Previously, the Bugra Free State had always sent business representatives from the Flintstone Group, namely, a man named Xavier, to liaise with the New Alliance. So when a self-proclaimed Foreign Minister suddenly arrived this time, Chu Guang wasn’t sure whether the man’s identity was genuine or not. After exchanging a few polite words, he simply ignored the man.

To be honest, he didn’t much like those fellows. Especially during the cleanup of the slums outside Boulder Town, the New Alliance’s security forces discovered that many gangs operated under the shadow of the Flintstone Group.

Those people, draped in the guise of a private company, had done all manner of inhuman things, and whenever trouble arose, they would hide sleazily behind the Bugra Free State’s protection.

Because the Bugra Free State was a protected nation of the Great Rift Valley, a power possessing military strength comparable to the Army and the Enterprise, no one could touch them.

The New Alliance’s security teams could hardly enforce the law right under the Great Rift Valley’s nose.

The Flintstone Group was also rather cunning. They never provoked the truly powerful, the Academy, the Army, or the Enterprise, but instead operated in their vassal territories or indirectly controlled settlements.

Places like those under the Scientific Committee’s jurisdiction, or the nations within the Sunset Province, or the more prosperous settlements of the eastern provinces. They were like an annoying fly, those who could squash it weren’t interested, and those who were interested couldn’t reach it.

What puzzled Chu Guang was... Even if Norreg truly was the Bugra Free State’s Foreign Minister, why was he the one visiting this time, instead of a Flintstone Group’s representative?

The Flintstone Group was the real power behind the Bugra Free State, and surely the other side knew the New Alliance was well aware of that fact.

For them to deliberately put on an official facade for those talks made Chu Guang wonder whether there was some hidden motive he didn’t yet know about.

Could it be... that the Great Rift Valley had given them another idea?

At that thought, Chu Guang’s expression turned subtly amused. He decided to let the so-called foreign minister wait until after his speech. He would observe a little before acting. If he could figure out their weak spot, then the initiative would naturally belong to the New Alliance.

Having reached that conclusion, Chu Guang temporarily set Norreg aside and went to greet the New Alliance’s true friends.

To his surprise, among them was Luo Yong, a member of the Highest Council and a major shareholder of Silver Wing Corporate Group.

This poised, middle-aged man first expressed his gratitude regarding the matter of Luo Hua, then quietly delivered a piece of explosive news,

“The Highest Council does not oppose joining a trans-regional cooperative organization alongside the Academy. Especially concerning the issue of the Mutant Slime Mold, we let go of that century-old grudge a long time ago. It’s they who still dwell on the past. If you can convince them, we’ll have no objections, on the contrary, we would even be willing to take on extra responsibility.”

Although deeply surprised, Chu Guang kept his composure, only smiling as he nodded. “I’m glad the Highest Council holds this position. I’ll do everything I can to persuade them.”

Luo Yong raised his glass with a smile.

After a few more pleasantries, Chu Guang excused himself to mingle elsewhere.

Just as he was preparing to stroll around the banquet hall, the event’s master of ceremonies hurried up to him and whispered discreetly. “Honorable Administrator, a guest claiming to be the administrator of Shelter 70 has requested an audience. We cannot confirm his identity, how would you like to handle it?”

Shelter 70? 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

At those words, Chu Guang froze.

Although there had occasionally been wanderers from abandoned shelters joining the New Alliance, they were all from shelters long since defunct.

But someone visiting as an administrator, that was a first.

Not only was the master of ceremonies uncertain, even Chu Guang showed a trace of surprise. “What’s his name?”

“He calls himself Sun Yuechi,” the man replied respectfully.

Chu Guang had never heard the name before. Then again, that was only natural, the New Alliance had never discovered any Shelter 70.

After pondering a moment, he said, “Invite him to the lounge. I’ll be there shortly.”

“As you command.”

...

In the spacious lounge, Sun Yuechi sat on a sofa, glancing repeatedly at the wall clock and occasionally checking the VM on his wrist, visibly nervous.

Though he had prepared himself to meet the New Alliance’s administrator, he wasn’t entirely sure what kind of person this man was, nor what his stance toward other shelters might be.

Still, for the time being, they seemed like the most reliable power around.

After a restless 15 minutes, heavy footsteps sounded outside the door. Sun Yuechi straightened his posture instinctively. The next moment, the door opened, and a man wearing an exoframe stepped in.

Seeing the gleaming armor, Sun Yuechi was taken aback. Rising quickly from the sofa, he blurted out, “That’s... Seven Villard’s exoframe?”

Back at the plaza, he had only caught a distant glimpse and hadn’t noticed the details of the design.

Realizing the visitor recognized the armor’s origin, Chu Guang also looked at him with mild surprise. “You know him?”

“Of course I do, ah, but not in the way you might think. I’ve just studied some of his work,” Sun Yuechi said quickly, noticing the administrator’s expression. Then he extended his right hand with a smile. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Sun Yuechi, administrator of Shelter 70.”

“Chu Guang, administrator of Shelter 404. No need for such formality, we’re all friends on the same front. Please, have a seat.”

They shook hands, and Chu Guang gestured for him to sit again before studying him curiously. “Tell me, how did you hear of Seven Villard?”

“That’s... a long story.” After a brief pause to gather his thoughts, Sun Yuechi continued slowly, “You should know that most shelters, aside from housing survivors, were also tasked with rebuilding civilization.”

Chu Guang nodded, though uncertain why he brought it up.

Seeing his puzzled expression, Sun Yuechi went on, “Shelter 117 housed a large number of biologists and their descendants. Besides surface reconstruction after unsealing, they were also assigned to study the Hive in Clearspring City. Back then, people believed Mutant Slime Mold was the root cause of the Wasteland. Only by eliminating it could we end this era.”

Mutant creatures, raiders, wastelanders, all were products of the age. Only the Mutant Slime Mold and radiation were true legacies of the old world.

Chu Guang nodded again. “I’ve heard of that. The New Alliance actually has a survivor from Shelter 117, our chief biologist, who leads our research on Mutant Slime Mold.”

Sun Yuechi smiled faintly. “Really? If Mr. Seven Villard knew that, I’m sure he would be gratified. In any case, our mission was similar to 117’s. After we unsealed the shelter, we too were tasked with studying a nearby Hive.”

“So when we learned the Post-War Reconstruction Committee had withdrawn from Clearspring City, we sought contact with Shelter 117, the only shelter still pursuing its mission. Collaboration is always faster than working in isolation.”

“Since our unsealing came a century earlier, and since Seven Villard strictly upheld 117’s isolation protocol, our people usually handled the fieldwork while theirs focused on lab analysis.”

“This cooperation lasted nearly a century. Every year we would send envoys to Clearspring City, exchange data, observe the Hive’s newly produced sub entities, and plan next steps together.”

At this point, Sun Yuechi’s expression softened into one of wistful remembrance, as though recalling both an old friend and a lost era.

“I inherited the administrator’s rights ten years ago. But ten years before that, our communication with Shelter 117 abruptly ceased. That was in Wasteland Year 191, you know what happened then, don’t you?”