Chapter 472 6: You Are Not Qualified to Ask Me Yet

WHOOSH!

The gale cut like a knife as it howled past the massive black walls of Fortress Mountain City. Inside, stone towers dotted the landscape, interspersed with rows of concrete buildings rising from the ground.

At this very moment, in the exact center of Mountain City, a gray-black stone building loomed, standing three to five stories tall. It appeared to be built from sturdy black stone blocks layered with gray concrete. Every floor featured a standalone circular platform extending outward, resembling open-air staircases.

Several armored vehicles were parked around the stone tower. Dozens of warlord soldiers in army-green camouflage, armed with live ammunition, patrolled the area. Some stood watch on the rooftop terrace, while others guarded the main hall entrance at the bottom.

"Why do you think the Alliance Country is suddenly being so nice and trying to win us over?" one soldier muttered. "Usually, they can't wait to wipe us out completely."

"Ugh, isn't it obvious? It's just because they're fighting the Rebels now, and they want us to stay out of it."

"Heh, makes sense. If you ask me, we should raise our demands. Supplies, ammo, Life Energy development resources—we need to ask for a lot more."

"Exactly. We have to let those people know we aren't pushovers..."

The interior of the first-floor hall was exceptionally spacious. A long sandtable, projecting a virtual holographic terrain map of Mountain City, sat right in the center.

Warlord leaders and their subordinate commanders gathered around it. A quick glance revealed nearly ten of them, dressed either in generals' greatcoats or camouflage combat uniforms. Most wore epaulets denoting their ranks.

Some loudly discussed the recent war between the Rebels and the Alliance Country, while others stood sullenly in the corners, keeping their silence.

Quietly, many eyes shifted to the figures sitting at the head seats on the left and right sides of the long table.

The Third Leader, Chen Junhao, was silent as always. Draped in a black military greatcoat, he sat in an ironwood chair, smoking his cigarette and ignoring everyone else.

The Second Leader, Xiao Chen, was in his fifties. With graying hair and a sharp, sinister nose, he sat at the head of the right side in a brown coat.

The two exchanged a silent glance without uttering a word.

Finally, a series of footsteps echoed, and the air in the hall fell utterly still.

A figure descended from the stone building's second-floor stairs. He had a middle-aged face, a buzz cut, and a powerfully built physique. An army-green general's coat was draped over his shoulders, revealing a black combat suit underneath.

He was followed by a trusted Superpower Level commander.

"First Leader."

"General Lu."

Various warlord commanders respectfully called out his titles.

Aside from Chen Junhao and Xiao Chen, who remained seated, everyone else stepped back to the sides. They watched him walk to the end of the sandtable to the only seat draped in Beast King fur.

"Xiao, Third Brother, sorry to keep you waiting." His voice was deep, accompanied by a hearty chuckle. Someone behind him pulled out the chair so he could take his seat smoothly.

Chen Junhao nodded at his words, still puffing on his cigarette, his expression unreadable.

Sitting opposite him, Xiao Chen let out a cold snort before speaking. "Let me guess, the envoy from the Alliance Country is about to arrive, right?

"Otherwise, you wouldn't have gone through the trouble of mobilizing everyone to gather here."

At these words, many eyes shifted subtly, all turning to look at Lu Weilong.

"I knew I couldn't hide it from you, Xiao." Lu Weilong smiled and lounged back boldly in his chair, leaning against the Beast King fur draped over the backrest. "That's right, the Alliance Country's envoy is already on the way.

"Based on the time, they should have reached the foot of the mountain by now. They'll be here in half an hour at most."

"Oh?" Xiao Chen frowned upon hearing this. "Then we should be heading to the city gates to greet them."

He had always advocated for peace, having long grown tired of this endless life of fighting and killing. Since they had decided to negotiate, they ought to cooperate properly.

"Heh, don't worry, Xiao," Lu Weilong said, his smile unwavering. "I've already had Fourth Brother make the arrangements."

Oh? Xiao Chen frowned even deeper. The Fourth Leader, Yan Xiong, was notoriously reckless and overbearing. Letting him handle the reception?

"Isn't that a bit inappropriate?" he asked, staring intently at Lu Weilong, offering a tactful reminder out of fear that things might turn unpleasant.

But unexpectedly, Lu Weilong's smile faded. "Xiao, don't you think the Alliance Country is a little too arrogant?" he asked, his tone darkening slightly. "When they want to beat us down, they attack. When they want us to obey, they expect us to fall in line.

"Does such a convenient thing exist in this world?"

As soon as he said this, Xiao Chen fell into a brief silence, no matter how much he wanted to argue back. Though the other warlord commanders in the room bore varying expressions, most nodded secretly in strong agreement.

"So, you want to refuse their cooperation?" Xiao Chen asked.

"No, cooperation is great. We get supplies and ammo, and we can exchange for some resources. Why wouldn't we?" Lu Weilong suddenly smiled again, glancing around at the other warlord commanders.

Xiao Chen frowned once more. None of the others dared to meet Lu Weilong's gaze; they all lowered their heads slightly.

Eventually, Lu Weilong's gaze shifted and landed on Chen Junhao. "It's just that they shouldn't be the ones dictating the terms of this cooperation.

"After all, this is Fortress Mountain City... don't you agree, Third Brother?"

There was a pointed implication to his words, though the smile on his face was quite thick. Countless eyes turned toward Chen Junhao, all thinking about the recent attack on his mining troops.

Curiosity, doubt, provocation... numerous expressions were hidden within those gazes.

Finally, Chen Junhao paused his smoking for a fraction of a second. His face remained calm as he smiled. "The First Leader's decision is our decision.

"You can call the shots on this matter."

"Mhm... Third Brother always knows exactly what to say." Lu Weilong grinned and patted his shoulder heavily.

A playful gleam flashed in his eyes as he looked toward the side of the hall, ordering his subordinates to project a light screen synced with the external communication monitors. "That's settled, then."