Apocalypse: The Primordial Pearl Recognizes Its Master, Starting with Infinite Space

The Tang sword in Lin Chen's hand paused in mid-air, its blade reflecting the faint light filtering in from the window, gleaming with a cold luster.

He didn't strike immediately, but looked at Zhang Hui with interest, wondering what other bargaining chips he could offer at this moment.

Zhang Hui's throat tightened, and he spoke quickly and clearly: "Mr. Lin, I'm not begging you to spare me. But... I want to make a deal with you in exchange for a secret."

"Oh?" Lin Chen raised an eyebrow, the tip of his knife shifting slightly. "A deal? Tell me about it."

"Please...take my mother and sister away and place them in your shelter."

Zhang Hui's gaze was fixed on Lin Chen, his eyes filled with the last glimmer of hope amidst despair. "In exchange, I'll tell you a secret."

"Why?" Lin Chen's voice was emotionless. "And what secret is it that's worth me bringing along two...burdens?"

"Chang Hao... that beast, he's got his eye on my sister." Zhang Hui's voice trembled with barely suppressed hatred. "I can protect her for a while, but not forever. As for the secret..."

He gritted his teeth, "You have to agree to my conditions first."

The previous cooperation was merely a prelude to finding another opportunity to speak now.

"Are you threatening me?" Lin Chen's tone suddenly turned cold, and the temperature in the air seemed to drop several degrees.

"I wouldn't dare!" Zhang Hui hurriedly denied, his back breaking out in even more cold sweat. "I just... I just want Mr. Lin to make a promise. A promise that will allow me to tell you everything without worry."

"Aren't you afraid I'll change my mind later? Or that I'll end up like Chang Hao?" Lin Chen asked with a half-smile, but his eyes remained completely calm.

"I'm afraid." Zhang Hui smiled bitterly, a smile more painful than tears. "But I have no other choice. Besides... I believe that with Mr. Lin's current status and influence, he wouldn't deceive a dying man like me."

"This is not good for you, but it is my only hope."

"Then why don't you ask the military for help?" Lin Chen asked another question.

"Compared to the military, I have more faith that Mr. Lin will live longer. The military has too many constraints on them," Zhang Hui said helplessly.

A brief silence spread through the dimly lit room.

Li Ya watched quietly from the side. She could understand Zhang Hui's despair as an older brother and son, but she was also wary that this might be a trap.

"Alright." Lin Chen finally spoke, his tone calm yet weighty. "I promise you. As long as your secret is truly valuable, I can take your mother and sister back to Shanshui Garden. Even," he paused, "I might consider letting you go."

Zhang Hui felt as if he had been granted a pardon; his tense body almost went limp, and he repeatedly said, "Thank you! Thank you, Mr. Lin!"

He knew this was the best outcome he could achieve, and without further hesitation, he immediately revealed everything he knew:

"Chang Chengye's superpower... is very likely some kind of mental superpower that can enslave and control others."

He took a deep breath and described in detail the strange changes in Zhang Zicheng, the captain of the armed police, and Leng Zhijie, who had an S-level talent, their almost blind loyalty to Chang Chengye, as well as the subtle distortions in their personalities and behavior patterns.

A glint flashed in Lin Chen's eyes, and many clues that he had failed to connect in his previous life instantly became clear—why the Chang family was able to rise so quickly; why Leng Zhijie had an S-level talent but performed so poorly; why those powerful people who originally had no connection with the Chang family ended up serving them... So this is where the root of the problem lies!

"Moreover," Zhang Hui continued, lowering his voice even further, "Chang Chengye has now broken through to the third level. From what I know of him, he probably wants to use Old Master Li to lure you here... He might want to take this opportunity to use that ability to control one of you, such as Miss Li, or... even you."

A fierce glint suddenly flashed in Lin Chen's eyes, not from surprise, but from a cold understanding.

"Not possibly," he uttered slowly, his voice carrying a chilling undertone, "but definitely."

He never expected that Chang Chengye's supernatural ability would be such a strange and difficult-to-defend type.

While mind control abilities are generally limited in their effectiveness or even ineffective against targets with higher mental strength, the world of apocalypse is full of all sorts of abilities, and who can guarantee there won't be exceptions? What if that ability has some kind of rule or characteristic that forces it to take effect?

