Faced with Han Ning's question, Jacket Man standing on the signboard didn't answer directly but instead asked:
"Bro, where are you from?"
Han Ning slightly furrowed his brows.
These two had appeared with a condescending, scrutinizing attitude from the start, and their tone wasn't exactly friendly. Naturally, he wouldn't easily reveal his background.
Seeing Han Ning remain silent, Jacket Man didn't seem bothered. Instead, he chuckled lightly, breaking the tense atmosphere:
"Anyone who's survived this long can't be stupid. A bit of caution is normal."
"My name is Chen Feng, and he's Lu Yunping. We're survivors from the Azure Cloud Bay Resort to the east."
Jacket Man briefly introduced their identities before continuing,
"You're probably heading to White Egret Port for the ships, right?"
Han Ning gave a slight nod, tacitly acknowledging it.
"Just as I thought."
"White Egret Port lies deep within this fog. Trying to get there without knowing the ropes is suicide."
"We have intel about this fog, including the behavioral patterns of some creatures inside."
"But..." Chen Feng's tone shifted,
"If you want this information, you'll have to join us. And we don't take in weaklings—you'll need to pass our strength assessment and earn our recognition."
"I'm not interested in joining any organization." Han Ning shook his head. He preferred operating alone, especially in this lawless post-apocalyptic world.
Moreover, his last experience joining Liu Feng's team had left him with some unpleasant memories.
"Don't misunderstand—we're not some hierarchical organization with enforced commands."
"It's more like a platform for exchanging information and trading supplies. A few powerful Awakened initiated it to gather capable, resourceful Awakened from nearby areas to help each other survive."
"Members have equal status. They can freely trade supplies, exchange intel, post or accept missions, and team up to explore more dangerous areas. But the prerequisite is that you must have something worth sharing or the ability to obtain valuable information."
Chen Feng looked at Han Ning, his tone growing more serious:
"You can leave anytime—no one will stop you. But there's one ironclad rule everyone agrees on: after leaving, you must never disclose the base location or any information about members to anyone. Violators... will be treated as enemies by all."
"A lot of intel was gained at the cost of lives. Life-saving information is the most valuable currency in this apocalypse."
"There's no such thing as getting something for nothing."
Han Ning fell silent.
He actually thought Chen Feng made some valid points.
As a lone wolf now, he did need a platform for exchanging goods and information.
But he didn't trust these two men before him.
"Why should I believe you?"
"Heh."
Chen Feng seemed to have anticipated this question. He smiled slightly,
"Once you pass the test, I'll give you some free intel about the fog zone. That should be enough for you to judge the authenticity and value of our information."
. The Test Begins
"For more in-depth information—such as relatively safe routes, the distribution of danger sources deep within the fog, and the situation in White Egret Port's berthing area—you'll need to trade or acquire it yourself through your own means within the organization."
"As for whether you want to visit our base or participate in future trading gatherings, that's entirely up to you."
"We don't force anyone to stay. The gathering locations are public. Come if you want, leave if you wish—no one will stop you."
If he could obtain some of this information, Han Ning felt it was worth a try.
After weighing the pros and cons, he raised his head, met Chen Feng's gaze directly, and uttered a single decisive word:
"Alright."
Seeing Han Ning agree, Chen Feng tilted his chin toward Lu Yunping beside him.
"Yunping, go test this brother's mettle."
Lu Yunping shook his head firmly. "No way. You lost the bet earlier—three live chickens still unpaid. Want me to work for free? Not happening."
Chen Feng choked, looking somewhat helpless.
With a flicker of movement, he drifted down from the signpost and landed lightly on a relatively open patch of ground ahead, where the water only reached his calves.
Raindrops splashing within ten centimeters of his body were all blown away by an invisible current.
His gaze swept over Snowflake beside Han Ning, then he raised three fingers with a faint smile.
"The rules are simple. If you can last three minutes against me, you pass the test. I'll fulfill my promise immediately and share some intel with you."
"Don't worry—I'll stop before it gets lethal."
Han Ning's expression remained calm as he nodded. "Alright."
"Be careful!"
Before the words fully faded, Chen Feng's figure had already vanished from sight.
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—
The wind around the two suddenly accelerated, carrying a low, mournful howl.
Whooo—
A powerful gust erupted from the spot where he'd disappeared, sending a spray of water into the air.
"Roar!!"
Snowflake, who had been ready to strike at any moment, was momentarily stunned by the sudden disappearance.
His eyes darted around, trying to track the opponent's movements.
"So fast!" Han Ning's heart tightened. If not for his enhanced Mental Power, he wouldn't even be able to lock onto the other's trajectory.
"Snowflake probably can't keep up with his speed."
The heightened perception from reaching 0.7 in Mental Power proved crucial now.
He barely managed to catch a blurry afterimage streaking toward his left side in an erratic, unpredictable path!
Ssshh—ssshh—ssshh—
Almost the instant Chen Feng moved, Han Ning's mind raced. Fifteen dark green Vines shot out from in front, beside, and even behind him, bursting from the water's surface.
Since Vine Manipulation had advanced from intermediate to high level, he hadn't truly tested its full power.
Now was the perfect opportunity.
The high-level Vines maintained a consistent thickness of three fingers, their color a deep, near-black emerald compared to the intermediate stage.
The sound of them cutting through the air was sharp and piercing, their speed at least 30% faster than before.
[Vine Manipulation (High-Level) Proficiency +1. Current: 5/500]
The fifteen Vines wove into a loose but impenetrable net, precisely blocking Chen Feng's assault path.
However, Chen Feng's speed was simply terrifying.
His body displayed astonishing agility in mid-movement, shifting directions with inhuman precision.
Facing the web of Vines that sought to strangle him, his figure twisted and bent unnaturally, like willow catkins in the wind, slipping right through the gaps between the Vines.
The terrifying force carried by the tips of the Vines lashed into the water, shattering a concrete block at the bottom into fragments.
"Impressive power, but too slow!"
Chen Feng's slightly mocking voice rang out from Han Ning's right rear.
In the next instant, Han Ning felt a gust of wind rushing toward his right side.
Chen Feng had somehow already circled to his flank, his right hand forming a blade with fingers pressed together, the edge of his palm now coated in a thin, rapidly swirling layer of pale cyan energy.