Zhong knew that An Feng was right. The police alone couldn¡¯t deal with the zombies; only the military was the safest place, but now, Chen Zhong had to leave here. He said softly, ¡°An Mian, we can¡¯t stay here. Can you find a way to get us out?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± An Mian agreed without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll think of a way.¡± Seeing the smile on An Mian¡¯s face, Chen Zhong felt touched. This girl always accommodated him, no matter what he asked for, she did it without hesitation. Though An Mian¡¯s appearance was plain, not even cute, in Chen Zhong¡¯s heart, she was the most adorable girl in the world! Chen Zhong suddenly couldn¡¯t help but hug An Mian, whispering, ¡°An Mian, there are some things I need to tell you¡­¡± Chapter 13 - Foolish and Naive Chapter 13: Foolish and Naive ¡°The apocalypse is coming? Zombies everywhere? And these talent evolvers?¡± An Mian¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Chen Zhong, stuttering, ¡°But¡­ how do you know?¡± An Mian could hardly believe her ears because what Chen Zhong had just told her was almost enough to overturn her entire worldview. The world was about to undergo a massive change? Until now, An Mian hadn¡¯t thought the situation was very serious. This kind and naive girl merely believed there was a severe epidemic. That¡¯s why the government was so tense. At most, she thought it would take a few months for the vaccines and serums to be developed, and the world would return to peace. Wasn¡¯t it the same when the T virus first broke out? But Chen Zhong told her that the world would never be peaceful again, that the days of peace were gone forever. The future world would be filled with zombies and monsters, full of danger! This was hard for An Mian to believe. Chen Zhong shook his head and said, ¡°You just need to believe me.¡± Except for revealing that he was reborn, Chen Zhong had told An Mian almost everything. First, because the apocalypse would officially arrive in a few hours, and An Mian would know then. Second, because An Mian had always helped him without any consideration, which deeply moved Chen Zhong, he didn¡¯t want to hide anything from her. An Mian nodded, resting her head on Chen Zhong¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I believe you, Chen Zhong. I believe everything you say! Since that thing is so important to you, I¡¯ll find a way!¡± But worry crossed An Mian¡¯s face again as she said anxiously, ¡°If the apocalypse really comes¡­ what about my father¡­?¡± Seeing the worry on An Mian¡¯s face, Chen Zhong patted his chest and smiled, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Once I get that SSS-level talent seed, those zombies will be nothing. I¡¯ll protect Jiangjing!¡± Chen Zhong initially planned to head north to establish a shelter after obtaining the SSS-level talent seed, but now, having almost solidified his relationship with An Mian, he changed his plans. He will stay in Jiangjing! Although Jiangjing¡¯s situation was dangerous and chaotic, if he could save Jiangjing, the benefits would be enormous. Jiangjing was a top-tier city with abundant industrial resources, which would be precious in the post-apocalyptic era. Moreover, An Mian¡¯s father, An Feng, was the governor of Jiangjing, making his control over Jiangjing legitimate. With Jiangjing as his base and his SSS-level talent, his starting point in this life would be very high. He could even directly contend with the Qin family! ¡­ Chen Zhong left, knowing that the next few hours would be crucial for changing his fate. s?a??h th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. After the apocalypse began, zombies would go berserk, and the safety zone¡¯s defenses would waver. Even the safety zone would see new infections. He needed to conserve his strength¡­. After Chen Zhong left, there was another knock on An Mian¡¯s door. ¡°Who is it?¡± An Mian opened the door to see Su Ya, looking sorrowful. Her face immediately darkened. She really disliked Su Ya! It was because of Su Ya that Chen Zhong had been heartbroken for so long! ¡°What do you want?¡± An Mian asked coldly. Su Ya showed a bitter smile and softly said to An Mian, ¡°Can I come in and sit for a while?¡± Seeing Su Ya looking so pitiful, An Mian couldn¡¯t help but soften as she was just that kind-hearted¡­. ¡°Come in.¡± An Mian let Su Ya into her room and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± Su Ya gave a bitter smile. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so hostile towards me. Like you, I care about Chen Zhong.¡± ¡°Ugh, shameless!¡± An Mian immediately got angry, pouting. ¡°If you cared about Chen Zhong, why did you dump him for Qin Jun?¡± Su Ya¡¯s face showed deep sorrow and pain as she shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to. You know Qin Jun¡¯s background. He said if I don¡¯t agree to be with him, he¡¯d ruin my father¡¯s career. So I had to¡­.¡± An Mian¡¯s eyes widened. She hadn¡¯t expected this, but she quickly asked, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you let Chen Zhong go at the school gate?¡± Su Ya gave a bitter smile. ¡°If I had let Chen Zhong go, with Qin Jun¡¯s temperament, he would have definitely detained him or even killed him.¡± ¡°So I said not to let Chen Zhong go, making Qin Jun think I had no feelings for Chen Zhong. That was the only way to protect Chen Zhong¡­.¡± An Mian was stunned, but she quickly believed Su Ya. In her view, Qin Jun was a big villain, and what Su Ya said made sense! An Feng didn¡¯t want An Mian involved in politics, so he had protected her extremely well, leading to An Mian¡¯s innocent and kind-hearted nature. Looking at Su Ya¡¯s sincere and sorrowful expression, An Mian couldn¡¯t doubt her. ¡°You¡¯ve suffered¡­¡± An Mian started comforting Su Ya instead. She thought of what Chen Zhong had told her and couldn¡¯t help but share it with Su Ya. After all, in her mind, Su Ya was forced into it and still cared about Chen Zhong, making her a good person. Since that was the case, she naturally had to tell Su Ya everything, so Su Ya could be prepared. Hearing An Mian¡¯s words, Su Ya kept a calm expression, but her mind was in turmoil. The apocalypse? Talent evolvers? SSS-level talent seed??? How did Chen Zhong know this? But Su Ya knew she had scored a great achievement. With this information, she could definitely regain Qin Jun¡¯s favor! An Mian asked, ¡°Su Ya, we¡¯re planning to leave tonight. Will you come with us?¡± Looking at An Mian¡¯s sincere face, Su Ya only felt disdain. What a fool! Despite being the governor¡¯s daughter, An Mian¡¯s foolishness and naivety would drag Chen Zhong to hell! If she and An Mian switched places, Su Ya believed she would achieve great things! Unfortunately, her background was too humble¡­. But fortunately, she could still cling to Qin Jun¡­. Chapter 14 - Su Yas Value Chapter 14: Su Ya¡¯s Value Su Ya shook her head and softly said, ¡°No, also, An Mian, don¡¯t tell Chen Zhong that I came by.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Su Ya¡¯s face showed a hint of guilt. ¡°No matter what, I did abandon him and hurt him deeply. Now that you two are together, I think you are better for him than I am. I don¡¯t want to interfere with your relationship.¡± Hearing this, An Mian¡¯s heart warmed towards Su Ya even more, realizing she had misunderstood her before! An Mian nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell Chen Zhong. But what about you, Su Ya?¡± Su Ya gave a bitter smile. ¡°Qin Jun treats me fairly well. As long as I serve him carefully, I will be safe. An Mian, let Chen Zhong hate me. It¡¯s better for everyone that way.¡± An Mian sighed. ¡°Su Ya, you¡¯ve suffered.¡± Su Ya thought for a moment, then took out an amulet and handed it to An Mian, saying sadly, ¡°This is an amulet I got before. I¡¯ll give it to you as a blessing.¡± An Mian took the amulet seriously and hung it on her waist, nodding. ¡°Su Ya, I will always carry it!¡± Su Ya smiled and turned to leave. An Mian, left in her room, felt a bit melancholic. She hadn¡¯t expected Su Ya to be such a good person, realizing how wrong she had been about her¡­. After leaving An Mian¡¯s room, the sadness on Su Ya¡¯s face disappeared, replaced by a cold smile. How foolishly naive¡­. It was so easy to get the information she wanted, though she hadn¡¯t expected Chen Zhong to know so much! ¡®They are planning to leave the base¡­¡¯ A glint of coldness flashed in Su Ya¡¯s eyes. The amulet she had given An Mian contained a GPS tracker. With that amulet, no matter where Chen Zhong and An Mian goes, Qin Jun would know¡­. ¡­ ¡°Evolvers¡­ SSS-level talent seed¡­ Dimensional dungeons¡­.¡± In his room, Qin Jun enjoyed a massage from Xie Han, his eyes half-closed as he looked at Su Ya in front of him. ¡°These are all things Chen Zhong said?¡± Su Ya nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s what Chen Zhong told An Mian.¡± Qin Jun narrowed his eyes, finally confirming Chen Zhong¡¯s identity. No wonder this seemingly worthless person without any background suddenly became a child of Destiny. It turned out he was a reborn! And he was so desperate to leave the quarantine zone because he wanted to get to that dimensional dungeon and obtain the SSS-level talent seed! A smile appeared on Qin Jun¡¯s face. It was a good thing he hadn¡¯t killed Chen Zhong right away. Otherwise, he would have missed out on this SSS-level talent seed. Qin Jun looked at Su Ya and nodded approvingly. ¡°You¡¯ve done well.¡± He had to admit, Su Ya had given him a pleasant surprise. He had originally thought of Su Ya as just a plaything to be discarded when he got bored. But Su Ya had proven she was more than just a plaything. She was a valuable asset¡­ For people who were useful, Qin Jun was always generous¡­. Even Xie Han, who had always looked down on Su Ya, now looked at her with some surprise. She had previously despised Su Ya, to the point of loathing her. But Su Ya¡¯s performance today had made Xie Han look at her differently. Qin Jun smiled and said to Su Ya, ¡°You¡¯ve done well, Su Ya. What do you want?¡± Su Ya leaned in closer, her fragrant breath brushing Qin Jun¡¯s face, making him feel a bit restless. In terms of looks and figure, Su Ya was indeed top-notch! ¡°Qin Jun, I want to be your woman, at least one of them. Don¡¯t abandon me.¡± s?a??h th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Although Su Ya had been Qin Jun¡¯s official girlfriend, she was a very realistic woman. She knew very well that with Qin Jun¡¯s status, she couldn¡¯t be his only woman, nor even the main one. If things were as Chen Zhong said and the apocalypse was coming, the Qin family would likely become a powerful force in the new world! Becoming one of Qin Jun¡¯s women would make her status completely different from before! Chapter 15 - Doomsday Arrival, Awakening of Talent! Chapter 15: Doomsday Arrival, Awakening of Talent!At dawn, many people had been sleepless throughout the night. Nearly one hundred thousand people had gathered on the Jiangbei Bridge, densely packed from end to end, all wanting to enter the safety zone. Although the government had tried to block the news, the truth couldn¡¯t be hidden. Videos of zombies rampaging had gone viral online, causing chaos everywhere. Even those in the safety zones were on edge, not to mention those in the quarantined areas. In the military camp, Chen Zhong lowered his head to gaze at the time on his phone. ¡°5:18 AM, July 16, 2023.¡± He silently counted down in his heart¡ª 15¡­ 14¡­ 13¡­ 3¡­ 2¡­ 1! Suddenly, the entire sky turned blood red, a red so intense it made one¡¯s heart race, as if the sky was soaked in blood! The sunrise, which symbolized hope, now gave off a completely different feeling. Instead of the vibrant revival of all things, it was blood red and eerie, an unsettling sight! Then, the earth began to tremble, rumbling loudly!!! A colossal black obelisk suddenly emerged from the ground, soaring into the sky, appearing abruptly before the world. This black obelisk was located in the outskirts of Jiangjing City. Although it was far from the city center, it was so massive and spectacular that its mysterious patterns could be clearly seen from within the city. ¡°What is that!?¡± ¡°A pyramid? How could there be a pyramid underground in Jiangjing City?¡± Even the military began to stir, their faces filled with shock. After all, while the zombie virus could still be explained by biological viruses and science, the appearance of this black obelisk was undeniably supernatural! Everyone stepped out of their rooms, stunned by the sight. Chen Zhong stood beside An Mian, and in the distance, Qin Jun, surrounded by people, also gazed at the black obelisk, lost in thought. Amid the clamor of the people, Chen Zhong¡¯s eyes darkened, and he became extremely calm¡­ even cold! Because he knew, the doomsday had officially begun. There were a total of twenty-four black obelisks worldwide, and even in the last days, no one knew their secrets. But with the appearance of these black obelisks, the last hope bestowed by the gods upon humanity also emerged¡ªtalent evolution! In the next moment, Chen Zhong suddenly felt his body heat up intensely. The muscles on his body started to become defined, gradually filled with explosive strength. A few minutes later, Chen Zhong finally calmed down. He had transformed completely! The previous Chen Zhong looked weak and scholarly, like a bookworm, but now, Chen Zhong was muscular and strong, turning into an athletic man! His body was filled with immense power. Even those so-called military kings in the army would have their throats crushed easily by him now. Chen Zhong¡¯s eyesight was also enhanced, allowing him to see small objects hundreds of meters away with ease. In the face of an evolver, ordinary people seemed so weak and helpless¡­ F-grade talent¡ªStrength Enhancement! Chen Zhong exhaled slowly, feeling a bit regretful. After all, F-grade talent was the lowest level of talent. He had hoped to awaken a stronger talent after his rebirth, but now, it seemed the world¡¯s trajectory remained the same as in his previous life. In the distance, Qin Jun was also undergoing a transformation. Amid the exclamations of the people, his entire body was enveloped in a dazzling golden light! Chen Zhong glanced over, knowing that Qin Jun would also awaken his talent, but at this moment, his heart was still filled with jealousy. Because he knew, Qin Jun¡¯s awakened talent was an S-grade talent¡ªPsychic Control! This was an extremely powerful talent. When cultivated to the extreme, it could lift a skyscraper with just a finger! Sometimes, heaven could be so unfair. It gave Qin Jun noble birth, handsome looks, and now an unbeatable start in the apocalypse¡ªan S-grade talent! Besides talent seeds, S-grade talents were the strongest talents humans could naturally awaken. Even among the extremely rare SSS-grade and SS-grade talent seeds, Qin Jun¡¯s talent ranked in the top ten in the apocalypse! Chen Zhong also knew that the unfairness from heaven didn¡¯t stop there¡­ Qin Jun¡¯s family, the Qin family, also received the most abundant and sweet cake in this divine banquet prepared for humanity. S~?a??h the ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Almost all members of the Qin family awakened talents, which was nearly impossible given the talent awakening rate was less than one in ten thousand. Thus, in the apocalypse, people called the Qin family the ¡°God-chosen Family¡±¡­ A family of evolvers, combined with the power and resources the Qin family already controlled, created a terrifying chemical reaction¡­ ¡­ Chen Zhong noticed that Su Ya was also emitting a faint blue light, which surprised him slightly. Had Su Ya also awakened a talent? Chen Zhong remained expressionless, his gaze calm. In his previous life, Su Ya soon disappeared without a trace, but that had nothing to do with him now. He and Su Ya had long ended their relationship. Chen Zhong looked around and saw that only three people in the entire camp had awakened talents, which showed how difficult it was to awaken a talent¡­ Chen Zhong glanced at Qin Jun again, feeling a sudden sense of superiority. ¡®So what if you awakened an S-grade talent? So what if your Qin family is the God-chosen Family? I¡¯m about to retrieve an SSS-grade talent seed. Then, I will become the king of the world!¡¯ Chen Zhong whispered to An Mian, ¡°An Mian, let¡¯s go now.¡± Chen Zhong knew that now was the best time to leave. Qin Jun might have noticed him for some reason and might have even instructed someone to keep an eye on him. If they had left last night, Qin Jun would have surely found out, but now was the best time because Qin Jun was still adapting to his awakened talent, the higher the talent level, the more time needed to adapt. Moreover, after awakening his talent, Qin Jun would certainly first study his own talent. In the short term, Qin Jun wouldn¡¯t have the energy to worry about other things¡­ Chapter 16 - Ruthlessness! Chapter 16: Ruthlessness!Chen Zhong and An Mian quietly left the camp and headed towards the gate. As for An Xinling, she had already left the camp the previous night to join her police officers and go to the Governor¡¯s Mansion to set up defenses. Zhao Yi, standing by Qin Jun¡¯s side, glanced at the two sneaking away but said nothing. Yesterday, Qin Jun had already instructed him not to stop Chen Zhong. In fact, the lieutenant that An Mian contacted yesterday, called Zhao Yi to ¡°surrender¡± right after hanging up. Although he was indeed from the An family, with the current crisis in Jiangjing, who wouldn¡¯t think about their own future? After all, the rise of the An family was too recent, only beginning when An Feng took power, and couldn¡¯t be compared to the truly established families like the Qin family, which had been noble for generations. However, An Mian was unaware of all this. When Chen Zhong¡¯s group reached the gate, they saw the lieutenant. His surname was Wang, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a face that looked honest and sincere. He was from a rural area and had struggled to get into a military academy, but couldn¡¯t afford the tuition. When An Feng heard about this, he sponsored Wang¡¯s education, and after graduation, helped him enter the garrison district to become a lieutenant. If it weren¡¯t for the An family, Lieutenant Wang might still be farming at home. ¡°Miss!¡± Lieutenant Wang immediately stepped forward, nodded at Chen Zhong, and then curiously examined Chen Zhong. After all, Chen Zhong had suddenly become so muscular, which shocked and intrigued the surrounding soldiers. ¡°I¡¯ve arranged everything. These people are my soldiers. Let¡¯s go quickly. Thank you very much, Brother Wang!¡± Lieutenant Wang smiled sincerely, nodded, and led An Mian and Chen Zhong out of the camp, but Chen Zhong felt a faint sense of unease. Everything was going too smoothly, so smooth that he could hardly believe it! Although things were going according to his plan, Chen Zhong, having experienced his previous life, was extremely cautious. The smoother things went, the more vigilant he became. He had no choice; only by being suspicious could one survive in the apocalypse! Chen Zhong asked An Mian, ¡°Xiao Mian, you didn¡¯t tell anyone about what I talked to you about yesterday, did you?¡± Hearing this, An Mian thought of Su Ya¡¯s plea yesterday. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she nodded, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell anyone!¡± Chen Zhong didn¡¯t doubt her because, in his heart, An Mian was a very simple person who wouldn¡¯t lie or hide anything. However, he noticed the amulet hanging on An Mian¡¯s waist. Chen Zhong¡¯s keen observation skills immediately spotted this new item. ¡°Xiao Mian, what is this?¡± An Mian was a bit flustered, not expecting Chen Zhong¡¯s observation skills to be so sharp to discover it. S?a?ch* Th? N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. But An Mian still remembered her agreement with Su Ya and said, ¡°It¡¯s a gift from a friend. I hadn¡¯t worn it before.¡± Seeing An Mian¡¯s evasive gaze, Chen Zhong shook his head, but he didn¡¯t ask further. After all, he trusted An Mian that she wouldn¡¯t harm him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡­ In the military camp, after an unknown amount of time, the golden light around Qin Jun finally faded. The surrounding soldiers looked at him with reverence. They felt as if he were a god, shining with golden light. Some superstitious soldiers even thought Qin Jun was a reincarnated deity¡­ Qin Jun gazed at his fingers. This was the talent awakening Chen Zhong had mentioned. A sudden memory appeared in his mind, telling Qin Jun that this was an S-grade talent, Psychic Control. Now, he was an evolver! Qin Jun squinted his eyes, extended a finger, and the next moment, a tank nearby was lifted by an unseen force, floating in mid-air. The soldiers were in an uproar as they knew that tank weighed several tons!!! Several research personnel widened their eyes and murmured, ¡°Impossible¡­ this is impossible!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t scientific!¡± Others looked at these old men with a hint of ridicule. Damn, even the black obelisk had appeared, and you¡¯re still talking about science?! Explain it to me scientifically then? Perhaps because of the recent intense changes, people quickly accepted the appearance of supernatural powers. After all, zombies had appeared, and so had the black obelisk. So, another supernatural ability wasn¡¯t a big deal¡­ Qin Jun casually dropped the tank, panting slightly, even feeling a faint nerve pain. His body hadn¡¯t fully adapted to the psychic ability yet. To fully adapt, it would take at least a few days. Qin Jun then looked at Su Ya, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He hadn¡¯t expected Su Ya to awaken a talent as well! But he didn¡¯t pay much attention. No matter what talent Su Ya awakened, she was just his plaything. At this moment, Zhao Yi quickly stepped forward, looking at Qin Jun with reverence and whispering, ¡°Young Master, according to your instructions, Chen Zhong and his group have left.¡± Qin Jun nodded, a smile appearing on his face. Although he had just awakened his S-grade talent, the more powerful he became, the more greedy he felt. If an S-grade talent was this strong, what about an SSS-grade talent? Just then, an intelligence officer ran over, shouting, ¡°Commander Zhao, we just received a notification that the quarantine zone¡¯s defense line is about to collapse!¡± LTens of thousands of people have gathered near the Jiangbei Bridge, trying to break through the defense line.¡± Hearing this, everyone¡¯s expressions changed. Tens of thousands of people? Who knew how many of them were infected with the T-virus! And once the defense line was breached, it would be difficult to re-establish it. The zombies in the quarantine zone would surely rush out. At this point, even Zhao Yi, despite his loyalty to Qin Jun, became anxious. He said to Qin Jun, ¡°Young Master, the situation is out of control. You must go to the airport and leave Jiangjing immediately!¡± He had decided that if Qin Jun still didn¡¯t agree, he would send people to forcibly take him to the plane. Offending Qin Jun had serious consequences, but if anything happened to Qin Jun, the consequences would be even worse. His entire family would be buried with him! Qin Jun frowned upon hearing this. Although he had awakened a psychic talent, it would take a few days to fully master this power. If the defense line was breached, it would indeed be dangerous for him, but to give up the SSS-grade talent seed? No! A ruthless glint flashed in Qin Jun¡¯s eyes as he coldly said to Zhao Yi, ¡°Commander Zhao, blow up the Jiangbei Bridge!¡± ¡°What!?¡± Even Zhao Yi was almost stunned. The Jiangbei Bridge was practically the only way out of the quarantine zone, and it was packed with hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of ordinary people. Blowing up the Jiangbei Bridge would mean sending those people to their deaths! Chapter 17 - Cruel Mercy Chapter 17: Cruel MercyEven though Zhao Yi was loyal to the Qin family, he couldn¡¯t help but hesitate at this moment. Blowing up the Jiangbei Bridge would mean condemning the people in the quarantine zone to death, and that was over a million lives. Zhao Yi hesitated and said, ¡°Young Master, there are still an estimated million civilians in the quarantine zone¡­¡± Qin Jun¡¯s expression remained emotionless, his gaze unwavering. He knew very well what blowing up the Jiangbei Bridge would mean¡ªit would mean those million civilians would be devoured by zombies in despair. Moreover, there were still a significant number of soldiers and police in the quarantine zone. They would all be buried. But so what? Qin Jun¡¯s eyes were filled with indifference. To him, the lives of those million people were insignificant compared to the SSS-grade talent seed. If he could obtain the talent seed, what did the sacrifice of a million lives matter? Qin Jun said calmly, ¡°Commander Zhao, have you not understood the situation yet? The apocalypse has arrived, and the era of evolvers has begun.¡± ¡°In the apocalypse, ordinary people have no value¡ªthey are ants, pigs. If they die, they die.¡± ¡°How can you say such a thing!¡± One of the officers nearby couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and angrily rebuked Qin Jun. Qin Jun remained expressionless, glancing at the officer. The next moment, the officer¡¯s hand suddenly moved uncontrollably, drawing his own gun and pointing it at himself. His face showed extreme terror. Then, a gunshot rang out. The other officers were shocked, looking at Qin Jun with a mixture of awe and fear. At this moment, they not only revered Qin Jun¡¯s background but also feared his power. So this is an evolver¡­ Zhao Yi looked at Qin Jun¡¯s now golden eyes, feeling a chill in his heart. This eldest son of the Qin family seemed inhuman after awakening his ability¡­ Gritting his teeth, Zhao Yi said, ¡°Alright!¡± He immediately turned and ordered the officers beside him, ¡°Blow up the Jiangbei Bridge!¡± The officer¡¯s entire body began to tremble; everyone understood that this was an extremely cruel order! They were about to destroy the last hope of survival for a million people! But facing such power, they had no choice but to follow the order. Soon, the heavy weapons in the camp began to activate, the barrels aimed at the Jiangbei Bridge. The officer placed his finger on the launch button but couldn¡¯t press it down for a long time. Finally, he gritted his teeth and pressed the button. Boom¡ª!!! S?a??h the N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Flames erupted from the barrel, and the surface of the Jiangbei Bridge exploded violently, causing heavy casualties among the gathered crowd. The terrified people began to retreat, but more people were still pushing forward from behind, leading to countless people being trampled to death! Desperate cries reached the sky. Even the military camp, far away, could hear the sounds! But the bombardment continued, the artillery covering the entire Jiangbei Bridge. Finally, after continuous shelling, the magnificent Jiangbei Bridge began to collapse. In just a few minutes, it probably caused at least 50,000 casualties! The people trapped in the quarantine zone, seeing this scene, cried out in despair, ¡°They blew up the bridge, they want us to stay here and die!¡± ¡°They actually dared to blow up the bridge, my god!¡± But no one dared to go back, because the quarantine zone was full of zombies, going back was certain death! ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!¡± Those who could swim plunged into the river, trying to swim across, but the river was more than ten kilometers wide, swimming across was nearly impossible! Countless people drowned halfway due to exhaustion. Corpses floated on the river surface. A living hell!!! Even the soldiers couldn¡¯t bear to watch, lowering their heads, but Qin Jun watched coldly, feeling no emotion inside. Blowing up the Jiangbei Bridge also bought him some time to chase after Chen Zhong and obtain the SSS-grade talent seed. As for the people who died, what did that have to do with him? Or rather, it was better that they died; at least they wouldn¡¯t become zombies. In a sense, this was also a form of mercy¡­ A cruel mercy¡­ Qin Jun said indifferently to Su Ya beside him, ¡°Where are Chen Zhong and his group now?¡± Su Ya glanced at her phone and identified Chen Zhong¡¯s current location based on the signal. ¡°They are at Dongxing Building.¡± ¡°Dongxing Building?¡± Qin Jun raised an eyebrow. Dongxing Building was a landmark in Jiangjing City. He hadn¡¯t expected Chen Zhong to go there and a smile appeared on his face. In that case, let Chen Zhong explore first; that SSS-grade talent seed was his for sure! Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t those million people have died in vain? Chapter 18 - Anticipation Chapter 18: AnticipationJiangjing, Dongxing Building. This building wasn¡¯t particularly tall, but it was one of Jiangjing¡¯s landmark buildings. This place housed some of the world¡¯s top financial institutions. It was said that anyone from this building could influence the financial situation of the entire country. In the past, working at Dongxing Building was Chen Zhong¡¯s dream, but now, Dongxing Building was empty. The former financial elites were either trapped in the quarantine zone or had fled Jiangjing. The once majestic and bustling Dongxing Building was now desolate. An Mian clung tightly to Chen Zhong, her eyes filled with admiration and affection. As the situation spiraled out of control, not only were zombies rampant, but social order was also collapsing. The streets were filled with rioters looting, robbing jewelry stores, banks, and even committing public assaults! It was like a nightmare. An Mian was terrified; she had never seen such scenes before, but Chen Zhong remained very calm, almost indifferent. This was nothing in the apocalypse! In his previous life during the apocalypse, morality had degraded to unimaginable levels. Offering one¡¯s body for a little food was not unusual. Chen Zhong had witnessed such scenes many times. On filthy streets, women greedily ate nutrient paste made from cockroaches and insects. And behind them, several or even dozens of men lined up with wicked smiles on their faces. Cannibalism wasn¡¯t rare in the apocalypse either. In the apocalypse, food shortages made rituals and morality collapse in the face of hunger. Just moments ago, some rioters had tried to harm An Mian. Although she wasn¡¯t extraordinarily beautiful, her attire clearly indicated she was from a wealthy family. Torturing a wealthy young lady would give these low-life rioters a perverse pleasure. Of course, Chen Zhong took care of them. Even though his talent was the lowest grade, F-grade, Chen Zhong had still stepped into the realm of evolvers. Now, he was completely different from ordinary people, almost like two different species¡­ Looking at the locked door, Chen Zhong kicked the iron door, sending it flying. Some rioters who had been eyeing them suspiciously were now wide-eyed, screaming, ¡°F*ck!¡± They turned and ran¡­ Chen Zhong and An Mian entered Dongxing Building and directly climbed to the top floor. Moreover, Chen Zhong used brute force to twist and deform the doors on each floor they passed, making them impossible for ordinary people to open! Thus, the two reached the top floor of Dongxing Building. ¡°What is that!¡± An Mian exclaimed, seeing a small vortex in the open space of the top floor, resembling a portal to another world. Chen Zhong looked at the portal, his eyes filled with excitement, ¡°This is an interdimensional phenomena!¡± After the apocalypse began, not only did evolvers appear, but spaces also began to warp in some areas, merging otherworldly realms with the real world to form interdimensional phenomena¡¯s. These instances contained many extremely rare rewards. For example, crystal nuclei, which were incredibly precious and could be used by evolvers for cultivation, but even more precious were the talent seeds. Interdimensional phenomena¡¯s were graded from F to S, with higher levels being more dangerous and offering more valuable rewards. This phenomena was S-grade, but it was special in that despite being S-grade, it had almost no danger. It was like a super gift from the gods to humanity. However, when this interdimensional instance first appeared, humans didn¡¯t know what it was and didn¡¯t dare to enter it rashly. In his previous life, a lucky guy named Zhou Xuan, while being chased by a gang leader, entered this space out of desperation and unexpectedly obtained the SSS-grade talent. He rose to prominence, becoming one of the top ten most powerful evolvers in the world, known as Emperor Zhou. Thinking about it now, Zhou Xuan was indeed a child of destiny, like the protagonist in a novel! But now that Chen Zhong had been reborn, the SSS-grade talent wouldn¡¯t be his. Although he was essentially stealing Zhou Xuan¡¯s destiny, Chen Zhong felt no guilt. In the apocalypse, one had to fight against heaven, earth, and men; not fighting meant waiting for death. Now, it could only be said that Zhou Xuan was unlucky¡­ Holding An Mian, Chen Zhong couldn¡¯t help but laugh loudly. Since his rebirth, he had been on edge, not daring to relax for a moment. He had endured so much, even kneeling to Qin Jun. All for this moment! Chen Zhong¡¯s heart was filled with exhilaration and anticipation. He was finally going to obtain the SSS-grade talent and start his reversal! Then, his eyes filled with hatred. s?a??h th? N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. So what if Qin Jun had an S-grade talent? So what if the Qin family was the chosen family? Everything is meaningless in front of an SSS-grade talent! Chen Zhong¡¯s eyes were filled with anticipation. He was eager to see Qin Jun¡¯s reaction once he returns with the SSS-grade talent. ¡­ On the street, military vehicles sped by, causing rioters to flee in panic, thinking the army was there to suppress them. The bullied civilians cheered, thinking the nation hadn¡¯t abandoned them. But their smiles quickly froze as the military vehicles roared past without stopping. The soldiers were not there to maintain order or rescue them. They were there to escort Qin Jun. Soon, the convoy stopped in front of Dongxing Building, and armed soldiers disembarked, guns loaded, exuding a murderous aura. Zhao Yi closely followed Qin Jun out of the vehicle. He, the deputy commander, had almost become Qin Jun¡¯s lackey! But Zhao Yi understood clearly that Jiangjing was finished, and his future depended on the Qin family. If he wanted a place in the apocalypse, he had to cling tightly to Qin Jun¡¯s thigh! ¡°Commander Zhao, no one is allowed to enter this building. Anyone approaching is to be executed on the spot!¡± Qin Jun¡¯s intention was clear; even if it was a civilian wandering in, they were to be shot. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Zhao Yi nodded. Since blowing up Jiangbei Bridge, his moral bottom line had plummeted. Killing a million people, what difference did a few more make¡­ Qin Jun smiled, looking up at Dongxing Building. He wondered what Chen Zhong¡¯s expression would be once he saw him. He was looking forward to it¡­ Chapter 19 - SSS-Grade Talent Seed Chapter 19: SSS-Grade Talent SeedAfter entering the interdimensional space, Chen Zhong and An Mian found themselves in a completely different place. They were in a deserted city, with tall buildings covered in vines, as if decades had passed in an instant. An Mian¡¯s eyes widened in amazement as she tightly followed behind Chen Zhong. This was truly incredible! This place seemed to be another world. This interdimensional space exuded a post-apocalyptic atmosphere, with small deer running through the city, giving it a strange sense of harmony. Chen Zhong walked calmly. Although he missed out on this phenomena in his previous life, the exploits of Zhou Xuan, who had risen to prominence after discovering it, had become legendary. Details about this legendary space were revealed and discussed eagerly by people. This S-grade interdimension¡¯a main threat was some low-level zombie beasts. These low-level zombie beasts were not to be underestimated and posed a threat to Chen Zhong in his current state, but the danger was trivial compared to the rewards! It was almost a free gift! Suddenly, a roar echoed, and a red-eyed zombie wild dog charged out of the shadows, rushing at Chen Zhong and An Mian. The zombie wild dog was covered in festering sores and had blood dripping from its mouth, emitting a foul stench. An Mian screamed in terror! This zombie wild dog was far faster and stronger than a regular hunting dog. It posed a greater threat to ordinary people than zombies did! However, Chen Zhong was no ordinary person. As the zombie beast lunged at him, his body moved with incredible speed, leaving an afterimage in the air. The next moment, the zombie wild dog fell to the ground, its neck snapped by Chen Zhong. Chen Zhong breathed heavily, feeling a bit helpless. Although he had awakened his talent, which made him far stronger than ordinary people, it was still the lowest grade, F-grade, only sufficient to keep him barely surviving in the apocalypse. In his previous life, he had joined an expedition team, facing life and death countless times, and it took several years to barely become a level-3 evolver. In the apocalypse, talent and resources were the hard truths! Chen Zhong looked at the zombie wild dog¡¯s corpse, knowing there should be a crystal core inside. This was a precious item for evolvers to cultivate with. In the apocalypse, these crystal cores were hard currency! But Chen Zhong didn¡¯t take the crystal core; instead, he continued forward with An Mian. Although crystal cores were valuable, Chen Zhong¡¯s mind was already set on the SSS-grade talent seed. s?a??h th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. It was like winning a billion-dollar lottery; would you stop for a mere hundred dollars on the way to claim your prize? The two of them pressed on, encountering many zombie beasts along the way, all of which were dealt with by Chen Zhong. Along the way, the path was littered with zombie corpses. Chen Zhong couldn¡¯t help but reflect that it was fortunate he had awakened an F-grade talent. Although F-grade talent was the weakest, it allowed the body to adapt quickly. He almost immediately formed combat power, while someone like Qin Jun, who had awakened an S-grade talent, would need at least three days to adapt to his ability. During those three days, Qin Jun¡¯s psychic talent couldn¡¯t be fully utilized. After an unknown amount of time, they finally reached the deepest part. In front of them was a thousand-year-old tree, incredibly large and majestic, with a lush, canopy. At the base of the ancient tree, a flower grew. This flower was unlike any flower in the real world, crystal clear, radiant, and glowing. In the center of the flower, a fruit was growing. This fruit lay quietly in the flower, emitting a golden light that captivated anyone who looked at it. So beautiful. This fruit was the SSS-grade talent seed Chen Zhong had been dreaming of! The most special talent seed! Talent Devourer!!! This talent¡¯s uniqueness lay in its ability to devour other talents. Each talent it devoured made it stronger, with virtually no upper limit! An Mian also looked at the talent seed with envy. She hadn¡¯t awakened any talent. Although she didn¡¯t show it on her face, she felt a bit disappointed. After all, she had seen Chen Zhong¡¯s transformation; awakening a talent meant having the power to protect oneself in the apocalypse! Who wouldn¡¯t desire extraordinary power? Moreover, this was an SSS-grade talent! Although her eyes were full of envy, An Mian had no jealousy and said to Chen Zhong, ¡°Go ahead, Chen Zhong.