Zero looked at Bai Zang's mecha, which was covered in scratches and damage, and sighed helplessly. There was even a hint of ridicule in his tone: "I heard that you have been blacklisted by many black market middlemen. Why don't you just join us? It's difficult for you to do it alone anyway. Why not try to form a group?"
Bai Zang raised his head slightly while manipulating the mecha. His tactical light swept across the mechas of Team Zero. His tone was still wary. "With you? Just to help you pick up scraps? What's the point of this kind of cooperation?"
The Shadow Killer jumped out, his voice so loud it could shatter the psychic barrier. "Scrap picking? That's too harsh! We're recycling, understand? We're environmentally friendly! Besides, don't you think it's better to hang out with us than to be hunted down by yourself?"
Bai Zang laughed coldly, "Resource recycling? The parts you stole are probably no better than what I stole."
The Shadow Killer immediately exploded: "Oh, how can this guy talk like that! I won by my brute force, unlike you who are just sneaky!" As he spoke, he exaggerated his battle records in the channel, showing off how he single-handedly blew up a Jindan-level mecha.
"Alright, alright, stop arguing." Zero extended his hand and lightly pressed down, his tone somewhat relaxed. "Bai Zang, you know it's worth cooperating with us. We're efficient and the distribution is fair. How many parts can you grab on your own? If you really team up with us, you can get more in a minute than you can in a month."
Bai Zang was silent for a few seconds, his eyes flickering slightly. He knew Zero was right. His current situation was practically at the brink of collapse. He couldn't even afford to repair his mecha, let alone survive. But asking him to trust someone immediately was undoubtedly a fantasy. He gritted his teeth and said coldly, "We can cooperate, but the division of labor must be clearly discussed."
"Distribution? No problem, no problem." Shadow Killer said happily, patting his chest. "We're not those shady businessmen. Distribution is absolutely open and transparent! Whatever you grab is yours, and everyone else's grabs are divided according to their contribution. If you feel it's unfair, feel free to raise it."
"I'm afraid that what you say and what you do are two different things." Bai Zang still sneered, obviously not intending to let his guard down so easily.
"Then you can watch the whole thing," Zero said calmly. "But I have to remind you, if there's something really good, it's still unclear whether you can snatch it. Don't blame us for not helping you fend off the pursuers when the time comes."
Bai Zang didn't answer immediately. His gaze fell on Ling Ruoxi's mech. There was barely any wear and tear on its surface, and its psychic shields were still at full capacity. He couldn't help but scoff inwardly, "These guys are so well-equipped! They look like a hunting group of nobles. It's hard to believe them."
"If you're still not sure, just treat it as a probation period." Ling Ruoxi spoke, her voice soft but with a hint of intelligence. "You can quit at any time. We won't force you. But... opportunities don't wait."
Bai Zang was silent for a moment, his eyes flickering. He knew his current situation was dire. If he continued like this, he wouldn't even have enough money to eat, let alone repair his mecha. But he wasn't someone who trusted others easily, so he said coldly, "We can cooperate, but the division of labor must be clearly discussed."
The Shadow Killer's mecha raised its voice high in the virtual communication channel, and the volume was so loud that it seemed to break the channel: "Distribution? You have the nerve to ask for distribution? Look at your broken mecha, how many parts can you pick up? How much do you want to share?"
Bai Zang sneered, and the mecha raised its head slightly: "What's wrong with the broken mecha? I rely on technology, not equipment. Don't forget, without me bypassing those defenses, can you reach the battlefield smoothly? Without me, you won't be able to pick up any of these parts."
Shadow Killer slammed the control panel and said, "You're too greedy! Twenty percent at most! I can't give you more than that!"
"Twenty percent?" Bai Zang raised his eyebrow, his voice as cold as ice, "Don't dream, without me, you would have been chased and beaten long ago. Fifty percent, I want at least fifty percent."
"Fifty percent?!" Shadow Killer punched the inner wall of the mecha. "Why don't you just ask for everything? I can only give you thirty percent at most, not a single spirit stone more!"
"30%?" Bai Zang sneered and adjusted his mecha's stance. "Then I might as well do it myself. I say 40%, not a cent less."
"I think you're going to get beaten!" The Shadow Killer roared, and the mecha leaned forward, as if it was going to swing its mechanical arm and smash it in the next second.
Ling Ruoxi, who had been leisurely watching from the side, finally spoke up, her tone tinged with joking, "These two are really like a pair of old businessmen arguing over spirit stones. One is so stingy, as if afraid of being ripped off, and the other is adamant on the price."
The Xuanwu guard mecha nodded slightly. "No, it's probably a shady middleman and an extremely calculating client."
Zero's mech stood in the back, its optical lens flickering slightly, and its tone was full of curiosity: "Strange, isn't Shadow Killer usually very generous? Why is he so stingy today?"
Ling Ruoxi smiled gently, her voice as gentle as the breeze: "My cousin has recently been heartbroken, and his personality has changed drastically. Please understand."
The Xuanwu guard added, "Yeah, Boss, the secret book you gave him last time really did a lot of harm."
Zero touched his helmet innocently. "How can you blame me for this? You didn't tell me in advance that Shadow Killer's senior sister doesn't like rough treatment..."
"Shut up!" Shadow Killer's voice rose an octave, sending ripples through the mecha's psychic reaction. "Don't change the subject! The negotiations aren't over yet!"
After a fierce exchange of psychic energy, the two sides finally reached a compromise of 40% and 30%. Although Bai Zang's expression remained stern, he felt a slight sense of relief. He knew he didn't have many cards on his sleeve, so being able to negotiate this split was already a win.
Shadow Killer stretched while controlling the mecha, his tone full of disgust: "Finally, it's settled. Boss, I advise you to stop cooperating with people like this. It's exhausting."
Zero smiled and waved his hand: "Alright, we are all companions from now on. Bai Zang, don't worry, we won't treat you unfairly. As long as you contribute, the distribution will be absolutely fair."
Bai Zang snorted coldly and turned the mecha slightly. "Cooperation is fine, but don't expect me to be grateful to you. I don't trust you, I'm just seeing if you are reliable."
The Shadow Killer rolled his virtual eyes, his expression filled with helplessness: "This guy is too difficult to please!"
"You'll get used to it." Ling Ruoxi's voice came lightly, as if she was already accustomed to this situation. "Don't forget, this is the Chaos Region. Those who can survive are not ordinary people."
Bai Zang glanced at the group. Though he said nothing, a strange feeling welled up within him, one he had never experienced before. This brief moment of cooperation might bring some new changes to his lonely battlefield. Even though he didn't fully trust these people yet, his mecha didn't leave, but silently followed behind the group.
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