Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1308 1308: We Want Your Void Realm

Deeper into the compound they went, guided by the guard captain, not long before Oliver's group became visible ahead.

Oliver stepped forward, his voice carrying a welcoming tone. "Ethan—and everyone from the Fallen Star Squad—welcome to Stonepeak City compound!"

He quickly added, "I didn't know you were coming. If I had, I would've had the guys downstairs get food and drinks ready ahead of time."

"It's fine," Ethan replied with a relaxed smile. "We decided on a whim. You can still prep it now."

"…"

The onlookers exchanged glances, the members of Oliver's group giving Ethan surprised looks, seemingly not anticipating such a direct response from the renowned captain of the Fallen Star Squad.

"Fair enough," Oliver stated, forcing a smile and making an accommodating gesture. "I'll have them prepare good wine and food right away. Ethan—let's go inside and sit for a bit."

"No rush," Ethan demurred, waving a hand. "Let's handle the real business first."

Oliver's expression became serious. "And what business would that be…?"

"I heard Stonepeak City compound has a Void Realm," Ethan stated openly. "We're curious. We want to take a look."

"…"

The atmosphere seemed to freeze the moment his words landed.

Oliver and his companions stiffened.

The Void Realm was the very foundation of their rise to power, the most vital and guarded secret of Stonepeak City compound. Oliver had absolutely no intention of sharing it.

He recalled how Atlas City had previously attempted to glean information about its location through subtle inquiries, a tactic he had rebuffed without hesitation.

Yet, the Fallen Star Squad's direct interest in the Void Realm…

It sent a chill down Oliver's spine.

Fallen Star Squad's notoriously overbearing reputation was well-known. Rejecting them outright, as he had done with the federal government, was simply not an option.

After a brief pause, Oliver responded with caution. "Didn't expect you to be interested in our… little Void Realm."

He continued, "Honestly, ours is pretty much like the one Atlas City has. It's not even as big as theirs. There were some things inside, but we already took them."

"It's been so long we've basically plowed the place over a few times. Forget treasures—you can't even find a single intact piece of anything. There's really no point going in."

"It's fine," Ethan reiterated, his smile unwavering. "We just want to look around. We're not necessarily hunting for loot."

Even though Atlas City's Void Realm had been thoroughly scoured numerous times, valuable items had still been discovered.

Ethan was aware that each Void Realm possessed unique characteristics, and he was determined not to miss an opportunity to find something overlooked by others.

Furthermore… Oliver was a Tier 15 cultivator.

Such a level was unattainable with Earth's current resources alone. The only logical explanation pointed to this very Void Realm.

This revelation only fueled Ethan's curiosity further.

A frown creased Oliver's brow, his hesitation evident.

He desperately wished to avoid revealing the truth. If the Fallen Star Squad discovered the Void Realm was imbued with mysterious energy, their notoriously aggressive methods might lead them to claim it entirely for themselves.

However, outright refusal was equally perilous. Such a rejection would likely result in immediate repercussions.

And no, this wasn't a situation that could be dismissed with a simple excuse like, 'They wouldn't attack over something like that.' Based on all accounts, aggressive acquisition was their standard operating procedure.

In that moment, Oliver finally grasped the true nature of the Fallen Star Squad's intimidating presence.

Their immense power was not the primary source of fear.

The true terror lay in their power combined with a complete disregard for fairness.

After a prolonged internal struggle, Oliver finally yielded, a sense of bitter resignation settling upon him.

"If you're interested, Ethan… then I'll take you to see it."

"Boss!"

His subordinates reacted with immediate alarm, their anxious gazes fixed on Oliver.

Oliver shot them a stern look, conveying a silent message: Do you think I want this? I have no choice. Refusal means we are all doomed.

Ultimately, his followers had to suppress their dissent. Survival, after all, took precedence over the Void Realm's importance.

