Chapter 49: Storm Clouds Gathering

Chapter 49: Storm Clouds Gathering

Before returning to Danlin City, Zhou Yun made a detour to the seafood market at Baishun Fishing Port by the sea.

Beiming City had dispatched a guard team to maintain order, cordoning off a safe area and driving away the zombies.

Spring had just begun. In previous years, the fishing moratorium usually lasted from May to August, while the spring sea fishing season typically ran from late March to May. When the snow melted and temperatures rose during the Grain Rain season, large numbers of fish would swim into shallow waters, making it an ideal time for fishing.

The nearest fishing village port to Beiming City, Yuwang Village, had its dock just a short distance to the west. Most of the small fishing boats here were owned by villagers, and because the boats were small, they didn’t venture far into the sea, resulting in limited catches. Unlike large fishing vessels that stayed out for weeks and returned fully loaded, these small boats returned to shore every afternoon, selling their catch right at the dock.

Zhou Yun had come here before to buy fresh seafood. He remembered how lively it was in the afternoons, especially on weekends, when the nearby roads would be lined with cars of people coming from the city to buy the freshest seafood.

It was even more bustling at night. The coast used to be lined with uniform pointed-roof seafood stalls. He remembered the bright lights, the loud chatter, and the aroma of grilled seafood wafting in the air. People wore expressions of contentment and leisure.

As he entered the seafood market, the salty scent of the sea filled his nostrils. Although it was the end of the world, the fishermen, with their skin darkened by the sea breeze, still greeted customers warmly as they always had.

Walking through the market, Zhou Yun saw a variety of fresh catches: mantis shrimp, prawns, octopus, all kinds of sea snails, flower crabs, blue crabs... There were all kinds of seafood available. There were also some high-end seafood like geoducks, lobsters, cutlassfish, groupers, and abalone, all exuding a fresh aura.

Since the apocalypse, they hadn’t had seafood in a while after finishing the stock from the nearby Skytop Restaurant.

Fresh, lively sea prawns. Boil water, drop in the prawns, immediately turn off the heat after ten seconds and cover with a lid. Let it sit for a minute and a half, then add a little sugar and salt and let it sit for another half minute. This way, the blanched prawns would be extremely sweet and juicy, with firm yet elastic flesh and a bright color—delicious.

Unfortunately, the special ops team members were all gone. Otherwise, they would have enjoyed a feast.

Zhou Yun bought some sea prawns, crabs, groupers, and sea snails—some live fish and seafood—planning to take them back to the nearby Skytop Restaurant where they could be kept for some time. Comet followed him closely, standing out prominently. Many stall owners praised, "Great dog! Must've cost a fortune to raise!"

Taking the opportunity, Zhou Yun asked if there were any mutated seafood for sale. The stall owners shook their heads. Mutated seafood was collected in advance and traded for credit points, which could be exchanged for other supplies. As long as one had signed a service agreement with Beiming City as a psychic, one could exchange for a certain amount of mutated food each month or dine at restaurants specifically for psychics.

This was expected by Zhou Yun. However, a fisherman quietly advised him, "You can charter a boat to go out to sea. Whatever mutated fish you catch will belong to the charterer. Although it's dangerous to go out to sea now, if there are psychics on board for protection, it's manageable. Some psychics at the base will take on missions if you pay them with crystal cores."

Zhou Yun thanked the fisherman for the advice and also picked some seahorses that could be used for medicine before driving back to Danlin City.

Not long after Zhou Yun left, it was almost dusk when Qin Sheng, fully dressed in protective combat gear, arrived at the dock with his team. The Beiming Base guard teams were organized based on psychic abilities. Qin Sheng, with his metal-based abilities, had also established his own team as the leader of the Laojie Gang. However, since he didn’t have much influence, his team was assigned to patrol the most dangerous outer areas of the base and often worked the night shift.

As the evening deepened and the sun set, the warmth of the spring sun quickly dissipated under the chilly sea breeze of the night.

The sea breeze at the port carried a hint of salt. Qin Sheng arrived at the dock with over a dozen people to take over the shift.

Their main job was to keep watch from the dock tower, preventing zombies from getting close to the ships. The dock tower was quite sturdy, providing shelter from the wind and containing food and drink, though it was a bit boring.

There were attack openings at the top of the tower where guns and bows could be shot down to the ground. At night, if a few zombies appeared, they would be shot and driven back. If a zombie horde appeared, they would stay holed up in the tower until the next shift of guards arrived, who would then call in the main guard force for rescue.

Today, after a round of patrols, Qin Sheng left a few people on watch in the tower but mysteriously took a few teammates with him to the beach, carrying a bag.

This group of young people had grown up in the old town of Beiming City. They had been following the adults to the sea since they could walk and were extremely familiar with the place.

