Luckily, the buildings in this abandoned city are fragile. A slight bump could break them, except for the tall ones. In a small northwestern city like Jiucheng, there aren't many tall buildings anyway.

There were many people already in Jiucheng. When they heard the vehicles, they sent people to check. However, due to the sandstorm, visibility was poor. They could only ascertain the convoy's location from the sounds and then retreated, deciding to see if they were friend or foe the next day.

In an underground shelter in Jiucheng, some locusts crawled in and willingly went into a large box, joining countless others, yet these were motionless and had no shine in their eyes.

"Why did only these return?" A man with sharp features, wrapped in a white headscarf, conversed with his companion in a foreign language.

"Perhaps because of the sandstorm. They can't fly and might lose their way. Once the storm settles, we can summon them back with the controller."

"It's good we sent them out early, or they might not have completed their mission."

"Hmph, the mission is nothing. The real asset isn’t something anyone can recreate. These insects are our secret weapon. Without them, we wouldn't even be able to enter the Huaxia border."

"They're invaluable. We should protect them. It's best not to release them unless necessary to prevent them from being destroyed by the Huaxia army."

Chapter 181: The Battle for Supremacy (Part 1)

The sandstorm raged all night. Zhou You and his team took shelter in a still-standing house. They guessed the mutants in the city had been dealt with by earlier arrivals since they faced no obstacles.

The dilapidated house had its faults. Sand filled its interior through broken doors and windows. They could only block the entrances with tarps and lay down some bedding to sleep.

After a long journey from Yangcheng, they were close to their destination. Knowing a fierce battle awaited them, they seized the chance to rest. The sandstorm provided perfect cover. Shao Qi had only a few men stand guard, allowing everyone a peaceful night's rest.

Early the next morning, Zhou You was the first to rise. Donning a hat and scarf, he plunged into the sandstorm, strolling the streets of the city. He seemed to merge with the dust, moving with incredible speed, aided by the wind and his agility. To any onlookers, he was indistinguishable from the gusting sand.

Zhou You surveyed the entire city, using his mental prowess to detect the hiding places of various factions. Friend or foe, it was hard to tell. Shao Qi was right; many coveted that satellite. Among them were certainly nations affiliated with those robots and locusts. Zhou You's main mission was to find these people and uncover any hidden weapons they might possess.

Zhou You was uncertain about their allegiances, but they were definitely foreigners. Hence, he was particularly alert to places where foreigners might be hiding.

Along his journey, he discovered traces of two foreign groups—one hidden in an underground bomb shelter, and the other in the underground vault of what used to be a liquor city. The vault surely held secrets. Due to the sudden apocalypse, the gold it contained had never been moved. Its dazzling presence allowed Zhou You to detect it using his mental probe.

"Quite a lot of them, unexpectedly so," Zhou You noted the locations of the two hideouts. He wanted to get closer, but the sandstorm ceased. While the sky remained gray, sunlight pierced through, making him stand out.

On his way back, two factions clashed right on the street, fighting a fierce battle. Zhou You ascended a ruined building to observe discreetly. One group was in military uniform while the other wore red combat suits. Both sides were well-armed, and their battle quickly reduced the nearby buildings to rubble. A grenade struck Zhou You's position, forcing him to retreat.

When he returned to their camp, everyone had finished breakfast and was ready to proceed. Shao Qi handed him some dried meat as Zhou You reported his findings.

"The ones in military uniforms likely hail from a nearby life base. They are the main guardians of the satellite launch site. The others, in red armor, are most likely the loyalists of the Wei family, who control a major aerospace company. They've been developing satellites too. It's not surprising they're here, given that the central research institute beat them to the punch," Shao Qi explained.

"The same company behind our electronic maps?"

"Exactly."

"I thought that company was state-owned."

"Whether a company belongs to the state is not what matters. What matters is the allegiance of those in power. Wei Wei has always sought to monopolize the electronic communications industry. This is his golden opportunity."

After watching Zhou You finish his meal, Shao Qi gave the order to move out, heading directly for the satellite launch base to reinforce the defenses.

"Spare none who block our way!"

Though the liquor city was a maze of winding roads, they could sometimes hear distant skirmishes. However, they continued unabated.

"Look ahead! What are those?" Outside the city, another convoy was advancing. Their vehicles, painted in greenish-yellow with no insignia, were flanked by robot-like entities on wheels.

"Those are the foreigners from the bomb shelter, clad in white turbans and robes. They resemble Central Asians," noted Zhou You.

"Their proximity isn’t surprising given the geographical closeness. And they do seem technologically advanced," Shao Qi commanded, "Yao Chen, lead a team to intercept them. Buy us some time, retreat if necessary."