Hearing the other party explain the benefits of joining the "Frost Alliance" and emphasize the importance of teamwork, Chen Yu thought to himself, "Who the hell told you I'm a lone wolf? Isn't my Tianyu Base better than your so-called 'Frost Alliance'?"
However, he kept his thoughts to himself and remained outwardly calm. He wasn't foolish enough to use Tianyu Base to show off to the other party. After all, in this post-apocalyptic world where order had collapsed, every force had the ambition to conquer the world. In other words, any other force could be a future competitor.
If the Tianyu base is exposed at this time, wouldn't the other side see him as a thorn in their side?
“Thank you for your kind invitation,” Chen Yu said calmly, yet with an undeniable firmness. “As I said before, my team and I currently prefer to remain independent. We have our own ways of survival and coping strategies. In the apocalypse, every individual and every team needs to find the most suitable way to survive.”
He paused slightly, gazing intently into the distance as if deep in thought, before continuing, "Of course, I understand the intentions of your 'Frost Alliance,' which is indeed a commendable move. In such a difficult time, any opportunity to strengthen ties and cooperation among survivors should not be overlooked. However, at least for now, we have no plans to join any faction."
"Sigh~! Since you insist on this, we can't force you. Everyone has their own ambitions." The other party's voice revealed a hint of helplessness, but he still maintained his composure. "However, you are, after all, operating within the territory of our 'Frost Alliance' and carrying lethal weapons. For the safety of our 'Alliance' members and to maintain the stability of this region, we must conduct certain supervision and registration on you."
Chen Yu frowned upon hearing this and said in a deep voice, "We are just passing through and do not intend to stay for long."
The other party smiled wryly: "Friend, this isn't about how long we stay. We need to be responsible for the safety of the 'Alliance' members. I hope you can understand."
"So, what you mean is...?" Chen Yu asked warily.
"It's very simple. Let us go to your base to register you and your team. Once we confirm you have no malicious intent, we will leave immediately and will not disturb you." The other party's voice carried a hint of sincerity and determination. "At the same time, we will provide you with a temporary pass so that you can reduce unnecessary misunderstandings and conflicts when you operate within our 'Frost Alliance's' territory. Of course, this is only a temporary arrangement until you leave our area."
"Heh, with so many people you've brought here, how can I be sure you won't take advantage of this to harm us?" Chen Yu sneered.
The other party seemed to have anticipated Chen Yu's concerns. He smiled slightly and explained, "Friend, please allow me to emphasize again that our purpose is purely to ensure the safety and peaceful coexistence of both sides. We will absolutely not launch an attack on you without cause."
“I would like to reiterate that we are merely passing through this area and have no intention of posing any threat to the ‘Frost Alliance’.” Chen Yu did not back down and responded with the same rhetoric.
After these words were spoken, the other party remained silent for a long time, seemingly discussing some countermeasures.
Chen Yu also took the opportunity to observe the other party's reaction, secretly planning his next move.
Finally, the other party broke the silence, their voice carrying a hint of understanding and compromise: "How about this, friend, we can send five members, carrying the necessary documents and equipment, to the safe location you designate to register you."
"Two people, you can only come in two places at most, and you cannot bring any weapons or use any means of transportation!" Chen Yu stated his conditions quickly and firmly.
“Friend, with natural disasters looming, times have changed. We should try to understand each other, shouldn’t we? We’ve already made concessions, and I advise you to know when to stop.” Clearly, Chen Yu’s “excessive” request had displeased the other party, whose tone had become much harsher.
"Heh, although the cold disaster is raging and the world is in chaos, this land is still the land of our Great Xia, not the land of any one person or group. We are staying overnight on the land of Great Xia, and you inexplicably want to register and inspect us. Don't you think that's a bit excessive?" Chen Yu sneered. "Anyway, my bottom line is very clear: either we follow my conditions, or we go our separate ways and do not interfere with each other."
Chen Yu's tone revealed an uncompromising firmness. Although he did not want to have a conflict with the "Frost Alliance" before he knew their true strength and intentions, he also knew that excessive concessions would only make them think he was easy to bully. It was also necessary to show a tough stance to a certain extent.
The other side clearly did not expect Chen Yu to remain so resolute despite the vast difference in their martial prowess. At this moment, they did not respond to Chen Yu immediately.
On the hillside, Chen Yu and his companion could faintly hear what sounded like a heated argument coming from inside the sled below. Clearly, they were divided on Chen Yu's tough stance.
After a short while, the noise inside the sled gradually subsided, and two people wearing uniform winter clothing stepped off the sled.
They raised their hands to indicate that they were not carrying any weapons or equipment. One of them shouted to Chen Yu and his companion, "Sir, we are representing the 'Frost Alliance' to go to your base. As you requested, we are not carrying any weapons. We respect your position and hope to resolve the current misunderstanding peacefully."
This is a woman's voice, and it is full of sincerity.
Chen Yu was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected that the other party would actually agree to his harsh conditions. He had originally planned to bargain with them.
He knew that neither of them knew the other's background, and by doing so, they were putting themselves in danger. In any case, if they were in each other's shoes, he would never accept such a condition.
A hint of surprise flashed in Chen Yu's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure, realizing that this might be an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the "Frost Alliance".
“Very good, I appreciate your courage and sincerity,” Chen Yu said slowly, his tone full of approval. “Please follow me, but please remember that the trust between us needs to be built through actions.”
The two nodded slightly, and then, at Chen Yu's signal, climbed up the snow slope.
“Friend, I advise you not to harbor any ill intentions, otherwise, the wrath of the ‘Frost Alliance’ will be unbearable for you.” The voice from inside the sled rang out again from the foot of the hill, carrying a warning and threat that could not be ignored.
Upon hearing this, Chen Yu smiled faintly and nodded slightly.
Then, he and Lin Lele walked behind the two "Frost Alliance" members, guiding them towards the location of the sled RV.
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