Chapter 279: “old Man Beng”
Good negotiations are emotional, layered, and involve backroom dealings.
In the first half, Su Huan was cold, explosive, and decisive.
In the second half, Su Huan was inhumane.
After hearing his conditions, Mister Shu looked around, as if a stifled breath was in his chest, “This counts as kidnapping, right?”
“I’m glad you have that awareness.”
Su Huan pinched his chin and took a step back, his combat boots stepping on the Four-armed Fierce Ghost Han Lie in the pit, who let out a muffled grunt.
“Yo, still alive.”
Su Huan surprisedly lifted one foot, the scarlet water churned for a moment, and a drenched head emerged, its dazed eyes first reflecting Mister Shu on the opposite sofa, then Su Huan’s mocking smile, before anger could surge up.
With a slap, it was stomped back into the puddle by Su Huan.
Su Huan smiled and looked at Mister Shu, “How’s the consideration going?”
Mister Shu sighed, “The value you’re demanding has exceeded what I and the Black Kite personnel present can generate in the future; the company won’t agree.”
“Since it’s a negotiation, there needs to be room to talk. Like this, let’s go one by one.” Su Huan ground his toe on the unlucky guy underfoot, “How about giving me this person? You have three seconds to consider.”
Mister Shu was somewhat surprised, “A Tier 2 Evolver is considered high-level in Black Kite too; aren’t you worried he’ll defect?”
Su Huan didn’t answer, pretending to look at the watch on his wrist that had long stopped.
Han Lie was not a Beast Transformation direction “Defender,” but a Flesh and Blood direction “Manufacturer” like Yu Jing; his extra pair of arms was a change left by using General Energy Erosion on his body.
From combat power and results, this promotion direction was considered successful at the current stage.
A Tier 2 Flesh and Blood “Manufacturer” could provide quite a few reference ideas for Yu Jing.
“Time’s up.”
Amid everyone’s suspicious gazes, Su Huan reached out and grabbed the short spear piercing Han Lie’s chest.
He pulled it out, then thrust it into Han Lie’s rear skull.
The faint struggle underwater completely fell silent.
Mister Shu sitting directly opposite didn’t react at all, the top light making his eye sockets appear exceptionally deep, only his eyeballs showing a trace of incredulous shock.
A Tier 2 Evolver of enormous value…
Just killed like that?
Watching Su Huan take out a Tier 2 without batting an eyelid, everyone felt their hearts pounding.
The three from Gunfire forgot to lower their hands on their rear waists.
The leader with the bushy beard incredulously rubbed his beard hard, feeling the pain from his hair follicles before confirming it was real.
He turned back with wide eyes and asked, “Has Dong Huang’s strength inflated to this extent? Killing a Tier 2 is more straightforward than us executing a comrade?”
The slightly shorter Furry Bear on the left had a stiff complexion, “Shut up, Yuri, he’s looking over.”
Short Russian Bear winked at him while speaking.
Yuri turned back with an awkward smile, continuing to whisper, “I’m serious, this kid is really suitable for our Gunfire. By the way, has the info been sent out?”
The high-collared person behind subtly shook his head, making a communication jamming gesture.
Yuri cursed inwardly about reaping what he sowed, and continued watching the show.
Zhong You was already scared by this scene, his eyes shrinking to pinprick size.
When he had just become an evolver, Han Lie was already a Tier 1 Evolver; the chief instructor had dragged him to watch, and the berserk strength left an extremely profound impression.
By the time he became a Tier 1 Evolver, Han Lie was already shining on the company’s frontline against western sand beasts, becoming a Tier 2 Evolver a few months earlier than him, pushing eastward over a hundred kilometers, constructing three large outposts, then leaping to Golden Kite with accumulated merit.
Yet the majestic “Four-armed Fierce Ghost” died in such an unnamed negotiation!
In a rotten puddle!
No, not just that.
Zhong You’s eyes swept over the spies sent by the major forces around; this negotiation would soon become famous.
The armored train would step on their Black Kite, step on a director, two Golden Kites to reach the top major force after the apocalypse.
As for Golden Kite Wang Yi, he didn’t count her in.
Only Golden Kites from the three major authority departments were true Golden Kites; others were just perks.
