Chapter 484: Uncovering Secrets
The followers of the Snow God saw the large number of armed forces surrounding their camp, but most were unaware of the higher-ups’ plans.
Some even believed these forces were there to protect them and celebrated joyfully. Only a select few understood the magnitude of the coming crisis.
The leadership informed only priests and their families to seek refuge in the cathedral, keeping the regular followers in the dark. However, some, having survived in the apocalypse, were keenly attuned to danger—like Xu Beibei.
Whether Xu Beibei’s actions were driven by her feelings for Li Kaile or her own survival instincts was anyone’s guess.
Li Jian, needing her assistance, made his stance clear.
“Even though my son is crippled, I, Li Jian, still hold a certain status in the Followers of the Snow God. I can protect you. You know what you need to do.”
Xu Beibei nodded obediently. “I understand, Uncle. I’ll do my best to persuade Lele.”
She approached the tent, crouching to speak softly with Li Kaile. His emotions shifted from agitation and rejection to eventual calm.
“It’s okay, I don’t mind. I love your optimism and positivity!” she said.
“Lele, I really want to see you. Or… do you not like me anymore?”
“I… I feel so lonely. I have no family left in this world, only you. So please, don’t ignore me.”
The injured boy slowly opened up and allowed Xu Beibei into his tent. After a private conversation, Li Kaile agreed to join Li Jian’s family in seeking refuge at the cathedral.
What methods Xu Beibei used were not discussed in detail, but Li Jian and Zhang Jianfang, as adults, understood that joy didn’t always come from conventional means.
Xu Beibei had opened Li Kaile’s eyes to a new perspective, though no one dared question how an eighteen-year-old girl had learned so much. In the apocalypse, survival often required sacrifices.
After comforting Li Kaile, Xu Beibei approached Li Jian and smiled. “Uncle, Lele has agreed to go.”
Li Jian glanced at her and then at his son, who seemed better.
In a serious tone, he said, “Once we’re at the cathedral, be careful. Our leader doesn’t seem to tolerate relationships.”
Xu Beibei lowered her head and responded meekly, “Understood. I’ve learned my lesson.”
The defensive line around the Followers of the Snow God was complete.
The combined armed forces of five major factions, along with the Snow God’s followers, numbered over 8,000.
Considering the zombie outbreak, Tianhai City’s population likely hadn’t even reached 50,000. This made the area the city’s most densely populated spot, hoping to attract the zombies to this location.
After observing the area, Zhang Yi and his group devised a simple plan: if things went south, they’d escape immediately.
The first day passed peacefully, with no zombies appearing near the Followers of the Snow God.
Some guards remained on duty overnight, rotating shifts to prevent a surprise nighttime attack, while others rested.
Around midnight, Zhang Yi suddenly woke up in the snow vehicle.
He sat up, hearing the loud snores of Uncle You and Fatty Xu nearby. Carefully, he lifted the curtain over the window and peered outside.
Even at this hour, patrols continued, though most people were asleep. The off-limits building was particularly well-guarded, with security visibly increased since the arrival of the factions.
Clearly, the building housed a significant secret.
Their snow vehicle was parked near the building Zhang Yi had chosen earlier. After calculating the distance, he activated Dimensional Gate, stepping from the vehicle directly into the off-limits building.
Wearing his tactical goggles, he scanned the surroundings. The interior was pitch-black, with every window blocked, making it impossible to see outside.
It felt like a concrete coffin.
“What are they hiding in here?” Zhang Yi’s curiosity burned.
Knowing that something big was nearby and possessing the ability to bypass spatial barriers, he couldn’t resist investigating further.
He decided to use Dimensional Gate again, transporting himself to one of the higher floors of the building. Based on his observations, the guards rarely stayed there.
Throughout the day, he had noticed people entering and exiting briefly, often pushing carts. Zhang Yi guessed the building might be a storage facility.
Grinning mischievously, he muttered, “Found something good? No way I’m leaving without a look.”
The two buildings were less than 300 meters apart, and with Dimensional Gate, Zhang Yi crossed the distance in an instant.
He emerged in a room within the abandoned building. The darkness didn’t bother him—his tactical goggles provided excellent night vision.
As he surveyed the area, surprise flashed in his eyes.
The room was filled with vines and foliage, with plants covering the floor, walls, and ceiling. Tendrils crawled beneath his feet, and whatever blocked the windows appeared to be the same plant material.
“Plants? Mutated plants?”
The room, likely once an office, still had damaged furniture and scattered documents. Every inch of the thirty-square-meter space was overtaken by vegetation.
A chilling thought crossed Zhang Yi’s mind: what if this plant covered the entire building?
“So, this is the secret of the Snow God’s restricted area?”
“But what’s the purpose of this plant? Food? Or something else?”
This was the first time Zhang Yi had encountered such an enormous and eerie plant. While it wasn’t unheard of for animals to mutate and grow larger, plants inherently possessed limitless growth potential.
Prepared to retreat at a moment’s notice, Zhang Yi stayed on guard. With Dimensional Gate, nothing could trap him.
He didn’t understand the plant’s purpose, but he was determined to uncover the truth. This might be a critical opportunity to grasp the Snow God’s weakness.