Chapter 132: Four Factions
It wasn’t surprising, but it was instructive: four major factions ruled this place, each of them acting as a pillar propping up the fortress walls. And the city’s survival depended on the uneasy balance between them.
The first faction and the most show-off faction among all was the Armed Forces, led directly by Xu Mochen. Their uniforms, polished discipline, and visible disdain for newcomers were a daily reminder of their authority. They held the fortifications, controlled the gates, and decided who entered and who was cast back into the wilderness. To them, every civilian was either a resource or a liability.
The second faction consisted of the Resource Syndicate, a conglomerate of traders, craftsmen, and scavengers who had quickly monopolized food, water, and supplies. They were parasites disguised as saviors, clothed in the robes of merchants and dealmakers, smiling as they weighed the worth of lives against bags of grain.
The third faction, also known as the Church of Dawn, is a self-styled religious order that proclaimed divine revelation in the apocalypse. They wielded not swords but faith, commanding the loyalty of frightened civilians desperate for meaning in a broken world. Their sermons spread across the streets like wildfire, their chants seeping through stone walls in the dead of night.
And the fourth... the one she hadn’t anticipated was none other than the Xie Clan.
They didn’t operate just like other factions. The style was rather that of a ruler of a dynasty. Their roots spread beyond this fortress city, into the veins of other strongholds that had sprouted across the land. In her past life, Ling Yu had not heard of Xie Lingzhou rising to prominence so quickly. Perhaps fate had twisted differently this time, or perhaps she had underestimated just how powerful his family had been before the world fell apart.
Still, when she confirmed that he, that insufferable former movie king, was now the faction’s leader, she had to bite back a laugh. To think that a man who once wasted fortunes on imported whiskey and luxury cars now wielded an army of hunters and the loyalty of hundreds... Fate had a cruel sense of humor.
Besides, since he was in a powerful position within this city, it means that the Xie family is also stationed in another city and is doing well.
But for Ling Yu, it wasn’t important.
Because tonight, she was scheduled to step into the lair of Xu Mochen, that sly fox.
And to do that, she needed to ensure that the people depending on her, her team, her companions, would remain safe in her absence.
When she returned to their assigned quarters that evening, the door clicked softly behind her. A faint, soothing fragrance wound its way through the air, wrapping around her like a warm embrace from another time. Her steps slowed as she took a long breath of the fragrance lingering in the air.
It was not just any tea; it was Ling Yu’s favorite blend, delicate yet firm, with a mellow sweetness that lingered on the tongue. She hadn’t tasted it since before the world collapsed. It was like a ghost of her old life whispering in the corners of her weary mind.
Her gaze swept the room until it landed on the familiar figure by the small counter. Song, her steadfast shadow, her butler, and her right hand in this world, moved with quiet precision. His long fingers poured steaming amber liquid into cups, each motion smooth, unhurried, and utterly meticulous.
When he turned and saw her, his expression softened, though his voice remained as level as ever.
"You’ve returned, Master."
Ling Yu let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Her lips curved slightly. "And you’ve outdone yourself again, Song. You even found this tea here?"
Song inclined his head, his composure never faltering. "It took some effort. The Resource Syndicate hoards anything of quality. But for you, it is worth it."
’He really didn’t need to, I already have a lot of them in the space....’ Even though Ling Yu thought it was a waste of his hard work finding this for her, deep inside, she felt grateful that there was someone who cared for her like this.
She moved closer, the warmth of the tea already loosening the knots in her chest. When she accepted the cup from his hand, their fingers brushed briefly. The touch was fleeting, yet it carried a kind of reassurance no words could offer.
Ling Yu raised the cup to her lips, inhaled the steam, and took a slow sip. The flavor unfolded on her tongue, bitter at first, then mellow, then finishing with the subtle sweetness she remembered so well. It was grounding.
Her eyes half-closed as she murmured, "To think that even in this rotten world, something could still taste like home."
Song’s gaze lingered on her, sharp but tender in its own way. "That is why we hold onto small comforts, Master. To remind ourselves that we are not yet beasts mingling with monsters."
She chuckled softly, but it was a weary sound. "Beasts might actually have it easier."
They sat in silence for a while, the steady warmth of the tea weaving a cocoon around them. Outside, the fortress city bustled, the factions bickered, and the world spiraled further into ruin. But here, in this small space, time seemed to slow down, just for the two of them.
Finally, Ling Yu set her cup down with a quiet click. Her eyes sharpened, the softness fading into steel.
"Song."
"Yes, Master?"
"Tonight, I’m going to Xu Mochen."
"Xu Mochen? Isn’t he that lousy young master? Your ex-fiancée? How did you two meet? What does he want from you now?"
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t interrupt. He knew her well enough to wait.
"I don’t know what game he’s playing, but it’s clear he intends to use me. Whether it’s because he recognized me, or because he suspects what I’ve done... it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I go in prepared. And that all of you remain safe if something goes wrong."