boyutpedia Page 207
Page 207
Not long after, the man turned his head and his gaze returned to one of wariness, his tone stiff as he said:
"There's nothing here that you're looking for. Leave."
Before they could exchange more than a few words, the negotiations broke down, leaving Nie Qingyun feeling somewhat helpless. He then casually took off the backpack he was carrying on his back.
This box contains some food that I picked up on my way back, most of which are snacks that Cheng Yuqiu usually likes to eat.
The young lady doesn't lack these things, so it wouldn't be a waste if they could come in handy at a time like this.
However, it was this very action that made the man at the window very wary.
Thinking the other party was about to pull out a weapon, a flash of light appeared, and he drew a gleaming, sharp dagger, pointing it forward and whispering:
"do not move!"
After Nie Qingyun stopped moving, he raised his chin forward as a warning:
"Don't make any unnecessary moves. Take your woman and leave here, or don't blame us for being impolite."
Most of the people who have survived the apocalypse are not easily trusting of others, something Nie Qingyun had already learned. He didn't blame these guys who were struggling to make a living.
Such is the way of the world; no one can remain uninvolved.
However, leaving is not an option. Everyone has something they want to protect, so what needs to be taken must be taken.
Seeing that amicable negotiations were not going to solve the problem, Nie Qingyun sighed inwardly, let go of his backpack and threw it on the ground. With a flash of light, he pulled out a weapon from his [data space].
The black blade shimmered with faint, flowing patterns, and just one glance made the man at the window's eyes twitch.
He instantly sheathed his dagger and instead took out a rugged-looking hand crossbow, aiming it at the two people below.
This non-threatening intimidation made Nie Qingyun's lips twitch involuntarily, but one thing was certain: at least this man used his brain when he did things.
Instead of launching an attack directly, they pushed the situation directly into an inevitable conflict.
So, Nie Qingyun slowly put away [King Killer] and summoned a rifle from the [Data Space] again, pointing it at the window.
At this point, the man's expression finally crumbled. He instantly pulled his head back, and after a few seconds, he lowered his voice and said in a deep tone:
What do you want?
Seeing this, Nie Qingyun slightly curled the corners of his mouth.
The negotiations were successful.
The saying "masters stop when they've struck" probably describes this situation perfectly...
This is not cowardice, but rather that everyone has their own way of surviving.
After this little incident, Nie Qingyun successfully obtained what he wanted.
On the way back, he suddenly realized something.
Not everyone can bravely fight monsters in the apocalypse; the reality for most people is to live a life of quiet survival in a remote corner.
But this situation will only push them further and further away from the "pioneers," eventually turning them into an exploited class with no ability to resist.
Such an outcome was almost inevitable in today's world, but the existence of the [Trial] just happens to give these people the only possibility to compete with the strong.
Perhaps this is the meaning of the "Trial".
However, these are only "possibilities". Qin Hehuan once clearly stated that the rules in each [Trial] are random.
In a straightforward, unpretentious duel, or a battle royale without attribute restrictions, these people still have absolutely no chance.
As various thoughts swirled in their minds, Nie Qingyun and Ling Yuan Ai Li unknowingly returned to the bottom of the main building.
They had barely stepped into the makeshift fortifications when they encountered an unexpected figure.
Looking at Qin Hehuan standing alone in the morning breeze, Nie Qingyun resumed his steps.
Only when he got closer did he say in a half-joking tone:
"You didn't just stand here waiting for me, did you?"
Qin Hehuan did not respond, but looked Nie Qingyun up and down, his expression not very pleasant.
She had indeed been waiting there for a while.
Because last night, she didn't feel that longing she had been yearning for until midnight... No, wait!
He deeply resented the abnormality in his body, so he quickly realized that something was wrong.
But by the time she got up and went to the infirmary, Nie Qingyun had already left.
Qin Hehuan never expected that the other party would act so quickly, taking action without even discussing the specific implementation plan.
[Ominous Sign] Unlike ordinary monsters, almost no organization or group can escape unscathed upon first contact with it.
However, Cheng Yuqiu needed someone to supervise her, and the enslaved beasts had very limited range of movement, so she spent almost the entire night in anxiety.
What made her even more uneasy was this anxiety itself.
Just like her gaze now, it's hard to tell whether it's concern or blame.
"Hey you... could you please stop staring at me so aggressively? It's really bothering me if people think I have a crush on you."
Qin Hehuan's eyes flickered slightly as she came to her senses.
She knew that Nie Qingyun was deliberately using such a flippant tone to lighten the atmosphere.
But what he said last night, and his appearance—covered in blood and with his clothes tattered—left her unsure how to react.
In the end, he only managed to speak somewhat awkwardly:
"Regarding the investigation of the [Ominous Sign]... I'll find a way to address it further. You don't need to force yourself like this for my sake."
"So, what's your plan?" Nie Qingyun asked with a light laugh.
The latter paused, clearly indicating that he hadn't decided yet.
Just then, Nie Qingyun stepped onto the stairs, brushed past Qin Hehuan, handed her the controllable capsule he had obtained from the pharmacy, and did not stop walking.
"I've finished my investigation. If you feel guilty, you should think about how to repay me."
