Chapter 86: My Plan Is…
Xu Zhi pondered for a moment as the black cat completed its upgrade.
When it awoke from its upgrade-induced sleep, it seemed slightly surprised that the drowsiness had come on so suddenly—it had actually fallen asleep in front of Xu Zhi without any guard up. Slightly annoyed, it tapped the table with its paw twice, an action that seemed equal parts tantrum and petulant act of affection, before dissolving into a puff of blue smoke and returning to a higher perch.
Seeing that the upgrade was complete, Xu Zhi picked up the game console to check the stats.
[Familiar: Nightmare Lv2]
Mind: 150
Physical: 0 (Since your familiar is a special entity, pure physical attacks have no effect on it.)
Attribute: Moth
Traits: Dreamweaver Lv3, Fear Lv3, Chaos Lv2, Agility Lv1, Insight Lv1
Special Ability: Nightmare Creation
The only stat that increased was mind power—but it had jumped by 50 points just from level 1 to 2.
“This is absurd…”
In comparison, all those cores it consumed suddenly seemed well worth it.
At that moment, Zhen, who had been assigned to escort the last batch of survivors to the residential zone, returned. Now that all her familiars were gathered, Xu Zhi figured it was time to take care of the Yu Shenwei situation.
She patted the little Aberration creature, who had recently been behaving well enough to earn a spot in her pocket.
“Give me a parasitic seed fruit.”
The little Aberration poked its head out of her pocket, its forked branch-like antenna swaying. It exerted itself to “squeeze” out a black fruit the size of a blueberry from the tip of its twig. Then, with its tiny claws, it plucked the fruit and gently placed it into Xu Zhi’s waiting palm, rubbing against her fingers affectionately. The emotions in the air expressed its thoughts wordlessly—something like: Tired… cuddle…
Xu Zhi: “Cut it out!”
At least pretend to be tired. One fruit and you’re worn out? Please.
She flicked the creature lightly on the head with her finger. “Kill all those people for me, and I’ll give you half the cores as a reward.”
The other half was earmarked for something else.
Hearing there was food involved, the not-so-smart little creature immediately forgot to even pretend to be tired, shaking its head happily to show how pleased it was.
Xu Zhi looked at it, full of frustrated disappointment.
What the hell—other familiars at level 1 have more mind power than you do at level 26!
The clever black cat, watching from atop a cabinet, gave an incredibly human-like expression of disdain and contempt. Xu Zhi felt like it was directed at the little Aberration.
Surely it wouldn’t dare give her that kind of attitude… right?!
Shoving the Aberration back into her pocket, Xu Zhi left the room and found Huo Ze. Without ceremony, she said, “Eat this.”
Huo Ze, who couldn’t see, held out his hand, and Xu Zhi dropped the fruit into his palm.
“What is it?” he asked nervously.
“Some fruit I picked outside. Looks a bit like a blueberry, but I’m not sure. You test it for poison.”
Xu Zhi said it casually.
Huo Ze’s face twisted: “Is that really necessary?”
“Why are you talking so much? I said eat it.”
Xu Zhi had no intention of negotiating. Huo Ze could hear the finality in her tone and, with a miserable look, popped the black fruit into his mouth. He didn’t even dare chew it—he just swallowed it whole.
Without Xu Zhi or the Aberration’s activation, the parasitic seed wouldn’t awaken. It would simply lie dormant in the host’s body. Xu Zhi knew this, of course, but still asked with feigned concern, “How do you feel? Any pain? It looks pretty poisonous.”
Then why the hell would you feed it to me?!
Huo Ze wanted to blow up, but didn’t dare.
Oddly enough, he did start to feel a slight discomfort in his throat—though he couldn’t pinpoint it. Was this the start of something… bad?
In truth, it was all in his head. Xu Zhi knew that. But before leaving, she added one more comment: “Doesn’t seem like there’s an immediate reaction… maybe it’s a slow-acting poison?”
Huo Ze, who had just started to relax, immediately tensed up again.
Feeling satisfied, Xu Zhi returned to her room to rest and recharge. While her body was fine, her mind was starting to show signs of fatigue from prolonged wakefulness. A big battle was likely coming tomorrow—she couldn’t afford to be off her game.
*
The next morning, when Zhen returned empty-handed from scouting, Xu Zhi woke the other two.
“Let’s go. Time to get ready—we’re heading back.”
Because Huo Ze was blind, there was no need to cover Yu Shenwei’s eyes anymore. Huo Ze remained completely unaware that his and Yu Shenwei’s roles had essentially reversed. He asked anxiously, “We’re really going back like this?”
“The high-rank zealots have gathered over a hundred followers. Walking in like this is suicide!”
He was panicking. Though he acknowledged Xu Zhi’s strength, he assumed her limit was fighting off ten people at most.
Those mindless believers might be dumb, but under the high-rank zealots’s command, they could at least coordinate basic attacks. Definitely not something one person could handle.
“What are you afraid of? You think I’d risk my own life?”
Huo Ze found that hard to argue with, but deep down he remained uneasy. It wasn’t fear of Xu Zhi’s abilities—it was a growing sense of foreboding. After spending time around her, something about her attitude gave off warning signs. He had a creeping sense that things were not going to unfold the way he hoped.
He had no idea what Xu Zhi’s plan was. But now, blind and powerless, he had no choice but to obey—and pray she would keep her promise.
So this is what it feels like when your fate is in someone else’s hands?
After getting in the car, even while feeling powerless, Huo Ze wasn’t ready to give in. He cautiously asked, “Miss Xu, do you have a plan?”
Xu Zhi paused for a few seconds, as if in deep thought, then finally replied, “Yeah. Go in, kill everyone who doesn’t listen, and then push my chosen candidate into the Archbishop’s seat.”
…What?!
That’s a plan?
Huo Ze was stunned, but when he heard “my chosen candidate,” he immediately perked up.
That must mean him, right?
Xu Zhi didn’t have anyone else!
See? She really was going to keep her promise. He’d worried for nothing.
A relieved smile spread across his face.
Yu Shenwei silently observed the entire exchange.
Xu Zhi turned on the car’s audio system, which was loaded with local music. Judging by the playlist—full of pop songs from two or three decades ago—the owner must’ve been a middle-aged man. The songs had a distinct retro charm now.
As the car cruised through the fog-filled, empty city, the loud music spilled from the open windows, drawing attention from hidden watchers lurking in the shadows.
Xu Zhi looked at the two passengers and said, “Hold on. Sharp turn coming up.”
