Chapter 221: Chapter 221: Zombie King?
Ivy and Silas exchanged a quick look.
Silas nodded slightly and turned back to Austin. His voice was calm.
"Whatever reward you want, just say it. As long as you tell us where Helena and Victor are, I’ll give it."
Austin paused, his smile curling a little as he tapped the table with his finger. Then he leaned back.
"Honestly, I don’t know the exact location," he said slowly.
Ivy’s chest tightened, her heart sinking. Her eyes turned cold in an instant, and she glared at him.
If he didn’t know, why did he even pretend to look as if he knew everything?
Reining in her temper, Ivy forced herself to listen to his explanation.
Austin noticed her change of expression and quickly raised his hand.
"Wait. I don’t know the exact location, but I can find it. I have connections with other base leaders in nearby areas. They tell me things. If you try to search on your own, it will be like looking for a needle in a haystack."
Ivy clenched her fists on her lap.
’He’s right. In my last life, my parents found me only after I turned 26. That shows how hard it is. Even with resources, it wasn’t easy. I can’t be reckless this time.’
Her lips pressed together. "How long will it take you to find them?"
Austin chuckled, his brown eyes shimmering with unknown emotions as he looked at her.
"At most one week. Give me seven days, and I’ll have their location for you."
Ivy’s heart leapt.
’One week. Just one week. If it’s true, then... I’ll finally see them.’ She forced herself to stay calm, but her eyes lit up for a moment.
Silas, however, didn’t waste time. He leaned forward. "What do you want in return?"
Austin smirked, his gaze turning toward Silas.
"Smart man. Since you asked, I won’t waste time. Recently, a zombie king has appeared near our base. It keeps attacking us."
Silas stiffened, but before he could speak, Ivy’s frown deepened.
’A zombie king? That’s impossible. In my past life, they only appeared after five years of the apocalypse. We’re not even close to that yet. Something’s wrong here.’
She narrowed her eyes at Austin. "Are you telling the truth?"
Austin’s lips curved into a sly smile.
"According to my sources, yes. Believe me or not, the danger is real."
A glint flashed in his eyes as he stared at Ivy’s beautiful face.
Ivy stayed silent, though her heart was unsettled.
Silas noticed and understood her doubts.
He turned back to Austin. "Fine. I’ll deal with it."
Austin relaxed at once, clapping his hands.
"Good. That’s settled then. I have already prepared rooms in my house for you both. You can stay here."
Silas opened his mouth to decline, but Ivy nodded first. "Alright. We’ll stay."
Silas frowned slightly but didn’t argue in front of Austin. Instead, he followed Ivy as a servant led them to their room.
Once inside, Silas finally spoke. "Why did you agree? You don’t trust him."
Ivy frowned, crossing her arms.
"Because something’s wrong. From what I’ve seen in my visions, zombie kings don’t appear until five years later. If one really appeared now, this whole base would be drowning in zombies. But it’s calm outside. That means whatever is out there... it’s powerful, but not a zombie king."
Silas thought for a moment, then nodded. "So it’s a lie. Or at least half a lie."
"Exactly," Ivy said. "That’s why we need to stay. We’ll figure out the truth."
Then she paused and asked, in an uncertain voice,
"And Austin? How sure are you that he’ll find the people I am looking for?"
Silas nodded. "From what I know, he acts unreliable, but he has real connections. Chances are high he’ll get the information."
Ivy sighed. "Still, we should use our own contacts too. We can’t depend on him alone."
Silas agreed. "I’ll take care of it." With that, he left to make arrangements.
Alone, Ivy sat cross-legged on the bed.
She pulled out crystals from her temporal storage and started cultivating. For hours, the warm energy from the crystals seeped into her meridian before turning into dust.
After about three hours, she felt the urge to use the washroom.
With a thought, she entered her temporal storage, used the private washroom there, and came back.
The moment she stepped out into her room again, she froze.
There were whispers in the hall.
Curious, she pushed the door open slightly and peeked outside.
Two or three women were clinging to Austin, laughing and flattering him.
They touched his arms, rubbed his shoulders, and whispered sweet words.
Disgust rose in Ivy’s throat. She quickly shut the door.
’So typical. Most men with power always surround themselves with women. Wives, concubines, mistresses. Nothing new. In this world, it’s even worse than before.’
She shook her head and forced herself not to care.
’I only need to finish my business here. Then I’ll leave. No need to waste time on his disgusting habits.’
That evening, Silas returned. They were about to eat quietly in their room when a servant knocked.
"The leader invites you both to join dinner at his table."
Silas and Ivy exchanged a glance. They wanted to decline, but they also knew refusing would make things awkward.
Finally, they agreed.
At the dining hall, Ivy’s face darkened.
Austin sat at the head of the table, surrounded by women. Some served him food. Some massaged his shoulders. Others giggled, competing for his attention.
Their voices were high-pitched, and their movements were exaggerated, trying to please him.
Ivy rolled her eyes and turned away, annoyed.
But then she noticed Silas.
He was staring. Not at Austin, but at the women. His eyes were slightly widened with curiosity, maybe even amusement.
Ivy’s patience snapped. She pinched his arm hard under the table.
Silas almost groaned, barely managing to hold it back.
He looked at her with innocent eyes, as if asking,
’Why did you do that? I didn’t do anything wrong!’
Ivy only glared at him, her lips pressed tightly together.