Chapter Six: The Evernight City Incident

Chapter Six: The Evernight City Incident

With a hint of dejection, Xia Zheng made his way home. Yet, as he neared his door, he skillfully concealed any trace of disappointment, blending seamlessly into the cheerful, harmonious atmosphere that filled his house. He’d become rather adept at handling all kinds of greetings—responding with genuine conversation to those who sincerely congratulated him, and simply offering a few humble words to those whose praise was hollow. In short, he’d learned to wear a mask, tailoring his words to his audience, whether they were friend or foe.

“You’re quite the celebrity now, aren’t you?” A punch flew at him from behind, but Xia Zheng instinctively sensed the attack and blocked it without so much as turning his head.

The assailant was Chen Xiu, a classmate who had stood by him in his darkest days and now counted as a true friend.

“Not bad at all. I used to feel a bit jealous that you awakened a supernatural talent, but now I’m convinced you deserve it. By the way, rumor has it that after seeing your results, the military has decided to move up your re-examination. You’d better get ready—if you pass this time, you’ll definitely become a spec—” Chen Xiu suddenly stopped, realizing that being a special recruit might not matter so much to Xia Zheng anymore.

After all, for someone who had achieved such outstanding results in the grand examination, the title of special recruit was now just the cherry on top. In fact, it was a title that had almost cost him everything.

“Come on, let’s talk outside.” Xia Zheng excused himself to his parents, who only reminded him not to forget about the banquet they’d be attending that evening. Though he was weary of these endless social gatherings, whenever he saw the pride and satisfaction glowing on his parents’ faces—parents who had toiled for decades—he forced himself to endure the discomfort.

Chen Xiu accompanied him outside. Quite a few classmates had come by, but ever since the incident, Xia Zheng had kept to himself, only maintaining a close friendship with Chen Xiu. The harrowing memory of that bloody scene was one he could not shake, leaving him no choice but to remain distant.

“Xia Zheng, I think you’ve changed.” Chen Xiu walked with him through the greenbelt under their apartment block, then suddenly spoke.

“Oh?” Xia Zheng replied. “Changed for better or worse?”

“It’s not a matter of better or worse. You’ve matured. You don’t feel like a student anymore. Of course, we’ve graduated, but most people are still stuck in a student’s mindset. Not you. You seem like someone who’s already been through the grind of society and come back again.” That was Chen Xiu’s honest impression.

Xia Zheng nodded. He’d felt it himself, though he couldn’t say how he’d changed. Perhaps it was awakening his supernatural ability and the upheavals he’d experienced in life that had forced him to grow up so quickly—an astonishing transformation.

“Have you decided, Chen Xiu? Will you continue your studies or start working?” Though Chen Xiu’s grades weren’t the best, he’d passed the final exam. Now, he faced two main paths: pursue advanced studies and research at a higher institution, or join a major corporation. In truth, what he wanted most was to enroll in the military’s Superhuman Training Academy, but he didn’t qualify—his AB-161 score was far too low, making him ineligible to become a superhuman.

“I’ve made up my mind,” Chen Xiu answered. “I’m going into research—specializing in life sciences.”

“That’s a great choice. In the future, you could work for a pharmaceutical company or a federal research institute. Who knows, I might need your help one day,” Xia Zheng said, patting his friend on the shoulder, genuinely pleased for him.

Chen Xiu smiled at the encouragement, then hesitated before saying, “Xia Zheng, I really envy you. You’ve awakened a supernatural ability—you can become one of them. All my life, I’ve dreamed of becoming a superhuman, a warrior, a hero of the Federation. Do you remember Evernight City, Xia Zheng?”

“Evernight City? Yes, I remember.” Xia Zheng nodded. That city was both a scar and a battlefield of glory for the Federation.

Ten years ago, not long after Xia Zheng started elementary school, he overheard his parents and other adults discussing the shocking news: Evernight City had fallen.

Once the brightest jewel of the entire Federation—a city that outshone even the capital at night—Evernight City boasted a population of twenty million, making it the most populous city in the Federation. By comparison, Polant City felt almost like a rural-urban fringe.

Several of Xia Zheng’s close relatives lived in Evernight City. After its fall, they vanished without a trace. His parents spent a fortune and exhausted every effort to search for them, but to this day, their fate remained unknown; they had been permanently filed as “missing persons in the Evernight City Incident” by the Federation.

The conquerors of Evernight City were a terrifying race known as the Bloodkin—beings as savage as beasts, who consumed human flesh and blood for sustenance. Each one possessed the body of a superhuman, as if born that way.

Their numbers were staggering—estimated at around ten thousand. While there were more human superhumans in total, the Bloodkin boasted a higher proportion of high-level and combat-type individuals, putting humanity at a disadvantage.

