The King of Black Fog

Zheng Qing was tall and straight-backed with the graceful aura of someone who often exercised. Her leg injury had already healed.

"Officer Zheng," Li Changzhou greeted her.

"Just call me Zheng Qing," Zheng Qing sized up the three of them.

Compared to before in the Value Game, the cool and beautiful Yang Qinglan now seemed less aloof, more warm, and scholarly, perhaps because of the apron and the bookstore setting.

The lively Li Qianxia was laid-back, looking like she had just eaten her fill and wanted to sleep.

Li Changzhou's demeanor hadn't changed much, though he seemed handsomer, possibly because of the lighting.

Zheng Qing was particularly interested in Li Changzhou; someone showing no change in demeanor between reality and the Value Game indicated something.

And, he was really handsome.

"What would you like to drink?" Yang Qinglan asked.

Zheng Qing sat down, glanced at the three glasses of ice water on the table, and replied casually, "Ice water."

Yang Qinglan was about to get up, but Li Qianxia stopped her with a gesture and then sprang to her feet, "I'll go!"

Seeing his sister head to the kitchen like she knew the place well, Li Changzhou knew she must have been here more than once.

Isn't it dangerous for a girl to come to a bookstore alone? I must accompany her next time and protect her closely.

Getting ice water was simple, Li Qianxia returned in less than half a minute.

Zheng Qing took the ice water, thanked her, and drank almost half the glass in gulps.

"We're short on time, so I won't waste it, let's get to the point," she put down her glass.

The three of them assumed a listening posture.

Zheng Qing organized her thoughts, took a moment to recall, and then said:

"First, regarding your proposed cooperation, it's been approved from above."

Li Changzhou wasn't surprised.

With the clouds of crisis overhead and society on the brink, those above hardly had the time or energy to deal with civilian stragglers.

Even if they forcibly recruited them, the stragglers wouldn't obediently comply, which might lead to unnecessary disturbances.

At this stage, the stragglers were not strong, posing only as much threat as ordinary people armed with handguns.

If it were just about having more handguns, most would choose to hand them over willingly, but stragglers didn't just have more guns; their hands could mimic real guns.

The difference in approach has different psychological impacts.

It's like driving at 120 kilometers per hour versus running at 120 kilometers per hour; the speed might be the same, but is the mindset?

Not to mention, they could become much stronger in the future.

Zheng Qing continued, "However, the benefits of joining officially are very good. You might want to consider it."

"How good?" Li Qianxia asked curiously.

"The authorities will buy new residential areas in major cities. All family members of official stragglers can qualify for residence. Those who can't afford it will get interest-free loans from banks, with the military serving as the management," she explained.

"Aren't you worried about protests from ordinary people?" Li Changzhou asked.

"If they also want to join the Special Warfare Bureau and take part in frontline battles, they can qualify for phase two housing," Zheng Qing said calmly.

It was a critical time. Joining the Special Warfare Bureau was akin to stepping onto a battlefield, risking their lives to fight evil human stragglers and the varied, demon-like non-human stragglers.

Monsters like the Bull Demon King, Monkey King, and Golden Winged Roc might appear, and in the sea, there could be a fish evolving solely by devouring, gradually becoming a giant.

"Some special talents also qualify for residence, even better benefits, but since you're both still students, you probably can't take that route," she added.

That likely referred to researchers.

As animals and plants evolved, so too would weapons, medicines, and crops.

"Aside from basic residency, there are many other benefits. Like the intelligence I mentioned earlier, any of you interested?" she asked.

Yang Qinglan looked at the siblings for their response.

"I'll follow my brother," Li Qianxia said.

"I like our current life," Li Changzhou said.

He carried the secret of the white "Identity Card." Even if it were exposed in front of his sister and Yang Qinglan it wouldn't matter much, but it was different with the authorities.

Moreover, he wasn't a bad person, but he wasn't so good as to risk his life saving others either.

