"The Parallel Spacetime Mutual Aid Society?"
Tong Wenshi failed to process it at first. Only after Zhang Tianyuan wrote the name on paper did it register.
He abruptly looked up at Zhang Tianyuan and asked gravely, "What kind of organization is this?"
Seeing their rather strong reaction, Bai Xu and the others standing behind Zhang Tianyuan grew tense too and moved closer to him.
"No need to be nervous, Team Leader Bai." Zhang Tianyuan remained calm, even gesturing for Tong Wenshi not to get too tense either.
"Rest assured, we aren't the sort of cult you're imagining, nor do we harbor any ambitions. We only came here to help you."
Tong Wenshi's expression eased slightly, but he did not believe him.
Zhang Tianyuan gave a wry smile.
This was why he had not told Ding Jingye and the others where he truly came from.
Without strong evidence, their account of their origins sounded far too much like a cult's.
And by and large, the country's materialist education had been successful. Most citizens treated gods the way they treated their shoes-
They only put them on when needed, changed to different shoes for different occasions, and even threw them straight out if they became too dirty.
But whatever the circumstances, most citizens would never put on bloodstained red embroidered shoes.
If he had brought this up in front of Ding Jingye and the others, no amount of explanation would have helped unless Zhang Tianyuan took them back to the peaceful world of "2012" on the spot.
Otherwise, survivors like Ding Jingye would certainly have assumed they were all cultists, and might even have secretly started thinking about escaping or seizing their weapons...
Better one less complication than one more, so Zhang Tianyuan had chosen to keep it hidden.
But that approach would not work with Tong Wenshi and the others.
They were this world's leadership, and everyone would have to cooperate in the future.
Starting with deception would only make him seem insincere.
Besides, what Zhang Tianyuan and his people wanted to do was hardly some shady business. On the contrary, it was an excellent arrangement that would benefit both sides.
This was also what had always given Zhang Tianyuan his confidence.
He and the people of "2012" and "I Am Legend" naturally stood on the same side. All three parties shared enormous common interests.
The people of the two worlds needed his Spacetime Tunnel to save their lives, while he needed those worlds' resources and strength.
His unalterable status as a lord and his Spacetime Tunnel were enough to give him the upper
hand in their cooperation.
His position was far more secure than even those wealthy Middle Eastern tycoons who made money selling oil while lying back.
Only after seeing the three people opposite him relax did Zhang Tianyuan say:
"Although you'll find what I'm about to say unbelievable, every bit of it is true. I hope you can stay calm and hear me out...
"Even if you don't believe me in the end, you won't lose anything. We won't take up arms against you."
Tong Wenshi nodded. "All right."
Zhang Tianyuan smiled in satisfaction. "Mr. Tong, you must know the concept of parallel spacetimes?"
"Yes. I studied physics."
"That makes this much easier to explain." Zhang Tianyuan pointed at himself. "My name is Zhang Tianyuan. For certain reasons, I can now open tunnels leading to parallel spacetimes."
He then pointed at Bai Xu and the others behind him. "These are people I brought over from the previous parallel spacetime, along with those people and supplies outside."
Bai Xu and the others all nodded, confirming Zhang Tianyuan's words.
Looking into their unflinching eyes, Tong Wenshi asked bluntly, "Do you have any evidence?"
I don't care where you came from. As long as you can produce credible evidence, I'd believe you even if you said the Jade Emperor sent you.
But that was precisely the difficult part.
Zhang Tianyuan considered for a moment. "For direct evidence, I can open a Spacetime Tunnel for you and send some of you to Team Leader Bai's world."
"But opening a Spacetime Tunnel consumes resources, and the KV Virus doesn't exist in Team Leader Bai's spacetime. Making a trip back is very troublesome, so it would be best to wait until we've agreed on an intention to cooperate before I open a spacetime gate for you."
A He and the other pregnant women also needed to go to "2012" to give birth. Sending both groups to "2012" within a short time would exceed the virus containment facility's processing capacity and increase the risk of the virus escaping.
If they ended up leaking the KV Virus into "2012" as well, they would really be screwed.
So Zhang Tianyuan planned to leave with Tong Wenshi and all the pregnant women, especially those close to giving birth.
But Tong Wenshi was not buying it.
He said in a low voice, "If you can't provide evidence, it'll be difficult for us to spare the time to discuss this so-called cooperation."
"We still have a great deal to deal with."
Without proof of the Spacetime Tunnel, there could be no discussion of cooperation.
But without reaching an agreement on cooperation, they could not open the Spacetime Tunnel...
Instructor Yin
had now gotten a taste of the difficulty Zhang Tianyuan faced when he first appeared.
Getting others to believe in something like a Spacetime Tunnel on nothing but your say-so was basically impossible.
Instructor Yin moved closer and asked quietly, "Can we still build that school?"
Zhang Tianyuan shook his head.
That trick would not work anymore.
He had no construction blueprints left, and even now, he still did not know how to obtain them.
Zhang Tianyuan pondered for a while, and Tong Wenshi waited patiently.
Although he found the claim about the Spacetime Tunnel unbelievable,
he did believe there was something unusual about Zhang Tianyuan and his people's origins.
At last, Zhang Tianyuan spoke again. "There's no direct evidence available right now, but there is some circumstantial evidence."
He pointed outside.
"The command systems aboard the combat vehicles we drove here should be different from those in your spacetime."
"That should serve as preliminary proof, shouldn't it?"
Tong Wenshi looked at another middle-aged man wearing glasses behind him.
Military matters were not his specialty.
The man nodded. "Differences in the command systems could indeed serve as corroborating evidence. Systems like these aren't something just anyone can develop."
Even if an ordinary organization had the capability to develop such a command system, it would struggle to gain an in-depth understanding of the functions combat command actually required.
Being able to develop such a system therefore showed in itself that the other party really did have an army behind them.
Zhang Tianyuan said, "Then it's settled. You can copy the command systems in our combat vehicles..."
He had only gotten that far when the man behind Tong Wenshi interrupted. "Can we board the vehicles and inspect them directly?"
It immediately occurred to Zhang Tianyuan that the apocalypse had already arrived. USB drives and computers were probably not so easy to find anymore.
"Yes. Our people will cooperate with you."
"Then I'll go arrange the personnel to prepare to board right away."
"Wait." Tong Wenshi and the other two were about to leave quietly when they suddenly heard Zhang Tianyuan call after them.
Tong Wenshi turned around.
He saw Zhang Tianyuan slap his hand onto the table, and a document appeared beneath his palm out of thin air.
Tong Wenshi's eyelid twitched as he accepted the document Bai Xu handed over.
[Parallel Spacetime Mutual Aid Society Member State Application]
Once Tong Wenshi read the title, his eyelids twitched even more violently.
Only then did Zhang Tianyuan say, "You can take this document back and have a look first."
Tong Wenshi fell silent for a moment before speaking.
"Understood."