Chapter 84: An Alliance of Offense and Defense

"Commander Wang! Hope Base is helping us with such dedication—what is it you want in return?"

Zhang Xiong understood well that there is never a free lunch in this world, so he asked Wang Ji his question directly.

Wang Ji burst out laughing at his words. "Chief Zhang, let’s speak frankly. You know as well as I do that in these chaotic times, it’s hard to thrive alone. Without a stable ally, any of us could be overthrown at any moment."

Hearing this, Zhang Xiong thought back to how, in a single night, Rhino Base had been seized by the Monkey Nation. He nodded with deep understanding.

"So what you mean is... you only want us as allies?" Zhang Xiong asked, somewhat incredulously.

Wang Ji shook his head slightly and replied thoughtfully, "It’s not that simple. We’ve invested so much to help you—not just out of personal goodwill, but for fairness as well. Helping you reclaim Rhino Base is no problem, but from now on, each month you must pay us forty percent of your income."

Seeing Zhang Xiong’s face tighten, Wang Ji continued in a low voice, "In return, we’ll supply you with all the weapons and ammunition you need at the lowest prices—including heavy arms, tanks, self-propelled artillery, even exoskeleton mechs! We’ll also grant you access to our base’s advanced technology, including communications equipment. Of course, these will need to be purchased."

As Wang Ji listed the benefits, Zhang Xiong’s eyes grew brighter. He no longer felt any resistance to the proposal. This visit had shown him the true strength and potential of Hope Base. The special operations team that had come to assist during his retreat had performed impressively. If his own foundation had been stronger, he would have proposed an alliance himself long ago.

Now, Wang Ji was only asking for forty percent of their income—a price far outweighed by the value of the resources offered.

Sensing Zhang Xiong’s growing interest, Wang Ji smiled and added, "Lastly, we can form a military alliance. During the duration of the pact, we advance and retreat together. If either side is attacked and calls for aid, the other will respond unconditionally."

"No problem!" Unable to refuse any longer, Zhang Xiong slapped the table and shouted.

"Commander Wang! From this day on, Rhino Base will follow your lead in all things!"

Wang Ji looked at Zhang Xiong with great appreciation. To be able to adapt to such highs and lows—he truly was a remarkable figure and well deserving of such support.

"But..." Zhang Xiong said, a bit embarrassed, his smile awkward.

"But what? If you have any concerns, Chief Zhang, please share them," Wang Ji said, his expression darkening slightly. He had been honest and open, eager to cooperate, yet now he wondered what was on Zhang Xiong’s mind.

Mouse and Li Chengming, seated lower at the table, exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable.

Sensing the change in atmosphere, Zhang Xiong quickly explained, "Commander Wang! Being able to ally with you and receive your help is a blessing for Rhino Base. I only want to say that, in this recent conflict with the unknown Monkey Nation forces, we discovered that they have at least three A-class experts, and dozens of B- and C-class fighters. I’m just concerned about whether you—"

At this, Wang Ji’s expression softened. In his eyes, those monkeys who had lived in their isolated corner of the world were of no consequence. His confidence was a product of true strength.

"It seems I should give you a glimpse of our military might!"

With pride, Wang Ji placed his tablet on the table, projecting images of Hope Base’s armored forces.

"This is our main battle tank—its armor is over three times that of the world’s most advanced tanks. Crew of five. Main gun: 200mm caliber, maximum armor penetration: 2000mm. It operates on the most advanced crystal-core energy drive, with a top speed of 120 kilometers per hour. It’s equipped with explosive, armor-piercing, and incendiary shells, as well as a 12.7mm automatic heavy machine gun with thirty thousand rounds."

The projection displayed data on the tanks produced in the base's industrial district, interspersed with combat footage. As expected, such formidable firepower was enough to make one’s blood race.

"Next, our self-propelled artillery—crew of six..."

"Multi-role battlefield communications armored vehicle..."

"Mobile unit coordination command vehicle, providing the most comprehensive and timely battlefield support..."

The parade of advanced weaponry Wang Ji laid before Zhang Xiong stirred wave after wave of excitement in him.

"If only we’d allied with you sooner and had these weapons, I’d have the confidence to drive those monkeys back to their mountain hideouts," Zhang Xiong mused, already picturing these weapons as his own.

Wang Ji smiled. "This is just a portion of what we have now. There will be more as time goes on."

