Zongman: Collecting starts with Shiori

"Well, I accept the apology, so what's the matter?"

Upon hearing this, Liaozi turned his head and glanced at the vehicles that were gradually piling up. A long line of cars had formed behind them, and the drivers honked their horns, appearing impatient.

"Can you get in the car first? It's not good to be stuck in traffic like this."

There was a hint of request in Liaozi's proposal, and her voice was calm and magnetic, making it hard to refuse.

"I didn't ask you to look for me like this. Besides, as a student, I need to go to school."

Liaozi's attitude was very good, but Shikishou Feng still subconsciously wanted to keep a distance from her.

I always feel that if I'm with her, something is bound to happen.

"I have already asked for leave for you."

Shiki Shoufeng rolled his eyes when he heard this.

You can't find me, right? How can you ask for leave in advance?

Fine, since you don't have to go to school anyway, let's see what you want to do.

Shi Shoufeng opened the car door and got in.

"Let's drive."

Seeing Shiki Shoufeng sitting in, an imperceptible joy flashed in Liaozi's eyes. Her hand rested lightly on the steering wheel, and her index finger tapped a few times habitually. Then, Liaozi sank her feet and stepped on the accelerator decisively. With the roar of the engine, the vehicle seemed like a wild horse that had broken free from its reins, and it instantly burst into an astonishing speed, breaking through the tranquility around it without hesitation, and galloping towards the unknown distance.

Outside the car window, the scenery was rapidly receding like a movie scene, but inside the car, it was a completely different scene.

Liaozi wore a pair of sunglasses that covered half of her face, making it impossible to see the emotions in her eyes.

As for Shiki Shoufeng, he chose to remain silent.

He gently closed his eyes, letting the car body sway slightly with the ups and downs of the road, and completely ignoring the occasional glance from Liaozi.

The vehicle drove on the winding road for a long time. Time passed silently. After about an hour, the roar of the engine gradually weakened, and the speed of the vehicle slowed down inch by inch, and finally became smooth.

The scenery outside the window slowly changes from the flashing neon lights of a bustling city to swaying wild flowers along a country road, suggesting that they are gradually getting away from the hustle and bustle.

At this moment, Liaozi seemed unable to suppress his inner anxiety, and his brows were inadvertently frowned.

"Shishou Feng,"

Liaozi's words broke the silence in the car.

"I have a suggestion. Why don't we discuss how to deal with the next steps?"

Upon hearing this, Shiki Shoufeng slowly opened his eyes, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, then he gently moved his neck which was a little stiff from maintaining the same posture for a long time. His eyes gently swept around, the enclosed space inside the car formed a sharp contrast with the natural scenery outside, as if two completely different worlds were quietly overlapping at this moment.

"Wow, we really walked quite a distance."

There was a hint of unexpected teasing in Shikimori Kaede's tone.

"This is undoubtedly the suburbs, with lush greenery everywhere. Are you planning to stage a murder scene to silence someone?"

After saying that, Shi Shoufeng raised the corner of his mouth into a playful smile.

"No, I brought you here just to put you at ease. There is absolutely no surveillance or monitoring here. I did this to show my sincerity."

Ok?

Shiki Shoufeng felt a little strange about Liaozi's attitude.

After all, the last time I met her, she was very tough. Why is she backing off this time?

"You're so sincere... You can try it, but I can't guarantee that I can agree to it."

Since she wants to chat, just chat with her and kill time.

"We at AST want to cooperate with you, Shiki Shoufeng."

.....

It would have been fine if he hadn't said this, but when he did, Shi Shoufeng was shocked.

Isn't this just a giant boomerang?

It was Shiki Morifaki himself who wanted to propose cooperation at that time.

How come it has now become a requirement put forward by AST.

This made Shi Shoufeng feel a little amused.

He asked, looking at Liaozi jokingly.

"Why? What's the reason?"

"reason...."

Liaozi hesitated for a moment.

"I think our goals are the same, and cooperation will not harm either of us. Does this reason count?"

Ah...

Shiki Shoufeng chuckled.