¡± Chen Zhong nodded to An Mian and said earnestly, ¡°An Mian, it won¡¯t be long before I get you a talent seed, at least an A-grade one!¡± Hearing this, An Mian was overjoyed and happy, ¡°Mm! Chen Zhong, I believe in you~¡± At this moment, a voice came from behind Chen Zhong and An Mian. ¡°Chen Zhong, I really have to thank you¡­¡± Chapter 20 - No Way? Chapter 20: No Way?Chen Zhong was startled and quickly turned around to see Qin Jun slowly emerging. Alongside him were Xie Han and Su Ya, flanking him on either side. An Mian had a gun pointed at her head by Xie Han. ¡°Qin Jun!?!¡± Chen Zhong¡¯s face turned extremely ugly. He never expected Qin Jun to appear here! Shouldn¡¯t he still be at the camp familiarizing himself with his abilities!? How did Qin Jun find this place? For a moment, countless questions flashed through Chen Zhong¡¯s mind. From the beginning, Chen Zhong had been very cautious, choosing the perfect time to leave quietly. He didn¡¯t completely trust Lieutenant Wang. After leaving the camp, Chen Zhong had hidden with An Mian for a long time, observing the camp to ensure everything was normal and no one was following them. Only then did they head towards Dongxing Building. Moreover, they had taken winding paths and alleys, avoiding the main roads. Although this caution seemed paranoid and overly suspicious, Chen Zhong knew that all precautions were necessary. He was just one step away from an earth-shattering change. No mistakes could be made! Chen Zhong¡¯s plans were flawless. If everything went as planned, not even Qin Jun mobilizing the entire camp¡¯s soldiers would find him. But An Mian was the unforeseen variable. The moment An Mian put on the amulet given by Su Ya, all of Chen Zhong¡¯s meticulous planning became a joke¡­ ¡°No way!¡± Chen Zhong¡¯s heart sank to the bottom, his expression turning grim and ugly. A truth he didn¡¯t want to accept was right in front of him¡ªhe might not get the SSS-grade talent. Even worse, the situation could become much more severe¡­ An Mian looked at Su Ya in disbelief. Though she was naive and innocent, she wasn¡¯t completely brainless. Seeing this, she knew she had been deceived by Su Ya! She took out the amulet given by Su Ya and found a GPS locator inside! An Mian stared at Su Ya, her heart filled with grievance and regret. She pointed at Su Ya and screamed, ¡°Su Ya, why did you lie to me! I trusted you so much!¡± An Mian was so aggrieved that she began to cry. She felt it was so unfair, and she felt incredibly wronged! She had never lied to or harmed Su Ya, and she trusted Su Ya completely, doing everything Su Ya asked, but Su Ya had deceived her! Why? How could Su Ya be so cruel? As she cried, tears streaming down her face, Su Ya remained expressionless, feeling a perverse satisfaction. This An Mian, so naive and innocent to the point of being disgusting. Did she think the world was a beautiful utopia? No, the world was inherently cruel. An Mian was simply not suited to survive in this era! Her actions were merely survival of the fittest. An Mian cried to Chen Zhong, ¡°Chen Zhong, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault. Su Ya tricked me¡­.¡± Chen Zhong finally understood what had happened. He looked at the GPS locator in An Mian¡¯s hand with a grim expression. A single oversight! He never thought that Qin Jun would target An Mian, who was easily deceived by Su Ya! No wonder Qin Jun could find him so easily! Chen Zhong clenched his fists tightly, almost grinding his teeth. He was just one step away from the SSS-grade talent seed, and now this happened! For a moment, Chen Zhong felt a great deal of resentment towards An Mian. When he had asked An Mian if she had told anyone about their plan, she said no, which made him let his guard down. Why didn¡¯t An Mian tell him the truth!? Chen Zhong also regretted it as he knew An Mian was very naive, but he still told her about the SSS-grade talent out of a moment of sentimentality. However, Chen Zhong¡¯s greatest hatred was directed at Su Ya, not even Qin Jun. Chen Zhong glared at Su Ya with murderous intent. He had once loved this woman deeply, thinking she was the kindest girl in the world. But he was wrong; Su Ya was a venomous woman, showing no regard for their past. From the start, she intended to kill him! What to do?! Chen Zhong¡¯s body trembled slightly. Even though the situation was dire, he was unwilling to give up. His eyes suddenly shone brightly, and he lunged at Qin Jun! There was still one last way¡ªcontrolling Qin Jun. Although Qin Jun had awakened an S-grade talent, he hadn¡¯t yet fully adapted to it. Chen Zhong had adapted to his strength enhancement, making him currently stronger than Qin Jun! S?a??h the N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. This was his only advantage! If he could control Qin Jun, he could save An Mian and still claim the SSS-grade talent seed for himself! Chen Zhong moved at an incredible speed. Despite exhausting much of his strength fighting zombie beasts, he unleashed his last reserves of energy in this desperate moment! His figure became a blur, too fast for the naked eye to follow. Xie Han¡¯s face showed killing intent as he drew his gun and fired at Chen Zhong, but Chen Zhong was too fast. Xie Han missed all seven shots. In an instant, Chen Zhong was upon Qin Jun, reaching for his throat! Qin Jun remained expressionless, not even flinching. The next moment, Chen Zhong screamed in agony. His right hand twisted at an impossible angle, snapped by an invisible force! The intense pain nearly caused Chen Zhong to faint. ¡°Psychic control!? How is this possible!¡± Chen Zhong¡¯s face was filled with disbelief. He hadn¡¯t expected Qin Jun to be able to use such terrifying psychic powers without fully mastering his talent. It left him completely powerless, but Chen Zhong was not one to be easily defeated. His mind remained sharp even amidst pain. He quickly shifted direction, using his left hand to grip Su Ya¡¯s throat. ¡°Qin Jun, let An Mian go, or I¡¯ll kill Su Ya!¡± Qin Jun looked at Chen Zhong with a strange sense of absurdity. Did Chen Zhong really think he would care about Su Ya¡¯s life? Chapter 21 - The Death of Chen Zhong Chapter 21: The Death of Chen ZhongQin Jun looked at Chen Zhong mockingly, finding the situation both ridiculous and laughable. Chen Zhong actually thought he could threaten him with Su Ya¡¯s life? If Chen Zhong had controlled Xie Han, Qin Jun might have hesitated for a second before taking action. But Su Ya¡­ Qin Jun wouldn¡¯t hesitate for even a second! Sure, Qin Jun had some respect for Su Ya and saw her as a valuable plaything. But no matter how valuable, a plaything was still just a plaything! In the face of the SSS-grade talent seed, Qin Jun had no scruples. If Su Ya died, so be it. It didn¡¯t matter! Su Ya¡¯s face turned pale. Although she had awakened her power, a B-grade ability called Mind Control, she couldn¡¯t fully utilize it yet, only influencing people¡¯s emotions at most. F-grade talents had the advantage of immediate combat readiness, even if it lasted only three days. Feeling the killing intent from Chen Zhong behind her, Su Ya knew that given the chance, Chen Zhong would snap her neck without hesitation! Yet, Su Ya said nothing, as if her life was not in danger. She didn¡¯t even ask Qin Jun for help. Qin Jun smiled, seemingly mocking Chen Zhong¡¯s overestimation of his own capabilities and wishful thinking. His smile made Chen Zhong feel uneasy. Qin Jun grabbed An Mian, smiling at Chen Zhong as he said, ¡°Chen Zhong, do you think I care more about Su Ya, or do you care more about An Mian?¡± S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Chen Zhong¡¯s face darkened immediately and realized he had made a severe mistake. Would someone like Qin Jun really care about the lives of those around him? Chen Zhong gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Let An Mian go!¡± He tightened his grip, causing Su Ya to tremble. Her throat was being choked so tightly that she couldn¡¯t breathe, and her face began to turn red. An Mian screamed, ¡°Qin Jun, let us go, or my father will never forgive you! My father is the governor of Jiangjing. He can have you all arrested with just one word!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Qin Jun chuckled, showing no panic. He calmly took a gun from Xie Han. Bang¡ª!!! A shot hit An Mian¡¯s knee. ¡°Aaahhhh¡ªit¡¯s so painful!!¡±bAn Mian screamed in agony, the intense pain nearly causing her to faint. An Mian had been pampered all her life, with doctors tending to even minor cuts. She never imagined she would get shot! Blood flowed freely as An Mian cried in pain, her face pale with disbelief that Qin Jun had actually shot her! She was the governor¡¯s daughter!! Chen Zhong¡¯s eyes widened with anguish. Despite his earlier resentment towards An Mian for not telling him the truth and leading Qin Jun here, he still deeply loved her. Seeing Qin Jun completely disregard Su Ya¡¯s life and directly shoot An Mian, Chen Zhong was both shocked and furious. ¡°Stop!!!¡± Chen Zhong roared, seeing the gun in Qin Jun¡¯s hand now pointed at An Mian¡¯s head. ¡°Chen Zhong, do you think I¡¯ll fire another shot?¡± Chen Zhong¡¯s anger reached its peak. He tightened his grip, almost breaking Su Ya¡¯s neck. Su Ya¡¯s face turned purple, her eyes rolling back as she neared suffocation! But Chen Zhong suddenly released his grip. Su Ya collapsed to the ground, coughing violently, having narrowly escaped death. Chen Zhong stood there, stunned, his face extremely grim and tinged with a sense of defeat. This time, he had lost completely and had lost everything! An Mian cried, ¡°Chen Zhong, don¡¯t worry about me! Qin Jun won¡¯t dare kill me. My father is An Feng!¡± Qin Jun, hearing this, looked at An Mian with surprise. Her stupidity was beyond his imagination. In the apocalypse, a nouveau riche family like the An family, which had risen in just a few decades, would soon be insignificant. Jiangjing was about to fall, and An Feng would perish with it. To Qin Jun, An Mian, the governor¡¯s daughter, was no different from an ant, easily disposable. Just as Chen Zhong was about to say something, his expression changed drastically, and he screamed in pain. He was suddenly suppressed by an invisible force, dropping to his knees uncontrollably. Qin Jun then raised his gun and shot Chen Zhong in the heart. Bang¡ª Chen Zhong¡¯s face showed disbelief. He looked down at the gunshot wound in his chest, blood pouring out, his remaining consciousness filled with incredulity. He was going to die? After just one day of rebirth, he was going to die? Even though he had awakened an F-grade strength enhancement, his heart wasn¡¯t fortified, and a gunshot wound would still kill him¡­ An Mian screamed, rushing to Chen Zhong¡¯s side, crying bitterly. She deeply regretted trusting Su Ya, realizing it had led to Chen Zhong¡¯s downfall. Qin Jun, expressionless, fired several more shots at Chen Zhong¡¯s head, completely destroying it, ensuring he was dead beyond any doubt. Qin Jun had been taught from a young age to leave no loose ends. Always finish the job¡­ The Qin family¡¯s approach was always to eliminate threats completely, sending entire enemy families to the afterlife, leaving none behind. An Mian¡¯s face twisted with hatred, glaring at Qin Jun with a look that could kill. She was about to say something, but Qin Jun, still expressionless, fired another shot and sent An Mian to her death too. In just a few seconds, Chen Zhong and An Mian were both executed by Qin Jun without hesitation or wasted words. Chen Zhong, the protagonist, was dead. He died unremarkably, not in a dramatic showdown. It was almost anticlimactic¡­ In Qin Jun¡¯s ear, the system notification sounded. ¡°Ding, congratulations to the host for eliminating the protagonist Chen Zhong. Award: 30 villain points. ¡°Reward Two: System store unlocked.¡± ¡°Mission rating: SSS. Additional reward: 15 villain points.¡± Hearing the system¡¯s rating, Qin Jun smiled, satisfied that his efforts had paid off. Qin Jun looked at the glowing fruit, feeling a surge of excitement. The SSS-grade talent seed was his! But before that, there was one more thing to do and he turned to look at Su Ya, a hint of killing intent in his eyes. He hadn¡¯t cared about Su Ya¡¯s life earlier. Would she now harbor resentment? If she did, then Su Ya couldn¡¯t be allowed to live¡­ Qin Jun wouldn¡¯t tolerate a plaything that harbored hatred for him¡­ Chapter 22 - The Fall of Jiangjing Chapter 22: The Fall of JiangjingQin Jun looked at Su Ya with a smile and asked softly, ¡°Were you disappointed that I didn¡¯t care about your life just now?¡± He stared intently into Su Ya¡¯s eyes. As long as Su Ya showed any sign of resentment or disappointment, he would send her on her way without hesitation. Su Ya smiled, her expression incredibly sweet. She replied seriously, ¡°If you had cared about my life, I would have been disappointed. ¡®In my eyes, you are someone who accomplishes great things. Someone who aspires to greatness cannot be swayed by minor matters like my life.¡± Su Ya¡¯s meaning was clear: if Qin Jun cared about her life, he would be someone who could be swayed by personal feelings. But the fact that Qin Jun was so ruthless and unfeeling made Su Ya even more submissive. She was the type of woman who only submitted to the strong and Qin Jun was such a strong person¡­ Hearing this, Qin Jun couldn¡¯t help but laugh heartily. This woman was very interesting! He turned to the SSS-grade talent seed, not wasting any more time, and grabbed the fruit. The next moment, the talent seed transformed into a stream of light and entered Qin Jun¡¯s forehead. The entire ground of the interdimensional instance began to tremble! After an unknown period, Qin Jun finally opened his eyes slowly. His face showed immense satisfaction. This SSS-grade talent seed was truly extraordinary! It could devour other abilities! It meant that the more talents he devoured, the stronger Qin Jun would become, with almost no limit! The system¡¯s notification sounded in his ear again. ¡°Ding, the host has acquired all potential rewards. Additional reward: Rebirth Memory!¡± The next moment, a memory suddenly appeared in Qin Jun¡¯s mind. Chen Zhong¡¯s memories from his previous life¡­ A smile appeared on Qin Jun¡¯s face. Double the joy! This memory was incredibly precious, almost equal in value to the SSS-grade talent in Qin Jun¡¯s eyes. With this memory, Qin Jun, who originally knew nothing about the apocalypse, became thoroughly familiar with it. He also knew many future events and the direction of future trends! He even knew where an S-grade interdimensional phenomenon would appear! A system panel floated before Qin Jun¡¯s eyes. ¡®Host: Qin Jun Physical Strength: 1 Extraordinary Talent: Talent Devourer (SSS-grade; devoured talents: none). Psychic Control (S-grade) Extraordinary Level: 1 Villain Points: 45 Shop: Unlocked Qin Jun¡¯s face showed immense satisfaction. His gains this time were incredibly rich. With the rebirth memory and the SSS-grade talent seed, a bright golden path lay before him¡­ Qin Jun and his companions didn¡¯t stay long in the interdimensional instance. After the SSS-grade talent seed was collected, the instance space began to destabilize. Soon, the three of them left the interdimensional space and it began to warp and then disappeared. The bodies of Chen Zhong and An Mian also completely vanished from this world¡­ When Zhao Yi, who was guarding the entrance, saw Qin Jun, he immediately stepped forward and said, ¡°Young Master, we just received news that the safety zone¡¯s defense line has completely collapsed. ¡°The Governor¡¯s Mansion has moved to the garrison district to continue commanding the overall situation. However, I estimate that the fall of Jiangjing will occur by tonight.¡± Although the northern end of Jiangbei Bridge was blown up, there were still a few ferries on the island, and desperate people wouldn¡¯t give up any possible escape. They would certainly use the ferries to reach the safety zone. Among them, there would undoubtedly be many infected individuals. Coupled with the zombie outbreak within the safety zone, the situation in Jiangjing had spiraled out of control, and the efforts of the Jiangjing authorities over the past few hours had failed. But what did all this have to do with him? Qin Jun nodded. Now that Chen Zhong was dead and the SSS-grade talent was in his possession, there was nothing left for him in Jiangjing. S?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Moreover, he needed more time to adapt to his new SSS-grade talent. Even earlier, when he forcibly used Psychic Control, his nerves still ached. It was time to rest¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re leaving Jiangjing now.¡± Zhao Yi had been waiting for this command and he immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged everything. There¡¯s a private jet waiting for you at Jiangjing International Airport!¡± With Zhao Yi and a group of soldiers escorting him, Qin Jun¡¯s convoy left Dongxing Building and sped towards Jiangjing International Airport. Along the way, chaos reigned. Burning cars, rioting mobs, crying civilians¡ªall flashed past the car windows and disappeared from sight. Though nothing could disturb Qin Jun¡¯s good mood now¡­ Chapter 23 - Consider the Big Picture? I AM the Big Picture! Chapter 23; Consider the Big Picture? I AM the Big Picture!Jiangjing International Airport. The highways and high-speed trains leading out of Jiangjing had long since been paralyzed. The only hope of leaving Jiangjing was by plane. Thousands of survivors crowded outside Jiangjing International Airport, hoping to grasp this last glimmer of hope and escape from this hell on earth. As the most important safety zone, the airport¡¯s defense was strong, with an entire reinforced brigade maintaining order. ¡°Let us in!!! I have money, I have money, I¡¯ll pay thirty thousand for a ticket!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the vice president of Tongyuan Group, I¡¯ll pay one hundred thousand, let me in!¡± The crowd was in chaos because the airport was already sealed off. They watched planes taking off, but there were only a few left. By now, people were no fools. They didn¡¯t believe any planes would come back to pick them up! Each plane that left was one less plane available! Facing the angry and excited crowd, the leading officer said coldly, ¡°The current order is to wait for arrangements in place! Please do not panic, wait calmly!¡± People were desperate to the point of cursing. How could they wait calmly in such a situation? But they didn¡¯t dare to force their way in; the military had already dared to blow up Jiangbei Bridge, what wouldn¡¯t they dare to do? Some well-connected dignitaries were entering the airport through a small passage. These dignitaries looked at the anxious and angry crowd outside with pity. Many of those people were also wealthy individuals. But in the current situation, having money alone was useless. Even if you offered a million, you couldn¡¯t buy a ticket! In a crisis, power trumps wealth. A middle-aged man who had already entered the airport was walking quickly towards the boarding gate. He had a commanding presence, followed by several subordinates. Clearly, he was a high-ranking official. The middle-aged man instructed a young man beside him, ¡°Secretary Song, once we get off the plane, immediately withdraw as much cash as you can.¡± Secretary Song nodded, ¡°Understood, Minister Sun.¡± This middle-aged man was Sun Wanghou, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Water Resources. Though a deputy minister, he was still a high-ranking official. He had arrived in Jiangjing three days ago to host a meeting on ecological environmental management. He had not expected to encounter such a disaster! So he immediately used his authority to leave the quarantine zone and head straight to the airport to escape Jiangjing. He had also received news that the capital had fallen, so he planned to go north where it was still relatively safe. Just then, commotion broke out at the boarding gate. ¡°What do you mean the plane is gone?!¡± Several dignitaries lost their composure and shouted at a military officer in front of them, ¡°What do we do now!?¡± The officer, expressionless, said in a deep voice, ¡°Please be patient and wait for the next flight.¡± ¡°Do you think we¡¯re fools? There won¡¯t be another flight!¡± ¡°I¡¯m Chen Huaide, the logistics minister of the Provincial Armed Forces Department. Lieutenant, bring the last plane back!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the chairman of the Jiangjing Municipal Council¡­¡± The dignitaries were enraged. Jiangjing had become a disaster zone, so how could any more planes dare to fly here!? Sharp-eyed individuals saw a large passenger plane still on the tarmac through the window. ¡°Isn¡¯t there still a plane!?¡± ¡°There¡¯s still a plane. We¡¯ll take that one, let¡¯s go!¡± People clung to this last hope, pointing at the final plane. But the officer shook his head and said calmly, ¡°No, that plane has a special assignment and cannot take off now.¡± ¡°Special assignment?¡± The crowd was stunned. In such a dire situation, what special assignment could there be!? At this moment, Sun Wanghou and his group approached. ¡°Comrade, what is this special assignment for the plane?¡± Sun Wanghou¡¯s voice was steady and calm, even in this crisis. Seeing Sun Wanghou¡¯s entourage, everyone knew he must be a big shot. Secretary Song introduced calmly, ¡°This is Deputy Minister Sun of the Ministry of Water Resources.¡± A minister? Everyone gasped as they hadn¡¯t expected a minister-level official to be here! Some dignitaries remembered hearing about a minister-level official coming to Jiangjing for a meeting a few days ago. It must be him. The officer was surprised to hear about a minister-level official. He hesitated before revealing some information. ¡°It¡¯s an order from the Garrison Commander¡¯s Office. This plane is waiting for someone and cannot take off.¡± ¡°Waiting for someone!?¡± A large plane waiting for one person!? These dignitaries were high-ranking themselves, but even they could only manage to get a ticket out of Jiangjing. S?a??h the N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. And this person had an entire plane waiting for them?? Who on earth could this be?? Even Sun Wanghou was stunned. He didn¡¯t have that kind of clout! The airport was under military control, and he couldn¡¯t command the military. But who was this person with higher status than him? Sun Wanghou pondered, recalling that he was the highest-ranking official from the capital recently¡­ But the situation was urgent, and they couldn¡¯t wait any longer! Sun Wanghou said in a deep voice, ¡°Comrade, the situation is dire. It¡¯s inappropriate for so many of us to wait for one person.¡± ¡°The minority should obey the majority. We are all high-ranking officials, pillars of the country. If something happens to us, it will be a loss for the country and cause chaos.¡± ¡°Comrade, let us go first. You have to consider the bigger picture!¡± But the officer remained expressionless. Are you kidding? He might be a soldier, but he knew that someone who could keep a plane on standby must be of unusual status, higher than these people. These dignitaries could leave, but what about him? He himself was counting on catching a military plane once the troops retreated! At this moment, a laugh rang out. ¡°Consider the big picture? Heh, I AM the big picture.¡± Everyone turned to see who spoke and a handsome young man appeared in the boarding corridor, escorted by a group of heavily armed soldiers¡­ Chapter 24 - Leaving Jiangjing Chapter 24: Leaving JiangjingHearing the young man¡¯s slightly arrogant words, the dignitaries became agitated. Especially the way the young man looked at them¡ªthey recognized that look. It was the same way they usually looked at ordinary people¡ªlike ants. However, despite their immense anger, they wisely chose to remain silent, mindful of the soldiers¡¯ guns pointed at them. Sun Wanghou felt particularly disgruntled. As a high-ranking official, one of the top dignitaries in the nation, he was used to people flattering and catering to him! But given the current crisis, Sun Wanghou suppressed his anger, hoping to use his status to pressure Qin Jun. This young man, although able to command a plane, might just have connections with the local military in Jiangjing. After all, across the entire country, there were fewer than a hundred people of higher status than him. Just as Sun Wanghou was about to speak, he recognized Qin Jun¡¯s face and furrowed his brows in suspicion. S?a??h th? ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. He hesitated and asked, ¡°Are you related to Chairman Qin?¡± Qin Jun smiled slightly. ¡°He is my father.¡± A loud buzz echoed in Sun Wanghou¡¯s head as he instantly understood the young man¡¯s identity! The only son of Councilor Qin Yuan! The eldest son of the Qin family! All of Sun Wanghou¡¯s anger vanished. Although he was a high-ranking official, there were many kinds of high-ranking officials. The Ministry of Water Resources ranked lower among the ministries, and there were over a dozen deputy ministers. He was just one of them! The gap between him and Qin Yuan was as vast as the gap between a provincial deputy water resources director and himself! He rarely even had the chance to meet Qin Yuan. After all, the State Councilor was one of the seven giants of the central committee, while the Ministry of Water Resources was merely one of the many departments under it. Sun Wanghou immediately smiled. ¡°I am Sun Wanghou, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Water Resources. I dined with your father at a banquet last August.¡± He remembered that banquet clearly, considering it a great honor to have dined with Chairman Qin¡­ A ministry official? Qin Jun was slightly surprised, not expecting to meet such a high-ranking official here. However, he didn¡¯t take Sun Wanghou seriously. The capital had fallen, and ministry departments had lost their significance. Moreover, the Ministry of Water Resources held little real power, and Sun Wanghou was just a deputy! This man had nothing to offer and thus no value to Qin Jun. For those without value, Qin Jun had no patience¡­ Qin Jun smiled coldly, ¡°So, you¡¯re Minister Sun. Please step aside; I have a plane to catch.¡± Seeing that Qin Jun had no intention of letting them on the plane, the dignitaries became desperate. They now knew Qin Jun¡¯s identity, someone they couldn¡¯t afford to offend. But in such dire circumstances, escaping was their priority, and they couldn¡¯t care less about anything else! ¡°Young Master Qin, that plane is huge with plenty of empty seats, take me with you!¡± ¡°Let us on the plane! Let¡¯s go together!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a large passenger plane, it won¡¯t be full even with all of us!¡± The dignitaries knelt down, disregarding their dignity in the face of life and death. Sun Wanghou¡¯s face twitched. As a high-ranking official, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to kneel and beg, even in a life-or-death situation. At his level, dignity was still important. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he was resigned to dying. Sun Wanghou looked at Qin Jun, not believing he would be so disrespectful. After all, he was still a high-ranking official! Looking at the terrified dignitaries, Qin Jun merely shrugged and said, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t like flying with strangers.¡± With that, he walked away, escorted by soldiers. To him, these so-called dignitaries were no different from commoners in the apocalypse. In this era, money was worthless, and the power they once prided themselves on had vanished with the collapse of social order. Moreover, they hadn¡¯t awakened any talents. Heh, how were they any different from ordinary people? They simply hadn¡¯t adapted to their changed status yet¡­ A bunch of useless people, taking them on the plane would be a waste of resources. The dignitaries, feeling utterly hopeless, tried to force their way through the boarding gate but were blocked by the soldiers, leaving them to curse helplessly¡­ ¡­ After boarding the plane, Zhao Yi and several soldiers remained on board, claiming they were there to escort Qin Jun. It was clear that Deputy Commander Zhao intended to follow Qin Jun to Dongdu, an international first-tier city and the base of the Qin family. Qin Jun didn¡¯t refuse. Zhao Yi had shown loyalty to the Qin family and had worked tirelessly for him these past days. The plane gradually took off, and Qin Jun looked out the window at the despairing city. Zombies roamed everywhere, attacking all living creatures, while desperate civilians cried and screamed. Their despair could only bring death. Gunshots still echoed, with some soldiers unwilling to give up, trapped on various streets. They were divided into small squads by the zombie hordes, forming fragile defense lines, making a last stand. Qin Jun sighed softly and put on his eye mask. Moments later, the sound of soft snoring could be heard¡ªhe had fallen asleep. It was as if the hellish scene outside had no impact on his mood at all¡­ Chapter 25 - This City Belongs to the Qin Family Chapter 25: This City Belongs to the Qin Family¡°We¡¯ve arrived, young master.¡± Xie Han¡¯s gentle voice woke Qin Jun from his slumber. He slowly removed his eye mask and looked out the plane window. Gradually, a massive city came into view. Dongdu City, a top-tier metropolis. Its economic and industrial strength was formidable, ranking as a leading global city. It was also the stronghold of the Qin family. ¡­ The plane flew over vast areas of Dongdu, heading towards the airport. It was clear from the sky that Dongdu had also suffered significant damage in the recent catastrophe. Several districts lay in ruins, smoke billowing from what appeared to be artillery bombardments. Finally, the plane landed at Dongdu International Airport. The entire airport was sealed off, with the military having established a defensive perimeter. As Qin Jun stepped onto Dongdu soil from the airplane¡¯s passageway, a smile crept across his face. Dongdu is his home. The airport passageway was lined with black cars, all bulletproof and more robust than military vehicles. Such special cars weren¡¯t for just anyone. Riding in one required at least a ministerial-level status. An elderly man with meticulously combed white hair, dressed in a suit, stood waiting with a smile. ¡°Welcome home, young master.¡± The old man¡¯s voice was steady as he stepped forward to greet Qin Jun. ¡°Uncle Qiu.¡± In the presence of this old man, the cold and fake smile disappeared from Qin Jun¡¯s face, replaced by genuine warmth. This old man was Uncle Qiu, the Qin family¡¯s butler. Having served the Qin family for forty years, Uncle Qiu was not just a butler but also a family member in the eyes of the Qin family. Uncle Qiu nodded to Xie Han. ¡°Thank you, Xie Han.¡± Xie Han lowered her head in respect. For the Qin family¡¯s subordinates, Uncle Qiu held significant authority. Su Ya watched this scene with a mix of emotions in her eyes. It was only now that she truly understood the significance of the Qin family. The grand scenes depicted in novels and movies were real; this was the kind of power a large family wielded! It was the treatment she had always dreamed of! ¡°Young master, the situation is still unstable. Please return home first.¡± Uncle Qiu opened the car door for Qin Jun, his voice calm and unhurried. It was as if, in his eyes, the apocalypse was merely an unstable situation¡­ Though just a butler, Uncle Qiu¡¯s calmness and grace far surpassed that of many so-called dignitaries. Qin Jun nodded and entered the car, surrounded by his entourage. The convoy started slowly, escorted by military vehicles, heading towards the city center. Through the car window, Qin Jun noticed that Dongdu¡¯s situation was relatively calm. However, every street corner was guarded by the military, with machine guns and sandbags set up, and there were very few pedestrians. ¡°Young master, Dongdu also experienced a zombie virus outbreak in the past few days, but it wasn¡¯t as severe as Jiangjing.¡± ¡°Three districts in Dongdu reported infections, and Master immediately ordered those districts sealed off, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving. ¡°Yesterday, the situation began to spiral out of control, with the number of infected in those districts increasing drastically.¡± ¡°Master decisively ordered the military to carry out indiscriminate bombings in those districts. Although a few zombies slipped through and the safe zones also saw some outbreaks, they were mostly exterminated.¡± Before Qin Jun could ask, Uncle Qiu began explaining the situation. Bombing three entire districts! Su Ya¡¯s face turned slightly pale. She glanced at Qin Jun, realizing that this was what the Qin family was like¡­ In Jiangjing, Qin Jun had also ordered the blowing up of Jiangbei Bridge. This wasn¡¯t just decisiveness; it was ruthless and unfeeling. It seemed Qin Yuan, like Qin Jun, cared nothing for the lives of civilians. As long as the situation could be controlled, sacrificing hundreds of thousands of civilians was inconsequential¡­ Su Ya couldn¡¯t help but ask in a low voice, ¡°Aren¡¯t the officials in Dongdu opposed to this?¡± Upon hearing this, Qin Jun, Uncle Qiu, and Xie Han all smiled faintly. Uncle Qiu smiled warmly at Su Ya, lifting his head slightly with a hint of pride. ¡°Beautiful lady, you may not be aware of a fact. This city belongs to the Qin family.¡± ¡­ Su Ya was an ambitious, cunning, and ruthless woman, but due to her lowly background, she, like many civilians, was oblivious to the larger picture. Many people would find it hard to believe that an international metropolis like Dongdu could be under the control of one family. Dongdu¡¯s governor was replaced every ten years, directly appointed by the presidential office. Indeed, none of Dongdu¡¯s past governors belonged to the Qin family. Even the heads of various departments, such as the police chief and finance director, were appointed through regular promotions, with most coming from outside the city. However, few noticed that the permanent deputy governor of Dongdu was named Qin, and so was the city government¡¯s secretary-general. S~?a??h the N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The deputy police chief was a Qin, as were the deputy heads of various departments like the finance bureau and state-owned assets supervision commission. For decades, this had never changed. In essence, the Qin family controlled the city from all angles and that wasn¡¯t all. All major malls in Dongdu were built and operated by Qin Group, and most companies in Dongdu were at least partly owned by Qin Group. Factories, logistics companies, and various other industries all had the Qin Group¡¯s involvement. In other words, in Dongdu, any money spent in any situation would eventually flow back into the Qin family¡¯s pockets in some way. Nationwide, the Qin family held similar influence and power, particularly in the Huaihai provinces, but Dongdu was the core and stronghold of the Qin family! The millions of residents in Dongdu were essentially employees of the Qin family, spending their entire lives creating wealth for the Qin family. They just didn¡¯t know it¡­ Chapter 26 - Qin Yuan Chapter 26: Qin YuanThe convoy passed through several heavily guarded checkpoints before finally arriving in the city center. After a while, the convoy stopped in front of a luxurious mansion in an ancient style. Though called a mansion, it spanned hundreds of acres with over a hundred rooms. It was more akin to a palace. This was Qin Jun¡¯s home, the place where he had grown up. Armed guards stood vigilantly at the mansion¡¯s entrance, their expressions stern. Even tanks were stationed on the surrounding streets, designating the entire area as a restricted zone, inaccessible to ordinary people! Upon seeing Qin Jun, the guards immediately showed respect, bowing in salute. As Su Ya followed Qin Jun and Uncle Qiu into the mansion, she was awestruck by its grandeur. It was like a palace, exuding a sense of deep history¡­ Uncle Qiu smiled at Su Ya and said, ¡°Miss Su, your room has been arranged, and your family has arrived in Dongdu. They are currently undergoing examinations at the hospital and should be released from quarantine by tonight.