Cheng Mingxu initially didn't want to speak to Park Su and Xu Nuo with such a tone, as Park Su had caught his eye so thoroughly that he didn't want to leave a bad impression. However, with his subordinates taking the lead, he couldn't just let them lose face, especially since he was indeed irritated by Xu Nuo and Park Su's attitude towards him.
Having grown up being flattered, he wasn't inclined towards masochism, enjoying others' cold shoulders. Moreover, every word his subordinates said struck a chord with him. If the other team was indeed stronger, he wouldn't mind them looking at him like they would a weaker team. After all, there were few teams in Base S that could boast a better lineup than his, and if there were, even his father would show some respect.
But looking at their team, composed mainly of low-tier ability users and so few in number, he couldn't fathom what gave them the confidence to act so superior and dismissive.
Thus, he was curious to see how Park Su and Xu Nuo would respond to his subordinates' challenge. He secretly hoped Xu Nuo wouldn't have a good answer, so he could gain some favor in Park Su's eyes.
Xu Nuo merely glanced at Lin Xiang dismissively before turning his attention back to Cheng Mingxu. "If you have no other business, we'll have to ask you to leave. It's late, and we need to rest. If you're just here to gather information on our convoy, since your subordinate seems to have it all figured out, there's no need for me to elaborate. Please."
Lin Xiang's face turned an ugly shade of red. He had been with Cheng Mingxu for years, both before and after the apocalypse, and had never been so blatantly ignored. With his family being somewhat influential in Base S besides his relationship with Cheng Mingxu, he was used to respect, not such disdain. He stepped forward, his face dark, "What do you mean by that!"
Xu Nuo gave a cold laugh, "Did I say something wrong? You come here, already knowing our situation, clearly you've done your reconnaissance. Now you're here to assess our team leaders personally. Since you've seen us, you should understand our capabilities. So, why linger and disturb our dinner?"
Lin Xiang was left speechless, only managing to say, "You!" after a long pause, followed by, "You're too arrogant."
Xu Nuo was completely unconcerned by his opinion, his gaze fixed on Cheng Mingxu with an expression that clearly said, 'Are you leaving or not?'
Even though Cheng Mingxu found Park Su attractive, he couldn't tolerate Xu Nuo's repeated dismissals, especially since it was clear they were rivals for Park Su's affection. Leaving now would only make him lose face in front of Park Su. Thus, his expression also darkened, his voice tinged with anger, "We came with good intentions, and you not only refuse to entertain us properly but also speak so rudely and disrespectfully.
"Brother, in this apocalyptic world, having more friends means more paths. Having enemies might mean you won't see tomorrow. I advise you to lose that arrogance, or one day you might not know how you die, and you'd only drag your lover down with you, wouldn't that be foolish?"
After sensing Park Su's disdain for them, Xu Nuo had no patience left, and with Cheng Mingxu's provocative words, his displeasure grew. Here he was, still standing, and this man was eyeing Park Su with such a lustful look, as if he were invisible. Xu Nuo had only refrained from teaching him a lesson because he needed to consider the safety of the low-tier ability users he was leading. He had just asked them to leave, but their refusal to do so was already irritating. And now, they were involving Park Su in their disputes, implying that being with him was dangerous.
If Cheng Mingxu had said anything else, Xu Nuo might have continued the verbal spar for the sake of those low-tier ability users. But this was touching on his bottom line.
Park Su was his greatest blessing, a treasure he'd fought hard to keep. The thought of losing him had once been unbearable, and now, anyone suggesting Park Su would be in danger because of him was challenging his deepest fears.
He had no desire to relive the sensation of potentially losing Park Su, a feeling he could never bear again. More importantly, as their relationship grew stronger, he could feel his admiration and affection for Park Su deepening with every passing day.
It was bad enough that this person had set his sights on his Park Su right from the start; now, he even sought to sow discord between them. If he continued to tolerate this, it would no longer be the promise he had made.
Park Su could almost feel the cold aura radiating from his lover. Knowing Xu Nuo as he did, he could tell that the moment of his outburst was near.
Frankly, he had never been fond of Cheng Mingxu. Their past grievances carried over, and as for this life, he was baffled by the whole situation.
It seemed as though he had done nothing just now, certainly not flattering him in the cowardly way he had in their previous life. So why did this person still seem to show some interest in him?
Was it just his face that attracted him? But there were plenty of men more handsome than him in Base S. Why hadn't he chosen one of them? What was it that made him fixate on Park Su? What baffled him even more was how, at the very first glance, Cheng Mingxu had taken an interest in him.
Cheng Mingxu's behavior rekindled the sense of danger from his past life, and it caused Park Su to instinctively move closer to Xu Nuo.
However, the thought of Cheng Mingxu's status made Park Su frown. As Xu Nuo had worried, if it were just the two of them, he wouldn't hesitate to confront Cheng Mingxu, even if it meant losing. He would accept it.
Of course, deep down, he believed that as long as he had Xu Nuo with him, teaching Cheng Mingxu a lesson would be no problem, and he could avenge the wrongs of his past life.
But this time, he was accompanied by those low-tier ability users who had helped him in his past life, and now it seemed that Cheng Mingxu regarded them all as part of his own convoy.
