Apocalypse Gachapon

Chapter 2335: Still materials

He left the room, and Ye Zhongming stood by the castle window, gazing at this burgeoning land that was entirely his own, unsure of what to feel.

He knew he couldn't refuse just now.

Not to mention that he didn't find He displeasing—on the contrary, any man would like someone like her: beautiful, unproblematic, helpful, and obedient. Given her sincerity, her anxiety, and her deep-seated humility, it was impossible to push her away.

If he refused, the Changxu Water Race might not stay.

But after agreeing, Ye Zhongming felt a pang of guilt toward He—he would be her only man, yet she wouldn't be his only woman.

Their union wasn't purely about love; perhaps they'd grow closer over time, but at least now, interests were heavily involved.

Ye Zhongming instinctively resisted such a union.

"How damn hypocritical," he cursed himself, clearing such thoughts from his mind.

Regardless, the decision was made. He would treat He and the Changxu Water Race well—overthinking only brought useless worry.

The priority now was to grow stronger as quickly as possible, to prepare for the Huo'er Star people's inevitable blow.

And to teach those meddlesome dwarves a lesson.

……………………

Tonight, Cloud Peak Manor was quiet. He sat at her workbench for a long time, unable to focus on alchemy or cultivation.

"He already agreed, so why are you still so distracted?" Qizhen said with a smile, looking at the young clan leader with affection.

He blushed slightly. "I'm not thinking about him."

"Then what are you thinking about?" Qizhen asked.

"Half of the people he brought are in the process of evolving. Their levels are very low—after evolving, they'll only be nine-star. Why does he value them so much?"

He was puzzled.

The all-female Red Female Guard didn't strike her as unusual—such things were common among the myriad races. She was simply curious: why would Ye Zhongming spend so much to bring up a few hundred people who weren't even level-nine yet? What could they offer him?

By the time they became useful, the cost would be enormous—a poor investment by anyone's standards.

"It's actually easy to understand." Qizhen sat beside He, put an arm around her, and said, "These people followed him on his homeworld—they were his guard, his most trusted confidants. Back there, he didn't have enough resources for them. Now that he does, it's only natural he'd want to make up for it."

Being older and more experienced, Qizhen could see the deeper implications.

"For us, this is good news—they're on our side, and their strength is our strength. Most importantly, how he treats his old confidants shows he values loyalty. Even at great cost, he won't let the Red Makeup Guard down. By that logic, he'll treat our Changxu Water Race the same way, won't he?"

He's eyes brightened as she nodded.

"Just wait—I have a feeling this unit will surprise us. When I first saw them, even our weakest member was stronger than any of them, but those women's eyes... they were cold to the bone, looking down on everything."

……………………

"Zhongming."

"Impressive, kid."

Ji Ruiguang and Mu Hanyi contacted Ye Zhongming through an encrypted channel.

After exchanging greetings, Ye Zhongming told them about the current state of the Resistance Zone and the Glory Army on Earth, as well as the news their subordinates had brought up.

Naturally, he didn't mention Little Nine or Wen Hong.

Both had been regional powers on Earth—if not for Ye Zhongming's meteoric rise, they would have been the kings of the national region. Hearing the news, they couldn't help but feel wistful.

But such figures quickly adjusted their mindset and began discussing how to ride Cloud Peak's coattails.

Ye Zhongming was naturally welcoming.

Cloud Peak was fighting on multiple fronts and needed strong allies like the Resistance Zone and the Radiant Army. He even thought that if Cloud Peak made great progress in the Desert Secret Realm and the Titan Secret Realm, they could cede some regions on Earth to them.

The pie was too big for Cloud Peak to swallow alone.

"Come on, kid—we can't just take without giving. What do you need from us?"

Mu Hanyi rubbed his bald head, having grown fond of the style.

Ji Ruiguang smiled as well, waiting to hear today's purpose.

"How are things going with your plans?" Ye Zhongming asked.

He was referring to what they'd previously discussed—the Great Country plan.

"Too soon—some progress, but it'll take a long time to really take shape." Ji Ruiguang was honest.

They had too much to do: expand influence, accumulate wealth, strengthen power, recruit people—none of it could be done overnight.

"Can you supply me with materials?" Ye Zhongming said, repeating the word for the umpteenth time today.

After thinking, both gave approximate amounts, but Ye Zhongming shook his head.

"Too little—I need a lot. If you can get loans, I can pay interest."

To grow stronger quickly, Ye Zhongming was going all out.

After more consideration, they revised their numbers. Still not huge, but combined, it was passable.

"Take it all—ship everything directly to me." Ye Zhongming decided without hesitation.

Not waiting for the two leaders to respond, he asked, "How much control do you have over sales channels? Do you have enough trusted people to sustain them?"

"I've set up two channels myself and invested in four—two I fully trust. But regardless, the volume can't be too large, especially for high-quality goods." Ji Ruiguang was resourceful, having established some status and resources in his race in a short time.

"I have channels too, but they're shady and risky. With careful handling and layers of protection, they should work. Since they're off-the-books, the volume can be larger—but I'd advise against selling anything too good, or too many people will take notice."

"That works." Ye Zhongming nodded. "I'll send you some goods soon. Move them through these channels, keep it dispersed—ideally untraceable. Once you get them, you can sell immediately. I'll give you a price range; keep your share and send the rest to me."