196: Blackmail

“Don't look, we're almost there.”

Chen Zhiyuan glanced at Li Ziyu and then looked away:

“Coming to the Wilderness Area alone is quite risky. You guys shouldn't learn from this kind of risky behavior.”

...

Ding! Dear passengers, we have arrived at the Yuanshui Wilderness Area. Please collect your luggage and exit the train in an orderly fashion.

As the arrival announcement sounded, fully armed, powerful martial artists began to emerge from the train.

Li Ziyu also followed the flow of people out of the station.

What met his eyes was a forest of steel.

However, most of the buildings had an ancient appearance and were not very tall, looking very sturdy.

It was dusk, the setting sun was like blood, and the sky was filled with streaks of light.

From a distance, it looked as if the Yuanshui Base City had been plated with a layer of golden armor.

“It truly lives up to its reputation as the sixth-ranked base city; it's much more prosperous than Daxing Base City.

However, it still can't compare to inland cities, and it's also much more dangerous here.”

Li Ziyu looked down at his feet, where clearly visible, cleaned bloodstains remained.

Moreover, the surrounding buildings also showed signs of being repaired and repainted.

“It seems this place was attacked by fierce beasts not long ago.”

Li Ziyu surveyed his surroundings.

However, the people around him seemed accustomed to it, indicating they were all martial artists who frequently ventured into the Wilderness Area.

“Zhou Yong and I agreed to meet at the Martial Artist's Home Bar. It's not far from here, so I'll just walk.”

Most of the businesses in Yuanshui Base City were built around martial artists, and various bars were particularly thriving.

Some martial artists, after returning from the Wilderness Area, enjoyed going to bars for a few drinks, and sometimes they would even exchange information about the Wilderness Area there.

And the Martial Artist's Home Bar was owned by Zhou Yong himself.

Li Ziyu opened the 3D map on his storage bracelet, found the direction of the Martial Artist's Bar, and started walking.

However, after just two steps, a voice came from behind him.

“Little brother, is this your first time in Yuanshui Base City? Are you preparing to train in the Yuanshui Wilderness Area?”

Li Ziyu turned to look.

The speaker was a thin middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache, and his squinting, triangular eyes revealed cunning.

“Heh heh, looking at your attire, you must be preparing to train in the Wilderness Area. I have a map here that details the distribution of fierce beasts in the Wilderness Area.”

“For just one million great xia currency, it can guarantee your safety and peace of mind in the Wilderness Area.”

Zhao Chunming chuckled, pulling out a map from his embrace and handing it to Li Ziyu.

“No, thank you.”

Li Ziyu casually glanced at it and waved his hand in refusal.

The map looked shoddily made at a glance, with only a few areas roughly divided.

Putting aside the accuracy of this map, such a map could be obtained for free at any shop selling fierce beast materials in the base city.

Their accuracy was much higher, and they were free.

The other party clearly saw that he was young and assumed it was his first time in the Wilderness Area, intending to extort him.

“Buy one, it's only a million great xia currency, not expensive. If you don't have this map, you won't even know how you died when you enter the Wilderness Area.”

Seeing his trick exposed, a flash of anger crossed Zhao Chunming's eyes as he forcibly shoved the map into Li Ziyu's hand:

“Heh heh, since you've seen the contents of my map, the transaction is complete. One million great xia currency, no rounding down.”

With that, Zhao Chunming spread his hands, adopting a stance that implied Li Ziyu couldn't leave without paying.

“Scram!”

Seeing Zhao Chunming's arrogant and shameless demeanor, and then looking at the two burly martial artists approaching from behind Zhao Chunming, Li Ziyu didn't bother to waste time with him and coldly spat out a single word.

“Scram? You little brat, are you looking for death?! Do you know who you're talking to?!”

Zhao Chunming was stunned for a moment. Seeing Li Ziyu's arrogance, he instantly flew into a rage, his face darkening.

The two burly men behind him also rubbed their fists, glaring menacingly at Li Ziyu.

“That Zhao Chunming is extorting again. Another new martial artist in Yuanshui Base City is about to pay tuition fees.”

“Damn it, I was also extorted by Zhao Chunming back then. I really want to beat him up.”

“Tsk, don't just say you, who here hasn't been extorted by him? But he's the Black Tiger Battle Group's brother-in-law. In Yuanshui Base City, the Black Tiger Battle Group is everything. Who dares to provoke them?”

