External Threats

"Establish diplomatic relations?"

Lincon released his hand, and the other man slowly took a few steps back. His attitude was completely different from the arrogance he had shown while speaking to Zhang Rui.

Zhou Qing narrowed his eyes and smiled. "That's right. Black Iron City hopes to have more dealings with Longwind Fortress. From now on, our two cities can support each other and exchange supplies..."

"Establishing relations isn't impossible, but you attacked my governor just now. How should we settle that score?"

"I was only joking earlier. I had no real intention of attacking him. If Governor Zhang is dissatisfied, I can apologize."

Zhou Qing's answer was flawless. If not for what he had done earlier, those who arrived later might have thought him a polite and modest gentleman.

But it was merely a timely disguise. Beneath that humble face was a petty man who killed at the slightest displeasure, sweet-tongued and vicious at heart.

Lincon did not buy it. He casually glanced at the headless corpse in the distance, then turned to Zhang Rui.

"Where did that corpse come from?"

The moment he saw someone enter his territory on the panel, he had rushed back to the fortress at top speed and saved Zhang Rui at the critical moment. He did not know what had happened in between.

"He was a messenger I knew before. He wasn't from our fortress."

Zhang Rui stood half a step behind Lincon and explained everything that had happened in detail.

"Since he wasn't from the fortress, there's no need to leave the corpse on the main road. Throw it into the fields as flower fertilizer."

As Lincon spoke, a thick root suddenly burst from the ground, lifted the corpse, and flung it into the nearby Sunlight Sunflower field.

Zhou Qing's pupils contracted slightly when he saw the root. He looked toward the enormous treant slowly walking over from the distance, along with Li Zhouhai and the others.

A treant of unknown rank, and a D-rank Ability User.

Zhou Qing sensed the energy fluctuations around Li Zhouhai and quickly determined his rank.

Apart from the amount of energy contained within their bodies, the difference between C-Class Ability Users and D-Class Ability Users was that C-Class Ability Users could project their power outside their bodies, creating an environment favorable to their own combat.

They could also use their released energy to sense and judge an opponent's strength.

Zhou Qing could easily tell that Li Zhouhai was a D-Class Ability User, yet he could never see through Lincon.

Either Lincon was an ordinary person, or he was so powerful that Zhou Qing could not fathom him at all.

But Lincon had appeared suddenly and grabbed his wrist earlier. That was not something an ordinary person could do.

So Zhou Qing naturally classified Lincon as a B-Class Ability User as powerful as the Lord of Black Iron City.

After all, it was not strange for someone who had survived alone in the darkness for three years to be a B-Class Ability User.

That was also why he had immediately changed his attitude and way of thinking.

Building a good relationship with a powerful Ability User was far more valuable than mindlessly provoking trouble.

It was just that... he seemed to have angered the master of Longwind Fortress.

But that was fine. Zhou Qing knew when to bend and when to stand tall.

So the next moment, Lincon saw Zhou Qing offer Zhang Rui an apology.

Zhang Rui did not refuse. Instead, he laughed heartily and put an arm around Zhou Qing's shoulders, as though they were old friends separated for more than a decade.

Lincon did not comment from the side. He merely watched Zhou Qing quietly.

Zhang Rui had just told him that Zhou Qing was a C-Class Ability User. In Black Iron City, that status carried enormous weight, far beyond that Viper Lincon had killed before.

If they wanted to keep Zhou Qing here, they would not only have to pay a tremendous price, but they would also face retaliation from both Black Iron City and Flint City afterward.

The current Longwind Fortress could not withstand an assault from the Jiangzhou region's two largest Ability User cities.

Therefore, the wisest choice was endurance.

Zhang Rui chose to swallow this humiliation himself. Even when facing the enemy who had wanted to kill him only moments ago, he still greeted him with a smile.

"My lord, may I enter your fortress and take a look around?"

After a round of hypocritical apologies, Zhou Qing made his request to Lincon.

However, Lincon did not answer that question. Instead, he brought up Zhou Qing's earlier proposal of establishing relations.

"You said Black Iron City wanted to establish relations with Longwind Fortress. That's a good proposal. Longwind Fortress is a remote backwater, and it needs more contact with the outside world to develop."

"As it happens, Longwind Fortress has a batch of supplies. If Black Iron City has items of equivalent value, we can trade."

As soon as he said this, Zhou Qing was indeed drawn in. He glanced again at Longwind Fortress's ruined walls and asked with some doubt.

