After hearing that, Zheng Cong and Chu Baxing looked complicated and sour.
Chu Xiao'ang's hand slowly clenched, and his gaze, icy and sharp, landed on Zhao Longfei's face, "Principal Zhao, you really do like to stick your mouth into anything. Does this sequence brigade have anything to do with your Zhao family?"
The implication was that he was displeased with Zhao Longfei meddling.
Zhao Longfei touched the scar on his scalp, then leisurely took out a cigar, "Commander Chu, why are you looking at me like that? I pushed Little Qin out here to negotiate terms with you, so of course I should help him think things through."
Seeing this, Qin Siyang instantly knew his second uncle Zhao had stepped in to help him again.
He quickly picked up the lighter on the table and lit Zhao Longfei's cigar for him, "Principal Zhao, let me light it for you."
Zhao Longfei glanced at Qin Siyang with disdain, "Weren't you just cursing me earlier?"
"I'm young, ignorant, barely eighteen, still not fully grown. You're the elder here, why argue with a kid like me!"
"You brat, you really are like a mangy stray."
"Heh! Can you tell me more about Huo Sancai's nephew? It's about my sequence brigade commander position after all."
Taking a drag from the cigar Qin Siyang lit, even the air entering Zhao Longfei's lungs seemed to feel more pleasant.
Then he spoke unhurriedly.
"I remember that before the Chu Legion started using the Chu family name, it was called the Glory Corps. It was jointly run by the Chu family and the Huo family. The top leader was Commander Chu across from us, and the second leader was Huo Shuangxiong, who merged his forces with his after the apocalypse."
"But one day, Huo Shuangxiong and his wife were assassinated. His twelve year old son Huo Dangkou was scared into becoming a half-wit. From then on, the Huo family's power was taken over by Huo Sancai."
"Now Huo Sancai has been killed by Commander Chu. The Huo family has collapsed. Huo Sancai's two sons are imprisoned. But because Huo Dangkou is mentally dull and unrelated to Huo Sancai's attempted coup, he's being properly kept in the command headquarters as a sign of Commander Chu's old friendship toward Deputy Commander Huo Shuangxiong."
"Commander Chu, I think it's very suitable for Huo Dangkou to serve as the commander of the 13th Sequence Brigade. First, as a Huo family member, his name carries weight and many will support him. He absolutely qualifies. Second, with the Huo family wiped out and only this slow-minded heir left, you wouldn't have to worry about him posing a threat."
"I think my idea is quite good. What do you think, Commander Chu?"
The anger on Chu Xiao'ang's face grew stronger, "Sometimes I really wonder if Principal Zhao is a rat in my Chu Legion. You seem to know everything."
Zhao Longfei clasped his hands, "Many thanks for Commander Chu's praise. Everyone knows our Zhao family reached this point in the black market by relying on intelligence. These aren't hard things to find out, naturally I know them well."
"If what Principal Zhao just said isn't considered hard to find out, then what counts as hard to find out?"
"If Commander Chu wants to know, that's a separate fee. Let's stick to the matter at hand. My suggestion to let Huo Dangkou serve as little Qin's brigade commander. What do you think?"
Chu Xiao'ang still looked furious.
After a long time, he clenched his teeth and finally spoke, "I'll give you the structure of a sequence regiment, and let Huo Dangkou serve as the regiment commander to help you handle external affairs. Huo Dangkou is already dull-witted, like a puppet. Easy for you to control."
Zhao Sifang immediately became unhappy, "A sequence regiment? Didn't you just tell my Qin brother that it was a sequence brigade?"
Qin Siyang said coldly, "That's because that sequence brigade wasn't real. Commander Chu planned to let Chu Baxing be the brigade commander and then find a chance to take it back. Now, letting Huo Dangkou be the regiment commander means he won't be able to control this unit at will anymore. It might be like throwing a meat bun at a dog, gone for good. So he shrank the terms."
"Commander Chu, you're this old already. In front of all these people, flipping back and forth, don't you feel even a little ashamed?"
Chu Xiao'ang's reasoning might not have been solid, but his fury was, "Just one transaction of medicine, and you expect me to hand over a full sequence regiment. I'm being generous already!"
Qin Siyang was annoyed as well and said bluntly, "Generous? You mean how you wanted to cheat me for free but now you're being forced to keep your promise? What, destroying agreements is just everyday routine for you, Commander Chu?"
Maybe because this went beyond his original plan, having to give up a full sequence regiment structure enraged him. He had been trying hard to restrain himself.
A sequence regiment had a thousand sequence ability users. If the safe zone changed suddenly, a fully manned sequence regiment could easily block two or three exits of a safe zone.
Of course Chu Xiao'ang felt the pain.
Now Qin Siyang was even complaining, making him explode.
Chu Xiao'ang simply tore off all pretense and pointed at Qin Siyang's nose, "Breach of contract? This is the apocalypse! A snot-nosed little brat like you actually wants me to talk to you about benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust?"
"If no one has taught you the rules of the apocalypse, then I'll teach you! In the apocalypse, there is only one rule: the man with the bigger fist sets the rules, the man with the smaller fist follows them!"
"If not for the fact that the last deal took place in the Zhao family's black market, I would have dragged you back to the camp already! And if Zhao Longfei wasn't sitting here today, both you and your goods would be staying right here!"
"With that tiny bit of cleverness of yours, you think you can negotiate terms with me?"
Being scolded so harshly by Chu Xiao'ang, Qin Siyang looked indignant.
But he couldn't help inwardly agreeing.
Since the apocalypse, order had collapsed. It wasn't the virtuous who gained everything.
In the end, it still came down to your own fist.
Thinking that, he felt even more certain that securing military structure was the right choice.
But now that they had argued like this and torn each other's faces, could they still make the deal?
The meeting hall was charged with anger and hostility, but Zhao Longfei leisurely smoked on the side.
When Chu Xiao'ang finished, he casually added, "Little Qin, don't be scared by Commander Chu. Military folks are all hot blooded. Forget arguing with you, fighting at the negotiation table is pretty common."
"Oh, right. For example, last time at that Crimson Crystal negotiation hosted by Old Li and Qian Wenzhao, Professor Hao Liang almost fought Yan Budong."
"So don't take it to heart. Arguing is arguing. Trading is trading. No effect at all."
Qin Siyang glanced at the calm and unhurried Zhao Longfei and felt more confident.
He took a deep breath and steadied himself.
He had to admit, with Zhao Longfei beside him today, every time he started veering off course, Zhao Longfei corrected him at just the right moment.
In this transaction, Zhao Longfei truly went all the way in helping him, sending the Buddha all the way to the west. He clearly gained nothing himself, yet was almost fighting Commander Chu on Qin Siyang's behalf.
Scratching his head, Qin Siyang felt that Zhao Longfei was genuinely looking out for him, treating him like a proper nephew.
[🎉 Shoutout to Kaustup, Gonzalo, Tiago and Roger for joining patreon. Thank you very much.🤗]