Chapter 445 - Cooperation

"I was battling against it and made a mistake due to exhaustion." Qi Ming spoke as they sat inside Hu Feng's office. "I was about to die when it suddenly left." He said and looked at Yi Bing, Huo Ling, Jin Wu and Mo Shi. "I followed it. I can't let it harm any civilians. I saw it attacked them and was about to help when I saw them attacked it back." He smiled and turned to Hu Feng. "They are all ability users." He told them. 

Hu Feng and his assistant were stunned. "Ability users… and four of them?!" he exclaimed as he looked at Yi Bing, Huo Ling, Jin Wu and Mo Shi. 

Mo Shi proudly grinned. "That's right." he said as he coolly crossed his arms. "I am a lightning ability user. The name's Mo Shi." He said. 

"Jin Wu. Metal ability user." Jin Wu spoke. 

"Huo Ling. Fire ability user." Huo Ling said as he created a fire ball in his hand. 

"Yi Bing. Ice." Yi Bing said. 

Wen Yan, Hu Feng's assistant, stared at them in awe. "What level are you?" he excitedly asked. "I am a level two ability user, while leader Qi is about to break through level three! That's why he dared to fight that level three zombie." He explained. 

Hu Feng sharply turned to Wen Yan. "Qi Ming's about to become a level three ability user?! Why didn't you tell me?" he asked as he glared at his assistant. 

Wen Yan immediately cowered. Meanwhile, Yi Bing, Huo Ling, Jin Wu and Mo Shi suddenly fell silent. 

"There's… actually different levels here, be it the ability users or the zombies?" Jin Wu spoke. A complicated look in his eyes as he looked at Qi Ming, Hu Feng and Wen Yan. 

"What level should we tell them?" Mo Shi asked. Then, suddenly, he paused. "We're stronger than them, right? Is it okay to tell them that we're level four or five? Ow!" he cried when Jin Wu hit him in the head. 

"You really like to show-off, aren't you?" Jin Wu frowned as he looked at his apprentice with a stern gaze. "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Don't you know this?" he asked. 

While Jin Wu scolds his apprentice, Yi Bing and Huo Ling are contemplating. "Should we say we're in level two?" Huo Ling suggested. "He's the leader of this base, aside from that military officer who is actually has no abilities. We can't step on their pride if we'll say we're stronger than them." He explained as he looked at Qi Ming who was laughing as he watched Hu Feng scolded Wen Yan. 

Yi Bing nodded in understanding. "We'll do it this way, then." He agreed before he turned to Qi Ming. "We're level two ability users." He answered. 

Qi Ming, Hu Feng and Wen Yan froze. "Really?!" Wen Yan exclaimed in shock. "You really look strong… you're really strong!" he said. 

"I'm Hu Feng." Hu Feng spoke. "All four of you are level two ability users?" he asked as he stared at them. 

Yi Bing calmly nodded. "Yes." He answered. 

"No wonder you have survived with just the four of you… you can protect yourselves and also protect the others." Qi Ming smiled. "We really need a hand in the base. In my team, there are only five ability users, including me. I'm about to break through level three. The other four, three of them are level two while the remaining one is level one and just awakened." He explained. "The other three who have no ability are good in fighting." He added. 

"Da ge, you're so amazing!" Mo Shi exclaimed as he looked at Qi Ming. 

Qi Ming nodded. "Thank you for the compliment." He said. Then, he looked at Yi Bing who is obviously the leader of the four. "Are you interested in joining my team?" he asked. "I don't restrict my members, but of course, you have to follow the rules." He told him. 

"We're not interested." Yi Bing answered. Seeing that Qi Ming was about to speak to convince him, he continued. "We can help you as outside helpers." He told him. 

Qi Ming closed his mouth as he pondered. Meanwhile, Hu Feng is just silent. 

Seeing that the atmosphere suddenly turned tense, Huo Ling spoke. "Leader Qi. We don't have any plan of going against you." he sincerely said. "But, we're also about to break through level three." He glanced at Yi Bing, then at Jin Wu and Mo Shi. 

Qi Ming and Hu Feng were surprised. But, they immediately recovered their expressions. Yi Bing, Huo Ling, Jin Wu and Mo Shi really look like they aren't ordinary people. 

"We also are looking for a place to permanently stay, and we don't have any plan to recruit people in our group." Huo Ling continued. "Of course, we will follow your rules. We will also procure food for ourselves. In return of letting us stay in your base, we will help you in your tasks." He explained. 

Qi Ming and Hu Feng looked at each other, their gazes talking. This is really the best concession the group of four can offer. After all, the four of them are really strong. They said that they are about to break through to level three like Qi Ming, but Qi Ming thinks it isn't that simple. He can feel that they are stronger than him. If Qi Ming would fight just one of them, he doubts he can win. Not to mention there are four of them, even the weakest of them might be able to beat him up. 

Although there are four of them, and they are level two ability users who are about to break through level three, but Qi Ming and Hu Feng, who are smart people, knows it is not easy for these four to survive outside, as not to mention the large number of zombies, but the zombies have evolved and became stronger than before. 

Yi Bing, Huo Ling, Jin Wu and Mo Shi only wants to find shelter. They can procure their food on their own. They won't build a team, and would even follow the rules and help them in their tasks. If these four are planning to conquer their base, Qi Ming thinks that it will be easy for them to do it. Qi Ming is the strongest in their base. Even if the other ability users would combine forces with him to stop these four, but Qi Ming fears, they won't be able to. 

Qi Ming remembered the scene when the four people easily killed the level three zombie and he couldn't help but gulp down in fear. Fortunately, these four don't seem to have any plan to conquer their base. "Okay." He answered while acting calm. He glanced at Hu Feng. 

Hu Feng turned to the four people who are obviously don't look simple. Even if he has no ability, but the base is still his. "You can stay here. As long as you don't break the rules, don't fight others, you can stay as long as you want." He spoke, then made a pause. "Since you are all ability users, and is equally strong as Qi Ming, then you have the privilege to choose any room in the building." He told them. 

"We only need two rooms." Yi Bing and Jin Wu both spoke. 

Qi Ming and Hu Feng were surprised, but immediately understood. It's the apocalypse. Resources are limited, and these two are very considerate. They felt like they made a great decision to agree with these four's simple request. 

Huo Ling thought otherwise. They can't reveal the fact that they aren't humans, and they really don't need that much space to occupy. They don't need to sleep, nor eat. But since four people are too crowded, Yi Bing and Jin Wu chose two rooms. 

"Let me take you to your rooms and tell you the rules in the base while on the way." Wen Yan suggested. 

Yi Bing nodded and Huo Ling, Jin Wu and Mo Shi followed behind him. They know that Hu Feng and Qi Ming still have something to talk about. 

…

"Ah! The nucleus!" Wen Yan exclaimed when Yi Bing showed the nucleus of the level three zombie to him. "It's really amazing! You can feel the power emanating from it!" he smiled. 

"'nucleus'?" Mo Shi muttered. 

"That's what we call this crystal ball. You can find it inside the zombies' heads." Wen Yan said. "This isn't a secret. The nucleus contains some energy that can be used to level up the power of the ability users. The stronger the zombie, the more energy the nucleus contains." He explained. "You don't know this?" he asked. 

"No." Yi Bing answered. 

Wen Yan suddenly froze. "… then, how did you become stronger?" he asked as he stared at them as if they are some kind of a monster. 

"We don't even know about this nucleus thing, so how can we use it?" Mo Shi spoke. "Of course, it's natural strength." He told Wen Yan.