49: Chapter 49 Black Rock City Lord Lin Xiao! His Arrival at the Meeting Shocks the Entire Scene

Lin Wan stood beside Polaris, her feet on the steel plates of the Black Rock City-State Docking Area.

The surrounding members of The City-State kept a distance of several meters, their gazes curious but not approaching.

The administrator in the gray uniform walked over quickly.

"Ms. Lin Wan? The City Lord is already on his way down."

As soon as the words fell, an industrial elevator at the far end of the Docking Area made a harsh mechanical grinding sound.

The platform descended to the bottom floor, and the railings opened.

A tall young man with particularly broad shoulders strode out.

He was wearing a dark gray military jacket, with the Fire-Rock Totem emblem of the Black Rock City-State embroidered on his left chest.

His hair was shaved very short, and there was a shallow scar on his chin.

His features were sixty to seventy percent similar to Lin Wan's, but his lines were rugged and coarse.

His face was full of vivid joy, his mouth grinning from ear to ear, revealing a row of dazzlingly white teeth.

He walked with the wind, every step making the steel plates of the Docking Area tremble.

Two fully armed personal guards followed behind him, but they couldn't keep up with the City Lord's pace at all.

"Xiao Wan!"

Lin Xiao's voice echoed in the empty Docking Area, three times louder than it had sounded over the radio.

The lord of The City-State saw Lin Wan standing by Polaris, his pace quickened rapidly, and he rushed over at a trot.

"Brother!"

Lin Wan could no longer hold back and ran towards Lin Xiao.

The two met in the middle of the Docking Area.

Lin Xiao picked up his sister and spun her around half a circle.

"Hahaha! You're back! I finally found you!"

He set Lin Wan down, hands gripping her shoulders, looking her up and down several times.

"Have you lost weight? Any injuries? Let me see your hands, any frostbite?"

"Brother, I'm fine, let go of me, many people are watching."

Lin Wan's face turned bright red as she pushed hard against Lin Xiao's arms.

"Let them watch, it's not embarrassing."

Lin Xiao didn't care at all and continued to check her by holding her shoulders.

He noticed that Lin Wan's cheeks were rosy, without any frostbite-induced purple, showing the natural flush of someone with plenty of food, good sleep, and health.

Her fingers were clean and soft, with no signs of chilblains, and traces of grayish-brown nutrient substrate powder remained under her nails—marks that only come from long periods of delicate planting work in a warm environment.

Lin Xiao's eyes widened.

"Your complexion is even better than when you were in The City-State."

"I told you, City Lord Lu Chen treated me very well."

"Fine, fine, your City Lord Lu Chen."

Lin Xiao let go and turned to look at Polaris.

His gaze slowly swept over the body of this Lv.2 Camp-level Mobile City, the manganese steel ram, sloped armor, six-barreled Heavy Machine Gun turret, and Mechanical Arm rails.

The smile faded from his face, and his eyes became as focused as an expert examining a weapon.

"This vehicle is not simple."

Lin Xiao walked half a circle around Polaris.

"Ten centimeters of sloped armor; a standard Lv.2 usually has five centimeters at most."

"This ram on the front, manganese steel? Forged as a single piece?"

He reached out and tapped the surface of the ram twice; the sensation against his knuckles made his eyes narrow slightly.

"No weld seams, cast from a single piece of manganese steel. Even my military factories can't achieve this kind of craftsmanship."

Then the City Lord looked up at the turret on the roof.

"Twin-linked six-barreled rotary barrels? Steam-driven?"

Lin Xiao let out a whistle.

"The kid's got some skills."

As he spoke, the red light on Polaris's communicator lit up.

Lu Chen's voice came through the speaker.

"City Lord Lin Xiao, I am Lu Chen."

"Apologies for not coming out to greet you; there are still some things inside the vehicle that need guarding."

"I hope you understand."

Lin Xiao turned to face the communicator, his tone returning to a warm one.

"I understand, I understand. Your vehicle, your rules."

"But brother, at least come out and let me see what you look like."

"You've raised my sister to be so healthy and well-fed; I have to thank you in person."

The Docking Area went quiet for two seconds.

The hydraulic lock on Polaris's door clicked, and the heavy composite scrap steel door was pushed open from the inside.

Lu Chen walked out.

He was wearing a thin sweater, his figure tall and lean, his face looking almost too young.

But his eyes were completely mismatched with his age—calm and steady, showing the traits of a veteran who had lived on the wasteland for decades.

Lin Xiao looked at the young man walking out of the vehicle, his expression unchanged, but his gaze held a searching intent.

The lord of The City-State strode forward and extended his right hand.

"Lin Xiao. City Lord of Black Rock City-State."

"Thank you for saving my sister."

Lu Chen reached out and shook Lin Xiao's hand.

The latter's palm was large and rough, with a very strong grip.

His own fingers were relatively slender, but his return grip was equally firm.

Their hands stayed locked in the air for two seconds.

"Hahaha!"

Lin Xiao burst into his signature loud laugh again.

"I thought someone who could take out five Snow Shard Gang members and two war vehicles at Pale Shoals would at least be a rugged old veteran."

"I didn't expect a young lad who looks not much older than my sister."

"City Lord Lin Xiao flatters me."

Lu Chen released his hand and took half a step back.

His tone was steady, his attitude polite but distant.

"Saving Lin Wan was just a matter of convenience; the grade a seed vault she carried is useful for my vehicle."

"Killing the Snow Shard Gang members was also a matter of convenience; they were in my way."

"What a 'matter of convenience'."

Lin Xiao patted Lu Chen's shoulder, with enough force to make the latter stumble forward slightly.

"I haven't seen many young people on the wasteland who find killing so 'convenient'."

He turned his head to glance at Lin Wan.

"Xiao Wan, your eye for people is better than I thought."

Lin Wan's face turned red again.

"Brother, don't talk nonsense. What do you mean 'eye for people'?"