Inside a meeting room, a fierce light flashed past Bai Xiao Sheng's eyes. He spoke: "Leader! Since those 1,200 Takama-ga-hara soldiers aren't willing to work for us, let's just kill them and be done with it!"
"En!" Yue Zhong frowned slightly as he lowered his head in thoughts. He was also of a mind to do away with those soldiers that weren't willing to submit. They were all elites, if they were released to the Takama-ga-hara, they would add to the numbers.
The stoic expression of Tenpyo Saka finally had a change, as she could not help but exclaim: "No! Yue Zhong, you can't do that! They're all humans, not some dog or chicken! Please Yue Zhong, don't kill them! They've already surrendered, you shouldn't kill them."
Muto Shin had a fierce glint in his eyes as well: "I, too, am for killing them! They're the elites of the Takama-ga-hara, the moment they're killed, Takama-ga-hara would suffer a huge loss!"
Since the past, traitors had always been harshest to their own people. Muto Shin was already a traitor of the Takama-ga-hara, and he was exceptionally ruthless to his ex-comrades. Only then would he be able to prove his loyalty to Yue Zhong.
An elite team was after all the core strength of any power. If too many were wiped out, it would be tough for the faction to regain its strength. Yue Zhong had over a million survivors in China right now, but his true elite troops only numbered about 20,000. If they were somehow annihilated, his military might would plunge for a period of time.
Killing these 1,200 soldiers would mean dealing a huge blow to the Takama-ga-hara.
A intelligence officer came up to Yue Zhong and reported: "Leader! The Takama-ga-hara had sent an envoy requesting your audience!"
"Let him in!" Yue Zhong's brows arched, "He has truly come!"
A handsome man of about 35 or 36 wearing a suit came walking into the hall, before bowing to Yue Zhong: "Yue Zhong-sama, I'm Fuji Saburo, an envoy from Takama-ga-hara. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."
Yue Zhong eyed him and spoke coldly: "Fuji Saburo, speak your mind."
Fuji Saburo immediately tried to come from the moral angle: "Yue Zhong-sama, why would you attack our Takama-ga-hara? We have no grudge with you…"
Yue Zhong's brows furrowed as he cut him off loudly: "Cut the crap! If you're here to spew nonsense, then just make yourself scarce. I don't have the time to waste on your bullshit. Say something worthwhile."
Fuji Saburo was obviously eloquent, if he continued to speak, he would definitely argue from the moral angle for a few hours. Yue Zhong could not be bothered to deal with it.
He decided to get to the crux of the matter: "Yue Zhong-sama, our Takama-ga-hara hopes that you can return Tenpyo Saka-sama as well as the soldiers to us."
Yue Zhong's gaze was still chilly, as he spoke slowly: "If you want to get them back, what are you prepared to pay for them?"
Fuji Saburo immediately offered a high price: "10,000 tons of rations, 500 tons fuel, a 1,000 rifles, 20,000 rounds of ammunition, 200 beautiful virgins. What do you think of the price?"
"10,000 tons of rations, 500 tons fuel. They're freaking rich. This Takama-ga-hara must have obtained help from the Japanese government?" When Yue Zhong heard those numbers, he felt a chill. He roughly guess how they must have such a backing.
Although a faction could recruit survivors as troops with enough resources, 1,200 elite soldiers and a powerful Evolver was far more valuable than those amounts.
Yue Zhong shook his head and counter-offered: "I want experts from the following fields: Optoelectronics, 20. Engineering, 30. Electronic engineering, 40. Medical, 20…. On top of that, I want 20 aerial transport vehicles, 24 assault helicopters. The moment these are delivered to my doorstep, I will immediately release the elites of the Takama-ga-hara."
When Fuji Saburo heard Yue Zhong's counter offer, his back broke out in cold sweat. Those people were all highly sought-after experts in Japan, and if it were just one or two, they would close one eyes. However, Yue Zhong had actually asked for over a thousand people from different fields. The moment Takama-ga-hara handed them over, their development would slow down by a lot.
At the start of the apocalypse, those experts in those fields could not even compare to an ordinary farmer. However, now that the situation was stabilizing in many regions, factions were seeking these experts to aid their development.
The Kingdom of God had been able to advance so quickly because they had managed to secure a large number of talents right from the get go, and obtained a number of blueprints. Thus, their rapid development.
Other than the issue of talents, aerial transport vehicles and assault helicopters were all precious equipment, no one would give them up willing.
Fuji Saburo stared at Yue Zhong and directly rejected him: "Yue Zhong-sama, your appetite is too big. We can't bring out so many people nor that number of equipment."
