Apocalypse: Master of Soul Beasts-Chapter 569 - 136 Contract Reached (Two in One)_1

The man beside him always exuded an aura that felt suffocating.

For Akad, whom Ye Nan held, this sensation was particularly acute.

This wasn’t due to a disparity in strength—though a vast gap existed between Akad, whose physical statistics were in the single digits, and the Level 4 Ye Nan. After all, Akad had once been a powerful expert at the peak of Level 5; Ye Nan’s strength alone wasn’t enough to induce such a suffocating feeling in him.

It was a sensation originating from the deepest, most genuine, and most instinctive part of his being.

This man beside me... he seems like a natural enemy...

It wasn’t just Akad; the two soldiers trailing Ye Nan felt the same way.

Consequently, the atmosphere among the four of them grew increasingly silent as they walked.

"This isn’t right, Captain Ye Nan! This isn’t the way to the prison!"

Sensing that Ye Nan was not taking the familiar route to the prison, and unsettled by the deeply uncomfortable aura emanating from him, one of the soldiers following Ye Nan spoke up decisively.

Hearing the soldier, Ye Nan slowly stopped and said without turning his head, "Indeed, it’s not. However, the prison warden ordered me to take Akad to another location. Military orders cannot be defied. If you have any questions, you can ask the prison warden directly later."

Given Ye Nan’s indifferent tone and his mention of one of the top figures in the military prison system, the two soldiers behind him suppressed their unease and confusion, continuing to follow.

About half an hour later, Ye Nan, carrying Akad and followed by the two soldiers, reached the outer city zone of the Yanjing Assembly Site. Holding the prison warden’s warrant, they had encountered no obstacles.

They navigated streets and alleys. Under the increasingly puzzled gazes of the two soldiers, Ye Nan led the group to a dilapidated, ordinary-looking house.

"We’re here. The prison warden is inside."

Ye Nan, who had remained expressionless the entire journey, offered a rare explanation before leading the way into the house.

The two soldiers exchanged a glance. Although a little puzzled, they didn’t voice any objections. Ye Nan was Early Stage Level 4, while they were both Middle Stage Level 4. In terms of strength, they had no reason to fear him. Besides, they were within the Yanjing Assembly Site, and their communicators were active. If anything happened, the City Guards could respond immediately and provide support...

With these favorable conditions in mind, the soldiers raised no objections and followed Ye Nan into the residence.

Neither of them realized that, despite Ye Nan being a fellow soldier, they had unconsciously begun to regard him as an "enemy" and an "object of vigilance."

The room inside wasn’t large, its furnishings sparse and clear at a glance.

When the two soldiers followed Ye Nan inside, Ye Nan was already standing respectfully to one side. In the center of the room stood a muscular, middle-aged man nearly two meters tall, radiating an astonishing wave of power.

It was Zhang Shaojie: the prison warden of Black Abyss Prison—the military’s top, most secure facility, an ultimate jail designed specifically for incarcerating powerful experts.

Seeing the renowned prison warden, the two soldiers exhaled deeply and saluted respectfully.

"Sir."

Zhang Shaojie nodded. "I appreciate your trouble. Now that the person has been delivered, you may both return."

"Sir, this..." One of the soldiers produced a paper document, gesturing for Zhang Shaojie to complete the final procedure—stamping it.

Zhang Shaojie, not one for unnecessary words, took out the seal engraved with his name, completed the handover process, and then waved them off, indicating they could return and report.

As soon as the two soldiers stepped out, they exchanged a look, a hint of relief finally showing in their eyes.

Zhang Shaojie’s name might not be well-known among the top brass, but to lower-ranking officers and soldiers, he was a legend.

A serial killer before the apocalypse, he had relied on physical fitness comparable to a professional athlete’s and a fearless, aggressive fighting spirit to rapidly become a top-tier powerful expert, after which he was recruited by the military.

Due to his temperament, Zhang Shaojie was insubordinate. Coupled with an incident where he accidentally killed a teammate during a mission, he was court-martialed within a month.

However, because his strength and skills were deemed too exceptional, higher-ups forcibly terminated the trial. Instead, he was assigned to Black Abyss Prison to serve as its highest authority.

Consequently, the mortality rate for prisoners in Black Abyss Prison skyrocketed from thirty-two percent to sixty-eight percent...

To use a common saying, Zhang Shaojie was a demon in human skin.

But undeniably, he had done an effective job at Black Abyss Prison.

This was why Zhang Shaojie hadn’t been court-martialed again for various offenses—after the apocalypse, the military’s management system had undergone some "era-adapting" changes...

Listening to the footsteps outside fade into the distance, Zhang Shaojie waited a moment before nodding at Ye Nan.

"They’re far enough away now."

"I trust there were no complications?"