Chapter 40 GO Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Vermilion Phoenix City

The disappearance of Xiao Zihao, Niu Er, and Da Yan soon drew Jiang Qing’s attention.

Several of Shi Yu’s men from the ordinary unit had also gone missing during last night’s sweep.

Neither Jiang Qing nor Shi Yu could afford to send soldiers out just to look for a few missing men—especially since Shi Yu’s subordinates were only normal recruits. 

The two of them discussed and decided that, considering Xiao Zihao and the others were elite squad trainees and key candidates for the new batch of training at the Azurebird Base, they would wait a few hours.

If, by the time Lieutenant Colonel Butcher’s main force passed through, the missing soldiers still hadn’t returned, they would have no choice but to leave them behind and regroup with the main army to return to base.

A few hours later, as expected, Butcher’s troops arrived. Jiang Qing and Shi Yu gathered their people, boarded the transports, and returned with the main force. The rescued survivors followed behind in a long, ragged line and were later escorted to a nearby human stronghold.

Upon returning to Azurebird Base, Butcher announced a two-day leave. Those who had performed exceptionally during the mission would receive permission to leave the base for a short time.

Chen Ning, Bai Yuhao, Su Luo, and the Luo brothers were all listed among the top performers and granted the rare privilege of going outside the base during the two days short break.

Originally, Chen Ning had no plans to go anywhere. But Bai Yuhao suggested taking advantage of the break to return home to Vermilion Phoenix City—and enthusiastically invited everyone to come along.

Vermilion Phoenix City!

The name alone stirred something deep within Chen Ning. He couldn’t help but think of his three-year-old daughter, Xiao Guo. After a moment’s hesitation, his longing overcame his restraint, and he agreed to go.

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When Shi Yu returned to base, a sentry approached him with a report—three letters from his family had arrived during his absence.

Shi Yu frowned slightly. He accepted the letters, immediately recognizing his sister’s handwriting.

His sister, Shi LiLi, had written to him before. Her son—Liu Xi—had died at this very base. She refused to believe her son had been killed by zombies and demanded Shi Yu to uncover the truth.

When Shi Yu first arrived, he’d done some investigating. There wasn’t much evidence to go on, but like Xiao Zihao, he suspected that Liu Xi’s death was somehow connected to Chen Ning.

As Xiao Zihao had once pointed out, how could a mere Level 1 soldier like Chen Ning have possibly collected so many zombie cores?

Add to that the well-known grudge between Chen Ning and Liu Xi—and Shi Yu began to think Xiao Zihao might have been right. Chen Ning could very well have ambushed Liu Xi, killed him, and taken his kill credits for himself.

Now, Xiao Zihao has also lost contact. 

As a disciple from an influential and noble family, he places great importance on honor and would definitely not desert. Moreover, Xiao Zihao is currently in the elite group with a bright future ahead, making it even more unlikely for him to desert. 

Therefore, his loss of contact strongly suggests that something may have happened to him.

Just like with Liu Xi. Both cases had occurred during field operations.

As if suddenly remembering something, Shi Yu immediately checked the military action log. Soon, he found the duty roster of the elite squad in Shitou Town and discovered that it matched his suspicions. 

On the night Xiao Zihao went missing, Chen Ning was also not at the Stone Town camp. Like Xiao Zihao, he was out on a mission. According to the records in Jian Qing’s combat log, Chen Ning was also hunting zombies in the forest.

Shi Yu narrowed his eyes.

At SanXi Town, Liu Xi went out with Chen Ning—and died.

At Stone Town, Xiao Zihao went out with Chen Ning—and disappeared.

Both have some grudges with Chen Ning. Both died mysteriously.

Shi Yu’s gaze darkened. He recalled the way Jian Qing seemed unusually protective of Chen Ning, and the rumor of their ambiguous closeness. A bitter jealousy surged in his chest.

