Chapter 21: The Sino Alliance

The helicopter was flying toward the city center, and Ye Yang carefully observed the current state of Northern Beijing. It had changed drastically. Though still called Yanjing, it no longer resembled the vast city it once was. The city walls had shrunk within the Fifth Ring Road, with the surrounding suburbs no longer included. Lin Tian mentioned that even the famed Tsinghua University was now half outside the city limits.

“How many people live in Yanjing now?” Ye Yang asked with a frown. He hadn’t noticed any overcrowding; the city seemed relatively empty, not much different from before.

“Eighteen million,” Lin Tian replied bluntly. “That’s nearly one-fifth of the entire global population. Well, the world’s population is only about that much now.”

Ye Yang frowned again. Though it was sad, and despite the city’s reduced size, this wasn’t the absolute limit. The city could be a bit more crowded—at least taking in more people from the surrounding villages would help save more lives.

Lin Tian scoffed at Ye Yang’s naive question. “Xiao Yang, you’re thinking too simply. Sure, they can move in, but then what? Food? Water? Resources? We need sustainable survival, not a mass rush of refugees who all starve to death here!”

Ye Yang nodded awkwardly, realizing he had miscalculated. He’d only considered the area available, not the resources required.

Indeed, without the surrounding farmland, Northern Beijing was severely short on food and water. Eighteen million was already pushing the extreme limit.

Lin Tian went on to explain that at least a third of the population now dared to eat only two meals a day. No one was allowed to waste food or drink, not even billionaires. One meal was strictly limited to two steamed buns; eating three would mean immediate execution!

“Ha, but since you’re new here, a little waste is allowed. How about this: one fried dough stick extra per meal,” Lin Tian joked heartily.

Ye Yang wiped cold sweat from his brow. He knew Lin Tian was joking—there was no way someone would be shot for eating an extra bun—but it underscored how dire the food and water shortages truly were. Extravagance like before was absolutely impossible, no matter how rich you were.

Lin Tian also mentioned that showers were banned now, and people had reverted to the old style of communal bathhouses—hundreds of people packed into a single pool. Ye Yang listened, sweating profusely.

But when he heard Qi Fang’s innocent question, he was speechless. The young girl asked, “City people can still bathe? How lucky.”

Ye Yang leaned back and stared at the sky. What kind of world was this?

“First, let’s go to my place to see your aunt. Then I’ll take you straight to headquarters. Hmm… the little girl can stay at my place for now, until I arrange a proper home for you both,” Lin Tian said, his childish personality shining through despite nearing sixty. He still spoke without filters.

Ye Yang didn’t mind; he was used to his uncle’s eccentricity. Qi Fang, however, blushed deeply and stomped her foot.

Lin Tian’s home was in the city center, presumably for convenience. Contrary to Ye Yang’s expectations, it wasn’t a standalone villa but just a regular apartment in a community complex. For someone of Lin Tian’s status, simply having a place to live like this was admirable.

Though the building had an elevator, it only went up five floors. Ye Yang and Lin Tian climbed the stairs while Qi Fang eagerly led the way. Born after the apocalypse and never having come to the city before, even the community’s supermarket amazed her. The elevator was an even greater wonder.

Unlike before, although high-rise buildings still stood, Ye Yang noticed a steady stream of people in the narrow corridors. Neighbors visited each other frequently, borrowed daily necessities, and he even saw a middle-aged woman carrying home-cooked dishes to exchange for dumplings with a neighbor.

“Things are different now,” Lin Tian said. “The tougher it gets, the more you see human solidarity. There’s none of that cold distance between neighbors anymore.” He greeted a plump middle-aged man, casually tossing him a bottle of strong liquor from a bar for drifters. The man gratefully thanked him repeatedly.

Lin Tian’s wife, Zhou Yue, was a refined woman in her thirties, much younger than him and even younger than Ye Yang. Yet their relationship was strong and loving. Zhou Yue was gentle and considerate, immediately preparing tea and snacks for the visitors.

“No rush. I’m taking Xiao Yang to headquarters; he and this little girl will stay at our place for now. Hmm… clear out the guest room. My little treasure will sleep with Mommy and Daddy for a while,” Lin Tian said, picking up a five- or six-year-old girl and playfully teasing her before turning to leave with Ye Yang.

“Your wife is so young, and your daughter’s still little,” Ye Yang remarked enviously.

“Yeah, the apocalypse delayed things. By the time everything settled down, I was already an old man; she’s the only one who didn’t mind. Luckily, I got a daughter late in life. Heh, isn’t my little treasure adorable? Don’t get any ideas!” Lin Tian joked, but his eyes showed a rare tenderness.

Ye Yang smiled awkwardly, seeing the genuine love between them. It was real affection, or else Lin Tian wouldn’t have chosen her, despite his age and status.

But seeing them reminded Ye Yang of his own Xiao Ya and the child she carried. Was she still alive? Had the baby been born? He desperately wanted to know.

“Can you help me find my fiancée?” Ye Yang asked after much hesitation.

Lin Tian was stunned by the description. He frowned and nodded. A fiancée and an unborn child? It was difficult to let go, but Nanjing was gone. Even if she escaped to Shanghai, the distance made searching nearly impossible.

