Chapter 415: Dare to Cause Trouble? I

"Hey!"

Zhang Su jumped out of the vehicle, slammed the door shut, and addressed the Survivors' Alliance members who were slowly disembarking: "Here we are. You came to investigate, didn't you? Any impressions? Anything you want to know? Look closely—it's all right here. This is Tianma Island, what you've come to investigate."

Wu Baokang sat in the vehicle for a long while, finally feeling somewhat better—his bones still ached, but otherwise he was unharmed.

Since climbing the mountain, he hadn't blinked once, staring out the window. His freedom depended on himself, not on the enemy's mercy. To escape this place, he had to map out the terrain thoroughly.

But the more he looked, the colder his heart grew. When he entered the mountain gate, he was startled by the steel behemoths crouched beside the road! Tanks weren't terrifying—he knew the Civilization Protectors had some too—but these backwater hicks on Tianma Island somehow had tanks? Their capabilities were obvious. He couldn't afford to underestimate them just because they lived in the countryside. He reached one conclusion: either jump off the mountain to escape, or fight his way out. No third option had occurred to him—and both paths were nearly certain death.

The five members of the Tianqi Group sat tightly clustered together, heads bowed, daring not to look around. They knew one thing clearly: the less you knew, the safer you were. On the vehicle, they'd even requested a cloth to cover their eyes—but their request was ignored.

The five Civilization Protectors, burdened with large and small bags, didn't look like prisoners—they looked more like tourists visiting Tianma Island, utterly out of place…

Wu Daqiang and the others glanced left and right, their faces filled with complex expressions.

Tianma Island's defense system wasn't impregnable; it was even slightly inferior to their own barracks, and their weapons and equipment were also somewhat lacking. But judging from the way the Yanluo Legion had performed, their combat strength was certainly formidable. Combined with Tianma Island's Detianduhou geographical advantages, it was unquestionably a fortress easy to defend and hard to attack!

Seeing everyone fall silent, Zhang Su waved his hand and said: "Separately detain these ten people. I'll interrogate them one by one when I have time. Especially these five—keep a close watch. If there's any movement, empty a magazine first."

Empty a magazine… do you guys think your bullets grow on trees? The five Survivors' Alliance hostages wore expressions of utter disbelief.

In contrast, the five Tianqi Group members wore extremely obedient smiles, like well-behaved kindergarten children waiting for candy.

After making arrangements, Zhang Su patted Wu Daqiang on the shoulder and smiled: "You guys go ahead and move the supplies. I'll catch up with Old Li's men. Old Yu, come with me."

Though Wu Daqiang and the others held guns in hand, they were on someone else's territory and dared not disobey Zhang Su. They followed him toward the homestay district, unable to stop glancing left and right—everything around them felt startlingly new.

Unlike the rigid barracks, the homestay district radiated a strong sense of daily life, offering them a long-missed feeling of warmth and normalcy.

Inside the Little Luck Restaurant, Zheng Xinyu and the observant Yi Xiaoling served tea to the group, then quietly slipped out.

Zhang Su poured tea with a smile, muttering: "Hmm, drinking tea this late at night? Maybe not ideal… but it's already brewed, so just drink it. Hey, sit down, all of you. There's no danger here. Don't be so tense—your fingers are turning white."

Wu Daqiang and the others gripped their weapons tightly, their knuckles pale.

Clang clang, puh…

Since it was inevitable, they might as well accept it. Wu Daqiang and the others placed their bags and weapons on the dining table, then shed their heavy winter coats and sat down. The other side had been consistently friendly—holding onto their rifles so tightly now would be inappropriate.

After sitting, Wu Daqiang couldn't help speaking: "Mr. Zhang, Chairman Li didn't know Tianma Island was your territory—if he had, he'd never have allied with the Survivors' Alliance. There must be a huge misunderstanding here!" The blunt soldier, having spent time with Li Zongkai, had grown noticeably more articulate.

Zhang Su smiled and handed each of them a cup, then took a sip of his own hot tea: "Old Li certainly didn't know. No need to explain. Ha, my relationship with Old Li isn't as simple as you think."

Yu Wen, sitting beside him, quietly sipped his tea. Hearing Zhang Su's words, his eyes brightened—he wanted to know what exactly was going on. It was far too unusual!

Wu Daqiang and Xiao Tiao were core members of the Civilization Protectors. Hearing Zhang Su's remark, they exchanged a glance, both filled with confusion. Not simple? How complicated could it be? Zhang Su noticed everything, his expression shifting with amusement: "You'll learn some things gradually. Tell me—what exactly was your mission?"

With the matter laid bare, Wu Daqiang no longer hid anything. He recounted everything he knew: how they attended the banquet at Lègòu Mall, how the leaders reached their agreement, how they were dispatched for the investigation. But even as a core member, his knowledge was limited.

After listening, Zhang Su spoke at length with Yu Wen, openly discussing everything in front of the five Civilization Protectors, treating them as if they were insiders. This made everyone except Zhang Su feel deeply uneasy.

Yu Wen knew Zhang Su had a reason for doing this.

Wu Daqiang and the others held different thoughts: some thought Zhang Su was carefree, others believed he lacked vigilance, and still others suspected he planned to kill them all—and didn't care if they overheard.

"Daqiang, from the information you've given me, I can only guess the Survivors' Alliance's general intent. But don't you know their next plan?"

Seizing Tianma Island was surely just the first step. The four-party alliance must involve dividing the spoils—a move to redraw the power structure of northern Qincheng, even extending to half of Qingxian County! Wu Daqiang shook his head: "Only a few top leaders were present at the banquet, plus a few trusted aides of Liao Youzhi serving nearby. No one else knew the details."

He didn't know that everything had already been settled long before the banquet.

"When you went to the Survivors' Alliance, did you sense anything odd? Internal conflicts, for example?"

Zhang Su had been preoccupied with Gong Chengming's absence—he felt deeply uneasy about it.

"Internal conflicts?" Wu Daqiang and his companions exchanged glances, then all shook their heads: "We didn't sense anything… or…"

"Or what?" Zhang Su pressed.

Wu Daqiang seemed reluctant to speak, but after a moment's hesitation, he made up his mind: "Chairman Li probably knows more."

"Of course I know Old Li knows! But how do I contact him? Our radios don't reach this far!"

Zhang Su rolled his eyes. He'd given Li Zongkai a radio, but they were separated by at least thirty to forty kilometers—far beyond the device's range.

(End of Chapter)