Chapter 436

"Hey, hey..."

Liao Youzhi stopped stalling, tapped the microphone, and a burst of noisy static immediately came from the speakers, followed by his voice: "Which guy on the other side is Zhang Su of Sky Ma Yu? Stand out and speak!"

As soon as the words fell, two people were seen walking out from the FJ Cruiser in the lead—one was an older uncle wearing a felt hat, and the other was a tall, sturdy man wearing a cotton hat with earflaps.

A distance of about two hundred meters was not far; even without any optical tools, one could see a rough outline. Liao Youzhi was puzzled. Judging from the two, the old man's temperament and aura clearly had more of a leader's style, but Zhang Su's voice didn't sound like a middle-aged or elderly person...

"The one speaking on the other side is Liao Youzhi, right? You've been dawdling for over ten minutes, are you testing my patience?"

Zhao Dezhu's voice was like a booming bell, very loud.

"Hmm?"

Liao Youzhi frowned. He had expected Zhang Su to be that big guy, but why did the voice sound wrong?

He turned his head to look at Li Zongkai, who was standing behind him, and said: "Is this guy Zhang Su? Why is his voice different from just now!"

Li Zongkai looked at Liao Youzhi with an expression as calm as an ancient well and nodded lightly as a matter of course: "That's right."

"Something's not right!"

Liao Youzhi beckoned someone to bring over the communication equipment he had used to contact Zhang Su earlier and said: "Hey, hey, Zhang Su, I can't hear your voice clearly on my end, what's going on?"

Soon, he saw the person on the opposite side raise his hand to his mouth, and then the voice rang out on his end.

"You can't hear my high-definition speaker? Are you a descendant of the deaf?"

The sentence almost made Liao Youzhi furious. The voice was correct, and this foul mouth was also correct!

Zhao Dezhu stood in front of the convoy, and seeing Liao Youzhi's appearance on the other side, he almost laughed out loud.

He wasn't worried about any danger in speaking on Zhang Su's behalf; his full-body protection was very well done, and he had even pasted two layers of petrified zombie skin inside his cotton hat. If he swayed his body slightly, it would be difficult for the other side to aim. However, he was very worried that the other side would discover his identity, which would make the scene awkward. Bringing his father-in-law along was specifically to deal with unexpected situations.

But after seeing the other side's reaction, he finally believed that Liao Youzhi really couldn't recognize him. The world is full of wonders...

He completely ignored the speed and accuracy of information acquisition after humans lost the internet!

"Hey you, Zhang Xin, come over here!"

Liao Youzhi beckoned to the distance. He was still not quite sure and intended to ask his subordinate to clarify.

Zhang Xin, the captain of the Third Vanguard Team standing in the crowd, felt numb. Such a large formation was a first in his life. He was just pondering the various situations that might break out and his own methods of dealing with them when he suddenly heard his boss call his name, so he hurriedly trotted over to the pickup truck.

"Leader Liao, what's the matter?"

Liao Youzhi pointed to the opposite side and said: "Didn't you meet Zhang Su when you went north to investigate Fu Weijun before? Is that him?"

The moment Zhang Xin heard the voice, he knew it definitely wasn't Zhang Su. He considered himself quite familiar with Zhang Su, and this kind of trick was very much in line with his personality.

He squinted his eyes to look at the opposite side, then picked up his binoculars to look again, and said uncertainly: "Leader, actually, I only caught a glimpse of Zhang Su from afar at the time. I feel his build is very similar, but I don't know the specific details."

In order not to let Liao Youzhi be suspicious, Zhang Xin chose to be vague.

"Get lost!"

Liao Youzhi waved his hand impatiently.

Gong Chengming, who had been standing beside the pickup truck, was calm on the surface, but his heart was already surging with waves. Others might not know that it wasn't Zhang Su, but Li Zongkai and Zhang Xin definitely would, and of course, he and the members of the First Vanguard Team behind him, especially Xiao Xuejian! He and Xiao Xuejian looked at each other, both seeing a string of question marks in the other's eyes.

