Chapter 88 Seizing the Warship and Establishing a New Stronghold

Standing atop the Kunpeng, Chen Yi gazed down at everything below, unable to hide his shock. The sight before him was almost too dreadful to behold. Within the boundaries of the sea, countless fishing boats had been torn apart by the attacks of red zombies, leaving behind carnage and devastation. The surface of the water was strewn with bodies, their flesh not yet fully decomposed by the sea, a clear sign that these tragedies had happened only recently.

“Brother,” Chen Yaxi called out, her face etched with worry as she took in the horrific scene. “I don’t know if we’ll end up like this too.”

“We won’t,” Chen Yi replied firmly, gripping her hand with a gentle resolve in his eyes. “I promise I’ll protect you all. I won’t let anything like this happen to you.”

In truth, Chen Yi felt far from certain in his heart, but he swore to himself that those by his side would survive with him. At the very least, now his abilities had reached their peak.

Suddenly, Hu Sanhan and Lu Kai spoke up. “Something’s wrong. It looks like there’s a military force approaching.”

“What?” Chen Yi moved forward, standing at the very head of the Kunpeng, and saw warships advancing towards them. That such a formidable military presence could have survived so intact in this apocalyptic world meant someone had been conserving their strength, waiting for the right moment to unleash it.

Their adversaries wasted no time with words and launched their attack without hesitation.

“Watch out!” Chen Yi quickly spread his arms, pushing everyone down so they lay flat, narrowly saving them from the oncoming missiles that would have obliterated their heads. Yet the enemy showed no mercy, continuing their assault relentlessly.

Such actions infuriated Chen Yaxi. “Brother, if they won’t let us live in peace, we should strike back and kill them. It’s either them or us.”

Though there was truth to her words, Chen Yi did not want her to get too involved. He gently shook his head and held her back.

“You stay here and protect everyone. I’ll deal with them.” As he spoke, Chen Yi unfurled his silver wings and revealed his arsenal—eight scythe-like steel blades that appeared instantly for all to see.

He charged forward, confronting the missiles head-on and slicing them into shrapnel; the heat of the explosions did him no harm. Witnessing this from the prow, Commander K inhaled sharply. What kind of being was this, who feared neither missile nor fire? Clearly, he had underestimated his foe.

Worried about being ambushed, Commander K grew agitated. “Haven’t the heavy weapons been deployed yet?” he barked.

Several soldiers approached with helpless expressions. “We’ve reported to our superiors, but the distance is too great—they can’t be summoned back right away. Please forgive us, sir.”

“You’re all useless!” Commander K cursed. Seeing Chen Yi flying ever closer, he barked, “Hold your positions. I’m going to call for reinforcements.”

With that, he scurried onboard a submarine and made his escape.

Chen Yi was hardly surprised by such cowardice. Men like him saw everyone else as tools. A chill flashed through Chen Yi’s eyes.

He swiftly dispatched the armed crew who charged at him, then landed on the prow and addressed the survivors in a cold, measured voice. “I don’t kill the innocent. But if you still wish to help that coward against us, then you’ll die with him. I’m not lying to you—this is the truth.”

“Why must you kill us? Aren’t we all equals?” one brave soul asked, trembling as he stepped forward.

Chen Yi found the question almost amusing. “Why? I’ll tell you why.” He drew closer, seized the man by the throat, and refused to let go until the man was nearly choking for breath. Only then did Chen Yi release his grip.

“The strong decide everything. The weak can only be slaughtered. That is my answer. If you still want to argue, feel free to resist. But frankly, I don’t think you’re qualified to win any debate with me.”

The man’s face flushed with shame. He knew Chen Yi spoke the truth—he had no power to change anything. In front of Chen Yi, he was utterly weak, a complete and abject failure.

Head bowed, the troublemaker grew despondent. “Are we all just pieces on your chessboard?”

“You’re mistaken,” Chen Yi replied, bemused by their assumptions. “I never had such intentions, not once.”

Eyes flickering with hope, the man asked again, “If that’s true, could you let us go? We promise never to harm anyone again.”

“Don’t even think about it,” Chen Yi said softly, his smile fading. “Let me be clear: in this world, the victor is king and the defeated are outcasts. There’s no room for negotiation. Either obey and become an obedient servant, or die. There’s no third option.”

His words dashed any lingering hopes for the future. In their eyes, Chen Yi became the sole powerful figure, one who could kill without hesitation. Resisting further would only bring death.

Faced with the grim, apocalyptic scene before them, the survivors finally knelt. “We are willing to submit.”

Only then did Chen Yi relax his stance. “Now, report—how many among you are able-bodied? How many are truly willing to help the weak and obey my orders?”

“All of us!” the man from before replied. “We can all help save lives. Whoever you are, since we’ve met, I hope we can work together well!”

He offered up his military medal.

Chen Yi glanced at it, frowning. “Zheng Xiaoda, Lieutenant Colonel, Second Class Merit. Not a low rank.”

Zheng Xiaoda shook his head with resignation. “Rank means nothing to me. As long as I can live and see my family again, that is enough.”

Ever since the apocalypse, Zheng Xiaoda had not seen his parents, wife, or children, and his heart was heavy with sorrow. Now, he spoke with steely resolve. “Please, give me a chance to survive. I will do anything for you.”

Chen Yi nodded in response. “I accept your request.”