"What supplies does the Lord wish to trade? If they're merely ordinary materials or items from the old era, Black Iron City probably doesn't lack them."

"Food." Specks of starlight flickered in Lincon's eyes as he replied calmly.

The moment he heard those two words, Zhou Qing's expression turned solemn.

No matter which city it was, food was among its most important and scarce resources. Any ruler who wanted to maintain their rule could not avoid the issue of food.

A city was not composed solely of Ability Users. It was simply that, as the strong, they could help the weak resist danger. Thus, the weak depended on them and willingly handed over resources for them to control.

But if Ability Users could not provide protection and people frequently starved to death, the weak would choose new strong people, or would rather return to living in the darkness.

At the very least, compared with Dark Creatures, starving to death was more terrifying.

Returning to the matter of food, Zhou Qing said seriously, "Does your fortress have preserved food from the old era?"

"No." Lincon slowly shook his head. "It's freshly grown food, definitely better than those vacuum-packed foods."

Freshly grown food?

Zhou Qing felt his heart pound rapidly. After darkness descended, most land had been contaminated, and only a small portion could be used for cultivation.

Therefore, even Ability Users like them usually ate only vacuum-packed food that had been preserved for a long time.

Yet someone was now telling him there was freshly grown food. That was rather shocking.

Zhou Qing's first thought was that it could not be eaten. Dead soil could indeed grow plants, but whoever ate them would die.

However, when Lincon handed him a gleaming golden Sunlight Potato, Zhou Qing was utterly stunned.

He raised it to his nose and sniffed it in disbelief. His superior bearing vanished completely, and he looked like a beggar who had found gold.

A warm scent of fresh earth filled his nostrils. It was not the rotten smell of something sealed away for ages. The potato was plump and round, without the slightest sign of shriveling. Every trace showed that it had only recently been dug from the ground.

Zhou Qing stood frozen for a long while before slowly placing the Sunlight Potato on his open palm. Ice energy gathered in his right hand and formed a blade that cut the potato in half.

The inside was not the black color of plants grown in dead soil, but an even more golden shade than its skin. Zhou Qing could even smell the potato's distinctive starchy fragrance.

He abruptly raised his head and looked at Lincon.

"My lord, can you tell me how you cultivated a plant that can grow in dead soil?"

"Is that important?" Lincon looked unconcerned.

"Very important!" Zhou Qing took a deep breath and stared fixedly at the mysterious man before him.

"Forgive my offense, but if you cannot answer, I can guarantee that before long, Black Iron City's army will set foot in Longwind Fortress."

"Are you threatening me?" Lincon's eyes narrowed sharply, cold light flowing through his pupils.

"It is not a threat, but a sincere suggestion." Zhou Qing abandoned his earlier hypocritical manner and spoke clearly and solemnly.

"No city in the entire Jiangzhou region has overcome this technology. Even after gathering many scientific researchers from specialized fields, we still cannot make plants grow normally in dead soil."

"If it is because of Longwind Fortress's soil, then I believe the first thought in any city Lord's mind upon learning this news would be to occupy this place, rather than trade with you normally."

That was undeniable truth. Zhou Qing had even put it as tactfully as possible.

In the Dark Age, no one would talk to you about human rights.

Lincon naturally understood the stakes. The reason he had brought out the Sunlight Potato for trade was because he had anticipated this.

Whether the Sunlight Potatoes were planted outside or inside the city, they would sooner or later be exposed to other forces. Rather than let others covet them in secret then, it was better to reveal them in advance and turn them into bargaining chips.

Of course, he was not worried that someone would take Sunlight Potatoes back to cultivate themselves.

Sunlight Potatoes had evolved through the Seed Mark, and he possessed absolute control over them.

Once they left Longwind Fortress's territory, they could no longer continue growing in dead soil.

"You have courage." Lincon nodded at Zhou Qing in approval.

"Please explain the reason, my lord."

"It's simple. I am a Plant Cultivator. I can cultivate plants, and only the plants I cultivate can avoid the effects of dead soil and grow normally." Lincon spoke calmly.

"Is it because you're a plant-type Ability User?" Zhou Qing frowned slightly.

Then he looked toward the Ancient Maple Guardian as if struck by sudden realization.

"So that's it!"

There were no plant-type Ability Users in Black Iron City, so he could not determine whether Lincon was telling the truth. He could only make his own judgment.

And that strange treant did indeed fit the characteristics of a plant-type Ability User.

"What does my lord wish to exchange with Black Iron City?" Zhou Qing asked after sorting through his thoughts.