Qin Sheng led them to a rock cave under towering cliffs, a natural formation shaped by years of erosion from high tides. The cave was dark and deep, with small fish, crabs, and sea snails from the last high tide clinging to the walls.

Qin Sheng stood at the cave’s entrance, looking up at the watchtower. Under the bright moonlight, the area was clearly visible, especially with the night vision scopes equipped in the tower.

Curious, Ah Hong asked, "Brother Sheng, what are we doing here? Setting traps for a little snack?"

But Qin Sheng instead placed some wood and coal inside the cave and then instructed his teammates to pour kerosene all over the interior. Despite their curiosity, they followed his instructions.

In the end, Qin Sheng placed a dish in the deepest part of the rock cave and put a few dead fish and crabs on it. He then took out a bottle of medication from his bag and carefully sprayed the pile of dead fish and crabs with it.

Immediately, all the teammates covered their noses and quickly ran out of the cave. Even Qin Sheng was surprised and hurriedly found a mask to wear.

After spraying, he made a hand gesture for withdrawal to his teammates, and everyone returned to the watchtower. Qin Sheng then watched through the telescope from the tower.

The teammates were curious and chattered among themselves. "What is Brother Sheng doing?"

"Is it a trap?"

"Is he trying to catch zombies? That smell is exactly like the zombie smell..."

"What kind of medicine did Brother Sheng spray?"

Qin Sheng said, "My brother had it sent over. It's zombie attractant, a high-end product from Central Base. Don't argue, if it works, we'll try to get the distribution rights for this medicine in Beiming."

The teammates became excited. "What kind of good medicine is this?" "Where did Brother Mu find such a good thing?"

"If we can really get the exclusive distribution rights, we'll be rich!"

"If we really have this, even ordinary people can actively set traps to lure and capture zombies, and get crystal cores!"

Qin Sheng said, "Don't argue, wait."

Under the harsh moonlight, the distant sound of zombies roaring could be heard from the beach.

The zombies came out, staggering through the darkness. Some had exposed bones in their arms, some dragged their legs, and some had tilted heads. The moonlight shone on them, casting grotesque shadows.

This was a scene that was both terrifying and familiar to ordinary people in the post-apocalyptic world, with the threat of zombie hordes always looming.

However, when they saw the zombies staggering into the cave, they all became excited.

"It's really effective!"

"It's amazing! What kind of smell is that? Why do zombies like it?"

"If we have the formula, can we make it ourselves and earn even more?"

"They definitely have a patent. It won't be easy to get the formula released. Getting the exclusive distribution rights would already be a big deal!"

"Central Base. I heard there's a Psychic Research Institute there that studies zombies and special abilities. It must be some high-end stuff developed there!"

Qin Sheng ignored them, continuing to count with his telescope as more and more zombies were drawn to the smell from a distance. The fish and shrimp inside the cave wouldn't be enough for them to eat, so he couldn't wait any longer.

He took the harpoon gun, tied a bundle of white wax wadding to the steel harpoon, lit it with a lighter, and aimed it directly at the pile of firewood in front of the cave entrance. Bang!

The flaming steel harpoon cut through the night and accurately pierced the pile of firewood in front of the cave entrance.

Boom! A raging fire ignited, and the zombies at the cave entrance immediately panicked and tried to escape. However, the cave entrance was narrow, and the interior was larger, a gourd-shaped cave that Qin Sheng had carefully chosen. Once a zombie blocked the entrance, the other zombies struggled behind it. They had no intelligence, and the cave had already been doused with kerosene, firewood, and coal.

The fire illuminated the dark night, and the zombies' wailing cries echoed.

The friends from the old town area cheered... Ordinary people could actually hunt zombies safely!

Qin Sheng's eyes were brightly lit by the fire, and his burning ambition flared within him.

======

Golden Swan Hotel.

Under the warm spring sun, pink and blue balloons along with spring flowers like roses and bougainvillea beautifully decorated the hotel banquet venue.

Soft music echoed in the grand hall, where a towering champagne fountain stood at the entrance. Under the glimmer of the crystal chandelier, the champagne fountain was crystal clear, with a pair of golden swan decorations spreading their wings amidst the flowers in front, shining brightly.

The central long table was filled with a variety of exquisite delicacies. Mutated seafood freshly fished from the sea, delicate local specialties, and all kinds of fruits that were hard to find on the market made the guests feel as if they were indulging in pre-apocalyptic extravagance.

The guests were all dressed to the nines, chatting with each other. Many of the psychics were once unknown before the apocalypse, belonging to the lowest strata of society, but had now risen to become a new class. They were welcomed with smiles and stepped into this high-end hotel, which they could never have entered before, to mingle with the powerful and influential at the center of power.

Lord Gong Yanqing, the lord of Beiming City, sat upstairs, looking down at the psychic guests through the glass. He held a list in his hand and asked, "Where is this gold-element Qin Sheng? Why hasn't he come?"

