Jin Qiaoqiao, upon Peng Tiancheng's immediate departure, immediately turned to apologize to Qin Shilei and the other. "Qiaoqiao was impolite, disturbing your pleasant mood."
Qin Shilei said indifferently, "This is likely the purpose your father and you invited us back for, isn't it?"
"We dare not hide anything from you two. It is indeed so."
Jin Qiaoqiao said sincerely, "Our Jin family does not intend to use Mr. Qin. Instead, we wish to pledge allegiance to Mr. Qin. May I ask if the Cang Lei Gang is of interest to you two?"
The Jin father and daughter were unwilling to pledge allegiance to anyone, but they were now cornered by the Jing Hong Gang.
Since they had to choose a faction to pledge allegiance to, why not choose the strongest one?
Coincidentally, they learned from their subordinates that Qin Shilei had appeared in Bei'an City. The father and daughter immediately decided to pledge allegiance to Qin Shilei.
Qin Shilei said calmly, "We do not know each other well at the moment. Let's discuss this another day."
Jin Qiaoqiao thanked him again, "Thank you, Mr. Qin, for driving away Peng Tiancheng earlier. I shall play a song for you two again."
However, this song was thoroughly ruined. As soon as she started, the door was knocked again.
"Miss, someone from Tian'an Prefecture is here to see Mr. Qin," a servant whispered to Jin Qiaoqiao.
Jin Qiaoqiao looked up at Qin Shilei, who directly replied, "Let them in."
Soon, Ling Zhenguo entered with a young man.
Seeing Qin Shilei and An Qian leisurely drinking tea as if they hadn't noticed their arrival, without any intention of greeting them.
Ling Zhenguo showed a hint of displeasure on his face, but he quickly concealed it and spoke first, "I am Ling Zhenguo, Director of the Office of Tian'an Prefecture. Are you Mr. Qin Shilei?"
"Indeed." Qin Shilei put down his teacup and pointed to the seat in front. "Sit down."
Although Qin Shilei had not instructed her, Jin Qiaoqiao naturally poured tea for Ling Zhenguo and the others.
Ling Zhenguo scrutinized Qin Shilei and asked, "May I ask where Mr. Qin is from, and what your parents do?"
Being asked this, Qin Shilei suddenly thought of his parents far away on Earth, and his expression became a little sad.
After a long while, he regained his senses. "Hope City in Nanzhuang City. My parents are just ordinary farmers."
Ling Zhenguo casually asked a few more questions, but he could not find a good breakthrough.
He finally got to the point. "At this time of national crisis, is Mr. Qin willing to contribute to the country?"
Qin Shilei asked, "What aspect are you referring to, Director Ling?"
Ling Zhenguo tentatively said, "In politics or the military. As long as Mr. Qin is willing, the country will surely grant you a suitable position. With Mr. Qin's strength, as long as you achieve many merits, you can reach the highest positions."
Qin Shilei smiled faintly, "I am used to freedom and may not be able to bear such heavy responsibilities."
At first, he thought they would ask him to deal with the bugs outside the city, which he wouldn't mind contributing to.
Ling Zhenguo earnestly persuaded, "Do you not have any desire to repay the country that bore and raised you?"
Qin Shilei smiled dismissively, thinking to himself, "I really don't. I'm from Earth."
Ling Zhenguo spoke again, "Mr. Qin, even though you are now the lord of a city, your position is still not legitimate. Once you return to the national leadership, you will still be the lord of Hope City and Junhai City. This way, your position will be more righteous. You will also be a great hero whose name will go down in history."
Qin Shilei sneered, "Aren't you just looking for a thug? Why put it so nobly."
If this were Earth, perhaps he would have been willing to contribute to the country out of patriotism.
Now, they were trying to recruit him, a peerless master, as a thug by appealing to ideals and a spirit of dedication. This was too naive.
"Mr. Qin, we are doing this for your own good."
Ling Zhenguo continued to persuade, "As long as you submit to Tian'an Prefecture, not only will your current position as city lord become legitimate, but the legality of any cities you occupy in the future will also be recognized by us."
Qin Shilei still said faintly, "No need."
"As a citizen of Great Xia, failing to serve one's country is disloyalty. Seeing one's compatriots in dire straits and not extending a helping hand is inhumanity."
The young man beside Ling Zhenguo said righteously, "Are you willing to be a disloyal and inhumane person?"
Ling Zhenguo's heart skipped a beat, and he thought, "This is bad."
This young man was his grandson, Ling Zirui, the strongest in his Ling family. He had brought him here this time hoping he would gain some experience, and even establish a connection with Qin Shilei, so that he could secure a better position in Tian'an Prefecture in the future.
Just as Ling Zhenguo had guessed, Qin Shilei said coldly, "Whether I, Qin Shilei, am loyal or humane is none of your business. Get out now."
Ling Zirui sneered, "Are you angry and embarrassed? I think you want to declare yourself king!"
"And if I do?" At this point, Qin Shilei no longer had any reservations.
Are kings and generals born?
If Tian'an Prefecture truly had the ability to march on Hope City, he wouldn't mind submitting.
Who reigns as king didn't matter, did it? Did they dare to trouble him, the strongest on Planet Blue?
But if they lacked the ability yet wanted to use him to conquer the world, that was out of the question.
"This is treason," Ling Zirui said angrily. "It is because of traitors like you that our country is in such a state."
"Enough!"
Ling Zhenguo shouted to stop his grandson.
But it was too late. He only saw a blur before his eyes, and his grandson was already being lifted by Qin Shilei by the neck.
Ling Zhenguo quickly said to Qin Shilei, "Mr. Qin, I hope you will spare him considering his youth and ignorance."
Qin Shilei said coldly, "He is not ignorant due to youth; he is simply blind. What makes our lives precarious are the zombies and mutated beasts, not me, Qin Shilei."
Ling Zhenguo nodded quickly, "Precisely. The culprits are the zombies and mutated beasts."
At this time, Ling Zirui's face had turned red due to lack of air.
He wanted to struggle, but was electrocuted by the lightning in Qin Shilei's hand, unable to move. He was on the verge of suffocating and passing out.
Ling Zhenguo wanted to step forward to save his grandson, but he was afraid of provoking Qin Shilei into more violent retaliation. He could only stand by and repeatedly apologize and beg for mercy.
"Hmph!" Qin Shilei snorted, then casually threw him. Ling Zirui was thrown out of the Jin family, rolled more than ten times, and finally stopped after hitting a trash can.
"Mr. Qin, I apologize for the disturbance. I shall take my leave."
Ling Zhenguo hurriedly ran outside to help his grandson up.
After Ling Zirui got up, he still muttered under his breath, "He has the ability, yet he doesn't think of serving his country, and instead wants to declare himself king. This is utter treason!"
Ling Zhenguo quickly covered his mouth. "Shut up. Don't just show off with your sharp tongue. Aren't you afraid of enraging him and causing our Ling family to suffer the same fate as the Tang family in Junhai City?"
Ling Zirui said unhappily, "But... Grandpa, you always taught me to serve the country?"
Ling Zhenguo glanced back at the Jin family's residence with lingering fear, regretting deeply why he had brought his grandson along.
He hadn't expected his grandson to be so upright. Even though he had almost died, he still wanted to condemn the other party.
Fearing that his grandson would say something more shocking, Ling Zhenguo quickly grabbed him and fled in the distance.