Chapter 487: All of This Will Become History

"Why so rushed?"

At the entrance of LeGou Mall, Zheng Xinyu asked Zhang Su from the side of a cargo truck.

She had assumed everyone would grab a bite at LeGou Mall, then head to Little Eagle Society or Tianqi Team in the afternoon.

"Time is money, my wife."

Zhang Su answered Zheng Xinyu in a joking tone; time wasn't tight, but challenge missions were unpredictable, and he wouldn't leave things until the last minute.

He leaned halfway out, glancing at the convoy behind—over fifty vehicles had left Tianma Yu, now only thirty-some remained.

He tapped the door twice and called out loudly: "Departure—Xinglong Huayuan!"

The convoy left LeGou Mall; even with just thirty-plus vehicles, it was a formidable procession.

"Uncle, I'm not satisfied—I want to open every lock inside LeGou Mall, let me go back!"

Pang Dakun sat in the passenger seat of the cargo truck; his injuries had healed thanks to the Zombie Brain, but to avoid suspicion, he was still wrapped in layers of gauze, like a mummy…

After the explosion, he felt like he'd swallowed a furnace—pressurized, his mouth constantly puffing out air, too shy to take the middle seat from Zheng Xinyu.

Zhang Su had brought Pang Dakun along in his own vehicle precisely because he feared he'd cause trouble on another truck, even if it meant squeezing in.

"Little Kun-Kun, I say you just haven't trained hard enough—keep practicing. This time you got lucky, but next time? Your head'll fly right off—even a Level Three helmet won't save you!"

Zheng Xinyu teased Pang Dakun with a grin, patting his shoulder lightly.

"That's not it, Sister Xinyu—I was just careless. I never expected someone so monstrous to link the lock core to a self-destruct mechanism. Next time, I won't fall for it!"

Pang Dakun called Zhang Su "Uncle," but called Zheng Xinyu "Sister"—each addressed separately, clear yet confusing…

"Just give me some peace, will you? Besides, this is an effective way to protect secrets—it's a good measure. How's that monstrous?"

Zhang Su turned right at the intersection, glancing at the once-bustling Qin City CBD, his thoughts churning.

"Of course it's monstrous! Think about it, Brother Su—if researchers in a lab are busy with experiments, and someone sneaks in to pick the lock, wouldn't those researchers be dead?"

Pang Dakun spoke with conviction.

Zhang Su and Zheng Xinyu exchanged a glance, then smiled in sudden understanding. "You know what? Big Kun, that's actually a fresh perspective—it's true. Maybe in Liao Youzhi's eyes, protecting secrets mattered more than the lives of those researchers. It really is monstrous…"

Still, Zhang Su added silently to himself: anyone who sat in that position, commanding three or five hundred men, in today's lawless world, wouldn't survive unless they were monstrous.

But he couldn't tell Pang Dakun—or most of his members—any of this…

The distance from LeGou Mall to Xinglong Huayuan was under four kilometers, but the city roads were far from smooth—not only were there roadblocks at every intersection, but the roads between them were a mess.

"Three months since I last came back—this city's turned into such a mess…"

The car twisted and turned along the road, moving slowly. Zhang Su watched the ruined streets and ruined buildings, and suddenly a realization flashed through him.

Urban lifestyles had become history. Qin City could hold two million people, yet now the entire Celestial Empire's survivors might not fill even one Qin City—let alone the countless other cities like Qin City across the empire.

Humanity's survival model would inevitably change fundamentally; a new ecology would quietly emerge at some unexpected turning point, then sweep forward like a storm, becoming the norm.

As his thoughts drifted, Zhang Su spotted a man peering from a pedestrian overpass ahead. He slowed the car and picked up the radio: "Hey, Old Liu—is that guy on the bridge one of yours?"

"Yes, yes, Boss! That's my eastern outpost—specifically watching the Survivors' Alliance. Haha, if you flash your lights three times, he'll know!"

Others with radios heard Liu Yao's words and switched their headlights on and off in turn.

