With a beauty on each arm, single dog Ye Fan was momentarily taken aback by the unusual attention.

The jealous, unfriendly, resentful, and venomous gazes around him felt like a gentle breeze, leaving him calm and composed.

As the music played and they entered, Mu Haiyang was ahead welcoming guests.

Mu Haiyang hadn't anticipated such a situation; how did this trio end up centered around the seemingly weakest member, Ye Fan?

Still, he went up with a smile.

"Hahaha! Captain Ye, you're looking spirited, seems like you're in a great mood."

"Leader Mu, you're too kind. There is indeed some good news."

"Oh, might you share it with everyone so we can all enjoy it?"

"Revealing a surprise directly would take away the thrill, wouldn't it?" Ye Fan replied playfully.

Mu Haiyang's face held a forced smile as he said, "Well, what a coincidence, I also have some good news, but it's not the time to share yet."

"Then let's see later who has the bigger surprise for whom."

Mu Haiyang glanced at Lawson and Zhao Xiaoman, both aware that words with him wouldn't mesh well, so they stayed silent, letting Ye Fan handle it.

The talk ended unhappily, and Mu Haiyang went to greet others.

The banquet hall was surrounded by a ring of seats, filled with an array of food.

The group sat down on a sofa, slowly savoring the delicacies there.

Ye Fan noticed someone in the distance eyeing him for quite some time.

It was Qu Lin, the person the doorkeeper had announced as being from Quancheng.

Ye Fan was somewhat aware of things concerning Quancheng; that base in Luqi Province holds a status similar to the Liberation Army's in Shenlong River.

Qin Han is an enormous nation with more than ten billion people, making it easy to form survivor bases.

But it still takes a process; bases with a hundred or two hundred thousand people easily form, larger ones are far more difficult.

So Ye Fan was a bit curious about how such massive bases of hundreds of thousands formed.

But now wasn't the time to delve into that issue; when the time came, Ye Fan would naturally discover the truth.

Qu Lin seemed peeved from just now being upstaged, his eyes were a bold provocation, and Ye Fan knew this person would surely act later.

Looking around a bit, there was a bathroom not far from them.

He activated his portable radar, constantly monitoring the surroundings.

"Brother Ye, let's have a drink."

Giant Stone Lawson raised his glass.

Ye Fan clinked glasses with him, Zhao Xiaoman also lifted her glass, and the three downed it in one go.

The time reached eight o'clock.

The banquet hall had a band, with instruments like a piano, a cello, and a violin.

A conductor in black waved a baton, and the opening music began.

Forming a band in these times was truly not easy, it was a testament to how much Mu Haiyang and the others sought enjoyment.

This reminded Ye Fan of the art performing troupe in Dawn City.

Those who had come to assassinate him were now part of Dawn City, especially those unaware of the plot; Ye Fan didn't make it hard for them, and if need be, they could always be summoned to perform.

A classic piece concluded, and the venue erupted into applause.

Mu Haiyang took the stage amidst the applause.

The applause grew more intense.

After a while, he pressed his hands down, and the applause ceased.

"Ladies and gentlemen..."

"I'm very pleased to be holding this banquet today."

"This is the biggest and most attended banquet since the establishment of the Heavy Truck Corps, setting several new records, and as the leader of the Heavy Truck Corps, I'm thrilled to gather with you all in this dark world."

The applause sounded again.

"In my mind,"

"I often recall events from over five months ago."

"That day, many of us lost relatives and friends. Zombies roamed fiercely in a bloody world, I'm sure everyone here survived countless dangers, making everything we have today truly hard-earned..."

Ye Fan agreed with Mu Haiyang's words.

But it matters who's saying it, and Mu Haiyang is just an unqualified leader; the truth from his mouth was undeniably ironic.

And his preceding words clearly had a purpose, paving the way for what followed.

Sure enough, the next moment Mu Haiyang shifted his tone.

"Thus, I must protect this hard-earned happiness and am determined to enhance it, not allowing anyone to destroy it."

"I've prepared for this day for a long time, even specially inviting Mr. Qu Lin from Quancheng to attend; our Heavy Truck Corps is bound to stand in solidarity with Quancheng, contributing to the liberation of Luqi Province, and also to Mr. Meng's Yellow Sea strategy..."

"Yet just at this crucial time, within our Heavy Truck Corps, there are dissenting voices, which undoubtedly is intolerable for everyone."

The atmosphere in the venue quieted down to a pin drop, everyone knew the real drama was about to unfold.

Mu Haiyang's gaze swept across the attendees like a knife.

When it landed on Ye Fan and his group, he paused deliberately, clearly making a statement.

After a thorough scan, Mu Haiyang softened his tone.

"The reason I've gathered everyone here today is to vote on a matter of importance."

"That is, the entire Heavy Truck Corps, all organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce and all Adventurer Squads, must unconditionally integrate into the Corps, accepting its leadership and command."

