Watching the bartender pour him a glass of iced red tea with a dark expression, Wu Liang happily took it and walked towards the private room, completely ignoring the bartender's signaling to the security personnel nearby.

"Sir, may I notify the distinguished guest inside first?"

The security personnel knew that this was someone invited by the little girl inside, but regardless he had to seek Sister Hong's opinion before allowing access to the private room.

Wu Liang smiled and said, "Do as you please."

After saying that, he stood in place without moving.

But the moment the security personnel and bartender's gaze left Wu Liang, his figure had already disappeared.

When the security personnel knocked and entered the private room to ask Sister Hong's opinion, he was shocked to find the man in a black windbreaker sitting next to Zodiac Rabbit waving his hand.

Without paying any attention to Sister Hong's somewhat troubled expression, Wu Liang said, "She agreed, you can leave now, can't you?"

"Boss, this..." The security personnel was a little bewildered, not knowing how this guy managed to appear inside the private room in just the blink of an eye.

Sister Hong, glaring at Wu Liang's cheeky smile, waved her hand and said, "It's fine, go out."

Only after the minion left did she take a closer look at the man who had been doing incomprehensible things and saying unexpected words since he entered the tavern.

Why did the little rabbit deliberately bring such a reckless man to see me?

"Rabbit, aren't you going to introduce him? Who is this person barging in like this?" Sister Hong's tone cooled down a bit.

Though she always maintained a kind sisterly image in front of Zodiac Rabbit, in the presence of outsiders she was the master of the [Black Market]!

Before Zodiac Rabbit could speak, Wu Liang took a sip from the national cellar he brought in and said, "I'm from the Market Oversight Bureau. The black market is also a market, I intend to oversee it."

Bang—

Sister Hong slapped the table and stood up abruptly.

She already disliked this man interfering in her meeting with Zodiac Rabbit at the tavern, and now with what he said, she couldn't stand it any longer.

Seeing the two suddenly confront each other, Zodiac Rabbit couldn't sit still.

Hurriedly stood up to mediate, pulling Sister Hong's hand to have her sit down for a proper talk, then turned and chastised Wu Liang, "Boy, can't you say anything decent? Weren't we supposed to discuss?"

Seeing her this way, Wu Liang sighed.

He truly didn't expect this young lady's relationship with the [Black Market] boss to be so good, so good that Zodiac Rabbit somewhat forgot the other party's hand held a nationwide network of trade information!

"Alas, do you know what the premise of a negotiation is? It's equal dialogue; they have money, power, and influence, lacking nothing. I must at least make myself eligible for a conversation, right? Market oversight doesn't work?"

Listening to this guy spew nonsense again, Zodiac Rabbit couldn't help but cover her forehead and sigh.

Sometimes she truly didn't understand what this guy had in his mind.

Call him foolish, yet from start to finish in his confrontation with [Promised Land], he never fell behind, and even managed to kill [Ghost Valley] and deceive [Pioneer]'s Consciousness Fragment.

Call him formidable, yet this guy would sporadically act irrationally and do incomprehensible things.

"Alright, alright, enough joking. I'm here for negotiations only on your account. Otherwise, it might've been a nighttime raid on the big sister sama like what was done to those three delusional youths last night." Wu Liang cleared his throat and spoke earnestly.

After a night of observation and relentless pressure on those three boys by Fierce Ghost Minions.

Ultimately, Wu Liang found that they were just three delusional youngsters, with no truly complex thoughts, not intending to follow [Promised Land] in some earth-shattering ventures.

Then, after his "benevolent" persuasion, especially once removing the mask and being recognized as the heroic awakened who saved Chengyang City—Shadow, those three delusional youngsters immediately expressed allegiance to the officials.

But this method couldn't be used on the [Black Market] boss.

After all, she wasn't some delusional teenager, and wouldn't take a stance based on a solitary hero's reputation.

Thus, another method had to be employed — absolute strength, or perhaps... threat.

"My codename is Shadow, Reporter, Zodiac Monkey; call me whatever you like."

Upon hearing this, Sister Hong narrowed her eyes and immediately recalled the news video from Chengyang City, where the blood-drenched figure fought fiercely against the Fierce Dragon Ghost, gradually overlapping with the young man in front of her sipping iced red tea, pondering that the iced national cellar was perfect.

Him? The discrepancy was too drastic!

"What do you want to discuss?" Sister Hong's tone didn't change.

Yet, unexpectedly, Wu Liang then uttered the most terrifying threat in an exceedingly calm voice.

"Rabbit should have briefed you about [Black Market]'s stance. Once formal collaboration with the officials begins, you all will naturally receive corresponding support, whether it be channel expansion or providing shelter—it won't be a problem."

"Of course, that is official speak."

"In plain terms—starting next week, I will commence full-scale warfare against [Promised Land]. Before then, anyone not siding with the officials will be uniformly defaulted as an enemy."

"Have you seen some of the battle footage online showing my combat capability? If you're an enemy, I have the ability to freely enter and exit your tavern and take the life of any subterranean regional leader at will."

"Selecting a leader whom I can kill repeatedly until no one dares to become the head of these civilian organizations anymore."

Upon hearing these words, Sister Hong immediately directed an incredulous glance at Zodiac Rabbit.

She hadn't expected such intensely murderous words to come from an official awakened.

Not to mention, if not for Zodiac Rabbit facilitating the current negotiation, this guy in front practically hinted at a deliberate nighttime raid to determine cooperation terms or initiate a decapitation operation.

"Haha, aren't you concerned about courting hatred with your behavior as an official? If the ordinary populace or civilian awakened knew..."

"What would that have to do with me? I don't know them. My sole purpose is to annihilate [Promised Land], not to save the world's suffering."

Before finishing her query, Wu Liang interrupted Sister Hong.

From his forceful speech and Zodiac Rabbit's helpless expression, Sister Hong could discern.

This rascal wasn't lying!

He truly intended to kill the independent civilian organization leaders one by one until the entire organization collapsed due to a lack of leadership!

"Relax, ease up; given your rapport with Rabbit, I wouldn't be so ruthless in any case. Aren't we here to negotiate? You can also present your conditions, and I'll relay all of them to the higher-ups."

Wu Liang grinned cheekily.

Of course, by "higher-ups," he meant Director Long; whatever agreement he consented to here, it was Director Long's headache to handle.

At this moment, an overwhelming flow of capital city information from the past two to three months was coursing through Sister Hong's mind.

Especially the details concerning [Promised Land], each piece etched into her memories, alongside the official's recent conduct and serious treatment toward that organization.

Adding to the mix was this unconventional nutcase's talk of consolidating civilian organizations.

Truly, Sister Hong drew a conclusion—the official was serious this time! Moreover, they resolved to deal with numerous lurking threats over the past four years!

The cornerstone issue being the civilian organizations, which fundamentally shouldn't exist.

They were simply far too independent.

Imagine raising a group of tigers at home indulging in leisure, and the official worried that someday these civilian organizations might erupt. Thus, they intended to seize this opportunity while eradicating [Promised Land] to tackle this problem.

Since stuck in the eye of the storm with no escape, why not seize the chance to garner more benefits?

Sister Hong, in essence, is still a businesswoman.

Her nature is to pursue benefits and avoid harm.

Therefore, she set aside her displeasure, raised her glass of red wine and softly spoke to Wu Liang:

"The official has done much for the people over the years, a fact seen by everyone; all the nation's people are beneficiaries, we're naturally on the same side."

"But if I may, I do indeed have some conditions I'd like you to pass along to that gentleman up there..."

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