His aide said, "We sent an invitation yesterday, but it's almost the end of the event, so he probably had something urgent come up."

Gong Yanqing frowned. "Wasn't he a key recommended candidate?"

The aide chuckled softly, "Indeed, my lord. He's tall, handsome, and young, a native local, born and raised here. Both his parents have passed away, and his family background is quite simple. His older brother has gone to the Sanchu Base. Even if the young miss isn't satisfied, she probably won't feel wronged looking at his face."

Gong Yanqing sneered coldly, "She likes that pretty boy Luo Yunkai, who has no special abilities and still refuses to marry into our family, insisting on keeping his soft demeanor. If I could still have children, there's no way I'd let a greenhorn like him negotiate terms with me! If all else fails, we'll resort to artificial means."

The aide chuckled softly, "My lord, please calm your anger. The young miss is still young and likes to have fun. Young people value mutual affection. Going through artificial insemination is hard on the body. Why not pick a few handsome ones and cultivate some feelings? There are plenty of psychics in the various bases now. If it doesn't work here, we can always look at other bases. With Lord Gong here, psychics will flock, and there will be plenty to choose from."

Gong Yanqing gritted his teeth, "We still need to cultivate our own people and rally the psychics. Otherwise, this base will eventually be annexed."

The aide smiled and said, "My lord, if you explain your hardships to the young miss carefully, she will surely help you. She's your own daughter. If she doesn't help you, who else can she help?"

Gong Yanqing flipped through the list again. "It's fine if Qin Sheng didn't come. He's been involved with gangs and went to sea after only finishing middle school. Being handsome is useless; Miss Xiao will definitely not like him."

The aide hurriedly introduced a few individuals, pointing them out to Gong Yanqing. They were all impressive and had outstanding special abilities. Gong Yanqing then ordered someone to bring his daughter, Gong Feishuang.

Gong Feishuang entered, her figure graceful and her curves elegant. She wore a wine-red floor-length gown that made her skin appear as white as snow. The back was largely exposed, with several pure gold chains crossing her back. She moved like a swaying red rose in a painting, exuding a charming and agile aura.

She greeted her father with a teasing tone, "Daddy." Her slightly upturned lips carried a natural coquettish charm.

Gong Yanqing, who doted on his daughter, looked at her and tapped the table lightly with his fingers, "These young men are all psychics, all above the second tier. Take a look at their profiles. If you find any of them suitable, I'll call them in for you to meet."

Gong Feishuang sat on the sofa. "Daddy, I've said it before. I like Luo Yunkai. Why do I have to marry a psychic? Luo Yunkai is my classmate, and he helped me a lot when we were studying abroad. I only like him, and he likes me!"

Gong Yanqing's expression darkened, his voice rising a little, "He likes you but refuses to marry into our family? Beiming Base needs an heir, and the Gong family needs an heir."

Gong Feishuang said, "At most, I'll have more children, okay? Yunkai grew up abroad and can't accept the culture of marrying into a family, but it's fine to have one child with my surname."

Gong Yanqing said coldly, "This is the apocalypse. Beiming Base needs an heir with special abilities to maintain authority."

Gong Feishuang wrinkled her brows, "Daddy! Is this breeding?"

Gong Yanqing's brows furrowed, his gaze sharp, "You're my only daughter. The Gong family's side branches have been trying to adopt one of your cousins, but I've resisted them all. I've only been waiting for you to marry someone into our family. You didn't want to marry early, so I let you study abroad. Have I not indulged you? Now it's time for you to fulfill your duty as a daughter."

Gong Feishuang pouted, and Gong Yanqing said in a deep voice, "If you insist on marrying Luo Yunkai, that's fine. You'll cooperate in the egg retrieval process until an artificially cultivated embryo is successfully implanted in you. After you give birth to a child with psychic abilities, you can marry whomever you want." His voice was low and powerful, each word carrying an undeniable authority.

Gong Feishuang stood up angrily, "I don't want to, Daddy! This is the apocalypse, and you've all become twisted. Is there no humanity left? Egg retrieval is harmful! I won’t do it! Why should I be forced to marry a psychic just for some vague hope of an heir with special abilities? What will Yunkai think of me?"

Gong Yanqing stared at her for a long time, his throat tight, before finally saying, "Because Daddy doesn't have much time left."

Gong Feishuang, who had been flushed with anger, was stunned, "What do you mean?"

Gong Yanqing looked at her, his face filled with sorrow, "It's late-stage stomach cancer. The doctors have confirmed it. Even surgery can only prolong my life for a while. Although we've invited a high-level light psychic to treat me, the cancer cells have metastasized, and the light psychic abilities can't cure it yet."

