Zhao Wuji spoke faster, “The Inner City Key and the Outer City Key are different!”
“The Outer City Key is merely a tool used for deployment and management. Its authority level is low, and anyone who gets it can use it.”
“But the Inner City Key... is the true core control center of the entire city. It involves the projection of the energy shield, the operation of the defense system, and the overall positioning of the city.”
“This thing requires the mental power of someone with Zhao family blood to awaken its activation sequence.”
Zhao Wuji's gaze was locked onto Su Wan's face. “If I die, the City Key will lock down completely and lose its activity forever.”
“When that happens, the range of Panshi City's Inner City shield can no longer be adjusted, and the core functions of the entire city will be permanently halted.”
“Even if you seize the City Key, you will only get a useless piece of metal, and Panshi City will be mostly ruined because of it!”
The interrogation room fell silent for a few seconds.
Seeing Su Wan's expression soften slightly, Zhao Wuji quickly added, “As long as you spare my life, I will serve you with absolute loyalty.”
“I am a member of the Zhao family. Not only can I activate the City Key, but I also understand the inner workings of the Zhao family, the patterns of personnel deployment, and the process of cultivating high-level Ability Users.”
“Keeping me alive is far more valuable than killing me!”
Su Wan felt that Zhao Wuji had a point.
However, his promise was completely worthless, and Su Wan did not believe a word of it.
If she wanted Zhao Wuji's absolute loyalty, she had plenty of ways to get it.
The moment Zhao Wuji saw the Slavery Collar, panic washed over his face.
Although he did not know exactly what it was, his instincts as a Level 5 Ability User were screaming in alarm.
“What is this thing?! No—!”
Zhao Wuji growled low. His body, which had been suppressed by the Rule Power, actually began to tremble violently at this moment. The energy core inside his body spun frantically as he attempted to break through the invisible restraint.
Su Wan furrowed her brow, feeling her mental power rapidly draining.
The resistance of a Level 5 Ability User far exceeded any target she had encountered before.
Even under the suppression of the Rule Power, the resistance coming from the depths of his soul still crashed against her consciousness like a raging tide.
Fine beads of sweat broke out on her forehead, and her fingertips trembled slightly.
“System, increase the output of Rule Power!” Su Wan barked in her mind.
【Increasing domain suppression intensity...】
【Current suppression intensity: 87%... 92%... 98%...】
Zhao Wuji's body tensed once more. The veins on his neck bulged, and his muscles writhed frantically, but in the end, he could not break free.
Su Wan seized this split-second opening and slammed her hand down—
“Click.”
The soft sound of the collar snapping shut echoed in the interrogation room.
The instant the microneedles pierced Zhao Wuji's spine, his body shuddered violently, and the struggle and fear in his eyes rapidly faded away...
“Master,” Zhao Wuji said, bowing his head with a humble posture.
Su Wan let out a long breath.
The brief confrontation just now had drained most of her mental power.
The willpower of a Level 5 Ability User was far more resilient than she had anticipated.
Only after putting the Slavery Collar on Zhao Wuji did Su Wan speak.
“The reason I wanted to kill you was because if I want to break through to Level 5, I must personally kill a Level 5 Ability User.”
Zhao Wuji nodded in understanding. By now, there was no longer any panic in his eyes.
“Master, I can help you with this.”
Su Wan raised her eyebrow slightly. “Oh?”
“Although Level 5 Ability Users are considered peerless experts in the eyes of ordinary people, within the Three Major Families, they are still just servants and are not rare.”
“If Master needs it, I can even help you get a Level 6 Ability User through the Zhao family's channels.”
Su Wan's pupils contracted slightly.
Zhao Wuji continued, “As a City Lord stationed out in a city, I have the qualification to apply to the family for 'resource reinforcements' once a year.”
“On paper, it is to reinforce city defenses, purge Aberrants, and maintain regional stability. In reality, it is to request manpower, supplies, or the temporary deployment of high-level Ability Users from the family.”
“I can use this qualification to apply to the family for the temporary deployment of a Level 5 Ability User, claiming that there are signs of high-level Aberrant activity in the Non-Safe Zones around Panshi City and that we need reinforcements.”
Su Wan nodded and reached her hand out to Zhao Wuji. “Give me the City Key.”
Without hesitation, Zhao Wuji reached into his robes, pulled out a palm-sized silver metal plate, and presented it with both hands.
The metal plate was hexagonal, with smooth, rounded edges and no markings or logos on its surface.
Its texture was much heavier than the Outer City Key, and the energy fluctuations contained within it were far more complex, like an exquisitely precise miniature world.
【Ding! Special item detected—Panshi City Key (Panshi City Core Management Item).】
【Function: Controls Panshi City's Inner City energy shield system, including the constant temperature and humidity environment, Death Tide/Cold Wave barriers, defense systems, etc. Centered on the City Key, it can project an energy shield with a radius of approximately ten kilometers.】
【Current bound location: Inner City City Lord's Mansion.】
【Note: This item is the core authorization credential for Panshi City. The holder will be automatically recognized by the system as the supreme manager of Panshi City.】
Su Wan took the City Key and tried to inject her mental power into it, but indeed, the City Key did not react.
It seemed Zhao Wuji had not lied to her. This City Key could only be used by those with Zhao family blood.
Handing the City Key back to Zhao Wuji, Su Wan said,
“Zhao Wuji, I want you to do two things.”
Zhao Wuji bowed. “Please give your orders, Master.”
“First, relocate the City Lord's Mansion to Terminal Station. Come up with a reason yourself. You must make everyone—including the servants of the City Lord's Mansion, the City Defense Force, Panshi Company, the Research Institute, and your contact in the Zhao family—believe that you took a liking to Terminal Station on your own and decided to move the City Lord's Mansion here.”
“There must not be any flaws.”
“Second,” Su Wan continued, “apply for resource reinforcements immediately, requesting a Level 5 Ability User to assist you.”
Zhao Wuji replied solemnly, “Your subordinate will see to it.”
Su Wan waved her hand. “Go. Carry out both tasks simultaneously, the sooner the better.”
Zhao Wuji bowed in respect, turned around, and left the interrogation room.
When he walked out of the main building's entrance, Pei Su was drinking tea in the lounge with those few guards and the butler.
Seeing Zhao Wuji come out, they immediately stood up, waiting for his orders.
Zhao Wuji's expression remained unchanged as his gaze swept across everyone. In a calm tone, he said,
“Terminal Station's internal facilities are fully equipped, and its location is suitable. It is very much to my liking!”
“I have decided... to relocate the City Lord's Mansion here!”
The moment these words were spoken, the room fell into dead silence.
The guards and the butler looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock.
Relocating the City Lord's Mansion meant transferring the entire power core of Panshi City. The Inner City's energy shield would also move with the City Key, and the entire layout of Panshi City would change accordingly.
This was a massive move that affected the entire city!
Rate on N.U.