He has now established a firm foothold in the apocalypse, his power is established, and he is now in a period of steady development.

To ask him to take such an unknown risk, one that could lead to the complete loss of himself? Absolutely not.

A surge of murderous intent and vigilance rose within him simultaneously. Chang Chengye must be eliminated as soon as possible.

This secret also subtly changed the value of Zhang Hui in front of us.

"If I take your mother and sister away, is there any way you can stay by Chang Chengye's side without arousing his suspicion?" Lin Chen looked directly at Zhang Hui and asked bluntly.

Zhang Hui paused for a moment, then quickly understood Lin Chen's intention: "Mr. Lin wants me to stay... as an inside man?"

"Not bad." Lin Chen nodded, his gaze sharp. "Just keep him calm. Can you do that?"

Zhang Hui frowned, quickly weighing the pros and cons and risks. After a moment, he said in a low voice, "Chang Chengye is a very suspicious person, but he has never interfered much in my family affairs. As long as Chang Hao doesn't notice anything unusual, we should be able to keep it a secret for a while. But it definitely won't work in the long run."

"Six days." Lin Chen gave a clear timeframe, his tone confident. "Just six days."

He will regain his powers in six days. He didn't make a wish last time, but it looks like he'll have to this time.

Zhang Hui took a deep breath and gritted his teeth: "Six days... no problem, I can figure out a way to manage it."

"Very good." Lin Chen approved of his decisiveness. "For the next six days, your task is to keep Chang Chengye's attention occupied as much as possible. If possible, it would be best to find out the detailed characteristics of his ability. If you can't find out, there's no need to force it. The most important thing is to ensure that you don't expose yourself."

"Understood." Zhang Hui nodded emphatically, his eyes showing a resolute determination. "Mr. Lin, rest assured, I will do my best."

"Where exactly are your mother and sister located now?"

"The family villa area is not far ahead, Building 7 in Section C."

Lin Chen glanced at him: "Chang Chengye has treated you quite well, even providing you with a separate villa."

A complex embarrassment appeared on Zhang Hui's face: "Chang Chengye does have a certain appreciation for talent, and he's willing to invest in people... but his son is really useless, and..."

He didn't finish speaking, but Lin Chen and Li Ya already understood.

It was Chang Hao's covetousness of his sister, and the complicated situation of the women Chang Hao had been with, that forced Zhang Hui into a situation where he had no choice but to rebel.

"Let's go." Lin Chen said no more.

Under the cover of night, the three of them quickly arrived at the villa that Zhang Hui had mentioned.

The villa was dimly lit, with only an emergency light in one corner, making it feel cold and empty.

Zhang Hui's mother was a woman in her fifties surnamed Wang. Although one could still see the beautiful features she had in her youth, the fear, scarcity of resources, and cold of the end times had etched deep weariness and age on her face.

The younger sister, Zhang Ling, was an eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl, about 1.65 meters tall, with a beautiful face and delicate features like a carefully painted porcelain doll. In particular, her eyes were clear with a hint of fear like a frightened deer, making her look pitiful. No wonder she was targeted by someone like Chang Hao.

Zhang Hui explained the situation to his mother and sister in the simplest and fastest language, emphasizing Lin Chen's identity and promises.

Despite lingering unease in their eyes, the mother and daughter, trusting their son/brother implicitly, nodded in agreement to leave with Lin Chen.

Lin Chen still adopted the safest approach, and with a slight thought, temporarily took Zhang Hui's mother and sister into Suzaku Island.

To put Zhang Hui at ease, he briefly allowed Zhang Hui to enter.

When Zhang Hui saw that secluded, warm, and beautiful world, a veritable paradise, he was overwhelmed with awe.

He had initially relied on Lin Chen out of desperation to survive, but now he truly realized that the power and resources Lin Chen possessed were far more unfathomable than they appeared on the surface.

This realization instantly solidified his previously wavering resolve.

"They're safe inside. I'll release them when we get back to the shelter," Lin Chen said to the excited Zhang Hui. "Remember our agreement. Six days."

"I will definitely not let Mr. Lin down!" Zhang Hui solemnly promised, without the slightest hesitation.

Following Zhang Hui's directions, Lin Chen led Li Ya towards Building No. 1, where Li Zhenbang was being held captive.

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