Passing martial artists were also attracted by the commotion around Li Ziyu, and they all looked at Li Ziyu with pity.

The whispers reached Zhao Chunming's ears, and instead of feeling ashamed, a hint of disdain flashed across his face.

Yuanshui Base City was under the jurisdiction of the Black Tiger Battle Group, and the Black Tiger Battle Group's commander was his brother-in-law, Zhao Chunming.

Relying on his brother-in-law's connections to extort newcomers to the Wilderness Area, he had made a fortune in the past two years.

He called it the first lesson in society for newcomers.

Anyway, with the Black Tiger Battle Group backing him up, he wasn't afraid of anyone coming to cause him trouble.

“Noisy.”

Li Ziyu frowned and decided not to waste any more words. He simply raised his hand, preparing to swat away the annoying fly in front of him.

However, just then, a soft voice from a distance called out:

“Don't bully our classmate!”

Jiang Yuwei quickly walked over, stood shoulder to shoulder with Li Ziyu, and accused Zhao Chunming:

“You can get a free map of the Wilderness Area in the base city. Selling it to this handsome guy for a million is too wicked.”

Jiang Yuwei turned to Li Ziyu, took out a map from her embrace that was clearly more exquisite than the one in Zhao Chunming's hand, and handed it to Li Ziyu:

“Handsome guy, don't be deceived by him. This is the map of the Wilderness Area, here.”

“Where did you come from, little girl, daring to meddle in my business? Don't you know who I am?!”

Seeing someone dare to ruin his good deed, Zhao Chunming's face instantly turned cold, his gaze sinister:

“I'll make sure you know that this is the Yuanshui Wilderness Area. It's perfectly normal for a few martial artists to die here.”

“Daring to oppose me, Zhao Chunming, I think you two are tired of living.”

“My martial artist friend, we are students from Saint Armor Martial Arts University here for practical training. The students in the school are ignorant, here is one million great xia currency, I will buy your map, and I hope you will not hold it against my students.”

At this moment, Chen Zhiyuan saw the commotion and walked over, taking out one million great xia currency from his storage bracelet and handing it to Zhao Chunming.

If it were within the sphere of influence of Saint Armor Martial Arts University, he naturally wouldn't be afraid of a Zhao Chunming.

But this was Yuanshui Base City, and he was also with his students.

The Wilderness Area was a lawless zone, and if the other party caused trouble for him and his students in the Wilderness Area, it would be dangerous.

“Mentor, he…”

“Silence!”

Jiang Yuwei was about to speak, but she was glared back into silence by Chen Zhiyuan's stern gaze.

“Hmph, consider yourself lucky, kid.

I'll let you off this time. Let's go.”

Zhao Chunming glanced at Chen Zhiyuan, recognizing him as a peak sixth-level martial artist with considerable strength.

He snorted, accepted the great xia currency, then turned to Li Ziyu with a couple of threats, and waved his hand, leading his subordinates away.

“Thank you all.”

Li Ziyu withdrew his gaze from Zhao Chunming's back and clasped his fists to Jiang Yuwei and Chen Zhiyuan in thanks.

Although their actions seemed unnecessary to him, it was quite rare for people to step forward in this treacherous society.

“No need to thank me, I… I just couldn't stand it.”

Jiang Yuwei's face flushed slightly.

Chen Zhiyuan, beside her, sighed and returned Li Ziyu's bow, saying:

“My young friend, you must also be a student out for training, right?

That man just now was Zhao Chunming, the Black Tiger Battle Group commander's brother-in-law. He holds grudges and seeks revenge. Since you offended him just now, I estimate he won't let it go.

And the Black Tiger Battle Group is the local strongman entrenched in Yuanshui Base City. Their commander, Crazy Tiger, is even an intermediate Grandmaster, and it is said that the Black Tiger Battle Group also has a military background.”

With such a background, Zhao Chunming acts recklessly and will definitely retaliate against you. I suggest you take a vehicle back to your school directly.”

“Thank you for the reminder.”

Li Ziyu smiled and nodded, then chatted with them for a few more moments before leaving for the Martial Artist's Home Bar.

Chen Zhiyuan watched Li Ziyu's retreating figure and sighed helplessly:

“Alas, today's students still don't know the dangers of society.”

“In this Wilderness Area, if you get killed, there's nowhere to seek justice, yet he still won't leave.”

“Let's go. We'll find a place to rest for the night, and tomorrow we'll head to the outer perimeter of the Wilderness Area.”

...