The lookout on the bridge was a middle-aged man, roughly the same age as Yu Wen. But the apocalypse had worn him down—he was balding white, looked well over fifty, even seventy wasn't an exaggeration.

When he first saw the thirty-plus vehicles, the man nearly fainted, too terrified to even check if any belonged to his own camp—he reached for his radio to contact base, dropped it in panic, then picked it up and looked up just as over a dozen vehicles flashed their lights at him. Shock turned to confusion. "Xiyu! Xiyu! Boss Liu's back—he's brought a ton of people! I see Survivors' Alliance vehicles and Tianqi Team cars! Hurry, gather everyone to welcome them!"

???

Ma Xiyu, frowning in a classroom, was utterly baffled by the message from the outpost.

"Survivors' Alliance and Tianqi Team coming here together? What's going on…"

"Hey, Little Ma, answer me!"

Just as he puzzled over it, a familiar voice crackled through the radio—it was Liu Yao.

He hadn't tried to contact ahead because Little Eagle Society's radios only worked within about two kilometers in the city—fine for daily use, since their radius was small.

"Boss, you're back? Any orders?"

Ma Xiyu's voice brightened at hearing Liu Yao—he felt reassured.

"Gather everyone at the community gate to welcome them. I'll tell you what to do next…"

The brief exchange gave Liu Yao no time for details—he could only stress one crucial point: the welcome must be enthusiastic!

In the kindergarten, Ma Xiyu ended the call, his mind overloaded—just moments ago he'd been dealing with a spy kidnapped by another group, now he had to welcome VIPs?

No time to stall—he rang the kindergarten bell. The fifty-odd staff remaining rushed to assemble on the small playground. On the rainbow track stood a ragtag group of adults—anyone seeing them might think it was a beggars' convention, the scene oddly absurd.

Ma Xiyu quickly formed them into ranks and led them running toward the community gate.

No sooner had the line formed on either side of the gate than a cargo truck appeared at the intersection, followed by vehicle after vehicle.

"Here they come… what were we supposed to shout again?"

"How can you forget? 'Welcome the King of Hell! The King of Hell never loses! The Yanluo Army never fails!'"

"Oh right—I remember!"

People whispered among themselves; as the vehicles neared, everyone shouted in unison as Liu Yao had instructed. The rushed drill wasn't perfect, but it was passable.

After experiencing this scene two or three times, Zhang Su had grown accustomed to it. Amid the crowd's cheers, he drove slowly into Xinglong Huayuan, the thirty-plus vehicles behind lining up in order before the villas.

"Ha ha, come on, Boss Su, let me introduce you—this is our former second-in-command, Ma Xiyu! Look closely—this is the King of Hell you've been cheering for: Zhang Su of Tianma Yu!"

Back in his own territory, Liu Yao felt at ease, strutting through the crowd, making introductions.

Most Little Eagle Society members were young, due to Liu Yao's recruitment policy. The lookout on the overpass was already among the oldest; few in the group were over fifty—the team had vibrant energy.

Everyone stared at the man stepping down from the cargo truck, each face filled with doubt.

"Hello, everyone!"

Zhang Su stepped forward, raised his hand, and added: "Boss Liu has something to announce. Please, let's hear from Boss Liu!"

Letting the original leader announce the merger would greatly reduce resistance.

Liu Yao didn't hesitate. After being kicked and given divine medicine, he'd already prepared himself mentally. He cleared his throat, clasped his hands behind his back, and declared calmly: "My boys—this is the last time I'll call you that. Because from today—no, from yesterday—the Little Eagle Society has joined Tianma Yu!"

There will be no more Little Eagle Society—only Tianma Yu's Xinglong Branch. I'm no longer your boss. Look at this man—he's your new boss now: Zhang Su, the King of Hell of Tianma Yu!"

As expected, nearly everyone exchanged glances. They knew Liu Yao's character well—he'd rejected every offer of merger from the Survivors' Alliance before. For him to submit so quietly, this Zhang Su, the King of Hell, must be extraordinary indeed!

(End of Chapter)