The Surface Situation

After some bargaining and a comprehensive review of the current situation of the Team 4.

The final ransom for Chen Ling was set at 45 million.

Of this, Chen Ling paid 25 million yuan upfront.

The remaining 10 million will be offset by a batch of weapons and equipment, enough to equip a 30-man squad with sophisticated gear. Chen Ling agreed to hand over the task to the Silver Bay Base within a week.

He is temporarily unable to pay the remaining 10 million. If he were to take out this 10 million as well, Team 4 would truly be so poor that they would only have their underwear left.

Chen Ling hoped that Luo Yan would let him owe the 10 million yuan so that he could use it for working capital, and promised to repay it in installments within a year.

Of course, interest must be factored in.

Luo Yan consulted Yu Qiushui about this situation, and the latter suggested that an internal fair discussion be conducted, Chen Ling's money would be transferred to Luo Yan's pocket in installments through the organization's internal account.

Although this would deduct some handling fees, the advantage is that Chen Ling wouldn't dare to play any tricks, otherwise the organization would interfere.

Therefore, Luo Yan conducted an internal investigation and resolved the dispute with Team 4.

This was entirely in line with his expectations; after all, killing Chen Ling wouldn't necessarily bring him more benefits.

Now they've got the money without putting too much pressure on the other branch teams.

It was handled quite perfectly.

Over the next few days, Luo Yan was very busy. He had to meet different people and handle many matters every day.

After several days, they finally managed to take over Liu Xiao's influence at the Silver Bay Base.

Liu Xiao's influence at the Silver Bay Base includes a commercial street lined with all sorts of shops, offering everything from food to equipment.

The shops here have to give a portion of their profits to Liu Xiao every year, which constitutes part of the income of Team 3 at the base.

Luo Yan had only briefly visited the Xiao Xiao business owners on the street, so this was just a formality.

The more important meetings were with the base's Enforcement Department and the leaders of several other major factions within the base.

That included "Master Rong" from the bar that day.

Subsequently, Luo Yan distributed the goods he had stolen under Liu Xiao's name at an 80% discount to the base and other forces, thereby realizing approximately 40 million.

As a result of this battle, Luo Yan has earned at least 60 million in revenue.

However, he couldn't possibly pocket all 60 million.

After all, the three teams had previously paid 50 million yuan for goods, and that money didn't all come from Liu Xiao's own pocket.

Of that, 30 million was the working capital of Team 3 at the base. So Luo Yan took out half of the income to settle the account so that his forces could continue to operate normally at the base.

During these past few days of activity, Yu Bai played a crucial role, but this also made him the target of hatred from the former members of Team 3.

Of course, Yu Bai himself doesn't care.

That day.

Luo Yan planned to return to Guangling City, so he called the bald man over.

Yu Bai entered, he saw Luo Yan pat a box on the table.

"Captain, what's this?"

Luo Yan pushed the box forward. "Nano Bomb, with positioning and remote detonation capabilities."

"In addition, my biometrics have already been entered."

"It will detonate once I die."

This is one of the few items in the 'Black Witch' that can control subordinates. It was brought to Luo Yan by the Team 1 that transported the 'Green Serpent' two days ago.

Luo Yan could not stay at the Silver Bay Base forever. Although personnel were reorganized and some of the personnel from Team 3 and Team 7 were dispersed and reorganized, it was still impossible to trust Yu Bai and let the bald man handle all base affairs.

Necessary controls can solve this problem.

Luo Yan had no intention of hiding or deceiving anyone; he would leave it all to the bald man's choice.

Yu Bai paused for a moment, then silently opened the box, picked up the syringe, and injected the Nano Bomb into his body.

He rubbed his wound and grinned, "Captain Red Ghost is much more decisive than that Liu guy. If Liu Xiao were to do this, he would definitely have to start with a sweet and sentimental speech."

Luo Yan calmly said from inside the Carved Wooden Mask, "If neither of us is dead three years from now, I will deactivate the bomb, and it will naturally dissipate from our bodies."

"Good."

Yu Bai continued, "However, Captain, you probably can't leave yet."

"Silver Bay Base is only one of the original Team 3's territories, but Liu Xiao's real territory is in Changping City, which is where Team 3's lifeline lies."

"My industries, businesses, and connections are almost all in Changping City."

"If you don't take them now, these things might be devoured by others."

Luo Yan said calmly, "In my view, a team, or an organization..."

"The real lifeline is never industry or business, but the armed forces that you control."

"As long as you have a strong fist, even if your industry or business is temporarily eroded, they will eventually have to give it back to me with interest." Yu Bai nodded silently after listening.

That afternoon.

Luo Yan then left the Silver Bay Base.

He set off alone.

This makes the operation faster.

He has been away from Guangling City for some time now, and if he doesn't go back soon, other people will probably become suspicious.

After all, only Di Zheng in Guangling City knows about the 'Black Witch' organization.

Several days later.

Luo Yan passed through a surface city, but he was out of water, so he entered the city.

Upon entering the city, he discovered traces of human activity, indicating that survivors were living there.

He skillfully opened a manhole cover, climbed down the vertical ladder, turned on his flashlight and shone it around. In the distance, he saw graffiti on a wall with the words "Rat People" painted on it.

That was probably a survivor's self-deprecating remark about their situation. They dared not live on the surface and could only retreat into underground facilities or sewer networks, which did indeed have a bit of a ' Rat People ' feel to it.

Luo Yan was no stranger to this kind of life.

He removed the mask and carefully put it away.

He pulled his hood up again, making himself look like one of the survivors.

As Luo Yan walked along the sewer network, he gradually encountered some survivors.

They were scattered about, some sitting, some lying down, their faces and eyes filled with numbness and emptiness, like walking corpses.

This is the current state of affairs on the surface; after all, only a very small number of people are able to live in the base or even the Undercity.

More often, however, are things like what Luo Yan is seeing now.

Having lost faith in the future and seeing no hope, they can only live one day at a time, allowing despair to gradually erode their mind and body.

Luo Yan knew that even surface survivors were divided into different classes.

This is due to the social and class nature of human beings.

Those who live in the sewer network are usually the weakest of the survivors.

Just like he once was, infected with the Red Poison, alone and powerless, he could only live in the sewer network.

The stronger and more powerful survivors usually take over places like subways, Underground mall, and underground parking garages.

They would gather people, form small territories, and set their own rules, resembling local tyrants.

Clean drinking water is usually only available to these people and these powerful groups.