¡± Hearing this, Su Ya¡¯s face lit up with gratitude, ¡°Thank you.¡± Uncle Qiu then turned to Qin Jun. ¡°Young master, the master is waiting for you in the study.¡± Qin Jun nodded and headed directly to the study. As he walked, the servants bowed in respect. Most had worked for the Qin family for decades, some for generations. Their respect for Qin Jun, the future head of the family, was heartfelt. Qin Jun finally reached a door and knocked. Soon, a stern, steady voice came from within, ¡°Enter.¡± Qin Jun opened the door to find a middle-aged man sitting behind a desk, handling documents. Several military officers were standing in front of him, reporting on the situation. Judging by their epaulets, they were lieutenant generals and major generals! The middle-aged man, who bore a resemblance to Qin Jun, was none other than Qin Yuan, the head of the Qin family! Qin Yuan was a State Councilor, second only to the President, and the foremost of the seven giants of the Central Committee, wielding immense power. He was one of the nation¡¯s leaders, but to Qin Jun, he was simply his father who loved him dearly. Seeing Qin Jun enter, the generals tactfully took their leave, nodding respectfully to Qin Jun as they departed. These generals were commanders of the Dongdu garrison and members of the Qin family. The twenty-odd divisions of the Dongdu garrison were firmly under the Qin family¡¯s control. Qin Yuan saw his son and said calmly, ¡°You didn¡¯t come back yesterday. That was a risky choice. But I trust you had your reasons.¡± Qin Jun smiled softly. ¡°Indeed. The gains outweighed the risk.¡± Qin Yuan nodded, not probing further into Qin Jun¡¯s gains. He trusted his son, seeing Qin Jun as his life¡¯s continuation and his most perfect creation. Qin Jun understood profit and loss, always prioritizing benefits over emotions, a trait instilled by Qin Yuan¡¯s teachings, shaping Qin Jun into the capable individual he was today. ¡°Have you awakened your talent?¡± ¡°I have.¡± Qin Jun smiled. ¡°And it¡¯s an SSS-grade talent!¡± Qin Yuan stared at Qin Jun for a while before smiling in satisfaction, ¡°Just as expected of my son.¡± He stood up slowly, saying, ¡°Since the appearance of the black obelisk yesterday, humans have begun to awaken extraordinary abilities.¡± LI have awakened an S-grade talent. Not just me, but most of our Qin family members have awakened talents.¡± He produced a box, saying, ¡°Inside is something called a talent seed, which can supposedly awaken talents in ordinary people.¡± ¡°It was found in an interdimensional instance that appeared in the suburbs. We lost three companies retrieving this A-grade talent seed.¡± ¡°Originally, it was meant for you, but it seems you no longer need it.¡± He placed the box in front of Qin Jun. ¡°It appears Xie Han hasn¡¯t awakened a talent. She has been loyal in protecting you over the years. Consider this a reward for her loyalty.¡± Qin Yuan then walked to the window, looking out at the partially ruined Dongdu with a grave expression. ¡°The world has changed. The apocalypse has come. The capital is a wasteland, with most ministry heads perishing in the chaos. The country is in a state of anarchy.¡± LWe¡¯ve just received news that eighty percent of the cities nationwide have fallen, with the death toll exceeding five hundred million.¡± Five hundred million deaths! S?a??h the ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Even Qin Jun felt a chill hearing this number. In just two days, nearly half of the nation¡¯s population had vanished¡­ But this was followed by a surge of excitement. ¡°Dad, the global social order has completely collapsed. Restoring it to its former state is impossible. Our Qin family must now consider our future path¡­¡± Qin Yuan responded calmly, ¡°Tell me your thoughts.¡± Qin Jun¡¯s face gradually twisted into a crazed smile. ¡°With zombies everywhere and various monsters rampant, most cities have become gathering places for the undead and creatures.¡± ¡°For most people to survive, they will need to establish new shelters and gathering points. We have Dongdu, a complete industrial system¡ªour greatest advantage!¡± ¡°And with the advent of the evolvers¡¯ era, the awakening rate is less than one in ten thousand, yet most of our Qin family has awakened talents.¡± ¡°This is a sign from the heavens!¡± ¡°A sign of what?¡± ¡°A sign that we will be the rulers of this new world, father¡­¡± Chapter 27 - Qin Juns Vision Chapter 27: Qin Jun¡¯s VisionQin Yuan looked at his son, ¡°What do you plan to do?¡± A cold, ruthless smile appeared on Qin Jun¡¯s face. ¡°Monopolize resources! Monopolize all resources. There¡¯s no need to pretend to be equal with the common people. The state no longer exists, and the law has no effect. ¡°Or rather¡­ in this era, the one with the biggest fist makes the law!¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°First, we need to build walls to isolate Dongdu from the outside world and prevent another zombie virus outbreak¡± ¡°The remaining citizens of Dongdu will become our resources. They must work in factories to earn the right to stay in the city.¡± ¡°Useless old people will be driven out to fend for themselves; keeping them would only waste food. Children will be given a unified education, indoctrinating them with loyalty to the Qin family.¡± ¡°We will monopolize those interdimensional spaces and the precious talent seeds, creating evolvers loyal to our Qin family.¡± ¡°We will suppress any opposing voices; from now on, Dongdu will only exist for the will of the Qin family. Until we expand across the entire world!¡± Qin Jun¡¯s tone was resolute and indifferent. It was hard to imagine that just a week ago, he was a sophomore at Jiangjing University, seemingly no different from an ordinary person. But now, he was describing an extremely cold and ruthless world. In his plan, ordinary people would become mere slaves, working day after day, becoming insignificant cogs in the massive machine of the Qin family. In his eyes, ordinary people had lost their human rights and dignity; they were mere pigs and ants! On the bones of countless civilians, a family filled with strong power and iron will was about to rise. They would move towards the pinnacle of the world. Anything that dared to stand in their way would be crushed to pieces! Qin Yuan quietly observed Qin Jun, as if getting to know his son anew. After a long while, a smile slowly appeared on his face. ¡°I thought you would need a few more years of experience. But you are far more perfect than I imagined¡­.¡± Qin Yuan patted his son¡¯s shoulder and smiled. ¡°You are right. We of the Qin family are destined to be the rulers of this world¡­.¡± ¡­ Xie Han¡¯s room was also in the Qin family mansion. Though a subordinate of the Qin family, her status was high; she was Qin Jun¡¯s personal bodyguard and had been by his side since he was in high school. Xie Han¡¯s room was as simple and plain as her personality. She was meticulously cleaning her firearms, focusing intently. For Xie Han, her firearms were like a second life. These intricately designed weapons required constant maintenance to ensure they functioned perfectly when needed. Staring at the handgun in her hand, Xie Han¡¯s face gradually showed a hint of bitterness. Since the apocalypse began, Qin Jun had awakened his talent, Su Ya had awakened her talent, and even that Chen Zhong had awakened his talent. But she hadn¡¯t awakened any talent; she was still an ordinary person. Although Xie Han didn¡¯t show it, she felt deeply disappointed. Without a talent, how could she continue to protect Qin Jun? s?a??h th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Especially in that interdimensional space, when Chen Zhong charged at them, she fired several shots but failed to hit him, allowing him to get close. Although Chen Zhong eventually died, and Qin Jun didn¡¯t blame her, Xie Han felt a deep sense of guilt. Her performance was inadequate! After cleaning her firearms, Xie Han looked at the beautiful face in the mirror on her desk. She had grown up in the Qin family, her education centered on protecting Qin Jun, even at the cost of her own life. In her heart, Qin Jun was her entire purpose¡­. Deep down, she also deeply loved Qin Jun, but she never expressed this feeling; she didn¡¯t know how to dress up or speak sweet words like Su Ya, nor did she know how to act coquettish. She only watched Qin Jun from the shadows, protecting him from afar. Her life was filled with guns and battles. Standing by Qin Jun¡¯s side, she always remained vigilant, ready to react to any threat. Over the years, Xie Han had protected Qin Jun well. This was her pride and just this much made her feel content, but now, Xie Han felt a sense of fear, a hesitation about the future. No matter how hard she worked, she was still just an ordinary person, unable to defeat even an F-grade talent user! Qin Jun was now an evolver, stronger than her, no longer needing her protection¡­ This realization left Xie Han feeling lost. If Qin Jun no longer needed her, what would she do? Xie Han silently placed her firearms back in their place, staring blankly at the mirror, lost in thought. If Qin Jun no longer needed her, where would she go? Chapter 28 - Su Zhenguo Chapter 28: Su ZhenguoAt that moment, there was a knock on the door. Xie Han quickly composed herself and opened the door. ¡°Young Master!¡± Seeing Qin Jun, Xie Han¡¯s face showed a mix of joy and panic. Joy because Qin Jun was here. Panic because Qin Jun was here¡ªshe feared he would tell her she was no longer needed as his bodyguard. Qin Jun walked into Xie Han¡¯s room and casually sat on her bed. Though they were master and servant, they were of the same age and had known each other for many years. They were very familiar with each other. ¡°Young Master, is there something you need?¡± Xie Han quickly poured Qin Jun a glass of water, asking nervously, afraid of hearing bad news. Qin Jun looked at Xie Han, noticing her slightly red eyes, and guessed what was on her mind. His eyes flickered, and he deliberately showed a cold expression. He said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m here to inform you that you won¡¯t be needing to guard me for the next few days.¡± Xie Han¡¯s face turned pale and felt a deep pain as the thing she feared most was happening. She struggled to remain calm, her body trembling slightly. ¡°Is that so? What will my new assignment be? Am I to join the military district or guard someone else?¡± Xie Han fought to hold back her tears and asked, ¡°Am I to move out of here?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll move out tomorrow¡­¡± The young girl¡¯s heart was almost shattered! Qin Jun frowned and asked, ¡°Move out to where?¡± Xie Han lowered her head, her voice tinged with sobs, ¡°Since I¡¯m no longer your bodyguard, I don¡¯t have the right to live here¡­¡± ¡°Who said you aren¡¯t my bodyguard anymore?¡± Xie Han immediately looked up. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say I wouldn¡¯t need to guard you for the next few days¡­?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Qin Jun said seriously, then took out a box. ¡°Inside is an A-grade talent seed. It¡¯s for you. You need to spend the next few days refining it, so naturally, you won¡¯t be guarding me.¡± Xie Han was stunned and looked at the box in Qin Jun¡¯s hand with a mix of surprise and joy, feeling deeply moved. So that was what he meant. Seeing the smile on Qin Jun¡¯s face, she realized he was teasing her. Xie Han laughed and cried at the same time. Seeing this usually stoic beauty lose her composure, Qin Jun couldn¡¯t help but pull her into his arms, comforting her. In his memory, Xie Han was always strong, but now she showed such vulnerability, highlighting how important he was to her. Qin Jun had no doubt that if he were in danger, Xie Han would sacrifice her life without hesitation. However, Qin Jun didn¡¯t believe he would face any danger. Qin Jun comforted her with a few more words. His gentle, approachable demeanor made him seem like an exemplary young man. But who could have guessed that just half an hour ago, he had devised a ruthless and cold-blooded plan? A plan that would lead to the deaths of many¡­ ¡­ In Dongdu, at a medical quarantine facility. Su Zhenguo looked anxious and nervous, comforting his wife and younger daughter. Su Zhenguo was the deputy director of the reform commission in a third-tier city, a mid-level official, but such a minor official was not much different from an ordinary citizen. S?a??h th? N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. After the zombie outbreak, Su Zhenguo and his family were trapped at home. Su Zhenguo tried to get a pass to leave the quarantine zone, but none of the dozens of calls he made yielded any results. Even an old superior of his couldn¡¯t get a pass! In this situation, the Su family was almost in despair. But suddenly, a team of soldiers knocked on their door and escorted them to a safe zone. Then someone took them to the airport, arranged a flight, and got them out of the city. Su Zhenguo was still bewildered, not knowing what had happened. He asked the officer escorting them, who shook his head, saying he only knew the order came from the highest office in the Southeast Military District. This nearly gave Su Zhenguo a heart attack! The highest office in the Southeast Military District!? One of the five major military districts in the country, what did he do to deserve their attention? Was it a case of mistaken identity? Wisely, Su Zhenguo didn¡¯t ask further and, in a daze, arrived in Dongdu, where they were taken to undergo examinations. Su Zhenguo¡¯s wife, Yuan Lu, was a high school teacher, and their younger daughter, Su Yue, was eighteen and just started her senior year of high school. The Su family waited in their room, ignored by everyone. Su Zhenguo wanted to ask but saw that everyone around was either a high-ranking officer or a scientist in a lab coat, so he didn¡¯t have the courage to speak up. Yuan Lu looked worried and whispered, ¡°Old Su, did they mistake us for someone else? How could the highest office know about us?¡± Su Zhenguo comforted his wife, ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re already here; they won¡¯t send us back, right? We should just make the best of it.¡± Su Yue was very beautiful, with clear, bright eyes, curved brows, a pure and lovely face, and a graceful figure, like a green apple just starting to ripen. But now, she was still in shock as she had just witnessed a hellish scene when the military escorted them, passing by her school. Thugs had taken over the school, committing acts of violence. She even saw her classmates being assaulted by those thugs! Without the military¡¯s help, given her looks, her fate would have been even worse! Yuan Lu, heartbroken, hugged her daughter and worriedly said, ¡°I wonder how Xiao Ya is doing. Since that one call, her phone has been off.¡± Hearing this, Su Zhenguo sighed heavily. He had two daughters, Su Ya and Su Yue, both outstanding and his pride. Both were not only beautiful but also excelled academically. Especially Su Ya, who got into Jiangjing University, making him very proud. He comforted his wife and daughter, ¡°Xiao Ya has always been resourceful. She should be fine¡­¡± Chapter 29 - Recognizing Ones Status Chapter 29: Recognizing One¡¯s StatusThe Su family of three fell into a state of uncertainty about the future. They had heard on the plane that not only was the entire country in chaos, but the whole world had descended into anarchy. All nations had fallen into a state of lawlessness, without exception. With over 80% of cities nationwide fallen, a rough estimate suggested that half the population had disappeared. Even more terrifying was that this was the most optimistic estimate. Humanity was entering a new era, one where people would have to live alongside zombies and monsters. As ordinary people, the Su family felt utterly powerless, forced to accept their fate. The first question they faced was: What should they do now? They hadn¡¯t brought much cash, and whether cash was still useful was uncertain. In Dongdu, a city unfamiliar to them, how would they live? Where would they stay? They couldn¡¯t sleep on the streets, could they? Thinking about this, Su Zhenguo felt a headache coming on, filled with despair about the future. As an official, Su Zhenguo also had a sense of sensitivity¡ªwhat would the new order look like in the collapse of society? He didn¡¯t naively believe that those in power would lend a helping hand to the homeless. While Su Zhenguo was lost in thought, a commotion arose. A group of people approached them, consisting of high-ranking military officers and scientists in lab coats, all surrounding a tall, beautiful woman, their faces full of respect and admiration. Seeing this woman, the Su family¡¯s faces showed shock. It was their eldest daughter, Su Ya! Su Zhenguo¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. He clearly saw a lieutenant general nodding and bowing to Su Ya, his face fawning! A lieutenant general commanded tens of thousands of soldiers, especially in these chaotic times, a high-ranking figure! Yet now, he was currying favor with Su Ya? Was this really his eldest daughter? For a moment, Su Zhenguo hesitated to acknowledge her, thinking it might be someone who just looked like her¡­ But Su Ya, seeing her family, showed an excited expression and ran over quickly, ¡°Dad, Mom, little sister!¡± ¡°Xiao Ya, is it really you?!¡± Finally, Su Zhenguo and Yuan Lu dared to acknowledge her, tears of joy and relief flowing as they hugged Su Ya, laughing and crying. S?a??h the ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. In the apocalypse, seeing one¡¯s loved ones was such a blessing! ¡°Big sister!¡± Su Yue was also overjoyed, hugging Su Ya tightly, their family reunited in happiness. The lieutenant general watched this scene with a smile, patiently waiting. After a while, he reminded, ¡°Miss Su, the car is ready.¡± Su Ya nodded and introduced him to her father. ¡°Dad, this is Lieutenant General Meng Mi.¡± ¡°He is the deputy head of the highest office in the Southeast Military District and the head of the Dongdu Southern Garrison Headquarters. The soldiers who brought you here were sent by him.¡± Su Zhenguo¡¯s mind was in turmoil as a deputy head of the highest office in the Southeast Military District was a major figure! One of the top three power-holders in the Southeast Military District! He quickly stepped forward, extending both hands to shake Meng Mi¡¯s. ¡°Thank you, Lieutenant General Meng. I am Su Zhenguo, deputy director of the Reform Commission in Anyang City¡­¡± His attitude was extremely respectful. He was just a minor official, and Anyang City likely no longer existed. In essence, he was now a commoner. Meanwhile, Meng Mi, despite his high status, appeared very approachable, even deliberately friendly. He extended both hands and shook Su Zhenguo¡¯s tightly. ¡°Hello, Director Su. We¡¯re about the same age, but I¡¯m a few years older. Let¡¯s call each other brothers, shall we, Brother Su?¡± Meng Mi¡¯s warmth was so overwhelming that it made Su Zhenguo feel uneasy! He couldn¡¯t understand why this major figure was being so friendly. But Su Zhenguo was smart enough to realize it likely had something to do with Su Ya. Now wasn¡¯t the time to question it. While Su Zhenguo didn¡¯t like to ingratiate himself with powerful people, maintaining good relations with such a major figure was undoubtedly wise in the apocalypse. He quickly nodded. ¡°It¡¯s my honor, Brother Meng!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Meng Mi laughed, hinting at something. ¡°Actually, Brother Su, it¡¯s my honor to call you brother!¡± He then turned to Su Ya, smiling. ¡°Miss Su, please say a few good words for me to the young master.¡± The Su family was confused. What young master? Who could be so important that even Meng Mi, a major figure, would be so eager to please? Su Ya smiled and nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lieutenant General Meng, I know what to say.¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you!¡± Meng Mi was overjoyed, personally escorting the Su family out of the quarantine area. Despite being flattered by such a major figure, Su Ya remained humble. She knew well that Meng Mi wasn¡¯t afraid of her but revered the Qin family¡¯s future leader, Qin Jun. All her power came from Qin Jun. If she didn¡¯t understand this and thought she had truly become a major figure, she would suffer greatly. She knew Qin Jun well. Qin Jun didn¡¯t mind those around him leveraging his name. But if anyone developed inappropriate ambitions and sought a status they didn¡¯t deserve, the consequences would be severe. Qin Jun could elevate her from an ordinary university student to a place in heaven or send her straight to hell. Su Ya was acutely aware of this. Her influence with figures like Meng Mi was merely an extension of Qin Jun¡¯s authority¡­ Seeing Su Ya so clear-headed, not losing herself in flattery, Meng Mi felt a newfound respect. Though Meng Mi held a high position within the Qin family in Dongdu, he diligently handled these tasks for Su Ya solely because of Qin Jun! Initially, he didn¡¯t think much of Su Ya. She was merely a lucky woman favored by Qin Jun. A person like Qin Jun would undoubtedly have many women around him in the future, and Su Ya could easily be replaced. But now, Meng Mi realized this woman was exceptional. Recognizing one¡¯s status was easy to say but hard to achieve. He decided to interact more with Su Zhenguo in the future¡­. Chapter 30 - A Desperate Era Chapter 30: A Desperate EraThe Su family of four got into the car and left the quarantine area under military escort. Even now, Su Zhenguo and Yuan Lu felt like they were in a dream. Just ten minutes ago, they were worried about their survival. Now, they were guests of honor, escorted by the military! The drastic changes in their lives were too overwhelming! S?a??h the N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Su Zhenguo eagerly asked, ¡°Xiao Ya, what¡¯s going on? How did you get out of Jiangjing? And why is Lieutenant General Meng so respectful to you?¡± Su Ya smiled and replied, ¡°Dad, didn¡¯t I tell you before that I have a boyfriend in school?¡± ¡°Yes, Qin Jun, right?¡± Su Zhenguo nodded. Su Ya had mentioned it to him before. Su Zhenguo had planned to meet his future son-in-law at school, but he never found the time before the zombie outbreak plunged the world into chaos. Su Yue¡¯s eyes widened with curiosity. ¡°Sis, is the young master the officer mentioned your boyfriend?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mother Su immediately asked, ¡°What¡¯s his background?¡± Su Ya answered softly, ¡°You know State Councilor Qin Yuan, right? Qin Jun is his only son.¡± Inside the car, silence fell, and everyone was speechless. Su Zhenguo¡¯s eyes widened, his mouth open, but he couldn¡¯t say a word. State Councilor Qin Yuan? Of course, he knew who Qin Yuan was! As an official, Su Zhenguo had attended numerous meetings studying Qin Yuan¡¯s speeches and directives. He had even written an article on ¡°Studying the Three Guiding Principles of State Councilor Qin Yuan,¡± which earned him a commendation from Anyang City. It was one of the few highlights of his career. But to Su Zhenguo, Qin Yuan was merely a political symbol, a distant name, someone from a completely different world. He couldn¡¯t even dream of meeting the State Councilor, let alone imagine that his daughter was dating his son! This revelation was too surreal, leaving Su Zhenguo and his wife utterly shocked and speechless. They felt their hearts pounding, needing some time to calm down. Su Yue, however, was less affected. At her age, she didn¡¯t fully grasp the significance of power and influence. She was simply happy that her family was safe and sound, that no one was hurt. For this innocent girl, that was the greatest happiness. Looking at her pure and lovely sister, Su Ya¡¯s heart stirred. Although she was Qin Jun¡¯s woman now, her position was not secure. Given Qin Jun¡¯s status, many women would likely try to win his favor in the future. Su Ya always felt a sense of crisis. Now, seeing that her sister was as beautiful as herself, she thought that if Su Yue could also join Qin Jun¡¯s harem, their positions would be more secure. Su Ya didn¡¯t think she was pushing her sister into a pit of fire. In peaceful times, doing this might be seen as shameful and greedy, even selling out her sister, but unfortunately, now was not peaceful those times. In this era devoid of any morality or ethics, Su Ya¡¯s thoughts were clear. Without background or strength, ordinary people were worse off than pigs. If she and her sister could secure a place beside Qin Jun, the Su family would live well, at least not worrying about food and clothing. But if she fell out of favor, the Su family would immediately suffer. Especially Su Yue, a beautiful girl without background or strength, her fate was predictable. Becoming a plaything for the powerful would be a good outcome. Worse, she could be turned into a slave by thugs, living a life worse than death. Being with Qin Jun would be much better. At least Qin Jun treated those around him well, and he was handsome and not as perverted or violent as other powerful men. That was a good fate in these times. However, Su Ya didn¡¯t plan to send her sister to Qin Jun right away. Her parents needed time to adjust¡­ ¡­ A month had passed since the apocalypse began and the situation had finally become clear. Over 3.7 billion people had died worldwide, replaced by 3.7 billion creatures called zombies. Most of them roamed the cities, but many began spreading out, crazily hunting for living humans to bite and turn the world into a zombie paradise. The military had suffered significant losses, with surviving forces occupying territories, forming the beginnings of warlord regimes. Those who had hoped the government could restore order were completely disillusioned. After this catastrophe, the government collapsed entirely. Forget about controlling regions¡ªthe government itself no longer existed. Survivors built shelters and bases in the wild or the outskirts, huddling together for warmth. In the apocalypse, it was nearly impossible to survive alone. Initially, shelters were peaceful, with people following old norms, respecting the elderly, and caring for women and children. But soon, hunger revealed how fragile morality and human rights were. Evolvers with absolute power became the ruling class of the shelters, getting first dibs on food, resources, and even women. Ordinary people without strength became the underclass. They couldn¡¯t get enough to eat, surviving on the leftovers of the evolvers. Even these scraps had to be fought over. Their wives and daughters became another kind of resource, to be traded or used to please the evolvers. They had no choice and those who dared to resist died. Some evolvers killed them outright. Those more merciful exiled the troublemakers from the shelters, where they soon became zombie food. One had to marvel at humanity¡¯s adaptability. From a highly civilized society to a brutally savage one, it took only a month for people to adjust¡­ This truly was a desperate era. Chapter 31 - The Current State of East Capital City Chapter 31: The Current State of East Capital CityFor ordinary people, this was the worst of times, but for Qin Jun, this was undoubtedly the best of times! In the apocalypse, all restraints vanished, with naked power suppressing the populace and they could only passively accept everything. There would no longer be any public outcry, no protests. Because in this era, there was no justice, only power and slaughter. The strong preyed on the weak became the first principle, and being weak was the original sin! Everyone had to adapt immediately to the rules of this era because in this era, death came so easily, so insignificantly¡­ ¡­¡­ East Capital City. East Capital was now completely the private territory of the Qin family. In just one month, city walls surrounding the urban area were constructed. The walls were approximately 70 kilometers long, 15 meters high, and 8 meters wide. There were eighteen gates, and on the walls, there were 1,656 firepower points and observation points. This would make East Capital City impregnable against the zombies! Building such a grand and magnificent wall in just one month would have been impossible in the old era. Because many factors had to be considered, like whether it would affect traffic, workers¡¯ rest time, and so on, but now, nothing needed to be considered. For this month, the highest goal of East Capital City was to build the city wall. All streets were under military control, and all resources served the construction of the wall. As for the workers¡¯ rest time¡ªthere was none. The Qin family gathered over 400,000 workers to participate in the construction of the city walls, and the workers rested an average of only 4 hours a day. After a month of high-intensity, nonstop work, approximately 6,800 people died suddenly on the job. The compensation for risking sudden death was merely that their families were allowed to live within the city¡­ Nevertheless, the city wall of East Capital was built, thoroughly isolating the urban area from the dangerous world outside, teeming with countless zombies. This might be one of the few cities in the world capable of erecting city walls. After all, East Capital had a complete industrial chain and three large power plants, making self-sufficiency in industrial facilities possible. The only problem was food¡ªfeeding millions of people every day was a staggering number. Although the city had millions of tons of grain reserves, enough for a year, it couldn¡¯t afford to rely on these alone. Since the city couldn¡¯t grow enough food, it had to venture into the dangerous wilds to obtain it. So, on the fourth day of the apocalypse, East Capital announced the abolition of old-era currency, replacing it with merit points. Each person could exchange merit points for food. Earning merit points was simple¡ªwork. Whatever your previous profession¡ªteacher, driver, white-collar worker, or financial professional. None of that mattered. Now you had only one identity, that of a subject of the Qin family. Or rather, a slave. Enter the factory to work, earn merit points, and then exchange all the merit points for enough food to stave off hunger. Repeat the same cycle tomorrow, endlessly, with no end in sight. The entire East Capital seemed like a huge machine, and every ordinary person in it was just a part, a cog in the wheel. They could never stop. Once broken, they would be discarded and replaced with new cogs. As for the Evolvers¡ªindividuals awakening their abilities were exceedingly rare. Out of millions of people in East Capital, there were only a little over two hundred Evolvers. The Qin family quickly recruited these Evolvers with wealth and status, making them loyal subordinates. As for whether these Evolvers might escape the Qin family¡¯s control¡ªthere was no need to worry at all. Because the Qin family itself was the largest Evolver organization¡ªalmost all the hundred-plus family members had evolved, a miracle indeed! The 300,000-strong East Capital Garrison naturally became the Qin family¡¯s private army. They were no longer protectors of the people but a violent machine maintaining Qin family rule! Under the loyalty of the army and the Evolvers, the Qin family¡¯s rule in East Capital was as solid as a rock, completely controlling every aspect of the city. Of course, the Qin family didn¡¯t entirely extinguish the hopes of ordinary people. In this city ruled by the Qin family, if ordinary people wanted to change their fate, they had to join the army or work hard. After accumulating enough merits, they could escape the fate of being ruled like pigs and become part of the system helping Qin Jun maintain control. And the populace remained surprisingly docile¡ªthey understood well. Though life in the city was tough, with daily hard work just enough to avoid starvation. Compared to the extremely dangerous outside, this place was already like heaven. At least they were still alive weren¡¯t they? ¡­ East Capital, Third Military Factory. ¡°Fuck! Is this shit even edible?¡± A young man covered in grease angrily threw his lunch box onto the machine, his face filled with resentment and anger. In the lunch box was a black, mushy substance with a faint sour smell, making one want to vomit and this was his ration. The other workers stared at the lunch box, swallowing hard. Now, this stuff that wasn¡¯t even fit for pigs was a rare delicacy in their eyes¡­ The young man¡¯s name was Li Deng, twenty-one years old, a student at East Capital University. After the apocalypse, he survived, but his parents and relatives all died in the catastrophe¡ªin fact, they died in the military¡¯s indiscriminate bombing. Then he was assigned to the Third Military Factory, receiving a week of training before starting work, producing low-precision parts. He worked thirteen hours a day in the workshop to earn these pig-feed-like rations. After enduring for a month, Li Deng couldn¡¯t take it anymore! An older man quickly whispered, ¡°Xiao Li, keep your voice down, don¡¯t let Supervisor Hu hear you, or he¡¯ll give you a hard time again!¡± The older man¡¯s name was Song, and in the old era, he was the owner of a small supermarket. He wasn¡¯t rich, but he lived comfortably. After the apocalypse, his supermarket¡¯s goods were confiscated, leaving him penniless, and he was also assigned to the factory, becoming Li Deng¡¯s coworker. Supervisor Hu, mentioned by Song, was the overseer of the workshop, holding the power of life and death over the workers! He was greedy and brutal, known among the workers as ¡°Hu the Flayer¡±¡­ S?a?ch* Th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 32 - Li Deng Chapter 32: Li DengThe middle-aged man named Song advised, ¡°Li, don¡¯t lose your temper. Filling your stomach is the most important thing.¡± Li Deng clenched his fists tightly, a fire burning within him. He was a student at East Capital University, destined for a promising future. How could he end up rotting here for the rest of his life? Working over ten hours a day in exchange for two meals made from some unknown substance. Li Deng looked at the black, mushy food in his lunch box, finding it incredibly hard to swallow. He glanced at Uncle Song and quietly asked, ¡°Uncle Song, they took all your assets away. Don¡¯t you hate them?¡± Uncle Song was startled, quickly shushing him, then forcing a bitter smile, ¡°Being alive is what matters. There¡¯s no point in hating. Besides, this makes me luckier than many others.¡± Looking at the numb expression on Uncle Song¡¯s face, Li Deng unwillingly scanned the others around him. Their faces all showed the same numbness, covered in grease, with indifferent expressions and dull eyes. They seemed like walking corpses. Fear crept into Li Deng¡¯s heart. Although they were living people, they seemed even more terrifying than zombies! Who could have imagined that just a while ago, they all had different jobs and personalities, filled with hope for the future? Now, they seemed to have no thoughts. Their ultimate goal was simply to fill their bellies! Just like pigs¡­. At that moment, Uncle Song nudged Li Deng, saying, ¡°Supervisor Hu is coming.¡± A portly middle-aged man with his hands behind his back and dressed in a suit walked over. His face was full of fat, and his beady eyes glowed with a cunning and vicious light. Seeing him, the workers all showed expressions of fear, quickly lowering their heads to work. They were terrified of drawing his attention. This man was Hu Weimin, the supervisor of the workshop, holding the power of life and death over the 2000+ workers there! Hu Weimin strutted around his domain with a smug expression. In the old era, he was a small-time construction boss with a business worth a few million. But he could rub shoulders with government officials, living a carefree life. The reason was simple¡ªhis wife had once worked as a nanny for the Qin family¡ªthe kind who could enter the mansion! She could even chat with a distant relative of the Qin family. With this connection, Hu Weimin barely managed to claim he was part of the Qin family¡­. So when the apocalypse hit, Hu Weimin transformed overnight, becoming the supervisor of the B2 workshop in the third military factory, wielding life and death power over the 2000+ workers. To him, these 2000+ people were mere slaves, to be squeezed at will. Some of the workers¡¯ wives, if they were decent-looking, were coerced into his bed through various means. s?a??h th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Those who were stubborn were driven to death! Just yesterday, seven workers had dropped dead from exhaustion¡­. He was a classic scumbag! Seeing Li Deng and the lunch box on the machine, Hu Weimin¡¯s eyes turned cold, and he said slyly, ¡°Li Deng, are you dissatisfied with the food?¡± Li Deng, a notorious troublemaker in his eyes, had been on his list for a while. He had been thinking of ways to deal with him! Uncle Song quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, ¡°No, no, I was just talking to Li, and he didn¡¯t have time to eat.