Chapter 100 - 93: No Cooperation

Chapter 100: Chapter 93: No Cooperation

Xia Yu went straight to the car rental company.

"Hey there, this is the SUV I told you about yesterday."

Geng Qiu Shui met her personally. "I know your preferences, so I’ve already had it inspected and maintained, inside and out."

"The temporary plates are all set, too."

"The gas tank is full."

She really knew how to provide good service.

Very thorough.

"This is the one."

Xia Yu didn’t waste any words. She simply opened her backpack and took out 750,000 in cash.

They had already gone over the price and vehicle details; she only came because everything was in order.

"Nice and decisive!"

Geng Qiu Shui’s face was wreathed in smiles.

’An easy 50,000 profit.’

The transaction was complete.

VROOM.

Xia Yu drove away.

「Back at the abandoned building.」

"Yu, Da Miao and Er Miao are growing like crazy," Xie Shaokun said. "The pot was getting too small, so we just moved them to a bigger one."

"Big Sister," Little Nannan added, "the two of them are still getting along fine, not bothering each other."

Hearing this, Xia Yu found it strange.

’Logically, one of them should have won by now. Did something go wrong?’

"Let’s just keep raising them."

Xia Yu decided not to interfere. "The budding stage requires a lot of nutrients. If they’re really struggling, you can place three Crystal Cores in the pot to supply them."

"Huh?"

Little Nannan was taken aback and reminded her, "Big Sister, even though we just got over ten Crystal Cores, we’ll run out very quickly at a rate of three a day."

"And we won’t be able to participate in any Mist Events for a while, so we can’t get any new Crystal Cores."

’Since we’re being targeted by the authorities, we’ll probably have to lie low for a while,’ she guessed.

THUMP.

Xie Shaokun kicked a pebble on the ground.

The pebble instantly flew over ten meters and, under the effect of his enhanced superpower, embedded itself deep into a tree trunk.

"If it really comes to that, we’ll go abroad."

"Anyway, Yu’s superpower is precognition. We can participate in Mist Events and get Crystal Cores no matter where we go," Xie Shaokun said.

’You’re overestimating me.’

Xia Yu shook her head. "I don’t have a superpower."

Xie Shaokun nodded in understanding. "I get it."

Xia Yu fell silent.

RING RING RING.

Xia Yu’s phone rang.

’An unknown number?’

’SIM 1?’

She hesitated for a moment, then answered, "Hello."

"Xia Yu."

Zhao Guohui’s voice came through. "Let’s get acquainted. My name is Zhao Guohui. You should know who I am, right?"

"I don’t."

Xia Yu prepared to hang up.

"Wait."

Zhao Guohui spoke very quickly, "I wasn’t here a while ago. The decision to surround Xie Shaokun was made by someone else."

"I was the one who stopped it in time, which is why the operation fizzled out."

"I’m now the deputy team leader of Team Two in the Special Event Investigation Bureau. I’m in charge of all matters related to Mist Events in Huayang City, Lingyang City, Central City, and Zheng City. I have autonomous decision-making power in many areas."

"For example, I can guarantee that incidents like the attempt to capture Xie Shaokun will not happen again."

"For example, when it comes to cooperating with your team, I have full authority to make the decision!"

"And for another example..."

’So that’s how it is.’

’I thought before that Zhao Guohui wasn’t stupid enough to try and capture Xie Shaokun. So this is what happened.’

A look of realization appeared on Xia Yu’s face as she interrupted him, "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Don’t worry," Zhao Guohui continued. "I’m calling you this time in a purely personal capacity. You don’t have to be so guarded."

"Whatever you need, just ask."

"Food? Weapons?"

BEEP BEEP...

The call disconnected.

Zhao Guohui was stunned. He clearly hadn’t expected her to hang up so decisively.

’Is it to avoid leaving any leverage?’

’She’s certainly cautious.’

He knew he had done all he could. Now, all he had to do was wait.

「Meanwhile.」

After hanging up, Xia Yu’s expression relaxed slightly.

’In this life, Zhao Guohui’s promotion to deputy leader of Team Two was a bit fast.’

’Is it because his superpower awakened early?’

A guess formed in her mind.

In her past life, Zhao Guohui had been promoted to deputy leader of Team Two one month before the Apocalypse began. He had also been in charge of matters related to Mist Events in Huayang City, Lingyang City, Central City, and Zheng City, wielding immense power.

’This is good.’

’Working in the same area as a smart person will save me a lot of trouble.’

Xia Yu’s last worry dissipated.

"Yu, who was on the phone?"

Noticing the change in Xia Yu’s expression, Xie Shaokun couldn’t help but ask, "Good news?"

Xia Yu composed herself, her expression once again unreadable. "Zhao Guohui."

Little Nannan asked, "Who’s that?"

"Him?!"

Xie Shaokun jumped in shock. "Isn’t he the captain of the Criminal Investigation Detachment? Yu, what did he want with you?"

Xia Yu dropped a bombshell. "To discuss a partnership."

Xie Shaokun and Little Nannan were both shocked and delighted.

Little Nannan said, "He reached out to us for a partnership? That’s great."

Xie Shaokun even laid out a condition. "They have to give us an explanation for what happened last time. Otherwise, who could trust them enough to partner with them?"

Xia Yu shook her head. "I don’t plan on partnering with him."

Uh.

Little Nannan asked, confused, "But why?"

"I’m not opposed to partnering with any faction."

Xia Yu said faintly, "It’s just... the key to a partnership is equal strength. Whether it’s the authorities themselves, or you two, you all think the authorities are much stronger than us, right?"

Xie Shaokun and Little Nannan both nodded.

’In an era of peace, how could ordinary people possibly go up against the state?’

"If we partner with the authorities, we’ll just become their subordinates with no autonomy. How could we possibly talk about mutual benefit?"

Xia Yu’s tone was firm. "That’s not a situation I want."

"Right now, it’s impossible for us to partner with the authorities."

"Because we’re still too weak."

’After the Apocalypse begins, the old order will be trampled, human nature will be unleashed, and people will become increasingly unpredictable. At that time, people will only respect Strong People.’

’Or rather, they will only respect those who make them afraid!’

This short sentence was something few people could fully comprehend.

Little Nannan frowned.

She was still young and couldn’t understand many things, and Xie Shaokun didn’t fully grasp it either.

However, as always, they both chose to trust Xia Yu.

"But if we don’t partner with the authorities, we’ll definitely be constrained at every turn. It’ll be very inconvenient."

Xie Shaokun was quite worried.

His experience from two days ago had left him feeling powerless. If Yu hadn’t stepped in to save him, he would have surely been captured.

"We can’t partner, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do business."

Xia Yu said faintly.

’Is there a difference between a partnership and doing business?’

Xie Shaokun and Little Nannan didn’t get it at first.

"Look it up online."

Xia Yu couldn’t be bothered to explain.

Whether it was based on her understanding of Zhao Guohui’s character from her past life or the sincerity he showed in this one, it was enough for her to feel confident in doing business with him.

It was foreseeable that before the Apocalypse began, the two sides could conduct ’pleasant’ business.

"I get it now."

After looking it up, a look of realization crossed Xie Shaokun’s face. He even explained to Little Nannan, "It’s actually pretty simple. In a ’transaction,’ the relationship between the two parties is more distant. It can be ended at any time, and there are no strings attached."

"In a ’partnership,’ the relationship is deeper."

Little Nannan nodded, understanding now as well.

"So does this mean we can act more boldly in the city from now on? We won’t be wanted anymore?" she asked.

Xie Shaokun was a bit more cautious. "I don’t trust anyone except Yu. It’s still better to be careful."

Xia Yu took out a million in cash, gave it to Xie Shaokun, and instructed, "In a bit, go to a dealership and pick up an SUV. Tomorrow, drive to the police station entrance to pick up the guns."

???

Hearing this, Xie Shaokun and Little Nannan were both dumbfounded.

"A good shooter is fed with bullets."

Xia Yu continued, "Once you have the guns and bullets, you need to practice diligently."

"However, when you’re fighting in a Mist Event, try not to use the guns too much. Focus on honing your combat skills. If you can achieve a breakthrough during a fight, that would be even better."

’A breakthrough?’

Xie Shaokun was a martial artist, so he was sensitive to that word. He pressed, "Can I become an Inner Strength Martial Artist? A Grandmaster?"

Xia Yu glanced at him and retorted, "Still haven’t forgotten about your martial arts stuff, huh?"

Uh.

Xie Shaokun froze.

"There are no Inner Strength Martial Artists or Grandmasters. The living beings of this world enhance their strength through Spiritual Power Tempering Body."

"Therefore, the ranks are also divided based on the number of times and the degree of Spiritual Power Tempering Body."

Xia Yu, for once, said quite a lot. "They are roughly divided into First Grade to Ninth Grade."

Xie Shaokun pressed on, "What grade am I now? Am I at the Seventh Rank?"

’Seventh Rank?’

The corner of Xia Yu’s lips twitched slightly. She said faintly, "A Seventh Rank can withstand bullets. As for whether you’re a Seventh Rank... you’ll know if you shoot yourself."

Uh.

Xie Shaokun froze again, scratching his head awkwardly and changing the subject. "Yu, what grade are you right now?"

Xia Yu said, "I haven’t even broken through to First Grade yet."

Xie Shaokun and Little Nannan were so shocked they were speechless.

’She’s already this powerful, and she’s not even First Grade?’

’No wonder a Seventh Rank can withstand bullets.’

Waving her hand, Xia Yu told the two to step aside and digest the information while she continued to water the plants with her blood.

「A moment later.」

Xia Yu sat in the driver’s seat, ready to leave.

Xie Shaokun asked with some concern, "Yu, isn’t it a bit too audacious to go pick up guns right at the police station’s entrance?"

"Are you sure nothing will happen?"

VROOM.

Xia Yu stomped on the gas, leaving Xie Shaokun with a mouthful of dirt.