"I know this matter might be a bit sudden for some people, and I'll give everyone time to consider. In half an hour, everyone must express their stance. I hope to get a result that satisfies me."

"Now, during this half hour, please enjoy the fine food and wine, and revel to your heart's content!"

After speaking, Mu Haiyang stepped down from the stage, and the music started again.

This time, the music had a more lively rhythm; it was a dance tune.

Some people arranged by Mu Haiyang began entering the dance floor to dance, displaying a scene of singing and dancing harmony.

However, some were very uneasy, urgently finding others to discuss and seek a way out.

After Mu Haiyang stepped down from the stage, he and Qu Lin walked towards Ye Fan's table.

Upon reaching the three, the two of them sat down.

Mu Haiyang smiled at Ye Fan and the others, "Shouldn't the three of you give me a satisfactory answer? Lawson, you go first."

Lawson looked directly at Mu Haiyang: "Our squad is the Rock, my name is Giant Stone. You can shatter the Giant Stone, but you cannot make it bow... and remember, when calling my name, make sure to prefix it with 'Giant Stone'."

Mu Haiyang's face turned cold, and he looked at Zhao Xiaoman: "And what about Miss Zhao?"

Zhao Xiaoman ignored Shen Ruihui's watchful gaze and leaned closer to Ye Fan, "Our squad is called Dark Night Rose, blooming in the night. I said I was looking forward to Dawn, so I still feel more comfortable staying with Captain Ye."

Mu Haiyang's face looked even more unpleasant: "Captain Ye, what do you mean?"

Ye Fan looked at Mu Haiyang: "Leader Mu, I'm looking forward to the surprise you have for me."

All three had already expressed their positions, and this negotiation had collapsed.

The last chance for peace had vanished, and what might follow was an armed confrontation.

Mu Haiyang's expression had calmed down, clearly having nothing more to say to Ye Fan and their group.

At this moment, Qu Lin suddenly spoke up.

"Leader Mu, how about I give the surprise instead?"

"Alright, then I'll leave it to you, Mr. Qu Lin."

Qu Lin gave a cold smile to the others: "Ladies and gentlemen, in a moment, I'll present you with a wonderful performance."

Having said that, the two of them got up and left.

Lawson and Zhao Xiaoman both leaned back on the sofa, their tense bodies relaxing.

After all, they were facing the leader of a major base; even if they had made up their minds to go against him, it was inevitable to feel tense.

They also stopped thinking about garnering support from other captains; it seemed that hope was slim now.

In the blink of an eye, twenty-five minutes of the half-hour had passed.

At this time, Qu Lin took to the stage.

"Next, I will present everyone with a spectacular show, giving you a glimpse of the mighty military strength of Quancheng!"

The venue became silent, and the dancers left the floor.

Qu Lin clapped his hands, and the banquet hall doors opened.

Much like a military parade, troops from Quancheng entered the scene!

Leading the way was a group of soldiers in full dress.

Their steps were in unison, their steel guns gleamed in their hands, and they were of similar height.

The ones in front held rifles, totaling two hundred people.

Those behind carried light machine guns, also numbering two hundred.

At the very front, someone held a flag, and the sound of their boots hitting the ground was exceptionally loud.

The troop marched around the dance floor, and it indeed looked impressive.

But everyone understood what it meant; they were using the performance as an opportunity to bring in the army, ready to launch an attack at any moment.

The troops circled the floor, stopping on either side of the room, looking menacing.

Mu Haiyang, holding a wine glass, returned to the stage.

This time, the wine glass was quite large; he raised it and gestured to those around him before speaking again.

"I have just asked for many people's attitudes, and most of them have made wise choices."

"But it's very unfortunate that a few people have chosen irrational actions, and I am very regretful about that."

"So, my apologies....."

Mu Haiyang drained his glass in one go, seemingly about to smash it in the next moment.

Smashing the glass signified launching an attack.

Ye Fan's group's seating area had somehow become a bit empty; no one else was around them, clearly indicating they were the target for the attack.

Lawson and Zhao Xiaoman were also ready to move at any moment, with their people outside prepared for backup.

Others were retreating, fearing they might be caught in the imminent outbreak of war.

The atmosphere on site was tense to the extreme.....

At this moment, Ye Fan suddenly stood up.

"Leader Mu, you've shown me a surprise, but you haven't seen the surprise I have for you yet."

Mu Haiyang paused his glass-smashing action, smiling sinisterly: "Captain Ye still has something to say? Isn't it a bit late?"

"It's not about speaking, but about putting on a performance for everyone."

Ye Fan stood up and slowly walked to the bathroom door.

He undid the cloak on his body and shook it twice in front of him.

"I don't know if anyone has ever heard of a magic trick called the Big Change, today, in this rare joyful occasion, I'll perform it for everyone, considering it a gift for Leader Mu!"

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