"Wait here."

Lincon had Zhou Qing wait where he was and gestured to Zhang Rui beside him. Zhang Rui immediately understood and hurried off to fetch paper and a pen.

Lincon considered the materials needed to evolve his plants and wrote down their names on the paper.

"Holy Flame Seed, Sunstone, Healing Crystal Core, Demon Heart, Blood of a B-Rank Lifeform, Life Fruit..."

Zhou Qing took the list Lincon had written and glanced over it, immediately unable to stop himself from scratching his head.

He recognized every word on it individually, but when they were put together, he did not understand any of them.

Holy Flame Seed?

What was that? He had never even heard of it.

And this Sunstone—was it a stone that had been exposed to sunlight?

Zhou Qing felt his head swell. He was like a country bumpkin who had just arrived in the city and knew nothing at all.

Lincon spoke at the right moment. "You don't need to find everything on this list. As long as you have one item, you can exchange it with me for Sunlight Potatoes."

Zhou Qing looked somewhat troubled, but he still agreed, saying that once they found something similar, they would deliver it to Longwind Fortress.

"My lord, may I take this Sunlight... Potato back with me?" Without realizing it, Zhou Qing's words had already become respectful when speaking to Lincon.

"You may." Lincon did not refuse.

"Thank you! Then I'll be leaving first!" Zhou Qing clasped his fists heavily and turned to leave.

At that moment, his mind was completely occupied by the Sunlight Potato in his hand. How could he still have any desire to enter Longwind Fortress and investigate it?

Watching Zhou Qing's gradually retreating figure, Zhang Rui asked in confusion, "My lord, why spread word of the Sunlight Potato? Outside, it would be no less than an atomic bomb. Before our strength is secure, I'm afraid it will bring considerable risk."

Lincon slowly let out a breath. Though he had looked relaxed earlier, having a C-Class Ability User standing so close to him had still made him somewhat uneasy.

Because he was not sure whether he could withstand a sudden attack from Zhou Qing.

"As Longwind Fortress enters these people's sights, the matter of the Sunlight Potatoes will sooner or later be exposed. Rather than play games with them in secret, I prefer placing the bargaining chips on the table."

"Besides, Sunlight Potatoes do not grow in dead soil because they are Sunlight Potatoes. They grow because of me."

Lincon's gaze was calm. "The water problem has been temporarily resolved. Next, perhaps I should find a way to strengthen the fortress."

Zhang Rui nodded, his expression grave.

Black Iron City's visit had sounded an alarm for Lincon.

When facing forces like Flint City and Black Iron City, which were made up of powerful Ability Users, Longwind Fortress was as fragile as an infant.

They might barely deal with Black Iron City, represented by Zhou Qing, through an exchange of interests. But Flint City, with whom they had long formed a grudge, would probably not be so easy to handle.

At that moment, Li Zhouhai suddenly ran up to Lincon. "My lord, that bull..."

Lincon followed the direction Li Zhouhai was pointing.

The Raging Bull they had brought back had somehow run into the field where Sunlight Potatoes were planted and was happily eating the newly grown stems and leaves.

Liu Ying was so anxious that she was hopping in place, desperately whipping the Raging Bull, but it did not notice at all. It did not even twitch its tail.

Clearly, compared with the delicacy before it, those lashes meant nothing.

Lincon sighed and had Li Zhouhai restrain the Raging Bull so it would not destroy too many Sunlight Potato fields. Before long, he would specially cultivate a kind of grass for the Raging Bull to eat.

After giving those instructions, Lincon returned to his own courtyard and placed the luminous plants collected from the swamp on the ground.

The Sunlight Sunflowers in the courtyard still stood tall, their golden buds facing the sunlight.

"Looks like I'll be busy next!"

Lincon looked at the panel.

[As the Longwind Fortress Guardian, you have established diplomatic relations for the first time. Experience +300.]

[Bound User: Lincon]

[Main Class: Longwind Fortress Guardian (Beginner Rank 9)]

[Experience: 580/1000]

[Talent: Lord]

[Abilities: Fine Shrine Crafting, Purification Rune, Reinforcement Rune, Infusion Rune, Xingyi Fist, Firearms Mastery]

[Secondary Class: Plant Cultivator (Beginner Rank 9)]

[Experience: 350/1000]

[Talent: Seed Mark]

[Abilities: Accelerated Growth, Plant Affinity]

[Strength: 72—Agility: 69—Spirit: 78—Charm: 20—Reputation: 2450]