"And you?" Li Changzhou asked Yang Qinglan.

He had his reasons for not joining the officials, and Li Qianxia would undoubtedly stay with him. Yang Qinglan was different; her "Attract And Repel" instinct, combined with two well-trained soldiers, would increase her survival odds.

Yang Qinglan ignored him and said to Zheng Qing, "Thanks, but we prefer freedom."

"No worries," Zheng Qing smiled, "The top brass specifically ordered that there be no coercion to prevent creating enemies if any of you turn out to be very powerful."

She took a sip of water and continued, "The forum will open the registration channel soon. I will give you an invitation code. You can authenticate your identity directly by entering it, gaining certain privileges."

Speaking of the forum, "What's with that background music?" Li Changzhou couldn't help but ask.

Zheng Qing's expression froze, a bit awkward, evidently also startled by the site.

She didn't say much about it, nor was there much she could say or do about it.

"Moving on to the second matter," she changed the subject, "I'd like to buy your weapons, any weapons, as long as they can enter the Value Game."

The three of them had already discussed this matter.

"Sniper rifles, crossbows," Li Changzhou produced a sniper rifle and a crossbow.

The crossbow was in Li Qianxia's backpack, but because of their "Twins" instinct, the siblings shared the contents.

This might be the embodiment of Li Qianxia's mischievous thought, 'What's my brother's is mine, and what's mine is still mine.'

Zheng Qing eyed the sniper rifle on the table enviously.

Though the Special Warfare Bureau had many weapons, the number of stragglers far exceeded the available arms, so there weren't enough to go around.

Her previous dagger, which she had obtained on her own, was lost in the desert.

For now, as the stragglers weren't that strong, a special forces warrior with a sniper rifle, along with two comrades, wouldn't be invincible, but they'd be top-notch.

Were it not for Li Changzhou owning an AK and lacking sniper skills, and the two beautiful girls who couldn't use it, they wouldn't be selling this gun.

And if sold, it would be to Zheng Qing, not to any potential enemies.

"How much?" Zheng Qing braced herself as if ready to lose an arm.

"What do you think is appropriate?" Li Changzhou looked into her eyes.

Zheng Qing fell silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I don't have much money. Being a soldier, I don't earn much."

Li Changzhou laughed, "You name a price."

"A sniper rifle for 20 Game Coins, 50,000 Daxia Currency; a crossbow for 10 Game Coins, 20,000 Daxia Currency."

"That's too little!" Li Qianxia exclaimed subconsciously.

Zheng Qing's face turned red.

On the forums, the minimum price for a gun was 50 Game Coins or five hundred thousand Daxia Currency, and some tycoons bid into the millions.

In the early stages of the game, weapons were entirely a seller's market.

"Hasn't the country given you any funds?" Yang Qinglan asked, his voice calm and pleasing, evoking the coziness of reading by lamplight.

"The money from the nation belongs to the nation. The Special Warfare Bureau has a regulation that any weapons obtained by the strugglers themselves belong to them. The nation can buy them back at a high price or exchange them for other resources," she explained.

Having explained, Zheng Qing looked at the pensive Li Changzhou.

"I know this price is very low, but I really don't have money. I can go into debt."

"You don't need to go into debt." Li Changzhou stared at her, "I can sell them to you at this price."

"Really?!" Zheng Qing leaned forward.

"Plus a few messages that don't violate any regulations."

Zheng Qing pulled back and fell silent, and the Qing Lan Bookstore quieted down.

Li Changzhou's right hand was tapping the rim of a water glass, shaking the ice cubes, which clattered crisply against the glass.

Yang Qinglan glanced over here once.

Li Changzhou put down the glass.

Yang Qinglan looked away.

Li Qianxia pursed her lips and snickered.

"Revealing information... is a violation of the regulations," Zheng Qing said uncomfortably.

"Don't worry," Li Changzhou assured her, "The information you provide, we will not resell. You know, we know, and no third party will get this information from us."

