Chapter152

They led Park Su and Xu Nuo deeper into the village. Park Su observed the surroundings, noting that they had set up the place quite well; at least on the surface, security seemed solid, making it difficult for zombies to breach.

They walked on until reaching the very heart of the village, where Park Su spotted a relatively luxurious five-story building. The courtyard was vast, estimated to be over 150 square meters, certainly not comparable to the small villas in the city.

From just this glance, Park Su knew this was likely where their so-called boss resided. True enough, they were soon brought to the entrance of this grand house.

At the door stood two guards. As they approached, one of them stepped forward to intercept and inquire about the situation. Upon hearing that Park Su was part of the ability user team they had hunted today, and a wood-type at that, they nodded, and one went inside to report.

Observing the scene, Park Su couldn't help but muse to himself that this boss lived like a feudal lord from ancient times. Fortunately, the compound wasn't as vast as those of old, so they didn't wait long before the guard returned, conveying the boss's invitation for them to enter.

As they walked, Park Su vented to Xu Nuo, "Does this boss really need such pomp in the apocalypse?"

Xu Nuo responded nonchalantly, "He's just lucky to meet someone like you, who doesn't care about reputation or appearances. If he were dealing with someone who gauges strength by the size of one's entourage, they'd think less of you for not having enough show. It's like going to a business meeting on a bicycle versus in a Rolls-Royce; it sends a different message about your credibility."

Park Su, picturing this scenario, found Xu Nuo's logic unassailable and had no comeback.

They were led into the main hall where the boss, understanding hospitality, didn't make them venture further. He was seated in the primary position of the guest room, waiting. Park Su and Xu Nuo were pushed forward, stumbling slightly right in front of the boss.

Park Su felt a twinge of annoyance but heard the boss admonish his men, "Be courteous to our guests. This man might well become our ally; there's no need for such rudeness."

Looking up at the mention of this, Park Su saw a man in his early thirties, exuding an air of authority yet with a touch of gentleness. His appearance was more pleasing than that of the fire ability user, Wu Dong.

However, the way he had been treated made it hard for Park Su to feel any goodwill towards him. Straightening up, he asked, "You're their leader?"

While Park Su scrutinized Zhu Xiao, the boss was also appraising him. As the burly man had mentioned, Zhu Xiao had a preference for men, particularly those who were small and cute-looking, and Park Su fit this aesthetic. However, he knew better than to act on such inclinations in this post-apocalyptic world where provoking the wrong person could lead to deadly consequences. He had avoided many conflicts due to this principle.

Although Zhu Xiao found Park Su visually appealing, he didn't miss Xu Nuo's protective and aggressive gaze. He was aware of their relationship from the reports he'd received and knew Xu Nuo was not someone to be trifled with. Without Elder Chen's serum, he doubted he could match them. If he could recruit these two, his village would gain significant strength, so he categorized Park Su as someone not to covet.

Despite the apparent control over Park Su, Zhu Xiao sensed danger, yet the allure of beauty was hard to resist, and he found himself stealing a few more glances before addressing Park Su, "I am what they call the boss here, as I lead this settlement. My name is Zhu Xiao. You must be the wood-type ability user they mentioned. May I know your name? And is it true your ability has reached the third tier?"

Park Su acknowledged the gaze but didn't feel it was lecherous. The boss's courteous behavior also eased his tension slightly, softening his tone, "My name isn't important right now. If you want me to join and help you, you should at least release my partner first. Holding us and allowing your subordinates to speak disrespectfully, how do you expect us to willingly work for you?"

Zhu Xiao replied, "Since expanding our village, I've had many matters to handle, and sometimes oversight with my subordinates happens. If they've offended you, I apologize. Moreover, considering your partner's possessive nature, I doubt anyone speaking ill of you would fare well. What I'm proposing isn't help; it's a partnership, not a one-sided favor."

Park Su was genuinely curious to see what kind of pitch Zhu Xiao would use to convince so many ability users to stay and help him rob other teams. From his perspective, someone who had experienced being a victim shouldn't be easily swayed to become a perpetrator. Thus, he feigned interest, saying, "If you want to talk about cooperation, shouldn't you show some sincerity by at least letting us sit?"

Zhu Xiao nodded apologetically and signaled for his men to release them. Park Su and Xu Nuo found a spot to sit together, and tea was served.

Zhu Xiao then spoke, "You must understand that in this apocalypse, resources are dwindling, and survival is tough for everyone, especially for ordinary people without abilities. Even in the established bases, the living conditions for these people are not much better. To eat enough, they must work hard, and even then, they might barely avoid starvation.

That's why I didn't rush to join a base but instead set up here with my resources, saving those I could, teaching them to be self-sufficient by growing food, and fortifying against zombies. But our plans are always met with resistance from those who use their abilities to steal our resources and food. We've lived hard lives because of this. Now, having found ways to counter them, we're just taking back what's ours.

Since they believe in a world where the strong prey on the weak, they must accept being the weak ones sometimes. But recently, we've been short on serums, and we need a wood-type ability user like you to help grow the plants we use for these serums. You, being a third-tier wood-type, are the highest we've encountered.

I propose that if we use the serums produced by the plants you grow to acquire resources or nuclei, we split them 30% for you, 70% for us. This isn't a small amount; it would allow you to live well in any base. Please consider it."

Park Su was surprised by this generous offer; according to the information they had gathered, selling these serums to nearby villages was lucrative, not to mention the gains from using them to rob. If he were solely focused on resources, this proposal would be tempting.

However, Xu Nuo, sensing Park Su's inclination to refuse, held him back and asked, "You say the division will be based on the serums we produce; how will you determine which serums are because of us?"

Zhu Xiao, recognizing Xu Nuo's caution, decided to skip the flattery and said directly, "You can first see our current serum output. Then, after you join, any increase in our production can be attributed to your contribution. Does that sound fair?"

While Park Su found the offer reasonable and tempting, he had no intention of agreeing. The idea of highway robbery wasn't appealing to him, especially since he and Xu Nuo could live well off their own abilities without stooping to such measures. Moreover, he didn't want to drag Xu Nuo's reputation down with him.

However, outright confrontation in someone else's territory seemed unwise unless necessary, as Zhu Xiao didn't seem like someone who deserved death. Yet, escaping without killing him might be challenging.

Park Su was also intrigued by the plant used to make the serum that suppressed his abilities. If it was a mutated plant, he was eager to add it to his collection, especially since he had just advanced to the fourth tier and had room for one more.

While he was still pondering, Xu Nuo spoke up, "Your offer does have some appeal. However, although we've felt the effect of this serum, we're curious to see what plant it's derived from."

"If it's a mutated plant, we need to verify the speed at which we can cultivate it. If the serums we produce from it yield less than what we could gather ourselves out there, then we certainly won't stay.

And while you might think you can keep us here with your power, keeping us for a day doesn't mean you can for a lifetime. You can make us stay, but not cooperate willingly in producing serums. Besides, in this apocalypse, I'd advise you to build more goodwill," Xu Nuo concluded.