You were supposed to hoard supplies, why the heck did you hoard zombies!

At this point, did Peng Yue have any other choice?

He could tear his face off with the company and start a big fight right here, but the outcome was hard to predict.

Or, he could only obediently go inside to meet the person.

"Let's go, Peng Liu, get out of the car."

Without undue hesitation, he directly beckoned to Peng Liu beside him to hop off the car, while the others inside did not get out.

Big Beard looked at the motionless drivers in the cars and didn't say anything.

It was clear to him what these people were staying behind for.

First, to show that Peng Yue had a clear conscience, demonstrating his sincerity in attending the banquet alone, and secondly, of course, it was to keep a backup plan, in case the company really intended to lay hands on him, they would have some reservations.

The two who got out of the car were as tense as they had been when they met Zhang Ye at the base.

Even though this place was still ostensibly their territory.

Even before stepping through the door, Peng Liu still harbored illusions, hoping to see a few familiar faces, but in the end, he saw nothing.

It seemed all the survivors from the entire motorcade were locked up in those hovels.

Only a few pairs of curious eyes lingered in the cracks of the doors.

But there was no sound.

The deadly silence made both of them feel inexplicably uneasy as if the figures standing on both sides were all corpses.

Peng Yue had felt something similar when he followed Big Beard to the safe zone in the base before.

It was not long before Peng Yue found the crux of the issue.

The fully armed guards all had helmets on their heads, and from the holes in the helmets, there seemed to be a flickering of faint red light.

When he got close to one of the guards, he even smelled a faint stench of decay.

It was the most common scent in the post-apocalyptic world.

A coincidence?

He immediately pretended to stumble by accident, and as he fell towards another guard, his nose picked up that stench again.

Even when he touched the guard's body, he felt an unnatural hardness.

That was definitely not any protective gear, but rigid muscles.

As hard as a corpse.

And its reaction was even stranger.

Far from showing any irritation at being bumped into, it remained calm as still water without any ripple.

After repeatedly apologizing, Peng Yue returned to the group. Under his seemingly calm face was an indescribable shock and fear, which made his face pale.

If his guess was true, then there was an answer to why the company could establish itself in the city center.

As he was thinking, Big Beard had already stopped.

The office had arrived.

————————

The not-so-spacious room was unexpectedly crowded with five or six people.

Apart from Zhang Ye, who was sitting on the small sofa, the rest had each found stools to sit on, making the tense atmosphere suddenly feel a bit comical.

"Captain Peng."

"Long time no see."

Zhang Ye was the first to speak up and greet him.

Since the last time the two met at the base, almost a month had passed.

Peng Yue's heart was still uneasy and fearful because of the discovery just made. He hastily tried to stand up when he heard Zhang Ye, the banditry habits developed from looting everywhere having dissipated completely.

"Long time no see, haha."

"I was just about to have Director He update you about a meeting."

"A meeting?"

Zhang Ye looked at him with a smile that seemed to hide more than it revealed.

"Could it be Director He has some new business to negotiate?"

Big Beard, who was listening to the conversation, couldn't help but twist his mouth.

Mr. Peng was clearly telling barefaced lies!

He had been here almost every day, and he hadn't seen him looking for Director Zhang.

With that thought, he stealthily glanced at Gao Feng sitting diagonally across from him.

Could it be that knowing Captain Gao wasn't dead, he came over in advance to offer an apology?

But that didn't seem likely.

Even if Peng Yue was behind those actions, with his character, he certainly wouldn't come forward to admit it just for fear of being discovered.

After all, with six or seven members of the Hunter Squad dead or injured, the company would never just let it go.

```

What if we had him shot on the spot?

Could Peng Yue recognize him?

No.

But apart from this matter, it seemed there was no other business of importance to think of.

Peng Yue ignored the woman's gaze in their direction, sitting upright with serious demeanor, and said earnestly,

"Director Zhang guessed right."

"I indeed have a deal to make."

Upon hearing these words, a hint of surprise flashed in Zhang Ye's eyes, but his face remained composed as he then slightly shook his head.

"Captain Peng."
Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire

"Doing business is fine."

"It's just that the bargaining chip might need to be changed."

"The safe zone no longer lacks people now, so this person is definitely not needed."

Upon hearing this, the faces of the few people in the room all showed some astonishment.

Even Big Beard looked at Zhang Ye with a face full of bewilderment.

As if to ask, why? How could the vast safe zone be filled up so quickly?

How many people had been sent there thus far?

Zhang Ye didn't pay attention to the questioning glances of his subordinates but looked towards Peng Yue again.

The other party must know what he wanted.

Indeed.

After a brief moment of astonishment, Peng Yue suddenly smiled broadly.

"Director Zhang, why not listen to what I want to buy first?"

"What?"

Zhang Ye asked somewhat disinterestedly.

In his view, it would surely be just some guns and bullets.

Or perhaps a few boxes of freshly manufactured canned meat?

"Peng Jiadong."

Peng Yue stared intently at Zhang Ye, slowly uttering two words.

"Who?"

Zhang Ye asked subconsciously.

Big Beard immediately leaned in and whispered in reminder,

"The Peng Family's third son."

"He was captured by the people at the Ecological Park and has been detained all along."

This wasn't considered a major issue, so Big Beard hadn't reported it.

But today, hearing these two words from Peng Yue's mouth, he instantly understood what he'd overlooked during this time.

He had previously promised to help bring the person back, but for some reason, Peng Yue had stopped mentioning it, and he had forgotten.

Now it seemed likely that the other side was waiting for the company to take the initiative and resolve the matter.

Later, seeing that there was no movement from Big Beard's side, he simply suppressed the idea and focused all his energy on improving his strength.

Having understood all this, Big Beard felt unbearable shame.

But Peng Yue was no longer concerned with him.

With Zhang Ye right here, was there any need for an intermediary to relay messages?

"As long as you can rescue the third brother, I'll give you this courtyard," said Peng Yue.

"It just so happens my brothers and I don't want to stay in this city anymore."

"How about it?"

By this point in the conversation, Peng Yue's face no longer showed the fear from before, but instead it bore a hint of desperate madness.

He hadn't spent all this time just aimlessly wandering outside.

He had already figured out the relationship between the Ecological Park and the company.

At first, he was shocked and angry, wondering why the company would help Chen Xiaoyong, but later he gradually came to terms with it.

There were no invulnerable allies in this world to begin with.

All the more so since the Hunter Squad had only had dealings with the company.

Since it was a matter of trade, if Chen Xiaoyong could do it, why couldn't Peng Yue?

```