Chapter 327 – The Carrot and the Stick

Facing their expectant gazes, Ling Mo simply shook his head and smiled.

He couldn’t share his secrets, and there was no way he could tell anyone about Ye Lian’s identity.

Although Wu Pengfei felt a bit disappointed, he didn’t push the matter.

Even though the misunderstanding between the two had been cleared up, Wu Pengfei’s eyes still held a hint of complexity when he looked at Ling Mo.

So much had changed in the years they hadn’t seen each other.

Back then, Ling Mo was a struggling, somewhat taciturn guy who barely made a ripple in a crowd.

Despite being brothers, Wu Pengfei was always the more popular one when they mingled with others.

Wealthy, outgoing, and well-connected, Wu Pengfei and Ling Mo seemed like two completely different kinds of people.

Of course, Ling Mo, who appeared slightly introverted, didn’t mind this situation.

But meeting again today, Wu Pengfei had become a beaten dog, and if it weren’t for Ling Mo, he might have been beaten to death.

However, having been through half a year of hardships, Wu Pengfei quickly came to terms with it, despite feeling a bit uncomfortable.

“At least you have Ye Lian by your side. I guess it can’t be that bad,” Wu Pengfei laughed heartily, teasingly.

Ling Mo smiled and asked, “What are you planning to do next? Go back to them?”

“No way. They may act tough, but they’re actually cowards.”

Wu Pengfei shook his head, “I’m already feeling stifled, and staying with a cowardly team would just make it worse. By the way, are you from that camp?”

“No.”

“Ah… I was just asking,” Wu Pengfei continued, “Although being under someone’s control isn’t great, at least it offers some security. When there’s less fighting, you can live a somewhat normal life.”

This was the thought process for most survivors. Fighting meant facing life-threatening danger.

But facing it occasionally and constantly fearing for your life were two entirely different things.

Wu Pengfei could tell that since Ling Mo was traveling with three beautiful girls, it wouldn’t be convenient for him, a grown man, to join them.

Moreover, if he followed Ling Mo, he’d just be a burden, a useless guy.

In Leader Guan’s team, he could still swallow his pride and apologize when necessary, but to be a parasite under his old brother’s care? The very thought was too humiliating.

Fortunately, the camp was nearby, and joining them seemed like a good option. At least he’d be earning his keep, which would allow him to hold his head high in front of Ling Mo.

Ling Mo understood his thoughts and nodded, “That’s probably for the best. But think it through—if you join them now, you might be sent to the front line in the next battle.”

Wu Pengfei waved his hand dismissively, “I’ve already considered that. We’ve been observing this camp these past few days. The core group seems to be made up of veterans and officers. Superhumans hold a high status, but it feels like they don’t have real power. I’ve also heard Leader Guan say he overheard some conversations, and these superhumans seem to be under some form of surveillance… It’s no wonder you didn’t want to join. Even Leader Guan is still hesitating.”

Ling Mo already knew these things, so he just nodded.

The camp both utilized and guarded against powerful individuals like superhumans. They needed each other but didn’t trust each other, making it far from a unified organization.

However, in these times, large organizations naturally attracted most survivors. As long as there was an armed force, many survivors, like flies attracted to a scent, would flock to them.

Humans couldn’t wander this world alone, constantly facing the silent world and immense survival pressure without even someone to talk to—they’d go crazy eventually.

Even superhumans who wanted to be lone rulers would gather a group of survivors around them.

Thinking about this, Ling Mo felt genuinely lucky.

Though he was surrounded by zombies, they were also his loved ones.

“If I were a superhuman, I’d have to weigh my options carefully. But I’m just an ordinary person. If they’re willing to take me in, I’m already very grateful,” Wu Pengfei said with a self-deprecating smile. “And getting to the front line quicker is also an opportunity. Whether I’ll be a man or a dog will soon be revealed.”

It seemed that meeting Ling Mo had given Wu Pengfei quite a jolt.

Though Ling Mo was somewhat worried, Wu Pengfei’s life path was something he had to walk himself.