He had plans for electromagnetic weapons, and once the crystal refinery was upgraded, enough energy points would allow the vehicle workshop to expand further—activating airborne vehicles, and eventually, the wolf-type simulation robots he had already begun to deploy.

Mouse was also visibly excited. "Boss, does this mean the wolf robots will soon be mass-issued to the army?"

"Yes. I’ve already stored the simulation robot technology in the production workshop. The wolf robot is just one model. For now, I think it’s best for special operations teams—it will greatly enhance their mobility and combat capabilities."

"As for other types, like the spider robots, I’m planning to use them in logistics to boost load capacity and all-terrain operations. The hummingbird robots will replace our current drones, making intelligence work even more covert and rapid..."

Wang Ji went on to list all the valuable varieties of simulation robots he had prepared.

"Haha, Boss! With these weapons, our combat power will more than double!" Li Chengming said with deep feeling. Having survived a battle with a giant spider mutant, he was keenly aware of the importance of military upgrades.

Zhang Xiong, now fully aware of Hope Base’s capabilities, could only sigh with admiration. "Commander Wang! I don’t think any other survivor base in the country can match this—not in military nor civilian affairs. It’s almost like things were before the catastrophe."

"Of course. No one in this world can compare to our boss," Mouse replied with a fan’s fervent grin.

Wang Ji smiled mysteriously. With the X system, his strength simply couldn’t be matched.

And these open displays of power were still just the basics, continuously improving. Quietly, the base’s internal strength had also grown—over two hundred C-class, nearly fifty B-class, and four or five A-class warriors, including Li Chengming and Mouse. Only Long Qianwen and Long Shan Hao had reached S or S+ class. As for Wang Ji himself, he had long surpassed the world’s current standards—his strength as a two-star warlord was already beyond the world’s comprehension.

"Alright, all this was just for Chief Zhang’s eyes. There’s no need to spread it around," Wang Ji said thoughtfully.

"Understood, Commander!" Everyone in the meeting room responded solemnly.

"Finally, Chief Zhang, let me confirm—do you accept our alliance terms? If so, I’ll have the agreement prepared for signing so we can reclaim your base and free our people as soon as possible."

Sitting at the head of the table, Wang Ji’s gaze was deep and commanding.

Zhang Xiong rose to his feet, placing a hand over his heart in a salute. "Honored by your trust, on behalf of Rhino Base, I accept your alliance. An alliance of offense and defense, advancing and retreating together. Should I break this oath, may I die a wretched death!"

"Good!" Wang Ji nodded with satisfaction, signaling Mouse to arrange for the documents.

Zhang Xiong, eager both to sign the pact and to ensure his people’s safety, readily agreed to all of Wang Ji’s plans. That afternoon, both sides formally signed the treaty and related agreements.

As Zhang Xiong and his excited subordinates left the meeting with documents in hand, Chen Lin asked with some concern, "Commander, we’re helping them reclaim their base unconditionally. If things change in the future, will this alliance still be worth it?"

Wang Ji glanced around at the assembled leaders and smiled. "Let me reiterate—our future enemies won’t be these people. Only by uniting all those willing to fight by our side can we hope to face the coming crises."

Everyone’s expressions grew solemn. They stood and saluted, deeply moved by Wang Ji’s selfless vision.

After the meeting adjourned, Wang Ji lingered in the conference room, silent for a long time. At last, a low voice echoed in the empty space.

"I hope you all truly understand—now, only by uniting as one can humanity hope to find a glimmer of light in the darkness..."

That night, Mouse and Li Chengming immediately gathered their teams and began drafting the preliminary plan to retake Rhino Base. The next day, with limited new intelligence, Wang Ji approved the operation and appointed Mouse as battlefield commander, granting him full authority.

Mouse then dispatched Li Chengming’s reconnaissance company, spreading out in a net toward Rhino Base.

By noon on the third day, after a day of logistics and mobilization, over a thousand soldiers in the armored corps were ready to set out.

This was Hope Base’s first large-scale expedition. The long convoy, led by the armored corps, made a circuit through the base before setting off. Residents lined the streets, watching with excitement.

"Wow, the armored corps! This is amazing!"

"I want to enlist! So impressive!"

"Look at those cannon barrels..."

People marveled at the base’s might. This was Mouse’s plan—to boost morale and unity by parading the force. It was already having the desired effect.

Wang Ji stood on the highest point of the base, his clothes billowing in the wind, watching them depart with hope and anticipation.