"Mmm… that's the spot. Harder!"
Gao Xiangjun leaned back on a worn-out sofa as two attractive women stood behind him, working hard to massage his shoulders.
When their team arrived at Phoenix Mountain, most of the larger hotels had already been taken over by other survivor groups.
Left with no better option, Gao Xiangjun had to settle for a small guesthouse.
Compared to those fancy hotels, this place was clearly much more basic.Even though he'd ordered his men to reinforce and insulate the building and had lit a stove in the room, it was still bitterly cold—especially when compared to the cozy accommodations where Gao Qiqiang and his crew were staying.
His subordinates were huddled together under thin quilts, shivering nonstop.
Gao Xiangjun turned to glance at the two women behind him, a flash of annoyance in his eyes.
If it weren't for the damn cold, he would've already "taken care" of them on the spot!
If only they could seize the hotel Gao Qiqiang was staying in...
Before the harsh winter hit, Song Linfei—thanks to Lin Yingying's warning—had gone all out to reinforce that hotel with top-notch insulation.
But Gao Xiangjun could only dream.
Gao Qiqiang's team not only had the numbers advantage—his men, like A'Biao and Zhao Xiong, were all ruthless fighters who didn't flinch in a scrap.
Not to mention, Gao Qiqiang had a gun.
Just then, a lookout stumbled in, trembling from the cold.
"B-Boss… someone's outside… wants to see you!"
"See me?" Gao Xiangjun raised a brow."Is it someone from Gao Qiqiang's team?"
"No… I-I don't know who he's with."
"Let him in," Gao Xiangjun said after a brief pause.
A few minutes later, a man in a white winter coat walked in, brushing snow off his shoulders as he casually greeted him.
"Chief Gao, good day."
"Who are you?" Gao Xiangjun sized him up. He was sure they hadn't met before.
"Let me introduce myself—I'm under Boss Su. You can call me He Wang."
"You're the He Wang?" Gao Xiangjun's eyes widened. He instinctively reached for the weapon at his side.
He didn't know He Wang personally, but he'd definitely heard the name.He knew all about the grudge between He Wang and A'Biao. More importantly, He Wang was Su Chen's most trusted right-hand man.
So He Wang showing up now… was definitely enough to set off alarm bells.
"Easy, Chief Gao. I come in peace." He Wang chuckled and raised his hands in a placating gesture."I'm here on Boss Su's orders—to negotiate."
"Negotiate?" Gao Xiangjun was even more confused.Didn't they already reach an agreement with Su Chen earlier today?
Why would he want to renegotiate now?
Unless… he had something else in mind.
Keeping a calm expression, Gao Xiangjun asked flatly,"What kind of negotiation are we talking about?"
"Providing for 300 people... is a bit of a stretch for Boss Su," He Wang said slowly."So he's hoping to cut that number down a bit."
"No can do," Gao Xiangjun rejected without hesitation.
That number had been agreed upon by all the group leaders. He didn't have the authority to change it on his own.
And even 300 portions of food weren't enough for 600 people to begin with.
Even if he wanted to cut it, the others would never agree.
"What if we cut down the number of people who need feeding?"He Wang's tone remained casual.
"What are you really saying?" Gao Xiangjun's eyes gleamed with interest.
"I'm sure you've heard of the beef between Boss Su and Gao Qiqiang, and A'Biao too."
"Even if he has to fork over 300 portions, Boss Su won't just hand them over to Gao Qiqiang for free."
"So, he has a proposal: We join forces… and take Gao Qiqiang out."
The moment He Wang said that, Gao Xiangjun's heart skipped a beat.
Take out Gao Qiqiang?
That Su Chen guy was really gutsy.
But after a few seconds of thought, Gao Xiangjun realized—it wasn't impossible.
He had about a hundred men under him. Su Chen had forty or fifty.
On top of that, Su Chen's group had rifles, a sniper, and other tactical gear.
If they really joined forces… Gao Qiqiang might not be untouchable after all.
"So how exactly are we supposed to pull this off?"
"That's for you to figure out," He Wang said with a shrug."Boss Su will only play support."
"So basically, you want me to charge in headfirst, while Su Chen sits back? If we win, he gets his revenge. If we lose, he washes his hands clean?"
Gao Xiangjun laughed, half amused, half exasperated.This Su Chen really was something.
"High risk, high reward, right?" He Wang chuckled, tossing over a small bag.
"Inside is a walkie-talkie—so you can reach Boss Su anytime."
"Oh, and a little something extra, just to show our sincerity."
Gao Xiangjun opened the bag—and his eyes immediately lit up.
Besides the radio, there was a pack of Huazi cigarettes and a bottle of Moutai liquor.
Holy crap.
It had been ages since the apocalypse began, and his stash of smokes and booze had long run dry.
As a heavy smoker and drinker, he'd been going through hell without them.
This... this was a godsend.
No hesitation—he ripped open the cigarette pack, lit one, and took a long, satisfying drag.
Then he popped open the Moutai and took a swig straight from the bottle.
The rich, smooth liquor spread through his body like a warm fire.
In the middle of the apocalypse, with a cigarette in one hand and a bottle in the other—this was living.
Around him, his men started sniffing the air, eyes snapping toward him.
When they saw him puffing on a cigarette and swigging alcohol, their eyes turned green with envy.
"Boss! Let me have a sip!"
"Boss, please! Just one drag!"
Gao Xiangjun sighed inwardly.
He'd forgotten how many of his men were just as hooked as he was.
Should've hidden it and enjoyed it solo…
After a moment of thought, he gave in.
He handed out half the cigarettes and poured out two-thirds of the liquor for his crew to share.
"Hey! Slow down! Don't guzzle it all!"
Watching his men scramble for a taste, it felt like his heart was bleeding.
But he couldn't not share.If his crew turned on him over this, he could kiss his position goodbye.
"Chief Gao," He Wang said with a smile, "Boss Su also said—if you agree to work with him, every time we deliver supplies, you'll get a full pack of smokes and a bottle of booze."
That got Gao Xiangjun thinking.
He'd almost forgotten He Wang was still here!
But that offer… was pretty damn tempting.
"I'll take my leave now," He Wang added. "Think it over. If you're in, contact Boss Su through the radio."
With that, he turned and walked out, leaving behind a serious-looking Gao Xiangjun, deep in thought.
——
Youdun Hotel.
After returning, He Wang found Su Chen and reported everything that had happened.
"Su," Sun Yuan said as he stroked his chin thoughtfully, "I don't know… I've got a feeling Gao Xiangjun won't fall for it that easily."