Chapter 435: The Expected Mutiny

"Fine, if you insist on going, then go. Since you're handling it yourself, you'll definitely take out Liao Youzhi—you're far better than that woman!"

Zheng Xinyu clenched her fists, baring her small canine teeth, a dangerous glint flashing in her eyes; she hated this guy she'd never met, whose name she'd barely heard twice—why the hell was he meddling in the north? Why not just stay in the city and grow stronger? Zhang Su was delighted after hearing Zheng Xinyu's words; if the Lucky Star said so, it was guaranteed!

He ruffled Zheng Xinyu's hair, opened the car door, and walked toward the rear.

Less than five minutes after ending his call with Liao Youzhi, vehicles began emerging from behind distant buildings—one after another, over thirty in total, of all makes and models. When they finally stopped along the southern edge of the bumpy road, they stretched out over a hundred meters.

More than thirty vehicles of varying sizes, their exhaust pipes spewing white plumes, created a spectacular scene.

Even before the disaster, Beidong Town had never been this bustling—only during market days…

"The little brat's pretty sharp!"

When Liao Youzhi saw the line of vehicles parked over two hundred meters away, his expression darkened.

He thought he'd moved fast—when he ended the call, he was only a few kilometers from Beidong Town—but he hadn't expected the other side to move even faster. Logically, leaving the camp would require preparation—at least ten or fifteen minutes. The only possible explanation: they'd set out the moment he'd given the fifteen-minute deadline, and they'd been ready to go all along. Otherwise, they couldn't have pulled this off.

He'd thought he'd overestimated Tianma Yu's speed, but in truth, he'd vastly underestimated Zhang Su's caution. Liao Youzhi had no idea he was already standing at the gates of hell—and the only thing protecting him was Li Zongkai, sitting behind him.

The scene fell silent. The bumpy stretch was roughly two hundred meters long; the two sides faced each other across that distance, the cold wind howling down the street, thick with menace.

"Let's get out. Go meet this Zhang Su—see what kind of bastard he really is!"

Liao Youzhi pulled up his mask, then donned a cap, and stepped out of the vehicle.

"Secretary Li, come down!"

The guards treated Li Zongkai with relative courtesy—they'd taken bribes from him before, and now that they were enemies, they wouldn't make things too hard. Even if they eventually killed him, they'd give him a final measure of dignity.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh—no sooner had Liao Youzhi stepped out than everyone else rushed to exit, including the bound members of the Civil Protection Corps, who lined up in a row.

Along the way, they'd pieced together some of the situation. Some were utterly bewildered—how had they ended up allied with Tianma Yu? What the hell was going on? They shouted demands to confront Li Zongkai face-to-face.

But others, fiercely loyal to Li Zongkai, remained silent throughout the journey.

"I wanna see what kind of dog-brain Zhang Su is! Fuck, he dared kill my men!"

Liu Yao cursed as he stepped out, the only one among them holding a gun—standing out like a sore thumb.

Liao Youzhi climbed onto the bed of a pickup truck equipped with a loudspeaker—normally used to lure zombies, now perfect for negotiations. But before he could speak, chaos erupted behind him: "We want to talk to Secretary Li!"

"Yes! Secretary Li, how did we become allies with Tianma Yu?"

"When did this happen? Secretary Li, you owe us an explanation!"

Eight armed members of the Civil Protection Corps shouted at Li Zongkai, their expressions furious.

Li Zongkai had joined Liao Youzhi on the truck bed. Hearing his men's cries, he turned to look at them, sighing helplessly.

"Secretary Li, it seems your men aren't united."

Liao Youzhi gave the noisy crowd a sly glance, then turned back to Li Zongkai: "Shall I handle them, or will you?"

"Let me speak to them first—how about that?"

"By all means."

Liao Youzhi spread his hands generously, then raised his binoculars toward the opposite side. Armed men and women appeared beside the vehicles, their postures far from uniform—but he wouldn't dismiss their combat capability over such details. Underestimating the enemy was a fatal mistake. Most conspicuous were ten hostages at the rear of the convoy, their heads covered in burlap sacks, hands bound—he recognized the figures of the guards, unmistakably among them!

As he studied the opposite side, Li Zongkai began speaking behind him.

"Brothers, the Civil Protection Corps has always stood for honor and trust. Zhang Su, leader of Tianma Yu, is my close friend. All of you—Da Qiang, Xiao Tiao, Da Nao Dai—they all know this. Had I known Tianma Yu was Zhang Su's territory, I would never have joined the northern expansion plan!"

"This matter involves personal reasons—I don't expect everyone to understand. If you don't wish to remain in the Civil Protection Corps, you may leave now and join another faction. I'm sure Liao Leader, Commander Liu, and Commander Yang will welcome you. This isn't betrayal—it's simply each person's choice."

Liao Youzhi and the others said nothing in response. The Civil Protection Corps fighters were well-trained—anyone who defected was a prize. As for betrayal, in this world, which faction could claim every member was loyal? All were bound by mutual interest, and every group had its own safeguards.

"I do!" A young man raised his hand first: "I don't want to stay in the Civil Protection Corps. I want to join the Survivors Alliance."

"Me too. This change is too sudden—I can't accept it."

"I want to join the Qitian Corps..."

"And me..."

One by one, the eight who had been shouting raised their hands to declare their stance.

What happened on Liao Youzhi's side wasn't hidden—it was all seen by the Tianma Yu group, who watched curiously, wondering what was going on.

Zhang Su hid behind a van, peering through the windshield, ropes tied around both wrists, a burlap sack identical to those on the hostages tucked into his pocket.

Beside him stood a neat row of hostages—he hadn't disguised himself as one immediately for a reason.

He'd watched Li Zongkai's side clearly. The defections were unexpected, but not surprising—if given the chance, everyone seeks a better path to survival.

Wu Daqiang, Xiao Tiao, and the others had also seen the changes among their comrades. Their hearts were torn, but right now, their only concern was rescuing Li Zongkai!

Dealing with the Civil Protection Corps took about five minutes—no paperwork, no stamps, everything kept simple. The eight who chose to leave weren't freed, only moved to other vehicles and confined.

Liao Youzhi glanced at the remaining twelve, clicked his tongue: "Damn, our leverage just dropped. That Zhang won't back out, will he?"

"He's got ten hostages. We've got thirteen. With so many watching, he dares to make trouble, we'll wipe out Tianma Yu!"

Liu Yao stared coldly across the way.

Liao Youzhi waved his hand, countering: "Thirteen? Secretary Li doesn't count!"

From start to finish, he never intended to spare Li Zongkai. He knew the value of a leader—unless a far greater gain was possible, he'd either imprison or eliminate him, quietly and cleanly.

(End of Chapter)