Chapter 128: Shadows of Ambition

Huh?

On the other end of the communication, Wang Zheng stared blankly at Yenir’s message, unsure of what Yenir meant.

Is he asking for his father to come along?

Is Brother Ye Lin planning to openly discuss cooperation, or does he believe that once his father sees his Third-Stage Intermediate power, he’ll take notice?

It was beyond comprehension.

Wang Zheng gave a bitter smile, unable to guess Yenir’s true intention.

It all seemed utterly pointless.

It wasn’t that his father hadn’t recognized Yenir’s potential—it was pure greed, not wanting to offend either side. In fact, he had already told Wang Tian that Yenir’s strength ranked among the best in the Third-Stage Intermediate tier.

He sighed.

“Fine.”

“It’s just one trip; Father should agree.”

Not wanting to overthink it, Wang Zheng earnestly replied, confirming he would head to Tianfeng as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, he didn’t waste any time and got in touch with Chen Yong.

After hearing the details, Chen Yong was left dumbfounded for quite some time.

“What do you mean?”

“You want us to come over?”

Muttering to himself, despite Chen Yong’s impressive knack for filling in the blanks, he simply couldn’t fathom why Yenir would do this.

After a brief pause, he agreed without hesitation.

“Alright. Tell Lord Ye Lin that we can be there first thing tomorrow morning! I’ll have the Military Region dispatch a few military helicopters—getting here will only take a few hours.”

“But…”

After a brief pause, Chen Yong added:

“Having my father come along might not work. The old man is tied up at the Military Region, holding a debriefing—rumor has it they’ve spotted traces of the Farming Team. He just can’t get away.”

“However, I’ll send one of my uncles. He’s the Deputy Commander of the Safe Zone and can negotiate on the old man’s behalf.”

After sending his message, Chen Yong was immensely curious.

But on reflection, he realized Yenir simply wanted to discuss things face-to-face.

…………

“We’ll be there around 1:00 in the afternoon…”

Glancing at the responses from the two, Yenir nodded slightly, unperturbed.

The timing was nearly perfect.

Sometime tomorrow or the day after, the zombie horde attacking Tianfeng will start moving toward the Safe Zone. He planned to take down the Third-Stage Mutants in the horde right before their eyes. After that, testing their levels publicly would be enough to shock these old foxes.

“Xiao Hai… check for him as well.”

“If we want to wipe out this horde, relying solely on our own strength will leave us exhausted before we finish them off.”

“Coordinated troop support is a must, or else a large number of people in the Outer City Settlement will perish.”

“The trail of the horde’s movement is unmistakable. As soon as Tianfeng sends over any recon unit, our words will be proven true.”

While mentally running through various scenarios, Yenir considered possible contingencies and began to strategize further.

For him, the largest handicap was his modest influence and humble origins.

If he were backed by high-level Military officials or even just any Third-Stage talent, his situation wouldn’t be so dire.

But being of commoner background and a Willpower Type, many subconsciously looked down on him, thinking he had little promise.

Even in his past life, hardly anyone had faith in him during the early stages.

Reality was harsh.

Without authority or clout, all potential is just a number on paper—unless your gift is so extraordinary it flouts every rule!

“I should consider building up my own network.”

“Though I won’t need their support after reaching Third-Stage, having reliable people to act on my behalf will surely help.”

“At the very least, I need someone to champion me!”

Recalling his past life, Yenir was all too aware that much of the unfair treatment he faced stemmed from having no one to speak up for him, or a lack of like-minded allies fighting for rights.

People are inherently selfish.

Even at the brink of humanity’s extinction, some would never forsake their own interests.

It was simple: a faction’s talented prodigy, once reaching Third-Stage or beyond, can ultimately uplift the entire group. One breakthrough can catapult everyone—especially when First-Sequence status paves the way to regional leadership.

And so what if my innate talent surpasses everyone else’s?

Before most recognize their own chance to reach Fourth-Stage, they’d rather back a mediocre seed if it belongs to their own circle.

After all, how is you, Yenir, ever connected to them?

“Chen Yong is backed by the Vice Commander of the North China Battle Zone and the 119th Safe Zone. In the Military, that’s considered fairly neutral—he’s earned his spot through sheer longevity. Yet, his father is fiercely ambitious and unwilling to settle for a mere deputy command.”

“Wang Zheng is part of the Tiancheng Merchant Guild, a powerful force spread throughout the Northern Battle Zone with an impressive intelligence and contacts network. However, his father, Wang Tian, is a classic old fox in business, always kept in the shadows despite his role as vice-chairman.”

“Xiao Hai…”

“Xiao Hai is the most ordinary Third-Stage Awakened, serving in the 19th Group Army of the South China Battle Zone. Cautious by nature and eager to climb, his mediocre talent and lack of support have left him confined to the Tianfeng Security Zone.”

Reviewing his network, Yenir saw one clear truth: all three groups shared a common goal—to rise higher—yet were always stifled by those above them. Though they resented it, their current positions marked the limits of their abilities.

“Perhaps I can unite them to serve me…”

With a glint in his eyes and fingers drumming rhythmically on the table, Yenir’s mind raced.

“One from South China, one from North China, and one from the Merchant Guild.”

“Together, they’d form a formidable force. Once they catch a glimpse of my brilliance, the Capital is bound to take notice.”

“I just need to promise that once I reach Third-Stage, I’ll back them among the higher-ups—and I’m sure all three will be willing to join me.”

“Maybe I can even rope in a few veteran generals I knew from my past life; we might even form an entirely new faction…”

As he outlined his plan, Yenir exhaled deeply and, after a long moment, massaged his temples in fatigue.

To be honest, he didn’t really want to waste energy on such schemes.

Yet the lessons of his past life had made it clear: without his own power base, nothing could be accomplished. The sooner he wielded real influence, the better his chances of countering the impending catastrophe. Just reaching Fourth-Stage would, at best, leave humanity with a faint glimmer of hope.