Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Association's Response

Chapter 39: The Association’s Response

Within the walled city of C, nestled in a villa district, stood a building of steel and glass—the headquarters of the Extraordinary Association. This edifice, constructed with painstaking effort, was a marvel of modern technology, rivaling even the city’s central administrative complex. In terms of security, it surpassed the latter, for it housed numerous research centers within its walls.

At this moment, Director Chen, with his Mediterranean hairline, had just hurried back from outside the city and now sat with the association’s upper echelon in a conference room. Presiding over the meeting was a resolute middle-aged man—Han Ze, the president of the Extraordinary Association. Before the apocalypse, he had served as a high-ranking officer in the military district of Southwest Longzhou.

When disaster struck, Han Ze was leading his troops on a border patrol. He obtained a source pearl, and with his men, rescued survivors as they fought their way back to C City. Along the journey, he recovered several more source pearls. Later, he volunteered himself as a test subject for scientific research. He was the first to practice the Qi-Guiding Technique developed by the city’s scientists based on the genetic lock theory, becoming C City’s first fourth-tier warrior and, to this day, its most formidable defender and the head of the association.

Now, the entire leadership watched intently as a video played on the projector. It showed Gu Sha’s battle with the third-tier warrior Liu Song outside the city walls, culminating in that devastating stomp which left a giant crater in the earth. The footage froze on the image of the sunken pit.

Han Ze set down the remote. “Gentlemen, what are your thoughts?”

Their expressions varied—some were astonished, others contemplative, a few frowning deeply.

“President,” a young man ventured, “your strength is the greatest among us, and you remain the only extraordinary person to have reached the fourth tier. Could you perform the feat we just witnessed in that video?”

Han Ze shook his head gravely. “No. In fact, I can say with certainty—even if I were to break through to the fifth tier, I still could not do what he did. I estimate this individual is at least a sixth-tier warrior, perhaps even seventh.”

“We must recruit him—at any cost!” declared an elderly man with white hair. “Someone of his caliber must not be left outside. The risks are too great. Moreover, his genetic development is far ahead of ours; he could offer invaluable experience to our extraordinary warriors, saving us from countless detours. His value far exceeds his martial prowess alone. Such a talent must be drawn in, regardless of the cost.”

“I agree,” Han Ze replied. “If he’s willing to join, as long as he does nothing to harm humanity’s interests, I am prepared to step aside and let him lead.”

Another added, “His presence would be a tremendous inspiration to those fighting on the front lines. He could point us in a new direction, set an example for all who follow.”

The decision was made swiftly and without dissent. No one was foolish enough to raise the matter of Gu Sha crippling Liu Song. The facts were clear: Liu Song had struck first, and with lethal intent. Gu Sha had acted in self-defense. Not only that, but he had originally intended to join the association, and had shown no disrespect to its members or the authorities.

Director Chen, however, voiced his concern. “President, esteemed colleagues, I foresee some trouble. After that incident outside the walls, this extraordinary individual must harbor considerable resentment toward us. Recruiting him now will be extremely difficult. To be blunt, our association and the city walls mean a great deal to us, but we can offer him very little in return. Worse, we have already offended him. He has no reason to accept our invitation—his strength is such that he could live comfortably even without our protection.”

A heavy silence fell over the room.

“Damn it,” a young man erupted, slamming his fist on the table. “That bastard Liu Song! Bureaucratic nonsense is bad enough, but to send such a fool of a woman to receive extraordinary guests! Who knows how many potential recruits have been turned away by her stupidity!”

“Action must be taken,” Han Ze declared at once. “Liu Song is stripped of his association membership. Given his past service to the city, he will not be expelled, but his conduct will be formally investigated. As for Lin Meifeng, there’s no need for an inquiry—she is to be summarily dismissed and driven out of the city.”

Having spoken, Han Ze rose to his feet. “Regardless of whether Mr. Gu is willing to join us, we must make the first gesture. At the very least, we cannot allow him to remain deeply aggrieved. I will go to meet him myself and convey the association’s and the city’s sincere welcome.”

...

In the shantytown, the community service worker finished explaining the rules of the city and began assigning beds one by one. The conditions were truly harsh, but there was some humanity to the system—a three-day grace period, during which medical care, lodging, food, and water were all provided free of charge.

When the staff member departed, the new residents rushed out to claim their first meal. It was meager—just a few pieces of bread—but these survivors were more than satisfied, eating with genuine relish.

Gu Sha tossed his portion of bread to a nearby child and, ignoring the child’s bewildered gaze, left the room. With his backpack slung over his shoulder, he strode into the neighboring shack.

At a glance, he spotted the monkey-faced man who had stolen a bag of food from him earlier. At that moment, the monkey-faced man was basking in the flattery of his roommates. Perched on his bed, he gesticulated grandly, patting the large bag of food at his side. “See this? All this food—how did I get it? My brother is the director of the community service center. He has real power. Food? I can get as much as I want. He even told me that in a couple of days, I’ll have a job at the center!”

“Brother Xiao, you’re really on the rise! You must look after us in the future!”

“That’s right, Brother Xiao! From now on, we’ll follow you anywhere—just say the word, and we’ll march through fire and water for you!”

“Who would have thought we’d be so lucky, to live with someone like Brother Xiao!”

“Brother Xiao, don’t forget your little brothers in days to come!”

And so on. The monkey-faced man reveled in their flattery, his brows dancing, face aglow with pride.

Suddenly, he froze. Standing in the doorway was Gu Sha.

He recognized him at once—after all, the food he now boasted of had been snatched from Gu Sha by trickery. For a moment, panic flickered in his chest. But only for a moment. Glancing around at the twenty-some people sharing the dormitory, his confidence quickly returned. These people now looked to him as their leader, and this was the safety of the city walls. He didn’t believe Gu Sha would dare do anything to him. In fact, schemes sprang to mind—if this kid failed to mind his place, he had plenty of ways to make his life miserable!

(End of chapter)