Chapter 285: Qin Hehuan's Bathroom
Normally, upon hearing such words, Qin Hehuan would seize the opportunity to immediately extend an olive branch that the other party could not refuse.
What's unsettling is that Nie Qingyun did all this not for the [Primordial Crystal] or anything else.
Conversely, "repayment" cannot be a general equivalent.
So, what exactly should we do?
Judging from the current situation, it seems that apart from being a woman, there's nothing else she can boast about...
and many more!
In this way, wouldn't it become a kind of transaction again?
If it's a transaction, as long as the stakes are right, there's nothing unacceptable about it, right?
Qin Hehuan followed Nie Qingyun with a blank stare, her brows furrowing as various thoughts flashed through her mind.
For some reason, many things that I could say quite frankly now feel difficult just to think about.
It even made her somewhat resistant to discussing the word "transaction" with Nie Qingyun.
Qin Hehuan vaguely sensed that some inexplicable emotions seemed to be hidden in her chest.
She couldn't find the right words to describe her feelings, but one thing was certain: it was all related to the man walking ahead of her.
In a daze, Qin Hehuan became timid.
I subconsciously chose to escape, forcing myself to stop thinking about those pointless things that were of no benefit to my survival.
And I began to constantly remind myself how to make calm and accurate judgments.
When I came to my senses again, there were no more footsteps ahead.
Qin Hehuan was about to look up when her forehead bumped into the back of the figure in front of her.
Already somewhat distracted, she naturally lost her balance.
Fortunately, a hand grabbed her wrist in time.
"Watch where you're going," Nie Qingyun said calmly, then pointed to the heavy office door ahead with his chin and muttered:
"Your office is practically a bank vault. You don't actually have something really important hidden there, do you?"
After regaining her balance, Qin Hehuan immediately noticed her lapse in composure and quickly put on a dignified expression, gently tugging at her wrist.
Nie Qingyun then realized what was happening, let go of his hand, and shrugged.
"I can't just watch you fall, can I?"
Qin Hehuan didn't respond. She walked directly past Nie Qingyun to the metal door, secretly hid the wrist that had just been grabbed into her sleeve, then pressed the sensor with her other hand, and then operated the mechanical structure a few times.
The door then made a sound like an airlock opening, and then slowly opened.
The office had clearly been renovated.
The desk that had been reduced to wood chips was replaced with a new one, the floor was spotless, and even the cushions and backrests on the sofa were all replaced.
Looking at the row of bloody footprints behind him and his tattered clothes, Nie Qingyun suddenly felt like he had nowhere to put his feet.
On the other side, Qin Hehuan didn't seem to care about any of this. She crossed her long legs and leaned back on the table, picked up the teacup, took a sip, and then looked Nie Qingyun up and down before asking in a slightly reproachful tone:
"You are hurt?"
Based on past experience, Nie Qingyun originally thought the other party would directly inquire about the progress of last night's investigation. However, since the other party had asked this, he couldn't lie through his teeth, so he nodded and pretended to be relaxed, saying:
"I got a minor injury..."
He paused here, seemingly pondering how to gloss over the matter of resurrection.
However, Qin Hehuan showed no intention of asking further questions; she simply put down her teacup and straightened up.
"I'll go and call Yu Jue over."
"No!" Nie Qingyun quickly called out to the other party, waving his hand in mid-air in surrender.
"If the young lady sees this, she'll start nagging endlessly. It's better not to worry her."
"So, in your eyes, is she the only one who cares about you?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the two people in the office simultaneously showed surprised expressions.
Qin Hehuan's eyes widened slightly, somewhat incredulous that such an awkward statement had come from her own mouth.
She wasn't sure what her motivation was for saying that; it was as if her brain had shut down, and the words just came out naturally.
This was not in line with her usual style, so she immediately coughed lightly and turned her gaze to the teacup beside her.
"What I mean is, besides Tamamo... Rinne and the others care about you a lot too."
"You can't always make yourself look so disheveled."
This sounded much more reasonable, and Nie Qingyun explained with a nonchalant twitch of his lips:
"Under certain conditions, I possess a certain self-healing ability... In this respect, I am still somewhat restrained."
As he spoke, he turned back and pointed to the brand-new sofa, asking:
"You've cleaned this up so neatly, you won't get angry if I get it dirty, right?"
Qin Hehuan frowned again upon hearing this, not because she disliked Nie Qingyun for being dirty, but mainly because the other party looked rather disheveled with bloodstains all over his body.
She didn't really like facing Nie Qingyun like this.
Such a scene always makes her think that all of this was a price paid for her sake.
She didn't like owing favors to others, especially Nie Qingyun.
"Go take a shower and change your clothes. You have to see Yujue and Rinne later."
Thinking about it, it made sense. When discussing strategies and countermeasures later, everyone would need to be gathered. With that in mind, Nie Qingyun didn't delay and directly placed all the controllable capsules he had obtained from the pharmacy from the [Data Space] onto the coffee table:
"That's all we can collect nearby for now. You can decide who gets to distribute it."
After saying that, he prepared to walk out.
However, Qin Hehuan stopped him directly, crossed her arms, and pointed inside.
"There are restrooms and showers inside."
Nie Qingyun paused, and couldn't help but turn around to look at Qin Hehuan again.