He suppressed his anger and said coldly, "Since you are here to stay, you should show the courtesy expected of guests. Harming my guards is quite disrespectful."
At this moment, Xiao She Jing slowly stepped forward, dozens of Long Xu Needles hovering in her hand, lightning flickering and crackling on them.
"I advise you to ask that guard first."
She was referring to the guard who had been sent flying by Zuo Feng, now curled up on the ground in pain, his blood staining the ground red.
When he saw the Long Xu Needles in Xiao She Jing's hand, the middle-aged man's pupils instantly contracted, and cold sweat streamed down his face.
He recognized that the dozens of Long Xu Needles in the woman's hand were all Level 6 weapons!
A Mutant capable of possessing Level 6 weapons was no ordinary person. They knew that their entire Black Lotus Base only had a leader who owned Level 6 weapons.
The middle-aged man took a deep breath, forcing a smile, "Misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding. It's our honor for you to visit our Black Lotus Base."
He immediately turned and yelled at the guard next to him, "Why aren't you disarming the alarm!"
He no longer wanted to wait for reinforcements; in fact, he was afraid if reinforcements did arrive, it would anger the other party and definitely cause trouble for the Base. An unknown strong person with Level 6 weapons was someone even the leader probably wouldn't want to provoke easily.
The guards exchanged glances and quickly disarmed the alarm.
"Sir! Sir! You must do me justice! I was just conducting a routine check, and they attacked me without reason, even crippling one of my hands. Sir, you cannot let them go!"
The guard whose wrist had been crushed by Zuo Feng cried and wailed on his knees, covered in blood.
The middle-aged man frowned, casting a cold glance at the guard, secretly cursing him for being tactless.
A bit of grey poisonous mist quickly drifted from his hand towards the guard, instantly enveloping him. The wailing stopped abruptly, and the guard slumped to the ground, lifeless.
Did he not know the character of these guards? They were all greedy, power-abusing dogs, completely lacking in discernment. Didn't they see that even he didn't dare to act rashly?
The middle-aged man turned, his face wreathed in smiles, "Please make yourselves at home. I will give instructions, and I believe no one will be so foolish as to provoke you again."
Zuo Feng nodded slightly, glancing at the dead guard, and said coldly, "I hope so."
Xiao She Jing put away her Long Xu Needles, hooked her arm through Da Yuanyuan's, gave a disdainful smile, and followed Zuo Feng into the Base.
Inside Black Lotus Base, dilapidated buildings were scattered, and the air was filled with a decaying smell. Compared to the thriving Firefly, this place seemed particularly desolate.
The barren ground didn't even have a single weed, not because they cleaned it so thoroughly, but because the survivors had eaten everything, not even leaving the roots.
The survivors in the Base looked haggard, their eyes hollow, as if they had lost all hope for life.
As Zuo Feng and his group walked by, they attracted countless prying gazes, but no one dared to approach.
"Another group of people who think they're emperors just because they have some strength."
Zuo Feng sneered inwardly. The administrators of Black Lotus Base were nothing but parasites who, relying on a bit of strength, treated survivors like livestock.
He scanned the emaciated survivors, but felt no great pity. In this apocalypse, such scenes were commonplace, and ultimately, could only be attributed to the ugliness of human nature.
"Flirty Feng Ge, where are we going to gather information?" Xiao She Jing looked around, asking in a low voice.
Zuo Feng shook his head and said, "Wait. I think the leader of Black Lotus Base should be here soon." They had caused such a commotion at the entrance, so the news must have already reached the Black Lotus Base leader's ears.
Sure enough, a rush of footsteps came from not far away, and a burly figure appeared in sight.
The figure gradually became clear; the person had a smile on his face, but his eyes held a hint of gloom.
He strode forward, his voice booming, "I am Hei Zhi, the leader of Black Lotus Base. Distinguished guests, I apologize for not welcoming you sooner."
Zuo Feng remained impassive, returning a polite smile, "Pleasure to meet you. I've long heard of Black Lotus Base's reputation. My name is Zuo Feng. I happened to be passing by today and stopped to rest. How could I trouble Leader Hei Zhi to come out personally?"
Zuo Feng naturally wouldn't directly inquire about the Xenomorph. Anyway, Hei Zhi was inviting strong people to encircle and suppress the Xenomorph, so he would definitely reveal it proactively then.
Moreover, if Zuo Feng asked proactively, Hei Zhi might become suspicious.
Hei Zhi's gaze was sharp as he scanned Zuo Feng and his group, secretly pondering their intentions, yet maintaining a warm smile on his face: "Brother Zuo Feng is too kind. In this apocalypse, it is a fortunate thing to meet strong people like yourselves. Tonight, I happen to be hosting a grand banquet to entertain some friends; I wonder if you are free to come to my place?"
Zuo Feng pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "Then I thank Leader Hei Zhi."
A hint of satisfaction flashed in Hei Zhi's eyes, and he led the group deeper into the Base.
Along the way, the dilapidated buildings became more dense, and the smell of decay grew stronger. Survivors lowered their heads and avoided them, not daring to look directly.
Zuo Feng and his group passed through narrow alleys and arrived at a spacious area. Before them stood magnificent, gilded buildings, a stark contrast to the surrounding decay.
It was like a palace situated in a slum, luxury and desolation coexisting, revealing the vast power disparity within Black Lotus Base.
Zuo Feng's expression remained normal as he followed Hei Zhi into a luxurious building. The interior decoration was extremely opulent, with crystal chandeliers sparkling and carved walls exuding an air of nobility.
Hei Zhi personally led the way, passing through a long corridor to a magnificent banquet hall. Inside the banquet hall, young women in revealing clothes were busily arranging the banquet, clearly preparing for the dinner Hei Zhi had mentioned.
Zuo Feng's lips curved slightly upwards, and he sneered inwardly: No wonder he hadn't seen many young women along the way. Most likely, any with even a bit of beauty had been rounded up by Hei Zhi and become his private property.
Hei Zhi led the group to a luxurious private room. The room was tastefully furnished, with soft and comfortable leather sofas and expensive calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls.
Hei Zhi personally poured tea, his face full of smiles: "May I ask where you all have come from? You must have had a tiring journey. This tea is top-grade Maofeng; in this apocalypse, every sip is precious. Please, have a taste."
Zuo Feng secretly sneered. This Hei Zhi was indeed a master of disguise, outwardly enthusiastic but inwardly cunning. The fact that he had waited until now to inquire about his origins showed his deep cunning.
Zuo Feng took the teacup, gently set it down, and did not drink it. Who knew if he had added anything to it? He calmly replied, "Leader Hei is too polite. We are from H City, just moving around, hunting some zombies."
A glint flashed in Hei Zhi's eyes as he nodded and smiled, "H City, ah, that's a big city. I truly yearn for it. With Brother Zuo Feng's strength, you must be quite renowned there."
Hei Zhi's intention this time was to test them. He couldn't just believe whatever Zuo Feng said. He himself had come from H City, and he knew a lot about the situation there, which he could use to judge whether Zuo Feng was telling the truth.
