59: Chapter 59 Five Major Benefits Slammed In! Lu Chen's Response

The wind on the city walls blew fiercely, its howling filling every gap in the battlements.

Lu Chen stood where he was, waiting for Lin Xiao to finish speaking.

"Have you considered joining Black Rock City-State?"

Every word of that sentence was distinct amidst the sound of the wind.

He did not answer immediately.

Lin Wan stood two paces behind him; hearing this, her fingers unconsciously tightened around the hem of her clothes.

Zhou Yuan and Horton stood to the side, each with different expressions, but neither made a sound.

"Join." Lu Chen repeated those two words, his expression as calm as usual.

"I don't intend to have you hand over the Polaris," Lin Xiao added quickly.

"Your vehicle is still your vehicle, your people are still your people, and your seed vault and those black technologies I don't understand—I won't touch a single one of them."

"What I mean is, joining Black Rock City-State as an independent unit."

"As the City Lord of the Polaris, you would retain complete autonomy."

"But in times of war, you and Black Rock City-State would fight together, share intelligence, and share supply lines."

"To put it plainly, it's an alliance, but nominally belonging to The City-State."

Lin Xiao extended a hand, spreading out five fingers.

"There are five benefits."

"First, the Polaris won't have to fight alone anymore; you'll have a city-state of thirty thousand people backing you up."

"Second, you can have as many pre-civilization blueprints as you want; the warehouse will be open to you."

"Third, once your supply lines for ammunition, fuel, and food are connected to The City-State's logistics system, you'll never have to worry about consumables again."

"Fourth, Black Rock City-State has an established intelligence network in the Rustwind Wasteland; every move of the Snow Shard Gang is within our monitoring range."

"Fifth."

The City Lord paused, his gaze sweeping toward Lin Wan standing behind Lu Chen.

"My sister is on your vehicle. If you're tied to The City-State, I, as her brother, can feel a bit more at ease."

After stating these five points, he put his hands behind his back and grinned, waiting for Lu Chen's answer.

Horton nodded from the side, quite in agreement with this proposal.

Zhou Yuan's face remained expressionless, his gaze fixed on Lu Chen's face, observing the other's reaction.

Lu Chen fell silent.

He wasn't hesitating; he was truly contemplating the question in his mind.

Joining Black Rock City-State.

The benefits were tangible; every one of the five points Lin Xiao listed hit his current pain points.

A lone Lv.2 camp-grade Mobile City was ultimately like an ant against an elephant when facing the main force of the Snow Shard Gang.

With the backing of a Lv.4 city-state, his risk-resistance capabilities would undergo a qualitative change.

But the downsides were also apparent.

Nominally belonging to The City-State meant a surrender of autonomy.

Even if Lin Xiao said he would retain complete autonomy, in the face of true conflicts of interest, the title itself would be a constraint.

Furthermore, the existence of the System was his greatest secret.

Joining an organization of tens of thousands of people, being watched and studied by more people, would cause the risk of exposure to increase exponentially.

He needed more time to evaluate the long-term consequences of this decision.

"City Lord Lin Xiao."

Lu Chen spoke.

"I understand your proposal, and the five benefits are indeed attractive."

"But this decision is too big; I need time to think about it."

Lin Xiao's expression remained unchanged.

"Of course, of course."

"Something like this can't be agreed to on a whim. If it were me, I'd also have to think for ten days or half a month first."

He patted Lu Chen on the shoulder.

"Think it over slowly, there's no rush."

"And I have to say this upfront."

Lin Xiao dropped his casual tone.

"Regardless of whether you join or not, the three cooperation terms I promised you will not change."

"The blueprints will be given, the intelligence will be provided, and if you need help, just contact us directly."

"Cooperation is cooperation; I won't turn hostile just because you didn't join the crew."

"That's the rule I, Lin Xiao, live by, no matter where I go."

Lu Chen looked at him.

His gaze lingered for three seconds.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Lin Xiao laughed heartily, returning to his boisterous self.

"Come on, let's head down. The wind is too strong; my loud voice is about to be blown away."

The five of them re-entered the passage inside the city wall and walked toward the elevator.

Horton walked beside Lu Chen, spinning a tin flask in his hand.

"Brother, regardless of what you decide in the end, I, Horton, have one thing to say."

"That vehicle of yours and that skill of yours are real high-quality goods in the wasteland."

"If you ever need fire support when fighting the Snow Shard Gang, just give a shout, and my hundred and twenty cannons can immediately be your backup."

"Thanks, Captain Horton."

"Don't call me Captain Horton, just call me Old Huo."

"Old Huo."

The bearded man grinned, revealing two rows of yellow teeth.

"That's more like it."

Zhou Yuan walked on the other side and chimed in at the right time.

"City Lord Lu Chen, I'll leave you my personal communication frequency."

"If there are any matters that need coordination in the future, you can contact me directly."

"It's faster than contacting the City Lord; after all, the City Lord spends most of his time arguing with the Staff Department."

"Stop badmouthing me behind my back," Lin Xiao turned and glared at Zhou Yuan.

"It's a fact," Zhou Yuan said with an innocent face.

As the elevator descended, Lin Wan finally couldn't help but speak up.

"Brother, when will you arrive at the Rustwind Wasteland?"

"Three days if we're fast, four if we're slow," Lin Xiao calculated.

"This city's movement speed isn't fast; when fully loaded with thirty thousand people, the speed is only twelve kilometers per hour."

"And after arriving at the Rustwind Wasteland?"

"Rest, refit, and prepare for war," Lin Xiao said solemnly.

"Since those lunatics from the Snow Shard Gang have already locked onto the signal, their main force will move sooner or later."

"Whether they're coming for Lu Chen or for me, the final battlefield will be set in the Rustwind Wasteland."

"I have to set up the defensive line at our doorstep again."

The elevator returned to the bottom docking area, and the five of them stepped out.

The Polaris, that angular steel beast, was still parked quietly in its independent berth, the sound of its engine idling echoing low in the empty docking area.

Lin Xiao stopped in front of the Polaris and turned back to look at Lu Chen.

"Brother Lu Chen, this trip counts as getting to know each other."

"No matter how things go in the future, remember one thing."

He pointed to the massive steel city above their heads.

"With thirty thousand people and a hundred and twenty cannons in Black Rock City-State, as long as I, Lin Xiao, am City Lord for a day, we will always be friends of the Polaris."

Lu Chen stood by his vehicle door, looking up at this eight-hundred-meter-long mobile fortress.

From his angle in the docking area, he could only see the crisscrossing steel beams and pipes overhead, and the pale daylight filtering in from the distance.

But he knew that above those steel beams and pipes were the lives of thirty thousand people, the roar of a hundred and twenty cannons, and everything built over five years of being a City Lord.

"I'll remember."

He reached out his hand.

Lin Xiao grasped it.

This was the third time the two had shaken hands.

Each time, the grip was firmer than the last.