The reason Wang Yi could maintain her current perks was partly due to her pre-apocalypse contributions being sufficient, and partly because of Mister Shu.
As long as Mister Shu didn’t fall, Wang Yi’s status would remain special.
But now…
It all depended on the man in front of them.
The Train Conductor stood in the very middle, feet not touching water, a casual glance silencing the big shots in the room; that stunning inaccessible flower even more than he imagined stood respectfully behind him like a maid, unconcerned even with her exquisite high heels soaked in sewage.
Sensing his gaze, Shu Wei instinctively turned her head slightly.
Her eye corner calmly swept over Zhong You, without any fluctuation.
Just like every time his training scores surpassed hers, she had said “congratulations” with that same calm gaze, like a basin of cold water dousing his head, extinguishing every bit of his budding pride.
After promoting to Tier 1, he didn’t go out on tasks to accumulate merit for promotion, but stayed peacefully with Cao Yong.
He thought promoting to Tier 2 would surprise her, but it turned out to be this situation…
A feeling called unwillingness surged up.
“You… killed him?”
Mister Shu’s voice was somewhat hoarse.
Su Huan said lightly with a smile, “Isn’t it just a value issue? Black Kite definitely wouldn’t let go of a living Tier 2 Evolver; now that he’s dead, no problem, right?”
There was no way to detain a Tier 2 Evolver on the train; killing him was perfect.
Anyway, Yu Jing didn’t need him alive.
Mister Shu sighed, sincerely saying, “If you kill any more, there’ll be no room for maneuver.”
“No problem, this is enough; as for the rest, you can ransom with evolution resources. I believe you’ll give me a satisfactory price.”
Su Huan said faintly.
He couldn’t kill her whole family in front of Shu Wei anyway, and after just fighting a battle, the train also needed a large amount of war indemnity to replenish vitality.
Speaking of business, Mister Shu still wanted to strive, “But the numbers you quoted earlier are too outrageous.”
“Outrageous?”
Su Huan turned to look at Shu Wei.
She calmly analyzed, “The laboratory is Black Kite’s core department; the entire force is built around it. Other resources might barely suffice for Black Kite, but various evolution resources are absolutely the most abundant.”
“Moreover, Black Kite excels most at potion production; that can be increased by thirty percent, daily supplies decreased by twenty percent…”
“Ammunition…”
“The Factory Director has always said they’re short on equipment, especially large equipment, but it’s a bit far from headquarters here; they can scavenge some from surrounding abandoned cities, we’ll do acceptance…”
“And one more important thing is information; Black Kite’s database is very rich…”
“This should be about enough, but considering the train’s carrying capacity, some of those supplies should be swapped for high-value items, like General Energy Crystals Tier 2 and above.”
Su Huan tsked lightly, tossing the problem back to old Shu.
Watching his daughter across from him blabbing and spilling all of Black Kite’s bottom line, Mister Shu’s face darkened so much behind that water could be wrung out.
“Even if I give you these resources now, you won’t get out; once Number One comes out, you’ll face the merciless killing of a war machine.”
Shu Wei calmly stared into Mister Shu’s gloomy eyes, then resolutely said after a moment, “Number One is in the experiment, his permissions have been upgraded; all resources plus thirty percent!”
Mister Shu nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.
That number was already terrifying enough; another thirty percent increase would empty Black Kite!
“I previously calculated based on his Number Three identity; Director Number Two has also appeared, proving he now temporarily holds Number One’s permissions—he can absolutely deliver!”
Shu Wei’s exquisite lips were like a machine gun, every word dealing massive damage to Mister Shu.
Su Huan’s amused gaze beside him made him want to hit someone.
It felt just like his always outstanding daughter suddenly bringing home a long-haired punk, opening her mouth to demand he hand over the house and roll up his bedding to get lost.
“Impossible! Absolutely impossible! With this number, you might as well kill me!”
……
“This is all there is; no matter how much you squeeze, it’s useless. Those key supplies can only be mobilized by Number One himself; I need to keep some family assets to settle Black Kite internally.”
After saying this, Mister Shu seemed completely deflated.
Su Huan satisfiedly patted his shoulder, “On top of the previous total, I’ll waive another ten percent for you, consider it pension.”