¡± Hu Weimin looked at the stubborn Li Deng, whose lips were pressed tightly together, not saying a word, and sneered inwardly. Did Li Deng think he was still a promising university student? But Hu Weimin liked breaking such hard-headed people because it gave him a sense of accomplishment¡­. That was why he hadn¡¯t let Li Deng ¡°drop dead¡± yet! Thinking this, Hu Weimin felt a thrill¡ªhe loved this era! In the old days, as a small boss, he had dozens of workers under him. But he couldn¡¯t treat them so harshly. At most, he could scold them a bit. He didn¡¯t dare hit them because the workers knew their rights and could report him! Even with his Qin family connection, they wouldn¡¯t back him for trivial matters, but now it was different. He had the power of life and death over these people! If he didn¡¯t like someone, he could get rid of them. No one would resist, and no one would care. There would soon be new workers to replace them¡ªthere were countless people outside eagerly waiting for such jobs. In this workshop, he was the tyrant! Hu Weimin sneered at Li Deng, saying, ¡°Alright then, but you dirtied the machine. Your merit points for today are all deducted!¡± Hearing this, Li Deng¡¯s eyes flared with anger. The machine was already filthy with grease. How had he dirtied it? Hu Weimin was clearly picking on him! Just as Li Deng was about to argue, Uncle Song pulled him back, urging him to stay calm. He had nothing now. How could he fight Hu Weimin? Suppressing his fury, Li Deng remained silent. Satisfied, Hu Weimin snorted and swaggered off. The other workers watched silently, not daring to offend this big shot. Li Deng trembled with rage, feeling an urge to cry. After all, he was just a second-year university student, still a young adult¡­. The death of his parents weighed heavily on his heart, and the accumulated grievances made him want to weep, but Li Deng held back his tears. He picked up his lunch box and began eating the sour, foul-smelling mush in big gulps. Uncle Song was right, at least he was still alive, but he wasn¡¯t living just to stay alive; he was waiting for a chance to resist! He wouldn¡¯t rot here for the rest of his life! Chapter 33 - The Current State of the Qin Family Chapter 33: The Current State of the Qin FamilyQin Family Mansion In the lavish dining room, Qin Jun was enjoying dinner with his family. The room was not crowded, with only seven people present. Apart from Qin Jun and his father, Qin Yuan, there were also his three uncles: Qin Shanglong, Qin De, and Qin Ming, and his two aunts: Qin Yue and Qin Li. These seven constituted the core members of the Qin family. The Qin family was an ancient and powerful family, with strict rules and a clear hierarchy. The main branch controlled most of the family¡¯s resources, while the collateral branches had to rely on the main branch, forming a pyramid-like structure. This structure supported the towering entity that was the Qin family. Qin Jun¡¯s three uncles and two aunts held high positions in the government before the apocalypse. Qin Ming was the First Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister, a candidate for one of the seven top positions. Qin De was the Minister of Commerce. Qin Shanglong was the Commander-in-Chief of the Southeast Military District, with the rank of General. Qin Yue was the Director-General of the National Energy Administration, controlling the country¡¯s vital resources. Qin Li was the Executive Deputy Governor of East Capital, effectively the city¡¯s top official. The core members of the Qin family were all at the ministerial or vice-national level, showcasing the terrifying extent of the family¡¯s influence! Even before the outbreak began, the Qin family had keenly sensed the danger¡ªby then, the number of infected in the capital had exceeded 3,000. Thus, the high-ranking members of the Qin family quickly left the capital and returned to East Capital, escaping the catastrophe. Many people might think that in the apocalypse, the power structure would be reshuffled, and those bigwigs would be rendered insignificant, while the small people would rise. This viewpoint is, frankly, quite¡­ naive. Families like the Qin family, with their enormous power and resources, had access to information far earlier and more extensively than the ordinary populace. When ordinary people were still clueless about the unfolding events, these powerful families had already prepared for the danger. When the apocalypse struck and societal order collapsed, they used their power and status to seize resources and monopolize wealth, becoming the new rulers. Indeed, they were the beneficiaries of the old era, but they did not depend on it. In fact, the apocalyptic era suited them even better, allowing them to thrive¡­. Those eliminated by the apocalypse were merely nouveau riche families like the An family of Jiangjing, who lacked deep foundations¡­. However, there was one variable¡ªthe emergence of innate abilities. In the apocalypse, the true aristocrats would be the evolved ones. S~?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Fortunately for the Qin family, most of them had awakened their abilities. No other family in the world could simultaneously possess both the power of evolution and political influence like the Qin family¡­. Other top families generally did not awaken abilities. Their power and wealth were illusory. Most of those who did awaken abilities were of humble origins, starting from scratch¡­. The Qin family, a family of chosen ones, was destined to dominate the apocalyptic world! Dinner was sumptuous. Dishes included pan-fried cod, red date and white fungus soup, stir-fried Arctic surf clams with cuttlefish slices, soy-steamed turbot, and other exquisite top-tier Chinese cuisine. Not only were the raw materials carefully selected, but the cooking methods were also luxurious, all at the level of state banquets¡ªafter all, the Qin family¡¯s chefs were national banquet masters. Even in the apocalypse, where food acquisition had become extremely limited, it did not affect the lifestyle of the ruling class like Qin Jun¡­. ¡°Xiaojun, you¡¯re already a Level 2 Evolver?¡± Qin Shanglong looked at Qin Jun with admiration, his face beaming. Human adaptability to the apocalyptic era was remarkably quick. In just a month, humanity had deciphered the evolution system from the Black Obelisk and other sources. Abilities were classified from F to SSS level, with higher levels indicating stronger capabilities and greater potential. Evolvers themselves also had strength levels, from 1 to 12. Most evolvers were still at Level 1, but Qin Jun had already reached Level 2, showcasing his extraordinary talent, which thrilled the Qin family. In the era of evolution, the Qin family¡¯s real reliance was not on their tens of thousands of troops or their endless wealth. It was their own strength. Qin Jun nodded and smiled, ¡°I owe it to those energy crystals.¡± The energy crystals he mentioned were found in the bodies of zombies and monsters, containing pure energy that could be used for cultivation. The Qin family had established a large research laboratory, gathering over a thousand researchers to study the evolution system and supernatural powers. They even conducted human experiments¡­. While other evolvers were still fumbling around, unsure about their cultivation, the Qin family, with absolute scientific resources, had already mastered the methods of cultivation, leaving other evolvers far behind! This was the power of combining evolution with political influence! Over the past month, the military of East Capital had conducted several expeditions to the surrounding towns, systematically wiping out zombie hordes to collect energy crystals. However, these crystals were extremely rare. The army dared not venture too deep; after exterminating tens of thousands of zombies, they obtained only about six hundred crystals. Ambitious ordinary people also joined these extremely dangerous expeditions, suffering a casualty rate of over 70%! The few energy crystals they managed to obtain were handed over to the Qin family. In return, the Qin family paid them with merit points, which had no real cost¡­. Chapter 34 - Entering the Decision-Making Circle Chapter 34: Entering the Decision-Making CircleUpon hearing that Qin Jun had already become a Level 2 Evolver, the core members of the Qin family all smiled. Although the Qin family¡¯s core members had also awakened abilities, with some even having A-level or S-level abilities, they were still far inferior to Qin Jun¡¯s SSS-level ability. Qin De laughed and said, ¡°Xiaojun has an SSS-level ability, which is the highest known level, right? I think it won¡¯t be long before Big Brother will have to step down and make way for you.¡± Everyone laughed. While it was true that top-tier families like the Qin family had their fair share of internal conflicts and power struggles, the Qin family had a significant difference compared to typical nouveau riche families. The Qin family members were exceptionally clear-headed. They knew that despite the dangers everywhere in the apocalypse and although the Qin family had quickly established themselves as one of the rulers of this new era, the future remains uncertain. They understood the power of unity better than ordinary people. Qin Yuan turned to Qin Jun and said, ¡°Now that all the factories and research institutes in East Capital are on track, you should take a tour and inspect them tomorrow.¡± Qin Jun nodded, understanding that this meant his father had formally inducted him into the family¡¯s decision-making circle. This also signified that he would become one of the decision-makers of the vast entity that was the Qin family, which governed millions of people, commanded an army of 400,000, and had nearly a thousand evolvers under its control. The others smiled approvingly, showing no surprise and considering it entirely appropriate. Although Qin Jun was only twenty years old, he was not only Qin Yuan¡¯s son but also an SSS-level evolver¡­ ¡­¡­ The next day, accompanied by Xie Han and a group of attendants, Qin Jun left the Qin family mansion to begin his tour of his territory. As for Su Ya, Qin Jun had to admit he was impressed by her ability. Although Su Ya¡¯s ability was only B-level and not top-tier, it was a rare mind-related ability. Her mind control ability could cause immense pain, making it impossible for people to hide secrets from her. At Qin Jun¡¯s suggestion, the Qin family established an intelligence department with about 600 people, specializing in monitoring and suppressing internal instability. S?a?ch* Th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Su Ya became one of the interrogation officers. She was delighted with this role, as she had been pondering how to secure her place by Qin Jun¡¯s side. Now, she could finally demonstrate her value. Qin Jun did not need a mere decoration¡ªhe needed a useful decoration. The motorcade drove down the street, and after a month of adjustment and stabilization, East Capital¡¯s situation had become calm. There were even pedestrians on the streets again. However, there were still military and police officers stationed at intersections, which had become the norm. In the car, opposite Qin Jun sat a middle-aged man named Zhou Yunlong, Qin Yuan¡¯s secretary. Zhou was fiercely loyal to Qin Yuan and highly capable, privy to many of the Qin family¡¯s secrets, making him a high-ranking member of the Qin family. Zhou Yunlong continuously briefed Qin Jun on the resources and various industries under the Qin family¡¯s control. Although Qin Jun was Qin Yuan¡¯s only son, he was still young and had been a student before the apocalypse. Therefore, he had only a general understanding of the Qin family¡¯s specific industries and did not know the details. Now, with Zhou Yunlong¡¯s explanation, he finally had a clear understanding of the Qin family¡¯s specific industries and strengths. Zhou Yunlong smiled and asked, ¡°Young Master, where would you like to visit first? The office building, the military district, or the industrial area?¡± Qin Jun thought for a moment and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the industrial area first.¡± Zhou Yunlong nodded and immediately arranged the route. Previously, Zhou Yunlong had always been courteous to Qin Jun, but now his politeness had a touch of reverence. Because from now on, Qin Jun¡¯s status was not just that of Qin Yuan¡¯s son but also the new leader of the Qin family¡­ ¡­¡­ East Capital, Industrial Zone, Third Military Factory It was time to eat. The workers returned to their workstations with their lunch boxes, expressionless and silent, making the large workshop seem like a morgue. Li Deng forced himself to eat the foul-smelling, mushy food. Although it filled his stomach, he felt increasingly weak¡­ These mushy foods had little nutritional value! Coupled with the high-intensity work every day, Li Deng felt dizzy and had a constant ringing in his ears. As a young man in his prime, if he was already in such a state, the others were undoubtedly worse off. Last night, Uncle Song fainted while working overtime. Yet that despicable Hu motherfucker wouldn¡¯t allow Uncle Song to rest and deducted a significant portion of his merit points! Li Deng looked around and saw that the others were all emaciated and sickly, with no spirit left. He clenched his fists tightly, telling himself that he couldn¡¯t go on like this. If he continued, he would likely die of exhaustion at his workstation within two months! He had to resist! He had to change his fate! While Li Deng was lost in thought, a commotion suddenly broke out. Everyone looked over to see a group of well-dressed men in suits and ties surrounding a handsome young man as they walked into the workshop. Li Deng had seen these people before¡ªthey were high-ranking officials of the Third Military Factory, people who were usually far above them. They rarely ever set foot in the dirty workshop and the workshop supervisor, Hu Weimin, was trailing behind, bowing and scraping. This man, who held the power of life and death over the workers, didn¡¯t even have the qualifications to stand beside the young man, appearing as nothing more than a lackey¡­ Li Deng couldn¡¯t help but feel curious. Who was this young man? He stared intently at the youth, a flame of unquenchable anger igniting in his heart. This young man was around his age, yet why was there such a vast disparity in their statuses?! Chapter 35 - Eating People Without Spitting Out Bones Chapter 35: Eating People Without Spitting Out BonesThe young man surrounded by everyone like a star was naturally Qin Jun. He chose to visit the Third Military Factory because it was crucial, producing weapons and equipment, essential for maintaining combat effectiveness in the apocalypse. Currently, evolvers¡¯ levels were not high enough, so the military still played a decisive role. Hu Weimin, squeezed to the back of the crowd, was extremely anxious. Although he was a big figure in the workshop, in the entire Third Military Factory, he was just a mid-level manager, not to mention in front of Qin Jun, the eldest son of the Qin family. If Qin Jun was slightly displeased, the high-level officials of the Third Military Factory would tear him apart without Qin Jun needing to lift a finger! Seeing the workers¡¯ lunchboxes, Hu Weimin¡¯s heart sank. He had swapped the workers¡¯ food standards. Grain now was a hard currency, he had used the embezzled food to keep several beautiful women. He thought no one would care about these slaves, but he didn¡¯t expect Qin Jun to inspect the Third Military Factory suddenly and at mealtime! Qin Jun was originally satisfied with the Third Military Factory¡¯s situation. After the catastrophe, the factory maintained operations and production capacity, which was commendable. However, when he saw the workers¡¯ sallow faces and the disgusting black mush in their lunchboxes, his eyebrows furrowed. He knew East Capital was implementing grain control, so the workers¡¯ food couldn¡¯t be good, but this mush was too much. It seemed to be made from cockroaches and other insects, just enough to fill their stomachs but with no nutritional value. Qin Jun asked calmly, ¡°Is this what all the workers are eating? Who is in charge of this workshop?¡± The factory director immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s Hu Weimin.¡± Hearing this and seeing Qin Jun¡¯s displeasure, Hu Weimin nearly wet his pants. For him, even a minor figure in the Qin family could decide his fate, let alone Qin Jun, the future master of East Capital! Hu Weimin rushed to Qin Jun, his face full of fear: ¡°Young Master, I am Hu Weimin, the supervisor of the second workshop.¡± Qin Jun said flatly, ¡°If I remember correctly, the workers¡¯ food standard shouldn¡¯t be like this, right?¡± This sentence made Hu Weimin kneel on the ground in fear. He knew he couldn¡¯t lie his way out of this; it would be a death sentence. His only hope was to admit his mistake sincerely. ¡°Young Master, I was momentarily confused! I¡¯ll change the food standard back tonight!¡± Seeing the usually arrogant Hu Weimin kneeling and begging, the workers felt a sense of pleasure but also a deep respect for Qin Jun. They wondered who this young man was who could frighten Hu Weimin to such an extent with a single sentence. Li Deng, feeling a sense of vindication, shouted, ¡°We not only have poor food but also work thirteen hours a day. It¡¯s unbearable! Hu Weimin squeezes us dry, doesn¡¯t let us rest, and deducts our merit points!¡± Hu Weimin hated Li Deng for speaking out. If he survived this, he vowed to make Li Deng¡¯s life hell. Qin Jun looked at Li Deng and saw defiance and determination in his eyes. He smiled and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Li Deng, I used to be a student at East Capital University!¡± Li Deng responded loudly. Qin Jun nodded and smiled, ¡°Good, very good.¡± He then told Hu Weimin, ¡°Improve the workers¡¯ food standard and reduce their working hours by three.¡± Hu Weimin quickly agreed, ¡°Yes, Young Master, I¡¯ll do it right away!¡± s?a??h th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The workers cheered and knelt, thanking Qin Jun from the bottom of their hearts, considering him a benevolent savior. Li Deng clenched his fists, feeling that the improvements were not enough, but he saw a potential ally in Qin Jun. Perhaps he could gain more support from him in the future. ¡­¡­ Qin Jun didn¡¯t stay long, inspecting other workshops before leaving in his car, followed by the factory executives bowing. However, before leaving, he called Hu Weimin over. Hu Weimin quickly approached, bending to listen to Qin Jun. ¡°Do you know why I didn¡¯t punish you?¡± Qin Jun asked. Hu Weimin, full of gratitude, said, ¡°Because you are magnanimous, Young Master.¡± Qin Jun shook his head and smiled, ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re talented. You managed to turn these people into obedient pigs in just a month.¡± Hu Weimin was stunned by Qin Jun¡¯s words. Qin Jun continued, ¡°Do you know why I improved their conditions?¡± ¡°To win their hearts?¡± Hu Weimin asked cautiously. Qin Jun laughed, ¡°They¡¯re just slaves, nothing worth winning. But they have value. If you squeeze them too much, they¡¯ll die within months, and we¡¯ll need to retrain replacements.¡± ¡°Also, their efficiency is low under such conditions. Improving their conditions a bit lets them work better for us, producing more value. Do you understand?¡± Hu Weimin was taken aback, realizing the true reason behind Qin Jun¡¯s decision. He felt a chill rise from his heart, making him fear Qin Jun even more. He quickly nodded, determined never to displease Qin Jun. ¡°One more thing,¡± Qin Jun¡¯s smile vanished, replaced by coldness. ¡°I don¡¯t like that Li Deng. Make him disappear.¡± Chapter 36 - Disgusting Chapter 36: DisgustingIn the Third Military Factory, Li Deng had become a hero. The workers thanked him for their improved conditions. Uncle Song smiled, ¡°Thanks to you, Xiao Li, our lives are much better now.¡± Others agreed. Li Deng, however, felt incredulous. Was this enough for them? The improvements were minor; they were still slaves. Yet they were so grateful. Li Deng was determined not to settle. He envisioned a united humanity in the apocalypse, not a few at the top exploiting the rest. Having seen the light, he couldn¡¯t accept the darkness. Though pleased with the small progress, Li Deng aimed for more. He planned to use his new-found influence among the workers to seek more support from Qin Jun, hoping to establish a worker¡¯s union or even a democratic council. Just then, Hu Weimin, smiling, called Li Deng to his office. Li Deng followed, despite his distaste for Hu Weimin, thinking he might discuss further improvements. In Hu Weimin¡¯s office, well-furnished and stocked with food, Li Deng felt a surge of anger at the disparity. ¡°Here to discuss our working conditions?¡± Li Deng sneered. Hu Weimin, smirking, clapped his hands. Two burly men entered, glaring at Li Deng. Seeing this, Li Deng panicked. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he demanded. Hu Weimin smiled cruelly, ¡°Just making you disappear.¡± The burly men approached as Li Deng, realizing the danger, protested. ¡°Qin Jun praised me! He wouldn¡¯t approve of this!¡± Hu Weimin laughed, ¡°Qin Jun ordered your death.¡± Li Deng was shocked and couldn¡¯t believe it. Qin Jun seemed so kind and willing to help. Why would he order this? As the men grabbed him, Li Deng¡¯s plans and hopes dissolved into despair. His vision blurred as he suffocated, thinking only of the workers¡¯ potential outrage at his death. ¡­¡­ Li Deng was dead, strangled. S?a?ch* Th? N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Hu Weimin looked at the body, his face showing mockery and disdain. He ordered the body to be taken to the workshop, wanting to make an example of him. In the workshop, workers stared at Li Deng¡¯s body in shock but said nothing. ¡°Li Deng is dead. I killed him,¡± Hu Weimin declared openly, seeing no opposition. No one spoke, not even Uncle Song, who was deeply saddened because of fear. Seeing the workers¡¯ retreating gazes, Hu Weimin nodded in satisfaction. He sneered, ¡°Young Master Qin Jun improved your conditions. Starting tomorrow, you can eat rice, and your work hours will be reduced to ten hours a day.¡± The workers cheered upon hearing this, forgetting Li Deng¡¯s death. ¡°Thank you, Young Master Qin Jun!¡± ¡°Thank you, Supervisor Hu!¡± Some even knelt, crying with gratitude. ¡°But,¡± Hu Weimin continued, ¡°because of that troublemaker Li Deng, I¡¯m very displeased. So, this month¡¯s merit points will be reduced by 20%. If there¡¯s another troublemaker, I¡¯ll apply to revert your conditions.¡± ¡°No, no!¡± ¡°I never liked Li Deng!¡± ¡°If anyone dares to resist the factory again, we¡¯ll kill him ourselves!¡± The workers hurriedly assured, some even spitting on Li Deng¡¯s corpse, hating him for causing the deduction of their merit points. Just half an hour ago, they saw Li Deng as a hero¡­ Seeing this, Hu Weimin¡¯s smile widened but also felt a tinge of disgust. These pigs! Chapter 37 - The Pyramid Chapter 37: The PyramidLi Deng¡¯s death did not cause even a ripple. The Third Military Factory continued its normal operations¡ªits efficiency even improved slightly. The workers felt grateful to the Qin family simply because they were allowed to eat the meals they were already supposed to have. But none of this mattered to Qin Jun anymore. In the era of modern weapons, the power of ordinary people had become infinitesimal, with no real possibility of affecting the upper echelons. Especially in the apocalypse, the appearance of evolutionaries further weakened the voice of ordinary people. Moreover, the baseline of ordinary people had dropped significantly¡ªthey would tolerate anything as long as they could survive. It must be said that after the apocalypse arrived, the Qin family held an absolute advantage. Most of East Capital¡¯s industrial district was still operational, producing a plethora of weapons, industrial products, and compressed foods daily. For a long time, East Capital would have an ample supply of resources. This is why ordinary people preferred to be slaves here rather than leave East Capital. Because in East Capital, at least they could survive. Now, the internal situation in East Capital was quite stable, with pedestrians starting to appear on the streets, and even some entertainment venues emerging. Classes were clearly divided. At the top of the pyramid was, of course, the Qin family, high above everyone else. Below the Qin family were high-ranking officials like Meng Mi and Zhao Yi, who could also be considered the aristocracy of East Capital, holding extraordinary status. Next were the recruited evolutionaries, who had significant privileges. Then came small leaders like Hu Weimin, who were attached to the Qin family and held some power. Below them were the administrative staff of various institutions, akin to government officials in the past, enjoying a decent life without worrying about food and drink, and even earning points for consumption. At the very bottom were those without connections or abilities, the ordinary people. They toiled day and night in the Qin family¡¯s factories, working only to earn enough to feed themselves. This pyramid structure was unfair and irrational. But it was very¡­ stable. ¡­¡­ In the past few days, Qin Jun had toured various industrial districts within the East Capital, making appearances in both administrative and military areas. He officially announced to everyone that he had entered the Qin family¡¯s decision-making circle. Although the subordinates of the Qin family had expected this, they were still somewhat shocked and moved. At twenty years old, Qin Jun could now control the lives and deaths of millions with a single thought¡­ However, no one was dissatisfied; the Qin family was destined for Qin Jun in the future, especially considering he was an SSS-level gifted evolutionary. Though only a month had passed since the apocalypse, people had fully realized the power of evolutionaries. ¡­¡­ The black obelisk that had arisen in the northern part of East Capital was now completely controlled by the Qin family. Qin Jun had stationed a division and more than twenty evolutionaries there. Biologists, linguists, and scientists from various fields worked tirelessly around the black obelisk, conducting research day and night. No one knew how the black obelisk appeared, but that didn¡¯t stop humans from studying it. The obelisk was engraved with numerous patterns and texts, depicting the fundamental rules of the apocalypse and more profound knowledge. With these researchers, the Qin family quickly summarized a cultivation method. And they immediately began secret human experiments in the research institute¡­ ¡­¡­ East Capital, Evolution Research Institute. In a silver-white sterile room, Qin Jun slowly opened his eyes. The energy crystal in his hand had turned dull and colorless. But corresponding to this, he felt the power in his body grow a bit stronger. He looked at the several-ton iron anvil in front of him, reached out with his right hand, and squeezed slightly. The iron anvil immediately collapsed, making a piercing screech, its volume compressed by an invisible force. In the analysis room outside the window, researchers quickly analyzed Qin Jun¡¯s physical data and formulated the next round of training methods. Qin Jun nodded in satisfaction and walked out of the room. Outside, a servant immediately handed him a prepared cup of tea, and a middle-aged man in a white coat approached. ¡°Young master, your evolution level should soon reach Level 3.¡± This man, Zhao Bo, was the head of the Evolution Research Institute and the scientist with the deepest understanding of the black obelisk. He led the team that established the evolution research institute and personally led a team to assist Qin Jun in his cultivation. It must be said that while the apocalypse was a catastrophe for humanity, it was also an opportunity for transformation. After the apocalypse, not only did evolutionaries appear, but the black obelisk also propelled technological advancements at a tremendous rate! Qin Jun¡¯s team recorded changes in his body data during cultivation. Using the information from the black obelisk, they devised the most suitable and scientific cultivation methods for him. Such a luxurious cultivation team was probably unique in the world¡­ Qin Jun smiled. In just one month, he was about to become a Level 3 evolutionary. Apart from his innate talent, the team¡¯s support was also invaluable. ¡°Director Zhao, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Hearing Qin Jun¡¯s praise, Zhao Bo¡¯s smile stretched to the back of his head. In the apocalypse, these researchers also had to rely on powerful factions to maintain their extraordinary status. Qin Jun was the future heir of East Capital, and becoming his confidant brought immense benefits to Zhao Bo and his family. Zhao Bo then whispered, ¡°Young master, the first batch of genetic potions has been successfully developed and is undergoing human trials.¡± ¡°If there are no issues, they can be put into use. By that time, your cultivation speed will reach new heights!¡± The Qin family had swept through East Capital and nearby spatial anomalies, acquiring not only talent seeds and energy crystals but also genetic potions. By analyzing the components of these potions and the information from the black obelisk, the research institute had produced the first batch of genetic potions. Of course, for safety reasons, the potions weren¡¯t immediately used, instead, they were tested. What better experiment than human trials for precision and efficiency? Even if it was extremely cruel and inhumane¡­ S?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 38 - Scumbag Xu Chao Chapter 38: Scumbag Xu ChaoIn the old era, conducting human experiments was very difficult, but now, it was simple. Every day, there were people who couldn¡¯t survive, willing to sell their bodies for a small price. In the Evolution Research Institute, there were hundreds of ¡®volunteers¡¯ undergoing human experiments. Researchers gathered conclusions and feedback from these human experiments to further optimize Qin Jun¡¯s cultivation methods. Qin Jun¡¯s cultivation was built on the pain, rejection reactions, and even deaths of these people. But so what? Qin Jun had no psychological burden at all. Zhao Bo continued, ¡°We are also preparing to start the second phase, conducting brainwashing experiments. If successful, we can capture some talented youngsters, concentrate them in an experiment to start training and brainwashing.¡± ¡°Those who qualify will be granted talent seeds, creating evolutionaries who are loyal only to our Qin family!¡± Although many evolutionaries chose to submit to the Qin family, becoming loyal subjects and integrating into East Capital¡¯s vast pyramid, it was not enough. The Qin family needed evolutionaries who would obey unconditionally, willing to sacrifice their lives without hesitation. The Qin family not only sought to rule ordinary people but also aimed to dominate evolutionaries¡­ ¡­¡­¡­ Donghua City, Golden Bay Residential Area. Donghua City, adjacent to East Capital, had absorbed much of East Capital¡¯s industry, making it economically prosperous. However, when the apocalypse struck and zombies broke out, the governor¡¯s office of Donghua City became infested. The governor and a group of officials were taken, and the city¡¯s command system collapsed instantly, turning the entire city into a zombie playground. Survivors could only hide at home, relying on their dwindling supplies, waiting for a rescue that would never come. In Golden Bay Residential Area, Building 22, Room 1502, a plain-looking, thin young man slowly woke up from his bed. Beside him lay a woman. The woman, fairly attractive and around twenty years old, had her brows slightly furrowed, as if even in sleep, she felt insecure. The young man smiled contentedly, glancing out the window at the wandering zombies, completely unbothered. He got out of bed, stretching lazily and last night¡¯s ¡®exercise¡¯ was too intense¡­ The woman, now awake, got dressed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll make breakfast.¡± The young man nodded, watching her back with a smile. His name was Xu Chao. Orphaned young, he had no money, no background, and wasn¡¯t particularly good-looking. He stopped studying after high school and became an ordinary security guard in a large company, earning 2,600 yuan a month. Originally, someone like him was at the bottom of society, likely never to have a girlfriend. His greatest hobby was playing video games in his rented room. Day after day, year after year, he never thought about the future. Just getting by day by day. Then suddenly, a month ago, the whole world changed. Zombies suddenly broke out, biting everywhere. Xu Chao felt what true equality was. Those well-dressed white-collar workers were devoured by zombies. Those high-and-mighty managers and bosses were scared out of their wits. But Xu Chao, the lowly security guard whom no one respected, became different. At the moment the apocalypse struck, he awakened his talent. E-level talent¡ªShadow Controller! A black shadow appeared before him, and he could control it! Under his shadow, those ferocious zombies were cut down like weeds! As for the woman, her name was Zhou Lan. S?a??h the ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. When the apocalypse broke out, Zhou Lan was chased by a group of zombies. In a panic, she ran into Xu Chao¡¯s community and found herself in a desperate situation. Initially, Xu Chao didn¡¯t want to get involved, but seeing how beautiful Zhou Lan was, he used his shadow to deal with the zombies and saved her. After some questioning, Xu Chao discovered Zhou Lan had quite a background. She was the daughter of a famous local entrepreneur, a rich heiress. She studied abroad at an Ivy League university, a true child of heaven. Xu Chao and Zhou Lan were worlds apart. Zhou Lan¡¯s daily afternoon tea cost more than Xu Chao¡¯s monthly rent, but now, Xu Chao had saved Zhou Lan, and in the face of zombies, he had the absolute upper hand. So, under his coercion and temptation, Zhou Lan became his woman. Xu Chao looked out at the zombies, smiling. He truly felt this was a great era. In the past, someone like Zhou Lan was beyond his wildest dreams, but now he could do whatever he wanted with her. Seeing this once-proud woman now at his mercy filled Xu Chao with immense satisfaction. He loved this era. Since the apocalypse, Xu Chao and Zhou Lan had stayed inside, not venturing out. Partly because their supplies were sufficient, but also because Xu Chao knew that although he had awakened a talent, his shadow was still too weak. If he left and encountered stronger evolutionaries who took an interest in Zhou Lan, what then? Xu Chao had a typical loser mindset. Having been single for over twenty years, he finally got a woman and cherished her immensely. He even wished they could stay in this apartment forever. Terrified that another man might take Zhou Lan from him¡­ His shadow needed to devour energy crystals to grow stronger, and he had nearly cleared the zombies in his community. However, he didn¡¯t find many energy crystals. Moreover, he didn¡¯t understand cultivation. He didn¡¯t know how to fully absorb the energy in the crystals, wasting many of them. After a month, he was still a Level 1 evolutionary with no improvement in strength. But Xu Chao wasn¡¯t worried. Although his talent was E-level, it could evolve. As his shadow grows stronger, the talent level could also increase. It was a very potent talent. Yet Xu Chao¡¯s mind was still full of women. He started pondering if there were other survivors in Donghua City. Were there other beautiful women out there? Chapter 39 - Xu Chaos Gift Chapter 39: Xu Chao¡¯s Gift¡°Breakfast is ready.¡± Xu Chao heard Zhou Lan¡¯s voice from the living room and responded, then walked over to the dining table. The breakfast was simple: frozen dumpling and two glasses of milk. However, in the post-apocalyptic world, such a breakfast was already considered a rare delicacy. Xu Chao had gathered these supplies by controlling his shadow and venturing to other places. Reflecting on this, Xu Chao couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how incredible his ability was. Although initially only E-level, it could evolve with the shadow¡¯s progression, potentially reaching S-level! Moreover, his shadow was extremely versatile, possessing formidable combat power and the ability to devour everything. Inside the shadow was essentially a storage space where he could keep items. Xu Chao could even project his consciousness onto the shadow. But the most extraordinary feature was that his shadow wouldn¡¯t disappear; no matter how far away it went, or even if it died, it would instantly return to him and revive. This was why Xu Chao loved this era. Not only could someone like him, who had been at the bottom of society, obtain a goddess like Zhou Lan, but his ability¡¯s potential was also immensely great! Xu Chao pondered future plans while eating breakfast. The main reason he and Zhou Lan had been hiding in the house wasn¡¯t just because he was preoccupied with lust. The most crucial point was that his ability had a significant weakness. Although his shadow was incredibly powerful and could even regenerate infinitely, Xu Chao himself was still a regular person. He could get hurt and die. So Xu Chao didn¡¯t dare to leave the house directly. He planned to develop his strength cautiously¡­ If his shadow could evolve once, it could then possess his body, granting him self-defense capabilities. In recent days, Xu Chao had already used his shadow to understand the situation in Donghua City. With his consciousness projected onto the shadow, Xu Chao didn¡¯t have to worry about any dangers and could go anywhere he wanted. He even discovered that in several places in Donghua City, survivors had established shelters, including other evolved individuals! However, these weren¡¯t Xu Chao¡¯s primary concerns at the moment. He noticed that zombies seemed to be changing. When the outbreak first happened, zombies were ferocious and terrifying, but their combat abilities weren¡¯t that extraordinary. Now, some zombies had gradually become stronger and more terrifying, not only moving faster but also not fearing daylight. The zombies had started to evolve¡­ In one part of Donghua City, thousands of zombies had gathered, among them a giant zombie, standing five meters tall, almost as high as a two-story building. It was practically a mountain of flesh! This creature could be called a Zombie King! Xu Chao¡¯s target was this Zombie King. He knew that ordinary zombies had energy crystals, and the Zombie King would certainly have something even more special. The energy purity of the crystal in the Zombie King was probably hundreds of times that of ordinary crystals! A few hundred ordinary crystals couldn¡¯t compare to the Zombie King¡¯s crystal. Energy purity was extremely crucial. As his strength increased, Xu Chao felt that ordinary energy crystals no longer provided as much of a boost as before. To break through to the next level, he would need higher-grade energy crystals! If he could get the Zombie King¡¯s energy crystal, Xu Chao could likely become a level 2 evolver. His ability could also evolve to D-level! Although the Zombie King was extremely powerful and terrifying and that Xu Chao¡¯s shadow wasn¡¯t yet a match. He didn¡¯t forget that his shadow could regenerate infinitely. Xu Chao planned to slowly wear it down! He only needed to stay safely in the house and remotely control his shadow¡­ As Xu Chao was pondering, Zhou Lan suddenly said in a low voice, ¡°I heard on the radio that someone has established a shelter in the suburbs and is broadcasting to find survivors.