Cooperation?

Early the next morning, Yue Shi was pecked awake by his own raven.

Opening his eyes, he saw Zhong Mo already standing in the living room. The man looked around with a hint of surprise and a look that suggested he was viewing some sort of bizarre spectacle.

His phone showed it was only a little past six. This meant Yue Shi had only gotten about two hours of sleep. He grumbled irritably, "You'd better have a good reason for this."

As he spoke, he finished dressing and told Zhong Mo not to stand on ceremony and to take a seat.

Zhong Mo felt a bit awkward. The room was a mess, covered in the grim traces of a violent struggle. There was hardly a place to step, let alone sit. Was he supposed to sit directly on the floor?

Yue Shi didn't care about his feelings at all, simply asking, "Why didn't you suggest a place to meet? Coming to my home this early—are you afraid of being seen?"

"Yes," Zhong Mo nodded sincerely.

Yue Shi paused, his tone turning dark. "Is my place some kind of den of iniquity? You have to sneak around behind people's backs to come here!"

Zhong Mo explained, "It's not that your place is unfit for the light; it's that I am."

Yue Shi noticed something was off with his expression; he seemed deeply troubled and worried. After a moment of thought, Yue Shi asked directly, "Who was that incredibly aggressive one-eyed man from before?"

Zhong Mo understood that Yue Shi was testing his background. He looked up, meeting Yue Shi’s gaze. Seeming to reach a decision, he said seriously, "It’s complicated and a long story, but I’ll keep it brief."

"For certain reasons, my current situation is quite dire. A few years ago, my companions and I were trapped in a place we couldn't get out of. It's not convenient for me to tell you where that place is, to avoid dragging you into it."

Yue Shi listened in silence. If Zhong Mo and his companions were all transcendents, then this "place they couldn't get out of" was likely something extraordinary.

Zhong Mo continued, "Later, a loophole appeared in that place, and we finally found a chance to regain our freedom. Unfortunately, the loophole wasn't large enough for all of us to escape."

"Time was of the essence, so we decided to let some people run first, and then those who escaped would find a way to rescue the ones left behind. I was one of the first to get out."

Hearing this, Yue Shi suddenly felt that Zhong Mo’s experience was somewhat similar to his own. He asked, "Was that one-eyed man also one of the people who escaped with you?"

"Yes. He's the sentimental type, desperate to rescue everyone. But he lacks brains. He can't come up with a concrete rescue plan, so he just spends all day badgering me to act quickly."

As he spoke, Zhong Mo’s tone suddenly became gloomy. "Not only is that one-eyed man dim-witted, but his mental state is also problematic. We should be keeping a low profile, yet he frequently challenges people for no reason like some kind of battle maniac. I expect he saw how strong you were that day, and so..."

He trailed off, but Yue Shi knew the rest from personal experience.

"I see~" The corners of Yue Shi’s mouth curled upward as his gaze swept over Zhong Mo’s face.

"Actually, after you escaped that predicament, you didn't want to go back to save those trapped companions at all, did you?"

Zhong Mo’s body stiffened for a split second before he replied candidly, "You're right. I truly am unwilling to waste time and energy saving people."

"But these things have always been judged by actions, not intent. Regardless of what I subjectively think, objectively, I really am working hard to save them."

"That one-eyed man does nothing but shout all day about how we must rescue our comrades. At first glance, he seems passionate and heroic, but in reality, he's constantly causing trouble, dragging us down, and interfering with the operation. Yet, everyone thinks he’s a warm-hearted, honest man and tells me not to be too hard on him."

"A bunch of fucking idiots!"

Yue Shi laughed pleasantly. It was rare to see Zhong Mo show a bit of genuine emotion. It was clear his composure had truly cracked, leading him to vent such a long string of complaints unconsciously.

"Doing a good job isn't as good as sounding good. Some people do only half the work but can brag as if they've done ten times as much. You should learn from that."

Zhong Mo suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and simply replied, "Heh."

Yue Shi tucked away his smile and asked abruptly, "What do you want?"

Zhong Mo blinked, and Yue Shi continued, "Or rather, what do you want to get from me?"

"I firmly believe there’s no such thing as a free lunch. The two of us should just be ordinary colleagues, but clearly, you’re occasionally far too enthusiastic. When someone is being unusually helpful, they’re usually up to something. What exactly are you plotting?"

Zhong Mo laughed directly. "Is it possible that I simply want to make another friend? That’s all. After all, more friends mean more paths. Don't be so paranoid."

Yue Shi: "I don't believe in such childish things. The essence of making friends is to gain benefits, whether it's seeking emotional value or material gain."

Zhong Mo kept his smiling face, thinking to himself that this wasn't childish at all; he had manipulated many people in the past. If he wanted to, he could play the role of the perfect "best friend," providing immense emotional value and making people willing to go through fire and water for him.

Unfortunately, that trick didn't work on Yue Shi. Before he could even start, before many of his tactics could even be deployed, Yue Shi had already seen through his ulterior motives.

Since that was the case, Zhong Mo decided to be direct. When dealing with someone as sensitive and suspicious as Yue Shi, it was better to cut straight to the heart of the matter.

Thus, Zhong Mo said, "My current situation is poor. Whether I choose to save those people or abandon them, there will be a lot of trouble. Therefore, I need a powerful ally, and you are the best candidate."

On the surface, Zhong Mo was always kind to others, maintaining harmonious relationships with everyone around him—you never knew when they might come in handy.

Initially, he had the same attitude toward Yue Shi, but it wasn't until they dealt with the Parasitic Mushroom together that he discovered Yue Shi’s true value.

Yue Shi’s combat strength wasn't the most important factor; rather, it was that unpredictable hypnosis ability that Zhong Mo valued most. Such an ability was a god-tier support skill; used in the right place, it would absolutely yield twice the result with half the effort!

"You want to collaborate?" Yue Shi frowned. "I've always been a lone wolf. I'm not used to being tied to others. What benefit is there for me in collaborating with you?"

Zhong Mo remained calm and immediately highlighted his advantages. "I have connections and various information channels. You also seem to have some complicated business to attend to. If we join forces, I’ll pave the way for you, and you help me break through my deadlocks. It’s a win-win."

Win-win? Yue Shi fell silent for a moment. In his dictionary, "win-win" meant he got to win twice. Was that something he should say out loud?

Zhong Mo continued his persuasion for a while longer. Yue Shi didn't play hard to get; after a moment of reflection, he gave a clear response. "Fine, let's cooperate."

A more genuine smile blossomed on Zhong Mo’s face, but it vanished in the next second because Yue Shi immediately made a request:

"Since you say you have connections and information channels, could you do me a small favor right now?"