Chapter 921: Becoming a Captive
Zhang Yi and Linghu Feixue joined Xuanwu's gambling game.
They were playing Fight the Landlord, with answers to questions as the stakes.
If the question touched on sensitive areas, they could refuse to answer, and no substitutions were allowed.
Because sometimes, the refusal to answer itself was a form of answer.
This meant not only did they have to win, but they also had to carefully consider their questions, otherwise the other party had the right to refuse.
Playing cards—this was an area Zhang Yi excelled in.
When he worked in the warehouse, he often played cards with his colleagues.
And the most crucial point was that he could cheat.
The cards Xuanwu used weren't special; Zhang Yi had the same ones in his warehouse.Moreover, during the game, he could subtly put away one or two useless cards to significantly increase his winning rate.
Then, at the start of the next round, he could put them back while drawing cards.
This way, he could do it without anyone noticing.
For seasoned card players, such tricks weren't hard to detect.
However, Xuanwu clearly didn't have such advanced gambling skills, and he never imagined Zhang Yi could use his superhuman abilities to cheat.
The three of them sat around a table, with each round lasting only a few minutes, passing by quickly.
Zhang Yi won more and lost less; unless the other got a heavenly hand or he intentionally went easy, he basically couldn't lose.
For the three of them, this process was an exchange of intelligence.
All three were tight-lipped about their own abilities and didn't go into detail.
However, Zhang Yi did ask Xuanwu and Linghu Feixue how their respective abilities had awakened.
Linghu Feixue lowered her hat brim and answered very simply and directly: "An experiment by the Science Department."
She glanced at Zhang Yi and Xuanwu and said lightly, "Anyway, it was an experience so painful that no one would want to recall it."
Xuanwu raised an eyebrow. "I'm about the same, but also a bit different."
Zhang Yi looked at him curiously. "Oh? How so?"
Xuanwu said calmly, "Before the ice age hit, I was a dive club owner with some assets."
"After the apocalypse, a few partners and I took a boat, planning to flee to islands near the equator to escape the disaster."
He pursed his lips and spread his hands.
"Later, we had a little conflict."
Zhang Yi rubbed his chin. "A little conflict? What happened after that?"
"After that," Xuanwu said with a reminiscent expression, "they threw me into the sea to feed the sharks!"
As he said this, he even joked, "There were so many great white sharks in that area! One bite nearly tore me in half—it hurt so, so much!"
He laughed, but a deep, dark light shone in his eyes.
"Heaven took pity on me; I didn't die."
Zhang Yi smiled. "I see. Because of your fear of the deep sea and sharks, you chose to become a giant sea turtle in this way. The thick shell and massive body are for self-protection, right?"
"Maybe. Who knows?"
Xuanwu said leisurely.
"But you're truly a genius."
Linghu Feixue sighed with genuine admiration.
"You're a natural Epsilon-level—a peerless talent unmatched among millions!"
Xuanwu didn't seem to care.
"After the apocalypse, countless people have experienced death like I did. I was just a tiny bit luckier."
The two of them looked at Zhang Yi and asked about the conditions for his ability awakening.
Zhang Yi coughed. "First, I was a warehouse manager at the time."
The two nodded. "Makes sense, that's reasonable!"
"Second, I was also killed by people close to me."
Zhang Yi omitted the part about his rebirth.
In his telling, it became awakening his ability at the moment of death.
He had to keep some secrets about his abilities.
And he knew Linghu Feixue and Xuanwu must also have things they hadn't revealed.
Along the way, the three asked each other questions, automatically skipping sensitive ones without overstepping boundaries.
Yet they very amiably completed their intelligence exchange.
Suddenly, Xuanwu put down his cards and said to Zhang Yi and Linghu Feixue, "We're here."
Zhang Yi and Linghu Feixue knew they had reached the East Sea Region's military port.
Zhang Yi thought for a moment, then put down his hand.
Double Jokers plus three twos.
"One last question: after we go ashore, how will your people treat us?"
Xuanwu shrugged. "I really don't know. I'm only responsible for carrying out missions; other matters are left to the officials."
"Click-clack—"
The parasitic beetles inside Xuanwu crawled over, and Xuanwu pointed outside. "You two, please step out!"
As Xuanwu's spirit body, he couldn't leave this place.
And his main body would likely never set foot on land again in this lifetime.
This Epsilon-level superhuman of the East Sea Region, who had once been thrown into the sea to feed sharks, would spend the rest of his life accompanying the endless icy sea.
Zhang Yi stood up. "We'll meet again soon!"
Xuanwu propped his chin on one hand and responded with a smile, "Good. I hope next time we set out together as comrades."
Zhang Yi and Linghu Feixue left Xuanwu's body under the escort of the beetles.
They walked out from Xuanwu's mouth, and the cold sea breeze outside brushed against their faces.
Before them was a massive harbor filled with warships.
The Blue Rose had been controlled by Xuanwu and brought back.
The members of the Rose Squad on board had also been "invited" to disembark.
The girls looked at Zhang Yi and Linghu Feixue with angry expressions.
It was somewhat ridiculous that they had been captured by their own allies.
Zhang Yi's face showed little expression.
He wasn't a soldier and had no military dignity to speak of; in the end, he was just an employee and wouldn't keep secrets for Zhu Zheng.
Flexible adaptation was the way to go.
Linghu Feixue's demeanor was different from his.
A cold smile played on her lips, and her hat brim hid her sharp, blade-like gaze.
At the port, a group of soldiers in combat suits surrounded several officers who appeared to be waiting for them.
The two leaders both held the rank of major general.
One wore glasses and had a gentle appearance; the other had a long, narrow scar over his eye and a cold, ruthless expression.
After Zhang Yi and Linghu Feixue walked out.
The scar-faced man waved to the soldiers beside him.
Immediately, two fully armed soldiers took out handcuffs and walked toward Zhang Yi and Linghu Feixue.
Zhang Yi slowly narrowed his eyes, and Linghu Feixue instantly flew into a rage.
"What does the East Sea Region mean by this? Treating us like criminals?"
The scar-faced man sneered. "With superhumans of your strength, we can't afford not to be careful!"
Just then, the officer wearing glasses beside him waved his hand.
"Brother Li, they are guests. We should treat them with courtesy!"
He smiled at Zhang Yi and Linghu Feixue. "Besides, they've already been injected with Compound 3. Smart as they are, they won't put up futile resistance."
Never mind that Zhang Yi and Linghu Feixue had been injected with Compound 3.
Even at their peak, it would be hard for them to cause much trouble at the East Sea Region's military port.
Xuanwu was right behind them, watching.
The narrow-eyed man walked up to Zhang Yi and Linghu Feixue and said with a smile:
"Welcome to East Sea City! I am Liang Simiao, head of the East Sea Region's Intelligence Department. I'm here on orders from the East Sea Region's supreme commander, Commander Li Guangxiao, specifically to receive you!"
He then gestured to the side, making way.
"You've worked hard fighting at sea. We've prepared food and rest rooms for you and the members of the Rose Squad. This way, please!"
Zhang Yi's gaze fell on Linghu Feixue.
Linghu Feixue remained silent. At this point, aside from maintaining some dignity, there was nothing they could do.
Author's Note