¡± Xu Chao frowned upon hearing this. He shook his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have enough strength yet. We¡¯ll go out once I become a level 2 evolver.¡± S?a?ch* Th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Staying in the house forever wasn¡¯t a viable option! After the apocalypse, people initially still had the internet and could exchange information on forums. Later, the internet went down, and only the radio was still functioning. Some shelters used the radio to broadcast messages and gather survivors. After all, in the apocalypse, ordinary people had to band together to have any chance of survival. Dongdu was also broadcasting, announcing that it would be the largest shelter in the country, and perhaps the world, inviting wandering troops and evolved individuals to join. In recent days, many wandering troops and evolved individuals had joined Dongdu, becoming part of the Qin family¡¯s subordinates. However, Xu Chao had no interest. From listening to the radio, he had some understanding of Dongdu. It was a colossal entity! A metropolis-scale shelter, with tens of thousands of troops and hundreds or even thousands of evolved humans. Xu Chao was a god in Zhou Lan¡¯s eyes and a big shot in his small corner of Donghua City, but if he goes to Dongdu, among so many evolved humans, what would he be? Xu Chao had enough of living a life of submission. Going to Dongdu would just make him another dog for the Qin family. Even if it was a well-treated dog, it was still a dog. He didn¡¯t want that! Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix¡­ ¡ª Dongdu, Qin Family Mansion. In his room, Qin Jun slowly opened his eyes, seeing two used gene potion vials in front of him. These gene potions were not developed by the Evolution Research Institute. Qin Jun had exchanged them from the system mall for 30 points of villain value. ¡°A-level Gene Potion: Increases evolution level by 200 experience points, requires 15 villain points to exchange.¡± Qin Jun¡¯s eyes were deep. This system mall was indeed extraordinary. These exchanged gene potions directly enhanced his evolution level and were far more effective than ordinary energy crystals. Qin Jun now faced the problem of advancing too quickly in his training. Although the Qin family had gathered many energy crystals, Qin Jun found that to break through to level 3 evolver, he needed higher-quality energy crystals¡­ Chapter 40 - Wang Zhi Chapter 40: Wang ZhiIn addition to Dongdu, other shelters of varying sizes had emerged. Some were large, housing thousands or even tens of thousands of people, while others were smaller, with only a few hundred or even just a few dozen individuals. The Qin family¡¯s approach to these shelters was a combination of recruitment and subjugation. Shelters near Dongdu were directly forced to become vassals. Most of these shelters chose to submit, becoming satellite outposts surrounding Dongdu. Under the vast shade of Dongdu, these smaller shelters had no ability to resist and instead saw advantages in submission. By pledging allegiance to Dongdu, they received supplies and weapons, significantly boosting their self-preservation capabilities. However, in return, these satellite shelters were required to provide services, intelligence, and resources to the Qin family. Even the evolved individuals in these shelters viewed this as an opportunity for advancement. They needed to earn enough merit points to enter Dongdu and become direct subordinates of the Qin family S~?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. . Within the hearts of these evolved individuals, there was a strong desire to enter Dongdu. While they might enjoy a certain level of dominance in their current shelters, the resources and luxuries there were severely lacking. In Dongdu, an apocalyptic metropolis rich in resources, anything could be found. Although entering Dongdu meant they could no longer be the top dogs, they would still enjoy a privileged status. For some, being the head of a chicken was better than being the tail of a phoenix. But for most, the life of a phoenix¡¯s tail was far more appealing. However, the Qin family was very selective about the external evolved individuals they accepted. They didn¡¯t indiscriminately expand their forces by taking in everyone. While evolved individuals were indeed a critical force in the apocalypse, the Qin family wasn¡¯t desperate for rapid expansion like some upstarts. They understood that absorbing these individuals without discretion would lead to internal conflicts, factions, and infighting, weakening their true strength. The Qin family¡¯s decision-makers were clear-headed. They had the resources and the foundation to be selective about who they accepted. In the apocalypse, what was needed was not only individual power but also effective governance and management capabilities. Some large shelters were chaotic and filled with conflict mainly because their leaders, who suddenly found themselves in positions of power, lacked the knowledge and experience to manage people and resources effectively. In contrast, the Qin family, being an established top-tier bureaucratic aristocracy, excelled in management. Their government institutions remained largely intact, allowing them to re-establish order quickly and manage Dongdu¡¯s millions of inhabitants efficiently. ¡ª After the apocalypse, people discovered not only the appearance of zombies but also significant changes in the earth¡¯s surface. The planet seemed to have expanded, with distances between places increasing substantially. Forests grew rapidly overnight, resembling tropical rainforests. The T-virus also seemed to have affected flora and fauna, causing them to mutate into extremely aggressive forms. Some animals even grew to the size of dinosaurs, becoming highly destructive and violent. Several smaller shelters were entirely wiped out by these mutated creatures. The world had become a place filled with dangers at every turn. ¡ª On a highway, a modified off-road vehicle sped along. The vehicle, covered in spikes and bearing a post-apocalyptic wasteland aesthetic, was splattered with blood, indicating a perilous journey. ¡°Uncle, we¡¯re almost in Dongdu territory,¡± said the girl in the passenger seat, looking at the map and speaking to the middle-aged man driving the vehicle. The girl, about seventeen or eighteen years old, was exceptionally beautiful, with striking features that naturally exuded vitality and strength. The middle-aged man replied, ¡°The map isn¡¯t accurate anymore; the surface has expanded significantly. We probably need another two to three hours.¡± He then spoke with resentment, ¡°That Blood Bear is truly despicable. We had no choice this time, but if we¡¯re going to be someone¡¯s dog, it might as well be the Qin family¡¯s dog. Blood Bear is nothing compared to them!¡± The middle-aged man, named Wang Hai, had been a project manager for a construction company before the apocalypse and had awakened a D-level ability to control fire. The girl, Wang Zhi, was his niece and had awakened a B-level ability for shadow camouflage. The uncle and niece were lucky to have both awakened abilities. After the apocalypse, they gathered about three hundred survivors and established a small shelter. Blood Bear, mentioned earlier, was the most powerful evolved individual near Donghua City, possessing an A-level transformation ability. He could transform into a massive bear with incredible defense and destructive power, impervious to bullets. Thus, he was known as Blood Bear. Blood Bear ruled a large shelter with tens of thousands of survivors and over twenty evolved individuals under his command, making him the dominant force in Donghua City. Initially, Blood Bear coexisted peacefully with other shelters. However, a few days ago, he decided to unify Donghua City under his rule, issuing an ultimatum to other shelters: submit or be destroyed. Many shelters surrendered, but some evolved individuals refused to comply. Consequently, Blood Bear led his forces in a campaign to annex these shelters. Wang Hai¡¯s shelter was also attacked and fell within half an hour. In the ensuing chaos, they managed to escape in a vehicle, heading towards Dongdu. Wang Zhi expressed concern, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ve heard that the Qin family doesn¡¯t accept just anyone.¡± Wang Hai, with a confident expression, reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re not going empty-handed. That Zombie King is about to complete its evolution. It¡¯s a valuable asset, and the Qin family will definitely be interested.¡± Chapter 41 - Fill Out a Form Chapter 41: Fill Out a FormHuman adaptability to the apocalypse surpassed their own expectations. They quickly grasped the dangers of the new world. These zombie kings, or high-level mutated creatures, were indeed extremely dangerous but also carried significant rewards. The birth of a zombie king was rare, and Donghua City had just such a creature. A level 1 evolved individual once tried to take on the zombie king alone, only to be torn to pieces in seconds. The stronger the zombie king, the more refined its energy core. The Blood Bear¡¯s sudden aggressive expansion might also have been an attempt to consolidate the forces of Donghua City to hunt this zombie king. Wang Hai intended to use this information as a gift to gain entry into Dongdu and secure a better future. ¡ª After two to three hours, a magnificent city finally appeared before them. ¡°Is this Dongdu?¡± Wang Zhi widened her eyes in awe, staring at the scene before her. As a resident of Donghua City, Wang Zhi had visited Dongdu a few times in the old world, but never had it been this impressive. The gray concrete and steel walls enveloped the city, imposing and solemn, like a divine fortress. Massive searchlights on the walls illuminated the surrounding area as if it were daytime. Armed helicopters patrolled back and forth, and the walls bristled with countless gun emplacements. Describing this city as an impregnable fortress was no exaggeration. Having witnessed the collapse and fall of cities, the grandeur of Dongdu was even more striking. The searchlights on the wall focused on the off-road vehicle. Wang Hai and Wang Zhi quickly got out, raising their hands to show they meant no harm. They knew that Dongdu was already aware of their approach. Along the way, they had been stopped by evolved individuals from various shelters who inquired about their intentions. It was then that Wang Hai learned these shelters had become satellite outposts of Dongdu. Their movements had been reported to Dongdu. As they approached an entry point, the tight security became apparent. Over a hundred heavily armed soldiers manned various positions, supported by several high-caliber machine guns and cannons. Wang Hai also noticed a few individuals in black uniforms exuding an aura of extreme danger, watching them coldly. These were undoubtedly evolved individuals. A high-ranking officer approached, looking at Wang Hai with an arrogant expression. ¡°Name, identity, and purpose,¡± he demanded. This officer, though not an evolved individual, regarded Wang Hai as if he were an ant. There was no hint of the usual deference ordinary people showed towards evolved individuals. This superior attitude did not anger Wang Hai; instead, it instilled a sense of fear, reminiscent of the old world where commoners faced high-ranking officials. Wang Hai understood that this officer, despite being an ordinary person, had the immense power of the Qin family behind him. As a wandering evolved individual, he could not afford to provoke such power. ¡°My name is Wang Hai, a level 1 evolved individual with a D-level fire control ability. This is my niece, Wang Zhi, also a level 1 evolved individual with a B-level shadow camouflage ability. We have important information to report.¡± Wang Hai honestly disclosed their details, and Wang Zhi stood silently, feeling an overwhelming pressure from these people. The officer scrutinized them before nodding slightly. ¡°Fill out a form first,¡± he said. Fill out a form¡­ Wang Hai felt a twinge of irony, as if time had turned back to the old days when everything required paperwork. Nevertheless, he complied, quickly filling out the form. They were then escorted through the gate into Dongdu city. Inside Dongdu, Wang Hai and Wang Zhi were awestruck by the scene. Neon lights adorned the streets, casting a vibrant, cyberpunk glow. While not as bustling as the old world, this spectacle was enough to bring tears to their eyes and fill their hearts with awe. Dongdu was an apocalyptic utopia. No wonder so many evolved individuals were eager to join Dongdu and serve the Qin family. Compared to Dongdu, their shelters were mere hovels. Wang Zhi marveled at the grandeur of this city, now the private domain of a single family, the Qin family, who had all awakened abilities. S?a??h th? N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Truly, they were a family favored by the gods, if gods indeed existed. ¡ª At the Qin Mansion, Qin Jun was in a conference room listening to his subordinates¡¯ reports. ¡°Young Master, we¡¯ve cleared most of the zombie hordes around Dongdu. All the nearby shelters have submitted to us.¡± ¡°However, due to the significant changes in the earth¡¯s surface, a new survey team is mapping the area, and the first version of the map should be ready in three days.¡± ¡°Additionally, we have received information about other regions. In what was formerly Qingjiang Province, there¡¯s an organization called ¡®Dawn Hope,¡¯ which has incorporated some remnants of the original military and has over a hundred evolved individuals and tens of thousands of ordinary people.l ¡°There¡¯s also the ¡®Northern Army,¡¯ originally the Second Northern Group Army, which survived the apocalypse with many of its members¡¯ awakening abilities.¡± Qin Jun nodded, unsurprised. As time passed, more shelters and large organizations would undoubtedly emerge. This was the most suitable societal structure for this dangerous era¡ªwarlords dividing the land. However, these organizations posed no immediate threat to the Qin family. The expanded earth¡¯s surface meant these organizations were still far from Dongdu, and even collectively, they were not yet a match for the Qin family¡¯s power. Qin Jun¡¯s main focus remained on his own strength. Just then, Xie Han entered the conference room, interrupting the meeting. The generals and officials showed no signs of displeasure and nodded politely to Xie Han, recognizing her as Qin Jun¡¯s close confidante and personal bodyguard, even sharing his bed. They dared not offend her. Xie Han approached Qin Jun and whispered, ¡°Young Master, we have just received news that two evolved individuals from Donghua City have information about a zombie king.¡± Chapter 42 - Audience with the Emperor? Chapter 42: Audience with the Emperor?A Zombie King? Qin Jun¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly. He was currently stuck at the peak of Level 2 Evolution. To reach Level 3, the purity of ordinary energy cores was insufficient. Due to the thorough clearing of zombies around Dongdu, there weren¡¯t many zombies left, let alone a Zombie King. The news of a Zombie King was indeed good news for him. ¡°Bring them to see me,¡± Qin Jun waved his hand, and the generals and other high-ranking officials silently withdrew. In just a few days, Qin Jun had established a high level of prestige among the Qin family subordinates. It wasn¡¯t just because he was Qin Yuan¡¯s son, but also because of his methods¡ªan elder with a significant status had presumed his seniority, and Qin Jun had him and his entire family executed with just one sentence. The elder¡¯s faction was also purged, resulting in hundreds of deaths. In peacetime, Qin Jun might have spent some effort to win over the elder, gaining his approval and support to stabilize morale. But in the apocalypse, there was no need for such trouble. In this era, only power and strength were unchanging principles. As long as Qin Jun was strong enough, no one below him would dare to challenge him. ¡ª Wang Hai and Wang Zhi followed the escort and boarded a military vehicle, heading towards the city center. After an indeterminate amount of time, they were brought to the lobby of a large building and left to wait. These two individuals, who should have been regarded as top figures in the apocalypse, were now ignored and left waiting. Wang Hai, who once led a shelter with hundreds of people, could only wait obediently. He began to contemplate the value of the information he had brought. The lobby was bustling, seemingly a government office, and Wang Hai noticed several evolved individuals entering, possibly to hand over tasks. After a while, a female officer hurried over to them, her expression stern. ¡°My name is Li Wen. Pack up and follow me.¡± This female officer, clad in a black military uniform, exuded a terrifying aura, clearly an evolved individual. Wang Hai also noticed that all evolved individuals in Dongdu wore black uniforms, distinguishing them from ordinary officers. ¡°Yes!¡± Wang Hai replied quickly, and he and his niece, Wang Zhi, followed Li Wen. They boarded another military vehicle, which then headed deeper into the city. Sitting in the front passenger seat, Li Wen turned to the back and spoke solemnly to Wang Hai and Wang Zhi. ¡°The young master wants to see you. Be mindful¡ªdon¡¯t offend him, don¡¯t raise your voice, and don¡¯t look directly at him. Answer his questions succinctly.¡± Wang Hai nodded repeatedly, while Wang Zhi, overwhelmed by the numerous restrictions, felt dizzy. So many rules, so many prohibitions¡ªit felt like an audience with the emperor! After a long drive through multiple security checkpoints, the vehicle finally stopped in front of an opulent and grand building. Two evolved individuals in black uniforms stood guard, both exuding an aura that made Wang Hai and Wang Zhi¡¯s hair stand on end¡ªthese guards were far stronger than them! Wang Hai was even more shocked. He had heard of the Qin family in Dongdu, a colossal force occupying the city. In the old world, the Qin family was a top-tier aristocratic clan, with its head, Qin Yuan, being a name known throughout China, second only to the president. After the apocalypse, the Qin family took over Dongdu, and every member awakened abilities, becoming the so-called ¡°chosen family.¡± But these were just rumors; they had no firsthand understanding of the Qin family¡¯s power. Now, seeing it up close, he finally grasped a fragment of its true might. Even evolved individuals were mere gatekeepers! Wang Hai clenched his fists, determined to seize the opportunity to enter Dongdu and serve the Qin family. Going solo had no future! S?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Li Wen showed her credentials to the guards, whispered a few words while pointing at Wang Hai and Wang Zhi, and the guards nodded, allowing them entry. Following Li Wen, Wang Hai and Wang Zhi entered the Qin Mansion, where even the servants were elegantly dressed, carrying themselves with the grace of nobility. The place truly felt like a royal palace. In such an environment, they couldn¡¯t help but feel intimidated, walking cautiously. Finally, they reached a room. Li Wen knocked lightly, and a calm, clear voice from within responded, ¡°Come in.¡± The voice seemed to have a magical power, making them involuntarily tense. Li Wen gently opened the door, leading Wang Hai and Wang Zhi inside. They were greeted by the sight of an extraordinarily handsome young man looking at them. This young man was none other than Qin Jun, the only SSS-level talent in Dongdu and the future master of the Qin family. ¡°Your journey must have been exhausting,¡± Qin Jun said, surprising Wang Hai and Wang Zhi. Instead of jumping straight to business, this powerful figure showed concern for them, instantly making Wang Hai feel a surge of gratitude, even though he knew it was merely a polite gesture from someone of Qin Jun¡¯s stature. Sometimes, a small gesture of politeness from a powerful figure could deeply move those of lower status. Qin Jun nodded and asked, ¡°I heard you have news about a Zombie King?¡± ¡°Yes, a Zombie King has appeared in Donghua City and is about to complete its evolution.¡± ¡°What is the current situation in Donghua City?¡± ¡°The strongest evolved individual in Donghua City is a man called Blood Bear, with an A-level talent. He has nearly unified all the shelters in Donghua City, making him very powerful.¡± Wang Hai revealed everything he knew, detailing the various shelters and the number of evolved individuals in Donghua City. Qin Jun narrowed his eyes, deep in thought, and the room fell silent. Wang Hai didn¡¯t dare breathe loudly, while Wang Zhi, forgetting Li Wen¡¯s instructions, sneaked a glance at Qin Jun¡¯s pensive face. ¡®He¡¯s so handsome¡­¡¯ Li Wen noticed Wang Zhi¡¯s disrespectful act and her face showed a flash of anger, but she didn¡¯t dare scold her in front of Qin Jun. She could only give Wang Zhi a stern look. After a while, Qin Jun smiled and said to Wang Hai, ¡°Your information is valuable. What reward do you seek?¡± Wang Hai¡¯s heart leaped with excitement. ¡°Young master, we wish to stay in Dongdu and serve you in the future!¡± Wang Hai was indeed shrewd; he didn¡¯t say ¡°serve the Qin family,¡± but ¡°serve Qin Jun.¡± The difference was subtle but significant. Chapter 43 - Qin Familys Treatment Chapter 43: Qin Family¡¯s Treatment Dongdu, in a villa. ¡°From today on, you are members of the Qin family.¡± Li Wen¡¯s face was expressionless as she stood in front of Wang Hai and Wang Zhi, with a servant behind her holding two sets of black military uniforms which she handed to them. ¡°As evolved individuals, you will enjoy the treatment of military officers. Your housing and meals will be provided by the family.¡± Li Wen then took out two black cards and handed them to Wang Hai. ¡°You have a D-level talent, and you will receive 2,000 merit points each month. You can use these points to exchange for energy cores, gene potions, and weaponry.¡± She then looked at Wang Zhi with a trace of displeasure in her eyes. ¡°You have a B-level talent, and you will receive 3,500 merit points each month.¡± Wang Hai happily accepted the card, inspecting it with delight. He had only one thought in his mind¡ªchoosing this path was indeed the right decision! Not to mention, this villa was far more comfortable than the shelter he was previously in. His previous room in the temporary shelter was just ten square meters with only a bed, incomparable to this luxury. Moreover, having monthly merit points meant he could exchange for energy cores without the need to risk his life hunting zombies and defending against other evolved individuals¡¯ covetousness. Often, for just a few energy cores, one had to fight desperately. No wonder so many evolved individuals were eager to serve the Qin family. Li Wen continued, ¡°If you feel that your merit points are insufficient, you can also select suitable tasks from the intranet. The spoils must be handed over entirely, but you will receive corresponding merit points in return.¡± ¡°This is the reward the family provides for you. When you accumulate enough merit points or break through your level, your status within the family will rise, and you will enjoy higher benefits and privileges.¡± ¡°However, you must unconditionally obey all commands and arrangements of the family. Any disobedience will result in immediate execution.¡± Her tone grew colder and more menacing when she mentioned immediate execution, making Wang Hai¡¯s heart skip a beat, and he quickly nodded. Li Wen then turned to Wang Zhi, her tone icy. ¡°And remember your place! The young master is not someone you can fantasize about. If you dare to be disrespectful again, I will apply to have you expelled from Dongdu!¡± Wang Zhi was initially startled but, being strong-willed, she immediately retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not the only one with such thoughts, am I?¡± Li Wen¡¯s expression stiffened. She had once been a special agent nurtured by the Qin family and had almost become Qin Jun¡¯s personal bodyguard, but was overshadowed by Xie Han at the last moment. After the apocalypse, she awakened her talent and became an evolved individual under the Qin family, which elevated her status considerably but distanced her from Qin Jun. Seeing Wang Zhi, a newcomer, daring to dream of Qin Jun made her instantly hostile. However, Li Wen said nothing more and left with only a parting remark, ¡°Prepare yourselves. The young master will be taking a team to Donghua City tomorrow, and you are to lead the way.¡± After Li Wen left, Wang Hai grumbled to Wang Zhi, ¡°Why did you have to provoke her?¡± Wang Zhi snorted but said nothing, her mind drifting back to Qin Jun¡¯s incredibly handsome face and his noble, high-and-mighty demeanor that captivated her. ¡ª The next day, a large convoy departed from Dongdu, heading towards Donghua City. Qin Jun did not bring many soldiers, only a mixed reinforced battalion with a strength of 1,200 men. In the apocalypse, ordinary soldiers were useful for defending fortifications and firepower points but were less effective against zombies and mutated creatures in the wild. After all, a mutated soldier could become a significant threat. However, Qin Jun brought over 70 evolved individuals. Over the past few days, more people had awakened their talents. With the Qin family monopolizing the nearby subspace dungeons and obtaining talent seeds, they had created a batch of evolved individuals. The Qin family now had nearly a thousand evolved individuals, although this was still a small percentage of Dongdu¡¯s millions of residents. Wang Hai and Wang Zhi, seated in a military vehicle, were in awe of the vast convoy. This was the power of the Qin family¡ªjust a casual display of force could easily dominate all the shelters in Donghua City. ¡ª Donghua City, outskirts, First Affiliated Hospital. This was once the largest hospital in Donghua City and had now become the largest shelter in the city. The hospital¡¯s perimeter walls had been reinforced with iron and wooden boards, topped with barbed wire, and surrounded by defensive trenches. This shelter housed tens of thousands of survivors but maintained a strict hierarchical structure. The elderly and useless lived in tents in the courtyard, surrounded by the stench of filth. The young, healthy men lived in the hospital wards and staff dormitories, valued for their labor. The evolved individuals enjoyed the VIP rooms on the higher floors, which had been converted into more comfortable living quarters. The top floor, once the hospital director¡¯s office, belonged to one person. The floor that one lived on symbolized their status. On the highest floor, a woman¡¯s screams echoed, and a few thugs outside the door exchanged knowing smirks. The screams grew weaker and finally ceased. After a while, the door opened, and a brutish man stepped out. He was unnaturally tall, nearly three meters, with explosive muscles like a mountain of flesh, exuding an oppressive aura that made anyone¡¯s legs go weak at a glance. S?a?ch* Th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. This was the owner of the shelter and the most powerful evolved individual in Donghua City¡ªBlood Bear. Chapter 44 - Blood Bear Chapter 44: Blood Bear The subordinates showed a respectful expression as they saw Blood Bear come out. ¡°Sir!¡± Blood Bear¡¯s subordinates used to call him ¡°Boss,¡± but he felt that this title lacked authority and sounded too much like a common thug. So, he ordered his subordinates to call him ¡°Sir.¡± Blood Bear nodded and said casually, ¡°The woman is dead. Throw her far away; the smell of the corpse will attract zombies.¡± The subordinates were taken aback. How many women had Blood Bear already played to death? He was truly brutal! But given Blood Bear¡¯s physique, not many women could withstand such abuse. The subordinates hurriedly entered the room and dragged the woman¡¯s corpse out. The woman was completely naked, covered in bruises and scars, showing signs of severe torture. She was quite pretty and very young, no more than eighteen, probably just graduated from high school. Her face still bore an expression of extreme pain, her eyes wide open, as if questioning why she had to endure such suffering. But this is the harsh reality¡­ There are no fairy tales where a prince rescues her from the fire. Ninety-nine percent of the time, she encounters scum like Blood Bear. In the apocalypse, a beautiful woman without background or strength is destined to live a fate worse than death. Perhaps death is a form of relief for her¡­ Watching his subordinates drag the girl¡¯s corpse away, Blood Bear¡¯s expression remained indifferent, not caring about the life he had just taken. He couldn¡¯t even remember how many women he had played to death. Anyway, with so many people in the refuge, there were plenty of women. He could just pick another one. At this moment, a scholarly-looking young man walked over respectfully and said, ¡°Sir, the refuges in the eastern suburbs have also surrendered.¡± His name was Song Bin. In the old days, he was a middle school teacher. When the apocalypse began, he abandoned his students and fled, avoiding the initial outbreak of zombies. Later, he awakened his talent and became Blood Bear¡¯s right-hand man, effectively the second-in-command of this refuge. Blood Bear smiled upon hearing the news, ¡°Very good. Now, most of the refuges in Donghua City have fallen under our control.¡± Blood Bear¡¯s eyes flashed with a sharp intelligence that belied his massive size. His real name was Qian Sheng, a street thug in Donghua City, but he unexpectedly awakened an A-level talent, specifically a highly powerful early-stage combat talent in the transformation category. With his A-level talent and ruthless tactics, he quickly became the leader of the refuge, with more than a dozen evolved people serving him, making his refuge the strongest in Donghua City. Initially, Blood Bear had no intention of expending effort to annex other refuges, but after learning about the existence of the Corpse King, he quickly changed his mind. He knew that the Corpse King was a valuable entity. He was already at the peak of a Level 1 Evolved. The energy crystal inside the Corpse King could undoubtedly help him break through to Level 2, possibly even directly to Level 3. However, he was also aware that the Corpse King was extremely dangerous. Leading his subordinates to attack the Corpse King would result in heavy casualties, and someone else might swoop in to steal the prize. Therefore, Blood Bear chose to annex other refuges. Although it came at a cost, the refuges varied in strength and were far apart, and internal conflicts made it easy for Blood Bear to conquer them one by one. Now, Blood Bear had more than forty Evolved people under his command. His plan was to lead these forty Evolved people to besiege the Corpse King, forcing the newly joined Evolved to attack first, and then he would claim the prize. This way, those untrustworthy Evolved would suffer heavy losses and be less capable of opposing him, and he would obtain the Corpse King¡¯s crystal. If he could directly break through to a Level 3 Evolved, he would become the king of Donghua City and could establish a significant power. By then, even the Qin family in Dongdu would have to take him seriously! People tended to think that someone with Blood Bear¡¯s build was all brawn and no brains. But Blood Bear was quite cunning. After all, bears in nature are known for their intelligence! ¡­ Donghua City, suburbs. A shadow moved swiftly down the street, unnoticed by the occasional zombie. This shadow was the incarnation of Xu Chao¡¯s shadow. Xu Chao¡¯s consciousness was projected onto the shadow, allowing it to move quickly and observe the surroundings. He had already learned about the recent changes in Donghua City. Blood Bear and his men were annexing other refuges, and now most survivors and Evolved people in Donghua City had joined him. This troubled Xu Chao, as he feared Blood Bear¡¯s target was the Corpse King. If Blood Bear and so many Evolved attacked the Corpse King, his own opportunity would be lost. Xu Chao had seen Blood Bear from a distance before and knew his strength was formidable. At his current level, Xu Chao was far from being a match for Blood Bear. Regretting his wasted time indulging with Zhou Lan, he realized he had not left the bed much except to gather essential supplies. He had been too absorbed with Zhou Lan, having been single for twenty years and finally encountering a woman he could never have dreamed of in the old world. At that moment, Xu Chao¡¯s shadow suddenly stopped because he saw a massive army heading toward Donghua City. A convoy of large armored vehicles, fully armed soldiers, and many Evolved people emitting dangerous auras! Xu Chao was startled and quickly deduced the origins of these people. They were from the Qin family in Dongdu! Given the strength of this force, only the Qin family in Dongdu could muster such power in the southeastern region, even within thousands of kilometers of Donghua City. S?a?ch* Th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Xu Chao felt a deep unease. Dealing with Blood Bear was already challenging enough. Now, with the Qin family entering the fray, did he still have a chance? However, Xu Chao suddenly thought differently. No, he still had a chance. If he could provoke conflict between the Qin family and Blood Bear¡¯s group, causing them to weaken each other, it would be his opportunity! With this thought, Xu Chao¡¯s shadow moved towards the massive convoy. Since it was just his shadow and not his real body, and the shadow could regenerate infinitely, Xu Chao had nothing to fear. He was confident that his true self, hidden somewhere in the city, would not be discovered¡­ Chapter 45 - Envy, Jealousy, and Hatred Chapter 45: Envy, Jealousy, and HatredXu Chao¡¯s shadow quickly moved towards the Qin family¡¯s convoy. The Qin family¡¯s troops, trained and elite, immediately raised the alarm. ¡°Enemy attack!!!¡± The soldiers on the forward-guard tanks opened fire instantly, countless machine guns weaving a net of bullets in response, showcasing their rapid reaction time. However, Xu Chao¡¯s shadow was even more elusive. Regular bullets, even if they passed through his shadow, caused no damage at all. In fact, firearms can pose a threat to some evolved individuals, especially those with strength-enhancement abilities. But Xu Chao¡¯s shadow, existing somewhere between tangible and intangible, was a spiritual talent. Hence, these bullets couldn¡¯t harm him. Xu Chao¡¯s shadow charged directly towards the extended limousine carrying Qin Jun, menacingly spreading out like a shadow over a building¡¯s height, creating an intimidating scene. Finally, the Qin family¡¯s evolved members took action. With a flash, a middle-aged man in a black uniform snorted coldly, blue flames flickering in his eyes. A dazzling blue flame beam burst from his body, soaring into the sky and colliding with Xu Chao¡¯s shadow. The intensity of the blue flame beam was terrifying, distorting the surrounding air. Xu Chao didn¡¯t dare to take it head-on and had to shift his position to avoid the frightening blue flames. Xu Chao felt a bit grim. He knew the Qin family of Dongdu was powerful, but he hadn¡¯t expected to be unable to get past the first hurdle. More evolved individuals appeared, all clad in black uniforms, staring coldly at Xu Chao. S?a??h th? N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Xu Chao had observed large refuges through his shadow ghost in the past few days and noted the varied personalities of their evolved individuals¡ªsome arrogant, some flamboyant, some composed¡ªwith all sorts of attire. Although attire doesn¡¯t directly impact combat effectiveness, seeing so many evolved individuals uniformly dressed in black military uniforms like an organized army was incredibly oppressive. The Qin family of Dongdu even had structured units of evolved individuals¡­ Xu Chao hadn¡¯t forgotten his goal. He deliberately altered his voice, saying, ¡°This is Blood Bear¡¯s territory. Outsiders are not welcome! This is just a warning!