"There were always people who didn't like him, but no one could ever kill him!"Old Zheng's confession caused the two men beside him to exchange uneasy glances.They hadn't expected Old Zheng to be so bold, betraying their boss so openly. He didn't seem worried about the consequences or the retribution that would surely come.
"Really?"Nova frowned, his disbelief clear as he looked at Old Zheng. He couldn't believe that someone had such a terrifying ability.
Coming back to life?That had to be an SSS-level talent!In an apocalypse, an ability like that would be nearly unstoppable. No matter what dangers came their way, that person would never have to fear death again.
"Really!"Old Zheng gritted his teeth and nodded, his face twisted with grim determination. "I don't want to live anymore. I'm tired of this humiliation. If you can kill him, that'd be the best. If not, just put me out of my misery!"
It didn't sound like he was lying.
Nova fell silent for a moment before issuing a cold order."Take Old Zheng to identify the body. Find the body of the man named Li. If you can't find it, find someone who knows where it is."
"Yes, Boss."The assault team nodded and started to escort Old Zheng out.
Meanwhile, the medic and rifleman swapped positions, with the rifleman now watching over the remaining prisoners to ensure Nova's safety.Nova intended to keep these two prisoners alive for now—he still had more questions to ask.
"Tell me everything. What did you and Li do?"Nova glanced at the two prisoners, his voice cold and sharp. "Tell me everything. Don't even think about lying. Old Zheng doesn't want to live anymore, so I'll cross-check your story with his.""If I find out you're lying, you'll end up just like him."
His words were a clear warning, offering a sliver of hope to the prisoners—survive by telling the truth, or face the same fate as Old Zheng.
The two prisoners exchanged nervous glances. After a brief pause, one of them gritted his teeth and spoke up."Boss, what exactly do you want to know?"
"Everything—what have you been doing since the apocalypse began?"Nova's gaze never wavered as he looked between the two men. "Especially that Li—what exactly is his deal?"
"Boss, we… if we tell you, please don't kill us!"The other man spoke, his voice shaking. He swallowed nervously before continuing."That day, after we were sent back, the sky turned red.""We lived together, on the third floor. There was no food, and we were starving.""Then, that Li came to us. He said he could take us out to find food and water.""We followed him, going out every night to scavenge. During the day, we stayed on the third floor, sleeping and... well, with the women."
The man hesitated, and Nova's expression darkened."Later… Li gathered a lot of people and started taking over the first floor."The man's voice trailed off, and his head sank lower as if ashamed of the horrors they had been a part of.
"Li started by threatening everyone. Then one day, he killed someone with a knife.""He said anyone who resisted would die, and the elderly were the first to suffer.""He made the men go hunting in shifts, and after the hunt, they'd come back and... sleep with the women. Many thought, since it was the apocalypse, they might as well go along with it..."
Nova interrupted, his tone growing colder."How did Li survive being killed? What's this about his immortality?"
"I don't know," the man stammered, fear creeping into his voice."I saw it with my own eyes. His head was chopped off.""There was a girl on the roof. When the apocalypse started, her boyfriend was there too. I heard he was good at kickboxing or something.""That guy chopped off Li's head, and then—then Li's head grew back in no time and killed that guy!""Li played with his woman until she died. After that, no one dared oppose him."
Nova raised an eyebrow, his voice as cold as ice."You didn't dare, and you didn't want to, did you?"
The man trembled, silence falling over him. He couldn't bring himself to answer.
Li was truly a force to be reckoned with. He used both fear and rewards to keep his men in check.In such a chaotic world, most men had been willing to follow him.
Without any accidents, Li's shelter would undoubtedly grow stronger.
"Since Li's talent is immortality, what about yours?"Nova's voice was calm, almost indifferent.
The man blinked, confused."Talent? What talent?"
"Mm?"Nova raised an eyebrow, examining him carefully. The man didn't appear to be lying, but something felt off.
Could his talent be something he had to keep hidden?
Nova couldn't read him, but the man began to shift uncomfortably under the weight of Nova's gaze. Finally, he blurted out an explanation."Boss, you don't think we're immortal like Li, do you?""We're just ordinary people! One knife, and we're dead. Don't even joke about it.""We just want to survive. We were forced into all of this.""If you're going to kill us, just let the police handle it. They're the ones who should judge and execute us!"
Nova cut him off, his voice flat and unfeeling."Have you never gone back to your own place? Have you always been with Li?"
The man froze for a moment before nodding."Li doesn't let us scatter. He's afraid we'll betray him. He wants everyone under his control, even when we sleep. He insists we stay where he can see us."
"That makes sense..."Nova muttered to himself, piecing together the situation.Li had to have known about these talents. He didn't want anyone with potential to get away from him, so he kept everyone close, keeping them under constant surveillance.
At the start of the apocalypse, many people hadn't unlocked their talents yet, and Li took advantage of that, pulling them in.Those without talents were just ordinary humans.
Nova silently called up the shelter's data panel, but no response came.
"So, it seems only Li has a talent, and the other three survivors haven't activated theirs yet," Nova thought to himself. But the real problem was Li's immortality.
Just then, the worst news arrived.
The assault team and Old Zheng had returned. They had searched the building thoroughly, but there was no sign of Li's body.That meant one thing: Li had come back to life.
A living, resurrected enemy—a huge threat.
Nova's team only had five fighters left, and their stamina was running low. In less than an hour, they'd be completely spent.Once that happened, and with Lin Yue's fate still unknown, the fighting strength of Nova's shelter would drop to nothing.
The realization hit Nova hard, and a new wave of anxiety swept over him.
"Keep the prisoners under guard, and send the communications soldier back. The sniper continues searching for Li's whereabouts."Nova's orders came quickly, his voice steady despite the mounting pressure."Move all supplies downstairs! Take everything that's edible or usable—leave nothing behind!""Then notify Li Ya to reinforce the shelter. She'll have to use everything we've got, but we only have one hour!"
With those orders, everyone except the sniper sprang into action.The prisoners, now under guard, were forced to carry supplies, hauling everything Li and his men had scavenged to the downstairs.
Seven strong men worked tirelessly, but Nova still felt it wasn't fast enough.He kept mentally counting the minutes as he paced back and forth in front of the women in the inner room.
Nova wasn't thinking anything untoward; he was just calculating how best to use the women to increase his shelter's security.
"They've probably suffered enough under Li's torture. They must hate him by now," Nova murmured to himself, his chin resting in his hand. "If I can awaken their hatred, they could become my allies. After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend."
As for how to approach them, Nova wasn't sure.He just needed to make the most of every available resource and unite everyone to fight back against the resurrected Li.
Just as he was pondering how to begin speaking with the women, a new message popped up in front of him, leaving him stunned.