Yue Zhong stared back, as a huge pressure emitted from him, causing Fuji Saburo to feel suffocated.
He then pointed to Tenpyo Saka and coldly replied: "Fine. We can slowly exchange. As for Tenpyo Saka, she is your Shinobi Demon, I know that you have about 15 assault helicopters and 30 aerial transport vehicles. I want 12 assault helicopters and 15 aerial carriers in exchange for her! You guys won't say no to this right? I don't have the time to bargain with you, there's only yes or no."
Tenpyo Saka was a powerful Evolver, and her combat ability was high. However, in terms of the battlefield, the destructive might of 12 assault helicopters was more potent than her. Yue Zhong had no plans to stay long in Japan, and exchanging her for some practical weaponry was much more beneficial. After all, she wasn't willing to work for him.
Tenpyo Saka's gaze also fell on Fuji Saburo silently, her eyes flashing with anticipation. She wasn't willing to stay by Yue Zhong's side as his captive. She wanted to leave, and return to Takama-ga-hara.
Fuji Saburo began to perspire profusely, as he finally bowed to Tenpyo Saka: "My apologies, Shinobi Demon-sama."
He then turned to Yue Zhong: "Yue Zhong-sama, your terms are too harsh, I can't promise those."
Those assault helicopters and transport vehicles were the treasures of the Takama-ga-hara, and although Tenpyo Saka was important to Tetsuo Nendori, her worth could not be compared to those advanced weaponry.
Without those armored machines, the development of Takama-ga-hara would be adversely affected.
"So it seems that I'm not as important as a bunch of machines." Tenpyo Saka's eyes flashed with disappointment and lowered her head silently, full of bitterness.
Tenpyo Saka had helped contribute so much to the cause of Takama-ga-hara, and had assassinated countless experts. However, in the end, Tetsuo Nendori was not willing to exchange any machines for her, and she was filled with disappointment and bitterness.
Yue Zhong took a final look and ordered coolly: "The rest of the soldiers can be exchanged with those talents that i need, every person in exchange for a soldier. Get the hell out!"
"Yue Zhong-sama, we can still discuss this!! Yue Zhong-sama…." Fuji Saburo called out as he was dragged by men under Yue Zhong's orders.
"Seems like you're not as important as those machines!" Yue Zhong eyed Tenpyo Saka and mocked.
Tenpyo Saka looked at him, and lowered her head without any comeback.
Bai Xiao Sheng asked: "Boss, what do we do with those soldiers then?"
Yue Zhong replied: "Arrange for them to work on those fortifications at Sakura Town, their wages will be issued as per the lowest."
Those soldiers were all fit men, and were perfect for fortification works. In this apocalypse, manpower was never enough.
As the meeting ended, Yue Zhong brought Tenpyo Saka and Bai Xiao Sheng, as well as 16 other Evolvers and sat in a Hummer as they made their way towards the sea side, leaving the Yaro Gang's city.
Tenpyo Saka's strength was truly fearsome, if it wasn't for Yue Zhong's control, she could easily assassinate many important people. He had to bring her along.
About 10km away from the Yaro Gang's city, there was a seaside town, where the residential population was about a few thousand prior to the apocalypse. The Yaro Gang had cleared the entire place out after the apocalypse had set in.
The entire place was desolate, every room and building empty. Any item that could be used had already been transported away, and the entire place looked like a dead town.
At the coast, there were 2 luxury boats docked, as well as 12 other small fishing boats. About 20 men stood near the coast, they used to be fishing folk before the apocalypse, and knew how to navigate the boats. They were found by Fukui Honten.
He fawned over Yue Zhong and said: "Yue Zhong-sama, these are the boats that we have."
Kazuki Nobuhiko had also brought along 2 beautiful and sexy Japanese girls in bikinis, as he came up to Yue Zhong, with a fawning smile: "Yue Zhong-sama, these sisters are Miya Aiko and Miya Yuka. They have long admired your skills and strength, and have offered to become your maidservants."
Both of them walked up to Yue Zhong and bowed, before speaking in unison: "Aiko (Yuka) greets Master!"
Fukui Honten and Kazuki Nobuhiko had just recently joined Yue Zhong, and knew that their future was still not yet cemented. They could only rely on such measures to slowly gain his favour. After all, the fate of those hundreds of Yaro Gang members outside the gate had shocked everyone to the core.
"En!" Yue Zhong swept them a look, before asking Kazuki Nobuhiko: "What's the rank and level of the strongest Mutant Beast in the seas around here?"