Chapter 137: Xiao Qiang, Lord of Yancheng

Xiao Qiang looked at the one or two thousand people before him with a hint of hesitation, his gaze lingering mostly on Bai Xing and Fang Xia. He was certain these people were not survivors from Yan City.

Their strength was so immense that he almost suspected he was dreaming.

Fang Xia also looked over. During the recent battle, he had already identified this man as the leader of the group, and quite possibly, the leader of Yan City itself.

"Hello, I am Fang Xia, the commander of this group."

Fang Xia walked over and extended his right hand.

Having served as a city lord for several months, Xiao Qiang still possessed a certain air of authority. He quickly steadied himself and extended his own hand in return.

"Xiao Qiang, Lord of Yan City."

Regardless of their intentions, they were human, which was far better than the mindless zombies. Of course, the primary reason for his composure was that the other party’s strength was so overwhelmingly high that even if they did have ulterior motives, there was little he could do to resist.

Are you sure we are living in the same world? Did the apocalypse really start on the same day?

Xiao Qiang could not help but wonder.

"We came from White City." Fang Xia stated plainly.

"White City? You walked all the way from White City? With so many zombies outside the city walls, you managed to make it here with just these two or three thousand people?" Xiao Qiang exclaimed.

Yan City had a population of hundreds of thousands, and they had not even managed to clear the zombies out from within their own walls. Now, he was being told that a group of fewer than three thousand people had traveled two hundred kilometers from White City to reach Yan City.

This had to be a joke.

However, Xiao Qiang quickly regained his composure and began to calculate silently. They must have started with tens or even hundreds of thousands, and these were the two or three thousand strongest survivors left.

"That’s right, we came from White City. It took us a few hours. It’s just a pity that we lost a few brothers along the way."

Xiao Qiang felt his worldview crumbling. This was the apocalypse, and he was a city lord, yet how could this man be so effortlessly boastful in front of him?

Seeing Xiao Qiang remain silent for a long time, Fang Xia had to speak again.

"City Lord Xiao, are you not happy to have us here?"

"No, no, no!" Xiao Qiang waved his hands frantically.

Are you kidding? How could he not welcome them?

"How could that be? If it weren't for you, I don't know how many more people in Yan City would have died today. And that Tier 4 zombie earlier—if you hadn't intervened, I would be a corpse by now."

Xiao Qiang meant every word. Whether Fang Xia was being arrogant or merely putting on a brave face, the fact remained that his people had saved Yan City and saved him personally. Once he realized this, Xiao Qiang stopped overthinking. If they truly had malicious intent, they would have just killed him and been done with it; there was no need for such pleasantries. In the face of absolute strength, any schemes or tricks were pale and futile.

"A-Shan, hurry, arrange accommodations for Commander Fang’s people."

The fire-element ability user nearby stepped forward immediately and began making arrangements upon hearing Xiao Qiang’s orders.

While the two talked, Guo Yu’s team was already busy collecting upgrade crystals in the rear. Their efficiency was so high that it made Xiao Qiang’s eyelids twitch several times. Still, he didn't say a word; these were, after all, their spoils of war.

"Commander, it’s done."

It wasn't until a young woman ran over to report that Fang Xia nodded.

"Commander Fang, please, this way."

Xiao Qiang personally led the way as the thousands of people moved into the city. Along the road, there were still some minor skirmishes, but these were just a matter of time; the area would soon be cleared.

However, the defensive fortifications of Yan City were far better than those of Dawn City during the same period. Without Fang Xia’s prior warnings, Dawn City’s surroundings would have been completely undefended. Here, they had piled up many obstacles and barricades, which were quite effective against the single-minded, low-level zombies.

Fang Xia estimated that even without his arrival, Yan City might have survived this siege, though the number of survivors would have been a mystery. Without the city walls, they would have eventually been wiped out by the zombies. In his previous life, survivors from these cities had eventually fled to Dawn City one after another. But unlike Fang Xia, who proactively ventured out, most were forced into full-scale migrations. Tens or hundreds of thousands would travel together, and by the time they reached Dawn City, only a few thousand remained. The groups were too large, and zombies would track them by scent. Unlike Fang Xia’s group of two thousand, they had a smaller footprint, making them safer—provided the individuals within the team were strong enough; otherwise, they wouldn't even survive a small horde.

They walked for another ten minutes, with many people along the way watching the group with curiosity. There were so many beautiful women; they had never seen them before. Who was the man in the lead? Why was the City Lord so respectful toward him? Unfortunately, no one could answer their questions.

By the time they reached the inner part of Yan City, A-Shan had already arranged their quarters. Judging by the layout, it was a high-end apartment complex from before the apocalypse, with all facilities relatively intact. It was nice to be in a city that hadn't been devastated by earthquakes; such fine housing was a luxury.

Following his habit, Fang Xia chose the villa in the center. The logistics team, combat team, and Guo Yu’s team were arranged in layers from the inside out.

While Fang Xia’s group settled in, Xiao Qiang had many questions, but he knew this was not the time. Moreover, Yan City still had many issues to address that night. Even with Fang Xia’s timely intervention, casualties were inevitable. Xiao Qiang eventually took his leave in a hurry.

"Brother Fang, everything has been cleaned up."

The villa was quickly tidied by the young women, all the furniture was replaced with new items, and the rooms were organized.

"Tell Guo Yu that we will be staying in Yan City for a few days. Tell his people not to cause any trouble."

On the second floor of the villa, Bai Xing had told him about Li Xiaochun earlier that day, which reminded Fang Xia of others. Perhaps, besides Li Xiaochun, there were other young women from Yan City he knew. Thus, Fang Xia decided to stay for a few more days. This would be the same for the cities that followed. As for what to do once he truly found his relatives, he could leave that to Liu Rui and the little girl to figure out.

Early the next morning, Xiao Qiang arrived at the villa to wait. Everyone now knew who the Lord of Yan City was, so no one stopped him. However, when he reached the door, he was blocked by a bodyguard.

"The Commander and the others are still resting. You can wait here for a while."

The bodyguard was diligent and did not allow anyone to approach unless explicitly permitted by Fang Xia. Xiao Qiang had no choice but to wait at the door.