After the afternoon competition ended, including Gu Beifeng, Du Tianxing, Li Jiachen, and Yang Xiao, 11 people remained. These 11 people will enter the final two rounds of competition tomorrow.
During dinner, the atmosphere in the restaurant began to shift, as many approached Yang Xiao to greet him, to which he nodded in response.
East King Zhao Benling ca over with his food box to Yang Xiao’s dining table.
"Brother Yang, may I sit and dine with you?"
"Suit yourself, it’s not like anyone else is here."
"Thank you."
East King set down his food box and took a seat opposite Yang Xiao to eat.
"Brother Yang, thank you for showing rcy today, else I..."
"Heh, it’s nothing. You and I hold no deep grudge, nor do we have direct conflicts of interest. I see no need to kill you."
Hearing this, Zhao Benling felt quite awkward. Yang Xiao’s words were blunt and even sowhat arrogant, as if in Yang Xiao’s eyes the decision to kill or not lay within a single thought.
However, Zhao Benling was well aware that Yang Xiao was indeed more powerful than himself, and surely had many more tricks up his sleeve.
"Brother Yang, it seems your Genetic Evolution Level is restricted. Are resources too scarce?"
Yang Xiao nodded and said:
"Kongming City is located inland and lacks Primitive Forests, so the levels of Mutant Monsters are diocre at best. It was only after managing to take over Shenlongjia that I barely evolved to Enhancent High-Level."
Zhao Benling paused before replying:
"Brother Yang, if you’re willing, you can co to our East City. Changling, Wuji Mountain, they are all ancient forests spanning tens of thousands of years, currently overrun with especially many and high-level Mutant Monsters. Even now, I only dare to let my subordinates play around the periter, not venturing deep within."
Yang Xiao laughed and said:
"Isn’t Gu Beifeng currently establishing a base in Wuji Mountain?"
"Heh, yes, but Brother Gu has only occupied a few bases thus far. After all, Wuji Mountain and Changling’s several hundred thousand square kiloters of Primitive Forest cannot be wholly claid by Brother Gu alone. He, too, only enters the outer layers for hunting."
Zhao Benling made this statent with the entire dining room within earshot. Though he kept his voice low when talking with Yang Xiao, many people could still hear them.
Zhao Benling’s intention was clear: he himself could not control the vast expanse of Primitive Forest, nor could he prevent Gu Beifeng’s encroachnt on Wuji Mountain. He estimated that Du Tianxing would soon enter Wuji Mountain through other channels as well.
Rather than letting a single powerful individual monopolize these areas, it would be better to introduce several powerful players. In doing so, there would be mutual checks and balances, reducing the pressure he faced.
Yang Xiao had spared him during today’s match, which Zhao Benling was grateful for.
If it had been Gu Beifeng, perhaps he would have seized the opportunity to kill him and further encroach on East City’s territory.
Therefore, Zhao Benling wanted to bring in Yang Xiao, a powerful figure, who, at least from what could be seen today, had extraordinary combat power, far beyond that of an average King Level Evolver.
Yang Xiao looked at Zhao Benling and smiled:
"Are you serious?"
"What are you saying, Brother Yang? Don’t you trust , Zhao Benling? I can offer you a base at the foot of Wuji Mountain right away, and open a teleportation channel for you. Just bring your people over. However, Brother Yang, you must promise not to encroach on my other territories, alright?"
For Yang Xiao, this deal was incredibly tempting; there was no loss, yet the potential gain was imnse.
For Zhao Benling, if Yang Xiao agreed to form a quasi-alliance with him and establish a base in Wuji Mountain, he would no longer be threatened by Gu Beifeng in the future.
Yang Xiao naturally understood Zhao Benling’s motive, but if he himself were worthless, with no value to utilize, why would Zhao Benling offer him a base in Wuji Mountain?
"Alright, Zhao Brother, I’ve made up my mind to befriend you."
"Your word is your bond. Once the eting is over, I’ll open up a passage to your Nanmu City."
"Great!"
Yang Xiao and Zhao Benling had reached an agreent, which naturally left Gu Beifeng feeling quite disgruntled.
Du Tianxing was also displeased, and the rest were filled with jealousy, envy, and resentnt.
But Yang Xiao’s current montum was too strong; ordinary people simply didn’t dare to provoke him, and by extension, didn’t dare to provoke Zhao Benling either.
It was as if Zhao Benling had staged an alliance play right there in the restaurant, in full view of everyone.
Du Tianxing said with a smile:
"Brother Zhao, this is showing favoritism. Are you looking down on , Du soone? Aren’t you willing to give a foothold? If you can give an access point to Wuji Mountain, I, Du, promise in front of everyone here that I will never encroach on your other territories; moreover, anyone who becos an enemy of Brother Zhao in the future will be an enemy of mine as well."
Zhao Benling laughed heartily and replied:
"Brother Du, I was just about to discuss this with you. I am also planning to give you a foothold right at the foot of Wuji Mountain. How about it?"
Du Tianxing was overjoyed and responded with a laugh:
"Brother Zhao is generous. I, Du, will not take your foothold for nothing. If I obtain genetic resources from Wuji Mountain in the future, I will give you 20 million."
"Hehe, Brother Du is too polite."
In just a mont, Zhao Benling played a ga of triangular balancing.
Now, Yang Xiao realized that Zhao Benling had deliberately spoken in the restaurant for Du Tianxing to hear, actually already planning to allow Du Tianxing and Yang Xiao to enter Wuji Mountain together to jointly check Gu Beifeng.
This was indeed a masterstroke!
Yang Xiao could not help but have a higher regard for the Zhao Benling before him, nodded with a slight smile, and gave him a thumbs-up.
Zhao Benling scratched his head sowhat awkwardly and didn’t try to explain, not that any explanation was necessary.
Naturally, the most frustrated was Gu Beifeng. If he wanted to annex the Eastern Province in the future, it would probably be quite difficult, at least Yang Xiao and Du Tianxing would not agree.
Of course, there was another person who was quite unhappy: Li Jiachen, the King of Qingyun City, whose popularity had been soaring recently.
What Li Jiachen needed most now were evolution resources. The Eastern Province didn’t have large primitive forests, and in comparison to the evolution resource levels of places like Shenlongjia and Wuji Mountain, it was far inferior.
He was now eager to expand his domain everywhere. The northern pathways to Green Dragon City and Kongming City—where the King of Green Dragon City had already ford an alliance with the King of Qianliu Island, both being King Level Evolvers—were difficult for him to handle alone, so he set his sights on Yang Xiao’s Kongming City.
Li Jiachen walked over, stood beside Zhao Benling, and said:
"Brother Zhao, isn’t this showing partiality? With such a good deal, can’t you consider , Li soone?"
Zhao Benling chuckled and replied:
"Brother Li, look, Wuji Mountain isn’t small, but Brother Gu, Brother Yang, and Brother Du are all heading there. If you were to go as well, I fear it might get a bit crowded. Besides, there’s no more foothold available nearby Wuji Mountain. I’ll let you know once I find another suitable location next ti, alright?"
Zhao Benling now said these words without any guilt because he knew he had the support of Gu Beifeng, Yang Xiao, and Du Tianxing standing behind him, and they certainly wouldn’t want too many people heading to Wuji Mountain.
So, after saying that, Zhao Benling glanced at Gu Beifeng, Du Tianxing, and Yang Xiao, and added:
"What do you three think? Brother Gu, Brother Du, Yang Xiao?"
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