Li Zongkai deceiving Liao Youzhi was understandable, but Zhang Xin hiding it from him was intriguing. And what about those members of the Third Vanguard Team? Not a single one stood up to speak. Could it be that these guys had all stood on the side of Sky Ma Yu? If that were really the case, it wouldn't be a good sign for Gong Chengming!

"Sound equipment will affect the voice, Old Liao, your voice has changed too."

Gong Chengming walked to the pickup truck and said to Liao Youzhi.

As soon as he said this, many people nearby nodded, agreeing with this statement.

"Is that so?"

After confirming it several times, Liao Youzhi had no choice but to suppress his doubts for now, picked up the microphone again, and said: "Zhang Su, let's cut the small talk. I have some bad news for you. Just a moment ago, eight brothers from Civilization Guardian have abandoned darkness for light, which means I have eight fewer hostages in my hands!"

He deliberately didn't say exactly how many, only that there were eight fewer, intending to hold back Li Zongkai at the very end.

"Come and go as you please. Those who are willing to stay are brothers. Stop talking nonsense, let's exchange quickly!"

After saying this, Zhao Dezhu beckoned, and they saw Tachibana Maiying escorting the ten hostages forward.

Liao Youzhi didn't hesitate either; with a wave of his hand, the Guard Team members brought the twelve Civilization Guardian members to the front of the convoy.

"Nothing else!" Liao Youzhi picked up the microphone and said in a deep voice: "I only have one requirement: sincerity. I hope you Sky Ma Yu won't play any tricks during the exchange process. We don't want to start a war, but that doesn't mean we don't have the strength to start one!"

After finishing, Liao Youzhi clenched his fist and waved it.

Clang!

Following Liao Youzhi's action, the side door of a box truck was suddenly opened, and the iron plate slammed heavily onto the ground, making a heavy sound.

Not only were the people from the Apocalypse Regiment and the Little Eagle Society startled, but even many people from the Survivor Alliance didn't know what was hidden inside the cargo box. When everyone cast their eyes into the cargo box, many people's faces showed expressions of horror!

When the Survivor Alliance convoy appeared, Zhang Su had noticed that special box truck. In cold weather, the hoods of ordinary vehicles would emit heat, which was normal, but whose box truck had its entire cargo box radiating huge heat waves that distorted the surrounding air? There must be a great treasure inside! A body radiating scorching heat from head to toe, its skin like rock layers cracked open on a volcano, and its flesh like boiling magma. Although its chest didn't rise and fall with breathing like a normal person's, the flesh, like magma flowing slowly under rock layers, emitted a dim red glow.

The intense high temperature destined it not to wear any clothing made of ordinary materials. The strange body was fixed on a huge metal "X"-shaped frame, with thick iron chains wrapped around its neck, waist, wrists, and ankles. The chains touching the body were red-hot; one could imagine its temperature.

Above the neck, a heavy metal box was fitted seamlessly over the head. The metal was slightly red due to overheating; if one poured a little oil on it, frying an egg would be no problem! Before the box truck was opened, everyone could feel a slight warmth, but the moment it was opened, waves of heat rolled out from the box truck. In the minus thirty-degree temperature, it felt like the sweltering wind of a summer afternoon.

"What the hell is this thing... a mutated zombie?"

Liu Yao looked at the fiery red body in astonishment and swallowed a mouthful of saliva involuntarily.

He had only heard of the existence of mutated zombies and had never seen one before; this was his first time.

He hadn't seen this vehicle before setting off and had no idea when Liao Youzhi had brought out his secret weapon. From the moment the box truck was opened, a heat wave hit his face. The terrifying power made him feel fearful; his face was hot, but the soles of his feet were a bit cold.

Yang Xinqi was also shocked. Like Liu Yao, he had only heard of mutated zombies but never seen one. He used to brag within the Apocalypse Regiment that no matter what kind of mutation it was, a single bullet would solve it. Now he was honest, swallowing twice, his eyes heavy.

What he was thinking was the same as Liu Yao: a mutated zombie was one thing, but the important thing was that this mutated zombie was in the hands of the Survivor Alliance.

He had previously thought that as long as the Apocalypse Regiment united with Civilization Guardian or the Little Eagle Society, they could fight against the Survivor Alliance. Now it seemed that wasn't the case at all; the other side had a damn secret weapon!

(End of chapter)