Chapter 172: The Curtain Rises
During the time Xu Zhi had been keeping a low profile in the city center, she was not the only one preparing for the unknown danger looming ahead.
With Xu Zhi’s authorization—and her understanding of Xu Zhi’s temperament—Zhong Lingfan had accomplished quite a lot in this period.
First of all, she informed the city’s residents that although the gate between Cloud City and the Federation had opened, it did not mean things were moving toward a hopeful new beginning. On the contrary, the greatest danger was yet to come.
Perhaps the Federation’s Transcendents might feel panic and dread upon hearing such news, but the survivors in Cloud City did not react the same way.
After all, they had already endured one “apocalypse.”
Even though the administrators described the coming catastrophe in grim terms, the Transcendents of Cloud City—tempered by hardship—did not respond with wailing or fear. Rather than wasting their energy lamenting the oncoming crisis, they chose to prepare early, to ensure they would not be as helpless as they were when the first disaster struck.
Thus, in the past two months, although Cloud City was shrouded in tension, compared to the Federation, it appeared far more orderly and composed.
And they were all acutely aware that their ability to face the next crisis so steadily owed much to Xu Zhi. Even though most residents had never seen her in person, in their hearts she had become the one they trusted most to stand against whatever disaster lay ahead.
Zhong Lingfan didn’t try to shatter this atmosphere. The residents didn’t know Xu Zhi’s true personality, and their unrealistic expectations—treating her as a “hero”—were natural, born from the instinctive reverence for absolute strength.
And right now, that “tonic” of faith was exactly what they needed.
Though Xu Zhi herself had shown no desire to be a hero, her attitude made it clear she wouldn’t stand idly by. If people mistakenly saw her as a hero because of that—so be it.
After all, sometimes the mere existence of a hero matters more than whether they truly save the world.
So, even though Xu Zhi rarely showed her face in the residential area and never used her powers to rally people together, her mere presence inspired unity among the Transcendents of Cloud City as the next calamity drew near.
They were calmer, tougher, and clearer-headed than the Federation’s Transcendents. They didn’t cling to false hopes that “everything will be fine” or that “the apocalypse isn’t real.” What mattered most now was simple—to grow stronger.
And so, Cloud City’s Transcendents began to show great enthusiasm toward the Federation’s “leeks.” After all, those outsiders carried cores—far more profitable than any hunt.
Perhaps sensing the approaching catastrophe, Xu Zhi “reluctantly” provided more city entry tokens. The Federation, for its own reasons, did not publicly announce the coming of the apocalypse—only certain Transcendents and higher echelons of various cities were informed.
Even so, Cloud City quickly became the most sought-after refuge.
Who wouldn’t want to grow stronger before the end arrived? And where could one grow stronger fastest? Naturally—Cloud City.
The residents of Cloud City tacitly began “harvesting” the Federation Transcendents for their cores, while those Transcendents willingly paid in exchange for protection and guidance to better absorb energy.
For a time, the two groups—once expected to clash—actually coexisted in surprising harmony. The “imbalance” and conflict the Federation’s upper ranks had feared never came to pass.
Zhong Lingfan, meanwhile, was working herself to the bone—splitting herself in two just to manage everything.
She had once asked Shen Jinwen if she wanted to leave Cloud City, but Shen Jinwen firmly refused. If not for Xu Zhi’s insistence back then, Shen Jinwen wouldn’t have left the old district for the city center at all. Zhong Lingfan didn’t know how Xu Zhi had convinced her, but she herself could never have done it.
To stay—this was Shen Jinwen’s bottom line, and her attachment to this place ran deep.
So, Zhong Lingfan had no choice but to leave the internal matters and experiments of Cloud City in Shen Jinwen’s care, while matters concerning the Federation were mostly handled by Lin Zizhen.
The man Xu Zhi had once brought back wasn’t particularly powerful, but he had one valuable trait—he was sharp, pragmatic, and smooth-tongued. Quick-thinking, emotionally intelligent, and unashamed to lower his pride when needed. Most importantly, he knew exactly what he wanted and what he was doing.
That was enough.
He was precisely the kind of person Zhong Lingfan needed to handle troublesome affairs.
Time slipped by amid this steady busyness. Another month passed.
When a secret, dangerous experiment in Cloud City’s laboratory finally bore fruit— When Xu Zhi’s little cat awoke from its long slumber— Somewhere deep in the remote mountains of the Federation…
A group of ragged, unkempt people—bearded and filthy—emerged from a hidden tunnel.
Anyone from the Federation who saw them would have been shocked and enraged.
To escape pursuit, these people had hidden themselves inside an undiscovered ancient tomb, even carving ritual formations into the tomb walls themselves.
Could such madness still be called human?
No—these were fanatics, not people.
“This site is complete as well. That makes nine-tenths of the Lord’s command fulfilled.”
“All that’s left… is that damned Cloud City!”
The speaker’s voice was seething with hatred, as though the city itself were his sworn enemy.
“What should we do? Our men tried to sneak in several times and failed. A few beasts guard the city’s entrance—anyone who approaches gets slaughtered before they can even start carving the formation!”
“No rush. We’ll try contacting the Lord again. If we explain the situation, perhaps He will give us new instructions.”
They couldn’t afford to waste time locked in a stalemate with Cloud City.
After returning halfway down the mountain, the group disguised themselves in an old, half-rotted wooden cabin that looked abandoned for over a decade. One by one, they left the secluded area, returning to the Federation by different routes. Days later, they gathered again in another secret place.
“The preparations are complete. Let’s begin.”
The ritual to communicate with their “Lord” was complex—it required the sacrifice of a hundred low-level followers. At last, the leading high priest received divine instruction.
When he opened his eyes, his face twisted into ecstatic joy.
“The Lord says He already has arrangements within Cloud City. We need not interfere. All we must do is ensure the Federation is ready.”
“Everything is prepared. The Lord’s consciousness is nearly fully awakened.”
In the dimly lit room, the only light came from the crimson glow of the blood-etched sigil at his feet. The faint red radiance illuminated every face gathered there—each one alight with fanatic worship and feverish delight for what was about to come.
The leader’s voice grew wild and cruel. No longer bothering to restrain himself, he cast off his black robe and raised his arms high.
“Now—the time has come! My brethren, the ritual begins!”
“Our Lord has endured a century of torment. Now—let the world repay that suffering!”