Without hesitation, he sat down at his desk and wrote a letter to his sister in Vermilion Phoenix City.

He wrote a letter, the general content of which was: The murderer is Chen Ning, but there is no evidence. To seek revenge, we must resort to private means.

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While Shi Yu’s letter sped through the military courier network, Chen Ning was packing light—two changes of clothes, three gold coins he’d earned since joining the training camp—and set off with Bai Yuhao, Su Luo, and the Luo brothers toward Vermilion Phoenix City.

The city lay seven hundred kilometers from Azurebird Base—about a seven-hour drive.

But the Bai family was a powerful Household in Vermilion Phoenix City, with influence not only in the Imperial military but also in commerce. Their trading convoys spanned several southern provinces. One of their trade outposts—located about a hundred kilometers from the Azurebird Base—served as their nearest stronghold.

Bai Yuhao brought everyone there first, then arranged for them to take one of the family’s private  helicopters straight to Vermilion Phoenix City.

Three hours later, the aircraft descended through the clouds, revealing one of the Four Great Human Cities of Empire—the capital of the southern province—Vermilion Phoenix City itself.

What first caught Chen Ning’s eye was the twenty-meter-tall wall, the massive gate crowned with a statue of the Vermilion Phoenix, and within, the iconic Vermilion Tower—a towering spire that soared hundreds of meters high, the city’s most famous landmark.

It was Chen Ning’s first time seeing one of humanity’s great metropolises—the kind of place that the slum-born like him had only ever dreamed of.

The city was alive with civilization: dense high-rises, dazzling architecture, shimmering lights—remnants of a world that had not yet been swallowed by ruin.

Vermilion Phoenix City was encircled by two layers of concentric walls, separated by several kilometers. Both gates were heavily guarded and usually sealed shut.

Even aircraft had to undergo strict clearance procedures before entry—failure to follow protocol meant being shot down on sight.

Fortunately, Bai Yuhao’s helicopter bore the Bai family crest, and the pilot smoothly coordinated with the city’s defense units for clearance. Under tight supervision, they finally landed in the secure zone between the two walls.

There, soldiers in gas masks approached for inspection. Each passenger was checked for identity and contamination, sprayed with disinfectant mist, and scanned for infection. Only after everything came back clean were they allowed into the inner city.

As elite cadets of the Phoenix Legion’s Azurebird Training Camp, and officially registered Imperial soldiers on leave, Chen Ning and his team had the legal right to enter any Imperial city.

The guards saluted and waved them through. The officer in charge even greeted Bai Yuhao respectfully:

“Welcome home, Young Master Bai.”

Chen Ning and the others couldn’t help but glance at Bai Yuhao. They all thought to themselves: It seems Bai Yuhao is quite well-known in Vermilion Phoenix City.

Bai Yuhao led Chen Ning and the group into the city. Apart from Su Luo, this was the first time Chen Ning and the Da Luo and Xiao Luo brothers had ever set foot in a metropolis. 

The bunch of them were like a country bumpkin in the city—everything they saw amazed and fascinated them, causing Su Luo to roll her eyes in exasperation while Bai Yuhao looked on, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Bai Yuhao brought Chen Ning and the others back to the Bai residence, arranged accommodations for them, and told everyone not to worry.

The most bustling time in Vermilion Phoenix City would be in the evening. That night, he would take them out to broaden their horizons.

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Not long after Chen Ning and his friends entered the city, within the Liu family mansion, a middle-aged noblewoman received a letter delivered by express courier.

The woman was Shi LiLi, Shi Yu’s sister and Liu Xi’s mother.

As she finished reading, her eyes burned with fury.

Her lips curled into a cold, venomous smile as she muttered:

“So… a filthy slum-born wretch dares to kill my son?”

Her voice lowered, trembling with wrath.

“Chen Ning, is it? You’re already coming to Vermilion Phoenix City? Perfect. Saves me the trouble of finding you.”