Nevertheless, faced with the Federation’s overwhelming power, the Bloodkin recognized their limits and eventually agreed to a secret treaty with humanity.

The agreement stipulated that the Federation would not use weapons of mass destruction to obliterate Evernight City, and in return, the Bloodkin would remain within the city’s confines in exchange for peace. This arrangement had held for nearly a decade.

Yet the fragile truce was bound to shatter as the balance of power shifted, heralding a new and bloody conflict.

Before graduation, Xia Zheng had been unable to access many classified materials, but now, as a recognized talent, he was granted privileges that allowed him to review some confidential documents—a special right reserved for the Federation’s elite.

“Xia Zheng, if… if it’s ever possible, I hope you can take back Evernight City someday.” Chen Xiu’s expression grew strained, shadowed by sorrow and pain.

“What’s wrong? Do you have family there?” Xia Zheng asked gently.

Chen Xiu nodded. “My current mother is the woman my father married later. My birth mother and my younger sister… they had gone to study at a training academy in Evernight City just before the fall, and then… they never…”

It all made sense. Of the city’s twenty million residents, more than half were transient, hailing from every province and district of the Federation. Nearly every region had lost people in the Evernight City Incident; the odds were high that many were already dead.

Xia Zheng stood up and gazed at the night sky. A delicate crescent moon hung above, far from full.

“Chen Xiu, I promise you this: if your mother and sister are still alive, I will bring them home.” For the first time, Xia Zheng found a guiding conviction within himself—to rescue the Federation citizens still living in Evernight City, to reunite as many broken families as possible. Once, he had been an ordinary man, lacking both confidence and resolve, but with his awakening, he had sought purpose, and now—he’d found it.

Becoming a qualified superhuman was only the first step. One day, he would set out for Evernight City to fulfill his promise.

Chen Xiu stared at him in disbelief. He hadn’t expected Xia Zheng to take his words as an actual commission.

“But… Xia Zheng, that’s… that’s Evernight City, the Bloodkin’s stronghold. Even the military’s superhuman warriors don’t dare venture there lightly,” Chen Xiu said, conflicted.

Xia Zheng turned, pointed his thumb at himself with confidence, and replied, “I keep my word. Just wait, Chen Xiu.”

Wiping his eyes, Chen Xiu nodded. “Thank you, Xia Zheng. No matter what, thank you. I’ll work hard in life sciences and support your cultivation in the future.”

“Agreed. It’s a promise.” Their fists met, sealing the vow.

—

The next day, Xia Zheng took the subway to his final job interview. Truthfully, he no longer held out much hope. Still, he had a new plan: even if he couldn’t find the ideal company, he would become a qualified superhuman regardless. At worst, he’d take a regular job and pay his way through a training course.

There were plenty of such courses—over ten years, more than three million people had awakened abilities. Although most didn’t meet the military’s strict standards, many still qualified as superhumans. Many had joined superhuman squads, gaining extensive experience in hunting and cultivation, and after retiring, became instructors.

The subway left the city center for the outskirts. Here, Xia Zheng received a call from an unknown number.

“Hello?”

“Is this Mr. Xia Zheng?”

“Yes. Who’s speaking?”

“Mr. Xia, this is Fidel Bruno, liaison for the military. I am formally notifying you to report to the Eltok Military District Hospital in downtown Polant City before 9 a.m. tomorrow for your re-examination. The requirements are the same as before—please fast after 9 p.m. tonight. Your electronic pass has been sent to your personal email; please check it.”

“The military really doesn’t care if I have plans tomorrow, do they?” Xia Zheng sneered.

“I’m sorry. Re-examination for special recruits is a civic duty. Please do not be absent, or it will affect your credit record and graduation assessment.” The voice on the other end grew stiff, apparently surprised that a fresh graduate would dare bargain with the military.

“Fine, I understand. Goodbye!” Xia Zheng replied indifferently.

Elsewhere, Fidel Bruno frowned at having been hung up on. Captain Diaz’s initial assessment of Xia Zheng came to mind: “A man destined to stand out.”

“He certainly is,” Bruno muttered, logging Xia Zheng’s re-examination into the next day’s schedule before forwarding it to Colonel Diaz, the person in charge at Eltok Military District Hospital.

The subway reached one of its final stops—a place that felt almost desolate, though the environment was pleasant, with ample greenery and air far fresher than downtown.

“The living conditions aren’t bad, but it’s too far out,” Xia Zheng thought, consulting his digital map for the bus stop marked earlier. But to his dismay, the bus service had been suspended.

Vroom vroom…

“Hey, are you Xia Zheng?” called a cheerful girl’s voice. He quickly spotted a girl riding a flashy three-wheeled motorcycle toward him. She wore a sky-blue denim cap, a sleeveless cartoon crop top that bared her midriff, and a pair of hot pants.