At noon, the scorching sunlight poured over the vast expanse of the prival forest, where the collision of hot air and the cold air near the ground created a mist. The mist rose and gathered above the treetops, curling up in wisps, looking quite beautiful. The forest felt like a giant stear, causing birds and beasts to scurry out, chirping and chattering atop the canopy, creating a lively and harmonious scene.
In a canyon, the area was open and devoid of tall trees, with low shrubs growing densely. In the open area, two teams were gathered, facing off tensely, filled with the scent of gunpowder. In the middle of the teams stood two people, one was Hook, and the other was Hunter. Hook hadn't expected Hunter to make a decision so quickly. An entire company's worth of weapons and equipnt was no small matter, but the boldness displayed by this move made Hook wary.
"Hook, this is our gift to you. What do you think?" Hunter calmly said.
"Not bad. Although it's a bit lacking, it's barely acceptable. Don't rush," Hook replied calmly, not wanting to start negotiations imdiately. As he watched the opposing soldiers pile up the weapons, he began calculating in his mind. A person with such audacity could be difficult to deal with, and likely had significant strategies up his sleeve. But what could they be?
Soon after, Hunter ordered his troops to withdraw, leaving only the colonel to accompany him, watching Hook with interest, while also contemplating his own strategies. Hook was not polite, signaling his n to start carrying the weapons. One can never have too many good things; although he didn't lack weapons, they could be used to expand the army, useful for the future.
The weapons were quickly moved away, leaving only Lang Sen with Hook. Hook looked towards Hunter and said, "Now we can negotiate. Go ahead, what do you want? Don't beat around the bush; I'm a straightforward person who doesn't understand ambiguity."
"Good, I like to deal with straightforward people. Three points: First, we can support you in establishing a nation and be the first to recognize your country's legitimacy, establishing diplomatic relations; second, we can provide you with a division's worth of equipnt and help train your troops; third, as a condition, our country gets priority in extracting resources from here. Are these conditions sincere enough?"
"Interesting," Hook was surprised, not expecting the other party to offer such favorable terms, precisely hitting his thoughts. It seed that this fellow had already thoroughly researched him. This was not a good sign, and he coldly sneered, "Very tempting conditions, but how can I trust you?"
"It's simple, you don't have to trust at all. Just trust the facts. If you agree, we can sign an agreent, and after it takes effect, we'll first issue a statent recognizing your legitimacy, proving our sincerity with facts. How about that?" Seeing Hook take the bait, Hunter was secretly pleased, though his face remained serious.
"This is a major issue, I need to think about it. Let's talk about the captives," Hook said nonchalantly.
"That's simple too, we can aid you with a batch of supplies. Is a battalion's worth of weapons enough?" Hunter replied nonchalantly.
"A battalion's weapons for over two hundred captives? That doesn't show much sincerity. Add another battalion's individual outdoor survival equipnt," Hook feigned dissatisfaction.
"Alright, let's settle it. We'll deliver it by dinner ti. As long as you're willing to ally and cooperate with our country, I'll even give you a division's worth of equipnt, I've ntioned this before. Think about it carefully, I hope for a quick response. Waiting too long isn't good; if the higher-ups lose patience and make other decisions, the opportunity for peace will be lost." His words carried a hint of threat.
Hook could detect the threat but wasn't bothered, signaling Lang Sen to turn and leave. On the way, Lang Sen quietly asked in the local language, "Clan Leader, how did the talks go?"
"Not well," Hook truthfully recounted the conversation to his formidable warrior, not hiding anything. He then asked, "What do you think?"
"Sam Country is a cunning wolf. Cooperation with them won't end well. I dislike their slyness and deceit. Huaxia Country is straightforward, fighting alongside us. They're also dying, facing tough battles head-on, genuinely helping us. We want friends, not partners," Lang Sen said seriously.
"You're right. If we establish a nation with Sam Country's help, our nation will lose its freedom and be under their control. We want freedom, we want friends, and Huaxia Country says it well: power cos from the gun barrel; a nation must be fought for by ourselves, not given by others," Hook said earnestly.
"Exactly! If our generation fails, there's still the next. As long as we have sincere friends like Huaxia Country helping us, success is only a matter of ti. A nation must have its own dignity, just like a tiger in the forest that doesn't survive on carrion, or an eagle bound that's less free than a sparrow," Lang Sen agreed.
"You're absolutely right. A nation needs dignity. Living without dignity is not worth it, and do you believe a rabbit would walk willingly into a trap? Sam Country proposes these conditions to drive a wedge between us and Huaxia Country, to disrupt our friendship. Once they have the captives, they'll show their claws. So, we must trust our friends and ourselves, and never be wishful," Hook said seriously.
"Understood, rest assured. The brothers know who the enemy is and who our true friends are," Lang Sen replied.
As they walked and talked, they unconsciously reached the cave entrance, where a bonfire was burning in an open area. Luo Zheng and others gathered around the fire, roasting at, chatting and laughing rrily, showing no signs of the tension from fighting. Hook strode forward, sitting on a wooden stool next to Luo Zheng, glanced at everyone, and tentatively asked Luo Zheng with a smile, "That bastard is very cunning, has studied thoroughly, and even knows my ambitions. He's probably hard to deal with. How do you see this old fox, my old friend?"
"Indeed, he's hard to deal with. But do we need to deal with him? Just take the stuff and run when the ti cos, right?" Luo Zheng laughed, handing him a piece of roasted at.
Seeing that Luo Zheng didn't doubt him, Hook gratefully accepted it with a smile, expressing his stance, "That makes sense. But a battalion's equipnt, we might not have enough people here to carry it all. I'm thinking of taking the captives; these guys could serve as a shield, what do you think?"
"No way. A man without integrity cannot stand. If you don't release them, they'll directly use weapons of mass destruction against us, and they'll unite the enemy, which isn't good for us," Luo Zheng quickly said, also noting that Hook hadn't changed his mind, and secretly sighed in relief.
"Alright, I'll listen to you," Hook completely relaxed, and they exchanged a smile, with strong friendship conveyed through their eyes.
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