Quite the polite man, Leo thought to himself as he listened to Victor greet him with a calm smile.
"The journey must've been rough," Victor said, pulling out a chair for Leo.
Leo nodded lightly, his voice steady. "As expected. This is the apocalypse, after all."
Victor chuckled. "Right, right. But someone like you probably doesn't find much trouble out there."
Leo narrowed his eyes slightly. Someone like me? That line stuck in his head.
He studied Victor, sensing the hidden weight in his words. "You think I'm a Transcendent?"
Victor shrugged casually. "You took down Peak Mutants like they were nothing. Doesn't take a genius to guess."
Leo didn't reply right away. He was trying to figure Victor out. If this man had noticed that much, it meant he was watching him closely—and thinking ahead. Clever. Observant. Possibly dangerous.
Victor gestured again. "Come on, take a seat. Let's talk properly."
Leo sat down, still quiet, still watching.
"You may have heard of me through Baelor," Victor started. "I sent some men to help Zone 4 during the chaos."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "To help? Or to take over? Sounds opportunistic."
Victor didn't flinch. "Isn't every opportunity born out of chaos? Baelor didn't accept my offer to join forces peacefully. So I had to take the long route. Helping during their worst moment seemed… efficient."
Leo leaned back, arms crossed. "You talk like you're doing the world a favor."
"I just understand how the world works now," Victor replied calmly. "Strength talks. And I don't want to offend someone like you. My men saw what you did out there. A Level 4 Transcendent? That's not someone you want as an enemy."
He smiled politely. "So why not lower our guard and talk like neighbors? I think it benefits both of us."
Leo stayed quiet. Around them, the other generals were watching, but they didn't interrupt. Leo could feel the tension in the room, masked by polite silence.
After a few seconds, he asked, "Why go through all this? You could've just ignored me. Why welcome me inside your gates?"
Victor looked him in the eyes. "Because I know where I stand. I'm strong, but I'm not stupid. My camp is solid. My generals—like Alex and the others here—are Tier 9 and Tier 10 Ascended. I'm Tier 6 myself. Not weak. But even with all that, if I want to expand and hold power, I need people like you. Strong. Smart. Driven."
Leo's eyes narrowed. "Driven? You have goals, then. What are they?"
Victor smiled but didn't answer right away. "Something we should discuss in private. For now, I just want us to understand each other. No tricks. No knives in the dark. Just honest talk."
Leo didn't fully trust him—but he had to admit, Victor's approach made sense.
In this country, Leo couldn't afford to make enemies out of everyone. A powerful ally like Victor could open doors. Help him spread his influence. Expand his reach.
If they worked together, they could set the tone for the rest of China—and maybe force the other Zone Lords to talk instead of fight.
But trust? That was another matter. Leo knew even the strongest man could be brought down by a hidden blade or a whisper in the dark. He needed to be cautious.
He picked up a glass of water from the table and raised it slightly.
"Well, then. I guess this is the beginning of something."
Victor picked up his own glass and tapped it against Leo's. "To understanding."
The other generals glanced at one another, a little surprised by how things had turned out. But they joined in, raising their glasses as well.
Victor turned to a man beside him. "Alex, show our guest to his quarters. He's free to move around the camp. No one will stop him. And Leo—maybe join me for dinner later. We can talk more."
Leo stood and nodded. "Sounds fair."
Alex stepped forward. "Please follow me, sir."
"Just Leo is fine," Leo said as they walked out together.
Victor watched them go. Cassian, one of the generals, leaned closer.
"You sure this is the right move? Trusting him?"
Victor smiled faintly. "I don't know if I trust him. But I respect him. He's not the kind of man who stabs you in the back. If he sees me as a threat, he'll come at me head-on. That's the kind of man I can work with."
"And if you're wrong?"
"Then we both lose. But I think we're smart enough not to let that happen."