Ye Fan's anger surged as he heard the strong black man's murmurs. The idea of turning a blind eye crossed his mind, but the man's next words made him reconsider.
The strong black man performed an ancient courtesy, extending a fist towards Ye Fan and others. "My friends, I'm truly delighted to see you. This is the most energetic group of survivors I, Chen Hao, have encountered since the beginning of this apocalypse. Tsk! The women are really beautiful and the men are handsome."
Ye Fan acknowledged Chen Hao's smooth talk with a nod. Before he could respond, Chen Hao continued, "I wonder where they are from? Which one is the leader? Maybe we have heard of each other on the radio."
Standing in the middle, Ye Fan proudly declared, "I am Ye Fan, the commander-in-chief of the Dawn Army."
Chen Hao was momentarily surprised, "Shuguang Army? Is it the team in Chengguan Town? The one who said they wanted to exchange supplies for gold and silver?"
"Exactly," confirmed Ye Fan.
Chen Hao, pleased, approached and extended his hand to shake with Ye Fan, "Oh, you are the commander-in-chief Ye Fan. You really can't tell a person's face."
Ye Fan, observing the interaction between Chen Hao and his surroundings, assessed the situation. Even though Xiaotian and the military dogs were present, they showed no signs of hostility, indicating that Chen Hao and his group weren't a threat.
Shaking hands with Chen Hao, Ye Fan initiated a conversation. Chen Hao, the leader from Dawangzhuang Village, explained their survival tactics and how they reclaimed their village bit by bit.
Ye Fan chuckled and replied, "You are not bad either. It is not easy to establish a base in a village."
Chen Hao shared more about the challenges they faced and the conditions in Lingshui. Ye Fan realized that the phenomenon of meteors attacking military areas was not unique to Chengguan Town.
Despite the hardships, Chen Hao maintained a positive attitude. Ye Fan, noting his sincerity, decided to let Chen Hao choose supplies first. Gao Dongliang, who had been listening to their conversation, recognized Chen Hao's voice from the radio and shared some lighthearted complaints.
As Gao Dongliang and Chen Hao discussed the details of the transaction, Ye Fan watched, content to let Gao Dongliang handle the negotiations. After reaching an agreement, the supplies were exchanged, leaving both parties satisfied.
Ye Fan was particularly pleased to find jade jewelry among the exchanged items. As the deal concluded, Chen Hao expressed gratitude, "Brother Ye, you have helped me a lot this time. On behalf of the more than 2,000 folks at Dawangzhuang Village Base, I thank you, thank you!"
Ye Fan, appreciating Chen Hao's straightforwardness, responded, "You don't need to be so polite, Chief Chen. It's okay for everyone to get what they need. Now that you've made a deal with me, do you still want to go to Sishui County?"
Chen Hao, eager to continue trading, replied, "Let's go, we still have a lot of extra supplies. Let's go over and exchange for what we need."
During their conversation, Chen Hao hinted at potential issues at the Hardware Building in Liu Long's territory, mentioning Xing Hai and Liu Long's unfair trading practices. He warned Ye Fan to be cautious, as Xing Hai might be trying to deal with him.
Ye Fan, introducing Chen Hao to his armed convoy, assured him, "Your brothers? Where are they?" In response, Ye Fan raised his hand, revealing the approaching heavily armed soldiers.
Chen Hao, witnessing the formidable display, stammered, "This…Brother Ye…chief…officer?"