¡± The limousine¡¯s window slowly rolled down, revealing an incredibly handsome face. Qin Jun looked at Xu Chao¡¯s shadow with a calm expression, and beside him, Xie Han stared coldly at the shadow, eyes filled with murderous intent. Xu Chao and Qin Jun locked gazes from afar, and Xu Chao realized this young man must be the heir of the Qin family of Dongdu, the SSS-level talent holder, Qin Jun. Envy surged within Xu Chao. Qin Jun, son of the Premier of the old era, was already an aristocrat. When the apocalypse came, he remained a ruler of the new world. In fact, the apocalypse had elevated the Qin family¡¯s status even higher! Why? Why should Qin Jun enjoy privileges in the old era and remain above everyone in the new era? How could he be so lucky to have everything? Xu Chao¡¯s gaze shifted to Xie Han beside Qin Jun. Zhou Lan was already a beautiful goddess, but Xie Han, this female bodyguard of Qin Jun, made Zhou Lan pale in comparison with her beauty and aura. Jealousy gnawed at Xu Chao. He had initially planned to sow discord between Blood Bear and Qin Jun and then flee, but now he changed his mind. Xu Chao¡¯s shadow laughed hoarsely. ¡°Qin, don¡¯t think you¡¯re something special just because you have an SSS-level talent. In a year, I¡¯ll rule the southeast!¡± ¡°So what if you were born into privilege? Just because you were lucky to be born into a good family? Even if I was born lowly, you and your kind will be defeated by me, trampled underfoot!¡± Xu Chao deliberately distorted his voice, venting his envy and jealousy, growing more passionate as he spoke. ¡°Looking for death!¡± The Qin family¡¯s evolved individuals were enraged. They could see that this shadow, despite being a troublesome spiritual entity, had weak combat power¡ªa worthless being. How dare a nobody spew such nonsense? They had pledged loyalty to the Qin family, tying their interests to the Qin family¡¯s fortunes. Glory and defeat were shared. Seeing an insignificant shadow disrespecting Qin Jun, their young master, filled them with fury. ¡°You¡¯re dead!¡± Xie Han¡¯s eyes burned with murderous intent. Suddenly, the void behind Xu Chao rippled, and a graceful figure appeared, thrusting a dagger towards Xu Chao¡¯s chest! It was Wang Zhi, who had recently joined the Qin family. However, Wang Zhi¡¯s dagger seemed to pierce through thin air; Xu Chao¡¯s shadow was a spiritual entity, impervious to physical attacks. Xu Chao¡¯s eyes widened when he saw Wang Zhi. The black uniform perfectly highlighted her graceful figure, but it also scared Xu Chao. He hadn¡¯t sensed Wang Zhi¡¯s presence at all. Her shadow camouflage talent made her a born assassin! Failing her first strike, Wang Zhi retreated, glaring coldly at Xu Chao¡¯s shadow with frustration. She had hoped to kill him and impress Qin Jun, but the shadow¡¯s spiritual nature foiled her. Qin Jun narrowed his eyes, observing Xu Chao¡¯s shadow. Xu Chao was about to speak again when he felt the surrounding void collapse, crushing towards the center. The next moment, his shadow was destroyed by an unseen force! Witnessing this, the Qin family¡¯s evolved individuals looked at Qin Jun with reverence¡ªnot just for his status but for his strength. A hint of a smile appeared on Qin Jun¡¯s face as he heard the system prompt. ¡°Ding¡ªDetected a Child of Destiny, Xu Chao.¡± ¡°Mission: Eliminate the threat of Xu Chao. Reward: 35 Villain Points.¡± ¡°Ding, evaluating the potential value of Child of Fortune Xu Chao¡­ Evaluation complete. Potential Harvest Value: S-level!¡± Chapter 46 - Doomsday Keyboard Warrior Chapter 46: Doomsday Keyboard WarriorQin Jun¡¯s greatest trump card and reliance wasn¡¯t his SSS-level talent, nor was it the Qin family backing him. It was the Doomsday Villain System. With Villain Points, he could exchange for various heaven-defying treasures in the system store, especially the gene potion, which could directly break through realms. However, Villain Points were extremely difficult to obtain and could only be gained by hunting the Child of Destiny. If he could gain them by killing ordinary people, Qin Jun would have probably killed tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands by now. This time, his original intention in coming to Donghua City was to obtain the Zombie King, but now, there was an additional Child of Destiny. Thinking back to the provocative words this Child of Destiny had just uttered, boasting arrogantly in front of him, a trace of mocking coldness flashed in Qin Jun¡¯s eyes. He quickly guessed the thoughts of this Xu Chao. It was nothing more than relying on the fact that his shadow and body were separate, so no matter how arrogant he was, others wouldn¡¯t know his true identity. Therefore, he acted fearlessly and spewed nonsense without restraint. This was somewhat similar to the keyboard warriors of the old era. But what Xu Chao didn¡¯t know was the consequences of his momentary verbal outburst. Qin Jun pondered for a moment, then called Wang Hai over. ¡°Do you know an Evolver named Xu Chao?¡± Wang Hai was stunned and after racking his brains, shook his head: ¡°Never heard of him.¡± Qin Jun nodded. It seemed that Xu Chao did not belong to any shelter. Otherwise, with so few Evolvers in Donghua City, Wang Hai would definitely have some impression. There was only one possibility, which was that Xu Chao was still hiding somewhere in Donghua City¡¯s urban area. The reason Xu Chao claimed to be a subordinate of Blood Bear was simply to provoke a conflict between him and Blood Bear, so Xu Chao would have a chance to covet the Zombie King. It had to be said, Qin Jun almost guessed Xu Chao¡¯s thoughts and plans correctly in an instant. But Xu Chao¡¯s so-called scheme to sow discord was childish and ridiculous! A mere Blood Bear, does he deserve to ¡®fight to mutual destruction¡¯ with him? Qin Jun directly instructed Xie Han: ¡°Contact Dongdu and have them check how many people named Xu Chao are in Donghua City, and where they live.¡± As one of the top metropolises in the country, Dongdu had a very high political status. The Dongdu Governor¡¯s Office also managed the household registration of various cities in the southeastern region. Donghua City was naturally among them. After the apocalypse, although the household registration information was no longer useful, it was still preserved and stored in Dongdu¡¯s archival intranet. Although Qin Jun only knew a name, he could easily find all background information of everyone named Xu Chao. Although it might not be accurate, it would at least narrow down the scope. And that was enough. Qin Jun would narrow down the scope bit by bit, until he found this Xu Chao. He would make this Child of Destiny understand the consequences of reckless provocation. At this moment, Wang Hai cautiously offered his opinion: ¡°Young Master, this person claims to be sent by Blood Bear, but I think he isn¡¯t. Blood Bear appears rough and crude, but he¡¯s actually very cunning and shrewd.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare provoke us. And even if he wanted to send a warning, he wouldn¡¯t just send a worthless pawn.¡± Qin Jun smiled slightly and nodded: ¡°I know, but so what?¡± His smile was gentle, but his eyes were extremely indifferent, like a deity without any emotional fluctuations. Wang Hai was stunned, and a chill rose from his heart. He understood Qin Jun¡¯s meaning. ¡ª Donghua City, Jingangwan Community. In a room, Xu Chao breathed a long sigh of relief as if he had been saved from drowning, his face pale and panting heavily. His consciousness had returned to his main body. Xu Chao¡¯s expression was gloomy. That Qin Jun was truly terrifying; just one look from him and his shadow had exploded! Xu Chao¡¯s face was cold, and with a thought, the void in front of him began to distort, and then a shadow reappeared. His shadow was resurrected. Looking at the resurrected shadow, a smile gradually appeared on Xu Chao¡¯s face. Thinking about how he had boasted in front of so many Evolvers in the Qin family, he felt even more elated and laughed heartily. After all, it was only his shadow that appeared at that time, no one knew his real identity. So, of course, he could boast without restraint. In the old days, Xu Chao often argued with others online, wielding his keyboard like a warrior. And now, his shadow was even more satisfying! He could use his shadow to go anywhere, taunt anyone, and cause any trouble he wanted. Xu Chao even felt like he was playing a game, with his shadow as his game character. No matter what he did with his shadow, there was no danger to himself. So Xu Chao didn¡¯t need to be cautious at all. With this shadow, he was invincible! Xu Chao¡¯s face showed a cold smile. He wondered if Qin Jun would be trembling with anger right now. Xu Chao cheerfully left the room and saw Zhou Lan, dressed in a maid outfit with black stockings, cleaning up. This outfit was actually one of Xu Chao¡¯s personal preferences. Although Zhou Lan didn¡¯t like this outfit, feeling it stripped her of any dignity, she could only rely on Xu Chao to survive the apocalypse. So she had no choice but to accept all of Xu Chao¡¯s demands. Previously, if Xu Chao saw Zhou Lan dressed like this, his little brother would definitely be eager and he would directly play with Zhou Lan. S?a?ch* Th? N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. But just now, after seeing Xie Han and Wang Zhi beside Qin Jun, these two stunning beauties, Zhou Lan seemed very ordinary. Xu Chao even suddenly lost interest in Zhou Lan. Xu Chao thought to himself, once he devoured the Zombie King, he could leave this place. Then he would occupy a shelter and see if there were any other stunning beauties. But then he thought, those beauties in the shelters were probably all used up. Although he was a loser, he had a deep obsession with virgins. Sigh, he would have to see if there were any other survivors. Xu Chao began to daydream. As for the matter of provoking Qin Jun earlier, Xu Chao quickly dismissed it, not thinking it was serious. After all, Qin Jun didn¡¯t know who he was, right? He was hiding in Jingangwan Community. Could the Qin family turn Donghua City upside down to find him? One must know, the urban area of Donghua City had tens of thousands of zombies. Chapter 47 - No Longer an Ant Chapter 47: No Longer an Ant Donghua City, First Affiliated Hospital. ¡°Master, something terrible has happened!¡± A subordinate rushed into the room, looking panicked as he shouted to Blood Bear. Blood Bear frowned and said in a deep voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why the panic?¡± ¡°A military force is heading towards our shelter. It seems to be from the Qin family in Dongdu!¡± ¡°Qin family from Dongdu?¡± Blood Bear was first shocked, then his heart sank. The Qin family from Dongdu? Why would they suddenly come to Donghua City? Blood Bear quickly guessed that the news about the Zombie King had leaked. The Qin family had found out and wanted to seize the Zombie King. In his mind, the images of Wang Hai and Wang Zhi flashed. When he had annexed other shelters, the one Wang Hai had established wasn¡¯t the largest but resisted the most fiercely. Later, Wang Hai and Wang Zhi escaped in the chaos, and he didn¡¯t pay attention to them. After all, he now had thirty or forty Evolvers under his command. What trouble could just two Evolvers cause? Now it seemed, Wang Hai couldn¡¯t stir up much trouble on his own. But he had informed the Qin family about the Zombie King, summoning this powerful force! Thinking of this, Blood Bear felt a surge of anger. Damn, he should have killed Wang Hai back then! With a gloomy face, Blood Bear instructed, ¡°Gather all the brothers. Although the Qin family is formidable, Donghua City is not easily bullied! Let¡¯s not lose our momentum!¡± His words showed that he considered himself the boss of Donghua City. ¡­¡­¡­. The survivors in the shelter also saw the arrival of the Qin family¡¯s army. Seeing the Qin family¡¯s troops, a glimmer of hope appeared on their numb faces. ¡°The army! The country has come to save us!¡± Excitement and joy filled their eyes as they mistook the Qin family¡¯s forces for the national army. The Qin family¡¯s soldiers were well-trained and the officers looked stern. S~?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Unlike other doomsday forces, the Qin family had inherited the order and structure of the old government. Their armed personnel were all regular soldiers. While other shelters were still figuring out how to establish order, the Qin family had already completed a comprehensive transformation from top to bottom. Their strict orders and well-organized structure made it no surprise that the survivors mistook them for the national army. Despite their fear of Blood Bear¡¯s brutal methods, they secretly hoped the army would rescue them. However, they only dared to hope in their hearts and did not dare to say anything. Blood Bear, accompanied by his Evolvers, appeared at the shelter¡¯s gate. He saw the well-trained army outside and the formidable experts from the Qin family, and his heart sank. So many Evolvers? There must be over seventy! Blood Bear had annexed many shelters, consolidating almost all of Donghua City¡¯s forces under his command, yet he only had a little over forty Evolvers, most of whom had only recently awakened their talents and had not undergone much cultivation. Getting energy crystals was not easy. Although there were tens of thousands of survivors in the shelter, they were all ordinary people. They could handle odd jobs but were too weak to fight zombies. Blood Bear had managed to get some firearms from the police station, but they were only light weapons like pistols, with very limited ammunition. Therefore, to obtain energy crystals, the Evolvers had to hunt zombies themselves. Ordinary people could only assist. Most of the energy crystals obtained were monopolized by Blood Bear. Seeing the Qin family¡¯s Evolvers, Blood Bear¡¯s subordinates felt overshadowed. The Qin family¡¯s Evolvers all wore uniform black military uniforms, exuding an extremely dangerous aura, full of oppressive force. In contrast, Blood Bear¡¯s men were dressed in various colors, looking like a bunch of bandit rabble. However, Blood Bear had his own confidence. He had an A-level talent, was just one step away from reaching level 2, and was very strong! Ordinary Evolvers were no match for him. In the early days of the apocalypse, he could be considered a strongman. Moreover, with over forty Evolvers under his command, he was a significant force in the apocalypse. He thought the Qin family wouldn¡¯t easily turn against him. Blood Bear looked imposing, standing over three meters tall, like a giant after his talent awakened and his body mutated. Standing among the crowd, he towered over everyone, his voice booming. ¡°I am Blood Bear, the boss of Donghua City. Which esteemed guest from the Qin family has graced us with their presence?¡± Though Blood Bear knew the Qin family came for the Zombie King, he still spoke politely. The Qin family from Dongdu was not someone he could provoke. Then he saw a handsome young man step out of a luxurious extended car, surrounded by strong experts. The handsome young man, about 1.8 meters tall, looked slim compared to Blood Bear, but his aura was noble. His calm expression and indifferent eyes made him look superior. Despite Blood Bear¡¯s imposing presence, he was overshadowed. Standing before Blood Bear, all eyes were on the handsome young man, ignoring Blood Bear. The young man looked up at Blood Bear and smiled slightly, ¡°I am Qin Jun.¡± Qin Jun?! Blood Bear was shocked. He thought a member of the Qin family had come, which was enough to make him cautious. In this apocalyptic world, even a side branch of the Qin family was untouchable. But he never expected the future master of the Qin family to come personally! ¡°Young Master Qin, what brings you to Donghua City? Hehe, I, Blood Bear, am now the ruler here. If you need anything, I will surely assist!¡± Blood Bear¡¯s face showed a mix of flattery and fear. Suddenly, he felt a strange sensation. Just a couple of months ago, he was a small-time gangster in Donghua City. Qin Jun was the son of Qin Yuan, the top elite of the country. In front of such a noble second generation, he was just an ant, as insignificant as dust, with no chance to ever meet someone like Qin Jun. But now, he could stand before Qin Jun. He was no longer an ant! Chapter 48 - Tyranny Chapter 48: TyrannyQin Jun smiled slightly, ¡°You must be Blood Bear? I¡¯ve heard of you. An A-level talent, very impressive.¡± Just one sentence from Qin Jun made Blood Bear feel extremely comfortable and even honored. Qin Jun had heard of his name! Blood Bear grinned happily and said, ¡°Thank you for the compliment, Young Master Qin. No matter what, I, Blood Bear, will fully cooperate with your visit to Donghua City!¡± Qin Jun nodded. ¡°I¡¯m here for the Zombie King that¡¯s about to complete its evolution. I want its energy crystal.¡± Hearing this, Blood Bear¡¯s heart sank. As expected, the Qin family¡¯s target was the Zombie King. He had prepared a lot for this, even annexing other shelters for it. Although he was unwilling, Blood Bear showed no change in expression. He knew very well that he couldn¡¯t afford to provoke the Qin family now. To his credit, Blood Bear could adapt quickly. He nodded and said, ¡°Alright! Since you came personally, the Zombie King is yours! Donghua City will fully cooperate!¡± Blood Bear¡¯s polite words had a clear implication: he was giving up the Zombie King to Qin Jun, expecting some compensation in return. Qin Jun looked at Blood Bear¡¯s crafty eyes and felt amused. As Wang Hai had said, Blood Bear was not simple, full of cunning and intrigue. If someone underestimated him based on his appearance, they would suffer greatly. But so what? To Qin Jun, Blood Bear was just an ant¡ªa lucky ant who had awakened his talent. But an ant is still an ant. Qin Jun smiled politely, ¡°You might have misunderstood. I want the energy crystal, not the Zombie King.¡± Blood Bear¡¯s smile slowly disappeared. He understood Qin Jun¡¯s meaning. Qin Jun wanted him to kill the Zombie King and then obediently present the energy crystal to the Qin family. Was the Zombie King that easy to kill? Killing it would likely cost the lives of many of his Evolvers, and he himself might get injured. And Qin Jun would just sit back and wait, doing nothing? Why? Blood Bear¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Young Master Qin, isn¡¯t this going too far? We risk our lives to kill the Zombie King and present the energy crystal. What¡¯s in it for me?¡± Qin Jun chuckled, ¡°If you obediently present the energy crystal, you can keep living. Isn¡¯t that the greatest benefit?¡± The choice was clear: hand over the Zombie King¡¯s crystal or die. In Qin Jun¡¯s eyes, Blood Bear, the strongest in Donghua City, was still just an ant, unworthy of making deals with the Qin family. Qin Jun¡¯s calm tone sent a chill through everyone. It was like a mountain pressing down on them, making it hard to breathe. This mountain was called tyranny. Everyone had to accept all of the Qin family¡¯s demands. Any disobedience would lead to destruction, even for someone like Blood Bear. Even the murderous Blood Bear felt a surge of indignation and fear. This was too much! His eyes turned red as he stared at Qin Jun, ¡°What if I don¡¯t cooperate?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Qin Jun smiled and pointed at Song Bin, who was next to Blood Bear. The next moment, Song Bin screamed as an invisible force crushed him into a pulp. Song Bin, Blood Bear¡¯s right-hand man and the second-in-command of the shelter, was a C-level Evolver. He didn¡¯t even have time to react before he turned into a mess of flesh, dead before Blood Bear¡¯s eyes. S~?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That¡¯s the consequence.¡± Qin Jun smiled, as if he had just crushed a trivial ant, chilling everyone to the bone. Wang Hai looked at Qin Jun¡¯s back with reverence. He finally understood why Qin Jun had said what he did earlier. He had thought Qin Jun would use the shadow incident as an excuse to force Blood Bear to give up the Zombie King. But he realized he had underestimated Qin Jun¡¯s domineering nature. From the beginning, Qin Jun had never intended to cooperate with Blood Bear. He didn¡¯t even see Blood Bear as a person. There was no need for excuses or plans. It was straightforward: hand over the energy crystal or die. Blood Bear roared and finally couldn¡¯t hold back. He had a violent and ruthless nature, and Qin Jun had just killed Song Bin in front of him. If he tolerated this, what would his subordinates think of him? Filled with rage, Blood Bear decided to defy the Qin family and flee Donghua City if necessary. With his A-level talent, he could rise anywhere! Blood Bear¡¯s body grew larger, covered in fur, transforming into a massive bear. An A-level talent¡ªBear Transformation! In this form, Blood Bear was a five-meter-tall giant, each step shaking the ground as he charged at Qin Jun. Despite his massive size, Blood Bear moved with lightning speed, showcasing an agility that defied his bulk. Against such a formidable giant bear, Qin Jun remained calm. He coldly watched Blood Bear charge. With a wave of his hand, Blood Bear screamed as his powerful forearm twisted and shattered, flesh flying. The pain and shock filled Blood Bear¡¯s heart. His body¡¯s defense in bear form was so strong that even rockets couldn¡¯t harm him, and a dozen Evolvers couldn¡¯t break his defense. That¡¯s how he dominated Donghua City. But against Qin Jun, he was almost crippled without even knowing Qin Jun¡¯s methods! The anger in Blood Bear¡¯s heart disappeared, replaced by fear. Extreme fear! The danger posed by this Qin family scion was beyond his imagination! Run! Blood Bear decided to flee, abandoning everything. His instincts told him that staying meant death. Blood Bear¡¯s speed was incredible, covering hundreds of meters in a blink. Qin Jun¡¯s eyes showed mockery as he clenched his right hand. The space around Blood Bear froze and collapsed inward. Blood Bear¡¯s screams echoed as his massive body was crushed by an invisible force, like being squeezed by giant invisible hands. The sound of bones cracking was excruciating. In less than ten seconds, Blood Bear¡¯s five-meter-tall body was compressed into a mass of flesh, as if stuffed into a compactor. He was dead, completely dead. Chapter 49 - The Punisher, Perhaps Even More Evil Chapter 49: The Punisher, Perhaps Even More EvilEveryone stared in shock, disbelief etched on their faces, especially the survivors of Donghua City. Blood Bear, was dead, just like that?! Recently, Blood Bear had ruled Donghua City with an iron fist, his unmatched strength crushing other Evolvers completely. He was the undisputed overlord of Donghua City. Yet, this immensely powerful figure in their minds hadn¡¯t lasted even twenty seconds before Qin Jun. He was crushed like an ant! All eyes turned to Qin Jun, who remained calm, having killed Blood Bear as easily as squashing an insect. Only now did people realize the most dangerous thing wasn¡¯t the Qin family behind Qin Jun, but Qin Jun himself! The experts from the Qin family also looked at Qin Jun with fear and submission in their eyes. They knew Qin Jun was strong, with an SSS-level talent, but had never felt it so viscerally. Now, they truly understood Qin Jun¡¯s power. Blood Bear¡¯s strength was undeniable, especially after transforming into a giant bear. But even such a powerhouse was crushed alive by Qin Jun, without anyone understanding how he did it! In the apocalypse, having a powerful background was important, but the only thing that truly commanded respect and submission was one¡¯s own strength. None of Blood Bear¡¯s Evolvers moved to avenge him. In fact, some even felt relieved. They had been forced to follow Blood Bear recently and detested him. Seeing Blood Bear killed by Qin Jun, they felt schadenfreude and looked at Qin Jun with favor. The tens of thousands of survivors in the shelter cheered. Blood Bear was finally dead! Many cried tears of joy, hugging and celebrating, showing how much they hated Blood Bear. Under his rule, their lives had been worse than death. Blood Bear was extremely brutal, killing at will and abusing women daily, causing constant fear among the shelter¡¯s residents. Their hatred for Blood Bear was profound. But in front of Evolvers, ordinary people had no power or means to resist. Even if all of them revolted, they probably couldn¡¯t harm Blood Bear. Without Qin Jun, they would have been enslaved by Blood Bear forever. To these survivors, the Qin family, who killed Blood Bear, were heroes. They finally didn¡¯t have to endure Blood Bear¡¯s tyranny! Some elderly survivors cried with joy, saying, ¡°The country hasn¡¯t abandoned us, the country has come to save us!¡± Several Evolvers approached Qin Jun, thanking him, ¡°Young Master Qin, thank you for killing Blood Bear. He was cruel and ruthless, greedy and cunning.¡± ¡°Thank you for eliminating this scourge! He even wanted to use us as cannon fodder to hunt the Zombie King!¡± Hearing their heartfelt thanks, Qin Jun couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Did they really see him as their savior? He looked at the Evolvers and smiled, ¡°Did you misunderstand something?¡± Misunderstand? The Evolvers were puzzled. What did he mean? Qin Jun¡¯s eyes were indifferent as he looked at them and chuckled, ¡°With Blood Bear dead, it¡¯s your turn. I said, either hunt the Zombie King, or die.¡± The Evolvers¡¯ faces turned extremely ugly. They looked at Qin Jun in disbelief. Was he going to use them as cannon fodder too? Qin Jun¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Hunting the Zombie King would yield high-quality energy crystals but was extremely dangerous. The Zombie King wasn¡¯t an ordinary zombie. Hunting it would certainly result in many deaths. While the Qin family had many Evolvers, each one was a valuable asset, to be preserved if possible. From the start, Qin Jun had intended to use the Evolvers of Donghua City as cannon fodder. Seeing the cold glint in Qin Jun¡¯s eyes, the Evolvers felt a chill. They had thought that with Blood Bear¡¯s death, the dark cloud over Donghua City would lift. They could rebuild their shelter and live quietly in the apocalypse. But they didn¡¯t expect that with Blood Bear dead, an even more terrifying Qin Jun would arrive. Qin Jun was even more despair-inducing than Blood Bear. Blood Bear was just one person, but behind Qin Jun was the immense Qin family. Looking at Blood Bear¡¯s deformed corpse, the Evolvers dared not flee or resist. Despite being Evolvers, they felt utterly powerless. Killing an evil person didn¡¯t necessarily make one a hero. Sometimes, it could mean an even more evil presence had arrived. Seeing the grim faces of the Donghua City Evolvers, Qin Jun smiled in satisfaction. These Evolvers didn¡¯t dare oppose Blood Bear, so naturally, they wouldn¡¯t dare defy him. Qin Jun then instructed Xie Han, ¡°Take all the resources in this shelter. We¡¯ll take everything back to Dongdu.¡± S?a??h th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Although Dongdu was already well-established and didn¡¯t lack resources, in the apocalypse, resources were always crucial. Blood Bear had annexed nearly all the other shelters, bringing their resources here. Essentially, he had collected all the resources of Donghua City. The resources of an entire city were substantial. Of course, Qin Jun wouldn¡¯t waste them. Even if it meant taking away the resources the nearly ten thousand survivors depended on. Qin Jun was personally taking away their chance of survival. Chapter 50 - Plunder Chapter 50: PlunderAfter receiving the order, the Qin family¡¯s army marched into the shelter in a grand procession and began to count the supplies. At first, the survivors did not understand what was happening and welcomed the Qin family¡¯s army. They had not heard Qin Jun¡¯s command to force the Evolvers of Donghua City to act as cannon fodder. They only saw that Qin Jun had killed Blood Bear. After Blood Bear¡¯s death, the tens of thousands of survivors in the shelter had cheered, applauded, and cried tears of joy. They all believed that better days were coming. But soon, they realized something was wrong. Once the Qin family¡¯s army took over the shelter, they immediately sealed off the warehouses and began to count the supplies. Then they started to move the incredibly valuable food and medical supplies onto trucks. Without these supplies, the Evolvers might have been able to scavenge the ruins of the city for resources, but what about the ordinary people?! Outside the shelter, there were wandering zombies everywhere, posing extreme danger. Trying to gather supplies on their own was a death sentence! A middle-aged woman grabbed the soldier who was moving the supplies, her face full of panic, and asked, ¡°Where are you taking these supplies?¡± The soldier replied calmly, ¡°We¡¯re taking them all back to Dongdu.¡± The people were stunned and asked, ¡°Taking everything? What about us? What are we supposed to do?¡± S?a??h the ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The soldier¡¯s face was emotionless as he coldly turned away and continued moving supplies. The lives of these people had nothing to do with him. Perhaps in the old days, he might have felt sympathy for the survivors, but after experiencing this catastrophe, soldiers had seen it all and had become numb. In the apocalypse, survival was the most important thing. The soldier was thankful to be a member of the Qin family¡¯s army, enjoying relatively good treatment in this chaotic world. Having such a powerful backer was a stroke of luck. He only needed to follow the orders of the Qin family. He didn¡¯t care about anything else. Qin Jun looked at the tens of thousands of survivors in the shelter with a cold expression. To him, these ordinary people were just a number, a resource, no different from the supplies. They were meant to be controlled and allocated to where he deemed fit. He did not concern himself with the losses in the process. He turned to Wang Hai and ordered, ¡°Count the healthy men aged 14 to 40 and the healthy women who can bear children, and take them along with the supplies.¡± In the apocalypse, not only were supplies extremely precious, but people were too. After all, the factories in Dongdu operated 24/7, with black slaves dying every day and requiring a constant replenishment of manpower. Healthy women who could bear children were especially valuable. They would become commodities, filling the entertainment venues in Dongdu for soldiers¡¯ enjoyment and relaxation. If they had children, those children would be managed and educated to become future supporters of the Qin family¡¯s rule. Soon, Qin Jun¡¯s orders were carried out. Under the barrels of the army¡¯s guns, the people cried out in desperation, tears streaming down their faces, helplessly watching as their supplies were taken away and the young and women were forcibly abducted. Only the elderly, the weak, the sick, and the disabled remained. They never expected that Qin Jun was even more ruthless and merciless than Blood Bear. Blood Bear was cruel, but at least they had food and could barely survive. Yet this refined young master from a noble family was forcing them all to the brink of death! Without the young and without supplies, how would they survive? They would either be eaten by zombies or starve to death! For a moment, the entire shelter was in chaos, filled with cries and screams. Some people tried to resist, but were met with ruthless suppression. Soon, countless bodies lay on the ground, blood flowing like rivers. The place had turned into a living hell! The Evolvers of Donghua City could only watch this scene with grim expressions, but none dared to intervene. They knew Blood Bear¡¯s strength, and if they couldn¡¯t even see how Blood Bear was killed by Qin Jun, how could they think of fighting back against the over seventy Evolvers around Qin Jun? They knew that any resistance would certainly lead to death. As for the pain and wails of the ordinary people, they pretended not to see. ¡­ Far from the shelter, a shadow was hidden in the void. It was Xu Chao¡¯s shadow. After Xu Chao¡¯s shadow was resurrected, he had been constantly controlling the shadow, staying hidden near the shelter to see if his plan had succeeded and if it had caused any conflict between the Qin family and Blood Bear. Indeed, the Qin family had fought with Blood Bear, but the process and outcome had far exceeded his expectations. There was no fierce battle, no mutual destruction. Blood Bear had been crushed to death by Qin Jun! Listening to the distant screams and cries from the shelter, Xu Chao felt a shiver of fear. Qin Jun was truly ruthless! He not only looked down on ordinary people but also disregarded Blood Bear¡¯s life! This was an extremely dangerous person. There was almost no way to escape once you provoked him. But Xu Chao was not particularly nervous. After all, he was only manifesting as a shadow, and no one knew his true identity. With this thought, Xu Chao felt a sense of security. He was in an undefeated position! Xu Chao took one last look at Qin Jun before the shadow slowly disappeared. He planned to reappear once Qin Jun goes to hunt the Zombie King, hoping to take advantage of the chaos to get the Zombie King¡¯s crystal core. Even if he failed, he could at least annoy Qin Jun. At worst, he would just be reborn again as a shadow. What was there to fear? Would Qin Jun ever know his true identity? ¡­ Xie Han received a phone call and walked over to Qin Jun, whispering, ¡°Young Master, there is news about Xu Chao¡­¡± Chapter 51 - Regret Chapter 51: Regret ¡°Speak.¡± Xie Han looked at the intelligence from Dongdu and said softly, ¡°There are four people named Xu Chao in Donghua City. Two are over seventy years old, one is eight, and the last one is twenty-four.¡± Hearing this, Qin Jun immediately said, ¡°Give me the details of the twenty-four-year-old.¡± Since this Xu Chao was the Child of Destiny, it was most likely the twenty-four-year-old. Xie Han nodded. ¡°Xu Chao, male, twenty-four, high school education, security guard at Dongchang Group in Donghua City. Previously lived in Jingangwan Community.¡± In the old days, due to the rampant spread of the T-virus, the government implemented strict control measures, requiring everyone to register their residence. Although Xu Chao didn¡¯t own a house, the rented house he lived in was still recorded in the system. Xu Chao, huh. Soon, the Qin family¡¯s army mobilized again, leaving some Evolvers to guard the shelter while the others, along with the army, followed Qin Jun into the city. Their destination was the Jingangwan Community in Donghua City. The army¡¯s entry into Donghua City immediately attracted wandering zombies, filling the streets. However, these low-level zombies were cut down like wheat under the Evolvers¡¯ assault. The Qin family¡¯s army faced almost no obstacles as they pushed their way into the city. In the military vehicle, Qin Jun looked expressionlessly at the city district of Donghua City, which had already become a ruin. After confirming Xu Chao¡¯s address, he decided to first deal with this Child of Destiny. These Children of Destiny were incredibly troublesome, with unbelievable luck. If Xu Chao appeared during the hunt for the Zombie King and disrupted the plans, he might actually steal the prize! The second, and most important reason, was that Xu Chao had provoked Qin Jun. Xu Chao, relying on his shadow being a spirit form, had brazenly boasted in front of Qin Jun. Qin Jun, a noble figure both in the old and the apocalypse era, had never been disrespected by anyone. Raised by the Qin family, Qin Jun had developed a domineering character. No one dared to defy his will, let alone insult him so arrogantly. Xu Chao was the first. Qin Jun¡¯s eyes flashed with mockery. Xu Chao thought he was invincible with his shadow spirit and could do whatever he wanted? He would make Xu Chao deeply understand the consequences of reckless boasting. Soon, the army arrived at the streets near Jingangwan Community. Fortunately, Xu Chao was a poor man living near the outskirts of Donghua City, where there weren¡¯t many zombies. If Xu Chao had lived in the city center, where there were at least hundreds of thousands of zombies, even Qin Jun would have had to summon more troops and Evolvers from Dongdu to find him. ¡°Seal off this entire area and search every house. Do not miss a single place. Especially this Jingangwan Community, find that person!¡± To be safe, Qin Jun ordered a complete lockdown of the area, with his Evolvers conducting a thorough search. Although Xu Chao¡¯s talent was strange, Qin Jun could tell his strength was weak, akin to that of a newly awakened Evolver. With so many Evolvers under Qin Jun¡¯s command, Xu Chao couldn¡¯t stand a chance against even one of them. Xu Chao¡¯s talent might be heaven-defying in the future, but now he could only annoy people. ¡­ Following Qin Jun¡¯s orders, the Qin family¡¯s experts quickly dispersed, sealing off the entire area. With the help of fully armed soldiers, they began searching Jingangwan Community. Gunshots and explosions rang out continuously as zombies hiding in the area were effortlessly dealt with by the Qin family¡¯s experts. ¡­ ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Hearing the distant gunfire and commotion, Xu Chao, whose consciousness had just returned to his body, became alert. He quietly opened the window and saw the army on the distant street, along with the Qin family¡¯s experts in black uniforms. Xu Chao¡¯s expression froze, fear engulfed him and his face turned pale as his heart sank. ¡®The Qin family! What are they doing here?!