Chapter 414: Handy as Holding a Pinch

"Over here, everyone..."

"Thank you for your trouble..."

Upon hearing Zhang Su's instructions, Zheng Xinyu and the other two immediately stepped forward to escort Wu Daqiang and his group into the vehicle, exchanging polite pleasantries; outwardly, the two parties seemed amicable, but internally, both sides were puzzled—this situation was highly unusual...

Yu Wen stood to the side, wearing a humble smile with no visible expression, yet inside he was filled with deep confusion—Zhang Su was acting strangely! Based on his understanding of Zhang Su, he would never have let Wu Daqiang and his group off so easily just because they had once cooperated with Old Li's team, even though that previous collaboration with Li Zongkai had secured vital weapons and laid the foundation for their later development.

But now it wasn't just about letting them go—it was outright treating them like honored guests!

When had Zhang Su ever treated enemies with such courtesy?

This isn't the King of Hell—he's a living Bodhisattva! "Could there be some secret agreement between Mr. Zhang and Little Li?"

Yu Wen couldn't help but ponder, unable to think of any other reason why Zhang Su would treat Wu Daqiang and his group with such respect; he strained to recall every detail from his meeting with Old Li, searching for any clues.

It wasn't that he harbored ill intentions—just that Zhang Su's approach to this matter differed sharply from his own, leaving him unsettled by the current pace and forcing him to seek a shared rhythm.

As for the other members of Tianma Island, most were clueless, assuming Zhang Su was simply acting out of nostalgia.

After a sluggish delay, five members of the Qitian Team finally stepped down three minutes after the Civilizational Guardians arrived, each with hands tightly bound, heads held high, and remarkably cooperative—any outsider might have thought they were about to receive medals rather than become prisoners.

The tall, thin leader stopped about two or three meters in front of Zhang Su, finally getting a clear look at the man's face—not menacing, not handsome, but undeniably rugged and authoritative.

He bowed with obsequiousness: "Great Lord Yama, whatever you say, we'll obey. Please spare our lives!"

"The Little Hawk Gang said your boss is a coward named Yang, leading a bunch of cowards—but I don't think so!"

Zhang Su stepped forward, his expression serious as he patted the leader's shoulder and declared solemnly: "You're wise, discerning, calm, and composed—absolutely admirable! That has nothing to do with being a coward!"

Upon hearing Zhang Su's words, the five members of the Qitian Team were stunned into silence.

He's complimenting us? Awesome! "Yes, yes, Great Lord Yama, you're absolutely right—completely right!"

The tall man's face bore only one word: moved.

"Gentlemen, while I think highly of you, the necessary inspections still can't be skipped! Xiao Ju, go check their bindings—make sure the ropes are secure."

The main purpose of assigning Ju Wuying to inspect them was to gauge the Qitian Team's true intentions: were they hostile or friendly? Did they harbor malice, hatred, or other dangerous emotions?

Ju Wuying stepped forward from the crowd—she was the only one among them not armed, making her stand out. Without a word, she approached and gently tugged at each of the Qitian Team members' arms, moving slowly and softly; after completing the inspection, she gave Zhang Su a slight nod.

Zhang Su was thoroughly satisfied and waved his hand: "Alright, take them to the vehicles and treat them well. Xiao Shuai, Lao Duan, Lao Pan, and Lao Wang—go retrieve their equipment!"

Pan Guoliang wasn't originally a member of the elite team, but after finishing his daily training with the reserve squad and returning to Tianma Island, he naturally joined the mission when something important came up.

The four men obeyed and entered the shop, while five survivors from the neighboring merchant alliance gradually emerged; they lagged the longest, yet as they passed each other, neither side paused or acknowledged the other—as if they hadn't seen one another at all.

Wu Baokang led his group toward Zhang Su, but was halted by rifle barrels extending from either side. He was massively built, standing several centimeters taller than Zhang Su, over 1. meters tall; under the car headlights, he looked like half a black iron pillar.

"I'd like to speak with you alone."

Wu Baokang stared at Zhang Su, his eyes showing no trace of submission befitting a prisoner or hostage—as if to say: I could break free anytime I wanted.

"I'm not interested in talking with you right now—we'll discuss it later."

Zhang Su could sense Wu Baokang had some combat ability, but it didn't matter—right now, he was subdued and powerless.

This time, he didn't delegate—he stepped forward himself.

Standing before Wu Baokang, the man taller and more muscular than himself, Zhang Su felt no unease. Had this been half a month ago, he might have been unnerved by Wu's overwhelming aura—but now, he completely ignored it.

Zhang Su reached out and tugged between Wu Baokang's arms, testing the rope's tightness—but Wu's arms remained locked tightly together, motionless; it was unclear whether he was deliberately clamping them shut or simply couldn't move due to the bindings.

Zhang Su lifted his eyelids slightly, meeting Wu's gaze—he had his head tilted upward as if stargazing, his eyes radiating only one word: contempt.

