"Of course, Leader. I’ll pass on your message," Hua Lingfang said with a smile and a nod, water dripping from his hair.
Seeing this, Ren Yuanyang realized Hua Lingfang hadn’t showered yet. "Elder Hua, you should go take a hot shower," he urged. "We can discuss everything else later."
"Alright," Hua Lingfang replied, and the video call ended.
Lu Jiamei, standing nearby, asked, "Lin Mu and Si Youqin haven’t been causing any trouble, have they?"
"No, they’ve been behaving quite well," Ren Yuanyang said with a smile and a nod.
Lu Jiamei let out a quiet sigh of relief as well. She smiled and said, "Any sane person would know the right choice! If they left Peach Blossom Base and you, Leader, their lives would be nowhere near as comfortable as they are now!"
"That may be true, but I still worry they might get other ideas," Ren Yuanyang replied.
Lu Jiamei nodded slightly. "That’s true. No matter how good they have it here, some people always think the grass is greener on the other side."
Just then, Qin Haonan spoke up. "Leader, a speedboat is approaching. They’ve given the correct signal!"
Ren Yuanyang nodded slightly. "Stay on high alert. I’m going to contact Captain Wang."
"Yes, sir!" Lu Jiamei and Qin Haonan immediately grabbed the rifles at their sides, staring at the speedboat as it slowly approached in the distance.
"Captain Wang, have you arrived?" Ren Yuanyang immediately messaged him.
"We’re here. I was just about to message you!" Wang Jun replied instantly. "We’re pulling alongside now!"
"Alright!" Ren Yuanyang replied, then gestured for Lu Jiamei and Qin Haonan to lower their guns.
After all, they were here to trade. It wasn’t very polite to point guns at them.
Lu Jiamei and Qin Haonan put their rifles away. Their speedboat was covered in plant-based weaponry; they could easily deal with any approaching enemies even without firearms.
Meanwhile, Wang Jun also ordered the guards beside him to put away their weapons.
Although the guards were worried, they had no choice but to obey Captain Wang’s command and lower their weapons.
"Captain, someone’s come out on their deck!" a scout reported in a low voice.
"Then let’s go out as well," Wang Jun said with a nod, getting up and heading outside.
"Captain, isn’t this too dangerous?" a nearby guard asked, still worried.
"Peach Blossom Base won’t make a move on us. They still haven’t gotten what we’re holding," Wang Jun said with a smile. "Besides, I have you all to protect me, don’t I?"
With that, he strode outside, Long Zhan following close behind.
The guards nervously flanked him on either side.
When Wang Jun and his men arrived on deck and saw only three young people on the other boat, they were all taken aback.
Looking at the middle-aged man being flanked by guards, Ren Yuanyang smiled. "Captain Wang, we finally meet."
Hearing him speak, Wang Jun immediately realized the young man in the center must be Taoyuan Yang, the person he’d been communicating with.
"I never imagined Taoyuan Yang would be so young," Wang Jun couldn’t help but remark.
"It sounds like Captain Wang is a little disappointed," Ren Yuanyang said with a laugh.
"Not at all. Just impressed. As the saying goes, heroes often emerge from the young," Wang Jun said, shaking his head. He immediately extended an invitation, "Why don’t you come over to my vessel for a chat, Brother Yang?"
Ren Yuanyang paused for a moment, then smiled. "It seems we had the same idea. I’ve already prepared some food and drinks over here. I was about to invite you over to eat and chat."
Wang Jun was also taken aback. After a moment’s thought, he replied, "Alright. I’m not nearly as well-prepared on my end. I’ll come over to your side, then!"
The moment he finished speaking, a guard at his side rushed forward. "Captain, you mustn’t!"
"It’s fine. I’ll go with your captain," Long Zhan said. "I’ll protect him."
"It’s enough to have Captain Long with me. Our two boats are so close, you’ll be able to get here in time if there’s any trouble," Captain Wang said in a low, firm voice. "Besides, we’re both Evolvers. Even if they make a move, we can hold them off until you get here."
The guard could only frown and nod.
Ren Yuanyang spoke again. "Since Captain Wang is willing to come over, let’s connect the two boats. It’ll make it easier for people to move back and forth, and for us to transport the goods."
"Good idea," Wang Jun agreed.
Qin Haonan immediately used the metal on his boat to form two gangways, bridging the gap between the two vessels.
"Their Gold-Type Evolver must be a recent awakening," Long Zhan observed, seeing at a glance how unrefined Qin Haonan’s control over the metal was.
Wang Jun nodded slightly and called out, "Brother Yang, let’s have our people handle the trade while we talk!"
"No problem!" Ren Yuanyang replied. "Haonan, go handle the trade with them."
"Yes, Leader!" Qin Haonan answered with a nod.
Wang Jun and Long Zhan crossed the gangway connecting the two speedboats over to Ren Yuanyang’s vessel.
Ren Yuanyang saw that Captain Wang had brought someone with him, a man whose presence was no weaker than the captain’s own. "And you are...?" he asked.
"Hahaha, we’ve chatted a few times! Don’t you remember me, Brother Yang?" Long Zhan let out a hearty laugh, countering with a question of his own.
Ren Yuanyang’s realization was immediate. "So you’re Captain Long! I never expected two captains to show up. Aren’t you afraid I’ll decide to keep you both here?"
"Keep us? That sounds great. Here with you, Brother Yang, we wouldn’t have to worry about food or drink, and I wouldn’t have to manage all those little rascals in the fleet. What a joy that would be!" Long Zhan shot back.
Ren Yuanyang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and shook his head. "You wish! This way, please. The cabin’s a bit stuffy; let’s just talk out here on the deck."
Captain Wang and Long Zhan nodded.
On the bow’s deck stood a metal pavilion. Its roof was thatched with broadleaf bamboo and secured with giant knotweed. Although a heavy rain was still falling, not a single drop of water leaked into the structure.

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