Chapter 149 – The Art of Persuasion

Chapter 149 – The Art of Persuasion

“Lord, these are the leaders of this settlement. The elderly man in the middle is Wei Yun. He makes most of the decisions here, while other matters are decided through group discussions,” Dong Yunqing whispered.

Cheng Yang glanced at Wei Yun, who appeared to be around fifty years old. It was rare to see someone of that age holding such authority in a settlement.

Wei Yun was frowning, and the others looked equally grave.

“Ahem…” Cheng Yang cleared his throat, immediately drawing their attention.

Wei Yun looked up, his brow furrowed. Although he was generally amiable, he didn’t appreciate interruptions during important discussions.

“Who are you? Can’t you see we’re in the middle of something?” A middle-aged man in his forties spoke sternly.

Cheng Yang smiled, not putting on any airs. “Who I am isn’t important. What matters is that my arrival today brings you hope for survival.”

“You?” The middle-aged man scoffed, clearly unimpressed. “In this damned apocalypse, who dares claim they can bring hope? Are you another religious fanatic? If so, you’d better leave now, or you’ll regret it.”

Cheng Yang wasn’t in a hurry to prove himself. He wanted to gauge whether these people were worth recruiting. “Whether I can bring hope isn’t for you or me to decide. But I believe you recognize the man beside me. You might not know his name, but you’ve seen him around, haven’t you?”

Wei Yun and the others turned their attention to Dong Yunqing. Half of them looked surprised, confirming Cheng Yang’s words.

“Which group are you from?” the middle-aged man asked Dong Yunqing.

“I was in Group Three, along with my parents,” Dong Yunqing replied politely. “I’ve come with the Lord to persuade you to join him. It’s our only hope.”

The middle-aged man was furious. “You ungrateful wretch! Have you been blinded by their lies? Have we ever mistreated you?”

Dong Yunqing remained calm, knowing he was acting in the settlement’s best interest.

Cheng Yang interjected, “Don’t be hasty. I understand your anger, but it’s irrelevant. If I can prove I have the power to save this settlement, would you be willing to join me?”

“Impossible!” the middle-aged man retorted.

Wei Yun, however, narrowed his eyes. “Young man, if you can truly save this settlement, I wouldn’t mind following you. But if you can’t prove it, what then? You’ve been spreading false hope among our people. If we let you leave unscathed, how can I continue to lead?”

Cheng Yang was impressed by Wei Yun’s shrewdness. The old man’s words were laced with hidden threats.

As they spoke, a crowd began to gather. Even in the apocalypse, people couldn’t resist a good show.

Cheng Yang smiled, satisfied with Wei Yun’s response. The old man hadn’t immediately resorted to violence or blindly believed his claims. He was cautious and decisive.

“Very well, I hope you keep your word,” Cheng Yang said, nodding to Niu Bing. “Old Niu, show them what you’ve got.”

Niu Bing understood and raised his staff. The crowd watched skeptically, expecting some kind of trick.

Only Wei Yun remained serious. He knew better than to underestimate these two strangers.

Before anyone could react, a flash of white light appeared, and a massive, ferocious black wolf materialized before them.

The five leaders instantly drew their guns, aiming at the wolf. The crowd scrambled back in panic.

“I wouldn’t shoot if I were you,” Cheng Yang’s voice came from behind them. No one had seen him move.

Despair filled Wei Yun’s heart. He was convinced these two were dangerous.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Wei Yun demanded, his face pale.

Cheng Yang remained calm. “Leader Wei, there’s no need to panic. I told you, I’m here to bring hope. If everyone here could gain abilities like my companion’s, wouldn’t that be a reason to hope? Don’t worry, the wolf is his summoned beast, not a demonized creature.”

Wei Yun was stunned. He couldn’t refute Cheng Yang’s words. The thought of everyone gaining such abilities filled him with hope.

Cheng Yang continued, “I’ve proven my abilities. If you keep your word, we can proceed. If not, I won’t force you.”

Wei Yun glanced at the other leaders. Some were eager, while others hesitated. He sighed inwardly. “I’ll keep my word. But I have one request.”

“Go ahead,” Cheng Yang said.

Wei Yun looked up at the sky. “We’re all struggling to survive in this apocalypse. I hope you’ll treat them well. If we keep fighting among ourselves, humanity will truly perish.”

Cheng Yang met Wei Yun’s gaze. “Don’t worry. Humanity won’t perish.”

His words were firm, though he himself wasn’t entirely sure of humanity’s fate. The so-called evolution promised by the gods—would it truly come to pass? And if humanity failed to meet the gods’ standards, what then?

Wei Yun chose to believe Cheng Yang. What other choice did he have?

Dong Yunqing breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried the negotiation would turn violent. While he wasn’t concerned for Cheng Yang and Niu Bing’s safety, he feared the settlement would suffer greatly.

Noticing Wei Yun’s despondency, Dong Yunqing said, “Leader Wei, don’t worry. The Lord is a kind man. I’ve already gained special abilities. Though I’m not as strong as the village chief, I can handle weaker demonized creatures on my own. And my strength will continue to grow.”

Wei Yun felt somewhat reassured. Deep down, he knew he lacked the confidence to lead the settlement through the apocalypse.

…

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