Chapter 15 – Cooperation (Part ①)

Volume 2: Battlefield Between Two Worlds

"I'll clear the way up front and take most of the pressure. You follow behind me and take a smaller share." Wen Yu stared into Li Quan'an's eyes. Seeing the shock in them, he spoke again.

"The more people there are, the more Vines get split up. The more people we have, the less pressure I'll have up front. As for who can make it out alive, that depends entirely on individual ability."

Wen Yu calmly took a sip of baijiu and quietly waited for Li Quan'an's reaction.

In fact, whether he took point or stayed at the back of the group made no difference to Wen Yu. No matter where he was, he would be attacked by the Vines. It was just that "taking point" sounded nicer when said out loud-and more importantly, it made it easier for this Cannon Fodder to accept.

"Well, Brother Wen Yu… can I say no?" Li Quan'an still hadn't grasped how dangerous the situation was; instead, he felt Wen Yu's proposal was even more dangerous. And if too many people died, would he still have the status he had today?

"You can't say no. And we don't have much time-at most two days. I must get out. If by then Mayor Li still hasn't understood what's going on, you'll have killed everyone, including me."

"When people are about to die, they can go mad."

Seeing Li Quan'an hesitate, Wen Yu threatened him outright.

Li Quan'an's expression shifted between light and dark, and he was even considering whether to mobilize everyone to kill Wen Yu together.

"But I believe Mayor Li is a smart man. Once the people you sent out to scout return, Mayor Li will know exactly what the situation is."

Wen Yu drained the rest of the liquor in his cup in one gulp, then said directly to Li Quan'an, "Mayor Li, arrange a place for me to stay first."

Li Quan'an didn't want to go deeper into the topic either. He simply waved a hand and called Bai Xiao'an over from not far away. "Go. Arrange a better room for Brother Wen Yu and his War Pet."

"Understood, Mayor Li." Bai Xiao'an led Wen Yu straight upstairs. Behind them, One-Eye finished an entire basin of Mutant Beast meat, licked his lips, and followed Wen Yu up.

…

On the quiet staircase, Bai Xiao'an stayed at Wen Yu's side the whole time. In the silent corridor, only their footsteps could be heard.

"Um… Wen Yu-Ge, my name is Bai Xiao'an. I'm Mayor Li's secretary."

Bai Xiao'an spoke first.

"Mm." Wen Yu replied blandly.

With Wen Yu's experience, he could tell at a glance that this little boy was deliberately trying to get close to him. But what was there to talk about with an ant?

Perhaps Wen Yu's response gave Bai Xiao'an some courage, because Bai Xiao'an spoke again: "Wen Yu-Ge, I heard you came from Mudanjiang City. Can you tell me what it's like in Mudanjiang City?"

Only then did Wen Yu turn back and take a careful look at Bai Xiao'an. He was about thirteen or fourteen, fair-skinned and clean-looking, with a thin, frail body. More importantly, from Bai Xiao'an's breathing and footsteps, Wen Yu discovered that this little boy hadn't Changed Class at all.

"Things in Mudanjiang City aren't very good. You don't need to worry about that much. If you can make sure you survive in Hualin Town, that'll already be pretty good."

Wen Yu's words were harsh. The moment they left his mouth, Bai Xiao'an's face immediately turned deathly pale.

Seeing Bai Xiao'an fall silent, Wen Yu had no interest in minding a stranger's feelings. Impatiently, he asked, "Which floor?"

"The sixth," Bai Xiao'an answered, a little flustered.

"Mm, hurry up." Wen Yu also sensed that his tone was a bit off. The pressure the Mutated Vine was putting on him was simply too great, so he softened his voice slightly. When it came to women and children, Wen Yu would still, in certain situations, show a faint trace of kindness.

Before long, Bai Xiao'an led Wen Yu into an office on the sixth floor. It was easy to see that Mayor Li had put real thought into the room he'd arranged for Wen Yu.

The space was enormous. A huge sofa was more than enough for Wen Yu to rest on. Besides that, there was a separate bathroom in the office. Though he didn't know whether a bathroom could still function at a time like this, it was at least a private space. Behind the massive desk sat a large leather chair.

Wen Yu nodded in satisfaction and turned back to Bai Xiao'an. "Go back and thank Mayor Li for me. Tell him I'm very satisfied with this place. Also, if Mayor Li has made up his mind, he can come here anytime to discuss countermeasures with me-mm, within the next two days."

Bai Xiao'an replied with a sound of assent and turned to leave.

"Oh right, your name is Bai Xiao'an, isn't it?" At Wen Yu's words, Bai Xiao'an turned back and answered.

"A piece of advice: these next two days, you'd better raise your strength. At the very least, you need to have Changed Class."

"Got it. Thanks, Wen Yu-Ge." Bai Xiao'an looked at Wen Yu with mixed emotions. From what Wen Yu had just said, the clever boy had already gathered that the Camp might be facing a major upheaval soon.

"Mm. Go on back."

Seeing Wen Yu recline on the sofa, with One-Eye also lying sprawled atop the big desk, Bai Xiao'an closed the door and left.

……

The evening banquet in the Camp had already ended, and the sky gradually darkened.

Outside, Lin Hu staggered back. The Vehicles and the other Class Holders he'd taken out were long gone, and Lin Hu himself was covered in wounds.

The F-Rank Protective Suit on his body had been torn to shreds. Fortunately, the wounds caused by the Mutated Vine weren't deep, allowing Lin Hu to barely hold on and make it back to the Camp.

The guards on duty in the distance saw Lin Hu, drenched in blood, and immediately hurried over.

"Hurry-go find Mayor Li. It's urgent."

Lin Hu's injuries weren't fatal. Apart from the heavy blood loss, he wasn't at the point of passing out. He took the Primary Healing Potion someone beside him handed over and downed it in one gulp, and his spirits lifted considerably.

"Take me to see Mayor Li."

Lin Hu had just escaped by the skin of his teeth, and his mind had been a little muddled. Now that he was safe, he understood that some things couldn't be said in front of so many people. He headed straight for Mayor Li's room.

Inside, Li Quan'an looked at Lin Hu, who was covered in blood, and asked gravely, "How bad is it?"

Lin Hu took a big gulp of water, then said with a grim expression, "It's very bad. What Wen Yu said was completely correct. The exits out of Hualin Town have already been blocked-we can't break out at all. And those Mutated Vine are already starting to spread into the town. I'm afraid it won't take long before…"

Mayor Li's expression grew uglier and uglier. He simply stood up and began pacing back and forth in the room. "Do you think this Wen Yu is trustworthy?"

Lin Hu thought for a moment, then said to Li Quan'an directly, "Whether he's trustworthy or not, given the situation right now, we have to fight our way out. If we stay here, I'm afraid none of us will have more than a few days to live."

Hearing Lin Hu's words, Li Quan'an nodded heavily.