The fellow Dragon Group combat team members were stunned, exchanging glances filled with suspicion.

Equally stunned was Blue Scorpion, whose eyes showed a hint of surprise, then smiled and said, "It's better to accept graciously. Thanks for Consultant Shen's arrangements."

Shen Qiang smiled and then said to everyone, "Let's all get in the car first. We'll do the introductions once we reach the restaurant."

Having said that, a car came over, and everyone got in.

The group headed straight for Datong River.

On the way, the combat team members in the car communicated telepathically.

"What's this Shen Qiang about? Throwing us a Hongmen Banquet as soon as we arrive?"

"He's definitely planning to deal with us. We teamed up with Wenren Meiqiao back then, and he knows it. Who knows how much he resents us."

"He wouldn't dare! If he sets us up, I'll flatten him."

The Dragon Group combat team members were filled with doubt.

But when they arrived at Datong River Restaurant, they were stunned again.

Because when they got there, all the members of the Dragon Group's Provincial City branch, except those on duty, were present. Not only that, contrary to expectation, the awkward scene of the Dragon Group and Heshenghe being at odds did not occur.

On the contrary, the Provincial City branch members were very familiar with Shen Qiang.

There wasn't much small talk either.

They were relaxed, laughing and chatting.

Moreover, the head of the Provincial City branch warmly introduced everyone to each other, spreading a congenial atmosphere.

When the gourmet cuisine of Datong River was served, the combat team members' eyes lit up.

After all, they're usually busy with missions and don't earn much, so compressed biscuits, instant noodles, and nutrient solutions make up their regular diet.

In such circumstances, the food praised by top gourmets was a feast for them.

And paired with good wine.

Soon after, the atmosphere became lively.

After all, it was a lunch banquet.

Most people still had work in the afternoon.

So, they didn't drink too much alcohol.

After warmly hosting the Dragon Group combat team and the Provincial City branch members, Shen Qiang went to the Heshenghe Building, since Bianyi was not around, Shen Qiang had to make some necessary decisions.

After Shen Qiang left,

Blue Scorpion and the other team members went to the Dragon Group branch to complete some paperwork, then headed to the suburban base.

In a room with poorly functioning heating,

Blue Scorpion stood by the window, frowning.

Meanwhile, Dragon Group combat team members, getting settled and familiarizing themselves with their environment, laughed and chatted about Shen Qiang.

"I really didn't expect it. Turns out, this Shen Qiang isn't a jerk. I thought he was going to use a Hongmen Banquet to make a statement. Haha, damn, turns out I was overthinking. Not only was the food and drink great, but Shen Qiang himself had no airs whatsoever."

"Yeah, really surprising. I thought we'd face a lot of challenges here. But I didn't expect that Shen Qiang is quite particular. As the boss of Heshenghe and a Dragon Group consultant, he showed no airs with Dragon Group members and Datong River staff alike, very approachable."

"As expected of the King of Demons, did you notice? Shen Qiang truly has the demeanor of a real powerhouse, unlike those half-baked wannabes who, once they think they have some skill, look down on everyone and flaunt themselves everywhere."

"Yep, surprising, but gotta admit, Shen Qiang is indeed a good guy. So, let's skip the Immortal Realm Forum's unfounded gossip by those who've never met him. What do they know?"

"Exactly, given Shen Qiang's current status and strength, ignoring us would be perfectly normal. We'd have no right to complain. Yet, not only did he personally pick us up at the airport, he threw us a welcome feast and brought in the Dragon Group members, which few true friends would do."

Snap!

Standing by the window, Blue Scorpion crushed a piece off the window frame.

This made the Dragon Group members in the room look at him in surprise.

His face was a bit dark as he took a deep breath and casually said, "Did one meal and some drinks from Shen Qiang win you over?"

The members froze, exchanging puzzled glances, seemingly not understanding what was up with Blue Scorpion.

One person said, "Captain, it's not about the meal; it's Shen Qiang's attitude. He was very considerate, polite, and flawless; no intimidation, no tricks, no provocation, just kind smiles."

"Yeah, setting aside his position as a Dragon Group consultant, he's a powerful figure who doesn't even give face to the Kunlun Sword Sect leader. For him to treat us like this is already very..."

Blue Scorpion coldly raised an eyebrow: "He's a thoroughly depraved villain. Don't be easily swayed by his sugar-coated bullets."

The team members were stunned, exchanging looks, and then fell silent.

The strange atmosphere made Blue Scorpion feel increasingly uneasy.

But then he took a deep breath, smiled, and said, "Sorry, I lost my composure. No need to fix the window, I'll talk to the Provincial City branch folks about the heating; it's freezing here."

With that, Blue Scorpion turned and left.

It wasn't until his footsteps completely disappeared that the members exchanged looks.

A combat team member, surprised, remarked, "Why do I feel like our captain is acting a bit strange?"

At 3:40 PM,

Blue Scorpion returned with a sullen look.

He didn't fix the window, nor did he make up his bed. The waiting members, expecting news, looked at him with concern.

"Captain, what did the Provincial City branch say? This place is too cold, and it's inconvenient for transportation. I checked earlier, even the nearest store is about a kilometer away. Just buying a drink is a hassle..."

"Shut up." Blue Scorpion said sharply, "Dragon Group combat team members can maintain strong combat power under any harsh condition. It's not like we haven't lived in the wild before. It's already pretty good."

At these words,

The members suddenly felt disappointed and plopped onto the unmade beds.

"Ha, I knew it. If the branch wanted to arrange better accommodations, we wouldn't be here."

Hearing this, Blue Scorpion hesitated but remained silent.

Another combat team member raised an eyebrow and said, "Stop complaining, there's probably no other way. Otherwise, the Captain wouldn't have told us to maintain our combat readiness. Let's just make do."

Blue Scorpion sternly said, "Complain about what? Previously, Qian Shanxue, Ali, Xun Xiang, all stayed here. If the girls can live here, why can't you?"

Hearing this, the members fell silent.

One person muttered, "Heh, Qian Shanxue is the Ice Queen; the colder it is, the stronger her combat power. In this room, it's like a dream to get a good night's sleep."

Blue Scorpion coldly said, "Can you shut up? I spoke to the Provincial City branch. Right now, this is the only base in the Provincial City. If you don't want to stay here, we can rent a place. But the soonest will be tomorrow, so we must stay here tonight."

"It's not that I don't want to let everyone stay in a warm house or take hot showers. But we're out of options right now."

Listening to this, the members were resigned.

Just then, Blue Scorpion's phone rang, and seeing it was Shen Qiang calling.

Blue Scorpion's eyes instantly lit up, thinking to himself, "So, you're finally planning to stir things up and mess with us? Bring it on, Shen Qiang, you'd better be tough this time!"

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