Chapter 23: Little Schemes in Negotiation
“Alright, let’s get back to the main topic. Where were we just now?”
Yi Ning returned to her seat, tilting her head in thought.
“Oh right, I was second place in the Human Body Modification practicum.”
Human Body Modification practicum.
Hearing this term, Lu Zheng’s expression turned somewhat grim.
As a proper hero, it was difficult for him to ignore a term like that.
But the current circumstances were stronger than his morals. He still needed Dr. Alien’s help to save Ye Qin, so he had no choice but to lower his head and forcibly suppress his expression.
Unfortunately, his face had already been seen through by Yi Ning.
“Don’t make such an ugly face. Courses like Human Body Modification—you can’t master them without hands-on practice. For someone like me who doesn’t have the right abilities, getting second place meant a lot of private practice.”
She lowered her head, propped it up with her hand, and looked up at Lu Zheng’s face from below, constantly provoking him.
Usually, she only saw emoticons on his pixel screen—it wasn’t often she got a precious chance to observe his real facial expressions.
“Are you very angry? Angry for those human models?”
Lu Zheng furrowed his brows and didn’t respond.
Yi Ning smirked wickedly, her gaze resting for a moment on the crack in the glass cup in Lu Zheng’s hand, continuing to push his buttons.
“What’s the point? Getting angry over things born to be used for human body modification experiments.”
Crack!
Lu Zheng shattered the glass in his hand.
But remembering that he still needed Dr. Alien’s help, he took a deep breath, trying to calm down.
Calm down, my ass!
Lu Zheng slammed the table and stood up: “If you’re unwilling to help, I won’t force you.”
He turned and walked a few steps, then turned back, pointing a finger at Yi Ning’s forehead: “Don’t think you can escape legal punishment for doing something like this. You’d better hope we don’t find evidence!”
Seeing Lu Zheng’s fury, Yi Ning curled her lips into a grin.
This was exactly what she loved—provoking people’s emotions.
Especially when they couldn’t do anything to her for now.
Still, Yi Ning kept her expression steady, refraining from laughing aloud, and instead feigned a serious demeanor.
“Legal punishment? Don’t make baseless accusations. I haven’t done anything illegal. I don’t even owe my workers their wages.”
“You’re standing on the Hero Association’s turf now. Don’t use your so-called ‘law’ to smear the law of our Hero Association.”
Lu Zheng practically spat out each word through gritted teeth.
“Oh wow, the Hero Association is so impressive. Even using simulacra as human models is a crime.”
Yi Ning deliberately became sarcastic.
“What?”
Hearing Yi Ning’s words, Lu Zheng’s mind went blank.
He couldn’t react for a moment.
“I said...” Yi Ning deliberately dragged out her words, leaned close to Lu Zheng, and enunciated clearly, “I didn’t expect that in the Hero Association, even using simulacra for practicum would be considered a crime.”
“Simulacra?”
Lu Zheng’s blanked-out brain could only register those three syllables.
“What else did you think they were? Real humans? Don’t tell me you forgot that a few years ago, in the ceasefire agreement signed between the Evil Council and the Hero Association, there was a clause prohibiting the use of innocent civilians as test subjects?”
Yi Ning revealed a triumphant, wicked smile: “Don’t tell me... the ace hero of the D-City Hero Association doesn’t even know the contents of the ceasefire treaty that symbolized the Association’s phased victory?”
With Yi Ning’s prompt, Lu Zheng’s mind slowly came back.
He then remembered that such a treaty indeed existed—but in his anger provoked by Yi Ning, he had completely forgotten about it.
“Uh... well...”
His expression turned awkward instantly, and he could only try to change the subject.
“Really didn’t expect that the Evil Council would take the initiative to seek peace.”
Luckily, Yi Ning didn’t seem inclined to press the issue.
“After all, most people become villains just to find an easier way to live a better life. Endless warfare makes it impossible to live peacefully, let alone develop the economy or make any money.”
“To the upper echelons of the Evil Council, the rights of ordinary people are irrelevant. Using that as a bargaining chip to gain temporary peace zones for money-making is far more important to them.”
“But our philosophies are fundamentally opposed. In private, peace is impossible. And this actually cuts into the interests of the lower and mid-tier evil organizations, so to recover those losses, they can only keep stirring up trouble on your Hero Association’s turf.”
At this point, Yi Ning’s expression darkened slightly.
But the gloomy expression only lasted a second. The next moment, she was back to her trademark mischievous smile.
“You’ve just about finished changing the subject—so shouldn’t I be receiving something by now?”
“Huh?”
Yi Ning tilted her head deliberately, cupped a hand to her ear, and leaned toward Lu Zheng.
Clearly, she hadn’t let the earlier matter go.
“I was wrong to speak without understanding the situation. I sincerely apologize.”
Lu Zheng bowed his head and apologized earnestly.
“Heh heh~ Apology accepted. So now, let’s return to the matter from before.”
Yi Ning folded her hands under her chin.
“I can help you restore your friend to her original state—it won’t take me much time. But still, we’re mortal enemies. Why should I help you?”
Looking at the smug Yi Ning in front of him, Lu Zheng took a deep breath.
The other party had already laid her cards on the table, waiting for him to show his own.
He felt a bit helpless.
In this negotiation, he had completely lost the upper hand, with no chance to turn the tables.
Not that he’d had the upper hand before anyway.
He looked at the machine that could save Ye Qin.
“Then, Dr. Alien, what’s the price?”
“As long as it doesn’t violate public order or decency, I’ll do anything you want!”
He could only try to show as much sincerity as possible. But even he himself wasn’t very satisfied with what he just said.
Saying he’d do anything, then immediately adding a condition—it was clear he wasn’t offering much sincerity.
But Lu Zheng had no choice.
He knew far too little about Yi Ning—so little that aside from helping her conquer D-City, he couldn’t think of anything that might interest her.
All he could offer was this empty promise.
Fortunately, Yi Ning didn’t reject it outright. She understood Lu Zheng’s awkward position and didn’t press him on his words.
She just stretched her shoulders: “Anything, huh... I really can’t think of anything I need help with right now.”
Yi Ning rubbed her shoulder: “Aiya~ Why is my shoulder suddenly so sore?”
“I’ll massage it for you right now.”
Lu Zheng understood her implication and quickly walked behind Yi Ning, raising his hands and earnestly massaging her shoulders.
So good!
Yi Ning’s face remained expressionless, but her heart was bursting with joy.
This was the pleasure of having her mortal enemy serve her?
Yi Ning was thoroughly satisfied.
She felt proud of her intelligence.
If she had just used his friend’s life to coerce him, then even if Lu Zheng agreed on the surface, he would still be unhappy deep down.
But if she made him feel guilty, then with just a little suggestion, he’d come running to serve her willingly, hoping to ease his guilt.
For someone with such a strong sense of morality, this move never failed.