Zheng Qing frowned, thinking deeply.

"Officer Zheng," Yang Qinglan spoke softly, "you are serving the nation in the most dangerous Special Warfare Bureau, needing to protect yourself and the nation's weapons. We are not bad people, and we're not doing anything to betray our country. We're only seeking information to protect ourselves."

Zheng Qing sighed deeply and said, "Okay."

She indeed needed to protect herself.

"I'll only talk about one."

"Please go ahead."

Zheng Qing glanced at the door of the store and lowered her voice:

"This is something I overheard unexpectedly. In the Value Game, apart from those of us with Black Cards, there's also a group of players with White Cards. The game refers to them as 'Doomsday.'

Li Qianxia and Yang Qinglan looked at Zheng Qing.

"Doomsday?" Li Changzhou repeated the word.

"Yes," Zheng Qing nodded. "According to one such Doomsday who... turned himself in, their mission is to eliminate the existing species. After success, the world will reward them."

"What kind of reward?" Li Qianxia asked without thinking.

"Status, creators of the new world, governors, rulers."

...The concept was so vast that the three of them didn't quite grasp the reality.

Were they not just discussing a deal of half a million? Why did it suddenly escalate to ruling the world?

"The world is on their side," Li Changzhou tapped his fingers on the table.

The doctor was right; he was indeed normal. The abnormal ones were Li Qianxia and Yang Qinglan.

"So, are we Black Card players doomed to lose?" Li Qianxia questioned in disbelief.

"No," Yang Qinglan showed little emotion, "since the world gave us a chance and didn't directly wipe us out, it either can't do it, or it's adhering to its own rules—survival of the fittest."

"Exactly!" Zheng Qing nodded in agreement. "According to that White Card player who turned himself in, the world doesn't force them to complete any missions. They can even help the strugglers, help ordinary humans."

"But by not helping, they can gain dominion over the new world?" Li Changzhou confirmed.

Zheng Qing hesitated for a moment and finally nodded.

"Then definitely a lot of White Card players would oppose the whole world!" Li Qianxia asserted.

"Qian Xia, now it's us who are opposing the world," Yang Qinglan corrected her statement.

"It always feels like the world just wants to create chaos. The Value Game, Black Cards, White Cards, they're all just tools," Li Changzhou said with a casual smile.

Li Qianxia rolled her eyes at him and said exasperatedly, "Brother, you can still joke at a time like this!"

"If crying were useful, I would cry," Li Changzhou said nonchalantly.

Ignoring his sister, he said to Zheng Qing, "Officer Zheng, this information is very useful. The deal is done."

"Thank you," Zheng Qing said gratefully.

She couldn't wait to get her hands on the sniper rifle; halfway through she remembered and began the transfer.

30 Game Coins, 70,000 Daxia Currency, the Daxia Currency in cash.

The Game Coins were divided by three, each person got 10, and the money, 23.3 thousand each, with an extra hundred to decide later what to buy, like stinky tofu, spiky potatoes, watermelon.

"So much money! Ah—, I'm going to sleep on it tonight!" Li Qianxia hugged the bundles of cash, still unshared. "Bro, quick, take a photo!"

Li Changzhou took out his phone, saying, "Take one of me later, too!"

Zheng Qing, having stored away the sniper rifle and crossbow, curiously observed the siblings, "Are you two really that short on money?"

"My freshman year in college, I heard someone mention the flute for the first time. I thought they were talking about a bamboo flute, didn't even know it was a Western instrument. What do you think, are we short on money?" Li Changzhou said while taking the photo.

"You have many ways of expressing that you are poor," Yang Qinglan commented as if he admired it.

"You could be eloquent about it too," Li Changzhou wanted her to notice the subtlety in his phrase, but he also didn't care much, now that he not only was penniless but also lacked power.

"Alright, take one of me!" Li Changzhou handed the phone to his sister.

"No! I want to hug it a little longer!" Li Qianxia refused to let go.