Chapter 188: Drifters, Vanquishers, and the Exaltists

Outer Ring, in an unnamed desert expanse.

When Zhong Yan arrived at the scene, he caught sight of Lucius deep in conversation with another man.

"The Vanquishers... the Drifters... and the Exaltists. Looks like the Outer Ring's already been completely infiltrated. Was this elaborate chessboard laid out just to avoid catching New Eridu's attention?"

From atop the temporary encampment, Zhong Yan could see no fewer than a hundred Drifters. These Drifters were originally criminals from New Eridu. To escape the grasp of Public Security Bureau, they fled to the less-regulated Outer Ring.

But once there, they were shunned by the locals. With nowhere to go, they formed an illegal faction known as the Drifters.

Normally, such groups would be swiftly crushed by the native Outer Ring factions—especially the Vanquishers. But the Exaltists extended their hand, granting the Drifters shelter and equipping them with specialized weapons. That sudden support catapulted them into one of the strongest factions in the Outer Ring.

Still, the Exaltists feared the secret weapons held by New Eridu's leadership, so they ordered the Drifters to lay low and avoid drawing attention.

Their current objective was to smear the reputation of the Sons of Calydon as much as possible. If successful, the group would be expelled from the Outer Ring. And even if they were later abducted by the Exaltists, no one would think to question it.

Until Zhong Yan intervened, their plan had been progressing flawlessly. At their pace, the Sons of Calydon would have been forced to disband within three months.

Once that happened, the Exaltists would move in and capture them for experimentation.

A flawless scheme—until it was discovered. The Sharingan's memory-reading ability was simply too powerful, enough to dismantle their entire operation.

And now, Zhong Yan's first step was to seize control of the two men in front of him.

Lucius… he recognized the man. One of Pompey's subordinates, a high-ranking member of the Vanquishers. One glance was enough to know this man was trouble. That he had joined forces with the Drifters to take down the Sons of Calydon was unexpected—but ultimately irrelevant.

Now that Zhong Yan had his sights on him, Lucius's fate was sealed.

And before his death, Zhong Yan would wring every ounce of value from him.

...

"That squad I sent to attack the convoy… shouldn't they have reported back by now?" The man speaking to Lucius was none other than the leader of the Drifters—one of the few individuals qualified for Exaltists' transformation.

Each operation impersonating the Sons of Calydon had been planned by him, and every time the team leader reported directly to him.

Every past mission had gone smoothly. With Lucius providing exact convoy routes and schedules—something the Sons of Calydon themselves couldn't possibly acquire—success was guaranteed.

But this time, something felt off. His gut told him that something had gone wrong.

He turned his gaze to Lucius's cold expression and asked, "Lucius, you're sure Pompey hasn't caught onto your plan?"

Lucius immediately understood what he was implying and shrugged off responsibility. "Who knows? Walk near the water long enough, and your shoes get wet. I told you from the start—I can't guarantee every operation goes undetected. Now what's with this interrogation?"

The Drifter leader couldn't argue—by their prior agreement, if the Vanquishers discovered anything, Lucius wasn't to take the fall.

After all, he was already risking a wanted status within his own faction just by helping them. He wasn't going to let that come without protection.

In truth, if Pompey had discovered the plan, it wouldn't have been a huge deal.

The problem was... the person who intervened wasn't Pompey at all.

"Lucius... you're as sly as you look—like a damn fox. I wonder what Pompey's face would look like if he knew what kind of bootlicker he was grooming."

A deep, powerful voice rang out near the two men. They froze, their eyes snapping toward the sound with alarm.

A spatial vortex appeared only meters away. From it, Zhong Yan stepped out.

"Uchiha?!" The moment Lucius saw Zhong Yan, his face twisted in horror. He instinctively tried to flee—only to realize he couldn't move.

The Sharingan's genjutsu wasn't limited to illusions. It could forcibly control someone's body, even while they remained conscious.

Both men now stood frozen in place, completely at Zhong Yan's mercy.

"Uchiha? Why's he here in the Outer Ring?! Lucius, you idiot—you dared provoke him?" The Drifter leader immediately assumed Lucius had offended Zhong Yan and dragged him into this mess.

He naively believed that if he cut ties with Lucius, Zhong Yan might spare him.

Little did he know, Zhong Yan's target wasn't Lucius—but the Exaltists.

Lucius, too, hadn't expected Zhong Yan to appear now. Trying to bluff his way out, he growled, "Uchiha! This is the second time! Do you really think the Vanquishers are pushovers?!"

Unlike Pompey, Lucius was unaware of Zhong Yan's full record. His understanding stopped at "Slayer of colossal Ethereals."

Terrifying, yes—but not beyond belief. At least, in Lucius's mind, Zhong Yan must still have some reservations, or he wouldn't have snuck in like this.

But the truth was far more frightening. Zhong Yan hadn't just killed giant Ether monsters—he had come quietly only because he didn't want to slaughter everyone here.

Once he eliminated the ringleaders, the rest would be dealt with in due time. By whom, he didn't know—and didn't care.

His eyes were fixed solely on the Exaltists.

"Pompey's no fool—but you are. I don't care about Outer Ring politics. But your actions have crossed the line."

As Zhong Yan's words fell, the two men's consciousness began to fade.

His plan: use genjutsu to control them—then confront the Exaltists and wipe them out in one fell swoop.