The two smoked in silence for a while before Wu Pengfei struggled to his feet. “I made a fool of myself just now. No need for more words. If I ever make something of myself, I’ll repay you, Ling Mo…”

“If we’re friends, don’t talk about repayment. You’re still injured; I’ll take you there,” Ling Mo said.

With Luo Ni’s slight build, it would be tough for her to support Wu Pengfei all the way to the camp, which was over a thousand meters away.

Wu Pengfei hesitated but didn’t refuse. He had been beaten badly; on his own, he might not make it until midnight.

As Ling Mo supported his arm, Wu Pengfei felt his eyes well up again. Walking this one thousand meters, they would part ways once more.

But in these times, separation by life and death was commonplace.

With Wu Pengfei and Luo Ni in tow, Ling Mo’s group couldn’t take the narrow paths.

Fortunately, with a psychic probe, they could detect if anyone was approaching in advance.

Once the zombies in this area were cleared out, human survivors quickly became active.

Before and after battles, the camp actively searched and stockpiled supplies.

While the camp took the lion’s share, ordinary survivors could still get some scraps, attracting many opportunists.

As Ling Mo could already see the direction of the residential compound from a distance, he suddenly sensed a probe.

However, this probe seemed somewhat aimless and didn’t linger on Ling Mo and his group.

Moreover, it disappeared quickly.

“Come out,” Zhang Yu suddenly opened his eyes and looked towards a nearby spot.

Two people soon emerged from a dark corner.

Zhang Yu frowned, clearly displeased at the sight of them.

One had a face like a bitter melon, and the other wore a smile, making for an amusing pair.

“Intelligence Team… What’s the meaning of this? Following us?” Zhang Yu asked, his tone annoyed.

“We were about to ask you the same. What are you and Yuwen Xuan doing here? We’ve heard you often leave the station without reporting your activities,” Bitter Melon Face squinted as he questioned.

Zhang Yu cursed inwardly but didn’t back down. “Watch your mouth! You don’t address Yuwen Xuan by his name! Call him Captain! Damn it, he’s on the same level as your team leader!”

Bitter Melon Face hesitated for a moment, about to explode, but was held back by the smiling tiger.

The smiling tiger gave off an unsettling vibe, his smile not reaching his eyes, making it uncomfortable to look at him for too long.

“Apologies, Vice Captain Zhang,” he said, still smiling. “I just wanted to ask if you and Captain Yuwen have any business here? I remember Captain Yuwen is from X City, right? If there’s something going on, it’s normal; you can tell us. Our camp will definitely do everything to help. Captain Yuwen was quite impressive in this battle…”

The smiling tiger’s words nearly made Zhang Yu cough up blood!

Your camp?! Fine, I quit!

These words were on the tip of his tongue but had to be swallowed back.

His child was still in A City; he couldn’t let his kid live in fear just because he lost his temper.

In reality, many superhumans who joined the camp either had attachments or ambitions.

As for those sacrificing for humanity, they were rare indeed.

The arrogance of the Intelligence Team targeted those like Zhang Yu, who had no backing. They wouldn’t dare mess with superhumans who banded together.

Camp leaders were well aware that many superhumans were extremely dissatisfied with the Intelligence Team’s existence, but they tolerated the team’s arrogance.

A good trade system, decent environment, and complete equipment—these were the camp’s carrots. The Intelligence Team was the stick.

No, they were more like a pile of dung specifically meant to disgust people.

The team served dual purposes: monitoring the free-spirited superhumans to make them obedient and probing their intentions.

The camp didn’t need hot-tempered superhumans; they only wanted those who were compliant and tolerant.

And someone like Yuwen Xuan, who couldn’t be firmly controlled… was a ticking time bomb.

Footnote:

• Smiling tiger(笑面虎): It is a metaphor used to describe someone who appears friendly and kind on the outside but is actually cunning or dangerous.  This idiom is often used in Chinese to warn against people who might seem trustworthy but have hidden, harmful intentions.