Ethan, astute as ever, perceived the subtle shifts in their expressions but remained silent. "Seriously… I'm being polite here. Why are they looking at me like I'm some prehistoric monster?"

Regardless. As long as he achieved his objective.

"Oliver, you really are a warm-hearted guy," Ethan declared cheerfully. "Since that's the case, let's not waste time. Let's go now."

"…"

Oliver's face contorted as if he had tasted something bitter. "Warm-hearted, my ass. My heart has never been this cold in my life."

Shaking his head, he issued a few directives to his men before proceeding towards the rear of the compound, accompanied by a select few subordinates. Ethan and his group followed suit without delay.

Winding through the mountainous terrain via a lengthy sequence of turns, they journeyed for over half an hour before arriving at a location situated midway up a mountain.

Ethan's attention was immediately captured by the shimmering, warped space emanating from the mountainside.

"This is it," Oliver declared, gesturing towards the distortion.

Having already resolved to disclose the information, there was no longer any reason to maintain pretense.

"Indeed. It's quite adequate," Ethan responded with a nod. "Let's enter and investigate."

He stepped directly into the distorted spatial anomaly.

As this was a known Void Realm, there was little cause for excessive concern regarding unforeseen dangers. The others entered shortly after him.

The moment they crossed the threshold, everyone's senses sharpened.

"Damn—this mysterious energy is incredibly potent."

Similar to the Void Realms encountered near Atlas City and Redwood County, this area was a fractured pocket dimension. Desolation stretched in every direction, with ruins and crumbled structures visible as far as the eye could see.

However, a distinct difference set it apart from the others.

The mysterious energy here was exceptionally dense—so much so that it could be perceived even without activating True Sight.

In previous Void Realms of this nature, one could barely detect any mysterious energy. This particular realm, however, was saturated with it. Ethan and his companions couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

Based on Ethan's extensive experience, it was highly improbable for a location like this to be devoid of valuable assets.

"Ethan, this is the Void Realm we discovered," Oliver explained. "There isn't truly any treasure within. It's simply… the mysterious energy is quite abundant. If you absorb it here to advance your Tier, the process is marginally quicker than doing so outside."

"Marginally quicker?" Ethan questioned, his expression a mix of amusement and disbelief. "That's quite the understatement."

On Earth, one could only absorb mysterious energy and elevate their Tier during the night, coinciding with the appearance of the Nine-Star Dipper. Here, however, this cultivation could be undertaken continuously, twenty-four hours a day.

Furthermore, the concentration of the energy was on an entirely different level.

The disparity in speed was not minor; it was astonishing.

It was akin to maintaining a ritual circle in constant operation. Given the current density, it was likely comparable to powering their ritual circle with a Tier 18 crystal core. It was no wonder Oliver's crew possessed such strength.

Oliver offered a sheepish chuckle.

"If you require it," he stated cautiously, "you may come here at any time."

He found it difficult to utter these words, yet he saw no alternative. Now that they had witnessed the true nature of this place, there was no possibility that the Fallen Star Squad would relinquish control over it.

At the very least, the Void Realm could not be dismantled and transported elsewhere. Otherwise, he would have nowhere to turn in his despair.

"This place is excellent," Ethan remarked, expressing genuine admiration. "It's just… rather remote."

"No, no, not at all," Oliver hastily replied. "You have flying mounts, do you not? A journey here is hardly arduous. I can even arrange accommodations for you within the compound. If you find yourselves fatigued, you are welcome to rest here."

Strangely, upon voicing these sentiments, the situation didn't feel quite as dire.

Ultimately, they were incapable of taking the Void Realm with them. Allowing a few additional individuals access wouldn't constitute the end of the world.

In fact, should the Fallen Star Squad be present, the overall security level of the compound would see a significant enhancement.

Dine here. Reside here. And should any danger emerge…

Well. It would be utterly unconscionable for them to benefit from his hospitality and then refuse to assist in defense, wouldn't it?