"Waste!"

A deep voice, carrying a strong penetrating power, reverberated painfully in Zhou Zheng's eardrums, propelled by some unknown force.

Still groggy, Zhou Zheng was startled awake by the loud shout.

Feeling somewhat bewildered, the still-drunken Zhou Zheng struggled to open his eyes, only to see the scene around him rapidly retreating. It was as if he were flying through the air, limbs outstretched. Before he could comprehend the situation, a "bang" resounded, and a sharp pain shot through his backside.

Just as the pain in his rear began, his body uncontrollably skidded backward, rolling over due to friction, leaving Zhou Zheng disoriented and unable to tell direction.

"What the hell, who’s the bastard?"

Zhou Zheng snapped out of his daze, realizing he had been thrown out forcefully, landing on the ground without regard for injury.

No, to be precise, he wasn't thrown out; he was kicked in the chest like a cannonball, sent flying, and then landed hard on his backside, skidding across the ground and rolling over countless times before finally stopping against a wooden stake.

Zhou Zheng felt as if every bone in his body had shattered, rendering him nearly immobile.

"Ah!"

A wretched howl burst from Zhou Zheng's mouth.

"A waste is a waste, crying over such minor injuries."

"Did the brigade leader go too hard on him? After all, he's the leader's son."

"So what if he's the leader's son? He's nothing but a disgrace to the leader."

"Lan Xi, go check on his injuries."

The chaotic voices flooded Zhou Zheng's ears, accompanied by a flurry of footsteps. Zhou Zheng felt two people come over and lift him up.

Explore the extended edition on pawread dot com.

"Which bastard dared to hit me?"

Though Zhou Zheng had been holed up at home for five years, addicted to games, he used to be quite a troublemaker when his parents were alive. Five years of restraint had changed his character somewhat, but being kicked so viciously for no reason ignited his anger. Once lifted up, he couldn't help but shout.

The two holding Zhou Zheng paused, their movements frozen.

Not only them, but the dozen or so people nearby were also stunned.

The brigade leader's face turned ashen upon hearing Zhou Zheng's curses. He instantly drew an alloy blade from his waist, infusing it with the inner strength of a martial artist, causing it to emit a faint glow, exuding an intimidating aura.

"Brigade leader, no!"

"Brigade leader, calm down, calm down!"

***

Various voices of persuasion made Zhou Zheng realize something was amiss around him.

"Wasn't I drunk and asleep?"

Zhou Zheng frowned, ignoring the intimidating brigade leader wielding an alloy blade and trembling with anger. Instead, he was puzzled about how he had gone from his bedroom to the outdoors, and moreover, he didn't recognize anyone here.

In front of him was a vast training ground, the surface made of rough, reddish-brown stones.

The training ground was equipped with something resembling a weapon rack, lined with rows of weapons, from spears to swords, knives, and hooks... everything one could imagine. But when Zhou Zheng's gaze swept to the other side, he saw a large number of firearms leaning against the weapon rack.

In an instant, Zhou Zheng's eyes nearly popped out.

He rubbed his eyes vigorously.

These weapons, from rifles to sniper rifles, were all there. Several open boxes of ammunition lay scattered on the ground, glinting a golden hue in the sunlight.

Beyond the training ground, there were rows of chaotic buildings, some constructed with wood and tiles, typical of southern rural architecture; others were primarily tents, with some resembling large Mongolian yurts, patched with countless repairs, looking very much like a refugee camp.

Some shabbily dressed women hurried through these areas, occasionally glimpsing children chasing each other, quickly disappearing into the gaps between buildings.

Further away, a tall wall made of cement and stone could be seen, with armed individuals patrolling back and forth on top.

"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?"

Zhou Zheng was utterly bewildered; anyone would be in such a situation.

This was clearly not the city he lived in, nor could it possibly be his home.

Perhaps he had been kidnapped, taken hostage by some terrorist organization, and brought to their lair?

At this moment, Zhou Zheng's mind was completely overwhelmed, a chaotic mess. No matter how he tried, he couldn't reconcile what he was seeing with his imagination.

"Wait... What the hell, glowing cold weapons?"

The illogical scene plunged Zhou Zheng back into a fog.

To others, it seemed Zhou Zheng had been scared stiff by the brigade leader's imposing aura, standing dumbfounded as Lan Xi and the others held him.

It made sense; the brigade leader possessed the formidable strength of a Fifth-Stage Martial Artist. Not to mention Zhou Zheng, even other second or third-stage martial artists would be intimidated by the brigade leader's fury. A fifth-stage strength was considered top-tier within the Siege City.

Since the apocalypse descended, under this cataclysm beyond human control, disasters swept across the globe.

The virus-like cataclysm infected countless humans, turning them into terrifying virus corpses, undergoing various mutations, some strong, some weak. This bio-chemical form of strange life began a new global offensive, and people preferred to call these virus corpses zombies.

The surviving humans became both victims and beneficiaries of the cataclysm.

Nature was transformed, and the remaining humans gained a new power, able to enhance their strength through continuous effort and training. It was this new power, Star Power, that allowed humans to survive amidst the siege of zombies and various mutated creatures.

Those who acquired this power were respectfully called martial artists by the world.

Zhou Zheng was labeled a waste simply because, after two years, he was still stuck as an Apprentice Martial Artist, unable to advance.

There were many like Zhou Zheng, but being the son of the Siege City's leader, he was imbued with a certain significance, naturally setting him apart from others. Under this identity, people felt a sense of disappointment in him, hence the title of waste was forcibly attached to Zhou Zheng.

As the brigade leader, Yu Jianzhong's strength and status were second only to the leader, giving him the authority to discipline Zhou Zheng in this manner.

***

In his fury, Yu Jianzhong wished he could cut Zhou Zheng down with a single stroke.

But considering Zhou Zheng was his brother's son, no matter how much of a waste, his identity couldn't be erased. Yu Jianzhong withdrew his Star Power, the glow on the alloy blade dissipating, and sheathed it back at his waist, his expression icy.

"Hmph!"

With a cold snort, Yu Jianzhong waved his hand, pushing through the crowd and leaving on his own.

Everyone on the training ground breathed a collective sigh of relief.

They had genuinely feared the brigade leader might lose control and kill Zhou Zheng, leading to a fallout with the leader, which would surely cause a major upheaval in the Siege City, creating an irreparable situation, possibly even leading to the city's collapse.

With the crisis averted, no one present had the heart to continue training.

"Lan Xi, you two are responsible for taking him back."

Lan Xi and the others, not wanting to stay any longer, nodded and led the still-dazed Zhou Zheng away from the training ground.

---

Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan