"Qin Tian?"

Ning Yu repeated the name, his brows furrowing slightly, but he couldn't recall it at all. He looked around and found that apart from a few familiar faces, most people were casting curious glances at this suddenly appearing "Qin Tian," clearly, the name was also completely unfamiliar to them.

Qin Tian seemed to enjoy the attention he received. He smiled slightly and gracefully took out a gold-embossed envelope from his wide sleeves, handing it to Ning Yu. "This is my invitation. Please take a look, Chief Ning Yu."

Ning Yu took the envelope but didn't open it immediately. Instead, she calmly observed the man before her. Qin Tian looked to be in his early thirties, with handsome features and an indescribable air of nobility in his every move, making him seem out of place in this wasteland, as if he had traveled from another world.

"Cooperation?" Ning Yu casually tossed the envelope onto the table beside him, a hint of amusement in his voice. "What kind of cooperation would make you travel all this way to this place?"

Qin Tian's smile remained unchanged. He pointed to the survivors around him, whose eyes gleamed with longing, and slowly said, "I have heard that Chief Ning Yu is exceptionally benevolent and has taken in many displaced survivors. But I believe that with your current strength, it will be difficult to provide them with a truly safe and stable living environment."

His tone carried a subtle seductive quality, causing some of the survivors, who were already filled with uncertainty about the future, to begin whispering among themselves.

“I can provide you with resources, weapons, and even manpower,” Qin Tian took a step forward and said in a low voice, “as long as you agree to one condition…”

"What are the conditions?" Mu Xue, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up. She stared coldly at Qin Tian, ​​her eyes full of vigilance.

Qin Tian didn't answer, but turned to look at Ning Yu, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. "I'm only telling you this condition."

He took out a crystal-clear blue gemstone from his pocket and gently placed it on the table. The gemstone emitted a soft light, and the surrounding air seemed to warm up.

"This is a deposit. Once you've thought it through, send someone to find me at the abandoned factory in the west of the city." Qin Tian finished speaking, then turned and left without lingering, leaving only one sentence echoing in the air: "Remember, you only get one chance..."

His figure quickly disappeared into the night, but the blue crystal was like a brand, deeply imprinted in everyone's heart, and also brought an unknown variable to Ning Yu and his forces.

Ning Yu watched Qin Tian leave without stopping him. He picked up the crystal on the table that emitted a faint blue glow. It felt warm and smooth like jade, yet it also exuded a chilling aura, like the skin of some unknown creature.

"Chief, should we..." The guard beside him made a throat-slitting gesture, his eyes full of vigilance.

Ning Yu shook his head. "No need. Let's investigate his background first and proceed with caution."

However, the investigation over several days yielded no results, like a stone sinking into the sea. Qin Tian was like a ghost that had fallen from the sky, with no past, no origin, and even the seal on the gold-embossed envelope he brought could not be traced back to any source.

This deliberate attempt to conceal his identity made Ning Yu even more vigilant.

Meanwhile, Qin Tian strolled around Ning Yu's territory like a leisurely tourist. He was generous and eloquent, and quickly became friends with the people in the territory.

"Mr. Qin, are you very interested in our place?" In the cafeteria, a woman in charge of distributing food chatted enthusiastically with Qin Tian.

"Yes, it's a bit simple here, but it's very welcoming. It's much better than where I stayed before," Qin Tian replied with a smile, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally sweeping over the corner of the cafeteria where supplies were piled up. "By the way, I heard you have a lot of weapons and ammunition stored here. Is that true?"

"This..." The woman hesitated. These were all secrets of the territory. How could she reveal them to outsiders so easily?

"Don't worry, I was just asking casually." Qin Tian seemed to sense her concern, smiled and waved his hand, and continued, "I've also heard that your leader possesses a magical power that allows him to manipulate the elements of nature. Is that true?"

Similar inquiries were repeatedly made in different places and in different ways. At first, people just thought he was curious, but gradually, some perceptive people realized something was wrong and reported the matter to Ning Yu.

“Manipulating natural elements? Ha, he’s dreaming.” Hearing his subordinate’s report, Ning Yu sneered, crumpling the metal spoon in his hand into a ball, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"It seems that Mr. Qin's purpose is not simple," Mu Xue said calmly from the side, her tone tinged with coldness.

Ning Yu didn't speak, but got up and walked towards the door, instructing, "Keep an eye on him, don't let him get close to the core area. Also, inform everyone that without my order, no one is allowed to reveal any information about our base to him."

"yes!"

As night fell, Ning Yu stood on high ground, overlooking the brightly lit base, but a gloomy feeling settled over him. He knew that Qin Tian's appearance was no accident, and a storm was quietly approaching.

The next morning, Ning Yu returned the blue crystal to Qin Tian intact, saying, "I cannot agree to your conditions. Please leave."

Qin Tian's smile froze instantly. He stared at Ning Yu, his eyes gradually turning cold. "Are you sure you want to refuse me?"

"I'm sure." Ning Yu's tone was firm, without the slightest wavering.

The smile on Qin Tian's face gradually disappeared, and his eyes turned as cold as a venomous snake. "Since that's the case, then don't blame me for being impolite!"

This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!