Chapter 553 – Securing a Long-Term Meal Ticket
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Lucy couldn’t be certain what kind of answer Ling Mo would give.
At first glance, it seemed like she and Ling Mo were quite familiar with each other, but on closer inspection, Lucy realized that he was a man shrouded in mystery; was there anything about him she truly understood?
Moreover, no matter how you looked at it, Ling Mo seemed utterly disinterested in power and control.
If he were interested, would Yuwen Xuan still be the master of Falcon Second Camp?
To Lucy, people like Ling Mo were quite rare in these times.
Living in constant fear tends to change a person, often twisting and magnifying their more base instincts.
Money? Useless now, but supplies and food? Those were the real currency, and no one could ever have enough.
Women? Some men craved that pleasure. But those types of men were usually only able to throw their weight around in small survivor teams.
In a place like Falcon Camp or Team F, there was simply no place for such sc.u.m.
Firstly, with a larger population at the base, female powerhouses could carve out their own place.
Among them, those who were both beautiful and strong stood out conspicuously, like a red flower amidst a sea of green.
For instance, Su Qianrou, or Lucy herself…
Secondly, most normal people were still repulsed by such lowlifes.
Even though the world had lost all order, in these densely populated bases, the very nature of human society inevitably showed itself.
But of course, what most people coveted was power!
Manpower! Territory! Resources! Who wouldn’t want these?
Even from a rational standpoint, having more resources and standing above the rest meant a much higher chance of survival, didn’t it?
Let the underlings be the cannon fodder sent to their deaths, while one reaps the rewards—hadn’t the Air Force Corps operated just like that before?
So, no matter how she pondered, Lucy found Ling Mo to be an enigma.
With his formidable strength, he could easily have anything he desired and never tried to hide his craving for supplies, but why did he lack ambition?
This was not only a mystery to Lucy, but also to the members of Team F, and even the higher-ups in Falcon Camp were perplexed by this question.
However, they were all very clear about one thing—
Should Ling Mo wish it, he could devise ways to destroy them, with the Air Force Corps as a stark reminder of their potential fate.
The most terrifying aspect was his lack of ties. As soon as he disappeared into the city, he became like a venomous snake hidden in the gra.s.s.
The enemy wouldn’t know his location, but he would always have them in his sights, silently waiting for an opportunity to strike with a lethal blow.
Dealing with someone like Ling Mo, one couldn’t help but feel wary and uneasy.
Even Lucy could see this clearly; Ling Mo’s baffling behavior and actions were precisely his best camouflage.
Perhaps this was Ling Mo’s intention? Would he still agree to Team F’s request then?
Lucy was anxiously waiting for Ling Mo’s answer, as was the rest of Team F…
But Ling Mo’s response only came two days later—
“The terms? Share any new intelligence you’ve gathered with me. Also, supplies… I’ll come to get them when I run out. In addition, all members of your team must be ready to a.s.sist me when needed. Of course, I won’t ask them to do anything overly dangerous or that insults their dignity—I can a.s.sure you of that, and you can a.s.sess the situation when the time comes.”
As Ling Mo spoke these words while holding a teacup, Lucy was so frustrated she wanted to punch him.
So calculating!
He was playing the long game instead of demanding immediate compensation!
Although his demands didn’t seem excessive, the unpredictable nature of his terms was far harsher than a one-time extortionate charge.
“You think we’re some kind of long-term meal ticket!” Lucy exclaimed in anger.
Along with her were two other members of Team F, but as they were about to speak, they were intimidated by Lucy’s fierce slamming of the table and shrank back.
The two even deliberately distanced themselves from Lucy, adopting a stance of “this doesn’t involve me” as they watched the drama unfold…
It’s not that they blamed them; Lucy dared to challenge Ling Mo—did they have the courage to do the same?
“It seems you two have a special relations.h.i.+p…”
“Yeah, you seem to get along so well.”
The two exchanged a knowing look and then conveyed a “you know what I mean” smile to each other.
“You two! Have some opinions, will you?” Lucy suddenly turned her head and bellowed at them.
Ling Mo also looked their way: “Yeah, what do you think?”
“Uh… um…”
The two were suddenly at a loss, wondering why the attention had s.h.i.+fted to them when they had been so unnoticeable just a moment ago.
They’d been happy to let the two of them argue without interference, so why drag the onlookers into it now?
Now, it wasn’t just Lucy’s stern gaze they had to worry about; it was Ling Mo’s attention. Even though he seemed calm and his question was gentle, why did they feel like there was a dark shadow standing behind him, grinning coldly at them?!
How should they answer? Offend Lucy, the female tyrannosaurus? No way…
Offend Ling Mo? They didn’t have the guts…
Sweat broke out in their palms as they stumbled over their words, unable to form a coherent sentence.