¡¯ Xu Chao couldn¡¯t understand. He had planned to rest at home before using his shadow to mess with Qin Jun again. Since his main body was at home, it didn¡¯t matter how many times his shadow died. Perhaps due to a lingering resentment against the rich from the old era, Xu Chao despised Qin Jun. Annoying the powerful Qin family and seeing their angry but clueless reactions was his greatest pleasure. But he never expected the Qin family¡¯s experts to appear near his home. Was it just a coincidence? Xu Chao himself didn¡¯t believe it. There was nothing in this area except zombies and an empty wasteland. What was the Qin family doing here? There was only one possibility: his identity had been exposed, and the Qin family was here specifically to capture him! But how? How could this be? Xu Chao couldn¡¯t fathom how his identity was exposed. He had only used his shadow to sow discord, and for the most part, had been staying home and ¡®exercising¡¯ with Zhou Lan. None of the other Evolvers in Donghua City even knew he existed. How was he exposed? Seeing the Qin family¡¯s search perimeter getting smaller and their experts closing in on Jingangwan Community, Xu Chao was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. A sense of regret suddenly welled up in his heart. S~?a??h the N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Why did he provoke Qin Jun? Chapter 52 - Xu Chaos Regret Chapter 52: Xu Chao¡¯s Regret Watching the Qin family¡¯s experts getting closer and closer outside the window, Xu Chao¡¯s body trembled. He gritted his teeth and activated his shadow, transforming it into a spirit form and heading outside. His shadow concealed itself in the void, temporarily evading detection by the Qin family¡¯s experts. But what good would that do? His main body was still in the room. No matter how far his spirit shadow fled, if his main body was killed, he would die too! Xu Chao was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He saw that the Qin family¡¯s experts had surrounded him from all directions, sealing off any escape route. The experts were searching each house methodically. Although they hadn¡¯t reached his community yet, it was only a matter of time. This realization filled Xu Chao with a deep sense of dread. He transformed into a shadow and stealthily moved toward one of the Qin family¡¯s experts, concealing his presence. Xu Chao¡¯s shadow had an incredible ability to hide. The Qin family expert, though powerful, did not sense Xu Chao at all. As the expert lowered his guard, Xu Chao suddenly struck. His shadow condensed into a solid form, and his right hand transformed into a blade, aiming for the expert¡¯s heart from behind. The attack was so fast that it caused a sonic boom, distorting the air slightly. S?a??h the N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The Qin family expert was startled and disappeared in an instant, reappearing ten meters away, causing Xu Chao¡¯s full-force strike to miss. ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± The expert initially felt a bit of fear but quickly regained composure and mocked Xu Chao, shouting loudly. Xu Chao¡¯s expression turned grim. He hadn¡¯t expected his hidden, lethal strike to miss entirely. He had hoped to use his shadow¡¯s ability to infinitely regenerate to sneak attack and eliminate these Qin family experts one by one. But he had forgotten one crucial thing¡ªhe lacked the strength. These experts of the Qin family were well-nourished by the support of tens of thousands of soldiers and millions of people, with ample energy crystals for cultivation. Each Qin family Evolver was a formidable expert in the current apocalypse. Xu Chao¡¯s talent was indeed extraordinary, but he had hardly trained, spending most of his time indulging in women. His strength was no different from that of a newly awakened Evolver. The Qin family expert sneered and charged forward, lightning flickering around his body, and punched towards Xu Chao. With this punch, blue lightning burst forth, striking towards Xu Chao¡¯s shadow like a thunder dragon. Xu Chao roared, his shadow dissipating into a black mist, entangling with the expert. They exchanged several blows, ending in a stalemate. Xu Chao felt a wave of disappointment and disbelief. After awakening his talent, he believed himself to be invincible. Yet, he was evenly matched with a random Qin family expert? Realizing that more Qin family experts were closing in, Xu Chao gritted his teeth and transformed into a black light, attempting to flee. But to Xu Chao¡¯s despair, the Qin family experts were unfazed, continuing their search for his main body. Desperately, Xu Chao abandoned his shadow and returned his consciousness to his main body in the room. His face was ashen, drenched in sweat, as he saw the Qin family experts nearing his community. At most, they would reach his home in two hours. Xu Chao was panicking, sweating profusely, his mind a mess, on the verge of tears. He had only one thought: What should he do? What should he do?! It felt like a bottomless abyss lay before him, and he could only march forward, helpless to stop himself from falling. He couldn¡¯t prevent this nightmare from unfolding. The sense of suffocation was overwhelming. Although he was safe for now, this safety would only last two more hours. He watched the clock in the living room, its hands ticking. Each tick was a countdown to his death. He knew Qin Jun would not spare him. At this moment, Zhou Lan emerged from another room, asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± As an ordinary person, her perception was far weaker than Xu Chao¡¯s, and she hadn¡¯t sensed anything amiss. Xu Chao looked at Zhou Lan, the first woman he had been with, and a wave of regret surged in his heart. If he hadn¡¯t spent all those days indulging in Zhou Lan and had instead focused on training, his shadow would have evolved by now. Then, his shadow and main body could merge, making him immortal. His shadow was so close to evolving, just a bit more! But he always thought there was no rush, wanting to enjoy life first. Yet, this small delay had sealed his fate. Xu Chao¡¯s eyes turned red, filled with deep regret. Chapter 53 Chapter 53: Doomed If time could turn back, Xu Chao would never have spent all his energy and time on Zhou Lan. He would have focused on cultivating, at least allowing his shadow to evolve and making himself immortal. But sadly, time does not turn back. Xu Chao would never have this opportunity again! Xu Chao could only watch helplessly as the Qin family¡¯s experts entered the community, searching every building and room, leaving no corner unchecked. It¡¯s over¡­ Xu Chao suddenly slapped himself hard twice, the force so strong that it swelled his cheeks. Zhou Lan was startled, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Xu Chao didn¡¯t answer, nor did he have the energy to. He slumped into a chair, staring blankly at the ceiling. He wished this was just a nightmare! Xu Chao couldn¡¯t understand how he had been exposed! How did Qin Jun know where he was? The Qin family experts even called out his name earlier! How did Qin Jun know his name? These questions swirled in Xu Chao¡¯s mind, leaving him feeling deeply wronged. Why did Qin Jun know everything when he had hidden so well?! He recalled provoking Qin Jun yesterday. Thinking of this, Xu Chao felt even more regretful and gave himself another slap. Why did he have to run his mouth?! Xu Chao couldn¡¯t comprehend how a few moments of reckless boasting had led to such severe consequences! He was filled with immense regret for his impulsiveness and his loose tongue, but none of this could be undone. He had to face the consequences! Outside, the Qin family experts were getting closer to his building, and Xu Chao was becoming increasingly desperate. He gazed at his shadow. His shadow had immense potential, capable of continuous evolution. Even without the Zombie King, he could accumulate and evolve by devouring ordinary zombie crystals. It was a talent anyone would envy, but he had not taken advantage of it. Xu Chao stared blankly at his shadow, saying nothing. He had such a bright future ahead. If his shadow evolved, he would be immortal, and no one in the world could kill him. With his talent evolving to the highest level, an S-level talent combined with immortality, he could have been one of the strongest in the apocalypse! But he missed his chance. He thought he had plenty of time, delaying cultivation to indulge in pleasures. Now, he wanted to cultivate but had no time left! Xu Chao¡¯s heart was filled with unwillingness. Though he hadn¡¯t cultivated much, he had spent a lot of time fantasizing about his future. He dreamed of building a free city, becoming a powerful overlord. He wanted to gather various beauties, policewomen, innocent schoolgirls, mature women, and even pairs of sisters or mothers and daughters! If he hadn¡¯t provoked Qin Jun, his talent would have allowed these dreams to come true, given time. But now, he had no more time¡­. He recalled that morning, thinking it would be an ordinary day in a world full of zombies and dangers. He felt safe and at ease at home. But now, he realized it was his best day, and such days would never come again. He once had plenty of time. If he had used even a part of it to let his shadow evolve, things would be different. But he wasted it all! Listening to the noises outside and sensing the Qin family experts getting closer, Xu Chao¡¯s mind completely collapsed. He laughed hysterically, then burst into tears. Fear, regret, and unwillingness filled his chest. He didn¡¯t know how long he wept before finally calming down with a bitter smile. Zhou Lan, already terrified, thought Xu Chao had gone mad and hid in a corner, far from him. Although she was his woman, she had no real feelings for him, staying with him only to survive. Over time, she had resigned herself to this fate. Xu Chao looked at Zhou Lan, his first woman, and felt a surge of anger. If not for Zhou Lan, he wouldn¡¯t have wasted time not cultivating. But then, he smiled bitterly. He knew it wasn¡¯t Zhou Lan¡¯s fault; it was his own lack of willpower. S?a??h the N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Xu Chao seemed to want to say something, but at that moment, his room¡¯s door was kicked open. A burly Evolver charged in, aiming a punch at Xu Chao¡¯s head. If it landed, Xu Chao¡¯s head would explode! Xu Chao¡¯s shadow moved, entangling the Evolver¡¯s arm, stopping his punch. The Evolver sneered, his arm swelling like a hammer, dispersing Xu Chao¡¯s shadow. Then more Evolvers entered, glaring coldly at Xu Chao. Outside the window, more Evolvers surrounded the building tightly. They had finally found Xu Chao! Xu Chao¡¯s body trembled violently. The moment had come. So many Evolvers were staring at him and he knew he was doomed! Then a handsome young man entered the room. The Qin family experts bowed their heads in respect, their faces full of reverence. Qin Jun smiled, looking at Xu Chao. Seeing Xu Chao¡¯s sweaty, desperate, and fearful face, Qin Jun¡¯s heart filled with cold mockery. The Child of Destiny had finally realized the consequences of running his mouth¡­ Chapter 54 Chapter 54: The Death of Xu Chao ¡°Xu Chao, we finally meet.¡± Qin Jun smiled slightly, looking down at Xu Chao as if he were an ant. Xu Chao looked at Qin Jun, filled with regret and unwillingness, but mostly confusion. ¡°How did you find me?¡± Xu Chao desperately wanted to know how Qin Jun had located him; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t die peacefully! Qin Jun smiled, surprisingly treating Xu Chao quite well after meeting him. He didn¡¯t humiliate Xu Chao from a superior position but acted as if he were a guest. ¡°Does it matter?¡± Qin Jun didn¡¯t answer the question. From the moment Xu Chao appeared, Qin Jun had known his name. Xu Chao¡¯s shadow disguise was perfect against others but useless against him. However, the Doomsday Villain System was Qin Jun¡¯s deepest secret, one he wouldn¡¯t reveal. To him, it was enough to eliminate Xu Chao, the Child of Destiny, and gain villain points. Xu Chao¡¯s eyes were filled with unwillingness. Even now, facing this dire situation, he still harbored hope. He hoped for a miracle¡ªperhaps someone would save him, or a spatial shift would allow him to escape. After all, his talent had yet to be fully realized! How could he willingly die like this?! It seemed he wanted to say more, but Qin Jun had no patience to waste on him. Villains die from talking too much, and since Xu Chao was a Child of Destiny, who knew if an accident might happen. Only a completely dead Child of Destiny was a good Child of Destiny. Qin Jun directly extended his hand and pointed at Xu Chao¡¯s forehead. The next moment, Xu Chao felt the void before him twist as an inexplicable force attacked him. Despite his complete despair, Xu Chao couldn¡¯t help but struggle against death. He roared, and his shadow emerged from the void, blocking the attack. In this life-and-death moment, Xu Chao¡¯s strength exploded, surpassing his usual limits and barely managing to block Qin Jun¡¯s strike. Qin Jun¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise. Xu Chao¡¯s talent was indeed strange. Despite having little to no training and being a novice at level 1, he could block a strike from Qin Jun, a level 2 peak expert, all because of his peculiar shadow. But that was all. Against overwhelming strength, no talent could save Xu Chao. Qin Jun sneered, his eyes turning golden as he emitted an aura of extreme danger, distorting the space around him. Xu Chao¡¯s shadow was firmly immobilized by an invisible force, severing his connection with it. Without his shadow, Xu Chao was just an ordinary person. The next moment, an invisible force struck Xu Chao, slamming him against the wall, shattering his bones and causing excruciating pain that nearly made him pass out. Staring at Qin Jun, Xu Chao knew he was about to die. Seeing the Qin family experts around Qin Jun, Xu Chao felt a deep sense of injustice. Why did Qin Jun have everything from birth, with so many experts serving him? Despite deeply regretting his previous arrogance, Xu Chao couldn¡¯t help but lash out one last time: ¡°Qin Jun, you¡¯re only powerful because of your privileged birth! Without it, you wouldn¡¯t be much better than me!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Qin Jun remained calm, unangered. He smiled, looking at the fallen Xu Chao. ¡°You think my strength comes entirely from my background?¡± Xu Chao sneered but said nothing. Qin Jun continued, ¡°Since the apocalypse began, I¡¯ve been cultivating day and night, never slacking off. What about you? I can tell your talent is good, but your strength is weak. What have you been doing all this time?¡± Qin Jun¡¯s few words left Xu Chao speechless. What had he been doing? He hadn¡¯t trained at all, indulging only in pleasures! Meanwhile, Qin Jun, the noble young master with countless experts at his command, had been tirelessly cultivating. How could he not be strong? Seeing Xu Chao¡¯s pale, despairing face, Qin Jun¡¯s eyes were full of mockery and disdain. In the apocalypse, despite the Qin family¡¯s dominance, they still felt a constant sense of crisis. Qin Jun, and the entire Qin family, were always aware of this danger. Hence, Qin Jun was diligent in his cultivation, knowing that personal strength was the greatest protection in this chaotic world. Everyone envied Qin Jun for his privileged birth, thinking he had a carefree life. But in reality, Qin Jun worked harder than most people, possibly harder than anyone. And Xu Chao? He had nothing, yet he was fortunate enough to awaken a talent others dreamed of. But he wasted it, indulging in idleness. In another narrative, Xu Chao might have experienced something that triggered his determination to train hard, eventually soaring to great heights. But now, he had encountered Qin Jun. Qin Jun would not give Xu Chao a second chance. Xu Chao wanted to say something more, but Qin Jun shook his head. This Child of Destiny lacked the heart of a true strongman. Qin Jun expressionlessly extended a finger and crushed Xu Chao¡¯s skull. The second Child of Destiny died easily at Qin Jun¡¯s hands. As Xu Chao died, the system¡¯s notification sounded in Qin Jun¡¯s ears. S?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ding, congratulations to the host for eliminating the Child of Destiny, Xu Chao. Reward: 30 villain points.¡± ¡°Mission rating: S. Additional reward: 5 villain points.¡± ¡°Ding, detecting that the host has obtained all potential gains. Additional reward: Elemental Affinity!¡± Chapter 55 Chapter 55: Immortality A system panel appeared before Qin Jun¡¯s eyes.¡°` Host: Qin Jun Strength: 3 Extraordinary Talents: S-level Talent ¨C Psychic Control, SSS-level Talent ¨C Talent Devourer. Devoured Talents: A-level Talent ¨C Bear Transformation, S-level Talent ¨C Shadow Control. Level: 2 Villain Points: 40 ¡°` An S-level talent in Shadow Control, huh? After Xu Chao¡¯s death, his talent was also devoured by Qin Jun. Combined with Blood Bear¡¯s talent, Qin Jun now possessed two incredibly powerful talents. Although Bear Transformation was only an A-level talent, it was a rare transformation type. After transformation, strength increased significantly, and even without transformation, it enhanced physical strength. After devouring Blood Bear¡¯s talent, ordinary bullets and machine guns could no longer pierce Qin Jun¡¯s skin. As for Xu Chao¡¯s talent in Shadow Control, it was even more heaven-defying. The shadow could continually evolve, and once it evolved from a primary shadow, it could merge with the main body, achieving immortality! Of course, it wasn¡¯t true immortality. If both the main body and the shadow suffered devastating damage, he would still die. But as long as the shadow could keep evolving, merging into the void, Qin Jun would be effectively immortal. Unless the entire void was crushed into nothingness, Qin Jun would survive. A trace of excitement flashed in Qin Jun¡¯s eyes. Immortality! He never expected Xu Chao to give him such a huge surprise! In the apocalypse, having immortality was unimaginably valuable. S~?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The significance of these could not be overstated. Qin Jun was willing to give up all other talents for this immortality! Looking at Xu Chao¡¯s bones, Qin Jun felt a strange, indescribable sensation. Xu Chao had such a heaven-defying talent, yet he wasted it. If Xu Chao had spent just half a month cultivating his shadow, he could have achieved immortality. Even Qin Jun would have found him troublesome and might have let him escape. But Xu Chao didn¡¯t take even the simplest step. His death was justified! Beside him, Zhou Lan was paralyzed with fear, staring at Xu Chao¡¯s corpse in shock, unable to utter a word. Qin Jun finally looked at Zhou Lan and asked softly, ¡°Who are you?¡± Although Zhou Lan had no real feelings for Xu Chao, she had lived with him for a long time. Seeing Xu Chao die in front of her, she felt a bit sad. But more than sadness, she felt panic and fear. She had been fine at home when suddenly a group of people stormed in and killed Xu Chao. As an ordinary person, how could she not be afraid? However, hearing Qin Jun¡¯s calm and gentle voice, she inexplicably felt a sense of peace. Blushing, she quietly explained her relationship with Xu Chao. No one seemed surprised. A man and a woman living together in the apocalypse, with rampant human desires, meant Zhou Lan was likely Xu Chao¡¯s woman. More bluntly, she was a tool for Xu Chao to satisfy his desires. Qin Jun nodded, staring at Zhou Lan silently. He suspected Xu Chao had wasted all his time on her instead of cultivating. As Qin Jun stared at her, Zhou Lan¡¯s face turned redder, her heart pounding. Did this young master of the Qin family fancy her? Feeling a mix of shyness and acceptance, Zhou Lan thought it wouldn¡¯t be too bad. Before the apocalypse, she had been a proud, wealthy heiress, but after the apocalypse, she accepted her fate. A woman without awakened talents like her would find her best outcome in attaching herself to a strong person, ensuring her survival. Zhou Lan knew who Qin Jun was: the scion of the top-tier Qin family from the old era! His handsome appearance made her less resistant to the idea. Her only worry was that she wasn¡¯t a virgin anymore. Would Qin Jun quickly grow tired of her? But she also thought Qin Jun should already know that¡­ As Zhou Lan¡¯s thoughts raced, Qin Jun sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault for being with Xu Chao.¡± He looked at Zhou Lan with a flicker of emotion in his eyes and said, ¡°Xu Chao had great talent but didn¡¯t cultivate, leading to his death by my hand.¡± Zhou Lan thought Qin Jun was worried she might hold a grudge for Xu Chao¡¯s death. She quickly shook her head, wanting to explain. But then Qin Jun¡¯s voice grew cold. ¡°His death was due to his own weak will, wasting time, and lacking the heart of a strongman. But you are also partly to blame. Because of you, he wasted too much time he could have spent cultivating.¡± Zhou Lan was stunned, looking at Qin Jun. His gaze was cold and unfeeling, sending chills down her spine. ¡°Xu Chao possessed an incredible talent, but he became worthless due to a woman, dying without any value. His example should serve as a warning to all of you!¡± Qin Jun, expressionless and cold, ordered his subordinates, ¡°Kill her, sever her head, and make it a specimen to take back to Dongdu as a warning to everyone! In the apocalypse, cultivation is most important.¡± ¡°Do not indulge in carnal desires and forget your duty! The Qin family does not need those who can¡¯t control their desires!¡± Zhou Lan¡¯s face showed disbelief. Qin Jun wanted to kill her?! Why?! She had done nothing wrong! She was just an ordinary person, unable to resist Xu Chao. If Xu Chao indulged in her body every day, what could she do about it? Panicked and frantic, Zhou Lan screamed and tried to run, but a Qin family expert quickly grabbed her by the throat. Her consciousness faded, life slipping away, leaving one last thought. This Qin family scion¡­is truly a devil¡­ Chapter 56 Chapter 56: Redirecting the Disaster Zhou Lan was dead, killed by a Qin family expert who then took her head. The other Qin family experts, looking at Zhou Lan¡¯s body, felt a chill and regarded Qin Jun¡¯s back with deep reverence. ¡°The Qin family does not need useless people!¡± This statement was like a mark, deeply engraved in their hearts. The death of Xu Chao didn¡¯t evoke much emotion in them. After all, Xu Chao was too weak; anyone could easily crush him. Such a weakling deserved to be killed. Zhou Lan, however, was different. If Xu Chao represented a lack of willpower, then Zhou Lan was the embodiment of temptation. Qin Jun killed Zhou Lan to use her as a warning, to eliminate the source of temptation. Zhou Lan¡¯s death was far more shocking to them than Xu Chao¡¯s. Many began to reflect inwardly. They were strong under the Qin family¡¯s banner, enjoying absolute resources, including women. Many had numerous women. Although they weren¡¯t as indulgent as Xu Chao, nightly debauchery was common. Now, they resolved not to continue their past indulgent ways. If they gradually became like Xu Chao, they might be eliminated by the Qin family. Many Evolvers aspired to join the Qin family in Dongdu, and their positions were highly coveted. Seeing the respectful expressions of his subordinates, Qin Jun nodded in satisfaction. He had killed Zhou Lan to warn his subordinates and also because she was Xu Chao¡¯s woman. Though Zhou Lan had been forced to be with Xu Chao, feelings could have developed over time. Qin Jun could have taken her under his wing and tested her loyalty, but there was no need. Zhou Lan was just an ordinary person with no real value. Innocent or not, Qin Jun chose to eliminate any potential threat. The instinct to root out all dangers was ingrained in the Qin family¡¯s blood. Looking at the two corpses, Qin Jun remained expressionless. Now that Xu Chao¡¯s matter was resolved, it was time to deal with the evolving Zombie King. Qin Jun had been waiting to break through to level 3 for a long time¡­ ¡­ In the heart of Donghua City, the former bustling commercial district was now the area with the highest concentration of zombies. The streets were packed with zombies, a sight that would make anyone¡¯s scalp tingle. A rough estimate suggested there were nearly a hundred thousand zombies here, a terrifying number. While ordinary zombies were easy prey for Evolvers, even the strongest could only handle a few hundred at a time before their energy ran out. Curiously, a forest had appeared in the city center after the apocalypse reshaped the earth. Nearly a hundred thousand zombies didn¡¯t dare to approach it, creating an eerie vacuum around the forest. Inside, a terrifying aura was brewing, casting a shadow over the area and chilling anyone who sensed it. This was the Zombie King¡¯s territory. ¡­ ¡°Zombies are also evolving¡­¡± An Evolver murmured, gazing at the distant zombie horde. After the apocalypse, humans awakened talents and became Evolvers, but this didn¡¯t change their vulnerable position against zombies. The rarity of Evolvers was one reason; another was that zombies were also evolving. Among the horde, a few zombie leaders had emerged, larger and stronger than the others. Qin Jun, leading his Evolvers and the strongmen of Donghua City, observed this scene from the city center¡¯s outskirts. His eyes narrowed as he sensed the dangerous aura from the forest¡¯s depths, feeling a hint of apprehension. The Zombie King was one of the most dangerous creatures of the early apocalypse. Seeing the vast zombie horde, he knew they needed to be dealt with first to enter the forest. Otherwise, these nearly hundred thousand zombies would be a massive headache, capable of grinding down any Evolvers. Even if the Qin family¡¯s army retreated intact, they would be too exhausted to hunt the Zombie King. Qin Jun noticed that the city center¡¯s streets were blocked with barricades. These didn¡¯t completely stop the zombies but hindered most of them. These barricades were set up by Blood Bear, who personally transformed to distract the zombies while his men set up the obstacles. Blood Bear then fought his way out, losing several Evolvers in the process. Blood Bear had ambitions to rebuild Donghua City and make it his territory. While brutal to the shelter¡¯s ordinary people, he did some practical things, like blocking the city center and clearing zombies from the outer areas. Some shelters were even established in remote parts of the city¡­ Qin Jun called over a Donghua City Evolver and asked, ¡°Which areas still have shelters?¡± The man replied, ¡°There are a few shelters in the southern Yingcheng District. Blood Bear didn¡¯t have time to annex them as they had few Evolvers.¡± Qin Jun nodded and ordered, ¡°Destroy the southern barricades and lead the zombies to those shelters.¡± He spoke calmly, as if discussing dinner plans, but his words shocked the Donghua City Evolvers. Leading so many zombies to those shelters would mean certain death for the people there, turning them into zombie food. Moreover, once the zombies were freed from the city center, Donghua City would again be overrun, nullifying their previous efforts. Reclaiming Donghua City would become a distant dream. The local Evolvers would lose their base. S?a??h the ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 57 Chapter 57: The Zombie King Compared to the anger and shock of the Donghua City Evolvers, Qin Jun¡¯s expression remained calm. He had no personal vendetta against those shelters. He wasn¡¯t a sadistic devil who enjoyed seeing shelters destroyed by zombie hordes. It was simply the easiest way to avoid the zombie horde. Using the survivors in those shelters as bait would keep the zombies away from the city center for a while, giving them time to hunt the Zombie King. That was all. Without a conflict of interest, Qin Jun was quite amiable, polite, and approachable¡ªa seemingly gentle person. But once there was a conflict of interest, he would reveal his ruthless and merciless nature. To him, human lives were just numbers, insignificant numbers. The strongmen of Donghua City looked at each other, but under the overwhelming pressure of the Qin family¡¯s experts, they had to comply. Although they felt sorry for the innocent survivors, they weren¡¯t willing to risk their lives to go against the Qin family. Ultimately, their own lives were more important. A few Donghua City experts gritted their teeth and quietly moved to the street barricades. These barricades had been set up by Blood Bear and his men. They couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of irony. The supposedly brutal Blood Bear had prevented the zombie outbreak in the city center, while Qin Jun, who appeared as a liberator by killing Blood Bear, was now releasing the zombies to annihilate the last survivors of Donghua City. S?a??h th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The Donghua City experts destroyed the barricades. Without the barricades, the zombie horde surged out like a flood, rushing down the streets. From a distance, it looked like a dam had burst¡ªa scene that was truly horrifying! The roar of zombies echoed, reverberating between the tall buildings, creating an overwhelming sense of fear. This city had completely become a city of the dead. Qin Jun¡¯s eyes were somber and expressionless. He knew that once the zombies were freed, all survivors in Donghua City would become zombie fodder. The entire city would no longer have any shelters, turning into a city of death. But none of this stirred any emotion in him. To him, Donghua City was worthless. Although it was near Dongdu, it was a third-tier city with little industrial base, focusing mainly on services and tourism. Even if the Qin family dispatched an army to eliminate the zombies, it would only result in an empty city. Furthermore, the Qin family in Dongdu was now focused on dealing with several major forces emerging in the southeastern region. Turning Donghua City into a dead city was advantageous to the Qin family¡ªit ensured no significant power would rise behind their backs for a while. After a while, the zombie horde in the city center finally dispersed. ¡°Move!¡± With Qin Jun¡¯s command, the Qin family experts and the remaining Donghua City experts headed toward the city center. With the barricades gone, there were few zombies left in the city center. The large zombie horde had been diverted, following the scent of the living. Only a few scattered zombies remained and were quickly dealt with. Now, Qin Jun had over a hundred Evolvers under his command, including the Donghua City experts. They soon reached the mysterious forest that had suddenly appeared. This forest, spanning several kilometers, had emerged after the apocalypse. Vines covered the tall buildings, grass grew underfoot, and many bizarre trees stood tall, creating an eerie atmosphere. As they stepped into the forest, a sense of oppression grew, as if this place did not belong to humans, and trespassers would be punished. The Donghua City experts wore grave expressions, knowing a fierce battle awaited them. They had to fight for the Qin family experts watching from behind. To survive, they had to act as cannon fodder for the Qin family. However, Qin Jun hinted that if they could kill the Zombie King, they might join the Qin family in Dongdu. This prospect tempted them. They had once been leaders of shelters, enjoying a decent life with their abilities, but seeing the Qin family experts made them realize what true power was. Even Evolvers needed the backing of a powerful force to thrive in the apocalypse. Without such support, they would be like the Donghua City experts, forced to bow and scrape before powerful entities. If joining the Qin family in Dongdu required braving this danger, it would be worth it. As they ventured deeper into the forest, the sense of danger intensified with each step. Finally, they reached the heart of the forest, where a colossal ancient tree stood, its massive canopy blocking out the sky and casting a thousand shadows. No one knew how this tree appeared, but it was larger and older than any tree on Earth. At the tree¡¯s roots knelt a zombie. The Zombie King¡¯s back was split open, blood vessels extending from its flesh and connecting to the tree trunk. The scene was so bizarre it made everyone shiver. The Zombie King was absorbing the tree¡¯s nutrients?! Sensing the increasing terror in the Zombie King¡¯s aura, the Donghua City experts exchanged glances and charged at the Zombie King. The Zombie King was evolving, making it the perfect time to kill it. If they waited until it fully evolved, they might not stand a chance even if they joined forces. Chapter 58 Chapter 58: Abandoned Pawns The Zombie King was enormous, standing at a height of three to four meters. Its body was covered in pus-filled sores, its face swollen and grotesque. Perhaps in life, it had been an ordinary person, but now, it was a monstrous Zombie King! Sensing the presence of the living, the Zombie King slowly raised its head. Its eyes were murky, like cement. As it detected the approach of the Donghua City experts, it let out an ear-piercing roar, leaping up with astonishing speed. In an instant, it appeared before an Evolver, its sharp claws aimed at the Evolver¡¯s head. The next moment, the Evolver¡¯s head was crushed, turning him into a headless corpse. The pungent smell of blood filled the air, making everyone nauseous. The remaining Donghua City experts wore grim expressions, their eyes heavy with seriousness. This was the Zombie King. Ordinary zombies were nothing compared to it! But since the hunt had begun, they couldn¡¯t retreat¡ªQin family experts were watching them closely. The surviving Donghua City experts continued their assault on the Zombie King. One Evolver let out a long howl, his speed increasing dramatically, his body leaving afterimages in the void. His right arm transformed into a black tentacle, repeatedly attacking the Zombie King. The Zombie King roared continuously. Although its eyes were murky, they revealed a danger and ruthlessness entirely different from ordinary zombies. Unlike mindless zombies, this Zombie King had a rudimentary intelligence, at least in battle. The Zombie King opened its mouth, spitting a stream of green, viscous liquid at the attacking Evolver. Although the Evolver was fast, he didn¡¯t expect such a move from the Zombie King. He was unable to dodge in time and was hit directly by the green liquid. ¡°Ah¡ª!!!¡± A scream echoed as the Evolver¡¯s face was corroded by the green liquid, and within seconds, his head was completely dissolved. In just over ten seconds, two Evolvers had perished at the hands of the Zombie King! ¡°Be careful!¡± The remaining Donghua City experts were terrified. The Zombie King¡¯s strength far exceeded their expectations. They no longer dared to charge recklessly, opting to engage the Zombie King more cautiously. Elemental talent Evolvers began bombarding the Zombie King from a distance, while those with firearm talents started shooting continuously. Boom¡ª!!! Explosions echoed through the forest, mingled with the sounds of battle cries and screams. Evolvers continued to fall, unable to even put up a fight against the Zombie King. The Donghua City Evolvers were generally weak, relying solely on hunting ordinary zombies for training. Under Blood Bear¡¯s rule, most of their energy crystals had to be handed over, leaving them little for personal use. Moreover, unlike Qin Jun, they had no scientific team to plan their training. Their training was based on their own exploration, and the apocalypse had only lasted a little over a month. How much could they figure out on their own? One by one, the Donghua City experts fell, dying at the hands of the Zombie King, leaving the ground littered with corpses and blood. The Qin family experts watched from a distance, as if they were spectators at a bloody coliseum. Under the relentless attacks of the Donghua City experts, the Zombie King¡¯s body was covered in wounds, charred and slowed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you help!?¡± a Donghua City expert shouted. They were at their limit. In just ten minutes of fighting, most of them had been killed or wounded! This Zombie King was a nightmare for Evolvers! No one moved. The Qin family experts all looked at Qin Jun. With his high status, they wouldn¡¯t act without his command. Qin Jun watched the scene expressionlessly, ignoring the pleas for help from the Donghua City experts. He could feel that the Zombie King was still evolving. Only when it was fully evolved would it be a true Zombie King. If they killed it now, the energy crystal might not be as pure. Qin Jun focused on the blood vessel connecting the Zombie King to the ancient tree. The Zombie King was absorbing the tree¡¯s nutrients and was only a step away from complete evolution. If this continued, the Zombie King would soon fully evolve. The Donghua City experts, by fighting it, ensured that even if it fully evolved, it would be heavily wounded and weakened. As for how many Donghua City experts would survive, that was none of Qin Jun¡¯s concern. From the beginning, he never intended for them to live. They thought they were valuable Evolvers worth recruiting, but to Qin Jun, they were just ants¡ªno different from ordinary people and expendable. Seeing the Qin family experts remain unmoved, the Donghua City experts finally understood. They had been pawns in Qin Jun¡¯s plan from the start. No matter how hard they fought, they would never be able to join the Qin family. They were destined to die at the hands of the Zombie King! S?a??h the N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, the Donghua City experts felt immense sorrow and anger. They wanted to turn their guns on the Qin family. But, in the face of the Zombie King, they had no chance of escape. If they turned their backs on the Zombie King, death was certain. They could only continue fighting the Zombie King in despair. Chapter 59 Chapter 59: Whisper of the Ancient GodEven though they knew they were pawns and that Qin Jun was using them, the remaining experts of Donghua City had no choice but to continue fighting the Zombie King as Qin Jun intended. Turning their backs would mean being instantly killed by the Zombie King. Filled with despair and anger, they could only charge at the Zombie King again, vowing to take revenge someday. In the forest, the sounds of explosions and screams gradually faded. The number of Donghua City experts dwindled. Initially, there were over thirty, but now, less than seven remained. Nearly thirty Evolvers had died. This hunt for the Zombie King was a massacre. The Zombie King¡¯s body was covered in wounds, with several fist-sized holes in its abdomen. Despite its formidable strength, the combined assault of dozens of Evolvers had weakened it significantly. Its aura grew weaker, but it became increasingly terrifying. The Zombie King grew more violent and agitated, its speed and strength becoming even more alarming. The air around it crackled with sonic booms as it moved. ¡°Hiss¡ªroar!!!