"Gong Feishuang, if I die, no one will protect you. You can't inherit the Gong family; your cousins will tear you apart. You can't run Beiming City either, as you don't have special abilities or the prestige and accumulated deterrence I've built up over the years. You won't be able to control the psychics or command the guard."

"You must quickly secure a psychic who will work for you. Marrying one into the family is the best option."

"And have a child with the Gong family bloodline as soon as possible..."

"Otherwise, once I'm gone, Central Base will definitely send someone to take over Beiming City. At best, they might treat you well. But what about Luo YunkaI? He's just an ordinary man. In this apocalyptic world, he can't protect you. He's living off you and still dares to look down on you for not being able to support him financially. He even tries to control the Gong family through you. In a lawless world, he can't leverage you for power or resources without genuine abilities. He's despicable and foolish; he's not someone you can rely on."

Gong Yanqing looked at his increasingly pale-faced daughter and said with a hoarse voice, "Xiao Shuang, I won't be able to protect you for much longer. You'll have to walk your own path in the future. Early-stage psychics are too weak and rely on organizations like ours, which is why ordinary people have traditionally held the upper hand."

"But this world is survival of the fittest—where only the strongest survive. Psychics are continuously leveling up, and the future will undoubtedly belong to them. You've been too sheltered and haven't seen the bigger trends ahead. Whether it's Central Base or other bases, those who hold military power currently control the bases, but in the future, those with psychic powers will rule the world."

"You need a psychic husband who will father psychic children with you. Only then will he be bound by shared interests with the Gong family and Beiming City and will fight for you and your family."

"Gratitude alone isn’t enough; you need both mutual benefit and familial bonds."

===

Zhou Yun was unaware of the turbulent situation in Beiming City. After casually making a note, he returned to the 30th floor to fully focus on his pharmaceutical research.

When Guan Yuanfeng was supervising, Zhou Yun dedicated much time to training and physical conditioning. Without Guan Yuanfeng's supervision, he immediately slacked off and sometimes became lost in studying his beloved mutated plants in the lab, conducting extraction experiments. However, he still needed clinical cases to test the efficacy of the mutated drugs.

In his previous life, he had published significant research papers and was conscripted to the Psychic Research Institute's lab in Dark Valley. He believed the Dark Valley lab was an elite hub focused on saving lives and advancing humanity’s future.

They provided researchers with security teams, funding, and research materials, allowing them to stay away from the chaos of the apocalypse and focus on their studies and projects. They did achieve remarkable success in psychic research and patient treatment, gaining a renowned reputation. He had never imagined that the deepest and most core secret was such an ugly truth.

But in the early stages, he had managed to treat many patients in the lab and accumulated a lot of data. Now, with his previous experience, he could use the cultivated mutated drugs to make some medicines, but he still needed more cases.

However, the time wasn't right yet. A man without power holding a treasure invites trouble. He needed strength, the power to protect himself. For now, he would make medicines that had confirmed efficacy in his previous life and put new drugs on hold.

He took out the king-level wood psychic core that Guan Yuanfeng had left him. The quality was exceptional, with pure green threads glowing within the core, resembling fine, translucent green fluorite.

His progress to the fourth stage was too slow. He needed more extensive and intensive practice, and it was also time to enhance his water psychic powers.

Guan Yuanfeng's swift progress in psychic powers stemmed from his frequent combat experience. In life-and-death combat, sudden insights and skill applications rapidly boosted his psychic abilities.

This was also why wood psychic powers were slow to upgrade. In the early stages, wood psychic powers were almost useless in battle. They could be nurtured to upgrade, but it required a large and sustained effort.

Stuck at a plateau, Zhou Yun decided to focus on enhancing his water psychic powers, boosting the overall strength of his dual affinity for wood and water.

He needed higher quality water and wood psychic cores. He had taken many from the mutated fish in the reservoir, and Guan Yuanfeng had helped him absorb them.

For even better water psychic cores, he would have to go for the mutated fish in the sea, which were of king-level beast caliber and not easy to obtain. The last zombie king they fought in the hospital yielded a gold psychic core, which he had Guan Yuanfeng absorb. King-level cores were rare.

Thinking this, he crossed his legs and began to meditate carefully. After circulating his energy for one cycle, he placed the psychic core in his palm and absorbed the wood psychic core. The pure and rich wood psychic power flowed into his palm like a trickling stream. Closing his eyes, he circulated the psychic power for another cycle, and indeed, he felt a slight warmth in his lower abdomen, his limbs and bones comfortable and filled with surging power. The dual affinity cores in his lower abdomen, which had been stagnant for a long time, had finally grown again.

Progressing beyond the fourth stage was particularly challenging. If Zhou Yun followed the steps carefully, he could reach the fifth stage earlier than in his previous life. In his previous life, he wasn't particularly keen on leveling up but was more focused on researching mutated herbs.

But now, he had lost something precious and urgently needed to become strong enough to take back what he cherished most.