Chapter 15: Signals in the Flooded City
The rain no longer felt like something falling from the sky; to Lin Yu, it felt like an extension of himself, every drop carrying faint traces of information, every ripple forming a network that spread far beyond what his eyes could see, and as he stepped out into the open street with Su Yan beside him, his senses expanded naturally, effortlessly, covering a wider range than ever before without strain.
The city unfolded in his perception like a living map. Broken streets, abandoned buildings, scattered movements—everything became clearer, more structured, less chaotic. The wandering zombies that once felt unpredictable now appeared slow and obvious, their paths easy to read, their presence almost insignificant. Even the smaller mutated ones no longer gave him the same sense of danger as before.
But despite this clarity—
Something else had changed.
The moment his senses extended fully, he felt it.
Multiple reactions.
Across the city.
Not one.
Not a few.
But many.
Like ripples responding to a disturbance at the center of still water.
Lin Yu's steps slowed slightly.
"They felt it…" he thought, his gaze sharpening faintly.
His evolution.
His breakthrough.
It had not gone unnoticed.
Far away, scattered across different areas, several presences shifted, their movements changing direction, their attention drawn toward him. Some were weak, barely noticeable. Others—
Were not.
Su Yan, walking beside him, noticed the subtle change in his pace and expression. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice quieter now, more cautious than before.
Lin Yu did not hide it this time.
"…We're being watched," he said calmly.
Su Yan's body tensed immediately. "Again…?"
"Not just one," he replied.
That answer was enough.
Her grip tightened slightly, but she did not panic. She had already accepted that staying with him meant facing things beyond normal understanding.
Lin Yu looked ahead, his thoughts moving quickly. Running aimlessly would only delay the inevitable. Staying still would attract more attention. He needed something else.
A place.
A position.
A foundation.
Somewhere he could control the battlefield not just temporarily, but continuously.
His gaze shifted slightly as his senses expanded further, scanning deeper into the city. Then—
He found it.
A large structure.
Partially damaged, but still standing.
More importantly—
A water source.
Not small like before.
Large.
Contained.
Stable.
"…There," he said quietly, changing direction without hesitation.
Su Yan followed immediately, trusting his judgment without question now.
They moved through the streets at a steady pace, avoiding unnecessary conflict as Lin Yu subtly guided their path, steering them around clusters of zombies before they could even come into view. To Su Yan, it felt almost unreal, like they were walking through danger without ever touching it.
After nearly half an hour, the structure came into sight.
A water treatment facility.
Its outer walls were damaged, parts of the building collapsed, but the main structure still stood, and within it—
Large reservoirs of water remained intact.
Lin Yu stopped at a distance, observing it carefully.
This place was not empty.
He could feel it immediately.
Inside, multiple presences lingered.
Not as many as before—
But stronger.
Su Yan followed his gaze, her expression tightening slightly. "We have to go in there…?"
Lin Yu nodded.
"Yes."
No hesitation.
Because he understood something clearly now.
If he wanted to survive what was coming—
He couldn't keep reacting.
He had to prepare.
He stepped forward.
The rain around him shifted subtly, the water responding to his movement as if guiding him toward the entrance.
The moment he crossed into the facility grounds—
Everything changed.
The water inside responded instantly.
The reservoirs.
The pipes.
The damp surfaces.
All of it connected.
All of it—
Within his reach.
Lin Yu's eyes deepened slightly.
"This place…"
Was different.
Better.
Stronger.
A true domain.
But—
He was not alone.
From within the shadows of the facility—
Something moved.
Not rushing.
Not hiding.
But emerging.
One figure.
Then another.
Then more.
Five in total.
Each one standing at different points within the structure, their bodies still, their eyes faintly glowing as they locked onto Lin Yu's position the moment he entered.
Stronger than the last group.
More stable.
More aware.
Su Yan felt the pressure immediately, her breath catching as she instinctively stepped closer behind Lin Yu.
"…They were waiting," she whispered.
Lin Yu's expression remained calm.
"Yes."
Not coincidence.
Not random.
This place—
Was already occupied.
And now—
He had entered their territory.
For a brief moment—
Silence stretched between them.
The rain outside.
The still water inside.
Two sides of the same element.
Then—
Lin Yu stepped forward.
And the water moved with him.
Not gathering violently—
But aligning.
Every drop within the facility shifted slightly, responding to his presence, preparing for what was about to happen.
His gaze remained steady as it met the glowing eyes ahead.
"This place…" he said quietly.
"…belongs to me now."
The water trembled.
The figures moved.
And the next battle—
Began.