"Not counting."

Chapter 102 Bargaining Chips

Although he had a premonition in his heart, when Shiki Shoufeng denied it without hesitation and firmly, Liaozi's heart still couldn't help but ripple slightly, as if he was suddenly poured with cold water. His expression froze in an instant, and a trace of surprise and disbelief flashed in his eyes.

"Before, you also suggested to me that we discuss the possibility of cooperation, and now, I just hope to discuss it more deeply and carefully based on this existing foundation."

Liaozi tried to reconstruct the atmosphere of the conversation between the two people with a calm and rational tone, hoping to quell the other party's dissatisfaction, and there was an imperceptible caution in his words.

"Work together? You mean..."

Shi Shoufeng's voice was as cold as the winter wind. His deep eyes were fixed on Liaozi, and the emotions contained in them were complex and difficult to discern.

He tilted his head slightly, and an almost invisible sneer flashed across his lips.

"The one before that, when you forced me to participate in all those humiliating, weird, and confusing things?"

"Um……"

Liaozi stammered awkwardly, his eyes subconsciously avoiding, not daring to look directly into Shiki Shoufeng's gaze that could almost see through people's hearts.

Her eyes swept across Shi Shoufeng's indifferent face, and she inadvertently caught a hint of impatience and disgust hidden in the other's eyes. That emotion was like a sharp blade, silently cutting Liaozi's heart, making her feel an indescribable pain and regret.

Liaozi's throat seemed to be strangled by an invisible hand, and for a moment he could not find the right words to respond.

She knew very well that no matter how she defended herself, her past behavior had indeed brought great displeasure and disgust to Shi Shoufeng, and that was a fact that could not be covered up no matter how much she tried to whitewash it. Faced with this realization, Liaozi felt unprecedentedly powerless, and all the explanations she wanted to make seemed so pale and powerless, because she knew very well that once some cracks were formed, they would be difficult to repair.

Moreover, the reason why Shikimori Feng can talk to himself like this now is because the power between them is no longer so disparate. The person in front of him is growing at a rapid speed. In just a blink of an eye, he already has the ability to be on par with himself... no, even surpass himself.

"call..."

Liaozi took a deep breath and quickly corrected his posture and position.

"For what happened before, I know that apologies are useless, but I still want to say sorry. However, Shikimori Kaede... I hope you can seriously consider the possibility of our cooperation. The AST that I lead can help you achieve your goal."

As he spoke, Liaozi bent down sincerely.

Liaozi was originally wearing a black professional suit. When he bent down slightly, the gap in the collar revealed his plump, soft, white and deep ravines directly in front of Shi Shoufeng.

Looking at this scene, Shi Shoufeng couldn't help but reveal a playful smile.

Shiki Shoufeng would naturally not be polite to an opponent who did not treat him as a human being from the beginning.

Want to cooperate...sure, but the conditions are not that simple.

"By the way, why did you bring me to this remote suburb?"

Shiki Shoufeng spoke slowly, and seemed not to be in a hurry to find out the answer. Instead, he suddenly changed the subject with an imperceptible sense of ease and casualness in his tone.

"...This place is sparsely populated. I can guarantee that no covert surveillance or subtle wiretapping is possible here. Only you and I are here. I found you in my private name."

Although Liaozi was a little confused about Shiki Shoufeng's sudden change of topic, he still answered honestly.

There was a hint of sincerity in her voice, as if to prove that what she said was true.

"I see... In that case, let's discuss this seriously. What are the benefits of the cooperation you mentioned earlier for me?"

There was a change in Shiki Morifaki's tone, from indifference at the beginning to seriousness at the moment, which was hard to understand.

Although Liaozi felt confused like a fog in his heart, he was secretly happy about the other party's positive change in attitude.

Before I could think about it any further, she began to explain it clearly.