“Tomorrow morning I’ll give you a list; the supplies on it must be prepared by tomorrow night.”
Mister Shu opened his mouth, then fell silent.
After this battle, the most valuable thing left on the old man was the iris brooch on his chest.
The negotiation wasn’t slow; all the words spoken by Su Huan and Mister Shu combined weren’t as much as Shu Wei alone said, and crucially, the voices were erased by Yu Yue, so those around could only hear fragmented snippets.
But the atmosphere had clearly eased.
Bo Qingqing’s heart also relaxed a bit.
“Oh, right, these people need separate calculation; some with heavier weight need higher ransom.”
Su Huan pointed at Bo Qingqing and the others.
Bo Qingqing’s complexion paled; she had already felt the angry gazes around her, and the previously tightly clustered crowd had quietly moved away from her side.
The woman harbored resentment in her heart: this pack of ungrateful wolves; she was clearly speaking for everyone—what was wrong with that?
Instead of blaming the Train Conductor, they blamed her!
Damn them!
Mister Shu glanced at the young people, no guilt in his eyes.
When everyone suffered losses, his loss wouldn’t stand out as much; just consider it tuition for their kids.
Su Huan squatted down to level his gaze with Mister Shu, “Alright, last question.”
Mister Shu knew the key to that bet had come, not wasting time.
“Ask.”
“Who is Yang Cunyi?”
Seeing Mister Shu’s pupils tremble slightly, Su Huan knew he had asked the right person.
All his cells excited at this moment, like a groom about to unveil the bride.
“Military Major General; it was he who picked me up for the meeting back then. There were many others at the meeting too, each reception at a very high level, comparable to his.”
Mister Shu quickly regained composure, speaking without hesitation.
He could feel Su Huan valued this question highly.
The Train Conductor was silent for a moment, “Bring Lin Xi over.”
Soon, the rundown theater was illuminated by the girl’s arrival.
Various chaotic lights mapped onto the girl’s silver hair, emitting a faint glow, accentuating her figure even more graceful and enchanting.
Everyone’s gazes fell on the girl, especially the evolvers.
They could sense Lin Xi’s difference even more.
It was the same thing as in Su Huan, like a piece of fine jade; just standing there, anyone with eyes could feel her “beauty.”
This was the throb of genes; even a blind man could sense it.
Lin Xi looked at the water layer on the ground, wrinkled her pretty nose, stopped in place, and stared straight at Su Huan.
Su Huan squatted on the corpse, glancing at her expressionlessly.
“Keep talking; you listen.”
Lin Xi’s gaze turned resentful.
Mister Shu naturally knew Lin Xi; the amazement in his eyes turned to caution.
“The meeting started immediately after arrival, no chance for us to speak, but I glanced around—many were business elites. Until dispersal and return, I didn’t say a word to anyone else.”
“How many people, who were they, how many times, what exactly was done—do I need to ask you sentence by sentence?”
Su Huan said faintly.
Feeling Su Huan’s killing intent, Mister Shu’s scalp tightened, “The first meeting was very short, mainly asking about our company’s situation, then inexplicably adjourned. The real apocalypse info came three months later…”
A faint light flickered in Su Huan’s eyes; the military, or rather the organization, knew even earlier!
The first meeting was probably screening based on some qualification.
“I roughly know what you want to ask, but details are many, timeline different; let me organize my words.”
Mister Shu cleared his throat and continued.
“From the first time, I felt something was about to happen, then contacted some friends and found many domestic industries were summoned, all picked up by military vehicles. We’re prominent in society; only the military could take people away without alarming anyone.”
“Because it was too early, we had guesses, but few heard the apocalypse news in the end; domestically including our Black Kite, just over a dozen, now probably less than ten…”
“Just the news?”
Su Huan asked.
“Also General Energy Crystals, and some very basic things; the gene potions, General Energy Weapons, evolution professions you see now are what we’ve researched over these years.”
A look of realization dawned in Su Huan’s eyes: no wonder in his previous life, each force’s focus and professional system developed completely differently later on—the root was here!
“We believed the apocalypse news early, but to increase persuasiveness, the military brought out something more crucial.”
At this point, Mister Shu straightened his back, eyes widening slightly, with a saintly fervor.
“—Real evolvers.”