He knew clearly that if they'd come this far, they likely wouldn't kill him—and immediately grew bold. "Hah."

Zhang Su chuckled lightly, then suddenly dropped his stance, shifting his grip from a pull to a scoop, slipping his hands beneath Wu's wrists. Before nearly everyone could react, a dark shadow shot upward like a bamboo shoot bursting from dry earth! Wu Baokang, nearly two meters tall and weighing over 200 jin, was lifted into the air like a sack of freshly harvested rice—Zhang Su swung him in a wide half-circle around his arm as a pivot; from Wu's perspective, it was as if his head was the center of a compass and his feet traced a giant arc through the air!

THUD! He crashed heavily to the ground, every face twitching—this was going to leave bruises everywhere!

"You—"

"Don't you dare move!"

The remaining four members of the Survivor Alliance, enraged by their leader being thrown to the ground, were about to act—but the cold barrels of guns instantly silenced them!

"Ugh..."

Wu Baokang lay curled on the ground; though heavily clothed, the impact sent fire through his organs, darkening his vision and choking his breath—worse still, he was furious: how could a man of his stature be thrown around like this? It was the ultimate humiliation! Such incredible strength! That was everyone's immediate impression.

Tianma Island members knew Zhang Su was powerful, but never thought him exceptionally strong—until now, they realized he'd been hiding his true strength. Wu Daqiang and his group, seated in the vehicle, had witnessed the scene outside—Zhang Su treating Wu Baokang like a human mace—this was terrifyingly brutal. They were seeing a completely new Zhang Su.

"Don't get cocky—I could crush you with one hand! But your ropes are tied well. Bring them away! These guys aren't like the previous five—if anyone resists, kill them first, then report!"

Zhang Su didn't need Ju Wuying to probe them—he already sensed the Survivor Alliance's hostility; it was written all over their faces! Six or seven men surged forward, grabbing the four by the shoulders and dragging them away. Wu Baokang, lying on his back, looked as if he'd lost his soul—motionless, waiting to be carried off, clearly shattered.

From the moment Zhang Su first arrived at Beidong Town and eliminated the two Little Hawk members besides Liu Ge, no more than forty minutes had passed—every investigative team sent by the four alliances was either dead or captured. It wasn't total annihilation—it was complete collapse.

The convoy returned in full force; the once brilliantly lit Beidong Town had slipped back into the darkness and silence of night—only the bodies of the three Little Hawk members remained behind.

Eight vehicles had set out; twelve returned. The increase was rapid, and the vehicles carried plenty of valuable goods—all now claimed as Tianma Island's spoils.

Lu Yubo drove the Land Cruiser, his joy overflowing. Since his Prado had been destroyed, he'd been miserable; later, he'd acquired an FJ Cruiser, only to have it requisitioned by Zhang Su—now, finally, he was back behind the wheel of a rugged off-roader.

"No wonder so many people love highway robbery—the loot comes in so fast!"

Zhao Dezhu sat beside Lu Yubo, patting the sturdy interior, and suggested: "Hey, little Lu, let's talk—could I drive this car?"

"What?" Lu Yubo, still ecstatic, immediately tensed up and shook his head vigorously: "No way! Boss Zhang said your driving skills need improvement—go practice on some old junker first!"

"Pfft, not even a real buddy..." Zhao Dezhu grumbled, glancing in the rearview mirror at the other three vehicles.

The remaining three vehicles were all top-tier—before the collapse, each would've cost over 300, 00 to 500, 00 yuan. After all, these were joint missions; using inferior transport would've been embarrassing and inconvenient, and would've drawn criticism from subordinates.

On the return journey, Zhang Su suddenly noticed several figures standing by the roadside—he looked closer and recognized Yang Liehuo and several armed women.

"Lao Huo, what are you doing out here in the middle of the night?"

Zhang Su pulled over and leaned out to ask Yang Liehuo, who was fully armed, flanked by three women from Village No. 2.

"Report: We were cleaning the warehouse and collected a good amount of firewood and over three hundred jin of grain. We heard the commotion and came to check—do you need any help?"

Seeing the massive convoy, Yang Liehuo realized this was a serious mission and straightened up, even saluting.

"Some petty thieves showed up—we've already captured them. It's late, go back now!"

Zhang Su knew Yang Liehuo still felt guilty about the watch post incident and was trying to make up for it.

"Understood! We're heading back!"

Without hesitation, Yang Liehuo led his group back into the darkness, a flashlight beam illuminating the path to Village No. 2.

Tianma Island hadn't notified Satellite Village of this mission, but word of these events would spread quickly through the village soon—Yu Wen was in charge of that.

After this minor incident, the convoy returned to Tianma Island. Those who had stayed behind at the base and various posts gathered in the parking lot—only one person remained in the surveillance room. Everyone wanted to see the spectacle and find out who had come to cause trouble up north! (End of Chapter)