“You might not know, but we’re part of the Chinese Alliance. They’re the Yanhuang Capital. Though both Chinese, we barely communicate except when necessary. I’ll do my best,” Lin Tian sighed, then pointed ahead. “Here’s the military headquarters of the Chinese Alliance. The Hunters’ headquarters is here too.”

Following Lin Tian a few steps, Ye Yang was struck with recognition. They had entered through a back gate. This place was familiar... Could it be?

“The Forbidden City? Damn! The military headquarters is in the Forbidden City?” Ye Yang’s jaw dropped, pointing to the other side. “And that? That’s Tiananmen?”

“Yes, no big deal. The Great Hall of the People is now the command center for the security forces,” Lin Tian said, rolling his eyes. “By the way, Wangfujing isn’t far. I’ll treat you to dinner tonight, but no wasting food!”

Ye Yang was speechless. The Forbidden City turned into a military base; the Great Hall of the People became a police station? Yanjing was completely chaotic!

Every few steps, several soldiers passed by, greeting Lin Tian with salutes or bows. It was clear his rank was very high.

“So, where exactly are we going?” Ye Yang asked, puzzled.

“To see the big boss. I’m the second-in-command here,” Lin Tian said, pointing to a distant palace. Ye Yang nearly spat out blood. Damn! That was the Hall of Supreme Harmony!

But it was only the exterior. Inside, it was divided into many small rooms, with countless military and civilian personnel coming and going. It no longer resembled a palace.

Yet it was understandable. With Earth ruined and humanity struggling to survive, who had time to protect cultural relics?

“Big boss!” Lin Tian shouted from afar, his voice carrying. People looked up and laughed quietly upon seeing him. Lin Tian’s eccentricity was well-known, and only he would call the leader “big boss.”

Seeing the so-called big boss, Ye Yang was stunned. The man was handsome and young, barely in his early thirties—much younger than Ye Yang’s true age and even younger than Lin Tian. Such a guy was the military chief?

“Strength! Strength!” Lin Tian seemed to read Ye Yang’s doubts and explained quickly. Ye Yang immediately understood. This young man was also a Hunter, and probably a terrifyingly powerful one.

“Ye Yang, this is the son of Dr. Ling Yun I told you about.”

“Big Boss Wang Feng, leader of the Hunters, commander of the military headquarters, supreme commander!”

After introductions, Lin Tian whispered into Ye Yang’s ear, “He looks cold and quiet but is actually easy to get along with. Just don’t piss him off. His nicknames are Thunder Emperor and Great Thunder King—one of the top Hunters in the world.”

“Uh… hello,” Ye Yang bowed immediately. If Lin Tian called him top-tier, he must be extraordinary. After all, Ye Yang’s superman idol, Ling Fengyan, was just a nobody in Lin Tian’s eyes.

Of course, Ye Yang was just trying to get by himself.

Wang Feng was indeed as Lin Tian described—cold and taciturn. Yet he treated Ye Yang fairly well, likely due to his father’s reputation.

“Arrange things for this guy with the Hunters. You know what to do!” Lin Tian said, crossing his legs.

“Are you sure? It’s okay?” Wang Feng was laconic.

“Yes,” Lin Tian nodded.

Wang Feng also nodded but frowned. “Let’s do a test.”

“Fine!” Lin Tian agreed promptly, then told Ye Yang, “You’ll take a test soon to assess your physical strength. It’s just procedural, no big deal. Uncle Lin has faith in you!”

“Okay,” Ye Yang nodded eagerly, excited about the Hunters’ physical test. He believed his strength was sufficient.

What he didn’t know was that this was only a minor test—not of his physical ability or strength.

After a brief chat, Wang Feng called over a female secretary-type to escort Ye Yang out. Wang Feng’s words were few; from entry to exit, he spoke less than twenty words.

What Ye Yang didn’t know was that Wang Feng waited until after Ye Yang left to speak.

“Are you sure about him? No problems?” Wang Feng asked, his brows deeply furrowed.

Lin Tian nodded. “Relax. I was there for that experiment years ago. You know, absolutely no issues. Dr. Ling Yun said it’s been frozen for twenty years—more than enough.”

“Good. Since you brought him here, you’re responsible if anything goes wrong,” Wang Feng said with a strange expression. Lin Tian smiled.

“By the way, he doesn’t know about his mother. Should we tell him?” Lin Tian asked, frowning.

“No!” Wang Feng’s tone was firm. “If he finds out on his own, that’s fine. But we must not bring it up proactively.”

“But…” Lin Tian hesitated to speak, but Wang Feng waved him off, then pointed at the sky. “The higher-ups decided this while you were coming. It’s understandable—this matter is extremely risky. If he weren’t Dr. Ling Yun’s son, and the situation wasn’t so tense, he wouldn’t even be allowed to be a Hunter!”

Lin Tian was silent for a long moment before sighing. “Hunters exist because of him. Without him, the concept of evolution wouldn’t exist. Now he wants to be a Hunter but still has to answer to others…”

“Yes,” Wang Feng stared at the now-closed gate. “It’s ironic. Not just about this, but about this kid’s fate as well. Sigh.”