"As for the benefits, of course they are not small. You know, as the elf response agency directly under the country, our AST shoulders the important task of ensuring that elf activities do not pose a threat to the city. Because of this, our depth and breadth in the field of elf research are unmatched - not only do we have first-hand information on all known elves, but we are also in the leading position in the research and development of weapons to fight against elves. Moreover, as an official organization, we can quickly and efficiently coordinate the evacuation of personnel and the blockade of the scene in an emergency. This level of coordinated operations is by no means comparable to ordinary forces."

Upon hearing this, Shiki Shoufeng raised a sarcastic smile, as if he was quite amused by Liaozi's strategy of only emphasizing advantages and avoiding talking about challenges.

"So, your AST is almost invulnerable and can handle any problem independently, so why do you need to join forces with me? After all, this is cooperation, not finding a subordinate for yourself. No one would like to have someone around to clamp down on them, right? Especially when it comes to a 'monster' like your AST."

"...That's because you made me clearly understand that humans cannot fight against elves..."

In response to Shikimori Kaede's slightly playful sarcasm, Ryoko's tense aura visibly relaxed, as if she had lost the inner struggle. She exhaled slowly, and this subtle movement revealed the turmoil in her heart.

As proud as she is, she has to bow to reality, and a hint of helplessness and compromise flashes in her eyes.

"Oh...Okay, then let's get back to the most important question - what benefits can I get from cooperating with you?"

"Benefit...?"

There was a hint of confusion in Liaozi's eyes, as if he was surprised by this question.

“As I said before, we are an officially recognized organization with…”

However, before Ryoko could finish her high-sounding reasons, Shikimori Feng gently waved his hand, interrupting her words with a slightly impatient gesture.

"You don't need to repeat those useless words to me, right? The formality of your organization and the efficiency of your coordinated operations have no direct relevance to me. Does that mean that without your support and assistance, I will lose the ability to handle things?"

Liaozi was silent for a moment, and the heaviness between her brows seemed to be able to drip down. Finally, she lowered her head, and there was an imperceptible tremor in her voice.

".....You are right. To be more precise, AST is in urgent need of your strength. I don't want to see any of my comrades, my brothers and sisters, fall in meaningless sacrifice. It is true that each of them volunteered to stand on the front line and was willing to pay the price of their lives to protect this world, but in the face of the elves who are wholeheartedly committed to the battle, the fragility and powerlessness of humans is a cruel and undeniable fact..."

Under the impact of Shi Shoufeng's series of sharp words, Liaozi's psychological defenses collapsed little by little, and she finally revealed her true feelings, which were the worries and sorrows hidden deep in her heart.

"Oh... I see. In other words, the current situation is actually because you have something to ask for. Am I right in understanding it this way?"

Shiki Shoufeng's words revealed a kind of calmness that came from an understanding of the overall situation.

"Yes..."

Hearing Ryoko's admission, Shikimori Kaede smiled.

Chapter 103 You deserve it too

A bright and sunny smile gradually bloomed on Shiki Shoufeng's face.

"So that's how it is," Shikishou said slowly, his tone gentle and slightly joking, "Wouldn't it have saved a lot of misunderstandings if you had made it clear earlier?"

There was a hint of surprise and joy in Liaozi's eyes. She leaned forward slightly, as if trying to capture more information from Shiki Shoufeng's every expression.

"So...you mean, you agree?"

There was an undisguised anticipation in her voice.

However, Shikimori Feng's answer instantly dimmed the fire of hope that had just been ignited.

"Hmm...I disagree."

The expression on Liaozi's face froze instantly, and behind the stiff smile was an unspeakable loss.

There was a hint of confusion in her eyes, as if she had been suddenly poured with cold water.

“….Why…?”

Liaozi's voice was thin as a thread, revealing a sense of disbelief and unwillingness.

"Were we not having a very pleasant conversation?"

At this moment, Shi Shoufeng took a light step forward and supported himself with one hand in front of Liaozi's seat, trapping Liaozi in a small space.

There was a playful gleam in his eyes.

The two were so close that they could almost feel each other's breath. Looking at Ryoko who was so close, Shikimori Feng laughed playfully.

"My dear AST captain, have you forgotten how you treated me at that time?"

It is because of this reason...