"You shouldn’t say that, Miss Huang." Martin gave Xie Ning a nod, a smile playing on his lips but not reaching his eyes.
’Even if I am screwing you over, what can you do about it?’ he thought.
’You’re already at the gate of the Barbarian Base. You’re going in whether you like it or not!’
Xie Ning glanced cautiously at Martin and Gong Pingfan. "Ma, my father is the second-in-command of Golden City Base. He has plenty of people and supplies. You’d do well to remember that."
Hearing her threat, Martin sneered inwardly, but his face broke into a reassuring smile. "Miss Huang, you can rest assured! I might trick someone else, but I would never trick you!"
"After you, Miss Huang." A mocking smile tugged at the corner of Gong Pingfan’s mouth as he gestured toward the main gate.
Xie Ning’s small face was taut. She straightened her back and, putting on an act, stepped forward.
The mercenaries at the gate had already seen the group approaching. With wary expressions, they raised their guns and moved to intercept and question them.
Martin hurried forward, bowing obsequiously as he offered a cigarette to one of the mercenary leaders. It seemed he was somewhat familiar with the man.
"Bro, hey bro, can we talk for a second?" Martin said with a smile, pulling the man aside to briefly explain Xie Ning’s identity and background.
The two of them walked a good distance away, occasionally glancing back at Xie Ning’s group as they spoke.
The mercenary’s eyes roamed over Xie Ning, sizing her up, a derisive glint appearing in their depths.
"If you have an appointment with the Vice Base Chief, then go on in." The mercenary walked back with Martin trailing behind him. He carried himself with an air of superiority, looking down on everyone.
Judging by his insufferably arrogant demeanor, he had to be someone with a bit of authority in Chaoyang Base.
The man slowly lowered his gun and patted his pants pocket. Martin furtively slipped him a few more cigarettes as a tribute, which seemed to put the man in a very good mood.
"Go on." The man said, his interested gaze sweeping over Xie Ning once more.
"Miss Huang, we can go in!" Martin trotted over to Xie Ning’s group, overjoyed. "Let’s go," he said with a grin. "First, we’ll go see Vice Base Chief Teng."
Xie Ning said nothing. She secretly exchanged a look with Beichen and obediently followed Martin’s group through the base’s main gate.
This so-called main gate of the base was, in fact, just a side garden gate of Mei Valley.
It was once a bustling scenic spot, but now it was temporarily occupied by survivors.
Xie Ning had visited Mei Valley more than once before the apocalypse. The place she remembered as a tranquil and elegant scenic area was now, as she walked through it, nothing but a vista of withered branches and dead leaves blanketed in ice and snow.
The desolate sight settled heavy and uncomfortable in the depths of one’s heart.
Two men bundled in down jackets approached, coming face-to-face with Xie Ning’s group.
Xiao Qi Zi had just let out a cry of "Ah!" when he was kicked by Chen Xiao, who was standing beside him.
Gong Pingfan shot a wary glance at Xiao Qi Zi and his companion. "Who are you? You don’t look like you’re from Chaoyang Base..."
Martin quickly stepped forward and tugged on Gong Pingfan, shooting him a meaningful look. "What are you blabbering about? Is it your job to run background checks? There are plenty of guys from Chaoyang Base you don’t know! Hurry up, Vice Base Chief Teng is waiting."
As if suddenly understanding, Gong Pingfan immediately shut his mouth, silently cursing himself for being an idiot.
’Inside Barbarian Base now, apart from the uniformly dressed Chaoyang Base mercenaries, anyone else they didn’t recognize would naturally be from Golden City Base.’
’We can’t let Miss Huang and her companion find out these people are from Golden City Base, or it’ll ruin everything!’
Xie Ning didn’t expose the two men and their guilty consciences. She gave Chen Xiao and Xiao Qi Zi a subtle wink before turning to follow Martin’s group away.
"Captain Xie, what are you..." Xiao Qi Zi didn’t get to finish his sentence before Chen Xiao kicked him again.
"Too many questions. Let’s head back first." Chen Xiao shot him a glare and hurriedly led him toward a dining hall on the other side.
The entire Barbarian Base was now divided into two large territories, with Golden City Base and Chaoyang Base each occupying one half.
It could only be said that while Zuo Li had acted quickly in this life, Chaoyang Base had apparently acted even faster.
Since Chaoyang Base was closer to Barbarian Base, by the time Zuo Li had mobilized her troops to attack, they had already engaged the Barbarians.
How could she let such a juicy prize slip through her fingers?
With Zuo Li’s personality, since she was already there, how could she possibly miss out on her share of the fight?
The Barbarian Base had the absolute worst luck. Caught in a pincer attack by two major bases, it was completely toppled in just a few days.
Defeating the Barbarian Base wasn’t the hard part. The real problem for the two major bases was how to carve up the existing resources.
Negotiations grew so heated that they nearly came to blows, but just as they were about to start fighting, the hailstorm hit.
Fine. With the sudden plunge in temperature and the heavy snow blocking the roads, it was impossible to return to their own bases for the time being anyway. Zuo Li and the leader of Chaoyang Base gradually calmed down and returned to the negotiating table in a more level-headed state.
After several days of intermittent talks, they still couldn’t reach an agreement, and Zuo Li was starting to lose her temper again.
She was pacing back and forth in her room when she heard Xiao Qi Zi run in, cheering, "Captain! Captain! Guess who we just saw?"
Zuo Li’s mind was currently consumed with negotiations, negotiations, negotiations, and she found just about everyone irritating.
"Spit it out!" She sat down at the square table and slapped it irritably. "I’m just praying for someone to fall from the heavens and deal with that bastard Zhou Jiangye. He’s completely unyielding, forcing me to waste my time at the negotiating table every day. I’ve drunk so much tea I feel like I’m about to start sprouting feathers!"
"She’s here, she’s here, your person is here!" Xiao Qi Zi ran to his captain’s side, plopped down into a seat, and said with a grin, "She’s here."
"Who? Which ’she’ are you talking about?"
"Captain Xie!"
"Xiao Ning?" Zuo Li’s face lit up with joy, but she immediately gave Xiao Qi Zi a sharp flick on the forehead. "You must be seeing things."
"No, I’m not! Chen Xiao and I both saw her. Captain Xie entered the base with more than ten other people. It looks like she’s making a big move."
"Where is she?" Zuo Li was ecstatic. She shot up from her chair and headed for the door. "I’ll go find her."
"Captain," Chen Xiao said with a sigh. "Shouldn’t we discuss this first? Maybe Miss Xie doesn’t want to blow her cover just yet."
"Oh, relax. I’m not going to expose her, I just want to go take a look." Zuo Li stepped out the door, then turned back to ask, "Where did she go?"
"To see Teng Hongming."
Xie Ning kept looking around furtively, putting on an appearance of extreme unease.
Gong Pingfan saw her act and smiled to himself. He couldn’t resist offering some "comfort." "Miss Huang, you don’t need to be so nervous. Vice Base Chief Teng is a very kind person. He can definitely help you with your little problems."
As they spoke, the group filed into a quaint, traditional-style hotel where Teng Hongming was temporarily staying.
Just as Xie Ning stepped into the hotel lobby, she came face-to-face with a woman descending the stairs with graceful, swaying steps. Both of them froze in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" The woman’s eyes suddenly reddened, and her glare was so intense it looked like it could shoot sparks.
She clattered down the rest of the stairs on her sharp, thin high heels.
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