¡± The Zombie King screeched, lunging at the remaining Donghua City experts. It opened its massive maw, spewing a fog-like mist that enveloped the area for hundreds of meters. Each time the Zombie King emerged from the mist, another expert would fall. Screams echoed as the number of Donghua City experts dwindled, leaving only one. The last remaining expert was a young man about twenty years old, his face filled with terror. The Zombie King¡¯s horror had almost driven him to mental collapse. At that moment, Qin Jun made his move. The space above the Zombie King suddenly collapsed, an invisible force crushing its head into its chest. The Zombie King roared, pulling its head back out and turning to face Qin Jun, ignoring the nearby Donghua City expert. Though it lacked full intelligence, its instincts warned it of Qin Jun¡¯s danger. Qin Jun, with an intrigued expression, studied the Zombie King. He could sense that it had completed its evolution, fulfilling his plan. However, he noticed something even more interesting. He observed the fleshy conduit connecting the Zombie King to the ancient tree. At first glance, it seemed the Zombie King was absorbing nutrients from the tree, but Qin Jun realized that the ancient tree was absorbing the flesh of the fallen experts and transferring it to the Zombie King. Was the Zombie King absorbing nutrients from the ancient tree to evolve, or was the ancient tree creating the Zombie King? Qin Jun¡¯s eyes narrowed as he pondered this. The Zombie King growled softly, sensing extreme unease but not daring to attack Qin Jun. Suddenly, a golden rune portal appeared behind Qin Jun, with countless golden runes rotating around it. He extended his hand, and a spectral hand formed above the Zombie King, smashing down on its head. The Zombie King, its face contorted with rage, grew long, razor-sharp claws and slashed at the spectral hand, its black claws tearing through the air. Crack¡ª!!! The Zombie King howled in pain as its claws broke. The more it hurt, the more ferocious it became, launching frenzied attacks on Qin Jun. Poisonous liquid and shadowy mist spewed forth, but all in vain. Before Qin Jun, the Zombie King, which had seemed like a god of death to the Donghua City experts, was as fragile as a child, posing no threat. The Qin family experts were shocked, fully realizing the vast difference between themselves and Qin Jun. They had felt this when Qin Jun crushed Blood Bear, but now it was even more apparent. The last surviving Donghua City expert, Zhu Chong, stood dumbfounded. His heart was filled with anger and resentment. S?a?ch* Th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. If you were this strong, why did you let us die? Couldn¡¯t you have killed the Zombie King yourself? Zhu Chong¡¯s heart seethed with hatred, especially since his cousin had died in the battle. In moments, Qin Jun had the Zombie King at death¡¯s door, utterly overpowered. Qin Jun calmly walked forward and stomped on the Zombie King¡¯s head, crushing it. A Qin family expert stepped up and cut open the Zombie King, extracting a crystal-clear energy core brimming with immense power. Qin Jun smiled. The Zombie King¡¯s core was finally in his possession. With it, he could become a level 3 Evolver. But instead of excitement, Qin Jun felt a deeper intrigue. He turned to the colossal, ancient tree before him. The tree stood majestically, weathered by time, but Qin Jun heard a whisper. ¡¾Child, come to me. You will be my most devout follower. And I will grant you limitless power. Come, child, come¡­¡¿ Chapter 60 Chapter 60: How Should I Deal with You, God?The whisper of the ancient god echoed clearly in Qin Jun¡¯s mind as he gazed at the towering ancient tree before him, his eyes deep and contemplative. The tree seemed to come alive, its trunk covered in intricate patterns that recorded the passage of time, exuding an aura of ancientness and desolation. ¡¾Good child, come closer.¡¿ The ethereal voice seemed to come from beyond the heavens, carrying an enchanting power that made one want to submit, to kneel, and offer their faith. Qin Jun¡¯s eyes turned deep and chaotic, as if bewitched by the voice. He stepped forward, approaching the roots of the ancient tree. Standing there, Qin Jun felt a profound and mystical sensation, as if the tree before him was not a mere tree, but a high and mighty deity, a sublime and dormant higher being. The next moment, a green light burst forth from the tree trunk, enveloping the entire forest. S?a??h the N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Qin Jun felt the void shift, and he found himself in a different time and space. He stood in an open field, with temples floating in the distant sky, glowing with green divine light. Above, the sky was overcast, oppressive as if the heavens were about to collapse, making it hard to breathe. Before Qin Jun, the ancient tree slowly transformed, its massive branches forming a staircase leading to the canopy. Without hesitation, Qin Jun began ascending the steps. With each step, flowers bloomed around him, creating a pathway of blossoms leading to a heavenly paradise. After an indeterminate amount of time, Qin Jun finally reached the top of the tree. A giant eye slowly opened before him, gazing at Qin Jun. ¡¾Good child, you have finally arrived¡­¡¿ The ancient tree trembled, and a humanoid figure emerged from behind the eye. It appeared to be a collection of plants, its body made of dead wood, its hands of flowers, and its legs and feet of vines, but it had an exquisitely beautiful face. The face was indistinguishable in terms of gender and age. A flower bloomed in its left eye socket, while its right eye, green and glowing, stared at Qin Jun. The gaze was gentle and doting, as if looking at the most perfect creation, the most cherished offspring. ¡°Who are you?¡± Qin Jun narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the majestic being before him. ¡°I am Elo, the Seed of Omnipotence. Also known as a god in your terms.¡± Elo smiled, patiently answering Qin Jun¡¯s question. ¡°A god?¡± Qin Jun¡¯s face showed no reverence or awe, only a frown. However, he was not surprised. This world was no longer the scientific world of the past. After the apocalypse, humans awakened abilities akin to divine powers. The black obelisks that emerged, inscribed with countless advanced technologies and incomprehensible texts, defied scientific explanation. This was an apocalyptic world, but also a supernatural one. Elo¡¯s smile remained, and he looked at Qin Jun with gentle eyes. ¡°Indeed, the will of the gods has enveloped this planet, and I am one of them.¡± ¡°Do not doubt the existence of gods, nor question their power. We are beings beyond human imagination, greater than the laws of the universe.¡± He looked at Qin Jun with tenderness. ¡°Good child, your talent is extraordinary. You were born to be my most devout follower. It is destined that I share my glory with you.¡± Qin Jun¡¯s eyes glinted, and he suddenly smiled. ¡°And what is my reward?¡± Elo¡¯s smile grew brighter as he eagerly extended a vine. ¡°Good child, come and accept my gift. I will grant you endless power.¡± Qin Jun stared at the vine, his eyes narrowing. He suddenly asked, ¡°Your will cannot yet affect this world, can it?¡± Elo¡¯s smile did not waver. ¡°I am still in slumber. I need your help, my most devout follower.¡± ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± Elo¡¯s single eye glowed. ¡°This world has 24 black obelisks, creations of the Supreme God. Good child, I need you to collect the Divine Codex inscribed on these obelisks for me.¡± Divine Codex? Qin Jun¡¯s expression changed slightly as he recalled the black obelisk in Dongdu, covered in mysterious texts. Even the most experienced linguists couldn¡¯t decipher them, finding no patterns or meanings, as if they were merely random symbols. However, those symbols held maddening power. Many researchers had gone insane trying to study them, leading to the texts being sealed away. It seemed those texts were the Divine Codex, and mortals would not be able to fathom their truth. Ordinary humans would go mad glimpsing a fragment of universal truth. Elo smiled. ¡°Once all the divine codex are gathered, I will become the new Supreme God, and you, as my most loyal and intimate servant, will rule this world for me, becoming its master.¡± Elo explained many things, still smiling. ¡°Do you have any other questions?¡± ¡°Just one last question.¡± Qin Jun¡¯s face gradually broke into a proud smile as he looked down at Eilo, his eyes filled with mockery and coldness. ¡°How should I deal with you, so-called god?¡± Chapter 61 Chapter 61: A Weak GodElo¡¯s smile gradually faded, replaced by an expression of anger at being offended by a mortal. His remaining eye glared at Qin Jun, and he screamed, ¡°Mortal, do you know who you are speaking to? I am a god! The Seed of Omnipotence! Apologize to me immediately, or I will punish you severely, tormenting your soul until you wail in agony!¡± Qin Jun smiled slightly, calmly gazing at the furious deity before him, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­ you don¡¯t have much power left, do you?¡± Qin Jun¡¯s eyes sharpened, and in the next moment, Elo¡¯s head was crushed by an unseen force, his face splitting open, blood and flesh splattering. ¡°How dare you strike a god!?¡± Eilo roared in anger, his visage twisted with hatred and ugliness. Vines burst from his body, furiously lashing towards Qin Jun. ¡°Mortal, you will pay for this!!¡± But the vines hit an invisible barrier around Qin Jun, unable to get any closer. Qin Jun¡¯s S-class innate ability, Psychic Control, allowed him to control the most fundamental and real spiritual energy. Within a hundred-meter radius of Qin Jun, it was his domain! Behind Qin Jun, a golden rune portal appeared, with countless golden runes rotating. These golden runes transformed into sharp golden spiritual swords, forming a sword array, and pressed down on Eilo. Elo¡¯s vines were severed, causing the god immense pain. This deity was firmly suppressed by Qin Jun! Qin Jun sneered, ¡°You may indeed be a god, but your power is too weak now. If you were truly omnipotent, you would have already conquered this world and collected those twenty-four black obelisks.¡± Sea??h the n??el Fire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Why would you hide in this Donghua City? Creating a corpse king to be your puppet?¡± Elo was both shocked and enraged. He had never imagined that a mortal would dare to challenge him. As a deity, he naturally believed that once he revealed his identity, mortals would fearfully become his followers, offering their souls in exchange for power. How would a mortal dare show disrespect to a god!? Qin Jun¡¯s eyes never showed reverence for Eilo. In this apocalyptic world, he was destined to be the ruler. No one could stand above him, not even these so-called gods! Although Elo might have once wielded unimaginable power, he was now extremely weakened. To Qin Jun, Eilo¡¯s current strength was equivalent to a level 3 evolver, slightly stronger than the corpse king, but still limited. Such power was not worthy of his faith and allegiance! Under Qin Jun¡¯s full assault, Elo was firmly suppressed, his body repeatedly slashed apart. Although he could regenerate, each regeneration exhausted his already dwindling divine power. ¡°Stop, mortal, I forgive you!¡± Elo began to panic. He had just awakened and had little strength left. If this continued, he might become the first deity to die at the hands of a mortal! But Qin Jun merely sneered and continued his assault. At full power, he was like a god of judgment. Psychic Control twisted the space around Eilo, constantly collapsing towards the center. Elo grew increasingly terrified, ¡°Mortal, stop! Stop now! I will share my glory with you. I will grant you power freely, without any conditions!¡± ¡°I can make a pact with you, a soul pact. I will be your partner and bless your people!¡± ¡°Stop, I surrender. I am willing to submit to you and offer my soul!¡± Elo¡¯s aura weakened further, and his terms grew more desperate. In the end, he was willing to become Qin Jun¡¯s slave. Finally, as Elo lay on the verge of death, Qin Jun stopped his attack. He approached Eilo, looking down on the god. ¡°Tell me, Omnipotent One, are all gods as weak as you?¡± Elo¡¯s body was covered in wounds, oozing green divine blood that caused flowers to sprout around him, forming a floral coffin. This time, Elo had lost all his previous arrogance, his face filled with fear as he bowed his head. ¡°We consumed too much power to descend into this world. Gods like me, who woke early, are not strong, only capable of influencing minds.¡± ¡°The powerful gods are still in deep slumber and won¡¯t awaken for a while.¡± Qin Jun nodded, a mocking smile spreading across his face. ¡°So gods are just stronger supernatural beings.¡± Elo seemed humiliated and screamed, ¡°Of course not! We have glimpsed the truth of the universe, standing above its laws!¡± ¡°Standing above the laws of the universe?¡± Qin Jun¡¯s face showed a strange smile. ¡°Then I want to see if gods above the laws of the universe can die.¡± With that, he stepped on Elo, crushing the god¡¯s head. Elo¡¯s body dissolved into countless green lights, disappearing into the void, leaving behind a green seed. Qin Jun picked up the seed, and memories surged into his mind. The Seed of Omnipotence¡­ Elo had perished, his will returning to the cosmic origin, leaving only the Seed of Omnipotence. Planting this seed would grow an Omnipotent World Tree, possessing infinite power. Through the World Tree, one could create evolvers, like the corpse king. Chapter 62 Chapter 62: The ValkyrieAfter Elo¡¯s fall, the surrounding environment began to collapse. Soon, Qin Jun returned to the real world. The place he had just been in was merely a mental illusion created by Elo. Qin Jun gazed at the Seed of Omnipotence in his hand, a smile forming on his face. With this seed, he could bring it back to the capital and plant it. Once the World Tree grew, the Qin family would be able to mass-produce powerful evolvers! In the apocalyptic era, where evolvers were extremely rare, this was an invaluable advantage. Heh, hunting a deity yields far richer rewards than hunting a corpse king. Qin Jun¡¯s smile revealed no pressure or fear after deicide. While the existence of deities in this world was surprising, Elo had also informed Qin Jun of their limitations. Sea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The deities that awakened early were weak, and the powerful ones were still in deep slumber. Heh, by the time those powerful deities awaken, Qin Jun believed he would have enough power to rival them¡­ In other words, he didn¡¯t need to worry too much about those deities right now. However, the ¡°Divine Codex¡± mentioned by Elo intrigued Qin Jun greatly. The black obelisks¡­ The existence of black obelisks was indeed extraordinary. The black obelisk in the capital had already elevated the Qin family¡¯s power to new heights. Controlling the black obelisk meant mastering the most advanced technology, cultivation methods, and various world rules of the apocalypse. But it seemed that the true treasure of the black obelisks lay in those incomprehensible symbols¡­ At this moment, the Qin family¡¯s experts also began to reappear. When Eilo pulled Qin Jun into the world of will, they too were affected by Eilo¡¯s will, experiencing illusions. It wasn¡¯t until now that they regained their clarity. Qin Jun looked at the Qin family¡¯s experts, nodding in satisfaction. This trip to Donghua City resulted in zero casualties for the Qin family. However, the experts of Donghua City suffered heavy losses, nearly being wiped out, with only one survivor¡­ Qin Jun turned his gaze to the last survivor, smiling, ¡°Do you hate me?¡± Zhu Chong had been bowing his head, but hearing Qin Jun¡¯s words, he could no longer contain his anger. ¡°Why?! You clearly had the power to single-handedly defeat that corpse king, so why didn¡¯t you act and instead sent us to our deaths?!¡± Zhu Chong glared at Qin Jun with resentment. At this moment, he no longer cared about fearing Qin Jun¡¯s background and strength. He was ready to lay it all on the line! ¡°Why?¡± Qin Jun chuckled, replying calmly, ¡°Because it saves effort. After all, fighting is a very exhausting task, isn¡¯t it?¡± With that, Qin Jun no longer paid any attention to Zhu Chong, a pitiful man, and walked outside. He knew how his subordinates would handle it. Zhu Chong stood there, stunned, filled with disbelief. He had expected Qin Jun to explain some sinister plot, to intentionally use them and send them to their deaths. But he hadn¡¯t expected such a simple reason! To save effort¡­? Just for such a simple reason, they were sent to their deaths?! Zhu Chong¡¯s body trembled violently as he stared at Qin Jun¡¯s back, unable even to muster hatred¡­ If Qin Jun had revealed some elaborate scheme, Zhu Chong might have felt better. But now, all he felt was fear! What a demon¡­ In Qin Jun¡¯s eyes, they weren¡¯t even considered human¡­ ¡­¡­ Boom¡ª¡ª!!! Violent explosions echoed continuously as a giant python hissed. This python was enormous, several hundred meters long, with colorful scales. Its massive head was the size of a truck, and its venomous fangs gleamed menacingly in the sunlight. The python coiled in the mountains, its movements causing landslides, resembling the apocalypse. But despite its terrifying presence, the python howled in pain. A young girl wielding a golden spear moved gracefully, like a dragon in flight, continuously attacking the serpent. Each strike unleashed immense power on the serpent¡¯s body. Her movements were agile, evading the serpent¡¯s attempts to devour her with ease. Finally, the girl appeared atop the serpent¡¯s head, both hands gripping the golden spear, and drove it fiercely into the serpent¡¯s skull. The serpent howled one last time before collapsing heavily to the ground. ¡°Valkyrie!¡± ¡°Valkyrie!¡± ¡°Valkyrie!¡± Cheerful cries erupted around, with countless admiring gazes fixed on the girl. To them, she was their guardian deity! On the serpent¡¯s head, the girl emitted a faint golden glow, holding her spear, looking like a Valkyrie from Norse mythology. After killing the serpent, others rushed forward to handle the serpent¡¯s corpse. A middle-aged man smiled, saying, ¡°Thanks to Miss, otherwise our Dawn Hope would have suffered heavy losses this time. Who would¡¯ve thought a serpent would attack our base¡­¡± The girl smiled slightly, her beautiful and heroic face captivating everyone. Her name was Lie Yanshi, with an S-class talent, ¡°Heroic Spirit Descends,¡± and a level 2 evolver! She was also the strongest evolver in the Dawn Hope organization, known as the Valkyrie. Under her leadership, Dawn Hope had reclaimed a city as their base a week ago, establishing a free city! In that battle, Lie Yanshi had single-handedly slain two corpse kings, with countless zombies falling to her spear. Now, with a city as their foundation, Dawn Hope had firmly established itself in the apocalypse. Numerous survivors and evolvers from surrounding shelters flocked to join them. Dawn Hope now boasted nearly a million people and over two hundred evolvers, becoming a formidable force. Lie Yanshi asked, ¡°Where is Grandpa?¡± Lie Yanshi¡¯s grandfather, the leader of Dawn Hope, was a wise elder, regarded as a sage by everyone in Dawn Hope. ¡°The chairman is in a meeting, planning to invite representatives from the Qin family in the capital, the Northern Army, the Koso Group, and other forces to discuss establishing order in the southeastern region¡­¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63: Various Forces Lie Yanshi nodded upon hearing this. At that moment, a young man with a handsome appearance walked over, smiling. ¡°Senior Sister.¡± Seeing this young man, the crowd greeted him warmly, clearly very close to him. Lie Yanshi also smiled slightly, ¡°Shaozhou.¡± The young man, named Huang Shaozhou, was Lie Yanshi¡¯s university junior before the apocalypse, being a year younger than her. After the apocalypse, Huang Shaozhou also awakened a talent, and it was an A-level talent called Sword Domain Amplification, making him quite powerful. In the Dawn Hope organization, he was considered a top expert, known for his incredible speed, earning him the nickname ¡°Yellow Flash.¡± Together with Lie Yanshi, they were known as the Twin Stars of Dawn Hope. One of the evolvers said with a smile, ¡°Shaozhou just hunted a pack of zombie dogs, so our Dawn City won¡¯t be facing any danger for now.¡± Sea??h the novelF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Embarrassed by the praise, Huang Shaozhou blushed and lowered his head. Contrary to his sharp and aggressive sword domain talent, Huang Shaozhou himself was a very introverted and shy person, quite different from Lie Yanshi¡¯s bold personality. Seeing Huang Shaozhou¡¯s embarrassed look, Lie Yanshi couldn¡¯t help but laugh. In her heart, she had long regarded Huang Shaozhou as her younger brother. After all, Huang Shaozhou had the personality of a little brother¡­ He didn¡¯t have the arrogance of other evolvers and treated ordinary people very well. Because of this, Huang Shaozhou was extremely popular within Dawn Hope, almost as much as the Valkyrie herself. ¡­ After the apocalypse, following a period of chaos, the situation in the southeastern region gradually became clear. In the former Qingjiang Province, the Dawn Hope organization was undoubtedly the dominant force. Due to their relatively gentle attitude towards ordinary people, a considerable number of survivors came from all directions to join Dawn Hope every day. They became citizens under the protection of Dawn Hope and now, Dawn Hope had also reclaimed the former second-tier city of Qingshan. After reclaiming Qingshan, it was renamed Dawn City, serving as the base for Dawn Hope. Although Dawn City was just a second-tier city, far smaller than the provincial capital, it had some industrial foundation and a considerable amount of arable land. However, after the cataclysm, many buildings in Dawn City¡¯s urban area were severely damaged. To build this free city, Dawn Hope still had a long way to go. At the very least, there were constant attacks from monsters and zombie hordes on Dawn City. But under Lie Yanshi¡¯s leadership, Dawn Hope repelled these monster attacks, with the giant snake being one of them. No matter what, having a city as their base meant a bright future for Dawn Hope. Recently, Dawn Hope had been constructing city walls, which were now taking shape. Once the walls were completed, Dawn City would truly become a free city in the apocalypse. Apart from Dawn Hope, there were also the Northern Army, the Koso Group, the Apocalypse Sect, and the Qin family from the capital. The Northern Army originated from the former Northern Second Group Army. When the apocalypse struck, most of the country¡¯s military forces suffered heavy losses, nearly wiped out by zombies. The few surviving troops became warlords, scattered across the country. The Northern Second Group Army retained the most power among the surviving troops, becoming the largest apocalyptic warlord. Now, the leader of the Northern Second Group Army was named Jiang Nanchen. He was originally just a lieutenant colonel. After the apocalypse, he awakened an S-level talent, Magnetic Cutting, becoming a formidable force. He then used his extraordinary talent and loyal troops to launch a coup, killing the former commander-in-chief of the Northern Second Group Army, General Bao Guozhong, and establishing himself as the ruler. He transformed the Northern Second Group Army into the current Northern Army, proclaiming himself the Governor of the Northern Army. Under his control, the Northern Army had become a militaristic organization, possessing a large number of weapons and ammunition, as well as tens of thousands of well-trained soldiers. Additionally, the Northern Army had over a hundred evolved individuals within its ranks. In the southeastern region, the Northern Army was undoubtedly a dominant force. The Koso Group was a powerful corporation even before the apocalypse, with its chairman, Xi Guangming, awakening the S-level talent, Absolute Domain. During the apocalypse, Xi Guangming established a large shelter and rebuilt the Koso Group, maintaining a corporate structure. He recruited many evolvers and formed a board of directors. This cold and profit-driven corporate structure was particularly suited for the apocalypse. Now, the Koso Group had grown into a significant force, not to be underestimated. The Apocalypse Sect was a unique religious organization. Many sects emerged during the apocalypse, with desperate people hoping for divine intervention. The Apocalypse Sect was one of the most powerful among these sects. They preached that the Apocalypse God had descended upon Earth to save humanity from calamity, end the apocalypse, and lead believers to paradise. This doctrine attracted countless followers, including many evolvers who converted to the sect, becoming followers of the Apocalypse God. As for the Qin family from the capital, there was no need to elaborate. They were a top aristocratic family in the old era and a chosen family in the apocalyptic era, occupying the super city of the capital with millions of citizens and nearly a thousand evolved individuals. In the southeastern region, across the country, and even globally, the Qin family from the capital was a preeminent force. Apart from these major forces, there were various other smaller factions in the southeastern region. However, the southeastern region¡¯s order was chaotic. Not only were the major forces wary and suspicious of each other, but the smaller factions were also constantly annexing and fighting each other. Even in the apocalypse, humanity couldn¡¯t unite, continuing their internal strife. Therefore, Dawn Hope¡¯s leader, Lie Sheng, contacted various forces, hoping to hold a conference in Dawn City to discuss establishing order in the southeastern region¡­ Chapter 64 Chapter 64: Return to the Eastern CapitalDawn City, Council Building. This building was the brain of the Dawn Hope organization and the most powerful place in Dawn City. In a grand office, an old man was handling various documents. The old man had white hair but showed no signs of aging, especially his deep eyes, which were full of wisdom. This old man was Lie Sheng, the president of Dawn Hope and the grandfather of Valkyrie Lie Yanshi. Although Valkyrie Lie Yanshi had a high reputation in Dawn Hope, everyone knew that Lie Sheng was the soul and stabilizing force of Dawn Hope. Under Lie Sheng¡¯s leadership, Dawn Hope steadily developed and grew, eventually reaching its current position as the dominant force in Qingjiang Province. It could be said that it was all due to this elderly man¡¯s wisdom. ¡°Any responses from the other forces?¡± The old man asked the middle-aged man in front of him. The middle-aged man, Rong Feng, was Lie Sheng¡¯s secretary and confidant, and almost the second-in-command of Dawn Hope. Hearing Lie Sheng¡¯s question, Rong Feng immediately replied, ¡°The Northern Army, Koso Group Company, and the Apocalypse Sect have all agreed to attend the conference to establish order in the southeastern region.¡± Sea??h the N??elFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°However¡­ The Qin family¡¯s response seems rather lukewarm¡­ they don¡¯t seem very interested.¡± Upon hearing this, Lie Sheng frowned and immediately instructed, ¡°Continue to invite people from the Qin family.¡± The old man knew very well that in the southeastern region, the influence of the Qin family in the capital was immense. It could be said that if the Qin family did not attend, any order established by the other major forces at the conference would be nothing more than empty words. It would be useless! Rong Feng nodded and turned to leave, going to carry out Lie Sheng¡¯s orders. The office returned to silence, leaving only Lie Sheng alone. Lie Sheng¡¯s eyes were deep, filled with worries. He was concerned about the future fate of humanity. Recently, the situation had been chaotic, with numerous wars breaking out between shelters, resulting in countless casualties. Some wars were over resources like food, while others were simply due to the desire for power! In such a situation, Lie Sheng hoped to unite the major forces in the southeastern region to establish order. Even if this order was only superficial, it would still be much better than the current chaos! At least the endless conflicts would be reduced significantly. In the apocalyptic era, danger lurked everywhere, zombies were evolving, and various monsters appeared. If humanity¡¯s strength was consumed in internal strife, it would be extremely unwise¡­ ¡­ Qin Jun left Donghua City, heading back to the Eastern Capital. This trip to Donghua City had been incredibly rewarding for Qin Jun. Not only had he obtained the corpse king¡¯s crystal core, but he had also killed a Child of Destiny, gaining a considerable amount of villain points, which could be exchanged for many good things. But most importantly, he had obtained the spoils of killing a god¡ªthe Omnipotent Seed! In the car, Qin Jun played with the seed in his hand. He had crushed Elo¡¯s head with a single stomp. A god had died so ignobly. Elo¡¯s death was entirely because he hadn¡¯t expected a mortal to dare attack a god. Otherwise, if Elo had hidden in his illusion world, Qin Jun would have had no way to deal with him¡­ This Omnipotent Seed could continuously create powerful beings for the Qin family. As time goes on, the gap between other forces and the Qin family would only grow larger! And Qin Jun was also considering¡­ the matter of hunting gods. After all, he had tasted the benefits of killing a god. From Elo, he learned that there were other gods in this world. Most of these gods were still asleep and those that were awake should be about as powerful as Elo, not very strong. Who knew what spoils other gods might bring him? And then there were the black obelisks. There were only 24 obelisks in the world, and as far as he knew, there was one in the Eastern Capital, one in Jiangjing, and one in the Imperial Capital. He didn¡¯t know the locations of the others. But these matters weren¡¯t urgent. After all, the black obelisks wouldn¡¯t move, and he could deal with them later¡­ ¡­ A few days later, Qin Jun and his party finally returned to the Eastern Capital. On the way, Qin Jun¡¯s convoy passed numerous shelter camps. Most of these camps were very rudimentary, and the survivors looked numb, as if they were soulless husks. However, upon returning to the Eastern Capital, Qin Jun found that the situation for the citizens there was much better than those in the camps outside. During the early days of Qin family¡¯s rule over the Eastern Capital, life for the citizens was very harsh. Whether it was building high walls or working in factories, many people died from exhaustion every day, living lives worse than pigs and dogs. But as the production capacity of the factories in the Eastern Capital¡¯s industrial zone gradually increased and the Eastern Capital¡¯s army plundered resources from outside, the resource reserves in the Eastern Capital became very abundant. There wouldn¡¯t be any resource shortages in the city for a long time. So the Qin family also relaxed the factory work standards and the exchange of other materials. Although the citizens of the Eastern Capital still had to work for more than ten hours a day, it was much better compared to before. At least the death rate from overwork had plummeted and this slight mercy from the Qin family made the common people grateful. But to be fair, the lives of the common people in the Eastern Capital were much better than those in the shelter camps outside. At least in the Eastern Capital, there were no sudden conflicts, no zombies or monsters appearing at any time. Such a ¡®stable¡¯ life was extremely rare in the apocalypse¡­ After returning to the Eastern Capital, Qin Jun did not immediately go to the Qin mansion but headed towards the black obelisk. He wanted to know what the divine codex was. On the streets of the Eastern Capital, there were more pedestrians than before. The common people had gotten used to their new lives in the Eastern Capital, accustomed to their daily routine of the factory and home. When they saw Qin Jun, their faces immediately showed expressions of awe, and they moved to the sides of the road. They all knew Qin Jun¡¯s identity: the eldest son of the Qin family, the future master of the Eastern Capital! He was also their master. Such a big figure, they didn¡¯t dare provoke him¡­ At that moment, a few children playing by the roadside suddenly ran onto the road, heading straight towards Qin Jun! ¡°What¡¯s your name and how old are you?¡± The children, who were initially frightened, saw the smile on Qin Jun¡¯s face, and all their worries and fears disappeared. The children eagerly responded with smiles. ¡°My name is Wang Hexiang, and I am seven years old!¡± ¡°My name is Yu Tongtong, and I am seven and a half years old!¡± ¡°My name is Yuan Bin, and I am eight years old!¡± The children chattered away, talking non-stop. After all, children are naturally innocent and do not fully understand the concept of authority and status. To them, Qin Jun was just a very friendly big brother. Qin Jun smiled and chatted with the children, teasing them for a while. Then the children¡¯s parents, filled with fear, hurriedly led them back into the crowd. The surrounding crowd seemed taken aback by Qin Jun¡¯s approachable demeanor. Wang Zhi looked at Qin Jun¡¯s back, feeling a complex mix of emotions. She could hardly believe it. Not only did Qin Jun forgive the children for their rudeness, but he also smiled and chatted with them. She could see that Qin Jun¡¯s smile towards the children was genuine, and he interacted with them warmly. However, just a few days ago, he could mercilessly take away the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people, causing countless families to be torn apart and lives to be ruined with a single order. For a moment, Wang Zhi was confused and did not know which Qin Jun was the real one¡­ ¡ª After this brief incident, Qin Jun did not dwell on it and soon left the city center, heading towards the northern part of Dongdu. Here stood a black obelisk. At the foot of the black obelisk, several advanced research facilities had been set up, dedicated to studying the profound knowledge and laws inscribed on the obelisk. Anyone who came to the foot of this black obelisk would feel a sense of awe and grandeur. This black obelisk was undoubtedly a gift from the heavens to humanity, with no scientific explanation for its origin. Ironically, much of humanity¡¯s current science was learned from the black obelisks¡­ The research facility¡¯s senior staff, hearing of Qin Jun¡¯s arrival, hurriedly came out to greet him, accompanying him and explaining their research findings in hopes of gaining his favor and skyrocketing their careers. ¡°Have those unreadable texts been deciphered yet?¡± Qin Jun asked. The senior staff members looked uneasy and quickly responded, ¡°We have organized many symposiums with linguists, but there have been no breakthroughs.¡± ¡°Some even believe that those texts are not from our world or that they are not human language¡­¡± Qin Jun nodded. It seemed that Elo was right; those texts were the language of the gods, the so-called Divine Codex¡­ Qin Jun slowly walked to the foot of the black obelisk, raising his head to closely examine this majestic structure. The surface of the black obelisk was covered with countless engravings, recording vast amounts of knowledge and laws. On the other side of the obelisk were the mysterious texts. These texts seemed to be randomly arranged, yet just one glance at them would evoke a profound sense of awe. At this moment, the All-Powerful Seed in Qin Jun¡¯s hand began to float, and the Divine Oracles on the obelisk¡¯s back emitted a golden divine light, purifying the seed. After a while, the divine light faded, and the Omnipotence Seed returned to Qin Jun¡¯s hand. Qin Jun looked at the seed, his expression shifting slightly. After being purified by the divine light, all traces of Elo¡¯s presence in the Omnipotence Seed had completely disappeared¡­ A smile slowly spread across Qin Jun¡¯s face. He had been concerned that the Omnipotent Seed might still carry traces of Elo¡¯s will, potentially causing issues with the warriors it created in the future. But now, there was no need to worry. After being purified by the Divine Codex light, the Omnipotent Seed had become a pure source of primordial energy. In other words, Elo, the god, had been entirely erased from this world, leaving no trace¡­