Although he and Xu Nuo would eventually leave Base S, those low-tier ability users—such as Lü Xia and Ge Qing—would stay for the long haul.
They would deal with Cheng Mingxu, then leave. Who knew if Cheng Mingxu would hold a grudge and seek revenge later?
At that point, instead of avenging past wrongs, Park Su feared he would only bring trouble to those who had helped him. So, when he sensed Xu Nuo's temper flaring, he immediately stepped forward, pulling him back, and addressed Cheng Mingxu in a deliberately softer tone.
"I understand, Mr. Cheng. You are the son of the S Base's ruler, and it's likely you will gain significant power here in the future, perhaps even take control of the entire S Base."
"However, it's unfortunate that neither Xu Nuo nor I plan to stay here for long. Therefore, our respect for you will be based solely on your strength."
"As for this convoy, it was temporarily organized by Xu Nuo and me to gather some supplies for our journey, and we will be leaving Base S when we return."
"With these ability users, they have no desire to take more than what's needed, unlike those of similar rank who might seek to divide everything. Since we won't be staying in your territory after we leave, there is no need for us to flatter someone of a lower rank, don't you agree?"
Though Park Su's words were framed as a question, he didn't wait for an answer before continuing, "I know, Mr. Cheng, that you've grown up in a privileged family, rarely encountering people like us who speak so bluntly."
"However, I must apologize. My lover and I have always had this temperament, and I trust, Mr. Cheng, that as someone of your position, you wouldn't let something like this affect the low-tier ability users we've temporarily gathered. After all, with your status, they shouldn't be of any concern to you, should they?"
Park Su finished speaking with a smile, and upon seeing Cheng Mingxu nod obediently, he continued, "But I know you likely don't want this to end like this. After all, you came over in such a friendly manner—emphasizing your kindness—and we treated you so unfriendly, leaving you feeling quite frustrated."
"Since you're feeling frustrated and believe your team is quite powerful, how about we make a bet?"
After saying all of this in one breath, Park Su paused, his eyes locking onto Cheng Mingxu with a questioning gaze.
Cheng Mingxu had also felt the pressure emanating from Xu Nuo earlier. As soon as the aura was released, he felt an overwhelming sense of fear rise from the depths of his heart.
In that instant, he realized that the person before him was not someone he could challenge. A wave of regret flooded through him, and he began to think that even if he wanted to provoke someone, it should not have been like this—just the three of them coming to provoke them.
Clearly, the other side's strength was far beyond his own. He had suspected they were peak-level Tier 3 ability users, but now he realized they might have already broken through to Tier 4. The pressure they exuded was nothing like that of a Tier 3.
A Tier 4 ability user, now that was a level of power that had never appeared in their base before. More importantly, if this person really was a Tier 4, then if a confrontation occurred, even all three of them combined wouldn't stand a chance.
His mind raced, wondering if they should just fight with everything they had, to see if they could safely leave. The thought crossed his mind that he might even be seriously injured. His face darkened with this realization.
What he didn't expect was that before any action was taken, the young man he had his eye on stopped his lover, then stepped forward and spoke so much.
However, no matter how much Park Su said, to Cheng Mingxu, who was now free from the oppressive aura, it just seemed like the "cute little one" was speaking on his behalf. What made it even more perplexing was how this "cute little one" was no longer cold toward him, instead smiling at him several times.
Looking at Park Su's almond-shaped eyes narrowing slightly into a smile, the faint dimples at the corners of his lips, his expression inviting and so very alluring, Cheng Mingxu couldn't help but feel his heart race. The more he looked at him, the more he felt the boy's voice was enchanting, and his appearance perfectly suited his taste.
If only this young man could like him as much as he liked his current lover—it would be perfect. As for the words Park Su had spoken, Cheng Mingxu saw them all as coming from a place of concern for him.
The only regret Cheng Mingxu felt was that this "cute little one" and his lover didn't plan to stay at Base S. That meant, once he returned to the base, he might never see this enchanting boy again.
This saddened him, for S Base was already the largest and most advanced in the entire province, with state-of-the-art equipment and top-tier security. Staying there should have been quite safe. Since they had come, why would they leave so easily? Was it because his lover wanted to take him away? Did he have no choice but to leave because of that?
In an instant, he realized that the person before him was far beyond his capacity to challenge. A wave of regret swept over him; even if provocation was inevitable, he now felt that it was unwise for just the three of them to have initiated this confrontation.
The opponent's strength was clearly far superior to his own. He had previously suspected that the other party was merely a peak-level Tier 3 ability user, but now it seemed evident that they had most likely surpassed Tier 3 and reached Tier 4, for the pressure they exuded was nothing like that of a mere Tier 3.
A Tier 4 ability user—such individuals had never appeared at their base. What was more concerning was that if this person truly was a Tier 4, then in a direct confrontation, even the combined might of the three of them would be no match for him.
He immediately wondered if they should resort to a desperate gamble, hoping to leave this place safely. The thought of possibly being gravely injured crossed his mind, and his face grew darker.
However, he had not expected that before the other party made a move, the young man he had been eyeing would step in to stop his lover, then proceed to speak at great length.