Chapter 496: A Terrifying Theory
Zhang Yi had seen Yuan Kongye in action—she had sent two powerful Bronze Armored Flying Corpses flying with a single strike. Her strength was undoubtedly formidable.
From just that one move, Zhang Yi had already determined that her combat power was at least on par with Xiao Honglian and Wei Dinghai.
But that was exactly what puzzled him the most.
"Think carefully. When you were with Yuan Kongye, did you notice anything unusual about her?"
"Especially on the night of the attack—how did she fight?"
Zhou Ke’er wasn’t sure why Zhang Yi was suddenly asking about Yuan Kongye.
To her, the Followers of the Snow God were the biggest victims of this battle.
Everyone was sympathizing with them—why would anyone suspect them?
"Um… these past few days, she spent most of her time praying and comforting other believers."
"But if I had to point out something unusual, there was one moment… She said she could help me awaken my superhuman energy."
A sharp gleam flashed in Zhang Yi’s eyes.
"She said she could help you awaken your ability? Did you agree?"
Zhou Ke’er quickly shook her head with a smile.
"No! Of course, I want to become a Superhuman, but I always remember what you told me—to stay wary of others. So I refused her!"
Zhang Yi nodded in relief.
"When someone offers kindness for no reason, there’s always a hidden agenda. Yuan Kongye wouldn’t just hand over something as valuable as Ice Soul without a reason."
"Unless… she had a special purpose."
Zhang Yi intertwined his fingers, resting his chin on his hands. The fog clouding his mind started to clear.
He had a feeling he was grasping a critical truth.
A bold theory was slowly forming in his mind.
"Ke’er, keep going. Tell me everything about her in detail—don’t leave anything out!"
Zhou Ke’er nodded and continued.
"After I refused her, she just said that if I ever changed my mind, I could go find her anytime."
"She didn’t force me, which made me feel more comfortable around her."
"Later, that was when the two creatures broke through the ceiling and stormed into the church."
Zhou Ke’er recalled the moment vividly.
"I was sitting in the front row, very close to Yuan Kongye. So when she made her move, I saw everything clearly."
"The two monsters dove down, targeting her first."
"She was fast—she just raised her hand slightly, and both creatures froze in midair."
"Then, like she was swatting flies, she effortlessly waved her hand, sending them flying out of the church. The doors were even smashed apart!"
Zhou Ke’er described the scene animatedly.
But as Zhang Yi listened, his scalp tingled, and a bone-chilling cold crept up his spine.
"An ice-based ability strong enough to instantly freeze two powerful Bronze Armored Flying Corpses..."
"Incredible reaction speed and monstrous physical strength… that’s the mark of an Enhancement-type Superhuman."
"That means she possesses at least three different abilities!"
Zhang Yi finally understood.
Everything made sense now!
He finally knew why the Followers of the Snow God had so generously handed out Ice Soul.
Not only to him but to all the major factions in Tianhai City.
And why they kept using the Great Decree to spread their faith, seeking out talented individuals and gifting them Ice Soul.
It didn’t matter whether these individuals joined the Followers of the Snow God or even became their enemies.
Because Yuan Kongye’s real ability was never 【Blessing】.
It was 【Death Return】!
In other words, when someone who awakened through Ice Soul died, their ability would return to Yuan Kongye.
That meant she could acquire an endless number of abilities. And judging by her power, these weren’t just minor boosts—her superhuman energy was terrifyingly strong.
During the Five Armies War, Zhang Yi had come across many dead Superhumans whose essence was completely gone.
Back then, he couldn’t understand where their abilities had vanished to.
Now he realized—they had awakened their powers through Ice Soul. And when they died, their abilities returned to Yuan Kongye.
This process didn’t just give her new abilities—it also strengthened her existing ones.
And in the months since the apocalypse began, how many Superhuman abilities had she secretly absorbed?
Not to mention, after this battle in Tianhai City, countless Superhumans had died.
Suddenly, an even more terrifying thought surfaced in Zhang Yi’s mind.
Could Yuan Kongye be the mastermind behind the zombie outbreak in Tianhai City?
The more he thought about it, the more horrifying the possibility seemed.
If that were true, then the seemingly harmless, devout priestess was actually the most ruthless, inhuman monster in the entire city!
And now, Zhang Yi couldn’t even begin to imagine how powerful she had become.
His face turned grim, and his legs began to tremble involuntarily.
It was a sign of unease.
Though all of this was just a theory for now…
If it turned out to be true, then in the near future, he would be facing an unimaginably powerful enemy.
For now, at least, this was just speculation.
There were still things he couldn’t explain.
First, the zombie horde.
If the Followers of the Snow God could control the zombies, why had they been oppressed by the major bases all this time?
With the power of a zombie horde, they could have easily wiped out Tianhai City.
Second, what was Yuan Kongye’s goal?
As the leader of a religious sect, she prided herself on being the most devoted follower of her god.
So why would she destroy the foundation of her own faith?
The casualties among the Followers of the Snow God had been catastrophic. There were barely any of them left.
Without believers, could it even be called a religion anymore?
"I can’t figure it out… I just can’t!"
Zhang Yi murmured to himself, his mind in turmoil.
He wanted to believe he was overthinking.
But the pieces fit together too well. He couldn't ignore it.
Zhou Ke’er quickly moved closer, concerned. "Zhang Yi, what’s wrong?"
Zhang Yi didn’t respond. He was lost in deep thought.
Yes, this was just his own theory for now.
Aside from knowing that Yuan Kongye had multiple abilities, he had no concrete proof.
Even if he told people, they wouldn’t believe him.
More importantly, he didn’t want to alert her just yet.
"Hopefully, I’m just imagining things."
Zhang Yi muttered to himself.
Looking up, he saw Zhou Ke’er’s worried expression and forced a smile.
"It’s nothing. You did great. But remember—never go near Yuan Kongye. She’s bad news."
Zhou Ke’er nodded. "Okay, I got it. But… you seem really troubled."
Zhang Yi raised an eyebrow but ultimately decided against telling her.
For now, this was just his theory.
If he was right and Yuan Kongye found out he suspected her, the consequences were not something he was ready to face.