Qi Ren stood outside the castle, his backpack slung over his shoulder, looking rather disheveled at the fortress that had shut him out.
A stone he threw tumbled down, and he caught it with both hands.
Tilting his head back, Qi Ren gazed at the glowing area above the castle.
He waited, he hoped, for someone inside the castle to emerge and see him.
Time ticked by, and Qi Ren’s hopes gradually waned as the castle remained stubbornly silent.
He scratched his head, wondering if his voice had been too soft or if the sound of the stones hadn’t been enough to attract attention.
After some thought, Qi Ren decided to try again.
This time, he yelled with all his might, "Hey—"
His shout was indeed loud, and in this quiet, open space, on this night, it was truly startling.
After shouting "Hey" and prolonging the sound, he hefted the stone in his hand and hurled it upwards with force.
These two actions were substantial enough that it was impossible for people inside the castle not to notice.
Qi Ren calmed himself, patiently waiting.
Su Ling, after confirming the situation outside, turned and left the control room.
As the castle gate opened as Qi Ren had wished, he saw someone emerge in the dim light.
When the person fully stepped out, Qi Ren finally got a clear look at who it was.
"Hello," Qi Ren said first, adopting a polite demeanor.
As the castle gate opened, the aroma of roasted lamb, boiled offal, and rice wafted towards Qi Ren. He inhaled deeply with immense greed, swallowing hard.
The thought of joining Su Ling inside the castle to share dinner furiously seized his will.
Initially, he had wanted to join Su Ling’s team and become a member of the mobile fortress.
Later, he figured it didn't matter if he didn't join; he'd be willing to have such a dwelling.
Even later, he reverted to his original plan: joining Su Ling and her group.
Not for any other reason, but because their supply reserves were astonishing, and it greatly surprised him.
Someone among them must have the ability to store provisions; he had seen such a power before.
But that person's ability was nowhere near as potent as Su Ling's group, and because they were too ostentatious and lacked restraint with their self-driving storage ability, they were killed by other superpowered individuals, and all their stored items were exposed.
It was just cookies, potato chips, and instant noodles, unlike Su Ling’s group who could manage living creatures like sheep.
This was an incredibly valuable team. He would have to be out of his mind not to figure it out and would cling to Su Ling’s group even if it meant death.
Seeing that Su Ling had not responded to his greeting, only looking at him with a cold, expressionless face, Qi Ren scratched his head and spoke again, "We met this morning. My name is Qi Ren. Do you remember?"
The other party was a powerful individual, a significant figure. Although Qi Ren was displeased with their attitude, he could tolerate it if possible.
A true man could bend and stretch, only then could he achieve great things.
Seeing that Su Ling still remained silent, Qi Ren continued, "It's like this, I want to join you. I won't be a burden to you. I have a special ability; I've awakened a water ability, and I can provide water resources for the team."
Fearing that Su Ling might think he was lying, Qi Ren quickly demonstrated his ability.
Focusing intently, water soon emerged from his palm, overflowing and then flowing onto the ground from his hand.
This ability was truly not of much use to Su Ling's mobile fortress.
Su Ling had been watching Qi Ren the entire time. Seeing him display his ability, her expression remained unchanged, but her tone was cold, "The team is full, and we don't need new members."
"Impossible!"