“Uh… I think… maybe you should discuss it further?”
“Well… there’s reason on both sides…”
“Yes, yes…”
“Why did you two become peacemakers!” Lucy sighed in exasperation. Her two teammates were so disappointing; they should have been firmly on her side, negotiating firmly with Ling Mo! Instead, out of fear of Ling Mo, they were trying to muddy the waters…
Traitors!
Faced with Lucy’s fiery glare, the two stiffened up and chose to ignore her.
They had to offend one of them no matter what, so they opted for the mildest way to do so…
Ling Mo set down his teacup and spoke in an even tone, “Lulu, you’re a president now; you should show some backbone. The bigger the investment, the larger the return.”
Lucy, hearing the first part, was about to get angry but was then intrigued by what Ling Mo said next.
She looked at him suspiciously and asked, “What kind of return can you offer us?”
“Heh…” Ling Mo let out a slight chuckle, his hands crossed and resting on his knees as he leaned forward, his unusually bright eyes fixated on Lucy. “I think, rather than an honorary regimental commander, what you really want is for me to become the figurehead regimental commander, right?”
Thud!
Lucy’s heart skipped a beat.
Figurehead regimental commander?!
Did she want it? Did Team F want it?
Of course, they did!
Although an honorary regimental commander is still a commander, it always sounds a bit distant. Even though it could score some points in dealings with Yuwen Xuan, the impact was ultimately limited. That maniac might act crazy, but he wasn’t stupid. In fact, he could occasionally be quite cunning and sly, making people wonder if he had suddenly turned on some hidden personality.
But a figurehead regimental commander was different!
Essentially, it meant that externally, Ling Mo would be recognized as Team F’s official regimental commander, but internally, it would just be a nominal t.i.tle. This arrangement would bring greater benefits and advantages to Team F without interfering with their internal affairs.
It was only a difference of one word, but the meaning and significance were completely different.
If it were anyone else, Lucy might have considered it risky and in need of careful thought.
But with Ling Mo taking on this role, she couldn’t be more relieved.
Power? He didn’t care for it! He didn’t bite at the huge piece of cake that was the Air Force Corps, so why would he care for Team F, which was merely a dessert in comparison?
Most importantly, this would allow her to be at ease…
She knew best how long she could remain as president.
With Ling Mo’s statement, it was like adding a layer of insurance to Team F’s future…
The more Lucy thought about it, the more excited she became, and when she finally snapped back to reality, she found herself locking eyes with Ling Mo.
Staring into those deep eyes, Lucy suddenly felt as if everything about her was being seen through…
Whoos.h.!.+
A flush of red swiftly climbed into Lucy’s cheeks, her face uncontrollably heating up.
Observing the change in Lucy’s complexion, Ling Mo was also taken aback.
What’s happening now? The Iceberg woman blus.h.i.+ng?
And at this moment… he hadn’t done anything that should cause her to blush, had he?
Lucy, feeling extremely awkward while facing Ling Mo, stiffened and dared not move.
She didn’t want her two teammates to notice anything amiss… and Ling Mo… he clearly had no idea.
What a blockhead… Lucy muttered to herself inwardly, her face still red and tense, her tone even more rigid than before: “It sounds good, do we have a deal?”
“Deal.”
Ling Mo chuckled and reached out his hand.
“For what?” Lucy’s heart jumped again.
“It’s not like we’re sealing this with a kiss, just a handshake to show our happy cooperation…” Ling Mo said, oblivious.
“Oh…”
The pale, slender, yet strong hand had just been extended when it was enveloped by Ling Mo’s larger grip.
Dry yet warm, the pressure of the handshake was just right. During those brief yet seemingly extended seconds, all Lucy could hear was the pounding of her own heartbeat.
Thump! Thump-thump-thump!
…
The two members of the Elders Council indeed hadn’t noticed Lucy’s anomaly, but they did pick up on something else.
This handshake, why did it seem to last especially long…
“Do you think this could be considered the first step towards a political marriage?” one whispered to the other.
The other one just snickered and gave a wry look: “You know what I mean.”
“Heh heh heh… I get it.”
They exchanged a knowing smile, and when they looked at Ling Mo again, they felt even more kindly towards him.
A figurehead regimental commander is fine, after all, he’s bound to be our Team F’s son-in-law sooner or later…
“By the way, don’t you think… there’s something off about me being the regimental commander of Team FFF?” Ling Mo suddenly asked.
Lucy’s expression froze, while the two elders were taken aback.
A moment later, the faces of three distinctive yet all exceptionally beautiful individuals popped into their minds…
“c.r.a.p!!!”
One of them slapped his thigh in dismay.