Suddenly, a spark appeared in the void, and Alvin emerged from it, leaning on his cane. As he took his first step with his right foot, the spark disappeared as if it had never been there. He had arrived at a desolate area on the eastern edge of the city.

This place had been hit by a severe wave of zombies in the past, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of people. The atmosphere here was particularly heavy with gloom. Over time, no survivors were willing to come here, and instead, it became a roaming ground for some low-level zombies. Just as Alvin was talking, a wandering low-level zombie suddenly noticed his presence and immediately growled, rushing towards him.

Seeing this, Alvin simply raised an eyebrow and glanced at the zombie, then extended the dragon-headed cane in his hand towards it. Suddenly, a dazzling burst of flames erupted from the cane, engulfing the zombie in a sea of fire. No matter how it struggled, it was futile. The flames were overwhelming, and in less than a minute, the zombie was completely consumed, leaving only a pile of white bones.

After taking a quick look around and confirming that there were no other threats, Alvin continued walking towards the deepest part of this desolate area, leaning on his cane. After walking for more than ten minutes, he arrived at a dilapidated courtyard. The sinister aura here was even stronger than when he first entered, and even on the surface, wisps of black aura were seeping out. Just a single glance at it would probably cause spiritual devastation, resulting in immediate death.

Alvin paid no attention to these sinister auras and simply stepped on them as he walked towards the courtyard. As he reached the entrance, he saw two intermediate-level zombies chained on both sides. Upon seeing someone approaching, the two zombies continuously growled and roared in anger. However, they were restrained by the iron chains, and no matter how they struggled, they were instantly pulled back by the chains.

This made Alvin shake his head and mutter, "Alexander is still like this! Why did he have to play with these guys? If one day these beasts break free from their restraints, it won't be good." He sympathetically glanced at the two zombies and then pushed open the door and entered.

Originally, this was an abandoned courtyard that had long been in ruins, and naturally, no one lived in the rooms. However, what appeared before Alvin was a luxurious decoration. The floor was adorned with a large number of agate, and even the walls had a unique charm. And in the four corners of the room, various precious green plants were placed. There were Dragon Spines and Phoenix Waists, among others. Although they were slightly inferior to Dragon Spines and Phoenix Waists, they were still something ordinary people couldn't afford.

Alvin stood in the middle of the room with his eyes slightly closed. After a while, he suddenly spoke, "Alexander, we've known each other for a few years now. Is your guard still so high? I've been standing here for the duration of an incense stick, don't you plan to say something?" A slightly dissatisfied voice echoed in the room.

"Hahaha! It's my fault for being thoughtless. I hope Alvin won't take it to heart." Laughter instantly filled the room, but after waiting for a while, no one appeared.

But all of this was already a familiar scene for Alvin. He listened to the voice and casually glanced into the void. He stood in place, gripping his dragon-headed cane, and said, "The matter of the second red light almost exposed some clues to that kid Duane. Fortunately, a young and foolish person appeared at the last moment, diverting his attention."

Upon hearing Alvin's words, Alexander seemed momentarily stunned, then smiled and asked with confusion, "Oh? Duane's judgment is so accurate? This was a flawlessly arranged matter between the two of us, how could he possibly have figured it out? Alvin, are you being too cautious?"

Glancing at the void once again, Alvin snorted in disdain at Alexander's words. "Hmph! Alexander is underestimating my relationship with that kid Duane. I've watched him grow since the establishment of Phoenix Rising, and I know him better than anyone. But speaking of which, the captain of Phoenix Rising should have been mine. It's just a pity...."

Alvin shook his head helplessly, recalling a scene from over twenty years ago in his mind. It seemed as if the invisible Alexander had seen through Alvin's thoughts and smiled lightly as he spoke, "Twenty years ago, it was your own decision. If it weren't for your misjudgment, causing the reinforcements to arrive, how could things have turned out like this? It's not quite appropriate to say such things now, is it?"

Hearing Alexander's words, a hint of anger instantly appeared on Alvin's face. The dragon-headed cane in his palm was instantly covered in purple flames. The flames flickered and danced like demons in the fire.

Alvin hadn't expected that his casual mention of the past would be turned into a joke by Alexander. He could even hear the contemptuous mockery in Alexander's words. Despite this, he slowly closed his eyes and lowered his head.

Alvin knew that after making that decision twenty years ago, he had forever become a pawn in Alexander's hands. He had never seen Alexander, nor did he know his true face. Sometimes he wanted to escape from Alexander's grasp, but as soon as that thought arose, it was as if Alexander had already sensed it and immediately sounded the alarm. This time was no exception.

"Alvin, I believe that over these decades, you must have learned many lessons. I assure you, I will find a way to get that kid Duane off the captain's position. Congratulations in advance, Alvin, for taking full control."

Although Alvin was already in his fifties, his desire for power had not diminished but rather increased. So upon hearing Alexander's words, he fell into silence.

"By the way, I heard that Duane is interested in that young and foolish guy. If I'm not mistaken, he should be going to meet him soon. Don't forget to prepare a welcoming gift for them. Only then can you show your true sincerity. Hehehe..." After saying that, Alexander disappeared as if he had never been there, and the voice abruptly ceased, leaving Alvin standing alone in the room.

The scene shifted to the courtyard of ruins. A handsome young man sat on a bamboo chair, his legs crossed. A meaningful smile appeared on his face as he watched the image appearing in the void, showing Alvin inside the courtyard.

"I wonder what surprises you will bring me for the sake of the captain of Phoenix Rising. I'm becoming more and more excited!" The young man chuckled and then picked up a bag of chips, taking a chip and putting it in his mouth.historical