Uchiha in Zenless Zone Zero

Zhong Ling's birth had undoubtedly thrown Zhong Yan back into a whirlwind of responsibility. As a new father, he spent each day running errands, buying all sorts of baby supplies.

Though he had asked the Cunning Hares to help out, this was his child. If he didn't make time to care for him personally, it simply wouldn't sit right.

As for school, that was now completely delegated to his shadow clone. As long as the two of them didn't appear in the same place at once, there wouldn't be any issues.

And if something did go wrong, Fairy could easily smooth things over—after all, this kind of task was its specialty.

On another note, Anby's health had gradually improved. The weight she'd gained during pregnancy had vanished completely within a month.

It was honestly unbelievable. If the public ever learned of her constitution, there'd probably be a stampede of envious women—and more than a few men who wouldn't mind it either.

That said, she wasn't fully recovered. Participating in missions was out of the question. If the whole Cunning Hares crew were out on a job, who would be left to look after Zhong Ling?

So, for the next few months, Anby wouldn't be leaving his side. Not just for the baby—but for herself as well.

...

One day, Zhong Yan returned to the Cunning Hares' apartment, arms full of supplies after another round of shopping.

Inside the room, Anby sat in her pajamas, gently shaking a rattle in front of one-month-old Zhong Ling.

At this stage, walking and talking were far out of reach. He hadn't even learned to crawl. He could only lie there, watching the rattle bob back and forth, powerless to interact.

But to Anby, the whole thing was endlessly adorable. No matter how many times she teased him, she never got bored.

"What are you playing? Let me join in." Zhong Yan entered with all the bags, shut the door behind him, and flopped onto the bed.

The force of the impact, combined with the springiness of the mattress, caused little Zhong Ling's body to bounce straight up in the air. He blinked dazedly and turned to look at his father.

Tiny eyes, staring curiously at the not-so-tiny man.

Zhong Yan stared back just as silently, then finally said:

"I'm your dad."

The room fell still.

And somehow, the little guy seemed to get it. He started babbling, making baby noises as if responding. Anby stifled a giggle behind her hand but didn't say a word.

"Nicole says Ling is unusually lively—not at all like a baby just a month old. Zhong Yan, any thoughts?" Anby leaned over and whispered.

Since giving birth to Zhong Ling, Anby had fully embraced the role of a gentle wife. Not only did she care for the baby, but she also offered Zhong Yan emotional support at every turn.

And when she saw him reach out to cover Zhong Ling's eyes, she leaned in and pressed her lips against his.

Anby's technique had come a long way. Compared to the sweet, innocent girl Zhong Yan had first met, she now carried herself like a seasoned—well—partner.

Their intimacy ended only because little Zhong Ling began fussing, trying to swat away his father's hand.

His cries forced the couple to cut their affection short. Zhong Yan reluctantly got out of bed, murmured a few caring words, and quietly stepped out of the room.

...

After leaving the Cunning Hares' flat, Zhong Yan looked out over the city.

Night had fallen on New Eridu, and with it came the stirring of darkness in every shadowy corner.

The city had become increasingly unstable of late. For reasons still unclear, crime rates were skyrocketing. The New Eridu Public Security Bureau was already overwhelmed.

Much of it could be traced back to the recent Hollow riot. The appearance of numerous colossal Ethereals had thrown the city into chaos. Although they were ultimately wiped out, they hadn't been taken down by New Eridu's elite.

They were slain by the Uchiha.

And who was the Uchiha?

The most infamous Hollow Raider in New Eridu's history—a man whose legend had grown so vast he could probably win the mayoral election on fan votes alone. If, that is, he were eligible to run.

But he was a Hollow Raider. So that option was off the table.

Still, the fact remained: a Hollow Raider had become the people's hero.

When that news broke, it shook the city. Those who had long believed the government corrupt finally had a cause. They rallied, mobilized, and launched a wave of retaliatory action.

Their primary targets? Enforcers and officials across New Eridu.

Their belief was simple: if they could erode the public's trust in the official institutions, they could seize power and establish a new order.

To do that, they needed a symbol—an icon.

And who better than the recently glorified Uchiha?

Of course, Zhong Yan would never side with such people. So, these shameless fools resorted to impersonation. In just a few short months, multiple Uchiha impostors had caused widespread chaos.

Bit by bit, public opinion began to turn. The once-heroic image of the Uchiha began to erode, tainted by the actions of these fakes.

Zhong Yan wasn't pleased.

He had never cared what others thought of him. But if someone impersonated him and tarnished his name—that, he wouldn't tolerate.

So, he acted.

He publicly executed each of the impostors—one by one—and had Fairy broadcast their grim fates across the net, setting off a firestorm online.

He wanted to clear his name. But more importantly, it was a message.

A warning.

And it worked. Public sentiment began to shift. Even those who once pretended to be him stopped appearing in public, afraid they'd become the next on the Uchiha's list.

But desire—it could drown out fear. And despite his efforts, impostors continued to emerge.

So Zhong Yan made a simple decision:

However many came, he would kill them all.

And along the way, he'd remind those blind worshippers that the Uchiha's wrath was not reserved for Ethereals alone.

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